《My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]》


 Chapter 1: Reborn

    <h4>Chapter 1</h4>


    January 1970.


    In the dead of winter, during the coldest days of the lunar month, the early morning silence in Xinghuali Lane was broken by the sound of doors opening one after another in the various courtyards. In no time at all, the alley became a hive of activity.


    The reason? Everyone was rushing to use the public toilet.


    Within moments, a long queue had formed outside the alley''s public toilet. Some were hopping from foot to foot, arms tucked into their sleeves, desperate to relieve themselves. Others stood patiently holding chamber pots, waiting to empty them. The line stretched far down the alley, with no end in sight.


    Despite its size, the public toilet was no match for the sheer number of residents it served in Xinghuali Lane. As the queue grew longer, a long-faced woman emerged from Courtyard No. 44. She wore a grey floral-patterned cotton jacket and looked sprightly as she joined the line, chamber pot in hand.


    No sooner had she taken her ce than the gossip began. The round-faced woman in front of her, wearing a small floral-print cotton jacket, turned and asked eagerly, "Zhao Guihua, now that your youngest son is married too, are you nning to divide the household?"


    This topic piqued everyone''s interest, and all ears in the queue pricked up.


    The long-faced woman, Zhao Guihua, maintained herposure and replied, "Well, I still need to discuss it with the old man. It''s not a small matter, you know."


    Though she said this, in her heart, she was reluctant to split up the family. What parents ever truly want to divide their household? Zhao Guihua was no exception. But given the public setting, she didn''t want to give a definitive answer, leaving some room for maneuver.


    Lost in thought about this matter, she wasn''t paying attention to her footing as she made her way back to the courtyard after emptying her chamber pot. Just as she reached the entrance, she stepped on a patch of thin ice. She slipped and fell hard, her bottom hitting the ground with a thud and her head knocking against the doorpost. "Ah!" she cried out.


    "Mom!"


    "Old woman!"


    The early morning quiet was shattered as people from every household in the courtyard rushed out. "What happened? What''s going on?"


    "Quick, let''s carry her inside..."


    "Why bother? Let''s take her straight to the hospital!"


    "How did she fall like that? I told you we shouldn''t pour water in the courtyard when it''s so cold..."


    "Old woman, old woman..."


    Zhao Guihua was in a daze, hearing someone call out to her. The voice was both familiar and strange.


    This voice is so familiar, she thought. Has the old mane to fetch me?


    Hearing this voice, Zhao Guihua struggled to open her eyes. Even if he was a ghost, she wanted to see her old man onest time. Since he had passed away, she hadn''t had anyone to share her innermost thoughts with, anyone who truly understood her. Zhao Guihua forced her eyes open and got a shock.


    Startled!


    Everyone was leaning over her, peering down... "Old man? How did you get so young?"


    Old Man Zhuang, the head of the Zhuang family, blushed at these words. This old woman!


    He coughed and said, "What are you talking about? The children are all here."


    Seeing his wife still staring at him, his face reddened even more. Then, remembering that she had hit her head, he quickly added, "How do you feel? Is it serious? Should I take you to the hospital to check your head?"


    Zhao Guihua seemed not to have heard him. She slowly turned her head, seeing other young faces. Without exception, every face looked exceptionally youthful. She looked around, seemingly unable toprehend the situation.


    Old Man Zhuang hurriedly said, "Oldest son, go get the bicycle ready. I''ll take your mother to the hospital for a check-up."


    As he spoke, Zhao Guihua reached out and pinched his arm hard. Even through the thick cotton jacket, her vicious pinch couldn''t be stopped. Old Man Zhuang yelped, "Ouch!"


    Before he could ask why, Zhao Guihua asked, "Did that hurt?"


    Old Man Zhuang was speechless for a moment. Then he pursed his lips and said, "Of course it hurt!"


    This old woman, has she damaged her brain in the fall?


    He grew increasingly worried and said, "Let''s hurry to the hospital..."


    Zhao Guihua held his hand and shook her head, "No need!"


    She waved her hand, gesturing for everyone to step back, and sat up. As she looked around closely, her emotions fluctuated, but she quicklyposed herself. She observed the room''s furnishings and the concerned faces of her family members, big and small. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I''m fine."


    Though she wasn''t sure exactly which day she had traveled back to, as a modern olddy who had watched her fair share of time-travel TV dramas, Zhao Guihua was certain she had returned to her younger days.


    Although her sons were already married and she was known as Old Lady Zhao, wasn''t being in her forties or fifties still considered young? She hadn''t even lived half her life yet.


    "Mom, don''t try to act tough. We should still go to the hospital for a check-up. I''m on marriage leave today anyway, so I''m not going to work," said a tall young man standing at the front of the group.


    Zhao Guihua looked up at him. The young man was full of vigor, with thick eyebrows,rge eyes, and a heroic air. This was her youngest son.


    Zhao Guihua had three children, two sons and a daughter, and this was her youngest.


    However, hearing these words, Zhao Guihua realized exactly which day this was. It was the day after her youngest son''s wedding. He had only taken two days off for his marriage, and seeing his new wife already standing beside him, she knew this was the second day.


    On this day in her previous life, she had indeed fallen and hit her head. Although she wasn''t seriously hurt, because it was the second day of her youngest son''s marriage, she couldn''t help but wonder if her new daughter-inw was bringing her bad luck. She had merely mentioned this concern to her husband, not really meaning it. But her eldest daughter-inw had overheard and, being a gossip, had spread it around the courtyard and to the ears of the youngest daughter-inw.


    Her youngest daughter-inw had been raised in a pampered environment and couldn''t bear such an insult. They were already at a disadvantage by not having their own separate household, and now to be the subject of gossip from her mother-inw and sister-inw was too much. Naturally, it had caused a big row. Just days after the wedding, their family had experienced its first "domestic war."


    Remembering her past life, Zhao Guihua rubbed her temples and decisively nipped the potential issues in the bud. She said, "I''m absolutely fine, don''t worry about me. I just don''t know which bastard spilled water in front of our door, causing me to slip!"


    Old Man Zhuang''s mouth twitched. "Uh..."


    Zhao Guihua shot him a re. "What? Did you do it?"


    Old Man Zhuang immediately protested, "How can you say that? It wasn''t me! Didn''t you pour the water out yourselfst night?"


    Zhao Guihua was speechless.


    The most dreadful thing is when the air suddenly bes silent.


    Cursing oneself, how embarrassing.


    Their sons and daughters-inw all pretended to look elsewhere.


    The neighbors who hade to help startedughing, and Zhao Guihua quickly said, "Thank you all foring. You can go back now, go on. I''m fine here, thank you for your concern."


    Seeing that Zhao Guihua was indeed alright, the neighbors started to disperse, chattering as they left.


    "Well, I should go back and make breakfast. I have to go to work."


    "I need to do someundry..."


    "I have to go to the supply and marketing cooperative..."


    The crowd scattered, leaving only the family members behind.


    Zhao Guihua, not at all embarrassed, fake-coughed and swiftly changed the subject. "Why are you all standing around me? Don''t you need to make breakfast? Are you not eating today?"


    The eldest daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, quickly said, "Mom, I''ll go make breakfast. What should we have this morning?"


    Although she was the one who usually cooked, it was customary for her mother-inw to allocate the food and decide the portions. She wasn''t free to cook as she pleased. Normally, they would have coarse grain porridge, but since it was the second day of her brother-inw''s marriage, surely they should have something better.


    Before Zhao Guihua could scold her for being indecisive and always relying on her to make decisions about meals, she suddenly remembered that at this time, she was still in charge of the household. The words caught in her throat, and after a pause, she said, "It''s gettingte, let''s not cook. It''s also the second day of Third Son''s marriage, so let''s buy some fried dough sticks."


    As soon as she said this, everyone except the seemingly distracted youngest daughter-inw looked at her in shock, hardly believing what they had heard.


    Zhao Guihua, unfazed by their stares, said loudly, "What? Can''t I buy some fried dough sticks? Eldest daughter-inw, go and buy..."


    She counted the heads and said, "Buy eight fried dough sticks, eight servings of tofu pudding, and eight tea eggs. Go on."


    Despite the decades that had passed, she still knew exactly where to find the money. She opened a drawer and took out some cash, saying, "Here, go."


    Liang Meifen had never seen her frugal mother-inw buy breakfast before. In the seven years since she had married into the family, this was the first time she had gone out to buy it, stepping out the door in a somewhat dazed state. As soon as she left, the cold wind blew, instantly waking her up. Looking at the money in her hand, she suddenly felt a twinge of sorrow.


    It seemed the olddy really liked the third son''s wife, even buying breakfast for her. When she had married into the family, she didn''t receive such treatment on her second day. Thinking about her current situation, she felt even more lost and frightened, with a sense of destion, feeling only bitterness in her heart.


    Although it was rare to eat breakfast from outside, Liang Meifen didn''t feel the slightest bit of happiness, her face etched with misery.


    A few neighbors washing up in the courtyard exchanged meaningful nces.


    At this moment, Zhao Guihua spoke bluntly: "You all go about your business, don''t crowd around me."


    The two Zhuang sons stared at their mother, asking, "Mom, are you really okay?" They felt that their mother seemed a bit strange today.


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "Why are you hoping for something to be wrong with me? I''m fine, I''m fine. Go on, get going."


    The eldest Zhuang son, Zhuang Zhiyuan, nodded and said, "Then I''ll go wash up."


    The third son, Zhuang Zhixi, also gently pushed his wife''s shoulder, saying, "Let''s go."


    His newlywed wife, Mingmei, with her long eyshes trembling slightly, followed Zhuang Zhixi out like a little wooden doll, returning to their room.


    Old Man Zhuang was still a bit worried: "Are you sure you don''t need to have your head checked?"


    Zhao Guihua: "No need, just give me a mirror, I''ll take a look myself."


    Old Man Zhuang obedientlyplied. Zhao Guihua held up the mirror and examined herself closely. The bump on her head wasn''t serious, and her face looked much younger. She should be forty-six this year, and her old man should be forty-eight.


    So young!


    She marveled sincerely. After gazing for a while, Zhao Guihua came back to her senses and noticed her old man''s worried look. She said, "What? What are you looking at?"


    Old Man Zhuang whispered, "I think you might have hit your head too hard."


    She seemed odd.


    Zhao Guihua understood his meaning and red at him, saying, "You''re afraid I''ve gone stupid?"


    Hearing her loud voice, Old Man Zhuang instantly felt relieved. With such fierceness, she must be fine.


    He said, "I know you''re alright. Look at you, as fierce as ever."


    Then he asked again, "Howe you''re willing to buy breakfast now?"


    It wasn''t just the eldest daughter-inw Liang Meifen who was surprised; as her bedmate, Old Man Zhuang was equally astonished.


    Zhao Guihua: "The children are all married now, we''ve aplished one of our major tasks. It''s time to loosen up a bit. One breakfast won''t make us poor."


    Old Man Zhuang thought about it and nodded: "That''s true. With the youngest daughter-inw joining the family, we''re even better off now..."


    Since the topic had been brought up, Zhao Guihua tightened her jaw and spoke: "Old Man, I want to divide the family."

 Chapter 2: Dreaming

    <h4>Chapter 2</h4>


    Zhao Guihua bumped her head early in the morning, causing the whole family to rush out of bed. After themotion, everyone returned to their rooms.


    In the cold winter month, the room was chilly as the stove had gone out earlier. Zhuang Zhixi entered the room and squatted down to stoke the stove, advising, "It''s not warm in here, you should put on more clothes."


    Zhuang Zhixi was the third son of Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang.


    Earlier, the young couple had hurriedly thrown on some clothes and rushed out upon hearing themotion, not wearing much. After he spoke, there was no response. He looked up to see his young wife still in a daze. He coughed and called out, "Ming Mei?"


    At that moment, Ming Mei seemed to suddenly awaken. Herrge, watery eyes looked towards Zhuang Zhixi as she asked dazedly, "Did you call me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow: "Why are you so absent-minded?"


    Ming Mei blinked innocently and said, "I''m not."


    Zhuang Zhixi gave Ming Mei a long look, then smiled. He lowered his head to poke at the stove a few more times, added some coal, and turned to leave. At the doorway, he seemed to think of something and looked back at her, but ultimately said nothing and left.


    Ming Mei watched Zhuang Zhixi leave and let out a sigh of relief. She began fidgeting with her fingers, not giving much thought to this newly married husband of hers. Instead, her mind was full of thoughts about her mother-inw who had just hit her head and fainted.


    Others might not know what had happened to her mother-inw Zhao Guihua, but she did!


    Ming Mei knew everything. She had this "condition" since she was little.


    She could "dream".


    For others, dreams were just dreams, but not for Ming Mei. Since childhood, she could dream of other people''s "life books". It wasn''t alwaysplete, but for people who had important connections to her, she could dream about them. Because of this, even though she was exhausted from her wedding night, with an aching waist and weak legs, she didn''t sleep well. She had bizarre dreams all night and woke up early in shock.


    That night, she had dreamed about her mother-inw.


    Allegedly, her mother-inw hade back from fifty years in the future. She had witnessed the changes of the era and experienced societal development. After being reborn, she wanted to ride the wave of the times, work hard, and was determined to lead the whole family towards glory.


    Ming Mei clicked her tongue. Her mother-inw was actually a centenarian! How... how impressive!


    She lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers even more intensely, thoroughly shocked. After all, the concept of rebirth was truly difficult to understand and shocking. Otherwise, she wouldn''t still be in a daze now.


    Ming Mei already had plenty of experience with dreaming, but she had no experience dealing with someone who had been reborn.


    What should she do from now on?


    Zhuang Zhixi returned to find his young wife hanging her head like a pitiful little kitten, still fidgeting with her fingers. He came to her side and saw that she had nearly picked her fingernails raw. He reached out and held her hand.


    Ming Mei: "Ah!"


    Her cheeks instantly turned red. Despite being married and having consummated their marriage, the two of them hadn''t actually spent much time together. They had gotten married after meeting only three times. So, this young couple truly didn''t have much of an emotional foundation.


    But this wasmon nowadays. Some couples even got engaged after meeting just once. If you dated for a long time before marriage, you''d be considered a phnderer.


    Zhuang Zhixi sat down beside Ming Mei, still holding her hand, and spoke: "Although my family members aren''t the kindest people, they''re not too hard to get along with. If you ever feel wronged, just tell me, and I''ll stand up for you."


    Ming Mei immediately looked up, instantly realizing he had misunderstood the reason for her daze. Still, these were nice words to hear. Herrge, watery eyes curved into a smile as she asked sweetly, "Really?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and nodded: "Of course it''s true."


    Holding his wife''s hand, he said, "I''ve warmed some water. Come out and brush your teeth and wash your face."


    Despite not knowing each other well, they had already been "intimately acquainted", so there was a certain closeness between them. Zhuang Zhixi handed his wife her cotton jacket and said, "Come on, after you''ve freshened up, I''ll tell you about the situation in our courtyard."


    Ming Mei nodded with pursed lips, responding with an "Okay."


    Since they were going to live in this courtyard, it was necessary to understand the neighbors, as they would be living together for a long time toe.


    The young couple went out together to freshen up. By this time, it wasn''t early anymore. Most people who needed to go to work or school had already left, so there weren''t many people at the water tank. As the young couple brushed their teeth side by side, they saw their eldest sister-inw, Liang Meifen, hurriedly returning with breakfast.


    Liang Meifen nced at the kettle ced beside the water tank and smiled awkwardly.


    Their quadrangle courtyard was different from apartment buildings. The water pipes and toilets weren''t separate for each household. The water main was in the courtyard and hadn''t been divided among the households. There was one in the front yard and one in the back yard. Everyone came to the courtyard to fetch water, and the water tank in the middle of the courtyard was shared for brushing teeth, washing faces, hair, and clothes.


    The water bill was split equally among the households based on the number of people each month, so there were usually quite a few people here early in the morning. Everyone was quick about it, and it was rare to see someone bringing a kettle to mix in some hot water.


    Especially not in winter. After all, coal for boiling water wasn''t free.


    Liang Meifen entered the house, smiling as she said, "This young couple''s rtionship is so good, they even use hot water to wash their faces early in the morning."


    The subtext was clear: How wasteful.


    Although the third brother''s wife had just married into the family, it didn''t stop her, as the eldest sister-inw, from nting some seeds of discord in front of their mother-inw. Besides, she had greatly offended her mother-inw recently, so if she could get her to focus her attention elsewhere, it would be good for her.


    Liang Meifen thought her n was quite good, but after she finished speaking, she realized no one was responding. Her parents-inw weren''t even in the outer room, and neither was her husband. Only her two children heard her voice and came running out, calling, "Mom, Mom, we want to eat fried dough twists!"


    No one paid attention to what she said, but as soon as the two children called out, both inws came out. Zhao Guihua called out sharply, "Third son, third daughter-inw,e eat!"


    Zhao Guihua''s loud voice could be heard throughout the courtyard. The young couple quickly entered. Ming Mei rubbed her hands, saying, "It''s really cold."


    Her family lived in an apartment building, so she wasn''t very ustomed to life in a quadrangle courtyard, having to go outside to freshen up early in the morning. It was quite cold. However, since she was already married, Ming Mei didn''t say anything negative to avoid being disliked.


    While Ming Mei was rubbing her hands due to the cold outside, the two children inside were rubbing their hands in anticipation.


    The two little ones hardly ever got to eat this kind of breakfast, oh no, not just rarely in a year, they had barely eaten it a few times in total. They were so excited that their eyes were red, constantly swallowing saliva.


    "Grandma, are we eating?"


    "Grandma, it smells so good."


    Zhao Guihua: "Why is everyone just standing there? One bowl of tofu pudding, one tea egg, and one fried dough twist for each person. Eat up. If the children can''t finish, give it to the old man."


    With this kind of breakfast, there was no need to divide it up. Everyone could just help themselves.


    When the two children heard that they were counted as "people" too, they happily made loud noises, like little puppies.


    Zhao Guihua ignored them and brought her own portion over. She first took a sip of the tofu pudding, making a satisfied sound, thinking how pure things were in this era. Then she started cracking her tea egg. Everyone had their own portion, and Ming Mei also began eating.


    No matter what kind of family, this was considered a top-notch breakfast.


    Her family was well-off, so she managed to eat with some restraint, but the children couldn''t hold back. They wolfed down the food inrge mouthfuls. This prompted Zhao Guihua to scold them: "No one''s fighting you for it, eat slower. If you choke, don''t expect me to buy this again!"


    Upon hearing this, the children immediately slowed down, but they really couldn''t help themselves. Even their slower pace wasn''t much slower at all.


    Zhao Guihua knew this was because their stomachscked nourishment.


    Zhao Guihua was the same. She didn''t think she was greedy, but just the smell of the fried dough twists was irresistible. It was truly a loss. However, being "experienced" and an adult, Zhao Guihua wasn''t like the children.


    At this moment, no one in the family was talking. Everyone was focused on their breakfast.


    Ming Mei was the same, drinking her tofu pudding while her eyes scanned the family.


    Naturally, the people at the forefront were none other than her parents-inw. Her father-inw, Zhuang Haoren, was not yet fifty years old. He was a level-five riveter at the Progressive Machinery Factory, earning a high wage of 55.5 yuan, cing him in the high-ie group. However, because the name Zhuang Haoren didn''t sound particrly pleasant when spoken, it was said that both his coworkers at the factory and his neighbors were ustomed to calling him by his nickname: Old Man Zhuang.


    As they say, there are no wrong nicknames, only wrong given names.


    Her father-inw was an honest, quiet, and unassuming man. It was said that her mother-inw handled all household matters.


    Her mother-inw was somewhat more lively. Her name was Zhao Guihua, and although she didn''t have a job, she managed the household with an iron fist. Among the neighbors, she was known as a rather fiery old woman who, reportedly, was not to be trifled with and never allowed herself to be taken advantage of.


    When the two families first met to discuss the marriage, Ming Mei''s mother hesitated for a while because of Zhao Guihua''s personality, but ultimately agreed.


    The Zhuang family had three children. The eldest, Zhuang Zhiyuan, was present. The second child, Zhuang Zhixin, was married and living elsewhere. Her husband, Zhuang Zhixi, was the youngest.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Ming Mei''s older brother, Ming Cheng, were high school ssmates. After graduation, they both became attendants at the railway station, so they were considered good friends. It was because of this connection that Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi were introduced.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan had been married for several years. His wife was Ming Mei''s sister-inw, Liang Meifen. Ming Mei stole a nce at her sister-inw, feeling deeply that she was quite a calcting person. Liang Meifen originally had a job as a worker at the Textile Mill, making her and Zhuang Zhiyuan a dual-ie family. It was well known that dual-ie families lived quitefortably and respectably. However, a month ago, just as Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi were preparing for their wedding, this sister-inw dropped a bombshell out of nowhere.


    Without telling anyone in her husband''s family, she secretly gave her job to her younger brother from her natal family.


    This incident caused a huge uproar in the Zhuang family and significantly affected Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei''s wedding ns. If the date hadn''t already been set, Ming Mei''s family would have considered calling off the marriage. They felt that if the sister-inw could do such a thing, she was not to be trusted.


    After all, if the families didn''t separate, Ming Mei and her husband would be a dual-ie couple, while the sister-inw''s family of four would have only one worker. It was clear they were trying to take advantage of the situation.


    Ming Mei''s mother saw through this and was very displeased.


    In the end, it was only after Zhao Guihua repeatedly promised that the young couple wouldn''t be taken advantage of that Ming Mei''s mother reluctantly agreed. Of course, it wasn''t entirely because of Zhao Guihua''s promises. Mainly, the wedding date had already been set, and calling it off would be bad for their reputation.


    Moreover, Ming Mei was indeed eager to get married.


    While they reluctantly epted the situation, it was said that the Zhuang family had several fights over this matter. But what''s done was done, and now Liang Meifen had be a stay-at-home housewife.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen had two children, a boy and a girl. The six-year-old brother, nicknamed Tiger Head, had the formal name Zhuang Yang. To be honest, their family had a knack for choosing peculiar names. This name always felt a bit odd.


    The little girl was four years old, with the formal name Zhuang Xue and the nickname Little Swallow.


    This was the eldest son''s family. The second child, Zhuang Zhixin, had a love marriage, marrying a soldier against her parents'' wishes and following him to his post. It was said she could only return home once a year. She had a pair of twin boys.


    As for her husband, Zhuang Zhixi, like his father Old Man Zhuang, also worked at the Progressive Machinery Factory. However, he wasn''t in a technical position but worked in the factory''s clinic, responsible for dispensing medicine and collecting fees, earning 28.5 yuan.


    Although Ming Mei had just married into the family, she had a mother who was a keen gossip, so she knew everything about this family''s background.


    Her big eyes darted from one person to another as she sipped her soy milk pudding, finallynding on her mother-inw. Reborn fifty years in the past... this was a powerful ally, so she''d better try to get on her good side no matter what.


    Ming Mei smiled ingratiatingly and said to Zhao Guihua, "Mom, after we finish eating, shall we go for a walk together?"


    Zhuang Zhixi, who had been eating happily, raised his head in confusion when he heard this. What? Wife, why didn''t you invite me?

 Chapter 3: The Neighbors

    <h4>Chapter 3</h4>


    Ming Mei wears a radiant smile, her two twists of braids shaking delightfully, an appealing sight to behold.


    She speaks in a crisp and clear manner, "Mom, let''s take a walk together, and you can introduce me to everyone in ourpound. Brother Zhiyuan must be busy with work and probably doesn''t know as much as you. I need your guidance."


    Zhao Guihua looks at Ming Mei in surprise but quickly agrees, "Alright."


    There are many people in their quadrangle who are no easy trick, perhaps it was necessary to give the new daughter-inw a heads up to avoid any difficulties. After all, it''s not fifty yearster where everyone tends to their own business without involving in other''s affairs. Nowadays, things aren''t so simple.


    Neighborhood rtionships are tight-knit, and theirrgepound has its fair share of gossip and frequent interpersonal dealings, it''s only right to stay cautious.


    She confidently says, "You did well by asking me, nobody understands this better."


    Ming Mei nods repeatedly, "I knew you weren''t ordinary."


    Zhao Guihua raises the corner of her mouth, humbly waving her hand, "Indeed, perhaps I just understand a bit more, grasp a little deeper, and see a bit further."


    How could she not see further?


    She''s been reincarnated, lived over a hundred years and outlived these old folks. She knows every family''s situation and future development like the back of her hand. If it''s about seeing far, nobody could surpass her!


    Ming Mei nods in agreement, "Mom, I will depend on your guidance. You are indeed amazing."


    Zhao Guihua smiles, "Alright, you can count on me."


    This dialogue between the mother-inw and daughter-inw dumbfounded the family. Liang Meifen never imagined that her newly entered sister-inw was such a sycophant. Every word she spoke was tantly ttering. It was genuinely infuriating.


    She bit her lip, wanted to say something, yet was stumped by her sister-inw''s audacity.


    Just as she was about to squeeze apliment, her mother-inw spoke.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Old Man Zhuang, Zhiyuan, you guyse home early today, we will hold a family meeting tonight."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, "Understood."


    He had briefly chatted with Zhao Guihua earlier, so he knew the main content of the meeting. Zhuang Zhiyuan, however, wasn''t very clear about it, but he had a hunch. He nodded without objection, "Got it."


    On the other hand, Liang Meifen''s face paled, turning white as a sheet.


    She wanted to say something but dared not to, even avoiding eye contact with her mother-inw. All she could do was appeal to his husband. However, Zhuang Zhiyuan was too engrossed in getting to work,pletely ignoring her. They were already runningte this morning.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan stood up upon finishing his meal, "I need to hurry."


    Old Man Zhuang also agreed, even though his workce was closer, he couldn''t afford to dy either. Both father and son hurriedly made their way out.


    Liang Meifen tried to keep herposure, aiming to appear natural, yet she couldn''t shake the chill she felt, the bitterness gnawing at her heart. All she could hope for currently, was for her mother-inw''s uing family conference to settle on maintaining a united family.


    She didn''t want to divide the family, not in the slightest.


    Perhaps, Zhao Guihua was intending to announce the decision of retaining the unity of the family. Her husband was the eldest son and they''d both be depending on him for their old age after all. Maybe they wouldn''t divide, she reassured herself, and that gave Liang Meifen just enough fortitude to steady herself.


    Zhao Guihua was closely observing Liang Meifen. Having been in a mother-daughter-inw rtionship with Meifen for nearly sixty years, could she not discern the type of person she was? Zhao Guihua let out a derisive chuckle, her tone dripping with mockery. Liang Meifen, who had just regained some color in her face, went pale once more.


    Regardless of Liang''s reaction, Zhao instructed, "Clean up the dinner table; I''ll take Ming Mei for a little walk."


    Promptly, Liang Meifen obliged, "Sure, I''ll tidy up."


    Although she wasn''t sure what caused her mother-inw to scoff, she was uncertain and could only hope Zhao Guihua noticed her helpfulness. But Zhao Guihua had already shifted her attention andmanded, "Let''s go."


    Ming Mei got up briskly,fortable enough to link arms with Zhao Guihua, who nced down at her hand and suppressed a smile. Ming Mei, considering herself an insider, said, "Mom, I¡¯m your daughter-inw, so I¡¯m your own daughter too. I''m clueless about many things, and you have to teach me more."


    Before Zhao Guihua could respond, another arm looped around her ¡ª it was her youngest son, Zhuang Zhixi.


    Freshly married Zhuang Zhixi did not wish to leave his bride behind, but he found it improper to link arms with his wife in front of so many people. However, he saw no issue in doing so with his mother, and chimed, "I''ll join you."


    Appreciating the emotions of the newlyweds, being one herself in the past, Zhao Guihua agreed, "Alright, let''s all go together..."


    Liang Meifen''s reaction to this was one of utter disbelief, concealed by a swift intake of breath.


    She was frustrated with Ming Mei for her excessive intimacy and familiarity. What was she going to do if her mother-inw got charmed away?


    Besides, her own children were proving to be their usual troublesome selves. She muttered under her breath to her lively duo, "All you do is eat! Young as you are, you''re matching an adult''s appetite". She hoped what was left on the tes could satisfy her husband, but those two rascals, Hutou, and Xiao Yanzi, seemed to have no end to their hunger.


    Unfazed by their mom''s remarks, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi clung onto their rice bowls.


    Hutou, with his boyish obstinance, dered, "Can finish it!"


    The food was too good, he could absolutely finish it.


    Echoing her brother, little Xiao Yanzi chirped in her babyish voice, "Can finish it!"


    Feeling a growing sense of frustration, Liang Meifen took a deep breath. Seeing that her children were far from finishing their meals, she left them to their devices. Immediately she darted toward the entrance and started peeping through the doorway...


    Leading the young couple outside, Zhao Guihua noticed that due to the chilling weather, the yard was empty, as most people were indoors. Besides, with the New Year approaching in less than a fortnight, the elderly housewives were out sourcing goods from food stores every day, emptying the courtyard for the time being.


    They didn''t leave early. The ones who had jobs, the ones doing the shopping, everyone had left, leaving only locked doors behind.


    Zhao Guihua looked at her long-lost courtyard and felt familiarly entranced by every single nt.


    Zhao Guihua: "Ourrgepound is a two-section courtyard. On our side is the front yard, home to four families. Madam Su''s family, a widow, takes up the four rooms of the main house. The name Madam Su doesn''t reallye from her own surname, but her deceased husband''s. Her husband passed when all three children were still small, so she stepped up to raise them herself. She''s typically soft-spoken, kind and delicate, ready with a smile for anyone she meets, always thoughtful and considerate. But if you trust her, be prepared to pay a price."


    Ming Mei immediately nodded seriously, summarizing, "A wolf in sheep''s clothing."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled softly, appreciating the uracy of her daughter-inw''s summary.


    A twitch yed at the corner of Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth, "¡­"


    He really had no idea his mother had such an opinion of Madam Su.


    Zhao Guihua continued: "Madam Su has two daughters and a son. The daughters have been married off for centuries, but you''ll still see them. Theye back every now and then with gifts, as if to empty their marital homes in support of their mother''s house. Her son married ten years ago, but died on duty a few years back, leaving behind a daughter-inw and three grandsons. Because both men died while working at the factory, that''s why they could get the four rooms of the main house. Her daughter-inw, Wang Xiangxiu, is a young widow. Wang Xiangxiu was quite fruitful, giving birth to three boys, nine-year-old Su Jii, seven-year-old Su Yii, and five-year-old Toni. After her husband''s passing, she took over his job at the Progress Machinery Factory. She certainly doesn''t share her mother-inw''s cunning, but she isn''t a piece of cake either. She looks like a tough Beijing girl, but she is just as crafty as her mother-inw. The elderly men in thepound are somewhat attracted to her."


    Ming Mei: "Ah, wow, not to be trifled with."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Indeed, not to be trifled with."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched again, "..."


    Their home was next to Madam Su''s, with four rooms including an odd, crooked room. Although called four rooms, it was actually three and a half. One being a crooked small side room. It wasn''t exactly four rooms but there''s no phrase for half a room.


    So, it''s still considered four rooms, but it can''tpare to the four rooms of the main house.


    Directly opposite their home, lived two families, upying four proper rooms. And to the left-hand side lived a family of three.


    Zhao Guihua: "This is the richest family in ourpound, the Zhou''s. They are three, and the matriarch is Madam Zhou Li. She is also a widow, notoriously miserly. She has money but is forever grasping for more, known for her mean-spirited venomous nature, hating others if they have,ughing at them if they have not. Her son, Zhou Qun, is thirty-one this year and still childless. Uncertain whether it is an issue with him or his wife. Zhou Qun is no ordinary man; he''s a seven-grade electrician at the factory with a monthly sry of ny-two. His wife, Jiang Lu, works for the factory¡¯s women''smittee and earns thirty-seven a month. However, as she has not been able to provide the Zhou¡¯s with a grandchild in her thirties, Madam Zhou Li scarcely tolerates her. Madam Zhou Li spends her days at home berating her daughter-inw, but that¡¯s not your business to meddle.¡±


    Ming Mei made a zipping up gesture.


    Zhao Guihua nodded approvingly. She must admit, the young bride is much smarter this time.


    Laughing at her reminiscence, Zhao Guihua added that her memory of this time is still vivid.


    Indeed, a decade or twoter, few would disclose their ie, but back then, everyone knew exactly who held what position and grade. Wages were crystal clear. Based on the type of job and rank, the sry was a given. Though she can''t remember much about others, she remembers the richest family in theirpound quite well.


    She murmured softly, "My memory is still sharp."


    Adding, "Never meddle in their family disputes. It''s not worth it; Jiang Lu won''t appreciate it, but will only me you."


    Ming Mei nodded more solemnly.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..................¡±


    Didn''t his mom also stand up for Jiang Lu once?


    Zhao Guihua: "This next two rooms house a father and son, both bachelors. They are the Bais. Old Man Bai works at the factory, tending the boilers; he''s a grizzled old bachelor. His son, Bai Fendou, also thirty-one this year, hasn''t found a wife yet. They both show interest in widows. The father has his eyes on the old widow Madam Su while the son is taken by her daughter-inw, the young widow Wang Xiangxiu. Bai Fendou works in the factory¡¯s security department. Both earn a decent ie, but they don¡¯t have substantial savings¡­.¡±


    Ming Mei caught on immediately, "Spent on others,¡± casting a nce towards Madam Su¡¯s house.


    Zhao Guihua nodded with satisfaction. The young bride indeed understood quickly.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "............................¡±


    Fortunately, it was cold outside, so no one was in the courtyard. Thus they could stop by each house to makementary. If they were inside, it would seem less ceremonial.


    Zhao Guihua said: "The few households we often see around are in our front courtyard. Come, I''ll take you around the back courtyard. There are five families living there. In the main room lives the family of Chef Li, which consists of Li Dashan, his wife Madam Li Wang, and their only daughter Li Fang. Their son-inw, also Li Dashan''s apprentice, is named Yang Lixin. Li Fang has two sons, Li Junjun and Li Weiwei, who despite their father-inw being Yang, still carry the Li name. Even though Li Dashan''s sry might not be considered high, as a chef, he knows how to make do. The family tends to get along well, Li Wang who is also referred to as Madam Wang, is in charge of our livingpound. She collects water fees and sanitation fees monthly, and distributes notifications from themunity. Any issues arising from thepound are also discussed and voted upon under her organization, and she''s the matchmaker around our area, ady with skills."


    Ming Mei summarized: "A person who takes care of things."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and nodded, and then began to introduce the other four families one by one. She made sure her daughter-inw knew what the situation was like with each household as they needed to interact living within the samepound.


    Ming Mei listened very seriously, almost as if she wished to jot down notes.


    At this point, Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, ¡°My mother, I never thought, you know so much.¡±


    Zhao Guihua gave him a hum, raising her eyebrows, she said: ¡°What don¡¯t I know? Trying to hide from my discerning eyes, not possible!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi questioned in a defeated tone: ¡°But why didn¡¯t you inform us then?¡±


    Zhao Guihua red, retorting: "You never asked! Besides, we all live in the same ce, can''t you make observations yourself? If you''ve lived here for years and still don''t know about all the families here, aren''t you an idiot?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "......"


    Ming Mei grinned at the retort delivered, pping her hands in apuse.


    "Mum, you have to admit that not everyone is as perceptive as you. Look, not everyone has sharp and discerning ''golden eyes'', many of us, are simply inadequate."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "......"


    His wife, she indeed was quite something.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t unt about thepliments, but the smile on her lips didn''t hide her pleasure over the kind words. She said: "Come, let me show you around thenes here. The courtyards here,they are generally upied by mechanical factory workers. Outsiders can''t live here; only the factory workers assigned here can..."


    Ming Mei: "So, we are both neighbours and workmates."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, remarked: "Nevertheless, we don''t interact much with other courtyards, just familiarise yourself with our ownpound."


    Ming Mei repliescently: "I understand."


    The trio had just left their courtyard, they hadn''t taken many steps when a clear bicycle bell rang out. An iing bicycle called out abruptly: "Move, make way, make way..."

 Chapter 4: Little Couple

    <h4>Chapter 4</h4>


    The bicycle bell rang as it wobbled towards the three people, causing them to quickly jump out of the way. Zhao Guihua, never one to hold her tongue, immediately started scolding: "Do you even know how to ride a bike? Are you in such a hurry to meet your maker? The road is so wide, yet you''re aiming straight at people - are you blind?"


    Zhao Guihua had been hot-tempered all her life, and she wasn''t about to be polite. Then she took a closer look - oh, it was a familiar face, that young man Bai Fendou from their courtyard. Bai Fendou steadied his bicycle and chuckled, saying, "Auntie Zhao, your temper is too hot! You just got a daughter-inw, this isn''t good behavior. You might scare your new daughter-inw."


    He nced at the Zhuang family''s new daughter-inw, thinking to himself that she was quite a beauty, though her taste in men was questionable - passing up a capable man like himself with strong features, only to choose that pretty boy Zhuang Third.


    "What are you looking at? This is my daughter-inw, and no matter how much you look, she has nothing to do with you. Watch out, or I''ll gouge your eyes out!" Zhao Guihua could tell from his wandering eyes that he was up to no good.


    Bai Fendou''s head hurt from her shouting, and he quickly bowed: "Oh, auntie, please don''t shout. I just took a quick nce. How could I have any thoughts? I''m not that kind of person."


    Zhao Guihua let out a coldugh and said, "You''re not getting any younger. My third son is already married, you should hurry up and find yourself a wife."


    Hearing this, Bai Fendou immediately straightened up, proudly patting his bicycle and boasting, "Look, I bought a bicycle! I''m a man with wheels now! Finding a wife will be easy! Not to mention, when I stand with my bike at Wangfujing, plenty of youngdiese to chat me up."


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched as she said, "Who are you calling ''man'' to?"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately chimed in: "Mom, he''s being disrespectful to you."


    Seeing the mother and son team up, Bai Fendou quickly said, "Zhuang Zhixi, you little brat, stop stirring things up. Auntie, that''s not what I meant, I was just talking about my bike..."


    He had bought a bicycle, yes he had - and not just any bicycle, but a Forever brand!


    Why couldn''t they see that? Why weren''t they impressed?


    Bai Fendou couldn''t understand it.


    Zhao Guihua nced at the bicycle,pletely unimpressed, and said, "It''s just a bicycle, what''s there to show off about? Can you even ride it properly? You nearly crashed into people just now, I think you need more practice!"


    "Hey, it''s not just any bicycle - does your family have one?" Then he pped his forehead and said, "Oh right, you do have one - your younger daughter-inw brought it as part of her dowry!" After saying this, afraid that Zhao Guihua might explode, he quickly turned his bike around and pedaled away like the wind.


    He even spread his arms wide and shouted: "Ah, freedom like the wind!"


    Zhao Guihuaughed and cursed: "That fool! Just not right in the head."


    Ming Mei burst outughing, while Zhuang Zhixi wondered aloud: "Why did hee to the courtyard and leave without going in? What was the point of riding back?"


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips: "Who knows what that oddball is up to."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked back at the courtyard, then in the direction Bai Fendou had left, raising his eyebrows and saying: "It''s his work time now, and he came back to the courtyard without evening in..." He paused, noticing both his mother and wife staring at him.


    He said: "Could it be... he just came back to show off his new bike?"


    Zhao Guihua was speechless: "..."


    She had thought he might say something more profound.


    However, Ming Mei nodded in agreement: "That''s possible, very possible."


    Buying a bicycle was something to show off about - when she bought her new bike, she had ridden it around theirpound three times.


    Zhao Guihua was once again speechless: "..."


    She had forgotten how difficult it was to buy a bicycle these days. Besides saving up the money, getting a purchase voucher was even harder - they were extremely rare. Even at theirrge state-owned machinery factory in the capital, they only received a limited number of vouchers each year. It was even worse elsewhere.


    So having a bicycle was indeed something worth showing off.


    "Let''s keep an eye out for an opportunity this year, if we can get a voucher, we''ll buy one too," Zhao Guihua said. Although their younger daughter-inw Ming Mei had brought a bicycle as part of her dowry, she needed it for work.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately turned around, shocked to hear these words from his mother. His mother was known for being very careful with money, and in all these years, no matter who had bought a bicycle, she had never shown any interest.


    And now she was saying this?


    Zhao Guihua red at him: "What''s that look for?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, are you possessed or something?"


    Ming Mei couldn''t help but burst outughing again. She yfully scolded, "Mom, don''t hit him, let me teach him a lesson for talking nonsense."


    Her small hand gave Zhuang Zhixi a pinch, making him cry out dramatically and look at his wife with an exaggerated expression of pain. Zhao Guihua sneered: "Stop putting on an act, she barely touched you."


    In the dead of winter, with such thick cotton-padded jackets, the pinch probably hadn''t even reached his skin, yet here he was acting up.


    She looked at her younger son and daughter-inw, saying: "You two are putting on a show right in front of me, do you think I can''t tell?"


    Ming Mei immediately said: "Mom''s so perceptive."


    She was quick with her ttery, saying: "You''re so clever, how could anything escape your notice? I knew we couldn''t fool you, so please forgive me, okay?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, go on, when did I ever me you? Alright, we''ve walked around this alley enough, let''s head back."


    Just as the three were about to return home, they saw several familiar aunties walking back excitedly, each carrying fish. One of them called out from afar: "Guihua, quick, go home and get money, the food store has fish in stock!"


    Zhao Guihua switched into shopping mode instantly - panic buying was in her genes.


    Without another word, she ran back home. She moved so fast that Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei could only look at each other in amazement. Ming Mei genuinely marveled: "She''s like a sprinter!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said: "Come on, let''s go back too."


    Before they could even enter the house, they ran into Zhao Guihuaing out. Ming Mei quickly asked: "Mom, shall Ie with you?"


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand and darted out the door with remarkable agility. Zhuang Zhixi smiled and guided his wife inside. Their family had three and a half rooms - his parents had onerge room, while another was divided into two sections for the family''s dining area.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan''s family of four upied one and a half rooms, and Zhuang Zhixi had one room.


    Though Zhuang Zhixi''s space wasn''trge, he had installed a bead curtain divider about a meter high. Behind it was a double bed and wardrobe, while the outer area had tables and chairs, with a nine-drawer chest and storage cab arranged against the wall.


    Although they didn''t have many possessions, everything was neat, orderly, and cozy.


    As soon as the couple entered, Zhuang Zhixi poured his wife a cup of hot water, saying: "It''s cold, some hot water will warm you up."


    Being alone together, both still felt somewhat shy. Ming Mei nced at Zhuang Zhixi, pursed her lips, and said: "You should drink some hot water too."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said: "I''m fine, I''m a man, I run hot."


    Their eyes met, and Zhuang Zhixi seemed to remember something. He quickly got up, first sneaking a peek outside the door, then returned to take out a tin box from the nine-drawer chest, whispering: "Here''s some candy for you."


    Ming Mei matched his whispered tone: "Why are you being so secretive?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If those two little ones see this, they''ll definitely ask me for some. I bought this with my private money."


    Ming Meiughed softly, her long eyshes fluttering like little fans, and whispered: "You''re their uncle, and you''re being stingy about this?"


    "How can I not be?" Zhuang Zhixi was quite righteous about it, saying: "My sister-inw has her own private money too, but she doesn''t buy candy for the kids. Besides, my mom dotes on her eldest grandson the most, they won''t go without."


    Ming Mei blinked again, and Zhuang Zhixi, seeing her coquettish expression, couldn''t resist reaching out to hold her small hand. Her hand was soft and delicate, and Zhuang Zhixi said very softly: "Your little hand is so soft..."


    Ming Mei blushed, her fair cheeks turning rosy pink as she said softly, "It''s broad daylight, you should be more careful..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Should I lock the door then?"


    Ming Mei quickly pulled her hand away and chided, "What nonsense are you talking about? Even with the door locked, we can''t!"


    Afraid he might try something inappropriate in broad daylight, especially when she could hear people talking in the courtyard, she not only withdrew her hand but also moved her chair away, deliberately changing the subject: "Let''s have some candy!"


    She opened the box and, seeing the sorghum candy, picked one up and held it to Zhuang Zhixi''s lips. His eyes lit up as he looked at his wife. Ming Mei yfully scolded, "Well, eat it!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and bent down to take the candy in his mouth, saying earnestly, "It''s really sweet."


    Ming Mei unwrapped another piece and put it in her own mouth, nodding in agreement - it was indeed very sweet.


    She only ate one piece before closing the box and putting it back in the cab, saying cheerfully, "We''ll save the rest forter."


    Sitting back down, she scooted closer to Zhuang Zhixi with a gossipy look and asked, "Brother Zhixi, I never thought your family would have such sophisticated things as family meetings! Can you guess what Mother-inw wants to discuss?"


    Although Ming Mei had dreamed about Zhao Guihua''s entire life, how could one dream reveal every detail of a person''s life? After all, she had only gotten a glimpse.


    Ming Mei was particrly curious: "In your family meetings, does everyone have to speak?"


    She immediately sprang into action: "If everyone needs to speak, I should write a speech. After all, I''m the new daughter-inw - I can''t mess this up."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly stopped her, shaking his head: "In my family''s meetings, my mother runs a one-woman show. You just need to listen - she doesn''t want your opinion or your speech."


    Ming Mei: "...Oh."


    She felt disappointed that she wouldn''t get to speak.


    Zhuang Zhixi saw her expression and chuckled, "You really wanted to speak, didn''t you?"


    Ming Mei nodded immediately, beingpletely honest with her husband: "I missed a perfect opportunity to openly tter Mother-inw."


    She had wanted to praise her mother-inw from every possible angle during her speech - what a shame!


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched again as he said sincerely, "You don''t need to keep ttering my mother for my sake. She''s like a tiger - you can''t pat her behind. She doesn''t fall for that kind of thing. If I can''t do it, you definitely can''t."


    Ming Mei lifted her chin proudly: "Hey, just because you can''t doesn''t mean I can''t! I''m quite skilled at ttery, you know."


    Zhuang Zhixi said quietly: "Who can''t what?"


    Ming Mei: "You, of course~ Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing... don''t..."


    Zhuang Zhixi made as if to do something indescribable, and Ming Mei quickly caught on, making a big X with her arms in defense,ughing, "Don''t mess around, okay? That''s not what I meant... Can''t you be more serious?"


    Zhuang Zhixi saw her shy face turning red andughed too. He was only joking, but he quickly became serious and pretended to be fierce: "Well then, tell me, am I capable or not?"


    Ming Mei: "Yes, yes, yes, you''re very capable, okay? We were talking about ttery!!!"


    This man was taking advantage of the situation to misbehave.


    Ming Mei''s eyes were wide as she said, "Stop fooling around or I''ll have to use force - I''m a martial arts expert!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft! How can you tell such tall tales?"


    Ming Mei blinked: Doesn''t he know? She wasn''t making it up at all?

 Chapter 5: Don’t Mess With Me

    <h4>Chapter 5</h4>


    Ming Mei blinked her big watery eyes as she looked at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi pinched her little cheeks yfully and teased, "You''re bragging, aren''t you, my little wife?"


    Ming Mei''s eyshes fluttered, and in one swift motion, she had Zhuang Zhixi pinned against the table. It happened as fast as a gust of wind, without any hesitation. Zhuang Zhixi found himself pressed against the table and eximed, "Holy crap!"


    Ming Mei immediately released him and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi stared at his wife in shock. Ming Mei raised her hands innocently and said, "I just wanted to prove I wasn''t bragging."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "............"


    Silence, deep silence.


    Ming Mei pursed her lips and asked softly, "Are you scared?"


    She actually hadn''t realized that Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know. She raised her hands and said, "I didn''t mean to hide it."


    Finally, Zhuang Zhixi reacted. He eximed "Holy crap!" again and said, "I hit the jackpot!"


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Big eyes filled with many question marks.


    Zhuang Zhixi showed a smug smile and said, "My wife is so awesome! I really lucked out. From now on, whenever someone gives me trouble, you can stand up for me. Let''s get them!"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    How could he say such a thing?


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite excited: "Honey, that move you just did was so fast! Do you think I could learn it?"


    Ming Mei looked at him and shook her head decisively, saying, "You''re too old for that now. It definitely won''t work."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s excitement deted instantly, and he hung his head with a sigh. But he quickly became curious again and asked, "So you started learning when you were young?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s attitude was infectious, and Ming Mei proudly lifted her chin, saying, "I''ve been training for seventeen years!"


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "That''s so long!"


    But he quickly did the math: "Wait a minute, aren''t you only twenty? If you''ve trained for seventeen years, that means you started when you were three?"


    Really?


    He cast suspicious nces at his wife, who he thought might be exaggerating.


    Ming Mei insisted defiantly, "Of course! I really did start when I was three." She began exining her martial arts background: "Actually, I didn''t start learning kung fu for its own sake. When I was little, I was a night crier. Even at three years old, I would still wake up crying frequently. My parents were really worried about me. As it happened, we had a distant uncle who was a former Taoist priest... and no, we weren''t into any feudal superstitions. This distant uncle suggested that instead of trying all sorts of strange remedies, practicing martial arts might help. He said martial arts would help with concentration and inner peace. So he woulde to teach me after work every day. See? That''s how I''ve been training for seventeen years."


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "I''ve never heard of using martial arts to cure night crying."


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said, "Well, it wasn''t really a cure. Maybe it was just that practicing martial arts tired me out so much that I would fall right asleep and not have nightmares. No nightmares meant no night crying."


    It worked out in its own way.


    Actually, when she got older, she understood that her childhood "nightmares" weren''t just nightmares: she was probably experiencing other people''s lives in her dreams. But she had been too young to understand at the time, so she would just cry in fear.


    When she got older, naturally she wasn''t afraid anymore.


    Ming Mei said, "Well, now you know everything."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I really had no idea..."


    Ming Mei quickly exined, "I wasn''t deliberately keeping it from you. I thought you knew. I''ve been training since I was little, and your brother and my brother were ssmates all through elementary, middle, and high school, and they''re still colleagues now. I thought you knew everything about me."


    She knew everything about him, after all.


    Except for how many mouse holes were in the Zhuang family home, she knew most things about their family.


    Ming Mei looked very innocent as she scratched her head again. Seeing her adorable demeanor, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh and said, "I really didn''t know, but not knowing turned out pretty well: isn''t it a nice surprise? I''m so happy that my wife is this amazing."


    Ming Mei''s lips curled into a smile.


    Zhuang Zhixi asked curiously, "Oh right, what kind of kung fu did you learn? Or was it just general practice?"


    Ming Mei: "I learned Wing Chun."


    "Oh, I know that one!" He actually had heard of this martial art. He gave her a thumbs up and praised, "My wife is truly awesome."


    Ming Mei''s cheeks grew rosier, and her eyebrows nearly flew up with pride as she boasted, "Of course! When I was little, I was unbeatable!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, but then nervously asked, "You won''t discipline me, will you?"


    Ming Mei looked at him and hummed, lifting her chin arrogantly: "Well, that depends on your behavior."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately started massaging her shoulders like a bootlicker, saying enthusiastically, "Honey, how''s this? Is the pressure good? From now on, you''re in charge of everything in our home."


    Ming Meiughed and stood on her tiptoes, saying, "I''ll give you credit for being smart."


    Zhuang Zhixi transformed into aplete yes-man and continued, "Does it feel good? Should I press harder?"


    Ming Mei''s smile widened as she pushed him away: "Alright, enough fooling around. I need to use the bathroom."


    Living in a courtyard house had its inconveniences. Besides having to draw water from the yard, using the bathroom was even more troublesome since it was outside the courtyard. It wasn''t so bad during the day, but it was really difficult at night, especially during winter.


    Ming Mei sighed. Just as she was about to leave, Zhuang Zhixi grabbed her hand: "Want me to go with you?"


    Ming Mei''s mouth twitched as she said, "That''s really not necessary. I''m not a three-year-old."


    As she went out, perhaps because the neighborhood aunties had returned from buying groceries, there were people drawing water in the courtyard. A sharp-eyed, pancake-faced woman with a mean look heard the sound and turned around, making an exaggerated "oh" sound before speaking in a sarcastic tone: "Oh my, closing doors in broad daylight? These young couples just don''t know moderation. Young wives these days really can''tpare to our time. Back then, the day after marriage, we''d be up early helping our mothers-inw with housework. Today''s young wives are just useless!"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Indeed, one''s appearance reflects one''s heart.


    This person was truly unpleasant.


    Speaking like a mad dog right from the start.


    Her own mother-inw hadn''t even criticized her, yet this old creature had already started. Her mother-inw was right: this person really was mean and vicious. Although there were quite a few older women in the courtyard, Ming Mei immediately guessed this must be Madam Zhou Li.


    Though Ming Mei looked sweet, she wasn''t some pushover. She smiled and offered four words: "Nosy as a dog."


    ¡ªMinding other people''s business.


    After saying this, she didn''t care what the old woman thought. She put her hands in her sleeves and headed toward the outside bathroom. Sure enough, Ming Mei hadn''t guessed wrong: this was indeed Madam Zhou Li, the wealthiest resident of the courtyard.


    Madam Zhou Li hadn''t expected this young wife to talk back. She was stunned for a moment, and by the time she reacted, Ming Mei had already left. Furious, she mmed down her water bucket with a crash and began wailing: "The Zhuang family''s young wife is bullying people! This worthless girl called me a dog! Our courtyard can''t tolerate someone who doesn''t respect her elders! Such bullying, such terrible bullying!"


    Zhuang Zhixi came out and said bluntly: "Auntie Zhou, what are you saying? It''s the second day after our wedding, and you''re deliberately stirring up trouble? Just because you''re not happy with your life doesn''t mean you have to make others miserable too. I know you spend all day being jealous of other families'' happiness, but isn''t this too malicious? Ambushing my wife right at our doorstep to bully her: isn''t that going too far? You think our family won''t stand up for her? Besides, my wife just said ''nosy as a dog.'' If you choose to identify yourself as the dog, how is that our fault?"


    Madam Zhou Li jumped up and down: "Who are you saying isn''t happy? Who? We''re the wealthiest family in the courtyard, and my son is the most sessful!"


    Zhuang Zhixi let out a meaningfulugh and said, "Don''t you know better than anyone whether you''re happy or not?"


    "You..."


    "What do you mean ''what''! Old Zhou, are you bullying my family while I''m away? Let me tell you something - you have no right to meddle in my family''s affairs! Mind your own business. If you think you can bully us, dream on!" A roar erupted as Zhao Guihua returned home. Though she didn''t know what had happened, she knew Madam Zhou Li all too well.


    Zhao Guihua held a fish in one hand and a chicken in the other, with a mesh bag slung over her shoulder containing about a dozen eggs - quite an eye-catching sight.


    Even Madam Zhou Li, who had been ready for an argument, immediately switched gears and asked eagerly: "Is the food store stocking chicken now? Where did you get those eggs? Has the price gone up with the New Yearing? Why didn''t you let us know right away when you bought them? We''re neighbors and old sisters, after all!"


    Zhao Guihua just responded with a contemptuous "Huh!"


    Ming Mei returned from the bathroom to witness this scene,pletely dumbfounded.


    As soon as Madam Zhou Li saw Ming Mei, she thought of the phrase "a dog catching mice" and immediately tried to sow discord: "Oh my, Guihua, look at your young daughter-inw''s terrible temper! As an elder, I was just trying to give her some advice on how to be a proper daughter-inw, but she wanted to curse at me! Such poor character. Our courtyard has never seen such an immoral young person who disrespects the elderly. You really need to discipline her. These young hussies can''t be spoiled."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "Oh, shut your mouth! Not just in our courtyard, but on this whole street, everyone knows you''re good for nothing, Old Zhou - always unsatisfied with what you get, and ranked first in being a busybody! Stop putting on an act here. An elder? Whose elder are you? Since when did you be an elder to my daughter-inw? You''re really acting like you own the ce! Have some shame, will you? If I catch you bullying my family again, I''ll tear that foul mouth of yours!"


    Zhao Guihua knew Madam Zhou Li inside out and wouldn''t tolerate her nonsense, firing back a barrage of words.


    She knew all too well - give this woman an inch, and she''d take a mile, badmouthing you behind your back and bing even more overbearing. She was the type who openly made people miserable. Zhao Guihua didn''t mince words: "You can act however you want in your own home, but don''t you dare try to bully my daughter-inw."


    Ming Mei blinked her big eyes and quickly stepped forward: "Mom, I''m so lucky to have a mother-inw like you! I knew you were fair and just, unlike certain backward-thinking people. Having you as my mother-inw is truly my blessing." She then called out to Zhuang Zhixi, who was watching themotion: "Brother Zhixi,e help carry these things!"


    She handed all of Zhao Guihua''s purchases to Zhuang Zhixi, then linked arms with Zhao Guihua and beganining in a soft voice: "Mom, you don''t know how terrible it was! As soon as I went out, I ran into this auntie who criticized me for closing the door. In this cold weather, how could I not close the door? Does she think coal for heating grows on trees? Besides, Zhixi and I are legally married - are we not allowed to be in the same room? This is worse than the old society! She''s such a bully, waaah!"


    She practically draped herself over Zhao Guihua, whimpering: "Mom, you have to stand up for me!"


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched as she said: "Let go and speak properly!"


    Ming Mei refused to let go, smiling sweetly: "Mom, this auntie is so fierce, I only feel safe when I''m with you!" Ming Mei then smugly huffed at Madam Zhou Li, borrowing her mother-inw''s authority!


    Zhuang Zhixi stumbled.


    His wife''s ttery was so thick it was nauseating.


    Tsk!


    Even though he considered himself thick-skinned, Zhuang Zhixi knew he could never speak to his mother like that. He looked at his wife admiringly, thinking she really had some skills.


    It wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi who thought this way. Madam Zhou Li shuddered, feeling goosebumps all over. She still remembered the sharp "dog catching mice"ment from earlier - now Ming Mei was ying the bullied littlemb?


    Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly noticed what Zhuang Zhixi was carrying and let out a yelp, rushing home: "I''m not wasting time arguing with you all, I need to go buy chicken!"


    Nothing was more important than getting supplies!


    Fighting was important, but it couldn''tpete with buying fish and chicken!


    She hurried away, and Ming Mei let out a loud "Hmph!"


    "See if you dare bully me again!"


    Her borrowed authority was on full disy.


    Zhao Guihua looked at her, her mouth twitching, speechless: "..."


    After a long while.


    She made a heartfeltment: "You''re really something else!"

 Chapter 6: Divide the Family

    <h4>Chapter 6</h4>


    The little quarrel wasn''t worth mentioning at all.


    It couldn''t dampen Zhao Guihua''s good mood - feeling fifty years younger would make anyone happy! While she was certainly joyful, she wouldn''t hesitate to put up a fight if provoked. After all, even in this second chance at life, she was still the same feisty, uneducated old woman.


    Though she had more wisdom than others now, her personality remained unchanged.


    Even at a hundred years old, Comrade Zhao Guihua had been a spirited elderlydy who would brandish her walking stick to teach queue-jumpers a lesson with her fierce temper. So this current situation? It was nothing.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t take this minor incident to heart at all. Upon returning home, she instructed, "First daughter-inw, go buy some tofu this afternoon. We''ll make braised fish with tofu for dinner."


    Liang Meifen was stunned for a moment before forcing a slight smile and saying, "B-braised fish?"


    Her heart grew bitter again, thinking how partial the olddy was, making all these nice dishes just because the younger daughter-inw had joined the family. Didn''t they need to save food for the New Year? Her heart ached. If it were up to her, they wouldn''t have had the wedding before the New Year.


    Having a wedding before the New Year meant not only an extra mouth to feed during the festivities but also using up precious meat and food ration tickets for the wedding feast. Now they were cooking fish right away - it didn''t sit well with her.


    Zhao Guihua gave her a sideways nce and sneered, "Are you questioning my decisions about what we eat?"


    Liang Meifen noticed her mother-inw''s harsh tone and quickly responded, "No, I''ll do whatever you say, Mom."


    Wiping her hands, she added, "No need to wait until afternoon, I''ll go now - it''s not far anyway."


    She hurried out, feeling bitter about how difficult it was being a daughter-inw. Zhuang Zhixi and his wife were crouching by the stove warming themselves, and as soon as Liang Meifen left, Zhuang Zhixi immediately sidled up to Zhao Guihua, grinning, "Mom, about tonight''s family meeting - what''s it about? Give me a hint!"


    Zhao Guihua shot him a re, saying, "Get lost."


    Zhuang Zhixi persisted: "Just tell me early, I won''t tell anyone else."


    Zhao Guihua gave him a look of disdain and said, "I told you to get lost."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...whimper."


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh at his rejection.


    Zhao Guihua put her hands on her hips: "You only have one day off, go spend it in your own room. Why are you hanging around me? Don''t get in my way here."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei: "..."


    "Go on, get out!"


    After shooing the couple away, Zhao Guihua shook her head, her thoughts turning to tonight''s family meeting...


    Time flew by, especially in winter, and before they knew it, the day was over - darkness fell early.


    The courtyard became lively during the evening rush hour after work, with peopleing and going, exchanging greetings, washing vegetables, fetching water, and children ying - a bustling scene. Old Man Zhuang met his eldest son Zhuang Zhiyuan at the entrance of the alley on his way home from work.


    Father and son returned home together, and as soon as they entered the courtyard, they caught the scent of food being fried in oil.


    Old Man Zhuang sniffed the air and dered confidently, "Someone''s frying fish - it smells wonderful."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled, "Well, it certainly can''t be our house - we don''t have any fish."


    Old Man Zhuang: "That''s true."


    A plump woman came out to dump some water and, hearing their conversation, raised her eyebrows and greeted them with anticipation in her voice: "Uncle Zhuang, you''re back! Actually, you''ve guessed wrong - that wonderful smell ising from your house. My three boys are so tempted by the smell they don''t even want their own dinner. They''re begging to eat at your ce."


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled: "That won''t do."


    The plump woman''s eyes twinkled as sheughed heartily, saying, "Oh, Uncle Zhuang, I was just joking. Times are hard for everyone, we all know that. We''re not the type to take advantage. I was just teasing - how could you take it seriously?"


    Old Man Zhuang: "Well, what can I say? I''m a simple man. I take everything at face value."


    "Old man, hurry up ande in for dinner. We have a meeting tonight," Zhao Guihua called out fiercely as she opened the door.


    Old Man Zhuang responded quickly: "Coming,ing right away!"


    When the Zhuang father and son entered their home, the contrast was stark - the delicious aroma was even more intense inside. Their two young ones were already seated at the dining table, forgoing their usual outdoor y as they eagerly waited for dinner to be served.


    Zhuang Zhixi and his wife were crouching by the stove, swallowing their saliva and adding firewood, pretending to help.


    Zhao Guihua spoke coldly: "You should avoid getting involved with that widow."


    Old Man Zhuang: "We were just greeting our neighbor..."


    Seeing his wife''s fierce re, he quickly nodded: "Whatever you say."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s more like it."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Mom, I never really interact with them anyway, but as neighbors, I think we should maintain harmony..."


    "I think you should be quiet now," Zhao Guihua said. "Wash your hands for dinner!"


    She lifted the lid off the pot, and everyone immediately started salivating.


    "My goodness, why does the fish smell so much better than usual?" Old Man Zhuang thought it was far more fragrant than before. Though they didn''t eat fish often, he couldn''t remember it ever smelling this good.


    Liang Meifen said painfully: "How could it not smell good? The fish was pan-fried today."


    The amount of oil used made her heart ache.


    With that much oil, it had better taste good!


    Zhao Guihua: "Do you have a problem with that? Are you the head of this household or am I?"


    Liang Meifen quickly shrank back, saying: "You are, I was just making ament."


    "Alright, alright, let''s eat," Zhuang Zhixi was getting impatient. His father and older brother had juste from outside, but he had been tormented by this fragrant smell the whole time. His mouth had been watering for ages.


    Looking over, he saw his little niece was already drooling.


    See? He knew it!


    No one could resist.


    Zhao Guihua brought the fish to the table. Though the fish wasn''trge, she had added plenty of side dishes - cabbage and potatoes. The iron pot-braised fish came with these vegetables, which were just as vorful, especially those that had soaked up the broth around the edges of the pot.


    The family quickly gathered around the table, and Zhao Guihua announced: "Let''s eat!"


    At hermand, chopsticks began flying, even Ming Mei joined in enthusiastically - mmm, it was so delicious.


    While they feasted, their neighbors suffered. Having just attended the wedding feast yesterday where they had eaten well, most families were having simple vegetarian meals today. Usually, this wouldn''t be an issue, but today the smell of fish was so overwhelming it made everyone extra hungry.


    The Su family next door felt it most keenly, with their three boys refusing to eat their dinner.


    Old Lady Su looked at her daughter-inw distressfully and said: "Xiangxiu, can''t you think of something? How can you, as their mother, bear to see the children suffering like this? It''s my fault for being useless - a poor old widow who can''t help at all..."


    Wang Xiangxiu, the plump woman who had earlier chatted with Old Man Zhuang, was the Su family''s young widow. She sighed and said, "I tried testing the waters earlier, but Uncle Zhuang wouldn''t agree."


    She added, "Even if Uncle Zhuang agreed, Aunt Zhao would chase us away - she''s not easy to deal with."


    Old Lady Su knew all too well how difficult Zhao Guihua could be - they had been neighbors for many years. She was just hoping her daughter-inw could push a little harder. However, she didn''t dwell on this, instead saying more dejectedly: "Should we cook the fish we bought for New Year''s now? We can''t let the children..."


    "No!" Wang Xiangxiu shook her head: "We''re not like them - they have many workers in their family. We can''t afford that. If we eat it now, we''ll have nothing for New Year''s. Wait, I''ll go see the Bai family..."


    She quickly left, heading towards the Bai residence.


    As soon as she left, Old Lady Su''s face showed a fleeting smirk before quickly returning to her gentle, kindly expression. She said, "That''s wonderful, your mother''s gone to figure something out. Just wait a bit."


    The Zhou family across the way could smell it too. Madam Zhou Li grumbled, "These unfortunate people, how could they be richer than my family? Showing off with their fancy food - hope they choke on it. Why couldn''t they get a fish bone stuck in their throats..."


    His daughter-inw Jiang Lu was cooking when she chimed in, "That''s right, they''re showing off despite having no money. Mom, why don''t we cook fish too? Our family isn''t any worse than theirs..."


    "Bah! You worthless woman, what nonsense are you spouting? Such a wasteful creature - just because we have money doesn''t mean we should squander it! You really don''t understand the value of things. What eating this, eating that - we need to save money for your medical bills. You''re all talk and no action - if you don''t give our Zhou family a child soon, I''ll make Qun divorce you! Still dreaming about good food? Not happening! I''ll fry some eggs for Qun, while we''ll eat corn buns."


    Jiang Lu responded with a meek "mm" as her eyes reddened with tears.


    Zhou Qun sat beside them listening to the radio, remaining silent throughout.


    The Old Zhuang Family had no idea about themotion in other households. Though it was hard to keep secrets in their courtyardmunity, not everything could be overheard. While others were quarreling about dinner, their family had finished their meal peacefully.


    After sending the two children to their room, Zhao Guihua initiated the first-ever family meeting for all members of the Old Zhuang Family.


    Being straightforward as always, Zhao Guihua dered, "Alright, let''s begin the meeting."


    She scanned the room, noting how everyone sat up straight. With a grunt, she said, "In this meeting, I represent both myself and your father. My opinion is our shared opinion."


    Old Man Zhuang added weakly, "Right, listen to your mother."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi remained silent, unsurprised.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "Now, I''ll announce the decision your father and I have made... we won''t split up the family."


    Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen''s eyes lit up instantly, her whole demeanor perking up. Her greatest fear had been the family splitting up, so this news was perfect. She could barely contain her excitement, wanting to spin around in joy. She shot Ming Mei a smug smile, thinking to herself that the old couple would surely rely on them for support in their old age and couldn''t afford to offend them.


    Zhuang Zhixi frowned slightly, not being one to ept disadvantages openly.


    While it wasn''t appropriate for his wife to speak up about such matters, he could.


    Just as he was about to speak, Zhao Guihua continued, "Given our family''s current situation, splitting up isn''t practical or convenient. However, though we''re staying together, we need to make some changes to how our household operates."


    Zhuang Zhixi swallowed his words and continued listening.


    Zhao Guihua surveyed the room again, noting everyone''s varied expressions, and said, "Your father and I have decided not to split up the family, but we must be fair. Eldest daughter-inw, what you did was simply despicable."


    Liang Meifen, being called out, quickly lowered her head, thinking it wasn''t a big deal to endure some scolding as long as she wasn''t losing out.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t stop there, but continued directly, "Though the job was yours, we''re family and haven''t split up, plus you have two children. You told no one and secretly gave up your job - your intentions are clear. You wanted to leech off your younger brother-inw''s couple while helping your own brother? How does that sound? Because of what you did, not just our courtyard but the whole street isughing at our family. I can''t even go to the public toilet without people asking if we''re splitting up - you''ve really caused trouble. This incident almost ruined Third Son''s marriage prospects, and I promised his mother-inw an exnation, which I must deliver! When you got married, your mother insisted that even after marriage, you must give half your monthly sry to your maiden family because they paid for your education. They wouldn''t agree to the marriage otherwise, and I agreed and kept that promise. Now, I will also keep my promise to Third Son''s inws."


    Liang Meifen''s face turned deathly pale.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "When I say I''ll give an exnation, I mean it! Although we won''t split up the family, from now on, each household will manage their own affairs. You won''t need to hand over your sries to me anymore. Starting next month, after the New Year, each household will contribute ten yuan monthly for living expenses, and we''ll continue eating together. Other expenses will be handled by each household separately. Since you all receive sries at the end of the month, this month will proceed as usual. Ming Mei just joined the family, so you don''t need to contribute for these few days."


    Everyone stared at Zhao Guihua.


    Ming Mei nodded obediently.


    Zhao Guihua continued expressionlessly, "This arrangement actually favors the eldest son''s family, since you have two children. The third son''s couple has no children yet pays the same amount."


    "But Zhiyuan is often out driving..." Liang Meifen instinctively protested.


    Zhao Guihua gave a coldugh, disgusted by her eldest daughter-inw''s calctions, and said, "Yes, he''s often away, but Third Son''s couple eats lunch at their workce and doesn''te home. You and the children eat at home."


    Liang Meifen wanted to say more but her mind went nk, unable to exin or justify herself. She had feared the family splitting up, and while they weren''t technically splitting up, this arrangement felt no different...


    Zhao Guihua scanned the room again and asked, "Any other opinions?"


    Liang Meifen had thousands of words but didn''t know how to express them, feeling defeated.


    Her husband Zhuang Zhiyuan spoke up instead, "Sounds good to me."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged nces, "We''ll follow Mom''s decision."


    Zhao Guihua understood young people''s desire to manage their own money - she had been young once too, and with her previous life''s experience, she vowed not to repeat the same path.


    In her previous life, she had insisted on keeping the family together.


    To appease Ming Mei''s family, she had given her an extra five hundred yuan as private savings.


    But that hadn''t been handled well.


    When the eldest daughter-inw Liang Meifen found out, she resented Zhao Guihua deeply, using her of favoritism while ignoring how much she herself had benefited.


    As for the third son''s couple, they weren''t happy either despite receiving the money. Without splitting up, their sries still went to support the family, and their annual ie was more than five hundred yuan. Most importantly, not only was the eldest sister-inw ungrateful, but she also resented them, feeling bitter about not receiving private savings while still having to manage household chores.


    Eventually, this affected the rtionship between the brothers, and they grew distant.


    Looking back now, Zhao Guihua realized she had made mistakes from the start. While her current approach might not be perfect, in this second chance, she would follow what she believed was fair.


    And if anyone wasn''t happy with it?


    Well then, they could get out!

 Chapter 7: Thoughts

    <h4>Chapter 7</h4>


    The first family meeting of the Zhuang household concluded sessfully.


    Although Liang Meifen was so upset she nearly fainted, Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn''t particrly bothered. As a man, he concerned himself with matters of national importance, and such trivial domestic affairs weren''t worth his attention.


    The main difference now was that he had more money in his pocket. Previously, he had to hand over everything, keeping only three yuan for social expenses.


    But things were different now. His monthly sry was thirty-five yuan, and since he operated long-distance trains specifically on the Guangdong route, he received additional travel allowances, bringing his total to nearly forty yuan per month. After contributing ten yuan for living expenses, he still had thirty yuan for himself.


    As for his wife having no money... Zhuang Zhiyuan thought that was just fine. With money, she''d only try to help her natal family. Her brother was always borrowing money without ever paying it back. Zhuang Zhiyuan particrly disliked this.


    So he wasn''t unhappy about this meeting at all.


    Seeing his wife wiping away tears, he added, "Don''t let your brothere around anymore."


    Liang Meifen covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrobly.


    Why couldn''t these people understand her? The third brother and his wife both had jobs, so why couldn''t they share their money with everyone? Her brother was having such a hard time - was it wrong to help him? He was her only brother, after all! *sob sob*


    Liang Meifen felt terribly heartbroken, both miserable and distressed, as if her heart was soaking in a pool of bitter melon juice,pletely saturated with bitterness inside and out.


    In contrast to the tears in the eldest household, the third couple was quite happy. As Zhao Guihua had said, young people naturally want to control their own money. Ming Mei sat cross-legged on the bed, discussing important matters with her husband.


    Ming Mei asked, "Between your parents, who manages the money?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow: "Do you even need to ask? One look and you can tell it''s my mother. My father has no status at home."


    Ming Mei nodded seriously, then said, "In my family, my mother manages the money too."


    She lifted her chin, looking at Zhuang Zhixi.


    "So?" he asked.


    Ming Mei''s face turned slightly pink, but she said firmly, "Both your parents and my parents have the woman managing the money. It''s clear that for a family to prosper, the woman must manage the finances. We should continue this excellent tradition of both our families."


    After a pause, she smiled sweetly and said, "Let me manage our money too!"


    Suppressing augh, Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Is that your conclusion?"


    Ming Mei held her head high: "Of course."


    She narrowed her eyes slightly, looking at Zhuang Zhixi, and asked, "What? You don''t agree? You don''t want to carry on this fine tradition?"


    She started clenching her fists.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Clearly, if "negotiations" failed, she was ready to use force.


    Being a wise man who knew when to yield, he quickly smiled and said, "Of course we should carry on this fine tradition. Dear, my monthly sry is twenty-eight yuan fifty. I''ll pay the ten yuan to my mother, and from the remaining eighteen yuan fifty, could I keep a little as pocket money?"


    ncing at her still-clenched fists, he hurriedly exined, "A man needs some money when he''s out and about. Sometimes there are social obligations, and it''s inconvenient to have absolutely no money on hand. Don''t you agree?"


    Ming Mei thought for a moment, nodded, and asked, "How much pocket money does your father get?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    That question stumped him.


    Silence, endless silence.


    Ming Mei asked puzzled, "What?"


    Zhuang Zhixi struggled to answer: "He... doesn''t get any."


    At this moment, Ming Mei also fell silent. She cleared her throat softly and changed the subject: "Well, let''s follow my father''s example then. He gets five yuan per month. Oh wait, you can''tpare yourself to my father! He needs to drive to other ces. He really can''t be without money, but you''re different. Five yuan is enough for one person''s monthly living expenses..."


    Ming Mei began to hesitate.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly said: "Darling, my sweet dear wife, just give me five yuan. I promise I won''t waste it. Look, if I save some money, we can go out for meals and watch movies together. Otherwise, life would be so dull, don''t you think?"


    Seeing Ming Mei wavering, he pressed on: "My sry will definitely increase in the future, but even then, I''ll only ask for five yuan, absolutely no more."


    Ming Mei blinked and said, "Well, alright then."


    Zhuang Zhixi finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was actually getting more pocket money now than when his mother managed everything. Under his mother''s management, he only got three yuan, but now it had increased to five. Zhuang Zhixi was quite satisfied. He curiously asked, "Dear, how much do you earn?"


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi in surprise, and after a long while, sighed and said, "Are you an idiot? You married me knowing nothing about me."


    Not knowing about her martial arts skills, not knowing how much she earned...


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re beautiful."


    He said sincerely: "I''ve never seen anyone more beautiful than you in my life, of course I was happy to marry you."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    However, she wasn''t really upset.


    She had also chosen him for his good looks, so they were equally shallow - neither could criticize the other.


    She said: "Well, alright, even though I don''t know how much you know about me, I should still tell you about my situation in detail, you blockhead."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "I''m all ears."


    Ming Mei: "As a bus ticket seller, I''m on the service position pay scale. Currently, my monthly sry is thirty-one yuan fifty."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s more than mine!"


    Ming Mei smiled proudly and said: "So you better work hard, youngrade."


    Zhuang Zhixi mysteriously leaned closer to Ming Mei and asked, "So how much savings do you have? Tell me?"


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow and hummed: "Don''t ask about things you shouldn''t. We''re not at that level yet."


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing and said: "Not at that level? I feel like we''re quite intimate already." Seeing his young wife blush, he immediately transformed into a big puppy and pounced on her, saying: "Let me show you just how passionate I can be..."


    Ming Mei was pinned down by him andughed softly: "Mmm, what are you doing?"


    "Guess. Here, let me help you take off your clothes..."


    "What are you doing? I don''t need help- hey hey hey, don''t bite my ear..." Ming Mei''s coquettish voice quickly quieted down. In such a cold winter, they needed to do something to keep warm, right? Soon, the bed began creaking...


    Today was the Zhuang family meeting, and while Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife were in one state, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife in another, the elderly couple sat cross-legged on their kang bed chatting idly. Of their three rooms, only their room had a heated kang bed, and it was quite warm.


    Young people just didn''t understand the benefits of a heated kang bed.


    Old Man Zhuang sat on the warm kang, savoring the memory of tonight''s fish, thinking it was truly delicious, but he also said: "If we eat like this now, what about during New Year?"


    Zhao Guihua already had a n, saying: "I''ve saved some money, I''m thinking of checking out the ck market."


    This statement truly startled Old Man Zhuang, and he quickly said: "No, no, that''s too dangerous. The ck market isn''t a ce for honest folks like us. If we get caught..."


    Zhao Guihua gave him a look and said: "You don''t need to worry about this, I know what I''m doing. I''m not a fool."


    Old Man Zhuang: "But this..."


    Zhao Guihua reassured her husband: "You''re just too honest. In our neighborhood, everyone who wants something good finds a way. How much can you get with just ration coupons? Everyone goes there, we don''t need to be too honest. Honest people always get the short end of the stick, they can''t even get warm excrement to eat."


    Old Man Zhuang: "...Well, I wouldn''t want to eat that anyway."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Her eyes widened as she said: "Are you being contrary on purpose?"


    Old Man Zhuang immediately bowed and begged forgiveness. Zhao Guihua snorted and said: "Don''t worry, I''ll check the riverbank first. If I can catch fish, I won''t go to the ck market. We''ll see if I can''t catch any. There''s still half a month until New Year anyway."


    "Fishing?" Old Man Zhuang looked at his old woman, thinking she was really talking big.


    They''d been married for thirty years, and he knew her well.


    When had she ever known how to fish?


    Zhao Guihua immediately knew what the old man was thinking, and she said, "What do you mean? Looking down on me? Are you looking down on me?"


    Old Man Zhuang quickly apologized, "No, no, I wouldn''t dare."


    Zhao Guihua snorted, saying, "Just you watch."


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled softly, not daring tough out loud for fear that the old woman would use him of mockery. After hisugh, he said, "Guihua, I think our eldest daughter-inw isn''t happy about this situation."


    "Bah! She has the nerve to be unhappy? I was being nice by not spelling everything out today, only because both our third son and his wife were present. Tomorrow, when you''re all at work, I''ll definitely have another talk with her. Don''t think I''m favoring the third son. I''m beingpletely fair here. Let''s talk about our eldest son and his wife - they were high school ssmates who fell in love and wanted to get married right after graduation. How much were they earning when they first started working? Sure, our eldest son now makes nearly forty yuan, but in his first year before bing permanent staff, he only made thirteen, and his wife made about the same. She had to give half to her family and keep some for social obligations. In those early years, how much did she give me monthly? Just three or four yuan, and together they gave about ten-something yuan. Don''t forget, they married right after graduation, and did we skimp on anything? The furniture, the bed - we provided everything. Even then, her family demanded thirty yuan for the bride price. That was seven years ago when others were asking for fifteen or twenty, and we still paid it, didn''t we? Their wages increased gradually, but let''s be honest - she had their first child in their first year of marriage, and another one two yearster. Doesn''t raising children cost money? When she had Xiao Yanzi, her milk wasn''t good, and we pinched pennies to buy form. All these years, the money they''ve contributed hasn''t even covered their own expenses. Now she''s ying these mind games with me? Should I indulge her? I''m already being very generous and respectful. She can''tin that her sister-inw was still in school when she married in - it wasn''t her money supporting the education, it was your good sry. Besides, we supported our eldest through high school, so we can''t treat the second and third differently. Now, about our third son - yes, our eldest married right after graduation, but times are different now. Marriage regtions are stricter, there''s an age requirement. Our third son has been working in the factory clinic for three years since graduating high school. He''s been contributing all his money during these three years. Even if he didn''t earn much at first, he was single, so he still saved something. Bottom line, our third son hasn''t taken advantage of them at all. You know what our third son is like - clever as a monkey with a tail, sharp as a sieve with his wits. He hasn''t made a fuss these three years because he wasn''t married, but if we handled things the old way after his marriage, just watch him cause trouble."


    Zhao Guihua rattled off like a machine gun, leaving Old Man Zhuang bewildered, though after thinking it through, he realized the olddy was absolutely right. He nodded repeatedly, saying, "You''re right, that''s exactly how it is."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "Of course I am! I''m not just anybody now. Tomorrow, you specifically talk to our eldest about what I''ve said, and I''ll handle his wife. They need to understand the situation one way or another. If they think they''re getting a raw deal and want to make trouble, they can get out - I won''t support them anymore!"


    Old Man Zhuang quickly said, "It won''te to that, it won''te to that."


    "Why wouldn''t it? If they make me unhappy, I''ll make them unhappy!"


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled, saying, "You''ve really got some spirit now."


    Zhao Guihua smiled, "You bet I do!"


    While the old couple was in harmony, their subject of discussion, Liang Meifen, was still quietly sobbing in distress. She had been crying since returning to her room, weeping for over an hour straight.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Will you ever stop?"


    Liang Meifen bit her lip, her eyes clouded with tears. Seeing Zhuang Zhiyuan''s darkening expression, she forcefully wiped away her tears.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sat up with a sigh, saying, "This won''t do. Crying like this will make Mom and Dad think you disagree with their decision. We have no objections, so how can we let them misunderstand? Family harmony is most important!"


    Liang Meifen: "...???" How could she not have objections? She did! She just couldn''t voice them!


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Alright, stop crying and go to sleep."


    Liang Meifen felt a fire burning in her heart, thinking that her life was truly difficult. Being a woman was hard enough, but her situation was even harder.


    Wiping her tears, she said, "I need to go to the bathroom."


    Aliali: 67358283d72ede93494505dbZhuang Zhiyuan: "It''s freezing outside. Don''t we have a chamber pot?"


    Liang Meifen: "I need to do number two."


    She threw on her padded jacket and rushed out, feeling unable to contain her inner sorrow any longer. She opened the courtyard gate and hurried to thetrine at the end of the alley.


    Once there, she couldn''t hold back anymore and began sobbing quietly.


    Heavens above!


    Her life was so bitter!


    Wuu wuu wuu~~~


    Meanwhile, in the men''s section, a drunk man in one of the squatting stalls heard the faint, ethereal crying and trembled in fear, covering his mouth to avoid making any sound: Oh mama, it''s haunted!!!


    Must not make a sound, or I''ll be eaten!


    Terrifying female ghost!

 Chapter 8: Zhuang Xingyun

    <h4>Chapter 8</h4>


    At dawn, when the sky was still dim, the sounds of doors opening and closing echoed through the courtyard, along with early morning greetings. The ce gradually came alive, filled with the warmth of daily life.


    The young couple, Ming Mei and her husband, were among those caught up in this morning rush, as they both had jobs to get to and couldn''t afford to bete. Ming Mei worked at the bus station, which was farther than Zhuang Zhixi''s machinery factory, so she quickly finished her breakfast and got up, saying, "I''m heading out first."


    Zhuang Zhixi hurriedly stuffed a steamed bun in his mouth and said, "I''ll walk you."


    Ming Mei: "No, no, no!"


    She said, "You''ll have to double back if you walk me. I''ll be quick on my bicycle."


    She put on her fluffy hat to protect her ears, slung her olive-green messenger bag across her body - quite fashionable - and waved goodbye before leaving.


    Xiao Yanzi murmured, "Auntie looks so pretty."


    Girls always love beautiful things, and little girls even more so.


    She touched her own hair and said, "Xiao Yanzi wants something fluffy too."


    Liang Meifen quickly looked toward the olddy, but Zhao Guihua ignored this silly girl and said, "Ask your mother to buy you one, Xiao Yanzi. You''re so big now, and your mother hasn''t bought you anything yet. Let her buy it."


    In her opinion, Liang Meifen had been keeping five or six yuan every month for these years, which would be enough for an ordinary family to eat for a week. But she hadn''t spent a penny, never buying anything for her child.


    Where all that money went was obvious - what foolishness.


    Thinking about this, she nced at Liang Meifen, who had finally released her emotionsst night and stopped feeling sad, but now felt hurt again hearing such pointed remarks. However, no one cared about her feelings now, and the men of the house quickly finished their breakfast and left for work.


    Zhuang Zhixi and his father both worked at the Forward Machinery Factory, so naturally they would leave together, but seeing that his father seemed to want to wait for his older brother, Zhuang Zhixi gave a meaningful smile and left first. Just as he walked out, he ran into Bai Fendou, who was smugly pushing his bicycle, nose in the air, and sneered at him, "Doesn''t your family have a bicycle too? Why aren''t you riding to work? Can''t get your turn to use it, huh? You''re not the boss at home, are you? Your wife runs the show? You''re not much of a man."


    He said this while making exaggerated facial expressions.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "There''s nothing wrong with letting the wife be in charge. It''s better than not having a wife at all. Yes, we have a bicycle, but my wife needs to use it. Heaven and earth are big, but my wife is the biggest priority. I''m a grown man, what''s wrong with walking? Even if her workce wasn''t far, I wouldn''t let her walk. Of course, you wouldn''t understand since you don''t have a wife."


    Bai Fendou: "!!!"


    He got angry: "Hey, are you trying to provoke me? Acting like you''re the only one with a wife."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, I''m not the only one with a wife, but Brother Fendou, you don''t have one, right?"


    He smiled innocently and said, "Am I wrong? Why aren''t you married yet? Why is that? Don''t you want to?"


    Bai Fendou: "...Grass (a type of nt), I need to get to work, I don''t have time for you, kid."


    He pedaled away quickly, like a gust of wind.


    Zhuang Zhixi called out loudly: "Hey, Brother Fendou, won''t you give me a ride?"


    Bai Fendou: "Get lost! Dream on!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s not very neighborly of you!"


    Bai Fendou didn''t respond and just pedaled harder.


    Zhuang Zhixi clicked his tongue and said, "With skills like that, he shouldn''t try to argue with me."


    Zhuang Zhixi rather envied the bicycle, but the factory wasn''t really far from thepound. He arrived at the factory and went to the medical office, where he changed into his white coat.


    Although Zhuang Zhixi worked in the factory''s medical office, he wasn''t actually a medical student and didn''t know medicine. When he graduated from high school, universities had stopped epting students, and there was a possibility of being sent to the countryside. Zhuang Zhixi was quite worried at the time and spent every day looking for work.


    He knew that without a job, he would definitely be sent to the countryside.


    Perhaps it was luck, but after job hunting for nearly a month, Zhuang Zhixi got lucky when the Forward Machinery Factory was hiring. Though it was the Forward Machinery Factory, not just anyone could apply.


    First requirement was having a local capital city household registration;


    Second was being a high school graduate - middle school wouldn''t do, let alone elementary education.


    Finally, you needed to have a family member working at the Forward Machinery Factory with a level five or higher professional title.


    Only those who met all three conditions could apply - it was extremely strict. With just these three conditions, over ny percent of people were disqualified. Fortunately, Zhuang Zhixi met all the conditions, and he cleverly avoided the popr positions like office work or factory floor jobs, choosing instead to be a cashier in the medical office.


    Many people didn''t understand this position and thought it required medical knowledge, so they wouldn''t choose it. Others avoided it because of the low ie. In theirrge factory, even working on the factory floor was better than the medical office if you couldn''t get an office job.


    Now was the time when workers ruled, and if you learned skills quickly, wages would rise fast.


    As a medical office cashier, career advancement was difficult, so some people didn''t understand it, and others looked down on it, which is how Zhuang Zhixi got lucky. Indeed, the medical office sry increased slowly, and it wasn''t about medical expertise, nor did it seem to have much of a future.


    But this depended on perspective - those with connections naturally wanted better positions, but for ordinary families like the Zhuangs, having a job that kept you from being sent to the countryside was a huge blessing, so Zhuang Zhixi was overjoyed when he was hired.


    Eventer, watching batch after batch of people being sent to the countryside, Zhuang Zhixi felt even more fortunate. He knew his own capabilities and was well aware that he would be useless at farm work.


    He was even more grateful that he graduated early - if it had been just one yearter, he might have missed this opportunity.


    After changing into his clothes, Zhuang Zhixi boiled a pot of hot water for the office and swept the floor. Their factory medical office was quite small, nothing like a big hospital - it just served the workers, treating headaches, minor injuries, and such. Counting everyone - the director, doctors, nurses, and him as the cashier - there were only six people in total.


    Consider that they were a factory of ten thousand workers, and you can see how unimportant their medical office was.


    Of the six people in the medical office, Zhuang Zhixi was the only male besides the director, and he was thest to join and the youngest. So Zhuang Zhixi was very observant and took initiative with any tasks he could handle.


    "Little Zhuang, you''re quite early today. Newly married life must be treating you well - you look energetic," Doctor Wang teased as soon as she came in. Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t embarrassed at all and yed along, "Of course! I even smile in my dreams."


    This made Doctor Wangugh.


    Doctor Wang nodded: "You really lucked out. Your wife is great - pretty and has a proper job. You got lucky, young man."


    Zhuang Zhixi joked back: "She''s lucky to have found me too! Look at me, look at this face - what a handsome young man! I''ve got the looks, I''ve got the height. I don''t smoke, don''t drink, no bad habits. Oh my~ I have so many good points!"


    As he was bragging, he actually got a bit excited and said, "I''m quite a catch, you know."


    By this time, everyone in the medical office had arrived and heard him, they couldn''t helpughing and said, "You''ve got quite the thick skin!"


    Doctor Li remembered something and asked curiously, "What does your mother-inw do? Does she work? She looks familiar somehow."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My mother-inw used to be a bus ticket seller. When my wife graduated high school and couldn''t find work, she gave her job to her daughter and took early retirement. You probably think she looks familiar because you''ve seen her on the bus before."


    Doctor Li had a sudden realization and pped her forehead: "Yes, yes, that''s right! She used to work on the bus route that passed by my house, for many years. That was her! I knew she looked familiar. Your mother-inw really thinks about her daughter."


    This was something Zhuang Zhixi felt deeply about, and he nodded: "She certainly does."


    The Ming family had two children. His wife Ming Mei had a brother who was a ssmate of his older brother Zhuang Zhiyuan. After graduation, they both joined the railway department and now work as train attendants. While they had formal employment, Ming Mei''s sister-inw didn''t - she was only a temporary worker at the train station.


    Everyone assumed that the Ming family mother would eventually pass her job to her daughter-inw, but to everyone''s surprise, she firmly gave it to her daughter without any hesitation. Zhuang Zhixi witnessed how much the elderly couple doted on their daughter.


    "Both you and your wife are employed, so life must be good. By the way, have you separated from your family household?" Doctor Li asked, the gossip me never dying out - after all, everyone loves a bit of gossip regardless of who they are.


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "No, we haven''t separated. Well, it would be quite inconvenient if we did. We still live together as one family, though my wife and I contribute ten yuan each month for food expenses, and we handle other expenses ourselves."


    The two doctors exchanged nces and said, "That''s quite nice, not much different from having separate households."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "It''s still different though."


    The medical office''s gossip spotlight was on Zhuang Zhixi today - well, he was newly married after all. He had nothing to hide and chatted warmly with the aunties and sisters. None of them noticed someone standing at the doorway.


    It was none other than Wang Xiangxiu, the young widow from the quadrangle courtyard. She had caught a cold and came to get some medicine, but upon hearing their conversation at the door, she recognized Zhuang Zhixi''s voice. After listening for a while, she pursed her lips and started calcting in her mind.


    Zhuang Zhixi paid ten yuan monthly, which meant he must have at least another ten or more yuan left. If his wife gave him her money too, he must have even more - probably around forty yuan to handle each month. Her eyes flickered with interest as she wondered if she could persuade this young man to help support her family.


    Her family was struggling. Her mother-inw was unemployed, and her three sons were growing boys with hefty appetites. As their mother, how could she not think of ways to improve their situation? She hade for medicine but got so lost in thought that she forgot to enter, turning back instead.


    As she approached the workshop, she suddenly remembered she''d forgotten to get the medicine and smacked her forehead.


    Fortunately, she spotted Bai Fendou on patrol and quickly called out, "Fendou,e here!"


    Bai Fendou was on his rounds but immediately came over when he heard her, "Sister Xiu, did you call me? What''s wrong? You seem distracted."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "I''m feeling under the weather. Could you help me get some cold medicine from the medical office? I can''t leave work now."


    Bai Fendou replied, "Sure thing. But sister, weren''t you justing from that direction..."


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled and said, "I got caught up in some gossip and forgot about getting the medicine!"


    Bai Fendou: "...You''re something else."


    Then curiosity got the better of him: "What was the gossip about?"


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled and chided, "You just criticized me, and now you''re asking? I won''t tell you."


    "Come on, sister, tell me!"


    Aliali: 67358287d72ede934945062fWang Xiangxiu''s refusal only made Bai Fendou more curious. She gave him a sidelong nce and said, "Alright, I''ll tell you. It''s about the Zhuang family..."


    As she huddled close to Bai Fendou, whispering and muttering, elsewhere Zhao Guihua sneezed several times in session and grumbled, "Which bastard is talking bad about me behind my back?"


    Liang Meifen didn''t dare say a word.


    Zhao Guihua: "Walk faster."


    Liang Meifen hurried to keep up, but seeing they were heading to an increasingly remote area, she couldn''t help but whisper, "Mom, you''re not nning to abandon me in some mountain valley, are you?"


    Zhao Guihua: "...???"


    She looked at Liang Meifen in exasperation and scolded, "Are you an absolute idiot? How much lead is in your brain to think something like that? Abandon you in a valley? What are you, a three-year-old who can''t find their way back? I shouldn''t have brought such a fool along. You''re so stupid it''s beyond belief - even a donkey has more sense!"


    Liang Meifen, thoroughly chastised, didn''t dare speak.


    Zhao Guihua: "Such a useless thing!"


    Liang Meifen: ...With such harsh scolding, she felt reassured!

 Chapter 9: Catch the Big Fish

    <h4>Chapter 9</h4>


    Early in the morning, Zhao Guihua took Liang Meifen out with her.


    She carried a bamboo basket on her back containing a fishing she had borrowed from Li the Cook''s wife, Aunt Wang.


    Yesterday, when she said she was going fishing, it wasn''t just idle talk. As an experienced elderly woman, Zhao Guihua genuinely knew where to catch fish. There were actually quite a few fishing spots in their city, like where Li the Cook regrly went fishing at the Back Lake area.


    However, such ces weren''t suitable for Zhao Guihua. Old Man Zhuang understood her well - she didn''t actually know how to fish with a rod.


    At those typical fishing spots, she would bepletely lost. That''s why Zhao Guihua never intended to go to such ces. The ce she had in mind was a rare gem for catching fish. Though, since her memories were a bit distant, it took some effort for Zhao Guihua to find it.


    Liang Meifen followed Zhao Guihua the whole way. They walked for most of the morning, and Liang Meifen stole nces at her mother-inw, not daring to speak. Her mother-inw had "talked" to her earlier that morning, making her already troubled mood even worse.


    She never imagined her mother-inw could be so calcting, and when she thought about it, her household had indeed been taking advantage all along. As a result, Liang Meifen didn''t dare make a sound now, following behind Zhao Guihua like a servant girl.


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t be bothered to look at her dejected face and focused on finding the fish pond.


    Though she was confident she knew where it was, they still wandered quite a bit before suddenly, "Ah!"


    Zhao Guihua cried out, startling Liang Meifen, who hurried forward asking, "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    Zhao Guihua pointed to a hidden pond not far away and eximed excitedly, "Found it!"


    She was instantly energized and rushed over, with Liang Meifen hurrying to keep up. Both mother and daughter-inw ran to the pond, and Liang Meifen was amazed: "Mom, there really is a pond here!"


    Zhao Guihua gave her a sideways nce and said, "Did you think I was making it up?"


    "Of course not," Liang Meifen wouldn''t dare offend her mother-inw.


    Zhao Guihua immediately started giving instructions: "You gather stones while I check how frozen it is and find a spot to break through."


    Liang Meifen perked up and got busy right away: "Okay!"


    Zhao Guihua nodded with satisfaction. Although her eldest daughter-inw had many ws - being what modern people would call a "brotherplex" - she did have her good points. She worked diligently and never cut corners.


    Whatever task you gave her, she wouldplete it thoroughly without beingzy.


    This area was on a small hill, slightly colder than in the city, and the entire pond was frozen over. Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen found a spot and frantically started breaking the ice. It took considerable effort, nearly exhausting them, but they finally managed to create a decent-sized hole.


    As soon as they broke through, Zhao Guihua''s sharp eyes spotted fish. Her face lit up with joy as she said, "Quick, bring the fishing, let''s set it!"


    Liang Meifen had never fished before. Though from a modest family, she was still a city girl who had finished high school. While not well-off, they weren''t desperately poor either, so naturally, she didn''t know these skills.


    "Mom, how do we do this? Just throw it in and we''ll catch them?"


    Zhao Guihua gave her a look: "Are you dreaming? Thinking it''s that easy? Go find a bamboo pole."


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself that she was quite inte-savvy, having learned many life hacks on social media. When Liang Meifen returned with the pole, Zhao Guihua immediately put it in the water and started stirring clockwise, saying, "If I get tired, you take over."


    "Sure!"


    Liang Meifen never argued about work.


    Zhao Guihua stirred the pole in the water, a task requiring significant effort. Despite the cold weather, she was starting to sweat and her arms were getting sore. Liang Meifen quickly took over, though she couldn''tst as long as Zhao Guihua had. Shemented, "Mom, why does it feel harder and harder to stir?"


    Zhao Guihua replied: "Probably got fish,e on, let''s pull up the!"


    They quickly started pulling, "One-two, one-two!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Careful now, pull hard, quick, one-two! Heave!"


    "Ah!"


    As both women pulled with all their might, there was a cracking sound as the ice started breaking. Liang Meifen''s face turned pale with fear, but Zhao Guihua quickly gave one final pull, and the fishing came flying up.


    "Ah ah ah, Mom, look, look there are fish, really there are fish!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Stop talking, quick, move!"


    They dragged the, rushing quickly to the shore. Fortunately, though the ice had cracked, only a few pieces near the hole had fallen in, with just some cracks elsewhere, so it wasn''t too dangerous.


    Zhao Guihua plopped down on the ground, sighing: "Damn, getting something to eat really isn''t easy."


    Liang Meifen also sat down, not caring about getting dirty, her eyes fixed on the fishing in amazement.


    Inside were more than ten fish, bothrge and small. The smallest ones were seven or eight inches long, while the biggest ones were over ten inches - no wonder it had been so hard to pull up. These fish were enormous, almost like fish spirits!


    Liang Meifen stared at the fish in a daze while Zhao Guihua couldn''t hide her excitement. Still catching her breath, her eyes crinkled with joy, softening her usually stern features. Zhao Guihua said proudly, "I told you we could do it, didn''t I?"


    Liang Meifen swallowed, her eyes still glued to the fish - they were truly huge.


    Could their family even eat all these fish? If not, could she perhaps send some to her parents'' home? Her gaze drifted back to the pond, blinking a few times, wondering if she could secretly tell her family about this ce...


    Zhao Guihua, who had been feeling pleased with herself, turned and caught her daughter-inw''s calcting look. She startled and immediately scolded: "This is MY spot that I found. If you dare tell your family about it, you can pack up and go back to them forever. Divorce - that''s definitely what''ll happen."


    Liang Meifen was startled by these words and quickly said, "Mom, I wasn''t..."


    "Bah, I don''t care what you were or weren''t thinking. If I ever find out you did such a thing, you can go back to your family forever and be your brother''s servant for life. See how nice I''m being! I''ll be the evil mother-inw if that''s what it takes!" Zhao Guihua''s words were harsh, but different people needed different approaches.


    She understood her eldest daughter-inw Liang Meifen''s personality too well. If you spoke to her kindly and tried to reason with her, genuinely considering her interests, she would take it for granted and even feel wronged at the slightest thing, thinking you were easy to push around.


    Even in her previous life, Zhao Guihua had already done so much for the eldest son''s family, yet in Liang Meifen''s mind, she was still absolutely wicked.


    Later, she simply became fierce, never showing a kind face, speaking only to scold. Surprisingly, Liang Meifen then started seeing her mother-inw as straightforward and frank.


    Zhao Guihua found this utterly absurd.


    So she didn''t hold back at all and went straight to being stern. Sure enough, her harsh words made Liang Meifen close her mouth submissively, looking wronged but apparently taking the message to heart.


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself: "..." How ridiculous! This person just couldn''t handle kindness.


    After catching her breath, she said, "Let''s rest a bit and then head back."


    Liang Meifen hesitantly asked in a small voice, "We could catch more, couldn''t we? Should we get some more?"


    Zhao Guihua didn''t want to leave either, but she worried that taking too much might draw attention, especially since they had quite a distance to walk home. Besides, the ice had cracked earlier, which was concerning.


    "Let''s save it for next time. Next time we''ll bring some men from the family. This time I mainly wanted to find this ce again. Next time we''ll bring rope to tie around ourselves, it''ll be safer. I don''t trust this ice too much."


    Though she wanted fish, she valued her life more.


    "Besides, there are only two kids at home, and they haven''t had lunch yet."


    Zhao Guihua made the decision, standing up to arrange the fish in her basket, her face beaming with satisfaction, feeling truly content.


    She cautioned: "We need to be careful on our way back, don''t let anyone notice."


    Hearing this, Liang Meifen nodded inplete agreement, saying, "Mom, I understand."


    Having lived in the samepound for many years, everyone knew each other well, and she was quite familiar with everyone''s personality. If people found out about this wonderful spot they had discovered, there wouldn''t be a single fish left in no time.


    Thinking about this, both of them shuddered.


    Zhao Guihua made a quick decision: "We can''t wait, this ce is too good to pass up. Let''s go back first. I''ll visit the old man at noon, and you go to the eldest''s ce. Have the men take the afternoon off, and we''lle back again."


    After a moment''s thought, she added, "I''ll go borrow Ming Mei''s bicycle. We shouldn''t take the bus in the afternoon. Let''s ride bikes instead. It''ll be less conspicuous."


    "Agreed!"


    The mother and daughter-inw, having made their n, quickly headed back. After descending the hillside, they still had quite a walk before reaching the bus stop. They walked briskly, full of pride and excitement: such good fortune didn''te often!


    While Zhao Guihua was having her sessful morning, Ming Mei had been busy all morning as well. With the New Year just half a month away, there were particrly many travelers. She had been shouting all morning until her voice was nearly gone, and she''d finished an entire bottle of water. At noon, Ming Mei took advantage of the shift change to grab a quick meal when she heard someone at the gate calling, "Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming, someone''s here to see you."


    Ming Mei stood up: "Coming!"


    She was a pretty young woman, known in themunity simply as Xiao Ming.


    That''s what happens when your surname causes confusion.


    Ming Mei hurried to the entrance, her footsteps clicking along the way. She saw her mother-inw, a small elderlydy, pacing back and forth at the bus station entrance. Ming Mei quickly ran up, yfully patted Zhao Guihua''s shoulder, and linked arms with her, saying with a smile, "Mom, what brings you here? Come in and have a seat."


    The old guard at the gate peered over his newspaper, stealing nces repeatedly.


    Zhao Guihua pulled Ming Mei aside and said, "Let me borrow your bicycle, there''s something good happening."


    Ming Mei replied, "What do you mean ''borrow''? We''re family, just use it!"


    Though she was concerned, she believed there must be "something good"ing.


    Aliali: 67358283d72ede93494505dbSeeing Ming Mei''s slightly furrowed brow despite trying to appear generous, Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, I won''t let it get scratched or damaged. You''ll understand when you get home tonight. Oh, and make sure to go straight home after work, keep an eye on the house. We''ll all be back a bitte."


    With that exnation, how could Ming Mei not understand?


    Her eyes immediately lit up, and she nodded vigorously: "Don''t worry, leave it to me, no problem!"


    Zhao Guihua: "...Don''t go wandering around."


    Ming Mei nodded.


    Zhao Guihua: "...Don''t let the two kids cause trouble."


    Ming Mei nodded again.


    Zhao Guihua: "Just prepare something simple for dinner..."


    Ming Mei put her hands on her hips: "Mom, don''t you trust me? Really, I''ve got this!"


    Zhao Guihua: "...Alright then."

 Chapter 10: Watching the Fuss (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 10</h4>


    "People in front, please move back a bit. There''s still plenty of space in the back, keep moving back!"


    "Don''t rush to get on, this is thest bus of the day. Please be considerate of each other."


    "Board through the front door, exit through the back door. Buy your tickets as you board!"


    Ming Mei watched as passengers were packed like sardines in the bus, and called out again: "There''s still plenty of space in the back, squeeze in a bit more..."


    The people still trying to board looked through the windows at the tightly packed crowd inside, thinking to themselves that this pretty ticket collector was lying - the back was just as crowded as a tin of sardines, without an inch of space. But despite these thoughts, they still shuffled backward, trying their best to squeeze in.


    If they didn''t move back, the people below wouldn''t be able to board either.


    In these times, there were still many simple and honest people.


    "Squeeze in a bit more..." Ming Mei called out a couple more times, then picked up her thermos. The hot water she had added at noon was running low. She swirled the pear honey throat drops inside and screwed the cap back on. Last bus of the day, and then off work!


    Ming Mei took a deep breath and continued calling: "Please be considerate of each other~"


    Seeing that everyone had finally managed to squeeze onto the bus, Ming Mei raised her hand to signal, and the driver closed the doors with a screech. The bus finally moved forward. Ming Mei''s route happened to be a popr one, passing through Wangfujing. This line was usually manageable, but during holidays, it would be packed like ants, absolutely crowded.


    The bus stopped at each station, and as more and more passengers got off, Ming Mei finally breathed a sigh of relief. Atst, her shift was ending.


    Winter nights came early, and Ming Mei got off work a bitter than most people. By the time she walked home, it waspletely dark. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she could smell the cooking from many households, though tonight there wasn''t the delicious fish aroma from yesterday.


    The Zhuang family''s two children were sitting on small stools by the door. As soon as they saw Ming Mei, they happily called out: "Auntie''s home!"


    Though the two children weren''t actually very familiar with Ming Mei, they still knew she was family, different from the neighbors. So when Ming Mei came home, they were both excited and happy.


    Although Hutou was already six years old, he was still just a child. With no adults at home and no dinner ready, while all his little friends had gone home to eat, he felt a bit lost and didn''t know what to do.


    Seeing Ming Mei, he immediately ran forward.


    Ming Mei was walking with a slight jog, her cheeks flushed red. She quickly went up to them and said, "Why aren''t you inside? What are you doing sitting by the door? Come in quickly."


    She led them inside and turned on the light.


    The room suddenly brightened up, and Ming Mei asked: "You must be hungry, right?"


    Hutou nodded a bit shyly, while Xiao Yanzi, being younger and not understanding such hesitation, said softly: "Xiao Yanzi is hungry, there''s no one at home, no food."


    Ming Mei: "Alright then, auntie will cook for you."


    She put down her things and opened the cupboard, saying: "What should we make? Let me see... how about some t noodle soup? What do you think?" She thought that on such a cold day, when everyonees home, they''d need some hot soup to warm up.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had never been asked for their opinion before. The two looked at each other seriously and nodded: "Okay."


    Ming Mei: "Good, then t noodle soup it is. We''ll add some vegetables too. Do you know where the vegetables are kept?"


    Hutou immediately said: "I know, they''re in the cer."


    Ming Mei: "Then let''s add some Chinese cabbage."


    She looked at the household supplies, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Tell me... if I put an egg in the t noodle soup, will your grandmother scold me?"


    Hutou: "!!!"


    Xiao Yanzi: *gulp* - the sound of swallowing saliva.


    Ming Mei blinked her big eyes and asked the children: "Do you think we can add it?"


    Hutou couldn''t help but swallow his saliva too. He was really craving it, but... he looked at his aunt. Aunt trusted them enough to ask their opinion on everything, he couldn''t lie. Lying wasn''t what good children did.


    He said softly: "...she will."


    Ming Mei: "What?"


    Hutou: "Grandmother will scold us."


    His egg... his egg flew away.


    Ming Mei immediately drooped her head, even her braids seemed to lose their spirit, and she sighed softly: "Ah~"


    Hutou also: "Ah~"


    Xiao Yanzi, not really understanding, copied in her baby voice: "Ah~"


    Ming Mei looked at Hutou, then at Xiao Yanzi, thought for a moment and said: "Today the family went out to do something important."


    Hutou looked up.


    Ming Mei: "On such a cold day, going out to do important things, they''ll all be frozen when theye back. Since they''ll be frozen, they should eat something good to replenish their nutrition. You need nutrition to avoid getting sick from the cold wind, right?"


    Hutou: "Eh???"


    Xiao Yanzi: "..." Didn''t understand.


    Ming Mei held up one finger, making a "one" gesture, and said: "We''ll just use one egg, to add some nutrition. This is very reasonable, isn''t it? It''s not wasteful, don''t you agree?"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi both nodded.


    Ming Mei continued: "If your grandmother scolds me, can you help speak up for me?"


    Hutou nodded eagerly: "Yes!!!"


    He patted his chest and promised: "I''m a man!"


    Ming Mei: "Pff!"


    Xiao Yanzi also learned from her brother, patting her chest and promising: "Yes!"


    Ming Mei smiled: "Alright then, I trust you."


    She took out the cornmeal, and then an egg from the cab, instructing Hutou: "Go to the cer and bring me a Chinese cabbage."


    Hutou: "Right away!"


    He darted out like lightning, and Ming Mei quickly got to work. Actually, for a family of eight, old and young, one egg in the t noodles was really very little, just enough to add a hint of vor.


    But if she used more, Ming Mei worried her mother-inw would explode.


    Eggs were precious in most households, and even in Ming Mei''s rtively well-off family home, they were treated as treasures.


    Sometimes, you couldn''t buy them even if you had money.


    Ming Mei quickly got to work. In these times, there wasn''t a girl who couldn''t cook, and not just girls - even most boys knew how to cook. Though when it came to making borate dishes, Ming Mei certainly couldn''t manage that, but she could handle simple t noodle soup like this.


    t noodle soup cooks quickly, and it was ready in no time. The three people left at home, one adult and two children, each held a bowl and slurped away happily. When Hutou saw the egg flowers in his bowl, his joy was almost enough to make him wag an imaginary tail.


    "You Surs, get out here! Get out here!"


    Just as the three were enjoying their soup, a domineering shout came from outside. Ming Mei immediately rushed to the door, opening it a crack to look outside. Hutou quietly came up behind her, and Xiao Yanzi quietly followed suit. Three heads, from top to bottom, all peered through the crack at the people in the courtyard.


    The person in the courtyard was none other than the battle-ready Madam Zhou Li. With her hands on her hips and a mean expression on her face, she stood at the door of neighbor Madam Su''s family, jumping up and down in fury: "Madam Su, Wang Xiangxiu, get out here, get out here! Don''t think hiding inside will solve anything! You won''te out? If you don''te out, I''ll go to the residents''mittee. Your family can''t just bully people like this. Were you born but not raised properly? Your little beast stole from our family, are you going to deal with this or not!"


    At this point, Wang Xiangxiu finally opened the door. Looking at Madam Zhou Li with both grievance and indignation, she said: "Madam Zhou, is this how you speak to people? Even if my family has no man now, you can''t talk like this. You say we''re bullying people, but I think you''re the one doing the bullying,ing to our door and cursing like this. This isn''t how decent people behave."


    "That''s right, Madam Zhou, you''re going too far. How can you talk like this? This is pure bullying."


    "Madam Zhou Li has always been overbearing, isn''t she just bullying a young widow?"


    "I think Madam Zhou Li is deliberately picking a fight. She just hates Wang Xiangxiu."


    The onlookers whispered among themselves. Compared to Madam Zhou Li''s mean and domineering behavior, they didn''t even need to know the reason - they automatically assumed the old shrew was bullying the young widow.


    Madam Zhou Li spat and cursed: "What''s it to you? What do you know? Why are you butting in? Serves you right!"


    After she finished scolding, she turned and said, "Who are you trying to impress with your act, you little wretch? Your three brats came to my house and stole my peanuts. Look here, this big bag of peanuts waspletely cleaned out by these little devils. They''re truly inhuman! These are oil crops, and we only get a limited quota each year. Your three little troublemakers have ruined mine, and you''re saying I can''te to your door demanding an exnation? Pay up, you need topensate me!"


    Wang Xiangxiu, with tears in her eyes, said, "Madam Zhou Li, what are you saying? How could my children do such a thing? They''re well-behaved kids. I know you don''t like me, but you can''t wrongly use my children!"


    "You still won''t admit it? Call all the children in the courtyard out here, ask them if your three brats weren''t eating peanuts at the doorway this afternoon. Those were mine!" Madam Zhou Li continued to stamp her feet in anger, shouting, "Don''t think you can act like nothing happened. Hutou, Hutou,e out here! Tell us what you saw!"


    As Madam Zhou Li was ready to call for witnesses at the slightest disagreement, Ming Mei quickly and decisively closed the door.


    She wasn''t familiar with the people in the courtyard, but from what her mother-inw had told her, she knew none of them were easy to deal with. With no one else at home now, she wasn''t about to get involved in this mess. After firmly closing the door, she lowered her voice and asked quietly, "Did you two see what happened?"


    Hutou nodded and said, "Yes, I saw it!"


    The child innocently said, "Grandma Zhou left the peanuts outside her door, and Jii and Yii just ran over and took them. Grandma Zhou saw them take them, and she even smiled!" At this point, Hutou scratched his head in confusion, "I don''t know why Grandma Zhou was smiling."


    Aliali: 67358283d72ede93494505dbMing Mei: "???"


    She smiled?


    Since when did this olddy smile?


    Besides, why would she smile when her things were being stolen?


    Hutou pouted, "Jii said if I barked like a dog, he''d give me one peanut to eat. I''m a man, I''m not a dog, I don''t want to! I don''t want to eat those stolen peanuts!"


    Ming Mei''s expression darkened upon hearing this, thinking to herself about how these children were being raised.


    What little brats!


    She ruffled Hutou''s hair and said, "You''re right not to want them. We don''t take stolen things! What nonsense - when your grandmotheres back, we''ll report this!"


    Hutou: "Okay!"


    Xiao Yanzi quickly chimed in: "Okay~"

 Chapter 11: Watching the Fuss (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 11</h4>


    Madam Zhou Li wailed loudly in the courtyard for a couple of times, but Hutou didn''t show up. Wang Xiangxiu immediately bristled, saying, "See? Nobody pays attention to you, you old shrew. All you know is how to bully us widowed mother and child. What else can you do!"


    "Who are you calling an old shrew, you little hussy! I''ll beat you to death!"


    Madam Zhou Li lunged forward to grab Wang Xiangxiu, who deftly dodged. The old woman missed and crashed into the door, seeing stars from the impact. She fell on her bottom and began howling, "What a heartless wretch! Everyonee see how this young widow is bullying me! These thieves even think they''re in the right! How dare they bully me like this! Oh heavens above, earth below... strike this little hussy dead with lightning!"


    Ming Mei, hearing themotion, darted to the doorway in a sh - this drama was not to be missed. She peeked through the door crack again, and the two children couldn''t resist poking their little heads out too.


    What Ming Mei saw made her draw in a sharp breath. Madam Zhou Li was sprawled at the Su family''s doorway, her legs kicking against the ground while her arms repeatedly pped her thighs, wailing like a possessed spirit at a grave.


    Ming Mei muttered, "How dramatic."


    Just as she spoke, a sturdy-looking boy of about ten - not her Hutou - burst out of the house and immediately delivered a flying kick to Madam Zhou Li''s back.


    Ming Mei couldn''t help but draw another sharp breath.


    The boy shouted, "How dare you bully my mom! How dare you bully my mother!"


    His fists flew out, but although Madam Zhou Li had been kicked, she was still an adult. Shended a heavy p on him, yelling, "You little thieving beast!"


    This boy was the Su family''s eldest grandson, Su Jii, nine years old.


    After being hit, his face swelled up immediately. He red darkly at Madam Zhou Li and said, "You old hag, you deserve to die. You dare hit me..."


    "I''ll hit you all I want, I''ll beat you to death!" Madam Zhou Li reached out again, but this time her hand was caught. She turned to find Bai Fendou, who scolded her, "Aunt Zhou, at your age, how can you be so undignified as to hit children? Is this how you behave? You''re being too much of a bully!"


    Madam Zhou Li felt a surge of anger and wed at Bai Fendou''s face, instantly leaving scratch marks. "What business is this of yours? You biased fool, fooling around with a young widow!"


    "You deserve to die..."


    "You''re ruining my reputation..."


    The scene descended into chaos. Madam Zhou Li was outnumbered, and her daughter-inw quickly ran out from their house, shouting, "You steal things and then bully people, don''t you dare hit my mother-inw..." She immediately joined the fray.


    "How dare you bully my brother..." Yii and Toni rushed out to join the fight.


    Madam Zhou Li grabbed and pped Su Jii;


    Yii and Toni bit Madam Zhou Li''s arms;


    Bai Fendou pulled Madam Zhou Li''s hair backward while she swung back at his face;


    Wang Xiangxiu and Madam Zhou Li''s daughter-inw Jiang Lu were locked in a hair-pulling brawl...


    Ming Mei watched in astonishment.


    Oh my, was this a free group fighting performance she was witnessing?


    In that moment, Ming Mei felt her marriage had been worth it just for this entertainment. In her twenty years living at her parents'' home, she''d never seen anything like this - everyone was really going at it! She finally understood why her mother-inw had made a point of introducing everyone in the courtyard on her first day after marriage.


    Indeed, those remembered by time travelers weren''t ordinary characters.


    Ming Mei was shocked: "Good heavens!"


    Hutou watched with gritted teeth, his little hands gripping the door, ready to m it shut if anyone came their way.


    Xiao Yanzi covered her eyes but peeked through the gaps between her fingers, her little mouth making "hoo, hoo hoo~" sounds like background music.


    After several rounds, Ming Mei offered her professionalmentary - the fighting was mediocre,cking technique, but fierce indeed. Of course it was fierce - hadn''t almost everyone in the courtyard gathered to watch the spectacle?


    Nobody dared to intervene.


    Just as Ming Mei thought this, someone shouted loudly: "What are you all doing!"


    Ming Mei looked toward the voice and saw a tall, robust woman striding over confidently. She was shocked again - it was rare to see someone so well-fed in these times when most people were quite thin.


    But this woman was truly stout.


    Ming Mei suddenly remembered who she was - she had attended her wedding banquet. With such a distinctive build, she was hard to forget. She was Li the Cook''s wife, Aunt Wang.


    No wonder a cook''s family never went hungry - it showed quite clearly.


    Of course, Ming Mei could understand why the residents''mittee had put Aunt Wang in charge. With her build, neither men nor women would likely be able to overpower her. If anything happened, she could settle matters with sheer physical presence.


    As Ming Mei''s thoughts wandered, Aunt Wang''s loud reprimand rang out: "Look at yourselves! Is this how adults should behave? Have you no shame? Everyone let go of each other right now!"


    Sure enough, at Aunt Wang''smand, everyone released their holds.


    Aunt Wang demanded: "Now tell me what happened!"


    Madam Zhou Li immediately cried out: "The Su family''s brats stole my peanuts. I came for justice, and they beat me. That little wretch Bai Fendou came to help his lover and hit me too."


    Bai Fendou red: "Stop lying! I couldn''t stand seeing you bully my Sister Xiu."


    "Hah! ''Sister Xiu,'' how intimate! Pfft, shameless!"


    Bai Fendou: "Hey, you old woman, you think I won''t hit you..."


    "Bai Fendou!"


    Aunt Wang: "You be quiet! We''ll deal with youter. First, about the theft. Aunt Zhou, what evidence do you have?"


    Madam Zhou Li: "I saw it myself, and the courtyard children saw it too. Ask Hutou, ask your two grandsons!"


    Aunt Wang looked at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "Your family is in the wrong here."


    Wang Xiangxiu covered her face and cried: "You need to catch a thief red-handed! What are you all saying? Aren''t you just bullying us? Is it because we have no man in the house that we deserve to be bullied? Wuu wuu~"


    "Xiu''er, be quiet." An elderly woman emerged from the house, looking pale and weak. "Xiu''er, the hardships we face as widows are our own to bear, not others'' concern. We must endure it ourselves, don''t show weakness before others. It only invites more bullying."


    Supporting herself against the doorframe, she said, "I''ve been sick and couldn''te out, but I heard everything clearly. This matter is our family''s fault. We admit it and will paypensation."


    Madam Zhou Li became smug and was about to demand medical expenses when Aunt Su opened her palm and said, "During your argument, I gathered my strength to check the children''s schoolbags. Indeed, they had taken them - it''s our fault, and we''ll pay. But I must point something out. Everyone, look at these peanuts - are they even edible?"


    Everyone looked closer and retched in disgust.


    The peanuts were moldy, with green fuzz growing on the shells - eating them could be fatal.


    Aunt Su spoke softly: "We''re willing to paypensation, but if you''re using the three children of deliberately stealing, I must ask - would anyone see something like this left outside and think it was worth keeping?"


    Her eyes reddened, and she wiped away tears, saying, "I questioned Toni - he''s young and doesn''t understand these things. When I asked, he told me straight away that these were left outside the door, and they thought they were meant to be thrown away. The children thought they were helping by disposing of them. They meant well, and it''s just that our family is struggling - growing boys eat so much, and the children were hungry, so they picked up what they thought was being discarded."


    She bit her lip - despite her age, one could see a hint of stubborn vulnerability.


    "We admit we took them and that the children were wrong, but to call it theft - that we cannot ept. Look at this everyone, the children didn''t understand. They ate these, and I''m worried they''ll get sick."


    As soon as this was mentioned, everyone immediately started nodding in agreement. Despite their difficult lives, no one would ever eat those peanuts. Damn, wouldn''t eating them lead to poisoning? They were already covered in green mold.


    Thinking about Madam Zhou Li''s character, they suspected she might have deliberately set this up to trap the children. Considering her reputation, it seemed quite possible, and everyone started criticizing her at once.


    Seeing the situation, Madam Zhou Li immediately threw herself on the ground, kicking and wailing, but this only drew more criticism from the crowd. The scene descended into chaos.


    Aunt Wang said, "Enough, Madam Zhou, what you did was wrong." Then looking at Jii, she added, "The child was wrong too, but he''s already been beaten. Let''s call it even and be done with this."


    "How can that be eptable..."


    "What''s not eptable about it? You left moldy peanuts out in the open - what were you trying to achieve? Everyone knows what you did. And look how badly you beat that child."


    "I was hit too, that little brat Bai Fendou..."


    "That''s enough! Bai Fendou didn''t hit you, he just held you back. You scratched him plenty though. Do you want topare injuries? This matter ends here - everyone go home!" Under Aunt Wang''s decisivemand, this chaotic scene came to an abrupt end.


    Ming Mei had watched quite a show, her eyes wide as saucers, and she remarked deeply, "This courtyard is truly extraordinary."


    She couldn''t help but feel shocked by it all.


    As the courtyard residents dispersed home in small groups, having no more drama to watch, Ming Mei stopped peering through the door crack and returned to sit at the table, sighing, "These people are definitely not to be trifled with."


    Aliali: 67358286d72ede9349450622That Aunt Su, who appeared so gentle, could turn the situation around in minutes - no wonder her mother-inw said she wasn''t someone to mess with.


    How true that was!


    "This courtyard is so lively, and all these aunties seem quite formidable," Ming Mei remarked.


    Hutou nodded and whispered a secret, "Auntie, people outside say our courtyard has four tigerdies!"


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up as she quickly asked, "Who are they? Tell me!"


    Hutou proudly lifted his head and said, "My grandmother is one of them!"


    Ming Mei nodded, "Not surprising at all - I could tell she was fierce and not someone to be crossed!"


    Just as she finished speaking, Zhao Guihua pushed open the door, her lips pressed tight: "..."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Caught gossiping about someone!

 Chapter 12: Carry the Pot

    <h4>Chapter 12</h4>


    Zhao Guihua and her family didn''t just return home; they came back amidst the joyous ruckus earlier.


    However, she wasn''t foolish enough to enter the courtyard at this time. Wouldn''t that be like an old man courting death? They had caught so many fish; if someone saw them, it might stir up trouble. So, Zhao Guihua was very cautious.


    She was the first to enter the house, but as soon as she did, she heard the two, one big and one small, gossiping about her.


    She nced at Hutou, who had retreated behind Ming Mei. Just now, he imed to be a man, but now he was a timid little ghost, unreliable. Ming Mei''s eyes were evasive, chuckling incessantly.


    Zhao Guihua shot her a look, saying, "You''ve got some nerve, talking about me behind my back."


    Ming Mei jumped, immediately saying, "Mom, you misunderstood me. I didn''t mean it that way. I respect you the most. I said you seemed tough, but I didn''t mean it in a bad way. I''m also not easy to mess with, which is a good thing."


    She patted her chest, saying, "I think, sometimes being tough is a strength. It keeps trouble at bay."


    Zhao Guihua: "You..."


    Ming Mei observed her mother-inw''s expression, seeing that she didn''t seem angry, she quickly moved closer, asking, "Mom, what were you up to?"


    She curiously looked and immediately her eyes lit up with surprise, eximing, "So many fish!"


    The big fish looked so appealing, they seemed delicious at first nce. Ming Mei: "So plump and juicy!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Enough, stop chattering and help out."


    Her gaze fell on the two children, saying, "You both go back to your rooms, don''t all crowd here."


    "Okay~" Hutou led his younger sister, Xiao Yanzi, to retreat quickly. Before leaving, he bravely said, "Grandma, there''s an egg in the noodle soup. Don''t scold Aunt Mei. I was the one who craved it!"


    After saying it, fearing a beating, he quickly pulled his sister towards their room. Zhao Guihua nced at Ming Mei again, asking, "Did you add an egg?"


    Ming Mei immediately nodded, smiling sheepishly, saying, "I thought you guys would be doing something big today, so I thought a bit of soup would warm you up. An egg adds vor."


    Zhao Guihua: "You only added one?"


    Ming Mei: "Huh? What?"


    She was stunned!


    She looked at her mother-inw in surprise. Zhao Guihua red at her, saying, "What? In your mind, am I that stingy? I can''t even afford to eat an egg? One egg in this big pot of noodle soup, you can''t even see it. We have eight mouths to feed in our family. At least two eggs should be added!"


    Ming Mei immediately smiled, saying, "I knew mom wasn''t like ordinary people."


    Zhao Guihua: "Stop ttering me."


    Ming Mei seriously: "I''m not. You''re the most capable olddy. There''s no doubt about that. Which ordinary family could catch so many big fish? Oh, where''s my husband?"


    Only then did she realize that she hadn''t seen Zhuang Zhixi. Where was Zhuang Zhixi?


    Zhao Guihua: "I asked them to wait a moment. I came back first to check the situation. We can''t let anyone see this."


    Ming Mei gave her a thumbs up, saying, "Mom, you''re always so strategic."


    Zhao Guihuaughed a little. She thought that although her daughter-inw was not very good at work and was always craving for something, she was quite straightforward! She always spoke the truth and was a reliable person.


    "What happened in the courtyard today? Why is it so noisy? They''re so idle every day." Zhao Guihua asked.


    Ming Mei, who had just enjoyed some gossip, was more than happy to share what she knew. She gestured and acted out the whole scene in a flurry of excitement, and finally said with enthusiasm, "So, that''s what happened!"


    Zhao Guihua: "...."


    You''re really excited.


    However, she still calmly said, "None of them are good, Madam Zhou Li is just trying to take advantage of Su Jii''s children. She knew that the Su boys were not very honest, so she deliberately put out peanuts that were not edible to be stolen, so she could getpensation. The Su boys are indeed dishonest, but I guess the topyer of peanuts must be good. If they were all moldy and inedible, they wouldn''t take them. They are greedy, not stupid. If they were all like that, the children wouldn''t take them. Madam Zhou Li must have put a goodyer on top to trick them into stealing. They must have benefited too, no one is innocent here. Madam Zhou Li''s n backfired, and it''s normal for the little brats to get beaten for stealing."


    Ming Mei gave another thumbs up: "You''re really smart, I didn''t figure it out. It''s true what they say, old ginger is hotter. Mom, you''re really amazing."


    Zhao Guihuaughed proudly and said, "How could I not know them? I can tell what they''re up to just by the way they act."


    Speaking of this, Ming Mei remembered something and curiously said, "Mom. Isn''t Madam Zhou Li''s surname Li? Why do they all call her Aunt Zhou? It''s not like she doesn''t have her own surname, it''s really strange."


    Zhao Guihua sneered, full of disdain, and said, "Who else could it be? It''s all because of that Aunt Su. Back then, when old Su and old Zhou both had an ident at the workshop, they both became widows. Aunt Su had three children and life must have been harder for her than for the Zhou family. She went to the factory to cry and swear that she would never remarry in this life, and just wanted to raise her children well. She said that she was born a Su and would die a Su, and from then on there was no Zhao Erya, only Aunt Su. She was more pitiful, and people tend to sympathize with the weak, so she got more than the Zhou family. Madam Zhou Li has a bad mouth and is not kind-hearted, and she shows it all on her face. Naturally, she is not liked by others. She learned from Aunt Su and also imed that she would only use the surname Zhou from then on. So, when she was young, she was Aunt Zhou, and now she is Old Aunt Zhou."


    Ming Mei: "...."


    For a moment, she didn''t know what to say.


    Zhao Guihua: "Back then, the Su family got more than the Zhou family. Madam Zhou Li resented Aunt Su for this. Plus, Aunt Su started working in the factory and outperformed Madam Zhou Li in every aspect. Both were widows, but the contrast was stark. As the children of the Su family and Zhou Qun grew up, they were alsopared. The Su family''s son had three children, while Zhou Qun had none. Can you imagine how Madam Zhou Li felt? The day something happened to the Su family''s son, Madam Zhou Li was so happy that she bought a roast duck to celebrate. You can imagine how much hatred there is between the two families."


    Ming Mei: "Oh my, that''s too much! Celebrating someone''s death?"


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s why the rtionship between the two families is terrible. But our rtionship with them isn''t much better."


    Ming Mei: "!!!"


    Zhao Guihuaughed, but her smile was a bit mocking. "So, I''m telling you, there''s no one in this courtyard who''s easy to deal with. The Bai''s Two Bachelors have no women, Li the Cook''s family has no sons, the Su and Zhou families have lost their men, and the Su family has also lost their son. All things considered, our family is the mostplete. Sometimes, others are jealous just because your family is doing well."


    Ming Mei was silent for a while, then mustered up the courage to say: "So what! The more they envy us, the better we will live!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Right, we will live well."


    Hearing the echo of her words, Ming Meiughed. Just then, the door creaked open and the rest of the Ming family members quietly hurried in.


    Old Man Zhuang looked at his wife with a wronged expression,ining, "Weren''t you supposed to give us a signal once you saw there was no problem? We''ve been waiting forever. Luckily, our third son was cunning enough to sneak into the courtyard to check. Otherwise, we would have been waiting forever!"


    Zhao Guihua blushed, not knowing what to say for a moment. She had indeed forgotten about this. But was it her fault? Was it her fault?!


    Of course not!


    She firmly said, "Ming Mei kept me talking, that''s why we were dyed."


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened. How did she end up being the scapegoat for no reason? Such a big me to bear!


    Zhao Guihua''s embarrassmentsted only a moment. She quickly regained herposure and said, "What''s the big deal about waiting a bit longer? Isn''t it safer toe backter? If someone saw us, we would have been robbed again, with that little thief next door on the prowl."


    "Oh, so that''s what all themotion in the courtyard was about earlier?"


    "Of course."


    Zhao Guihua quickly changed the subject, "Alright, I''ll clean up the fish and make some salted fish. We''ll have an extra dish forter."


    At the mention of this, the Zhuang family was overjoyed. They had caught forty or fifty fish that afternoon. They nned to give these as gifts for the New Year. It was a dignified gift and saved them the money they would have spent on other things.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Mom, save four for me. I''m going to visit our boss during the New Year."


    After all, giving gifts during the New Year is essential for a smooth career.


    His job was nothing like working in a machine factory. For riveters like Old Man Zhuang, as long as they worked hard, no one would bother them. But for someone like Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had to run long-distance trains, if he wanted a better schedule, or better vacation days, he had to grease some palms.


    Otherwise, he''d still be on the train during New Year''s Eve and New Year''s Day.


    He didn''t understand this when he first started working and suffered quite a bit. Now, he''s be much more "worldly".


    Zhao Guihua said, "I know this. I''ll prepare it for you. Ming Mei, when you go home tomorrow, also take two..." She paused, then said, "No, take four, and a chicken. Go to the grocery store and buy a pound of pastries, a pound of sugar cubes. Make it presentable."


    Ming Mei nodded in agreement, "Okay."


    Such a homing gift was considered quite good.


    Aliali: 67358284d72ede93494505f5Sure enough, she quickly received a look from her sister-inw, Liang Meifen, filled with sorrow and jealousy. Ming Mei puffed up her chest proudly: Go ahead and be jealous!


    "Mom, I knew you loved me the most." Ming Mei sweetly cooed at Zhao Guihua, "I really like you."


    Zhao Guihua shivered, "Speak properly to me."


    Ming Mei''s smile was radiant, "Even when I speak properly, I still like you. You''re the best mother-inw."


    Zhao Guihua''s lips curled up...


    Liang Meifen: Brown-noser, big brown-noser!!! One day, I will let the whole world know that you''re a brown-noser! I''ll expose your true brown-nosing nature!


    ******


    In the main room, Wang Xiangxiuy on the bed, contemting the grievances she experienced today, quietly shedding tears. Somehow, she seemed to smell a fishy odor...


    Was it fish?


    Whose house was cooking fish?

 Chapter 13: Stingy

    <h4>Chapter 13</h4>


    Wang Xiangxiu vaguely caught the smell of fish. She turned over in bed, sniffed, and thought to herself that she wasn''t mistaken about the scent.


    "Who''s cooking fish?"


    Before Wang Xiangxiu could speak, she heard her mother-inw''s voice.


    She turned over and asked, "Mom, you''re still awake too?"


    Their house had several rooms, more than enough for separate sleeping arrangements, but they couldn''t afford to buy another bed. Besides, in winter, sleeping in separate rooms would require burning too many coal briquettes - not just their family, but most families couldn''t afford to do that.


    Aunt Su sat up and peered out the window. The two households on the left had their lights off, but the one on the right still had lights on. She said with certainty, "It''s the Zhuang family."


    She muttered under her breath, "Where did they get fish from?"


    Wang Xiangxiu also sat up and said with a sneer, "Who knows? They probably bought it from the ck market. They had fish yesterday, and they''re having it again today. They''re really showing off! Hmph! Just because they got a wealthy daughter-inw, they think they''re something special. Do they have to unt it?"


    Aunt Su thought for a moment and asked, "During your argument today, did you see anyone from their familye out to watch?"


    Wang Xiangxiu thought about it and shook her head, "I don''t remember, probably not."


    At that time, she was only focused on defending her son - who cared about who was watching? Others didn''t matter; in her world, her son was the most important. Thinking of her son, she said angrily, "Aunt Zhou is really awful. It was just a few peanuts - would it kill her? She tried to extort us with moldy peanuts. She must be desperate!"


    Getting more agitated, she continued, "And the Zhuang family has no kindness in their hearts. When we''re struggling so much, they should share some fish with us! How can they eat it all by themselves? My boy is growing and needs nutrition."


    Aunt Su nodded in agreement, "That''s right."


    She wiped her face and said, "Ah, but even if they have fish, they wouldn''t share with us. Zhao Guihua is such a fierce and stingy woman, hard to deal with. It''s impossible to get anything from her. We shouldn''t get our hopes up."


    Though she said this, she looked expectantly at her daughter-inw.


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "No, even if it''s difficult to ask, we have to try. We adults can go without, but what about the child? Mom, leave this to me. I''ll talk to Aunt Zhao tomorrow. She may be stingy, but she''s notpletely unreasonable. If I y up our hardship and cry a bit, I might be able to get through to her - she has a soft heart despite her harsh words."


    Aunt Su smiled quietly, then hesitantly said, "But... is that appropriate? What if she humiliates you?" She held her daughter-inw''s hand and said, "I don''t want you to suffer such indignity. We may be poor, but we shouldn''t lose our dignity."


    Wang Xiangxiu said firmly, "Don''t worry, Mom. I can handle it."


    She looked toward the Zhuang house just as their lights went out. She said, "Let''s go to sleep now. They must have bought it from the ck market. Aunt Zhao is usually so stingy, I wonder what made her spend money this time!"


    Aunt Su suddenly remembered something and pped her forehead, "Ah, I know why they bought fish today! Tomorrow Zhuang Zhixi is probably taking his wife for her return visit home. They married Ming Mei, which was marrying up, so of course they need to make a good impression."


    Wang Xiangxiu scoffed, "Huh, such favoritism! I never saw her treat Liang Meifen this well! It''s just because Ming Mei''s family is well-off."


    She muttered jealously, as Ming Mei was the most privileged among all the young wives in their courtyard.


    Aunt Su held Wang Xiangxiu''s hand andforted her, "Mom doesn''t care about others. In my heart, you''re the best. Not just in our courtyard, but on this whole street, how many daughters-inw can give birth to three sons in a row? That''s something others can''t match, even if they envy it."


    Wang Xiangxiu became proud, smiling smugly - this was her greatest achievement.


    She snorted in the direction of the Zhuang house, thinking: So what if you''re well-off? Let''s see you give birth to three sons first! If you can''t bear sons, let''s see how long you stay privileged, how long you can stay proud! Let''s see if Zhao Guihua still treats you like a good daughter-inw, if Zhuang Zhixi still dotes on you!


    While Wang Xiangxiu was indulging in these spiteful thoughts, the subject of her contempt waspletely unaware. At that moment, Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had just finished their evening activities and were cuddling together. Ming Mei had no idea she was being thought of this way. How could she know? Without any interaction between them, she had be someone''s imaginary enemy - quite an unreasonable situation.


    Ming Mei was currently curious about something else. Leaning against Zhuang Zhixi, she said, "I want to ask you something, and you must tell me."


    Zhuang Zhixi, his forehead still covered in sweat, was absently stroking Ming Mei''s long hair. He asked, "What is it?"


    Ming Mei looked up with sparkling eyes: "Who are the Four Tiger Ladies?"


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing.


    He hadn''t expected this question at all. He quicklyughed and said, "Well, who do you think they are?"


    Ming Mei blinked, her long eyshes fluttering, and said, "Well, your mother must be one of them."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Correct, who else?"


    Ming Mei: "Definitely Madam Zhou Li, that Aunt Zhou. She''s already put on several shows since I arrived just two days ago."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Right again, can you guess another?"


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and said, "Mrs. Wang? She seems very fierce."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed even harder and said, "Look, you''ve already guessed three correctly! Thest one shouldn''t be hard to figure out, right?"


    Ming Mei hesitated: "...Could it be Aunt Su?"


    Although she''d heard Aunt Su was not to be trifled with, she looked so frail, and her voice was so soft - thirty years ago, she must have been a delicate flower. So calling her a tigerdy seemed odd to Ming Mei.


    But Zhuang Zhixi nodded, confirming Ming Mei''s guess.


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened in surprise, "She doesn''t look like one at all."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Appearances can be deceiving. I haven''t seen it myself, but ording to my mother and others, when Aunt Su was young, she once threatened a male coworker who harassed her with a kitchen knife."


    Ming Mei: "Wow! I never would have guessed!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There''s a lot you wouldn''t guess."


    Ming Mei: "Oh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll share more gossip with youter. Shall we continue with round two?"


    He looked at his wife with bright eyes, but Ming Mei quickly rolled to the side, wrapping herself in the nket like a cocoon, and started fake snoring: "Hoo hoo hoo~"


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh: "Your fake sleeping is so obvious. Do you think I''m stupid?"


    Ming Mei: "Hoo hoo hoo~"


    No matter what, she was "asleep."


    Seeing she wasn''t interested, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t insist. He reached out and pulled the cocoon-like figure into his arms, saying, "Share some nket with me, I get cold too~"


    The Ming Mei cocoon firmly refused to loosen, apparently not trusting him.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I really just want to sleep, honestly. I won''t do anything... we have to visit your mother tomorrow, I know my limits."


    Ming Mei muttered quietly: "You didn''t seem to know your limits when you mentioned round two."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "Oh, you''re trying to provoke me now? Want to see what it''s like when I really don''t know my limits?"


    Ming Mei promptly: "Hoo hoo hoo~"


    Back to the eternal fake sleeping.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, bundled Ming Mei in his arms, and managed to get under the nket himself - in the cold weather, cuddling was the warmest way to sleep... He held Ming Mei, hisrge hand covering her small one,pletely enveloping her in his embrace, and said, "Let''s sleep."


    Ming Mei gave a soft "mm" in response.


    In the moonlight filtering through the curtains, Zhuang Zhixi saw her upturned lips, and whispered, "You''re wonderful, wife."


    Ming Mei''s smile grew wider, and she softly said, "You''re wonderful too..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t tempt me, or I''ll think you want round two after all..."


    Ming Mei: "Hoo hoo hoo~"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, hugged her close, and closed his eyes. His wife was so lovely, warm and soft and gentle. Ming Mei looked quite slim, not fat at all, but she had a small frame with just the right amount of softness - others might not notice, but as her husband, Zhuang Zhixi truly loved her this way.


    "Sleep well~"


    Ming Mei gave a softugh and snuggled closer into his embrace.


    Zhuang Zhixi was holding his wife in bed, not yet asleep, when he heard the soft sound of a door opening and closing. He knew it was his elder brother returning home after secretly delivering gifts in the dark, acting as if it was something to hide.


    He found afortable position and closed his eyes...


    Young people certainly have good stamina. Although Zhuang Zhixi had been full of energy the night before, it didn''t affect his ability to wake up early. Nobody slept in these days anyway - every household was stirring early in the morning, and no matter how deeply one slept, they had to get up.


    Early in the morning, Zhuang Zhixi brought hot water for his wife to wash up. Ming Mei didn''t stand on ceremony, contentedly letting him attend to her.


    The young couple dressed themselves neatly and picked up their return-visit gifts before heading out. As soon as they left, they ran into Wang Xiangxiu, whose eyes immediately fixed on their fish - fourrge ones, each more impressive than thest!


    She gave a dryugh and quickly approached them, saying, "Oh my, what fine fish! Did you get these from the state-run food store? We couldn''t get any. With New Year''sing up, it doesn''t feel right not having fish for the celebration of abundance. Say, those fish of yours..."


    Zhuang Zhixi cut her off: "Sister Su, we''re in a hurry to make our return visit. We need to go."


    He put his arm around Ming Mei''s shoulder and said, "Let''s go, we still need to visit the supply and marketing cooperative."


    Ming Mei blinked and waved: "Goodbye!"


    The couple left, with Zhuang Zhixi pedaling the bicycle carrying Ming Mei. They turned the corner and disappeared in a sh, barely exchanging pleasantries with Wang Xiangxiu, who stamped her foot in frustration: "How could they just leave like that!"


    You stingy little brat!


    No wonder there was such a strong fishy smell yesterday - it was these four big fish! Even for a return visit, isn''t that too much?


    Bai Fendou rode out on his bicycle proudly, and seeing Wang Xiangxiu stamping her foot, asked, "What''s wrong? What happened?"


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes rolled slightly as she put on a wronged expression, saying, "It''s all because of Zhuang Zhixi. He was carrying four big fish, and when I just asked where he bought them, he rode away in a sh, as if I was going to beg him for one. This boy has been selfish since he was little, and he hasn''t changed one bit."


    Bai Fendou replied: "Hey, why bother with him? It''s just fish... Wait, didn''t I give our fish to your family?"


    Wang Xiangxiuined coquettishly: "How could that be enough? I have three growing boys who eat a lot. How big was your fish? You didn''t see Zhuang Zhixi''s fish - they were huge. Fendou, you know how hard things are for me. Won''t you help your sister out?"


    Her eyes held a hint of spring as she said coyly, "I won''t forget your great kindness."


    Bai Fendou suddenly became energized, as if enlightened: "Oh, don''t say that! It''s nothing, we''re good neighbors, and you''re my Sister Xiu. It''s no trouble to help. Just wait, I''ll check by theke today when I have time, and if there are any, I''ll get you a couple. The ones they just caught are big."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Oh, wonderful! I knew you were a good person."


    Bai Fendou smiled "shyly" and touched his head: "We''re close like family."


    He quickly added: "Sister, get on, I''ll give you a ride."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Great! Let me experience your new bike. This Forever brand is really something else. A man like you should definitely ride such a nice bicycle..."


    "That''s right!"


    Their voices drifted away with the wind, but they hadn''t noticed two people standing against the wall around the corner, with a bicycle beside them. Both had their ears perked up, listening with grins on their faces.


    These two were none other than Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "See that? Did you learn something?"


    Ming Mei sighed deeply: "I certainly did!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Even more natural than acting in movies, right?"


    Ming Mei nodded emphatically: "Absolutely."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You see how Sister Su is? We can''t take her for a good person."


    Ming Mei nodded vigorously: "I understand!"


    Ming Mei marveled again: Is this the kind of performance I can watch for free?


    Well, these two had nothing better to do than to hide and watch this drama unfold.


    "I need to go home and warn Mom. They''ve got their eyes on our family now, we need to be extra careful. Those three wild kids of hers have sticky fingers!"


    Ming Mei: "Let''s go home."


    Anyone who dared to steal her fish would have to face her Wing Chun!

 Chapter 14: Returning Home

    <h4>Chapter 14</h4>


    It was almost noon when Ming Mei and her husband returned home for their post-wedding visit, as they had been dyed by the morning''s festivities.


    Ming Mei''s father, Ming Xiangdong, was a long-haul truck driver for a freightpany. Their family lived in thepany''s residentialpound, which consisted mainly of apartment buildings, unlike the courtyard houses where the machinery factory workers lived.


    Zhuang Zhixi parked the car beneath Ming Mei''s family building after driving his wife into thepound.


    Lan Ling, Ming Mei''s mother, had been watching from the window since early morning. After anxiously waiting to see her daughter, she finally spotted the young couple. Despite the cold, she pushed open the window and called out, "Nan-nan."


    Being from the South, Ming Mei''s mother used "Nan-nan" as an endearing term for daughters, as was customary in her hometown.


    Ming Mei looked up and responded with a sweet "Yes!" while happily waving her hand.


    As soon as she responded, several windows in the building had people peering down. In those days, with limited entertainment options, any family event became prime gossip material. Ming Mei''s post-wedding visit was certainly noteworthy gossip.


    The neighbors were particrly interested in the return gifts the newlyweds had brought.


    The quantity and quality of these gifts were significant indicators of how well the new bride was treated in her husband''s family - it was quite meaningful. When they saw the fish, they couldn''t help but notice howrge they were.


    While the neighbors were busy observing, the young couple had already parked and headed upstairs. Lan Ling opened the door to wee them, saying, "What took you so long? We''ve been waiting. Come in quickly, it must be cold outside." She ushered them inside.


    The Ming family lived on the second floor. Upon entering, they found the whole family present. Ming Mei''s little nephew Jun Jun ran to her side, hugging her leg while saying in his childish voice, "Auntie, where did you go? Why didn''t youe home? I missed you."


    Ming Mei burst intoughter and picked up her three-year-old nephew. She swayed him gently and said, "Auntie got married, so now I have to live somewhere else. But look, I brought you candy!"


    Jun Jun''s eyes sparkled with joy as he pped his hands, "Candy, candy!"


    He was even a year younger than Little Yanzi.


    Ming Mei held the little one while taking a handful of candy from her bag and giving it to him. The little fellow immediately broke into a smile, showing his tiny white teeth, even drooling with happiness.


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly and said, "Dad, I''m home!"


    Ming Xiangdong, not yet fifty, was tall and sturdy with broad shoulders. A scar on one corner of his forehead gave him a somewhat fierce appearance. Ming Mei didn''t resemble her father much; she took after her mother Lan Ling, as did both Ming siblings.


    Despite his intimidating appearance, Ming Mei''s father beamed at the sight of his daughter, gesturing, "Come here, darling. I bought your favorite snacks."


    He acted as if he hadn''t even noticed his son-inw.


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, was naturally sociable and greeted everyone.


    Ming Mei''s father merely grunted in response, but her older brother Ming Cheng smiled and said, "Brother-inw, please have a seat."


    Ming Cheng and Zhuang Zhixi were already acquainted - Ming Cheng and Zhuang Zhixi''s brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan, had been ssmates from elementary through high school and were now colleagues. When Zhuang Zhixi was young, he often followed his brother around and yed with these older boys. Being young and sweet-talking, always respectfully addressing them as "big brother," he had left a good impression on Ming Cheng.


    If he hadn''t liked him, he wouldn''t have introduced him to his sister.


    He smiled and asked, "Are you treating my sister well?"


    Zhuang Zhixi hurried to prove his loyalty: "Of course! She''s my wife - who else would I treat well if not her? I''m so lucky to have such a wonderful wife, I wake up smiling. I couldn''t bear to treat her badly. Brother Ming Cheng, it hurts me that you would doubt me."


    Ming Mei''s father snorted.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad, I''m telling the truth... Oh, Mom, let me help you with that!"


    Lan Ling was preparing to clean a fish for cooking, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly got up to help. Lan Ling said, "We don''t need you, the two of us can manage."


    By "the two of us," she meant herself and her daughter-inw Tao Qing, not her daughter. Tao Qing smiled at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi persisted: "Mom, just let me show what I can do. I might not be the best cook, but I can help out. Let sister-inw go chat with Ming Mei in the living room, and I''ll help you here and keep youpany."


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite skilled at ttery. Though he might ck off at home, this was his first official visit to his inws'' house, so he was on his best behavior.


    At the very least, Lan Ling thought this son-inw was quite nice. She smiled and nodded, saying, "You''re a grown man, what are you doing in the kitchen?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What''s wrong with that? Men are people too, and housework isn''t gender-specific. Here, let me help."


    The kitchen was small, and three people would have made it crowded. Lan Ling turned to her daughter-inw: "Tao Qing, you can go out."


    Tao Qing nced at Zhuang Zhixi once more before saying, "Alright."


    This brother-inw seemed decent enough.


    With just the two of them in the kitchen, although Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had brought four items as return gifts, Lan Ling was particrly pleased with the fish - four equally sized fish, each over thirty centimeters long, looking quite impressive.


    The thoughtfulness of the gifts indicated how much they valued her daughter, which made Lan Ling satisfied.


    She said, "My daughter has been spoiled by everyone since she was little. She''s a bit naive and carefree. Now that you''re married, you''ll need to be patient with her. She''s actually a simple child, without much cunning, and sometimes her good intentions might lead to mistakes. If she does anything wrong, tell me, and I''ll back you up."


    Although Lan Ling had several times considered calling off the marriage before it happened, now that they were married, she wouldn''t say anything unpleasant or annoying. Her words were considerate andforting.


    Zhuang Zhixi responded, "Ming Mei is wonderful, I can''t love her enough. I would never think she has any ws."


    Zhuang Zhixi was being straightforward, which pleased Lan Ling. She nodded slightly, feeling that this son-inw had many good qualities, especially his sweet talk - something the men in her family couldn''t manage.


    She smiled and said, "As parents, we''re at ease when we see you living well together. You don''t need to worry much about us, whether it''s Ming Cheng and his wife or you two. If you''re doing well, we''re happy. Don''t mind his father''s stern face - he actually likes you very much, he''s just tough on the outside but soft on the inside."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly replied, "I know. Actually, my father-inw is a bit like my mother - tough on the outside but soft-hearted. She scolds us fiercely, but it''s because she cares about us. But don''t worry, Mother, even though my mom can be harsh, she would never scold Ming Mei - I''m the only one who gets scolded."


    Lan Ling nodded slightly and smiled, "That''s how parents are. No matter who''s right or wrong, we can''t scold other people''s children. With our own, we''re more casual." Though she seemed to be making casual conversation, Zhuang Zhixi understood his mother-inw''s meaning.


    He wasn''t surprised - he had known before marrying Ming Mei that the Ming family raised their daughter differently from most families, treating her like a treasure.


    Who would let their treasure be bullied by others?


    Thinking of this, Zhuang Zhixi quickly added, "Mom, our family has separated finances."


    Lan Ling''s eye twitched as she suppressed her joy, asking, "Separated? When did this happen?"


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "We had a family meeting on our first day of marriage. Well, it''s not exactly separation. We''re still sharing the house and eating together, but we only pay for food expenses now. My parents won''t manage our other expenses. We handle our own money, and since I''m not good with finances, my wife manages our money."


    Lan Ling couldn''t help but smile, saying, "That''s fine. These matters are for you two to handle. If your parents don''t interfere, we certainly won''t either. We won''t cause any trouble."


    She hadn''t expected her inws to keep their word so well - they had promised to address this issue, and they actually did. Initially, Lan Ling had been somewhat uncertain, as verbal agreements often don''t amount to much. It wouldn''t have been surprising if they had wanted to favor their eldest son more.


    But unexpectedly, her mother-inw had kept her promise.


    Her mood brightened even more as she hummed a little tune while putting the fish in the pot, saying, "This fish is really good."


    If it weren''t for the bride''s traditional visit home, she definitely wouldn''t have feltfortable epting so many fish, but since it was her daughter''s homing gift, she didn''t say a word about it. She put the lid on the pot and said, "Alright, you can go out now. The remaining things here just need a quick stir before serving. Go sit outside, and today at lunch, keep the old manpany for a drink."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Okay~"


    The lunch prepared by Ming''s family for their daughter''s homing visit was quitevish, with fish and meat dishes that looked very impressive, even better than the wedding feast at their own house. The whole family sat down at the table, and Ming Mei''s father brought out a bottle of Maotai.


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "This liquor seems expensive."


    Ming Mei''s father retorted, "Just drink it, why so many words?"


    As a father, he wasn''t particrly fond of the ''pig'' who had taken away his precious daughter. But to say he disliked him wouldn''t be true either. He filled his son-inw''s ss, then his son''s: after all, people always said Ming Mei''s family was well-off.


    This was absolutely true. Previously, when Ming Mei was still in school, her father drove long-haul trucks, and her mother was a bus ticket collector: they were both employed. Later, Ming Mei''s brother Ming Cheng also went to work at the railway station. Even Ming Mei''s sister-inw, though a temporary worker, sold tickets at the railway station. You could say the whole family had respectable jobs with decent ies.


    Even after Lan Ling passed her job to her daughter, their family''s living conditions remained quite good.


    After all, Ming Mei''s father drove long-distance trucks, and in those days, being a driver was a very respectable job, especially for those who could do long-distance deliveries like him. Their good financial situation stemmed from this.


    "Come, let''s drink! Son-inw, let me tell you something: our daughter has never suffered any grievances at home. If your family makes her suffer, I''ll beat you up..."


    "My precious daughter, whom I raised so well, married at just twenty-something. Isn''t that frustrating? How did she end up choosing you, you little rascal? Must be your looks: she definitely fell for your handsome face. She''s always liked pretty things since she was little. When she was small and saw her grandmother''s gold bracelet, while others didn''t care for it, she couldn''t take her eyes off it, clutching it tightly..."


    "I see you''re quite the smooth talker, but you better behave yourself. If I ever find out you''re flirting around outside, I''ll finish you! Let me tell you, I have many brothers-in-arms, and dealing with you would be as easy as handling a chick..."


    "I could take on a hundred of your kind..."


    Ming Mei''s father hupped from the alcohol. He''d only had half a ss but was already drunk,pletely dropping his initial cold demeanor and turning into a chattering mess, full of mncholy...


    Zhuang Zhixi sat up straight, appearing to take the lecture seriously. While Ming Mei''s father continued his rambling, Lan Ling nced at her husband, then at her son-inw, and smiled meaningfully... She said, "Alright, just eat your food. Why are you trying to scare our son-inw? I think he''s quite good."


    "Hmph, the old saying is right: a mother-inw always finds her son-inw more and more pleasing. I think you''ve lost your stance." Ming Mei''s father took another sip, his eyes growing hazier. "Anyway, anyway, if you bully my daughter, I''lle to your door with an axe to teach you a lesson..."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Alright, alright, please feel free to correct me wherever I''mcking."


    Ming Mei''s father red, "You''re nning to misbehave?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly changed his tune: "I promise to be good! Don''t worry! You can absolutely trust me! I won''t give you any reason to teach me a lesson!"


    Ming Mei''s father continued ring: "I''m your father-inw, and I can''t even teach you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course you can! How could you not? I''ll listen to whatever you say."


    Ming Mei''s father: "...That''s more like it."


    Lan Ling: "Enough already, just eat your food. Stop scaring our son-inw."


    Ming Mei''s father: "Hmph!"


    Ming Cheng and his wife pretended to be invisible.


    Zhuang Zhixi wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead and quietly let out a sigh of relief.


    Ming Mei looked around at everyone, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled... Seeing her expression, Zhuang Zhixi nudged her foot and mouthed: "Laughing at your husband''s predicament!"


    Ming Meiughed even harder.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Ming Mei''s father looked up: "...Why are you kicking me?"


    Ming Mei finally couldn''t hold it in anymore: "Pff, hahahahaha~"


    Zhuang Zhixi froze for a moment, then joined in theughter...


    Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua was musing at home: "Wonder how that little rascal Zhuang Zhixi is doing over there today." After pondering, she added, "Though that little rascal has thick skin, he should be able to handle his inws..."


    Zzzzt.


    Suddenly, there was a sound from outside. Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow, quickly pulled open the window, looked down, and saw three "big rats" beneath the window...

 Chapter 15: Trouble Caused by Naughty Kids

    <h4>Chapter 15</h4>


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei spent most of the day at her father''s house. When they were about to leave, her mother gave them a hen. The old hen was clucking, looking so lovable. This old hen, with a little neck rub, a few plucks of feathers, a bit of mushrooms, and some dried bamboo shoots, stewed on high heat then simmered on low heat, would make a great dish.


    Just thinking about it made their mouths water.


    So, through this old hen, Zhuang Zhixi deeply felt the truth of the saying, "The more a mother-inw looks at her son-inw, the more pleased she bes."


    You see, his elder brother has also taken his wife to visit their father-inw countless times over the years, but never once received such treatment. But Zhuang Zhixi was different, he did! So, even in the cold winter with the north wind howling, Zhuang Zhixi pedaled his bicycle with all his might.


    Ming Mei sat on the back seat, hugging Zhuang Zhixi''s waist, feeling that riding a bike together was indeed better, a good wind blocker.


    The couple rode their bike back to the alley. Before they reached home, they saw the alley crowded with people. Considering that it wasn''t a holiday and everyone should be at work, this crowd must have gathered from both ends of the alley, otherwise, there wouldn''t be so many people.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What''s going on?"


    Ming Mei immediately jumped off the bike, stood on tiptoe to see, and curiously asked, "What happened, what happened?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I don''t know, it seems they''re gathered around our yard, I wonder whose family is in trouble..."


    He shouted loudly: "Make way, make way,dies and gentlemen, give me a path, I''m going home."


    His shout immediately attracted attention, and an olddy recognized him and said, "Little Zhuang, you''re back just in time, your mother is going ballistic again, you better go home and see if you can calm her down."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My mother?"


    Oh, so it''s our house?


    He quickly made his way through the crowd and entered the yard where there were also quite a few people. Comrade Zhao Guihua was standing with her hands on her hips, spewing out words like a pro, her scolding skills no less than the continuous battles of Madam Zhou Li.


    Without even taking a breath, she was yelling: "You little rascal, trying to take advantage of me, do you really think I''m a docile little kitty? You uneducated dog, you shameless thing, what''s the matter? You think because your mother and grandmother spoil you, everyone in the world has to spoil you too? Am I your father? If I were your father, I''d kick you straight into the outhouse, you shameless thing. You still want to ask me for something? Pah, you really don''t know the three-eyed horse king. Your family is having a hard time? Who isn''t? Howe other families can live well by saving and scrimping? But your family, time and time again! Not satisfied with taking advantage, huh? If I don''t give in, you''ll retaliate, right?"


    "Aunt Su, don''t y the frail woman with me. Who do you think you''re fooling? Do I look like one of those old men? I''m not falling for your tricks. You better save it. If others are willing to cater to you, that''s their business, but don''t think you can skin me alive. Look at yourself, who do you think you are! Sending your kids to do your dirty work because you''re too old to do it yourself? nning some kind of revenge? How can your family be so shameless? Why hasn''t a bolt of lightning struck you all down for your wickedness?"


    Zhao Guihua spat out her words with a venomous satisfaction, her eyes boring into Aunt Su''s family, as if she was ready to consume them whole.


    Zhuang Zhixi: Oh my God~


    He quickly stepped forward, asking, "Mom, what''s wrong? Who''s been bullying you?"


    Ming Mei, rolling up her sleeves, chimed in, "Yes, Mom, who''s been bullying you? I''ll teach them a lesson!"


    The onlooking crowd: "......"


    Oh dear, who could possibly bully her? It would be a miracle if she didn''t bully others!


    Usually, in such situations, someone would step forward to defend justice, to mediate, but not today. Because today''s issue was...


    Well... it''splicated.


    But to think that Zhao Guihua would be at a disadvantage, that was impossible. Absolutely impossible.


    The story began at noon today. Yes, it''s a bit of a long story, but not aplicated one...


    Even though it was the end of the year, this day was like any other ordinary day. After lunch, Hutou, a little boy full of energy, was not interested in resting or afraid of the cold. He took his sister out to y on the streets.


    It was winter vacation, and the children on the street buzzed like bees, in groups.


    As soon as Hutou and his sister left, Liang Meifen changed her clothes and went out. She nned to visit the neighborhoodmittee. She used to work and it wasn''t a problem, but now she had lost her job and one source of ie.


    She had originally nned well, thinking that they could all live together, with so many workers in the family, they wouldn''t starve. But she never expected her mother-inw to act so unusually. Although they hadn''t separated households yet, what was the difference?


    She couldn''t profit, and lost one person''s sry, so she had to think of more ways. If she wanted to find another formal job, it was out of the question. Even though she graduated from high school, it was a pipe dream.


    The movement to the countryside was in full swing. Many families with a bit of power could not guarantee that each of their children could have a formal job in the city, let alone her situation. Although Liang Meifen was a bit confused, she understood this.


    Because she understood, she wanted to register with the neighborhoodmittee to see if there were any odd jobs she could do to earn some extra pocket money. But she also knew that with their family''s situation, eight people in the family, four workers, and two children, they were considered a pretty well-off family. Usually, the neighborhoodmittee arranges some odd jobs, but not for just anyone, they prioritize the needy households.


    Their household was certainly not what you''d call impoverished. A family was considered poor if the average monthly ie per person was less than five yuan. There were eight people in their home, which means if they made more than forty yuan, they weren''t poor. Her father-inw alone made fifty-five yuan. It was quite a situation!


    It was impossible for their family to ever be considered poor, and it wasn''t easy to make arrangements for them.


    So, Liang Meifen spent thest few days frequently visiting the local government office whenever she had nothing else to do. She shamelessly hung around, hoping that her regr visits would earn her some small jobs, like pasting cardboard boxes or matchboxes. She was willing to do anything.


    Because of this, Liang Meifen left home after lunch today. Therge family was left to Zhao Guihua alone, who was pondering over the situation of her youngest son bringing home his wife. She remembered what happened in her past life. Because their family didn''t handle things well, even though they gave their daughter-inw five hundred yuan as private money, the Ming family was very dissatisfied.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t show any good face in the past. Thinking about these things, although Zhao Guihua was stubborn, she felt a twinge of regret in her heart. She hadn''t handled this matter well in her past life.


    While she was pondering, she heard a rustling noise outside the window. Zhao Guihua quickly stepped forward and opened the window. Sure enough, there were three "big rats" below the window.


    The three guys were sneaking around. Zhao Guihua looked at the three children, Jii, Yii, and Toni, and asked with a smirk, "What are you doing here?"


    Jii didn''t expect to be caught. He awkwardly and reluctantly smiled, quickly thought of an excuse, and said, "We''re ying hide and seek."


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow, not quite believing these three "big rats". However, she didn''t give the children a hard time. She chuckled and said, "Who could hide here? Go y hide and seek somewhere else."


    She was about to close the window, but she didn''t mind. These three kids had no shame at all.


    Jii woke up needing to peest night, but he overheard his grandma and his mom talking. The Zhuang family had fish. His family had some too, but they were saving theirs for the New Year. The Zhuang family was so well-off, why couldn''t they share a little with his family?


    They were all neighbors, why should they hog all the food?


    This kid had been spoiled by his family since he was a child, and his character was particrly selfish. Thinking about this, he quickly said, "Grandma Zhao, I want to eat fish."


    Zhao Guihua''s hand paused as she was closing the window, and she looked at this little brat. The brat looked up, taking it for granted as he said, "I smelled fish from your house, and I want to eat it too."


    Zhao Guihua burst outughing, finding it truly amusing. She said coldly, "What are you thinking about, you little rascal? Just because my house has fish, I should give it to you? How big is your face? Is this how your family teaches you? It''s really funny. You''re nine years old, not like your little brother, who''s only five. If a five-year-old child said this, I could consider him ignorant. Don''t you think it''s shameless for a nine-year-old child to say this?"


    Doesn''t Jii understand this principle?


    He does, and he knows that the food he''s eating now isn''t something he can casually share with others. However, his grandma and his mother often talk about their own hardships, and how they should help each other when others are having a good time. Hearing this often, he thought it was right and natural.


    "We can barely feed ourselves, how can you be so heartless? What''s the problem with giving us a little bit? You''re so harsh, no one will take care of you when you''re old!" Jii, mimicking his mother''s typical words, scolded Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua was already upset, and this made her furious.


    She didn''t hold back, pointing at Jii and his two brothers and scolding, "You little brats, taking advantage of our family, right? Compassion? Why don''t you bring out your stuff? Always out stealing and messing around, what kind of unlucky children, were you born without being taught? I don''t want to stoop to your level, you better take your brothers and get out of here. If I see you again, I won''t hit a child, but I won''t spare your grandma and your mother! What a piece of crap, a half-grown kiding here to put on airs. What do you think you are!"


    Jii, Yii, and Toni were boys, and they were not only pampered at home, but also receivedpliments outside. Having three sons at once, they were like brothers in arms. How impressive that was.


    When they went out to y with others, they were always on top.


    And the people in the yard also quite liked them. Despite Madam Zhou Li''s constant nagging, she sometimes looked at them with envy. Who wouldn''t crave three boys? The Bai family father and son were even worse, the elder fawning over the old widow, the younger over the young widow, they were bound to be good to the three children.


    Even Chef Li envied their family, he only had one daughter. Although she was married into the family, the desire for a son was different. Other families, more or less, would show their envy.


    Because of this, Jii and his brothers enjoyed being under the envious and jealous eyes.


    When they were suddenly scolded, they were naturally furious, ring at Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua retorted, "What are you looking at, you little bastard, dare to look at me like that, believe it or not, I''ll smack you?"


    A nine-year-old child, no matter how big, wouldn''t dare to fight with an adult. Zhao Guihua was fierce, Jii red at Zhao Guihua fiercely, then ran away with his two brothers.


    Seeing the children run away, Zhao Guihua shook her head, thinking to herself that this family really didn''t know how to raise children. What have they taught these good kids? Their family was indeed a bit harder than others, but if they said their life was unbearable, Zhao Guihua didn''t agree.


    In her previous life, she didn''t see it clearly, thinking they were just neighbors, two women raising three half-grown boys, with only one person working, she would help if she could. But it turned outter, it wasn''t like that.


    Wang Xiangxiu, the one who worked, didn''t earn much, but she had a wide range of sources for money.


    Although Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t a gentle and delicate woman, she was quite attractive and had a figure that was considered desirable in that era. She had caught the eye of many men and had them wrapped around her finger.


    They didn''t necessarily do anything, but they did take advantage of each other. If we were to speak in terms of today, her fish pond had raised quite a few fish. However, these people didn''t work in the factory, and men didn''t talk about these things, so the people living in their area didn''t know much about it.


    As for her mother-inw, Aunt Su, even though she was old, she managed to take advantage of the neighbors by pretending to be weak and pitiful. Not to mention, she had two daughters who were masters of maniption.


    Even after her son passed away, she didn''t hesitate to manipte her nephew.


    Her daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, was quite maniptive, butpared to Aunt Su''s two daughters, she was nothing.


    Because of this, Zhao Guihua realized that she had misjudged the situation. In reality, their family was living a good life. They might even have been living better than Zhao Guihua herself. As for Aunt Su''s frail health, it was all an act. She lived till the age of ny-five.


    At this age, the trees on Madam Zhou Li''s grave, who was still alive and kicking, had started to grow.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t believe that Aunt Su was genuinely ill. She believed it was just a tactic of Aunt Su. She grumbled in disdain, "Such a pretender."


    As Zhao Guihua was reminiscing about the past, she was unaware that the three little boys who had been scolded were quite angry. Jii led his two brothers outside the courtyard, cursing, "That old hag, she won''t give us fish and even scolds us. Why doesn''t she just drop dead! She deserves to choke on a fish bone."


    Yii, with his small eyes, grumbled, "Brother, cursing won''t do any good. She won''t give us any fish. We have nothing to eat. Should we steal some?"


    Toni, who was a year younger than Hutou butcked his lively charm, greedily said, "If they won''t give us any, we''ll steal everything. They can eat shit!"


    Upon hearing this, Jii and Yii turned to look at Toni, "Huh?"


    Jii, with a malicious glint in his eyes, said, "That old hag refuses to share and even scolds us. We need to teach her a lesson. It''s not gentlemanly to let a grudge go unavenged. We may be kids, but we won''t be bullied."


    Yii and Toni nodded in agreement, "Brother, what should we do? We''ll follow your lead."


    Jii said maliciously, "Since she won''t share with us, we''ll share with her."


    Yii and Toni were confused, "???"


    Share with her?


    They barely had enough for themselves! How could they share with others?


    The two mischievous boys were puzzled.


    Jii let out a wickedugh, "We''ll do as our youngest brother suggested. Let her eat shit!"


    "Ah?!!!"


    They were genuinely shocked. However, imagining the scene, they began to p their hands in excitement, "Good, this is good! She deserves to be taught a lesson. This is a great lesson."


    Yii asked, "Brother, what should we do?"


    Jii said, "Let me think, let me think carefully."


    He pondered for a while, then said, "We''ll keep an eye on the courtyard. She can''t possibly stay inside all the time; she''ll have toe out to use the toilet. As soon as shees out, we''ll sneak around to the back and throw the firecrackers into the toilet. If we''re lucky, she''ll fall into the toilet. Isn''t that a fine mess? If we''re unlucky and she doesn''t fall in, at least we''ll have sshed her, and that''s a win too!"


    "That''s a good idea, but we don''t have any firecrackers."


    "Bro, I want to y with firecrackers."


    Jii pondered, "Our mom definitely won''t give us money. We need to think of another way."


    Toni suggested, "Grandpa Bai, we can ask Grandpa Bai."


    Jii said, "Right, I''ll go find Grandpa Bai. If I can''t find him, I''ll find Uncle Bai. I''ll just say I want to set off firecrackers, they''ll definitely give me some. I''m going to ask right now, you two keep an eye on the old woman."


    "Okay."


    The three children divided the work amongst themselves. Other children their age would be able to help out at home a bit, but not these three. They were thinking about how to get into mischief together, each one full of energy.


    Zhao Guihua waspletely unaware of this, oblivious to the impending danger.


    In the afternoon, she came out to use the outhouse. As soon as she stepped out of the courtyard, the three children who were all set and ready immediately followed her quietly, sneakily.


    To be honest, the person who was most ufortable with this toilet situation was not Ming Mei, who had moved from a high-rise building to a courtyard house. Although Ming Mei was living a more frugal life now, she was a person of this era, and was used to such dry toilets. Her family didn''t use them, but she did when she was out. Although it was a bit difficult, she could still bear it.


    The one who couldn''t bear it at all was Zhao Guihua. She hadn''t used such a dry toilet in decades. Every time she had to use the toilet, she had to mentally prepare herself before she could step into the toilet.


    It was tough!


    She held her sleeves, walked quickly to the toilet, aiming for a quick battle.


    Zhao Guihua rushed to the toilet, almost like a tornado. As soon as Zhao Guihua entered the toilet, Jii and the other two children immediately went around to the back of the toilet, where the dung pit was. They struck a match, and a gust of wind blew out the match.


    Jii muttered a curse under his breath, quickly struck another match. Matches cost money, and he was very stingy. He quickly struck the second match, and this time finally lit the firecracker, and threw it directly into the dung pit... Boom!


    Zhao Guihua was quick; she never dawdled when using the toilet, and didn''t chat. She went in and out quickly. Sure enough, she was out of the toilet in no time. She had barely taken two steps when she heard a noise. A voice cursing came from the toilet, "Who''s the unlucky star that threw firecrackers into the toilet, are you trying to kill me!"


    A woman ran out pulling up her pants, and you could see that her lower legs were spotted with dung.


    Zhao Guihua: "You..." Before she could ask what happened, she saw Jii and his two mischievous brothers. Zhao Guihua shouted, "Is this your doing, you three little devils?"


    The three children ran off as soon as they heard her. They certainly didn''t want to be caught red-handed.


    They thought that Zhao Guihua, after being scolded, wouldn''t react so quickly. But who would have thought that Zhao Guihua was quick to use the restroom and she was already out. The three children were instantly flustered, and another innocent victim rushed up, grabbed Jii, and pped him twice.


    "You unlucky child, how dare you throw..."


    No wonder Toni, the youngest, started to cry loudly when he saw his brother getting beaten up. He shouted, "We didn''t mean to blow you up, we wanted to blow up the old hag Zhao..."


    Zhao Guihua suddenly realized that these kids were after her. She was also angry and started scolding the three kids. Zhao Guihua and the victimized sister-inw were not easy to deal with. Their shouting and the children''s crying attracted a crowd.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Why are they hitting the children? This is not right!"


    The victimized sister-inw was not happy and shouted, "Get lost, you hypocrites! You don''t know the whole story... These three little bastards..." She loudly exined what had just happened.


    Zhao Guihua also refused to be outdone: "These three brats targeted me. If I hadn''te out early, I would have been victimized too. Can you believe that?"


    Toni shouted, "It''s because you didn''t give us the fish!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Pah!"


    She grabbed the child''s ear and shouted, "Why should I give you fish? The fish I got from the old man fishing by the river yesterday was for my daughter-inw, and it was taken away this morning. These three little brats came to my house demanding it, saying that I was heartless for not giving it to them. Now, who doesn''tck food and drink? If your familycks, should others give to you? And if they don''t, you retaliate? How did your family educate you?"


    Zhao Guihua''s rant made the surrounding people nod in agreement.


    Who could afford to give away such precious things in this economy?


    The scene was chaotic. Aunt Su ran out crying, "Jii, Yii..."


    "You stop pretending to be the victim. Tell me, did you teach these children? How else could they do such a thing?" Zhao Guihua was righteous and on the side of reason.


    "They didn''t..."


    "They didn''t my ass, they did it on purpose. Sister, I''ll keep an eye on these three little brats for you. You should go home and change your pants first, thene to our courtyard. I''ll vouch for you and make their familypensate you. There''s no way to handle things like this." Zhao Guihua looked at the innocent sister, feeling that she was the real victim. Ugh! Her pants were covered in feces.


    "Alright, sister, I trust you!"


    At this point, Aunt Wang also came out. She was in charge of their courtyard and naturally didn''t want things to get uglier. She said, "Regardless, all of you should return to the courtyard first. What''s the point of quarreling at the toilet door? Move along, move along."


    She pushed people back, but even if they returned to the courtyard, could it disperse the crowd''s enthusiasm for gossip?


    No, it certainly couldn''t.


    And so, they were surrounded. As the crowd of onlookers grew, it was threeyers inside and threeyers outside.


    When Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei returned, this was the situation. After hearing what had happened, Zhuang Zhixi was speechless. What kind of shameless people were these? He didn''t mince his words, saying, "Aunt Su, stop your crying. With all your sobbing, it''s as if we''re bullying you. No matter how hard you cry, it''s your family who''s in the wrong. What your child has done is not something a human should do. What''s this, you can get away with anything by crying these days? Even if you''re wrong, you still want to stir up trouble? Let me tell you, you can''t just cry your way out of this. There''s no such thing as bullying people like this."


    Ming Mei added, "Exactly, you''re just bullying my mother because we weren''t home."


    She quickly moved to her mother-inw''s other side, gently patting her back tofort her, saying, "My mother is such an honest and simple person, look at how you''ve upset her! Is this how you do things? You''re really going too far."


    The onlookers exchanged puzzled nces: Honest, simple?


    Aunt Su was choked by these words, interrupting her sobbing rhythm.


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "I think it''s about time you managed your three children better. What''s with all the stealing and petty crimes? Now it''s even worse; they''ve started retaliating. Are we supposed to live in fear of retaliation from your three children if we don''t give them things? Can we even continue living here? Can anyone?"


    When Zhuang Zhixi said this, the neighbors in the courtyard thought about it and agreed. This was a matter that affected their interests, and they immediately began voicing their opinions. Everyone expressed their dissatisfaction.


    "Aunt Su, your children really can''t go on like this. I think what Zhuang said is right, this can''t continue."


    "Exactly, they stole peanuts yesterday, and today they''re demanding fish and retaliating. You have to manage these children."


    "I''ve been saying this won''t do, and you said it was just boys being mischievous, but look now..."


    "We can''t let this continue in our courtyard..."


    "Exactly, exactly."


    Aunt Su covered her face and cried, sneaking a nce at Zhuang Zhixi. In her heart, she cursed: You little bastard, showing off your eloquence and rallying the crowd. You''re a curse. Why don''t you get struck by lightning?


    Even though she cursed Zhuang Zhixi to high heavens in her heart, she didn''t let it show on her face. Instead, she showed a hint of guilt.


    "It''s my fault for not disciplining the children well. My health is not good, I didn''t put enough effort into them, it''s my fault..." She was good at this, not the first time she yed this card: "Guihua, you know me, I''m a strong-willed person. If it wasn''t for myck of energy, how could I let them run around and pick up bad habits from other children? But believe me, no matter what, I will discipline them properly in the future. This time, please forgive them, I''m going to kneel for you..."


    She was about to kneel as she spoke, but Aunt Wang stopped her before she could, frowning, "Aunt Su, what are you doing? This is a new society, we don''t do that anymore, don''t kneel at the drop of a hat."


    Aunt Su''s eyes were full of tears, "I''m so ashamed!"


    She patted the children''s backs, "You three naughty children, look at what you''ve done. Who behaves like you? Haven''t I told you? Our family may be poor, but we must not be short-sighted, why don''t you listen!" She patted lightly, not hurting them at all.


    Ming Mei watched and nodded in agreement, "They really don''t listen. I''ve been married for three or four days and I''ve heard you say it twice. I remember it, but these three kids don''t. In this situation, based on my experience, a good beating will do the trick."


    Aunt Su: "Uh..."


    You''ve messed up my rhythm, you know!


    Do you know?


    You messed it up!


    What''s it got to do with you!


    She looked at this young couple, a thousand, ten thousand times annoyed, why are you everywhere!


    Ming Mei''s big eyes were looking around, her gaze fell on the stick Madam Zhou Li had ced at the door, "Look, isn''t that a stick? Don''t use your hands, you''re so weak, it''ll hurt you too if you hit them too hard, use the stick. If you beat them with the stick, I guarantee they''ll learn their lesson."


    The courtyard was silent in the afternoon.


    The onlookers didn''t know what to say for a moment, and the chatter died down.


    Aunt Su''s pale face turned the color of a pig''s liver, and Zhuang Zhixi pped his hands, "Ah, that''s right. Look, when ites to disciplining children, my wife knows best. See how reasonable she is. Aunt Su, you don''t need to thank us."


    Aunt Wang was supporting Aunt Su, preventing her from kneeling. This bad habit must not be allowed, she was in charge of managing the yard, she always had to keep this in mind. But now, she could clearly feel that Aunt Su was starting to shake slightly.


    She didn''t know if it was out of shame or... anger.


    Zhao Guihua had been scolding for a while, her son and daughter-inw jumped out, she could take a little break in the middle of the game. But, she found that Aunt Su wasn''t as angry when she was jumping and cursing, but a few short words from her son and daughter-inw almost made her faint with anger.


    Zhao Guihua blinked, suddenly feeling like she had learned something.


    Well, the old saying is really good, live to old, learn to old, it''s true.


    Sometimes sarcasm is more annoying than direct cursing.


    Ming Mei was still going on, "Aunt Su, if you want the children to remember the lesson, it''s best to hang them up and beat them with their clothes off."


    The surrounding people: "....Sss." So ruthless!


    Everyone let out a sound like a toothache.


    Ming Mei, with her innocent face, said something not so friendly: "Only a harsh enough lesson will teach a child asting lesson. Otherwise, if you just scold them lightly, they will repeat their actions next time. But after you beat them, remember to mix some salt water and ssh it on the child."


    The surrounding people: "....Sss." So ruthless, so ruthless!


    Won''t this hurt to death?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why?"


    He asked curiously, and Ming Mei seriously exined: "The wooden stick is not clean. After beating, we need to sterilize it."


    "Wow... Don''t hit me, don''t hit me, I don''t want to be beaten with a stick, you are a bad person, you are the worst person in the world, wuwuwu..." Toni was scared and started crying loudly.


    Jii and Yii were also a bit scared. They weren''t afraid of their family hitting people, but they were afraid of other people in the yard doing it. Don''t think that Jii dared to kick Madam Zhou Li yesterday, that''s because he knew that Uncle Zhou Qun liked him and wouldn''te out to hit him.


    His mother and grandmother were there and wouldn''t let him be bullied. Even if he was beaten a little, he wouldn''t suffer.


    But the people of the Zhuang family... They didn''t have this "friendship" with him.


    His mother wasn''t home, and neither was Bai Fendou. Only his grandmother was there. How could she handle it?


    The two of them were also a bit scared and kept shrinking behind their grandmother.


    Ming Mei continued to babble: "The child is small. If you are afraid of hurting him, don''t hit his body, hit his butt. There is a lot of meat on the butt, and there will definitely be no problem after hitting it."


    She also enthusiastically suggested where to hit.


    Zhao Guihua: "I think my daughter-inw is right."


    She sneered and said: "These little rascals need to be educated properly, otherwise they will never stop."


    "I won''t dare anymore, I won''t dare in the future, don''t hit me, it''s all big brother''s doing, it''s all big brother''s idea, not me..." Yii saw that the situation was going wrong and decisively sold out his own brother. Everyone was amazed at this. How could this child be like this?


    Jii was also annoyed: "You bastard, I am your brother!"


    "Wuwuwu, I don''t want to be beaten, it''s you, it''s you, it''s you, it''s your idea, it''s you who did it..."


    Kids, dog eat dog.


    "Make way, make way for me, big sister, I''m back,pensation, you sshed me with a pair of pants full of dung dots, hurry up andpensate me!" The other victim, big sister, finally came back. This trip home, she had calmed down a lot and decisively chose to ask for money.


    What does disciplining the child have to do with her?


    Money is more attractive. Isn''t it good to buy meat with the money?


    "Compensation! Look at my pants, you have topensate me for at least one pair of pants..." Negotiating a price is like this, first ask for a big one, then slowly bargain. She asked for arge amount. Sure enough, everyone around her took a deep breath.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t have any expression, but it was Aunt Wang who said: "Big sister, you can''t do this. They are indeed wrong, but this is too much. Your pants can still be worn after washing. How about we pay a little less..."


    Everyone knew that letting it go was impossible. Why should they?


    If it was mud, no one would say anything, but that was dung.


    The scene immediately plunged into intense haggling. A pair of pants, no matter how you look at it, would cost a few bucks at least. It was impossible to settle for less. After intense bargaining from both sides, thepensation was finally set at eighty cents.


    The victim, the sister-inw, took the money and left triumphantly.


    Aunt Su was heartbroken. The money for a pound of meat was just given away like that!


    "All right, all right, everyone disperse..."


    Zhao Guihua shouted, "Disperse? Who said anything about dispersing? She''s settled, but what about me? If they don''t give me an exnation, I won''t let this matter rest. Who knows if those little brats will ambush me in the restroom again tomorrow without some discipline?"


    Ming Mei chimed in loudly, "Exactly! How can they do this?"


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "They must give us an exnation."


    Aunt Wang rubbed her temples. In a short time, she had figured out that this new daughter-inw of the Zhuang family, was not an easy one to deal with. Originally, the Zhuang family only had Zhao Guihua to contend with, but now this young woman was also quite assertive.


    Ming Mei thought to herself: Now is the perfect time to brown-nose!


    She rolled up her sleeves, "If your family doesn''t give my mother-inw an exnation, I won''t be polite. Let me tell you, I can catch seven viins bare-handed! Dealing with you guys is a piece of cake! Cleaning you up is as easy as chopping vegetables!"


    Zhuang Zhixi curled his lips into a smile, "My wife is really amazing."


    Zhao Guihua: "......"


    She had forgotten that this young daughter-inw was indeed a formidable person.


    Ming Mei started working half a yearter than Zhuang Zhixi and almost a year now, but why was her sry higher than Zhuang Zhixi''s? Because she had beenmended and given a raise. The reason for themendation was that she had once caught a gang of seven thieves stealing on a bus.


    It was said that the thieves had even pulled out a knife, but they were helpless. The seven grown men were beaten up by a young girl until they were ck and blue. When the police arrived, they were crying their eyes out. The onlookers apuded.


    Later, it was heard that those thieves never dared tomit theft on the bus where Ming Mei worked as a ticket seller.


    Of course, Zhao Guihua found out about all thister.


    Aliali: 673ebb7bc4f3f33ac4eea64cTechnically, she shouldn''t know about it yet, as Ming Mei had just married into the family and hadn''t mentioned these things. But since she brought it up now......Zhao Guihua put her hands on her hips, "You better believe it, my daughter-inw dares to catch thieves, dealing with you little brats is a breeze."


    Aunt Wang rubbed her temples, feeling her head ache from all the noise, but she was not one to ignore things.


    She thought for a moment and said, "We can''t just let it go, or the kids won''t learn their lesson. But hanging them up and beating them is a bit too... How about this, I have a suggestion. You three boys sincerely apologize to Granny Zhao, and then you''re punished to sweep the yard for a month, what do you think?"


    This punishment was not light.


    A whole month!


    Just as Aunt Su was about to y the victim and haggle, she heard Zhao Guihua say, "Two months! One month is too short!"


    Aunt Wang advised her, "Let''s settle for one month. Look, although the child didn''t hold back properly, he didn''t really cause any harm, right? We can''t be too hard on him. Let''s give the child a chance. If they repeat this, we''ll be stricter. This is their first time, let''s give them a chance. I believe that sweeping for a month can teach the child a lesson."


    Aunt Su, who was just thinking about bargaining, quickly epted when she saw Zhao Guihua wanted to raise the price. She is a very pragmatic person.


    She immediately said, "Our family agrees. It was our mistake. We are willing to sweep the yard for a month."


    Zhao Guihua also knew she couldn''t be too stubborn about this. After all, as Aunt Wang said, even though they were mean, she wasn''t really affected. She pursed her lips, gave a heavy hum, and said, "Alright then!"

 Chapter 16: Not Earning Money Actively Indicates Problematic Thinking

    <h4>Chapter 16</h4>


    Zhao Guihua grumbled all the way home, her mood sour.


    Although she had disciplined the naughty kids, it didn''t mean she wasn''t angry. Zhao Guihua had a fiery temper.


    Ming Mei stealthily nced at her mother-inw and quickly stepped forward to soothe her, saying, "Mom, don''t be angry. We''ve already punished those three kids to sweep the courtyard. Let''s see how they behave next time. If they dare to misbehave again, we won''t go easy on those little rascals."


    She continued, "Mom, look, my mom brought us a hen. Let''s feed it for a couple of days and have it stewed for the New Year, okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped forward, proudly disying the plump hen, and said, "Look, how plump and delicious it looks. It must taste great."


    The hen: "Cluck cluck cluck~"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hear that? It''s saying, ''Eat me, eat me.''"


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched: "..."


    You''re just picking on the fact that the chicken can''t talk? Even if it were stupid, it wouldn''t make such a request. She gave her son a sidelong nce and said, "Alright, stop fooling around. Go make a cage for the hen. We''ll keep it for now."


    "Okay."


    As the evening approached, Zhao Guihua muttered, "Liang Meifen, she''s been out all afternoon. We can''t rely on her at home."


    Isn''t it just like fate to have such coincidences? Liang Meifen just returned and heard her mother-inw talking about her. She felt a pang of guilt and quickly walked in, calling, "Mom, I''m back." Her eyes fell on the hen, and she was instantly delighted; this was a good thing.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately bragged, "Sister-inw, this is from my mother-inw. She really likes me. You can tell how much a son-inw is valued by visiting his inws. Look at me,ing back with a hen in hand. Now look at my brother... Uh, never mind."


    Zhao Guihua gave him a death stare, and Zhuang Zhixi immediately stopped bragging. He quickly said, "I''ll go make a hen cage."


    Liang Meifen awkwardly lowered her head.


    Zhao Guihua: "Your dad and the others will be home soon. Let''s make some sour cabbage for dinner, with sour cabbage and vermicelli."


    Liang Meifen immediately went to the small sour cabbage jar at the door to scoop some out. They didn''t eat much sour cabbage locally, but Aunt Wang from the northeast knew how to make it. So, the women in the courtyard all learned from her. Now that they have sour cabbage, it adds another dish to their winter meals, which is quite nice.


    Zhao Guihua muttered, "If we could add some streaky pork to the sour cabbage, that would be perfect."


    Both Liang Meifen and Ming Mei, the two daughters-inw, simultaneously swallowed their saliva at the thought, feeling it would be incredibly delicious.


    However, they knew that was just a fantasy. They couldn''t afford to have meat every day; that was for what kind of family? They could only dream. But Ming Mei slyly approached Zhao Guihua and boasted, "Mom, our bus station usually issues two pounds of meat coupons during the New Year."


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes lit up and said, "That''s great. We can put more meat in our dumplings this year and have a hearty meat dumpling feast."


    "Gulp," Ming Mei swallowed her saliva.


    Liang Meifen also looked at Ming Mei enviously. Although she had also worked in a factory, their textile factory''s benefits were far inferior to the bus station. Not to mention two pounds of meat, they wouldn''t even get two ounces.


    Liang Meifen: "The bus station is really good. The benefits are great, and the holidays are plenty."


    Ming Mei had taken so many days off recently. If it were their factory, that would be impossible.


    Ming Mei was taken aback and quickly exined, "Oh no, we don''t have many holidays. I took leave for a reason." She borated, "Our bus station is different from regr factories. There are no fixed holidays during the New Year. Although the bus schedule is reduced, there are still services. We attendants work in shifts. Since I took many days off for my wedding, I''ll be working on New Year''s Eve or New Year''s Day this year."


    She rubbed her hands together, "It looks like I''ll be working on New Year''s Eve this year."


    Zhao Guihua already knew this from her previous life and wasn''t surprised. She nodded and said, "Alright, I understand. It''s okay to work. We''ll wait for you toe back for dumplings in the evening."


    Ming Mei smiled and said, "Okay."


    She happily added, "Although I''m working on New Year''s Eve, our boss was considerate of my recent marriage and didn''t schedule me for New Year''s Day. Hehe."


    Zhao Guihua nced at her youngest daughter-inw. She had to admit that this daughter-inw was an optimist, easily delighted by small things. She said, "That''s nice of your boss. Go scoop some cornmeal."


    Ming Mei: "Sure."


    While chatting, Zhao Guihua didn''t neglect her work. She kneaded the cornmeal into oval-shaped cakes and stuck them on the sour cabbage pot, saying, "If only we had a copper hot pot, eating sour cabbage pot in winter would be delightful."


    "Gulp," Ming Mei swallowed her saliva again.


    Zhao Guihua chuckled. Indeed, Zhao Guihua had nned well. By the time dinner was ready, the family members had all returned. They sat around the table to eat. Old Man Zhuang asked, "I heard you had a quarrel with someone today."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "What quarrel? I scolded him. That little brat, trying to scheme against me."


    Old Man Zhuang: "They must have smelled something yesterday."


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said, "So what if they smelled it? Do I owe them anything? I''m telling you all, stay away from the Su family. If I find out, I''ll break your dog legs."


    The three Zhuang men quickly said, "Understood, understood."


    This olddy, they couldn''t afford to offend her.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing they had taken her words to heart, nodded in satisfaction. She knew the Su family better than anyone else. Once entangled, it would be endless. She didn''t want her family to be involved with them.


    Their family hadn''t yet reached the point of thriving; why bother with others?


    Zhao Guihua lectured her family and then pondered. The New Year was approaching, and every family wanted to have a good year-end. After a year of hard work, if they didn''t have a good meal during the New Year, it would be too unfair.


    However, Zhao Guihua knew that the meat coupons they had saved were all used up during her youngest son''s wedding. Even if Ming Mei could get two pounds of meat, with their family of eight, it would be enough to eat, but not enough to eat well.


    If it were Zhao Guihua a week ago, she might have saved a pound and a half of meat, just tasting a bit of meat. But since she had been reborn, she could quickly adapt to her current life and wanted to eat a little better within her means.


    Not to mention, her husband had worked hard all his life, but hadn''t enjoyed many good days before passing away. Now that she had another chance, Zhao Guihua didn''t want her husband to suffer.


    But to eat well, they needed resources. Even if they had workers in the family, it might not be enough. Everything was rationed now; even if they had money, they couldn''t buy it. There used to be a pigeon market where they could trade for food, but now it was abolished.


    Although the pigeon market was abolished, a ck market emerged.


    But these two were different. The pigeon market was unregted, with nearby farmersing to trade; now the ck market was monitored, and one could get caught. It was risky. But despite the risk, people still went.


    With the New Year approaching, every household would prepare fish, as it symbolized "surplus year after year." If they could trade a batch of fish for meat... I think it''s feasible!


    "Mom, why aren''t you eating? What are you thinking about? You''re spacing out," Zhuang Zhixi noticed his mother''s distracted state. "Are you okay?"


    Zhao Guihua: "What could be wrong with me?"


    She wasn''t the type to dawdle. Once she made up her mind, she immediately decided. She asked, "Which of you men can take a day off tomorrow?"


    Taking a day off?


    The family members were puzzled but still answered honestly.


    Old Man Zhuang: "I definitely can''t. It''s the end of the year, and there''s a lot of work. I''m indispensable." He was a level-five riveter, and riveters were fewer than welders, so taking leave was out of the question.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand: "I can''t either. I''ve taken a lot of leave recently because of my wedding. Although our clinic doesn''t have much work, they are all more senior than me, and they all have families. With the New Year approaching, they will definitely need to take leave to prepare for the festivities. It won''t be my turn."


    Ming Mei: "I''m even less likely to get leave. If I take leave, our leader will go crazy."


    Zhao Guihua: "I never even considered you!"


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    At this moment, everyone turned their eyes to Zhuang Zhiyuan, who gave a wry smile and said, "I can''t either. I haven''t mentioned it yet, but I have to go on a trip tomorrow. I''ve been assigned to a trip to Fengtian, which will take about six days round trip."


    It won''t interfere with the New Year celebrations, but taking leave tomorrow is definitely out of the question.


    Seeing that everyone was unavable, Zhao Guihua cursed, "Useless things! Alright then, tomorrow it''s still just the two of us."


    She looked at Liang Meifen, who was puzzled: "???"


    Liang Meifen didn''t understand what her mother-inw was nning, and Zhao Guihua didn''t intend to exin.


    Old Man Zhuang: "Guihua, what are you up to..."


    Zhao Guihua red at him: "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t."


    She nced at the two children who were eating noisily and didn''t want to discuss it in front of them.


    Old Man Zhuang nodded and, after dinner, sent the two children to their room. Only then did Zhao Guihua say, "I n to catch some fish to sell in the ck market and buy some meat."


    This almost scared the rest of the family half to death. Old Man Zhuang quickly tried to stop her: "Whoa! Your guts are too big. The ck market is not a ce for us to go. Even buying things requires extreme caution, let alone selling?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, whose eyebrows could almost pinch a fly to death, nodded and said, "No, this is definitely not possible. It''s too dangerous."


    Zhuang Zhixi also nodded, incredulously saying, "Mom, you''re quite wild now, even thinking about dabbling in the ck market."


    Ming Mei blinked: My mother-inw is indeed formidable!


    Zhao Guihua shot a sharp nce at the men in the family and said, "I''m not doing this for the family''s sake? That pond on the mountain, is it exclusively ours? Today we can find it, tomorrow others can too. While no one else has noticed, there are plenty of big fish in there. Wouldn''t it be better to catch some now? Otherwise, when more people find out, we won''t even see fish bones."


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t lying. How did she know there was a pond with fish on the mountain? It was because it happened in her previous life. About a few monthster, after the New Year in the summer, a group of teenagers from thepound went up the mountain to y and discovered the pond.


    These fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys couldn''tpare to her, an old bird from Dongting Lake.


    These boys had no sense of discretion, each taking a bucket of fish home, making a big show of it. The news spread quickly. Within two or three days, there wasn''t a single fish left in the pond, not even fry.


    They caught them all.


    Zhao Guihua, living in the courtyard, heard about it. When they went there, there was nothing left. She was so regretful and heartbroken. She had remembered this missed opportunity for decades.


    That''s why she immediately went up the mountain to find the pond after being reborn.


    It''s strange, the pond wasn''t exactly hidden, but no one had noticed it before, nor did they know there were fish in it. Some things really depend on fate. But this time, Zhao Guihua didn''t want to miss out.


    She said, "Let''s sell some while the market is good before the New Year."


    Zhao Guihua was full of ambition, but the rest of the Zhuang family was grimacing and scratching their heads. This was dangerous, who could handle it? Zhuang Zhiyuan tried to persuade his mother, saying, "Mom, if you get caught..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Pfft, can''t I run?"


    She said, "Besides, at that time, you need to have the determination to break the boat. If things go south, I''ll just throw the fish at them. Then you guess, will they catch the fish or chase me? You men, you reallyck guts."


    The Zhuang men felt criticized, but they still looked miserable, genuinely not wanting their mother to take risks.


    Zhao Guihua, stubborn as eight oxen: "This is settled!"


    "Hey, not so fast, Mom..."


    "Olddy, wait a minute..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Who are you calling olddy? I''m still young. If you can''t help, don''t add to my troubles. Go away."


    Zhao Guihua felt that a family shouldn''t listen to men. Men always overthink things. By the time they figure it out, the opportunity is gone.


    They can''t even catch up to a hot meal.


    At this time, Liang Meifen and Ming Mei, the two daughters-inw, couldn''t get a word in, nor did they dare to.


    With the three Zhuang men unable to persuade, let alone the two daughters-inw, who were one level lower. The three men were so worried their eyebrows were knitted together.


    "Mom, if something goes wrong..."


    "Don''t jinx it." Zhao Guihua was resolute. She sighed, seeing everyone''s worried looks, and said, "Alright, I promise you, we''ll just sell this batch before the New Year. After that, I won''t go to the ck market. Is that apromise?"


    Compromise?


    Where did youpromise?


    But seeing this, everyone knew they couldn''t persuade Zhao Guihua. Zhuang Zhixi sighed, saying, "Mom, you''re really something. Are you nning to move the family to the Forbidden City next?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Death re.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Then you promise us, just this batch before the New Year."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "What''s there to promise? Alright, I promise!" What happens next is next''s problem, for now, the promise is made.


    Because Zhao Guihua was so stubborn, the men left with heavy hearts. The two couples departed, and Old Man Zhuang was so worried his hair seemed to be greasing up. He said, "You olddy, why are you so stubborn?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at him and said, "What else can I do for this family? I don''t want to take any risks and just keep the fish for us to eat, but look, just a whiff of fishy smell, and the greedy cats are already sniffing around. If this goes on, sooner orter someone will notice, and that pond on the mountain will have nothing to do with us. We can go, others can too. Besides, even if it''s not from us, what if someone else finds out? There''s no reason we shouldn''t seize an opportunity when we encounter one."


    For her, going to the ck market wasn''t a big deal, but seeing how worried the family was, she had to reassure them.


    "The older and younger sons don''t understand, but you do, right? I''m not careless. If I''m going to the ck market, I''ll be cautious and disguised. No matter what, let''s make some money first." Zhao Guihua sighed, "You do physicalbor every day, with no oil or fat, how can you endure? Tiger and Little Swallow alsock nutrition."


    Upon hearing this, Old Man Zhuang was moved. He whispered, "I know, I know you''re doing this for the family, for me."


    His eyes reddened, and he started wiping away tears. His olddy was so good to him, better than any other family''s wife. He must have done good deeds in his past life to have such fortune.


    This time, he couldn''t bring himself to stop her.


    Zhao Guihua: "You understand that''s good!"


    Zhao Guihua saw that Old Man Zhuang didn''t object, so she opened the drawer and took out the money box. She said, "All our savings right now amount to six hundred and fifty yuan. I''ve thought about it, and since they won''t be handing over their sries anymore, our savings will slow down. They used to give us ten or twenty yuan a month, but with eight people in the family, thirty yuan isn''t enough to eat well, let alone twenty. In the future, we''ll probably have to subsidize the kids. Just now, we talked about how you''re not young anymore and can''t keep enduring like before; you need to eat better. The kids are growing too, so we should at least spend twenty yuan a month on them. With forty yuan covering the food expenses for eight people, we should be able to eat decently. Even if we can''t eat well, we must at least eat enough. I''ll figure out the rest. I don''t care about wearing nice clothes, but in this cold weather, if our cotton-padded jackets aren''t warm enough, we need to add some cotton or make new ones. That''s a necessary expense; otherwise, we might end up with arthritis. There are also other living expenses, so we won''t be able to save much in the future."


    Old Man Zhuang: "A little savings is enough."


    He was content, saying, "More money means more expenses, less means less. Our kids aren''t ungrateful; they won''t abandon us."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, saying, "I know that."


    While the older couple was counting their "assets" in the room, the younger couple was doing the same. This referred to Zhuang Zhixi and his wife, Ming Mei, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, counting money carefully while Zhuang Zhixi was tending to the stove.


    To save on coal, their house didn''t have stoves in every room during the day; only the main room where the parents stayed had a stove. If they weren''t working, they would stay there. They only lit their own stove at night. Zhuang Zhixi was busy, while Ming Mei focused on her task: "Don''t peek, okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, wife, you''re so smug. You think I wouldn''t dare to snatch it?"


    Ming Mei: "Come on,e on, see if I''ll be polite."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oops, forgot you''re a pro."


    He had learned from Ming Mei why her sry was higher. He had always known her sry was higher than his, thinking it was due to her taking over her job, but he didn''t realize it was because she had once caught a thief and received a promotion.


    "Hey, wife, were you scared when you caught the thief?"


    Ming Mei: "What''s there to be scared of? Of course not. You don''t know, I was hoping for another fool to show up so I could get another promotion. Catching thieves is way faster than waiting for seniority to increase my sry. I''ve been waiting for them toe and boost my performance. s!" She sighed, saying, "Who knew there wouldn''t be any thieves? They''ve gotten smart and don''te near my bus route anymore."


    She had missed out on another great opportunity to raise her sry!


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "You''re really something!"


    Ming Mei looked up: "Of course, I''m very capable."


    At this point, she suddenly pped her thigh, unhappy: "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re so annoying! Why did you talk to me? I counted wrong!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"


    He teased: "Do you want me to help you count?"


    Ming Mei immediately looked wary: "Get lost."


    She moved to the head of the bed, turned her back to Zhuang Zhixi, and continued counting. Seeing her money-loving ways, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh even more. His wife looked smart, but she really had no guile.


    Any shrewd wife wouldn''t count her private money in front of her husband.


    But Zhuang Zhixi didn''t realize that Ming Mei dared to do this because she was confident he wasn''t a match for her. Actually, Ming Mei hadn''t nned to count her money today; it was just... they had gone to her parents'' house today!


    Ming Mei had always kept her money at her parents'' house and hadn''t brought it back. She wasn''t some naive little girl without any cunning.


    But after having a "dream," Ming Mei had a good idea of what kind of person her mother-inw was. At least her mother-inw had good character, so there was nothing to worry about. Even if Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t a good guy, her mother-inw wouldn''t let it slide. So she felt much more at ease.


    Ming Mei had taken back the private money she had saved over the years when she visited her parents today. She had taken over her mother''s job and had been working for about two and a half years. Her parents didn''t take her sry, so all the money was in her hands. Ming Mei had saved a total of four hundred yuan.


    When she got married, Zhuang''s family gave her fifty yuan as a dowry, and her mother added another fifty yuan to her dowry, making it a hundred yuan for her private money. So now Ming Mei had five hundred yuan.


    The full notes were these, and the rest were some loose change.


    Altogether, it was forty-eight yuan.


    Ming Mei took out eight yuan and put it in her small wallet, then put the remaining money in a wooden box, locked it, and still wasn''t reassured. She then locked the wooden box to the bed, put on her slippers, and went to the ground, crossing her arms and looking at Zhuang Zhixi, asking, "Are you done yet? Is it lit?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked up: "It''s been ready for a while; I was just waiting for you."


    Ming Mei raised her chin, smiling coquettishly. Zhuang Zhixi felt his heart melt. His wife was so beautiful. He reached out to hold her hand and led her to the bed, but Ming Mei pulled back, pouting: "Go fill a kettle with water."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "Okay."


    He took the kettle to the yard, filled it quickly, and ced it on the stove before pulling his wife to "rest." As newlyweds, they were truly tireless, and soon the bed began creaking...


    The biggest difference between newlyweds and old couples is that the former are always eager to explore the mysteries of "life" and "birth," while thetter can argue for hours over trivial matters.


    The old Zhuang family was no exception. While the young couple was testing the bed''s endurance, Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife were arguing over trivialities.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was leaving home tomorrow, and Liang Meifen couldn''t help but feel sad. She nagged: "Why leave now, not earlier orter? It''s so hard for me to be alone at home, you know..."


    She was preparing clothes for Zhuang Zhiyuan to change into before he left.


    "Your mom is also going to sell things, and I don''t know if she''ll drag me along. What if something happens? Why is she so restless?"


    She sighed again and said, "I went to the neighborhood office today to look for work, but they ignored me. It must be because your mom has been talking behind my back. Otherwise, why would they look down on me? I even ran into her today, talking about me with Old Three''s wife. Do you know how hard it is for me in this family? I work hard, I..."


    "Are you done yet?" Zhuang Zhiyuan said seriously: "If you have time, you should use it to study. Look at how you''ve be so mundane, always talking about trivial matters. Don''t always assume my mom treats you badly. I think she treats you quite well. Look around our neighborhood; who has a mom as honest as mine? You can''t be ungrateful."


    He turned over and continued reading the "Railway Weekly," saying, "Look at me, always striving to learn."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    She took a deep breath and said, "What''s the point of reading that? It doesn''t fill your stomach or quench your thirst!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Life isn''t just about eating and drinking; one should aspire to a broader spiritual level. You''re too vulgar, too vulgar!"


    Liang Meifen: "Waaaah..."


    Her husband just couldn''t be down-to-earth, always so lofty!


    She was so hard!


    Being a wife was so hard.


    "Why are you crying again? Look at you..."


    Liang Meifen couldn''t take it anymore, saying, "I''m going to the bathroom!"


    Afraid he might follow, she added, "For a big one!"


    She rushed out the door and headed to the bathroom, where she couldn''t hold back her suppressed tears. Waaaah, why couldn''t he understand her? Her life was so hard, so difficult.


    Liang Meifen didn''t dare to cry loudly, afraid someone would hear, so she covered her mouth and sobbed quietly. She felt so wronged. Only here could she cry freely. Her life was so hard!


    Woohoo!


    In the men''s restroom, the drunkard Zhang San stumbled in, only to feel a chill as soon as he entered. It wasn''t that he was easily startled. Last time, he had encountered a ghost in the restroom and didn''t even dare to tell anyone about it.


    This time, he thought he was finally... No, wait, the sound of sobbing echoed again.


    Zhang San shivered, nearly fainting from fright. He quickly leaned against the wall, trembling, thinking, "Ghosts... There really are ghosts! The ghost is crying again! I heard it, I really heard it!"


    Zhang San covered his mouth again, "Woo!" He couldn''t make a sound.


    However, this time he was bolder thanst time. Last time, he didn''t dare to move, but this time, he slowly moved towards the exit while covering his mouth. As soon as he reached the door, he let out a scream and ran away, shouting, "Mommy...! There''s a ghost!"


    Liang Meifen was crying when suddenly she heard someone scream. Her crying stopped, and she quickly left the restroom to see Zhang San from the neighboring courtyard running away in a panic. Liang Meifen was puzzled, "What''s wrong with him? What''s he shouting about?"


    She muttered to herself, "That drunkard must have had too much to drink and doesn''t know what''s what."


    Feeling much better after crying, Liang Meifen wiped her tears and hurried home. Looking at the overcast sky, she thought, "It''s going to snow!"


    Liang Meifen didn''t know the mental trauma she had caused others. She hurried back and said, "Husband, it''s going to snow outside. Don''t let the water pipes freeze. Fill up some water."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Okay!"


    Although everyone used the water in the courtyard, almost every household had a water tank. The Zhuang family was no exception. The water tank was in the main room, usually filled with water. Sometimes, when it was crowded in the morning or the water pipes froze in winter, they had a backup.


    Fortunately, the pipes rarely froze, so most people still preferred to use the outdoor water source. Zhuang Zhiyuan got up to fetch water, and Old Man Zhuang came out to help. It seemed like it was indeed going to snow. Old Man Zhuang said, "It''s usually not cold when it snows, but it gets cold after the snow."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan quoted, "A timely snow promises a good harvest."


    Old Man Zhuang nced at him and said, "Stop showing off with your words. You have to go out tomorrow. Go back to your room and rest. I''ll take care of it."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan didn''t refuse and chuckled, "Alright." He hadn''t put on his outerwear and was feeling a bit cold.


    As for the outside world, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei werepletely unaware. The young couple, after a tiring night of activity, were already soundly asleep. The next morning, they woke up to the sound of people talking in the courtyard and realized it had snowed.


    Ming Mei added hot water to her washbasin and was just about to start her morning routine when she heard a distant sound of a pigeon whistle. In the past, many people raised pigeons, but these days, it was strictly prohibited. However, some still took the risk and did it secretly.


    Ming Mei, being a native of Beijing, smiled when she heard the familiar sound. "There are still some brave ones," she said.


    "That''s right!"


    Someone replied. Ming Mei looked over and saw it was Jiang Lu, the daughter-inw of Madam Zhou Li. Jiang Lu smiled at Ming Mei and nced at her water cup, saying, "Young couples really have good feelings. You even prepared hot water."


    Ming Mei smiled and said, "I can''t handle cold water."


    Madam Zhou Li,ing out of her house, heard this and muttered softly, "Just pretentious."


    Ming Mei didn''t take it to heart. She knew her mother-inw, Zhao Guihua, had a sharp tongue but a kind heart. Unlike Madam Zhou Li, who seemed to have a grudge against everyone. Ming Mei remembered how Madam Zhou Li had said unpleasant things to her on her first day of marriage. Clearly, she had some kind of mental issue.


    It was early morning, and everyone was busy going to work. Ming Mei felt her mother-inw was really good. In such cold weather, who wouldn''t want to sleep in a bit longer? But every morning, Zhao Guihua would get up early to prepare breakfast, saving them a lot of trouble.


    Like today, Zhao Guihua had even steamed buns early in the morning.


    Ming Mei ate the fragrant buns and mumbled, "Even without side dishes, I could eat a dozen of these buns!"


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said, "You may be called Ming Mei, but don''t get too carried away! A dozen? Do you think I''m andlord? Evenndlords don''t have that much surplus!"


    Ming Mei chuckled, not annoyed. She knew her mother-inw was just blunt-spoken but had no ill intentions, unlike the wicked olddy outside. She happily finished her breakfast and said, "I''m off to work."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Can you leave the bike for Mom to use for a few days? I''ll pick you up after work."


    Ming Mei blinked and quickly agreed, "Sure."


    She immediately thought of what her mother-inw might be nning to do in the suburbs and agreed without hesitation. She couldn''t help with the work, but she could contribute her bicycle.


    However... Ming Mei looked at Zhao Guihua with pleading eyes and said, "Mom, my bike is brand new. Can you promise me to treat it well? You must take good care of Little Red!"


    Zhao Guihua was utterly speechless: "Can you stop naming your bike?"


    Ming Mei innocently blinked and said, "It''s called Little Red."


    Having a name made it seem like something very important, something that should be cherished. She vaguely knew that her mother-inw didn''t think much of the bike, but she did. In her heart, the bike was very precious.


    She shook Zhao Guihua''s arm and said, "Anyway, please take good care of Little Red. I''m leaving now."


    With that, she quickly dashed out the door.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wait for me."


    He stuffed the remaining buns into his mouth and said, "Let''s go together. I''ll walk you part of the way."


    Ming Mei looked at his face and smiled softly, "Okay."


    She shook her coat and said, "Put your hand in my pocket. My pocket is very warm."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Okay."


    The young couple quickly held hands in their pockets and walked to work together.


    Madam Zhou Li came out to use the restroom and saw the distant figures of the two walking away. She spat and muttered, "So improper."


    She spat again and said, "Neither of them are any good."


    "Hey, Madam Zhou, don''t go."


    Madam Zhou stopped and asked, "What is it?"


    It was Aunt Chen from the neighboring courtyard. Aunt Chen winked and said, "Have you heard? Our restroom is haunted!"


    Madam Zhou: "What?!"


    She was shocked and quickly said, "We shouldn''t talk about this. It''s not appropriate..."


    "Just between us, don''t tell anyone else. Don''t disbelieve me, it''s true. A female ghost, Zhang San from our courtyard said so. He was so scaredst night that he called for his mom... And don''t disbelieve me, he''s not the first time he''s encountered it. He just didn''t dare to say anything before, butst night he was so scared he blurted it all out..."


    Madam Zhou''s eyes lit up: "You have to tell me more..."


    In their courtyard, once Madam Zhou knew something, everyone in the courtyard would know it. As for keeping it between just the two of them, that was impossible.


    Madam Zhou hurried back and couldn''t wait to spread the news: "Ladies, have you heard? Our... "


    And so on!


    The young women, olddies, and everyone in the courtyard were all amazed.


    Liang Meifen was startled and patted her chest, "That''s so scary. I guess I really can''t go to the restroom alone at night anymore." However, this story sounded familiar. Never mind, she thought, she would just avoid the restroom at night from now on!


    "That''s right!"


    Zhao Guihua nced at Liang Meifen and turned away.


    "You know, if it''s about ghosts in the restroom, I believe Zhang San. Once, I also heard some strange sounds when I went there, and I didn''t dare to go in..."


    "Me too."


    "But I haven''t heard of any incidents around here. How could there be ghosts? Our ce is..."


    Everyone was chattering away when Aunt Wang quickly put a stop to the discussion, saying, "Alright, alright, enough of that. These are all feudal superstitions, don''t believe in them, and don''t spread them. What''s wrong with you all? Spreading this nonsense, if someone catches you, you''ll end up getting lectured during the New Year, is it worth it?"


    She said, "Everyone, disperse now."


    Madam Zhou Li pouted, clearly unconvinced.


    Aunt Su chuckled softly and quickly followed Aunt Wang''s footsteps, "Old sister, I''lle sit with you for a while."


    Aliali: 673ebb7bc4f3f33ac4eea64cAunt Wang: "Sure, let''s go. I''m winding yarn right now, give me a hand."


    "Alright."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Pfft." She really couldn''t stand Aunt Su in the courtyard. Well, she didn''t like Aunt Wang either; um, Zhao Guihua wasn''t any better, anyway, no one was as good as her!


    With a huff, she turned and went home.


    Everyone quickly dispersed, which suited Zhao Guihua just fine, as she had her own important matters to attend to. She quickly locked the door and set off with Liang Meifen on the back seat, who was carrying a bamboo basket on her back, singing woefully, "The north wind blows, the snowkes flutter..."


    She was miserable, so very miserable, just like Xi''er.


    Zhao Guihua frowned, "Can you stop that wailing? What kind of song is that? If you can''t sing, don''t! It''s so unpleasant to listen to!"


    Liang Meifen let out a long sigh, a mix of mncholy and sorrow, dissipating in the wind.


    Zhao Guihua pedaled the bike with vigor, thinking, "If you''re not proactive about making money, there''s something wrong with your mindset."


    This family, it still needs her to lead the way!

 Chapter 17: Made Money Bought Meat

    <h4>Chapter 17</h4>


    The train runs fast, all thanks to the lotive!


    Zhao Guihua felt that their family was entirely dependent on her!


    If they were to rely solely on the men in the house, then improving their life would be a far-fetched dream.


    She led Liang Meifen up the mountain, well-prepared this time. Although it was a matter of life and death, she tied one end of the rope around herself and the other to a tree. She instructed Liang Meifen, "As long as the ice doesn''t crack, you don''t have to worry about me. We''ll take turns and save our strength."


    This was indeed a physically demanding task. After the two women finished, their arms were so sore that they could hardly move. But the men in their family couldn''t take time off, so it was up to them. After all, they were the ones who wanted to earn money.


    The two took turns working. Although they didn''t understand the principle behind it, it worked wonderfully. By noon, the two women had caught a basket full of fish. They sat on the ground, panting heavily.


    Wiping the sweat off her forehead, Liang Meifen said, "This work is better suited for men."


    No wonder everyone wants to have sons, especially in rural areas. Apart from the old-fashioned idea of carrying on the family line, having a son also means an extra pair of working hands in the family. And that''s vitally important.


    Zhao Guihua nced at Liang Meifen and said, "Alright, let''s pack up and go home. You can head straight back, I''ll go to the ck market."


    Liang Meifen: "What?"


    She looked at her mother-inw in shock, saying, "You''re going to the ck market alone? How is that possible?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Why not? Look at you, you''d definitely get into trouble if there were any inspections. Then I''d have to take care of you."


    If it weren''t for the fact that one person couldn''t handle the fishing on the mountain alone, she wouldn''t even want to bring this daughter-inw along. It''s not that she was afraid she''d b, but because she was always panicking and turning pale at the slightest thing.


    She couldn''t handle any trouble!


    Zhao Guihua unbuckled her belt, unbuttoned a small button on her waistband, and took out two tickets and five dors from a hidden pocket. "We''ll split up. I''ll go to the ck market to sell the fish secretly, you go to the granary to buy some grain, and make dumpling soup with white flour for dinner."


    This left Liang Meifen stunned.


    Was their family that well-off now? What kind of household was this, eating fine food every day?


    Even if she didn''t say a word, Zhao Guihua could tell what she was thinking. Her eyes widened, and she said, "You have a problem with my decision? We''ve been working so hard on the mountain every day, and we can''t even eat some fine food?"


    Liang Meifen felt wronged: "Mother-inw, I didn''t mean that."


    She also loved fine food, but she was afraid that they would run out of it at home. But seeing her mother-inw''s stern face, she thought to herself, it''s not her money anyway! The old woman didn''t know what was good for her!


    She said, "Alright, I''ll go to the grain station to buy grain once we''re in town."


    She wanted to ask if they were out of fine food at home, but seeing that her mother-inw was already prepared to go back, she quickly followed and offered, "Let me ride the bike."


    Zhao Guihua said in a low voice, "You ride your bike, but be careful. If you cause Xiao Hong to fall, I bet Xiao Ming at home will have your head."


    Liang Meifen had already started pedaling. She stumbled a bit, almost falling off. She took a deep breath, feeling that she couldn''t live like this anymore. It was bad enough that her mother-inw was a wicked old woman, but the new sister-inw was also very strange.


    What normal daughter-inw would name her bicycle?


    She sighed, feeling mncholy. She felt that she was the only normal person in this family.


    While pedaling, Liang Meifen tried to probe subtly, "Mother-inw, my sister-inw''s sry is based on service post, right? Sixteenth level?"


    Therger the number in the service post, the lower the rank. If it reaches the first level, it''s very high. This ispletely opposite to the mechanical factory. In factories like Zhuang Lao Nian''s, therger the number, the higher the rank. The first level is for neers.


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Why don''t you just ask her how much she earns?"


    Liang Meifenughed awkwardly, "I, I didn''t mean that."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, "If you didn''t mean it, then don''t ask. Don''t y tricks in front of me, like waving a big knife in front of Guan Gong, do you think I''m a fool?"


    Liang Meifen blushed at thement. She thought to herself, ''What a wicked old woman.'' She was in a difficult position, but what could she do? After all, she and Zhiyuan truly loved each other. Shemented her pitiful fate but couldn''t help asking, "Actually, I kind of want to know."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and snorted, "Her sry is in the thirties, higher than the third one."


    There was no need to hide this. Nowadays, even neighbors generally knew how much each other earned. If a family had no workers but still managed to havevish meals, you''d see, they would soon be reported to the neighborhoodmittee. Immediately, the red-sleeved old women woulde to investigate.


    So, there was no need to hide this.


    Liang Meifen was surprised, "Her sry is over thirty? How is that possible? She''s only been working for just over two years, right?"


    Normally, someone with her short working history would earn around twenty, not more than twenty-five. This was something Liang Meifen knew.


    Zhao Guihua casually said, "After she started working, she caught a group of thieves on the bus, one against seven, and wasmended for it!"


    Liang Meifen: "Ah!!!"


    Her bicycle swerved towards the ditch. Zhao Guihua eximed, "Good grief!"


    She quickly jumped off the bicycle, grabbing it just in time to save Liang Meifen and the bicycle. It was a close call, another half meter and they would have fallen into the ditch. Zhao Guihua was speechless, scolding, "Are you a pig? Riding your bike towards the ditch, are you trying to kill yourself? Do you feel uneasy if I don''t scold you for a day?"


    Zhao Guihua was always loud and boisterous, something Liang Meifen had grown ustomed to. She hung her head low, taking deep breaths. After a long while, she finally gathered herself and asked, "Mom, that thing about Ming Mei... one against seven?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Hmm, yes, one against seven. What about it? Do you want to give it a try?"


    Liang Meifen''s face turned pale once again.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "I heard the thief pulled a knife on her, which riled her up, and she knocked them all down. Think about it, we''re lucky to have such a capable daughter-inw in our family."


    Liang Meifen was speechless.


    She felt her world was falling apart. How was she supposed to live like this?


    Seeing the ghost-like expression on her daughter-inw''s face, Zhao Guihua said, "What''s the matter with you? She''s not going to hit you. What are you afraid of? Alright, hurry up and go, I need to head to the ck market."


    Liang Meifen remained silent.


    Her mother-inw was a daring old woman who dared to venture into the ck market.


    Her sister-inw was a brave young woman who dared to fight a knife-wielding thief, one against seven.


    And her... her life was just too hard!


    It was really too hard, how did she end up with this family?


    Liang Meifen was so distressed that she could barely recover. But seeing the bullying look on her mother-inw''s face, she gritted her teeth, got back on the bike, and this time, she didn''t dare to chat, she focused on riding. If she crashed "Little Red", she feared she might really get beaten.


    Life was indeed tough.


    Liang Meifen felt the pressure of life and continued to ride in silence.


    At this time, her unlucky mother-inw started to chatter, Zhao Guihua said, "You don''t need to be afraid, Ming Mei is not a tiger. We''re family, she''s not the type to resort to violence casually."


    Liang Meifen grunted in response.


    "Furthermore, Ming Mei is naturally optimistic and gentle. As long as you don''t cross the line, she won''t, and her family won''t. Ming Mei''s father is even scarier than Ming Mei, just don''t provoke him."


    Liang Meifen trembled, her heart filled with uncertainty.


    "I heard that Ming Mei''s uncles and aunts all know some martial arts..."


    Liang Meifen whimpered.


    Life was hard, she really couldn''t afford to provoke this sister-inw. Where was her authority as the eldest sister-inw?


    Fortunately, they arrived at the ck market soon after entering the city. Her mother-inw finally stopped her chattering. Even though they hadn''t been to the ck market often, every old resident knew where it was.


    Everyone knew, after all, who wouldn''t want to exchange for some food and drink?


    As soon as Zhao Guihua arrived at the ck market, she immediately left her daughter-inw behind. In her eyes, this scaredy-cat would only slow down her shopping speed. She covered her face, put on her hat, and entered the ck market with her fish basket.


    As soon as she entered, a man approached and gestured "five". Zhao Guihua handed over fifty cents. It seemed she was spending money before she even started earning. However, the two didn''t exchange a word. The man took the money and stood back at the entrance of the alley, while Zhao Guihua found a spot to set up her stall.


    Don''t underestimate Zhao Guihua for herck of expertise, but she has a wealth of experience, and she''s heard a lot about this kind of thing and remembers it well.


    As people get older, they may not remember what they atest week, but they can recount the trivial matters from decades ago as if they were spilling a bag of beans. Despite the hardships of the courtyard these days, Zhao Guihua often reminisces about this period when she gets older.


    She found a spot to squat down, and soon someone approached, whispering, "How much for the fish?"


    Zhao Guihua: "One fish for one and a half, three for four."


    "There are big and small ones..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Can''t you pick the big ones?"


    "All right, give me three."


    The fish is pretty good, otherwise it wouldn''t sell for a buck and a half. You know, an old hen only costs two bucks.


    But just as Zhao Guihua thought, it''s New Year''s, how can you not eat fish? It''s for good luck. The middle-aged man quickly picked three big ones and left happily. He was the first one, so he definitely picked the biggest ones.


    Profit!


    "I''ll take three too."


    This price is higher than the food store, but the food store sells fixed quantities, and this one doesn''t. Besides, these are much bigger than the ones in the food store. If you buy three at once, it''s actually not worse than the food store.


    Zhao Guihua quickly set up shop, business was not bad, and she sold several more in a row, finally taking a break. No wonder they say the ck market is profitable. In just a while, she earned the monthly sry of an ordinary worker.


    Three for four, basically everyone buys three. Zhao Guihua already had twenty-four in her hand.


    She nced at the basket on her back, there were still more than a dozen fish left. Since people have been picking from her, the ones left are definitely smaller than the ones sold. At first nce, it doesn''t seem so, but if you keep watching, you naturally have this feeling, and naturally feel a bit inappropriate. So, after selling for a while, the pace slowed down.


    Zhao Guihua watched for a while, decisively got up, carried the bamboo basket to a meat stall, and asked softly, "How much?"


    The stall owner was a middle-aged man, also an old hand, speaking very fast: "One dor with a ticket, one dor and two without a ticket, look, all my meat is pork belly."


    The food store is eighty cents with a ticket, and it''s only eighty-five cents at the end of the year. But Zhao Guihua can understand why they ask this price. If they don''t make money, why would they risking to the ck market?


    Zhao Guihua decisively: "I have thirteen fish here, exchange for ten pounds of your meat, deal?"


    Her fish selling spot was not far from the meat selling spot. Both sides are clear about each other''s prices. Although Zhao Guihua sells for one and a half, but everyone takes three, in fact, this is just over one and three, only a little more expensive than a pound of meat.


    But this can''t be calcted like this.


    The fish left in Zhao Guihua''s hands are the ones that were picked over, not as big as the ones she sold just now, so they''re definitely not worth this price. Plus, meat is never hard to sell, so a one-to-one exchange is definitely not possible.


    As long as you want it, this price can be negotiated.


    Of course, if the stall owner doesn''t want it, that''s another story.


    The stall owner peeked and hesitated for a moment before bargaining, saying, "Eight jin."


    It seemed that the stall owner still wanted it.


    Don''t think that fish usually doesn''t sell as well as meat, but during the New Year''s period, it''s not bad at all. Having both fish and meat would attract more customers, those who wanted either coulde. Perhaps they might even buy something else while they were at it.


    Zhao Guihua: "Nine jin."


    She said, "Look, it''s not small."


    The meat stall owner also argued, saying, "Look, this one is small. And this one, it''s not big either."


    Zhao Guihua: "It doesn''t matter if it''s big or small, let''s meet halfway, eight and a half jin."


    The stall owner sighed and said, "Sister, I just want to have both fish and meat, sell a little more and earn a bit more, but if I have too much, it''s not right. I''m selling this meat for one yuan and two cents, there''s no profit, I can''t do it, you know what I mean, right? So, how about eight jin and three liang?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s exchange!"


    The two decisively swapped, leaving the crowd around them dumbfounded. Wow, these two know how to y!


    Zhao Guihua hade for the meat in the first ce. After this exchange, she quickly left the ck market with her small basket on her back. A young man came up and asked, "How much is the fish?"


    "One yuan each!"


    "Ah, you..."


    Everyone looked at him with contempt, thinking this old man was just too cunning!


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care how the stall owner sold his goods. If she wanted to reduce her risk, she would always have to suffer a bit. If you always think about not losing out, you might end up getting tricked in a ce like the ck market.


    "I''m making money, making money, I don''t know how to spend it..." Zhao Guihua hummed a little tune from the future.


    Zhao Guihua had a sessful outing, her steps light. She was selling stuff in the ck market for the first time. You know, she hadn''t slept muchst night, pondering how to get in, how to leave, and how to escape if she encountered anyone.


    She had gone through this several times, and today it turned out to be unnecessary.


    But she didn''t regret being thorough in her thinking the night before. If she hadn''t been, and something had happened, she would have been in tears.


    In life, you need to have a n.


    Zhao Guihua, carrying her basket, entered the alley and saw a group of kids setting off firecrackers. The kids couldn''t afford the expensive ones, so they bought those weak little ones, like pinching fleas. Her own two little ones, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, were also standing there, watching the older kids y, enviously.


    Zhao Guihua then remembered that tomorrow was the beginning of the Lunar New Year!


    She called out, "Hutou!"


    Hutou, hearing the call, immediately led his sister over, crisply saying, "Mom!"


    Zhao Guihua rubbed the little one''s head, asking, "Want to y with firecrackers?"


    Hutou''s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, "Yes!"


    Zhao Guihua smiled and handed over two cents, saying, "Go buy a box."


    Two cents was for the smallest box, but it was enough to entertain a six-year-old like Hutou. Sure enough, the little guy''s face turned red with excitement, and he quickly ran off to the state-run shop with his sister in tow.


    Zhao Guihua was carrying a bamboo basket on her way home. It was not yet time to get off work, so the yard was not lively. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Liang Meifen in a daze and asked, "Did you buy the flour?"


    Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen quickly came back to her senses and nodded, "Yes, I bought it!"


    She eagerly said, "Mom, the grocery store has apples now!"


    But she didn''t have any money on her, so she couldn''t buy any.


    Zhao Guihua could tell at a nce why Liang Meifen was upset. She felt a bit sorry for her daughter-inw, who had been working for seven or eight years and had earned a fair amount of money, but had not saved a penny. She thought, what a careless person she was.


    She said, "You go and buy some."


    She handed her daughter-inw five dors and said, "Hurry up."


    "Alright!"


    Liang Meifen hurried out. At that time, everything was scarce. Although many goods were continuously supplied at the end of the year, there were more people buying, so if she didn''t hurry, there would be nothing left.


    As she rushed out, Zhao Guihua watched her eldest daughter-inw''s figure, thinking about the fish-selling business. Without a doubt, this was a job for both of them, and they should each have a share. But seeing Liang Meifen''s spendthrift nature, she felt that this wouldn''t work.


    She was determined to be the wicked mother-inw.


    She made up her mind, started to cut the meat, and quickly pickled the eight-plus pounds of meat into pieces. After she was done, she sealed the jar. This salted meat could be kept for a long time.


    Zhao Guihua finished her work, opened the cab under the stone tform. Their food preparation area was hollowed out underneath, specifically for storing grains. Once locked and covered with a thin wooden board, it didn''t look like a cab.


    This was a skill learned during the famine years. Who didn''t have the ability to hide things?


    Despite having bought meat today, Zhao Guihua had no ns to eat it right away. They had been eating well recently, so she had to n for the future. Just as she finished tidying up, she heard the sound of small footsteps. Two children ran in and said, "Granny, give me a match!"


    They had bought small firecrackers but didn''t have any matches.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Here."


    She cautioned, "Be careful when you y, don''t hurt yourself,e back early when you''re done. It''s almost New Year, when your unclees back, he can take you to buy some more for us to set off during the New Year!"


    Hutou jumped up with a roar, excitedly saying, "Awesome!"


    No little boy dislikes firecrackers, and Xiao Yanzi likes them too. She giggled on the side, the little girl was soft and sweet, "Pop pop pop~" mimicking the sound of firecrackers.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, go y."


    "Okay!"


    The two children ran out hand in hand, and as soon as they reached the yard, they saw Jii''s three children also heading out. Hutou was a little scared, pulled his sister and ran, saying, "Let''s go quickly!"


    Upon seeing this, the three Jii brothers quickly followed. As soon as they left the courtyard, they arrogantly asked, "What are you holding in your hands?"


    "I want to y with firecrackers too! I want to y with firecrackers too!" Toni stomped his foot.


    Jii said menacingly, "Hand it over!"


    Hutou put his little hand behind his back, gathered his courage, and said, "No, I won''t give it to you, it''s mine!"


    Why should he give his own things to others? He certainly wouldn''t.


    However, Hutou was still a little scared. He held Xiao Yanzi''s hand tightly, and his palm was already beginning to sweat.


    Jii squinted his eyes and said, "You won''t give it to me? You dare not give it to me? I don''t think you know who''s the boss of this street!"


    This child was used to being domineering. He was spoiled at home. When the three of them boys went out together, they were always able to rule the roost in this alley. The other children in the alley didn''t even want to y with them.


    Seeing Hutou refuse, Jii pushed him directly. Hutou staggered back. Jii said, "Give it to me!"


    He reached out to grab it!


    "What are you doing!"


    A rebuke came from afar. Ming Mei had seen these three little rascals bullying someone from a distance. She quickly ran a few steps, steadied Hutou, and frowned at the three children. To be honest, she had a very bad impression of these three children.


    Stealing and being arrogant was one thing.


    But she wasn''t the type to dawdle. Ming Mei stared at the three children, looked around, and saw a brick that someone had discarded not far away. She walked over and picked it up. Jii immediately backed away, "What are you doing! If you hit someone, my mother won''t let you off!"


    Ming Mei stared at the three little rascals, threw the brick to the side, and kicked it. Snap!


    The intact brick was split into two. Ming Mei revealed a very bright smile and said, "Did you see that?"


    The three children were dumbfounded. The other children who were sneakily watching from the sidelines also gasped in surprise. Ming Mei''s smile became even brighter, and she said, "If any of you dare to bully Hutou and Xiao Yanzi again, that brick will be your fate!"


    Jii looked at Ming Mei''s smiling face, then at the brick, and after going back and forth a couple of times, he felt that the smile of this new daughter-inw was terrifying. He swallowed and quickly nodded his head. After nodding, he pulled his two brothers and ran away. Yii and Toni also ran away quickly.


    Ming Mei watched their retreating figures, snorted, and patted Hutou''s head, saying, "If anyone bullies you in the future, don''t hide it. Go home and tell."


    Hutou''s eyes sparkled, "Auntie Ming Mei, you are so amazing, so amazing."


    Ming Mei was pleased and said, "Of course, I am not an ordinary person."


    She showed off a little and then said, "Alright, you guys go y."


    Ming Mei entered the yard with her bag slung over her shoulder, just in time to see Madam Zhou Liing out to pour water. She snorted and turned to enter the house.


    Ming Mei sighed, "What kind of person is this..."


    She muttered to herself before entering the house, smiling and saying, "Mom, I''m off work."


    Zhao Guihua: "You finished work quite early today."


    Ming Mei: "There was a fight over boarding the bus today, and it got quite ugly. I went with driver Li to exin the situation. After that, I came straight back." As she said this, Ming Mei suddenly eximed, "I can''t, I have to go find Zhuang Zhixi. We agreed that he would pick me up, but I''vee back early. What if he makes a wasted trip?"


    Ming Mei rushed back, and then rushed off again. Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, saying, "That girl runs like a rabbit."


    She followed her out, calling, "Ming Mei."


    "Hmm?"


    Ming Mei turned around: "What''s up?"


    Zhao Guihua pulled out five yuan and handed it to Ming Mei, saying, "You and Lao San go and buy some firecrackers."


    Ming Mei looked down at the money, saying, "Isn''t this too much?"


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "How is it too much? Small New Year, New Year''s Eve, New Year''s Day, and the fifteenth, when do we not use them? Buy five yuan''s worth, just right."


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    She took the money and quickly left. This was the first time Ming Mei had been to the Forward Machinery Factory. If you asked her about the performance of the vehicles, she knew quite a bit. She had been around such ces since she was a child, and all her family worked in ces rted to vehicles.


    But if you were talking about a machinery factory, Ming Mei knew nothing. She was a bit curious, she didn''t know if they would let her in. Ming Mei quickly arrived at the factory area. It was quitting time at the factory, and a song was ying on the loudspeaker.


    "We workers have power, hey..."


    The workers were gradually leaving. Ming Mei stood on her tiptoes, looking around. A young security guard saw her, blushed, coughed, and asked, "Comrade, can I help you?"


    Ming Mei: "No, I''m waiting for someone."


    "Thatrade, you..."


    Ming Mei suddenly raised her arm and waved: "Zhuang Zhixi!"


    Zhuang Zhixi was hurrying out. At the sound of his name, his eyebrows lifted, and he smiled. He quickly approached, saying, "Howe you''re here? Didn''t we agree that I would pick you up?"


    He looked at the blushing security guard beside him, saying, "Brother, this is my wife. She came to pick me up."


    Security guard: "Oh..."


    So this beautiful girl is already married.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t care what others thought. He took Ming Mei''s hand and asked, "Wife, are you cold? Are your hands freezing?"


    Ming Mei shook her small hand and said, "Not cold, I''ve been keeping my hands in my pockets."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, saying, "That''s good, I''m cold. Can you warm my hands?"


    His hand sped Ming Mei''s small hand and tucked it into his pocket. Holding hands in public wasn''t appropriate, but who could stop them if they were in his pocket? Heughed, saying, "Your hand is so warm, it warms my heart."


    Ming Mei giggled, yfully scolding, "You''re such a sweet talker."


    The security guard who was still enviously watching them from a distance: "Damn."


    He learned something.


    No wonder he was still single!


    So that''s how people flirt.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei didn''t rush home, instead, they went to buy firecrackers. The firecracker shop, although not far from the courtyard, was not on this road. The couple turned and headed there, with Zhuang Zhixi leading the way. He held five yuan in his hand and bought a few strings of firecrackers, as was customary for his family.


    With five yuan, they could buy fiverge strings of firecrackers and still have some leftover for smaller ones.


    After Zhuang Zhixi bought and tied up the firecrackers, he whispered into Ming Mei''s ear: "My mother must have made money today."


    Ming Mei asked, "How do you know?"


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a smug smile and said, "No one knows a mother better than her son. That''s my mother, no one understands her better than I do. In the past, we never bought firecrackers so easily. This year, we bought them even before the Little New Year. It''s clear that she made money today and is in a good mood."


    Ming Mei retorted, "Your mother is so capable, it''s impossible for her not to make money."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, you sure know how to tter... Ouch!"


    Ming Mei pinched him, and Zhuang Zhixi yelped, quickly saying, "We''re in public."


    Ming Mei snorted.


    Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin and said, "It seems that this spection business really does make a lot of money. Even my frugal mother has started to loosen her purse strings."


    Ming Mei: "Don''t get any ideas."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If my mother can do it, why can''t I?"


    Ming Mei nodded: "Yes, you''re not as capable as your mother."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "......"


    He sighed, "So in your eyes, I''m not as capable as my mother. But I always thought I was quite capable, you..."


    "Isn''t that the young widow from our courtyard?" Ming Mei suddenly interrupted Zhuang Zhixi''s words. Zhuang Zhixi followed Ming Mei''s gaze and said, "Hey, it really is."


    It was indeed Wang Xiangxiu. She was alone, quickly turning the corner from the alley, adjusting her clothes as she walked, her face flushed. She seemed to be in a hurry, disappearing in a sh. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged nces.


    Zhuang Zhixi was puzzled: "How did she get over here? She usually rushes home as soon as she gets off work, but today..."


    Just as he was saying this, he saw a familiar face and blurted out, "Damn."


    Ming Mei: "What''s wrong? What''s wrong?"


    She looked over,pletely unaware of the reason for Zhuang Zhixi''s exmation.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "See that man over there? Don''t look directly, sneak a peek. Do you understand? Don''t let him notice."


    His tone was much more excited, Ming Mei: "Oh, oh, oh."


    She took a nce. It was a man in his thirties, wearing a blue work uniform. This was the uniform of the machinery factory. Although she had just married into this courtyard a few days ago, she naturally recognized it, as all the workers in this alley worked at the machinery factory.


    He wasn''t very tall, seeming to be half a head shorter than Zhuang Zhixi, with a square face.


    "Is he from our factory?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "He''s from our courtyard, Zhou Qun, Madam Zhou Li''s son."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn''t expected to witness such juicy gossip. These two people walked out of the alley one after the other, and it wasn''t Zhuang Zhixi''s fault for overthinking. After all, these two were rather unusual.


    One was hastily adjusting his clothes, the other had a sly look on his face.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I really didn''t see thising..."


    Everyone in their courtyard knew that Bai Fendou had a crush on Wang Xiangxiu. He had been waiting for her, still unmarried at thirty-one, always helping her family out. As for Zhou Qun, he didn''t have much interaction with the Zhou family. Although it was clear that Zhou Qun was good to his children, he didn''t have any dealings with the two widows of the Su family, other than exchanging greetings when they met.


    But this...


    It would be interesting if these two had any sort of rtionship.


    Ming Mei, halfway through eating her melon, felt like she was biting into an unripe one. She quickly turned to Zhuang Zhixi and asked, "What''s going on? What do you mean? Do they have a rtionship? I haven''t heard Old Lady Su mention it!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This is Madam Zhou Li''s son. He hardly interacts with Wang Xiangxiu in our courtyard. Yet, here they are,ing out of the same alley. If you say there''s nothing fishy going on, who would believe it? Coincidence? It could be, but do their expressions look like it''s just a coincidence? They''re acting all sneaky, right?"


    Ming Mei''s mouth hung open in shock, feeling that she indeedcked worldly wisdom.


    She sighed sincerely: "You guys sure know how to stir things up."


    Although they didn''t actually see anything, the young couple was quite shocked. They felt stunned all the way home. It wasn''t that they were naive, but this matter was indeed quite shocking.


    The young couple followed Zhou Qun back to therge courtyard. As soon as they entered, they saw Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sitting on small stools at the door, waiting for someone.


    "Uncle!!!"


    Seeing their uncle today brought them immense joy: "Firecrackers, you bought firecrackers!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, nowe and help."


    "Okay!"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi jumped up and down in excitement, attracting the attention of others in the courtyard. Jii and his two brothers watched with envy and asked, "Mom, when are we buying firecrackers this year?"


    Wang Xiangxiu, who was cooking, replied, "Don''t worry, there are still several days left."


    "But tomorrow is also New Year''s Day. I saw Li Weiwei''s family setting off firecrackers today. Li Weiwei and the others have them, Hutou has them, only our family doesn''t!" Jii looked at his mother discontentedly and said, "We want some too."


    Yii and Toni nodded, "Mom, let''s buy some."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Where do we get the money for that? You wait a while, we''ll buy some after I get paid in a few days."


    "No, no!"


    Old Lady Su watched this scene and said, "Don''t make it hard for your mother. Our family''s life isn''t easy. Half-grown children are a drain on the family. There are three of you, and our family relies on your mother alone to earn money. Times are tough."


    She nced at Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Your mother hasn''t bought a single piece of clothing for three years in a row, she''s not having it easy. We need to eat first. It''s not your mother''s fault, it''s the milk, the milk is weak, otherwise if she could do more work, she could earn a bit more... It''s my fault."


    As she spoke, her voice choked with tears. Wang Xiangxiu quickly turned around and said, "Mom, what are you talking about? I know you''ve also put a lot into this family."


    She thought for a moment and said, "Alright, our family will buy some this year too!"


    She gritted her teeth and pulled out two dors from her pocket, saying, "You guys take this money, go buy it tomorrow during the day, but don''t use it all, we still need it for the New Year."


    Old Lady Su stared at the money, her eyes flickering, then she softly said, "I''ll keep an eye on them."


    She continued, "In a few days, I guess Zhao Di will be back, and when she does, I''ll borrow some money from them. Their brother is gone, and Jii and the other two are the roots of the old Su family. They, as aunts, can''t ignore them."


    Upon hearing that her elder cousin wasing back, Wang Xiangxiu breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart, saying, "That''s good, when Jii and the others grow up, they will surely be filial to their aunts."


    Old Lady Su said, "Of course, my children are the most filial. Actually, they have their own children, there''s no need for our Jii and the others to provide for their old age. As long as Jii and the others can support their aunts in critical times, that''s enough."


    Jii loudly said, "I''ll support my aunt."


    Old Lady Su said, "Ah, that''s right, when your auntes, you three must speak to her."


    "Okay!"


    The three children took the money and excitedly discussed what fireworks to buy tomorrow. Old Lady Su lowered her voice and asked, "Didn''t you sayst time that you wanted to find an opportunity to get close to the third son of the Zhuang family? How''s that going? Any progress?"


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head, "It''s not that easy. I''ve thought about it, and I was being too optimistic. Although his sry is almost thirty, he and his wife just got married. They''re in their honeymoon phase, and I won''t gain anything by getting involved."


    Old Lady Su looked at her daughter-inw, encouraging her, "You''re so beautiful, it shouldn''t be difficult for you to win over a young man who''s justing of age. I know you can do it. With such a young man, you just need to beckon him, and he''ll lose his bearings. I''m not asking you to sell anything, just a little hand-holding in exchange for some benefits, it''s not a bad idea, right? After all, we''re doing this for the children."


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Alright, I''ll look for another opportunity, I really haven''t had one recently."


    Old Lady Su said, "Okay, I''ll also look for an opportunity to see if I can sell a sob story to his young wife. Our family is in such a difficult situation, they should help out if they have money." Before, when this family didn''t divide the money, Zhao Guihua was in charge of it, and she had no way to get involved.


    But now it''s different, now each room in their house holds their own money, and she feels that she still has a chance.


    A young wife, where would she know how to save money? Money in her hands is just a waste.


    She smiled slightly and said, "Tomorrow is the eve of the Lunar New Year, let''s make some meat."


    Wang Xiangxiu frowned in distress. Life was too hard for her, every day was a struggle for survival, leaving no room for respite. But what could she do? Her man was no longer around. She gave a bitter smile and said, "I''ll try my best. Bai Fendou has also run out of money."


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t be seeking help from Zhou Qun.


    She sighed and lowered her head to cook.


    Old Lady Su spoke softly, "If it''s too hard, we can just eat cornmeal buns. We don''t have to eat meat. You don''t need to deal with those people for a bit of money. I worry for you."


    These words warmed Wang Xiangxiu''s heart. She said, "I know, Mom."


    Thank goodness for such a kind mother-inw, otherwise, she didn''t know how she''d make it through.


    Wang Xiangxiu expressed such sentiment, but Liang Meifen was quite the opposite. Hearing her mother-inw''s words, she cursed in her heart: wicked old woman. She really was a pitiful creature.


    Zhao Guihua said, "We made money from selling fish today. Not only did we make money, but I also exchanged some for meat. But whether it''s money or meat, I won''t divide it among any of you. We all live in this house, and we haven''t split the family to the point where everything needs to be ounted for. Today, I went with my eldest daughter-inw, and the third daughter-inw even lent her bicycle. These should all be taken into ount, right? So it''s impossible to divide everything clearly. A family doesn''t need to split everything. This money, I''ll hold onto it. If the eldest daughter-inw works more, when it gets warmer after the New Year, I''ll make a set of clothes for Hutou and Xiao Yanzi aspensation."


    Liang Meifen: "Mom..."


    Aliali: 673ebb7bc4f3f33ac4eea64cZhao Guihua red, "What are you shouting for, are you calling souls? I can''t trust you with the money!"


    Ming Mei quietly watched her sister-inw, feeling deeply that she was a bit pitiful. It was mostfortable to hold onto the money herself. However, Ming Mei didn''t dare to interject casually. She was as obedient as a small salted fish.


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    What kind of mother-inw is this, so cruel!


    Sheined, "I didn''t want the money. I just said, Xiao Yanzi is still small and grows fast. There''s no need to make separate clothes for her. Make two sets for Hutou. When Hutou has outgrown them, let Xiao Yanzi wear them."


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Guihua became angry and mmed her bowl on the table, "Stop talking nonsense. Isn''t Xiao Yanzi your daughter? You''re a woman yourself and yet you favor boys over girls. I can''t stand you for being so senseless! Eat, eat, eat, hurry up and eat. After eating, go back to your room. I get angry just looking at you! You''re not right in the head!"


    The room fell silent.


    Liang Meifen pouted in grievance, feeling that her life was hard. Sobbing, she thought, tonight, to the bathroom, let''s go!


    Her sad refuge!


    Her Arctic Ocean of tears!

 Chapter 18: New Year Goods, Quarrels, Neighbors

    <h4>Chapter 18</h4>


    Making money can be quite addictive.


    This was exactly how Zhao Guihua felt. Although she had seen big money before, making twenty or so yuan a day, plus the pork she got in exchange, still brought a smile to her face. Her "little storehouse" was full of meat.


    The family had bought salt several times for this purpose. Though it seemed a bit wasteful, opportunities like this were rare. After the New Year, there wouldn''t be as many meat sellers in the ck market, and even if there were, they wouldn''t trade for fish anymore.


    As good as fish was, it couldn''tpare to the satisfaction of eating meat.


    People these days werecking in fatty foods, and everyone still preferred meat above all.


    Zhao Guihua nned to sell as much as she could before the New Year, but would stop afterward. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to continue, but their catches had been declining day by day. Besides, it was normal for households to be busy preparing for the New Year festivities.


    However, if she continued to be away from home every day after the New Year, the gossips in their courtyard would surely notice. Zhao Guihua didn''t want people knowing about her business, so she worked enthusiastically these days before the New Year, leaving early and returningte.


    Her small business continued right up until the twenty-ninth day of thest lunar month, which was the final day.


    Truth be told, Zhao Guihua had be somewhat familiar with the ck market over these days. She used to find the ce intimidating, but aftering here for several days, she had grown moreposed than most people.


    Today, after selling her fish, she followed her usual routine of clearing the remaining fish with her partner, but this time instead of exchanging for meat, she got a rack of ribs.


    Zhao Guihua thought these ribs would taste much better than regr meat - this was her favorite. After getting the ribs, she began her New Year shopping spree. Like all women, she couldn''t resist a good shopping session. She spotted someone selling roosters and immediately bought one, along with a small bag of shelled peanuts. Seeing dried mushrooms for sale, she knew she couldn''t pass them up - they were essential for chicken and mushroom stew.


    The money Zhao Guihua earned today flowed out like water. She had arrived with a basket full of fish and was returning with a basket full of goods - a true testament to a woman''s purchasing power.


    On her way home, Zhao Guihua stopped by the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a pair of cotton shoes with thousandyer soles for each family member before proudly heading home. She had spent longer shopping than usual today, and on her way back, she ran into Zhuang Zhiyuan, who was carrying New Year goods.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan had returned justst night, and upon seeing his mother, he called out from afar: "Mom, look at the New Year goods our work unit distributed!"


    The railway had always provided good benefits, and Zhuang Zhiyuan happily exined, "We got eggs for the New Year, purchased separately outside the usual n. Five jin per person!"


    Zhao Guihua responded, "Oh, that''s wonderful!"


    "Indeed it is -st year it was only two jin," he said proudly. "We also got two jin of meat, plus a box of apples and a box of tangerines."


    Their New Year goods could really be counted as something!


    He hadn''t expected such generous distributions this year, and in good spirits, he asked, "Mom, what did you buy?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Don''t look out here, let''s talk about it when we get home."


    As mother and son returned to the courtyard, everyone was already busy, with households cooking and doing various chores. Old Lady Su was fetching water, and when she saw Zhuang Zhiyuan carrying his goods, her eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Been shopping for New Year goods, have you?"


    She knew Zhao Guihua had been away frequentlytely and had been trying to figure out what she was up to.


    Her eyes darted between mother and son, and Zhao Guihua said, "These weren''t bought - they were distributed by our eldest''s railway work unit. Their benefits are so good - if I''d known they''d be giving out so much, I wouldn''t have been queuing up every day."


    She had a loud voice, and Madam Zhou Li, who was in the room next door, heard and jealouslyined, "Listen to her showing off. Really can''t keep anything to herself, like a dog''s stomach that can''t hold oil. I''m the richest in the courtyard, but do you see me bragging?"


    Jiang Lu was cooking and quietly said, "Mom, please stop talking about being the richest - it doesn''t sound good, and it''s not appropriate for others to hear."


    She was kindly reminding her mother-inw, who was unaware of the changing attitudes outside, but Madam Zhou Li took it as a challenge to her authority and immediately became extremely angry: "You little wretch, what are you saying? Looking down on me now, are you? Despising me, are you? I haven''t evenined about you being a barren hen, and here you are criticizing my words! Who else has such a daughter-inw? We must have had eight generations of bad luck. Look around this courtyard - except for the newlyweds, who doesn''t have children? I''m not asking you to be like Wang Xiangxiu who gave the family three big healthy boys - even one son would be enough. Look at you - married for ten years, and where''s the child? Well? Where is it?"


    Jiang Lu hung her head bitterly, lookingpletely dejected.


    As Madam Zhou Li started berating her daughter-inw again, Aunt Su outside quietly smiled with satisfaction - her family had three sons. Zhao Guihua had no interest in hearing such talk and immediately went home.


    Liang Meifen was peering out at the door and said, "Is Jiang Lu getting scolded again?"


    She pursed her lips and said, "Without a son... uh..." Meeting her mother-inw''s gaze and remembering her criticism about gender discrimination, she quickly corrected herself: "Without a child, it really won''t do."


    Zhao Guihua coldly responded, "What''s it to you whether she has one or not!"


    Liang Meifen: "..." What an evil mother-inw!


    While Madam Zhou Li was a nasty mother-inw, her own wasn''t any better.


    She looked enviously at the Su family - if only she had a mother-inw like Aunt Su, who was truly gentle and considerate, the most understanding towards daughters-inw. Her own mother-inw wasn''t good at all, with her bad temper and obvious favoritism.


    She could tell that her mother-inw only liked Ming Mei, that brown-noser.


    "Mom, Mom, I''m back! We got our distributions~"


    Speak of the devil - just as she was thinking about the brown-noser, Ming Mei returned, calling out loudly, "Mom!"


    Zhao Guihua felt a headacheing on and quickly went out, saying, "You''re back, that''s... oh, why do you have so many things?"


    She hurried forward, asking, "Why are you carrying so much?"


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly and announced loudly: "These were distributed to us."


    She continued, "We got meat, fish, and fruit..."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan came out to look and saw that his younger sister''s work unit had distributed six items while they only got four. He immediately felt outdone and sighed disappointedly. He felt deeply frustrated that his work unit had fallen short.


    To be outmatched by his younger sister.


    However, Zhuang Zhiyuan could barely console himself - after all, the machinery factory couldn''t be expected to give out much.


    It was a huge factory with thousands of workers - how could they distribute so much?


    How could they possibly manage to give everyone so much?


    Ming Mei was still showing off, even her hair tips seemed to be bragging as she said, "Mom, we even got a box of peach cookies!"


    Zhao Guihua remarked, "Your work unit really has excellent benefits."


    She remembered there hadn''t been this much in her previous life - she wasn''t sure if Ming Mei hadn''t brought everything home then, or if things had changed. But Zhao Guihua didn''t dwell on these thoughts - times change, and what''s said at one time applies to that time only. She happily helped Ming Mei bring her things inside, saying, "You should have asked your third brother to help you!"


    Ming Mei replied, "Oh, it''s fine, I can manage."


    Zhao Guihua started organizing the items, and everyone in the family was a bit excited - this year had brought the most New Year goods they''d seen in years. Liang Meifen paced around mysteriously and said, "Mom, with all these good things in our house, we can''t leave them unattended. Those shameless thieves might try to break in."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "You don''t need to tell me that. I know."


    The world had long been weary of petty thieves.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan frowned: "That family''s child really needs proper education. Spoiling children like this won''t help them seed or contribute to society. If everyone were like this, how could society develop and progress? Life isn''t just about eating and sleeping; one should pursue higher spiritual enlightenment. If they don''t educate their child properly, they''ll just be society''s waste. We can''t follow their example. Take Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, for instance - I believe we should teach them life-awakening principles, let them swim in the ocean of spiritual enlightenment..."


    Zhao Guihua was speechless and simply found some cotton balls to stuff in her ears.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    This was quite hurtful, wasn''t it?


    Liang Meifen looked enviously at her mother-inw''s cotton balls, deeply appreciating her mother-inw''s foresight. Though she was a difficult mother-inw, this move was brilliant! Liang Meifen had long suffered from Zhuang Zhiyuan''s lengthy preaching.


    Ming Mei, however, remained casual and asked curiously, "Brother, have you always talked like this?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "???"


    He nodded.


    Ming Mei: "And nobody''s beaten you up yet?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    Ming Mei: "You''re really quite lucky."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "!!!"


    Zhao Guihua looked at her eldest son''s dumbfounded face and burst outughing, saying, "Alright, eldest son, go fill up our water tank; eldest daughter-inw, you cook the meal, and third daughter-inw can help. I''m heading to the backyard."


    After giving out the tasks, she took a fish and went out. As soon as she emerged, Madam Zhou Li and Aunt Su immediately looked her way. Aunt Su''s eyes lit up as she said, "Guihua, is this..." She reached out to take it.


    Zhao Guihua dodged, thinking to herself how this person really made herself at home - why did she assume anything brought out was for her?


    She gave a forced smile and responded, "It''s sote and you haven''t started cooking yet. You''re really fortunate to have such a capable and devoted daughter-inw who can do everything."


    Aunt Su''s gaze remained fixed on the fish, her voice very soft: "I wish I could do all the housework myself, but my health just won''t allow it. It''spletely out of my control." She pointed at the fish and said, "Your fish looks really good. The ones I saw at the grocery storest time weren''t nearly as nice. You''re so blessed, Guihua, with such hardworking sons and capable daughters-inw. As for my family..."


    She sighed and continued, "Three growing boys, life is so hard. The whole household depends entirely on Xiangxiu, the children can''t even eat their fill, let alone get proper nutrition. Yesterday, Jii was saying how much he loves fish..."


    Her eyes swept over the fish again, thinking to herself that after such hints, shouldn''t you show some neighborly spirit and give me the fish? Not sharing with neighbors is really unkind.


    Zhao Guihua replied: "My children love fish too. Which family doesn''t enjoy good food? But we can''t eat well every day. Children don''t understand, but adults need to be sensible. If you don''t budget carefully, there''s no way to make ends meet."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Don''t you agree, Madam Zhou?"


    Madam Zhou Li nodded at these words, saying, "That''s right, even with our circumstances, we don''t dare eat freely."


    Zhao Guihua: "Exactly!"


    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, she took her things to the backyard. Madam Zhou Li immediately fixed her gaze on Zhao Guihua''s retreating figure, watching her enter Auntie Wang''s house, then spat and said, "Giving gifts, such a bootlicker!"


    Aunt Su also came to the courtyard to look toward the back, biting her lip and saying, "Why did she give it to Aunt Wang?"


    Hearing this, Madam Zhou Liughed coldly and mockingly said, "If not to Aunt Wang, did you expect her to give it to you?"


    Aunt Su''s eyes reddened with hurt, and just then Old Man Bai entered the courtyard. Seeing this scene, he immediately shouted, "Zhou Li, you old shrew, are you bullying Sister Su again? How can you be so heartless and conscienceless!"


    Madam Zhou Li nearly fell over in anger. She put her hands on her hips and pointed at Old Man Bai, cursing, "Who do you think you''re talking to, you old fool? What''s this about? Rushing to defend your old me without even knowing what''s going on? Look at yourself, what are you anyway?"


    "What am I? Whatever I am, I''m better than you - you''re not even human! You just love bullying people. Nothing but poisones out of your dog mouth all day long. How can you bully such a good woman as Sister Su? There''s no justice!"


    Aunt Su''s eyes were red as she tried to mediate: "Brother Bai, please stop arguing. It''s not good for your reputation either. Please go home, I''m used to this..."


    Ming Mei heard the shouting outside and immediately rushed to the door. Although many people had attended the wedding feast, it was just a brief encounter, and everyone had been busy with work afterward, making it hard to remember who was who.


    This time, Ming Mei got a good look at Old Man Bai. He resembled Bai Fendou somewhat.


    But he looked more shifty than Bai Fendou - while Bai Fendou was ugly, he had a kind of simple honesty about him. She quickly waved: "Sister-inw,e here."


    Liang Meifen came over: "What is it?"


    "Sister-inw, why does it look like Madam Zhou Li wants to tear Old Man Bai to pieces?" she whispered.


    Liang Meifen lowered her voice: "When Madam Zhou Li was younger, she wanted to marry Old Man Bai. A widow and a widower, each with a son - wouldn''t they have been perfect together? But Old Man Bai wasn''t interested in her. He''s been in love with Aunt Su for decades and always takes her side against Madam Zhou Li. Look, now it''s be an eternal feud."


    Ming Mei: "Oh~ Hatred born from love!"


    She sighed: "It''s really..."


    She couldn''t find the words to describe it.


    The two sisters-inw stood at the door watching the drama unfold. Ming Mei felt she was only missing some sunflower seeds to make it perfect. But they weren''t the only ones watching - people from both the front and back courtyards had gathered to see the excitement.


    Zhuang Zhixi returned from work and stood at the door watching for a while before quickly moving to his wife''s side, asking, "What''s all this fighting about?"


    Ming Mei: "It''s all for love."


    "Pfft!"


    Several people around themughed, but thinking about it, Ming Mei was right - wasn''t it all for love? If not for love, why would Old Man Bai take such a stand? It was all the power of love.


    However, the drama didn''tst long. Aunt Wang quickly appeared and took control of the situation: "What are you all doing? Don''t you want to have a peaceful New Year? What''s all this about? Fighting over trivial matters - what happened to being harmonious neighbors? Old Bai, you shouldn''t always be arguing with women, it''s unseemly. And Madam Zhou, mind your words, your harsh speaking isn''t something new."


    Her gaze fell on Aunt Su, and she sighed, saying, "Aunt Su''s life isn''t easy, everyone should be more understanding."


    "We know that, and we''re not bullying anyone."


    "Right, we''re not the ones bullying them, we even help their family sometimes."


    "Exactly."


    Aunt Wang: "As long as everyone understands, these are the New Year days, let''s all calm down and have a good celebration."


    "We understand."


    Madam Zhou Li wasn''t satisfied: "Hmph, that sounds nice, but aren''t you epting gifts yourself!"


    "epting gifts? What gifts?"


    "What''s going on?"


    "Yeah, Aunt Wang epting gifts? That''s not right, aren''t we supposed to not take a single thread from the masses? Just being in charge of the courtyard and already taking gifts, that''s not appropriate."


    "Indeed."


    Everyone started discussing, and Madam Zhou Li immediately perked up, saying, "Exactly! Just now, Aunt Su, you saw it too, right? Zhao Guihua took a fish to Aunt Wang''s house. Now whenever Zhao Guihua''s family has any issues, Aunt Wang will surely show favoritism."


    Aunt Su hesitated: "Uh... I-I did see it..." Then she showed a guilty expression as she nced at Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua, saying, "I''m, I''m just telling the truth."


    Hearing this, Zhao Guihuaughed in anger. These people were like mad dogs, biting anyone they could, weren''t they?


    Did they really think she was easy to bully?


    Before Aunt Wang could say anything, Zhao Guihua put her hands on her hips and started scolding: "Madam Zhou Li, stop spreading rumors and talking nonsense here. I can give my things to whoever I want, it''s none of your business! You''re just projecting your own malicious thoughts onto others. And you, Aunt Su, just because I didn''t give anything to you, you join in stirring up trouble? When I came out with the fish earlier, it wasn''t meant for you, but you tried to take it. What''s that about? You think everyone has to give things to your family? I''ll say it again - I''ll give to whoever I choose."


    "If you can give to whoever you want, why don''t you give to others? It''s clearly a bribe!"


    Zhao Guihua let out a coldugh and said, "A bribe? Would I be so obvious about it if I were bribing someone? Would I let you all see it? How ridiculous! Everyone knows you, Madam Zhou Li, are a big mouth. Everything that passes through your lips turns from one into ten. Do you think I''m stupid enough to give bribes in front of you? I do things openly because I''m not afraid of petty people. Let everyone judge - I borrowed a fishing from Aunt Wang and thenpletely forgot about it for over ten days without returning it. Today I suddenly remembered. How could I return it empty-handed? Tomorrow is New Year''s Eve, but even if it weren''t the New Year, how could I borrow something for so long without showing some appreciation? I don''t know how you, Madam Zhou Li and Aunt Su, conduct yourselves, but I certainly can''t just return things empty-handed after borrowing them for so long. Don''t I have any face?"


    "That''s true."


    "If you''ve borrowed something for ten days and forgot to return it, it is more appropriate to bring a small gift."


    "If someone borrowed my things and returned them empty-handed after forgetting about them, I wouldn''t be happy either. This is the right way to do it."


    "Indeed."


    As everyone discussed, Madam Zhou Li''s face darkened, and she argued stubbornly: "Who knows if what you''re saying is true or false!"


    Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Oh, so ording to you, I just have too many things to give away? And who knows what your true intention is in stirring up trouble here? You were just arguing with Old Man Bai, and now you''reing after me. What''s this about? Trying to shift the conflict? Have you no shame? At your age, who spoiled you like this? It''s New Year''s, and I don''t want to stoop to your level, but you can''t be so unreasonable. The north wind doesn''t blow around you - who do you think you are!"


    "Pfft!" The people around couldn''t help butugh.


    It had to be said, Aunt Zhao was quite skilled at arguing!


    "Why don''t you just mind your own business instead of going around stirring up trouble with everyone? Everyone in the courtyard tolerates you, but if you go outside and get beaten up, no one will help you. What kind of person are you! If it weren''t for the New Year, I''de right over and p you twice to teach you how to behave properly, you piece of trash!"


    Zhao Guihua''s verbal assault was absolutely dominating - it could be said she achieved aplete victory.


    Madam Zhou Li was so angry she was gasping for air, while Aunt Su quietly retreated behind the crowd. She was someone who always took the gentle approach; she couldn''t handle such direct confrontation.


    Seeing that Madam Zhou Li couldn''t keep up, Zhao Guihua said, "All you do is run your mouth - besides gossiping, what else can you do!"


    Seeing that Zhao Guihua had already won decisively, Aunt Wang stepped forward and said, "Alright, alright, Old Zhao, don''t bother with her anymore. Everyone in our courtyard knows what her mouth is like. It''s not worth getting upset over - let''s go home."


    She gave Madam Zhou Li a disapproving look - using her of epting bribes was truly despicable.


    But everyone knew what kind of person Madam Zhou Li was. If she stooped to her level, she would be lowering herself. As someone in a leadership position, she didn''t need to do that.


    Aunt Wang said: "Come on,e on, let''s get home in this cold weather."


    Zhao Guihua: "Pah, you worthless thing! Aunt Wang, I''m only holding back because of you, otherwise I would have pped her."


    Aunt Wang smiled: "Alright, alright, for my sake then. Let''s go, let''s go home, everyone disperse..."


    Madam Zhou Li was still gasping for air like she was drowning. Zhou Qun walked up to his mother and said coldly: "Let''s go home."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Ah..."


    Though she was furious, seeing her son return, she quickly said: "Are you hungry? Why didn''t you go straight home when you got back? Why watch thismotion in such cold weather? Your holiday starts tomorrow, right? Do you get any benefits at work for the end of the year?"


    She kept asking questions one after another. Zhou Qun remained silent, but after entering the house, he frowned and said: "Mom, haven''t you embarrassed yourself enough?"


    Madam Zhou Li pouted, then muttered defiantly: "How is this my fault? I just saw what happened! And that Aunt Su is useless - as soon as Zhao Guihua got tough, she couldn''t help at all. What a spineless woman!"


    Seeing her son empty-handed, she couldn''t help but ask again: "Your factory didn''t give any benefits?"


    Zhou Qun looked at her with displeasure and said: "When has our factory ever given benefits? Aren''t you being foolish asking that? Besides, Jiang Lu has alreadye home from work. Didn''t you ask her? Now you''re asking me in front of all these people - are you trying to make me look bad? Mom, is this how you treat your son?"


    Madam Zhou Li quickly said cautiously: "Look at you, child, that''s not what I meant at all - you''re misunderstanding me. It''s all because of that awful Zhuang family. If they hadn''t been showing off by giving out things, would I have had a brain slip and asked you?"


    Unable to win against Zhao Guihua, she could still rant at home: "Look how smug Zhao Guihua is, just because she found a daughter-inw with good conditions. What''s so great about that? Giving out a few things, wanting the whole world to know. Just watch, those three little brats of Jin Lai must have stolen them."


    Mentioning children made her unhappy again, and she red at Jiang Lu, scolding: "Useless thing who can''ty eggs! You must take that folk remedy I found the other day!"


    Jiang Lu''s expression turned bitter, and she said miserably: "Mom, that remedy contains virgin boy urine... How- how can I drink that? It''s too disgusting."


    "If you don''t drink it, when will you ever have children? Are you deliberately trying to end our family line? How can you be so heartless? If you still can''t produce children, just go back to your parents'' home and don''te back." Madam Zhou Li took out her anger on her daughter-inw.


    Jiang Lu felt terrible inside, hanging her head without daring to speak, feeling extremely bitter. She knew it was all her fault. If she wasn''t unable to have children, Zhou Qun wouldn''t beughed at for not having any children at his age, and her mother-inw wouldn''t increasingly despise her.


    It was all her own fault.


    Jiang Lu looked at Zhou Qun. When their eyes met, he said: "Enough, Mom. It''s almost New Year''s, stop picking on Jiang Lu. We can talk about this after the New Year."


    "But..."


    "No buts," he said. "Jiang Lu has been trying very hard."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Hmph!"


    She was very dissatisfied with her son taking his wife''s side, thinking it was all this worthless woman''s influence, and grew increasingly hostile toward Jiang Lu. Meanwhile, Jiang Lu was overjoyed, knowing that Zhou Qun would always be good to her no matter what.


    She looked at Zhou Qun with sparkling eyes.


    "Jiang Lu, our department gave out an extra pound of food coupons. I see the expiration date ising up soon, and with New Year''s in a couple of days, the stores won''t be open. Why don''t you go use them today?" He handed the coupons to Jiang Lu, who immediately said: "Okay, I''ll go after I finish cooking."


    "Mom can cook, you go ahead."


    Jiang Lu: "Alright."


    She knew Zhou Qun was trying to help her avoid his mother, and she felt especially touched, her heart warming.


    This man had been so good to her, consistently, for ten years.


    As soon as Jiang Lu left the house, Madam Zhou Li started cursing: "Look at that little hussy''s shameless behavior. Can''t bear children but knows how to sweet-talk men. Don''t let her fool you."


    Zhou Qun watched through the window crack as Jiang Lu left the courtyard and said coldly: "Mom, watch how you speak to her. I have no intention of changing wives."


    Madam Zhou Li red: "It''s her fault she can''t have children! Besides, with your conditions, you could get any kind of wife you want!"


    Zhou Qun smiled coldly and said, "It''s her fault, but getting someone else might not be better. My conditions are good, but I''m already in my thirties, and your reputation is what it is. Don''t take this the wrong way, but let''s be honest - girls with conditions like Jiang Lu''s might not choose me. If I''m going to find someone who''s been married before, why should I settle? Jiang Lu''s family has good conditions, she''s a formal city worker, and she''s not bad looking - there aren''t many who meet all these criteria. It''s easy to find another wife, but not easy to find one with conditions like hers. What good is a pretty face from the countryside? Would they hand over their entire sry to you? Besides, she can''t have children, so she feels indebted to our family, and we can control her as we please. Try finding someone else with good conditions and see what happens. They might even expect you to serve them. It''s just about children! If she can''t have them, can''t I find someone else? As long as we keep it quiet, it''s fine. Besides, she''s only thirty now and can still handle it. In a couple of years, she might start looking for solutions herself."


    Madam Zhou Li''s triangr eyes flickered as she pondered, then said, "What you say makes sense. So we won''t make her drink the folk medicine?"


    Zhou Qun replied coldly, "She''ll drink it, of course she will, but didn''t we say after the New Year? During the festivities, I don''t want to smell that odor. After New Year''s, you can push harder. Keep scolding her when needed - if you don''t scold her, how will she know my worth?"


    Madam Zhou Liughed, "Ah!"


    Mother and son, having reached an agreement, showed smug smiles. Madam Zhou Li whispered, "If you ask me, Wang Xiangxiu would be best for having children. She''s so fertile, all her kids are chubby boys. If she..."


    Zhou Qun: "I know, but I still want to see if there are other suitable candidates. If there are, I''d prefer not to choose her. She''s too close by, and her family has three children. They''re always frantically worried about feeding those three kids. If we get too involved, we might get bitten. That kind of woman is fine for sleeping with, but for actually having children, I need to think it through."


    Madam Zhou Li caught his meaning, her eyes brightening as she smiled suggestively, then said, "Well, you handle this as you see fit. Mom will follow your lead."


    Zhou Qun nodded: "That''s right to listen to me. I''m not like that fool Bai Fendou, getting strung along helping others. He''s in his thirties, and Zhuang Zhixi who''s only in his twenties is already married, while he''s still single. What an idiot."


    Madam Zhou Li: "That young couple, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife, I don''t think they''re any good either. Especially that Ming Mei of theirs, so full of herself, showing off in the courtyard today when she got some things. Making sure everyone knows about it."


    Zhou Qun narrowed his eyes slightly: "Her conditions are quite good though. It''s a waste she''s with Zhuang Zhixi."


    "That''s right, if we''d known about someone like her, she would have been good for our family," Madam Zhou Li muttered.


    Zhou Qun nodded, but quickly shook his head, saying, "Her family''s conditions are good, but not as good as Jiang Lu''s. Being young and pretty is useless - would she hand over her sry?"


    Hearing this, Madam Zhou Li quickly said, "That wouldn''t work at all." She used Jiang Lu''s sry for living expenses and could save at least fifteen yuan per month for her private stash.


    "Exactly."


    While mother and son were calcting everything clearly in Jiang Lu''s absence, Ming Mei, who had been inadvertently drawn into their schemes, kept sneezing. She rubbed her nose and said, "Someone must be talking about me behind my back, hmm!"


    "Here, let me rub it for you," Zhuang Zhixi stepped forward, eager to help.


    Ming Meiughed and dodged, saying, "Stop that."


    After the family finished dinner, Zhao Guihua began distributing shoes, saying, "Since we''ve earned some money recently, I bought each of you a pair of thousandyer cotton shoes to wear on New Year''s morning. As the old saying goes, wear new shoes to walk new paths! During New Year''s, you might not wear new clothes, but you must wear new shoes."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked with a smile, "Mom, I''ve never heard that saying before."


    Zhao Guihua: "Lu Xun said it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...Lu Xun said ''wear new shoes to walk new paths''?"


    Why did he find that so hard to believe?


    Zhao Guihua gave him a side nce and said, "Maybe it was Zhou Shuren who said it. What, you have a problem with that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...No."


    He didn''t say that.


    Lu Xun definitely didn''t say that. Looking up, he saw his older brother about to speak, and Zhuang Zhixi immediately started coughing. Being brothers, he had to stop his brother from courting death! During New Year''s, better not offend their mother.


    Whatever she says someone said, that''s who said it.


    Zhao Guihua: "Cough cough cough, don''t cough towards the dining table, it''s disgusting."


    "Haven''t we finished eating?"


    "Just because we''re finished doesn''t mean you should cough, is that proper?"


    Zhao Guihua red at her son again, watching everyone try on their shoes, and asked, "How are they? Do they fit?"


    Ming Mei twirled around in her shoes and said, "They fit perfectly! Mom, how did you know my shoe size? You really do care about me."


    She smiled and linked arms with Zhao Guihua, saying coquettishly, "Mom, I knew you liked me best, I''ve discovered your secret!"


    Zhao Guihua: "...You''re really full of yourself, aren''t you?"


    Ming Mei replied confidently: "But you do like me! It''s normal for you to know everyone else''s size, you''ve lived together for many years, it would be strange if you didn''t know. But I''ve only been married in for a short time, not even a month. You knew my size without even asking, which means you must have been secretly paying attention to me. Isn''t that treating me like your own daughter? I knew you liked me best!"


    Zhao Guihua didn''t know whether tough or cry, saying, "Oh, you..."


    Ming Mei: "I knew it, I knew it."


    Others: "..." They couldn''t bear to watch.


    Liang Meifen: "..." Super angry! This is infuriating! You little brown-noser!


    Although Liang Meifen''s family background wasn''t particrly good, they weren''tpletely uneducated or uncouth, so she wasn''t really good at cursing. This made her very frustrated, and she couldn''t think of many other insulting words.


    She just kept using the same few over and over.


    Like calling Ming Mei a brown-noser - thatbel stuck to her.


    Liang Meifen was so angry, but seeing how her mother-inw was actually falling for this act made her even angrier. What kind of person would do this?


    Ming Mei continued acting cute with her mother-inw: "Mom, I''m so pitiful, you know? Tomorrow everyone else can stay home for New Year''s, but I have to go to work. Aren''t I the most pitiful little thing?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh heavens, can''t you speak properly? Straighten out your tongue when you talk."


    Ming Mei: "Mom, I know you feel sorry for me."


    Zhao Guihua: "Hey, no, where did you get that idea?"


    Ming Mei: "I can see it everywhere! Look, your mouth is turning up at the corners. Since I''m working so hard, can I have an extra dumpling tomorrow?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Eat, eat, eat, you can have it!"


    Ming Meiughed again, and Zhuang Zhixi joined in: "Mom, can I have one too?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Get lost!"


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t believe it: "How can you treat us so differently? I knew it, you only like my wife now, you don''t love your most beloved youngest son anymore. Aren''t they always saying the youngest son and eldest grandson are the most precious? How can you not dote on me?"


    Hutou, feeling somehow targeted, thought carefully and said proudly: "Grandma loves me most!"


    He was the eldest grandson, and grandma secretly gave him and Xiao Yanzi treats.


    Others didn''t get any.


    He wouldn''t tell!


    But he was proud!


    Xiao Yanzi scooted over to Zhao Guihua and hugged her leg, saying in a sweet voice: "Grandma, grandma is Xiao Yanzi''s, little auntie can''t steal her!"


    Ming Mei refused to yield to the child, firmly stating: "I''ll steal her anyway!"


    Xiao Yanzi pursed her little lips, staring at Ming Mei, their gazes shing with sparks flying!


    Old Man Zhuang: "..." What the hell was all this about? His wife was closest to him, why were all these people trying to steal her!


    He coughed heavily.


    No one paid attention.


    Completely ignored.


    This was because Old Man Zhuang had no say at home. Naturally, no one responded, so Old Man Zhuang finally spoke up: "If you all have nothing to do, go back to your rooms and sleep, go on."


    He had to drive these people away.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s still early, not tired, let''s chat for a while."


    Ming Mei: "Exactly."


    She wiggled her feet, showing off her shoes, saying: "They''re sofortable!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My mom knows which shop is the best, their thousandyer soles are the best, very good value for money."


    Ming Mei: "Yes, I can feel it."


    Old Man Zhuang: "If you two lovebirds want to chat, go back to your own room! Get going!"


    Ming Mei put on an innocent face, while Zhuang Zhixi scolded his father: "How can you chase people away? We''re not leaving! Mom, Dad''s trying to challenge your authority at home, you should say something to him."


    Zhao Guihua responded sincerely: "You''re all giving me a headache with your bickering. Listen to your father and go back to your rooms. I know you all side with your wives, but I side with my old man. He''s the best person there is." Zhao Guihua waved her hand as if shooing away flies: "Go on, go on."


    Like shooing away flies.


    Old Man Zhuang felt both touched and proud - his wife always knew how to treat him well!


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We have it so tough."


    Ming Mei was all smiles as she said coquettishly: "Mom and Dad are still so loving as an old couple, Zhixi, you should learn from them. By the way, I have work tomorrow, are you going to take me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course! I''ll take you there and pick you up in the evening."


    He ruffled Ming Mei''s hair and said: "My wife works so hard, I need to show my appreciation as a husband."


    They walked arm in arm back to their room. Once inside, Ming Mei didn''t bother lighting the stove and just flopped onto the bed, saying: "Time to sleep!"


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned in and pecked her, Ming Mei: "Mmm."


    Aliali: 674546a7c4f3f33ac44c928aShe propped herself up to look at Zhuang Zhixi, who leaned in for another kiss and started getting frisky. Ming Mei pushed him away: "Light the stove, it''s cold..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''ll get warm in a minute..."


    Ming Mei giggled and said: "No, really, it''s cold. Don''t let us freeze. Go light the stove. After that, we can do anything!"


    Zhuang Zhixi stopped what he was doing and looked at Ming Mei, asking meaningfully: "Anything?"


    Ming Mei said coyly: "Yes, do you think I''m someone who doesn''t keep their word?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes darkened slightly as he smiled and said: "Pinky promise."


    Ming Mei: "You''re so childish!"


    But despite her words, she was the one who reached out to make the pinky promise...


    The room''s temperature gradually rose, and soon the young couple turned off the lights, and the bed started creaking...


    The bed should hold up just fine!

 Chapter 19: The Bustle of New Year’s Eve

    <h4>Chapter 19</h4>


    Crackling and popping!


    Early in the morning, the sound of firecrackers filled the streets, with both big and small kids running around the alleys, creating a lively atmosphere. Several children in the courtyard had also run out to y. Today was the 30th, and even the most financially strained families would splurge a bit to buy some small firecrackers for their children.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had already dashed out early in the morning. Their neighbors, the Jii brothers and the Li Junjun and Li Weiwei brothers, along with other kids, formed a group and ran wildly outside. By mid-morning, therge courtyard began to waft with a delicious aroma.


    Today was a rare holiday, and Old Man Zhuang, despite the cold, was sitting outside with a stool, ying chess with his eldest son Zhuang Zhiyuan. Both were poor yers, and the onlookers couldn''t help but point andment.


    Zhao Guihua, with her eldest daughter-inw Liang Meifen in tow, was busy preparing lunch at home. She had bought arge piece of pork ribs and cut off a third of it, chopping it vigorously. Liang Meifen watched enviously; such good ribs were a rare treat for her.


    After chopping the ribs, Zhao Guihua started slicing the pork. She cut the fatty and lean pork into thin slices, added firewood, and then fried the meat in a wok. The sizzling sound was immediately followed by the aroma of the meat, which released a lot of oil as it cooked. Zhao Guihua continued to stir-fry until the meat slices turned golden brown, then added pickled cabbage and vermicelli before pouring in water and covering the pot.


    Turning around, she saw Liang Meifen''s drooling expression and said, "Why are you standing there like that? Go and clean the fish. We''ll make steamed fish for lunch today."


    Liang Meifen happily replied, "Alright!"


    She quickly got to work. Zhao Guihua called out, "Zhixi, Zhixi."


    Zhuang Zhixi, who was watching the two poor chess yers, immediately turned his head and asked, "Mother, what do you need?"


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and said, "Stop being so glib. Go to the cer and bring up four cabbages."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Got it."


    He quickly went to the cer, where he saw Wang Xiangxiu. Their cer was shared among the four families in the front yard, each with a designated area for storing winter vegetables like cabbage and radishes.


    Wang Xiangxiu turned around at the sound of footsteps, and upon seeing Zhuang Zhixi, she gave a charming smile and said, "I thought who it was? Little Zhuang, why are you here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi politely greeted, "Sister-inw Su."


    Wang Xiangxiu pouted slightly, saying, "Look at you, others call me Sister Xiangxiu, but you call me Sister-inw Su. It sounds so distant."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and said, "It wouldn''t be appropriate to call you Sister Xiangxiu. That would show ack of respect. I''m addressing you as my sister-inw out of respect for my brother Su."


    He moved forward to take the cabbages, and Wang Xiangxiu softly said, "You seem to be struggling. Let me help you."


    She directly stepped in front of Zhuang Zhixi, herrge hips facing him, and bent down to help.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly said, "No, no, it''s fine."


    He was well aware that Sister-inw Su''s actions seemed like an attempt to seduce him. However, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t interested in her. He already had a beautiful and lovely wife, and there was no reason to stray.


    Was he bored?


    Zhuang Zhixi took the cabbages and left without even ncing at Wang Xiangxiu. He felt like he was in the same situation as the monk Tang Sanzang from Journey to the West, who once entered the Spider Cave. Zhuang Zhixi remained unmoved.


    Wang Xiangxiu slightly frowned and stomped her foot lightly. She had always thought that young men without much experience were easy to manipte, but he hadn''t taken the bait. This made Wang Xiangxiu a bit unhappy. Her usual tactics usually yielded some benefits, even if not fully sessful. Now, she got nothing. She bit her lip and nced at Zhuang''s winter vegetables but didn''t dare to take any.


    If Zhuang Zhixi offered, it would be one thing, but if she took it herself, the meaning would be different. She understood this. This small advantage was not worth it. Wang Xiangxiu looked unhappy at the winter vegetables, hesitated, and then went to the Bai family''s section. Bai Fendou certainly wouldn''t mind.


    But after thinking about it, Wang Xiangxiu gave up. She couldn''t risk it for small gains. The Bai family was a sustainable resource. She sighed and took her own vegetables. Her family hadn''t bought many winter vegetables this year, and they were almost out by the time of the New Year. Wang Xiangxiu''s mood was heavy.


    Zhuang Zhixi, like Monk Tang, decisively left the temptress and quickly emerged from the cer with the cabbages. He felt he deserved praise from his wife. Unfortunately, his wife wasn''t home, or he would have asked for a kiss right away.


    Zhuang Zhixi carried the cabbages into the house and mused, "How nice it would be to eat like this every day."


    Zhao Guihua nced at him and said, "Maybe in ten or twenty years, that will be possible."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He pouted, "Mom, you''re really good at bragging."


    Zhao Guihua: "Maybe in ten or twenty years, you won''t even want to eat meat and will prefer vegetables!"


    Zhuang Zhixi widened his eyes and said, "That''s impossible. If I could eat meat every day, I''d be over the moon. Not wanting meat? I wouldn''t even dream of such a thing."


    Zhao Guihua smirked at him, toozy to argue with this ignorant fellow. He couldn''t imagine that by the time he was in his forties or fifties, he''d be obsessed with health, eating meat in measured amounts, and boiling vegetables without oil.


    At that time, he wouldn''t want anything greasy or rich in fat.


    So, who could see ahead?


    Oh, wait, she could.


    Zhao Guihua was lost in thought for a moment but quickly snapped back to reality and said, "Today we have four main dishes for lunch, and we''ll cook dumplings in the evening. Will you take lunch to your wife, or will she eat at her unit?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "She said she''ll eat at her unit. Their cafeteria seems to have meat today. If she doesn''t eat, she''ll miss out. But make sure to save two pieces of ribs for my wife."


    He was very protective of his wife.


    Zhao Guihua gave him a sidelong nce and said, "Don''t worry, I''ve made enough. No need to save any. We''ll make more in the evening, so she won''t miss out."


    Zhuang Zhixi saw that there were still two-thirds left and immediately snapped his fingers, saying, "Got it, got it. I''ll do as you say. No wonder Mingmei says you''re the one who dotes on her the most. It''s true, you really are."


    Liang Meifen peeked at her mother-inw, feeling a bit sour. As the eldest daughter-inw and the mother of the eldest grandson, a boy at that, why did everyone like her sister-inw more? She had just married in a few days and didn''t even have a child yet.


    Thinking about this, Liang Meifen''s mood dimmed as she looked at the delicious food.


    Was it because she had given her job to her brother that they disliked her so much? But he was her brother, the one who could support her. How important was her family? Didn''t Zhaodi and Laidi send so many things back to their families?


    She hadn''t done enough.


    But no one understood her.


    Liang Meifen felt her heart sinking into bitterness.


    She felt extremely sad, but seeing that no one else paid attention to her, not even her husband, she felt even more miserable.


    She wanted to cry, wanted to go to the bathroom and cry!


    Liang Meifen sank into endless self-pity, while Zhuang Zhixi had no time to care about her. He pulled Zhao Guihua and said, "Mom,e here. I have something to tell you."


    Zhao Guihua: "What is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Come here."


    He pulled his mother into the inner room, and Liang Meifen immediately perked up, trying to eavesdrop at the door. What was this brother-inw up to now? Was he trying to scam his mother''s money?


    She couldn''t let that happen.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know his sister-inw was eavesdropping, but he could guess her usual behavior. He wasn''t here to talk about her, though. He whispered something in his mother''s ear.


    Zhao Guihua''s eyebrows shot up, and she angrily cursed, "Shameless!"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly covered her mouth and said, "Don''t let others hear and guess. We know what''s going on in our hearts. Anyway, I won''t be fooled. I''m a man of strong will, but my dad and elder brother... You should remind them. That woman can target me, and she can target them too."


    He didn''t want his family to be tricked by that woman. Wang Xiangxiu, once you get involved with her, it''s hard to get rid of her. She and her family will alwayse looking for favors.


    Take Bai Fendou, for example, he''s a perfect example of what not to do.


    Zhao Guihua red at him and said, "Do you think I don''t know that? Alright, stop talking about this."


    Zhao Guihua despised Wang Xiangxiu a million times over but didn''t want this toe out from their family. She added, "I''ll remind your dad and elder brother."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "That''s good."


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand and said, "Alright, get out."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Got it."


    As he lifted the curtain, he saw his sister-inw trying to dodge out of sight. Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Sister-inw, you''re eavesdropping again. You can eavesdrop on my conversation with mom, but don''t eavesdrop on me and my wife at night, or I''ll pour wash water outside."


    Liang Meifen''s face turned red with embarrassment and said, "How could I do such a thing? I wasn''t eavesdropping. I just wanted to ask mom if the sauerkraut is ready."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly and said, "Sister-inw, your excuse isn''t very good. You know how to cook, next time find a better excuse, or mom will get mad again."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, shut up! Get out and stop bothering me here. And you, Liang Meifen, get your head straight! Always thinking about nonsense, you''re really muddle-headed."


    Liang Meifen hung her head and quickly helped with the chores.


    Zhuang Zhixi strolled out and saw Bai Fendouing over. Bai Fendou''s family only had him and his dad, and there wasn''t much festive atmosphere for the New Year. While every household was preparing for the reunion dinner on New Year''s Eve, he was just strolling around, not in a hurry at all.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Fendou bro, that''s not right, huh? Leaving Uncle Bai alone at home preparing lunch, not even helping?"


    Bai Fendou scratched his head and said, "Hey, don''t say that. What kind of person do you think I am? Am I the kind who only cares about myself and doesn''t care about my dad? Dad''s not doing any work at home either."


    He said with some pride, "Someone''s helping with our lunch."


    He looked at the Su family next door and said with a rxed smile, "Aunt Su is helping us cook, and she''ll bring it overter. Speaking of Aunt Su and Sister Xiangxiu, they''re truly rare good women. The Su family is really blessed."


    Too bad the early deceased father and son didn''t have the fortune.


    He thought to himself, if he had a wife like Sister Su, he wouldn''t want to leave early. Leaving them mother and child to live a hard life, such a good woman deserves the best life.


    Zhuang Zhixi let out a long "Oh," and teased, "Aunt Su''s family is already struggling, and you''re taking advantage of them."


    Bai Fendou: "Hey, you little rascal, how do you talk? I''m not that kind of person. I bought chicken, meat, and fish."


    Everyone understood what he meant. Bai''s family bought all these good things for the Su family to cook, and the Su family would probably keep most of it after sending a te over.


    But Bai Fendou probably knew that too, and he was willing.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "You bought quite a lot."


    "Of course, it''s New Year''s, who doesn''t eat well? Your mom''s stingy, but she still eats well during the New Year, right?" Bai Fendou said mockingly.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately retorted, "Can you speak properly? My mom''s not stingy, she knows how to live. Besides, our family lives well. If it weren''t for my mom''s nning, could we live sofortably? You, a family without a woman, don''t understand the importance of a woman."


    Bai Fendou snorted and didn''t bother arguing with the young man, saying, "Always talking about women, as if having a woman is such a big deal."


    He was jealous, but he didn''t say it.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "Isn''t it important? Can''t you see?"


    He pointed to the men in the house and said, "If it weren''t important, could we be so rxed?"


    Bai Fendou pouted and said, "What''s so great about it? I have help too."


    "You''re not helping for free."


    Zhuang Zhixi knew the Su family well. He smiled and said, "I say, Fendou bro, are you really not nning to get married? You''re not young anymore."


    "Yeah, Fendou bro, you''re three years older than me, and my son can already run errands." Bai Zhiyuan teased, also thinking it was time for Bai Fendou to get married.


    Being mixed up with a widow all the time wasn''t good. The widow''s children weren''t his.


    One still had to have their own kids.


    Bai Fendou actually wanted to find a wife, but it was hard. Everyone in their courtyard had a good wife, and he didn''t want to be worse than them. He looked at Zhuang Zhiyuan and said, "Why don''t you introduce one to me?"


    He heard there were many pretty girls working as conductors on the train, and the conditions were definitely good.


    Bai Fendou immediately clung to Zhuang Zhiyuan, who said, "...


    He thought for a moment and said, "It''s not good for a man to be a matchmaker, it''s not proper. Why don''t you ask Aunt Wang? She''s famous for matchmaking, she''s matched many people. I''m sure she has many suitable candidates."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn''t passing the buck, he really thought Aunt Wang was good at this. Although their family brothers weren''t introduced by her, people like Wang Xiangxiu and Zhou Qun''s wife Jiang Lu were introduced by her. Jiang Lu''s father was the director of the supply and marketing cooperative, with considerable power.


    Such a good family could be introduced, showing Aunt Wang really had good candidates.


    Bai Fendou pouted and said, "The ones she introduced to me weren''t good! Either without a job or a country girl. With my conditions, I can''t possibly find a country girl."


    Nowadays, if you have a rural household registration, you don''t have a grain book, and it''s even harder to have children, because the child''s household registration follows the mother''s.


    If the mother is a rural household registration, the child is also a rural household registration, without the city''s fixed quantity.


    You see, Liang Meifen doesn''t have a job now, even if she didn''t have a job from the start, she''s better off than a country girl, because her household registration is urban, and her child is an urban household registration. If you marry a country girl, the father''s pressure is great, having to bear the food for the whole family, the life must be very difficult, the burden is very heavy.


    Compared to decadester when there''s no difference between urban and rural areas, now the urban household registration is much more important than the rural household registration. Generally, unless there''s a big problem, a city worker won''t find a country girl.


    That''s why Bai Fendou''s expression was so bad when he mentioned country girls.


    And he felt he wasn''t any worse than Zhou Qun, how could Aunt Wang introduce Jiang Lu to Zhou Qun, even if Jiang Lu couldn''t have children, but at the time of introduction, they didn''t know, did they?


    When it came to introducing to him, they were all ugly, he wasn''t happy. So he had a little opinion of Aunt Wang.


    Bai Fendou didn''t have a big heart, his expression showed it, Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Fendou bro, times have changed, Zhou Qun got married more than ten years ago. He was young then, with more choices, now you''re thirty-one, the choices are naturally fewer."


    Actually, that wasn''t the point, the point was you''re entangled with a widow, good families don''t want to marry you.


    Bai Fendou: "Then should I ask Aunt Wang again?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I think that''s a good idea."


    Bai Fendou, a grown man, spoke with a hint of shyness: "Aunt Wang isn''t willing to introduce anyone to me." He had seen several prospects fall through, and Aunt Wang felt her reputation was at stake, especially since Bai Fendou didn''t seem appreciative. Naturally, Aunt Wang was displeased.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "Why don''t you try a roundabout approach? Ask Yang Lixin for help."


    Yang Lixin was the son-inw of Chef Li and Aunt Wang.


    As they chatted in the courtyard, their voices carried, and Wang Xiangxiu, who was eavesdropping, bit her lip, ring at the courtyard with resentment: "This Zhuang Zhixi is such a troublemaker, always stirring up chaos."


    Aunt Su understood what Wang Xiangxiu meant and gently patted her hand infort: "Look at you, getting flustered over such a small matter. Bai Fendou has seen enough of the women in our courtyard. Do you really think he''d ept someone of average conditions?"


    As the saying goes, an old ginger is hotter than a young one. Aunt Su had hit the nail on the head.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "But..."


    Aunt Su spoke softly but with malice: "Even if they do get together, what''s the big deal? Couples can easily break up. It''s hard to bring them together, but it''s easy to tear them apart, don''t you think?"


    Wang Xiangxiu pondered for a moment and nodded.


    Still, she was indignant: "This Zhuang Zhixi just loves meddling in other people''s business."


    "Did you just..."


    Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu and asked.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "He doesn''t fall for it. The guy just doesn''t appreciate my charm."


    Aunt Su thought for a moment and said: "Take it slow! I heard they earn about sixty yuan a month, give ten yuan for living expenses, and still have fifty left. They don''t have to worry about food and drink, so how could they spend all that? As neighbors, we should help them out. Of course, they should help us too. We''re a widow and her child, so pitiful."


    "You''re right."


    Aunt Su: "Alright, let''s start cooking. Later, we''ll take some to the Bai family. I''ll give Old Bai a talking to. He''s the father, and if he doesn''t agree, Bai Fendou''s marriage ns will be tough."


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled: "You always have a way, Mom."


    She opened the window to cook, and as the smoke dispersed, she happened to nce up and saw Zhou Quning out of his house. Their eyes met, and Wang Xiangxiu gave a charming smile before quickly looking down, as if nothing had happened.


    Zhou Qun, as if nothing had happened, joined the group around Old Man Zhuang, watching him y chess. Zhuang Zhixi made room and said: "Zhou Qun,e stand here, it''s less windy."


    He politely made space, and as luck would have it, Zhou Qun''s position allowed him to see Wang Xiangxiu cooking. Zhou Qun smiled and stood there contentedly, saying: "Mind if I join in?"


    "Sure, go ahead."


    Bai Fendou rolled his eyes: "Do you even know how to y?"


    They were the same age, both thirty-one, but one lived in prosperity while the other was alone, naturally they didn''t get along.


    Zhou Qun, unbothered, smiled: "I know a little. Fendou, want to join?"


    Zhuang Zhixi teased: "Fendou can''t join, he''s waiting for Yang Lixin."


    Just as they mentioned him, Yang Lixin came out to use the toilet. Zhuang Zhixi called: "Yang Ge."


    Yang Lixin: "What''s up?"


    Yang Lixin was different from men like Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou. He was very slender, looking like a small man. Most chefs were burly, but he was exceptionally thin, like a bamboo pole, yet fair-skinned. If you didn''t know, you might think he was a schr rather than a chef.


    "Youe, youe!"


    The men gathered, and Yang Lixin quickly understood what they were up to. He nced at Bai Fendou''s appearance and deeply felt that Bai Fendou was delusional!


    With looks like his, he was far from being as good as himself, yet he wanted to find someone of good conditions. Was that even possible?


    With the current fervor of going to the countryside, those who could stay behind all had jobs, and families who gave jobs to their daughters were definitely well-off. Why would they choose you?


    Although Yang Lixin was a son-inw, he looked down on Bai Fendou. But he didn''t want to cause trouble in the courtyard, so he said: "I''ll talk to my mother-inw and put in a good word for you."


    Bai Fendou''s eyes lit up: "You''re a true friend. When this works out, I''ll treat you to drinks." He reached out to put an arm around Yang Lixin, who quickly dodged, flicking his fingers with a delicate gesture: "Just talk, don''t touch, it''s gross."


    Bai Fendou: "Eww~"


    He couldn''t stand Yang Lixin''s mannerisms, not very manly.


    He said: "Look, I''m offering to buy you drinks."


    Yang Lixin pursed his lips: "..."


    With that attitude, forget about the drinks.


    This guy just wasn''t going to work out.


    But Yang Lixin didn''t say it out loud, just chuckled. Zhou Qun nced at Yang Lixin, then looked towards the Su family''s direction, with a meaningful smile.


    The atmosphere seemed harmonious, but whether everyone had their own motives was another story.


    When the Su family''s mother and daughter heard Yang Lixin was willing to help, they whispered: "That busybody, a useless egg meddling in so much!"


    Their voices were low, so no one heard, but Bai Fendou was quite happy. He said: "I knew everyone was anxious about my marriage. One day, when I have some progress, I''ll treat everyone to a feast. Little Yang, you have to cook for us, you''re the chef."


    Yang Lixin frowned, brushing it off: "We''ll see, we''ll see."


    Was he a chef supposed to work for free? What a nuisance.


    The men quickly resumed their banter. The noise from the courtyard attracted more people. Zhao Guihua, hearing the buzz like flies outside the window, said: "These people have nothing better to do."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Her mother-inw''s mouth!


    Zhao Guihua had just finished cooking fish and opened the window, calling: "Zhuang Zhixi, go call Hutou and Xiao Yanzi back for dinner."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why is it always me? I had to fetch the cabbage, and now I have to call the kids. They''re my brother''s kids, after all."


    He grumbled but went to the door and shouted: "Hutou, Xiao Yanzi,e home for dinner!"


    As soon as he finished, the two kids ran home like little puppies, fast as lightning. Of course, kids knew when the food was good and didn''t waste any time.


    ying with Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, Li Junjun and Li Weiwei also asked: "Uncle Zhuang, is it time for dinner at our ce?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Not yet, but soon. You shoulde back too!"


    "Okay!"


    Influenced by Zhuang Zhixi''s words, the kids hurried home, too eager to y anymore. Hutou was the fastest, rushing back and hugging Zhuang Zhixi''s leg, looking up excitedly: "Uncle, is there meat?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, hurry home and wash your hands."


    Hutou dragged his sister to the tap in the courtyard, the cold water making them shiver, but they were used to it. After washing, they ran home: "Grandma, we''re back!"


    Zhao Guihua: "I made braised spare ribs. Come, try one first."


    "Wow!"


    Hutou''s eyes sparkled. He knew Grandma loved him and Xiao Yanzi the most. He eagerly looked up, and soon, the two kids each got a piece of rib. He grinned happily.


    Zhao Guihua: "Time to eat!"


    Her shout echoed through the courtyard, and the chess group immediately dispersed. The men who were chatting just moments ago scattered, and the Zhuang family of three entered their home. The aroma of the food was so intoxicating.


    The meal was simply too delicious.


    The whole family sat down, and Zhuang Zhiximented: "Poor little wife, still working today. It''s so tough."


    Zhao Guihua: "There''s still ribs, fish, and meat. She won''t go hungry. You don''t need to keep reminding me." She knew exactly what that little rascal was thinking.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "True enough."


    Such a good meal, no need for many words, just dig in, as this is thest day of the year, and tomorrow is the first day of the new year, Zhao Guihua said, "All the blessings are in the dishes, eat up!"


    No matter how many big truths you speak, it''s useless, just eat. With these words, everyone quickly started wielding their chopsticks. Zhuang Zhixi immediately picked up a piece of spare ribs. The meat on the ribs is different from pork belly, but the taste is surprisingly good, fragrant and not greasy, leaving an endless aftertaste after a bite.


    It''s simply the best.


    He gnawed through a piece of ribs in a few bites, then turned his attention to the pork belly with sauerkraut, sizzling! Each has its own deliciousness, neither is bad! Such a feast is notmon, Zhuang Zhixi ate his rice in big mouthfuls, not rxing at all.


    Not just him, everyone else at home was the same, even little Xiao Yanzi, a four-year-old, could swing her tiny chopsticks quickly, not rxing at all.


    The little one''s cheeks puffed up as she ate, like a little squirrel.


    She also pouted and mumbled, "Delicious!"


    Everyone had the tacit understanding to eat the fishst, not because the fish wasn''t good, but because it had bones, so one had to be careful. Eating meat first was just right.


    "Mom, your cooking is really good, not inferior to Chef Li," Zhuang Zhixi said while eating, ttering.


    Zhao Guihua: "As long as you''re willing to put in the ingredients, how can it not be delicious? Besides, not everyone can make ribs taste bad, that takes some skill."


    "That''s not necessarily true, Mom, your cooking, I''m the most convinced of."


    This tterer is always likable no matter when, although Zhao Guihua ims never to fall for this, the corner of her mouth lifting betrays her true feelings.


    She wasn''t as calm as she appeared, she was happy.


    Zhuang Zhixi finished his meal, rubbed his belly, and slumped in his chair, saying, "That was refreshing!"


    Despite preparing six dishes, the meal was eaten clean, not a scrap left. Zhao Guihua looked at the few who were full and said, "No one is allowed to go out in the afternoon, we''re all going to make dumplings together."


    Liang Meifen immediately said, "Mom, you and I can handle it, if we can''t, Sister-inw cane back to help, no need for the men."


    Zhao Guihua shot her a sharp look and said, "Aren''t they family? Why should everything be done by us women? It''s New Year''s, what''s wrong with making dumplings together? If you can do it all by yourself, then do it, if not, keep quiet and don''t wait for me to lecture you! This family isn''t run by you!"


    If you think about it, if Zhao Guihua hadn''t been reborn, she might have thought the same as Liang Meifen, except for families like Chef Li''s where the man is a cook. In most households, the cooking was done by women, men didn''t usually step into the kitchen. But Zhao Guihua doesn''t think that way now, why must we divide by gender? What''s wrong with a family doing things together?


    Zhao Guihua yelled fiercely, and Liang Meifen silently lowered her head, whispering, "I''ll listen to you."


    This person is like that. If you want to talk to her nicely, she always wants to jump, but if you''re fierce, she thinks it''s natural.


    Zhao Guihua feels her bad temper is entirely due to this daughter-inw.


    She took a deep breath and said, "Since it''s New Year''s, eat heartily, prepare for tonight and tomorrow morning, I don''t think the cabbage is enough, go get a few more in the afternoon."


    "Okay."


    Hutou cooed, "Grandma, Hutou can help too."


    His behavior made Zhao Guihuaugh, the previously overcast sky now sunny, she said with a smile, "No need, you''re a child, you can''t make dumplings. If you want to show off, sweep the floor after New Year''s."


    Liang Meifen wanted to say something, but upon meeting her mother-inw''s cold gaze, she immediately quieted down, inwardlyining about her son being so foolish, a boy, how can he do work?


    Besides, he''s so small, the mother-inw is really something.


    But despite having a thousand thoughts in her mind, Liang Meifen didn''t say a word, staying quiet. Hutou, however, wasn''t obedient, he wiggled his little bottom and said, "Grandma, I want to go out and y."


    Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead."


    Kids can''t sit still at home.


    The little guy immediately pulled his sister and ran out, Hutou, although a mischievous boy, always knows to hold his sister''s hand.


    Xiao Yanzi followed her brother, nevergging behind.


    The two kids ran out the door, their family didn''t eat early, by this time other kids had already finished eating and were ying outside, Hutou quickly joined in.


    The kids yed hopscotch.


    Hutou: "I''m the best at hopscotch, no one can beat me!"


    "I can too, I can too!" Xiao Yanzi chimed in.


    Kids are different, some have better conditions, are more spoiled at home, have firecrackers to y with, some are younger or poorer, can only y hopscotch.


    Hutou and his sister are young, their family wouldn''t let them y with many firecrackers, not safe. So the two kids mingled with the hopscotch kids.


    "You hit one, I hit one..." Xiao Yanzi yed patty-cake with the older sister next door.


    "Oh, you''re ying hopscotch! Hehe, we have firecrackers," the kids were ying happily when they saw Jii and his two brotherse out, their mouths oily, arrogant and proud, "We have firecrackers..."


    Sure enough, this remark drew envious nces from the other kids.


    Jii became even more proud, raising his chin and saying, "You, you, you, I won''t y with you, the rest, if you want to see us set off firecrackers, follow me!"


    Forming cliques.


    Hutou pouted, he huffed, "Don''t y with us, then don''t!"


    A few kids who usually didn''t y well with Jii and his brothers were immediately excluded. Hutou was a little envious, but he wouldn''t show weakness!


    He pulled his sister and said, "We can have just as much fun ying hopscotch, we''ll set off a lot of firecrackers tonight~"


    Xiao Yanzi: "Okay~"


    A soft, sweet little voice.


    Jii nced at them, snorted, and said, "We won''t y with you! We big kids y different things, we don''t y with little kids."


    A few kids who wanted to y with firecrackers surrounded Jii and his brothers, asking, "What are you ying?"


    Aliali: 67486acac4f3f33ac478697cJii''s eyes scanned around, suddenly spotting a stray dog, he pointed proudly, saying, "Bomb it!"


    "Ah? Isn''t that bad?"


    Jii''s eyes bulged, "Want to y or not? If not, get lost!"


    He''s the boss here.


    He lit a firecracker and threw it at the stray dog... boom!


    The stray dog, which was happily foraging, suddenly got attacked, quickly fleeing, Jiiughed loudly, chasing and throwing more, "Watch this!"


    Yii: "Me, me!"


    Boom!


    One after another!


    The stray dog got bombed again and again, howling, suddenly turning and baring its teeth, charging over... Hutou, sharp-eyed, saw Jii and his friends provoke the stray dog from afar, pulling his sister, turned and ran: "Run fast!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 20

    The three Jii brothers were nothing but trouble makers.


    They couldn''t stay out of mischief for even a moment. When they set off firecrackers near the stray dog, it wasn''t badly hurt but the explosion awakened its wild nature. With a howl, the dog turned around and started chasing the children, barking furiously.


    Jii: "Ahhh!"


    Though the three brothers usually acted tough and intimidating, when real trouble came, they were just children after all - Jii, the oldest, was only nine. He let out a high-pitched scream and ran away at full speed,pletely forgetting about his younger brothers.


    Yii was no better. The other children who had been standing around quickly scattered, running towards the main gate. Many kids had been ying in the alley, and when the fierce stray dog charged at them, they all started screaming in terror.


    "Run! The wild dog will eat us!"


    "Quick, escape!"


    "Help!"


    ...


    The children were screaming chaotically as they fled. Hutou saw the big stray dog running towards them. Though his little face turned pale with fear, the sharp-eyed boy quickly grabbed his sister''s hand and ran towards home, shouting: "Run away! Everyone run!"


    His shout as he pulled his sister along snapped the other children out of their frozen state. They quickly followed suit - if not now, when else would you run? It was a big dog after all!


    A big dog that could bite!


    Hutou was yelling as he pulled his sister along. Though Xiao Yanzi was tiny, she ran just as fast. The siblings were the first to reach the courtyard, followed closely by children from other households who ran in after them. This courtyard was closest, so everyone rushed inside!


    The children''s screams brought people out of their homes. "What''s going on?"


    Bai Fendou''s family lived closest to the gate and came out first. Hutou, panting heavily while leaning against the courtyard wall, said: "There''s a stray dog, it''s chasing us!"


    Bai Fendou responded, "Why would a stray dog chase you for no reason? Did you provoke it? You little rascals can''t even behave during New Year." Though he said this, he was a kind-hearted man and quickly went outside. As he stepped out, he witnessed a terrifying scene - the stray dog had pounced on Toni, who had been running the slowest. Bai Fendou shouted: "Stop!"


    He quickly picked up a stone and threw it at the dog. Adults generally had better aim than children, and the stone hit its mark. The dog yelped and bared its teeth at Bai Fendou.


    Jii, who had run ahead, was crying and shouting: "Uncle Fendou, save me, save us, please save us!"


    Bai Fendou: "Don''t be afraid, uncle''s here!"


    He would have helped any child in this situation, but these were Wang Xiangxiu''s three children, so he was determined to give it his all.


    Bai Fendou darted forward, picking up stones and throwing them one after another.


    The dog dodged the stones, while Toni crawled forward and managed to run away whimpering.


    This time, Bai Fendou''s aim wasn''t as good. While it was indeed a stray dog, these street dogs faced many "dangers" daily and knew how to survive.


    It had been caught off guard earlier, but now the dog was alert and quickly dodged away, running incredibly fast. The dog was angry too - during New Year''s, it just wanted to find something to eat, but these humans were being cruel, throwing firecrackers at it. Though dogs can''t speak, this one was clearly furious.


    The stray dog avoided Bai Fendou''s stone attacks, growling at him, and they reached a standoff. At this point, Jii, seeing he had escaped, startedughing and shouted: "Stupid dog, try to bite me! I''ll blow you up!"


    He threw another firecracker.


    Bang!


    It missed the dog butnded close to Bai Fendou, who jumped and yelled: "You little brat, watch where you''re throwing that! Don''t provoke it!"


    Jii shouted back: "How can a grown man be so useless, afraid of just one dog? Kill it! Let''s eat dog meat, dog meat!"


    Bai Fendou frowned and sighed, thinking this child was truly too mischievous. Though naughty children were often clever, this was going too far.


    His moment of distraction gave the dog an opening, and it suddenly charged forward.


    "Oh no~"


    Bai Fendou had run out of stones. He tried to dodge hastily, but the dog ran past him and went straight for Jii, who turned to run... "Woof!"


    The dog bit him right on the bottom!


    "Oh shit!"


    "Ahh!!!"


    "Oh heavens!"


    Hutou and the other children were peering from the main gate, their faces pale with fear, trembling and calling for their mothers. By now, others hade out too.


    Despite all themotion, the women of the Su family stayed inside, their door tightly shut.


    Wang Xiangxiu was mending her son''s clothes when she started to get up, but Aunt Su stopped her, saying meaningfully: "What else could cause such a ruckus but children fighting? No need to go out. With our three boys together, they won''te off worse. If they''re involved, we''ll only end up having to apologize if we go out. During New Year''s, everyone will make a big deal of it. If we don''t go out, we can pretend we don''t know. They can''t hold a grudge against a child, can they?"


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled and said: "Mom, you''re so clever."


    The two women sat calmly, not moving an inch.


    However, the Zhuang family rushed out anxiously. When Liang Meifen saw her son and daughter, she hurried forward: "What happened? Are you alright?"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi both shook their heads, pointing outside, too scared to describe what had happened.


    By then, Zhao Guihua and others hade out too, and what a sight they saw!


    The stray dog had bitten Jii''s bottom, and naturally, Bai Fendou couldn''t let that slide. He rushed forward to save the child, shouting: "You mongrel, I won''t let you get away with this!"


    He looked around, grabbed a stick, and charged at the dog. The dog yelped and fled quickly. As Bai Fendou gave chase, the panicked dog ran towards the toilet area. Madam Zhou Li had juste out to use the toilet. Hearing themotion outside, she was afraid of getting bitten and hid inside the toilet, not daring toe out. But unexpectedly, Bai Fendou chased the dog right to where she was.


    Madam Zhou Li: "Bai Fendou, what are you doing! Stop chasing it! Ahh, don''te here!"


    She turned to run, and dogs being what they are - if you don''t run, they might not chase you, but once you start running, they chase even harder.


    Seeing the dog now chasing her, Madam Zhou Li cursed: "Su Jii, you little beast, provoking a stray dog, you heartless little devil..."


    She continued: "Bai Fendou, stop chasing it, quickly drive the dog away, drive it away!"


    After cursing a few more times, she lost her footing and suddenly pitched forward, falling right into the toilet, her upper bodynding in the squat toilet with her hand plunging in.


    "Ahhh... damn your ancestors!"


    Thank goodness for the resilience thates with age. At this point, Zhao Guihua quickly called out: "Fendou, stop chasing the dog, look after the child!"


    Su Jii, who had been bitten on the bottom, had stopped crying. Watching Bai Fendou chase the dog, the unfortunate child was now enjoying the show, stretching his neck like a turtle to peek, and shouting: "Catch it, catch it, let''s eat it!"


    Well, here was a child who truly stayed true to his original goal.


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t even think about eating it, that dog eats excrement all day, and you want to eat it?"


    Su Jii: "..."


    Onlookers: "..."


    Initially, eating dog meat had seemed like a good idea, but thinking about it more carefully made everyone feel disgusted. If dogs eat excrement, and people eat dogs, wouldn''t that indirectly mean people are eating excrement?


    Ah!


    Too disgusting!


    No way!


    Everyone quickly shook their heads, banishing the thought of eating the stray dog from their minds. Even Jii fell silent. Though he was a greedy child, he hadn''t reached the point of not caring about such things.


    It was fine until someone mentioned it, but now it just seemed gross.


    Hearing Zhao Guihua''s call, Bai Fendou came to his senses. The urgent matter was taking care of the child, not chasing the dog. He quickly turned back and helped Jii up, saying: "How are you? Let uncle take a look."


    As he spoke, he pulled down the pants to check the bite.


    On thest day of being nine years old, on such a special day, a young boy had his pants suddenly pulled down, exposing his private parts in public. Even little boys have a sense of shame - he covered his face while crying, "My bottom hurts!"


    Bai Fendou looked and saw there were indeed bloody dog bite marks on his bottom. He eximed, "What should we do?"


    He immediately looked up and spotted Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "Little Zhuang, you work in the medical office,e take a look!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    This was truly a case of desperate times, desperate measures.


    He said, "I work at the medical office, but I charge fees!"


    Besides, he wasn''t even a doctor - how could he examine anyone?


    Bai Fendou: "Quack!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    What nonsense was this? No wonder being a doctor was so difficult, with ignorant fools like this around. He said, "I''m not even a doctor - what if I make things worse? How am I a quack? Do you even think before you speak? Isn''t your brain not working right? But let me warn you, for a dog bite, you need to go to the hospital immediately for rabies shots. Otherwise, he might develop rabies. Plus, that dog''s always hanging around the toilets - who knows what it''s eaten and how many bacteria it carries. You better hurry to the hospital."


    Although Bai Fendou was a muddle-headed fool and Jii wasn''t exactly a good kid, since it was a matter of life and death, Zhuang Zhixi still kindly offered this advice.


    Bai Fendou: "You think I don''t know that?"


    He immediately picked up Jii and started running.


    Jii, whose pants weren''t even pulled up yet: "Ahhh..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What the hell..."


    It wasn''t that he wanted to use crudenguage, but the situation was truly beyond words.


    What kind of mess was this?


    Zhuang Zhixi was speechless.


    Everyone else was speechless too.


    Yang Lixin had somehow made his way to Zhuang Zhixi''s side and poked his shoulder with a finger. When Zhuang Zhixi turned around, Yang Lixin asked, "With someone like him, are you sure he can find a wife?"


    Zhuang Zhixi fell into a deep silence, and after a long while, he said: "Maybe, possibly, perhaps... *cough cough cough!*"


    No way, absolutely no way he''d find one.


    As Bai Fendou ran off carrying Jii, Yii and Toni were left in a daze. The two children didn''t know what to do, but after a while, Yii suddenly said, "Wait for us!"


    He quickly chased after Jii''s direction.


    "You have to admit, those three brothers have deep feelings for each other. They stick together when something happens. They''re worried about their brother," someonemented.


    "Your brother''s going to the hospital, what are you following for? Don''t go!" another person called out.


    Yii: "Big brother will cry when he gets the shot, and Uncle Fendou will definitely buy him candy. I can''t miss that!"


    Toni: "Right, there will definitely be candy, I want some too! Wait for me, second brother!"


    The onlookers fell silent again.


    After a while, Zhuang Zhixi was the first to snicker. The person who had earliermented about their "deep feelings" felt his face burning with embarrassment. What kind of children were these! They clearly just wanted candy! What brotherly love? Nonexistent!


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, they''re gone, let''s disperse."


    He asked: "None of the other children were hurt, right?"


    "No!" the children answered in their clear voices. Though they weren''t hurt, they were all quite scared.


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s fine, it''s fine."


    The older generation knew the three traditional remedies, but they''d just quietly tell their children about them at night. None of them said this out loud, and everyone was particrly in sync about this.


    If they spoke about it, it would be considered superstitious, but if they didn''t mention it, then nothing happened!


    "Anyone who got scared should definitely tell their elders at home, understand?"


    The children: "We understand."


    "Alright then, let''s disperse!"


    Just as everyone was about to leave, they suddenly heard a weak voice: "Help me..."


    Everyone''s footsteps suddenly stopped. Zhao Guihua: "Who''s calling?"


    As soon as she asked, she realized herself, pping her forehead: "Oh right, Madam Zhou Li! Madam Zhou Li was being chased by the dog earlier."


    But it was a stray dog, and quite fierce at that. Everyone looked at each other, reluctant to step forward. If it were anyone else, they would have rushed to help, but Madam Zhou Li was quite unpopr in the courtyard.


    Not only did she have a sharp tongue for insulting people, but she also liked to stir up trouble between mothers-inw and daughters-inw, between husbands and wives, and she was quite skilled at it. At first, she had caused several families to get into fights, but as time went by and people learned what kind of person she was, they grew tired of her.


    So now, everyone just stood there, not moving an inch.


    Besides, who knew if the dog was still there.


    Zhao Guihua looked around and noticed Aunt Wang wasn''t there, which wasn''t surprising. Aunt Wang was a good person, but she had one hobby - she loved drinking. Usually, she wouldn''t drink, but during the New Year, she would definitely have a few cups.


    At her age, after drinking, she was probably sleeping at home.


    With Aunt Wang, who usually took charge, not around, and nobody moving, Zhao Guihua hesitated before volunteering: "Well, I''ll go take a look."


    She really didn''t want to get involved, but they were all living in the same courtyard after all.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, I''ll go."


    He turned back to get the courtyard''s broom and said: "I''ll go!"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head: "I better go, it''s the women''s toilet, who knows if there are others inside!"


    Although there probably wouldn''t be anyone at this time, it wouldn''t be good for her son, who had just gotten married, to get a reputation for going into the women''s toilet. She grabbed the broom from her son''s hands and headed straight for the toilet. She walked carefully, and when she reached the toilet entrance, she looked around - the stray dog was nowhere to be seen.


    These stray dogs were particrly alert and would run away quickly when something happened.


    But it might still be inside the toilet.


    "Help me, someone help me!" Madam Zhou Li''s crying voice came from inside the toilet.


    Zhao Guihua asked: "Old Zhou, is the stray dog in the toilet?"


    Madam Zhou Li paused for a moment, and this brief pause was so peculiar that Zhao Guihua immediately realized and said: "The stray dog is in the toilet!"


    She stopped advancing and said: "I''ll call for more people."


    She turned back and called out: "We need more people, the stray dog is in the toilet."


    "Huh...?"


    Nobody really wanted to move.


    Zhao Guihua: "Hurry up, let''s all chase the dog away together. We can''t just watch Madam Zhou get mauled by the dog, can we?"


    At these words, several more people immediately grabbed whatever tools they could find and joined in. Although nobody liked helping Madam Zhou Li, as mentioned before, if something really happened and so many people just stood by watching, it wouldn''t look good.


    Besides, it was still a human life at stake.


    Everyone approached the toilet entrance together, now with both men and women present.


    With so many people, it didn''t matter anymore. They all walked in together, but as soon as the first few people peeked in, they let out a yelp and turned around to retch.


    Madam Zhou Li was truly unfortunate - she had fallen in the toilet with her upper bodynding in the squat toilet. Her hands were covered in excrement. And at this moment, the stray dog had rushed in, as Bai Fendou hadn''t chased after it.


    The saying "you can''t stop a dog from eating excrement" proved true - the stray dog immediately approached Madam Zhou Li and started licking her fingers. The dog hadn''t bitten anyone though.


    But the dog had gotten it all over its mouth, inside and out, making everyone sick to their stomachs. This stray dog was definitely not one they''d want to eat... otherwise they''d disgust themselves to death.


    When the stray dog saw so many people, it whimpered twice, then suddenly bolted for the exit.


    Zhao Guihua and the others quickly made way - run away, run away, we definitely won''t chase you, we''d lose if we did!


    The stray dog howled once and fled, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Guihua, holding the broom, looked at Madam Zhou Li sprawled on the ground and asked: "Madam Zhou, can you get up?"


    Fearing Madam Zhou might say no, she added: "I don''t see anything wrong with you, you better get up yourself."


    Madam Zhou Li had fallen into the squat toilet, and while she wasn''t hurt, she was quite dirty, though not from the excrement - it was just the toilet''s general filth. However, her arm had been hanging down and the dog had "eaten" from it, leaving the entire arm covered - it wasn''t a lot, but it covered arge area!


    It was unbearable to look at.


    Zhao Guihua, fighting back nausea, quietly took a step back.


    The others, like her followers, also stepped back.


    Zhao Guihua: "You better go home and wash up."


    Madam Zhou Li had been too afraid to move earlier, fearing she would be mauled to death by the wild dogs. She waspletely exhausted. Now that the dogs had run away and no one wasing to help her, she wailed, "What are you all waiting for? Come help me!"


    Zhao Guihua spoke bluntly, "It''s not that we don''t want to help, but you seem fine. Why don''t you just get up yourself? In your current state, I dare not touch you!"


    Madam Zhou Li was furious and wanted to curse, but even in this situation, she knew better than to provoke Zhao Guihua, especially after being berated by her just yesterday.


    After hesitating, she called out, "Jiang Lu, where''s Jiang Lu? What kind of daughter-inw is she, being so useless? Jiang Lu,e help me up!"


    She cursed, "That little tramp just spends all day at home acting coquettish, serves her right! Jiang Lu, Jiang Lu... get over here now!"


    A young wife from the outer circle of onlookers said, "I''ll go get her."


    She ran quickly to Jiang Lu''s house, but despite all themotion outside, the door was closed with no response. She knocked, "Jiang Lu,e out for a moment, your mother-inw fell in the toilet,e quickly!"


    After calling several times, just when she thought no one was home, Jiang Lu rushed out with disheveled hair and disheveled clothes, asking, "What happened? What''s wrong with my mother-inw?"


    The young wife''s expression immediately turned awkward.


    Who would have thought she''d be doing that in broad daylight?


    Jiang Lu didn''t care what others thought and rushed to the toilet, where she found dozens of people gathered around. No one could me them for watching ¨C after all, it was the New Year holiday with nothing else to do. Without much entertainment these days, people relied on such gossip for amusement.


    Jiang Lu called out, "Let me through, what happened?"


    She quickly pushed through the crowd and saw her mother-inw''s arm covered in "gold" ¨C not much, but concentrated.


    She retched, which immediately triggered Madam Zhou Li''s fury: "Well, well, you little tramp, you dare to show disgust! How did I let my son marry such a heartless woman? Here I am suffering in the toilet while you''re enjoying yourself at home. Damn you, you really deserve to die!"


    Despite being injured, her scolding voice remained strong.


    Clearly, she wasn''t seriously hurt.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, alright, stop cursing. Hurry home and wash up. At your age, the toilet floor is too cold."


    "Yes, Aunt Zhao is right. Let''s help her up quickly. At her age, bones are fragile. Better go home, clean up, and check if you need to go to the hospital."


    "Oh, oh my, I can''t go on! My life is so bitter..."


    Jiang Lu bit her lip, feeling utterly disgusted. Who wouldn''t be disgusted by such a scene? But what could she do?


    This was her mother-inw after all.


    Fighting her nausea, she stepped forward to support her mother-inw, saying, "Mom, let me help you."


    Fortunately, Madam Zhou Li was a skinny old woman. If it had been Aunt Wang, Jiang Lu wouldn''t have been able to lift her at all. Even so, she struggled to help her up. Jiang Lu smelled the strong stench and retched again.


    Seeing her reaction, Madam Zhou Li started cursing again: "I knew you looked down on me. You, the director''s daughter, think you''re better thanmon folk. Can''t handle any hardship or suffering, already showing disgust before anything''s happened. If I be old and need help with toilet matters, you''ll probably throw me out of the house. What a misfortune to have someone like you in the family!"


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, I''m not looking down on you."


    With so many onlookers, Jiang Lu felt utterly humiliated. Biting her lip, she struggled to help Madam Zhou Li out, only to feel even more faint as she realized the crowd had grown evenrger. It was mortifying.


    Jiang Lu had never imagined facing such a situation, but this was her mother-inw, Zhou Qun''s mother ¨C she couldn''t possibly ignore her.


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, let''s walk slowly. How do your legs feel?"


    "Broken, they must be broken. Hospital, I need to go to the hospital..."


    Zhao Guihua watched Jiang Lu help her all the way home, listening to Madam Zhou Li''s continuous wailing, and shook her head, saying, "What a mess!"


    Surprisingly, at this point, seeing Madam Zhou Li injured, the Su family''s mother and daughter-inw finally came out. Aunt Su looked at Madam Zhou Li, covering her nose and mouth, saying, "My goodness, what a stench! Sister, did you fall into the toilet?"


    She was secretly delighted, her eyes betraying her joy, but still pretending to care: "How could you be so careless?"


    Madam Zhou Li red at her and cursed: "You''re here gloating! If it weren''t for your little beast, would I be suffering like this? You devil. Just wait until I''m cleaned up ¨C if you don''t give me an exnation, I''ll dump a bucket of manure all over your house!"


    Aunt Su: "???"


    Having not been outside earlier, she naturally didn''t know what had happened, and asked confused: "What''s wrong now? Why are you suddenly angry at me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi, being mischievous, immediately exined: "This actually has something to do with your family. Your Jii was setting off firecrackers at wild dogs, the dogs chased the children, and just then Bai Fendou came out and got into a fight with the dogs. Aunt Zhou was just coteral damage. She fell in the toilet and got... well, you know."


    Madam Zhou Li: "...You didn''t need to mention thatst part."


    She put her hands on her hips: "You heard that? Your family is responsible for this, everyone here witnessed it. Don''t think you can get away with denying it. Just wait until I''m cleaned up."


    Aunt Su: "Ah!!!"


    Her mind raced, thinking of how to escape responsibility. She said, "Well, you said it yourself that it was Bai Fendou''s doing, you can''t me it all on our child! Where is Bai Fendou? Where are Jii and the others?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Jii was bitten by the dog. Bai Fendou took the children to see a doctor."


    "Ah!" Aunt Su cried out, "To the hospital? Which hospital? Xiu''er, what should we do? What should we do?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "It''s okay, it''s okay, with Fendou there, he''ll definitely take good care of our child. Let''s go, let''s go now!"


    At this point, they forgot about hiding and rushed towards the gate.


    But they had no idea where to look for them. That''s when Old Man Bai stepped forward ¨C yes, after his son Bai Fendou had stepped up, Old Man Bai wasn''t going to stay behind.


    He said, "I know where Fendou usually goes. Follow me, we''ll definitely find them!" The two panicked widows hurriedly followed Old Man Bai as they left.


    The crowd of spectators hadn''t dispersed at all, with neighborsmenting: "This is the second time for their child this week, isn''t it?"


    "Indeed!"


    This child was truly too mischievous, something had to be done about it. Otherwise, it seemed this would never end.


    Madam Zhou Li fumed: "The monk may run away, but the temple stays put."


    She instructed: "Jiang Lu, boil some water, I''ll take a bath in the courtyard."


    Zhao Guihua: "What the hell, are you even human? You smell terrible, and you want to bathe in the courtyard? There are young men around here, have you considered their innocence? Who wants to see you? Taking a bath in the courtyard! Have you no shame?"


    At this moment, she had to take a stand. This was just disgusting everyone.


    "I''m telling you, if you dare to bathe in the courtyard, I''ll report you to the streetmittee for indecent exposure!"


    Madam Zhou Li stared hard at Zhao Guihua, who wouldn''t back down. Damn it, how could they allow this? Pity the families in the front courtyard ¨C the other two families had run out, leaving only her to stand up. Fortunately, the back courtyard residents were also against it. There wasn''t even a door between the front and back courtyards, and they had to live there too!


    Who wanted to deal with sewage water, who wanted to see an old woman ¨C damn, it would burn their eyes!


    In short, it was absolutely not eptable.


    As soon as Zhao Guihua took a stand, others chimed in: "Exactly! How can you be like this? If you dare do this, we''ll all go to the streetmittee. You can''t bully people like this."


    "That''s right, whoever wronged you, go find them. Why torment us innocent bystanders!"


    "You already stink so much, won''t messing with hot water make it worse? If we don''t mind, you shouldn''t either."


    "Exactly, exactly."


    The scene was chaos.


    Madam Zhou Li couldn''t win against everyone. She snorted and said, "None of you know how to respect your elders. Fine, I''ll go home to wash. Jiang Lu, what are you doing just standing there watching everyone criticize me? Are you secretly enjoying this? How did I end up with a daughter-inw like you?"


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, no, I''m not. Let me help you up. I''ll heat some water for you. Let''s wash at home, I''ll take care of everything."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Bah, who needs you pretending to be nice?"


    Sheshed out and then said, "You really can''t be counted on at all."


    Zhao Guihua watched as Madam Zhou Li berated her daughter-inw without restraint, wanting to say that the truly unreliable one was her son. With all thismotion at their doorstep for so long, her son hadn''t even bothered toe out and check.


    However, Zhao Guihua ultimately held her tongue. After all, it wasn''t her son, and if Madam Zhou Li was content with it, and Jiang Lu didn''t mind, then so be it. Not wanting to smell the stench any longer, she turned to go home.


    Not only did she leave, but she also called out: "Everyone go home! What''s there to see!"


    Zhuang Zhixi wanted to say it was quite entertaining to watch, but thought better of it, not wanting to agitate his mother. This kind of excitement was rare, and you had to admit, Madam Zhou Li was really something, giving everyone such entertainment during the New Year.


    Even if this entertainment came with quite a smell!


    This drama would be talked about for at least a year!


    It was truly unprecedented, but he knew this wasn''t over yet. Given Madam Zhou Li''s personality, she wouldn''t let Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou off the hook.


    This was just the first act; hopefully, the second act would be even more spectacr.


    Zhuang Zhixi felt there must be a second act, and hoped his wife would make it in time. He quickly caught up with his mother and whispered, "Mom, do we have any sunflower seeds at home?"


    Zhao Guihua gave him a side-eye.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t hide his intentions from his mother, saying directly, "There''s definitely going to be another round, and watching drama is better with sunflower seeds. Otherwise, something''s missing."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Missing something? Missing shame!"


    Zhuang Zhixi yed innocent, saying, "Look at you, how can you talk about your son like that?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Fine, we have raw ones at home. We can roast someter."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh perfect! Mom, you''re the best!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Hehe."


    Zhao Guihua: "Never mind other people''s business now, let''s prepare to make dumplings. I''ll chop the meat, and you all help outter."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "Okay."


    The other two men in the Zhuang family also agreed - how could they not? If they didn''t agree, the olddy would surely explode, and they couldn''t handle that.


    Though this New Year certainly had quite a "vor" to it.


    Old Man Zhuang said, "Do you think there''s a possibility that Aunt Zhou was trying to create some entertainment because she thought New Year''s was too dull?"


    Everyone silently stared at him, and Old Man Zhuangughed awkwardly, saying, "No- never mind!"


    "Of course not! What are you thinking!"


    Zhao Guihua: "When ites down to it, today''s incident was because Jii''s kids didn''t know better. Why provoke stray dogs for no reason? These strays roam around outside all day, if you don''t bother them, they generally keep their distance and don''t bite. I think it''s just that Jii is too much of a troublemaker, asking for it. Otherwise, look at Aunt Zhou - she was alone with the stray dog, and it didn''t bite her, right?"


    Old Man Zhuang muttered, "Maybe it was too busy eating excrement to do anything else."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She smiled slightly and said, "You just have to get a word in everywhere, don''t you?"


    Old Man Zhuang quickly made a zipping motion across his lips and said no more.


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s better."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s make dumplings. Is there anything more important than eating dumplings?"


    "Definitely not."


    How could anything be more important than dumplings?


    They''re dumplings, delicious dumplings!


    The family quickly got busy. Zhuang Zhixi watched his mother take out a piece of meat weighing about two pounds and start chopping the filling, grinning from ear to ear. How could he not be happy? They usually didn''t use this much meat in their dumplings. Looking at it this way, his mother wasn''t really stingy; it was just that they had so little before and had to be careful with everything. This year they had more, so they could be more generous.


    Though they were busy chopping dumpling filling, it didn''t stop Zhao Guihua and the others from peering outside. They were constantly watching to see when the Su family would return - this matter definitely needed an exnation.


    They couldn''t miss this drama.


    Zhao Guihua prepared a huge bowl of filling, and the dough was properly rested. She called everyone to help - some rolling out wrappers, others wrapping dumplings. As Zhao Guihua kept looking outside, Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Mom, you really enjoy watching drama, don''t you? You can''t multitask like this."


    Zhao Guihua gave him a look: "What nonsense are you talking about? I''m watching out for our Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. The children were quite scared earlier, but now they''re ying by the door again. Children really are carefree."


    Zhuang Zhixi mused: "That''s because they don''t have enough homework."


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re really something."


    She could tell that when it came to being sarcastic, her son was champion.


    "Mom, how much do you think Aunt Wang drank to not show up all afternoon with such big drama happening?"


    Zhao Guihua: "How would I know? Your Aunt Wang likes her drink, and who could have predicted this?"


    The Zhuang family nodded in unison. This was truly unexpected - who could have imagined someone would do such a thing on New Year''s Eve? It was truly unthinkable!


    However, reality often differs from expectations. The Zhuang family waited anxiously for either the Su family or the Bai family to return, but as they waited and waited until it was almost dark, no one came back.


    Not just the Zhuang family, but people from the back courtyard and neighboring courtyards kept "visiting," their intentions obvious.


    But still, no one returned.


    Madam Zhou Li had already positioned herself on a stool by the door, staring intently at the main gate, but still no one appeared.


    Zhuang Zhixi posed a soul-searching question: "They haven''t fled in fear of Aunt Zhou, have they?"Aliali: 67485a1dc4f3f33ac477854d


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Could he stop making wild guesses?


    Was that even possible?


    She said: "Most likely, the two widows from the Su family used the children''s injuries as an excuse to get a free dinner from those two. They can eat outside too. For them, saving one meal is saving one meal."


    "What... not eating dumplings at home on New Year''s? That''s too much."


    But thinking about it, it did seem like something the two from the Su family would do!


    "Just watch, Aunt Zhou''s anger is building up more and more. She''s bound to explode soon," Zhao Guihua concluded definitively.


    As dusk fell, the street lights came on, and there were few people on the streets. Ming Mei got off work early; originally, Zhuang Zhixi was supposed to pick her up, but since she finished early, she came alone. She jogged as she approached the alley, where firecrackers were constantly going off. Ming Mei quickly ran to their courtyard entrance, and as soon as she entered... she was stunned.


    Everyone in the courtyard turned to look at her in unison.


    Ming Mei: "Ah! This... were you all waiting for me?"

 Chapter 21

    Ming Mei trotted home with her small satchel, the sound of firecrackers filling the air as it was the Lunar New Year. She was in a hurry, as everyone was eager to get home for the holiday. She quickly turned into their alley, which was rtively empty at this time, as most people were either cooking or eating.


    Ming Mei quickened her pace and entered their courtyard. As soon as she stepped in, she skidded to a stop, surprised to see everyone gathered in the yard. She looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Are you all waiting for me?"


    It was a bit of an overstatement.


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his wife return, quickly stepped forward to hold her small hand and gently blew on it, asking, "Are you cold?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, saying, "Not really, I ran back."


    Her big eyes darted around, taking in the scene, and she asked curiously, "What''s going on here?"


    Why were so many people gathered together?


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "We''re having a meeting in the yard."


    Ming Mei: "Oh, oh."


    This was her first time encountering such a situation. She quickly stood beside Zhuang Zhixi. Although she had been married for about half a month, she didn''t know all the neighbors well, as she was busy with work and had little time to socialize.


    Leaning on Zhuang Zhixi, she whispered, "Why are we having a meeting?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Aunt Zhou is demandingpensation."


    The events of the afternoon were a bitplicated, so Zhuang Zhixi gave a brief summary. Ming Mei let out a small "ah" and looked regretful, saying, "Why did I have to go to work? I missed such a big event."


    Her hair seemed to stand on end as she deeply felt she had missed out on a major drama.


    Zhuang Zhixi motioned with his lips, saying, "The second half is currently underway."


    This afternoon, Madam Zhou Li waited for the Su family to return. They seemed to have gone to Tianjin for medical treatment and hadn''te back until... evening. Just moments ago, Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou led Aunt Su and her two widowed daughters-inw, along with three mischievous children, back as if they were one happy family. This was when Madam Zhou Li caught them.


    Seeing Aunt Su holding a Quanjude roast duck, Madam Zhou Li was furious, her anger soaring through the clouds. She wanted to snatch the duck but was stopped by Bai Father and Son, who pushed her to the ground. Madam Zhou Li was not one to back down easily.


    Aunt Wang was the first to intervene, quickly gathering the neighbors. Today''s incident needed a resolution. Everyone took their ces, but before they could start, Ming Mei arrived.


    Ming Mei thought the courtyard was too lively. Living in an apartment building never had such excitement. This was her first time attending such a meeting, and she felt a bit excited. She looked at the two sides: on one side was Madam Zhou Li, with Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu behind her; on the other side were Bai Father and Son and the Su family of five.


    Madam Zhou Li spoke passionately, "Everyone, please judge for me. Who caused me such suffering today when I went to the toilet? If it weren''t for the Su kids throwing firecrackers, if it weren''t for Bai Fendou being so inconsiderate, I wouldn''t have suffered this way. You must give me an exnation, andpensation is a must."


    Aunt Wang looked at Aunt Su and her daughters-inw, asking, "What do you have to say?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was about to refute when Aunt Su quickly stopped her. Ming Mei noticed this and soon heard Aunt Su say, "This incident is our fault. The children are young and mischievous. They often see stray dogs on the street and didn''t think much of them. Who knew they would cause trouble? The kids were also scared. But our Jii has already been punished. And the dog chasing you isn''t rted to our kids, right? Our Jii was bitten, and Yii and Toni were too scared to move. You can''t just bully us because we''re a family of widows and orphans."


    Aunt Su''s words elicited murmurs of sympathy from the crowd.


    "Pfft, you''re acting so wronged. If you have no money, why buy a roast duck?" Madam Zhou Li was furious about this. The Su family didn''t deserve such luxury; they should be eating coarse food.


    Bai Fendou couldn''t hold back and said, "Madam Zhou, can you speak properly? The duck was bought by me. The kids were injured and wanted something nice to eat. How can you be so unkind?"


    Madam Zhou Li, scolded by a younger man, exploded, "You unlucky wretch, if it weren''t for you chasing the dog, I wouldn''t have had this happen. I haven''t settled ounts with you yet, and you dare speak up here. You deliberately led the dog to me, didn''t you? Why did everyone else escape unscathed while I was chased by the dog? You did it on purpose, didn''t you?"


    Bai Fendou red, "Do you have any shame? You falling into thetrine has nothing to do with us!"


    "You fell into thetrine! Your whole family fell into thetrine." Thinking of Bai Fendou saying she ate shit, she cursed, "You damned scoundrel, may you never find a wife, you despicable wretch..."


    Madam Zhou Li viciously insulted Bai Fendou. Old Man Bai couldn''t stand it, thinking it was unfair to both Aunt Su and his son.


    He said, "That''s enough. You''re not any better yourself. Besides, my son took the kids to the hospital. Who knows what happened to you? You''re just trying to extort us. You''re not the first to do this, so stop acting."


    "You, you, you! Who are you talking about? You shameless old man, I knew you and Aunt Su were up to no good. Your whole family is crazy, always meddling in others'' affairs. I bet your family will die out. You..."


    Old Man Bai''s involvement made Madam Zhou Li even more furious, cursing wildly and deeply insulting the Bai family and the Su family. Zhao Guihua thought this would be censored on TV.


    She clicked her tongue, but Old Man Bai wasn''t like Old Man Zhuang. He fought back fiercely, and the two exchanged curses, spitting and shouting.


    Ming Mei: "Oh, wow."


    Zhuang Zhixi held his wife''s hand, saying, "Don''t be afraid, I''m here."


    Ming Mei nced at him, "Which eye do you think I''m afraid? I''m clearly excited."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    The insults escted, and Aunt Wang mmed the table, saying, "Enough, do you want to have a peaceful New Year''s Eve or not?"


    Madam Zhou Li retorted, "They''re the ones not letting me have a good New Year."


    ¡°Everyone, please calm down a bit. We''re here to resolve the issue, not to escte the conflict. Today''s incident was something no one wanted. Let''s all take a step back.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Aunt Wang could see that they were all still dissatisfied, so she continued, ¡°I think this is a good idea. After all, Aunt Zhou did suffer a real misfortune, getting sttered with golden stuff on New Year''s Eve, which would make anyone feel sick. And when ites down to it, both Jin Lai and Bai Fendou bear some responsibility, no matter how you look at it. You should at least give Aunt Zhou somepensation. Aunt Zhou, you didn''t want this to happen, and neither did the Su family or Bai Fendou. It''s New Year''s Eve, so just give the younger generation some face. Let''s all take a step back and each of you pay Aunt Zhou one yuan aspensation for her misfortune, okay?¡±


    ¡°No way! Am I that cheap?¡± Madam Zhou Li was not happy!


    Bai Fendou wasn''t happy either: ¡°What does it have to do with me? I didn''t tell the dog to bite her. Maybe the dog chased her because it thought she was an old hag.¡±


    ¡°You, you, you. You little brat.¡±


    The scene immediately erupted into another 200 words of mutual scolding.


    Aunt Wang: ¡°Enough! Don''t push your luck. Do you even want to resolve this? Are you making the whole courtyard suffer with you on New Year''s Eve? If you don''t want to deal with it, go to the neighborhoodmittee and see who will bother with your petty squabbles. You all act like you don''t have a clue. Have you no shame? Is this something to be proud of? Zhou Qun, you too, don''t stay silent. Your mother''s issue, give your opinion.¡±


    Aunt Wang''s outburst unleashed the fierce spirit of a Northeastern woman.


    The scene instantly quieted down.


    Ming Mei''s eyes sparkled, "Wow!"


    Zhou Qun, being called out, thought for a moment and said, ¡°I didn''t want to express my opinion on this matter, as the one harmed is my mother. If I side with her, everyone will say I''m biased as the son of the victim. If I feel sorry for the Su family and say to let it go, it would also hurt my mother, who is of such an age and genuinely suffered. I know my mother''s words are harsh, but she is really furious. Imagine if you were in her shoes on New Year''s Eve, how would you feel? My mother doesn''t just want money; she''s just holding onto this grievance.¡±


    Hearing this, everyone nodded, expressing their agreement: ¡°Zhou Qun is reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Zhou Qun is upright.¡±


    However, no one realized that Zhou Qun''s words were essentially meaningless. Zhou Qun: ¡°My mother just wants to vent her anger. Honestly, she doesn''t want to take advantage of this situation for money. After all, Aunt Su''s family is struggling, and we understand that. Even if we want to seek justice, we can''t push them into a corner.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, looking at Zhou Qun with gratitude.


    Zhou Qun: ¡°Since Aunt Wang has called me out, I''ll take the liberty to make a decision for my mother. Mom, do you trust me?¡±


    Madam Zhou Li''s small eyes flickered and she said, ¡°I trust you!¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°This incident was indeed caused by Jin Lai, but the main responsibility lies with Bai Fendou. If he hadn''t chased after the stray dog, my mother wouldn''t have suffered this. So Bai Fendou bears the most responsibility. A fine of one yuan each is not enough to appease my mother. We don''tck the money, but we can''t let go of this grievance. So, let''s make it five yuan. I think this amount is just right, and it will make my mother feel better. As for how you two split the five yuan, that''s up to you. I personally think Bai Fendou should pay more since he bears more responsibility, and the Su family, already struggling, should pay less. What do you think? But it''s your decision! Even if you don''t make the Su family pay a single cent, that''s your generosity. We''ll just take five yuan in total from the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Five yuan? That''s too much! It can buy two big, fat hens!¡± Bai Fendou was very unwilling. However, he knew that he couldn''t just walk away without paying.


    Didn''t Aunt Wang just lose her temper?


    He looked at the Su family, and Wang Xiangxiu immediately looked pitiful. She didn''t want to pay a single cent, especially since Zhou Qun said Bai Fendou could pay the whole five yuan. Why should our family pay?


    She bit her lip, looking fragile as if a gust of wind could knock her over, staring at Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou looked at his father, Old Man Bai, who, upon seeing Aunt Su''s expression, softened and said, ¡°Alright, our family will pay the five yuan.¡±


    The onlookers immediately understood, and Zhou Qun lightly curled his lips.


    Bai Fendou, with a heartache, handed the money to Zhou Qun. He had just bought a bicycle before the New Year and was short on cash. This was infuriating. Zhou Qun took the money and handed it to his mother, but before leaving, he suddenly said, ¡°Mom, you should give the money to Jiang Lu. Let her buy a chicken for you to replenish your strength. You fell and should really take care of your body.¡±


    Madam Zhou Li was unhappy: ¡°A chicken doesn''t cost five yuan. You can buy three smaller ones.¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°Mom, look at you, Jiang Lu won''t cheat you. Let''s use the money to buy three chickens. Jiang Lu can also take care of her health, she''s been weak...¡±


    Jiang Lu immediately looked at Zhou Qun with gratitude. Her husband was really good to her, always thinking of her.


    Aunt Wang''s daughter, Li Fang, pinched her husband, Yang Lixin, and said, ¡°Look at how considerate that man is to his wife.¡±


    Yang Lixin: ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch!¡±


    Not just Li Fang, but other women alsomented: ¡°That''s what a good man should be like, look at Zhou Qun.¡±


    Such discussions were not umon. Zhou Qun silently smiled inwardly and then looked towards the Zhuang family''s direction. Sure enough, Liang Meifen was full of envy. He looked expectantly at the Zhuang family''s youngest daughter-inw, but... Ming Mei was looking up at Zhuang Zhixi, talking animatedly, and the two seemed not to have heard anything about him. Ming Mei wasughing merrily, clearly very happy.


    As for envy? None.


    Not at all.


    She didn''t pay any attention to him.


    Zhou Qun frowned unhappily, then his heart sank, and he said, ¡°Let''s go home.¡±


    Jiang Lu immediately stepped forward to support her mother-inw, saying, ¡°Mom, let me help you.¡±


    Madam Zhou Li: ¡°You''re useless, you never help when it matters. You...¡±


    Her scolding of her daughter-inw was loud. Zhou Qun: ¡°Mom, Jiang Lu has it tough too, don''t always be like this.¡±


    Although watching the drama was entertaining, it was New Year''s Eve, and with the matter resolved, everyone gradually dispersed. Ming Mei naturally looped her arm around Zhuang Zhixi''s, saying, ¡°You nevere to pick me up as you promised. You''re not keeping your word.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi pleaded, ¡°I''ll definitely do it next time, wife. Did you get off early today?¡±


    Ming Mei grinned, ¡°Thest two shifts were empty, and Li the Cook was considerate of my recent marriage, so he let me leave early. Heh heh.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi ruffled her hair, and Ming Mei: ¡°Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? I''m not a three-year-old, don''t treat me like Xiao Yanzi.¡±


    Xiao Yanzi looked up: ¡°Meh?¡±


    Ming Mei: ¡°Let''s go home, when are we eating?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°The dumplings are all made, just waiting for you toe home to cook them.¡±


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow: ¡°So I''m important?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, you are very important, the most important.¡±


    Ming Mei giggled again, and the family returned home. Liang Meifen quickly started the fire, waiting for the water to boil to cook the dumplings. As she worked, she muttered, ¡°Zhou Qun is really considerate to his wife, Jiang Lu is lucky.¡±


    Both Jiang Lu and Wang Xiangxiu are lucky.


    Jiang Lu may have a difficult mother-inw, but her husband is caring and protective, which is priceless.


    Wang Xiangxiu doesn''t have such luck; her husband passed away early, but her mother-inw is good. Aunt Su is so gentle and considerate, never saying a harsh word to her daughter-inw, and even letting her manage the money. There''s no better mother-inw than her.


    Her own husband, hmph.


    Her own mother-inw, hmph, hmph.


    Jiang Lu: "I wonder how Madam Zhou Li could have raised such a good man like Zhou Qun. It''s hard to imagine."


    Ming Mei crouched to help, saying, "I actually don''t think much of Zhou Qun."


    This remark caught everyone''s attention, including Zhao Guihua and several male colleagues. Zhuang Zhixi jokingly teased, "In your heart, I''m the best, right?"


    To his surprise, Ming Mei nodded honestly, "Of course you''re the best in my heart. Otherwise, why would I marry you? I''m not stupid."


    ...


    This response left no room for further conversation.


    Liang Meifen lowered her head, thinking that her sister-inw didn''t know how to be shy, saying anything that came to mind.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s joy was evident. He put his hand on his wife''s shoulder, saying, "I also like you the most, wife. How can you be so beautiful and lovely!"


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but say, "If you two want to be nauseating, go back to your room. Don''t make everyone else ufortable here."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m so innocent."


    Ming Mei: "Exactly."


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t see any innocence in you two. It''s like everyone hasn''t been through the newlywed phase. So cheesy." After a pause, Zhao Guihua became curious, asking, "Speaking of which, why do you think Zhou Qun isn''t good?"


    Most people in the courtyard would consider Zhou Qun a good husband who cherishes his wife, but Ming Mei had a different view.


    She was genuinely curious.


    Zhao Guihua herself had seen through Zhou Qun''s tricks, but that was because she had lived through it once before. In her previous life, she had believed Zhou Qun was a good man, nearly falling for his schemes.


    But Ming Mei seemed quite clear-headed.


    In her previous life, their rtionship wasn''t close, and Zhao Guihua, as a proud mother-inw, wouldn''t have asked Ming Mei''s opinion. But this time, she was truly curious. She asked, "What makes you think he''s not good?"


    Ming Mei: "Don''t you think it all feels like an act? It''s so fake. A truly loving husband wouldn''t act like that. He''s off in every way."


    She counted her points: "Look, when Aunt Zhou was scolding, he didn''t immediately stop her. What good is hindsight? Besides, they''ve been married for ten years. If he really cherished his wife, how could he not have persuaded his mother in ten years? Aunt Zhou clearly listens to him. It was evident in the meeting just now."


    She continued, "And he''s too good at ying the nice guy. He says he didn''t speak up because he was afraid of being used of favoring his own family. But if his own mother suffered because of this, shouldn''t he have taken a stand? Even if he did, no one would criticize him. To me, he just seems like a fake hypocrite."


    Zhao Guihua: "..." Indeed, outsiders see more clearly.


    Liang Meifen: "Isn''t that a bit too much? Where do you get that from? I think he''s quite good to Jiang Lu."


    Ming Mei insisted, "True love isn''t like that. My parents have a great rtionship, and I know the real thing."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, finding some truth in Ming Mei''s words. Perhaps because Ming Mei had seen genuine loving couples, she could see through Zhou Qun''s facade. She nodded, "You make a valid point."


    Liang Meifen couldn''t believe her ears, looking at her mother-inw, "That makes sense?"


    What kind of sense was that?


    Ming Mei was clearly being unreasonable!


    Clearly, a biased mother-inw was very unfair. Ming Mei could fart and it would smell sweet.


    Ming Mei smiled cheerfully, "I''m right, aren''t I? Sister-inw, the water''s boiling."


    Liang Meifen quickly started cooking the dumplings, dropping round dumplings into the pot. Zhao Guihua looked at the family members and said, "What we say at home stays at home. If anyone gossips, don''t me me for being harsh."


    Liang Meifen: "..." You''re clearly pointing at me!


    Ming Mei: "Got it!"


    As the dumplings were about to be ready, Zhao Guihua instructed, "It''s time to set off the firecrackers."


    The Zhuang men immediately perked up, and Hutou and Xiao Yanzi quickly ran out from inside, rushing to their grandfather, "Firecrackers, firecrackers! We want to set off firecrackers!"


    Ming Mei craned her neck to look, and Zhao Guihua said, "Go ahead and watch if you want."


    Ming Mei: "Okay!"


    Zhao Guihua looked at her eldest daughter-inw, "You go too."


    Liang Meifen: "I... I''d better stay and cook. Someone needs to..."


    Zhao Guihua: "If you don''t go, I will. We don''t need two people."


    She saw that Liang Meifen was the type who selflessly devoted herself and felt good about it, even if her efforts might be worthless to others. But she herself was unaware and proud of her sacrifices.


    Liang Meifen pouted, but Zhao Guihua didn''t care, directly wiping her apron and heading out. At the door, Old Man Zhuang had already hung the firecrackers, cheerfully saying, "Our Zhuang family will have a better year ahead."


    With that, he quickly lit the firecrackers, which crackled loudly!


    The whole family covered their ears, enjoying the festive atmosphere. Hutou jumped around, shouting, "Sister, look, look! These are our firecrackers, so loud!"


    The firecrackers were loud, and Hutou''s voice was loud too. Xiao Yanzi also shouted back, "Great, great!"


    The firecrackers were 500 in number and crackled for quite a while. After they finished, they saw Li the Cook leading his daughter, son-inw, and grandson out. Li Weiwei jumped around, showing off to Hutou, "My house has them too, look, they''re big andst a long time!"


    Hutou: "Mine just finished, and itsted a long time too."


    The children''s strangepetitive spirit.


    Zhao Guihua smiled, "Alright, let''s go home."


    Hutou didn''t want to leave, "I want to watch a bit longer."


    Zhao Guihua: "Then we''ll go home and eat dumplings."


    Hutou: "I''m going home too!"


    He dashed back home. Although firecrackers were great, dumplings were the best. He could only eat them a few times a year, so Hutou knew his priorities. Zhao Guihua chuckled, shaking her head, "Just a greedy little boy."


    She took over thedle, first picking two dumplings and cing them on a te on the windowsill, tapping three times before starting to serve the dumplings.


    Although superstitious practices were not allowed, some traditions were still secretly observed by each household. No one outside would know. Just like Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, who were scared today, Zhao Guihua also whispered to them, "Pull the hair, not scared; pull the ear, not scared. Hutou, don''t be afraid, Xiao Yanzi, don''t be afraid..."


    She said, "After dinner, I''ll steam a sugar-water egg for each of you. You''ll be less scared after eating it."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded, swallowing their saliva. They didn''t know if they were scared, but they knew sugar-water eggs were delicious, sweet and tasty.


    Zhao Guihua finishedforting the children and said, "Alright, let''s get ready to eat."


    Everyone quickly took their seats. Zhao Guihua served sixteen dumplings per bowl, saying, "Eat up, our family will have a prosperous and lucky new year."


    "Prosperous and lucky!"


    "Healthy and well!"


    "May all wishese true!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mmm, delicious."


    Their dumplings wererge, and sixteen were enough to fill up. Eating dumplings to satisfaction was a rare treat. Everyone enjoyed their meal, and Ming Mei evenmented that her mother-inw''s cooking was better than her own mother''s.


    Previously, Ming Mei thought her mother made the best food, but now she had to admit her mother-inw was better.


    Ming Mei could understand why. People nowadays didn''t use many ingredients when cooking, but her mother-inw was different. Even when controlling costs, she used more ingredients than others.


    Zhuang Zhixi even joked with Ming Mei that without the need to hand over living expenses, they ate better. He said he should have revolted earlier.


    Ming Mei responded with a "hehe."


    Earlier?


    If he had dared to speak up earlier, he would have been scolded.


    But now, everyone was focused on eating dumplings and didn''t think much of it. Although there were sixteen dumplings in a te, Ming Mei didn''t finish them. Despite being less oily and thus having a bigger appetite, Ming Mei was still a twenty-something girl and had her limits.


    Zhao Guihua''s dumplings wererge, and after eating more than ten of them, she was full. She pushed the remaining dumplings into Zhuang Zhixi''s bowl and said, "I''m done."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why are you eating so little?"


    He looked suspiciously at Ming Mei, worried that she might be saving food for him and going hungry. However, he quickly realized that Ming Mei was not the type like his sister-inw, so he nodded and started eating noisily.


    The sound of firecrackers outside continued non-stop. Ming Mei propped her chin on her hand and looked out the window, saying, "It would be nice if someone set off fireworks."


    "You think well," Zhuang Zhixi replied.


    Ming Mei smiled, "It''s okay to think about it."


    In previous years, their family would turn on the radio during the New Year, but the Zhuang family didn''t have one. After dinner, it seemed there was nothing much to do. No wonder people in those days had many children; there wasn''t much to do in the evenings except for "pping," what else could they do?


    Ming Mei wasn''t shy and leaned on Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder, saying, "Let''s tell stories. Mom, you must know a lot of stories, tell us one, okay?" If only she could tell them about a few decadester!


    Zhao Guihua was also bored, so it was perfect timing. She said, "Alright, I''ll tell you one. How about a ghost story?"


    Ming Mei shrank closer to Zhuang Zhixi, and heughed, "Aren''t you quite capable of fighting? You''re afraid of this?"


    Ming Mei answered naturally: "I can fight, but I can only fight humans. Ghosts are different. Mom, go ahead and tell the story."


    It seemed that people from their generation always told strange ghost stories. Zhao Guihua was no exception. She said, "Let me tell you a story about a head-swapping monster. Once upon a time, there was a family where the man went hunting every day, and the woman took care of three children. One day, the man went out..."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "The head-swapping monster ate the man and took on his appearance, but the family didn''t know. The man returned, and one night after blowing out the candle, he ate the youngest child. His wife heard a crunching sound and asked, ''What are you eating?'' The head-swapping monster replied, ''Peanuts...'' "


    Ming Mei: "Ugh... I don''t want to eat peanuts for a few days."


    The thought was just too disgusting.


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s enough to turn you off? You don''t know, they were even thinking of eating a stray dog today. If it weren''t for seeing the dog eating feces, I think the dog wouldn''t have escaped. But I guess the stray dogs in our area won''t be caught anymore. The thought of eating feces is enough to make one lose their appetite."


    Ming Mei felt nauseous again, and Liang Meifen, seeing her expression,ughed and said, "Oh, sister-inw, you''re disgusted just hearing about it? We saw it live this afternoon, it was both disgusting and fascinating to watch."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She understood a bit.


    She said, "This is really..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh man, can you not talk about this? It''s making me feel sick."


    Zhao Guihua said softly: "You didn''t step back when you were watching themotion, you were quite enjoying it."


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his nose, feeling a bit innocent. How could he not watch when there was amotion? Ming Mei was a bit regretful: "I missed it, that''s such a shame. I wonder if they''ll do it again tomorrow."


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help butugh: "Do you think they''re a circus troupe, always making trouble? Besides, it''s New Year''s Day tomorrow, they wouldn''t want to argue for good luck. You all too, don''t use badnguage, keep it in until after the first month."


    At this point, Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and changed her words: "Keep it in until after the fifteenth of the first month."


    It was too long, and whether they could hold it or not, she herself couldn''t.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh, earning a re from his mother. Zhuang Zhixi quickly bowed in apology. Hutouughed and imitated him, while Xiao Yanzi climbed onto Zhao Guihua''sp and nestled in her arms.


    Zhao Guihua: "You little girl."


    She stroked her granddaughter''s hair and remembered something, instructing, "Oldest daughter-inw, make some sugar-water eggs for the kids."


    Hutou pouted his little lips and said, "Grandma, I can''t eat anymore."


    He had eaten a lot of dumplings, lifting his shirt to show his round little belly, "I''m full, look."


    Zhao Guihua: "Then make itter, eat it before bed, then you won''t be afraid."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi didn''t quite understand, but the thought of eating sugar-water eggs was great, and the children were happy. Liang Meifen was happy too; these were her son and daughter, and she was d they could have something nice to eat.


    "Let''s tell another story, there''s nothing to do anyway, let''s have some fun with another one."


    Ming Mei raised her hand: "I''ll do it, I''ve heard a lot of stories. You know, I''m a bus conductor, and I heard one from a colleague who drives the Princess Tomb route..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait, tell a different story, let''s not talk about these."


    The adults knew better than to speak carelessly, but the children didn''t. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were still young, and if it got out, it might be considered superstitious. It wasn''t worth the trouble.


    It was her mistake earlier.


    Zhao Guihua: "Tell something else, something else."


    "Why don''t we read the newspaper instead? I''ll read you some good deeds from the Railway Daily, there are many positive stories we should learn from. I think..."


    "I think you should stop," Zhao Guihua interrupted, "Old Third, tell a joke instead, don''t let your brother talk about... uh, nonsense."


    She almost cursed, Zhao Guihua shook her head, realizing she was the one in the family who loved to curse the most. She stood up: "I''m going to the outhouse."


    "Should Ie with you?" Old Man Zhuang asked.


    Zhao Guihua: "No need!"


    Why would she need someone to apany her? There was nothing unusual about it, especially not today. She walked out, and outside, the north wind was howling, making it a bit cold. She jogged out of the courtyard, where children were setting off firecrackers.


    Zhao Guihua hurried to the toilet, thankful it was still winter and she could at least bear it. She couldn''t imagine what it would be like in summer.


    Zhao Guihua never thought she''d one day worry about how to use the toilet. The toilet wasn''t much warmer, so she quickly went in and out, stamping her feet at the entrance. From afar, she saw Jiang Luing, who greeted with a smile, "Aunt Zhao, you''re also going to the toilet?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes."


    Why else would she be standing at the toilet entrance, unless she was reminiscing about her mother-inw''s recent actions?


    But Zhao Guihua couldn''t say that.


    She smiled, cupping her hands and walking back, only to notice Jiang Luing out of the toilet and heading towards the main street. Zhao Guihua was puzzled and stopped to watch. What was she doing out sote?


    If it were Wang Xiangxiu going to the main street, Zhao Guihua could instantly imagine a series of scandalous news, but Jiang Lu shouldn''t be that type. Jiang Lu waspletely devoted to Zhou Qun, utterly andpletely. Zhao Guihua had seen this clearly in her previous life; Jiang Lu was capable of doing anything for Zhou Qun.


    So Zhao Guihua didn''t meddle in their affairs this time around. Whatever decisions they made were their own, and outsiders didn''t need to interfere. However, it was strange for Jiang Lu to be out sote. Zhao Guihua hesitated but couldn''t resist her curiosity and quietly followed her.


    Jiang Lu probably wasn''t going far; the buses were stopped at night, and she wasn''t riding a bicycle, so going far wasn''t practical.


    Zhao Guihua stealthily followed Jiang Lu, watching her walk down the back streets, passing two blocks, and then entering an alley. Zhao Guihua: "!!"


    What was she doing?


    She watched as Jiang Lu knocked on one of the doors, which opened to reveal an olddy handing Jiang Lu a bottle. Under the streetlight, Zhao Guihua could clearly see that it was a bright red liquid.


    Zhao Guihua: "??"


    The olddy instructed, "I''ve recited a spell for 49 days, this is the best rooster blood. Drink it exactly at midnight on New Year''s Day, and you''re sure to have a big, healthy baby boy next year."


    Jiang Lu was overjoyed.Aliali: 67485a1dc4f3f33ac477854d


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She shouldn''t have gossiped; seeing Jiang Lu and Madam Zhou Li still talking, Zhao Guihua turned around and walked back. She was just bored,ing out to watch this gossip for what! However, Jiang Lu was indeed a tough woman, willing to do anything for having a baby.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t want to run into Jiang Lu, so she hurried back, and as soon as she turned into the alley, she saw Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei standing at the gate.


    The two of them approached her: "Mom, where have you been? We thought you fell into the toilet."


    Zhao Guihua replied: "Can''t you wish me well? Let''s go home."


    Ming Mei promptly linked arms with Zhao Guihua, cooing, "Mom, let''s go together."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately linked arms with her on the other side, saying, "You don''t know how worried we were about you."


    Zhao Guihua muttered to herself: "I was tailing someone."


    "Pfft!"


    Zhao Guihua continued to mutter: "That olddy, she looks familiar!"

 Chapter 22

    New Year''s Day, early in the morning, the courtyard was already bustling with activity.


    People came and went, exchanging New Year greetings, and the children were especially lively, running around energetically.


    The first words everyone said upon meeting were always "Happy New Year," and Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei had woken up a bitte, rushing around. The young couple both wore red sweaters and ck trousers, the same outfits they had worn for their wedding half a month ago. Ming Mei had changed into the new cotton shoes her mother-inw had bought for her. She stretched her feet out for Zhuang Zhixi to see and said, "Look, they fit pretty well."


    Although the cotton shoes were in and couldn''tpare to leather shoes, Ming Mei didn''t usually buy small leather shoes. She cared about the appearance of her clothes but always prioritizedfort for her feet, knowing that she spent most of her day on the bus.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched herb her hair, his fingers mischievous on her shoulder, saying, "Shall I help you?"


    Ming Mei looked at him through the mirror and teased, "Do you know how?"


    Zhuang Zhixi was very confident: "Of course I know how."


    His fingers ran through her hair, pulling out a strand, and Ming Mei eximed, "Ouch!"


    She turned around, ring, "That hurts, you know! These are my hair, not a ball of yarn."


    Well, he was good at boasting, but not so good at the actual task. Ming Mei pushed him away, saying, "Alright, I''ll do it myself."


    She tied her hair into a high bun, which was called a "monk''s head" at the time, making Ming Mei look even more fresh and bright. Zhuang Zhixi watched her finish her hair and then apply Bai Qiao Ling cream, leaning in to smell it and saying, "Mmm, it''s fragrant."


    Ming Mei reached out and smeared some on his face, catching him off guard: "Oh,e on!"


    He said, "That''s a waste on me."


    Ming Mei retorted, "I''m just looking out for your dry skin," and she helped him apply the cream. Zhuang Zhixi gave Ming Mei a suggestive smile. Their eyes met, and Ming Mei let out a soft hum.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly, his forehead touching hers, and said, "Wife, how can you be so good?"


    Ming Mei proudly patted her chest, boasting, "My character is beyond reproach."


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh again, saying, "You''re quite the braggart!"


    Ming Mei pointed at her hair and said, "Am I bragging? Is it worse than you? Look at what you did to my hair, and I''m still repaying you with kindness, applying Bai Qiao Ling for you. You know, men using m oil is already a waste."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re right, so my wife is the best."


    He had never used such things before, but in the winter, his skin felt dry, and the cream was quitefortable. He curiously looked at himself in the mirror, saying, "It does seem to make my skin look more hydrated."


    Ming Mei gave him a yful look, pouting, and Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t resist leaning down...


    "Knock knock knock! Knock knock!" The sound of knocking came from the door, and outside was Hutou, the little matchmaker, shouting, "Uncle Zhuang, Auntie Ming, Happy New Year, get up, Happy New Year!"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei looked at each other: "..."


    They both burst outughing simultaneously. Zhuang Zhixi got up to open the door: "Happy New Year, little rascal."


    "Breakfast is ready!" Hutou said, hands on his hips. He was wearing a new hat and a new padded jacket today, looking quite proud, and he shouted loudly, "Time to eat!"


    The young couple went to the main house to greet Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua, and then greeted their brothers and sisters-inw. Xiao Yanzi kept trying to get close to them, saying, "Auntie is so fragrant." Little girls were always attentive to such details.


    She sniffed her little nose: "Uncle is also fragrant."


    Liang Meifen reminded with a smile, "Why don''t you wish your uncle and aunt a Happy New Year?"


    After all, they might give out some lucky money, and Liang Meifen was hoping for that.


    Xiao Yanzi said in a baby voice, "Happy New Year, Uncle and Auntie."


    Hutou had already wished them a Happy New Year earlier but came up again: "Happy New Year, Uncle and Auntie~"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged a smile, and Ming Mei took out red envelopes, cing them in the children''s hands, saying, "Here, take your red envelopes."


    Hutou eagerly opened his, finding a dor inside, his eyes widening: "Wow~"


    At this time, children usually received red envelopes with a penny, and even a dime was considered generous. A whole dor was exceptionally generous. Hutou was excited: "I have two dors now!" Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei realized that Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua had also given each child a dor.


    The kids were thrilled, and Liang Meifen was the happiest, as she had two children and each received a dor from her inws and her brother-inw''s family, totaling four dors. She had already nned to take the money from the kidster, as she didn''t want them to spend it recklessly.


    She was going back to her parents'' house on the third day of the New Year, and with an extra four dors, she could buy a lot of things, sure to earn her parents'' praise and admiration.


    Hmm, exchanging a penny for a red envelope, worth it.


    Liang Meifen was lost in her happy thoughts when she heard Zhuang Zhixi ruffle Hutou''s hair and say, "After I finish greeting everyone, let''s go to the store, shall we? We can buy some firecrackers and candies. If you don''t spend the money, your mom will take it away."


    As soon as he said that, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at Liang Meifen with suspicion.


    Uncle Zhuang was right!


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi, you scoundrel, why are you so mean?


    Zhuang Zhixi was stillughing: "Wouldn''t it be better to buy some snacks to hide and eat slowly, or some fun firecrackers to y with? Don''t let your mom trick you out of your lucky money."


    Xiao Yanzi was too young to remember, but Hutou immediately recalled that his mom had taken his lucky moneyst year. Adults were the best at fooling kids. The child became alert and quickly said loudly, "Let''s go buy things now!"


    What you eat is what''s truly yours.


    Liang Meifen was so embarrassed she felt like fainting, but she managed to say, "It''s not good for kids to spend money recklessly. I''m holding onto it for them, to save up. It''s not good for such young children to develop extravagant habits."


    Zhuang Zhixi flicked his nephew''s forehead and said, "See, your mom wants it, doesn''t she?"


    Hutou immediately shouted, "This is my lucky money, it''s mine!"


    Xiao Yanzi echoed, "It''s mine, it''s mine!" She always followed her brother.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed heartily.


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She red at her son and said, "You really are stirring up trouble."


    However, she didn''t interfere with how they spent the money, as it was already given out. Zhuang Zhixi leaned in: "Mom, my wife and I didn''t get red envelopes. We''re still kids too."


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched as she stared at her son. If it weren''t New Year''s, she would have scolded him. How thick-skinned can you be? You can already make kids, yet you call yourself a kid. Have some shame.


    Zhao Guihua looked away, snorting, and said, "No red envelopes! Eat breakfast."


    Zhuang Zhixi was about to grumble a bit more when he saw the breakfast table and couldn''t help but forget hisints. The breakfast looked good!


    "Oh, this is really nice!"


    Besides the leftover dumplings fromst night, there were tofu brains, fried dough sticks, and tea eggs, quite a variety. Although it was 1970, most ces were state-owned, and service-oriented jobs didn''t take holidays.


    So even on New Year''s Day morning, you could still buy fried dough sticks and soy milk.


    Before the family finished breakfast, someone came to pay their New Year''s greetings. Li Fang and Yang Lixin from the back courtyard brought their kids to visit, and Zhao Guihua gave red envelopes to the two boys, each containing five cents. It wasn''t that she was stingy; among neighbors, this amount was already generous.


    They had prepared various red envelopes; for those in the same courtyard or familiar neighbors, they usually gave five cents, and for less familiar children from outside, they gave a penny, just for good luck.


    This was already quite a lot, as times were tough for everyone.


    Their neighborhood consisted mainly of worker families, which was better than most of the country.


    Li Junjun and Li Weiwei received their red envelopes and happily called out, "Thank you, Grandpa Zhuang and Grandma Zhao."


    It was unnecessary to give New Year''s money to the younger generation like the Zhuang brothers. If everyone were to give, which family could afford it? It was usually reserved for those of higher seniority. Yang Lixin, seeing they had finished eating, asked, "Shall we go out to pay New Year calls together?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure, let''s go."


    He put on his coat and handed a jacket to Ming Mei, saying, "Let''s go, wife."


    A group of young people, trailed by a few little ones, went door to door to pay their respects. The nearest was the Su family. Aunt Su had prepared red envelopes, which she distributed to the children. When the little ones saw they contained only one cent, they pouted.


    Wang Xiangxiu also joined them with her children, making the group evenrger.


    Among the families in the front courtyard, the Zhou family was the best off, but Madam Zhou Li didn''t give out a single red envelope. The children pouted unhappily. Madam Zhou Li didn''t care at all; her family had no children, so why should she distribute red envelopes? There was no return on that investment, and Madam Zhou Li was absolutely unwilling to suffer a loss.


    She was the kind of person who would rather eat shit than lose out!


    Jii muttered softly, "Doesn''t give every year, so stingy."


    Madam Zhou Li was smug, thinking she wouldn''t give, to the point of angering monkeys!


    The children were dispirited, but soon perked up again. Bai Laoer had prepared something for the kids, but even among children, red envelopes differed. Seeing that other kids'' envelopes were thin, while the Su family''s three boys had thick ones, Jii nced triumphantly at the other children, making them pout even more.


    They had visited all the households in the back courtyard and naturally moved on to the surrounding courtyards, which were also home to many people, mostly from their factory and familiar to them. Ming Mei followed Zhuang Zhixi, held by his hand.


    This wouldn''t usually be eptable, even for a married couple, but today was New Year''s Day! No one was going to nitpick about this. Zhuang Zhixi was sweet-talking and, being good-looking, was even more popr. Handsome and sweet-talking, he was even more so. After a big loop, it was clear Zhuang Zhixi was more popr than even Yang Lixin, the cook.


    As Zhuang Zhixi''s wife, Ming Mei was also well-liked. It was clear they were well-matched, both good at saying nice things. After a big loop, they had paid their respects to almost everyone.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Hutou, shall we go to themissary?"


    He hadn''t forgotten about this.


    Liang Meifen''s face changed, and Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Forget it, don''t take them. If you go, they''ll definitely buy snacks. Hutou, Dad will take you, and we''ll get you some pencils or something."


    Hutou: "Ah??"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, follow Dad."


    Liang Meifen hesitated for a moment, then stomped her foot and followed.


    With the New Year visits concluded, the group dispersed. Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi walked hand in hand back home. She teased, "You did that on purpose, didn''t you? Your sister-inw''s face must be green."


    Zhuang Zhixi said with righteous indignation, "Isn''t that for the kids'' good?"


    Ming Mei: "Look at you smiling."


    Clearly, he had ulterior motives.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh and said, "She tried to make me ufortable when I was about to get married, so it''s only fair I make her ufortable, right? Besides, I didn''t do anything. I''m very innocent. We even gave two yuan as New Year''s money. Ask around, which family has an uncle as good as me?"


    Ming Mei: "Hehe."


    She was beginning to understand Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his wife''s hand and said, "Let''s go see a movie this afternoon?"


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What do you say?"


    Ming Mei: "Sure! I don''t know what''s ying now. It''s been a long time since Ist went to the movies."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I don''t know either. Let''s go check it out, whatever''s ying, how about it?"


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    The young couple walked hand in hand back home. Upon entering the courtyard, they saw Zhao Guihua chatting with Aunt Wang, gossiping about someone. Ming Mei whispered, "I wonder what Mother is talking about."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It must be about the red envelopes. Our mom gave out the standard amount for this area. Everyone gives about the same, but Aunt Su only gives one cent every year, making the others feel cheated. So they alwaysin about it."


    Ming Mei: "And Madam Zhou Li doesn''t give at all."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "She has no kids. The Su family, though..."


    The three Su boys, led by Su Jii, would visit every household they knew or didn''t know, trying to squeeze out every bit of New Year''s money or snacks they could. Some families only recognized them vaguely and didn''t interact much, yet the three boys still went knocking, hoping for even a handful of peanuts or a piece of candy if no red envelope was forting. Thus, they were quite shameless and not well-liked in the neighborhood.


    Ming Mei: "Don''t their parents care?"


    "What''s there to care about! It might even be their parents who encourage it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ve long been used to their ways."


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh. Zhao Guihua saw them return and called, "Zhuang Zhixi!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Present."


    Zhao Guihua: "Make some steamed pork ribs for lunch. Start chopping the ribs now."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure, I''ll get right on it!"


    He pulled his wife and said, "We had ribs for lunch yesterday, and you missed out. You have to eat more today."


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly: "Mm-hmm."


    She loved ribs, finding the meat on them even more vorful than regr meat. Zhao Guihua, after gossiping with others, came home to see her son chopping all the ribs. She didn''t say anything but took out a small half to save for another time.


    Having so many at once would mean no leftovers for future enjoyment.


    Zhao Guihua, after gossiping and feeling parched, poured herself a cup of water and gulped it down. If it weren''t for the awkwardness, she would have shared the gossip she sawst night. Jiang Lu was a real tough one, daring to drink raw chicken blood for having a baby. And it was at midnight, which made her scalp tingle just thinking about it.


    However, the olddy who gave Jiang Lu the chicken blood seemed familiar. Normally, Zhao Guihua would recognize someone from the neighborhood, but this time, she felt the familiarity wasn''t just because they were neighbors.


    "Mom, what are you thinking about?"


    "What''s it to you?" Zhao Guihua asked: "Where are your brother and sister-inw?"


    "Taking the kids shopping," Zhuang Zhixi replied. "Look, you still need your youngest son. I can do anything, unlike my elder brother and sister-inw who are cking off." Zhao Guihua didn''t believe a word of it, giving a coldugh and saying, "Don''t pretend with me. Can you really do anything? Even a three-year-old wouldn''t believe that."


    With that, she turned and went out.


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and said, "I''ll definitely grab all the good stuff for lunch."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    Lunch was still quite good, as it is with most families during the New Year, regardless of wealth. Those who could afford it would not skimp on these days, and their family was no exception.


    Hearing that Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were going to the movies in the afternoon, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi''s eyes lit up. Zhuang Zhixi firmly said, "Don''t look at me. I absolutely won''t take you. I want some alone time with my wife. If you want to go, let your parents take you."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi immediately looked at Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "What''s there to see in a movie? Wait for the machinery factory to show one, then you can go. I need a break too. Always on the long-distance train, I feel tired. Staying healthy is essential for better contributing to society. Movies are just for pleasure; we don''t need that."


    The family: "..."


    Zhao Guihua sincerely said, "Zhiyuan, no one cares what you say at work, but at home, speak like a human."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan felt wronged; he thought he was saying something profound, but his mother just didn''t get it.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn''t happy, so Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, the two siblings, could only set off firecrackers at their doorstep. These were the ones they bought with their New Year''s money. However, setting off firecrackers was still a lot of fun. If their mother had taken them away, they wouldn''t have even had a single firecracker left! After dinner, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei rode their bikes out together, which made Liang Meifen envious. But spending a dime on a movie ticket was something she just couldn''t bring herself to do.


    She also felt a vague resentment towards Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei for not being considerate enough. What''s the big deal about taking kids along? Such young children, if apanied by an adult, wouldn''t need a ticket. But if they go alone without an adult, they''d be required to buy a half-price ticket.


    Although the half-price ticket was only five cents, Liang Meifen still couldn''t bear to spend it. She felt like crying, but she forced herself to look up, as it was New Year''s Day. Crying on this day would bring bad luck for the entire year.


    She couldn''t afford to be unlucky.


    Liang Meifen harbored a bundle ofints in her heart, while Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei remained oblivious, even if they knew, they wouldn''t care. Zhuang Zhixi rode with Ming Mei on the back, her arms around his waist, saying, "It would be nice if we had some roasted melon seeds."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, and Ming Mei immediately asked, "Did you prepare some?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Feel in my pocket."


    Ming Mei reached in and found a handful of melon seeds. She sincerely praised, "You''re good, thinking of this."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "They were roasted at home the day before yesterday. I originally nned to eat them while watching the festivities, but the meeting dyed, and I forgot. Today, as we were heading out to the movies, I quickly grabbed a handful, hehe."


    Ming Mei said, "Not bad!"


    Watching a movie without something to munch on always felt like something was missing.


    "Let''s buy some candy balls too," she suggested.


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Sure."


    The movie wasn''t new, but there weren''t many options anyway, and the cinema yed the same ones repeatedly. During the New Year, they yed the more popr ones. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Have you seen it before?"


    Ming Mei nodded but also said, "Let''s watch it again. I think it''s really good."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Alright."


    Ming Mei tilted her head and asked, "Do they show movies at your factory often?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, we''re arge factory with over ten thousand employees, so we have a dedicated movie projectionist. There are screenings about once or twice a month."


    Ming Mei eximed, "Wow, that''s quite frequent. Let me know next time there''s a movie, I want to go too."


    She usually had to pay to watch movies and hadn''t experienced many free ones.


    The couple bought tickets and entered the cinema. Despite it being New Year''s Day, the ce was quite crowded. Normally, the afternoon shows were sparsely attended, but today the seats were almost full. They arrivedte and ended up in the back row.


    Ming Mei looked around and said, "Let''se earlier next time and sit in the front."


    Zhuang Zhixiforted her, "This is fine too."


    He directly put his arm around Ming Mei, holding her shoulder. Ming Mei''s face turned red instantly, and she shifted ufortably, saying, "What are you doing? What if someone sees?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "How could that happen? The lights will dim soon, and no one will notice. Everyone''s focused on the screen; who would look back? And there''s no one behind us."


    He sounded quite confident.


    Ming Mei red at him, and Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, pulling her closer again. This time, Ming Mei didn''t dodge but whispered, "You''re not a good person."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed softly, saying, "I think I''m pretty good."


    His other hand also reached out to hold Ming Mei''s small hand, which was soft and delicate. Zhuang Zhixi said, "It''s really nice."


    Ming Mei retorted, "Tch~"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed even more visibly. Just then, the cinema darkened, and the movie started... The young couple watched the film together. Zhuang Zhixi whispered, "Did youe here often before?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "Yes."


    She had been busy with wedding preparations and had less time to watch movies. She used toe quite often.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and said, "Alone?"


    Ming Mei replied, "I usually came with my mom. She loves movies, but my dad is often away, so I''d apany her... " Here, she paused, realizing what Zhuang Zhixi was implying. She immediately reached out to pinch him, twisting his soft spot forcefully, causing Zhuang Zhixi to wince, "Ouch!


    Pain intensified!


    Ming Mei said, "What''s your intention? Testing me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly admitted, "I was wrong!"


    Ming Mei chided, "It''s very annoying to talk like that. If you have something to ask, just ask directly. This roundabout way of speaking is really irritating. You don''t talk like your parents at all!"


    She found herself morefortable with her mother-inw Zhao Guihua''s straightforward way of speaking, even if sometimes it wasn''t pleasant. If everyone in the family spoke in such a roundabout manner, Ming Mei thought it would be quite problematic.


    So she said directly, "Next time, ask whatever you want to know directly. Don''t y these games with me, or I won''t be polite."


    Seeing that Ming Mei was genuinely upset, Zhuang Zhixi quickly exined, "I didn''t mean it, I just got used to speaking like that. I''m sorry, I won''t do it again. I''ll ask you directly if I want to know something."


    Ming Mei huffed, "Hmph!"


    Zhuang Zhixi tried to appease her, "Baby, I''m sorry..."


    Ming Mei: "Ugh!"


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi in disbelief, unable to imagine how a grown man could speak so disgustingly. She raised her arm slightly and showed him, "Look, I''m getting goosebumps. Can you speak normally? Ugh... Baby!"


    Ming Mei thought even her three-year-old nephew at her maternal home wouldn''t be called that. She shook herself, feeling really grossed out.


    "If you talk like that, I want to hit you."


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered andughed, saying, "Then I won''t call you that anymore. You don''t understand my love at all."


    Ming Mei immediately retorted, "If your love is calling me ''baby,'' then I don''t want to experience it. Ugh... More goosebumps, look!"


    She was very straightforward; there was no way she''d be okay with such a nickname.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let me see, let me see... Oh, so white."


    Ming Mei: "Shut up!"


    Her face was flushed red, feeling that Zhuang Zhixi was really no good. At this moment, Ming Mei hadn''t learned the term "oily," but if her mother-inw Zhao Guihua saw this, she''d definitelybel her son with that word.


    This oily young man!


    Fortunately, Zhuang Zhixi was also afraid of really angering Ming Mei and stopped after a couple of yful remarks. However, he still muttered, "When we get home, I''ll properly apologize to you."


    Ming Mei: "Shut up!"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly. Due to Zhuang Zhixi''s antics, Ming Mei barely watched any of the movie. By the time she snapped back to reality, the film was more than halfway through. She turned her head and red at Zhuang Zhixi again. Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his nose, wanting to say he was innocent but also feeling somewhat guilty.


    The movie was less than an hour and a half long, but since it started in thete afternoon and winter days get dark early, by the time the movie ended, it was already getting dusky outside. Ming Mei said, "Do you think mom will get upset if we get homete?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "It''s New Year''s, it shouldn''t be a problem."


    He turned to look at Ming Mei and said, "If you''re in a hurry, I''ll take you through a shortcut."


    Ming Mei, unfamiliar with the area, quickly asked, "Is there a shortcut here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Of course."


    He patted the bike seat and said, "Get on!"


    Zhuang Zhixi rode with Ming Mei and soon turned into a nearby alley. He grew up in this neighborhood and knew every nook and cranny. He pedaled and said, "Taking the shortcut can save us over ten minutespared to the main road. When I was a kid, I loved following my older brother around, but he didn''t like taking me with him. Every time he sneaked out, I could catch up with him because of my shortcut skills."


    Ming Mei chuckled.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let me tell you, I..." Before he could finish, a screech sounded, and their bike was blocked!


    Two young men suddenly emerged from the alley, unexpectedly darting out from the shadows. One of them immediatelyy down and said, "You hit my brother, pay up!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Before he could speak, two more young men appeared from behind, all four of them eyeing Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei with malicious intent, as if they were looking at easy prey. This was clearly a robbery, with no real connection to hitting anyone. And seeing how they coordinated their ambush from both ends, it was clear they had done this before.


    Zhuang Zhixi furrowed his brow, ready to speak, when suddenly he felt Ming Mei''s hand grasp his, gently scratching his palm.


    Zhuang Zhixi steadied himself and said, "My bike didn''t hit anyone. Whatpensation are you talking about? This is just a robbery. Why y these pointless games?"


    The leader, a man with a square face, let out a cold chuckle. "What if it is a robbery? Smarten up and hand over the money. Don''t make use and take it ourselves." His gaze swept over Ming Mei, a flicker of admiration in his eyes before he leered, "Oh, you two are dating? Your girlfriend is quite a looker. Why not keep herpany for a while?"


    He addressed Ming Mei directly, "Littledy, why stick with this pretty boy? He''s useless, not worth a damn. Why note with me? I''ll show you a good time."


    The one who had pretended to be hit got up, grinning slyly. "Boss, I haven''t had a woman yet. Don''t forget about me!"


    The four robbers cackled maliciously.


    "Don''t worry, everyone will get their turn. Pretty boy, hand over all your money if you know what''s good for you. We''ll take care of the girl, and you can get lost!"


    Hearing their vile words, Zhuang Zhixi''s demeanor turned icy. He had initially intended to cooperate with Ming Mei, but now, fueled by anger, he stepped forward and delivered a swift kick.


    The pretend-injured henchman, the closest, was sent sprawling.


    "Damn it, you dare resist? You''re asking for it! Guys, teach him a lesson!"


    The group lunged forward. Zhuang Zhixi was about to charge when Ming Mei pulled him back, saying, "Get out of the way."


    "Oh, littledy wants to join in..."


    Zhuang Zhixi turned to see Ming Mei''s face, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, giving her an eerie look. Ming Mei: "You want to y with me, huh?"


    With a sudden sprint, she leapt into the air, delivering a powerful kick that sent the square-faced leader sliding several meters before crashing into a wall.


    Ming Mei followed up with two swift punches to his chest, forcing him to his knees with a howl.


    "You... you..."


    The other two, seeing the situation, rushed forward, but Ming Mei turned and delivered a punch and a kick, taking them down in an instant. In a matter of moments, all four were defeated.


    Ming Mei proceeded to beat them, taunting, "Want to y?"


    "Want to rob?"


    "Haven''t seen a woman?"


    "Pretty boy?"


    With each question, shended a punch, the four men howling in pain. Ming Mei: "You really don''t know who you''re messing with. Trying to bully me? You should have checked who I am before picking a fight!"


    Ming Mei showed no mercy. Zhuang Zhixi stood silently behind her, his eyes filled with admiration. His wife was indeed formidable! He almost had stars in his eyes, truly understanding now that rumors didn''t do her justice.


    Themotion finally drew attention, and someone peeked out to see what was happening. Zhuang Zhixi, still in awe of Ming Mei''s prowess, finally snapped back to reality. "Buddy, could you please call the police? We''ve caught some robbers."


    "Uh..."


    The onlooker nced at Zhuang Zhixi, then at the girl still beating the men, and quickly nodded. "Sure!"


    Those criminals deserved whatever they got.


    He ran off to call the police, and soon, a few officers arrived. The informant wasn''t entirely clear on the details, but the police quickly followed him back. They found Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei standing aside, with the four men piled up, beaten and bruised, crying out in pain.


    A few curious onlookers pointed and whispered.


    "What happened? Who was robbed?"


    Zhuang Zhixi stepped forward: "Officers, my wife and I were riding home when we encountered these four trying to rob us."


    The police officer: "..."


    He looked down at the four men, beaten to a pulp, and asked, "You did this?"


    Zhuang Zhixi hesitated, then shook his head. "No, my wife did."


    The officer looked at Ming Mei, skeptical. "You did this?"


    Ming Mei nodded. "These bastards tried to ambush us. It''s New Year''s, a time to be happy, and they had to go and rob people. I didn''t even go all out."


    The officer: "..."


    An older officer looked at Ming Mei and suddenly said, "You look familiar."


    A young girl taking down four men, and looking good while doing it...


    He had a sh of recognition. "Aren''t you Little Ming?"


    He couldn''t quite recall the full name, but the surname stood out. It seemed to fit.


    Ming Mei nodded. "Yes."


    The older officer smiled. "No wonder you''re so capable. Thank you again for your help."


    He was thrilled, as this was a significant achievement. Such brazen robberies were rare these days. "Alright, cuff them and take them in. You two,e with us to make a statement."


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi exchanged nces. "Sure."


    In this era, everyone despised robbers and thieves. Life was tough for everyone, and those who sought easy gains were deeply resented. Catching a thief was a cause for celebration, and even killing one wouldn''t elicit sympathy.


    The police station wasn''t far, and soon they were there, with the four men sobbing and unable to defend themselves. They had no local identification, and it didn''t take long to get them to confess. They were vagrants from out of town, having fled aftermitting a robbery and stabbing someone in their hometown. Without the necessary travel permits, they had stowed away on a coal train to the capital, hoping to survive there.


    However, none of them were hardworking. They wanted easy money, so within a month of arriving, they had resorted to robbery several times.


    They roamed the city, hitting different areas each time.


    Their luck ran out when they targeted Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, who had been buying sweets.


    The square-faced leader had initially nned to steal the bike but found it too risky due to the serial numbers. He then decided to rob them instead, figuring they must have money if they could afford a movie.


    But they never expected to run into such a formidable opponent.


    The police were delighted to catch these dangerous individuals. Had they remained atrge, their boldness might have led to more serious crimes. Fortunately, their bad luck led them to the wrong people, and they were swiftly taken down.


    And now they''ve been caught, and they were already on the wanted list. This... is like a blessing from the heavens!


    Although they didn''t catch them directly, as the ones leading the scene, they still deserve credit. Just look at this young couple; their eyes are filled with joy.


    They truly are two lucky stars.


    Oh no, no, no, no! We mustn''t promote feudal superstitions, we don''t talk about that!


    But, it''s really great!


    The veteran policeman shook Zhuang Zhixi''s hand and said, "Thank you, thank you so much for what you and your wife have done. These guys were fugitives, and you''ve really helped us out. After the New Year, we''ll definitelye to your workce to express our gratitude."


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up, and she said cheerfully, "This is all part of our duty."


    Sniff, sniff, this time it wasn''t on the bus, but could it mean a raise in her sry? If only she could get a raise!


    She, an ordinary ticket collector on a bus, just wants a raise in her sry.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Actually, I didn''t do much. It''s mainly because my wife is amazing. Not only is she skilled in martial arts, but she''s also full of a sense of justice. She alone could teach these guys a lesson. My wife has always been a stickler for justice. Since we encountered them, we couldn''t just let them go. Besides, these scoundrels were just asking for it. How could they get away with such nonsense in our city!"


    He went on and on about his wife, praising her to the skies. It was all true, so thepliments were well-deserved.


    The veteran policeman smiled, "You''re right."Aliali: 674aec4f3f33ac49acb42


    He said, "It''s gettingte, how about I treat you to dinner to show my gratitude..."


    He was sincere, but Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei quickly waved their hands in unison, "No need, no need. Our family must be waiting for us. If we don''t get back soon, they might start to worry."


    Ming Mei''s face turned red with anxiety. She wondered if her mother-inw would be upset if they got homete!


    Zhuang Zhixi also thought of this and said, "We need to hurry home."


    The veteran policeman: "Alright, then let me see you off..."


    "No need!"


    The young couple hopped onto their bike and said, "We''ll ride fast!" And off they went, pedaling away.


    The veteran policeman stroked his chin, "Why the rush?"


    But then he thought about it and smiled. Who wouldn''t be in a hurry to get home during the New Year?


    He sighed, "Ming Mei is really a promising talent."

 Chapter 23

    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, the young couple, had disappeared without a trace for the entire afternoon. As lights began turning on in every household, they still hadn''t returned. Zhao Guihua held back her anger, swallowing the scolding words she wanted to say.


    After all, it was the New Year holiday.


    Zhao Guihua kept reminding herself: "It''s the New Year," and couldn''t help butugh at herself. She had been repeating this phrase quite often these past few days. What was that saying from TikTok she used to watch?


    Whether it''s the eight great pardons or the four tolerances, they all included this phrase: "It''s the New Year after all."


    Zhao Guihua watched as the sky turnedpletely dark. The Su family''s children had finished dinner and were setting off firecrackers outside their door, but Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were still nowhere to be seen. Old Man Zhuang said to his wife, "Dear, where do you think those two have gone? Should we go look for them?"


    Zhao Guihua looked up: "Where would we look? Do you know where they might be? The movie must be over by now, who knows where they''ve gone off showing themselves around. If you go looking for them, then we''ll have to go looking for you too. When will it end?"


    Zhao Guihua had a point, so Old Man Zhuang fell silent. He walked towards the door with his hands behind his back.


    Zhao Guihua: "Where are you going?"


    Old Man Zhuang: "I''m not going out, just going to look around at the front gate."


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Alright then."


    Hutou shuffled over to Zhao Guihua''s side, whining softly: "Grandma, I''m hungry."


    Xiao Yanzi quickly came over too, looking up with her little face saying: "I''m hungry too."


    Dinner was sote today, Xiao Yanzi thought as she touched her empty little tummy, looking pitifully at her grandmother.


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait a moment, your aunt and uncle brought some walnut cookies, I''ll give you each one to tide you over."


    The two children were overjoyed to receive a cookie each and began eating them carefully. Walnut cookies were a rare treat in their household, and the two children ended up with crumbs all over their faces, their eyes crinkling with happiness.


    Liang Meifen watched her children eating the cookies, secretly feeling pleased: Another win!


    But this didn''t stop her from stirring up trouble. Liang Meifen said: "Third brother and his wife are so in love, always being lovey-dovey, and now they''ve gone out together and disappeared, too happy toe home. It''s really enviable."


    She knew well that no mother-inw wanted to see her son and daughter-inw being too affectionate - they were natural enemies. By saying this, she hoped to make Ming Mei''s life more difficult.


    Liang Meifen was quite pleased with her scheming. As long as her mother-inw disliked Ming Mei, she would be able to get more "resources" from the family. She continued: "It''s no wonder third brother treasures his wife so much, treating her like precious jade that might break, like candy that might melt in his mouth. Sister-inw is quite beautiful after all. Oh right, Mom, third brother has never taken you and Dad to the movies, has he?"


    More instigation.


    Zhao Guihua looked up at Liang Meifen and said: "Neither have you."


    Was she trying to y mind games with her?


    She was a thousand-year-old fox, she wouldn''t fall for such tricks.


    Zhao Guihua was a worldly-wise olddy, how could she not see through Liang Meifen''s intentions?


    She chuckled: "When have you ever taken us?"


    Liang Meifen: "Uh..."


    She was like a squeaky toy that had been squeezed silent, not knowing what to say. Zhao Guihua smiled: "Why so quiet? You don''t want to?"


    Liang Meifen: "No, of course not, it''s just..."


    She stammered: "Mom, it''s because I don''t have money. I''m not as well-off as sister-inw, I don''t earn money, and we have two children, I really want to but can''t afford it." Her voice grew increasingly quiet, feeling that her mother-inw had more to say to her.


    Sure enough!


    Zhao Guihua gave a cold smile: "Aren''t you not working because you gave your job to your brother? Why are you ying the victim here?"


    Liang Meifen lowered her head, not daring to speak anymore. Despite her education and high school diploma, she was no match for Zhao Guihua, who had only attended literacy sses. This olddy was a natural at arguing.


    She didn''t dare to respond, afraid of being shut down again, and became very docile.


    Fortunately, Zhao Guihua didn''t continue her verbal assault. She stood up and said: "I''ll go to the door and look too, maybe something held them up." Although her youngest son and daughter-inw were usually unreliable, she knew them well enough - they weren''tpletelycking in judgment.


    By all rights, they should have been back by now.


    When Zhao Guihua reached the door, she saw Old Man Zhuang chatting with Old Man Bai. Old Man Bai''s family lived closest to the main gate, and after dinner, he would bring a small stool to sit at the door and watch the children y. He and Old Man Zhuang had struck up a conversation.


    Old Man Zhuang got along well with Old Man Bai - he got along well with everyone in thepound, mainly because he wasn''t the type to make a fuss. Besides, theirpound had more strong-willed women than men, and naturally, the men didn''t dare to act too boldly.


    Old Man Zhuang squatted beside Old Man Bai and said: "What are you doing out in this cold?"


    Old Man Bai: "Just watching the excitement, nothing else to do at home."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, nced back at Aunt Su''s door, then turned back without saying anything, just watching the entrance of the alley. Old Man Bai curiously asked: "Why aren''t you staying warm at home? What brought you out?"


    "Waiting for my third son, don''t know where that young couple went off to y, they haven''te back yet." Old Man Zhuang said meaningfully: "You know, my youngest is already married, but your son is over thirty, and you as his father aren''t worried about it?"


    Old Man Bai protested: "How can you say I''m not worried? I''m anxious too, but what can we do if he can''t find someone suitable? We''re all from the samepound, you uncles should help introduce someone."


    Old Man Zhuang: "You know me, who do I know?"


    Old Man Bai sighed, also ncing back at the Su family''s house, and said quietly: "Actually, there might be someone suitable, but it''splicated."


    Just howplicated it was, Old Man Bai didn''t say.


    He didn''t even mention the name of the young widow from the Su family.


    "What are you two whispering about?"


    Zhao Guihua came out and saw the two of them muttering, strode over with her hands on her hips, and said: "These two little rascals, really giving me a headache."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Don''t use badnguage, don''t use badnguage."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "Since when is ''little rascal'' a bad word?"


    She stretched her neck to look around, nudged the small stool with her foot, and said: "Move aside, why are you blocking the doorway? What are you doing, having northwest wind for dinner instead of actual food?"


    Old Man Bai''s mouth twitched, thinking this woman really didn''t know how to speak properly.


    But he wasn''t going to stoop to arguing with such a shrew.


    Zhao Guihua frowned: "This is really worrying."


    Just as she finished speaking, they heard the sound of a bicycle bell. A bicycle came flying into the alley, the bell ringing non-stop, and the children ying in the alley scattered out of the way. Zhuang Zhixi sped forward with Ming Mei holding tight to his waist, afraid of falling off.


    Screech... a sudden brake.


    Zhuang Zhixi put his foot down to steady the bicycle, turned his head with a handsome smile: "Mom, we''re back."


    He was about to exin when Ming Mei jumped off the bicycle, linked arms with Zhao Guihua, her big eyes wide with excitement, and eximed: "Mom, we just came from the police station!"


    "What? Did something happen? Did you two cause trouble?" Old Man Bai was quick to speak, though not hoping for good news.


    Ming Mei lifted her head, gave a light snort, and said: "How could we possibly cause trouble? Do we look like troublemakers? We caught a bad guy and helped take him to the police station. The police officer said after the New Year holiday, they''lle to our workce tomend us."


    Ming Mei was quite proud, and how could she not be?


    She had done a good deed.


    Zhao Guihua: "!!!"


    She looked at Ming Mei in surprise, then quickly recovered, patting Ming Mei''s shoulder repeatedly: "Well done!"


    Ming Mei: "Gentle, gentle."


    Zhao Guihua really hadn''t expected this to be the reason. She had thought that while these two were unreliable, they wouldn''t be so careless as to not hurry home during the New Year holiday. She hadn''t expected them to actually have been doing something important - this was something that hadn''t happened in her previous life.


    Zhao Guihuaughed and said, "I knew you were a capable girl. Come on, let''s go home. You must be hungry. Mom will make you something delicious. Tell me more about how you caught those bad guys."


    Ming Mei responded loudly, "Okay!"


    Zhuang Zhixi called out from behind, "Don''t forget about me! I was there too!"


    Though that might be true, no mother could believe that Zhuang Zhixi was responsible for this feat. Even usingmon sense, it was obvious that Ming Mei must have been the one who caught the criminals. This was a mother''s deep understanding of her son.


    However, she didn''t embarrass her son and simply said, "Yes, I know you were there too. Come on, let''s go home and have something warm to eat."


    Their family''s voices were quite loud. While people inside their homes with closed doors and windows couldn''t hear them, the children running around outside certainly could. The three Jii brothers exchanged nces, gave each other knowing looks, and gathered behind the toilet. Squatting together, Jii whispered, "We''re in trouble. This woman is bad news."


    Despite being just a child, he spoke like a street punk, though nobody knew where he''d picked up suchnguage.


    Yii quickly asked, "Are you saying she''s lying about catching the bad guys?"


    Jii shook his head. Being the oldest, he said, "Probably not lying."


    Yii and Toni were confused. If it wasn''t a lie, how could she be a bad person? Someone who catches bad guys must be good, right?


    The two younger boys lookedpletely bewildered.


    Jii looked at his brothers with disappointment and exined patiently, "Think about it. If she can catch bad guys, it means she''s really strong."


    Yii and Toni nodded - that was obvious.


    Yii said, "Of course she''s strong. Remember how she kicked that brick in halfst time?"


    He hadn''t forgotten about that.


    Jii thought his brothers were really hopeless, without an ounce of sense. Among the three brothers, he considered himself the smartest. He snorted and said, "If she''s strong and doesn''t mess around, then we definitely can''t steal from their house anymore."


    He continued angrily, "If she can take bad guys to the police station, she''ll definitely take us there if we steal anything. So is she really good for us? Anyone who stops us from eating our fill is bad, and she''s bad - the worst kind!"


    In their minds, anyone who didn''t help their family wasn''t a good person.


    He dered, "Their family is well-off but won''t help us, and if we take things ourselves, she might send us to the police station. How can that be good? This woman is definitely not good!"


    To Jii, this logic was crystal clear.


    Yii finally understood - it was precisely because this aunt was a "good person" that she wasn''t "good" for them.


    Only little Toni, being the youngest, still didn''t understand all this talk about good and bad people. He just knew they couldn''t steal from that house anymore. The thought struck him like lightning.


    "What are we going to do?" he said dejectedly. "They have such good food."


    Jii replied, "Who knows? Recently, Grandma Zhao has be fierce too and won''t give us anything anymore. Damn, she''s not kind at all. Why don''t these people get what they deserve?"


    He was extremely resentful.


    Actually, in the past, the three brothers asionally managed to snatch things from the Zhuang family. Though not much, they could still steal a potato, a sweet potato, or a handful of peanuts here and there. While Grandma Zhao wasn''t happy about it, they would act pitiful, say some nice words, and the matter would be forgotten.


    But recently, Grandma Zhao had be absolutely detestable, showing no kindness at all.


    And now their house had someone who could fight. Jii felt heartbroken.


    "Brother, what should we do?"


    "What can we do? We''ll have to wait and see. Is it our fault that we can''t eat enough?"


    "No!"


    The three children feltpletely justified in their reasoning.


    Ming Mei had no idea that while she had done a good deed, these three children hadbeled her as "not a good person." She was at home excitedly telling everyone about how she caught the criminals.


    Old Man Bai had alsoe to listen to the excitement, though he didn''t believe a word of it. He thought this young woman was quite the braggart - iming she kicked someone into a wall? Why not say she kicked them into the sky? He''d never seen someone who could boast so much.


    Still, he was happy to listen to the entertainment.


    Not only did Old Man Bai not believe it, but even the other members of the Zhuang family were skeptical. Only Zhao Guihua truly believed it. Her eyes crinkled with joy as she said, "Although it was dangerous, you did the right thing. Catching such bad people is a great service. Now they won''t be able to harm others anymore."


    She added, "But from now on, you shoulde home earlier. Don''t make your family worry."


    Ming Mei nodded, "I understand."


    Though Ming Mei was telling her story with great enthusiasm, it didn''t stop her from eating. Her chopsticks moved like the wind, and she didn''t miss a single bite. During her meal breaks, Zhuang Zhixi kept talking too: "When we encountered the robbers, I wanted to protect my wife, but before I could do anything, my wife ended up protecting me instead. Oh, you don''t know how wonderful it feels to be protected like that."


    Everyone else: "..."


    How could he say that without feeling embarrassed?


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "But I''m not a coward. I did kick one of them down."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Man, I used to think I was good at fighting, but after seeing my wife in action, I realized what I did wasn''t real fighting - it was just making a fuss. Real fighting is what my wife does. Seriously, she was so cool!"


    He was genuinely excited. He had heard before that his wife could take on seven people at once, but only after seeing it himself did he realize just how amazing that was.


    Old Man Bai, seeing his excitement, couldn''t help but say, "If your wife is such a good fighter, you better behave yourself. Otherwise, she might turn those fists on you."


    Ming Mei paused and frowned at Old Man Bai, wondering why this old man was trying to cause trouble between them.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled slightly and said, "My wife would never raise her hands against me. But I feel relieved now - if anyone tries to mess with me, my wife might stand up for me. Right, dear?"


    Ming Mei smiled with curved lips and said, "That''s right."


    Zhuang Zhixi put his arm around Ming Mei''s shoulders, smiling proudly.


    Old Man Bai: "..." How uncivilized, such public disys of affection - he couldn''t bear to watch.


    He clicked his tongue but still stayed to watch the excitement, his eyes asionally falling on the dinner table. The Zhuang family''s food looked good. But then he remembered that his family had meat noodles for dinner too, so he felt better. After all, it was just the New Year.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan looked at his brother and sister-inw and suddenly asked, "Will the police officers visit your workce after the New Year?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, that''s what the officer said."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan pped the table and said, "This is great news! If they''re going to your workce, they''ll at least send a letter of appreciation, if not a banner of honor. This will bring you great face. You two are really lucky."


    He understood these matters well. If it was just a simple thank you, they would havee to the house. Making a special trip to the workce meant they were following official channels. At minimum, there would be a letter of appreciation.


    Don''t underestimate such letters of appreciation - ones from ordinary citizens were quite different from those from the police station. To be honest, if two people of simr status were both up for promotion, the one with such an honor would have a clear advantage.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan understood this well and smiled, saying, "You lucky dog, good fortune ising your way."


    Zhuang Zhixi had realized this too, but given his position, there wasn''t much room for promotion, and he might not even qualify for a pay grade increase. So he didn''t think too much about it and just said, "I don''t really care about these things."


    Besides, it was his wife who was really impressive.


    He had been like a decorative vase at the scene.


    Ming Mei had finished eating by now and was burping and rubbing her stomach, having eaten too quickly and feeling stuffed. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What''s wrong? Not feeling well? Mom, do we have any tea leaves left? Could we make some tea?"


    They usually wouldn''t dare ask, but during the New Year, it was eptable.


    These days, families who could afford to drink tea leaves were considered quite well-off.


    Most families kept a small amount, reserved only for important guests.


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ll go check."


    She opened the storage cab and looked inside, shaking her head: "It''s gone, thest batch was finished and we didn''t buy more."


    For families like theirs, getting a ticket each time is very difficult, so naturally, there are times when they can''t keep up...


    Ming Mei: "We have some at my ce, I remember my dad has some, I''ll go get it when I go back to my parents'' house on the third day of the New Year."


    She was a straightforward person, and as soon as she said this, the expressions in the room became varied. Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan felt embarrassed; Liang Meifen felt silently awkward, because she had never brought anything from her parents'' house, basically always taking things from her inws'' house back to her parents''.


    How could she not feel awkward hearing this? People are most afraid ofparisons.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and pinched Ming Mei''s cheek, saying: "I knew my wife treats me well, you''re already nning to take your dad''s good stuff to support me!"


    Ming Mei swatted his hand away: "Can''t you just talk without pinching me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m just happy, I knew my wife cares for me the most."


    "Ugh!"


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t take it anymore and said: "Why don''t you two go back to your room to chat?"


    Actually, they weren''t doing anything, but her youngest son''s words were really shameless. Even Zhao Guihua, a feisty olddy, couldn''t stand the oily young man, even if he was her son.


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t stand it, but Old Man Bai was envious.


    He was truly envious. His family had two bachelors, and his son was still single. Seeing Ming Mei, he deeplymented how such a good girl could like a pretty boy. His son was such a good person, if only she could marry into his family, how wonderful that would be.


    But Old Man Bai also knew that since she was already married, she naturally wouldn''t look at his son.


    He sighed and turned to leave sadly.


    Old Man Zhuang: "What''s wrong with Old Man Bai?"


    Zhao Guihua: "He''s having a fit, probably thinking about his single son."


    Zhao Guihua knew her old neighbor well indeed. She also knew that Bai Fendou hadn''t married yet, partly because of Old Man Bai. There was no Wang Xiangxiu back then. At that time, Bai Fendou was a spirited young man, and both father and son were workers with a house, not at allcking. If he wanted to find a wife, it would have been easy.


    But Old Man Bai had unclear thinking. After his wife passed away in middle age, he doted on Aunt Su, wanting to be with her. Aunt Su enjoyed his care but never agreed to marry. Over the years, this situation dragged on.


    This matter had to do with Old Man Bai, but not with Bai Fendou.


    However, Aunt Su was not an easy woman. She naturally didn''t want Bai Fendou to marry. If Bai Fendou married, he would need to prepare a dowry and Old Man Bai would have to support him financially, making his money even tighter and unable to support her. So on the matter of Bai Fendou finding a partner, Aunt Su often fed Old Man Bai negative ideas, saying this girl wasn''t good, that girl wasn''t good.


    In their courtyard, Bai Fendou had dated the most girls, each time the first meeting went well, then Old Man Bai would object, saying this one wasn''t virtuous, that one had a heavy family burden. Over time, things fell through. Later on, there was no need to say more, as a Wang Xiangxiu appeared in the courtyard. No matter when Bai Fendou developed feelings, after Wang Xiangxiu''s husband passed away, he couldn''t let go of her.


    Old Man Bai''s sry at least half went to Aunt Su; Bai Fendou''s sry also mostly went to Wang Xiangxiu.


    Although Old Man Bai liked Aunt Su, he still hoped his son would find a virgin to have a child for the Bai family, so he didn''t want Bai Fendou to be with Wang Xiangxiu. But he also coveted Wang Xiangxiu''s ability to bear sons.


    So he was extremely conflicted.


    This wasn''t just Zhao Guihua''s guess, it was something Old Man Bai himself said many yearster. Zhao Guihua clicked her tongue, calling him a hypocrite.


    "Mom, what are you thinking about?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Bai Fendou, that boy, he''s done for."


    "Ah?"


    Everyone didn''t know why Zhao Guihua suddenly said this. She didn''t say much more, only: "Let''s not talk about them. You two, where did you catch those bad guys?"


    Zhao Guihua had experienced more than the people at home, she wanted to inquire carefully to avoid future retaliation. Knowing the details, she would feel more at ease.


    Zhuang Zhixi could understand his mother.


    He said: "Don''t worry, I inquired carefully at the police station. These guys are vagrants from out of town, they had serious assault cases back home. This timeing to our city, theymitted several robberies. For this, they''ll probably get at least ten years. And usually, people like them will be sent to the northern wilderness."


    Even without asking, Zhuang Zhixi guessed these guys weren''t locals.


    The reason? Locals, even if stupid, generally wouldn''t do this on New Year''s Day. Committing crimes at home on New Year''s Day is too inauspicious. Besides, everyone knows thatmitting crimes during the traditional New Year festival will be more severely punished than usual, so anyone with a bit of sense wouldn''t choose this timing.


    Only those desperate would do such a thing.


    Hearing this, Zhao Guihua felt relieved. She nodded and said: "That''s good."


    But then she thought, there''s no need to worry about retaliation. Nowadays, people need an introduction letter wherever they go. Eachpound has an administrator, each street has a red armband, even a strange mosquito can be squashed, let alone a live person.


    These guys could hide for nearly a month because they kept moving, and also because it''s New Year, everyone is busy celebrating, so vignce is a bit lower.


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s right to uphold justice, but you also need to pay attention to safety when doing things, understand?"


    Ming Mei heard the concern in her words and nodded: "I know."


    Zhao Guihua smiled: "I know you''re capable, but sometimes even skilled swimmers drown. Don''t rush to charge forward every time you encounter such things. Of course, like this time, when someone bullies you, you should fight back."


    Ming Mei''s smile grew wider: "I know."


    Zhao Guihua: "You girl..."


    The Zhuang family was harmonious, while Old Man Bai felt quite bitter as he walked home. When he entered the house, he saw Bai Fendou drinking alone and snorted, saying: "You just know how to drink."


    Bai Fendou: "Hey, old man, why are you picking a fight after going out for a walk? What''s wrong with me drinking? It''s New Year, can''t I enjoy myself? Look, I don''t even have any side dishes."


    Old Man Bai frowned: "No side dishes, is that my fault? Your sry isn''t low, I don''t ask you for living expenses, can''t you save some money? I told you not to spend all your money on that widow, are you not going to live your life?"


    "And what about your money? Isn''t it also spent on the old widow?" Bai Fendou was a chatterbox, not holding back even with his own father.


    Old Man Bai picked up a broom to hit him: "I''ll let you talk back, I''ll let you talk back. You useless brat, other people can get married, look at you, still a bachelor, always tangled with widows. Are you trying to kill me? Don''t you want to carry on the family line?"


    Bai Fendou muttered: "Sister-inw can still give birth, she can still bear sons."


    He envied having three boys.


    If it were in front of outsiders, Bai Fendou would always put on a show, not admitting his thoughts. But with his own father, there was no need to hide anything. Father and son, who didn''t know each other?


    "She can give birth, but will she marry you now? Look at others, Zhuang Zhixi is only twenty-one, already married, and you''re thirty-one, still a bachelor. Aren''t you ashamed? Find a wife quickly, widows won''t do." Old Man Bai was a hypocrite, allowing himself to be with a widow but not wanting his son to do the same.


    "Hey, dad, you''re like this yourself, why are you controlling me?"


    Old Man Bai argued: "I''ve already left a descendant for the Bai family, that''s why I''m with the widow, but you haven''t! Are we going to end with you?"


    Bai Fendou: "What are you talking about?"


    "What do you mean, what am I talking about? in truth!"


    "No way! I only want Sister Xiangxiu."


    "I''ll let you have her, I''ll let you..." Old Man Bai waved a broom, and Bai Fendou yelped and dodged, running out of the courtyard. He saw Jii and the other two boys, who pped their hands: "Big dumbass, got beaten up! Got beaten up, got beaten up!"


    Bai Fendou was both amused and annoyed: "You little rascals, what are you talking about? You ungrateful brats."


    He didn''t want to argue with his old man, so he rubbed his hands and decided to go to the toilet. Bai Fendou thought, there are plenty of women out there, but when ites to the best, there''s no one but Sister Xiangxiu. It''s just a shame he couldn''t openly dere his love for her in the courtyard. He still had to pretend to be looking for a wife.


    He couldn''t even figure out if he really wanted to get married or if he just wanted Sister Xiangxiu to get jealous.


    As he came out of the toilet, he bumped into Zhuang Zhixi. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi, Bai Fendou felt a bit displeased. Just now, his dad had been mentioning Zhuang Zhixi and another guy named Ershiyi, which really got under his skin.


    He was feeling quite unhappy.


    Zhuang Zhixi could get married, but why did he have to interfere with his life?


    Bai Fendou thought that if it weren''t for the Zhuang family showing off, his dad wouldn''t have been so upset and taken it out on him. He quickly hid behind the toilet, nning to give Zhuang Zhixi a good shove when he walked by, just to have augh.


    He crouched quietly, and Zhuang Zhixi didn''t see him at all. Not only that, but Zhuang Zhixi also stopped in his tracks.


    Because someone called him.


    Zhuang Zhixi stopped and looked at Zhou Qun, who was catching up, with a smile: "Zhou Ge, are you also going to thetrine?"


    Going to thetrine was as normal a greeting as asking if someone had eaten.


    It waste at night, and it was cold. Why else would someone be out in the cold if not to use thetrine? It was a pointless question.


    Zhou Qun: "Yeah, let''s go together."


    In the younger generation of the courtyard, Zhou Qun was now the oldest. Bai Fendou was the same age but a few months younger; the Su family boy, who was a year younger, had already passed away. Yang Lixin, the Zhuang brothers, and a few other young men were all younger than him.


    As the leader and outstanding figure of the younger generation, Zhou Qun always maintained a certainposure. This wasn''t surprising, as he had the highest sry. Even some of the older generation, like Chef Li and Old Man Zhuang, didn''t earn as much as he did.


    Zhou Qun always felt he had the right to be proud.


    Being willing to walk with Zhuang Zhixi was already giving him face.


    Zhou Qun slightly raised his proud chin and said, "Zhuang Zhixi, how''s it going in the clinic?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    He smiled and said, "It''s going well."


    Although he didn''t know what Zhou Qun was up to, Zhuang Zhixi responded politely with a smile, saying, "How about your electrical engineering team, Zhou Ge? Are you busy?" Since it was just small talk, he decided to go with the flow.


    Zhou Qun: "Our electrical engineering team is naturally busy. We are responsible for the safety of the factory''s electrical circuits, which is of utmost importance. This is very different from your clinic."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and smiled: "You can''t say that. The clinic is also very important; if the workers are not in good health, how can they work hard and contribute to society? Everyone is a small screw in the factory, ying their role. Even if I''m just collecting fees at the clinic, isn''t that important too? If the money is collected incorrectly, wouldn''t that cause a loss to the factory? So, everyone is important."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought, trying to bullshit with me about principles? I''ve learned a thing or two from my older brother!


    Sure enough, Zhou Qun couldn''t find a response to that.


    He had wanted to elevate himself by belittling others, but that didn''t work out.


    Soon, Zhou Qun said, "You''re right. By the way, I vaguely heard that your wife got into a fight. As a man, you should keep an eye on your wife. In a family, the man handles external affairs and the woman handles internal matters. Being gentle and virtuous is a traditional virtue of women. What kind of woman starts a fight outside?"


    He hadn''t heard clearly inside the house, only a few scattered words.


    But that didn''t stop him from imagining.


    He immediately thought that Ming Mei must have been arrogant and got into a fight, which was why she came homete. That must be it. Such a girl from a good family in Beijing was too wild to be a good wife.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi''s family could only find a girl like that.


    He said, "I think..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t just think, Zhou Ge. You can''t nder my wife like that. Besides, what do you mean by ''the man handles external affairs and the woman handles internal matters''? The leader also said that women can hold up half the sky. You can''t just confine them to the home. Your awareness isn''t high enough."


    Zhou Qun''s face changed, looking a bit unhappy.


    He had been willing to chat and argue with Zhuang Zhixi, already giving him face. But now he wasn''t willing to listen and even dared to retort? Zhou Qun frowned slightly and said, "You can''t say it like that."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled faintly: "I think it''s quite right."


    They finally reached the entrance of thetrine. If it had been Zhuang Zhixi alone, he would have been there ages ago. Walking with Zhou Qun, however, was much slower. Zhou Qun walked with a leisurely pace, as if he were some important figure.


    Naturally, it was slower.


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t the only one who found it slow; Bai Fendou, hiding near thetrine entrance, was even more impatient.


    Bai Fendou wasn''t deaf, so he naturally heard their voices, but he didn''t think much of it. He was just ying a joke, what could go wrong? Whether Zhou Qun was there or not didn''t matter to him.


    Lucky for Zhou Qun, he got to see the fun too.


    Bai Fendou crouched by the side of thetrine, eager to act. As soon as the two men approached, he suddenly popped out from behind and gave a solid kick to the backside: "Off you go!"


    Zhou Qun was about to say something more to Zhuang Zhixi when he suddenly saw someone jump out. He moved to the side, but Bai Fendou''s kicknded squarely on his backside. Zhou Qun stumbled a few steps and fell t on the ground of the public toilet!


    Solidly.


    "Oh shit!"


    "My god!"


    I curse your uncle!


    The three of them eximed in different voices. Zhuang Zhixi quickly moved to the side and shouted, "Fendou Ge, why did you attack Zhou Ge?"


    Bai Fendou hadn''t expected to kick Zhou Qun; he had meant to kick Zhuang Zhixi, who was ten years younger than him, just for fun. Kicking Zhou Qun was another matter. Bai Fendou shouted back, "Zhou Qun, what''s wrong with you, sticking your foot out?"


    Zhou Qun, who was in pain from the fall, was furious!


    Upon hearing Bai Fendou''s brazen words, he became even angrier, his head throbbing. He cursed loudly, "You heartless, wicked bastard, I knew you were jealous of my good job and marriage, but I never thought you''d be so jealous as to resort to violence. You scoundrel."


    People with too many thoughts tend to overthink. Zhou Qun immediately thought of thepensation incident two days ago and continued to question, "Is it because I made you pay five yuan the other day that you bear a grudge and seek revenge? You despicable viin."


    "I didn''t!"


    Bai Fendou shouted, "You can''t frame me. I just wanted to y with Zhuang Zhixi, didn''t expect you to stick your foot out."Aliali: 674aec4f3f33ac49acb42


    Zhuang Zhixi, hearing this, raised an eyebrow slightly, narrowing his eyes at Bai Fendou. But soon, he returned to his usual innocent expression and said, "Fendou Ge, ying with me is fine, but why did you kick Zhou Ge? We don''t even look alike. It''s amazing how you could kick the wrong person."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s words made Zhou Qun even angrier: "You scoundrel, you did it on purpose. We don''t look alike at all!"


    Zhuang Zhixi was half a head taller than Zhou Qun, and being a bit slimmer, he stood out. Zhou Qun, on the other hand, benefited from a household where two women catered to his every need, ensuring he was well-fed and well-nurtured, making him noticeably more robust than Zhuang Zhixi.


    Mistaking one for the other was a clear sign of poor eyesight.


    Zhou Qun was having none of it and shouted, "This matter today is not over! You scoundrel, you''re a real scoundrel!"


    Zhuang Zhixi nced from one to the other, struggling to suppress augh as he said, "Brother Bai Fendou, you better help him up. This is the bathroom, after all!"


    He continued to mumble to himself, "Thank goodness Zhou Qun didn''t fall into the bathroom; otherwise, he''d be like Aunt Su. But it''s quite a coincidence that both Aunt Su and Zhou Qun ended up in the bathroom. Isn''t that some kind of fate?"


    "Fate, my foot!"


    "Shut up!"


    Zhuang Zhixi gave an innocent smile, "See, I was just telling the truth."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 24

    "Oh my son! Bai Fendou, you heartless dog, you''ve lost all conscience! If you want revenge,e at me instead! What kind of man are you to bully my son?" The tragic crying echoed throughout the courtyard.


    Jiang Lu rushed forward to hit Bai Fendou, crying and cursing, "You bastard, you''re despicable and shameless!"


    As a physically weak woman, Jiang Lu''s hits didn''t hurt much, and Bai Fendou couldn''t fight back. He dodged left and right, exining, "It wasn''t intentional, I was just joking. I meant to joke with little Zhuang."


    Zhou Qun couldn''t ept this exnation. He said, "You''re lying! Zhuang Zhixi and I were talking the whole way. If you wanted to joke around, you would''ve known I was there too. You clearly wanted revenge on me."


    Bai Fendou felt he couldn''t exin himself anymore. After all, they had some grievances from a few days ago, and now everything was too muddled to exin clearly.


    As soon as Zhou Qun finished speaking, Jiang Lu cried even harder and raised her hand to scratch Bai Fendou. He blocked her hand and pushed her away. Though he wouldn''t hit women, he couldn''t let them p his face either - a man''s dignity was extremely important.


    Jiang Lu nearly fell when pushed away, which angered the Zhou family even more. Madam Zhou Li cursed, "You useless thing!"


    She stepped forward and immediately pped Bai Fendou across the face, leaving a clear handprint. The onlookers silently clicked their tongues, impressed by Madam Zhou Li''s fierce strike.


    Of course, with such amotion, how could the neighbors not hear?


    Plus, when Zhuang Zhixi ran over earlier to call people, he had shouted quite loudly.


    "Brother Fendou kicked Zhou into the toilet!"


    With this earth-shattering announcement, people from every household came out. Some teenage boys ran like the wind toward the public toilet, eager to see if Zhou Qun had really fallen in.


    When everyone gathered around, they saw Bai Fendou had already helped Zhou Qun out. Countless eyes examined them carefully up and down, but saw no signs of sewage - apparently being kicked into the toilet was different from being kicked into the septic tank.


    One could say that Zhou Qun not falling into the septic tank had deprived everyone of quite a bit of gossip material and entertainment.


    Still, a spectacle was a spectacle. Bai Fendou kicking Zhou Qun for no good reason - shouldn''t they discuss this properly?


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw''s attacks had ignited some anger in Bai Fendou, who shouted in exnation, "I really didn''t mean to kick Zhou Qun!"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand: "That''s right, Brother Fendou kept saying he wanted to kick me. I don''t know why - I hadn''t even interacted with him since paying New Year''s respects..." He looked puzzled, but then added, "But since Brother Fendou said he wanted to kick me, he must have meant to kick me, not deliberately seek revenge on Brother Zhou or make up an excuse to avoid beingbeled as petty..."


    His words only made everyone more convinced that this was exactly what had happened.


    Bai Fendou wanted revenge on Zhou Qun for the five yuan from two days ago but didn''t want to be seen as petty, so he tried to pin it on Zhuang Zhixi.


    Yes, that must be it.


    Bai Fendou grew anxious: "Little Zhuang, please stop talking!"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked even more innocent, saying, "I''m just trying to exin things for you! Otherwise, Aunt Zhou and Sister-inw Zhou will misunderstand you."


    "There''s no misunderstanding!" Madam Zhou Li lunged forward throwing ps, "You did it on purpose! You heartless bachelor, you''re just jealous of our Zhou Qun! You wanted revenge on him! How did we end up with such a vicious neighbor? Everyone, judge for yourselves - is Bai Fendou even human anymore?"


    "No!" someone shouted loudly, clearly enjoying the drama.


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly spoke up: "I think Fendou isn''t that kind of person. He likes to joke around and can be a bit reckless, but he''s not a bad person, and he doesn''t have a ck heart. You''re really misunderstanding him."


    Aunt Zhou spat: "Bah! What misunderstanding? You two have something going on, I won''t even bother talking about it. How dare you lecture me? What kind of person are you to speak here?"


    "Aunt Zhou, how can you talk like that! My Xiangxiu was just trying to help. Why else would she get involved in this mess? We''ve all been neighbors for so long - don''t you know what kind of person Bai Fendou is? My Xiangxiu is right. You can say he''s a bit unruly, but how could he be a bad person?"


    "Well, that''s not entirely..."


    People are like weeds swaying in the wind, believing one thing one moment and another the next.


    Ming Mei came to Zhuang Zhixi''s side with rolled-up sleeves, asking softly, "Are you okay?"


    Though these aunties had strong fighting spirits, Ming Mei was more concerned about Zhuang Zhixi - he was her husband after all.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled quietly and said, "What could happen to me? This has nothing to do with me. Let them sort it out themselves."


    A sh of mockery crossed his eyes, but he quickly said, "Are you cold? If you''re cold, let''s go back."


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened as she firmly shook her head: "I want to watch!"


    Though her mother-inw''s house didn''t have a radio, here was a live show that couldn''t be missed. Such entertainment was rare - you wouldn''t find this anywhere else. The young couple stood close together, watching as Aunt Zhou wailed and cursed, crying bitter tears and repeatedly insulting Bai Fendou''s ancestors going back eighteen generations.


    Meanwhile, she deployed martial arts moves worthy of a kung fu novel, seemingly intent on turning Bai Fendou into a panda or shredding him like potato strips. As the scene devolved into chaos, Aunt Wang could only massage her temples in distress - her job as mediator wasn''t easy.


    "Alright, are you two families going to keep this up forever? Are you putting on a movie show for us on New Year''s Day? Aren''t you ashamed of yourselves at your age? Bai Fendou, watch yourself - keep acting wild like this and you''ll never find a wife."


    Today''s incident couldn''t be solved by ming both sides equally - it was Bai Fendou''s fault.


    Bai Fendou protested: "Aunt Wang, why are you cursing me like that?"


    Aunt Wang replied: "Then stop doing such foolish things! Aunt Zhou, how about this - your Zhou Qun was wronged, and that''s Bai Fendou''s fault. Let himpensate you with some money and let''s end it here? We''re all neighbors - if this gets bigger, how will we face each other in the future? It won''t look good."


    "Well then... ten yuan!" Aunt Zhou demanded exorbitantly.


    Aunt Wang: "Fine, ten yuan it is. Bai Fendou, pay up."


    Ten yuan was truly a lot, but Aunt Wang had grown tired of dealing with Bai Fendou''s affairs these past few days. She wanted to punish him a bit, make him understand that he couldn''t just act on impulse. Such a grown man, yet his actions were so childish.


    Bai Fendou: "That''s too much."


    "You won''t pay? Then this isn''t over!" Aunt Zhou yelled.


    Aunt Wang: "Bai Fendou, do you want them to report this to the streetmittee? Won''t you face criticism at your factory then?"


    Though Bai Fendou was extremely unwilling, with Aunt Wang''s intervention and herbination of soft and hard tactics, he finally apologized and paid the ten yuanpensation, which finally settled the matter.


    Ming Mei sincerely sighed: "Aunt Zhou earned that money too easily. In just three days, she''s made fifteen yuan. That''s worth half a month''s sry for most people."


    Though her voice was low, others heard and nodded in agreement.


    It must be said that this drama between the two families gave everyone plenty to talk about before bed. If it had happened earlier, it could have served as entertainment during dinner. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei returned home together. As soon as they entered, Ming Mei said, "He didn''t look like he was lying - he really meant to hurt you, didn''t he?"


    Though Ming Mei was innocent, she wasn''t stupid.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. His first action upon entering was to stoke the stove - an unchanging routine.


    After all, how could he let his little wife get cold?


    He said, "Who knows what kind of madness got into Bai Fendou that he wanted to harm me. Probably jealous that I found such a good wife."


    He sneered, "He deserved to lose that money."


    Ming Mei''s big dark eyes were watery as she said, "You used to say he wasn''t a bad person."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, "You can''t say he''s a bad person, but he''s definitely a bit odd. He used to be fine, but in recent years, as he''s gotten older, instead of finding a wife, he spends all day following Wang Xiangxiu around, helping her take care of kids. Watching those little troublemakers all day, over time, he''s been influenced by them and his behavior has be childish."


    Ming Mei: "What nonsense."


    She was quite upset. Although watching today''s drama had been entertaining, it was true that this person had bullied their Zhuang Zhixi, and Ming Mei wasn''t happy about it. She said, "Should we teach him a lesson?"


    She started rolling up her sleeves.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and shook his head, leaning down to kiss her cheek, saying, "No need. Actually fighting would be stooping too low; we''re better than that. Besides, after today, he and Zhou Qun will definitely be at each other''s throats even more. Zhou Qun isn''t any better himself."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately started chattering to Ming Mei, "See? Isn''t Zhou Qun annoying too? He really thinks he''s somebody important."


    Ming Mei was speechless: "What''s wrong with these people?"


    "They''re just mentally ill," Zhuang Zhixi said dismissively, then added, "Let''s not talk about them. You know, I''ve never really lost out to them since we were kids."


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow: "So when did you lose out?"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately put on a pained expression and said, "I lost out today, didn''t I? We encountered robbers, and my heart is still pounding from the shock. Want toe over and listen? See if my heart is beating especially fast?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She blushed and remained silent, staring at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Darling, you don''t even feel sorry for me. Look, my chest hurts, and you won''t evene rub it better."


    Ming Mei''s cheeks reddened: "You''re impossible! Saying such improper things."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "What''s improper? I''m beingpletely honest. Darling, could it be that you''re thinking something naughty?"


    Ming Mei: "You, you, you!"


    When it came to being thick-skinned about such matters, Ming Mei couldn''tpete.


    She let out a heavy snort, and Zhuang Zhixi gave her a mischievous grin.


    Ming Mei''s face grew even redder. She took a deep breath and said, "Your chest hurts?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mm-hmm."


    He made an exaggerated grimace and said, "It hurts, it really hurts."


    Ming Mei: "Take off your clothes."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"


    This time it was his turn to be stunned.


    Ming Mei said with a straight face: "My family has a folk remedy. When your chest hurts, you should stand in a horse stance in the courtyard with your upper body bare. The colder the weather, the better. Stand for an hour and you''ll be cured." She was making it up withplete seriousness.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What? What!"


    He looked shocked: "Darling, how can you be so cruel?"


    Ming Mei poked him and said, "That''s what you get for teasing me."


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing and said, "If I were to tease someone else, wouldn''t that be wrong? You''re my wife."


    As he spoke, he suddenly scooped Ming Mei up and tossed her onto the bed. Ming Mei: "Ah!"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly covered her mouth, saying, "My deardy, keep your voice down. It wouldn''t be good if people heard."


    He wasn''t afraid of people hearing, but he didn''t want people gossiping about his wife.


    Ming Mei blinked her long eyshes and said coyly, "You threw me..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Now I''ll throw myself..."


    He pounced on her, and Ming Mei couldn''t help but let out another "Ah!"


    Zhuang Zhixi covered Ming Mei''s mouth, and soon the bed began creaking...


    This bed was certainly able to withstand quite a test!


    Quite capable indeed!


    Zhuang Zhixi reached out and turned off the light. Click! The room went dark.


    The young couple didn''t know that not far from their door, someone was standing there. Wang Xiangxiu had just exchanged a few words with Bai Fendou at the door. She really couldn''t understand why Bai Fendou could be so foolish, why he had to do such things for no reason.


    Although Bai Fendou said he was just ying around with Zhuang Zhixi.


    But Wang Xiangxiu felt that whether it was Zhou Qun or Zhuang Zhixi, this Bai Fendou was incredibly stupid. No matter who it was, attacking someone like that would never be forgotten; wasn''t he just asking to paypensation?


    If this wasn''t stupid, what was?


    If he truly wanted revenge, that would be one thing, but he didn''t. Bai Fendou just couldn''t stand seeing others doing well and wanted to cause trouble. Wang Xiangxiu truly felt that even after fifty years, this man would never be worthy of her.


    Compared to herte husband, they were worlds apart.


    He couldn''t evenpare to her husband''s little toe.


    He was genuinely stupid, but she had to keep this fool under control now. If she didn''t, with just her sry alone - those twenty-something yuan - how could she possibly support five people?


    The three boys were all big eaters.


    Though she was very dissatisfied with Bai Fendou as a person, she still spoke to him gently andforted him. After a long while, Bai Fendou went home, and only then did she walk toward her own home. But just as she reached the door, she heard soundsing from Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei''s room.


    She heard Ming Mei''s sharp cry, and although she didn''t know exactly what the married couple was doing in their room, as a previously married woman herself, she understood. Her heart suddenly became active. She stood there, listening carefully to the sounds from that direction, but apart from another cry, there were no other sounds, though the light went out.


    That was quite telling.


    Wang Xiangxiu hesitated about whether to go eavesdrop under their window. She bit her lip, conflicted.


    At this hour, not everyone was asleep yet. If someone saw her, it would be embarrassing, but she was terribly curious.


    After hesitating for a long time, Wang Xiangxiu finally decided not to risk it. She returned home with a dejected face. Aunt Su was mending clothes at the time. The three boys were good kids, but they were also mischievous - their perfectly good clothes would get torn every few days, requiring constant mending.


    Aunt Su didn''t look up, asking softly, "Did you calm him down?"


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, and not wanting the children to hear, she lowered her voice: "Mom, isn''t he just an idiot? In just these few days, he''s lost fifteen yuan. That money could have been used for something better instead of being paid to the Zhou family."


    Thest time could be said to have had a reason, but this time it was purely because he had rocks in his head.


    Wang Xiangxiu was furious: "Two times, fifteen yuan already! That''s fifteen yuan - enough to buy cotton shoes for all three children."


    Aunt Su''s needle had be a bit dull. She lifted it and rubbed it in her hair to sharpen it, then continued sewing, saying, "That''s true, but he''s already done it, so what can we do? In my opinion, you should keep a closer eye on him in the future. Men are like children, simple-minded. Be flexible but firm with him, control him, guide him more. Then these things will happen less often."


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed and nodded.


    Aunt Su: "If you ask me, that Zhuang kid isn''t any good either. He seems to be exining things to Bai Fendou, but he''s actually stirring up trouble everywhere."


    When Wang Xiangxiu heard Zhuang Zhixi''s name, her face reddened slightly.


    Aunt Su looked up casually, startled, and said, "Getting romantic thoughts?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was embarrassed: "No, no, I just happened to hear some noise from their room when I came back."


    Aunt Su: "You need to pay attention to his side too. He has more money than he can spend, and we should help him spend some of it. But from what I''ve seen, this young man is clever, not easy to approach. He''s not as straightforward as his brother."


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed: "Zhuang Zhiyuan does earn a lot, and he''s not so calcting, but he''s rarely home. I can''t work my way in."


    In this courtyard, Zhou Qun earned the most, but Zhou Qun was hard to manipte - though he had money, he wouldn''t act without good reason. Next was Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had a respectable job and good sry, but as a long-distance train attendant, he was away from home for half the month, so she couldn''t get close to him.


    If she had to say who she liked best, it would definitely be Zhuang Zhixi. He was good-looking, clean, pure, and handsome - no one in the courtyard could match his looks. But before he had no money, and now... she wasn''t sure if he controlled the money. Among all the men in the courtyard, Wang Xiangxiu had them all figured out.


    She thought for a moment and said, "Mom, when work starts, I''ll go to the factory clinic to see the gynecologist."


    Aunt Su: "Hmm?"


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "Get closer to Zhuang Zhixi."


    Aunt Su gave Wang Xiangxiu a deep look and said, "Find out who manages the money in his family - him or his wife. If it''s his wife who manages it, don''t waste your energy."


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "I understand."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw sat cross-legged, analyzing all the men in the courtyard, young and old, mapping out their strategy before finally allowing themselves to sleep.


    The night was deep, and almost every household was sound asleep when Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi finally finished their "happy time." Zhuang Zhixi got up to fetch water for Ming Mei to wash up. After they cleaned up, Ming Meiynguidly on the bed, as if boneless.


    Zhuang Zhixi moved closer, brushed aside her long hair, andy down beside her, asking, "Tired?"


    Ming Mei nodded, saying softly, "It''s already midnight, how could I not be tired?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled quietly and began gently massaging her shoulders, asking, "Does this feel better?"


    Ming Meiined coyly, "It''s not my shoulders that are tired."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed deeply and said, "Then let me massage your waist."


    Ming Mei nodded, "Do you know how?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What''s there not to know? Just rx."


    He sat on the bed, focused on massaging his wife, and asked, "Is this okay?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "It''s quite good."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Although I don''t know much about medicine, I''ve picked up a thing or two from hanging around the clinic all day."


    Ming Mei burst intoughter and murmured, "We''re going to bed sote, we definitely won''t be able to get up early tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t seem concerned and said, "What young person doesn''t sleep in? You can''t call yourself young if you don''t sleep in! Everyone works so hard during the week, it''s perfectly normal to catch up on sleep during holidays."


    Ming Mei made a sound of agreement and said softly, "If mother-inw gets unhappy, you''ll have to stand up for me."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Did you even need to say that? What kind of man would I be if I couldn''t do that much? Did you really think I was just a pretty face who needed your protection for everything?"


    Ming Mei let out a soft hum and said, "Who knows?"


    Despite her words, her voice was particrly soft, making Zhuang Zhixi feel weak in his bones.


    He bent down to kiss her gently, and Ming Mei responded with, "Mmm..."


    She panted, "I''m really tired, I need to sleep..."


    She couldn''t muster any more energy.


    Seeing her looking all vulnerable, Zhuang Zhixi pulled her close and said, "I won''t do anything more. If you''re tired, go to sleep. Tomorrow morning, let''s go ice skating at Houhai."


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up, and she immediately said, "Okay."


    While the young couple was always thinking about spending time together dating, the elderly had different thoughts.


    Old Comrade Zhao Guihua believed in early to bed, early to rise for good health. Unlike the young couple who spent half the night in pleasure, she had gone to bed early. As soon as dawn broke, she was up. She wasn''t even the earliest - there were already people chattering in the courtyard.


    Zhao Guihua made breakfast, but not too much.


    She had some understanding of her younger son and daughter-inw''s habits. Though she didn''t know they had stayed up until midnight, she had experience from her previous life. So she didn''t include their portions in breakfast.


    After the family finished breakfast, Zhao Guihua took some money and went out. She wasn''t an idle olddy. She had her own affairs to attend to, and she headed straight for the store. She had made up her mind early on to buy herself a fishing rod.


    Previously, she had learned to fish withs from watching videos on Douyin, but that method only worked well in winter when there were plenty of fish. It wasn''t very suitable for other situations. Besides, after catching so many fish from the pond before the New Year, it might not work as well now.


    Moreover, she couldn''t keep borrowing Aunt Wang''s fishing. Once was fine, but doing it repeatedly wasn''t appropriate.


    So before the New Year, Zhao Guihua had decided to buy herself a fishing rod and practice fishing. Although there were various regtions these days, nobody really minded if you went fishing with a rod.


    As long as you didn''t catch anything too conspicuous, like dozens of jin of fish, it was considered just getting a bite to eat, and no one would interfere.


    There were several spots in the city that were already imed by fishing enthusiasts.


    After all, who doesn''t want to improve their living conditions?


    That''s what everyone thinks!


    So it wasn''t strange for Zhao Guihua to buy a fishing rod. She had looked at them once before the New Year, but only expensive ones were left, so she hadn''t bought one. They said new stock would arrive on the second day of the New Year. That''s why Zhao Guihua hade rushing over now. Although she didn''t know how to fish, there was always room to learn.


    She could learn!


    Even if others discovered her mountain pond and it wasn''t exclusively hers anymore, she could try other ces. Any catch would be good. Zhao Guihua headed to the store and went to the fishing equipment section, saying, "Hello,rade, serve the people. I want a fishing rod."


    "Let''s work hard together for progress,rade. Which type would you like?"


    She pointed and said, "There are ones for six yuan, nine yuan, and twelve yuan, and even more expensive ones."


    Zhao Guihua decisively chose the six-yuan rod. As a beginner, why use an expensive one?


    Not worth it!


    She bought the fishing rod and a spool of fishing line before paying and leaving.


    Sinceing back in time, Zhao Guihua hadn''t really thought about how to proceed, as she had been constantly pushed forward by one thing after another. Isn''t that just how life is? Actually, even though they were poor now and the food wasn''t good, Zhao Guihua was quite content.


    Firstly, getting to start over and return to youth would make anyone happy.


    Secondly, people were easily satisfied these days. Zhao Guihua herself was like this.


    People were generally poor now, everyone was in the same boat, and the wealth gap was small. Everyone lived modestly, carefully nning just to eat well enough. When you think about it, what was soplicated? Especially for urban residents like them who had jobs - the factory assigned housing, and would take care of them from birth to death, so there wasn''t much pressure.


    In contrast, decadester, despite earning decent money, therge wealth gap created immense pressure, making life less enjoyable and more prone to depression. As Zhao Guihua walked home, she pondered the changes over the fifty years before and after her time travel.


    But urban development was really fast.


    This street would bepletely different in ten or twenty years.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t take the bus, not because she was unwilling to spend money, but because she had time to spare and enjoyed walking around to look at things. She had been here for over half a month after her time travel but hadn''t really had a chance to look around, since she arrived at the end of the year.


    Then she had to think about making money.


    Zhao Guihua felt she was truly a tough olddy.


    However, she still needed to go to the ck market. Even if not to sell things, she needed to buy some items - how could they survive on just their ration of fine grain? As for her family... they definitely wouldn''t want her to go.


    But Zhao Guihua had her own ns!


    Once these people went to work, how could they control her?


    As Zhao Guihua made her way home carrying the fishing rod, she immediately attracted attention from people in the courtyard. Madam Zhou Li, sitting at her doorway, stood up in surprise when she saw it: "Where did you get that?"


    Zhao Guihua gave her a sideways nce and said, "Where do you think? Did you think I found it? Can''t you see it''s new? I just bought it from the store."


    "You bought it? Do you even know how to fish? Don''t waste your money if you can''t catch anything," Madam Zhou Li thought Zhao Guihua was being unrealistic.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "If I buy it, I''ll learn gradually. If I never buy one, I''ll never learn. Hey, could it be that you''re jealous because you saw me buy a fishing rod and you''re envious of the big fish I''ll catch?"


    Madam Zhou Li scoffed, "Hmph, who''s jealous? I don''t believe you can do it."


    If she couldn''t do it, how could Zhao Guihua?


    Zhao Guihua: "Well, just watch me. I''ll definitely seed."


    "Ugh, ugh ugh..."


    Suddenly, retching sounds came from inside the house. Zhao Guihua froze, and so did Madam Zhou Li, but she quickly let out a cry and rushed inside: "Jiang Lu, are you feeling nauseous? Are you pregnant?"


    After ten years of marriage without children, Madam Zhou Li had be extremely sensitive to such signs.


    Zhao Guihua nced into the house and suddenly noticed a bottle by the stove, with just a little bit of a dark red residue at the bottom. She immediately recognized it as the dog blood bottle Jiang Lu had brought that night.


    She felt nauseous: "Ugh!"


    She almost vomited and didn''t stick around to watch, heading straight home. She couldn''t take it.


    She knew that Jiang Lu wasn''t pregnant.


    It was probably the leftover ck dog blood that made her feel sick.


    Thinking about it made her want to vomit too.


    Zhao Guihua quickly went home. Once upon a time, she had be the most delicate one in the family. Zhao Guihua entered the house with a fishing rod, and Old Man Zhuang wasn''t surprised, as they had discussed this beforehand. If they caught a few fish, they could eat them at home or sell them. Old Man Zhuang wasn''t worried about that.


    Old Man Zhuang smiled and said, "Shall we go to the Back Sea to practice our fishing?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I''ll go with you too."


    "Me too, me too!"


    Hutou jumped up and down, eager to join. Kids didn''t have much entertainment, so hearing about fishing made him excited.


    Zhao Guihua was a bit worried, but Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Let''s take them. I''ll watch over them."


    As a father who often wasn''t home, he was quite willing to spend time with his children.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s go."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was going, so naturally, Liang Meifen would go too. The whole family headed out together. Before they even left the courtyard, Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered something: "Where are the third couple?"


    This question made things a bit awkward.


    Liang Meifen quickly reported, "They''re still asleep. You''re back, and they''re still sleeping. They sure can sleep."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "Alright, let''s go then. Don''t worry about them."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Why didn''t she scold them or wake them up? As a mother-inw, why was she so biased? Liang Meifen''s mood suddenly soured. She followed Zhao Guihua with a bitter expression, but Zhao Guihua didn''t notice her looks.


    If this had been her previous life, Zhao Guihua would have definitely disapproved of her youngest son and daughter-inw being sozy.


    Not just her daughter-inw, but her son as well.


    She wasn''tzy herself, so she couldn''t stand those who were.


    But after a second chance at life, Zhao Guihua had be more indifferent. After fifty years, they still couldn''t change, so what was the point of her nagging about it now? Besides, she had also seen the vastness of the world. Arguing with her son over trivial matters like sleeping in was just a waste of time.


    So Zhao Guihua didn''t take it to heart. The family walked to the Back Sea, not too close, not too far. It was a bit tiring, but doable. As long as they had a catch, taking the bus back would be a bonus.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t n to go to the mountain to fish directly. They might not catch anything, and it wasn''t worth the trip.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan joked, "Mom, if you catch fish today, my wife won''t need to buy anything when she visits her parents tomorrow. You have to save some money for your son."


    He was joking, but Liang Meifen was shocked.


    She couldn''t believe it. Did he not want to buy anything anymore? If they only brought a fish, how could theypete with her older sister and younger sister? What face would she have at her parents'' house? Liang Meifen prided herself on giving the most to her parents, making her the favorite daughter.


    If she couldn''t... her face changed.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was just joking, but seeing Liang Meifen''s expression, he also frowned, unhappy.


    Liang Meifen''s eyes reddened with grievance. That was her parents'' house, how could he do this?


    But now, she didn''t know how to speak up with her inws around.


    Her heart was filled with bitterness, but Zhao Guihua didn''t even nce at her son and daughter-inw. She stared at a woman in the distance, lost in thought.


    "Olddy, what''s wrong?" Old Man Zhuang noticed Zhao Guihua''s strange behavior. Looking over, he saw an unfamiliar young woman carrying a strange-looking handbag.


    "What''s the matter?"


    Zhao Guihua pped her thigh in excitement: "So it was her!"


    Old Man Zhuang: "???"


    He asked, "Do you know this person?"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head: "I don''t know her, but I thought of something else."


    She suddenly remembered who the olddy who gave Jiang Lu the dog blood was. She had felt a bit familiar but hadn''t thought about it until now. Seeing the woman''s handbag, she finally remembered.


    She had thought she had seen that olddy somewhere before.


    That olddy was a remarkable person, truly capable. She was a widow living alone, which was never easy for an elderly woman.


    So to make a living, the olddy had dabbled in various trades.


    She engaged in superstitious activities and ck market dealings, worked on the streets assembling cardboard boxes and sewing buttons, a true jack of all trades.


    Zhao Guihua knew about her because the olddy had been caught engaging in ck market activities. But the olddy was resourceful; she would run if she could, or just copse on the spot and foam at the mouth. What could you do? She was old and a widow, and the amounts involved were usually small, so she was usually just given a few days of criticism and then released.


    Over time, they even worried she might die in custody, which would be another problem to deal with.


    So it was tricky.


    Zhao Guihua recognized the olddy because the handbag the woman was carrying was one the olddy sold. It was said she had connections in the garment factory and could get some fabric scraps. The olddy used these scraps to sew handbags, earning a modest ie but managing to live better than most.


    It wasn''t surprising, though. She also engaged in superstitious activities.


    This wasn''t without its risks; some had reported her, but without catching her in the act, there wasn''t much they could do.


    Zhao Guihua: "So it was her."


    Old Man Zhuang: "What are you talking about?"


    He was genuinely puzzled, but Zhao Guihua cackled with a crafty look.


    Liang Meifen shrank behind Zhuang Zhiyuan in fear. Liang Meifen was quite contradictory; she was clearly afraid of her mother-inw Zhao Guihua but still dared to secretly give up her job. It was quite curious.


    Liang Meifen was good at overthinking and immediately thought that the mention of visiting her parents must have driven her mother-inw to madness. Thatugh was clearly not well-intentioned. Her heart was in turmoil, and she whispered, "Actually, I don''t have to go back to my parents'' tomorrow. There''s not much to do anyway."


    Her words didn''t get a response from Zhao Guihua, who instead pulled the two kids and said, "Your mom still has money with me. I''ll make each of you a new outfit."


    The two kids immediately jumped up in joy: "Yay!"


    Liang Meifen was even more worried. What was her mother-inw nning?


    What was Zhao Guihua nning?


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care about Liang Meifen. She was just worried about not having enough fabric coupons to save up. Wasn''t this a golden opportunity falling from the sky? She knew the olddy also introduced others to buy fabric scraps. If she bought some and made clothes for the kids, wouldn''t that be the same?


    Although she didn''t know the olddy, what did that matter? A living person couldn''t be stopped by a little problem, right? She could take the initiative to get to know her! What was there to be afraid of? In modern terms, Zhao Guihua was a social butterfly!


    She didn''t understand what social anxiety was about.


    Zhao Guihua chuckled with satisfaction: "Let''s go fishing! Today''s trip was worth it!"


    Old Man Zhuang was still confused: "So, what''s the deal?"


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s hard to exin in a few words, but you just know, it''s a good thing."


    This didn''t bring joy but made Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan frown, looking at the olddy with concern. Zhuang Zhiyuan tentatively asked, "Mom, you''re not thinking of going to the ck market again, are you? Or selling something? We can''t do that. Our life isn''t bad, really. We shouldn''t go to those ces. If we get caught, it''s over."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded.


    This was indeed themon thinking.


    Zhao Guihua red: "Am I that unreliable?"Aliali: 6748d4edc4f3f33ac47eb225


    Zhuang Zhiyuan wanted to say yes, but he firmly said, "Mom, you''re not!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Well, that''s settled then. I''m not stupid, I wouldn''t do anything reckless."


    Several members of their family had stable jobs, so she wouldn''t easily take the risk of selling things, as it could bring trouble and not be worth it. However, the ck market was more lenient towards buyers. Besides, besides, besides, what she was thinking about now wasn''t the ck market at all.


    What she was thinking about was the cloth strips.


    If she bought the cloth strips, she could sew a pair of shorts for each of the two children, which wasn''t a bad idea at all!


    "New for three years, old for three more, patched up and worn for another three."


    Old clothes still needed mending, so what was the problem with sewing new clothes together?


    Zhao Guihua thought more and more proudly, feeling very clever, and she put her hands on her hips: "Hahaha~"


    Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan looked at each other: Utterly worried!


    Just worried!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 25

    Zhao Guihua led her whole family to go fishing, but it didn''t start well.


    As expected, she didn''t catch a single fish. On their way home, everyone was feeling a bit dejected, except for Zhao Guihua who kept chattering non-stop: "It''s not that I couldn''t catch any fish, it''s just that today is like a holiday, and I couldn''t bear to turn them into a meal right away."


    What a boast that was.


    Old Man Zhuang yed along, smiling as he said: "I know you''re capable. There''s nothing in this world you can''t learn. Fishing is just a small matter, isn''t it? You just didn''t want to catch them, not that you couldn''t."


    Zhao Guihua nodded slightly and said: "You''re the only one who truly understands me, old man."


    Old Man Zhuang gave a simple smile and said: "Of course I do, you''re my wife. We''ve shared decades of love together."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    His brother was quite like their father, wasn''t he?


    This talent for ttery clearly ran in the family.


    Though his father only ttered his mother, his brother was an equal-opportunity tterer.


    Although they hadn''t caught any fish, it was already noon, and Zhao Guihua chose to take the bus home. Despite her bragging, she was secretly sighing inside, thinking this trip had been a loss. When the family arrived home, they saw Madam Zhou Li and Aunt Su sitting in front of their respective doors.


    Seeing their empty-handed return, Madam Zhou Li burst intoughter that sounded like a wild duck''s quack, while Aunt Su just gave a slight smile without saying anything. Zhao Guihua knew exactly what these two were thinking.


    She snorted, carrying her fishing rod and striding straight home. Even if they hadn''t caught any fish, they still had fish at home.


    For lunch today, they would eat fish.


    Two of them!


    Hmph!


    After Zhao Guihua returned home unhappily, Madam Zhou Li finally went back to her house "relieved." She had just wanted to see if that old woman Zhao Guihua could really catch any fish, and as she expected, she couldn''t.


    Madam Zhou Li felt two words in her heart: delighted!


    She felt happy when others weren''t doing well. She hummed a tune as she entered her house, but upon seeing her daughter-inw, her previously cheerful face immediately dropped. She said, "You useless thing. You''re not even pregnant and you wasted three mao on examination fees."


    Jiang Lu''s nausea had indeed been a false rm - she still wasn''t pregnant.


    Jiang Lu prepared lunch with a bitter expression, feeling increasingly heavy-hearted. She had taken all kinds of medicine, so why wasn''t anything working? Could it be that she was truly infertile? Jiang Lu''s mind was in chaos, feeling deeply that she had let Zhou Qun down.


    "That folk remedy I told you aboutst time, you can''t refuse it anymore. If you can''t give birth, then make way for someone else."


    Jiang Lu suddenly looked up and quickly said, "Mom, I''ll have a baby, I''ll definitely give Zhou Qun a son, trust me. I''ll take the folk remedy, I''ll take anything."


    She paused and said, "I just drank ck dog blood at dawn yesterday. Let''s see if that works first. If it does, we won''t need the folk remedy, right? The ck dog blood won''t show results in just one day, don''t you think?"


    Madam Zhou Li red at her and said, "You dare to talk back to me!"


    She scolded, "Who do you think you are to bargain with me? Women who can''t have children have always been useless waste. My Zhou Qun is talented, he''s a pir of the factory. He''s been so patient with you, not saying a single bad word despite having no children. Now when you need to do just a little thing for him, you make all these excuses? What? You find children''s urine disgusting? Don''t you know that drinking urine is the smallest thing in the world when ites to having a child?"


    Jiang Lu''s eyes reddened as she said softly, "I know, Mom, I know. I know Zhou Qun is a hundred and twenty percent good to me, and I''m letting him down. I''ll listen to you, I''ll listen to everything you say..."


    Madam Zhou Li: "That''s more like it!"


    She continued, "You think children''s urine is easy to get? I still need to arrange it with the children in the courtyard. I can''t even speak about it directly - if people knew you were drinking urine, wouldn''t I lose face? It''s fortunate we have many boys in our courtyard."


    Zhou Qun chose this moment toe out from the inner room and said, "Mom, Jiang Lu has already agreed, so stop talking about this. It makes her feel bad too. She doesn''t want things to be this way either."


    Madam Zhou Li snorted, "There you go protecting her again."


    Zhou Qun righteously dered, "She''s my wife. If I don''t protect her, am I supposed to watch her suffer? Mom, don''t push Jiang Lu too hard."


    Madam Zhou Li became even more displeased, waving her hand as she said, "I''m going to thetrine."


    She walked straight out.


    Unable to bear the bitterness anymore, Jiang Lu suddenly threw herself into Zhou Qun''s arms, saying softly, "Qun, you''re so good to me, you really are. I know it."


    Zhou Qun gently patted her back and said, "If I''m not good to you, who else would I be good to?"


    He said quietly, "Mom''s getting old, she''s anxious to hold a grandson. You understand, right?"


    Jiang Lu nodded vigorously, "I do, I really do. I want a son too."


    Zhou Qun: "Then just listen to her. She might be old and a bit ignorant, but she means well for us, and we don''t have any better solutions. Just try it, think of it as just giving it a try, okay?"


    Jiang Lu: "Okay, I''ll do whatever you say."


    Meanwhile, while Zhou Qun was convincing Jiang Lu toplypletely, Madam Zhou Li was grumbling as she went to the public toilet. At her age, she needed to use the toilet more frequently, though this time she wasn''t really going to use it - she just wanted to give her son some space.


    She muttered under her breath, "If this little tramp can''t bear children, I''ll just have my little Qun have some outside."


    As she was mumbling to herself, she happened to meet Ming Meiing out of the toilet. She looked Ming Mei up and down - she wasn''t particrly thin, but she didn''t look like the fertile type like Wang Xiangxiu either. This young daughter-inw had been married for some time now.


    She stopped and asked, "Hey, Old Zhuang''s wife, let me ask you something - are you pregnant yet? You don''t look like someone who''d be good at bearing children."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She looked bewildered at the old woman, not understanding what she was going on about, though this wasn''t the first time. On her first day after marriage, this stranger had jumped out to lecture her just to make her presence known, showing she was clearly a foolish person.


    Both wicked and poisonous.


    Ming Mei blinked, finally understanding what the old woman was asking, and said crisply, "That''s none of your business. Why don''t you mind your own affairs?"


    She turned and left, refusing to exchange pleasantries with someone like Madam Zhou Li.


    Madam Zhou Li trembled with anger: "You, you, you - how dare you speak to me like that, you little tramp! You''re so vicious!"


    Ming Mei stopped in her tracks and turned around: "I''m vicious? I think the person who says such things is the vicious one. If you have mental problems, you should go to a mental hospital instead of trying to make yourself noticed in the courtyard. Let me tell you, I, Ming Mei, won''t put up with your nonsense. Who do you think you are? Calling me a little tramp? I think you''re the old tramp! Your age doesn''t excuse your shamelessness, what kind of trash are you! If your brain isn''t working right, take some medicine. Don''te out here causing trouble thinking I''m afraid of you! Pah!"


    Ming Mei looked around, and seeing no one else nearby, she unleashed her thoughts without restraint. Really, this woman dared to argue with her? She had dealt with more troublemakers on her bus route than this old woman had fought with in her entire life, and she dared to act up in front of her?


    If she hadn''t just gotten married and needed to maintain some image, she would have told this old woman off long ago. She really had no sense of propriety.


    "If you have nothing better to do, go get your mental illness checked. What''s wrong? Not enough drama in your own home that you have toe y queen bee with the neighbors? Get lost, you garbage, you nutcase, you shameless old thing!" Ming Mei rattled off a string of insults, then gave a heavy snort and said, "Stay far away from me in the future, or I won''t be so nice!"


    After Ming Mei finished her fierce tirade, she turned around to see her husband, Zhuang Zhixi, leaning against the main gate, thoroughly amused and giving her a thumbs up.


    Ming Mei... Ming Mei''s face immediately turned red. She bit her lip and ran over coquettishly, holding onto Zhuang Zhixi''s arm saying, "Come on, let''s go home."


    She said coyly, "You didn''t see anything just now, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t y along at all,ughing as he said, "No, I didn''t miss a thing."


    Ming Mei shook him slightly and said, "You definitely didn''t see anything. I''m still the gentle me, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and let out a long "oh," not borating further. Ming Mei pinched him, and Zhuang Zhixiughed even harder, dodging and saying, "Yes, yes, I saw and heard nothing."


    Ming Mei nodded, "I''m still the gentle and lovely me."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft."


    Ming Mei: "What do you mean by that? Are youughing at me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "How could I? I wouldn''t dare."


    He pinched Ming Mei''s cheek and said, "I think you''re great this way, at least I don''t have to worry about you getting bullied."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Bullied?


    By her?


    From childhood to adulthood, she was never the one to be bullied.


    Ming Mei blinked at Zhuang Zhixi, whoughed and leaned in mysteriously, "Guess if Old Witch Zhou wille to make trouble?"


    Ming Mei shrugged, "How would I know? I don''t know her, but I''m not afraid of her."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Want to bet?"


    Ming Mei blinked again, pushing Zhuang Zhixi away to wash her hands in the yard. She quickly figured out that he was probably using the bet to gamble on something trivial. She knew him well.


    She immediately understood, finished washing her hands, and sshed water at his face, crisp and clear, "No bet!"


    "Hey, don''t ssh water, it''s cold," he said.


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly, "Hmph, trying to trick me."


    The two entered the house together, Ming Mei approached, "Mom, is there anything I can help with?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at her, "No."


    Ming Mei "oh"ed, happily sitting down, not having to work was great.


    Zhao Guihua: "What were you two ying outside?"


    She asked casually, and Liang Meifen perked up, thinking: Let them show off their love, let them show off. Mother-inw, scold her, scold her hard! Liang Meifen was eager to see the drama.


    Ming Mei: "We were betting whether Madam Zhou woulde knocking. She blocked me at the toilet earlier, and I gave her a good scolding. So Zhixi wanted to bet with me if she''de to make trouble. But I didn''t take the bet, hehe."


    Zhao Guihua: "She definitely won''te."


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up, "Why?"


    Zhao Guihua looked at her deeply, "Because I''m home."


    Ming Mei immediately understood, "I see, because she can''t out-argue you, and she can''t start a fight."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "That''s the point."


    She said, "Everyone in our courtyard knows this tacit understanding, arguing is one thing, but no one really starts a fight. If it gets physical, it''s just not good."


    Ming Mei heard this and shook her head, "That''s not right, Madam Zhou did hit Bai Fendou."


    "That''s because it''s an elder hitting a younger one. Besides, everyone has a weak spot. Zhou Qun is Madam Zhou''s life. And Bai Fendou started it first, so Madam Zhou was just defending herself."


    Ming Mei softly "oh"ed, indicating she understood, and mused, "What if she hits me, should I fight back?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She said slowly, "Can''t you push her away and give her a subtle lesson? You''re skilled, can''t you do that?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She pursed her lips, not saying anything.


    There was no way to respond to that.


    Liang Meifen was shocked looking at her mother-inw, who was clearly advising her sister-inw to hit someone.


    Liang Meifen quickly became a turtle, afraid her mother-inw would make her do something, she was really ruthless.


    "Alright, the fish is almost done, get ready to eat."


    Zhao Guihua stuck cornmeal cakes on the side of the pot. Although these cakes couldn''tpare to big steamed buns, when paired with fish stew, they were excellent. The family quickly enjoyed the meal.


    The Su family smelled the fish stew, and Toni immediately put down his chopsticks, unhappy, "I want to eat fish, I want to eat fish, why do they have fish and we don''t?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Mom, didn''t you say they didn''t catch any fish?"


    Aunt Su sat by the door, unlike Madam Zhou who wanted to see a lively scene, she was looking for opportunities to get something for free. In the past, she could sweet-talk andin a bit, and get some benefits from Zhao Guihua.


    But recently, there were no such chances, Zhao Guihua was always busy.


    She didn''t have any opportunities, so today she thought about trying to get some fish, but Zhao Guihua came back clearly without any fish. She didn''t mention anything. But now... they were stewing fish?


    Aunt Su: "Who knows, maybe they had some already, or maybe they caught some today."


    She had seen everyone without any catch, so it was probably the former.


    "I want to eat, I want to eat..."


    Toni, using his age as an advantage,y on the ground and started kicking, "I want to eat, I want to eat!"


    Jii and Yii also looked at their mother with longing, Wang Xiangxiu sighed, "I''ll try."


    She got up and went to the Zhuang''s door, knocking. Zhuang Zhixi opened the door, but kept one hand on it and the other on the doorframe, not giving anyone a chance to enter, even peeking inside was difficult with Zhuang Zhixi''s height.


    Seeing the visitor, he asked puzzled, "Sister-inw Su, is something wrong?"


    Wang Xiangxiu put on a pitiful expression, "Little Zhuang, you''re having dinner, right?"


    She looked at him with a tender gaze, "Your fish smells so good, my Toni is howling and rolling on the ground. Could you spare a bit? The kids are really pitiful, it''s my fault for not being able to provide better nutrition. Just a little, we just want to taste it. Next time I get fish, I''ll definitely return the favor."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, smiling, "Sister-inw Su, what are you talking about, a little fish, why mention returning favors?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was delighted, ready to thank him, when Zhuang Zhixi said, "But you know, my family has eight people, not even fish soup is left, we''re dipping the cakes in it, I''m even gnawing on fish bones, there''s nothing to spare."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face turned ugly, dissatisfied with Zhuang Zhixi''s refusal. She hade to ask, how could he not give anything? Wasn''t this how neighbors should be? Not understanding the hardships of the poor.


    She frowned, forcing a smile, "You''re joking with your sister-inw, right? The kids are still crying at home..."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Actually, I think Sister-inw Su shouldn''t worry, kids cry because they''re not beaten enough, just beat them a few more times."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face turnedpletely dark, very displeased.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Anything else, sister-inw? No, I''ll continue gnawing on fish bones."


    Wang Xiangxiu suppressed her urge to curse, forcing a smile, "Then, forget it."


    She turned, and the door clicked shut, not leaving any room. Wang Xiangxiu''s face was as dark as night, walking back heavily. The Su kids were waiting for the fish, seeing her return immediately stood up, "Eat fish!"


    But saw nothing.


    Toni: "Waa... waa, I want to eat, I want to eat fish..."


    Aunt Su: "Didn''t she get it?"


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed, "No, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t fall for my act."


    The kids were still crying, she shouted, "Enough, do you have to? Our family is poor, we can''t afford fish. Even if you cry to death, no one will pity you! Cry, cry, cry! Want to eat so much, go be someone else''s child! Am I not a good enough mother for you? I''m always worrying for you, you never let me rest. Think about it, is it something we can afford? Is it?"


    Her voice was loud, Bai Fendou quickly came over, knocking, "Sister-inw Xiangxiu, what''s wrong?"


    Wang Xiangxiu opened the door, rubbed her eyes, which immediately turned red, "The kids are just craving, I scolded them."


    White Fendou looked at the three children and then at Wang Xiangxiu, his heart softening to the point of breaking. He said, "Look at you, it''s natural for the kids to want something nice to eat. What''s the big deal? You scolding them like this, doesn''t it hurt you more?"


    He softlyforted Wang Xiangxiu, wishing he could immediately step into her home.


    Wang Xiangxiu wiped away her tears and said, "I know that, but our family is in such a situation, what can I do?"


    White Fendou gritted his teeth: "Alright, I''ll go to the river this afternoon to see if I can catch some fish. I don''t believe I can''t catch any."


    Jii immediately chimed in: "I want to go too."


    White Fendou: "Okay, okay, I''ll take all three of you. Uncle Fendou will take you fishing."


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip; she had actually hoped that White Fendou would give her money or buy fish directly for her. But seeing him say this, she thought about how he had recently lost fifteen yuan twice, once for the New Year and once for buying a bike. She figured he probably didn''t have much money left.


    She sighed inwardly and said, "Then, be careful."


    "Don''t worry about that," White Fendou reassured the Su family. But he didn''t know that others were peeking out from their windows, secretly watching the drama unfold. Jiang Lu was at her door, whispering sarcastically, "Serves you right for scheming against my husband Zhou Qun. You deserve to be swindled by that widow."


    As for the Zhuang family, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were peeking out the window, watching themotion. Ming Mei eximed, "I''ve never seen someone so devoted, thinking only of other people''s children. What kind of spirit is that?"


    Zhao Guihua: "What spirit? Lack of spirit. He''s as stupid as a donkey."


    Zhao Guihua: "You two,e back for dinner."


    Ming Mei: "Okay, okay."


    She quickly grabbed a piece of fish with her chopsticks and said, "So fragrant."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, however, was moved: "Luckily, it was my younger brother who went to handle the situation. If it had been me, I wouldn''t have been able to refuse."


    Liang Meifen immediately gave Zhuang Zhiyuan a wary look. Zhuang Zhiyuan: "What are you doing?"


    Liang Meifen earnestly: "Stay away from Wang Xiangxiu!"


    With such a charming widow as a neighbor, Liang Meifen was very vignt about her husband. But it wasn''t just her; every woman in the neighborhood was the same, except for White Fendou. Jiang Lu was also keeping a close eye on Zhou Qun.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "What do you take me for? Besides, Sister Su hasn''t done anything. Don''t tarnish her reputation."


    "Heh."


    "Heh."


    "Heh."


    With just that one sentence, he drew several "hehs" from the women in the room. Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    It seemed the femalerades didn''t share his views.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, not getting involved in the matter. But if anyone thought they could take advantage of him, they were sorely mistaken. Just ask around, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t someone who let others take advantage of him.


    Zhao Guihua: "Tomorrow, when you go back to your parents'' house, I''ll prepare a fish and a pound of meat for each of you. If you want more, use your own private money. If not, that''s fine too."


    Ming Mei: "Got it."


    Liang Meifen wanted to say something but seeing that Ming Mei didn''t object, she didn''t dare either, closing her mouth with a sigh.


    Zhao Guihua: "Ming Mei, are you going back to work soon?"


    Ming Mei: "On the fourth day of the New Year, I''ll be back to work."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "You''re starting earlier than the others. Will youe back for lunch?"


    Ming Mei shook her head: "No need, it''s too much trouble. I''ll eat at the unit cafeteria."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."


    She instructed: "Since Ming Mei will be at work and not eating at home, Elder Daughter-inw, you''ll be in charge of cooking. I''ll still be fishing these days."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    With your terrible fishing skills?


    It''s a waste of bus fare just going out.


    But despite thinking this, Liang Meifen didn''t dare say it out loud, nodding and saying, "Okay."


    When it came to doing chores, she didn''tpare, doing as much as needed withoutint. Zhao Guihua knew this was Liang Meifen''s strength. If you asked Ming Mei to do more work, she would definitely try to shirk it. But Ming Mei wasn''t so calcting with money and had a cheerful personality, which were her strengths.


    Both daughters-inw had their own strengths and weaknesses.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t pay much attention. In her previous life, she wanted to manage but couldn''t. In this life, she didn''t want to manage anymore. After all, she had her own ws. As long as Zhao Guihua didn''t lose her temper at home, the harmony level in the family soared.


    In the afternoon, the family gathered to y small cards. These weren''t poker cards but a game somewhat simr to mahjong. It was a pastime in old teahouses and inns, not something respectable people yed. Wealthy families yed mahjong, but now with strict regtions, neither mahjong nor these small cards were yed anymore. If caught, one would be reprimanded. While it was a bit like gambling, ying as a family without money was just for fun, done quietly without anyone bothering.


    This wasn''t as problematic as mahjong, which could be burned in a stove if needed, disappearing instantly. So ordinary families sometimes yed secretly.


    Like their family, two kids ran around outside while the adults yed cards indoors for amusement. Despite being just for fun, it was addictive, dying dinner.


    If not for the next day when the two daughters-inw had to visit their parents, they might have yed all night.


    Ming Mei lost miserably, looking pitiful. She whispered softly, "Luckily, we''re not ying for money, or I''d be bankrupt."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t worry, your husband is great at this. I can win it all back."


    Ming Mei giggled coquettishly, making Zhuang Zhixi''s heart melt.


    But because they stayed upte, the next morning the couple was still groggy, returning to their parents'' home in a bit of a daze. This led to Ming Mei''s mother hinting at the couple not to be too wild just because they were young, reminding them to be "moderate," making Ming Mei blush furiously.


    For the record, she stayed upte not because of that.


    But her exnation was ignored by her mother, who firmly didn''t believe her. Ming Mei felt so wronged.


    Ming Mei''s mother didn''t care what her daughter thought. She checked the gifts her daughter brought and nodded in approval.


    She asked, "Did your mother-inw prepare these?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, being very honest with her mother: "My mother-inw prepared the fish and meat. The other two snacks I bought myself. You know, our family is like a divided one. My mother-inw wouldn''t prepare more."


    Ming Mei mentioned the two items her mother-inw prepared and added two more she bought herself, as she had her own money.


    Ming Mei''s mother nodded: "That makes sense."


    She understood the situation. The young couple paid ten yuan a month, and the food was decent, thanks to the old couple''s subsidy. Ming Mei''s mother couldn''t be bad at math. After all, the urban poverty line was five yuan per person.


    They paid ten yuan, which wasn''t much.


    She said, "Your dad got a few pounds of big pears before the New Year. Take some back to eat secretly."


    The mother whispered, "Don''t give it to your mother-inw; eat it yourself. Otherwise, she''ll give it all to the kids, and what will you eat?"


    Ming Meiughed, hugging her mother''s arm: "I know, Mom. I know you love me the most."


    "Who else would I love if not you? You''re my own flesh and blood."


    Ming Mei: "Hehe."


    She happily snuck a snack in the kitchen, remembering something and said, "Mom, can you give me some broken tea? My inws don''t have any tickets and haven''t been able to buy any."


    Ming Mei''s mother''s mouth twitched: "Are you already digging into your parents'' home to subsidize your inws?"


    Ming Mei shook her head: "Of course not. I know we have extra at home. Besides, I get something in return. My inws have been eating really welltely, and I don''t have to do any work, hehe."


    She detailed the recent meals to her mother and added, "My sister-inw handles all the work."


    Ming Mei''s mother nodded: "You''re just azybones."


    Ming Mei smiled innocently at her mother. Ming Mei''s mother: "Alright, I get it. I''ll pack some for you when you leave. Luckily, we have extra."


    Ming Mei smiled happily.


    This tea is indeed hard toe by; the quota is strict, and what you usually get is tea dust, and without the right tickets, you can''t get it either. But this isn''t something particrly rare in Ming Mei''s household. Ming Mei has an uncle who works at a tea ntation.


    Being in the business means you benefit from it, so it''s only natural.


    Ming Mei''s father works for a transportationpany and often travels to the south to deliver goods, so he can usually bring back some tea. Like the tea tickets at their home, they always end up being traded secretly to others because they don''t need them.


    "I''ll give you some tea dust and a bit of good tea. Keep the good tea to yourself, don''t give it to others. We don''t have much of it at home," the supply currently only includes tea dust. This is something that''s hard to buy even with money.


    Ming Mei: "I understand, Uncle Zhang is doing well over there, right? Are they considered workers at the tea ntation?"


    Ming Mei''s mother: "Of course, they are skilled workers, their wages are quite good."


    Ming Mei mused: "A martial arts master going to grow tea, it feels a bit strange when you think about it."


    Ming Mei''s mother: "Don''t spout nonsense. What martial arts master? Don''t say such things, everyone is a working person."


    Ming Mei: "Alright, alright."


    Uncle Zhang is the senior martial brother of Ming Mei''s uncle, and his skills are even better than her uncle''s.


    "By the way, mom, I think I might have done something good again, but I don''t know if it will increase my sry. It was the first day of the New Year, and I went to the movies with Zhixi..." She spoke animatedly, but her mother''s face grew darker and darker. She gave her daughter a hard p and said, "Stay out of trouble from now on!"


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Innocent, wronged.


    Ming Mei''s mother: "How can you not know the danger? And if you dare to transfer to another unit without my permission, I''ll break your legs!"


    Ming Mei muttered softly: "You said you wouldn''t care about me once I get married."


    Ming Mei''s mother: "Are you not my daughter after you get married? You''re my daughter, I can always manage you. If you mess up, I''ll break your legs even if you''re married."


    Ming Mei''s mother remembered thatst time her daughter caught a thief, the authorities were impressed by her skills and wanted to transfer her. Ming Mei''s mother was vehemently against it; it was too dangerous. A young girl like her was better off as a ticket seller, with good benefits and a decent job.


    If she worked inw enforcement, it would be tough and dangerous. Her mother was adamantly against it.


    She pulled Ming Mei''s ear and said, "Remember this, if you dare to y tricks, I won''t be lenient with you."


    Ming Mei: "Ouch, ouch, I know, I know. I don''t want to go, really, believe me."


    Ming Mei''s mother looked into Ming Mei''s eyes and said, "I''ll trust you for now."


    Ming Mei: "Phew!"


    She really didn''t want to transfer. Mainly because she thought she was good at nothing but her skills. Those brainy units weren''t for her. She was just a reckless girl.


    Equivalent to a reckless man.


    She could handle physical tasks and argue with impolite passengers, but she couldn''t be a cop.


    Besides, they mentioned itst time, not this time. She rubbed her ear andined to Zhuang Zhixi: "Didn''t you hear me calling? Why didn''t youe to save me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I can''t afford to offend your mom, where would I dare to provoke my mother-inw? Offending her is worse than offending my wife."


    Ming Mei: "Heh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll give you a good massage when we get home, okay?"


    Ming Mei: "Hmph, toote."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll serve you a hundred times as punishment."


    Ming Mei''s face instantly turned red, she muttered: "Zhuang Zhixi, have some self-respect. Serve me a hundred times? Are you sure I''m the one benefiting? You''re clearly the one benefiting. What kind of person are you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi suppressed augh and said innocently: "You see, you misunderstood me, didn''t you? I meant serving you by pouring tea and water. Where did you think I meant?"


    He said with a wicked smile: "Or did you think of those unspeakable scenes?"


    Ming Mei didn''t hesitate, she kicked out!


    Ming Mei''s father saw from a distance and smiled: My daughter doesn''t get taken advantage of, good!


    Ming Cheng also smiled: My sister doesn''t get taken advantage of, good.


    Ming Mei''s mother saw from the kitchen and still smiled: A little scuffle means affection, the couple''s rtionship is good, happy.


    Probably because Zhuang Zhixi got kicked, today both the father-inw and mother-inw had good expressions, Zhuang Zhixi had a pleasant time at his inws'' ce. When leaving, Zhuang Zhixi saw the bulging bag Ming Mei was carrying and said: "You''re going back to your parents'' home, why the big haul?"


    Ming Mei looked up: "Then don''t eat it."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately straightened up: "I was wrong, scold me."


    Ming Mei lifted the corner of her mouth, the young couple rode back home. Ming Mei hummed a little tune, Zhuang Zhixi: "Wife, your parents are the least gender-biased I''ve ever seen."


    Ming Mei: "Your mom isn''t either? I see her treating Huttou and Xiaoyanzi the same."


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "My mom used to be a bit gender-biased, we have three kids, my second sister didn''t get the same treatment as my brother and me. But as we grew up, my mom changed a lot, not so gender-biased anymore. Especially after you came into the family, before my older brother had two kids, Huttou was much more favored than Xiaoyanzi. But I see recently my mom treats Xiaoyanzi well too. Maybe people''s views change as they get older. Although my parents were gender-biased, it wasn''t as obvious as others. My sister insisted on marrying that soldier and going to the ind with him, my mom was very unhappy, but still felt sorry for my sister and prepared some money for her."


    Ming Mei probably knew the reason, her mother-inw changed because she had been influenced by over fifty years of social changes, she wasn''t like traditional old people anymore, she had seen more, her horizons were different, her thoughts were different.


    But Ming Mei wouldn''t say it out loud, she said: "It''s good that they can change."


    She was curious: "But wait, in your courtyard, doesn''t Li the Cook only have one daughter? They must treat their daughter well."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I said the least gender-biased, Li the Cook and Aunt Wang still want a son, they just can''t have one. If they had a son, they would treat Li Fang differently. Aunt Wang, I know a bit, probably like my mom before. Li the Cook... definitely prefers sons. You can see it from how he treats his grandson. They''re not gender-biased, they just don''t have the chance to be."


    This further showed how good Ming Mei''s parents were.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re a lucky girl."


    Ming Mei smiled proudly, saying: "Of course, I''ve always been lucky, my parents said I was a lucky child since I was little."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You really take it for granted."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    She reached out to pinch Zhuang Zhixi, who said: "Ow, I''m riding the bike, don''t pinch me~"


    Ming Meiughed, hugged his waist, and pressed her cheek against his back, saying: "You have to keep me lucky, okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi lifted the corner of his mouth: "Of course!"


    He felt his wife''s warmth and pedaled with extra vigor. The young couple returned home, and upon entering the courtyard, oh, there was another meeting!


    How frequent are the meetings in this courtyard?


    Ming Mei was deeply puzzled.


    Everyone from each household was there.


    Aunt Wang was presiding over the meeting, seeing them return, she didn''t say much, just continued the previous topic, saying: "During the New Year, the city''s security has been a bitx, some petty thieves have taken advantage of the rxed vignce to break into homes. However, due to limited manpower, it''s impossible to cover every area, so the neighborhoodmittee hopes we can organize a joint defense team, with one person from each household, divided into two shifts, to patrol at night to ensure our own safety."


    "How long will the patrolst?" someone asked.


    Aunt Wang: "It depends on the situation, but if there are no incidents, it willst until after the Lantern Festival."


    "That long!"


    "Yes, we''re going back to work in a couple of days, so staying upte for patrols is going to be tough. What time do we have to patrol until?"


    Aunt Wang: "Two in the morning. Initially, it''s set for 9 PM to 2 AM, five hours."


    This announcement sparked a flurry of discussion. Everyone was unhappy with the long duration, whether in terms of patrol time or the overall length. While they could manage during the holidays, what about when they were back at work?


    Wang Xiangxiu eximed, "My house doesn''t even have a man. How am I supposed to patrol?"


    "You can get the Bai family to send two people. That would cover for you."


    "Hahaha..."


    Everyoneughed knowingly. Wang Xiangxiu retorted, "Nonsense! You''re all so mean."


    "How is that mean? You two families are practically one anyway."


    "Exactly!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You''re all picking on me, a woman."


    Aunt Wang: "Alright, let''s get back to business."


    "The time is too long, we can''t handle it, Aunt Wang. Can you talk to the neighborhoodmittee again? If we patrol like this, it will definitely interfere with our work at the factory. If anything goes wrong, it could lead to big problems. We can''t let this interfere with our main job."Aliali: 674bbc65c4f3f33ac4a6520b


    "Exactly!"


    Everyone seemed reluctant. No one wanted to patrol in the cold.


    Zhuang Zhixi also wasn''t happy and chimed in, "Aunt Wang, not only do we need to patrol every day, but even if it''s every other day, we can''t handle it. Can you think of a better solution?"


    His family, of course, meant him.


    His father was old, and his brother Zhuang Zhiyuan was always on business trips. It couldn''t be left to the women, could it?


    The most suitable person was him, so he was trying to negotiate a more reasonable arrangement: "We''re not saying we can''t do it, but we also need to consider the reality. Everyone has to work. It''s not that we don''t want to maintain security, but workes first. What if we make mistakes at work due tock of sleep from patrolling?"


    "Exactly!"


    Seeing everyone''s resistance, Aunt Wang knew this would be difficult to implement. She sighed and said, "I''ll go talk to the neighborhoodmittee again."


    What a headache!


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged nces. Ming Mei blinked: Could this be rted to her catching a thief?

 Chapter 26

    The general assembly meeting for thepound wasn''t going smoothly.


    Aunt Wang had it tough - she had to listen to the streetmittee''s opinions, but everyone was also expressing valid concerns. One or two days, even three or four days would be manageable, but a whole month of patrols was too much for most households. Take the Su Family for example - they didn''t have any men in the house, surely they couldn''t expect women to do patrol duty?


    She sighed, realizing the meeting couldn''t continue, and said, "Alright then, I''ll go back to the streetmittee tomorrow and see how otherpounds are handling this."


    Actually, when she received notice about the meeting, she already knew this would be difficult to resolve. Nobody wanted to offend anyone, so no one spoke up first, thinking they could discuss it after returning home. But clearly now, no agreement could be reached.


    "Though I''ll ask again tomorrow, this patrol duty will likely still need to be done," she said honestly.


    "How can they do this to us?"


    "Yeah, they''re not considering our actual situation. If we patrol at night and something goes wrong during the day at work, will the streetmittee take responsibility?"


    "That guy Little Li from Workshop Three was assigned to clean toilets just because he damaged some parts due to fatigue."


    "Exactly, we all do precision work, how can we manage like this?"


    Everyone hadints and felt unsettled. This wasn''t the right way to handle things. Even though there might be thieves in their area recently, they couldn''t just disrupt everyone''s lives like this. Could they really force people to do this?


    Zhao Guihua looked around at everyone and remembered a simr situation in her previous life.


    Back then, the situation was the same, but after Aunt Wang reported back, they still decided on the patrols. Each household had to provide one person, and if they couldn''t send a man, a woman would do. They were divided into three shifts, meaning each person had to patrol every third day.


    People had no choice but to agree.


    This matter actually had quite an impact on her family, as her younger son Zhuang Zhixi got stabbed because of it. It was just his bad luck - he had diarrhea that day and needed to use the bathroom frequently. He went to use the toilet, not knowing a thief was hiding in the men''s room. Neither Zhuang Zhixi nor the thief could back down, and the thief quickly pulled out a knife. Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t dodge in time and got stabbed.


    Even though he was stabbed while on patrol duty, deserving at least recognition for his sacrifice if not merit, Zhou Qun and the others who were patrolling with him imed that Zhuang Zhixi got stabbed because he was cking off in the bathroom. He was innocent but had to bear the weight of these rumors.


    Although there were different versions of the storyter, with no clear conclusion, Zhou Qun had a good reputation in the neighborhood, so the rumors took an unfavorable turn.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s stabbing was for nothing.


    Even the medical expenses had to be paid by the family, nearly emptying their savings.


    During that period, her younger son became quite gloomy.


    Not long after, Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu were caught having an affair and nearly got beaten to death. They both imed they were framed, but no one believed them. Although Wang Xiangxiu tried to me everything on Zhou Qun, both received severe disciplinary action. Nobody except Bai Fendou believed Wang Xiangxiu''s attempt to shift me.


    At that time, Zhao Guihua vaguely suspected her son was behind it.


    But when she asked him, he never admitted to it.


    Shortly after this incident, Zhou Qun somehow got pushed into a cesspool and had to "feast" on its contents. Many people said it was Bai Fendou''s revenge for the Wang Xiangxiu incident. However, Zhao Guihua believed Ming Mei was responsible.


    Becauseter, all those who had falsely used Zhuang Zhixi faced revenge one after another. Since it didn''t happen all at once, others didn''t make the connection. But as family, Zhao Guihua believed it was the young couple''s doing.


    It was understandable why Zhuang Zhixi and his wife were so angry. Everyone knew that Zhuang Zhixi almost couldn''t go on patrol that day because of his diarrhea, and those patrolling with him saw how pale he was and how weak his steps were. Yet they still joined Zhou Qun in spreading rumors, clearly trying to reduce the number of people who would share the credit for catching the thief.


    Otherwise, as the victim, Zhuang Zhixi would certainly have received special recognition.


    Because after stabbing Zhuang Zhixi, the thief was so frightened that he dropped the knife and fell to his knees.


    Only after he dropped the knife did the otherse forward to subdue him.


    Thinking of all this, Zhao Guihua turned to look at Zhuang Zhixi, who was still cheerfully chatting with his wife, Ming Mei''s face glowing red as she looked up at him. She lowered her eyes, knowing that since she had a chance to relive this, she wouldn''t let such things happen again.


    Afterposing herself, she spoke up loudly: "Aunt Wang, if we''re trying to catch thieves, it doesn''t have to be men. Women can hold up half the sky, and this olddy is perfectly capable. Everyone in my family needs to work, but I have nothing to do. Just ask - does this job really require men? How are we women any less capable? How am I any less capable? They even show old women doing double-shift farm work in movies. I can definitely do this!"


    "Holy shit."


    "Pfft!"


    Zhao Guihua''s words shocked everyone, and looking at her now, they realized this olddy really had something about her.


    Zhao Guihua remained calm and continued loudly: "These young people can''t handle it because they need to work during the day, but I don''t! Patrolling is no big deal. Besides, at my age, you don''t have to worry about me getting involved with some young man and causing scandal, and unlike young wives, I don''t need to worry about my reputation. Isn''t that perfect?"


    "Mom, how can we let you do this? You..." Zhuang Zhixi stepped forward but was silenced by his mother''s re. Zhao Guihua said, "Get out of my way, what''s wrong with me wanting to do patrol duty? I''m just sitting around anyway, and this way I''ll have people to chat with. Don''t you try to mess this up."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah..."


    He really didn''t know how to respond to this.


    "That''s not how it works!"


    "Why not? I say I can do it, who dares say I can''t?" She put her hands on her hips and said, "Aunt Wang, go ask them why men get to take all the glory. How are we women any less capable? In my opinion, these men might be stronger than us women, but they''re not necessarily as quick-witted as we are. I know I can do it!"


    After a long moment, Aunt Wang finally responded, swallowing before saying, "You can do it, you really can."


    Thinking about it, she realized Zhao Guihua had a point. Why could men do it but not women? To be honest, in her own family, from her husband the cook to her son-inw Yang Lixin, both men probably couldn''t beat her in a fight.


    They all had to work during the day, especially these two men who worked in the kitchen - they had to start earlier than most people, so if they had to patrol, they definitely couldn''t handle it. But if she did it instead, it might actually work.


    Aunt Wang suddenly had a moment of rity. She realized her old friend had insight - these foolish young men and old men were useless. The ones who could really get things done were her old sisters.


    pping her thigh, she said, "What you''re saying makes sense. What do you all think?"


    "Do we really have to do this?" Aunt Zhou was unhappy. She had only one son and didn''t want either him or herself to go.


    Aunt Wang spoke frankly: "Even if I report back, we''ll probably still have to do the patrols, but Zhao Guihua''s suggestion seems workable. Don''t even think about not participating at all - that''s impossible. Don''t daydream about that."


    "Ah, well if that''s the case, it might work. If we only need one person to participate, that could be okay."


    "Yes, but the time period is too long."


    Aunt Wang: "I''ll try to negotiate, see if we can arrange three shifts, that would help reduce the burden."


    "That works, I agree."


    "I agree too."


    Aunt Wang: "Then I''ll go to the streetmittee first thing tomorrow morning to discuss with the director, try to arrange it so anyone can participate. If that really doesn''t work, then it''ll have to be men again..."


    Before others could speak, Aunt Zhou immediately shouted: "No way! I absolutely won''t agree to that. My son can''t go. You go make a good case for this - I''ll do it! I can do it! If Zhao Guihua can do it, there''s no reason I can''t!"


    She really didn''t want to go, but if someone had to go, she''d rather it be herself than her son.


    In that brief moment earlier, she had it all figured out - as long as someone from the family could go, she wouldn''t have to go every time. If she didn''t feel like going, she could send her daughter-inw instead. After all, that little hussy Jiang Lu did nothing at home except flirt with men, so she should be the one doing patrol duty.


    If they couldn''t even manage this small task, what good were they to the household?


    Madam Zhou Li quickly said, "Well, I can go!"


    First, establish that both men and women could participate.


    Madam Zhou Li''s determination made Aunt Su seethe with anger. Looking at Zhao Guihua and Madam Zhou Li, she thought they were truly cursed old crones. Her family had two widows without men, and if each family only needed to send one person, she could have gotten out of it by crying about having no one avable.


    But if both men and women could go, and they only needed one person per household, her family couldn''t escape it. Especially since Zhao Guihua and Aunt Zhou were participating, and Aunt Wang would surely join too - if she was the only one not participating, wouldn''t people gossip behind her back?


    She was furious but knew she had to take a stance, after all, she had always been known as the most righteous, gentle, and kindest olddy in thepound.


    She gave a weak smile and said, "I can do it too. If you all can do it, I certainly can. It''s perfect timing since my Xiu is too tired from work to patrol, so this olddy can help out."


    Wang Xiangxiu protested, "Mom, how can we let you go..."


    Aunt Su patted her daughter-inw''s hand and said, "Just listen to me. You''re so tired every day, don''t argue with me about this. I can chat with the other aunties while we patrol. You need your rest for work! Our family situation is different from others, I know it''s not easy for you."


    Whether at home or outside, Aunt Su was always exceptionally kind to Wang Xiangxiu,pletely different from other mothers-inw. Because of this, Wang Xiangxiu was willing to dedicate herselfpletely to the Su family.


    Other young daughters-inw who witnessed this were incredibly envious.


    What a perfect mother-inw she was.


    However, Zhao Guihua didn''t give them a chance to continue their performance. She spoke up, "Aunt Wang, about the timing - two in the morning is reallyte. Even thieves would be asleep by then. Could we make it earlier? We should discuss this with the neighborhoodmittee. After all, we''re helping reduce the burden on them and the police. We''re doing a good deed, but they shouldn''t make it too hard on us, right?"


    Aunt Wang replied, "Alright, I''ll go talk to them."


    She also thought two in the morning was excessive - if thieves wanted to steal, they could do it at three if not at two.


    It really didn''t need to be thatte.


    "Aunt Wang, we''re all counting on you."


    Aunt Wang smiled and said, "This is my responsibility. I''m in charge of coordinating everyone, so I should handle these matters. Well, we''ve taken up enough of everyone''s time, let''s all disperse."


    "Agreed!"


    The evening wind was biting cold on their faces. Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi returned to their room together. Ming Mei immediately "unloaded" - she had brought some treats from her parents'' home. She locked them in her cab, giggling, "I have something good."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What did your mom give you?"


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened as she humphed, saying, "Not telling you, but I''ll give this to Mom and Dadter."


    She had also brought some loose tea.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "You take it over, since it''s from your family, you should be the one to give it."


    Ming Mei replied, "Alright."


    The young couple brought the tea to the main room, where they found Old Man Zhuang sighing heavily. Zhao Guihua red at him: "What are you sighing about? I''m telling you, this won''t do. People shouldn''t sigh so much, it''ll drive away good fortune."


    Old Man Zhuang looked up and said helplessly, "You... why did you get involved? The kids aren''t little anymore, why not let them do the patrol? Why do you have to go? Why are you trying to prove yourself?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Mom, I can handle this."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan immediately chimed in, "Mom, I can''t when I''m on business trips, but when I''m home, I''ll go. I can alternate with my brother."


    He didn''t bother with pleasantries, just spoke inly, since he often had to travel for work and couldn''t promise he''d always be avable.


    With both sons expressing their opinions, Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "I understand, but I still want to go."


    She didn''t want her sons to go, as they weren''t prepared at all. If something went wrong, how could she as a mother not worry? Zhao Guihua felt that although she was an old woman, she had more experience than these young people.


    Besides, she had some idea where people might be hiding... hehe!


    In her previous life, her son had been stabbed. This time, she nned to be ready with a stick.


    She''d teach them a lesson!


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t blindly confident. She had thought it through - she''d go with others to catch the thieves, not alone. She definitely wouldn''t be at a disadvantage.


    She said, "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. I''ll rush forward for glory and step back from thieves - I understand these principles. I won''t be taken advantage of. Besides, I have nothing much to do these days, I can chat with the young patrol officers, keep myself young."


    The Zhuang brothers silently looked at their father.


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    Why did he vaguely feel like some sort of usation wasing his way?


    But he quickly shook his head, thinking he shouldn''t let his imagination run wild. He knew what kind of person his wife was - she was just worried about their sons.


    He sighed, "Dear, you''re all bark and no bite, you''re clearly just worried about the boys."


    Both Zhuang brothers were truly touched, knowing that nobody would willingly go out in such cold weather at night. Their mother''s suggestion was clearly to let them get more rest. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, don''t argue with me about this, I..."


    "Shut up! Who''s in charge here, you or me? Why are you still arguing? Why are you being so unmanly? This matter is settled - I''m definitely going. If things don''t work out with Aunt Wang, then fine, but if they do, I''m definitely going, and none of you better try to talk me out of it. I make the decisions in this house! That''s enough, this matter is settled, and don''t you dare keep whining about it in front of me, or I''ll start scolding. Really, why are you all so thick-headed?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Ming Mei blinked and quickly went to link arms with Zhao Guihua, saying, "Mom, I''ll apany you then. If any thieves show up, I''ll show them what I''m capable of. I''m quite formidable, you know. But talking isn''t enough, we need to prove it. It''s a perfect chance to intimidate the neighbors, so they''ll stop gossiping about me."


    Zhao Guihua looked at Ming Mei, thinking this girl really knew how to talk.


    She smiled and said, "Alright, we''ll discuss thatter. But even if youe with me, you''ll need to return early - you have work to go to."


    Ming Mei: "I know, Mom, you''re so considerate!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course! Did you think only Aunt Su knows how to care for her daughter-inw? I, Zhao Guihua, am just as good!"


    Ming Mei burst outughing and said, "I think you''re the best. Look, I brought you tea from my parents'' home. We can drink it for a long time."


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t expected Ming Mei to actually bring tea from her parents'' home. Her mouth twitched, and she hesitated: "You bringing things from your parents'' home..."


    Liang Meifen stared intently at the tea, feeling the pressure suddenly mounting. Why did this sister-inw have to do such things? Did she consider how this would make her feel? Sure enough, their mother-inw would look down on her now.


    Liang Meifen truly found Ming Mei annoying - just because her family was well-off and could afford to send things back? How irritating.


    Liang Meifen was thoroughly fed up with Ming Mei. Her own family never prepared anything for her, and while it usually didn''t bother her, now it made her look bad inparison. Why did people like this exist?


    Liang Meifen was nearly in tears from worry, while Ming Mei was still smiling and showing off.


    "Mom, when we have guests at home from now on, you can prepare tea. If we run out, I can get more from my parents'' home."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "That won''t be necessary. We rarely have visitors." Besides, she thought, most visitors prefer sugary drinks to tea anyway.


    She continued, "Ming Mei, you shouldn''t... keep getting things from your parents'' home anymore. Even if your parents don''t mind, what would your brother and sister-inw think?"


    Ming Mei''s big eyes welled up with tears. "My brother and sister-inw won''t say anything. My brother loves me the most!"


    Zhao Guihua wanted to point out that they had their own family to think about, but after some consideration, she held her tongue.


    After all, from what she remembered, Ming Mei''s brother had always doted on his sister, and as for Ming Mei''s sister-inw... she was like a ghost, quiet and barely noticeable. Zhao Guihua honestly had no idea what that woman thought.


    "Well, we''ll see," she said.


    Ming Mei nodded. "Mm-hmm."


    Zhao Guihua hesitated before awkwardly saying, "Thank you, by the way."


    Ming Mei: "!!!"


    She was shocked. "Mom, you''re thanking me?"


    Zhao Guihua became flustered and defensive. "Why shouldn''t I thank you? You gave me something, shouldn''t I say thank you? Do you think I''m some ill-mannered olddy? I''m actually quite proper, you know. I may have only attended literacy sses, but I understand basic courtesy!"


    Ming Mei: "Oh, oh, oh!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, eldest daughter-inw, you..."


    Liang Meifen immediately jumped up. "I''ll cook! Let me get some water, Mom, you rest!"


    Her eager response was unavoidable - Ming Mei was too good at ttery. She had to make an effort. Though she couldn''t bring things from her parents'' home, she needed to quickly change the subject. Only by changing the subject could she be safe.


    Liang Meifen frantically started working.


    Zhao Guihua: "???"


    She hadn''t meant to make her eldest daughter-inw cook!


    But since she was so quick to act, Zhao Guihua decided not to say anything more. If you want to work, then work. The eldest daughter-inw was indeed the most hardworking.


    Actually... Zhao Guihua had wanted to tell Liang Meifen to stop crying in the bathroom, as ghost stories were spreading around. If she kept going there to cry, someone might use her of ying with supernatural forces and have her arrested. But clearly, Liang Meifen wasn''t on the same wavelength as her.


    Seeing that her younger daughter-inw was also present, she decided to save face for her eldest daughter-inw and kept quiet for now.


    Or perhaps Liang Meifen hadn''t realized that she was the "ghost" people were talking about?


    Ming Mei rested her chin on her hand and asked, "Mom, why are there suddenly patrols recently? Could it be rted to those robbers we caught on New Year''s Day?"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, thinking to herself that in her previous life, without this incident, there were still patrols. Recently, it was indeed because of the year-endxity that some thieves had be active, and also...


    She pressed her lips together and said, "You came backte earlier, so you didn''t hear everything. We had already been talking for a while before you arrived."


    Ming Mei: "Hm?"


    Zhuang Zhixi also looked curiously at Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua exined, "There have been rumorstely about ghosts in the bathrooms, and these rumors have spread, creating a very bad impression. Such feudal superstitious talk affects the image of our whole area. Plus, there have indeed been thieves active recently, so to dispel the ghost rumors and catch the thieves, they organized these patrols."


    Ming Mei had a moment of realization: "Oh, so that''s what it is."


    She mumbled, "I thought it was because we caught those robbers."


    Zhao Guihua smiled, "If it was because you caught the robbers, we wouldn''t need patrols, would we? After all, they''ve already been caught, right?"


    Ming Mei pped her forehead: "Oh, right."


    That made perfect sense.


    She sighed, "Well, I hope they catch the thieves soon."


    She said very sincerely, "Why do these thieves bother stealing from house to house? It''s so inefficient. Why don''t they try their luck on buses instead! That would be a walking achievement - I actually hope to encounter such foolish thieves on the bus."


    Zhao Guihua: "..." You''re really something.


    Ming Mei: "Oh, right..."


    She mysteriously leaned closer to her mother-inw and said, "Mom, you''ve lived in this area for a long time, tell me, are these ghost stories real?"


    Her mother-inw must know something!


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She gave Ming Mei a deadpan look, then gave an even more deadpan look to Liang Meifen, let out a few dryughs, and stood up: "I''m going to the bathroom!"


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She was confused: "What did Mom mean by that?"


    Her mind couldn''t make sense of it.


    Old Man Zhuang shook his head.


    The others also silently shook their heads. Truly, they didn''t know.


    Zhuang Zhixi analyzed: "I feel like Mom knows the truth. Look at that expression, it''s as if she knows everything. I think Mom knows what''s really going on with the ghost story."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan shook his head and said seriously: "I don''t think so. I think that''s Mom''s expression when she thinks our ideological awareness iscking. We''re not children anymore, we should know there are no ghosts in this world. As high school graduates, how can you still believe in such nonsense? We should believe in science. Feudal superstition is deceptive; only science is what we should continuously explore and pursue. Those evil spirits and monsters don''t exist, we should abandon such..."


    "Big brother!" Zhuang Zhixi interrupted him, saying, "Mom fell into the toilet, you should go check!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "...???"


    What nonsense are you talking about? Does Mom know you''re saying this? She''ll break your legs when she finds out!


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Really, go check, and close the door behind you."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan finally caught on andughed, "You little rascal, you just don''t want to hear me talk, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, admitting: "That''s right."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "What kind of ideological awareness is this?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Brother, our water tank is running low, why don''t you go fetch some water?"


    He was determined not to let Zhuang Zhiyuan continue his lecture.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "You little troublemaker."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re so civilized. Oh my, how can I have such a civilized and well-mannered brother who never curses?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    He realized his brother was really good at getting under people''s skin.


    So sarcastic.


    He red at his brother before finally shutting up and going to work. Ming Mei silently gave Zhuang Zhixi a thumbs up.


    She had received a thumbs up from Zhuang Zhixi when she confronted Aunt Zhou, and now Zhuang Zhixi got one himself. The couple exchanged nces and shared a secret smile.


    Sure enough, things turned out just as Zhao Guihua had thought. When Aunt Wang went to the street office again, she indeed renegotiated with them. After all, this wasn''t just about theirpound - all the nearbypounds housed workers from the machinery factory, and everyone had their regr jobs to consider.


    Aunt Wang brought back the new arrangements the next morning. The street office had approved their proposal and thought it was excellent.


    They had heard of the Small-Foot Detective Squad; they had also heard of the anti-robbery grannies;


    So naturally, these olddies could patrol too!


    On the fourth day of the New Year, the machinery factory hadn''t resumed work yet, so everyone held a meeting in the morning. Of course, people like Ming Mei who worked in service positions had already cycled to work. But her presence or absence didn''t matter.


    She wasn''t considered an important person in thepound.


    Aunt Wang cleared her throat and said, "I''ve alreadymunicated with them. Starting from tonight, we''ll begin patrolling. All the households on our street will be divided into four groups, which means each group will patrol once every four days. The patrol ends at midnight. Each household needs to provide one person, regardless of gender or age. Now, give me your names so I can arrange the shifts."


    "Alright!"


    "Once every four days? That''s perfect."


    Zhao Guihua nodded too, thinking to herself that this was slightly different from her previous life, but since the people were different, it made sense that the schedule would be different too.


    She raised her hand: "I''ll go for our family!"


    The Zhuang brothers couldn''t override their mother''s insistence and followed her miserably, like two chief eunuchs attending to an empress dowager.


    When Aunt Zhou saw Zhao Guihua volunteering, she immediately becamepetitive. She said, "I''ll go for our family!"


    If Zhao Guihua could do it, so could she - she wasn''t any less capable than Zhao Guihua.


    Aunt Wang''s eyes crinkled with smile: "Good, good, good, you all join in, I''ll participate too."


    Aunt Su: "..."


    These troublemakers!


    She cursed inwardly while quickly saying aloud, "I''ll be participating too."


    Zhao Guihua nced at Aunt Su and then at Aunt Zhou, saying, "You two better not mess this up and embarrass our elderlydies'' patrol team."


    Aunt Zhou immediately became indignant and said, "Hey now, what nonsense are you talking about? How would I embarrass anyone? I''m very capable! When have I ever failed in a fight? What a joke! This olddy isn''t afraid of anything. Thieves? I''ll catch one if there''s one, I''ll catch two if there''s two."


    Aunt Su said softly, "Although I''m physically weak, I won''t shy away from my duty at a time like this."


    Damn it! Damn it all!


    Aunt Zhou still wanted to argue with Zhao Guihua, and while Aunt Su truly didn''t want to participate, not participating... was not an option!


    She was known in the courtyard as the representative of gentle strength, and she absolutely couldn''t break that image. At this time, Aunt Su didn''t understand the term "persona," but if she had, she would have realized that her behavior was all about maintaining her persona.


    "So that''s four olddies from our courtyard participating."


    "I''m joining from our family!" That was Aunt Chen from the back courtyard, who also volunteered enthusiastically: "I''m not bad either."


    Aunt Wangughed and said, "Well, we really are an elderlydies'' patrol team now."


    Bai Fendou was speechless and said, "Aunt Wang, how did we be an elderlydies'' patrol team? Who names things like that? We''re not olddies, we''re young fellows!"


    Aunt Wang: "I''ve decided. We''re the elderlydies'' patrol team, and the minority follows the majority."


    Bai Fendou was even more speechless and said, "Heye on, say something, everyone! How can we just let this name stick?"


    "What''s in a name anyway?"


    "That''s right, and besides, calling ourselves young fellows? Don''t you get chills hearing that? You''re over thirty and still single, and young fellows are supposed to be young people..."


    "What''s wrong with being single? I''m happy and proud about it, it''s none of your business." Though he said this, Bai Fendou unconsciously nced at Wang Xiangxiu, who gave him a charming smile. Bai Fendou immediately perked up and said, "You youngsters don''t understand anything."


    "As if you do."


    "Exactly!"


    Aunt Wang: "Who''s joining from your family? You? Or your father?"


    Bai Fendou: "Me, of course!"


    Old Man Bai immediately interjected: "No need for you, I''ll do it!"


    His gaze lingered on Aunt Su, and he righteously dered, "If all these elderlydies can contribute to this cause, how can I, an old man, not contribute? We can''t always let the young folks handle these things. I can do it too. I''ll patrol with you all."


    Bai Fendou: "Oh well~ Fine, if that''s what you want."


    "Of course that''s what I want."


    Everyone quickly started registering again, and after registration, they didn''t rush to leave but instead divided into teams. Surprisingly, due to the enthusiasm of Zhao Guihua and others, the number of elderlydies signing up from nearby courtyards increased dramatically.


    It wasn''t that everyone loved patrolling, but many had no choice. Young people were more suitable, but they had to work. In most households, those without jobs were usually the women.


    It wasn''t proper for young women to go out at night, so naturally, the elderlydies had to step up.


    Everyone quickly divided into teams, and the elderlydies from their courtyard were definitely grouped together. Zhao Guihua wasn''t surprised, as it was natural to arrange familiar people together. Besides them, there were also several others from their courtyard.


    This team division wasn''t just for their courtyard but for the entire street, so basically, people from each courtyard stayed together.


    Zhao Guihua: "Which day are we patrolling?"


    Aunt Wang: "Our courtyard is today."


    They drew lots, which was very fair.


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Alright then, you all keep chatting, I''m going out for a bit."


    Aunt Wang: "What are you going to do?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Since we''re patrolling, I can''t go empty-handed, right? How else would we olddies be a match for thieves? I need to prepare something handy. I''m nning to find a stick. Even Sun Wukong had his golden cudgel, so I should at least have some weapon, right?"


    Everyone: "..."


    It made sense, somehow.


    Aunt Wang: "Wait for me, I''ming too!"


    Aunt Zhou: "Me too."


    Although she didn''t want to follow Zhao Guihua''s lead, if everyone else had sticks and she didn''t, what would she do if something happened? She couldn''t count on these old biddies to help her. That was unthinkable.


    They couldn''t be relied upon.


    With this in mind, although Aunt Zhou didn''t want to go with them, she decided to join them in finding a suitable weapon.


    She wasn''t stupid; she was the smartest of them all.


    Seeing these old women starting to look for weapons, Aunt Su was thoroughly annoyed. Why did everything have to be soplicated? Couldn''t they just take a casual stroll and go home? Why did they have to show off so much? They were really making a spectacle of themselves.


    But no matter how much she disliked it in her heart, she didn''t show it, instead saying softly with a smile, "I''lle along then."


    Although patrolling was truly unpleasant, Aunt Su thought it might not be entirely useless. If she yed her cards right, showing some vulnerability and building rtionships, she might be able to get some dinner from Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua.


    It wasn''t impossible when she thought about it.


    Thinking about this possibility, she secretly became happy. If that worked out, it would be worth it.


    Recently, because of the New Year, every household was busy with preparations, and their assistance to her had decreased. This wouldn''t do. This was a good opportunity to remind everyone of their obligations and let them know that her family needed to be taken care of.


    Her family had such a hard time, after all.


    Everyone went outside to look for wooden sticks. Aunt Zhou saw Old Man Bai following along and sneered, silently cursing this man who couldn''t recognize true value. He ignored a good woman like her but was interested in that old schemer Aunt Su.


    Her eyes rolled as she said, "Oh my, Aunt Su, your two daughters didn''te home yesterday? I don''t think I saw them. What happened?"


    Aunt Su knew exactly what Aunt Zhou was thinking.


    She smiled gently and said, "They dide, but they''re all busy at home. They came by in the morning but had to hurry back. My Zhao Di and Pandi are capable girls, they''re needed everywhere at their inws'' homes. How could I keep them here? As their mother, I''m living in hardship and can''t help my daughters, so I don''t dare hold them back. Isn''t it best when the children are doing well? I don''t have any other wishes."


    "Sister, you''re just too kind-hearted." Old Man Bai quickly stepped forward, his eyes full of admiration.


    Aunt Zhou: "What''s it to you? Step aside. Aunt Su, I think your daughters must have been scolded by their inws for trying to help their maternal family, right?"


    She called out: "Zhao Guihua, don''t you think so? Oh right, you wouldn''t know, your daughter''s still out of town. Hehe."


    Such a sharp-tongued person just had to gossip everywhere.


    Zhao Guihua turned back to look at Aunt Zhou and said, "My daughter being out of town is none of your business. You''d better mind your own family!"


    "What''s wrong with my family? What do you mean by that? What''s wrong with my family?" Aunt Zhou put her hands on her hips like a teapot.


    Zhao Guihua: "You don''t even have a daughter, so stop worrying about other people''s daughtersing home or not. You''re really poking your nose where it doesn''t belong. And listen here, stop bullying my family''s younger generation. They''re my family, it has nothing to do with you, so stop being so presumptuous and self-important. If you shamelessly try to pick fights again, don''t me me, Zhao Guihua, for not being polite."


    Even after several days, she still remembered to stand up for her daughter-inw.


    Although it seemed her daughter-inw hadn''t actually been wronged.


    But Zhao Guihua wasn''t the type to let others bully her family.


    "Whether it''s my son or daughter-inw, or even the children, you have no right to say anything about them!"


    This mention only made Madam Zhou Li tremble with anger.


    True, she had been the one picking fights that day, but she had been wronged! She had clearly been wronged, and besides, even if she hit or scolded someone, she couldn''t be wrong! Elderly people were never wrong! Elderly people had the right to discipline all young people, just like how young people must give up their seats on public transport.


    Madam Zhou Li: "Your daughter-inw is just a troublemaker, she deserves to be pped..."


    "Shut your damn mouth, or I''ll p you!"


    Zhao Guihua stepped forward aggressively, raising her hand ready to fight. She had both old and new grudges to settle.Aliali: 674bbc65c4f3f33ac4a6520b


    Who could me her? Yesterday she''d remembered how her youngest son got injured in her previous life. That family had caused nothing but trouble! Not a single decent person among them. Zhao Guihua''s anger was boiling over!


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ve put up with you for long enough. Say one more word, and see if I don''t p you!"


    She was, after all, a square dancing expert.


    Zombie dance, Tai Chi, the most trendy folk dances - which one hadn''t she mastered? These skills were perfectly suitable for a fight.


    Just to deal with Madam Zhou Li?


    She could handle it!


    Zhao Guihua fumed: "You want to fight? Come on!!!"


    Madam Zhou Li: "..."


    Damn, what pills did she take?


    Why is she so fierce today!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 27

    Zhao Guihua found a wooden stick that felt just right to use as a weapon for patrol duty.


    Though unlike Ming Mei who had trained in martial arts since childhood, Zhao Guihua was still considerably stronger than the average person. After all, she was still a dance leader at the square dancing group when she was eighty, and at ny, she led the neighborhood elderlydies in tai chi exercises.


    So she believed she was stronger than most people!


    Whether it was just for show or not, she could certainly make that wooden stick whistle through the air with impressive force.


    Zhao Guihua was determined to go on patrol, and no one could stop her. Shortly after dinner when darkness fell, Aunt Wang came to gather people. Households came out together, and perhaps because it was the first day, everyone seemed quite energetic.


    Ming Mei, wearing a padded jacket, said, "Mom, I''lle with you all."


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, "That won''t be necessary. We have plenty of people here. You stay home and don''t cause me any trouble."


    Since no one could dissuade her, the Zhuang family didn''t insist further.


    Zhuang Zhixi assessed the situation and said, "There shouldn''t be any problems. Let Mom go."


    It wasn''t that he didn''t care about his mother''s safety, but he could see they couldn''t talk her out of it. Besides, there were quite a few people patrolling together, so even if something happened, his mother wouldn''t need to handle it alone. Moreover, his mother had always been quite boisterous by nature, so chatting with neighbors during patrol might not be such a bad thing.


    Zhao Guihua gave Zhuang Zhixi a nce before heading out to join the others. Although the New Year had passed, the weather was still quite cold. Everyone was bundled up inyers, with Zhao Guihua wielding her wooden stick like the Monkey King.


    She wasn''t the only one prepared - being the first day, everyone hade ready.


    The group set out together, a small squad of about ten people led by Aunt Wang. They walked out into the darkness under an overcast sky without a trace of moonlight. Zhao Guihua remarked, "A dark night perfect for murder."


    The others: "..."


    Aunt Su shuddered and said, "Don''t say such things, Lao Zhao. It''s frightening."


    Old Man Bai quickly chimed in, "That''s right, why would you say such things? Don''t be scared, Sister Su. I''m here, and I won''t let anything happen to you."


    Aunt Su gave a delicate smile, which Zhao Guihua caught from a distance and shuddered.


    Truthfully, when this old woman pulled such acts in her youth, it might have been charming, but now at over fifty - even older than herself - still acting this way, she was like an old demon.


    She quickened her pace in disgust, moving to the front of the patrol group, nauseated by their behavior.


    Madam Zhou Li, who had been walking at the front, immediately became displeased when she saw Zhao Guihuae forward. She spoke with sarcasm, "My, why are you walking so fast? Is there something up ahead for you to pick up?"


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "I''m not like some people who spend all day waiting for free handouts to fall from the sky."


    Madam Zhou Li: "You!"


    She was about to curse but remembered Zhao Guihua''s outburst earlier that day, and truth be told, Madam Zhou Li was somewhat afraid now. She was the type who envied others'' good fortune while being a bully to the weak and fearful of the strong.


    Zhao Guihua seemed particrly angry today, and Madam Zhou Li had nearly been beaten.


    It must be said that she didn''t dare topletely offend Zhao Guihua, given that Zhao Guihua had many family members. While Zhao Guihua was a shrew, she had several strong men in her family, whereas Madam Zhou Li''s family was rtively small.


    She gritted her teeth, deciding to temporarily avoid confrontation with this old hag Zhao Guihua.


    She looked back at Old Man Bai, once again feeling bitter that he had refused to join families with her when they were younger. Actually, Madam Zhou Li hadn''t really fancied Old Man Bai himself - he was neither tall nor handsome, and she didn''t find him attractive. But he had a formal job, which was what mattered.


    She had thought that since Old Man Bai only had one son and a formal job, he could have helped support her family. As for his son Bai Fendou, she hadn''t given him much thought - a bowl of vegetable soup would have been enough to keep him from starving.


    What could a mere child do? He would have been easy to control, and when he grew up and started earning money, he could have served her and her son like a beast of burden. Madam Zhou Li thought this n was brilliant. She had thought a thousand wonderful thoughts about it, believing that securing Old Man Bai would be effortless.


    But she never expected that Old Man Bai wouldn''t be interested in her at all - this dog actually fell for Aunt Su instead. If there was anyone in this courtyard that Madam Zhou Li hated most, it would be Aunt Su.


    Back when her husband was still alive, he used to secretly watch Aunt Su and even secretly gave her steamed buns. Later, after both their husbands passed away, the two widows were constantlypared. Even Old Man Bai, that improper old man, had feelings for Aunt Su - this was what Madam Zhou Li hated most.


    She felt that in their courtyard, except for her family, there wasn''t a single good person, and the Su family was the most disgusting. But... she pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes. Zhao Guihua wasn''t any better. Now Zhao Guihua was doing well, with a prosperous family, and she needed to figure out what to do.


    Relying on just her family, how could they stand against Zhao Guihua?


    If she could win over Aunt Su, it would be like gaining the support of both father and son from the Bai family. She thought that although she hated Aunt Su the most, a temporary alliance might be necessary. Otherwise, Zhao Guihua would be increasingly arrogant. She clearly didn''t take them seriously at all. Additionally... she was still thinking about getting children''s urine from the Su family.


    There were quite a few children in the courtyard, but with Aunt Wang and Li Fang at home, it wasn''t easy to take advantage of Li Junun and Li Weiwei. As for the Zhuang family... they had a little boy, but he was always running around with his sister. The two children never separated, so it wasn''t easy to find an opportunity.


    The only suitable target was the youngest of Su family''s three boys, Tong Lai.


    Tong Lai was five years old, a year younger than Tiger, and definitely easier to deceive.


    She narrowed her eyes, continuing to stare at Aunt Su. Aunt Wang noticed and frowned slightly, whispering, "Old Zhou is acting strange."


    Zhao Guihua: "She''s up to no good."


    She knew that Madam Zhou Li was the worst of them all. Actually, she didn''t think much of Aunt Su either, but at least Aunt Su had purpose in her actions and wouldn''t do harmful things without benefit. But Madam Zhou Li wasn''t like that - she would do bizarre things that hurt others without benefiting herself.


    She muttered, "She better not provoke me, or I''ll p her."


    Aunt Wang was startled, then smiled and said, "Your temper has been quite hottely. What did she do to you?"


    Although they were all patrolling together, people walked in small groups, chatting as they went. This proved Zhuang Zhixi''s guess right - they were all gossiping about this and that. Aunt Wang walked with Zhao Guihua and said, "She is a bit improper, but don''t bother with her. She''s slow-witted."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t think Madam Zhou Li was slow-witted at all. She said, "She''s purely evil, what do you mean slow? Look at her face."


    Though she made this mockingment, Zhao Guihua knew that Aunt Wang, as the courtyard manager, certainly hoped everyone would get along peacefully. It would save her the energy of dealing with various disputes.


    She smiled and changed the subject, saying, "I''m going fishing at the Back Lake tomorrow, want toe?"


    Aunt Wang teased, "People go ice skating at Back Lake, but you''re going fishing. I heard you bought a fishing rod, how''s it going? Any sess?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Almost there, almost there."


    She said, "I think with my skill level, I''ll get used to it in a few days."


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    She really couldn''t believe that.


    She smiled and said, "You go ahead, I won''t join. I''m not interested in that, though my old Li might go take a look when he''s free. Oh right, I heard from Little Chen at the street office. Your eldest daughter-inw keeps going to the street office looking for work?"


    Actually, the street office was annoyed and had asked her to tell the Zhuang family to have Liang Meifen stoping to the street office toin. They were clearly a well-off family, so whypete for jobs with the truly needy? Besides, hadn''t she previously had a formal job herself?


    If every household did what she did - giving up their formal jobs and seeking work through the street office - what would be left for the street office to do? The street office staff had almost explicitly said this, but Liang Meifen was thick-skinned and still went there every few days. It was truly bothersome.


    So, as the building manager, Aunt Wang came to address this issue.


    Actually, this matter had started before the New Year, but since it coincided with the holiday celebrations, she thought Liang Meifen surely wouldn''t go during that time, so she hadn''t rushed to discuss it. After all, bringing up such matters during the New Year festivities wouldn''t be pleasant and would only cause distress.


    How coincidental that today presented the perfect opportunity - Aunt Wang felt the timing couldn''t be better to discuss this matter.


    She said, "Regarding job hunting, I think people need to figure it out themselves. What''s the point of constantly hanging around the street office? If that worked, my daughter Li Fang would be there every day. Don''t you agree?"


    Zhao Guihua immediately understood what she meant.


    She spoke frankly, "Has Liang Meifen been causing trouble for you?"


    Aunt Wang smiled, "Oh, I''m fine, but the street office thinks she''s really clueless."


    Though Liang Meifen might not realize it herself, she had quite a reputation in the neighborhood - and not a good one. She was known for being foolish. With a son and daughter to care for, she neglected her own children''s needs while thinking about her brother back home, even giving up her crucial job. How foolish could one be?


    There wasn''t anyone more foolish than her in the entirepound.


    Zhao Guihua was well aware of Liang Meifen''s current reputation and said decisively, "Alright, I understand. Don''t worry, I won''t let her bother the street office anymore."


    Aunt Wang replied, "I knew you''d understand the situation."


    Zhao Guihua gave her a sideways nce, "No need for ttery. I just don''t want her embarrassing herself anymore. She might not realize it, but she has no idea what people say about her behind her back."


    Aunt Wang sighed, "That''s exactly right."


    She continued, "Speaking of your eldest daughter-inw... oh, by the way, I''ve noticed your younger daughter-inw seems quite nice, always wearing a cheerful smile. What''s she like?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "She''s very good."


    Then she added, "By the way, I''d like to borrow your sewing machine in a few days."


    Aunt Wang responded, "Of course, that''s no problem. Juste over whenever you need to use it."


    In theirpound, there were only two sewing machines - one belonged to Aunt Wang''s family, and the other to Madam Zhou Li''s family, which was part of Jiang Lu''s dowry. Zhao Guihua nced back at Madam Zhou Li, who was whispering something with Aunt Su.


    She clearly didn''t have good intentions.


    Zhao Guihua smirked, thinking to herself that she''d better not cross her path.


    Aunt Wang also looked over and, seeing Old Man Bai, turned away in disgust.


    Noticing that the two of them had moved away from the others, Aunt Wang lowered her voice, "Old Man Bai came to see me with Bai Fendou."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh?"


    Aunt Wang: "He''s still looking for a young, unmarried woman. He asked me to make introductions."


    Mentioning this, Aunt Wang''s mouth twitched with disbelief as sheined to Zhao Guihua: "I''ve never seen someone so shameless. You know what their requirements are? They insist the girl must never have been married before and must be under twenty-five. They say older women aren''t good for bearing children, yet Bai Fendou is thirty-one, no, since New Year has passed, he''s thirty-two now. How dare they! Besides that, she must have a formal job, no family burdens, and look as good as Wang Xiangxiu. She must be able to guarantee bearing sons. And her family background can''t be poor - ideally like Jiang Lu''s. If not exactly like Jiang Lu''s, at leastparable to your Ming Mei''s family background. Nothing less."


    At this point, Aunt Wang spat and said, "How do they have the nerve to make such demands! I was shocked just hearing it."


    She really didn''t want to speak ill of others, but she truly couldn''t hold back. She''d been matchmaking for over ten years but had never encountered someone so clueless about their own worth. She lowered her voice: "Don''t you think he''s gone mad?"


    Zhao Guihua was also shocked and nodded firmly, saying, "He''s definitely lost his mind, and quite severely at that. Any girl under twenty-five with a formal job wouldn''t want him, let alone meeting all those other conditions. What is he thinking? When Jiang Lu got married, her dowry included a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a watch - these were the three major items that ordinary families couldn''t afford. This was unique in our factory, and no one has matched it since. How dare he ask for that?"


    "Exactly!"


    Zhao Guihua continued: "And to demand at least Ming Mei''s family background - he really has the nerve to ask. He clearly has no idea how good my Ming Mei''s conditions are. To be honest, if it weren''t for my third son''s good looks, even though my eldest son and Ming Mei''s older brother were ssmates, they wouldn''t have had a chance. As for Bai Fendou... with his looks? He''s in his thirties but looks like he''s in his forties, barely has any hair left, got mixed up with a widow, and isn''t even right in the head. Why would any young girl be crazy enough to marry him? He''s clearly not serious about finding someone; he just wants to fool around with that widow."


    "Pfft!"


    Aunt Wang pinched Zhao Guihua and said, "Don''t say that to others."


    "It''s the truth."


    "The truth isn''t always pleasant to hear."


    They bothughed, not to mock anyone, but because Bai Fendou truly had no self-awareness.


    This man really had no sense of shame at all!


    The first day of patrol ended quietly amidst the cheerful gossip. Indeed, nothing happened all day. Zhao Guihua couldn''t quite remember which day the thief had appeared in her previous life, and now that the three-day patrol rotation had changed to four days, it was hard to say if they would encounter them.


    However, regardless of the uncertainty, Zhao Guihua figured that if they did encounter the thieves, she would rally everyone to fight back; if not, then so be it. She wasn''t particrly concerned. Unlike Ming Mei, who eagerly hoped to catch thieves at her workce, she, as an elderly woman, certainly had no such desires.


    Zhao Guihua felt that Ming Mei belonged to the category of being bold due to her skills.


    As the patrol system got underway, the machinery factory also resumed work. Zhuang Zhixi and his colleagues returned to work on the seventh day of the New Year. This holiday period was their longest break of the year. Early on the morning of the seventh, Zhuang Zhixi arrived at work - on the first day back, everyone wanted to clean up properly.


    Fortunately, everyone had the same idea, arriving early, and together they quickly got the medical office spotlessly clean.


    Zhuang Zhixi had brought some loose tea leaves with him, a reward from his wife for his excellent behavior the night before. He brought hot water and made himself tea, enough tost the whole day. Doctor Wang smiled and said, "Well, well, little Zhuang, look at you drinking tea now?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded happily: "Of course! My wife prepared it for me. Having a wife really makes such a difference!"


    Doctor Wang teased: "Won''t you share some with us?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied seriously: "That''s not possible. This is a gesture of care from my wife. If she found out I gave away her thoughtful gift to others, she''d surely be heartbroken, and I couldn''t bear to hurt her feelings!"


    "Oh my, just because you''ve got a wife now, it''s always ''my wife this'' and ''my wife that''."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Of course! Before getting married, I never knew how wonderful it was to have a wife."


    Everyone burst outughing with a hint of suggestiveness - those who understood, understood. Zhuang Zhixi was the youngest in the medical office, and now even he was married, so naturally, everyone else got the implications. They allughed heartily.


    As they were chatting andughing, a voluptuous woman pushed open the door to the medical office. It was none other than Wang Xiangxiu. Her eyes swept the room,nding on Zhuang Zhixi, and she gave a softugh, saying, "Little Zhuang, Sister Xiu isn''t feeling well. I''vee to have you take a look."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled politely and said, "Mrs. Su, you see, you and Brother Fendou are truly on the same wavelength. Earlier, he mistook me for a doctor and asked me to treat your son''s dog bite, and now here you are. As I said before, I''m not a doctor. Even if you both think of me as one, I can''t just pretend to be something I''m not. I''m just a paid worker here, not a doctor at all."


    To hell with calling her "Sister Xiu" - he wasn''t going to let her get familiar with him.


    He smiled distantly and said, "Whatever your ailment is, you need to see a proper doctor. I can''t help you."


    Wang Xiangxiu pursed her lips and gave Zhuang Zhixi a seductive nce, saying, "Look, I just want to save some money. Why won''t you help? I trust you, and that''s all I need. No one else necessary."


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged, keeping a straight face: "Mrs. Su, are you here to get your head checked?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned for a moment before responding, "What? What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head: "Well, if you''re not here to get your head checked, why can''t you understand what I''m saying? Mrs. Su, I don''t mean to be rude, but this isn''t how you save money. If there''s something wrong with your head, you need to go to a proper hospital. You can''t just cut corners to save a few bucks. How ising to someone like me, who knows nothing about medicine, any different from going to some quack doctor in an alley?"


    He maintained a "I''m saying this for your own good" expression and continued, "Look, you have three children at home. If not for yourself, at least for their sake, you can''t go around with an untreated head condition."


    "How dare you insult me!" Wang Xiangxiu became upset.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked particrly innocent and said, "What do you mean? I''m not insulting anyone. When I say there''s something wrong with your head, I mean it literally. It''s not an insult. See, you''re misunderstanding me again. I''m young, so maybe I''m not good at expressing myself, always being misunderstood."


    Doctor Wang chimed in: "I''ve heard it said that being misunderstood is the fate of those who express themselves."


    Zhuang Zhixi apuded: "How schrly."


    Doctor Wang smiled slightly and said, "It''s nothing special."


    ''I''m a university graduate, after all!''


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..."


    What nonsense are you both spouting?


    Doctor Wang gave Wang Xiangxiu a sideways nce. As a middle-aged woman herself, she immediately saw through this woman''s intentions and felt particrly disgusted. With a fake smile, she said, "Listen,rade, are you here to see a doctor or not? If you''re here for treatment, then let''s get to it. If not, please return to your workshop. You''re not here just to ck off, are you? That won''t do."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I''m not that kind of person!"


    She snorted, feeling very unhappy. She nced at Zhuang Zhixi again, but saw he had already turned to talk with other doctors. She bit her lip in extreme frustration, thinking this man really didn''t know what was good for him.


    She had done him a favor bying to see him, and he didn''t even care!


    "Comrade, are you going to see a doctor or not?" Doctor Wang''s expression grew even more displeased.


    Their medical office was a proper ce - what was this woman doing? Did she think this was a ce for her flirtations?


    Wang Xiangxiu snorted again and said, "Forget it!"


    She didn''t actually have any medical issues - she hadn''t reallye for treatment. Her original n was to seduce Zhuang Zhixi by iming she had gynecological problems. Once in the examination room, she thought things would naturally progress after she undressed for the examination.


    But she hadn''t expected Zhuang Zhixi topletely ignore her advances.


    She mmed the door shut and stormed away with heavy steps, thinking the medical office was full of useless people. No wonder they couldn''t handle serious illnesses here. A medical office that hired non-doctors - the factory leadership must be idiots.


    A bunch of useless waste.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s door-mming exit infuriated Doctor Wang and the other medical staff. Doctor Wang eximed, "What''s wrong with that woman? Is she mentally ill? Who does she think she is, mming doors in our office? Taking out her anger on us? She''s too spoiled! We won''t stand for this!"


    "Exactly, how shameless can she be?"


    "Little Zhuang, you know who she is, right? What''s her name? This can''t be handled like this - I''m going to speak with their workshop supervisor!" Doctor Wang wasn''t someone to be trifled with; her husband was also a factory leader.


    She wouldn''t let anyone bully her like this.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t try to cover for Wang Xiangxiu - they had no rtionship anyway. He said, "Her name is Wang Xiangxiu, from Workshop Seven."


    "I''m going to deal with them right now!" Doctor Wang mmed down her pen and marched off righteously. Zhuang Zhixi stood up: "Doctor Wang, let mee with you. You shouldn''t go to the workshop alone - it might not be safe."


    It was well known that different departments always protected their own.


    Doctor Wangughed and said, "They wouldn''t dare bully me! They know better than that. Don''t worry, I''ll go by myself. A young man like you shouldn''t go - that vixen might try to get her ws into you. I can see she''s shameless and trying to get close to you. Does she really think everyone wants someone like her? Ridiculous!"


    Doctor Wang waved her hand: "You''re the flower of our medical office, stay here. I''ll go handle her!"


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know whether tough or cry - since when was he a "flower"?


    But then he thought about it and smiled, saying, "Well, at least I can brag about this to my wife."


    Doctor Wang and the others: "..."


    A grown man being called a flower - what''s there to brag about?


    These young people were really hard to understand.


    But Doctor Wang said, "Alright, I''ll go by myself. Don''t worry about it. What''s a workshop to me? You think I''m afraid? Coming to our medical office to ck off and then mming my door - does she think being the factory director''s favorite makes her untouchable?"


    Doctor Wang left in a huff.


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked, feeling no sympathy for Wang Xiangxiu.


    Whatever Wang Xiangxiu did was none of his business, but when she harassed him, it became his business. He had no patience for Wang Xiangxiu, and it was good that Doctor Wang went to teach her a lesson. It would stop this woman from constantlying to the medical office to find him.


    She might not care about her reputation, but he did.


    What if his wife misunderstood? He couldn''t win against his little wife anyway.


    Zhuang Zhixi sat down calmly, and the nurse curiously asked, "You live in the samepound, right? Is she always like this there?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and asked, "Like what?"


    The nurse gave him a look and said, "Stop ying innocent. You''re a married man - you know what I''m asking about."


    Zhuang Zhixi put on a serious face: "I wouldn''t know, I''m not close to her. For things like that, you''d have to ask Bai Fendou and the others from the security department."


    The nurse burst outughing and scolded, "You little fox."


    He hadn''t said anything specific or spoken ill of anyone, but suggesting they "ask Bai Fendou" was quite meaningful.


    Everyone understood what that meant.


    "Little Zhuang, Little Zhuang!" Just as Zhuang Zhixi was about to defend himself, he saw Doctor Wang hurrying back, calling out, "Zhuang Zhixi."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly stood up and said, "What''s wrong?"


    He decisively grabbed a nearby broom and said, "Did the workshop people cause trouble? Let''s go, sister, I''ll help you settle this... uh."


    Behind Doctor Wang appeared several factory leaders and a familiar face.


    Wasn''t that the police officer they''d met on New Year''s Day?


    There were also two others in police uniforms. The nurse held Zhuang Zhixi back and asked, "Did you get into trouble?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How could that be possible!"


    He smiled at everyone, and the senior police officer said, "Comrade Zhuang Zhixi, we meet again. I''m Police Officer Li, you remember me, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, I remember. What brings you here...?"


    Police Officer Li smiled: "We''re here to present you with a banner of honor to thank you and your wife, Comrade Ming Mei, for your brave deed in helping catch those thieves."


    They had wanted toe earlier, but thought it would be more appropriate to present the banners to the young couple at their workce on the same day, so they had waited for the machinery factory to open. Now that it was finally open after the holiday, they hade right away.


    Police Officer Li sincerely said, "Thanks to you and your wife, we were able to catch these people. Although it was during the New Year holiday, we worked efficiently, and the suspects have already been processed. You can rest assured that they had no aplices outside, so there won''t be any revenge incidents." This was meant to put their minds at ease.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed cheerfully and said, "I''m not afraid. Actually, my wife is the tough one - I''m just the supporting role. If my wife finds out they have aplices out there, she''d be delighted for them toe find us. Then we could catch them all at once."


    Police Officer Li nodded slightly, thinking Zhuang Zhixi was a good man - courageous and honest, speaking straightforwardly without pretense. He was someone you could get along with.


    Not just him, but every police officer knew that Ming Mei was the fighter, not Zhuang Zhixi. They were impressed that Zhuang Zhixi didn''t try to im the credit for himself just to maintain his male pride.


    "You''re a really good young man," he patted Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder, and Zhuang Zhixi responded with an innocent smile.


    Police Officer Li presented the honorary banner to Zhuang Zhixi on behalf of their unit. Zhuang Zhixi immediately broke into a brilliant smile, and the factory leaders were absolutely delighted - after all, who would turn down recognition these days? Although this honor wasn''t given to the factory directly, having it awarded to Zhuang Zhixi was still excellent.


    After all, Zhuang Zhixi was a factory employee, which proved that their factory''s educational work was effective - their workers could heroically catch thieves even while on vacation, contributing to society.


    The machinery factory''s director, Gu Factory Director, happened to be at the factory that day. Encountering such an event made him very happy, and he said, "Zhuang Zhixi, right? You''ve done an excellent job with this incident. Everyone in the factory should learn from you. I''ve always said that the young people in our factory are both hardworking and virtuous - this proves it perfectly."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled shyly and said, "Director Gu, this is just what we should do. I believe if it were you or anyone else, they would have done the same. It''s not my virtue that''s worth learning from - everyone in our factory is like this. I just happened to be the one who encountered the situation. If it had been any of you leaders, the result would have been the same. I was just lucky."


    Though the ttery was quite obvious, the listeners couldn''t help but be pleased.


    The factory leaders all disyed brilliant smiles. Police Officer Li raised his eyebrows and smiled too. At his age, he understood human nature well and knew what the young man was thinking. He nodded and said, "Besides the banner, our police station has prepared some gifts for you. This isn''t just a thank you - it''s a reward. Although we''re not from the same unit, we''re truly grateful to you."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "This is too kind."


    But he didn''t refuse.


    Police Officer Li replied, "Don''t be modest. You deserve this - it''s just a small token of our appreciation."


    Zhuang Zhixi epted the reward from Police Officer Li. At first nce, it was a thermos sk - military green in color, neither too big nor too small, perfect for carrying around. The military green color was particrly appealing.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Thank you, leaders, thank you."


    Police Officer Li smiled, "It''s our pleasure."


    Under the thermos sk was a pair of pillowcases.


    The gifts were undeniably practical, and Zhuang Zhixi happily epted them. Police Officer Li smiled and said, "Alright, I won''t take up any more time here. We still need to visit Comrade Ming Mei''s workce."


    Actually, visiting Ming Mei''s workce was the main purpose. If the machinery factory hadn''t been closer and on the way, Police Officer Li would have gone straight to see Ming Mei to try to persuade her to change careers. He had tried to convince her before, which resulted in Ming Mei''s mother showing up at his house.


    However, Police Officer Li never gave up, never admitted defeat.


    The factory leaders said, "Why don''t you alle back and have lunch in our cafeteriater? Our cafeteria''s cooking is quite good."


    Police Officer Li waved his hand, "No need, no need. We''re quite busytely, so we won''t eat out. Thank you for your trouble."


    "It''s no trouble at all - we''d be very happy to have you."


    Everyone being polite, they exchanged a few more pleasantries before Police Officer Li finally led his people away.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled as he saw them off. Gu Factory Director looked back at Zhuang Zhixi and saw that the young man remained calm andposed, neither proud nor impatient. He nodded slightly, thinking this young man was good - he could keep hisposure. He wasn''t the type to get cocky over a little recognition.


    He asked, "Zhuang Zhixi, how many years have you been working here? What''s your current grade?"


    Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi quickly reported his details.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Factory Director pursed his lips, feeling it was a bit difficult to handle. He had thought about promoting the young man one grade since he had done a good deed and won honor, but he was too young, and ording to the grade system, his years of service weren''t enough.


    If this incident had happened within the factory, a promotion would have been natural, but since it happened outside, it was different.


    Since a promotion wouldn''t be appropriate... direct rewards it is!


    They were a factory with ten thousand workers - they couldn''t do less than the police station, could they? Besides, if the police station could show appreciation, how could they not reward their own people?


    Gu Factory Director thought for a moment and said, "Your brave act of catching thieves deserves encouragement. If outside units can reward you, our factory should do the same. So..."


    He looked at the deputy director and the office director who had alsoe along. When their eyes met, having worked together for some time, they had developed a certain understanding. The office director immediately said, "The factory will reward you with a bicycle voucher and an additional ten yuan."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"


    He quickly said, "Thank you, leaders!"


    Gu Factory Director smiled, "Youngrade, keep up the good work and contribute to your position - that''s the best way to thank us!"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied earnestly, "I definitely will."


    The leaders nodded with satisfaction before leaving together.


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his hands, keeping a straight face as he returned to his position. He rubbed his face, then covered it while giggling...


    Doctor Wang: "..."


    Others: "..."


    So thatposure earlier was just an act!


    But thinking about it, they all startedughing too. Doctor Wang and the others were extremely curious and pulled Zhuang Zhixi aside, saying, "Little Zhuang, you have to tell us what happened! How did you catch the thief? You''re really something!"


    Looking at his rewards again, they thought this guy was really lucky.


    The nurse said, "Come on, let me hang this banner for you, right here in our medical office. Let them know we''re not just good at treating illnesses - we can catch thieves too!"


    "Hahaha!"


    Everyone''sughter was hearty.


    Zhuang Zhixi was happy too and said, "Sounds good to me."


    Not getting a pay raise was within Zhuang Zhixi''s expectations. He had only expected a banner or a letter of thanks, but he hadn''t anticipated these extra rewards. This kind of thermos sk wasn''t just any water bottle - it wasn''t easy to buy.


    And it wasn''t cheap either. As for the bicycle voucher from the factory... that was even more precious.


    These rare vouchers were usually only awarded to advanced workers each year, and even in the workshops, they were hard toe by. Not to mention, such a voucher could fetch at least thirty yuan on the ck market, and with luck, it could sell for forty or fifty.


    It depended on when the voucher was issued and what type it was - Forever and Phoenix brands could usually fetch high prices. Some lesser brands could get thirty yuan. But regardless of the price, these vouchers didn''t appear often.


    Take Old Zhuang for example - even though he was a level-five riveter, he had never received one. Medical office workers like Zhuang Zhixi were even less likely to get one. Doctors in their factory were practically overlooked.


    He hummed a tune, and Doctor Wangughed, "Look how pleased you are."


    Zhuang Zhixi said seriously, "This is my first time beingmended."


    He lowered his voice, "Actually, I''m just riding on my wife''s coattails."


    Doctor Wang burst outughing and said, "Alright, we know your wife is capable. In my hometown''s dialect, we''d say you''re totally whipped."


    Zhuang Zhixi dered righteously, "Between husband and wife, there''s no such thing as being afraid or not - it''s all about deep feelings and mutual love and admiration."


    "Ugh... blegh!"


    The female colleagues silently turned away, refusing to talk to him anymore.


    Zhuang Zhixi said quietly, "I guess Police Officer Li should have reached my wife''s workce by now..."


    Sure enough, Zhuang Zhixi was right - Police Officer Li and his team had arrived, but unfortunately, Ming Mei was out driving. Luckily, since they were at the bus transit station and there were many vehicles, Ming Mei quickly returned with another bus.


    Ming Mei rushed through the door with her small shoulder bag. As soon as she entered, she saw Police Officer Li, who smiled and said, "Comrade Ming, we meet again."


    Ming Mei: "Hello."


    Police Officer Li was still using his usual approach. Compared to Zhuang Zhixi who was good with words, Ming Mei was more innocent. She simply epted the reward with a sweet smile, without saying much. Police Officer Li smiled and asked, "Would you like to transfer to our department? Although we''re different systems, with your excellent skills, we''d be happy to make an exception. If you agree, we''ll handle all themunications..."


    Before he could finish, Ming Mei quickly waved her hands: "No, no, I can''t do that."


    If she dared to go, her mother would break her legs. Her mother had said that even marriage wouldn''t change her mind about this.


    But she couldn''t say it like that. Ming Mei couldn''t just say "my mother won''t allow it," could she? She pointed to herself and said very sincerely, "I really can''t do it. My physical skills might be good, but I don''t understand anything about your line of work. I''d bepletely lost. I''m just a simple person. If I went there, apart from knowing some martial arts, I wouldn''t be good at anything else. I can''t do work that requires so much thinking. I really enjoy selling tickets on the bus. Besides, selling tickets is also serving the people. And if I catch a few pickpockets along the way, even better. I quite like it this way."


    Catching pickpockets meant getting a raise.


    Police Officer Li looked at her big watery eyes and couldn''t help butugh. He had actually expected Ming Mei wouldn''t agree.


    Her family wouldn''t allow it anyway.


    He said, "Well, if you ever want to change careers, make sure toe find me."


    Ming Mei: "Yes, yes, of course."


    After finally seeing Police Officer Li off, Ming Mei heaved a deep sigh of relief and said, "I''m happy being a ticket seller."


    Her supervisor, a man in his fifties known as Director Wang, smiled at her and said, "If you had dared to agree, I would have told your parents."Aliali: 674b364f3f33ac49f264a


    Ming Mei: "..."


    This was the "benefit" of following in her family''s footsteps - her parents would know about any slight movement she made.


    Ming Mei dered righteously, "I''m very happy being a ticket seller, serving the people wholeheartedly!"


    "Just wait."


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"


    How did the topic change?


    Aren''t you going to praise me?


    "You silly girl, I''m going to submit an application and see what kind of reward our bus station will give you. If others are rewarding you, we can''t fall behind."


    Ming Mei''s eyes immediately lit up!


    This was great!

 Chapter 28

    "Breaking news: This morning, under the escort of our factory leaders, therades from the factory''s police station visited our factory and presented a banner to our employee Zhuang Zhixi. It is reported that Zhuang Zhixi, the cashier at our factory''s medical clinic, during the New Year holiday, bravely and boldly, together with his family, captured a gang of robbers, contributing to the stability of society. All employees are encouraged to learn from Zhuang Zhixi."


    "Breaking news: This morning..."


    The factory radio station broadcasted. The announcement was repeated three times, and everyone stopped what they were doing, ears perked up.


    Wang Xiangxiu, who was cking off, heard the announcement and bit her lip. She regretted not making a move on Zhuang Zhixi earlier when he was still single. How hard could it be to seduce a young man?


    She was extremely annoyed that such a capable man had slipped through her fingers.


    Wang Xiangxiu med her clouded judgment, failing to see the gem. But soon, she rekindled her determination. It was just a man; how could she not win him over?


    These men, they all had to contribute to her family.


    With that thought, Wang Xiangxiu put aside her regret, lifted her chin, and thought, if her family wanted to prosper, these men would have to pay. She could suffer a bit now, but when her son grew up, it would be sweet rpense.


    Meanwhile, Bai Fendou, Wang Xiangxiu''s loyal admirer, was patrolling the factory area. As a security guard, his job was to ensure the safety inside and out. He was part of the first patrol team, walking with a few colleagues when the radio announcement came on. He stopped to listen carefully.


    Upon hearing it, he scoffed, "Is that even true? That pretty boy caught a robber?"


    He was a bit jealous. He thought such a feat should be his, a professional security guard, not Zhuang Zhixi''s. He grumbled, "Who knows what really happened."


    His fellow patrolmenughed, "Oh, are you jealous?"


    "Yeah, the radio station wouldn''t just make things up, would they? The police station was here; you can''t doubt that. I remember that guy from the medical clinic is your neighbor, right? That''s not nice of you."


    "Exactly, you''re just envious."


    Bai Fendou blushed and defended, "How am I envious? I just said that casually. Besides, he just got lucky. I could do it too if I had the chance. It''s just that I didn''t run into any robbers."


    "Even if you did, you might not catch them."


    "What do you mean by that? Of course, I could catch them. Can''t you speak properly?" Bai Fendou was unhappy. He thought, it''s just catching a robber; I could do that too.


    He pursed his lips and said, "Just you wait, I''ll catch one for you to see."


    His colleaguesughed, "Sure, buddy, don''t brag."


    Bai Fendou: "How am I bragging? You just wait, I''ll definitely catch one. There''s been a thief in our area recently. You just wait, I''ll catch that thief to prove myself."


    He suddenly remembered the recent thefts in his neighborhood.


    Actually, there were also rumors of ghosts.


    But Bai Fendou, a staunch atheist, firmly didn''t believe in any ghosts. He didn''t care about any ghost stories; he was determined that the thief would be his vanquished foe.


    Thinking this, his spirits lifted. A bystander from the patrol team curiously asked, "Zhuang Zhixi caught a robber, and you didn''t know? You live in the same courtyard, right?"


    That rtionship seemed too superficial.


    Bai Fendou: "How would I know? We live in the same courtyard, not the same bed. How could he tell me everything? But we get along well; we often joke around. Recently, I... Ah! Yes, yes, I know about this!"


    He pped his head, "Look at my memory. My dad mentioned it a few days ago. He said something about it on New Year''s Day, but I didn''t take it seriously, thinking they were joking."


    Bystander: "How could anyone joke about something like that? It must be true."


    Bai Fendou: "Well, I didn''t just think it was a joke; others in our courtyard didn''t take it seriously either."


    "You guys are something else."


    Bai Fendou: "Let''s go over and see what the banner looks like."


    "Sure, I''ve never received a banner before."


    The group of men headed straight to the medical clinic. The job there was easy, and Zhuang Zhixi was chatting with a few sisters when Bai Fendou arrived. He smiled, "Fendou, what''s up? Not feeling well?"


    Bai Fendou rolled his eyes, "You wouldn''t know even if I was. We just came to see your banner."


    The banner was already hung on the wall, and everyone looked at it curiously. Bai Fendou marveled, "This is a good thing. You''re something, kid, quite capable." He said without restraint, "You wait, I can''t let you enjoy this honor alone. I''ll catch that thief in our area."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "That''d be great. If you catch him early, my mom won''t have to patrol."


    Bai Fendou: "You just wait."


    While he was bantering with Zhuang Zhixi, someone was so upset they couldn''t eat. That was Zhou Qun. After hearing the broadcast, he was stunned, his mouth tightly pursed. He always thought he was the best in the courtyard, and anyone better than him made him unhappy.


    Now Zhuang Zhixi was being praised, how could he be happy?


    Zhou Qun pursed his lips, realizing this was true. He had heard about it before but didn''t take it seriously. He even wanted to talk to Zhuang Zhixi about it, but...


    Zhou Qun felt extremely annoyed. He threw his electric pen on the table and sank into deep thought.


    This couldn''t go on. Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t be better than him.


    What should he do?


    Zhuang Zhixi''s factory-widemendation brought some admiration and some jealousy. At lunch, when Zhuang Zhixi went to the canteen to get food, Yang Lixin gave him extra, saying, "Xiao Zhuang, congrattions."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "I''m d to contribute to society."


    He found a spot to sit and eat. The news of the factory awarding a bicycle ticket had spread, making many envious. Some also saw his potential.


    "Xiao Zhuang, are you seeing anyone? My seventh aunt has a daughter, quite plump, very lucky. I can introduce her to you."


    Another couldn''t stand it, "Your information is outdated. Xiao Zhuang is already married. Didn''t you hear the broadcast? He caught the robber with his family. Family, that means he has a wife."


    Zhuang Zhixi, though not knowing the two sisters, didn''t show annoyance. Instead, he smiled, "I''m married. My wife is very good, beautiful and capable."


    "Oh, married! You got married too early. How old are you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I got married at the legal age."


    He smiled, "I''m twenty-one this year."


    "That''s still early."


    "Not really, many around here get married in their twenties, some even at eighteen or neen, just having a ceremony without a license."


    The one who wanted to introduce someone said, "Well, not everyone. Look at Bai Fendou from security, he''s not married yet."


    No one could respond to that.


    Who couldpare to Bai Fendou?


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "It''s all the same when you get married, some early, somete, some not at all. It''s all normal."


    "The thing is, he wants to, just can''t find the right one." Someone chimed in, Yang Lixin, who brought a bowl of soup, "Xiao Zhuang, here."


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite surprised: "Hey, egg drop soup? I didn''t order this, what''s this...?"


    Yang Lixin was quite open about it, saying: "My dad made this specially for you, no one else has it. It''s on the house, he''s treating you." This needed to be made clear, after all, they weren''t taking advantage of thepany.


    Behind the scenes... well, that''s a different story.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s smile grew a bit brighter as he said: "Thank you, Uncle Li."


    He added: "The old man said you did a good deed, so you deserve a reward."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s seat was not too far from the kitchen window, so he raised his voice: "Thank you, Uncle Li."


    Li the Cook gave him a slight nod, to which Zhuang Zhixi responded: "Yang Ge, have you eaten yet?"


    Yang Lixin: "No, we can''t eat this early, we only get to eat after you guys are done. Oh right, I heard the factory rewarded you with a bicycle ticket?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes flickered as he nodded: "Yeah, that''s right."


    Yang Lixin smiled: "What brand is it? Your family already has a bicycle, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I haven''t gone to im it yet, so I don''t know the brand. But this bicycle ticket came just in time. My mom has been nagging to buy a bicycle, but we never had the ticket. My wife does have a bicycle, but she uses it every day for work, and hermute is longer than ours, so we can''t ask her to give it up. Now, our family can finally buy one. You wouldn''t believe it, ever since Bai Fendou bought a bicycle, my mom''s been itching to get one too."


    As Zhuang Zhixi spoke, he noticed Yang Lixin''s expression change slightly, though Yang quickly masked it with a smile, saying: "Then your family will be the first in our courtyard to have two bicycles."


    Zhuang Zhixi waved it off: "What''s the big deal about being the first? Everyone wants to add some big-ticket items to their life."


    "That''s true," Yang Lixin agreed.


    The surrounding onlookers nodded in agreement, finding Zhuang Zhixi''s words reasonable. Some people even skimped on meals just to save up for a bicycle. Wasn''t it all for that one bicycle?


    "A bicycle is a big-ticket item."


    "Xiao Zhuang, does your wife have a bicycle?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Yes, it was part of her dowry."


    "Is there a sewing machine? A watch?" The capable aunt sitting across from Zhuang Zhixi immediately asked.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "No, my wife doesn''t know how to use those."


    The aunt looked disappointed: "No? Then she can''tpare to Jiang Lu. Our factory has been around for over ten years, and no one has yet to match Jiang Lu''s dowry."


    They had all been hoping someone would surpass it, especially since every time the topic of dowry came up, Jiang Lu seemed particrly proud.


    "My wife isn''t from the factory, so she''s not part of yourpetition," Zhuang Zhixi said amicably.


    "But you are! However, you young men have really driven up the standards for our factory boys. Look at you all finding such capable wives, how can otherspete?"


    The auntined a bit, but then looked at Zhuang Zhixi''s face and thought, it was understandable for the women to offer such dowries. Zhuang Zhixi was good-looking. He didn''t have the popr thick eyebrows and square face, but he was refined, with a schrly air, always smiling, giving off a warm and pleasant vibe. Compared to the rough and dirty men in the factory, Zhuang Zhixi was clean and neat.


    Among the sea of blue and gray work uniforms, his clean white shirt, dark red v-neck sweater, and ck pants made him stand out. Even in the clinic, with his white coat, he looked refined and clean.


    People, to some extent, judge by appearance. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi, one felt that even a bicycle as part of the dowry was worth it.


    "Xiao Zhuang, what does your wife do?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "She works at the bus station as a conductor."


    "That''s a good job."


    As Zhuang Zhixi chatted with the unfamiliar aunt, Yang Lixin returned to the kitchen, whispering to Li the Cook: "Dad, I don''t think Xiao Zhuang will give us the bicycle ticket. He said his mom wants to buy a bicycle."


    In their courtyard, most families with decent conditions already had bicycles.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s family had one as part of Ming Mei''s dowry;


    Zhou Qun''s family had one as part of Jiang Lu''s dowry;


    Bai Fendou, for some reason, bought a Forever bicyclest year.


    And the family in the back courtyard...


    Now, the only ones without a bicycle were their family.


    It was fine before, with only the family in the back courtyard buying one themselves, and the Zhou and Zhuang families getting them through dowry. But now that even Bai Fendou could save up enough to buy a bicycle, Li the Cook became anxious.


    Though he was frugal and didn''t buy unnecessary things,


    Having others with bicycles while he didn''t made him feel inferior. His family was well-off in the courtyard, and his wife was even in charge of the courtyard affairs. Falling behind in this aspect felt embarrassing. They were men from the old Beijing, and they cared about face. He had been mulling over this issue recently.


    He thought today might be an opportunity, but Zhuang Zhixi said his mom wanted to buy one. Was that even possible? Zhao Guihua, that stingy woman, already had a bicycle at home, how could she want another one?


    He didn''t believe a word of it.


    "This kid is sharper than a monkey, did he see through your intentions?"


    Yang Lixin thought about it and said: "Shouldn''t be, he said his mom got inspired after seeing Bai Fendou buy one."


    Li the Cook: "..."


    Funny, he was inspired too.


    He said: "This Bai Fendou, always causing trouble. How many people in our courtyard are now restless because of him? A security guard in the Security Section, how much does he earn? He''s also supporting a widow and her child, how could he afford a bicycle? Just adding to my troubles, if it weren''t for him buying a bicycle, I wouldn''t be so anxious."


    Now that Bai Fendou had bought one, he couldn''t afford not to.


    "Forget it, let''s have your mom talk to Zhao Guihua."


    In the Zhuang family, Zhao Guihua was in charge. Although they were practically separated, he didn''t believe Zhuang Zhixi wouldn''t hand it over to Zhao Guihua.


    "It''s all that little brat Bai Fendou''s fault."


    Yang Lixin whispered to Li the Cook: "Dad, how do you think Bai Fendou, with no money and no tickets, managed to buy a bicycle?"


    This matter had everyone curious, though they didn''t talk about it openly. There were various spections.


    Li the Cook: "Who knows."


    If he knew, he would have bought one himself.


    Yang Lixin: "Should I try to find out?"


    "I think that''s a good idea!"


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t aware of his neighbors'' thoughts. In the afternoon, he went to the factory office to im his bicycle ticket. It wasn''t the most popr Forever or Phoenix, but a Flying Pigeon, which was also quite good.


    Forever, Flying Pigeon, and Phoenix were the most prestigious bicycle brands.


    Among these three, Forever was sturdy and durable, popr with men; Phoenix was more elegant, favored by women, so Flying Pigeon was a bit in between.


    But Flying Pigeon was also very popr.


    After all, it was one of the three!


    Zhuang Zhixi''s bicycle ticket was for a Flying Pigeon.


    On his way home from work, Zhuang Zhixi pondered the situation at Ming Mei''s bus station. He wondered if they would also receive rewards. It should be, right?


    As Zhuang Zhixi walked into the alley, he heard a ring of a bicycle bell. The road was wide enough not to cause idents, so he turned around to see it was his wife, just messing with him.


    Ming Mei smiled as she hopped off the bicycle, saying: "Officer Li visited your unit today, didn''t he?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised the gift in his hand, saying: "Look."


    Ming Mei smiled: "I got one too." Exactly the same gift.


    The young couple pushed their bicycles side by side as they walked home. Zhuang Zhixi said: "My unit also rewarded me with a bicycle ticket."


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow: "Oh."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "And you?"


    Ming Mei: "Guess."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, seeing her smug expression, he knew it must be better, otherwise she wouldn''t be so proud, her tail was almost reaching the sky (a Chinese idiom meaning extremely proud). He whispered: "I guess, it must be better than mine."


    Ming Mei giggled coyly, herughter tinged with a hint of pride, she boasted: "Of course."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Ming Mei, waiting for her answer. Ming Mei didn''t keep him in suspense, saying: "We didn''t get any rewards, but our unit gave me a subsidy."


    Her eyes and brows were filled with joy, extremely proud, she said: "Our station master applied for a subsidy for me, starting next month, I''ll get an extra two yuan every month. I tell you, if it wasn''t for my insufficient seniority, I could have gotten a raise this time. But an extra two yuan a month, I''m very happy."


    That''s twenty-four yuan a year.


    That''s equivalent to the monthly sry of an ordinary worker.


    No wonder Ming Mei was so happy!


    She hummed a little tune, saying: "I''m really happy."


    Zhuang Zhixi was also envious, he said: "Your unit is really generous."


    In this regard, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei both understood. Zhuang Zhixi''s factory was arge industrial nt, and he did good deeds outside the factory, not within it. Moreover, he wasn''t in the security department but worked in the medical office. Although the factory was also pleased, fundamentally, this matter had nothing to do with the factory. Even if they talked about it in detail, they couldn''t give too much reward.


    As for Ming Mei, it was different. They were a service-oriented unit, and although this incident also had nothing to do with their bus station, as a capable ticket seller, she had a positive propaganda effect on the bus station.


    Moreover, Ming Mei wasn''t the first time she had caught thieves, which had even more positive significance. Even if they were to do propaganda, it would have a very positive impact on the bus station. So they valued Ming Mei more.


    Of course, besides this, the words of Officer Li today were also one of the reasons for the result. Officer Li wasn''t the first time he had tried to poach people, and the bus station naturally wasn''t happy about it. If the person stayed, the honor of doing good deeds belonged to their unit. If they left, it would be gone.


    Ming Mei was a bus station offspring, her mother had also retired from this position. Under the influence of so many factors, it was only natural for the bus station to fight for better treatment for Ming Mei.


    Ming Mei was ted: "Am I more awesome than you?"


    "Of course, my wife can''t be anything but awesome? This time, I benefited from you, otherwise, I would have been beaten up for fighting four on one, maybe even stabbed."


    Zhuang Zhixi had this self-awareness.


    Ming Mei: "Then you better treat me well, or I might dump you."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You wouldn''t, I''m so good."


    Ming Mei teased: "Where am I good?"


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked, saying: "Where am I good, don''t you know? No one knows, but you definitely do. I perform well every day."


    Ming Mei: "¡­¡­"


    Her face turned into a red apple instantly.


    She chided: "Shut up."


    She looked around nervously, saying: "Why are you saying this in public, afraid no one will hear? What''s wrong with you?"


    Ming Mei pouted: "Don''t say it."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, saying: "Look at you, what did you think of, I didn''t say anything."


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened, she huffed heavily.


    Zhuang Zhixi held his little wife''s hand, saying: "Alright, it''s my fault."


    He was very proactive in admitting his mistake, but just wouldn''t change.


    "By the way, I want to discuss with you, this bicycle ticket, I n to..."


    The young couple walked into the courtyard together, Madam Zhou Li was being sarcastic again: "Oh, the young couple''s feelings are so good."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, saying: "Of course, if the feelings weren''t good, could we get married? Of course, the feelings are good, Madam Zhou, you''re saying something obvious."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Oh, you little rascal..."


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, saying: "Madam Zhou, I know you don''t have children, but you can''t call everyone a little rascal... You see, you''re not young anymore, don''t be so angry all the time, although I''m not a doctor, I often hear doctors say that being angry like a fighting rooster at your age is very bad for your health. You can''t do this, really can''t."


    "You you you..." Madam Zhou scolded: "Do you know how to respect the elderly and love the young, what are you saying about me, can you talk about me? I think you little rascal is a scoundrel, a beast, worse than pigs and dogs!"


    Zhuang Zhixi innocently raised an eyebrow: "Why are you cursing? You see, I didn''t say anything, I kindly reminded you, and you''re still so angry, anger hurts the body, don''t get angry."


    "You you you!" Madam Zhou was panting heavily, she was usually good at arguing, but when facing Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi, she often felt powerless. Damn it, Zhao Guihua wasn''t human, and her son wasn''t either.


    Madam Zhou was undefeated in this area, but she wasn''t a match for Zhuang Zhixi, she couldn''t out-argue him.


    "You..."


    "Zhuang Zhixi, Ming Mei, what are you two doing! Come back and cook, don''t loiter outside after work!" Zhao Guihua pushed the door open, shouting loudly: "You just want to ck off all day."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Coming,ing."


    He became obsequious in an instant: "You see, I''ming?"


    Then he turned his head and said: "Madam Zhou, believe me, take it easy."


    Madam Zhou was furious: "Little scoundrel! What do you mean!"


    Zhuang Zhixi gave her a "you know" look, leading his wife home, saying as he walked: "Now they don''t allow big banquets, you can''t eat much at the feast."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    Madam Zhou shouted crazily: "You damned one!!!"


    Zhuang Zhixi ignored her, entering the house and talking to his mother and sister-inw: "Look how angry Madam Zhou is, I wonder who upset her."


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­¡­"


    Liang Meifen: "¡­¡­"


    What nonsense are you saying?


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, saying: "Don''t provoke her."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t, I''m really wronged."


    Ming Mei was going to vouch for her husband, she nodded and said: "Zhixi didn''t provoke her, you can''t wrong him."


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, was he wronged or not? The family knew each other well.


    Liang Meifen''s gaze fell on their small bag, saying: "You this...?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, we didn''t catch thieves on New Year''s Day? Today we went to our unit to thank..."


    He exined the situation, smiling and asking: "Mom, do you want to buy a bicycle? If you want to, I''ll give you the bicycle ticket, it can be sold in the ck market for at least thirty. I can sell this Flying Pigeon for thirty-five or forty. How much do you think is appropriate?"


    Zhao Guihua looked at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s keep ounts clear between close rtives, you can''t take my things for free, right? I don''t want cash, just deduct it from the meal money."


    Zhao Guihua: "I didn''t know you little rascal were so calcting?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I also have to save some money, my wife and I will have kids in the future."


    He didn''t think there was anything wrong with saying it straightforwardly, didn''t his sister-inw also calcte? Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said: "Mom, I won''t ask for much, just make it two months'' meal money. I tell you, Uncle Li also wants to buy one."


    Zhao Guihua: "His family really should buy one."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his mother, hearing Zhao Guihua say: "If I take this money and buy this ticket, you can''t use this bicycle in the future, it will bepletely ours, do you agree?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, saying: "Of course."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, then..."


    Liang Meifen: "Mom, we can''t use it either? My husband Zhiyuan is the eldest son."


    She felt so bitter in her heart. What kind of family was this? Why didn''t they favor the eldest son at all? In most families, it was the eldest son who took care of the elderly. But in this family, it waspletely different. The father had no presence, the mother was unreasonable, and the younger brother was cunning. This life was too difficult, too difficult.


    "Do you want to contribute money?" Zhao Guihua asked.


    Liang Meifen immediately replied, "How could I?"


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw her mother-inw''s smirking expression and panicked.


    Zhao Guihua said slowly, "You really know how to calcte, don''t you? How big is your face?"


    At this moment, not only Zhao Guihua, but even Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing.


    It was as if he had been waiting for Liang Meifen to speak. As soon as she did, heughed even harder.


    After he finishedughing, he stepped forward and put his arm around Zhao Guihua, saying, "Mom, I was just joking with you. As a son, giving you anything is my duty. How could I ask you for money?"


    He took out a bicycle ticket and handed it to Zhao Guihua, saying, "Here, take it. It''s not worth anything, just a joke."


    Zhao Guihua said, "You alwayse up with these silly ideas."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I was just thinking, why not have some fun while we''re at it? Look, Ming Mei also has a bicycle. Our family already has one, and I don''t really need it. But even if I don''t, I''m willing to give up the ticket. You''re my mom, and it''s easier to ride a bike than walk, right? I''m also very filial, you know!"


    Zhao Guihua looked at him and said, "Alright, alright, you''re the most filial."


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "By the way, the police station also rewarded me with a thermos and a pair of pillowcases. I''ll keep the pillowcases, but the thermos is for you and dad. Whether you use it when you go out or dad takes some hot water to work, it''s very convenient."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "At least you have some conscience."


    "What do you mean ''at least''? I''m the most conscientious. You can''t say I''m not good. Look at my sister-inw, she only wants to take advantage and not give anything. I''m the real deal."


    Liang Meifen thought, "Why are you picking on me? Stupid little brother-inw!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "My wife won''t give you this. She works on the bus and her throat gets sore from talking all day, so she needs to drink more water."


    At this point, Zhuang Zhixi paused, wondering if the police station had considered Ming Mei''s job when giving the gifts. It wasn''t impossible, after all, they seemed to have a high opinion of his wife.


    Ming Mei nodded in agreement beside him.


    She said softly, "I also got a thermos and a pair of pillowcases. The prize for me and Zhixi is the same. My unit didn''t give me anything extra, but I get an extra two yuan in monthly subsidies."


    "Ah, that''s not bad. Your unit is quite generous."


    Ming Mei nodded and said, "Yes, if it weren''t for my short work experience, I could have gotten a raise this time. It''s a bit of a pity."


    After a pause, she sped her hands together and said, "I hope some bad guys appear so I can make some more contributions."


    Zhao Guihua burst outughing and said, "What are you talking about? Alright, put the pillowcases away. The bicycle ticket and the thermos are your intentions, mom understands."


    The young couple smiled softly.


    Hand in hand, they went back to their room. Zhao Guihua put the ticket away and repeatedly stroked the thermos. This thermos was different from theter ones; it was an olive-green oval-shaped one. She nodded and said, "The quality is good."


    Liang Meifen, because of what happened earlier, didn''t dare to say a word and silently prepared dinner. Ming Mei followed Zhuang Zhixi back to their room. She put away the two pairs of pillowcases and ced the thermos on the cab. Then she turned around and said, "You originally nned to give the bicycle ticket to mom and dad, so why did you joke about it first?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I was just joking."


    Ming Mei didn''t believe him. Although they had been married for a short time, Ming Mei had some understanding of Zhuang Zhixi. She thought about it carefully and said, "You did that on purpose to make sister-inw speak up, didn''t you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I didn''t say that."


    Ming Mei said, "That''s what you meant."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s silence made Ming Mei even more certain.


    She scratched her head and said, "You knew sister-inw would be greedy and speak up, so you did it on purpose to show mom? Why?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Haven''t you heard? Little people seek revenge from morning to night. I''m just a little person. She annoyed me, so I annoy her from time to time."


    When Zhuang Zhixi''s marriage was almost ruined by his sister-inw, although it eventually went smoothly, it wasn''t without incident. Although they were family and he wouldn''t intentionally harm his sister-inw, annoying her from time to time was possible.


    His sister-inw was most afraid of his mother, so Zhuang Zhixi did it on purpose.


    She would be unhappy for a few days.


    In the future, every time she used the bicycle, he could continue to annoy her.


    "You''re really something, but you didn''t press on, did you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said seriously, "We''re all family, why press on? Family harmony brings prosperity! I''m not that kind of person."


    Ming Mei said, "Do you think I believe that?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Moderation is key."


    He leaned aggrievedly against his wife''s shoulder and said, "I almost couldn''t marry you. So now, feeling a bit ufortable about her is nothing, okay! I didn''t do anything, and besides, I even contributed a bicycle coupon. I''m the one who got the short end of the stick."


    Don''t look at the people in their courtyard, they all seem pretty unreliable, but Zhuang Zhixi is still more annoyed with his eldest sister-inw, because others'' bad behavior didn''t affect him, but his eldest sister-inw did. However, these words, Zhuang Zhixi wouldn''t say in front of his family.


    He said, "If she weren''t my sister-inw, I wouldn''t let it go like this."


    Mingmei: "I know, I know, I know you''re feeling wronged."


    Zhuang Zhi Xi: "That''s right."


    Zhuang Zhi Xi: "Speaking of which... you''ll see, once the news of ourmendation today spreads, our patrols are likely to be quite lively in theing days."


    Mingmei: "What?"


    Immediately reacted quickly: "You mean everyone wants to catch the thief."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "This honor alone can dazzle people''s eyes, not to mention the bicycle ticket. Just watch, not to mention others, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun will definitely participate, oh right, Yang Lixin will also definitely participate."


    Who doesn''t want to gain honor?


    Meimei whispered: "Hey, you say..."


    She hesitated for a moment and said, "Aren''t they afraid that the thief they catch might actually be the three children from the Su family across the street? If the thief they catch turns out to be those three kids, what would that even mean?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "If it''s those three kids who got caught, it shouldn''t be a big deal. Bai Fendou would go to great lengths to protect them. But I don''t think the thieves in our neighborhood are them. They''re just kids, how could they be out and about in the dead of night? It''s probably still adults."


    Mingmei: "That''s true."


    As expected, as the couple had imagined, when the time came for the gathering, each household had reced their members with strong men, and there were even those who volunteered to join. In an instant, the ce was filled with noise and excitement. Zhuang Zhixiy on the windowsill, watching with great amusement.


    Mingmei: "Aren''t you going for your mom?"


    Zhuang Zhi Xi: "My mom is unwilling."


    Zhao Guihua was absolutely unwilling, and Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t persuade his own mother.Aliali: 674b364f3f33ac49f264a


    Zhuang Zhiyuan has gone on another trip to the south, and this time it will take more than ten days to return. At home, there is only Zhuang Zhixi, a young and strong man, who should logically be the one to go, but Zhao Guihua firmly disagrees. She is already standing in the courtyard with her golden cudgel in hand.


    Bai Fendou, with his usual cheeky tone, said, "Aunt Zhao, where''s the expert in your family? Howe they just did a good deed and now they''re not participating in the patrol? That''s not a good sense of awareness."


    Zhao Guihua: "Pfft, shut your dog mouth, my family had already decided that I would be the one to patrol. It was never supposed to be my third son''s duty. If he doesn''t get enough rest, how can he perform well at work? Besides, do you look down on me, an olddy? Why can''t I contribute to our neighborhood? I''m happy to patrol, what''s it to you? But you, what''s the meaning of saying such things? Are you trying to disrupt unity? I know you''re jealous of my third son''s abilities, but there''s no need to be so obvious about it. Anyone can see what you''re trying to do. It''s reallyughable, trying to stir up trouble here, you''re nothing! Get lost!"


    Bai Fendou was scolded harshly and could only purse his lips, saying, "You''re such a fierce olddy."


    Zhao Guihua retorted, "I''m fierce because you''re being a smart-aleck! Everyone knows what you''re up to! You didn''t show up a few days ago, and now you''re here just to score points? I won''t expose you, but don''te bothering me. Let''s keep things civil, or else I won''t hold back, olddy or not!"


    Yang Lixin was quite disdainful of Bai Fendou, but he wanted to inquire about the source of bicycle tickets, so he pretended to be kind and pulled Bai Fendou aside, saying, "Look at you, why bring up such things? Let''s just focus on patrolling and try to catch some thieves."


    Bai Fendou felt a bit embarrassed and quickly took the opportunity to change the subject.


    "Yeah, yeah, let''s patrol. I was just trying to do my job,e on, let''s go!"


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Hmph!"


    You rascal!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 29

    The news of Zhuang Zhixi and his wife receiving rewards had stirred up the neighbors, and tonight''s team to catch thieves was significantlyrger. In addition to the regr members, some were participating voluntarily. Seeing that the number was sufficient, Aunt Su immediately feigned weakness, iming to be unwell today.


    Of course, if she wasn''t feeling well, she certainly couldn''t participate!


    Zhao Guihua, upon seeing Aunt Su''s act, knew she was up to no good, just trying to ck off. Sure enough, as the leader, Aunt Wang, seeing her like this and considering they had enough people, said, "Then you stay home and rest. With enough people, it''s fine for a frail femalerade like you not to join."


    Aunt Su gave a weak smile.


    "Thank you, thank you all so much. I know, our courtyard is the most warm-hearted ce; there is true human kindness here!"


    Old Man Bai, concerned, asked, "Sister Su, where are you feeling unwell? If it''s serious, we shouldn''t tough it out. I''ll take you to the clinic. No matter what, we can''t neglect your health. If something happens to you, your daughter-inw and grandson would be devastated."


    He made a roundabout remark.


    Aunt Su''s gaze was soft as she said, "I understand, but our family''s circumstances... we have to save where we can. You know, these are old ailments from when I was young and worked too hard. Medicine doesn''t help much; I just need to rest more. I''ll be fine after a lie-down."


    "That won''t do! You... oh, you''recking in nutrition. Wait, I''ll go see if I can swap for an egg for you."


    Aunt Su''s heart swelled with pride, but she maintained her weak demeanor, saying, "How could I trouble you... Brother, you keep it for yourself. You''re not young either; you need to take care of yourself..."


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t bear it anymore. She felt truly disgusted. These two were acting out an old-age romance drama, being overly affectionate. Zhao Guihua picked up her golden cudgel and left directly, not wanting to listen to any more of this nonsense. She felt she''d need to clean her ears when she got home.


    Zhao Guihua led the way out, with others following in dribs and drabs. After all, while Zhao Guihua found the old-age romance drama repulsive, some people enjoyed watching it. In these times, entertainment was scarce, and one had to be resourceful in finding joy.


    Once outside, Zhao Guihua was apanied by Aunt Wang. Aunt Wang''s family had Yang Lixin participating today, so she could have stayed home, but Aunt Wang was of a different temperament than Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou.


    She was from the northeast and had a straightforward nature. Although their family was well-represented, she felt it wasn''t right for her, as the courtyard manager, not to participate. So she stepped up without hesitation. However, with the addition of several young men and strong men today, their elderly patrol team quickly disintegrated.


    In just one day, only Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang, two elderly women, remained. The two of them were not at all timid. Each carrying a golden cudgel, they walked at the front. Aunt Wang curiously gossiped with Zhao Guihua, "Do you know why Jiang Lu is here? She''s so clingy to her husband, isn''t she?"


    Yes, today there was an extra female participant, Jiang Lu!


    Although Madam Zhou Li had signed up, today it was Zhou Qun participating. Zhou Qun probably didn''t want to miss the chance to catch thieves, so he joined the patrol. Aunt Zhou, always one to take advantage, certainly wouldn''te out.


    It was a waste of effort to send just one person.


    Even so, their family still had one extra person. Zhou Qun patrolled, and Jiang Lu followed, sticking to him like a little wife. Oh, she was indeed a little wife. Observing her, it seemed she was fully prepared, carrying the wooden stick Aunt Zhou had prepared earlier and even a water bottle.


    At night, it looked as if she was going on a spring outing in the mountains.


    Although there were more people, Aunt Wang felt ufortable. She walked with Zhao Guihua and said, "I understand why these mene out to patrol and catch thieves, but what''s Jiang Lu doing here? Is it really necessary?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Who knows? Maybe she thinks it is?"


    The two elderly women turned back together. It was just then that Zhou Qun sneezed twice in a row, possibly due to their behind-the-scenes chatter. Jiang Lu immediately took out a handkerchief to wipe his nose, whispering softly, "What''s wrong? Quickly, wipe it."


    She wiped Zhou Qun''s nose and ced a hand on his face, saying, "So cold, are you catching a chill? Maybe you should go home; I can patrol here. You''re the pir of our family; you can''t fall ill."


    Zhou Qun shook his head, saying, "No need, everyone is here; why should I leave? Am I not a man?"


    Jiang Lu gazed at her husband with starry eyes, finding him very manly. Her man was better than anyone else. She softly said, "Then have some hot water."


    She unscrewed the bottle cap and handed it to Zhou Qun, holding it to his mouth, being considerate and attentive. Such a caring and wealthy wife was envied by everyone present.


    How they wished they could have a woman like Jiang Lu.


    While everyone envied, Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua, as experienced women, frowned slightly, finding her behavior a bit distasteful. Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s walk faster; I can''t stand it."


    Aunt Wangughed, saying, "Li Fang from my family doesn''t like to associate with her, calling her spineless."


    Zhao Guihua agreed, saying, "Li Fang from your family and I think alike."


    Previously, Li Fang had been on indifferent terms with the other wives in the courtyard. Many thought it was because Li Fang didn''t work and was a housewife, while most of the other wives were working women serving the people. Naturally, they couldn''t get along.


    After all, their experiences were different. But Zhao Guihua realized it wasn''t that simple.


    People don''t judge by their jobs or experiences; whether they can be friends depends on whether their values align.


    Li Fang simply didn''t like them.


    Was that strange?


    Zhao Guihua thought not at all.


    In their courtyard, her eldest daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, was also working but was a spineless enabler of her younger brother; Wang Xiangxiu was a woman with no limits to support her son; and Jiang Lu, in decades-old terms, had "yed a winning hand poorly," being spineless.


    And...


    Counting them, there were almost no one in the courtyard who could get along well with Li Fang.


    Li Fang''s best friend had been Zhao Guihua''s second daughter, Zhuang Zhixin, but Zhuang Zhixin had married far away. Her second daughter, Zhixin, was opinionated and capable, decisive and heroic. Li Fang could be friends with Zhuang Zhixin.


    No matter what, it was clear that their core values were aligned, otherwise, they couldn''t have been good friends. So it was normal for Li Fang to dislike others.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I''ve always thought Li Fang from your family is a good girl."


    She had once wanted Li Fang to be her eldest daughter-inw, but the two children had no such intentions. Her eldest son had secretly dated Liang Meifen in high school, and Li Fang''s family had always been cautious, not letting her mix too much with the young men in the courtyard, fearing feelings would develop.


    Compared to Aunt Wang''s straightforwardness, Li Fang''s father, the chef, was a bit more cunning. He knew that the families in their courtyard were all workers and would never allow their sons to be "zhuixu" (a son-inw who lives with his wife''s family), so even though there were several eligible young men in the courtyard, he didn''t consider them.


    He preferred to find someone with worse family conditions but more controble.


    Yang Lixin was found this way. Yang Lixin and Li Fang got along well, as among the young men in the courtyard, Yang Lixin was the best-looking. Actually, if we were topare, Yang Lixin wasn''t as good-looking as Zhuang Zhiyuan. But Zhuang Zhiyuan was fond of lecturing and not good with words, unlike the rural-born and Li Fang''s father''s apprentice, Yang Lixin, who knew how to please Li Fang.


    As for Zhou Qun, the Su family''s son, and Bai Fendou, their looks were far inferior to Yang Lixin''s.


    So Li Fang was quite happy to marry Yang Lixin. Although everyone wanted to find someone with good conditions, when their own conditions were not bad, they naturally preferred someone they found pleasing to the eye. Of course, the best-looking guy in their courtyard was Zhuang Zhixi.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi was not of the same age group as them and was quite a bit younger, so no one really paid attention to the little kid.


    Now looking at it, among the kids of simr age, besides Zhuang Zhiyuan, Li Fang seemed to be living quite well. The other three families, let''s not even talk about them. Zhao Guihua said, "These people are running around like thieves, I wonder how long they canst."


    Aunt Wang replied, "Who knows? No matter how long theyst, I have to stick to my task. Since the organization gave me this responsibility, I must fulfill it well."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh."


    She looked at Aunt Wang, nodding slightly. She vaguely remembered that there had been thief activities not just these past few days... As they strolled, Aunt Wang hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Old Zhao, I heard your son Zhuang Zhixi was rewarded with a bicycle ticket."


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Yes."


    Aunt Wang: "Well... I''ll be honest with you, do you need it? If not, could you give it to me? You know, my family has never had a bicycle, and my husband also wants to buy one, but these tickets are really hard toe by."


    Zhao Guihua: "I n to use it. I''ll be honest with you too. You see, we already have a bike, but it was my daughter-inw''s dowry, and she needs it for work. It''s inconvenient for others to use. So I want to buy one too. It''s not right for that Bai Fendou to be able to afford one while we can''t, right?"


    In fact, it wasn''t just because of Bai Fendou; she just wanted more convenience. But that didn''t stop her from using that as an excuse. She said, "I''ve recently taken up fishing, and having a bike would make it easier to go to distant ces."


    Aunt Wang sighed upon hearing this, "Then it''s a no-go. I''ll have to think of another way. How did Bai Fendou manage to get such a ticket?"


    You know, nowadays, not only do you need a ticket for a bicycle, but the ticket also specifies the brand. You can only buy what''s written on the ticket. So Bai Fendou''s Forever bike seemed even more special.


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and smiled, "Who knows?"


    Come to think of it, in her previous life, she hadn''t heard how Bai Fendou got that bicycle. But since it wasn''t from the factory, it was likely through the ck market. However, she didn''t mention that, as it would be inappropriate to suddenly use someone of going to the ck market.


    This wasn''t like the old days of the pigeon market; nowadays, you couldn''t just go there and say anything.


    Aunt Wang had also guessed the general idea, but she wasn''t familiar with the ck market, so she could only sigh quietly. As they walked, suddenly a shout rang out: "Catch the thief!"


    In the quiet night, the voice was particrly abrupt.


    Zhao Guihua stopped in her tracks, hearing another shout right after: "You little thief, you dare to steal!"


    The voice sounded familiar; it was Zhuang Zhixi''s. Zhao Guihua''s face changed, and she quickly rushed over, fearing that Zhuang Zhixi might encounter a thief again in this life. Although her son was already a grown man, in her mother''s heart, he was still her baby. Even if he was very, very big, she still reflexively wanted to protect him.


    Zhao Guihua sprinted over, and sure enough, the sound came from their courtyard.


    Zhao Guihua: "Where''s the thief? Don''t even think about running!"


    Aunt Wang: "Wow, Old Zhao, you''re so brave."


    She, the courtyard manager, was slower to react than Zhao Guihua. At this moment, a short figure with a towel over his face darted out of the courtyard. Behind him was Zhuang Zhixi, shouting, "Catch the thief!"


    His voice was loud, and the patrol members, scattered here and there, heard Zhuang Zhixi''s call even if they didn''t see Zhao Guihua running. Everyone suddenly got energized; after all, wasn''t this why they were here? Several men dashed over like lightning.


    Zhao Guihua, an olddy, was left behind.


    Zhao Guihua watched as a dark-faced man rushed forward, followed by Bai Fendou. They were incredibly fast. By now, the residents of the courtyard were also pouring out. The thief ran wildly, and the dark-faced man thought, "You still dare to run?"


    Just as Zhuang Zhixi was about to catch the thief, he sidestepped and got ahead of Zhuang Zhixi. Before Zhuang Zhixi could react, Bai Fendou bumped into him, pushing him aside. Zhou Qun, running alongside, also swung his arm, and Zhuang Zhixi: "Damn."


    He was pushed back several steps, and it was clear what was happening; they didn''t want him to get the credit. Zhuang Zhixi was quick-witted. He didn''t insist on chasing anymore. He nced around, then stepped back, pretending to be in pain, bending over and gasping, "Bai Fendou, you jerk, why did you bump into me? Oh my god, I feel so awful..."


    Zhou Qun nced back and smirked triumphantly. The few men had cornered the thief near the toilet.


    Zhao Guihua finally arrived but didn''t rush to catch the thief; instead, she went to help Zhuang Zhixi. If it weren''t for Zhuang Zhixi''s strong voice using Bai Fendou of bumping into him, Zhao Guihua would have been scared out of her wits seeing him clutching his stomach.


    Luckily, she wasn''t stupid. She quickly supported her son, asking, "How are you? Are you okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi grasped his mother''s hand, lightly scratching it¡ªa signal he had learned from his wife. He looked up, "Mom, Bai Fendou almost knocked my bones out of ce. Help me stand against the wall for a bit, I feel awful."


    Zhao Guihua: "Okay."


    She nced around and loudly scolded, "Bai Fendou, you scoundrel, you catch the thief and bump into my son? If anything happens to my son, I''ll beat you to death, you rascal."


    She helped her son stand to the side. By now, the men had surrounded the thief. Interestingly, the thief, even while fleeing, had a small bundle on his back.


    The dark-faced man and five or six others had trapped the thief. "See where you can run now!"


    The thief, cornered behind the toilet with several burly men around, had no way out. Trembling, Bai Fendou, ignoring Zhao Guihua''s scolding, pointed at him proudly, "I see how you can pick locks, you little runt. You''re in my hands now, and I won''t let you off easily."


    "Bai Fendou, move aside, I got here first."


    "I wasn''tte either!" Zhou Qun chimed in.


    "Who got hereter? I wasn''tte either."


    "That''s right, Bai Fendou, you even knocked Zhuang Zhixi down while catching the thief. Go check on him!"


    Bai Fendou: "A man, what''s the big deal? It''s fine!" He took advantage of the distraction and suddenly lunged forward, determined to be the first to catch the thief and im the biggest credit. Bai Fendou lunged hard: "I''ve got you..."


    "Uncle Fendou, it''s me..." the thief suddenly spoke.


    Bai Fendou: "Ah!"


    The familiar voice, the familiar height, the familiar clothes¡ªhe had been too excited and hadn''t realized it. The person in front of him looked very familiar. Wasn''t that Jii?


    "Bai Fendou, what are you doing! Trying to steal the credit!" The dark-faced man rushed forward to grab the thief.


    Bai Fendou: "He''s not, let him go..."


    "You''re helping the thief, let go!"


    "You let go. It''s a misunderstanding!"


    "It''s me, it''s me, I''m Jii..."


    "I don''t care who you are, you''re a thief!"


    The others, fearing they''d lose credit, quickly rushed forward to grab the thief. Several men held a young boy, and the scene instantly became chaotic. Aunt Wang arrived just then: "My goodness, what''s going on?"


    "Jii, my Jii..." At this moment, Aunt Su also rushed out, her voice shrill and pitiful: "Jii!"


    The crowd grewrger, and seeing everyone scrambling, the dark-faced man decided to take a different approach, his gaze falling on the bundle. He yanked it forcefully, and Bai Fendou thought he was trying to kidnap someone, so he pulled too... "Ah!!!"


    A scream echoed from the scene, and as if by routine, Bai Fendou and Jii suddenly fell backward. Behind the toilet was atrine pit, covered with thin stone bs, which cracked with a crunch as the two fell.


    They plummeted straight down. Bai Fendou, in a flurry, grabbed at anything to save himself. However... "Ahhh! I curse your ancestors! What are you grabbing?!!!" Zhou Qun''s earsplitting cry echoed, utterly helpless as he was dragged down by Bai Fendou.


    Two adults and one child crashed into thetrine pit with a loud thud, sshing feces everywhere.


    "Oh my god!"


    The onlookers were stunned.


    The unluckiest were those who had been running ahead, now sttered with filth.


    The dark-faced man still held onto the bundle.


    The scene fell into an instant silence, as if time itself had stopped.


    But after a brief moment, chaos erupted again.


    "Help! Help!"


    "My grandson!"


    Zhao Guihua supported her son Zhuang Zhixi, standing far off by the wall, dumbfounded.


    From Zhuang Zhixi''s angle, he couldn''t see the specifics of thetrine pit, but the sheer volume of the screams allowed his imagination to run wild, making him reluctant to approach.


    "What happened? What''s going on?"


    "Did the thief fall into the toilet?"


    "Good heavens, it really was a thief. Disgusting."


    "Don''t just talk about that, the ones chasing the thief fell in too."


    "Ah! How did that happen?"


    The scene was a cacophony of voices. Zhao Guihua: "This..."


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered, "The thief is Jii."


    Others might not know, but he did; he was the first to chase after them. However, this situation was quite a p in the face. Just moments ago, he had assured his wife that Jii couldn''t be the thief, and now Jii was here, pping his face repeatedly. He felt utterly humiliated.


    But for now, he had to pretend ignorance and shouted loudly, "Quick, save them!"


    "Yes, yes, save them."


    The crowd quickly gathered around. Zhuang Zhixi and his mother Zhao Guihua circled around to take a look, only to retch and turn away, unable to bear it. Zhao Guihua: "Oh my~"


    She was even more overwhelmed, having not seen such a sight in years.


    Even her toilet visits were swift, and she never imagined witnessing something so revolting. Fortunately, dinner had been light, or else she would have been retching already. Even so, she couldn''t handle it and shouted, "Zhixi, are you alright? Do you feel sick? Let me help you to the side."


    She couldn''t bring herself to save anyone; it wasn''t that sheckedpassion, but the environment was unbearable.


    Besides, thetrine pit probably wouldn''t drown anyone.


    She decisively retreated, and as they did, others rushed forward. They were disgusted, but some were curious despite their disgust.


    Aunt Wang was quick-witted, saying, "Quick, who has a rope? We need to pull them up immediately."


    "Oh, but can it be used after this?"


    Aunt Wang sternly retorted, "Is the rope more important or their lives?"


    "Alright, I have one. I''ll have to ask the neighborhoodmittee topensate me. I''m saving lives..."


    Above the toilet, chaos reigned, and below, it was no different. Zhou Qun, dragged down by Bai Fendou grabbing his crucial spot, was in no mood to wait for rescue. He immediately delivered three resounding ps to Bai Fendou.


    Three, each one more forceful than thest!


    "You scoundrel! You deliberately pulled me down! You''re protecting the thief!"


    Zhou Qun felt he had been cursed for eight lifetimes.


    Bai Fendou, dazed from the blows, said, "What are you mad about? The priority is to get out!"


    He was tall and could stand, but Jii couldn''t. Bai Fendou struggled to hold him up, saying, "Quick, grab onto me. We''ll get out first."


    In the process, his face towel fell off, and everyone saw¡ªoh, it''s Jii!


    Someone mockingly shouted, "So the thief is Jii!"


    "Aunt Su, how do you discipline your child?"


    "Yeah, you seem decent, but how did you raise a thief?"


    Aunt Su seethed inside but knew she had to y the victim. "My Jii isn''t a thief, it''s a misunderstanding... Save them first, and we can exinter."


    "Yes, yes, save them first!"


    "Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun!!!" Jiang Lu finally squeezed in, crying out, "Zhou Qun, I''m here to save you."


    If not for someone holding her back, she would have jumped in.


    Aunt Wang fumed, "Don''t make things worse, get back!"


    "Who fell in? Is it Zhou Qun? My little Zhou Qun?" Madam Zhou Li rushed out, and without a word, she pped her daughter-inw twice, screaming, "You little wretch, what did I tell you? Watch over and take care of Zhou Qun, and this is how you do it?"


    She pped Jiang Lu again, her face swelling as she covered it and sobbed.


    "My Jii is still down there, who will help him? Jii, Mom ising to save you..." Wang Xiangxiu was about to jump in too.


    The scene was utter chaos, each person in their own turmoil.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s step back a bit more, in case someone else falls in and gets sshed."


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered to his mother, and Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement. They were ordinary people and couldn''t handle this. Others... others also couldn''t handle it, some covering their faces but still peeking through with two eyes, proving human resilience.


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu wailed for Jii.


    Madam Zhou Li and Jiang Lu exchanged ps for Zhou Qun.


    The crowd grew, yet no one cared about Bai Fendou. He had Jii on his shoulders, straining under the weight of winter clothes. Even so, Bai Fendou leaned on the wall, determined to protect Jii.


    This spirit wasmendable.


    Zhou Qun, never having suffered such humiliation, delivered two more ps to Bai Fendou in thetrine pit. They were like mother and son, both focused on delivering ps rather than saving themselves.


    Madam Zhou Li pped her daughter-inw above.


    Zhou Qun pped Bai Fendou below.


    Thetrine pit was deep; Zhou Qun, shorter than Bai Fendou, was submerged up to his mouth, yet he still managed to p Bai Fendou whenever he could.


    "Wow, impressive."


    "Zhou Qun''s got skills!"


    "Bai Fendou''s really tough."


    He could have subdued Zhou Qun, but to ensure Jii stayed on his shoulders, he endured!


    Such spirit moved every onlooker.


    One might think he was carrying his own son.


    "Where''s the rope?"


    Aunt Wang, ignoring the brawl, anxiously waited for the rope.


    "Here it is, here it is."


    Someone shouted, "shlights, shlights!"


    "Light it up."


    Though it was dark, the crowd had shlights, shedding some light. The rope was quickly thrown down.


    Aunt Wang: "You men, quickly, pull them up."


    Nearby men were all conscripted, and Zhuang Zhixi silently congratted himself on escaping in time.


    Otherwise, how disgusting would that be?


    "One, two, push! One, two, push! Everyone, put in some effort."


    "One, two, one, two!"


    It was undeniable that this grand scene had blocked half the alley, making it impossible for Ming Mei, Liang Meifen, and others who arrivedte to squeeze in. They could only watch from afar, listen to the shouts from the front, and smell the pungent odor in the air.


    Ming Mei: "Oh my gosh~"


    She stood on tiptoe to look inside, while Liang Meifen, not as tall as Ming Mei, asked, "What''s happening up front? Can you see anything?"


    Ming Mei didn''t turn around, saying, "Do you think I''m a telegraph pole? I can''t see anything! I''m only 1.6 meters tall."


    She jumped up and down but still couldn''t see.


    "Can''t see, but someone definitely fell into the toilet."


    Liang Meifen grew even more anxious: "Ah, can''t see anything!"


    "Plop!" A sound came from the front, and everyone stepped back in unison. Ming Mei quickly pulled Liang Meifen back a few steps to avoid being tripped.


    The front then provided a live broadcast: "Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun are too heavy. It''s unrealistic to pull two people at once, and they fell halfway down again."


    "Oh my god, pull them separately!"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    So disgusting!


    But she was also certain: "As long as it''s not one of our family members who fell, it''s fine."


    Liang Meifen nodded in agreement, thinking how disgusting that would be.


    She disdainfully said, "He''s not a three-year-old child anymore. How could he fall into the toilet? So useless."


    Ming Mei agreed wholeheartedly.


    She thought for a moment and said, "Since we can''t see anything anyway, let''s step back a bit more, in case they step on us again."


    "Alright."


    At this point, pushing forward was impossible, but stepping back was doable.


    "My grandson! My Jii! You scared your grandma to death, do you know that?"


    "Jii, you scared your mom to death..."


    The old widow led the young widow, howling as if at a funeral.


    Ming Mei turned her head: "Jii fell in too. But how could he fall in?"


    She innocently asked, "He doesn''t patrol, nor does he catch thieves."


    Liang Meifen thought for a moment and shook her head. But Li Fang beside them sneered and said, "Who were they catching?"


    Liang Meifen and Ming Mei were suddenly enlightened, both covering their mouths: "Uh..."


    Jii was a thief.


    Ming Mei blinked, thinking that Brother Zhixi must have misjudged.


    The front was filled with cries and wails. Ming Mei said, "Let''s step back a bit more."


    At this moment, following the rhythm of "one, two, one, two," the three men were finally pulled up one by one. Three yellow-brown figuresy on the ground, looking lifeless. Bai Fendou''s face was beaten into a pig''s head, and even the few hairs he had left were pulled out.


    Suddenly, he reacted, gagging and then vomiting, but nothing came out.


    Wang Xiangxiu suddenly rushed forward, pping Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun each once, shouting angrily, "You bastards! How could you treat my son like this? How dare you drag him into the cesspit? Are you human? He''s just a child!!!"


    Zhao Guihua, from a distance, shook her head in silence. Here ites, the Four Forgivenesses again.


    A few days ago it was: "It''s New Year''s."


    Now it''s: "He''s a child."


    Bai Fendou, who had feelings for Wang Xiangxiu, didn''t say anything, but Zhou Qun was furious, shouting, "Who the hell are you hitting?"


    He retaliated with a p, hitting Wang Xiangxiu''s face. She stared in shock, never having seen Zhou Qun hit anyone before.


    "You..."


    Zhou Qun roared, "We were catching a thief. Your son is a thief. I''ve had the worst luck to be dragged down by Bai Fendou. This has nothing to do with your son!"


    "Oh, you cursed woman, you dare to hit my son. You''ve gone too far!"


    Seeing her son being hit, Madam Zhou Li, despite his retaliation, rushed forward to p Wang Xiangxiu. This time, Wang Xiangxiu dodged quickly. Seeing this, Madam Zhou Li turned to hit Aunt Su: "I''ll teach you for inciting your daughter-inw to go crazy. Watch out!"


    Aunt Su: "Ah!"


    The two olddies quickly pulled each other''s hair. Aunt Zhou''s curses were intense, not only insulting ancestors but also various body parts. Aunt Su, however, just cried and fought back without cursing.


    Her character didn''t allow her to use foulnguage.


    "Old hag, who are you picking on!"


    Old Man Bai, who could watch his own son fall into the cesspit without helping, now rushed out to defend his old goddess. Two against one, no, three against one, Wang Xiangxiu was also there, and Jiang Lu, who had just been hit by her mother-inw, quickly rushed forward to help.


    The group fought fiercely. With Zhou Qun and the othersing up, the fight quickly turned dirty, with everyone throwing filth at each other.


    Zhao Guihua watched them fight, once again retreating with her son. It was a silent, unspoken understanding between mother and son.


    Zhao Guihua had always thought she was special as a reincarnated person. After all, such a bizarre event had happened to her. She had a subtle sense of superiority.


    But now, she felt she had overestimated herself.


    She wasn''t worthy of being called the daughter of heaven.


    She didn''t deserve it!


    She couldn''t do it!


    At least, she couldn''t do what these people could.


    She used to think she was the fiercest olddy on this street when it came to fighting. Didn''t she always strut at the front when patrolling? But at this moment, she felt ordinary.


    These people could fight under such stench, enduring all that filth. She simply couldn''t do it.


    Zhao Guihua''s heart was filled with admiration in that instant.


    She admired them, and so did others, especially those nearby who were affected. They were all in awe of these unruly fighters. The dark-faced man, most affected, was about to go mad.


    He shouted to the sky, "Ahhh! Stop it all!"


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    This guy is quite capable.


    She didn''t dare to step forward.


    The dark-faced man couldn''t care less and went forward to forcibly separate the group, cursing loudly, "F***...&¡­¡­£¤#¡­¡­"


    His vocabry was quite rich, and he scolded for a full half an hour without repeating himself. Ming Mei, standing far back, heard it all and was dumbfounded. She learned something new.


    She whispered to her sister-inw, "Next time someone causes trouble on the bus, I''ll curse like that."


    Liang Meifen gave Ming Mei a deep look, thinking, can''t you learn something good?


    The dark-faced man cursed passionately, and no one dared to interrupt. The few who had fallen into the toilet, now wet and shivering, were the most affected. Jii couldn''t take it anymore, crying, "Grandma, I''m cold..."


    Aunt Su heard and quickly hugged Jii, crying, "Help me, someone, please help me. Oh, my god, who will help me..."


    Old Man Bai: "I''ll do it!"


    He didn''t care about Jii''s filth and hugged the child tightly.


    Wang Xiangxiu, with tears in her eyes, said, "If anything happens to my child, I won''t let you off."


    "You''re full of it. Your son is a thief!"


    "No, that''s impossible. He just went out to use the toilet. Don''t frame him." Wang Xiangxiu could argue well.


    At this moment, Bai Fendou spoke up, "It was Zhuang Zhixi who started chasing first. We were following his call to catch a thief..."


    "Yes, yes, this whole thing started with Zhuang Zhixi."


    "Zhuang Zhixi, tell us what happened. Did you frame the child?"


    "That''s not right."


    "Exactly."


    These people were like weathervanes...Aliali: 674b9881c4f3f33ac4a482ee


    Zhuang Zhixi stood in the middle of the crowd, raising his voice: "I went out to the toiletst night and saw him peeking through the window of my parents'' room. The window was pried open; what else could he be doing if not stealing? And why did he have a bundle on his back when he went out to the outhouse? Where''s that bundle now?"


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t holding back; he wasn''t about to take the me for something he didn''t do.


    At that moment, the dark-faced man suddenly remembered that it all started with a struggle over the bundle. If not for that, they wouldn''t all be in this mess. He quickly said, "The bundle is with me."


    He turned to look around and spotted the bundle next to the cesspit. Just then, Bai Fendou, for some reason, suddenly got up and made a grab for it.


    The dark-faced man cursed, "Damn your ancestors!"


    He was about to use the bundle as evidence, and this guy dared to snatch it?


    With a swift kick, he sent Bai Fendou flying towards the cesspit, just barely missing it.


    He quickly snatched the bundle back and, with lightning speed, unwrapped it: "Whether it''s stolen goods or not, let''s see for ourselves!"


    Inside was a dried fish!


    Zhao Guihua erupted in fury: "That''s mine!!!"

 Chapter 30

    This is how it goes, people always get caught red-handed at the most opportune moments.


    Just moments ago, the Su Family mother and daughter imed that their child was framed, but Zhao Guihua immediately recognized her own salted fish, which she had hung to dry by the stove.


    Zhao Guihua raged, "Well, the Su Family sure knows how to do things! Sneaking into my house to steal while I''m away, you little scoundrel, always thieving and causing trouble, you deserve to be locked up and fed for free! What kind of person are you!"


    Seeing Zhao Guihua so furious, everyone silently stepped aside, making room for any potential brawl.


    However, although Zhao Guihua was furious, she didn''t make a move. She couldn''t bring herself to touch someone covered in "gold."


    Aunt Su''s face changed, quickly reacting, "You''re mistaken, this is our salted fish."


    She could twist ck into white, but Zhao Guihua just sneered, not surprised at all by Aunt Su''s words. After all, Zhao Guihua knew her well after so many years of living together.


    She sneered, "My salted fish has distinguishing features. I can prove it''s mine. Can you prove it''s yours?"


    Aunt Su''s face turned sour, but she still spoke softly, "Aunt Zhao, I know you don''t want to admit that Zhuang Zhixi misunderstood my grandson, but you can''t just make things up. This salted fish really is ours. Let everyone else judge, salted fish is just salted fish, what distinguishing features could it have? Don''t try to argue your way out of this."


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Pfft, it''s you who''s arguing here, isn''t it? Let me tell you, my salted fish does have distinguishing features. If you can''t say what they are, it means this fish isn''t yours. I''ll ask you again, what distinguishing features does this fish have?"


    Aunt Su was stumped, knowing Zhao Guihua was tough and unyielding.


    She looked at Zhao Guihua, hoping she would let it go, or else her grandson would be branded a thief. In fact, Aunt Su had a high opinion of her own family, thinking her children were perfect, but she didn''t realize that no one around liked her three grandsons.


    Although the three brothers were enviable, no one liked those three brats.


    Everyone knew they were thieves and troublemakers.


    Though they didn''t steal big items, just small things, taking from kids, it was enough to make everyone dislike them.


    If not for Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu''s "skills" and acting abilities, their family would have been confronted and humiliated long ago.


    Aunt Su softly said, "I... I won''t argue about it."


    "Pfft, you won''t argue? I haven''t even mentioned your little thief yet, and you have the nerve to say you won''t argue? Where''s your face? Everyone, check the fish, I cleaned it all out, the intestines and all. That''s the distinguishing feature of my fish."


    Times were tough, even making salted fish like this was unusual, usually keeping those parts for a bit of sustenance. But Zhao Guihua, being reborn, cleaned it thoroughly, discarding anything useless.


    Like the fish guts and liver, which she cooked with tofu, and anything inedible, she threw away.


    So this fish was lighter than it should be.


    The dark-faced man nodded, "That''s true."


    Zhao Guihua thought, "This fish definitely can''t be taken now, the dark-faced man is covered in ''gold.''"


    "Aunt Su, don''t argue anymore, look, there''s evidence. It turns out the thief around here is your grandson, aren''t you tarnishing our neighborhood?"


    "That''s right!"


    "Oh, there''s more in the bag."


    "Yes, look at what else..."


    He had a small bundle, not just one item stolen, and there was also half a roast chicken and a handful of fried peanuts. Everyone looked at Zhao Guihua, thinking, you sure eat well.


    Zhao Guihua quickly said, "That''s not mine."


    Everyone started murmuring, Madam Zhou Li turned around, her anger ring, "Damn it, that''s mine!"


    She charged forward, "You little brat stole from me, he''s really got guts, I''ll kill him, I''ll kill him!"


    Madam Zhou Li instantly turned into a raging dragon, no one dared to stop her, who would dare touch her grandson covered in filth? Winterundry is already a pain, let alone dealing with this.


    Plus, everyone felt the kid deserved a lesson.


    He stole from two houses in one night, how outrageous!


    Stealing like this, now covered in ''gold,'' the owners definitely wouldn''t want the items back. His family was always poor, if they couldn''t repay... letting the victims vent their anger was justified, right?


    So no one stepped forward, no one wanted to get dirty.


    Madam Zhou Li had recently allied with Aunt Su to confront Zhao Guihua, but now she wanted to kick Aunt Su. New and old grudges red up. Madam Zhou Li was like this, she could wrong others, but others couldn''t wrong her.


    She charged and started hitting, Aunt Su screamed, "Ah!"


    Hearing his beloved''s cry, Old Man Bai jumped in, "You dare hit me? Old Man Bai, you old fool, watch me take care of you!"


    Madam Zhou Li couldn''t fight both, she looked at her daughter-inw, shouting, "You little wretch, what are you staring at, aren''t you on our side? Don''t you see our things stolen, your husband and mother-inw being bullied? If you don''t help, you might as well marry Bai Fendou!"


    Those words were harsh, very hurtful, Jiang Lu, seemingly spurred on, picked up a stone and charged.


    Of course, she wasn''t aiming at her mother-inw, seeing Zhou Qun like this, she was heartbroken and furious, not caring about anything, she swung a brick towards Aunt Su.


    "Watch out!"


    "Be careful!"


    "Ah...!!!"


    In a crucial moment, Old Man Bai saved the day, pushing Jiang Lu, the brick fell into a cesspool, sshing onto Bai Fendou closest. Bai Fendou wiped his face, instantly furious, such humiliation, who could bear it?


    Moreover, he was a proud man from the city, he jumped up, shouting, "Are you done, or what? There''s no such thing as this kind of bullying!"


    "Who''s bullying who, catching a thief is wrong? But you''re protecting the thief, what''s your deal? What''s your rtionship with the thief''s mother, don''t think we don''t know." Zhou Qun wasn''t holding back either, despite his usual pretense of dignity, he couldn''t keep it up in this situation.


    Who could keep their cool after such an ordeal!


    "What the hell are you saying!"


    Hearing Bai Fendou curse Zhou Qun, Jiang Lu wasn''t having it, charging forward, "I''ll make you bully my man!"


    Bai Fendou had just stood up, not yet joining the fight, when Jiang Lu, reckless and unafraid of dirt, charged and knocked him back¡ªssh!


    He fell in again.


    "Damn! Sshed me all over."


    Bai Fendou, not being a brick, made a bigger ssh this time, the scene immediately erupted in chaos, everyone cursing. The big brawl that had just calmed down started again, but this one was particrly smelly.


    The scene turned into a melee again, Aunt Wang didn''t dare approach, she had already been sshed with some filth, she definitely didn''t want to get near the "golden poop man."


    Although she considered herself tough and capable, Aunt Wang couldn''t bring herself to join in this mess.


    She couldn''t handle it.


    At this moment, Aunt Wang envied Zhao Guihua, who was safely staying far behind, untouched by the "bloodbath" in front. Those who got close to the scene, more or less, suffered.


    The scene erupted into chaos once more, and even Aunt Wang couldn''t handle it anymore. She quickly shouted, "Hurry to the police station, go get the police. We can''t handle this."


    Today''s situation was not just under Aunt Wang''s jurisdiction; people from other neighborhoods had alsoe to watch. Someone shouted, "Old Wang, wait here, I''m going to get someone."


    "Hold on!"


    The scene was inplete disarray.


    Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi were rtively close to the front of the Zhuang Family, but even then, they were only in the middle section. Zhuang Zhixi, relying on his tall stature, peered over the crowd and continuously provided live updates to those behind.


    "Aunt Wang is organizing people to throw ropes again to rescue someone. Bai Fendou seems to be sshing around in the cesspool. No one wants to save him, everyone''s cursing..."


    "Jiang Lu and Wang Xiangxiu are fighting. Wang Xiangxiu has Jiang Lu pinned to the ground, Jiang Lu is pulling Wang Xiangxiu''s hair, and Wang Xiangxiu is pinching Jiang Lu''s face..."


    "Madam Zhou Li is being ridden by Old Man Bai... well, they''re fighting anyway."


    Describing fights between men and women wasn''t exactly easy.


    He said, "Let me see... Aunt Su is hugging Jii and wailing."


    He tiptoed to get a better look and said, "It''s starting, they''re starting to rescue Bai Fendou... Where''s Zhou Qun? Ah, Zhou Qun is also watching themotion."


    With his own mother and wife fighting, he was standing by watching themotion, quite a character indeed.


    "Has Bai Fendou been fished out yet?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let me see, not yet! Not yet!"


    "Ah... so he''s full now?"


    Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and gagged.


    "Hey, don''t throw up, or you''ll get it on us."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why don''t you go up front and experience the scene yourself?"


    The guy who responded said, "I want to, but I can''t get through!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Come on, I''ll make way for you, go ahead, you''ll be satisfied."


    "Oh my, you think Bai Fendou won''t freeze to death in this cold weather?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows."


    Zhao Guihua spoke up at this moment, saying, "It shouldn''t be, the cesspool should have some warmth from fermentation, not like ice water."


    "Right, seems like it. I''ve never seen a cesspool freeze even in the coldest weather."


    "Who says it doesn''t freeze? I''ve seen it."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, really."


    While those in the front were watching themotion, feeling both disgusted and intrigued; those in the middle couldn''t see much but were passionately debating whether cesspools would freeze. It was as if they were discussing some important academic research.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Those further back, the worst position for a bystander, could only rely on the middle section''s recounting.


    Ming Mei: "Next time there''s a lively event, we have toe out earlier."


    Liang Meifen nodded, and inadvertently turned back to see her father-inw, Old Man Zhuang, even further back, even less useful. Even in the bustling crowd, he couldn''t squeeze in.


    The fight was fierce, and when the police arrived, the entire street had a peculiar, unforgettable smell, making one wonder if prolonged exposure would harm the nose.


    "Make way, everyone, make way, the police are here."


    "Quick, make way."


    Everyone, stop watching, disperse, this is not the ce or time for a spectacle...


    ...


    As the police arrived, Bai Fendou was finally pulled up again. Hearing about the major incident, six police officers rushed over. However, upon reaching the scene, they all started retching.


    This was more disgusting than encountering a particrly gruesome scene.


    It was a different kind of awful, truly different.


    The central figures in the fight were now covered from head to toe, almost unbearable to look at.


    The leading police officer, struggling to endure the difort, asked, "What exactly happened here! Can anyone exin?"


    At this moment, Aunt Wang stepped forward without hesitation. She vividly recounted the entire sequence of events in detail, not out of a sense of duty, but because she had been at the forefront from the beginning. She knew the ins and outs of the situation intimately.


    This report was, of course, to be detailed, leaving nothing out.


    The cause and effect, babbled on, took another half an hour to finish, leaving the police officers: "..."


    Although the thief was indeed caught, the current state of affairs made it impossible to settle the case on the spot. "Everyone, go home and clean up first, and then we''ll make a detailed record and investigate this matter thoroughly."


    At this time, Aunt Su suddenly burst into tears, crying, "My Jii is innocent..."


    No one believed this. With over a hundred people present, everyone had seen the contents of the bundle. To im innocence after stealing from two households was to treat everyone like fools. There was no way to get away with such nonsense.


    Immediately, someone said, "Innocent my foot, if Jii is innocent, the sun could rise in the west."


    "Exactly, still not admitting it, how thick-skinned can you be?"


    Zhao Guihua also shouted from a distance, "Aunt Su, you''re not exactly a paragon of virtue either. Your son stole, and not only did you help him deny it, you even lied that the salted fish was yours. It''sughable, you know whether you have salted fish or not. You''re clearly trying to wriggle out of responsibility for my salted fish."


    "And my roast chicken, this was for my son to drink with. He ate half and went out to patrol and catch thieves. Who would have thought that while my son was out catching thieves, you came to steal from my house. Heartless, may lightning strike you down~" Madam Zhou Li''s voice was even louder than Zhao Guihua''s.


    She could stir up trouble even without a reason, let alone today when she was wronged.


    The police officers rubbed their temples and said sternly, "Aunt Su, one must be honest. This is not right, hurry and clean up, we''ll talkter."


    They weren''t just repulsed, but also worried someone might catch a chill, given they were pulled out of a cesspool.


    "Disperse, everyone, disperse!"


    "This matter..."


    "First clean up."


    Under the repeated urging of the police officers, everyone finally began to disperse, making way for those involved. However, going home? Absolutely not!


    Such a grand spectacle was unprecedented, and leaving was out of the question, absolutely out of the question.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "I''ve lived for over twenty years and never seen anything like this."


    Zhao Guihua nced at her son and said, "I''ve lived for forty-eight years and never seen anything like this either."


    If she counted her previous life, that would be close to a hundred and fifty years, and she still hadn''t seen anything like this. Zhao Guihua was truly amazed, deeply feeling shecked the guts to fight like that.


    It was just too smelly.


    She clicked her tongue.


    "Let''s go, let''s go home first."


    "How do we wash this off?"


    "I''ve got some on me too, going home to wash my clothes, wasting soap again."


    "You''re lucky, I only have this one cotton-padded jacket, what do I wear to work tomorrow if I wash it? Damn it, there''s no way to be this unfair, we must get an exnation."


    "Right, we must get an exnation."


    Those affected by the incident also reacted, starting to shout.


    The crowd was noisy, and Aunt Wang called out, "Could everyone help prepare some hot water..."


    "We haven''t washed our own clothes yet, why should we prepare hot water for them?"


    "It''s not that we don''t want to help, but there are so many of them, how much would it take?"


    Hearing this, Madam Zhou Li cursed, "You bastards, how can you be so heartless, giving us a little hot water would kill you! Don''t worry about others, we''re the most innocent, give it to us. Everyone, go home and boil water for us! Not doing it makes you a bastard!"


    "Tch~"


    "What kind of person is that."


    "Exactly!"


    "Get a grip, who cares about you!"


    Those who were thinking of going home to boil water stopped when they heard Madam Zhou Li''s shameless demand. Who would help her if she spoke like that?


    If you asked nicely, maybe some would help, but with such arrogance, who owes you anything?


    Aunt Wang was also rendered speechless by Madam Zhou Li''s words. Was this woman going to be stupid to death?


    Since that was the case, she didn''t bother to say more. She was also filthy herself and said, "I''m going home to change clothes too."


    Aunt Wang went home to change, but there were some who insisted on not leaving. The courtyard entrance was surrounded byyers of people, all gathered around their courtyard. If it weren''t for the public security officers insisting that everyone disperse, the surrounding crowd would have entered the courtyard to watch.


    Even so, the smell in the courtyard was quite indescribable.


    Ming Mei, though a curious and gossipy girl, knew at this moment that she couldn''t stay outside. Given the scene, she really couldn''t handle it. Don''t look at her as someone who could fight; she couldn''t engage in a fight in a cesspit.


    Ming Mei dashed home and peered out the window. Liang Meifen noticed and thought this sister-inw was cunning. She needed to learn from her too, so she hurried home. If they fought again and fell into the manure, it wouldn''t be good.


    The two sisters-inw went back to their respective rooms, with Ming Mei peering out the window, her eyes sparkling.


    Honestly, when things started, she really didn''t expect such a result, but the oue was indeed...


    Just a few hours ago, the young couple was having their usual "emotional exchange." It would be strange for newlyweds not to engage in such exchanges. Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi explored many new mysteries together, finally finishing, only to find there was hardly any hot water left in the house.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly tidied up and went out to fetch water for Ming Mei to bathe. But unexpectedly, as he stepped out, he saw a shadow jump down from the window of his mother''s room. Old Man Zhuang was a heavy sleeper and didn''t notice anything.


    Zhuang Zhixi shouted "Thief!" and immediately gave chase. The thief ran fast, darting out quickly.


    After that, Ming Mei didn''t know what happened.


    She waited for a while but no one returned, so she had to get up and wash herself briefly. By the time she finished and went out, the scene had already turned into a big brawl. Although there were some interruptions, Ming Mei managed to watch the whole thing from the window. She listened as her husband was recounting the situation to the public security officers.


    After all, Zhuang Zhixi and his mother were among the few who knew what happened and were still clean.


    As for the others... they were currently boiling water to bathe, and the smell under the hot water was even more unbearable. Ming Mei thought this smell would probably linger for at least a week. The hot bath only made the smell more intense...


    Zhuang Zhixi, Zhuang Zhixi felt it even more acutely. He was standing in the courtyard, saying, "Naturally, I had to chase after seeing the thief. I didn''t know it was Su Jii, and I didn''t even think it could be him. Think about it, he didn''t run home, but outside. I was the first to chase out, and I could have been the first to catch the thief. But Bai Fendou, that bastard, bumped into me. I was in too much pain and saw several others were already chasing, knowing the thief couldn''t escape, so I didn''t force myself to chase. Luckily, my mother arrived and helped me to the side."


    He didn''t mention that Bai Fendou bumped into him to steal the credit, but everyone on the scene wasn''t stupid. They all knew the context.


    "Bai Fendou wanted to steal the credit, right? Afraid you''d catch him first, but ended up catching the son of his lover. It''s like a flood hitting the Dragon King''s temple."


    "Hahaha, what a mess this is."


    The public security officers listened to the discussions and roughly understood the situation. Because Zhuang Zhixi and his wife were praised for catching the thief, everyone in this area wanted to catch the thief.


    As a result, they caught the boy Su Jii.


    The dark-faced man who was the first to catch up with Jii was also there, as one of the key witnesses. He was allowed to enter the courtyard to recount the scene. He said, "When I was chasing, I actually noticed he was quite small, but I really didn''t think of him as a child. The situation was too urgent, who thinks about that?"


    He added, "Look, look at all this stuff on me, all sshed by them. I''m really unlucky, but I did a lot of work catching the thief."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, deeply agreeing. The dark-faced man did a lot of work indeed. If he hadn''t grabbed the bundle, Bai Fendou wouldn''t have fallen with Jii.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Public security officers, we caught Jii today, and it''s certain he did steal food from our house and Zhou''s. So, was he the one who stole from our neighborhood?"


    Everyone eagerly looked at the public security officers, knowing that whether or not it was Jii would greatly affect them.


    If it was Jii, they would have made a great contribution.


    If not, it was just a ten-year-old boy stealing food, which, although still petty theft, was not a major issue due to his young age. Plus, he had already received some punishment tonight, so it might just result in a reprimand and education.


    Then, their suffering would be in vain, and the merit would be minimal.


    The public security officers: "We''ll need to ask Su Jii a few more questions." He felt it probably wasn''t Jii. Although Jii was caught in the act, he stole food, which was in line with a child''s mentality.


    But the habitual thief in their neighborhood stole money and valuables, which was quite different.


    However, the public security officers didn''t make a definitive statement, and everyone waited.


    Indeed, as a reborn person, Zhao Guihua knew that the habitual thief in this neighborhood wasn''t the boy Su Jii but a twenty-something short man.


    That man was a habitual thief, but not very daring. In his previous life, he stabbed Zhuang Zhixi and was so scared that he dropped the knife and surrendered immediately. Later, he was sentenced to over ten years, and after getting out, he even came to their courtyard to apologize to Zhuang Zhixi.


    Some people, even after being imprisoned, don''t change and remain bad to the core.


    But many others, influenced by bad people in their youth and going down the wrong path, change after profound education. Like this thief, he reformed.


    He served over ten years and came out to start anew.


    So Zhao Guihua thought that if that thief could be caught, it would be a good thing for him.


    But now, whether or not they could catch that thief, themotion caused by their neighborhood''s pursuit of the thief would certainly spread. Zhao Guihua felt they were likely to be famous. After all, there hadn''t been such a sensational event in Beijing.


    "What to do? What to do? My grandson has a fever..." Aunt Su''s crying voice came, tears streaming down her face, sounding very pitiful: "The child is scared and cold, he''s got a fever. Public security officers, you have to help us!"


    She didn''t just want to use her plight to gloss over the theft, but also to get some money to treat her grandson.


    This money, if she could save her own, she had to find a way.


    Zhao Guihua wanted to mock her a few times, but at the crucial moment, she held back.


    With so many people, it wasn''t her ce to step out and risk being unpopr.


    In fact, such a situation happened in her previous life too, although not a fall into a cesspit, but something else. The Su Family called for donations for their family. At that time, Zhao Guihua already knew what kind of people the Su Family were and couldn''t help but expose them. As a result, the donations didn''t happen, and she actually saved money for everyone, but instead of being thanked, they said she was mean and not kind to a widow and her child.


    From then on, Zhao Guihua kept her distance from such people.


    She knew that even if you fought for everyone''s benefit, those who gain will still pretend to be good people.


    So why bother?


    Indeed, this time Zhao Guihua didn''t speak, but someone else was unhappy, saying, "Aunt Su, stop pretending. Your Su Jii usually bullies other kids, steals their things, and we''ve already let it go. Now he''s started stealing too, and could run faster than a rabbit. It''s not right for him to suddenly be weak."


    "Yeah, you guys should hurry up and clean up and deal with the situation. We still have to go to work tomorrow."


    "Why don''t you let Zhuang Zhixi take a look? He works in the clinic, right?"


    Who knows which brain-dead idiot said that.


    The police officers immediately turned to Zhuang Zhixi, their eyes filled with hope. Zhuang Zhixi, exasperated, raised an eyebrow and said, "For the hundredth time, I reiterate that I am a cashier at the clinic, not a doctor. How many times have I said this, yet someone still expects me to diagnose? Honestly, I suspect you all have it out for the Su Family and are deliberately setting me up to harm someone. Otherwise, why would you insist on having me, someone who is clearly not a doctor, diagnose? That''s not diagnosing; it''s asking for trouble! What kind of heart is that?"


    This time, Zhuang Zhixi was not holding back at all.


    It''s not that he wasn''t annoyed; it had happened so many times already. If he didn''t put his foot down, this nonsense would never end. Every little thing was being pushed onto him!


    "Who said that just now? Let me see who it was."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Aunt Su, you better remember who said that, because next time they might not just talk but actually take action."


    The one who spoke was from the neighboring courtyard. He stood at the door, looking rather downcast, but he knew he had to clear things up quickly, or he''d be in troubleter.


    He quickly said, "I didn''t mean it that way. I just didn''t react in time. I have no intention of harming anyone; I have no grudge against anyone. You can''t just make usations."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled lightly, "Were you not speaking nonsense just now? I''ve been working at the clinic for years, and you still got that wrong. Isn''t that deliberate? The police officers might not know I''m not a doctor, but surely you all do?"


    Zhuang Zhixi was not holding back, and everyone else felt awkward.


    It wasn''t... well, it wasn''t entirely deliberate, just a bit of an oversight...


    Besides, he had received rewards, which naturally made people a bit envious. It was inevitable that they''d want to make things a bit difficult for him.


    It wasn''t a big deal, but he would definitely have to exin in detail that he wasn''t a doctor, which would make Zhuang Zhixi look bad. After all, wouldn''t it be embarrassing for someone working at a clinic not to have medical skills?


    But they didn''t expect Zhuang Zhixi to be so blunt in his response.


    With Zhuang Zhixi not holding back, the one who spoke didn''t dare to say anything more, fearing Zhuang Zhixi might say something even more unpleasant.


    The police officer coughed, "If your child is unwell, take them to the hospital, but that''s not a way to avoid dealing with this matter. We must get to the bottom of it."


    Aunt Su: "But, but we don''t have much money left..."


    "I have some!" Old Man Bai shouted.


    He rushed out halfway through his bath, wrapped in a coat: "I have some, let''s get the child treated first!"


    The surrounding crowd: "......"


    He''s really head over heels.


    In these times, such devotion is rare.


    Even his son, Bai Fendou, is like that, but Bai Fendou still can''tpare to Old Man Bai. After all, Bai Fendou can still save up some money to buy a bicycle for himself, while Old Man Bai ispletely under Aunt Su''s control, from his prime years to old age, still a loyal dog.


    Aunt Su gently said, "Thank you, I knew you were a good man."


    Old Man Bai smiled.


    He was proud and satisfied.


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered, "Can this be resolved before dawn? I still have to go to work."


    This was true; from catching the thief until now, several hours had passed. Winter days are long, but it''s not like it''s still early now.


    Zhao Guihua nced at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "If you can''t handle it, go back and rest. You still have to work tomorrow, and there''s nothing much for you to do here anyway."


    It couldn''t be said there was nothing for him to do, but Zhuang Zhixi had already rified his role. The rest of the matters were mostly unrted to him. He was just a discoverer, pushed aside.


    The police officer probably also realized Zhuang Zhixi''s role here was minimal, so he said, "If you can''t take it, go rest."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at the police officer, then at his mother, and said, "Alright, I''ll go back and rest."


    He actually wanted to watch the whole drama unfold, but the smell was too overwhelming. He felt like he might faint if he stayed any longer. The smell in the yard was worse than the toilet.


    Hot water baths can be dangerous!


    Zhuang Zhixi fled, and Old Man Zhuang was also sent back to rest by Zhao Guihua. He did delicate work and couldn''t afford to be tired. Old Man Zhuang always listened to Zhao Guihua, so he obediently went back to the room.


    The Zhuang father and son couldn''t take it, but others were determined to stay and watch the whole show.


    Zhuang Zhixi entered the room, and Ming Mei immediately covered her nose, saying, "Close the door quickly, close the door quickly."


    Even though the door was closed, the smell still seeped in. But even so, it was better than leaving it open. Ming Mei covered her nose and looked Zhuang Zhixi up and down, saying, "You stink too."


    Zhuang Zhixi swore, "I kept my distance from the start, absolutely no problem."


    Ming Mei nodded, "Then take off your jacket too."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought about it and agreed. He took off his jacket and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ming Mei at the window, watching themotion. They opened a small crack in the window. They couldn''t open it fully because the smell was unbearable.


    Zhuang Zhixi put his arm around Ming Mei''s shoulder and asked, "Are you cold?"


    Ming Mei: "No."


    She whispered softly, "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "Sleep? I''m watching the drama. My job is easy, I can catch up on sleep tomorrow during the day."


    Ming Mei pouted, "You''re cking off."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "So what if I am?"


    He gently tapped her, saying, "What about you? Aren''t you going to rest early? Will you have the energy to work tomorrow?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No energy, but if I don''t watch, I''ll regret it."


    She tilted her head and pouted, "You said the thief couldn''t be Su Jii, and look, how embarrassing is that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Who said it wasn''t? But I guess the habitual thief isn''t him. I just don''t know why he decided to steal today."


    Ming Mei guessed, "Maybe he thought you all were out patrolling and took the chance to break in?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh."


    He said, "I hope this lesson is enough, otherwise having a thief in the same courtyard will be a nightmare."


    Ming Mei softly agreed, then couldn''t help but murmur curiously, "Why didn''t he go home when you caught him? Instead, he ran outside and towards the toilet. Now he''s really full."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He sighed, "Wife, that''s a bit gross, isn''t it?"


    Ming Mei: "Didn''t he eat?"


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi, puzzled, thinking he must have eaten. After all, he was so small, he must have had a few gulps.


    Zhuang Zhixi had a ck face, helplessly smiled, then said, "He must have eaten."


    Once he fell in, there was no way he wouldn''t have eaten.


    He rubbed his stomach, feeling like he could skip breakfast tomorrow.Aliali: 674b9881c4f3f33ac4a482ee


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t bear to think about it, it was too gross. He quickly shifted his thoughts, saying, "I can guess why he ran outside instead of going home."


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If he went home, we''d immediately know it was him. Even if he got inside, we could still go in and take back what he stole, and reprimand him severely. But if he ran outside, he thought he could escape? He''s young and easy to hide. If he hid in the night, maybe the whole thing would be forgotten. He ran towards the toilet, I can guess why. He could hide there, and if he managed to evade capture, he could say he was just going to the toilet. With his family backing him up, no one would question when he went out."


    Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t thought about it when he started chasing, but after so long, he figured out what Su Jii was up to.


    He smirked, "I didn''t recognize him at first, but when he bolted out of the courtyard, I knew it was him. So when they all rushed to chase, I just let it be. There''s no benefit in catching him, and I''d be exhausted. Plus, he ran towards the toilet, and I had a bad feeling about that."


    Ming Mei giggled and said, "You''re just talking nonsense... ''Unlucky premonition''? Don''t you dare say that outside, or people will think you''re superstitious."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled gently, poking her cheek and said, "My premonition isn''t some kind of superstition. Look, Su Jii is running pretty fast, but there are so many people chasing him, it''s easy for him to panic and choose the wrong path. That''s a toilet, not just any ce. If anything small were to happen, it would be disgusting. That''s why I was really scared and didn''t dare to chase him. And look, my premonition was right, wasn''t it? Something really did go wrong... I tell you, my mother, Zhao Guihua, should thank me. If I hadn''t pretended to be ufortable from being bumped, she might have rushed to the front. Look how big of a hole we managed to avoid."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought about this and felt that he was indeed very wise.


    He sighed, "I''m just too clever."


    There won''t be any falling-down scenes below~

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    The morning sun was exceptionally bright.


    The morning air was particrly fresh.


    However, this morning was a bit different from the usual. The sun was still as bright, but the air was not as fresh. Early in the morning, a faint, unpleasant odor lingered in the air.


    No doubt, it was the smell of atrine.


    Fortunately, it was a cold winter. If it were summer, it would definitely be unbearable.


    Whether others thought so or not, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife Ming Mei certainly did. It was early morning, and there were still people in the courtyard. The fights fromst night¡ªfirst, second, and third rounds¡ªhadsted quite a while, and there were still follow-up performances.


    In short, the matter hadn''t been resolved yet.


    Although it wasn''t resolved, a few things were clear. First, the issue with the little thief. Afterst night''s interrogation, it was now certain that Jii was not the habitual thief who had been roaming around recently.


    His skills were far from reaching that level.


    It was... truly sad. The group of people who had been trying to catch the thief were all very disappointed, looking like wilted eggnts.


    In the end, it was all in vain.


    As for Jii, although he did indeed break into houses, the value of the theft was minimal. Plus, he had already suffered a real punishment¡ªfalling into thetrine. So, as everyone had spected, after a round of criticism and education, he wasn''t detained.


    It was understandable. In the current social climate, a child stealing a small amount didn''t warrant a call to the police.


    Of course, even though Jii wasn''t dealt with severely, the group still had the merit of catching a thief. However, the difference between catching a big thief and a small one was significant. Their disappointment deepened, almost reaching Tianjin.


    The reason the mediation hadn''t ended wasn''t about how much responsibility the little thief should bear or how much credit the group deserved for catching the thief. It was about... who wouldpensate for the mess. Those who had suffered this unwarranted disaster wanted to seek justice.


    Also, the actual victims, the Lao Zhuang and Lao Zhou families.


    With that mess, who could eat? Definitely not. They neededpensation.


    However, even if Aunt Su wanted to return the items, she couldn''t. It was rare to encounter such a situation. Yesterday''s "stolen goods," truly stolen goods, had been lost because they weren''t picked up in time.


    Who knows who took them.


    This was quite absurd, extremely absurd!


    If these were normal items, it would be normal for someone to take them. But, but, they were covered in poop!


    To take such a thing was truly baffling.


    In any case, the stolen goods were indeed lost, butpensation was still necessary. Zhao Guihua wouldn''t let it go, and neither would Aunt Zhou. There were also the onlookers covered in poop. Those with minor issues could wash it off, but those with major issues wanted to talk about it.


    This had been going on all night. Zhuang Zhixi left for work in the morning, but these people still hadn''t dispersed, and the entire courtyard was filled with an unbearable smell.


    Breakfast, breakfast was out of the question, not just for Zhuang Zhixi, but for the entire courtyard.


    Not because they weren''t hungry, but because it was too disgusting.


    With that smell, no one could eat.


    Zhuang Zhixi had only slept for about an hour. His wife was about the same. The couple felt a bit sluggish, but among the few people in the courtyard who had slept, they were among them. Their sister-inw, Liang Meifen, had dark circles under her eyes like a panda.


    Despite this, she was still energetic. If it weren''t for the strong smell, she might have stayed outside all night. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei didn''t eat breakfast but were worried about getting hungry, so each of them packed three pieces of peach cake in their bags. Hutou stared longingly, and Ming Mei said without hesitation, "Why don''t you take some yourself?"


    Hutou tugged at his shirt hem and said, "Grandma will scold me."


    Ming Mei thought, that''s true. But today''s situation, who could cook? The adults were too disgusted to eat, but the children weren''t. They could eat even with thetrine smell. She said, "It''s okay today, no one can cook. I''ll give you some."


    She distributed the peach cakes to the children. Seeing Liang Meifen looking at her with expectation, hoping Ming Mei would give her some too, Ming Mei didn''t bother.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were children, but was her sister-inw, a grown woman, going to make her take the lead? If she wanted to eat, she should take it herself and exin to her mother-inw. Why involve her? So it really wasn''t surprising that Zhuang Zhixi didn''t like his sister-inw. She was too calcting.


    She wanted to take advantage but didn''t want to take the initiative.


    No one indulged her.


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi didn''t care about her and left directly. Liang Meifen watched her son and daughter holding peach cakes. She bit her lip and said, "Give me some."


    Hutou firmly said, "You ask Grandma!"


    There were clearly some in the box, why ask him for it!


    Hutou took his sister''s hand and ran out.


    Liang Meifen was furious: "I really raised you for nothing. You won''t even give me a piece of peach cake."


    She looked back at the peach cake box and sighed, but she didn''t take any. This person wanted to eat but hoped someone else would take the lead.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi ran to the courtyard, but soon couldn''t take it anymore. The two kids held hands and went to the street. As soon as they left the gate, they retched and came back. The smell outside was also strong.


    They were young, but not stupid.


    As for what Ming Mei thought¡ªthat children could eat with thetrine smell¡ªthe kids didn''t know. If they did, they would definitely argue that they weren''t so shameless. Impossible, absolutely impossible.


    The two kids ran back to their little room and closed the door tightly.


    They couldn''t take it.


    Due to work, the number of people had decreased. Those left were mostly not working. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei parted ways at the crossroad, each going their own way. Zhuang Zhixi walked but quickly arrived at his unit, almost on time.


    As soon as he entered the clinic, Doctor Wang frowned and said, "Why do you smell a bit off?"


    Zhuang Zhixi sniffed himself and said, "Is there? Probably the smell of thetrine."


    Everyone looked up at him.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t fall into thetrine, but our area had a bigtrine incidentst night. The smell hasn''t dissipated yet, and I didn''t eat breakfast today."


    "Atrine incident? What''s that?"


    Such a topic was always intriguing.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s all because of the thief incident. You know, our area has been having trouble with thieves recently. Originally..."


    The story was too convoluted, with twists and turns. The situationst night wasn''t veryplicated, but in Zhuang Zhixi''s telling, it was full of ups and downs.


    Starting from catching the thief, to Bai Fendou''s scolding of the thief.


    Then it turned to recognizing the child, and in the process of snatching the stolen goods, falling into the toilet, every detail was included...


    He kept talking, and soon even the security guard who hade by and Director Chen, who happened toe looking for Doctor Wang, listened with great interest and didn''t want to leave. Such a grand scene, they hadn''t seen it, which was a big loss.


    Security guard Xiao Jia stroked his chin and said, "No wonder Bai Fendou took the day off today."


    Security guard Xiao Yi: "His dad also took the day off."


    Not just them, several others had taken the day off too.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "They were like heroes saving beautyst night! Especially Uncle Bai, who bravely rushed forward at the crucial moment, not only fighting with the women to protect Aunt Su but also paying for her grandson''s medical treatment."


    "He''s really devoted," Doctor Wang sighed.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Exactly. Actually, Aunt Su, Aunt Zhou, and Uncle Bai didn''t fall in. They shouldn''t have ended up like that, but they all fought over the little thief, so they got covered... Aunt Zhou was because of the fierce fight."


    "Your courtyard is really lively," someonemented.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s right, but it''s a pity, they made such a ruckusst night. They only caught Jii, a petty thief, but the real seasoned thief got away. They were all fighting fiercelyst night, I wonder if they still have the energy to patrol today."


    Doctor Wang: "..."


    Others: "..."


    At this moment, it was Director Chen, Doctor Wang''s husband, who caught the key point, saying, "Yesterday, Bai Fendou caught the one who pulled Zhou Qun down..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Are you a leader who only cares about such things?


    But he was an honest man, not one to lie or hide things, so he nodded solemnly, saying, "Isn''t that right? Zhou Qun''s wife was furious, they were fighting up a storm. I wasn''t in the front, didn''t see clearly, but they were all in chaos. By the way, did theye to work today?"


    He left in the morning, not too early, so he didn''t encounter anyone.


    "I don''t know, probably not? After all that, wouldn''t they need to rest for a day?" Director Chen spected.


    "They didn''te!" Xiao Jia from the security team, responsible for the gate, said, "Both of them didn''te to work, but Wang Xiangxiu did. She''s really something, after encountering such a thingst night, she didn''t miss a single day of work today."


    It has to be said, such a woman is really something.


    "So brave."


    "Indeed, you don''t know, our courtyard still smells, I stayed far awayst night, but when they took hot showers, the smell along with the hot water was even stronger, I felt like I couldn''t breathe."


    Nurse Sister kindly offered, "You didn''t eat breakfast, did you? I still have a sweet potato here, you..."


    Before she could finish, Zhuang Zhixi''s head was shaking like a rattle drum, saying, "No! Absolutely not!"


    He was firm: "I don''t want this! I really can''t eat it!"


    He forced a smile, saying, "I can''t handle it."


    Everyone was stunned, bursting intoughter, Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "I''m in a tough spot."


    "I remember we have egg drop soup for lunch today..."


    Zhuang Zhixiined, "This won''t do either, I''m suffering."


    He loved egg drop soup, but today, absolutely not, it was out of the question.


    Anything yellow, he just couldn''t stomach it.


    Nausea!


    "You have it rough."


    "Who says otherwise."


    While Zhuang Zhixi was spreading the news at the clinic, other ces were notgging behind either. After all, such a spectacr event, who wouldn''t want to share it with good friends?


    In the kitchen, Li the Cook and Yang Lixin were passionately describing the scene, focusing on the big brawl, the Golden Warrior!


    And in the workshop... in short, everyone was lively, even livelier than during the New Year a few days ago.


    But everyone was quite tacit, the final words almost always being: "I''ve lived for XXX years, and I''ve never seen such a thing."


    No exception.


    Zhuang Zhixi was no different.


    This morning, the topic spread from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, and in a factory with tens of thousands of people, by noon, everyone knew about it.


    So much so that Zhuang Zhixi had received several rounds of inquiries from small leaders. After all, the workshop was busy, and small leaders couldn''t just go to the workshop and pull people over to ask, but the clinic was different, not so busy, so Zhuang Zhixi wanted to take a nap?


    Sorry, no way, not happening.


    He was like the doorman at the Old Moscow Restaurant, receiving endlessly.


    Zhuang Zhixi had no time to rest, and neither did Ming Mei. Ming Mei rushed to work, herplexion not good, inevitably being asked about it.


    A few older sisters joked, "You young people really don''t know how to take it easy."


    This was full of insinuation.


    But Ming Mei didn''t catch on, she wasn''t paying attention, hurriedly telling everyone, "You don''t know,st night in our courtyard... I barely slept... they were falling into the cesspit with a bang..."


    Ming Mei was excited, gesturing wildly.


    Not that she hadn''t seen the world, but this kind of thing was just too rare.


    Didn''t you see, it stunned all the sisters in the office?


    "Ah, my god, Xiao Wang, switch shifts with Ming Mei today, Ming Mei, don''t go out, don''t leave, tell us in detail..."


    "Yes, yes!"


    "Ah, I don''t want to go either, I want to hear too, tell me tomorrow after you''ve heard, ah no, tell me after work, I can''t wait till tomorrow..."


    "Okay, okay."


    Curiosity is universal.


    Everyone listened with shining eyes, undoubtedly, this news would continue to spread. Don''t just say it''s in Beijing, maybe in a few days, Tianjin would know too. And after a while, who knows how far it could spread...


    Ming Mei thought to herself, today I have to leave work early and go back to my parents'' ce, such big news, how could they not have heard yet? Ming Mei felt she had to pass this news on, can''t fall behind on news.


    Ming, a gossipy beauty.


    This day, how many rted people passed this news on, Aunt Zhao argued for a morning, finally sorted out, her salted fish, the Su familypensated one yuan.


    The price of fish dropped a bit after the New Year, after all, a pound of meat was more suitable than a fish, not for the auspiciousness, fewer people bought fish than meat.


    But Zhao Guihua''s fish was salted, salt is money too, can''t not count it.


    So in the end, a rtively suitable one yuan was settled, Aunt Su tearfully paid; Zhao Guihua got one yuan inpensation, Aunt Zhou also got one yuan inpensation, half a roast chicken, some peanuts, not sure if it was suitable or not.


    But since the police were there, rtively speaking, it was a suitable price.


    As for others, the Su family didn''t recognize it, this stealing was caught, had no choice. But being sshed with "gold," this couldn''tpletely me them, she cried miserably, even fainted once, finally forcing everyone to let it go.


    Can''t do anything else.


    As for the mutual fighting of their few families, it was mutually forgiven.


    Of course, they still needed to be educated, fighting in public, what a bad influence that caused. But considering everyone was a first-time offender, and the initial motive was good, this matter was let go.


    Besides these, they caught thieves, although only a child, the motive was good, it should be praised. These had nothing to do with Zhao Guihua, after all, she didn''t rush to catch the thief first, did she?


    Besides, not being sshed with "gold," it''s not good to say you caught a thief.


    The follow-up matters, Zhao Guihua didn''t get involved, she nned to rest well, fortunately the olddy didn''t need to go to work, she slept solidly for an afternoon, didn''t eat breakfast or lunch, when she woke up, her stomach was really hungry, but she always felt there was still a smell in the courtyard, didn''t have much of an appetite.


    "There''s no refreshing side dish at home."


    Liang Meifen didn''t eat either today, she had no appetite. She didn''t sleep, lingering in this smell for a day, really couldn''t eat. Although she wanted sesame cookies, not to eat, but to secretly store them.


    To eat, couldn''t eat.


    She asked, "Mom, what are we making tonight? Stew some cabbage or cook some radish strips?"


    Winter vegetables are just these, besides cabbage, it''s radish.


    Other varieties, even if you have money, you can''t buy, they''re not in the south.


    Although it''s actually spring now, the spring cold snap is still cold, still no variety of vegetables.


    Zhao Guihua: "Make some radish!"


    She was hungry but had no appetite, but Zhao Guihua suddenly thought of something, saying, "Ah, I can make some pickled vegetables."


    Actually, spicy pickled cabbage is also good!


    Actually, she wasn''t particrly fond of this, but who let the variety of vegetables be so few now, many people use radish to make pickles, but it''s not the same taste as pickled vegetables. If you want to eat something fresh, have more variety, preparing some is very good.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Guihua got energized, she said, "Come to think of it, making some pickled vegetables and spicy pickled cabbage really works."


    Liang Meifen: "???" What''s that?


    Zhao Guihua didn''t exin much, simply saying, "Let''s make some mixed flour steamed buns tonight and cook a radish soup. I''m going to the toilet."


    She stood up, but as soon as she reached the door, she paused, struggling to ask, "Has the toilet been cleaned?"


    Liang Meifen nodded, "I went over this afternoon, and it was already cleaned. I heard Old Man Bao, the nightsoil collector, cursed for twenty minutes in anger."


    They had made such a mess, leaving it all over the ce, and Old Man Bao had to clean up after them. It was quite unreasonable.


    However, this matter had nothing to do with Zhao Guihua. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and went out. Ah, the strong smell still lingered. She didn''t know how long it would take for the smell to dissipate. At this moment, Zhao Guihua was once again grateful that it was a cold winter. If it were summer, she couldn''t even imagine what would happen.


    She pondered for a moment, and if it were summer, she would have to muster the courage to stay at a rtive''s house.


    It was absolutely unbearable to stay here.


    She shook her head and left the courtyard. As soon as she exited the toilet, she saw a few people pointing and whispering around the toilet. Zhao Guihua''s heart skipped a beat. She quickly asked, "What''s wrong with the toilet?"


    Oh, dear, I hope no one fell in again.


    Zhao Guihua felt that she might have developed, that... what was it called again?


    It was some foreign word.


    Something like P... something D, and something T.


    Anyway, it was a condition where she felt a sudden jolt at the mention of the toilet.


    Some kind of toilet phobia syndrome.


    Zhao Guihua cautiously inquired, and one of the aunties said, "It''s nothing, I was just showing a few old friends which toilet had the incidentst night."


    The otherdiesmented, "We live far away, we didn''t hear anythingst night. We missed out on the excitement."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She widened her eyes in surprise, once again silentlymenting that she was clearly not the coolest olddy on this street.


    Her mentality just wasn''t up to par!


    She quietly entered the toilet and quickly finished her business, only to find the group still pointing and whispering around the toilet. Zhao Guihua: "..."


    They really have a lot of energy, aren''t they afraid of the smell?


    However... Zhao Guihua recognized a familiar face. Who was this? Wasn''t this the seasoned auntie who sold ck dog blood for superstitious and spective purposes? Zhao Guihua''s eyes darted around and then she smiled. She had been thinking of getting to know this olddy.


    At this moment, she didn''t care about the smell anymore. She approached them and said, "There''s not much to see here. How abouting to our courtyard? I''ll show you where the homes of the people involved are."


    "Ah, really?"


    "That sounds great!"


    The few aunties felt they had found a kindred spirit. Look, this suggestion was so tempting.


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand, "Follow me!"


    She led the group into the courtyard, acting like a tour guide, "This is our courtyard, a two-partpound. They all live in the front part, including me. This house here belongs to one of the families involved. And this one here belongs to another family involved..."


    She continued pointing, "And this is the third family involved, they all fell into the cesspit. Out of the four families in our front courtyard, only mine was spared. Thank goodness."


    "Oh my."


    "Oh dear, they really got into something."


    Zhao Guihua asked, "What are your names, sisters?"


    "I''m Sister Fang."


    "I''m from the back street, called Lian. Some call me Aunt Lian, but my old friends call me Lian."


    This Lian was the one with the ck dog blood.


    As they were introducing themselves, Jiang Lu came out. Not exactly by chance. Madam Zhou Li heard the chatter in the courtyard and didn''t know what was going on, so she sent her daughter-inw to check.


    When Jiang Lu saw Aunt Lian, she panicked and froze.


    Zhao Guihua quickly said, "Xiao Jiang, these are my old friends. They heard about what happened here and came to see the excitement."


    Jiang Lu''s mouth twitched: "..."


    Are you even human?


    Zhao Guihua: "You go about your business."


    Jiang Lu wanted to argue, but she felt Zhao Guihua was not someone to mess with. Seeing Aunt Lian again, she hesitated and turned to leave.


    She''d better not provoke these olddies.


    She was afraid her secret about the ck dog blood would be exposed. She was still hoping to have a child.


    Aunt Lian also recognized Jiang Lu, but as a businesswoman, she didn''t care. After all, no one could expose her secrets. She was quite indifferent. She said, "Oh, by the way, the smell is still here in this courtyard."


    "Of course, what did you expect! I haven''t eaten all day because of it." Zhao Guihua quickly bonded with the aunties.


    They all felt a deep connection, but Aunt Lian happily said, "Actually, such an incident is quite good. You know, not eating means saving a meal, right?"


    The others: "?????"


    What are you talking about?


    People need to eat or they''ll starve.


    You can''t save like that.


    Aunt Lian sighed, "I wish something like this would happen in our courtyard."


    Zhao Guihua: "No one wants such a thing."


    Aunt Lian: "Nonsense, I want it."


    She really thought the smell was quite nice. The aunties looked around some more before bidding farewell to Zhao Guihua, but they quickly became good friends. So, sometimes friendship is a strange thing. It can form in an instant.


    When Zhuang Zhixi came home from work, he just happened to see these people leaving. Aunt Lian looked at Zhuang Zhixi''s face and said, "Your son has a good face."


    Another auntie quickly pulled her, how could she promote superstition in public?


    That wouldn''t do.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi acted as if he didn''t notice, smiling and saying, "Since I was young, people have alwaysplimented me on my looks."


    He was good at turning the conversation from superstition topliments about appearance. The aunties all nodded, feeling this young man was quite nice. His mother was nice, and the son was nice too.


    "Lao Zhao, is this your son? Is he married?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, he got marriedst year."


    They allmented, "He married young, we lost a potential matchmaker opportunity. We aunties always know who''s avable."


    Zhao Guihua saw them off and went home with her son. Zhuang Zhixi asked curiously, "Who were those people?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Just met them. Did you see Aunt Lian, the one who said you had a good face? She specializes in superstition, Jiang Lu''s infertility treatment is from her." She whispered.


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his chin and said, "She must have some skills."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She rolled her eyes, "Saying you''re good-looking means she has skills, you''re really something."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So, Mom, why did you suddenly start hanging out with them? You didn''t know them before, right?"


    His mother wouldn''t suddenly make new friends, especially in today''s context.


    Zhao Guihua whispered again, "Aunt Lian has a way to get cloth. Once I get a bit closer to her and gain her trust, I''ll buy some from her to make clothes for you."


    If she approached directly to buy, they definitely wouldn''t sell. Spective trading also depends on who the buyer is!


    Zhuang Zhixi was shocked, "Mom, are we so frugal that we can''t even buy fabric for clothes? Do we have to use cloth scraps?"


    No one could save like his mom.


    Zhao Guihua: "You better shut up. Good stuff that doesn''t require coupons and is cheap doesn''te often."


    She snorted and went inside.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Indeed, my mom is still my mom! Not an ordinary person."


    It was already past work hours, and everyone was gradually returning home. However, only Wang Xiangxiu, one of the people involved in the incidentst night, went to work. She supported her whole family and couldn''t afford to miss a day of work. That was money, and she couldn''t afford to lose it.


    However, Wang Xiangxiu had a very difficult day.


    Wang Xiangxiu usually enjoyed going to work. After all, she was not unattractive and could be considered a charming widow. While many might not want to marry her, there were plenty who were eager to court her. She managed to benefit from this attention, so she was always eager to go to work.


    However, today was different. Despite being surrounded as usual, the atmosphere was entirely different.


    Her heart ached especially today. Everyone who came to see her inevitably asked about what happenedst night¡ªher son beingbeled a thief, falling into a cesspool, and the bravery of the Bai father and son.


    None of these topics were pleasant for Wang Xiangxiu.


    What was even more infuriating was that a woman who didn''t get along with her deliberately made egg drop soup at noon and asked, "What do you think this looks like?"


    These people, merely talking without experiencingst night''s ordeal, could still eat and drink without a care. But she couldn''t; she had dry heaves several times at noon. Some even thought she might be pregnant.


    This was extremely frustrating.


    She was already unhappy, and the people in her courtyard didn''t help, discussing the incident in great detail, as if they were afraid no one would know. As a result, she had no peace all day, with peopleing to watch the spectacle or strike up conversations.


    If not for the fact that hitting someone would cost money, she really wanted to p those gawkers.


    Bastards, utter bastards!


    And her son, he really mustn''t steal anymore.


    Exhausted, Wang Xiangxiu returned home. As soon as she entered the alley, she could faintly smell that lingering stench. It was even more pronounced in the courtyard, as the smell hadn''t dissipated all day. She pushed the door open and went inside. Aunt Suy on the bed, silent.


    Wang Xiangxiu softly asked, "Mom, what''s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"


    Aunt Su remained silent. Just as Wang Xiangxiu began to worry, she finally spoke, "Xiangxiu, you should remarry."


    Wang Xiangxiu was taken aback and immediately said sternly and firmly, "Mom, what are you talking about? I''m not that kind of person. If I leave, what will happen to you all? How could I be so heartless?"


    Aunt Su softly replied, "But we''re always a burden to you. Without us, you could find a good man and live a better life. It''s because of us that you struggle. Remarry, and I''ll take care of the three children. Don''t worry, they''ll still call you Mom, and you''ll still be our daughter-inw. No, you''re my daughter. Even if I starve or wear myself out, I''ll raise the children. They can''t keep stealing; it''s not right. They''re getting older now; if they get caught, it''ll be serious. And it''s not good for our family''s reputation. How will they find wives in the future? So, I think I should work harder to ensure they eat well, so they won''t covet others'' things. Even if I have to sell my blood, I''ll make sure they live well."


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately held her mother-inw''s hand and said, "No, Mom, I absolutely won''t remarry. I was born into the Su family, and I''ll die as a member of the Su family. I, Wang Xiangxiu, will never leave. The children are my life. I''ll earn money, and I''ll make sure we all live well."


    She sighed softly and continued, "If I leave, you''ll be even worse off. Mom, what can you do to earn money? Your health isn''t good; do you want to wear yourself out? Little Su was good to me, and so were you. I''m part of the Su family. I''ll raise the children and take care of you in your old age. Don''t make me leave. I''m not heartless. I won''t leave this family. We''ll always be one family."


    Aunt Su sighed heavily and said, "You''re a good child, but you''ve had a tough life. Only when the children grow up will your days get better. Your life will certainly be better than mine with your three sons."


    Hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu smiled slightly and nodded, "Yes, I have three sons. How could I not care for them?"


    Aunt Su blinked and said, "Then... take some time off tomorrow and call your two sisters-inw back. Tell them I''m sick and ask them toe see me. They shouldn''te empty-handed..."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Okay."


    Aunt Su: "Make my condition sound more serious."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I know."


    Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath and said, "Then I''ll go make dinner."


    Aunt Su: "I''ll do it."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "It''s alright, I''ll do it. I''ll go get some water."


    As she went to the yard to work, Aunt Su watched her figure and smiled triumphantly.


    As long as someone fell into her hands, they couldn''t outsmart her!


    She had just lost two yuan today, and if she didn''t push her daughter-inw a bit, how could she work harder for the family? Aunt Su was pleased with herself, though she didn''t show it on her face. Their family wasn''t as strong as the Zhou family.


    She couldn''t treat her daughter-inw like Madam Zhou Li, ordering her around. That would risk losing her.


    But by taking this approach, she was actually better off.


    Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t very clever.


    She secretly chuckled, feeling satisfied.


    Although Wang Xiangxiu was an unfaithful woman, she was good at bringing benefits to the family. The children weren''t grown yet, so they relied on her. This was good. When the children grew up, she''d kick this woman who had cuckolded her son to the curb.


    Aunt Su got up and went to the cer to get vegetables. Wang Xiangxiu turned around and said, "Mom, why don''t you rest more if you''re not feeling well?"


    Aunt Su: "My health has never been good. It''s nothing, I''m used to it. Let''s have cabbage soup for dinner tonight."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Alright."


    Ming Mei rode her bike into the yard and saw the two of them getting along well. She cheerfully called out, "Mom, I''m back!"


    Zhuang Zhixi came out first and said, "Wife, why didn''t you call me?"


    He was even jealous.


    Ming Mei pouted, "I didn''t know if you were off work yet. If I had known you were home first, I would have called you."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and stepped forward, "Are you tired? Didn''t get any rest today, did you?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "Yeah, not at all. I even went back to my parents'' ce after work."


    She was eager to spread thetest gossip.


    "Go to bed early tonight and get some rest. Staying up all night is exhausting."


    Ming Mei nodded, "I know."


    The young couple went inside together. Wang Xiangxiu watched them being affectionate and felt a surge of jealousy. Zhuang Zhixi had spread plenty of gossip about their family today, yet he acted as if he hadn''t seen her. The bastard!


    Was he blind?


    What did Ming Mei have that was so special? Just because her family was better, she was prettier, and she was younger?


    Did she have as many sons as Wang Xiangxiu?


    Wang Xiangxiu fumed inwardly and muttered, "Bitch!"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei didn''t hear her. They went inside together, and Ming Meizily pulled a chair over, saying, "Mom, I''m so tired today."


    Zhao Guihua, understanding her daughter-inw well, said, "You''re never eager to work when you''re not tired."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She childishly smiled, "You got me."


    There was no hint of embarrassment.


    Under normal circumstances, Ming Mei might have felt a bit embarrassed, but not now. She knew her mother-inw wasn''t the type to nitpick over such things, so she was very rxed.


    Ming Mei leaned on the table and said, "I went to my parents'' ce today. I wanted to have dinner there, but they made sweet potato rice! I immediately ran away."


    "Pfft!"


    Ming Mei: "I was just watching and felt so grossed out. I can''t imagine how they felt after eating it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Maybe they liked it more."


    Everyone looked at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi confidently said, "Who knows, maybe they developed a taste for it."


    Ming Mei retorted, "No one would like that. Stop talking nonsense."


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged. He was just offering a possibility, but no one believed him.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I n to buy a bicycle tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That''s great. Then our family will have two bikes, which is really good."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "After buying the bicycle, I n to go fishing in the mountains."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Now?"


    He was a bit surprised.


    Zhao Guihua exined, "Everyone is busy gossiping now; who would pay attention to me? In this whole situation, I''m just an ordinary person. It''s the perfect time to go fishing without drawing attention. We can eat the fish ourselves."


    This time, she didn''t n to sell them.


    Although if her fishing skills were good, she could catch quite a few to sell, she wasn''t skilled enough. Besides, after the New Year, the market isn''t as good. And the risks have increased; she decided not to take the chance. Eating them at home is just fine.


    "I''ll take a steamed bun with me tomorrow at noon. Liang Meifen, you can cook for the kids at home."


    Liang Meifen replied, "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua added, "If anyone asks about me, just say I couldn''t stand the smell and went out to escape it."


    "That''s a good excuse!"


    Zhao Guihua sighed wistfully, "What excuse? I''m telling the truth. I really couldn''t stand it!"


    A deep sigh!

 Chapter 32

    <h4>Chapter 32</h4>


    Zhao Guihua ended up buying the bicycle after all.


    Her savings became a bit thinner, as a bicycle cost one hundred and sixty yuan.


    Just thinking about it made her heart ache, but having a bicycle was very convenient, and Zhao Guihua was still quite happy. Truth be told, people are easily influenced by their environment. When she first experienced her rebirth, Zhao Guihua had been quite dismissive of bicycles.


    After all, she, Zhao Guihua, had seen much grander things in her time.


    How could someone as worldly as her be impressed by a mere bicycle?


    Reality proved otherwise - she was impressed, truly impressed.


    Reality has a way of pping you in the face, and when Zhao Guihua bought the bicycle, her eyes crinkled with joy, a happiness she couldn''t hide even if she tried. Humming a little tune while pedaling, she felt like the most stylish elderlydy on the street.


    Zhao Guihua rode her bike to the police station, not because of the thief incident, but to get her bicycle registered with a steel stamp. In those days, bicycles were like cars would be decadester - they all needed license tes.


    Did you think you could just ride around freely?


    That was absolutely impossible.


    It might have been possible in remote rural areas, but in the city, the procedures were quite strict. Otherwise, if you were stopped while riding, you''d have no way to exin yourself. And if your bike was stolen, you''d have nowhere to look for it, so no one tried to skip this step.


    Everyone would voluntarily go to the police station. Zhao Guihua submitted her bicycle purchase documents, paid a two-yuan fee, and finally got the steel stamp. With all the paperwork done, the bicycle was nowpletely and officially hers.


    Zhao Guihua happily rode home. She had originally nned to go fishing in the mountains, but she was too excited and couldn''t wait to show off a bit - fishing could wait until tomorrow. She returned home proudly, and as soon as she entered the courtyard, people noticed her.


    When Madam Zhou Li saw Zhao Guihua pushing her bike, her face changed color. The olddy''spetitive nature never rested.


    Originally, her family had been the first to own a bicycle, and she had been the proudest. But now, even though her family was still the wealthiest in thepound, Zhao Guihua''s family had two bicycles, and how could she not feel angry and jealous?


    Madam Zhou Li was so irritated she couldn''t even manage her usual mockery. She just took one look and mmed her door shut with a bang as she went inside.


    The sound was deafening, nearly breaking the door.


    Zhao Guihua paid no attention to Madam Zhou Li. She was as proud as a rooster, walking with her head held high. Aunt Wang came out too, looking at Zhao Guihua enviously and giving her a thumbs up, saying, "Old Zhao, you''ve really got what it takes."


    Zhao Guihua cackled with delight, thoroughly pleased with herself. She had no reason to be modest.


    Her family had been poor farmers for three generations, and her bicycle permit was obtainedpletely legitimately, so why should she hide?


    She said, "I bought this bike just for fishing. I couldn''t handle walking there every time, and taking the bus daily was too expensive. Now with the bicycle, everything''s much better."


    Aunt Wangughed and said, "Stop bragging, you haven''t caught a single fish since you started fishing."


    Zhao Guihua wouldn''t have that, saying, "I''m just practicing, aren''t I? Just wait! It''s been too coldtely, and fish get cold too, so naturally, they''re not biting as much. Wait a few days. When the weather warms up, I''ll show you what I''m really capable of."


    Aunt Wang: "..." Now that was some serious bragging.


    Zhao Guihua was very pleased with herself and said, "Oh right, I''m nning to go fishing every day now, so if you need me,e find me in the evening."


    Aunt Wang understood: "Got it."


    Not just Zhao Guihua, buttely, nobody in theirpound stayed home much, and the reason was obvious. Though the smell had somewhat dissipated, it hadn''tpletely gone away, and you could still catch whiffs of it. It really made it impossible to eat.


    Aunt Wang: "We''re still keeping the four-day rotation for patrol duty, right?"


    Although the septic tank incident had caused quite a stir, since Jii wasn''t the real thief, the patrols had to continue. But Aunt Wang also said: "After this incident, people have lost their enthusiasm for patrolling."


    Everyone had been eager to catch the thief and prove themselves, but instead, it led to the septic tank incident. It really dampened people''s spirits - after one day of heightened motivation, everyone deted again.


    Word was that it had be difficult to gather enough people for patrol duty these days, which was worrisome.


    Aunt Wang: "From what I can see, we olddies'' patrol team is still the most reliable. These young folks gave up after just one day."


    Zhao Guihua nodded in emphatic agreement.


    She was quite open-minded about it, saying, "It''s fine, we''ll keep participating normally even if the young ones can''t handle it. We''ll keep going. Like I always say, we olddies are just as capable."


    Aunt Wang nodded: "You''re absolutely right!"


    Sure enough, on the next fourth day, attendance was still sparse, with not enough people showing up. Aunt Wang looked displeased. She went straight to Old Su''s house to call people: "Aunt Su, why aren''t youing out?"


    Then she went to Old Zhou''s house.


    Madam Zhou Li also showed no interest in moving.


    This really angered Aunt Wang, who scolded: "Look at the state of you all! This is a collective activity - don''t you have any sense of collective honor?"


    This kind of talk would have no impact decadester, but it was still quite effective now. Aunt Su and Madam Zhou Li reluctantly came out, with Aunt Su swaying as if unsteady, saying: "I got hurt that day and fell ill. I really have no energy. It''s not that I don''t want toe patrol, but my body really can''t take it. If I patrol, I''ll copse. You know my situation. Look at my condition. My Xiu works during the day,es home to cook, and is exhausted from all the work inside and out. If we have to patrol too, she won''t be able to handle it."


    Seeing her in this state, Aunt Wang couldn''t really force her to participate.


    When Madam Zhou Li saw that Aunt Su was getting out of it, she immediately started wailing: "Oh, Aunt Wang, I''m suffering too! Look how much we''ve been through these past few days! My son and daughter-inw, neither of them is doing well! It''s not that we don''t want to help, but we need rest too!"


    As the two olddies cried and wailed back and forth, Aunt Wang remained silent, but Zhao Guihua couldn''t stand it anymore: "Will you both shut up!"


    She shouted: "If you want to ck off, just say so! Stop pretending to be victims! Aunt Wang, let''s go - if they don''t want toe, then fine! Damn, what kind of people are they! Don''t force them anymore. Just report this to the streetmittee, and when good thingse along in the future, we''ll exclude them from everything!"


    Aunt Wang listened and thought this made sense, nodding: "That''s right."


    Madam Zhou Li wasn''t happy about this and said: "Zhao Guihua, what business is this of yours?"


    Zhao Guihua gave a coldugh and said loudly: "When you disregard collective interests and act selfishly, anyone has the right to speak up! What''s wrong? You can do it but others can''t call you out? Just say whether you''re going on patrol or not!"


    Madam Zhou Li''s face alternated between green and white. After a long while, she said defiantly: "I''m not going. We''re not feeling well, none of us are going!"


    They weren''t going, and what could anyone do about it?


    Madam Zhou Li gave Zhao Guihua a smug look, snorted, and made a challenging gesture - she wasn''t going, and what could they do, hit her?


    Zhao Guihua didn''t bother with the nonsense and simply said: "Then let''s go."


    Aunt Su saw this and started to panic. Unlike Madam Zhou Li, she wasn''t so bold. While Madam Zhou Li might be mean-spirited and unscrupulous, she was fortunate - her son and daughter-inw could earn money. They had no worries, but Aunt Su wasn''t in the same position.


    She was still hoping to get some benefits from the streetmittee each year.


    Though she couldn''t qualify as a hardship household by ying the sympathy card, she still managed to get some small "subsidies" each year. If she got a bad reputation, she could forget about these little advantages. So she absolutely couldn''t take that risk.


    She hesitated helplessly, immediately looking toward Old Man Bai. Old Man Bai instantly understood his sweetheart''s predicament and gantly stepped in: "Since Aunt Su isn''t feeling well and can''t participate, I''ll take her ce! I''lle out and fill her family''s quota."


    Aunt Wang said quietly: "What about your own family''s quota?"


    Old Man Bai: "Uh... can we pretend my family isn''t participating?"


    Aunt Wang, Zhao Guihua, and several neighbors twitched their mouths in disbelief, thinking this old fellow was a bit iprehensible. Was something wrong with his head? Aunt Wang rolled her eyes and said, "Stop giving me this nonsense!"


    Old Man Bai stood tall and proud, saying, "Why not? I''m willing to do this for them. You''re just counting heads anyway, so just pretend no one came from my household. I''m standing in for old Aunt Su, and given her situation, how can you all be so harsh on her? How can you be so heartless? We''re all brothers and sisters living in the same courtyard, can''t you show some kindness?"


    Aunt Wang exploded, "Damn you! Who are you calling unkind? Should we humor you just because you''ve lost your mind?"


    Aunt Wang was furious, putting her hands on her hips, ready for a fight!


    She was a robust and fierce old woman, and truth be told, Old Man Bai, in his current state, might not be a match for her in a real fight.


    Old Man Bai shrank his neck a bit but stood his ground: "I''m not participating. I''m standing in for Aunt Su."


    Aunt Wang was so angry she said "fine" three times in session.


    Zhao Guihua thought this old fellow was about to faint from anger.


    She patted Aunt Wang and said, "It''s not worth getting angry over such a fool. We all witnessed what happened here, and we can testify to that. Just report the truth when the timees."


    Aunt Wang took a deep breath to calm herself and said, "Alright!"


    As they all left together, it wasn''t just Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang who were confused - other residents of the courtyard couldn''t understand it either. Old Sui''s son was particrly bewildered, saying, "What''s so attractive about Aunt Su anyway?"


    He couldn''t understand it at all.


    Others couldn''t understand either, everyone shaking their heads. Of course they couldn''t understand - they were either olddies or young people, how could they?


    Only the old men truly understood these matters.


    Old Man Bai felt these people had absolutely no vision.


    Due to the earlier incident, today''s patrol atmosphere was even worse than usual.


    However, Zhao Guihua remained spirited. She vaguely remembered that the thief would appear in just a few days. Although she wasn''t sure if the earlier incident would affect how things would unfold, she dared not bet that the thief wouldn''t show up.


    So she remained very cautious. There weren''t many olddies as strict as her. Although everyone carried wooden sticks for self-defense at the beginning, after nearly twenty days, many had be careless and indifferent.


    Only Zhao Guihua''s team still carried their sticks while patrolling.


    If Zhao Guihua hadn''t been the first to bring weapons every day, others might have forgotten about it too. Because she always came fully equipped, she influenced those who patrolled with her. Zhao Guihua still marched proudly at the front.


    Compared to her, the others'' presence was like that of senior and junior eunuchs following the Empress Dowager.


    Aunt Wang remarked, "Old Zhao, I think your spirit is really stronger than most people''s."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Am I just like most people?"


    Aunt Wangughed too: "Certainly not."


    As the patrol team walked the streets, they were unaware that on the street they had just passed, a short man quietly slipped out. This was none other than Zhang San, the thief who had been causing trouble recently.


    Zhang San had been in this line of work for several years and had never failed, earning himself a small reputation in the underworld. Although policies were strict now, thieves had neverpletely disappeared in any era.


    No matter the time, there were always thieves.


    However, because of stricter regtions now, being a thief had be more difficult. Fortunately, Zhang San was quite cautious, following all the unwritten rules of the trade - never steal from your neighbors, always scout carefully, and so on. He observed all the taboos of the profession.


    Because of this, he had managed to operate continuously without getting caught.


    He had been living quitefortably, but recently, after robbing three houses in session, people had be vignt, and the Xinghua neighborhood had started organizing patrols. Usually, Zhang San would never hit the same ce twice, especially after stealing from three houses in one night in this area and with increased patrols.


    Under normal circumstances, he would absolutely not attempt anything.


    However, what he hadn''t expected was that these vigorous patrols had actually caught someone - reportedly a child who tried to steal from neighbors while everyone was out patrolling, but got caught.


    Of course, the subsequent cesspool incident was worth mentioning - the story had nearly spread throughout the entire city.


    Truly, it would reach Tianjin any day now.


    At any rate, Zhang San had heard about it, and honestly, he was extremely curious about this ce.


    He wanted to see it!


    Such an extraordinary ce was worth visiting a second time - he really wanted to go!


    Besides curiosity, it was also reverse thinking. He believed his ability to thrive in this profession was due to his clever mind. He reasoned that while the area was being patrolled daily, which would normally deter ordinary thieves, it could actually be an opportunity.


    Because of the patrols, many households would be missing their young and strong members - even a child knew this logic. How could he, a master thief, not realize this? Moreover, since everyone believed thieves wouldn''t daree due to the patrols, they would surely bex in their vignce. Thinking this way, wasn''t this actually an excellent opportunity?


    He felt that the patrol team wasn''t a force to catch him, but rather a good cover for his activities.


    After much consideration, Zhang San reached a conclusion.


    The Xinghua area was now the most suitable ce to strike. Though there were many ces in the city, this location was the most appropriate for his return to action. After observing for several days, he indeed saw howx their patrols had be.


    Moreover, because of the cesspool incident, everyone seemed tock spirit, just going through the motions.


    Zhang San was very satisfied.


    Since that was the case, they couldn''t me him for striking again.


    So tonight, he put on inconspicuous clothing and smeared his face with soot from a wok bottom. Without careful observation, he looked like a somewhat elderly, dark-skinned old man.


    He walked with confident steps to Xinghua neighborhood.


    From a distance, he quietly observed the patrol team. No wonder he looked down on this team - they were even worse than a few days ago. There were more elderly people. Although they carried wooden sticks, he felt this further proved their ipetence - they needed to put on a show precisely because they were ineffective.


    He nodded with great satisfaction. He had already gathered information that the wealthiest family in the area was surnamed Zhou. Many people could confirm that the olddy of the Zhou family imed they were the richest in the courtyard.


    Such talk might be inappropriate now, but since they were all working people, it wasn''t too much of an issue.


    However, while the speaker meant no harm, the listener - this thief - took it quite differently.


    Under the moonlight, he quietly snuck into the courtyard. Another reason he chose this courtyard was that many of its residents were out patrolling today. While the patrol team wasn''t exclusively made up of people from this courtyard, this courtyard had sent the most people today.


    Even children understood the logic of breaking into empty houses, so naturally, he understood it even better.


    He slipped into the courtyard and quickly found the Zhou household. The family had gone to bed early, their snoring as loud as an electric drill. Zhang San looked around, confirming no one had discovered him. He took out a wire and carefully jimmied the lock a few times. The door creaked open with a slight sound.


    Zhang San held the door with one hand, preventing it from making any noise as he tiptoed inside. Although this family was wealthy, the interior could hardly be called luxurious. He crept to the room on the left, where an olddy was sleeping - she was the source of the loud snoring.


    However, Zhang San liked it; he actually enjoyed such loud snoring as it could cover up quite a few things. He crept in, and the room wasn''tplicated. He went straight for the cab drawers, searching quietly. Though the drawers were locked, that was no challenge for him.


    He opened them in no time and after searching for a while, found seven or eight yuan. Zhang San was very dissatisfied.


    He had done his research thoroughly - in this family, the son was a level-seven electrician earning over ny yuan per month. Even if the son kept that money, this olddy still had her daughter-inw''s sry. He had heard that the olddy had bragged outside that her daughter-inw had to hand over all of her thirty-seven yuan sry to her for household expenses.


    For a family of three, that was more than they needed.


    He had also heard that this olddy was quite stingy with herself and her daughter-inw, refusing to spend money. So who knew how much she had saved up? He felt that these seven or eight yuan were an insult to both his skills and the olddy''s secret stash.


    He quickly resumed searching - a good thief should leave no trace of having searched at all.


    He soon started searching the wardrobe, but... nothing!


    How could this olddy have nothing?


    He quickly pulled open the drawers again, looking underneath. Usually, olddies like her wouldn''t hide things too cleverly. After searching for a while, he crawled under the bed. Finally, he found a smallpartment under the bed. Sure enough, these kinds of olddies only had so many ces to hide money.


    He pried open the smallpartment and saw a handkerchief wrapping a small cloth bundle. He quickly opened it to find it full of "big unity" notes - ten yuan each, quite thick. His professional touch told him there must be at least a thousand yuan!


    Zhang San clicked his tongue - this was the wealthiest olddy he''d ever encountered, remarkable!


    He pocketed the money and silently left the room. He wondered what this olddy ate growing up - the room had such a strange smell. Zhang San wasn''t easily satisfied; although he had robbed the olddy, her son must have quite a bit of money too. This mother and son pair were something else.


    He entered another room where the couple was sleeping soundly. Seeing them embracing in their sleep, he snickered and started searching. He quickly found a jewelry box in the drawer containing a gold ring, a pair of gold earrings, and even a pearl ne. He hurriedly pocketed these.


    Just as he was about to search more, he looked back at the jewelry box again. Sure enough, there were twenty yuan under it. He felt quite pleased. Nothing could escape his notice.


    He continued searching, but this man was good at hiding money. Even after two searches, he couldn''t find anything. Who knew where he hid his things? It was proving quite difficult to find. This really sparked hispetitive spirit!


    He kept searching...


    Jiang Lu was sleeping deeply, having a wonderful dream where she had given her husband ten sons, one each year - quite impressive. Everyone envied them and asked for their secret to having sons.


    She smiled proudly in her dream, solemnly telling them: others couldn''t learn it - it was all because she and her Zhou Qun were too amazing.


    This sweet dream made her so happy that Jiang Luughed out loud, her sharpughter suddenly piercing the silence. Zhang San tripped over a stool - thump!


    In the dead of night, such a sound was extremely obvious.


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu woke up instantly, and Zhang San immediately knew he was in trouble. He took off running.


    Zhou Qun was still rubbing his eyes when he saw a dark figure dash out, and by then Jiang Lu had seen it too and screamed, "Ahhh... there''s a thief!"


    "Thief! Catch the thief!"


    They quickly threw on some clothes and gave chase, only to see the dark figure had already fled the courtyard.


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu stood in the courtyard shouting: "Everyone wake up, there''s a thief in ourpound!"


    As lights began turning on in house after house, the couple didn''t chase outside but kept shouting from the courtyard. Zhou Qun was quite shrewd - he didn''t dare chase outside, what if something likest time happened again? Besides, if it was a real thief, who knew if they were armed? Just thinking about it was scary.


    He certainly wasn''t going to risk his life fighting a thief.


    If even he, a grown man, wouldn''t chase, Jiang Lu was even less willing. The couple kept shouting loudly in the courtyard. Finally, people starteding out. Bai Fendou said: "What''s all the shouting about? Another thief? Is it real this time?"


    Because of what happenedst time, it felt somewhat like crying wolf.


    Nobody really wanted to chase.


    Who knew if this wasn''t another bathroom battle?


    "It''s real, they just broke into our house, we don''t even know what they stole yet... everyone hurry and chase! Why isn''t anyone chasing?" Zhou Qun was furious.


    Bai Fendou sneered: "A thief breaks into your house and you won''t even chase them yourself, yet you want us to? You''re quite calcting. Whoever wants to chase can chase, I won''t. I''m not skilled enough to y the hero."


    While they were still arguing...


    This gave Zhang San a chance to escape. Hearing the patrol team running from afar, he had a sudden inspiration and ducked into the bathroom. Last time there was trouble with the bathroom, surely no one would think someone would go there again!


    This was the perfect hiding ce!


    Actually, given how Zhou Qun and the others were dawdling, Zhang San could have easily escaped - with no one chasing and the patrol team still on another street, escaping would have taken just a minute. As a seasoned thief, how could he call himself professional without some escape skills?


    But suddenly he didn''t want to run anymore. After all, this area had quite a reputation. He had heard the tale of the heroic dash through the cesspool several times, each time marveling at it. Somehow, he didn''t want to leave.


    He could at least stay here and peek outside, right?


    Maybe he''d see some excitement.


    Don''t think thieves don''t have curiosity - they do. Thinking this, he simply hid in the bathroom, stayingpletely still, pressed against the wall, listening to themotion outside. By now, Zhao Guihua and others had arrived. She looked around, asking loudly: "What happened?"


    By now everyone hade out - strength in numbers!


    When there were few people, naturally no one would chase, but it was different with more people.


    "My money!!! Curse them! Which scoundrel stole my money?!" Madam Zhou Li ran out frantically, not even wearing an outer garment, just in her autumn underwear. Her hair was aplete mess, making her look like a madwoman.


    Madam Zhou Li hadn''t expected their house to be targeted by thieves again.


    She had heard her son shouting about catching a thief immediately, but she hadn''t thought their house had been robbed, so she wasn''t in a hurry to get up. Other people''s business was none of their concern.


    Whoever got robbed deserved it, hopefully it was Zhao Guihua''s family - they had been showing off with their two bicycles. They deserved to be robbed!


    It must be their house.


    Madam Zhou Liy in her bed, cackling, not wanting to move. Though she didn''t want to move because of the cold, she couldn''t help but listen to such excitement. However, she was soon shocked!


    Because from the conversation, it seemed their house had been robbed?


    Madam Zhou Li jumped up immediately, quickly turned on the light to check, and upon looking, copsed onto the floor - the target really was their house!


    Their house again!


    Were these thieves specifically targeting her family?


    Was this going to be endless?


    She finally became energetic at this point, letting out a howl as she rushed out, crying: "My money! My retirement savings have all been stolen..."


    The scene became even more chaotic. As Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang returned, everyone immediately mobilized - they couldn''t let this thief get away. Madam Zhou Li squinted her triangr eyes at Aunt Su and shouted: "You surnamed Su, tell me, was it your Jii who did this?"


    This really infuriated Aunt Su, who burst into tears on the spot: "You can''t just bully us just because we''re a widow and orphan! If it was my Jii, may I be struck dead by lightning! Heaven won''t let you get away with falsely using people, you better watch out for karma!"


    She pointed at the sky and shouted, which truly shocked everyone.


    People began speaking up: "Auntie Zhou, we should be catching the thief right now, stop making a fuss."


    "Exactly! What''s the point of bullying a widow? If you''re so capable, go catch the thief!"


    "But where are we supposed to look?"


    "That''s right, if they''re not even worried about their own home, how are we supposed to find the thief for them? They''ve probably already run away by now!"


    When Madam Zhou Li heard everyone speaking this way, she stomped her feet and cried out: "You cruel-hearted people, you''re all just hoping for my family''s misfortune!"


    Upon seeing Zhao Guihua, she suddenly found someone to me and shouted: "You, Zhao Guihua, weren''t you supposed to be patrolling? Yet you let a thief into my house. You mustpensate me, you must!"


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t one to be pushed around, and she shouted back: "Get lost! Who do you think you''re talking to? You''ve got some nerve! We were all out patrolling while your family was beingzy, not sending anyone out. You deserve to get robbed. Maybe it''s karma for being such a terrible person."


    "Hey, she''s got a point!"


    "That''s true!"


    "It must be because she''s so wicked, why else would thieves keep targeting her house?"


    "Exactly, exactly."


    Bai Fendou stood to the side with a sarcastic tone: "Karmaes to those who deserve it, just not always right away!"


    He had long been irritated by how Madam Zhou Li bullied the Su family.


    Not to mention, this Madam Zhou Li had swindled him out of fifteen yuan, which he hadn''t forgotten.


    He said: "You see, some things really show that heaven is watching."


    People around pulled at Bai Fendou, telling him not to say such things - wasn''t this feudal superstition? Fortunately, no one paid much attention to it. For ordinary folks, it wasn''t a big deal as long as things didn''t go too far.


    Nobody was particrly willing to help, but Aunt Wang said: "Zhou Qun, you go to the police station now; everyone else, let''s split up and search, stay in groups. It hasn''t been long, the thief might not have gotten far, they might be hiding nearby. They might even be watching us right now, so let''s look around."


    This showed why Aunt Wang was the building manager - she had higher awareness and quick reactions.


    "Alright, let''s split up and search."


    Although Madam Zhou Li was universally disliked, everyone felt obligated to help catch the thief.


    Zhou Qun said: "Mom, our house isn''t locked, you go back and watch it. Wife, you stay with mom." He had money in there.


    He looked at Bai Fendou and said: "Bai Fendou,e with me to the police station."


    He didn''t want to go to the police station alone - what if he encountered the thief on the way? His life was too precious. Besides, this Bai Fendou was brainless enough to serve as a distraction if they encountered any bad guys.


    He said coldly: "Your family didn''t participate in the patrol today, you can''t even do this small thing?"


    Bai Fendou: "Hey, have you no shame? Who says we didn''t send anyone? Don''t you count my father as a person?"


    "Your father was just substituting for the Su family, your family didn''t actually contribute anyone."


    Bai Fendou''s mouth twitched, his gaze falling on Wang Xiangxiu''s face as she watched themotion. When Wang Xiangxiu gave him a pleading look, Bai Fendou suddenly found his courage and said: "Let''s go, I''lle with you! What''s the big deal!"


    The two left, pushing and shoving each other.


    Zhao Guihua waspletely exasperated with them, but her gaze fell on the public toilet, showing some hesitation. In her previous life, that person had hidden in the toilet, so in this life... could it be the same?


    She hesitated for a moment, torn between whether to go in and search or not.


    To be honest, she wanted to catch the thief, otherwise it felt like a hidden danger. After all, in her previous life, her son Zhuang Zhixi had been injured because of this, but that was the previous life, not this one... She remained uncertain.


    "Mom, I''ll go with you and dad." Zhuang Zhixi had appeared without anyone noticing.


    Zhao Guihua''s expression changed slightly.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t let Mingmei and sister-inwe out, there are children at home, and we don''t know where the thief is hiding. I feel better with Mingmei at home."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, indeed, having Mingmei at home was reassuring.


    She hesitated for a moment, looking at her son''s face, and quickly decided they should still catch this thief. She wasn''t the type to leave potential threats unaddressed. This absolutely wouldn''t do. She said: "We''ll search this street, you all head that way?"


    "Alright!"


    Aunt Wang: "I''ll go with you. We don''t need to check the toilet, right? Our neighborhood has quite a reputation, surely they wouldn''t go into the toilet?"


    "Thieves aren''t stupid, why would they hide in the toilet? No way, definitely not."


    Several people around agreed it was impossible.


    Zhang San could only hear vaguely from inside the toilet, given the distance, but it was enough to make him feel smug. See, he always said that even as a thief, one needs to use their brain. Only by using your brain can you be a winner in life.


    He grinned quite triumphantly.


    However, he knew enough about concealment at this moment to quickly cover his mouth, making sure not to make a sound. Everyone at the scene immediately dispersed, and when Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su saw the situation, they quietly returned home, not wanting to get involved in such matters. They weren''t stupid.


    After all, they were "unwell."


    After everyone scattered, Zhao Guihua''s group headed this way, consisting of Zhao Guihua, her son Zhuang Zhixi, her husband Old Man Zhuang, along with Aunt Wang, two young men from their building, and Auntie Sun and Auntie Xu from the neighboring building - eight people in total.


    The eight of them walked this way, checking all the hidden spots, but Zhao Guihua stopped in her tracks when she saw the toilet and said: "Do you think someone might be hiding in the toilet?"


    This was a topic they had discussed earlier, and everyone thought it unlikely, shaking their heads.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said: "If I were a thief, I''d do the opposite of what people expect and hide in the toilet."


    Put that way, it seemed to make sense.


    Zhang San: "...???" Hey, why would you think about doing the opposite? Can''t you just think like a normal person?


    Regardless of his internal anxiety, the people outside seemedpletely unaffected. Zhao Guihua said: "I also think someone might be hiding here. The most dangerous ce is often the safest ce."


    "You make a good point."


    Zhang San: "..." Olddy, since when did you be a military strategist?


    Zhao Guihua: "Everyone grab something handy, we don''t want to get hurt if we encounter the thief. Who knows if they''re hiding a knife somewhere."


    Zhao Guihua spoke earnestly: "No matter how skilled you are, you should still fear a knife. Be careful."


    Everyone nodded, feeling that Zhao Guihua made a lot of sense.


    Although the thief might not be hiding in the toilet, having something for self-defense couldn''t hurt.


    Everyone looked around and picked up sticks. When Zhao Guihua saw Zhuang Zhixi about to walk in front of her, she grabbed her son and said loudly: "Don''t block me, stay back, I''ll take the lead! A young man like you, the thief might fight with you, but I''m different. I''m old, if they so much as touch me, I''ll fall and not get up. I''ll extort them properly! They''ll have to pay hundreds inpensation, or I''ll im to be in pain all over. Let''s see if they don''t get a heavy sentence!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Others: "???"


    Zhang San: "...???" What kind of person is this?! How can someone be so devious?


    He angrily punched the wall. Damn, what kind of person!


    In the quiet night, with everyone silent at that moment, the sound of the wall being hit wasn''t loud, but since they were already close to the toilet, they heard it clearly. Instantly, everyone''s hair stood on end.


    There... there seemed to be movement in the toilet!


    Whether it was a thief or a ghost, this was terrifying!


    Everyone broke into a cold sweat, and Zhao Guihua let out a shout, raising her stick and yelling: "There are eight of us, more than enough to beat up one person! We could beat someone to death with all our sticks! Charge!"


    Sure enough, her shouting actually worked, and everyone suddenly realized - yes, there were eight of them.


    Aliali: 674db7898ee49abd4e616360Isn''t that enough?


    Everyone immediately gathered their courage and rushed into the bathroom together. It''s worth noting that the bathroom had only one door and a tiny venttion window ced high up - there was no way to escape through it. Zhang San was caught like a rat in a trap.


    As soon as Zhao Guihua burst in, she didn''t need to say a word to spot the figure pressed against the wall.


    The faint moonlight filtering through the venttion window cast a dim, hazy glow, but Zhao Guihua recognized the young man instantly. Zhang San''s heart skipped a beat, and in desperation, he pulled out a knife: "Stay back! Don''te any closer, or I won''t be nice!"


    Zhao Guihua, who had been rational until now, saw the knife and her old grudges resurfaced. With a roar, she swung her wooden stick directly at him: "Take this!"


    "Holy crap!"


    "Oh my god!"


    Bang... the wooden stick hit the wall as the thief dodged. Zhang San''s knife ttered to the ground, and Zhao Guihua, without hesitation, swung again. This time she didn''t miss - Zhang San cried out: "Mama!"


    The others immediately rushed forward...


    Zhang San fell to his knees with a thud, covering his head and crying out: "I was wrong! Help!"

 Chapter 33

    The police officers hurried along with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou towards the scene.


    This street was having trouble again.


    Again, and again, and yet again, there was trouble.


    It had to be said that this alley had an unusually high incident rate, especially this particr courtyard. The police officers looked at the two people who had fallen into the sewage pitst time, thinking they must have some sort of strange luck about them.


    However, since Zhou Qun was the victim this time, the police officers didn''t quite know how to sympathize with him.


    Everyone rushed over, and upon arrival, they heard crying from the bathroom: "I''m sorry! Help me!"


    The word "help" was particrly sensitive to police officers. Their expressions changed, and they immediately rushed toward the bathroom. At that moment, they hadn''t realized this was the same bathroom fromst time - the bathroom where a major incident had urred.


    They had no time to think about such things and rushed in quickly. Upon entering, they saw eight people each holding a stick, with a trembling poor soul in the middle.


    The poor soul was crouching on the ground, hands covering his head. Upon seeing the police, he shouted: "Officers, save me! I''m the thief!"


    The police officers were speechless.


    This was quite ridiculous.


    Zhang San didn''t want to be scared, but having been a thief for so many years, he''d heard many stories about caught thieves being beaten up before being handed over to the authorities, just to vent some anger.


    Many ended up barely able to breathe from the beating.


    So when he saw how formidable these people looked, he became terrified, extremely terrified.


    After all, he remembered the phrase "beaten to death by clubs," and if they really started hitting him, he''d be finished. He looked at the police officers pitifully and cried, "I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. Please arrest me quickly."


    Zhao Guihua was speechless.


    Looking at this coward, she wondered what kind of courage he must have had in his previous life to stab someone.


    The lead officer was Police Officer Li, who was familiar with Zhuang Zhixi. Officer Li looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Oh, it''s you again!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Yes, it''s me again."


    Officer Li: "You guys handcuff the thief and take him back to the station!"


    Although they thought it would be good to teach the thief a lesson with a beating, this street had quite a reputation, and he was worried something might happen - not afraid of someone getting beaten up badly, but afraid of someone being pushed into the sewage pit. If someone fell into the sewage pit, they''d have to fish them out, and that would be truly miserable.


    Everyone was normal people, and they really couldn''t handle swimming butterfly stroke in a sewage pit.


    Officer Li acted decisively and quickly: "Hurry up, and the rest of youe with me to the station to make statements."


    "Alright."


    Officer Li resolved the situation swiftly. By the time Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun squeezed in, everything was settled, and it had nothing to do with them anymore. Zhou Qun shouted: "Is that him! Is he the one who stole from my house?"


    Zhang San nodded sincerely: "Yes, it was me."


    Zhou Qun: "I''ll kill you..."


    He rolled up his sleeves and was about to charge forward, but was quickly stopped by a young police officer who said, "Don''t fight now, let''s go to the police station first. We''ll definitely give you a proper resolution."


    Even without Officer Li''s signal, they knew absolutely not to let anyone fight in the bathroom. Last time... was still vivid in their memories.


    He was also one of the young officers present at the scenest time. That scene was indescribable - he couldn''t eat properly for three days. Today he had finally returned to normal, and absolutely nothing could go wrong again.


    No, absolutely not!


    The officers were of one mind and moved quickly. Soon, everyone was heading to the police station.


    As the courtyard manager, Auntie Wang had to go;


    As the first discoverer and the first to take action, Zhao Guihua had to go too;


    Old Man Zhuang... he had to apany his wife;


    The others, rarely having such a moment in the spotlight, also had to go.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand voluntarily: "I won''t go then. I''ll go inform everyone about the situation. We still have two groups searching for the thief. I''ll let them know so they don''t waste their effort."


    Officer Li: "Alright, thank you."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "It''s my duty, serving the people."


    They quickly split up, and Zhuang Zhixi jogged off to inform people. When everyone heard the thief had been caught, they were overjoyed, though slightly disappointed it wasn''t them who caught him. However, this didn''t stop them from wanting to go to the police station to see what was happening, after all, they had contributed too.


    It was just bad luck they hadn''t found the thief.


    But since they had patrolled, they should go and see.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched them head to the police station while he returned to the courtyard to inform others of the situation. When Madam Zhou Li heard the thief was caught, she ran straight out the main gate without a word. Watching her running figure, Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "Madam Zhou is quite capable. I''m cold even wearing a padded jacket, but she dares to go out in just thermal underwear."


    The people in the courtyard nodded at his words, sighing: "When you get old, you don''t feel the cold anymore."


    "Not feeling cold is one thing, but wearing just thermal underwear isn''t proper, is it?"


    "It doesn''t matter, nobody looks at old folks!"


    "It''s not about whether people look or not, how long has it been since she washed those clothes..."


    "Let''s not meddle."


    "That''s true."


    Madam Zhou Li was a rough old character, and nobody wanted to get involved with her affairs. She was the type who wouldn''t appreciate help even if you gave it, and if you said something wrong, she''d hold a grudge.


    There was really no point in reminding such a person.


    Everyone quickly stopped talking about Madam Zhou and asked: "Little Zhuang, where did you catch him?"


    "Yeah, you guys are impressive, actually managing to catch him."


    "You''ve got skills! Little Zhuang, I thought it was just luck when you caught someonest time, but now I see you''re really capable."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed softly, very sincerely: "Actually, it''s mainly thanks to how capable the aunties are. We young people just followed along making a show of force. Led by my mother, and Auntie Wang, they''re all really formidable."


    Hearing this, Cook Li, who was watching themotion, nodded slightly - his wife was among them too.


    "So they''ve all gone to the police station?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "They''ve all gone. If I hadn''te back to inform everyone, I would have gone too. But since I''m back, I won''t go now."


    After all, he wouldn''t miss out on any credit due to him, and he didn''t need to rush over there. He needed his rest.


    Though he was young, he couldn''t wear himself out.


    He smiled and said: "Well, I''m heading back now."


    "Don''t go yet, tell us more!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I don''t really know the details. I only came out when Brother Zhou Qun called for people, and I just walked around with my mother for a while before we caught him. I don''t know much more. If you want to know the details, just wait for those who went to the police station - they''ll know everything when theye back."


    "That''s true."


    "Should we go to the police station and take a look?"


    "Sure... oh wait, better not. What if another thiefes while everyone''s gone?"


    "How many thieves could there be?"


    "You never know, in our courtyard... never mind, let''s hurry back home."


    Everyone dispersed, and Zhuang Zhixi went home too. His older brother wasn''t home, and his sister-inw had taken the two children to sleep in her room. Zhuang Zhixi went to the window and quietly said, "Sister-inw, everything''s fine now, get some rest."


    Liang Meifen: "...???"


    I was waiting for you to tell me more details, and you''re just going to sleep?


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t care what Liang Meifen was thinking. He had onlye out because he heard themotion, and if his mother hadn''t been patrolling to catch the thief, he wouldn''t have gotten involved in such matters. He only joined the search because he was worried about his mother.


    He pushed open his door and saw his wife waiting for him with bright eyes. Zhuang Zhixi closed the door, quickly took off his clothes and dove under the covers, saying: "Warm me up."


    Ming Mei''s long eyshes fluttered as she asked: "Did you catch him?"


    Zhuang Zhixi proudly said: "Of course."


    He smiled and said: "It was just a small matter."


    Ming Mei patted his shoulder and said: "You''re quite impressive. I didn''t expect you all to be so capable."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Just luck, just luck."


    He rolled onto his back and said: "Let''s sleep early, I have to work tomorrow."


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow and suddenly leaned in close to him, whispering, "What''s wrong?"


    She felt something was off about him. She gently moved closer to his face, so close that she could see the fine down on his cheeks, and pouted, "Is there something bothering you? You seem a bit off today."


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked and suddenly reached out to pull his wife into his embrace. Ming Mei pressed against his face, murmuring, "What are you doing! I was just trying to show concern, and you''re messing around."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, but didn''t say anything. Instead, he hugged Ming Mei tighter and closed his eyes.


    Ming Mei poked his chest, saying, "Hey, I''m asking you."


    Seeing Ming Mei persistently asking, Zhuang Zhixi finally sighed and said, "You''re really a curious cat."


    Ming Mei shyly smiled and said, "If you don''t want to talk about it, then don''t. I was just concerned about you. If you don''t want to say, then let''s sleep."


    She turned off the light and found afortable position to lie down, saying, "Good night."


    Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her, and at this moment, he spoke up, "My mom really cares about me."


    His sudden remark made Ming Mei look up in surprise. Zhuang Zhixi pressed his forehead against Ming Mei''s and whispered, "Today, we heard noises in the bathroom. I was originally in front, but my mom pulled me to the back. Although she said some irrelevant things, I knew she was worried about me getting into trouble. I felt it very clearly; she was really concerned."


    An outsider might not sense it, but how could a son not feel it?


    Ming Mei listened quietly for a moment, then softly said, "Isn''t that normal?"


    She gently smiled and said, "You''re her child; of course, she cares about you."


    Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips and said, "I always thought my parents liked my older brother more, so they could tolerate my sister-inw''s nonsense. They didn''t seem to like me as much..."


    Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s flesh and twisted it.


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "Ow, why did you suddenly pinch me?"


    Ming Mei confidently said, "I''m just trying to wake you up! Your mom obviously likes you a lot. I never doubted that, so why do you doubt it yourself? Although your older brother is the eldest, you''re also great. You two have different personalities, so your parents'' attitudes towards you are naturally different. But that doesn''t mean they like your older brother more. As for your sister-inw, look at me, I''m sozy, and your mom hasn''t said anything. A mother-inw''s feelings for her daughter-inw are limited, it''s all about her sons. So I think your mom still likes you a lot."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and teased, "You''re aware of howzy you are, huh?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "I don''t like doing chores."


    She was quite straightforward about it.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Hey, wife, you know quite a bit. You don''t seem like someone who knows so much."


    Ming Mei replied, "Before I got married, my mom gave me a lesson. I had some extra tutoring."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, realizing that was true. His mother-inw seemed very shrewd, and he could sense that after a few interactions. Not many people could outsmart her.


    Ming Mei nuzzled her head against Zhuang Zhixi''s neck like a kitten, finding a morefortable position, and said, "You think too much. Let''s sleep."


    She mumbled, "Smart people just overthink things. It''s really unnecessary."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly, giving her a gentle pat, feeling her plumpness.


    Ming Mei red, "You''re just getting back at me!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked, "Am not."


    He held her tighter and said, "Sleep tight."


    Both of them were young and loved sleeping. Before long, they fell asleep. When they woke up, it was early morning, and the rest of the family had already returned. They hadn''t even noticed. Zhuang Zhixi brushed his teeth and shouted, "Mom, what happenedst night? When did you guys get back?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "We came back soon after. Just a routine report, how long could it take?"


    "Was that thief really the one who''s been stealing from many housestely?" Zhuang Zhixi asked curiously, finding it hard to believe there could be such a foolish and cowardly thief.


    Zhao Guihua confirmed it with a nod, "That''s him!"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Truly, one can''t judge a book by its cover."


    He looked ordinary, and his demeanor was timid.


    Zhao Guihua nced at her son standing in the courtyard, guessing what he was thinking, but she didn''tment further. Instead, she said, "It''s good that he was caught. Maybe he''ll turn over a new leaf."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded in agreement.


    While the mother and son were talking, Liang Meifen hesitantly approached Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Mom, since you caught the thief, isn''t there... something..."


    Her unspoken words were clear in her eyes.


    Zhao Guihua looked up and asked, "What?"


    She retorted, "What do you want to say?"


    Liang Meifen hesitated, then forced a smile and whispered, "Since you caught the thief, there should be some kind of... reward, right?"


    After all, the younger couple had received a reward before.


    Zhao Guihua knew this eldest daughter-inw was always calcting such things. She said, "I don''t know. They didn''t mention it, so it probably depends on the situation. But regardless, I think Auntie Wang deserves the most thanks. The police station probably has its own considerations."


    This wasn''t just empty talk. Although Zhao Guihua always took her patrols seriously, Auntie Wang was the one who really put in the effort. On days she wasn''t patrolling, she still often walked around their courtyard, ensuring their safety. She was a very conscientious person.


    Liang Meifen, however, was unimpressed and pouted.


    Before she could say anything, the neighbors from the Su family came out to wash up. Today, both the mother-inw and daughter-inw had sullen faces, looking like someone owed them money. Even the usually good-at-pretending Aunt Su wasn''t putting on a show.


    It was obvious they were upset for missing out on the chance to catch the thief and the resulting honor.


    In those times, people valued such honors a lot, whether for sry increases or other benefits. Missing out on such an opportunity was naturally disheartening.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t engage in small talk and just called out, "Zhuang Zhixi,e back for breakfast."


    Zhuang Zhixi responded with an "Oh" and spat out the toothpaste foam. As he walked back, he saw his wife rubbing her eyes anding out. He smiled and approached, cing his cold hands on her cheeks.


    Ming Mei quickly dodged, saying, "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re so mean!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed heartily and said, "I''m just trying to wake you up."


    He held her hand and said with a smile, "The water''s cold. I''ll get you some hot water."


    Their room''s hot water had run out. It couldn''t be helped; young couples often had a lot of nighttime activities. They boiled a kettle of hot water every evening, and it always ran out. This led Liang Meifen to grumble about the quick use of coal briquettes.


    However, she didn''t say this to the couple''s face, so they weren''t aware.


    Zhuang Zhixi went to the main house to get hot water. Liang Meifen nced at him, her mouth twitching as if she wanted to say something but held back. Zhuang Zhixi didn''t pay attention to his sister-inw''s troubled expression and went about his business. He didn''t think it was a big deal. After all, he had given the family a bicycle coupon, which was worth money.


    So it wasn''t about splitting everything down to thest detail.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t dwell on it, and Ming Mei certainly didn''t either. She wasn''t the type to notice subtle expressions or overanalyze things. Life would be too tiring if everything had to be dissected.


    Ming Mei couldn''t be bothered with such things.


    As the young couple walked to work together, they passed by the restroom area. Zhuang Zhixi sincerely remarked, "What a restroom filled with stories."


    Ming Mei nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.


    As they gazed at the restroom, they saw Lao Baotou, the man in charge of transporting the waste,ing around from the back. Upon spotting Zhuang Zhixi, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Xiao Zhuang, I heard they caught a thief in the restroom yesterday?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, but don''t worry this time, no one fell into the pit."


    Lao Baotou: "..."


    You really know what I''m worried about.


    However, he had more thoughts on his mind.


    Lao Baotou: "Come, Uncle Bao will take a moment of your time. I need to discuss something with you."


    Zhuang Zhixi was taken aback but then said, "Alright, wife, you go ahead first."


    Ming Mei looked curiously at them, nodded, and said in a soft voice, "I''m leaving."


    Zhuang Zhixi squeezed her palm and smiled, "Go ahead, I''ll pick you up after work."


    Ming Mei rolled her eyes, "You always say you''ll pick me up, but you''ve never seeded..."


    It had be a strange phenomenon. Every time Zhuang Zhixi said he would pick her up, she would finish work early. Not once had it been an exception. Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi silently, who firmly said, "This time, I will definitelye."


    Ming Mei muttered, "I hope I don''t finish work early."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "If you finish work early today, I''ll pick you up tomorrow. If you finish early tomorrow, I''ll pick you up the day after. I will definitely pick you up."


    Ming Mei pouted, "You don''t have to, you work hard too. You don''t need to pick me up."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How can I not? It''s especially necessary. You''re my wife."


    Ming Mei smiled happily. She pouted again, "Well... okay."


    She waved her little hand, "I''m leaving."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Be careful on your bike."


    Ming Mei: "I know!"


    She could even ride with both hands off the handlebars, so cool. But she didn''t need to tell this guy that.


    Ming Mei rode off, and Zhuang Zhixi watched her until she was out of sight. He then asked with a smile, "Uncle Bao, what did you want to talk to me about?"


    Uncle Bao: "It''s about this public restroom."


    Uncle Bao was struggling too.


    He was in charge of the public restrooms in the entire eastern district of their street. His job involved collecting waste from each restroom every morning with a tricycle. He started around 3-4 AM when it was just getting light. By the time people went to work, he was almost done.


    He never missed a beat in his work. The street was divided into eastern and western districts, and even when theypeted, he never lost. Not once!


    But recently, in Xinghua Lane, he had been struggling a lot. It wasn''t just talk; it was very real. Take the waste pit incident, for example. That day, his work dragged on until noon, and the yield was less than usual.


    They, the waste collectors, belonged to the municipal department. After collecting the waste, they had to transport it to the surrounding rural areas to be used as fertilizer.


    But that day, how much was wasted. It pained Old Bao.


    This affected his work efficiency and reduced the yield, making him very distressed.


    Zhuang Zhixi heard this and said, "Uncle Bao, what exactly do you want to say? Just say it directly. You don''t need to go through all this."


    Uncle Bao: "I just want you to know how difficult it is for me!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So...?"


    Uncle Bao: "I heard this morning that you caught another thief in the restroom. My heart skipped a beat. There are dozens of restrooms in the eastern district, but only the ones in Xinghua Lane have so many problems! I''m really afraid someone else will fall in. I came over this morning with a nervous heart, but luckily, no more incidents."


    He sincerely said, "Can''t you perform elsewhere? Why does it have to be in the restroom?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, nodding in agreement and feeling a bit proud, "Yes, who let us be so heroic? So there are more stories."


    Uncle Bao: "..."


    That''s not really something to be proud of, is it?


    He took a deep breath and said, "I''m very worried about this area. So, I want to ask you to write a sign."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Just this small matter?"


    So after talking for ten minutes, it''s just for this?


    Uncle Bao raised his voice, "How is this a small matter? It''s a very big deal! It concerns the harvest of farmers in the suburbs and the reputation of this restroom."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Didn''t think a restroom had much of a reputation.


    "So what do you want written?"


    Uncle Bao was troubled here. He said, "That''s why I''m asking you. You''re a high school graduate, help me think about what to write to prevent people from falling into the restroom?"


    He said seriously, "This is the most serious thing!"


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, "How about putting up a sign here that says ''No Bathing Allowed''?"


    Uncle Bao was stunned, then quickly nodded, "That''s good. This is a waste pit, not a ce for messing around!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Will you write it yourself, or should I help you?"


    Uncle Bao: "I''d appreciate it if you could help."


    Zhuang Zhixi said with a smile, "It''s no problem, just a small favor. I don''t mind helping."


    Uncle Bao was very grateful, "You''re really a good young man. Thank you so much. I knew you had a quick mind as a schr. Yes, put up a sign like that, behind the restroom. I think it''s good."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "I''ll have it ready for you tomorrow morning."


    Uncle Bao: "Alright, alright."


    Zhuang Zhixi could finally go to work. He felt he had done a good deed.


    You see, young people should do good deeds often.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and left. Just then, his mother, Zhao Guihua, came out to use the restroom. Seeing her son from afar, she felt something was off. She wondered what he had done this time. But as a mother, she didn''t bother with those details.


    And it wasn''t just Uncle Bao who had an aversion to this restroom area. Zhao Guihua did too.


    After all, she had witnessed the aftermath.


    Zhao Guihua came out fastening her pants and saw Auntie Lian and a few other women approaching. Auntie Lian deeply remarked, "What a magical restroom. Sister Zhao, I heard there was anothermotion here?"


    Zhao Guihua: "You really have a lot of energy."


    They came early in the morning just to watch the restroom. What kind of spirit is that? So idle. Truly, quite impressive.


    Zhao Guihua: "A thief was caught herest night."


    Auntie Lian whispered to the other olddies, "You know, isn''t there a saying that everything happens for a reason? A few days ago, wasn''t there a ghost crying here? Maybe that ghost is just, you know, doing her duty. Can''t stand thieves, so when a thiefes near the restroom, she uses her supernatural powers to help people catch the thief."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Are you acting out a ghost story or something?


    Rumors spread like this, don''t they?


    If Zhao Guihua didn''t know that the "crying ghost" was just her daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, who liked to cry in the restroom, she might have believed it.


    Auntie Lian''s sisters-inw kept tugging at her sleeve, warning her repeatedly, "Don''t spread superstition."


    Auntie Lian: "Hey, no outsiders here. Trust me, I know a lot."


    She wasn''t a fool; she knew what saying such things meant. But when people are struggling to eat, they don''t think too much. If she got caught, it wouldn''t be bad either. Free food, right?


    Whether inside or outside, it''s all work.


    So Auntie Lian wasn''t too worried. She just hoped to use some superstition to trick... err, earn some money for food.


    Someone always believes in this stuff.


    She smiled, "I''m just saying, I know you won''t turn me in."


    Everyone nodded and looked at Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t have the time for all this. You guyse over just to watch the fun, you really are quite idle."


    "Well, there''s nothing else to do anyway."


    "Oh, by the way, I heard your neighbor got robbed of a lot of money, and even gold jewelry, is that true?"


    Zhao Guihuaughed: "You all know about that already?"


    "Of course, who doesn''t know he''s rich? He''s always showing off. My seventh uncle''s eighth aunt''s niece knows he''s the richest in this area. If a thief isn''t going to rob him, who else would they go for? He''s really showing off too much."


    Madam Zhou Li''s reputation certainly travels far.


    This time, the reputation of being rich is probably spreading even further. Zhao Guihuamented that such a reputation spreading out is not a good thing. Although their family are all working-ss people, they don''t attract young thieves, but it''s better to be cautious than to be targeted.


    It''s likely that thieves all over the city of Beijing know about their family now.


    Zhao Guihua silently hoped that no more thieves woulde, and if they did, they wouldn''t knock on the wrong door.


    "Hey, I heard Jiang Lu''s gold jewelry was part of her dowry for her wedding?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I left after giving my statement, so I''m not clear on the specifics. I can''tpare with those young people, my old bones can''t handle staying up all night. I left early, so I don''t know the details."


    "Oh, you missed out on the gossip."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s true."


    The group chatted andughed, dispersing to watch themotion around the toilet. Auntie Lian quietly approached Zhao Guihua and said, "You live in this area, and this toilet is in such a state, aren''t you afraid?"


    Zhao Guihua: "???"


    Auntie Lian whispered mysteriously, "I have ck dog blood, you know, ck dog blood is the best for warding off evil spirits, capable of repelling anything unclean. If you''re interested, I can give you a bottle. But this stuff is expensive, I can''t give it to you for free, just give me the cost..."


    Zhao Guihua: "?????"


    So, she really was trying to turn her into a customer, huh?


    It seems Auntie Lian is really not afraid of getting caught, so obvious, yet so unconcerned.


    Ordinary people engaging in superstitious activities aren''t as tant as she is. So her previous "news" seems to have some discrepancies with reality. She remembered the rumor from her past life that Auntie Lian always managed to escape punishment by crying, making a scene, and threatening to hang herself.


    Now it seems, Auntie Lian doesn''t care if she gets caught at all.


    Most likely, she even wishes to get caught to enjoy the free food.


    She''s probably a penniless olddy, so no one wants to bother with her.


    Zhao Guihua smiled calmly: "I''m afraid of everything, but not of ghosts."


    She said firmly: "If a ghost reallyes to me, I can pin it down and kill it!"


    Her tone was resolute and fierce. Auntie Lian swallowed hard, took a step back, and said, "You''re fierce, you don''t need it at all."


    Ghosts are also afraid of evil people.


    She missed out on a business opportunity.


    s!


    But Auntie Lian, not having made the sale, started another business, saying, "Hey, I see your clothes are quite old, haven''t changed in years, right? I have a way to get some cloth, do you want it?"


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­"


    To be honest, she approached Auntie Lian for this very reason, originally thinking that spection and profiteering were serious matters, but never expected Auntie Lian to be so proactive. Zhao Guihua again felt a sense of wonder, do you really want to go to jail for free food?


    However, this time, she said firmly, "I do want it, but my family is big, we don''t have enough cloth coupons. If you have a way, you must introduce it to me, I won''t let you work for nothing."


    Auntie Lian immediately smiled, she knew this business wouldn''t fail, there''s always a way. Although Auntie Lian seems not to use her brain, she understands well. Such a penniless olddy, if someone takes the initiative to approach, there must be a reason, just not sure which one.


    Now she knows, it''s for the fabric. If there''s business, you have to do it, Auntie Lian said, "Then I''ll make the arrangements, set a date, and youe with me then."


    Zhao Guihua also smiled: "Good."


    Both were quite understanding.


    The two exchanged a tacit smile, Auntie Lian looked at Zhao Guihua''s courtyard and said, "Your courtyard has a lot of things going ontely."


    Zhao Guihua was calm: "It''s always been busy, not just recently."


    Auntie Lian: "¡­¡­"


    She thought for a moment, thought, no wonder she''s so fierce and not afraid of anything.


    But she''s not afraid, others might be. Like that Jiang Lu, she knows her? That young wife came to her to buy ck dog blood. So, can she make money again? Thinking this, Auntie Lian smiled slightly, feeling a bright future.


    Zhao Guihua and Auntie Lian agreed and parted ways, Zhao Guihua went home and pondered. She now understood that Auntie Lian certainly wasn''t selling real ck dog blood, where would she get so much ck dog blood to sell?


    She could sell it so openly to her, she could certainly sell it to others too.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t believe she was selling ck dog blood.


    This time, Zhao Guihua guessed right, Auntie Lian indeed didn''t have that much ck dog blood, it was all a lie. As an olddy, would she dare to catch a dog? Not even a stray dog, let alone a ck one! Where would she dare!


    What she sold was chicken blood and duck blood, she could still get a little with her thick-skinned ways. She diluted it herself and sold it just right. This business was smoother than selling cloth.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t buy it and didn''t delve into what she was doing, anyway, it''s all about making a living. She went home, grabbed her fishing rod, and rode out on her bike. This time, she was heading to the mountains, she hadn''t been there in a long time, the fish in that pond must have grown quite a bit.


    Zhao Guihua quickly rode her bike towards the outskirts, she brought along some dry food and didn''t n to return at noon.


    In a couple of days, the kids would all be back to school, and Liang Meifen could join her, the two of them would surely have better harvests. Zhao Guihua didn''t intend to sell the fish, but eating it herself was great too, a bit of meat is always better than just eating vegetables.


    Radish and cabbage, endlessly, she was a bit tired of it.


    When life gets better, you especially love vegetables, especially those grown by farmers themselves, they taste especially fragrant even when stir-fried without anything. But aftering back to life, Zhao Guihua didn''t feel that way at all.


    It hadn''t been long, and she already loved fish, loved meat, loved oily food!


    As for the health regimen from her previous life, forget it.


    She wanted to eat meat!


    Indeed, all vegetarianism is an idea thates after life gets better. When life is hard, she still loves big fish and big meat. Zhao Guihua pedaled her bike to the outskirts. No wonder everyone wants a bike.


    It really is convenient.


    So, people keep contradicting themselves.


    She used to disdain bicycles, but now she finds them delightful.


    She used to disdain big fish and big meat, but now she finds them super delicious.


    People are like that.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t force herself to live a healthy life, she didn''t live healthily in her previous life either, eating and scolding as she pleased, still living to over a hundred. So there''s no need to follow a fixed pattern.


    The mountain road wasn''t easy, but there were paths, and she could ride her bike.


    This is the outskirts of the capital city of Beijing, if it were elsewhere, there wouldn''t be such a good mountain road. Zhao Guihua rode her bike up the mountain, suddenly, a sharp brake, feeling something sh past the front of her bike.


    Zhao Guihua: "!!!"


    White?


    Could it really be a ghost?


    She shook her head vigorously, thinking she shouldn''t have listened to Auntie Lian''s nonsense, there''s no such thing as a ghost, even if there were, they wouldn''te out in broad daylight! She stopped her bike, stood still, looked around, and after a while, heard a rustling sound, looked closely, oh, it was a little white rabbit.


    Zhao Guihua suddenly became energetic, what was this if not a rabbit!Aliali: 674af0d8c4f3f33ac49b0a11


    This was braised rabbit head, stir-fried rabbit meat, dry pot rabbit, rabbit meat with chili... gulp!


    In short, there are many ways to eat rabbit, Zhao Guihua swallowed her saliva and immediately set a small goal for herself.


    This little goal is nothing else but to catch the little white rabbit in front of her. The white rabbit is white and fluffy, perfect for carrots and greens...


    Oh no, that''s not how the song goes.


    But it''s delicious with many dishes!


    Zhao Guihua decisively steadied her bike and crept stealthily towards the white rabbit... In this moment, she felt like a big bad wolf, but what does it matter? The rabbit is so cute, of course it should be spicy!


    Zhao Guihua quickly pounced, but the little rabbit jumped away, nimble and quick. Without a word, Zhao Guihua chased after it.


    She didn''t believe she couldn''t catch a single rabbit!


    She had already decided on tonight''s menu!


    This rabbit, she was determined to eat it!

 Chapter 34

    At dusk as the sun was setting, Zhao Guihua was pedaling her bicycle hurriedly homeward.


    It''s worth noting that although the weather was still quite cold, spring had officially begun, and the days were getting longer. When Zhao Guihua was returning home, she caught the machinery factory just as it was letting out, with workers walking home in small groups.


    From a distance, you could still hear the factory''s loudspeaker ying "We Workers Have Power."


    Li the Cook and his son-inw Yang Lixin were among the crowd. They had been the center of attentiontely, which wasn''t surprising given all the recent events on their street. Everyone was naturally curious.


    The workers from their street were quite popr at the factory.


    The recent drama had been so full of twists and turns that everyone wished they could have witnessed it firsthand.


    While Li the Cook and his son-inw were chatting animatedly with others, a figure whizzed past them. Li the Cook, with his sharp eyes, immediately called out, "Zhao Guihua!"


    Zhao Guihua''s bicycle screeched to a halt as she turned around and said, "Oh, Li the Cook? What do you want?"


    Li the Cook looked at her with slightly raised eyebrows and said, "Comrade Zhao, where have you been? You''re in quite a state!"


    Li the Cook''sment was justified - anyone would have remarked on her appearance. Zhao Guihua was covered in dirt, with even her hair full of burrs. She looked absolutely disheveled. He asked suspiciously, "Have you been fighting with someone?"


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes widened, "Do you even know how to make conversation? Why would I be fighting with anyone? Am I that kind of person?"


    Li the Cook thought silently: Yes, you are!


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said, "I''m not someone who sits around doing nothing. Look what I''ve got - I caught a rabbit!"


    Zhao Guihua pulled up a rabbit by its ears from her basket and waved it in front of Li the Cook. His eyes lit up, "Wow!!!"


    His eyes gleamed with excitement. As a cook, he ate better than most people and never went hungry, but in these times, even well-fed people would get excited at the sight of meat. Especially free meat.


    He eximed in amazement, "You''re something else, Old Zhao. That''s quite a feat!"


    Looking at Zhao Guihua''s disheveled state now made sense - it was clearly from catching the rabbit. Thinking about it that way, it seemed worth it. What''s a little dirt? It could be washed off at home.


    After all, it was a whole rabbit.


    He gave her a thumbs up, "Impressive! Where did you catch it?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I was going fishing, and spotted it on the way. I spent the whole day trying to catch it, couldn''t do anything else!"


    Li the Cook smiled, thinking to himself: With your fishing skills, the day would have been wasted anyway, you wouldn''t have caught anything. Getting this rabbit is actually quite a lucky surprise. However, he didn''t dare say this out loud.


    This woman was too fierce.


    He smiled enviously and said, "Old Man Zhuang is in for a treat."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "You can say that again!"


    She then asked, "Hey, have you seen my Old Man Zhuang?"


    Li the Cook shook his head, "No, he''s probably still behind."


    Their kitchen work was lighter in the afternoon. Once they finished cleaning up, they had little to do except prepare for the next morning. Compared to other workers who still had to pack up their tools after their shift, they had everything ready and were just waiting to leave.


    Sometimes, if something came up, they could even slip away early.


    Li the Cook was quite proud of his job.


    He said, "Do you know how to cook rabbit? Why don''t you give it to me, I''ll cook for you both, and have a drink with Old Man Zhuang." He had to admit, he was craving some rabbit meat.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Don''t even think about it, forget it, not happening!"


    There was no way she would host a meal for no particr reason.


    Li the Cook was just trying his luck anyway, so he sighed, "Such luck, hey."


    After chatting briefly, Zhao Guihua didn''t stay to walk with them but quickly got back on her bicycle and headed home. While the men could go home to ready-made meals, she still had to cook. It wasn''t that Liang Meifen couldn''t cook, but rather that Liang Meifen was the type of person who... would just wait around if you didn''t tell her what to do.


    She wouldn''t dare make decisions on her own.


    However, Zhao Guihua didn''t think Liang Meifen was truly timid - being scared of small things meant nothing when you weren''t afraid of the big things.


    She quickly cycled home, where Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were ying hopscotch in the courtyard,ughing and giggling. Xiao Yanzi was shouting, "I''m better! I''m better than big brother!"


    Hutou didn''t mind, just smiled happily. Speaking of Hutou, he didn''t take after either his father or mother - he was most like Old Man Zhuang. Good-natured and easy-going, agreeable about everything. Most boys his age wouldn''t want to y with their sisters, but Hutou neverined, taking his sister everywhere, the two of them inseparable.


    Hutou saw his grandmother return and happily ran over, "Grandma!"


    Both siblings had been raised primarily by Zhao Guihua, and they were closer to her than to their own parents. Zhao Guihua ruffled Hutou''s hair and said, "Look what we''re having tonight."


    Hutou: "Wow!!!"


    A rabbit!


    He eximed excitedly, "We''re having rabbit meat?"


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s right."


    "Wow!"


    The two children were overjoyed. Hutou dered, "My grandma is the best!"


    Hearing the cheering, Liang Meifen hurriedly came out, her face bright with joy - everyone wanted to eat something good in these times. She came forward, "Mom, are we having rabbit tonight? Should we cook it now?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s do it. Everyone''s appetite hasn''t been greattely, we could use something good to boost our spirits."


    Liang Meifen: "Alright! Should we cut it in half or into quarters?"


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand dismissively, "Let''s cook it all. Look at this rabbit, it''s barely two jin. With all the people in our family, how would it be enough if we only cook a little? Clean it and cut it in half - make spicy stir-fried rabbit with one half, and stew the other half with potatoes."


    Having decided the rabbit''s fate, she went to the water tank to wash up. The rabbit had really given her a chase - it had taken quite an effort to catch it. If she wasn''t such a persistent person, she would have given up long ago.


    But people should have some persistence - otherwise, they wouldn''t be eating rabbit meat now, would they?


    She instructed Hutou, "Hutou, go get me some hot water from the thermos, I need to wash my hair."


    Hutou: "Okay."


    Liang Meifen was about to start preparing the rabbit when she saw her son going for the thermos and quickly said, "I''ll do it!"


    She muttered, "It doesn''t matter if you get burned, but what if you break the thermos?"


    Hutou: "..."


    He felt there was something not quite right about his mother''s priorities.


    Although the weather was still quite cold, it didn''t stop people from washing their hair in the courtyard. Not just Zhao Guihua, but everyone else did the same, unless it was freezing. People preferred washing in the courtyard to avoid getting water all over the house.


    Due to the quadrangle courtyardyout, while it was windy outside, the courtyard was rtively sheltered. After washing her hair, Zhao Guihua wrapped it thoroughly in a towel, then took off her outer clothes and pants to change into others.


    She never wore her padded jacket and pants as outer garments. After all, wearing them directly wasn''t a good habit. Just a few days ago, someone had gotten manure on their clothes and couldn''t clean it off. This showed the importance of thinking ahead.


    After getting herself sorted out, Zhao Guihua said, "I''ll cookter."


    It wasn''t that she didn''t trust Liang Meifen, but the spicy stir-fried rabbit might be beyond her capabilities. Their family didn''t usually cook very spicy dishes, so Liang Meifen might not handle it well. While Zhao Guihua would cook dinner, Liang Meifen, showing good initiative, went to wash the clothes Zhao Guihua had changed out of.


    She neverined about or shirked from work.


    Liang Meifen went straight to wash clothes in the courtyard when Aunt Su gently pushed open her door and came over. She came to fetch water - most families had a water vat, including Aunt Su''s family. But they still often came out to get fresh water while cooking, making you wonder if their water vat was just for show.


    Seeing Liang Meifen washing Zhao Guihua''s clothes, Aunt Su spoke softly, "Elder Zhuang''s wife, you''re really hardworking, always busy taking care of the family. Those are your mother-inw''s clothes, aren''t they? How lucky Zhao Guihua is to have such a diligent and sensible daughter-inw. It really makes one envious."


    Liang Meifen raised the corner of her mouth proudly and said, "It''s only natural for a daughter-inw to be filial to her mother-inw. I''m just doing my duty."


    Aunt Su replied, "See how down-to-earth you are! Being a good daughter-inw is indeed one''s duty, but not everyone can do it well. Without looking far, even in our courtyard, there are those who can''t manage it. You''re truly filial."


    Liang Meifen felt warmth in her heart. Although her mother-inw was a sharp-tongued old woman who never acknowledged her efforts, at least outsiders could see her goodness, couldn''t they?


    Speaking of which, Aunt Su was truly the kindest person in the courtyard. She asked, "Auntie, isn''t your Xiu still at work? I saw Li the Cook and Little Yang have already returned."


    Aunt Su replied, "Not yet, but she should be back soon."


    She smiled weakly and said, "How can wepare ourselves to the cooks? Look, your family members aren''t back either, right?"


    Just then, Old Man Zhuang entered carrying a wooden board. Aunt Su asked curiously, "Brother Zhuang, what''s that?"


    Old Man Zhuang exined, "Oh, the old cesspool cleaner asked my third son to make him a board. My son finished it but went to pick up his wife, so I''m bringing it back for him."


    Aunt Su remarked, "The young couple is so loving."


    Hoping to stir up trouble between the two sisters-inw, she added, "The third son''s wife is so busy with work, she probably can''t keep up with the housework, right?"


    This was what she had been trying to get at with all her roundabout talk.


    Of course, she wasn''t stirring up trouble without purpose - she wasn''t a fool like Mrs. Zhou Li who caused harm without gaining anything. Her attempts to create discord between the sisters-inw would benefit her. She didn''t really care about Liang Meifen, whom she considered a brainless fool who couldn''t even save money. Such people were never part of her ns. Since there was no money to be gained from Liang Meifen, being nice to her would bring no benefits. Her real target was the wealthy Ming Mei.


    She wanted to create discord between Liang Meifen and Ming Mei.


    Then, she could console young Ming Mei... hah!


    With only a difficult mother-inw and a dim-witted sister-inw around her, Ming Mei would surely be friends with their family. Once they became friends, Ming Mei would inevitably help them financially. Aunt Su never nned just for the immediate future; she always thought three steps ahead.


    So this was just the beginning.


    However, with Old Man Zhuang present, she couldn''t say much more, only adding another small jab: "This family is lucky to have you."


    Just as Liang Meifen was about to respond, Zhao Guihua suddenly threw open the kitchen window and shouted, "Will you die if you don''t stir up trouble?"


    She wasn''t someone to be trifled with.


    Zhao Guihua yelled, "Mind your own daughter-inw and leave other families alone. Stop your little schemes. Liang Meifen, hurry up and wash - whose daughter-inw are you anyway? You believe everything people say and feel pleased with yourself. How can you be so stupid?"


    Hearing this, Liang Meifen quickly resumed washing, no longer engaging with Aunt Su.


    She didn''t dare speak anymore.


    Aunt Su''s expression changed several times before quickly returning to normal. She spoke softly, "Zhao Guihua, you misunderstand me. Do you have some misconception about me? If so, we should clear it up. You''ve been so cold to metely..."


    Seeing her act all wronged and pitiful, Zhao Guihua deeply understood why those old men had fallen for her tricks. However, as an old woman herself, she wasn''t fooled by this act. She snorted and said, "Stop stirring up trouble, and no one will misunderstand you."


    She then shouted, "Old Man Zhuang, hurry home! What are you looking at out there?"


    Old Man Zhuang replied, "Ah, alright."


    He came in carrying the wooden board, and Zhao Guihua nced at it, asking, "What''s written on it?"


    Old Man Zhuang suddenly became awkward, his expression quite strange.


    Zhao Guihua had just asked casually, but seeing his odd expression, she became curious and said, "What is it?"


    Old Man Zhuang hesitated before raising the board, saying, "Look."


    "No Swimming Here!"


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow in confusion: "What''s wrong with that? ''No Swimming Here'' - what''s the problem?"


    Why was he acting so strange about it?


    She lowered her head to chop the rabbit, but before the cleaver came down, she suddenly realized something. This was meant to be posted at the outhouse, wasn''t it? "No Swimming Here"???


    Her mouth twitched as she said with exasperation, "Zhuang Zhixi is really something else."


    That boy, always up to these tricks!


    So slyly mischievous.


    Old Man Zhuang nodded when he heard this, saying, "Don''t you think this wording is inappropriate? I think it''s not good. It''ll be embarrassing when others see it. Especially the neighbors - what will Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou think when they see this? Won''t it be awful?"


    Old Man Zhuang put himself in others'' shoes, thinking how he would feel seeing such a sign after having fallen in before - it would surely be devastating.


    Zhao Guihua looked at it once, then twice, and quickly becameposed: "It''s fine, what does it have to do with us? Wasn''t it Old Man Bao who approved this? Besides, their concerns aren''t unreasonable."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "Well, if you say so."


    He was quite a person without principles.


    Old Man Zhuang quickly put the matter out of his mind and remarked, "You''re amazing, catching such an agile rabbit."


    Zhao Guihua smiled proudly and said, "Of course! Don''t you know who I am? I''m going again tomorrow. If there are rabbits, I''ll catch rabbits; if not, I''ll fish. I must keep bringing in good catches."


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    After a moment of silence, he nodded good-naturedly: "You''ll definitely seed."


    They''d had the fishing rod for half a month now and hadn''t caught a single fish.


    But Old Man Zhuang didn''t dare provoke his wife. Being a straightforward person, he said, "When we have days off soon, I''ll go fishing with you."


    He wasn''t really skilled at fishing either, but he had some experience and considered himself slightly better than Zhao Guihua.


    "Alright, now that the ice is starting to melt, we can''t use our old method to catch fish anymore. We need to think of a new way. We can''t rely on just fishing with rods - how many can we catch that way?"


    Old Man Zhuang immediately became alert and asked, "You''re not thinking of selling fish again, are you?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "No! The prices aren''t good now, and it''s risky. Do you think I''m stupid? I just want to catch more while we can and make salted fish. That''llst us a long time." Who wouldn''t want more good food stored away?


    Old Man Zhuang said, "That makes sense, but we don''t have anywhere to dry the salted fish."


    How could the neighbors not notice?


    Fish has a strong smell.


    Zhao Guihua understood this and nodded, saying, "Exactly!"


    "Mom, we''re home!" Ming Mei returned from work like a cheerful magpie. Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Look at her - when shees home, the whole courtyard knows it."


    Old Man Zhuang remarked, "Young people!"


    Youth brings such energy.


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi entered hand in hand, and Ming Mei immediately called out, "Mom, let''s go watch a movie tonight! They''re showing one at the machinery factory."


    "Movie! I want to watch the movie!"


    Before Zhao Guihua could respond, Hutou rushed in, jumping up and down. Like all children, he loved such entertainment. He pleaded, "Grandma, let''s go watch the movie, let''s go watch the movie."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, we''ll go after dinner."


    "Then let''s eat early! If we''rete, it''ll be too crowded and we won''t get good seats." Liang Meifen was eager too. There wasn''t much entertainment avable, and movies were quite a treat. She felt particrly anxious - while working before, there had been some excitement, but after being idle at home for just over two months, she felt especially confined.


    Her suggestion received unanimous agreement, and even Zhao Guihua''s movements became quicker.


    As always, when Zhao Guihua first reincarnated, she found everything crude and rough, but it took just a few days to adapt to life in the 1970s. In her previous life, she had grown tired of watching TV and even had arge projector at home.


    Now, forget about TV - they didn''t even have a radio.


    These days, just hearing about a movie made Zhao Guihua''s feet itch with excitement.


    "Oh, Mom, when did we get a rabbit?" Ming Mei btedly noticed the rabbit and eximed excitedly, "You caught it, didn''t you? It must have been you, no one else could do it!"


    Zhao Guihua was quite pleased. You see, this was what she liked about her young daughter-inw - she had a discerning eye and immediately knew that such an impressive feat could only have been aplished by certain people.


    Ming Mei wasn''t just ttering her. Although she hadn''t been married into the family for long, she had already figured out everyone''s capabilities. Her father-inw, Old Man Zhuang, was so quiet he was practically invisible. As for her elder brother-inw and his wife, well, that went without saying. Even Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t the type who could catch rabbits.


    The only expert here was obviously her mother-inw!


    "How should we cook it?" she asked.


    "Two dishes," said Zhao Guihua. "One spicy stir-fry and one stew."


    Ming Mei snapped her fingers. "Perfect!"


    Among family members, there was nothing to hide, so Zhao Guihua chatted away about how she caught the rabbit. Ming Mei immediately perked up and said, "Mom, next time I''m on holiday, take me with you. I''m really good at this kind of thing."


    Among the family members, she was the only one who had never gone rabbit hunting.


    Zhao Guihua gave her a sidelong nce and said, "You think you can do it?"


    Ming Mei proudly dered, "How could I not? I''m very capable!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "That''s right, my wife is amazing."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Alright, we''ll go together in a few days."


    Ming Mei broke into a bright smile, her whole face lighting up. Zhuang Zhixi stared at her, transfixed, until Ming Mei yfully pinched him and said, "What are you looking at?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his eyebrows and made a funny face at her. Ming Mei burst outughing and said, "Oh, you!"


    Although Zhuang Zhixi was being clingy, Ming Mei''s mind was actually on the movie. She nudged Zhuang Zhixi and asked, "What movie are they showing today?"


    These days, there were only a few popr films in rotation.


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She said wistfully, "I hope it''s ''Tunnel Warfare.''"


    Although it wouldn''t be her first time watching it, she still hoped for something different. She sped her hands together and mumbled, "I hope it''s something I haven''t seen recently."


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh.


    While Ming Mei had her preferences, the others didn''t really care. Everyone was quite eager. Zhao Guihua stir-fried the rabbit meat with chilies, filling the air with a spicy, fragrant aroma that made everyone''s mouths water.


    The smell of meat attracted the neighborhood children, who gathered outside the window. While the adults were too embarrassed to lurk, the children didn''t know any better and stood there drooling, despite the strong spicy smell that couldn''t mask the delicious meat aroma.


    Zhao Guihua: "These little ones..."


    She looked at the rabbit meat in the pot, knowing that if she gave some to each child, there wouldn''t be enough to go around, so she firmly refused to share. After all, other families didn''t share their meat with neighborhood children either. In this courtyard, only the Bai family father and son were known to be generous.


    People really do have their good and bad points. While the Bai father and son were often looked down upon in many ways, they did have their merits - they were very kind to the children in the courtyard.


    Of course, this kindness had its hierarchy - Su family''s three children were at the top of the list, and other children couldn''tpare.


    But even if they couldn''tpare, the father and son were still more generous with children than others.


    Anyway, Zhao Guihua wasn''t willing to share, and she continued her cooking despite the children''s watchful eyes.


    "Wewei, Junjun,e home for dinner!"


    "Er Mao, time to eat!~"


    Since there was a movie tonight, everyone was eating early. Soon, people started calling their children home.


    The children gradually dispersed, including the three Su children. Aunt Su called out, "Come home for dinner!"


    She had been caught stirring up trouble by Zhao Guihua today, and she knew the old woman wouldn''t give her grandchildren any meat now. Who knew the old woman had such sharp ears?


    The three boys ran home, saying, "Grandma, we want to eat rabbit meat."


    Wang Xiangxiu, who was serving rice nearby, interjected: "Don''t even think about it, we don''t have any."


    "Go ask Grandma Zhao''s family for some."


    Wang Xiangxiu mmed down the rice bowl and said, "Are you going to eat or not? If you''re not eating, then don''t. You think they''ll give you some just because you ask? You''re not little kids anymore, how can you be so inconsiderate? They''re not just any family, they won''t give us face. Especially after you were caught stealing - do you think they''ll be nice to you? Come on, hurry up and eat. Don''t you want to watch the movieter?"


    "We do!"


    Seeing that Wang Xiangxiu was genuinely angry, the three boys wisely lowered their heads and started eating.


    Though children might be naive, they could tell when adults were truly upset versus just pretending.


    Aunt Su whispered, "Xiu''er, why are you in such a bad mood today?"


    Wang Xiangxiu seemed very upset.


    Wang Xiangxiu nced at the three children without saying anything, clearly not wanting them to know.


    Aunt Su said, "Let''s eat, let''s eat."


    She made up her mind to ask about it privatelyter.


    While the Su family''s mood was low, their neighbors were eating happily. Since they had started managing their own meals and paying for food separately, they had been eating better than before. Of course, this wasrgely thanks to Zhao Guihua''s good management. However, by the standards of the 1930s, for eight people, it was just ordinary fare.


    They wouldn''t go hungry, but luxurious meals were out of the question.


    This was all thanks to Zhao Guihua''s capabilities.


    Ming Mei: "Mmm, this is so delicious!"


    Though the spiciness made her pant, she couldn''t stop eating. Although both dishes were rabbit meat, she found the spicy stir-fry much more delicious than the potato stew. The intensity of the vors was exhrating. The children, however, couldn''t handle the spice and preferred the potato stew.


    A rabbit wasn''t very big, and with theirrge family, they finished the entire rabbit in one dinner.


    Ming Mei''s lips were red from the spice as she patted her belly and said, "That was really delicious!"


    The others nodded in agreement.


    How could meat not be delicious?


    Even the potatoes cooked with the meat were tasty.


    The family didn''t linger at home to reminisce further, instead quickly preparing to go out. Zhao Guihua reminded everyone.


    "Lock all the doors and windows before we go to the movie." During the day, when they went out nearby, they usually didn''t lock up. That wasmon practice back then. Although it wasn''t exactly "leaving doors unlocked at night," it certainly wasn''t as cautious as it would be decadester.


    However, that''s not to say there weren''t any thieves - they had caught one just a few days ago.


    They didn''t think another thief would visit, but they still had to be wary of the courtyard''s little thieves.


    Everyone knew the Su family''s children had sticky fingers. While they wouldn''t dare steal money, their habit of stealing food was quite unpleasant. In these times, who didn''t need every bit of food they had?


    The family checked that all doors and windows were properly closed and locked.


    Only then did they leave the courtyard together. Ming Mei asked, "Since everyone''s going to the movie, should we lock the courtyard gate?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "No need, Granny Zhu in the back courtyard definitely won''t go."


    Ming Mei was surprised: "There are people who don''t like watching movies?"


    Zhuang Zhixi exined from beside her, "Granny Zhu has eye problems, she can''t see clearly even if she goes. That''s why she never attends."


    Ming Mei nodded in understanding.


    The family walked together to the factory area. Along the way, they met many people, and those who knew Zhuang Zhixi would inevitably greet him, then look at his young wife beside him, marveling at how lucky the rascal was.


    All the children in their area had grown up together, and everyone knew what everyone else was really like.


    What kind of person was Zhuang Zhixi?


    He was fair-skinned and cute, sweet-talking, and good at studies - the typical good kid. So whenever something happened, nobody believed such a well-behaved boy could cause trouble.


    Their neighborhood friends often took the me for him.


    After graduating from high school, everyone was impressed by how quickly he found work. Later, when the "Down to the Countryside" movement was in full swing, people remarked on how this guy with his fair face was actually quite clever and quick to act.


    Now, he had found himself a pretty wife, how could others not feel envious and jealous?


    "Young Zhuang, this is your wife, right? Sister-inw, where do you work?"


    Ming Mei nced at Zhuang Zhixi, who introduced, "He''s Little Yang from the neighboringpound. We grew up together."


    Ming Mei nodded with a smile, "I''m Ming Mei. I work at the bus transit station."


    Little Yang seized the opportunity: "The transit station? That''s great! Say, sister-inw, are there any single girls at your workce? You see, I''m still single."


    If you''re looking for a partner, you shouldn''t dawdle.


    Ming Mei raised her eyebrows in surprise. Zhao Guihua, who had been quiet until now, spoke up: "If you want to find a wife, go to Auntie Wang. Why ask Ming Mei? How would she know anyone to introduce?"


    Little Yang: "..."


    The matches Auntie Wang made were generally mediocre.


    But he couldn''t say that out loud, so he just smiled and said, "I''m just casting a wide, you know?"


    "Even if you''re casting a wide, you can''t ask my daughter-inw to make introductions. There are other older single men in ourpound, and if Ming Mei starts introducing you to people, they''ll resent our family for being unfair," Zhao Guihua said with a half-joking, half-serious tone. These words weren''t entirely in jest.


    "Oh, no... but that guy in yourpound... could he even find someone?" Little Yang thought Bai Fendou would probably end up pining after the widow forever.


    Although Zhao Guihua hadn''t mentioned any names, Little Yang knew exactly who she meant.


    He started to say, "He''s really..."


    He was about to mock him when he saw Bai Fendou cycling over from a distance, and immediately stopped talking.


    Though he thought Bai Fendou was really showing off, riding a bicycle for such a short distance. Was he trying to unt that he had a bike? How pretentious.


    Bai Fendou was indeed quite pleased with himself. Recently, his reputation had suffered after falling into a manure pit, with people everywhere asking him, "Did it taste good?"


    Damn these bastards, why wouldn''t they just die? Real jerks.


    So when this rare opportunity came up, he immediately brought out his bicycle to show off and let people see what he was capable of.


    Though the distance wasn''t far, having a bike made it faster.


    Sure enough, his cycling attracted many envious nces, making Bai Fendou extremely proud. He let go of the handlebars, spread his arms wide in an arrogant disy¡ªSPLASH!


    The bike hit a rock, crashed with a bang, and Bai Fendou''s moment of glorysted less than five seconds before meeting his Waterloo. It happened so quickly that no one had time to react.


    Ming Mei: "Oh my goodness!"


    Bai Fendou: "Damn it!"


    He cursed, quickly got up, and rushed to check his bicycle.


    Little Yang and the others burst intoughter.


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She thought that Bai Fendou''s inability to find a partner might not just be because of the widow situation; he might be partly to me himself.


    She said, "Let''s hurry up, don''t you want to get good seats in the front?"


    "Let''s go, let''s go."


    The whole family entered the factory grounds together. It was Ming Mei''s first time here, and she looked around curiously. Zhao Guihua was also looking around. Though it wasn''t her first visit, herst time here was decades ago, and now it felt like ancient history.


    When she had been reborn, this ce no longer had any machinery factory; instead, it had be a shopping center with many residential buildings. There was no trace of the machinery factory left. Many people didn''t even know about the machinery factory anymore.


    Only the older folks like them would feel nostalgic when thinking about the machinery factory.


    Now, the ce was still bustling with activity and filled with voices.


    The entire factory grounds had been set up with screens, and many long benches were arranged around them. Still, some people brought their own folding stools¡ªif you were going to sit at the very back, you might as well find a spot on the side with your own stool.


    They arrived neither early norte. The front seats were taken, so they sat somewhere between the middle and back, which wasn''t too bad. At least they weren''t at the very back.


    The family couldn''t all sit together in one row, so Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei sat in the row behind. Ming Mei looked around curiously and said, "Your factory is so big!"


    Their transit station wasn''t nearly thisrge, nor did it have this many people. Compared to the machinery factory, their numbers were pitiful.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "This is nothing. We''re a factory of ten thousand workers. Right now, you''re only seeing a few hundred people¡ªmost haven''te to watch."


    Ming Mei: "Are there really people who don''t like watching movies?"


    She couldn''t understand it at all¡ªwatching movies was such a wonderful thing.


    Ming Mei wished she had brought some sunflower seeds to snack on while watching.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The factory shows movies once or twice almost every month, but they usually show the same ones. So some people who''ve seen them many times don''te anymore. We don''t have anything else to do, but some people have lots of housework and would rather get things done at home. How could they waste time watching the same things repeatedly?"


    Ming Mei let out a soft "oh" and said, "Well, I love watching them anyway."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I know. We''lle every time then. I''ll bring you to watch."


    Ming Mei said coyly, "That would be lovely."


    He reached out and held Ming Mei''s small hand. Just then, a woman walked over, curiously looking at Ming Mei, and smiled, "Little Zhuang, is this your wife?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, isn''t my wife beautiful?"


    Hearing this, the woman''s smile almost faltered, but she nodded slightly and walked away, squeezing into the crowd.


    Soon after, another woman came over to say hello.


    "There seem to be quite a few women at your factory?" Ming Mei suddenly spoke up.


    Zhuang Zhixi was startled, then smiled and said, "Not really."


    He exined, "This is a machinery factory, so naturally there aren''t many women. The women you see now are mostly family members, not factory workers. Take Wang Xiangxiu for example. In their workshop of dozens of people, there are only three women. That''s why she can get away with cking off sometimes."


    Ming Mei gave him a knowing look and asked, "What about your medical office?"


    Zhuang Zhixi earnestly exined, "Well, our medical office is different from other departments¡ªwe have more women than men. But all the sisters in our medical office are married."


    He knew exactly what this little jealous pot was thinking.


    He quickly exined, "Besides the women in the medical office, I''m not familiar with any other female colleagues, and I don''t interact with them. But you know, being as handsome as I am, it''s inevitable that people might like me, but my heart belongs only to you."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    Despite her serious expression, her upturned lips revealed that she wasn''t upset at all.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and moved closer to her, saying, "My dear wife, now that I have you, my precious pearl, how could I possibly get involved with anyone else, right?"


    Ming Mei: "I suppose you have a point."


    Ming Mei said softly, "I shoulde to your factory more often, so everyone knows you have a wife. That''ll prevent you from causing any trouble. Let me tell you, if you mess around outside, don''t me me for being harsh with you."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand: "My dear, I swear I''m not that kind of person. Besides, you know me, right? I may be smooth-talking, but my character is impable. Look how pure my eyes are."


    Ming Mei: "...Oh, please."


    Her lips curled up again, and Zhuang Zhixi gently caressed Ming Mei''s small hand. Ming Mei felt ticklish and couldn''t helpughing, saying, "Alright, I believe you."


    The two of them had their heads close together, whispering, when Hutou turned around curiously and asked, "Uncle, Auntie, what are you talking about?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We''re trying to guess what movie they''re showing."


    Zhuang Zhixi had be quite good at making up stories, and Hutou believed him, immediately saying loudly, "I know, I know! Today they''re showing ''Little Soldier Zhang Ga.''"


    Ming Mei: "Oh!"


    But "Little Soldier Zhang Ga" was also good to watch. Ming Mei happily said, "That''s wonderful then."


    Hutou nodded in agreement¡ªchildren naturally preferred watching "Little Soldier Zhang Ga."


    He said, "Little Soldier Zhang Ga is really amazing."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly in agreement: "Yes, it''s very interesting."


    As they were talking, darkness had fallen, and the movie was about to begin. Ming Mei watched the bustle and said, "Oh, look, people are moving forward!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "They''re going to sit in the front rows. See those two front rows? They''re reserved for the leaders, and usually no one sits there. But the leaders don''te every time, so when the movie starts and there are no leaders, some sharp-eyed people will rush forward. Those are the best seats, and it''s quite an achievement to get them."


    Ming Mei let out a long "oh," noting that her workce didn''t have nearly as many people or movie screenings like this. She found it quite fascinating and thought it looked really interesting.


    She asked, "Should we go to the front then?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his wife''s sparkling eyes and shook his head, "Let''s not. We''re toote now. We won''t be able to get seats up there, and if we try, we might lose these spots too."


    Ming Mei responded, "Oh, you''re right."


    She stretched her neck to look around and asked, "So there are no leaders here today?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "No leaders came today."


    In such cold weather, there was no real need for the leaders toe. Even for movie screenings, the leaders often had their "special treatment" - the projectionist could arrange private screenings for them. So on cold days, the leaders wouldn''t show up.


    He held Ming Mei''s hand and said, "Are you cold? Let me warm your hands."Aliali: 673ef259c4f3f33ac4f19166


    Ming Mei replied sweetly, "Okay~"


    They were already holding hands, but now they became even more openly affectionate. Zhuang Zhixi brought his wife''s hand to his mouth and breathed on it, saying, "This should make it less cold."


    Ming Meiughed softly, a sweet sound, and made a gentle "mm-hmm."


    She reached out to touch Zhuang Zhixi''s face and said, "Your face is so cold too. Would you like my scarf?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "No need, I''m a man with plenty of body heat. I''m not cold."


    Bai Fendou, who had slipped and fallen, arrived a bitte, though not toote. He ended up sitting right behind the young couple, with a clear view of their interaction.


    Though they spoke quietly, their affectionate behavior was obvious - so sweet it was almost syrupy. Watching the loving couple, he gazed up at the sky dejectedly, feeling bitter inside. They were both men, and he considered himself better, so why couldn''t he find a wife?


    Howe others could get married, but not him?


    Why?


    How bitter it was!

 Chapter 35: The Old Ladies Are Active

    Chapter 35: The Old Ladies Are Active


    Xiao Bing Zhang Ga was very happy and couldn''t stop thinking about it the next day.


    Aunt Zhao Guihua and a few other olddies were still discussing the plot the next morning. The olddies'' views were not focused on the plot; everyone was deeply touched, wondering who would have such a clever child, that would be a blessing for eight generations.


    Zhao Guihua was also among them, her eyebrows dancing with joy.


    Li Junjun from Aunt Wang''s family ran over and asked, "Grandma Zhao, where''s Hutou?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Isn''t it the day before school starts tomorrow? He went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy stationery."


    Today, only Zhao Guihua was at home; Hutou and Xiao Yanzi''s kindergarten starts tomorrow, so Liang Meifen took the two children to buy stationery. Although it''s a kindergarten, since Hutou will be in the first grade this summer, this semester''s kindergarten curriculum has been increased a bit to help the children adapt to the primary school life that will begin in the second half of the year.


    Things like pencils, erasers, and notebooks need to be prepared.


    Xiao Yanzi is a bit younger and just follows the fun.


    Zhao Guihua smiled and asked, "New semester, didn''t you buy any?"


    Li Junjun replied, "I still have some." Mentioning school, the child obviously felt a bit down; there isn''t a single child in the world who loves going to school. Li Junjun didn''t understand why they had to go to school! Why!


    It''s so bitter!


    His originally happy mood suddenly felt very stifled. The holidays passed so quickly. It felt like they were over in a blink of an eye. He didn''t get enough of the holidays at all. Li Junjun was very mncholy, thinking that he should indulge a bit more in the end, so he ran out.


    Thest day, he must go crazy with his buddies.


    Aunt Wang sighed, "These kids don''t want to go to school, but we didn''t have such good luck back then. They really don''t know how good they have it."


    Others nodded in agreement, all feeling the same way. Back in their childhood, only the children ofndlords could afford to go to school, unlike now. The kids don''t appreciate the good life they have.


    "By the way, you all..." Aunt Su was about to speak when she saw Director Chen from the neighborhoodmitteeing over. She immediately stood up, her eyes full of joy, and said, "Director Chen, why are you here?"


    Then she added, "Pleasee over and sit."


    Director Chen, about the same age as Zhao Guihua, was a woman in herte forties. She didn''t stand on ceremony and found a stool to sit on.


    Aunt Wang asked, "Director Chen, is there any notice this time?"


    It was working hours, and if there wasn''t something important, Director Chen wouldn''t havee over at this time. Sure enough, Director Chen nodded and said, "Yes, wasn''t there a thief caught in your courtyard earlier?"


    Everyone nodded.


    Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua both straightened their chests; they were participants and very proud.


    Director Chen said, "The police station now has a verdict; this thief, Zhang San, was the mastermind behind the recent series of thefts. You''ve made a big contribution." Not only did they make a contribution, but their neighborhoodmittee also received praise from higher authorities.


    After all, this person was caught by their patrol team, which showed that their work was not in vain and had real results.


    This was a solid achievement, so Director Chen didn''t hide her happiness at all. She said, "You''ve done very well. The neighborhoodmittee and the police station coordinated, and the neighborhoodmittee will provide rewards to all therades who participated in the arrest that night."


    Aunt Wang''s eyes lit up with joy and asked, "What are the specifics of this reward?"


    Compared to Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua''s happiness, Aunt Su''s smile was very forced. As for Madam Zhou Li, her face was already very bad. Her family didn''t participate at all that night and was even exposed for skipping the patrol.


    Logically speaking, this matter wasn''t a big deal, but the problem was that her family was robbed. So when people talked about this, they inevitably mentioned that her family used excuses not to participate in the patrol.


    Bai Fendou, with his loose tongue, even said outside that her family got what they deserved. Although this is nonsense, many people think it''s true. Isn''t it just a coincidence that it happened to her family?


    Whenever this matter is mentioned, Zhao Guihua and others always appear as positive characters, while Madam Zhou Li''s family is seen as the "clown." Now that there''s a reward for this, how could Madam Zhou Li be happy?


    But she''s shameless and said, "Director Chen, what about our family? We were the victims; shouldn''t we get somepensation?"


    Director Chen didn''t like Madam Zhou Li either. She coldly said, "Your family was robbed, and the stolen goods were returned to you, didn''t that recover your losses? What otherpensation do you want? But you, Madam Zhou Li, some things I didn''t want to say, but since you brought it up, I have to say it. Your awareness is really too poor. The neighborhoodmittee organizes patrols for the collective safety of everyone''s property. You just don''t participate when you don''t want to. Is there any organization, any discipline? Do you think you can do whatever you want? How can that be? If everyone is like you, selfish and only cares about themselves, how will society develop? If everyone doesn''t patrol and doesn''t catch thieves like you, then the money you lost this time wouldn''t be recovered. You really should reflect on yourself. I heard that Zhou Qun is diligent and hardworking at work. I hope you, as his mother, don''t drag him down and embarrass him. You''re a woman at home all day, not afraid of losing face. But also consider your son and daughter-inw; don''t bring them honor, but don''t smear them either."


    After a scolding from Director Chen, Madam Zhou Li''s face became even more unsightly.


    She pursed her lips, tightened her jaw, and said, "How am I embarrassing them?"


    Director Chen said, "Not participating in the collective patrol is embarrassing. I know you''re uneducated and don''t understand the principles, but this is not your kang bed at home. It''s not a ce where you can do whatever you want!"


    These words were very harsh, and the people who gathered around showed disdainful expressions.


    Yes, because Director Chen arrived, everyone in the courtyard who wasn''t at work gathered around to see what was going on. They just happened to hear Director Chen''s rebuke of Madam Zhou Li and nodded deeply in agreement.


    Madam Zhou Li is very unpopr.


    In fact, the olddies in this courtyard aren''t very weak; they''re not easy to provoke. But the most despised and unpopr is only Madam Zhou Li.


    Apart from anything else, let''s talk about the incident of her family being robbed. Everyone helped her family catch the thief, which wasn''t without risk. Although nothing bad happened in the end, at that time, no one knew that.


    Everyone was working hard to find that thief for her family.


    But her family didn''t thank them once; their words and deeds were full ofints about the patrol team not catching the thief immediately but letting the thief enter her home. You see, such an ungrateful shrew, who would like her?


    Moreover, she even said outside that if it weren''t for her family being robbed, the patrol team wouldn''t have caught the thief and gained a good reputation. So, everyone should thank her family. If the neighborhoodmittee or the police station has any rewards, they should all be sent to her family.


    Her family was the victim.


    Everyone has heard this to some extent, so they are very unfriendly towards this old shrew.


    Zhao Guihua said with a smile that carried a hidden meaning, "Director Chen, you should speak less, otherwise, there might be rumors about you in our neighborhood tomorrow, saying you''re bullying someone."


    Madam Zhou Li immediately became unhappy and said sharply, "Zhao Guihua, what do you mean! Who are you talking about?"


    Zhao Guihua smiled sarcastically and said, "Who I''m talking about, who knows in their heart. I didn''t name anyone, but you came forward yourself. Could it be that you know very well what kind of person you are? I''ve heard of people picking up money, but I''ve never heard of someone picking up a scolding."


    Madam Zhou Li said, "You!"


    She said fiercely, "Don''t think you can bully my family just because you have more people. Let me tell you, I, Madam Zhou Li, am not easy to mess with. You old hag..."


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re the old hag, so despicable, if it weren''t for me leading the charge to catch the thief, you''d still be crying somewhere, not knowing what to do. We helped you recover your coffin money, and not a word of thanks, just bbering nonsense in the courtyard and alleyways. What, do you think I, Zhao Guihua, am easy to mess with? Let me tell you, don''t think your mean and unlucky demeanor, always badmouthing others, will be tolerated by everyone. I don''t care if others can tolerate you, but I, Zhao Guihua, definitely can''t. Get out of my way! Or else I''ll p you!"


    Zhao Guihua pointed at Madam Zhou Li and said, "Director Chen, look at this person, always iming she''s being bullied. Look at her vicious appearance, who could bully her? We helped her recover her money, and instead of thanking us, she badmouths us. Is she even human? I''ve been holding back for days!"


    Director Chen could see that Zhao Guihua was genuinely unhappy.


    However, Director Chen could understand, as she was also unhappy.


    They were doing good deeds, and Madam Zhou Li just didn''t have any sense.


    It wasn''t surprising that people erupted, plus, Director Chen was well aware of Madam Zhou Li''s issues, always thinking the whole world owed her. She coughed and said, "Madam Zhou, did you thank them for helping you?"


    Madam Zhou Li widened her eyes and said, "Thank them? They should be thanking me."


    As soon as she said that, everyone red at her, but she was unfazed: "If it weren''t for my house being robbed, would they have this chance to get rewarded?"


    Although it was rumored that she had such views, some people had never heard it directly. But now, there was no doubt about it. She really thought that way, and she had just said it out loud. Everyone was filled with anger.


    Although some people participated in catching the thief that night, some only participated in the search. Hearing this remark, those who didn''t directly catch the thief felt particrly displeased.


    "Your skin is too thick, isn''t it?"


    "Really, have some shame."


    "This person''s brain is not normal, right?"


    Everyone chimed in, and Madam Zhou Li was furious, but seeing everyone hostile towards her, even Director Chen looked at her with disgust, she suddenly panicked. Although she wasn''t a good person, she had been a widow since young and knew that angering the crowd was not wise.


    Especially since there was a "weak and kind" widow in their courtyard as a contrast, her situation was even more difficult.


    In the past, she had known how to rein in her thoughts, but her son was ambitious and found a daughter-inw who was both rich and easily manipted by her, so she gradually became more arrogant and less concealed of her true thoughts.


    But now that everyone disliked her, she was a bit panicked. It wasn''t that she was afraid of being ostracized; she wasn''t afraid of that. She was worried about affecting Zhou Qun''s reputation, especially since Director Chen''s words were still fresh in her mind.


    She was afraid that this incident would be reported to the factory by the neighborhoodmittee, affecting her son''s promotion.


    Her son was destined for great things.


    In fact, this was overthinking on Madam Zhou Li''s part. Their machinery factory had no connection with the neighborhoodmittee. Leaders of such state-ownedrge factories were even higher in rank than the neighborhoodmittee. Thest time Zhuang Zhixi wasmended and met the factory director was purely coincidental. But Madam Zhou Li didn''t understand this, fearing that the neighborhoodmittee wouldin, she panicked and, after some thought, quickly said, "Oh, my stomach hurts, I need to go to the restroom..."


    With that, she quickly got up and walked out, thinking she could avoid trouble that way.


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Hmph!"


    What a disgusting person.


    Director Chen also shook her head, not having a good opinion of Madam Zhou Li. Zhou Qun was a good person, but how did he end up with such a mother? With Madam Zhou Li''s ability to offend people, she was only dragging her son down.


    She coughed and said, "Let''s not talk about her. She doesn''t understand anything. I''ll exin the opinions of the neighborhoodmittee and the police station. After discussing, we decided that the eight people who participated in catching the thief will be notified by their units, and each will be rewarded with a porcin teacup, one jin of rice, and one jin of flour. Additionally, everyone who participated in catching the thief that night will be individually notified by their units to express gratitude, and the neighborhoodmittee will provide a bundle of noodles."


    "Oh, that''s really great."


    "We didn''t do it for the reward; we value the honor."


    "Exactly, exactly."


    Although everyone said that, they were still very happy to receive the reward. Nowadays, everything is scarce.


    And what is this? It''s an honorary reward.


    Is that just an ordinary thing?


    Like the olddy from the back courtyard, when she heard about the teacup reward, she was so happy that her toothless mouth almost split open.


    Everyone was extremely happy, and Director Chen was also delighted. Although the neighborhoodmittee had "spent a lot," this honor was also received by the neighborhoodmittee. For the year-end evaluations, their neighborhoodmittee would definitely have an advantage.


    "Our neighborhoodmittee has more courtyards than buildings, and neighbors should be more friendly and harmonious, supporting each other to create a more united big family. Don''t you think so?"


    "Yes, yes, yes!"


    Director Chen: "Madam Zhou... well, she''s a bit clueless, but everyone should also be tolerant. Your courtyard contributed the most in catching the thief, and we remember that. Although it''s still early, I''ll put it out there: as long as your courtyard performs well and doesn''t cause any trouble by the end of the year, the honor of being the ''Model Courtyard'' in our neighborhoodmittee is very likely to be yours."


    "Ah!"


    Everyone immediately perked up, happily looking at each other. The honor of being the Model Courtyard was a good thing.


    Their courtyard hadn''t been awarded this honor for several years, and they were very envious every year when others received it.


    You know, the family that gets this honor each year can also get a jin of fine grain, which is not just about the honor but also has practical benefits.


    Aunt Wang suddenly felt a surge of ambition and said, "Director Chen, you can rest assured. I will lead everyone to perform well. We will definitely not cause any trouble for our neighborhoodmittee."


    Zhao Guihua also nodded along, a jin of fine grain per household was quite a lot.


    She said with righteous indignation, "Director Chen, please rest assured. We will definitely perform well. I won''t speak for others, but our family in our courtyard will ensure we don''t cause any trouble to anyone! We will not be a stumbling block for our courtyard to be selected as an advanced unit."


    Everyone expressed their determination, whether for the honor or for the end-of-year benefits, it was hard to say. In any case, everyone put on a good show for the honor, which was a matter of face. Were they really doing it for a bit of food and drink?


    Well, actually, yes.


    But everyone said it nicely.


    Seeing everyone''s expressions, Director Chen was also pleased and nodded, "That''s good."


    She still had to inform the other courtyards, so she didn''t stay long and got up to leave. Aunt Su quickly followed, putting on a weak demeanor and softly asked, "Director Chen, when can we collect the reward for catching the thief?"


    Director Chen looked at her puzzled and said, "But you didn''t participate."


    Aunt Su was momentarily speechless, then quickly said, "Although I wasn''t feeling well that day, Old Man Bai took my ce on patrol. So, in essence, I was part of it."


    She coughed a few times and said, "I''m not in good health, but I always fulfill my duties without fail. I genuinely want to do something for the courtyard and the neighborhoodmittee, but my body doesn''t allow it. However, I''m not the type to break the rules. Old Man Bai helped me out."


    Director Chen wasn''t familiar with Aunt Su and only knew her as a weak and pitiful figure, so she felt sorry for her and said, "I understand, but this reward is not based on patrol duty but on actual participation in the search that night. Although Old Man Bai went on patrol for you, he didn''t participate when everyone scattered to catch the thief."


    Aunt Su: "What?"


    She opened her eyes wide in surprise.


    Director Chen: "This time, the reward is not based on the patrol team''s rmendation, but on the actual people who helped. Old Man Bai didn''t participate, so whether he reces you or not, it''s useless. This matter has nothing to do with him, let alone you."


    Aunt Su was speechless, she said: "He... he didn''t go?"


    Her heart was filled with anger in an instant.


    This old bastard, wasn''t he just causing trouble for her? How useless, could he be relied on in normal times? But now, he didn''t participate, the damn fool. Aunt Su''s heart was filled with anger, but on the surface, she had to pretend to be surprised and unaware.


    Director Chen, seeing her reaction, added: "However, his son Bai Fendou was one of those involved, as he apanied the victim Zhou Qun to report the case."


    In fact, this matter really had something to do with Bai Fendou. Old Man Bai was originally there, but when he saw Bai Fendou busy, he thought there was no need for two people from his family to participate. It wasn''t necessary, so he went home to sleep!


    This led to the situation where whether he reced her or not had nothing to do with Aunt Su.


    Director Chen: "Bai Fendou also worked until the morning that night, he couldn''t be left out of this."


    Upon hearing this, Aunt Su''s mood improved slightly. Although they couldn''t get the good reputation of this matter, at least Bai Fendou would get a bundle of noodles. But thinking of this, she became angry again. Bai Fendou was really a fool, why did he apany Zhou Qun to report the case? Did they have a good rtionship? There was no special affection between them, and now he did a good deed, but missed out on more honors.


    If he hadn''t apanied Zhou Qun to report the case, he would have been with Zhao Guihua and the others. That would have been better, with a pound of rice and a pound of noodles! Plus, there was also a teacup, which would cost three to five yuan to buy.


    Aunt Su cursed in her heart, but on the surface, she said softly: "I understand, I''m sorry to have caused you trouble."


    She could maintain her persona not by being unreasonable. If she were unreasonable like Madam Zhou Li, it would be useless. She knew when to keep quiet. Just like before, when fighting for the rights of widows, she never jumped out. Anyway, Madam Zhou Li would definitely jump out, and as long as she did, Aunt Su wouldn''t be left out.


    She had no need to offend people or be disliked.


    Anyway, she could get the same benefits.


    Just watching others make a fuss was enough.


    With a hint of shame, she said: "I misunderstood this matter, please don''t mind."


    Director Chen waved his hand: "What trouble, it''s nothing."


    She said: "Alright, I''ll leave first, you all keep busy."


    Director Chen left, and everyone immediately began to discuss enthusiastically. In fact, Madam Zhou Li had been waiting at the door, she just didn''t want to deal with Director Chen directly, so she pretended to go out for a toilet break.


    Now that Director Chen was gone, she naturally wanted to return, but she didn''t want to bump into him. Seeing hime out, she quickly turned into the back alley to avoid being seen. She took a few steps back and just as she stood still, a handnded on her shoulder.


    Madam Zhou Li was startled and almost screamed.


    She quickly covered her mouth and turned around, only to see an olddy smiling at her.


    Madam Zhou Li was furious: "What are you doing! Are you sick! Why did you suddenly pat my shoulder! Fortunately, it''s daytime, if it were night, you''d scare someone to death."


    At this point, she suddenly thought of another way to get something out of this.


    She immediately said: "Oh, oh, you scared me. I''m not feeling well, I''m really not feeling well. You have to take me to the hospital, you must take me to the hospital."


    While pretending to cry out, she sized up this unfamiliar olddy, but... the olddy didn''t seem to be afraid?


    She looked at her and stopped shouting, puzzled: "You look familiar!"


    This person looked kind of familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before!


    Just as she was about to cry out again to extort money, she suddenly remembered, and her expression changed: "You... aren''t you the witch?"


    Yes, this was none other than Auntie Lian.


    Auntie Lian grinned, revealing a missing tooth. It was still there yesterday, but now it was gone, not sure where it went. But this wasn''t important, Madam Zhou Li hadn''t seen her in eight hundred years, so she didn''t know this.


    Auntie Lian wouldn''t say that she used fake dog blood to trick people, and met a hot-tempered person who punched her, not respecting the elderly at all, causing her tooth to fall out. So, the good thing about getting old is that if you encounter something, getting scolded or punched is the end of it.


    As for calling the police, that wasn''t an option. At this age, it was really not easy to directly send someone to jail.


    The good thing about being old!


    Of course, it couldn''t be ruled out that the person looking for her also wanted to engage in superstition.


    Auntie Lian grinned, serious: "You see, how can you say that? What witch, we can''t engage in superstition, that''s not allowed. Just call me Ah Lian."


    Madam Zhou Li''s mouth twitched: "..."


    Aren''t you the one engaging in superstition?


    Perhaps Madam Zhou Li''s expression was too obvious, Auntie Lian smiled and said: "I can only be considered a wandering doctor."


    She became more serious: "Although not a proper doctor, a wandering doctor is still a doctor, not a witch. Witches are frauds, I''m genuinely solving people''s big problems."


    Madam Zhou Li''s mouth twitched again, she had never seen someone with thicker skin than hers.


    She chuckled, looked around, saw only a group of children ying, and quickly pulled Auntie Lian to the side, saying: "I was just looking for you, my daughter-inw drank the ck dog blood, but her stomach still hasn''t shown any signs, what''s going on?"


    Auntie Lian pretended to be profound, saying: "Has your daughter-inw been to the hospital for a check-up?"


    Madam Zhou Li shook her head: "No, how can we go to the hospital? What if someone sees us?"


    Although her son and daughter-inw hadn''t had a child yet, Madam Zhou Li wouldn''t let them go to the hospital. Her most secret thought was that once they went to the hospital and found out that the daughter-inw was fine, what then?


    Although this was impossible, it was still something she had to guard against.


    It had to be said, this olddy was a bit shrewd.


    So, although she scolded her daughter-inw for being a barren hen every day, she never let her go to the hospital for a formal check-up, only taking various folk remedies.


    Auntie Lian had seen many such olddies, she understood at once that Madam Zhou Li wasn''t that confident. The reason she could do this for so many years without getting caught wasn''t just by selling things all the time.


    Sometimes, she also had to use a tiger skin as a banner, and retreat to advance.


    She pondered for a moment, saying: "I think the problem isn''t with your daughter-inw."


    Madam Zhou Li''s expression changed immediately, she said sharply: "So it''s my son''s fault, you mean...?"


    Before she could finish, Auntie Lian interrupted: "Nor is it because of your son."


    Madam Zhou Li was confused.


    Auntie Lian spoke vaguely: "I think it''s because of a ghost."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Ah!!!"


    Auntie Lian: "My skills aren''t high enough, but I have a senior brother who said when passing through your area that it''s not peaceful here. There''s a female ghost in your area, hiding in the toilet, she doesn''t have children, so she''s pressing the atmosphere. I can''t say what the situation was before or will be in the future, but recently, it should be because of this..."


    She had heard long ago that there were ghosts here, but as an old chatan, she didn''t believe it at all!


    What ghosts, she was a firm atheist, but to make money and survive, was it shameful to make things up? Not at all!


    Otherwise, who would care about an olddy with no qualifications, no reputation, and no money?


    She was quite particr, and if it were someone less scrupulous, they might have tormented the daughter-inw of this household to death. But she was pushing the issue away entirely, which was already quite principled of her. We make money, but we don''t harm people! We have that moral integrity, we don''t do anything unscrupulous.


    Particr!


    Anyway, Madam Zhou Li of that age was still quite superstitious, even though everyone was saying not to engage in feudal superstitions, but for the elderly, it was really hard to say whether they believed or not. If they didn''t believe, they wouldn''t havee to her, right?


    So Auntie Lian kindly pushed the problem onto the "female ghost."


    Sure enough, Madam Zhou Li believed it and got excited: "Yes, yes, yes, the toilets in our area have indeed been causing trouble recently." Shepletely forgot that Auntie Lian had just said she didn''t pretend to be a ghost.


    Auntie Lian: "You see, it must have been men or children who fell in."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Yes, yes, yes."


    She got excited: "Why is that?"


    "This female ghost, she needs it. Didn''t I just tell you, the female ghost doesn''t have children? So she can''t stand seeing others with children, and she likes men and children too, so it''s men and children who fall in. Look, why not old men? She likes strong men. And then it''s the young men who fall in, she wants a son. Your son has fallen in before, so your family is suppressed. Otherwise, your daughter-inw would have gotten pregnant after drinking ck dog blood long ago. It''s all fate!"


    Madam Zhou Li suddenly understood and said: "You''re so right. That''s exactly it. So, do you have any solutions?"


    Auntie Lian: "I don''t have a good solution right now."


    The more she said that, the more Madam Zhou Li believed in her, saying: "You have to think of a solution for me. You''re so right, I know you''re very capable."


    She wouldn''t let go of Auntie Lian, who hesitated and said: "I really don''t have a good solution. After all, this line of work is declining. If I have to say, I can only suggest you buy some ck dog blood. In fact, ck donkey hooves are more effective, but I don''t have any. It''s hard to get and too expensive, not something ordinary people can afford. Now, I don''t have a better solution, just temporarily suppress it. I think you should know, ck dog blood is very effective against evil. For the short term, don''t think about having children, just focus on safety. Otherwise, what if someone falls in again?"


    Madam Zhou Li: "Ah!"


    Auntie Lian: "I can''t help it, you wait for me to consult with my colleaguester."


    Madam Zhou Li: "Okay, give me two pounds!"


    Auntie Lian: "..."


    Indeed, she was rich.


    She solemnly shook her head: "There''s not that much, just give you a small bottle, you pay ten yuan."


    "Okay, okay, okay!" She was about to take out the money.


    Auntie Lian stopped her, shaking her head.


    She said mysteriously: "Let your daughter-inwe to my house at night. How can I carry such an important thing with me?"


    Madam Zhou Li: "Okay."


    She said: "Remember, it should bete at night, don''t let anyone see. To tell you the truth, there are quite a few people in your area whoe to me, with people falling into the toilet for no reason, who wouldn''t be uneasy? It''s inevitable to think more."


    Madam Zhou Li nodded in agreement.


    "You go back quickly, don''t let anyone see, it''s not good if someone catches you."


    Madam Zhou Li: "You''re right, I''ll let my daughter-inw go over at night."


    After saying that, she quickly walked back, thinking that Auntie Lian was really capable, very impressive.


    Auntie Lian made money and was satisfied. Although she came today to find Zhao Guihua, she didn''t expect an unexpected gain. It seemed that pretending to be a ghost was still very sustainable. So, people should learn more skills.


    She said all this, which anyone could know, but when she said it mysteriously, the effect was very good. Madam Zhou Li left, and Auntie Lian found a child, gave him a piece of candy, and said, "Go to that big courtyard and call Zhao Guihua for me."


    If she hadn''t met Madam Zhou Li, she would have gone straight to Zhao Guihua''s house.


    But since she met Madam Zhou Li, it was not appropriate to go directly to Zhao Guihua''s house anymore. Otherwise, Madam Zhou Li might be suspicious, and Zhao Guihua might not feel at ease. She needed to have her own tricks in making money... ah, earning money.


    The child got the candy and happily ran to Zhao Guihua''s courtyard to call out: "Grandma Zhao, Grandma Zhao."


    Zhao Guihua came out briskly: "What''s up?"


    The child: "Someone is looking for you."


    Zhao Guihua followed the child with suspicion, turned a corner, and saw Auntie Lian. She immediatelyughed and said: "Why didn''t youe in directly? There''s nothing to hide in our courtyard."


    Auntie Lian smiled: "Not convenient."


    She had other businesses in that courtyard.


    Zhao Guihua looked like she understood, and indeed, she did.


    Auntie Lian: "Last time we talked about the fabric scraps, I''ve made the arrangements. Are you sure you can go?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Of course!"


    Such a good opportunity was notmon, and Zhao Guihua was not a fool. She said: "I won''t let you help for nothing."


    Auntie Lian smiled and said: "Of course, I also need to eat and drink. I''ve arranged it,e to my ce on Sunday night at eight, I''ll take you there. I''ll charge one yuan for the introduction. The fabric scraps are six jiao per sack, you bring your own sack. Any problems?"


    Zhao Guihua: "No, do you have anything else to exin?"


    This kind of thing, simr to spection but not exactly spection, she needed to ask everything clearly in advance.


    After all, one yuan for the introduction fee was not cheap, a pound of meat was only eight jiao and five fen.


    "We''re going to the warehouse to get the fabric scraps, it will take about half an hour, you can pick whatever you want, big or small, it''s up to you. If you''re lucky, you can pick bigger ones, if not, smaller ones. It all depends on you. But you need to be quick, otherwise, if they chase you out and you only have half a sack, no one will care, you''ll suffer the loss yourself."


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "I understand."


    That is, there''s no saying half a sack is three jiao, you go in and it''s six jiao.


    "There are rolls of fabric inside, but just look, don''t touch. Otherwise, they''ll catch you, and you''ll never have this opportunity again, even I''ll be in trouble. Don''t cause trouble for me, but I see you''re a smart person, you definitely won''t do that."


    Do you think she, Auntie Lian, would dare to bring people in casually?


    She also has her own judgment!


    Auntie Lian: "Okay, I live at... Come to me on Sunday night, don''t get the wrong ce, and don''te too early. I''ll tie a red cloth strip on the tree at the door, you''ll know you''ve got the right ce when you see it."


    Zhao Guihua: "Okay!"


    Both sides agreed and dispersed immediately.


    Auntie Lian deeply felt that one should learn more.


    Now, she has these two jobs, and if caught, the one doing feudal superstition is heavier than the one dealing with fabric scraps. So, in making money, it can be seen. Ten yuan from feudal superstition.


    One yuan from spection.


    Indeed, the higher the risk, the more you earn.


    Auntie Lian sighed and left happily, feeling that this ce had good feng shui, she had developed several clients here. If someone else fell into the toilet, her business would be even better.


    Auntie Lian sighed that this ce was really a good ce, while Madam Zhou Li was muttering at home that the feng shui here was not good.


    Of course, for Zhao Guihua, she was happily walking home, thinking about how she should be more observant when buying fabric scraps.


    "Damn it, who! Who put this sign here, so unscrupulous?" Zhao Guihua stepped into the courtyard with one foot, the other foot not yet in, when she saw Bai Fendou standing behind the toilet, jumping in anger.


    It was like stepping on his tail.


    Zhao Guihua stopped and said: "The words on the sign were written by my third son, but it was Old Baotou who asked for it!"


    She was telling the truth: "You don''t like it, but it doesn''t matter. Last time, it was Old Man Bai who cleaned up the mess."


    However, after saying that, Zhao Guihua looked at Bai Fendou with genuine curiosity and asked, "Hey, Bai Fendou, isn''t it working hours now? Why are you back? And what were you doing behind the toilet?"


    That sign, it''s right by thetrine!


    That''s the back of the toilet. If you didn''t deliberately go there, there''s no such thing as passing by.


    Bai Fendou''s face turned as red as a pig''s liver.


    Zhao Guihua: "???"


    She was just a bit curious before, but seeing his sudden change in expression, she became more intrigued and leaned in, saying, "Tell Auntie, what were you doing here?"


    Curiosity is something everyone has. Zhao Guihua looked Bai Fendou up and down.


    Bai Fendou: "I was just, you know, looking around."


    Could Zhao Guihua believe that?


    Absolutely not!


    She smiled even more kindly: "Looking around, how exactly? What were you nning to do?"


    She leaned in: "You weren''t really thinking of swimming, were you?"


    Bai Fendou roared: "Of course not!!!"


    His heart was filled with bitterness!


    Why did she say that about him!


    Auntie Zhao, you''re too mean!

 Chapter 36

    Late at night, the streets were deserted.


    Although it was not yet nine o''clock, there were hardly any people on the streets. A chilly wind brushed against the face, making the night feel even colder than the day. A group of four or five people followed an olddy, turning left and right, briskly walking through the alleys.


    Zhao Guihua was among them. She had made herself a mask to cover her face, preventing others from seeing her features. When she visited Auntie Lian in the evening, Auntie Lian stared at her for a full thirty seconds and eximed, "You''re really sly!"


    Zhao Guihua followed Auntie Lian, not paying attention to the others around her. The others were also acting suspiciously, some with scarves covering their faces. Such activities were best done without revealing one''s identity.


    No one looked at each other or asked questions; they just followed Auntie Lian. After nearly an hour of walking, Zhao Guihua felt she was sweating. They finally arrived at a factory. It was quite a distance, almost on the outskirts of the city.


    Auntie Lian: "Wait here."


    She went to knock on the door, and soon an old man came out. He peeked out, nodded, and the two murmured something to each other. Zhao Guihua took the opportunity to look around. There were some residential houses nearby, and since she was unfamiliar with this area, she became even more cautious.


    At that moment, Auntie Lian returned and extended her hand: "Money."


    Zhao Guihua quickly handed over the prepared one yuan to Auntie Lian. Auntie Lian: "Let''s go."


    After collecting the money, she led the group inside. The old man led the way, and they quietly made their way to the back, where the warehouse was. The old man pushed open the door, waved his hand, and said, "Choose from this area, don''t touch the rest. Six mao per bag. You have twenty minutes."


    One of the taller men quickly asked in a low voice, "Isn''t it supposed to be thirty minutes?"


    The old man red and said, "Does walking in not count? Does paying not count? Do you understand the rules?"


    The tall man wanted to say something but was pulled back by Auntie Lian, who said, "Hurry up! If you''re so picky, don''te with me next time."


    Upon hearing this, the tall man immediately backed down. The others didn''t waste any time and rushed to the fabric scraps. Zhao Guihua noticed Auntie Lian was among them, her movements swift and efficient, even faster than the men.


    The room was dimly lit by a two-wattmp, barely enough to see. Zhao Guihua quickly realized the others with them were all men. She didn''t care and swiftly moved to the pile of fabric scraps, which were likely leftover from clothing production, in various colors.


    However, this was not the time for extravagance; resources were scarce, so the scraps were small and narrow. Large pieces were rare and had to be carefully searched for. Zhao Guihua felt a bit disappointed but quickly got to work, not wasting a moment. She dove into the pile, searching. If she didn''t act fast, she might lose out.


    She was quite quick, noticing Auntie Lian was doing the same, so she focused on her own task. Zhao Guihua filled her bag quickly, but time flew by even faster. Among them, Zhao Guihua and the tall man were first-timers.


    The others clearly knew what they were doing, not taking much time to select. The tall man, however, was meticulous, and by the time others had filled their bags, he had only a little. Zhao Guihua realized that if she took too much time to select, she wouldn''t fill her bag in twenty minutes. She had to settle for what she could get quickly.


    She was a first-timer but knew she had to learn from others.


    Learning from others ensures a full belly.


    Old sayings hold wisdom.


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t too picky to begin with, and now she was even less so. She nced at the others and noticed a pattern. Auntie Lian and the others chose by color, not size. Auntie Lian was picking only red, regardless of size, while another with a gray scarf chose only ck.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t overthink it; she just focused on filling her bag, choosing by color as well. This method was much faster. Compared to the tall man who had barely filled his bag, Zhao Guihua had already filled most of hers.


    As she filled her bag, she suddenly found a piece of fabric the size of a pumpkin, several pieces stuck together. She quickly added it to her bag, smiling with satisfaction. There were indeed good finds to be made here.


    She continued searching and found severalrge pieces, including some very soft ones perfect for making children''s undershirts and underwear. She quickly filled her bag, and just as it was about to be full, she pressed down on it to make more room.


    "Time''s almost up, you have a couple more minutes to finish up," the old man reminded them in a low voice.


    "Ah, I haven''t filled much yet," the tall man said, clearly a novice.


    No one paid him any attention; everyone started filling their bags indiscriminately. One even stepped on his bag topress the fabric and fit more in. Seeing this, the others followed suit, including Zhao Guihua.


    "Alright, alright! Out you go," the old man said.


    Zhao Guihua filled her bag to the brim. Paying by the bag, it would be foolish not to fill it as much as possible. Zhao Guihua carried her bag out to pay, handing over the six mao she had prepared. Among them, the tall man had the least, but he still filled his bag.


    Even as a novice, he knew to take what he could get. They paid one by one and followed Auntie Lian out of the factory. The factory gate nged shut behind them.


    Auntie Lian: "Go your separate ways, disperse!"


    She hoisted her bag and turned to leave.


    The others did the same, scattering. Zhao Guihua quickly followed Auntie Lian''s footsteps. It wasn''t that she clung to Auntie Lian, but their homes were not far apart, so they were on the same route. Auntie Lian knew the area well and took shortcuts, so Zhao Guihua naturally followed. The others, regrs, knew their way and took their preferred routes.


    Or perhaps, Zhao Guihua thought, they didn''t travel together to avoid being caught.


    Arger group would be more noticeable.


    Even the tall man went his own way. Zhao Guihua kept up with Auntie Lian, who said, "Sister, you''re quite sly."


    This was the second time she had said this.


    Zhao Guihua took it as apliment, saying, "I''m just an honest person trying to get some fabric to make clothes for the kids. I don''t want to make a name for myself."


    Auntie Lian: "That''s right, but... hehe."


    This "hehe" wasden with meaning.


    Zhao Guihua: "What do you mean?"


    Auntie Lian said mysteriously, "Many whoe through me for goods start with the intention of just getting some fabric for repairs, but once they see the profit, they can''t stop..."


    Zhao Guihua thought about it and understood, but she still firmly said, "Even if I''m interested, I''ll only use it for my family. I wouldn''t dare to engage in spection."


    She really didn''t dare to do it, and this was different from selling fish.


    How it was different, well, there was no need to go into detail.


    Because the nature of the goods was different, and also, during the New Year, when everyone was preparing for the festival, even the Spection and Profiteering Office would turn a blind eye, after all, who doesn''t eat and drink at home?


    But fabric, that was different, very different.


    Zhao Guihua''s family had several workers, so she didn''t need to take the risk and bring shame to her family.


    Didn''t you see, she wasn''t even selling fish anymore now.


    Zhao Guihua spoke firmly, but Auntie Lian didn''t believe her; she had seen this kind of thing many times. However, she joked, "It''s good that you don''t dare to do it, saves me from having anotherpetitor."


    That was what she said, but it was just a joke.


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "If it works out well, I''lle back to you. I''m not doing business, but why not save money if I can? What good is it for the little ones to wear fancy things?"


    That was absolutely true, Auntie Lian nodded, "That''s the truth."


    Zhao Guihua chatted idly with Auntie Lian, and the time flew by. When they parted at Plum Blossom Alley, it was almost ten o''clock. Their courtyard usually didn''t lock the gate at night.


    In those days, thieves were rare.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have made such a big deal out of a small theft incident, starting patrols right away.


    Another reason they didn''t lock the gate was that someone might need to go to the toilet at night, and the noise of opening and closing the gate repeatedly would definitely disturb the Bai family. Zhao Guihua tiptoed home with a sack, gently closing the door behind her when she heard someone ask, "Back?"


    Zhao Guihua was startled and then said, "Why aren''t you asleep? You have to go to work tomorrow."


    Old Man Zhuang let out a long sigh, helplessly saying, "How could I sleep without you? Your courage, oh, it''s getting bigger and wilder. What if someone saw you?"


    Zhao Guihua put down the sack and said, "You make it sound like I''m doing something wrong. I''m doing this for the family, saving a bit is always better."


    She knew Old Man Zhuang was worried about her. Today''s matter was known only to the two of them; they hadn''t told the kids to avoid causing unnecessary worry.


    Zhao Guihua said, "There''s no real risk in buying fabric scraps. You think the factory leaders don''t know about this? But these fabric scraps are useless, so they sell them cheaply to other factories, like yours that uses them to clean machines. But that''s between state-owned enterprises, not much money involved. Selling them like this is still profitable. Besides, do you think anyone can just go to the warehouse? It must be a rtive of a leader."


    That was true indeed.


    Old Man Zhuang agreed with that.


    But he said, "I''m not worried about you getting caught by the factory, I''m worried about you being mistaken for a criminal on your way back."


    Walking the streets at midnight with a sack, it didn''t look good.


    Zhao Guihuaughed and said, "I was with Auntie Lian, she''s been doing this for years, do you think she''s a fool? Alright, don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. Come, see what I got today. This was my first time, not much experience, maybe next time I''ll do better."


    Another time?


    Old Man Zhuang: "... " His heart ached!


    But he still went over and said, "Let me see what you picked."


    Zhao Guihua: "I spent a total of one yuan and six jiao, take a look, is it worth it?"


    Whether it was worth it or not, it was hard to say, but Auntie Lian charged one yuan for the tip, which was quite a lot. But was it worth it? Definitely, even if it made two big shorts for Hutou, it was worth it.


    Zhao Guihua carefully sorted through the fabric scraps, saying, "Look, there''s quite a bit here, I was still a bit inexperienced for my first time. But I did get some good stuff."


    She didn''t know how much others found, but she had her share of treasures. She quickly found several pieces of fabric, probably cut wrong. She had quickly stuffed them into her sack when she saw them. Now, she took them out and roughly pieced them together, saying, "Look, these four pieces can make a short-sleeved sailor shirt for Hutou."


    She looked at the remaining scraps and said, "And these three pieces can make one for Xiao Yanzi."


    Thrifting was important too.


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes sparkled with joy, saying, "See, isn''t it worth it?"


    One yuan and six jiao, it paid off.


    Even if they were all just scraps, it wouldn''t be a loss, but findingrger pieces was a delight. She rolled the blue and white striped fabric to the side, saying, "Look how nice?"


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, it was indeed worth it.


    If it were for adults, the patchwork would look too shabby, but for children, it didn''t matter much. Plus, children used less fabric, so it wasn''t obvious. Even if you bought clothes from a store, they weren''t made from a single piece of fabric, so making clothes for children was perfect, especially the younger they were, the less noticeable the patchwork.


    "Just right, Xiao Yanzi can have a couple more outfits, Hutou''s clothes, Xiao Yanzi can''t really use, the child doesn''t have many clothes."


    Now, children often wore hand-me-downs from their older siblings, and older children often wore clothes altered from their parents''. It was rare for a family to afford new clothes for all the kids. Even in big courtyard families, many boys wore small military pants altered from their parents'' clothes.


    In their family, Xiao Yanzi was two years younger than Hutou, so she naturally wore her brother''s old clothes. But Hutou was a boy, and boys tended to be rougher, so by the time Xiao Yanzi got them, some were too worn to wear, so she didn''t have many clothes.


    Hutou had more clothes, not because he had many new ones, but because worn-out clothes from the adults were altered into smaller sizes for him. Since there were more adults in the family, his clothes naturally umted more.


    As for why they didn''t alter them directly for Xiao Yanzi, it wasn''t about favoring boys over girls, but because they could alter them to fit Hutou better, and didn''t want to waste fabric by making them even smaller. Besides, Xiao Yanzi could still wear Hutou''s old clothes, so she didn''t have many clothes.


    Zhao Guihua said, "This time, Xiao Yanzi gets some new clothes."


    Even though they were fabric scraps, they were still new fabric.


    She said, "In the future, we don''t have to wait for Hutou to wear them out before giving them to Xiao Yanzi, look, will Xiao Yanzi even be able to wear them after Hutou?"


    She started muttering to herself.


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t sleepy at all, she fiddled with the fabric scraps and said, "You go to sleep first, I''ll sort this out."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Aren''t you worried about wasting electricity?"


    Zhao Guihua''s face stiffened, giving in to the power of saving electricity, she quietly put down the fabric and said, "Then I''ll sort it out tomorrow."


    After all, they weren''t a wealthy family.


    But it was good not to be a wealthy family, if they were, they might be in trouble.


    Zhao Guihua, having enjoyed a good life before, quickly adapted to the thrifty, penny-pinching life of the 1970s. She turned off the light and got into bed, saying, "We still have to save."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, the room fell silent, and he asked, "Hutou and Xiao Yanzi are both going to school, should we pay their tuition?"


    Zhao Guihua red at him and said, "What are you dreaming about? No way."


    Old Man Zhuang whispered, "The eldest''s life is tight."


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said, "Tight as it is, it''s self-inflicted. What? Do they expect me to bear the burden for them? Not a chance. Liang Meifen shouldn''t think she''s the smartest. That''s not happening. Besides, their monthly sry plus allowances is close to forty yuan, and they only contribute ten yuan for living expenses. They still have thirty left, so they can''t afford to pay for their children''s schooling. That''s a joke, isn''t it? Wang Xiangxiu''s family of five has to cover food and expenses with less than thirty yuan. If they were truly in hardship, we, as parents, couldn''t just stand by. But they''re not at that point yet. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi''s tuition is only one yuan and fifty cents each, which doesn''t affect their lives."


    Old Man Zhuang let out an "oh" and agreed.


    He was the type who dedicated himself entirely to his children, like an ox working tirelessly. However, despite being an ox, he was also apliant one. In this household, he was most obedient to Zhao Guihua. If she said one thing, he wouldn''t say another.


    Since his wife had made a decision, he wouldn''t raise any objections.


    Moreover, he thought what his wife said made a lot of sense.


    Zhao Guihua''s mind was no longer on that topic; instead, it was fully upied with the sack. She mused that even the cloth strips could be sewn together to make a long dress, which would still look quite nice. It was a win, indeed.


    Zhao Guihua thought further that these scraps wouldn''t work for winter clothes but were perfect for summer.


    She pondered over and over,ing up with several simple yet stylish designs in no time. Before she knew it, she had fallen into a daze and didn''t realize when she had fallen asleep. Perhaps it was because she went to bed toote and didn''t wake up in time to make breakfast. As a non-working person, Liang Meifen cooked corn grits and steamed buns.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were unaware that Zhao Guihua had gone out the previous night.


    Zhuang Zhixi gossiped, "Hey, do you think Bai Fendou fell into a cesspit and ate something that scrambled his brains? Why is he always lingering around the public toilets these days? I wonder what he''s up to."


    Several people groaned in disgust. Zhao Guihua, without hesitation, gave her son a heavy thump on the back, saying, "I think it''s your brain that''s the problem. We''re eating breakfast here; what are you talking about? Do you want to ruin our meal?"


    Ming Mei nodded vigorously, saying, "Mom''s right. Your words have made me lose my appetite."


    Despite her words, she continued to eat heartily.


    "Mom, I''m not very busy recently. I''ll have a day off in a few days. Shall we go up the mountain together?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Sure!"


    Although she didn''t think much of Ming Mei''s abilities, she didn''t see any reason to stop her if she wanted to go. It would be a good chance to see some excitement.


    "Alright." Ming Mei quickly finished her meal, slung her small satchel over her shoulder, and said, "I''m off to work."


    Ming Mei epitomized the image of a modern female worker: two pigtails, a navy blue cotton jacket, matching trousers, neat and tidy, with a military green satchel that read "Serve the People."


    Zhao Guihua nced up at Ming Mei and said, "Go ahead."


    Ming Mei responded with an "Okay," and with a spirited stride, she left the house. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Wait for me, let''s go together."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    The young couple made the most of every moment together. Zhuang Zhixi held Ming Mei''s hand and said, "I''ll give you a ride for a bit, and we''ll part ways at the fork."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    Bai Fendou happened toe out and said, "Oh, you two are so clingy."


    He hopped onto hisrge Forever bike and quickly overtook Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi called out behind him, "Fendou, aren''t you waiting for your good friend?"


    Bai Fendou almost lost bnce and turned back to give Zhuang Zhixi the middle finger, saying, "Just shut up."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled innocently.


    Ming Mei muttered softly, "They''re together all the time anyway; they might as well get married."


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked and said, "That''s if he''s willing. I think he''s just being yed."


    Zhuang Zhixi had no sympathy for Bai Fendou; if he was willing to throw himself into it, who could he me?


    "He brought it on himself; he deserves it," Zhuang Zhixi said, echoing his mother''s sharp tongue.


    At that moment, Zhao Guihua finished her meal and quickly instructed, "Oldest daughter-inw, tidy up."


    She hurried back to her room and began rummaging through her belongings. Last night had been too rushed to examine things properly. This time, she found that there were indeed fewer good items. Liang Meifen, busy with her chores, sneakily peeked over, only to be stunned.


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you looking at? Go wash the clothes you took off from the kids."


    Liang Meifen: "Oh."


    Her curiosity was eating her up, but seeing that her mother-inw paid no attention to her, Liang Meifen couldn''t say anything. With Hutou and Xiao Yanzi at school, the house was left with just the two of them, making the atmosphere even more awkward.


    Liang Meifen silently went to wash the clothes, thinking she might as well clean the windowster. As long as she kept busy, her mother-inw wouldn''t have anything to say. In fact, this was overthinking; Zhao Guihua wasn''t paying attention to her at all.


    She had no time for such trivial matters. Instead, she preferred to find some good items to make life better. Although the sack was filled by Zhao Guihua herself, rummaging through it now felt like treasure hunting.


    "Ah!"


    She eximed in delight, suddenly thrilled.


    Among the cloth strips she had stuffed in a hurry, there was arge piece of fabric. This piece of cloth was military green, neatly rolled into a long strip and thrown among the scraps.


    Zhao Guihua excitedly unfolded it, only to gasp again. This piece of cloth was over a meter long.


    It was neatly cut and of excellent quality, made of polyester.


    Zhao Guihua was thrilled: "How could such a good piece of fabric be thrown among the scraps?"


    She caressed it and quickly decided. This material could make a short-sleeved shirt for an adult. It was perfect for making one for her husband. He hadn''t had new clothes for several years.


    Their family hadn''t split up, and there were quite a few people living together. Whenever there were cloth coupons, they were used for their sons and grandchildren. The old couple hadn''t added any new clothes for years.


    Although the factory provided work uniforms, even in summer, they were long-sleeved and not particrly presentable. They were just work clothes, after all. Now that there was such a piece of cloth, Zhao Guihua was excited and quickly put it away.


    As she continued to search, she felt even better.


    This time, just with these few good pieces of fabric, she had made more than ten times the profit.


    Indeed, one must be bold.


    She sorted through the sack again, and by mid-morning, she had finished organizing everything. Zhao Guihua looked at these items with satisfaction and nodded, saying, "Oldest daughter-inw."


    Liang Meifen immediately responded, "I''m here!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy some thread. White, ck, and red, one roll each. Here, take the money."


    Liang Meifen: "???"


    Although she was very confused, obedience was always the right choice.


    Liang Meifen hurried off, while Zhao Guihua had already arranged the fabrics. She first sorted the blue and white striped fabric, roughly sketched a design with a piece of chalk, and then cut it at home. She then took the original thread from home and headed to the back courtyard.


    Aunt Wang and a few others were sitting at the junction of the front and back courtyards, chatting.


    These non-working women and young wives usually gathered together. As the weather warmed up slightly, they would sit in the yard, winding wool, stitching soles, or sewing clothes, all while chatting. It was a perfect way to work and socialize.


    "Guihua, what are you...?"


    "Aunt Wang, I was just looking for you. Can I borrow your sewing machine?"


    This had been discussed before. Aunt Wang nodded, "Sure, I''ll take you there."


    The other aunties nced at the fabric in Zhao Guihua''s hand, their eyes flickering. Zhao Guihua didn''t care what they thought and said, "I brought my own thread; I just need to rece it, right?"


    Aunt Wang: "You''re too polite. It''s just a little thread."


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s the proper thing to do."


    Nowadays, every household lived frugally, and she couldn''t take advantage.


    Wang Dama also curiously examined the fabric, saying, "This is..."


    Zhao Guihua: "This is some scrap fabric a close friend of mine found for me. I thought it wouldn''t be suitable for adults, but for children, yes. I n to make a summer top for each of the two kids."


    "Oh, that''s really nice. It feels quite soft; it would be perfect for the children."


    "Exactly."


    Zhao Guihua was also delighted: "I didn''t expect it either. I got lucky."


    They entered the house together, where Li Fang was also at home. She quickly greeted, "Aunt Zhao, you''re here! Let me get you some water."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, no need. I''m here to work. Don''t bother."


    Aunt Wang and Li Fang''s mother didn''t rush off either; they watched Zhao Guihua work. Zhao Guihua tested the sewing machine and quickly regained her rhythm. At her age, there wasn''t much she couldn''t do; back in their younger days, ready-made clothes were a luxury they couldn''t afford. Everyone made their own, not knowing any fancy styles, but they all knew how to sew.


    After all, children didn''t need anything particrly special.


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t used a sewing machine in a long time and was a bit rusty, but she wasn''t afraid of making mistakes. Her family didn''t own a sewing machine; she always borrowed one, using it infrequently, so it was natural not to be very skilled. Zhao Guihua started working quickly on the sewing machine...


    Meanwhile, Liang Meifen had just returned with the thread. As soon as she entered the courtyard, Aunt Su called her over and urgently asked, "Liang Meifen, it seems your mother-inw is making clothes. Is it for your sister-inw?"


    She couldn''t sleep without stirring up trouble.


    Liang Meifen: "???"


    Sister-inw? Oh, not her real brother, but her brother-inw''s wife.


    She shook her head: "I haven''t heard anything about that."


    Her mother-inw hadn''t mentioned making new clothes for Ming Mei. Even if she were to make new clothes, it wouldn''t be for Ming Mei; she already had so many. The whole family knew Ming Mei had the most clothes. Liang Meifen was jealous, but she didn''t realize those were from Ming Mei''s family.


    Despite Liang Meifen''s naivety, she wasn''t much of a liar; she was somewhat honest.


    She said, "Even if new clothes are being made, it should be for my two little ones, right? My mother-inw mentioned making something for them when it gets warmer. This doesn''t involve my sister-inw." That''s because she helped catch fish.


    She didn''t say thest part out loud.


    "Why make clothes for kids? They don''t need new clothes."


    "Exactly, adults'' old clothes can be altered."


    Adults worked hard, and their clothes often wore out in ces like the knees, hips, and other spots. When they were too worn to be patched, they''d be altered for the children, which was the most practical. Making new clothes for kids was too wasteful.


    Liang Meifen said, "My mother-inw decided; I don''t know."


    She couldn''tment on this.


    Even if her mother-inw wasn''t the one making the decisions, why would she speak up for something that benefits her? She wasn''t crazy; she didn''t want the fabric to go to her brother-inw and Ming Mei.


    The thought of that made her feel like she''d lose out.


    She wouldn''t do that.


    "Whatever happens in our family, my mom decides. We just follow her lead; she says what to do, and we do it." At this moment, she even knew how to say nice things. The others exchanged nces, thinking that Liang Meifen was really benefiting from this, her words sounding nicer now.


    Liang Meifen was indeed benefiting; she was happy as long as it was for her side of the family.


    Although her mother-inw hadn''t said anything, Liang Meifen felt that the clothes were for her kids. After all, her mother-inw, though harsh, was a person of her word. Compared to Madam Zhou Li, who was always scolding and harsh, her mother-inw was fierce but kept her promises. Her husband might not necessarily buy her candy, but her mother-inw would definitely provide meat or fish if she said so.


    "Is my mother-inw at Aunt Wang''s? I''ll go check."


    Liang Meifen couldn''t hold back and hurried over to see.


    Zhao Guihua saw hering and said, "Go home and make lunch."


    Liang Meifen was stopped in her tracks with just one sentence. She muttered an "oh" and silently left without even entering the house.


    Aunt Wang chuckled, "Your daughter-inw is quite obedient."


    Zhao Guihua herself didn''t believe that,ughing, "Do you think so?"


    Aunt Wang: "Let''s leave it be."


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t particrly attached to this task, knowing the future of society, but she had to make her stance clear. After all, Liang Meifen was the type to push boundaries. She didn''t respond well to kind words, but a stern tone could keep her in line and prevent trouble.


    For the sake of family harmony, she had to y the role of the strict mother-inw.


    It wasn''t easy for her, really.


    The children''s short-sleeved shirts were made quickly. Zhao Guihua had already cut the fabric before leaving, and the sewing machine was faster than hand-sewing. Once done, she shook the clothes and asked, "What do you think?"


    "Really nice."


    Li Fang smiled, "This looks just like the striped shirt the young protagonist wears in ''Children of the Fishing Ind.''"


    Because of this movie, many kids in their city wore such blue and white striped shirts every summer.


    "Mine is a bit simpler. I thought, for kids, just keeping cool is enough, so I made the cor a bitrger."


    In reality, it was to make the most of the fabric.


    "Yes, a high cor would make the child too hot."


    At this point, Aunt Wang also noticed, "You made one for each of the brother and sister, you''re really generous."


    Zhao Guihua smiled, "To be honest, I only had this much fabric. Making tworger ones wouldn''t be enough, so I made two smaller ones. This way, neither is jealous of the other. Every time I altered clothes for Hutou, Xiao Yanzi would be so envious. You can''t treat a girl too poorly; otherwise, she might be easily swayed by a boy''s small favors when she grows up. That wouldn''t do."


    "Oh, where did you get that idea?"


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s the truth. Think about it, isn''t it true?"


    Aunt Wang and Li Fang''s mother thought about it and found it quite reasonable,ughing.


    Zhao Guihua finished her work and said, "I''ll head back now. I''lle by to use it again this afternoon."


    She herself felt a bit embarrassed, adding, "I still need to make some shorts."


    Aunt Wang: "Sure, don''t be so polite. Feel free toe by."


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement and took the finished clothes home. As soon as she entered, Liang Meifen immediately fixed her gaze on Zhao Guihua''s hands, hesitating to speak.


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and said, "Speak up if you have something to say. Here, take it."


    Liang Meifen: "Ah?"


    She looked at her mother-inw in surprise, excited: "For me?"


    Zhao Guihua: "What good fortune are you thinking of? These are for the two kids, one each. Keep them for now; I''ll make them some shortster. Once everything is done, wash them all before putting them away. Wait until it''s warmer to dress the kids in them."


    Liang Meifen: "Why wash new clothes?"


    Zhao Guihua red, "Just do as I say. Don''t ask so many questions. If you don''t want to wash, don''t take them!" She knew that people usually wouldn''t wash new clothes, as washing made them wear out faster. Clothes were precious then, rarely bought, so they were treated carefully. But Zhao Guihua thought otherwise.


    This fabric was pulled from the warehouse and wasn''t clean; children shouldn''t wear such things.


    She said, "Don''t rush; wait until the other clothes are done together."


    "Okay!"


    Liang Meifen moved as fast as a rabbit that had just been caught, quickly storing the clothes. She quickly said, "I''ll follow your instructions."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t exin further, asking, "Did you put the thread I asked you to buy on the cab?"


    Liang Meifen nodded.


    Zhao Guihua nodded and went into the inner room.


    As Zhao Guihua entered the room, Liang Meifen unfolded the clothes to inspect them. She could tell that therger piece was made from four pieces of fabric sewn together, but it didn''t look shabby at all. In fact, it was quite good. Even ready-made clothes sold in stores wouldn''t be seamless like this.


    Looking at her daughter''s piece, she deeply felt that making new clothes for Xiao Yanzi was a waste.Aliali: 6748674f3f33ac4783886


    However, since it didn''t cost anything and was made for her own family, it was a big gain!


    A huge gain!


    She certainly wasn''t going to turn it down.


    Liang Meifen happily folded the clothes and hummed a little tune. Her mother-inw was indeed a woman of her word. She said she would make clothes for her children, and she did.


    Although... she would have preferred to make money from fishing, she knew her mother-inw wouldn''t give her any.


    She sighed, feeling quite misunderstood. Why couldn''t they understand her desire to impress her family back home?


    She, was in a tough spot, feeling quite the burden!


    Liang Meifen''s thoughts wandered off, while Zhao Guihua had already cut out the little shorts. She was now realizing the benefits of the same color scheme, really making the most of it. At the warehouse, she hadn''t noticed, but now that she had brought it home, she found the fabric was quite generous, at least for children.


    Zhao Guihua: Very excited!~


    She picked out a few soft fabrics and pondered for a moment, realizing she could make two pairs of underwear and two little vests for each child. Zhao Guihua: This haul is just awesome!

 Chapter 37

    Zhao Guihua was busy all day, making summer outfits for Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. She made them matching striped short-sleeved shirts and blue shorts, suitable for both boys and girls.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In addition, the two children each received two undershirts and two pairs of underwear.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Boys tend to wear out their pants faster, so Zhao Guihua made an extra pair of capri pants for Hutou. These garments, though homemade, looked as good as store-bought ones, even though they were made from leftover fabric. One wouldn''t guess that the fabric was scarce.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After making these, there was only a small piece of polyester cloth left.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    However, Zhao Guihua found a bundle of red fabric with small floral patterns, each strip about the width of a palm. She nned to sew them into two striped dresses for Xiao Yanzi. This was a meticulous task that couldn''t be rushed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Besides, it wasn''t summer yet, so she wasn''t in a hurry.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi came home from school with their little satchels. Seeing their freshly washed new clothes pping in the breeze in the courtyard, they jumped for joy. Hutou eximed in surprise, "Are these my new clothes? Are they really mine?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihuaughed and said, "Yes, look, these are for you, and those are for your sister."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hutou pped his hands, "Yay!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He could count now and counted his clothes, saying, "I have one more pair of pants than my sister."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Xiao Yanzi, swaying beside her brother, was even happier. She had fewer new clothes than her brother, but the little girl didn''t mind.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After all, she often didn''t have any new clothes at all.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua ruffled the little girl''s hair, saying, "You have more than your brother."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Huh?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The siblings looked at their grandmother in confusion. Xiao Yanzi, who could already count to ten, suspected her grandmother was trying to trick her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua, seeing her skeptical look,ughed even harder and said, "You have two dresses that haven''t been finished yet. Grandma is too busy!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Understanding now, Xiao Yanzi''s eyes widened in shock, "Two, dresses?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Yes, two dresses. It''s still cold now, but when it gets warmer, you''ll get them."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Xiao Yanzi felt so happy she was about to float away. She swayed gently, leaning on her brother, saying, "Two new dresses..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Then she stood up straight and asked softly, "Are they for me, not for my brother to wear first?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hearing this, Zhao Guihua felt a pang of sadness.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hutou, blushing, said, "Boys can''t wear dresses. They''re definitely for you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Xiao Yanzi''s cheeks flushed with excitement, different from her brother''s shyness. The little girl fidgeted with her hands, saying, "That''s great."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua pinched the girl''s cheek, saying, "In the future, whatever your brother gets, you''ll get too."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Xiao Yanzi grinned.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua hugged Hutou with her other arm, saying, "Hutou has more clothes than his sister, so this time we made more for her. When Hutou''s clothes wear out, we''ll make more for him too."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hutou replied, "Okay!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He said loudly, "I understand!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He was about to start elementary school soon and was quite sensible.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "You''re both good kids. As long as you''re good, Grandma loves you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hutou shouted, "I''ll be good!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Xiao Yanzi was not to be outdone and shouted loudly, "I can do it too, Xiao Yanzi is even more obedient."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "You are all good children."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Two children received praise and were both very proud. Soon, the brother and sister held hands and went to y together. Zhao Guihua''s family had hung their washed clothes outside to dry, which naturally everyone could see. Aunt Su looked at them and said enviously, "You really spare no expense when ites to making clothes for your children."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "These clothes aren''t even enough for one piece of clothing for an adult."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In fact, it''s enough no matter how you look at it, but you can''t put them together, can you?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "I just exchanged some small pieces of cloth. It''s not enough for adults to make clothes, so I decided to make them for the children instead. It''s good that the children haven''t had many new clothes recently. It will also make the children happy."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    This statement by Zhao Guihua is indeed quite genuine.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It''s not that she is particrly humble; in fact, Zhao Guihua is quite fond of showing off, but she has also experienced a lot and knows that some things are not to be spoken of lightly. Having a good life known to everyone is not entirely a good thing.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Who knows, is there anyone jealous?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It''s like the recent incident with the thief. There are so many courtyards on this entire street, and each courtyard has so many households. Why did the thief choose Zhou Lishi''s family? It''s because she always brags about being the "richest" in the area. Sometimes, you can''t boast too much.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Actually, I wanted to make it for my old man, but he hasn''t had new clothes for four or five years, and the fabric isn''t enough." She put it out there first, saying, "I''ll save up, and I''m definitely going to make a new one for my old man this summer."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    You do know how to care for your old man, and it''s the same at my house. It hasn''t been as long as at your ce, but it''s been two or three years since we''ve done anything new." Auntie Wang sighed, "My two boys can really make a mess.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Li Weiwei and Li Junjun, two boys, naturally get into more trouble, and their pants get torn at the slightest provocation, it''s really helpless.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Everyone''s topic quickly shifted to children. Auntie Su''s eyes flickered as she said, "Zhao Guihua, who did you trade with? Could you help me trade for some? You see, my family''s life is not easy either. The three boys are too mischievous. It''s a time when we are short of cloth coupons."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She also realized that Zhao Guihua probably didn''t have any morerge pieces of fabric. However, she still wanted to inquire about the source.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "One of my old sisters, she''s gone now, and she was also left over from tailoring clothes."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua had no intention of rmending Aunt Lian to Aunt Su. It wasn''t that she wanted to monopolize this channel for herself, but rather, she felt that Aunt Su wasn''t very trustworthy. She might not necessarily say it out loud, but she would definitely involve her in everything.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    To put it bluntly, it''s like a sticky chewing gum. Once it gets even slightly attached, it''s very difficult to shake off.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    And she looked like she couldn''t lift a hand or shoulder a burden, who knows what kind of trouble she might cause then. That''s why Zhao Guihua initially nipped this idea in the bud. She smiled and said, "Such things, how could they happen all the time?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    As they were talking, Xu Da''s wife entered the back courtyard, cursing and muttering. Zhao Guihua asked, "What''s wrong with you?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Sister Xu was in a huff and said, "Auntie, you don''t know, that Bai Fendou, the little rascal, has a screw loose in his head. I don''t know why, but he''s been lurking around the restroom area. It makes me uneasy even going to the restroom. Do you think he''s peeping on us?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Oh, I wouldn''t dare say that. Saying something like that could ruin someone''s reputation. It''s really not necessary. If he really wanted to sneak a peek, he wouldn''t do it in broad daylight. You''re misunderstanding him." Aunt Su immediately jumped out to defend Bai Fendou. This wasn''t because she had a particrly good rtionship with Bai Fendou, but because Bai Fendou was their family''s blood donor. She couldn''t let Bai Fendou get such a reputation, as it would lead to beingbeled as a scoundrel and possibly being arrested. If that happened, he might lose his job.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    This person can lose anything, but they cannot lose their job. If they really lose their job, who else in their family can they rely on?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The old white man doesn''t fight as much as his son, and isn''t it better to have one more person?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She anxiously exined for Bai Fendou, and Sister Xu pouted, then said: "Auntie Su, I know you are a good person, but you don''t know, he has been wandering around there for several days, it''s really worrying, I don''t feel safe every time I go to the bathroom."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Sister Xu was unhappy, and naturally she had to express it.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "You didn''t encounter him?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "I have met him, but I don''t know what he does, and he didn''t say when I asked."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In his previous life, there were no rumors of him wandering around the restroom. It''s truly a different story now, as many things have changed drastically.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Madam Zhou Li: ¡°I¡¯ve encountered something simr. I think this guy is a pervert and should be reported to the factory security department to have him arrested.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Madam Zhou Li certainly doesn¡¯t like Bai Fendou and would love to see him crushed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too harsh? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s like that.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°He¡¯s part of the factory security department himself. Are you suggesting he arrest himself?¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Everyone chimed in with their opinions.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Aunt Wang seemed to know something. She nced around and said, ¡°Let me talk to him. He doesn¡¯t have bad intentions; he¡¯s just not very bright.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    With that, no one objected.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After all, Aunt Wang was the head of the courtyard, and it was clear she knew something. Zhao Guihua nced at Aunt Wang and then turned her gaze to the clothes she had just washed. Suddenly, Zhao Guihua grasped something¡ªfeudal superstitions.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She unexpectedly thought of Auntie Lian, who had been wandering around several times and even mentioned in front of her that the toilet was haunted. Zhao Guihua wasn¡¯t interested at the time, so the topic ended there.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    If Bai Fendou had heard that rumor and believed it...<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After all, he had fallen into the toilet twice that day, possibly making him more inclined to believe such things. Although she didn¡¯t know the specifics, Zhao Guihua felt that Bai Fendou sneaking around the toilet area must not be for peeping but likely for some superstitious ritual.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She wasn¡¯t sure how exactly, but the possibility was very high.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    This was probably why Aunt Wang didn¡¯t want to talk about it. Spreading such rumors would only tarnish Bai Fendou¡¯s reputation further, and the factory might even investigate. So Aunt Wang kept quiet. She was quite decent in that regard.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua figured it out and stood up, saying, ¡°I¡¯m going home to cook. It¡¯s gettingte, and it¡¯s time to make dinner. These days, there¡¯s just so much to do.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°Exactly, my old man thinks I have it easy at home, not seeing all the work there is to do.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°That¡¯s right, at times like this, I envy Madam Zhou Li, who doesn¡¯t have to do anything and just waits for her daughter-inw toe home.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°Exactly.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Aunt Su often didn¡¯t cook either, but she put on a good show. Whenever she did any work, she made sure everyone saw it, giving the impression that she was very diligent. Everyone thought she was hardworking but just physically unable to do heavy tasks.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But she was a diligent person.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Madam Zhou Li, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t manage her image and was seen aszy and gluttonous.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Madam Zhou Li didn¡¯t mind what others said and even boasted, ¡°If you can¡¯t control your daughter-inw, it¡¯s your fault. Once a daughter-inw enters the house, she must work. Not working means the rules haven¡¯t been set right.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    ¡°Hehehehe.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Some agreed, some didn¡¯t, but everyone justughed awkwardly before dispersing to go home and cook.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua also went home, especially since her son and daughter had gotten new clothes today, and Liang Meifen was thrilled.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Let¡¯s make something simple. You steam the buns, and I¡¯ll stew some vegetables.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Working together, they finished much faster.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    That evening, Zhuang Zhixi left work and headed straight to the bus terminal to pick up his wife. Her shift endedter than his, so he had plenty of time. Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t take the bus; he walked, which took nearly forty minutes but wasn¡¯t too tiring.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The chilly spring air made him feel warmer as he walked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    So Zhuang Zhixi always walked. As he approached the terminal, he suddenly stopped and looked across the street. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he crossed the road and followed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Lo and behold, he spotted an acquaintance¡ªZhou Qun.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Curious why Zhou Qun woulde here after work instead of going home, Zhuang Zhixi quietly followed him and saw him enter a guesthouse. Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and pondered. Zhou Qun was a local with a home, so he wouldn¡¯t need an introduction letter to stay at a guesthouse.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Without an introduction letter, the guesthouse wouldn¡¯t let him stay.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    So, he must be meeting someone who had a letter and was staying there. Zhuang Zhixi leaned against the wall, keeping an eye on the guesthouse entrance. It was really odd for him to be here spying like this.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But was there anything wrong with that?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    No!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that curiosity was natural.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Leaning against the wall, he soon saw another familiar face.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It was none other than Wang Xiangxiu.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu had changed out of her work clothes and was hurrying into the guesthouse.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­It¡¯s not surprising at all.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    There was no good reason for them to be at a guesthouse far from home. Anyone with a bit of sense could guess what was going on.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Hmm¡­even without thinking, one could guess the situation.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought it would be a good idea to call Jiang Lu to see this, though she might not think Zhou Qun was at fault. More likely, she¡¯d want to kill Wang Xiangxiu but see Zhou Qun as the innocent one.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    A gust of wind blew, and Zhuang Zhixi felt the evening chill. Although it was already March and sunny at midday, it was still cold in the evening. He rubbed his hands and suddenlyughed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He really was idle. Even if he wanted to see some gossip, he didn¡¯t need to stand guard like a watchdog. He turned and walked away, deciding not to watch anymore.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Gossip would always be there.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    This chilly evening, picking up his wife was more important. Zhuang Zhixi quickly left, but if he had stayed, he would have soon seen Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu leave separately. They were quick, and Wang Xiangxiu was already getting dressed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qunyzily on the bed and said, ¡°Why the hurry?¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu buttoned her shirt and replied, ¡°How can I not hurry? I still have to cook at home. I¡¯m not a man who can just eat ready-made food. There¡¯s a lot to do at home, and my mother-inw is unwell, you know that.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun gave a nonchnt snort.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She nced back at Zhou Qun and whispered, ¡°Is it safe here?¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun: ¡°It¡¯s fine; I arranged it.¡± He looked at Wang Xiangxiu and said, ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, whye at all?¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu pouted, ¡°You¡¯re heartless.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun chuckled, ¡°You have a heart? You have a heart not to mess with Bai Fendou? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know he heard the ghost rumor from you.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    His mother prepared ck dog blood to ward off evil, and he had some with him. Wang Xiangxiu inquired about it and then told Bai Fendou.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He had long guessed that Bai Fendou¡¯s lurking around was to find the witch.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He must also want to ward off evil but couldn¡¯t find a way. So he kept sneaking off work to look for her. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t been lucky enough to meet her yet. Others didn¡¯t know, but Zhou Qun had figured it out.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He sneered, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you two were so close. Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll find out about us?¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu leaned softly against Zhou Qun and said, ¡°What are you talking about? In my heart, you¡¯re the most important. He¡¯s nothing, not even worth your little toe. But I have three children to raise. Without his help, how would I manage? That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let him get into trouble. Who else could I rely on if he did? Rely on you, my dear? I don¡¯t even dare to think about it.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun chuckled, ¡°I won¡¯t get a divorce. I don¡¯t care about money, but divorce is too disgraceful.¡±<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He looked up: "I want to develop in the factory, where can I afford to lose face?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu said softly: "I know, I didn''t say anything about you, so you don''t need to always talk about Bai Fendou. You know, I don''t have any feelings for him anyway."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    To be honest, she really didn''t like Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou wasn''t bad, but what''s the use of being good? He was ugly, stupid, not clever, and had a one-track mind. Even if she, Wang Xiangxiu, was in a bad situation, she wouldn''t choose such a man.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She said: "In my heart, you''re better."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun looked at her with a proud smile, took out some money, and said: "Take it and buy some food."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu softly replied with an "Ah," looking at Zhou Qun tenderly and saying: "You''re really capable. I knew it wouldn''t be wrong to follow you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She took the money and didn''t want to stay any longer, quickly saying: "I''ll go first, so no one finds out. Let''s leave separately."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhou Qun waved his hand.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly left, looking around to make sure no one was watching before hurrying downstairs. The person at the counter downstairs kept his head down, pretending not to notice. Wang Xiangxiu quickly walked out, spat, and muttered under her breath: "What a piece of trash, does he think I''d look at him? If it weren''t for the fact that he has some money, I wouldn''t even look at him. He''s even worse than Bai Fendou. At least Bai Fendou isn''t as hypocritical as this fake gentleman."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Touching the five yuan she had just received, Wang Xiangxiu felt her steps lighten up. She hurried home, thinking: "If it weren''t for his generosity, I wouldn''t have bothered. It''s a waste of time to walk this far for nothing."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But thinking about how five yuan could buy a lot of things, she couldn''t help but smile. This deal wasn''t bad.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    If she could get this once a month, it would be enough to supplement her ie, which was almost a fifth of her sry. If she saved a little more, it would be enough for a month''s food expenses. She liked Zhou Qun''s foolish generosity.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t want to take the bus, so she jogged home.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After walking a distance, Zhou Qun also came out. He wasn''t in a hurry; life was easier for men. He didn''t need to cook, so he strolled home slowly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi never expected these two to move so quickly. He hadn''t gone far when they already parted ways. He arrived at the bus station and didn''t go in, just sat at the gate waiting. The gatekeeper uncle was Uncle Zhou.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Uncle Zhou poured him a cup of hot water and said: "You''re quite good to your wife. You''re the only one whoes to pick her up."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    In fact, Zhuang Zhixi didn''te often, only asionally, butpared to others, he definitely came more. Zhuang Zhixi smiled sweetly and said: "The days are shorter now, and it gets dark when you all get off work. My wife is so beautiful; how can I not worry? I feel more at ease when Ie to pick her up."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Uncle Zhou chuckled, thinking to himself that you''re really good at making things up. Everyone at the station knew that Ming Mei was a top-notch fighter.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    A few big men might not be her match.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Is it busy at your machinery factory?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi, like a good student, said politely: "The workshop is definitely busy, but it''s not busy for me. I just handle fees in the clinic."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He smiled and said: "Our clinic deals with small things, not busy."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "The clinic is good too. Are you a doctor?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "No, I just handle fees." Zhuang Zhixi felt that people didn''t listen to him. He had clearly mentioned it before. But it seemed that everyone assumed that working in the clinic meant knowing medicine, which wasn''t the case.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Actually, I¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Zhixi Ge!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi was speaking when he heard a clear call. He looked up and saw Ming Mei''s head poking out from a bus entering the station.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei waved at him and said: "Zhixi Ge, wait for me."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said: "Okay."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The bus stopped, and Ming Mei quickly ran towards the office building. The bus drivers and conductors who arrived at the same time allughed. The married women winked at each other, hinting everyone to look at Zhuang Zhixi.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi was good-looking, which gave him some clout.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "The couple''s feelings are really good."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "That''s right."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "My husband never picks me up after work."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "You''re not as pretty as Ming Mei."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Everyone chattered andughed. Before they even reached the office building, Ming Mei had already run out. A sister teased: "Wow, you''re fast."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei blushed shyly and then pouted: "My husband is waiting for me outside."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    They were a legal couple, after all.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She quickly ran to the gate, and Zhuang Zhixi walked out with a smile, "Where''s your bike?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei: "Oh right, I forgot."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She quickly went to the bike shed to get her bike, and Zhuang Zhixi rode it, carrying Ming Mei, turning out quickly. Ming Mei hugged his waist and said: "Why did youe to pick me up again?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I had nothing to do. Didn''t we say I''de pick you up when I''m free?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei giggled coquettishly and hummed softly, saying: "Isn''t that tiring?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Not at all, I''m happy to see you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Both of themughed. As they were about to turn a corner, they heard someone chasing from behind, shouting: "Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming Mei¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s long legs quickly stopped the bike, and the couple turned back to see an old man panting as he caught up. Ming Mei jumped off the bike: "Director?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The director was out of breath and said: "You ran so fast. Your mom asked me to tell you to go back to your parents'' ce today after work."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    They lived upstairs and downstairs, so it was convenient to pass on messages.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He almost didn''t catch up.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei: "Ah? Oh, okay!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The director waved his hand: "Alright, I forgot to tell you this morning. Phew, chasing you has me out of breath. Go ahead."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei patted Zhuang Zhixi''s back and said: "Let''s go home."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Which home?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei pouted: "Of course your home. We''ll go back and tell them we''re going to my parents'' ce. Otherwise, it''s toote for a round trip. What if our mother-inw worries about us?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The couple quickly rode their bikes home. Zhuang Zhixi said: "Oh, I met Zhou Qun on the way here today. He and Wang Xiangxiu went into a hotel one after the other. Let me tell you¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi started talking, and Ming Mei''s eyes widened, saying: "They''re really something."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Right? Bai Fendou is really a waste."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei didn''t feel sorry for him at all, saying: "He brought it on himself."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She was very vengeful, especially since Bai Fendou had tried to ambush her Zhixi Ge in the toilet for no reason. Ming Mei didn''t have a good impression of Bai Fendou. She asked: "Do you feel sorry for him?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Am I bored? I''m just watching the fun."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei chuckled, and the couple chatted all the way home. They arrived homete, and every household was already eating. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei entered together, and Zhuang Zhixi called out: "Mom, I saw the new clothes hanging outside¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Mine, mine," Hutou quickly told his uncle, "They''re my new clothes."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "And mine," Xiao Yanzi said in a childish voice.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said: "That''s nice. Where did the fabrice from? We used up our cloth tickets, didn''t we?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua looked up: "None of your business."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately shut up; his mother was not to be trifled with.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Old Man Zhuang spoke: "Let''s eat."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Okay, Mom and Dad, Ming Mei and I are going to my inws'' ceter. My mother-inw asked us to go over for something." Zhuang Zhixi exined.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Go ahead."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She seemed to think of something and looked at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Suddenly being stared at, he quickly sat up straight. Zhao Guihua: "You have a wide circle of friends. If youe across anyone from your unit who wants to sell a sewing machine ticket, try to get it."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Holy crap."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Others also turned their heads to look at Zhao Guihua in unison, unable to believe what they were seeing. This was definitely not the mother they knew. Their mother was always very frugal and careful with money. But recently, what was going on? She was talking about buying a bicycle and a sewing machine.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    How much money did she think she had to spend like this?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Everyone stared at Zhao Guihua in a daze. Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have any objections?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi was quick to react: "Of course not."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Liang Meifen was also shocked as she looked at her mother-inw. How much money had her mother-inw saved up? But soon, Liang Meifen shook her head inwardly. Her mother-inw couldn''t have that much money. The family''s ie was predictable, and although Liang Meifen wasn''t very clear-headed, she was one of the few high school graduates.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She could guess a bit about the family''s financial situation from the inflows and outflows.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Her mother-inw had some money, but it was definitely not a lot.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Although they had made some extra money from selling fish before, they had also spent a lot on meat. So there probably wasn''t much cash left. Liang Meifen looked at her mother-inw in confusion, not understanding what she was nning to do.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei nodded and agreed with her mother-inw''s approach, saying, "It''s better to buy and use early to enjoy it. It''s actually a good idea."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    This wasn''t Ming Mei brown-nosing; it was her habit from childhood. Although she had saved a lot of private money, she also spent a lot. There was no way she wouldn''t be influenced by her mother''s habits.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s mother was like her grandmother.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s grandfather had been a master craftsman at a gold shop in the 1930s and 1940s, a very prestigious and well-paid job. At first, Ming Mei''s grandparents were frugal and lived a good life.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But back then, the world was chaotic. Even if they were frugal and wanted to live well, fate didn''t always give them the chance. Ming Mei''s eldest uncle passed away at the age of seven. Because of this, her grandparents were deeply affected and stopped saving money from then on.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    They realized that money should be spent when you have it, because if you die without spending it, it''s a sad thing.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s mother was the third child, with another uncle. After losing their eldest son, the couple lived differently. Their lifestyle was even better than that ofndlords in the countryside. Usually, boys were more valued than girls, but Ming Mei''s mother never wore her brother''s old clothes. The couple both worked at the gold shop, one as a master craftsman and the other as a shop assistant. They earned money and spent it on food and clothes, eating meat and buying new clothes.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Although they didn''t have houses ornd like other master craftsmen, their family was very healthy. How could they not be healthy?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Other families had to save and be frugal, but they ate well and had a good diet. The difference in a child''s growth from eating well or poorly was significant. Logically, living like this was risky, like living day by day.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But who would have thought that luck is unpredictable.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    After liberation, their family, because they had no houses ornd, was ssified as poor peasants. Those who had some money usually bought houses andnd, with the best ssification being middle peasants, which was not as good as poor peasants.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Their family had nothing, so they were ssified as poor peasants.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    It was an unpredictable turn of events.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Because of their skills, Ming Mei''s grandfather was assigned a job in a factory and also given a house.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    So Ming Mei''s grandparents often said that the most important thing in life was to be happy, eat well, and enjoy life early. That''s why when Ming Mei''s grandmother passed away, the whole family felt that she had lived a fulfilling life.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s mother was greatly influenced by her parents. Although Ming Mei didn''t grow up with her grandparents and didn''t see them much, she was influenced by her mother.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    So when it came to this, Ming Mei strongly agreed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Moreover, in her dreams, the purchasing power of money would decrease in a few years. So wasn''t it better to enjoy it now? If it weren''t for the current situation, she would have even wanted to buy a gold ne with her private money to show off.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s eyes sparkled as she agreed with her mother-inw''s view.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "I think so too. We''re still young, no need to save for old age so early. It''s better to buy some household items for convenience. Otherwise, always borrowing from others is so inconvenient."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Besides, borrowing too much would annoy anyone.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Those were precious items.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei nodded: "My mother always told me that too, so we bought a sewing machine early."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua: "Did you also buy a radio?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei nodded: "We bought it many years ago."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua smacked her lips, eximing: "A radio..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Old Man Zhuang''s chopsticks fell with a tter as he stared at Zhao Guihua in shock, unable to believe she was even thinking about buying the three big items.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The three big items, a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a watch, were essential for a decent wedding. But for a family not getting married, there was no option for a watch. The other item mentioned was a radio.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    They had never imagined they could afford the three big items.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Old Man Zhuang felt his heart tremble, wondering if they had enough money...<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    If there was no savings at all, Old Man Zhuang thought it would be terrifying. But he was usually a quiet person and a henpecked husband, so even if he had thoughts, he didn''t dare to speak up. He hurriedly picked up his chopsticks and forced a smile.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t pay attention to this. She thought for a moment and sighed, saying, "If we buy a sewing machine, we won''t have money for a radio. Let''s save up for two more years." It was enough, but too tight.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Old Man Zhuang finally rxed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Liang Meifen: "..." Scary! Her mother-inw was getting more and more unreliabletely!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei: "..." Disappointed, she had thought they could buy a radio.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    However, getting a radio ticket was not easy, and even if they wanted to buy one, it wouldn''t be something they could get quickly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Like now, even though her mother-inw wanted to buy a sewing machine, they didn''t know when they''d get the sewing machine ticket. There were tickets in the ck market, but it was better not to get involved. Buying food was necessary, but buying tickets was not.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    And generally, such tickets were in the hands of specific dealers.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei knew this, and Zhao Guihua knew it too. These people were not simple.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She reminded, "Just ask around at the factory, don''t go to the ck market."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "I know that."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The ck market, people went there, but not often. Buying things had its own rules. After all, they were workers, and if they got caught, it would affect their jobs.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei quickly finished their meal and left together. As soon as they stepped out, they ran into Wang Xiangxiu, who was washing clothes in the yard. Despite the cold weather, she had her sleeves rolled up high, revealing her white arms.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She looked up at the couple and smiled, warmly greeting them, "Heading out?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei cheerfully replied, "I''m going back to my parents'' ce."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The couple rode off on their bikes. Wang Xiangxiu pouted. She didn''t even go back to her parents'' ce once a year, but Ming Mei went back frequently. Such a woman was not a good woman.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The Zhuang family seemed powerful, but they were still snobs. If it were Liang Meifen, they wouldn''t let her go back so often.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She pouted, thought for a moment, and headed towards the Bai family... "Fendou, Sister Xiangxiu is washing clothes, do you have any clothes to wash... Ah, you, you, you, put your clothes on quickly..."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Bai Fendou was embarrassed and shouted, "Sister Xiangxiu, you should go out first, go out! Really... why didn''t you knock!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Fortunately, no one saw this little incident, or it would have led to some gossip.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    But Bai Fendou secretly hoped there would be rumors about him and Sister Xiangxiu. In fact, he wasn''t that concerned.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    A man, once a bit more stable, would feel a bit proud.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Even though the door was closed, Bai Fendou still muttered, "Sister Xiangxiu, it''s not like you can''t see me, why rush in like that? If I shouted, people would think you were up to something and arrest you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Pfft, what nonsense," Wang Xiangxiu said, her voice tinged with shyness but her expression calm.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Sister Xiangxiu, you know me¡­" he hesitated, not voicing his true feelings. Some things, once spoken aloud, could ruin everything. He chuckled, scratching his head, and said, "You must know¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    He didn''t say it directly.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu knew all too well, and she cooed, "Sister Xiangxiu also wants to be with you, but it''s hard. How could I ever be worthy of you?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "How are you not worthy? You''re so wonderful."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Wang Xiangxiu looked pitifully dejected, "I''m not worthy in every way. You''re still a young man. What am I? A widow with three sons. How could I ever be worthy of you?" Her voice carried a note of bitterness.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    The two were entangled in their emotions, unaware that across the way in the Zhuang household, several pairs of eyes were pressed against the window, watching the spectacle.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua was no exception, she clicked her tongue, "What are they saying? Look at Bai Fendou''s eyes, they''re practically glued."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0Aliali: 6748ac5ec4f3f33ac47c6ad8


    "Definitely trying to seduce¡­" Liang Meifen was disapproving, "I''ve seen it more than once. I wonder if Wang Xiangxiu really wants to be with Bai Fendou. Oh, if only they''d speak up a bit louder. We can''t hear a thing."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    "Private conversations, do you expect them to be loud enough for you to hear? You''re dreaming. If you had your way, they might as well broadcast it on a loudspeaker. They keep things private too."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    At this, Liang Meifen sighed, "Even if they''re private, it''s not like we can''t see anything. Everyone''s not blind. I really don''t know what the Bai father and son are thinking. I''ve never seen such a foolish father, doing this and dragging his son along¡­"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    As she spoke, she noticed her mother-inw suddenly freeze.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    She pursed her lips, cautiously asked, "Mother-inw?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    What had she said?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Why had her mother-inw suddenly frozen?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua was stunned not for any other reason, but because she suddenly thought of why Ming Mei had gone back to her parents'' home. Although Ming Mei hadn''t returned yet, Zhao Guihua knew that a remarkable person was about to arrive in their courtyard.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips and suddenly burst intoughter, saying, "Things are going to get even more lively from now on."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0


    Ming Mei''s grandpa wasing!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0

 Chapter 38

    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhiyuan walked upstairs hand in hand in the darkness, feeling uninhibited since no one could see them.


    Ming Mei was quite puzzled, saying as they walked, "I wonder why my mom urgently called me toe home."


    Even though her family was particrly doting on their daughter, different from other families, her mother had mentioned before her marriage that it wasn''t good to visit home too frequently after marriage, as neighbors would gossip. Ming Mei didn''t understand what there was to gossip about, but that''s just how things were.


    If a married daughter frequently returned home, it would inevitably invite some unfavorable discussions.


    Ming Mei''s mother didn''t want her daughter to be subject to such talk, which is why she had reminded Ming Mei before marriage. This made Ming Mei''s current summons all the more puzzling.


    "Dad, Mom, I''m home!" Ming Mei''s voice rang out cheerfully. "Your beloved daughter has returned!"


    At her call, Ming''s Father immediately came to open the door, delighted: "Our dear girl is back,e in quickly."


    As the young couple entered, they saw a spirited elderly man sitting on the sofa. He wore a white shirt with a V-neck sweater over it, and despite his graying hair, his schrly appearance was enhanced by his sses.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Ming''s Father, instead of sitting down directly in front of this person, pulled his daughter over and said, "Look, look who this is!"


    After a brief moment of confusion, Ming Mei''s eyes widened in surprise: "Grandfather?"


    The elderly man nodded and nced at Zhuang Zhixi, who immediately spoke sweetly: "Grandfather!"


    In life, the most important thing is knowing how to tter!


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly said, "Grandfather, you''vee from out of town? When did you arrive? Are you tired? Let me give you a massage - I''m quite good at it."


    Zhuang Zhixi hurriedly moved behind the elderly man, who nodded and said, "Well, well, you''re not bad at all, young man."


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Of course! If I weren''t capable enough, how could I deserve your granddaughter? Right? To be worthy of Ming Mei, one must work hard to improve - this massage skill of mine was learned from a traditional Chinese medicine family master. You can''t even find someone to teach this nowadays. Just watch!"


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t exaggerating - he had learned his skills from the senior nurse at their medical office. However, in the current climate, no one dared to im any connection to traditional Chinese medicine families. Even though the senior nurse had a good background and hadn''t encountered any trouble, she quietly stayed in the medical office treating minor ailments.


    Those topics from a couple of years ago were no longer mentioned.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How''s my technique? Oh, if only you hade two months earlier, you could have attended Ming Mei and my wedding banquet!"


    The elderly man raised an eyebrow and said, "Am I someone who needs a free meal?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly responded, "Of course not! Anyone can see you want for nothing, but it''s about the gesture, isn''t it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi continued his ttery, leaving the Ming family quite speechless, though Ming''s Father soon found it somewhat appropriate. As a rough man from the capital, he was worst at dealing with his father-inw.


    While others could share drinks with their fathers-inw, his... better left unsaid.


    In any case, this was the first time Ming''s Father had looked upon Zhuang Zhixi so favorably.


    Although this "pig" had "uprooted their precious cabbage," at least he wasn''t entirely useless - his smooth talking sometimes proved to be an advantage. Ming Mei cheerfully moved closer and said, "Grandfather, what brings you here?"


    She looked around and said, "You didn''t bring me any gifts?"


    Ming Cheng watched his sister''s foolish behavior with twitching eyelids, about to exin something to her, when the elderly man spoke: "Oh my, what a filial child you are, truly filial, extremely filial."


    Ming''s Father covered his face - here ites, his father-inw''s sarcastic tone had arrived.


    Ming Mei remained unfazed, smiling brightly: "Hehe, I''ve always been filial!"


    She yed along, pouting: "I didn''t know you wereing! If I had known, I definitely would have bought you something delicious. Tomorrow I''ll buy you some Daoxiangcun pastries, how''s that for thoughtful?"


    The old man nced at the young girl and said, "That''s more like it."


    He pointed to a travel bag nearby and said, "Those are the things I brought, take out the food and share it."


    Ming Mei: "Yes!"


    She continued chattering: "Grandfather, when did you arrive? Howe the food hasn''t been taken out all day?"


    The old man: "Well, well, the things were just sitting there, and everyone seemed to ignore this old man, not even asking about them. Why should I bring it up myself?"


    Ming Mei burst outughing, saying, "Grandfather, what are you saying? They''re just afraid of you, that''s why they didn''t ask. By the way, how long can you stay this time? I''lle see you every day."


    It''s often said that married couples share simrities.


    Both Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi were social butterflies and naturally friendly people.


    The old man looked at his daughter and son-inw, then at his granddaughter, saying, "That won''t be necessary to visit every day."


    Before he could finish, Ming''s Mother interrupted,ing out from the kitchen: "Your grandfather is here to stay."


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"


    She was even more surprised, looking at her grandfather in disbelief as the old man smiled slightly.


    Ming''s Mother continued, "Your grandfather has been transferred to work in the capital, and coincidentally, it''s at the Forward Machinery Factory. Your grandfather has already reported to the factory today and has been assigned amodation."


    Ming Mei: "!!!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"


    This was news to them!


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at the old man''s gray hair, falling into deep confusion - shouldn''t someone his age be retired? Howe he''s still working? But before Zhuang Zhixi could ponder too long, his mother-inw exined: "Your grandfather hase to train apprentices at the machinery factory."


    "Oh, so will grandfather be staying with us?" Ming Mei asked curiously.


    The old man waved his hand, saying, "Why would I stay here? I have my own life to live. Staying here would only disturb them. The factory has already arranged amodation for me. Coincidentally, it''s in yourpound."


    Ming Mei, who was about to take a sip of water, sprayed it out: "Pft!"


    The old man immediately asked, "Oh, are you not weing of this?"


    Ming Mei hurriedly replied, "No, no, I''m very weing! I was just surprised."


    She scratched her head, confused: "But I thought there weren''t any vacant rooms in ourpound?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Actually, there is!"


    He knew more than Ming Mei about this: "There''s that single room at the side where the front and back courtyards meet. Because it''s just one room and quite small, it''s been difficult to allocate, so the factory has kept it locked all these years."


    Actually, several families had their eyes on this room, particrly Madam Zhou Li''s family, as the room was next to their house. She had always dreamed of iming it for herself. She had nned that once Zhou Qun had a child, she would request the room citing insufficient space.


    Even if the factory didn''t agree, she intended to upy it for her eldest grandson.


    But that n remained just a n, as her son Zhou Qun still had no children, leaving her without even an excuse.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Is it a small single room?"


    The old man nodded: "Exactly!"


    He said, "I''ll move in tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately offered: "That room hasn''t been lived in for a long time and needs a good cleaning. I''ll go clean it for you, and the windows need fixing too!"


    The old man shook his head: "No need, I have my apprentices."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"


    The old man maintained a superior air: "I came here to train apprentices, and what kind of apprentice doesn''t help their master? You don''t need to get involved in this."


    He looked at his granddaughter and grandson-inw directly and said, "Although we''ll be living in the samepound, I hope you won''t disturb me unnecessarily."


    The Ming family: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Well, this old man certainly had quite a personality.


    The old man indeed had quite a character. He said, "I have my own life, you youngsters shouldn''te bothering me unless it''s necessary." He pointed at the Ming family members and then at Ming Mei and her husband: "Although we live in the same courtyard, you are you, and I am I."


    Ming Mei pouted.


    The old man said, "Alright, you can leave now if there''s nothing else."


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    So it turned out he called them over just to tell them this.


    Ming Mei let out a soft "Oh."


    "Take the snacks I prepared for you when you leave, three portions."


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    Ming Mei and her husband had arrived full of excitement, but before they could even have a proper conversation, they were practically swept out the door. Ming''s Father said, "Come on, I''ll walk you out."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow: this was unprecedented.


    Indeed, everyone felt somewhat intimidated meeting their father-inw, even someone as strong as Ming''s Father was no exception.


    Ming''s Father walked his daughter and son-inw out, saying, "It''s dark already, I''m worried about you two walking alone. Let me apany you for a bit."


    It was clear he didn''t want to go back home.


    Ming Mei grinned mischievously and said, "Dad, are you afraid of my grandfather?"


    Ming''s Father nced at his daughter and said, "Well, why don''t you ask your husband if he''s afraid of me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately replied, "Of course I''m not afraid of you. Although you can be a bit fierce sometimes, I know that''s just your personality. Why should I be afraid? Besides, I haven''t done anything wrong, and I know you think highly of me." He winked at his father-inw.


    Ming''s Father: "..."


    Ming''s Father''s mouth twitched, thinking his son-inw was really thick-skinned.


    However, he couldn''t be bothered with his son-inw right now; he was preupied with thoughts about his father-inw.


    Ming''s Father heaved a deep sigh.


    Ming Meiughed and said, "Dad, you don''t need to be so worried, do you?"


    Ming''s Father was straightforward: "I''m worried your grandfather will cause trouble."


    Ming Mei: "How could that be possible? Grandfather is so old now, and besides, he''s not the type to get into fights."


    The troublemakers in their family were usually her father''s rtives.


    Ming''s Father gave his daughter a long look, thinking she clearly didn''t understand her grandfather''s true nature due to their limited interaction. He sighed deeply and said, "Your grandfather''s ability to stir up trouble is unmatched by ordinary people."


    Seeing his father-inw so mncholic, Zhuang Zhixi suspected this grandfather might indeed have some special capabilities.


    He took the initiative to ask, "Dad, how old is grandfather this year? Can he still work in the workshop at his age?"


    Ming''s Father didn''t beat around the bush with his son-inw this time, spilling everything: "Your grandfather is seventy-one this year. He retired a couple of years ago but was rehired by the factory to train apprentices. Recently, a machinery factory in Beijing wanted to find a skilled master craftsman to train new workers, and after much consideration, the factory assigned this task to your grandfather."


    The factory surely had more than one master craftsman, and technical experts were always in demand everywhere.


    But most people had families to consider, and relocating an entire family was inconvenient and difficult. But this old man was different. Although he had a son in their hometown, he didn''t live with him.


    Moreover, he had a daughter in Beijing, so arranging for him toe here was rtively suitable.


    "Although the old man is quite aged, he''sing here to train workers, not to do intensive work, so his age isn''t an issue. The factory was hesitant about sending your grandfather here, but he insisted he could do it."


    "What about uncle?" Ming Mei asked, "Is his family still in Jinling?"


    Ming''s Father nodded: "You know your grandfather, he doesn''t like living with younger generations. Your uncle is truly your grandfather''s son, they''re cut from the same cloth, both father and son are..." He suddenly caught himself, realizing he shouldn''t speak ill of his father-inw. He coughed awkwardly and said, "Anyway, your grandfather wasn''t joking. Even though you''re living in the same courtyard, try not to disturb him too much."


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..." He was quite curious now.


    Ming''s Father walked his daughter and son-inw all the way home. When they reached the alley entrance, Ming''s Father suddenly became animated, pointing at the public toilet at the alley entrance: "Is this the one? Is this the public toilet where people fell in?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, this is it. Three people from our courtyard fell in at once. Ssh, ssh! Oh my, the sewage spray! We were so fortunate that Aunt Wang from our courtyard organized everyone for the rescue. Those who got close to help couldn''t escape getting sshed all over. Luckily, my mother and I were clever and stayed back, so we managed to avoid the mess."


    "How did they fall in? Was it ssh-ssh or crash-crash...?" Ming''s Father was very curious.


    Well, you couldn''t me Ming''s Father for his curiosity. Anyone would want to know more about such an incident. After all, in all their years, they''d never seen people fall into a public toilet before. It waspletely unheard of!


    Ming''s Father expressed deep regret: "It''s a pity we don''t live here."


    He missed it!


    Ming''s Father: "But if something like this happens again, you should try to keep your grandfather away. He''s not young anymore, and if he falls in, it won''t be easy to fish him out."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Her mouth twitched as she said, "Dad, aren''t you thinking too far ahead?"


    Ming Xiangdong said seriously, "That''s not far at all! The story of people falling into your toilet has spread all the way to Tong County. There''s nothing wrong with being cautious."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "We''re lucky it hasn''t reached Tianjin yet."


    Ming Mei: "What kind of people are you two? Alright, Dad, we''re here. I won''t invite you in since it''ste. You should head back home."


    If her husband had said this, Ming Xiangdong would definitely have been unhappy, buting from his daughter, he just nodded and said, "Alright."


    After saying goodbye, Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi returned home together. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "So we really need to keep our distance from your grandfather now that he''s living in the courtyard?"


    Ming Mei looked up at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "My grandfather wasn''t just saying that; he really doesn''t want us bothering him. Look at how my grandfather and uncle both live in Jinling, but they live separately. My grandfather says my uncle interferes with his dating life."


    Zhuang Zhixi stumbled, nearly falling over.


    Ming Mei: "It''s true!"


    Her big eyes blinked rapidly, indicating she was telling the truth.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...Your grandfather is quite interesting."


    But then, changing the subject, he became a bit concerned. He pointed at the Su family''s house, then at the Zhou family''s, saying, "There are two widows here. Your grandfather won''t cause any trouble, will he?"


    Ming Mei scratched her head, hesitating but somewhat confident: "He shouldn''t... my grandfather prefers younger women."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    This old man truly embodied male nature!


    They returned home quitete, and everyone else was already asleep. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei went straight to their room, and soon the temperature in the room rose... Zhuang Zhixi, undeterred by fatigue, wouldn''t let Ming Mei go.


    Ming Mei whimpered and scratched his back with her hand. Zhuang Zhixi hissed but didn''t mind, justughed.


    Muchter, Ming Meiyzily like a corpse and said, "I''m exhausted. It''s always like this; I won''t have any energy for work."


    Zhuang Zhixi was wiping his wife''s forehead with a handkerchief. He said, "Aren''t you trained in martial arts? Shouldn''t martial artists have good stamina?"


    Ming Mei blushed: "That''spletely different!"


    She mumbled, "Other couples aren''t this frequent."


    Don''t think she didn''t know anything; she had overheard those married sisters talking secretly.


    Zhuang Zhixi pinched her pink cheeks and said, "We''re newlyweds, of course we''re different from others."


    He chuckled softly, then tossed the handkerchief aside, saying, "Look, I put in more effort, and I''m not tired. Howe you''re so exhausted? Tsk tsk."


    Ming Mei snorted, toozy to argue with him. She kicked at him with her foot and said, "Move away, I want to sleep."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and turned off the light...


    Since getting married, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei had bid farewell to early mornings. Among all the residents in their courtyard, they were known as thetest risers, and this happened every day. Zhuang Zhixi didn''t mind it at all and felt no embarrassment about it.


    The couple would rush out the door almost every day, barely making it on time.


    However, today Zhuang Zhixi was quite surprised and said with a smile, "Big brother, when did you get back?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan''s business trip hadsted longer than usual this time.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "I came backst night. When I returned, you were at my sister-inw''s parents'' home. Oh right, I brought you some local specialty snacks, give them a try."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "We''ve been drowning in snackstely. You brought some, and Ming Mei''s grandfather also brought some."


    "Sister-inw''s grandfather?"


    Zhuang Zhixi went on to exin yesterday''s events, then added with a smile, "What a coincidence, right? He''s been assigned to our courtyard too."


    Upon hearing this, both Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife''s expressions became slightly peculiar.


    However, Zhao Guihua remained calm and said, "Well, if he''s assigned here, he''s assigned here. We can look after each other."


    After a pause, she added, "Besides, they might not even want our help."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his mother in surprise and said, "You guessed right! Ming Mei''s grandfather actually said not to bother him unless necessary."


    Old man Zhuang chimed in, "Speaking of which, I know about this. Our machinery factory brought in a highly skilled master craftsman from Jinling to teach others. Who would have thought it would be Ming Mei''s grandfather?"


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly, "My grandfather is a very nice person."


    The Zhuang family all smiled, each with different expressions.


    Regardless of what everyone thought, they quickly left for work, leaving only the two daughters-inw at home. Liang Meifen felt quite depressed. She felt that having her sister-inw''s grandfather living nearby was another major disadvantage for her.


    But since it was arranged by the factory, what could she do about it?


    She sighed quietly, and just then, they heardmotion from the courtyard. The two daughters-inw immediately went outside.


    They saw several men in factory uniforms following an old man, apanied by Director Chen from the street office.


    Not only their family but other families also came out. Madam Zhou Li was the first to ask, "Director Chen, what''s this about...?"


    Director Chen replied, "Your factory has assigned this empty room to this master craftsman. I''m showing him around."


    Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou Li''s expression immediately changed, showing great displeasure. She demanded, "How can this house be casually given to outsiders? My family wanted it too. No, without my consent, nobody can move in."


    Director Chen''s face darkened as he said, "Madam Zhou, since when did you have a say in this? Who do you think you are? You think you can make decisions for the factory? You want it so we should give it to you? How presumptuous can you be? Step aside, and if you dare cause trouble here, we''ll have a good talk with your factory about this."


    Having lost face in front of others, Director Chen naturally wouldn''t show her any courtesy.


    If it were an ordinary worker, Director Chen might not have been so angry, but this master craftsman was specially invited from Jinling to train master craftsmen for the factory. That made it very different. Director Chen ignored Madam Zhou and said, "This is the room. It''s a bit old, the house is somewhat dated, but since all your apprentices are here, help clean it up."


    She continued, "I haven''t asked how we should address you?"


    The old man replied, "Lan Sihai, just call me Old Lan."


    Director Chen smiled, "That''s quite a unique surname."


    Old Lan nodded and said, "Indeed, it''s notmon, but it''s fine."


    "Master, let us clean up for you."


    "Let''s clean up early so it won''t affect your rest tonight."


    This era greatly respected teachers, and although they had only be his apprentices yesterday, everyone wanted to make a good impression. Performing well meant learning more, which would be very useful for improving their skills.


    Everyone knew that although this old man was quite aged, he must be highly skilled, otherwise he wouldn''t have been brought here.


    Five men immediately opened the door, and as soon as they did, they were met with a cloud of dust.


    Old Lan smiled, "Clean, this ce is really clean indeed."


    Director Chen: "..."


    Old Lan examined the room with his hands behind his back. The room was nearly thirty square meters; his eyes served as a measuring tool, and he could tell it wasn''t quite thirty. But it was close enough. It might not be enough for a regr family, but for a single old man like him, it was more than sufficient.


    He nodded slightly and said, "You all can start working. Give it a thorough cleaning, this window needs to be reced, get a new frame and ss, and make a small partition here. It doesn''t need to be high, just over a meter will do. Make it wide enough so I can put a water cup and such things on it. Also, these walls need a new coat of paint."


    As he gave instructions, his apprentices silently felt troubled.


    The work itself wasn''t the issue, and organizing the room was appropriate, but several of these items would cost quite a bit, which concerned them. Even though they were worried, they had to grit their teeth and bear it. This was their chance to make a good impression on their master.


    However, just as everyone was feeling troubled, the old man took out a blue and white checkered handkerchief from his pocket and pulled out twenty yuan, saying, "Take this first, return any excess or make up any shortage."


    These items he wanted to buy were for renovating the room, so they didn''t need ration tickets.


    "Master, how could we let you pay? As your apprentices, we should..."


    Old Lan raised his hand to stop them and said, "Since I''m the master, I make the decisions. Handle it immediately."


    "This house..." Madam Zhou Li spoke up again, still dissatisfied, "This house, my family..."


    Old Lan turned around and said, "Oh my, who is this righteous, selfless, andpletely unbiased olddy? Heh, hehe!"


    Madam Zhou Li: "???"


    Director Chen: "???"


    Director Chen finally realized through this brief interaction that this old man had quite a sarcastic streak.


    Zhao Guihua, watching from nearby, alsoughed and stepped forward, saying, "So you''re Uncle Lan? I''m Ming Mei''s mother-inw, Zhao Guihua. You can call me Little Zhao."


    She pointed to her elder daughter-inw beside her and said, "This is my elder daughter-inw, Ming Mei''s sister-inw."


    Everyone in the courtyard was watching this scene, somewhat confused about why Ming Mei kept being mentioned. Could he be Ming Mei''s rtive? As everyone was pondering this, they heard Old Lan say, "Oh~ So you''re that extremely gentle mother-inw? Hello, hello."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Well, with her previous life''s experience, she was used to it by now.


    Then they watched as the old man continued, "And you''re thatpletely unselfish sister-inw? Hello, hello."


    Liang Meifen: "...Hello, Uncle."


    Something felt odd about all this.


    Not just his way of speaking was strange, even the way of addressing people was peculiar.


    Zhao Guihua: "I call him uncle, and you call him uncle too? Are you of the same generation as me?"


    Liang Meifen: "No, no."


    Zhao Guihua decisively said, "This is Ming Mei''s grandfather, from now on you should call him Grandfather too."


    Liang Meifen: "...Oh."


    That was the only way to address him now, calling him Grandfather directly would have been a bit strange.


    She took the initiative: "Grandfather, let me help you with something. I''m good at housework."


    Old Lan: "No need, you''re not my real granddaughter. You don''t need to work for me. Even my real granddaughter doesn''t need to work for me, let alone you."


    After just a few exchanges, everyone could see that this old man wasn''t an ordinary elder; he had quite a prickly personality. Old Lan looked up and asked, "Does this house leak when it rains?"


    Director Chen quickly replied, "We''re not sure about that actually. No one has lived here for years, so it''s better to renovate it."


    Old Lan: "Alright, fix it then."


    Everyone started working with various nking sounds.


    Their neighbors were all factory workers too, and someone recognized them: "Isn''t this old man''s apprentice the master craftsman from Workshop Three? I heard he''s a level-four worker. Now he''s here being an apprentice to this old man?" The voice was so quiet it was barely audible.


    Someone whispered, "I heard from my old man that the factory brought in a master craftsman from out of town. He won''t teach beginners - he''s only picking skilled workers of level four or five."


    "What? Starting with level four or five workers?"


    "Yeah, I heard he''s a really capable master craftsman. He was a level eight worker before retirement."


    "I heard about that too. They say the old man has no formal education, otherwise he could have been promoted to engineer."


    Everyone was chattering in hushed voices. Zhao Guihua''s lips twitched as she thought to herself that the gossipwork in theirpound was quite extensive. Her inw had just arrived, yet the news had already spread. Though it wasn''t surprising - he must have reported in yesterday, and after a day of cirction, those who needed to know would naturally find out.


    "I can''t believe he''s the maternal grandfather of the Zhuang family''s younger daughter-inw."


    "Liang Meifen will have an even harder time now."


    "That''s for sure."


    "I think the Zhuang family might have trouble too. That old man looks difficult to get along with, always speaking with a strange attitude."


    "That''s true..."


    "But Zhao Guihua is tough too. She won''t let herself be taken advantage of."


    "Tough or not, he still has seniority over her."


    See, the gossip quickly turned to her. Zhao Guihua ignored all that and said, "Uncle Lan, if you can''t finish the work today, why don''t you and your family join us for lunch? What do you think?"


    The old man Lan nodded, "Alright, I''ll give you food ration coupons."


    Zhao Guihua: "No need, we''re rtives after all. It''s just one meal, not a big deal. Though if you were to eat with us every day, I would ept the coupons."


    Old man Lan: "Business is business, and we have many people. It''s settled then, I''ll give you meal tickets. Make a meat dish."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."


    Old man Lan nodded and said, "Thank you for the trouble."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "It''s nothing."


    She knew that when this old man said he didn''t want to trouble others, he really meant it. It was the same in her previous life - even though they lived in the samepound, they never really took care of this old man. He really disliked others interfering with his life.


    Old man Lan instructed his youngest apprentice: "Go to the transport team''s family quarters, my bicycle and luggage are still there. Find my daughter Lan Ling and bring them over."


    Old man Lan''s youngest apprentice was already in his thirties. He nodded with a smile and said, "Sure."


    Old man Lan: "Young Zhao."


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, Uncle Lan, what is it?"


    Old man Lan: "Do you know any matchmakers around here?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    This was following the same pattern as in her previous life.


    She was quite speechless, but then she thought it over and smiled. Sometimes living life freely isn''t necessarily a bad thing. At least it makes oneselffortable.


    She smiled and said, "Yes, there''s Aunt Wang, who manages ourpound. She usually helps introduce young men and women around here to potential matches. If you need someone, she would be perfect for the job. She can definitely find you someone suitable."


    Aunt Wang: "...???"


    Looking for a match right after arriving?


    Damn, what kind of person is this old man?


    She reluctantly said, "Uncle, you want to find apanion?"


    Old man Lan nodded, "Yes, living alone is boring."


    Aunt Wang silently looked at Zhao Guihua, who said, "Uncle''s wife passed away more than ten years ago."


    Old man Lan raised an eyebrow, thinking that his granddaughter''s mother-inw knew quite a bit about him. He said, "Well, there''s no time like the present. Let''s do it today. We can have lunch together, and I''ll exin my situation and what kind of person I''m looking for."


    Aunt Wang: "...Oh."


    It''s not easy to find a match for someone of his age!


    How should she arrange this? Usually, when widows remarry, they do it when they''re younger. After reaching a certain age, most don''t remarry, not wanting to embarrass their children. So while second marriages aren''t difficult to arrange, it''s not easy at his age.


    This job wouldn''t be easy.


    At this point, Aunt Wang couldn''t have known that despite the old man''s peculiar attitude, he would still be quite popr. Bai Fendou would remain the only one who couldn''t find a wife through her matchmaking.


    Forever only Bai Fendou.


    She said, "Alright, I''ll listen to your requirements."


    "Master, you just arrived and you''re already looking for a wife?" Someone with a straightforward personality asked directly.


    Old man Lan wasn''t embarrassed at all and nodded, saying, "Of course, who says an old man has to eat cold meals and sleep in a cold bed? Having a wife to take care of me would put you all at ease, wouldn''t it?"


    "Ah, well..."


    For a moment, no one knew what to say.


    "Yes... I suppose?"


    Old man Lan nodded: "That settles it then."


    Old man Lan walked with his hands behind his back, saying, "I''ll take a look around."


    Director Chen smiled and said, "Please do."


    As a rtive, Zhao Guihua took the initiative: "Uncle Lan, shall I show you around?"


    Uncle Lan shook his head, saying, "No need, I can look around myself. Oh right, I heard you have a quite remarkable public toilet here, is it the one at the entrance of the alley?"


    Everyone: "..."


    You really know how to bring up the most awkward topics.


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s the one, but be careful when you go there, someone has fallen in before."


    Old man Lan: "I''m not that wild of a person."


    He sighed with feeling: "The people of the capital are really different,pletely unlike us in Jinling. We don''t have such things in Jinling. This is truly eye-opening, eye-opening indeed."


    Hemented why he hadn''te earlier, missing such a spectacle. Coincidentally, his son-inw had the same thoughts. Just as he was about to leave, Madam Zhou Li jumped out again: "This house..."


    She still wanted to argue.


    Director Chen was furious and shouted: "Madam Zhou, if you keep making trouble like this, I''m going to the machinery factory to find Zhou Qun. I want to ask him what''s going on - how is his family any different from bandits!"


    "No, you can''t! If you dare go to my son, I''ll hang myself at your doorstep." Although Madam Zhou was afraid of Director Chen, the temptation of the house was too great. She now saw Director Chen as nothing but an obstacle in her way.


    She said viciously: "This is mine, this is my house... Even if you move in, I''ll drive you out. Why should it be given to an outsider? This is mine, I prepared it for my eldest grandson..."


    "What grandson? You''re really dreaming," someone muttered quietly.


    This singlement immediately broke Madam Zhou Li''sst defense. She screamed: "They''re bullying me! They''re bullying a widow!" Madam Zhou Li started wailing, and old man Lan watched as she sat down on the ground and started kicking her legs.


    "You heartless people, you murderers, you''re stealing my house, you deserve to die..."


    Old man Lan raised an eyebrow and said: "You want to drive me out?"


    He smiled and said: "Alright, everyone stop what you''re doing."


    The apprentices all stopped their work, and one rolled up his sleeves: "This vicious old woman, I''ll p her to death!"


    "Master, don''t be afraid of her!"


    "Who does she think she is!"


    Old man Lan: "No need for violence. None of you are to move."


    Director Chen: "???"


    Her heart skipped a beat, feeling that this old man was definitely not someone to be trifled with.


    Before she could react, the old man had already sat down and started smoking. Seeing that he seemed to have been intimidated by her, Madam Zhou Li became even more arrogant: "Don''t think you can do whatever you want just because you have rtives in thepound. This house is mine, it must be mine! No one can take it away, and if anyone tries, I''ll die at their doorstep. You dare to bully an old woman like me? My son is a level seven electrician at the factory, you..."


    "You what!" Suddenly a shout interrupted, and a middle-aged man appeared at the door with several people behind him. They were clearly from the factory''s security department.


    Old man Lan brushed off non-existent ash from his clothes, stood up, and said: "Deputy Factory Director Zhang, look, the factory asked me toe train new people, and I came without hesitation from thousands of miles away. When allocating housing, I also said that a small ce would be fine, since I''m just one old man. Even if I find apanion, it would just be two people, we don''t need a big ce. I think I''ve been quite considerate of the factory''s interests, haven''t I?"


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang nodded and said seriously: "You''re a seniorrade with high consciousness, and we''re very grateful to you."


    Their factory had just installed a new production line that dealt with gold. This job not only required technical skills but also demanded impable character. However, among those who could handle gold pieces, very few had the right background. After all, poor families rarely got the chance to work with such materials. Moreover, this skill was hard toe by, and master craftsmen were extremely rare. What made it even more remarkable was that this old colleague had started as an apprentice in a gold shop before he was ten, and became a master craftsman in his twenties - a truly gifted individual. Having worked for decades, his craftsmanship was beyond reproach, and he was willing to teach others. Getting such a master craftsman to join them was no small feat.


    This master craftsman was also low-maintenance with minimal demands, and the factory didn''t need to be responsible for his family affairs - he was the perfect candidate.


    For these reasons, the factory treated such master craftsmen like treasures.


    Seeing someone causing trouble here made his head buzz with anger.


    "Master, it''s our fault for not handling things properly. We''re sorry for the trouble."


    Lan Sihai said, "Well, let''s discuss this further. I''ve never caused any problems for the factory and have always been reasonable. But this house the factory assigned me - what''s going on here? You can''t bully people like this! Are you deliberately trying to show me who''s boss?"


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s face changed color as he quickly exined, "Master, you''ve misunderstood us. We absolutely didn''t mean that. We handled this poorly, but please believe me, I will definitely resolve this properly for you! We won''t let you suffer any grievances."


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang now looked at Madam Zhou Li and felt that this old woman was like a toxic remnant from the old society.


    His words improved Lan Sihai''s expression somewhat, though he still spoke coldly: "Whether it''s good or big doesn''t matter to me, but I haven''t even moved in and someone''s already trying to steal the house, even threatening to hang themselves at my doorstep. Tell me, is this what the new society is supposed to be like? Evenndlords didn''t bully people this way! Look at her, she''s already making a scene before anything''s happened."


    The master didn''t even need to point this out.


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang had witnessed the old woman''s tantrum as soon as he arrived, and he was furious - she was bringing shame to their factory!


    Having such a family member associated with their factory was truly a ck mark. She was bringing disgrace to the factory.


    Without further ado, he ordered, "Take her to the security office!"


    Madam Zhou Li: "What?"


    Her tactic of throwing tantrums had always worked well before, but she never expected it to backfire so spectacrly... In disbelief, she said, "You''re going to arrest me? What right do you have to arrest me?"


    At this point, she still hadn''t realized that she meant nothing to them.


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "You deliberately attempted to steal housing - that''s a crime! Take her away!"


    "You wouldn''t dare! My son is a level-seven electrician at the factory, a promising talent. He won''t let you get away with this! Just wait until my son rises to power, he''ll deal with all of you - you''re nothing but watchdogs..." Madam Zhou Li hadn''t noticed the title "Deputy Factory Director Zhang," and seeing everyone in security uniforms, she naturally assumed they were all from the security office.


    "My son has a good rtionship with the factory director, he won''t let you watchdogs off easy!"


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang was furious: "Hah!"


    The security officers were trembling with anger too - they had never seen such a shameless old woman! She really didn''t take them seriously! They''d show her once they got her to the security office! Calling them watchdogs?Aliali: 6749083ac4f3f33ac4814cd4


    Even dogs could bite her!


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang sneered: "Take her away!!!"


    "You murderous lot, you deserve to die, I won''t let you get away with this, my son won''t let you get away with this... This house is mine, you old devil, you''re stealing my house, just wait until Ie back, I''ll teach you a lesson, just you wait, wait and see..." Madam Zhou Li howled, her screams echoing throughout the street: "You little shorty, just wait until I smash all your windows. Just you wait, wait and see..."


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang was short in stature and hated being called short more than anything. His face turned red with anger, his body trembling. If he didn''t have to maintain his dignity, he would have pped her right there.


    By now, not just their courtyard but people from other courtyards hade out to watch themotion.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Isn''t that Deputy Factory Director Zhang? What''s this old shrew doing, even cursing at factory leadership?"


    "Arrogant, too arrogant..."


    The surrounding neighbors were in an uproar!


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t participated throughout, but she couldn''t help but reflect: no matter the era, housing always drives people crazy!

 Chapter 39

    It''s all about the house.


    This is a truth that never changes, even fifty yearster, it remains the same.


    Zhao Guihua could understand Madam Zhou Li''s out-of-control frenzy, but understanding is one thing, she couldn''t ept it. Others couldn''t either. If making a fuss could get you what you want, then why not go to the Forbidden City and make a scene?


    Take it, take it all!


    What a ridiculous dream.


    However, no one expected Deputy Factory Director Zhang to show up. But it was clear that Old Man Lan knew, otherwise he wouldn''t have been so cooperative. Everyone raised their estimation of this old man''s "intimidating" level once again in their hearts.


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang stayed with Old Man Lan, directing a few people to work, which made everyone work even harder. People like Aunt Su, who knew how to get things done, even brought them stools and poured water.


    They were really quite observant.


    Fortunately, the room wasn''trge, and there were many people, so it was cleaned up very quickly.


    Zhao Guihua came over to take a look and confidently concluded, "You painted the walls today, they definitely won''t dry by tonight, so you can''t move in today. At the earliest, it''ll be the day after tomorrow. Sir, are you going to stay with us for a day or go to your daughter''s ce?"


    As rtives, Zhao Guihua was quite casual. She said, "If you go to your daughter''s, leave your things here with us. Don''t put them in this room yet, otherwise, if something goes missing, it''ll be hard to say."


    Lan Sihai nced at Zhao Guihua with a knowing look, immediately understanding her implication that there were people in the courtyard with sticky fingers. He nodded and said, "Alright, leave them with you. I''ll go to my daughter''s ce."


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang also felt a bit embarrassed. They had assigned housing with troublesome neighbors and a rather shabby house. He proactively said, "The cost of repairing your house should be covered by the factory. This is our oversight, and we will definitely get it right this time."


    Lan Sihai waved it off, saying, "No need, I''m not particr about these things. Just don''t let those mad dogse and disturb my life. As for the rest, I have my own habits, no need for others to meddle."


    Deputy Factory Director Zhangughed and said, "Alright, we''ll follow your lead. We''ll definitely arrange the neighbors properly for you."


    Although he said that, they would still pay the money; it wasn''t much, and there was no need to leave any ill feelings.


    Initially, they hadn''t nned to assign Master Lan to this area. It was a coincidence that Master Lan''s granddaughter lived here, and they thought it would be nice for the younger generation to take care of the elderly, so they arranged it here. But they didn''t expect there to be such an unreasonable woman.


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang detested Madam Zhou Li not only because she disrupted his work but also because she called him a dwarf, which made him extremely angry. He believed that not mentioning a person''s short stature was basic courtesy, but he didn''t expect her to be so disrespectful.


    Moreover, her words were full of boasting, as if Zhou Qun was more capable than him, which made Deputy Factory Director Zhang even more dissatisfied.


    "Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I have these apprentices here, you don''t need to stay with me. You have your own work to do as a leader." Old Man Lan politely said, "I can take care of myself. If I can''t even handle this, how could I have the face to teach others as a master craftsman?"


    Deputy Factory Director Zhangughed, "You are indeed a capable man."


    Old Man Lan: "Just average, third in the country."


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "Pfft!"


    To be honest, to the people in their courtyard, Old Man Lan didn''t seem like an easygoing person. But to Deputy Factory Director Zhang and the factory leaders, Comrade Lan Sihai was very kind and principled.


    He didn''t ask for any special treatment from the factory, and even when the initial amodation was unpleasant, he didn''t make a big deal out of it.


    So Deputy Factory Director Zhang had a good impression of this master craftsman. He didn''t stay long, but before leaving, he still reminded Aunt Wang, who was the caretaker of the courtyard and whose family member was also from their factory. He hoped she could look after the older gentleman a bit.


    As for the Zhuang family, they were rtives, so there was no need for him to remind them.


    Old Man Lan had lunch at the Zhuang''s ce, and there were also a few apprentices and... Aunt Wang.


    Regarding finding a new partner, Old Man Lan was quite proactive. Everyone sat at the same table, and Old Man Lan expressed his thoughts: "I have one son and one daughter, but they don''t need my care, and I don''t need theirs. I don''t want them to pay any pension money, so if I find a new partner, she doesn''t need to interact with my children. We can have a meal together during holidays and maintain a superficial harmony. I don''t need her to act as a stepmother to my children, and I won''t act as a stepfather to hers. My daughter won''t support her, and her children don''t need to support me. I have a sry, part of which is a retirement pension and part is a rehired sry. Besides living expenses, I will give thedy five yuan each month as pocket money. I don''t care how she spends it or on whom. I''m particr about food, so I need someone who cooks well. As for looks, as long as she''s not ugly. I don''t have age requirements, but there''s one thing, she needs to be in good health."


    Aunt Wang thought about these requirements, and well, they weren''t too demanding.


    Except for the part about interacting with children, which was a bit strange, the rest was quite reasonable.


    Old Man Lan continued, "I''m in good health myself, so I want to find someone who is also in good health. I''ve already lost three partners, I don''t want to send off a fourth..."


    "Pfft!"


    Aunt Wang spat out her drink.


    The apprentices also choked, looking at each other, not knowing what to say, all lowering their heads in silence.


    They were all in their thirties or forties, and they had never seen such a thing. Truly, one shouldn''t judge a book by its cover.


    Only Zhao Guihua remained calm. What was there to be surprised about?


    She had already heard it all once.


    However, she had forgotten that Old Man Lan''s first wife had passed away more than ten years ago, but he hadn''t stayed single! He had found several partners, just his luck was a bit bad.


    Two more had passed away, and the fourth had divorced due to living apart.


    Speaking of which, Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered her mother-inw, Lan Ling, mentioning in a drunken state, well, in her previous life, that Old Man Lan''s remarriage was suggested by histe wife, Ming Mei''s grandmother, Lan Ling''s mother. This family was different from traditional families. They focused on enjoying life while alive, didn''t save anything, and were carefree when it was time to go. The olddy had even said on her deathbed that she had lived a fulfilling life, and her husband should continue to live well. Find someone prettier, not worse than her. She was going first, and who knew, maybe she''d find a handsome young man down there.


    At that time, Zhao Guihua got along well with her mother-inw, Lan Ling, so Lan Ling had no reason to lie.


    Anyway, Zhao Guihua had never seen such a style.


    It was quite fashionable.


    Old Man Lan: "You don''t need to be like this. Life, old age, sickness, and death aremon things, no one can escape death. If I find a partner, if I go first, this house I''ve been assigned will be hers, my children can''t take it. It''s all written down. If she goes first, I''ll arrange her funeral. But there''s one thing, I''m afraid of trouble, don''t find someone from a tooplicated family. Other than that, I have no other requirements."


    Aunt Wang looked at Zhao Guihua, trying to give her meaningful nces. Zhao Guihua calmly picked at her food and said, "Uncle''s sry is good, and he has a house, no burden from children, and can give five yuan each month to thedy as pocket money. He enjoys good food and drink, has a bit of a taste for clothes and daily necessities. If she marries in, life will definitely be good. Uncle''s requirements are someone who cooks well, is in good health, andes from a simple family. Plus, this rtionship is just between them, not involving their children."


    She looked up and said, "Uncle''s conditions aren''t hard to find, are they?"


    Aunt Wang was a bit confused by Old Man Lan, but after hearing Zhao Guihua recount the situation, she felt that it wasn''t actually that difficult.


    The main thing was that Old Man Lan''s conditions were quite good. Although he didn''t mention his sry, it was obvious it wouldn''t be low. Thinking about it, Aunt Wang suddenly realized that Old Man Lan was offering more than Bai Fendou but with lower requirements.


    If they were really looking for a partner for the old man, it might be easier than finding one for Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou, with his pathetic demeanor, had all sorts of demands, and the woman who married him would also have to take care of both him and his father''s daily needs. But looking at Old Man Lan... Aunt Wang gave him a thorough once-over and immediately felt that in terms of appearance, Old Man Lan had the upper hand.


    He was a neatly dressed, meticulous, and spirited old man.


    Bai Fendou, on the other hand, was always slovenly and unkempt. Even though the security team''s uniform looked quite handsome on him, he managed to make it look like he was just wandering the streets. Sometimes, people are most afraid ofparison. Aunt Wang didn''t need topare him with anyone far away; justparing him with the people around her made her feel that finding a partner for Old Man Lan wouldn''t be difficult.


    However, she also asked, "Uncle, you''ve been married three times? Can you tell us about that?"


    Old Man Lan: "No, I''ve been married four times."


    "Pfft!"


    Everyone burst outughing again.


    The men in the room looked at Old Man Lan with envy, feeling that they were living worse than an old man. It was a bit sad...


    Old Man Lan remained calm and said, "My first wife passed away fourteen years ago. That year, I remarried a woman four years younger than me. We were married for three years. She was caught in an affair with her lover by the lover''s wife and, in a panic, fell to her death. Half a month after her death, I married another woman seven years younger than me. We were married for seven years. She fell ill and passed away after six months in the hospital. The following year, I married again. This year, I''m being transferred to Beijing. She didn''t want to leave her children, so we divorced amicably. If I marry again, it will be my fifth marriage."


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    Although having affairs was still frowned upon, this old man, despite his multiple marriages, each had a reason and could be exined. And no one said that after a wife''s death, one couldn''t remarry...


    As a woman, Aunt Wang just felt ufortable everywhere.


    But you could at most say that the old man remarried quickly, but you couldn''t say he was having affairs.


    Aunt Wang: "Well... Alright. I''ll keep an eye out for you."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Lao Wang, you don''t need to put too much pressure on yourself. If you meet someone suitable, introduce them; if not, just wait. There''s no need to rush. I also believe that the requirements Old Man Lan has set are based on his experiences from so many marriages. He certainly doesn''t want to lower his standards. Just find someone who meets those criteria."


    Aunt Wang: "Okay."


    It was no surprise that the news of Old Man Lan''s fourth marriage would spread.


    But since Old Man Lan was willing to talk about it, it was clear he wasn''t too concerned.


    Zhao Guihua: "Old Man Lan, from now on, we''re not just rtives but also neighbors. I know you don''t like others meddling in your affairs, but since you''re not young anymore, don''t be too stubborn about some things. Just call on us if you need help. After all, distant rtives are not as good as close neighbors. If you''re embarrassed to call on anyone else in our family, just call your grandson-inw, and my third son wille to help."


    Old Man Lan: "Alright."


    Old Man Lan spoke decisively when he wasn''t being sarcastic.


    "Also, since you''re new here, you might not know the situation in our courtyard. There''s not just one widow here; the one who tried to take your house today is a widow. There are others too. If you have no interest, it''s best to keep your distance to avoid misunderstandings and troubles. You understand, right? Just because you don''t fancy someone doesn''t mean they don''t fancy you. We should still maintain a proper distance." Zhao Guihua was spilling all the unsaid things.


    She didn''t want to relive the past, so she had to speak up early.


    In her previous life, Aunt Su had set her sights on Old Man Lan. She didn''t immediately target him, as she had to maintain her persona, but soon realized that Old Man Lan''s conditions were excellent. At that point, it was hard not to be tempted.


    And she was only in her fifties, while Old Man Lan was seventy-one. Aunt Su wasn''t just after Old Man Lan''s money but also his house. Her own house in the courtyard was already quiterge, but she was never satisfied. She wanted more.


    With three sons, she coveted Old Man Lan''s house, which was only about thirty square meters but well-kept. Plus, he earned a good ie. Aunt Su quickly began her moves. She wasn''t direct; she was good at acting. After repeated attempts to get close, Old Man Lan remained unmoved. But Bai Fendou''s father, Old Bai, was furious.


    He firmly believed that Old Man Lan was trying to seduce his woman, causing trouble and even getting into fights.


    Although the Zhuang family intervened, he didn''t gain the upper hand, but it led to a lot of gossip. With Old Man Lan''s multiple marriages, the public opinion wasn''t in his favor. The factory reprimanded and tried to stop it multiple times, but it was hard to control people''s tongues.


    Fortunately, Old Man Lan himself didn''t care, or he might have been seriously affected.


    So this time, Zhao Guihua brought up the topic from the start: "Life, take it as ites. You''re a smart man; you see through things."


    After Zhao Guihua finished, she saw Old Man Lan deep in thought.


    In her previous life, Old Man Lan hadn''t clearly stopped Aunt Su''s advances at the beginning, leading to those issues. So Zhao Guihua hoped this time there wouldn''t be any problems. In her previous life, they hadn''t been direct about these things, and at that time, Zhao Guihua hadn''t realized how cunning Aunt Su was, so they fell for it.


    But this time, Zhao Guihua wanted to rify things right away. She believed this old fox would understand.


    Old Man Lan: "I get it."


    He rarely showed a smile and said, "You''re not bad."


    Oh, it was rare for him topliment without being sarcastic.


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ve always been good. You''ll see that when you get to know me. I''m the kind of person who doesn''t provoke trouble unless I''m provoked."


    The lunch went well. Zhao Guihua prepared fish and meat, and the men had big appetites, eating everything clean. Old Man Lan didn''t let Zhao Guihua pay; they weren''t there to take advantage of her.


    Five men eating could easily outdo a family''s consumption for several days.


    However, the food coupons and meat coupons weren''t provided by Old Man Lan. Deputy Factory Director Zhang, although he had left, had left behind the money for lunch before departing. After all, they had to take care of the oldrades from out of town.


    One of Old Man Lan''s disciples, who was more straightforward, directly remarked, "Sister Zhao, your cooking is really good. My wife can''t make food like this."


    "That''s because you don''t see what she''s cooking. There''s meat in it. Meat and no meat are different."


    "That''s true."


    In the afternoon, Old Man Lan finished packing up and went back to his daughter''s ce. The house needed another day to air out, so he left some of his luggage at Ming Mei''s house and left with his disciples.


    When Ming Mei got off work and returned, her grandfather was already gone.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She searched everywhere and said, "Where''s my grandpa? I specifically got off work early, but he''s gone?"


    Ming Mei hadn''t had much contact with her grandfather since childhood, as they lived in different cities and rarely met. But Ming Mei was naturally sociable and warm towards her own grandfather.


    Zhao Guihua: "Your grandpa went back to your parents'' ce tonight. The walls here were just painted, so he can''t stay tonight."


    Ming Mei: "Oh, my grandpa is particr about these things."


    He could live in a small house, but it had to befortable; he could do without delicacies, but he had to eat well.


    Ming Mei was chatting with her mother-inw, while Zhuang Zhixi was still at work and hadn''t left yet. Normally, he would be the first to rush out at the end of his shift, refusing to work an extra minute. But today, there was an exception.


    The news spread quickly.


    Before long, everyone knew that the master chef from Jinling who had just arrived at their factory was the grandfather of Zhuang Zhixi''s wife. On the old man''s first day, he had Madam Zhou Li sent to the security department.


    It was around noon when Zhou Qun was sipping hot tea in his office. The door was suddenly mmed open, and the head of the electrical department berated Zhou Qun as if he were scolding his own grandson.


    Zhou Qun was bewildered, his face turning red. He had no idea what was going on and was quite displeased, asking, "Section Chief, what do you mean by this? Why are you suddenly scolding me? I''ve always been diligent in my work. You''re being a bit unreasonable."


    Although Zhou Qun had some hypocritical traits and wasn''t exactly virtuous, he was quite diligent in his work. That''s why he had reached level seven at such a young age. It was the highest level he could achieve at his age and seniority.


    Because of this, he was considered promising.


    Normally, people in the electrical department would tter him, but he never expected the section chief to suddenly go crazy, as if he had taken some kind of stimnt.


    Zhou Qun was unhappy, and the section chief was unhappy too. He had been reprimanded by the office director, who in turn had been scolded by the deputy factory director. So, because of Madam Zhou Li''s arrogance, everyone involved had suffered, and no one was in a good mood.


    The section chief raged, "How dare you ask me? Don''t you know you''ve implicated me? Can''t you talk to your mother?"


    When he mentioned his mother, Zhou Qun''s heart skipped a beat.


    He knew his mother was usually domineering, and he often used her as a tool to deal with others, but he never imagined she could cause trouble at the factory.


    "My mother? Is this a misunderstanding? She''s just a housewife; she doesn''t know much, she..."


    Before he could finish, he was interrupted, "Your mother doesn''t know? I think she knows very well. She even tried to seize someone else''s house. She knows what''s good! How shameless! Do you know we''ve invited a master chef from Jinling as an advisor? He traveled a long way without asking for any special treatment or housing. The factory arranged a ce for him in your courtyard. Your mother tried to seize his house and threatened to hang herself at his door if she didn''t get it! Are your family bandits? I know the courtyard belongs to the factory. Does the factory need your mother''s approval to assign it to someone? How big is your family''s face! Zhou Qun, your mother is very arrogant. Not only did she curse and threaten people, but she also pointed at Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s nose and cursed him, saying she would have you deal with him."


    Heughed at the absurdity of it all.


    Although Zhou Qun was technically skilled, he was just an ordinary worker. Madam Zhou Li''s self-confidence was ridiculous, thinking Zhou Qun could easily deal with the deputy factory director. What kind of delusion was that?


    Zhou Qun''s mind went nk when he heard this, and he swayed on his feet.


    He stammered, "My mother, my mother..."


    "Your mother what? Your mother has been taken to the security department. She tried to seize public property." The section chief, feeling sorry for Zhou Qun, added, "She also cursed the security department, calling them watchdogs."


    Although the section chief didn''t say it, everyone, including Zhou Qun and the crowd eavesdropping outside, understood that Zhou Qun couldn''t afford to make any mistakes from now on. The security department wouldn''t let it slide.


    Although it was Madam Zhou Li who caused the trouble, Zhou Qun had to swallow the bitter pill as her son.


    Zhou Qun steadied himself against the desk, pressing hard on his temples, and said, "My mother... cursed people?"


    "From the factory director to the security department, your mother cursed everyone. How arrogant she is."


    Zhou Qun took a deep breath, "Is she still at the security department?"


    "Yes," the section chief replied, no longer scolding. He patted the poor man''s shoulder, "Go and see. The security department won''t let it go easily."


    Zhou Qun''s mind was buzzing, but he couldn''t ignore his mother. If he didn''t step in, he would only invite more scorn, so he had to go. At that moment, Jiang Lu rushed over, asking, "Zhou Qun, did your mother cause trouble?"


    As a daughter-inw, she hadn''t been directly implicated, but the rumors had reached her ears.


    Jiang Lu''s first reaction wasn''t worry but secret joy. This mean mother-inw deserved a lesson, and now it was happening. She was overjoyed to see her get what she deserved.


    Jiang Lu was delighted inside but had to pretend to be concerned, saying vague things.


    Soon, she genuinely worried. She didn''t care about her mother-inw, but she cared about Zhou Qun''s feelings. If Zhou Qun was upset, she''d rather die. So she hurried over tofort her husband.


    Zhou Qun said, "Let''s go to the security department."


    The security department of that time was different from the one in a decade or two. Back then, it had functions simr to a police station. Many matters rted to the factory were handled by the security department. This time, although Madam Zhou Li wasn''t a factory employee, their courtyard was part of the machinery factory''s familypound, and the house assigned to Lan Sihai originally belonged to the factory. Additionally, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were factory employees, so it was naturally the factory''s security department that dealt with it.


    Many yearster, people would reminisce about the days ofrge state-owned enterprises, marveling at how the factory handled everything from eating to sleeping. That''s why, when theyoff wave came, some people who had worked in the factory for decades couldn''t handle it.


    But that was a decade or twoter. For now, their factory was still a thriving state-owned enterprise.


    Zhou Qun was livid but couldn''t ignore his troublemaking mother. Zhou Qun wasn''t particrly well-liked at the factory. He was technically skilled, started working early, and had long seniority, so he advanced quickly and earned well.


    He could be called a young talent, which made him look down on others. People in that era weren''t stupid; if he didn''t respect them, they wouldn''t respect him.


    Jiang Lu pulled Zhou Qun, saying, "We can''t go empty-handed; they won''t give us face."


    Zhou Qun''s face changed, and after a deep breath, he said, "There''s a pack of Hua cigarettes in my drawer."


    He went back to get it and soon headed to the security department again.


    As Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu entered the security department, they heard Madam Zhou Li''s wailing. This time, it wasn''t her usual arrogant cry but a scared one. She never expected the security department to arrest her.


    Although she hadn''t done anything good in her life, she had never been to the security department before.


    She had worked at the factory for a while; her husband had died in an ident at work, and she took over his job. But after a few years, her son, at fourteen, took over, and she returned to being a housewife.


    So Madam Zhou Li was familiar with the factory, yet also unfamiliar.


    Familiar because she had indeed worked here as a worker, unfamiliar because she had been gone for fifteen or sixteen years.


    Changes urred every one or two years, let alone fifteen or sixteen years. But no matter how much it changed, she knew she was in trouble now, with the security department! They could arrest people. She had been so loud in cursing the gatekeeper, thinking they wouldn''t dare do anything to her.


    But now she was genuinely scared to the point of wetting her pants.


    She was locked in a separate room, howling, but no matter how much she howled, no one paid attention to her. Because she had previously scratched someone, one of her hands was handcuffed to a heating pipe.


    The security department had its own tricks. Although she was trying to seize a house, if she had seeded, it would have been a big deal. Now that she hadn''t seeded, it would likely just end with a reprimand and education.


    But since she had cursed and tried to fight, the security department wasn''t going to take it lying down. This was clearly a way to teach her a lesson. The handcuffing to the heating pipe was particrly cunning¡ªthe position was high enough that she had to stand on tiptoes to reach the ground, but not high enough to standfortably. This was extremely painful.


    Especially for someone of her age, enduring a whole night would peel off ayer of skin. They didn''t need to do anything to her; just this small space was enough to make her suffer.


    Now, the security department was dealing with her like this. Madam Zhou Li was not only terrified and howling, but also genuinely very ufortable.


    She had only seen the temptation of the house but hadn''t thought about what right she had to it.


    Zhou Qun, upon hearing his mother''s cries, shed a brief look of annoyance. Nevertheless, he had to cautiously apologize to the security department first. The security department wasn''t polite either, saying, "Zhou the Electrician, you don''t need to be so courteous. Your mother said she wants you to teach us a lesson, to get us all fired. That scared us so much that we really don''t dare to talk loudly to you."


    Zhou Qun: "Section Chief Li, please don''t listen to my mother''s nonsense. She''s just an illiterate old woman who doesn''t understand any principles. This time she caused you trouble, and I''m really quite embarrassed..."


    He nced at Jiang Lu, who immediately took out a pack of cigarettes, saying, "A small token of our appreciation."


    Section Chief Li nced at it, thinking that Zhou Qun was quite willing to spend. These were Hua Zi cigarettes, which only the factory director could afford to smoke. They usually could only dream of such, settling for a pack of Da Qian Men. It was true that Zhou Qun, despite not getting along well with others, was a pragmatic man. His generous move immediately softened Section Chief Li''s expression.


    After all, it wasn''t him who had been cursed as a gatekeeper.


    "Since you''ve shown your sincerity, I won''t be polite. But some things need to be made clear; otherwise, I wouldn''t dare to ept your gift."


    "Please, tell me, please. Guide me, brother. I don''t want things to get too ugly. My mother, she really is senile." Zhou Qun said this to smooth things over, though he thought the same in his heart: "I won''t let you guide me for free."


    "Your mother even cursed the Deputy Factory Director. We can''t do nothing about that; he wouldn''t be happy. At the very least, she has to be detained for one night. No one can intercede. Also, you need to go and apologize to Comrade Lan Sihai. Only when he epts the apology can we release her. Otherwise, we can''t just let her go. Oh, and your father-inw isn''t acquainted with the Deputy Factory Director? Ask him to intercede. Otherwise, if the Deputy Factory Director holds a grudge, it''ll be hard for you to advance. And it''s crucial for the future. You really need to control your mother. If you don''t, she might cause you even bigger trouble. Let her stay here for a night as a lesson. It''s not bad for an old person to learn a lesson. It might prevent her from making more mistakes in the future."


    Zhou Qun: "Thank you, thank you so much for the advice, Section Chief Li."


    The power of that pack of Hua Zi cigarettes was significant.


    He sighed, "Don''t worry, I''ll definitely keep an eye on my mother. There won''t be such incidents in the future."


    Section Chief Li nodded, saying, "Then let me give you a piece of information as a bonus. Comrade Lan Sihai is the grandfather of Zhuang Zhixi''s wife in the medical room. After all, they''re rtives. If you go over and make some connections, the old man might let it go. Aren''t you from the same courtyard? Shouldn''t be hard to talk to, right?"


    Zhou Qun immediately nodded, "His rtive?"


    This exined why the old man was specially invited as a master technician and assigned to their courtyard''s small house. It was because of his rtionship with the Zhuang family. He quickly said, "I understand this matter now. Thank you, brother. Buy yourself some wine."


    He handed over two ten-yuan notes, his heart bleeding, but he had to spend the money.


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu walked out of the room together, not even ncing at his mother. This useless old hag who couldn''t aplish anything, he didn''t want to see her even for a moment. Zhou Qun grabbed Jiang Lu''s hand and led her to a corner, saying, "Xiao Lu, this time you have to help me."


    Jiang Lu urgently said, "Tell me."


    Zhou Qun: "You need to take leave immediately and go find your father. Ask him to arrange a dinner with Deputy Factory Director Zhang tonight. We''ll be there to apologize properly. Otherwise, where will I have a future? If I don''t have a future, what good days will you have? For our future, you have to put in some effort with your father, okay?"


    Jiang Lu immediately replied, "Do you even need to say that? It''s something I should do. If you asked me, it would be treating me like an outsider. We''re a family; I''d do anything for you. But what about Mom..."


    Zhou Qun: "Let her stay here and learn a lesson. It''s to prevent her from floating around all day, thinking the factory leaders are like the people in the courtyard, letting her make trouble as she pleases. I think this is all Bai Fendou''s fault. If it weren''t for Mom sessfully extorting him a few times before, she wouldn''t be so out of line now. Bai Fendou is to me."


    Jiang Lu nodded in agreement, angrily saying, "Bai Fendou is up to no good. It serves him right that he can''t find a wife."


    Zhou Qun: "Go ahead, I''ll go back first and think about what to say before going to find Zhuang Zhixi."


    He had to find him, but he needed to think about how to phrase it. He had to make Zhuang Zhixi take the initiative to offer help.


    Isn''t that what he should do?


    After all, this matter also involved his family, and it was because of his family that it started.


    Zhou Qun thought this, raised his chin, and felt that the people in their courtyard were all jealous of him, scheming against him, and not having good intentions.


    "Alright, go ahead."


    "Okay!"


    The couple parted ways. Zhou Qun watched Jiang Lu''s back and thought about the pack of Hua Zi cigarettes he had given away, feeling heartbroken. Those were the kind that his father-inw, the head of the supply and marketing cooperative, could get.


    If it weren''t for Jiang Lu going home and making a scene to get them, they wouldn''t have ended up in his hands, only to be given away for nothing.


    This money, his mother must pay for it!!


    This useless old hag.


    Zhou Qun ground his teeth in hatred. He hated Bai Fendou for being extorted sessfully each time, fueling his mother''s arrogance and making her lose her bearings. He also hated the Zhuang family for not showing any consideration, immediately involving the factory director just because they had a powerful rtive. Bastards! He also hated Section Chief Li for being so greedy, a mere security section chief daring to take Hua Zi cigarettes, not considering whether someone from a peasant background like him was worthy of such a good thing.


    His expression changed uncertainly for a long time before he put on a calm face and returned to the office.


    However, he couldn''t think of a way to make Zhuang Zhixi take the initiative to speak. Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t like the others in the courtyard; this guy didn''t act without seeing a benefit, and he knew Zhuang Zhixi was hard to deal with.


    After thinking back and forth, with the end of work approaching, he hurried to the medical room.


    And so, just as Zhuang Zhixi was about to leave work, Zhou Qun blocked his way.


    Zhuang Zhixi was well-informed in the factory, and with this matter being the talk of the factory, it would be strange if he didn''t know. He smiled mockingly at Zhou Qun, saying, "Brother Zhou, why are you here? I rarely see you around the factory."


    In the past, if there was any electrical issue in the medical office and they needed Zhou Qun, they had to submit reportsyer byyer, and it was never timely. In fact, if the rtionship was good, it didn''t have to be soplicated. For example, in the workshop, which was more important, there was never a need to follow the formal procedures; whenever there was a problem, they would immediately go. But the medical office wasn''t important, so they didn''t receive such treatment. Usually, when someone came, it wasn''t someone like Zhou Qun, a level seven electrician, but an apprentice. So, everyone was not particrly enthusiastic towards Zhou Qun.


    Don''t think that just because Zhou Qun and Zhuang Zhixi live in the same courtyard, Zhou Qun has any special face.


    Zhou Qun remained unfazed and said, "You''re leaving now? Isn''t the bell just rung?"


    He wanted to use Zhuang Zhixi''sck of seriousness at work to put him in his ce.Aliali: 6754d302bd5e46c308a67379


    To make him fear him.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "You''re saying that as soon as the bell rings, it''s time to go home. Staying at the unit after the bell rings, isn''t that wasting the unit''s resources? If it''s not for the bell to signal going home, then why ring it? Just work for twenty-four hours straight. Since it''s time to go home, it means the working people need rest, and only with rest can they better serve the people."


    Zhuang Zhixi always had a smile on his face when he spoke. He said, "Brother Zhou, you''re not leaving?"


    Zhou Qun couldn''t put him in his ce and pursed his lips, saying, "I have something to discuss with you."


    He said, "Can we talk alone?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s talk while we walk. If I don''t hurry home after work, my wife will suspect I''m fooling around outside. I''m not that kind of person. By the way, Brother Zhou, you usually go home sote, what are you busy with at the unit? There''s no electrical work after work, is there?"


    He asked casually, which made Zhou Qun''s heart skip a beat. However, as an old hand at sneaking around, he quickly regained hisposure and said, "I always have to check for deficiencies and make up for them, unlike your medical office."


    Zhuang Zhixi let out a long "Oh" and said, "So that''s how it is. I thought Brother Zhou had a rich after-work life."


    Isn''t it just about subtly manipting people with words?


    Who can''t do that!

 Chapter 40

    Zhuang Zhixi looked down on Zhou Qun in his heart.


    However, he wasn''t the type to say it directly. Instead, he rambled on even more than Zhou Qun did, talking until Zhou Qun got a headache. Finally, Zhou Qun took the initiative and said, "Little Zhuang, my mother and your wife''s grandfather had some misunderstandings, but it''s better to resolve conflicts than to prolong them. Since we live in the same courtyard, don''t you think it''s unnecessary to make such a big deal out of it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "You''re right." But in his mind, he thought, ''You can say whatever you want, I''ll do what I need to do.''


    Zhou Qun was delighted when he heard this and said, "That''s the right way to think about it. It''s really not a big deal, there''s no need to involve the factory management, right? Why don''t you persuade the elderly to take the initiative and tell the factory that they overreacted and misunderstood my mother..."


    This guy was bing more and more shameless with each word.


    Zhuang Zhixi was still smiling and said, "Oh, so that''s what Brother Zhou thinks!"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his eyebrows innocently and said, "Brother Zhou, we''ve been neighbors in the same courtyard for over twenty years. We''re genuine neighbors. Your mother acts like a tyrant, worse than andlord, and while we usually don''t bother with her behavior, we can''t just tell tant lies, can we? I''m an honest person, and I can''t say what you''re asking me to say. How can we young people go against our elders? Besides, the factory has already made their position clear on this matter, and now you''re questioning their judgment. Brother Zhou, don''t me me for saying this, but you''ve really be arrogant. How dare you disregard the factory leadership? I know you''re technically skilled, and Madam Zhou Li is a neighborhood bully, but we''re all working people ¨C this isn''t right, is it?"


    "You!" Zhou Qun hadn''t expected Zhuang Zhixi to show no courtesy at all. As someone who liked to politicize everything, he understood the implications of Zhuang Zhixi''s words very well. His face alternated between pale and flushed as he said, "Watch what you say aboutndlords and neighborhood bullies. These aren''t terms to be thrown around carelessly."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Exactly, we shouldn''t say such things carelessly, but your mother shouldn''t act that way either. Seizing houses ¨C isn''t that what Huang Shiren would do?"


    This made Zhou Qun even angrier. He took deep breaths and said, "My mother doesn''t know any better, and that house had been empty for many years. She always thought it belonged to our family..."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied: "Well, I think the machinery factory belongs to me, but they won''t give it to me either."


    This was just how Zhuang Zhixi was ¨C he could say such things while maintaining a smile, never losing his temper. He continued, "Brother Zhou, look, these are separate issues. We don''t me you for your mother''s poor behavior. We know you can''t control her since you''re her junior. We''ll maintain our usual rtionship, but we shouldn''t interfere with the elders'' decisions. That wouldn''t be proper. Besides, I haven''t even been home, but just hearing about it, I think your mother is quite something. Huang Shiren stealing Xier, your mother stealing houses ¨C looks like she watched ''The White-Haired Girl'' too many times and learned from it. Incredible, truly incredible."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s calm demeanor made Zhou Qun even angrier.


    This kind of subtle antagonism was the most infuriating ¨C when you''re furious but the other person shows no reaction, it really breeds resentment.


    He said, "So you won''t help?"


    His voice turned cold, and Zhuang Zhixi looked puzzled: "Help? Brother Zhou, what are you talking about? You never mentioned needing help. How did we suddenly get to this topic? Oh, you can''t mean you want me to convince the elders to admit they were wrong? No way, Brother Zhou, you''re not trying to turn ck into white, are you?"


    Zhou Qun''s face remained cold, and Zhuang Zhixi patted his shoulder consolingly, saying, "I know your mother''s actions have embarrassed you, but don''t be too upset."


    Zhou Qun''s mood darkened further.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Zhou Qun with "sympathy" and said, "Brother Zhou, if you''re feeling troubled, you can talk to your younger brother about it. Don''t keep it bottled up inside ¨C that can lead to health problems. You''re too young to let this incident affect your health."


    Zhou Qun gritted his teeth and said, "I don''t need your concern. Just worry about yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Thank you for your concern, Brother Zhou."


    He then added, "Brother Zhou, you really don''t need to be formal with me. If you''re feeling troubled, we can have a drink together. As long as you''re paying, I''ll drink with you until the end of time."


    Zhou Qun had never met someone so thick-skinned. Even when he was this angry, the other person could still keep talking? And even wanted him to treat? What kind of dream was this? He never treated anyone from their courtyard ¨C they couldn''t add any value to his life, so why entertain such nonsense?


    He wouldn''t spend anything on people he couldn''t use.


    "Brother Zhou, how is the factory dealing with your Huang Shiren of a mother? Tell me about it! I don''t know all the details yet, just what I''ve heard. First-hand information is always more urate, you know. From all the rumors going around, all I remember is that your mother is being called Huang Shiren."


    Zhou Qun finally couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Stop talking about Huang Shiren! What Huang Shiren? There is no Huang Shiren. Just shut up!"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked wronged: "Why are you getting angry? Isn''t this what everyone in the factory is saying? I know you''re in a bad mood because of your mother, but you shouldn''t take it out on me. Besides, anger is bad for your health. Since we live in the same courtyard, you shouldn''t let yourself get too worked up. I heard from our medical office sister that people can easily..."


    "Enough!"


    Zhou Qun, being a person of little tolerance, had turnedpletely ck in the face. Showing no grace, he stormed off.


    As he turned and strode away, Zhuang Zhixi stood still, watching his retreating figure and shrugging innocently.


    This person was really too thin-skinned.


    He hadn''t even said anything too excessive.


    In fact, he hadn''t even started going all out yet.


    Just then, he ran into Yang Lixin, who was leaving workte. Yang Lixin looked at him curiously: "Why are you leaving sote today?"


    "Why are you leaving sote today?"


    They spoke in unison.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediatelyughed and said, "I got held up by Brother Zhou Qun. He came to find me and left angry ¨C he really has a bad temper."


    Yang Lixin immediately asked: "What did he want from you? Was it about his mother? She really deserves what she got. Let her strut around in the courtyard ¨C now she''s facing the consequences. As they say, karmaes to all in due time."


    Yang Lixin deeply despised Madam Zhou Li.


    Because Yang Lixin was a live-in son-inw, and even his son couldn''t take his surname. Although he never said anything about it openly, Madam Zhou Li would constantly say, both openly and behind his back, that he was a man living off his wife. This made him very unhappy.


    This showed how Madam Zhou Li was particrly good at irritating people ¨C she knew exactly how to hit where it hurt.


    "This old witch, won''t she get what''sing to her this time?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It probably won''t be that serious."


    He said somewhat spectively: "Brother Zhou Qun does have some connections. I heard Sister Jiang Lu didn''t go to work this afternoon ¨C probably went to pull some strings for him."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked: "What about you? You''re leaving quitete today. Doesn''t the cafeteria usually finish up in the mid-afternoon?"


    Yang Lixin: "The factory leaders had guests to entertain, I was preparing ingredients."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "But you don''t need to wait until they finish eating, right?"


    Yang Lixin smiled: "No need, as long as the head chef is there, us kitchen helpers aren''t needed."


    He clearly wasn''t interested in who the factory director was entertaining, as this was amon urrence for factory cooks. He was more curious about what had happened today, so he moved closer to Zhuang Zhixi and lowered his voice: "Little brother, tell me what happened today?"


    Zhuang Zhixi spread his hands and said: "I don''t know."


    He said sincerely: "I''ve been at work all day and haven''t been home, so I really don''t know what happened. All I heard was that Zhou Qun''s mother tried to seize someone''s house, insulted the factory director and the security department, and got arrested."


    He wasn''t making anything up ¨C it was all hearsay, purely hearsay.


    "Then Zhou Qun just now...?"


    Zhuang Zhixi righteously said: "Who knows what''s wrong with him, he was incoherent and furious, probably upset because of his mother. After all, he''s considered one of the capable new generation at the factory, but he ended up with such a mother."


    After a pause, he thought and said: "I guess tonight''s dinner at the cafeteria is for Zhou Qun."


    Yang Lixin''s eyes widened in shock as he eximed, "How could that be? It''s impossible!"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Why not? He was just heading back. Zhou Qun is different from us; he has an astute and capable father-inw. Maybe they''re having a meal together to mend fences."


    Yang Lixin furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment before saying, "Should I go back and take a look?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Do as you please. I need to get home; my wife will be out looking for me if I don''t hurry."


    Yang Lixin''s mouth twitched, not believing a word of it, but Zhuang Zhixi''s earnest tone made him hesitate. After some thought, he decided, "I guess I''ll head home too."


    Together, they returned to the courtyard, which was surprisingly lively.


    With everyone back from work, it was natural for them to gather in small groups, chatting about the day''s events. Madam Zhou Li was unpopr, so everyone was in high spirits, almost like celebrating a festival. No one was in a rush to go home.


    As Zhuang Zhixi entered, he noticed everyone staring at him.


    Smiling, he said, "Waiting for me?"


    Ming Mei quickly emerged, "whispering" loudly, "Everyone''s waiting for Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu to return, and to see if Madam Zhoues back too."


    Seeing Zhuang Zhixi and Yang Lixin return, the crowd lost interest. These two knew less than they did. The chatter resumed. Zhuang Zhixi looked around, asking, "Where''s Grandpa?"


    Ming Mei replied, "He went back. The house isn''t dry yet, so he couldn''t move in today."


    Ming Mei was still upset about it, pouting, "How annoying is Madam Zhou? She really thinks she''s something, bullying my grandpa. Doesn''t she realize we exist?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Madam Zhou has always been like this. You''ve been married here for nearly two months; you should know by now."


    Ming Mei huffed, "I think everyone''s been too nice to her, making her think she''s above reproach."


    Zhuang Zhixi gently ruffled his wife''s hair, "Don''t be upset. Your grandpa might not even be angry. He probably doesn''t even see Madam Zhou as a threat. His top priority seems to be finding a partner, which is quite something."


    Ming Mei thought about it and realized her husband was right. ording to her mother-inw, her grandpa seemed unbothered and uninterested in Madam Zhou. His main concern was indeed finding a partner, which surprised Ming Mei.


    She scratched her head, "Did you hear anything at the factory?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "It''s all gossip. No one really knows what''s going on."


    "What else could it be? Someone must be bribing," someone interjected. It was Bai Fendou, who had just entered.


    Bai Fendou smirked, "Zhou Qun isn''t ordinary. He''s generous with gifts, like Hua Zi. I bet Madam Zhou will be back tomorrow. See, his father-inw is already at the factory, drinking with them."


    As a security guard, Bai Fendou knew more than most. He had heard detailed ounts of the incident, even though he hadn''t been present. Madam Zhou had extorted fifteen yuan from him, which he remembered well.


    It was rare to see Madam Zhou in trouble, and Bai Fendou regretted not being there to give her a few kicks. Still, it was satisfying to know she was suffering in the security office. What angered him more was that Zhou Qun had be a guest of the leaders.


    "Zhou Qun is dining with the leaders?"


    "Hua Zi? Zhou Qun gave Hua Zi to whom?"


    "Fendou, tell us more."


    "No wonder Zhou Qun married well. Jiang Lu is a great help to him, even if she can''t have children."


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Fendou, you know everything. Even about the Hua Zi. You''re well-informed. We ordinary folks can only hear bits and pieces, not sure what''s true."


    Bai Fendou was pleased, "Of course! We know more than you do. Today, I watched closely. Zhou Qun and his wife brought something, and our leader started smoking Hua Zi. Who else could it be from? Hua Zi isn''t cheap. Must be from his father-inw. Zhou Qun might earn well, but he''s also good at eating soft rice."


    Bai Fendou was jealous of Zhou Qun and didn''t hold back. The crowd exchanged nces, each with their thoughts. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were among them.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Zhou Qun is lucky. Dining with the leaders, he might get a promotion soon."


    "What? Can he get promoted through personal connections? That''s not right."


    "If it''s through bribes, we won''t agree."


    "No leader should do that!"


    Bai Fendou was red-faced, "He won''t get promoted. If he does, we''ll protest!"


    "Right, right."


    The crowd''s focus shifted from Madam Zhou to the potential promotion. It was uncertain, but it sparked their enthusiasm. Zhuang Zhixi enjoyed the spectacle, loving the drama.


    Ming Mei noticed Su Jii peeking around the Zhou''s door.


    Ming Mei: "?"


    She tugged Zhuang Zhixi''s sleeve, and he saw the boy. No doubt, Su Jii was up to no good. Zhuang Zhixi casually looked away, not interfering.


    Zhao Guihua stepped out, shouting, "Zhuang Zhixi, youe back and just gossip? The family can''t rely on you at all!"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly scurried home, "Mom, I''m here. Tell me what to do."


    Zhao Guihua: "What do you think? Get in and eat."


    Ming Mei whispered to Zhao Guihua, "Su Jii is probably nning to steal again."


    She couldn''t understand why Su''s family didn''t discipline him. A good child turned into a thief, always looking for opportunities to steal.


    Ming Mei pouted, "If he steals, the Zhou''s will erupt."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his wife, "Not necessarily."


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "The Zhou''s are in a delicate situation. Zhou Qun wants to stay low-key. If that''s the case, they might just ept the loss."


    Zhao Guihua: "A dog can''t change its habit of eating shit!"


    Su Jii''s life would repeatedly see him in and out of trouble, unable to change his ways.


    Zhao Guihua served the food, "Stop obsessing over others. Can''t you be more ambitious?"


    After saying that, she chuckled.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged looks, unsure why Zhao Guihua wasughing. Sheposed herself and said, "Alright, eat."


    Every evening, the family discussed the day''s events over dinner. Zhao Guihua mentioned today''s incident, not feeling sorry for Madam Zhou, who had brought it on herself.


    However, she spoke very seriously to Ming Mei, saying, "Tomorrow, you should go back to your parents'' ce and tell them what I said, to pass on a message."


    Ming Mei: "Okay, go ahead, Mom."


    Zhao Guihua: "There are quite a few troublemakers in our courtyard. Right now, they don''t know your grandfather is in good condition, but once they find out, things will change. Madam Zhou Li and Aunt Su will definitely make their moves. I''m not worried about Madam Zhou Li; your grandfather definitely won''t look at her, but you need to make sure your mother understands what kind of person Aunt Su is. So she doesn''t fall into a trap. I think it''s a good idea for your grandfather to find a partner. If he finds a suitable one, these two old hags won''t be able to take advantage of him. But before he does, you must tell your mother to stay away from these two old widows, oh, and young widows too."


    Upon hearing this, Ming Mei nodded vigorously, saying, "Don''t worry, Mom, I understand. I can see through people with my sharp eyes."


    Zhao Guihua: "I won''t wait for you to have dinner tomorrow."


    Ming Mei: "Got it!"


    "Mom, do you have anything nned for tomorrow?" Zhuang Zhiyuan suddenly asked.


    Zhao Guihua: "No, why? Do you have something to say?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Can I borrow the bike and fishing rod? I''m off tomorrow, and I want to try fishing in the mountains."


    These days, whenever he meets someone who knows how to fish, he diligently asks for advice. Not bragging, but he''s like a master in theory now.


    "I think I''ve got it!"


    Since buying the fishing rod on the second day of the New Year, they haven''t caught a single fish. Zhuang Zhiyuan feels it''s time to show his true skills and break this zero record. Otherwise, it would be a waste of the money they spent on the fishing rod and bike.


    Knowing his mother, if she didn''t want to fish conveniently, she wouldn''t have bought the bike so early. He understands his mother; she''s careful with money! So Zhuang Zhiyuan is also eager.


    "Make me two corn buns tomorrow, and I won''te back."


    Liang Meifen hesitated, looking up at her husband expectantly, hoping he would take her along! Staying home with her mother-inw is stressful.


    She gave up her chores to her younger brother, and the neighborhood office can''t arrange small jobs for her now, as they are overwhelmed with recent graduates and needy families. She has nothing to do at home, staring at her mother-inw, feeling suffocated!


    Liang Meifen looked at her husband, thinking how other couples can go together, why not them? She nced at Zhuang Zhiyuan again, but he remained oblivious, like a wooden statue. Feeling wronged, her eyes reddened, but she quickly lowered her head to eat, afraid of being seen.


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ll make you a meat sandwich."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan looked at his mother in surprise, saying, "A meat sandwich?"


    Zhao Guihua: "You''ll know tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi mumbled beside them, "So biased, why not make one for me? ... Ow!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Shut up! Looking for trouble?"


    The two children giggled, and Zhuang Zhixi made a pitiful face, leaning close to Ming Mei, saying, "Wife, my mom treats me like this, you have to care for me."


    Ming Mei poked him, "You should also learn to fish, idle hands."


    Zhuang Zhixi felt wronged; how was he idle? He also worked hard, okay? Why did everyone think that of him? He angrily bit into a mixed flour bun, saying, "You''re all bullying me."


    Zhao Guihua: "Hmph, did you keep an eye out for the sewing machine ticket?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, it''s not that easy!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was surprised, "Sewing machine ticket? Mom, do you want to buy a sewing machine?"


    Zhao Guihua, remembering her decision was made when her eldest son was away, nodded, "It''s convenient for mending things. Buying it early can be used sooner, no loss."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Then I''ll also keep an eye out."


    The family was lively, with Old Man Zhuang remaining silent throughout, as usual. After dinner, Zhao Guihua sent the two couples away and sat cross-legged on the bed, counting money.


    Despite buying a bike and eating better, their savings were even higher than after the internal division. It''s said that to get rich, one must be bold. Smuggling goods earned a lot. She sold fish for a few days, and since it was a no-cost business, the profits were quite good.


    Not only did they add more meat to their diet, but they also bought an extra bike, with money still left over.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "Smuggling really pays."


    Old Man Zhuang''s heart trembled, quickly saying, "We can''t always do this."


    Zhao Guihua: "I know."


    She rolled her eyes, saying, "Do you think I''m a fool? I have my calctions."


    She hid the money, saying, "I wonder when we''ll get the sewing machine ticket."


    She had already nned, saying, "If the eldest can catch fish, I''ll prepare one to give to Aunt Wang tomorrow. We''ve borrowed her sewing machine several times, so we should show some appreciation. After all, we still don''t know when we''ll buy one, so we''ll have to keep borrowing."


    Old Man Zhuang: "You''re in charge of the household matters anyway."


    Zhao Guihua calcted the days, knowing that even though they had a fish pond, if things didn''t change, someone would discover it in two months, and it wouldn''t be theirs anymore. They had to maximize fishing during this period.


    Winter methods couldn''t be used, and fishing wasn''t effective. She said, "It''s frustrating."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Why?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I want to catch more fish."


    Old Man Zhuang didn''t think so, saying, "Take it slow."


    This didn''t sit well with Zhao Guihua; she snorted, "What''s slow? Others will find out sooner orter! It''s not that hidden."


    Old Man Zhuang thought it made sense. Zhao Guihua sighed, saying, "I wish I were a fisherman who could fish."


    "You can''t say that. If you bring back too much, it''s hard to handle."


    Zhao Guihua: "A one-time thing would be fine."


    Before summer, she had to find a way.


    Although going to bed early saves electricity, it''s still too early. Zhao Guihua started sorting leftover fabric strips, some soft and appropriately sized, which could be made into socks or aprons; if not, she nned to sew them into rags.


    "Let Liang Meifen do the aprons and rags herself. It''ll keep her busy." Zhao Guihua finished sorting, poured herself a cup of water, and drank it down. She said, "People are restless without work."


    She looked out the window and saw Jii sneaking towards the Zhou''s house under the moonlight. Knowing the Zhou''s weren''t home, he slipped in, careful not to steal money, as his grandmother had taught him that stealing money was a crime, but taking food was just a child being hungry, easily forgiven.


    Jii followed his grandmother''s advice, immediately searching the Zhou''s kitchen. Despite their wealth, Madam Zhou Li was very stingy, even with herself, so there weren''t many good things.


    Jii opened the cupboard and found a small basket with six raw eggs.


    Jii: "Not bad!"


    He ced the eggs into his prepared bag, this little thief even knew to bring his own tools. After packing the eggs, he lifted the lid of the rice jar, inside of which were cornmeal. He remembered what his grandmother had said and knew he couldn''t steal it all at once, so he immediately scooped a fewdles full. Then he continued searching and finally found some rice, only about five or six jin in total. He swallowed hard, unable to resist, and packed it all into his bag.


    If it were cornmeal, he might have some restraint, but rice was different.


    He really wanted to eat rice.


    Jii wandered around the Zhou family house like a fish in the sea. Zhao Guihua peered out of the window, shaking her head like a rattle drum. It wasn''t that shecked experience, but she was truly speechless. If this child could channel his talent for stealing into other areas, he would have already seeded.


    Zhao Guihua was about to turn back when she noticed the curtains of Madam Su''s house slightly moving. Their houses were close, so she could still see clearly. Was she... keeping watch?


    However, it wasn''t surprising. Both women in that household doted on the three boys excessively but couldn''t teach them properly.


    At that moment, the sound of a door opening startled several households. The thief Jii quickly crawled under the bed in fright. Aunt Su, who was keeping watch, also felt her heart leap into her throat.


    Even Zhao Guihua was startled by the sudden noise, as she had been very focused. The little girl shuffled to the door in her slippers, banging on it and shouting, "Granny, Granny, save me!"


    Her voice was sweet but urgent. Zhao Guihua quickly opened the door and saw Xiao Yanzi, the little girl, fearfully saying, "Granny, Brother''s tummy hurts!"


    Zhao Guihua hurried out and quickly reached the room where the siblings slept. It was a bunk bed, with Brother on top and Sister below, and a small desk was set up. The room was small due to being a small side room, so it wasn''t very cold.


    Zhao Guihua quickly approached, "What''s wrong?"


    Hutou was sweating profusely, crying, "Granny, my tummy hurts, am I going to die? Waaaah."


    Zhao Guihua: "Where does it hurt?"


    The others in the house also came out, wearing their clothes. Liang Meifen quickly went forward, hugging her son and crying, "Hutou, what''s wrong? Don''t scare your mom. If anything happens to you, what will your mom do? Hutou!"


    Zhao Guihua frowned, "What are you wailing for? Quickly change your clothes and take the child to the hospital."


    "Right, right, to the hospital."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan quickly went back to change his clothes. Liang Meifen: "I''m going too."


    "Granny, I want Granny, waaaah~" Children always seek the closest person when they are unwell. Hutou had been raised by Zhao Guihua, so he was closest to her. Zhao Guihua: "Granny will go too, we''ll take you to the hospital."


    The whole family quickly mobilized, with Xiao Yanzi also crying beside them, not knowing what to do. Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, you go with Brother and them, my wife and I won''t go. There''s no need for so many people, and someone needs to stay home at night. Xiao Yanzi shouldn''t go, let her sleep in our room."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."


    The family was in disarray, but they quickly dressed Hutou and left with him, Zhao Guihua, Old Man Zhuang, and Zhuang Zhiyuan''s couple pushing the bicycle. The Bai family, living in the front room, came out to ask, "What''s going on?"


    "The child isn''t feeling well."


    Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang didn''t have time to exin and left in a hurry.


    Xiao Yanzi was still crying, Zhuang Zhixi picked her up and said, "Don''t cry, you''ll stay with Uncle and Aunt tonight."


    He carried the little one back to their room and then locked the doors of the other rooms. His mother Zhao Guihua had been watching the scene, and as her son, he had been watching too. Really, with such a child around, one couldn''t rx for a moment, or things would go missing.


    Xiao Yanzi was scared, clutching Zhuang Zhixi''s clothes and saying, "Uncle, my brother won''t die, will he? He''ll be okay, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi gently patted the little girl, saying, "Of course, he''ll be fine."


    Aunt Wang from the back courtyard came over, knocking on the door and asking, "What''s going on?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hutou suddenly had a stomachache, not sure what''s wrong, they''ve gone to the hospital."


    He said, "Thank you for your concern."


    Aunt Wang: "You''re wee, neighbors should look out for each other. Alright, you and your wife rest with the child, I''ll go back." Without knowing the details, there was nothing more to ask, so Aunt Wang didn''t stay long to disturb their rest, only saying, "If you need help, call me."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei both nodded, agreeing with an "Aye."


    Aunt Wang came and went quickly.


    Xiao Yanzi sobbed softly.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, looking down to see Xiao Yanzi anxiously staring at the door. He swayed the little one, saying, "It''s okay, your brother is so brave, he''ll get better soon after seeing the doctor."


    Xiao Yanzi nodded gently, murmuring, "Brother will be okay."


    "Yes, Brother will be okay."


    Ming Mei: "Xiao Yanzi, here are two candies for you, keep them. Tomorrow, you and your brother can each have one, okay?"


    Xiao Yanzi''s eyes lit up, quickly nodding, her voice sweet as she said, "One for Brother, one for Xiao Yanzi."


    Ming Mei smiled, "That''s right."


    She put on her coat, saying, "I''m going out for a moment."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll go with you."


    Ming Mei nced at the child, shaking her head, "No need, you stay with Xiao Yanzi, I''ll be fine."


    In fact, she wasn''t feeling well either, but it was different from Hutou''s situation. She was having her period. Although she was physically strong and didn''t suffer as much as other girls, she still felt a bit ufortable.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wear more before you go out."


    Ming Mei nodded. It was important to stay warm at this time. She pouted, putting on her padded jacket. Xiao Yanzi was ced on the bed by Zhuang Zhixi, sitting cross-legged and looking worried. Zhuang Zhixi tapped her little nose, saying, "What are you thinking about, Xiao Yanzi?"


    "My brother!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s okay, Xiao Yanzi will see your brother tomorrow."


    "Really?"


    "Of course. If your brother needs to stay in the hospital, Uncle will take you to see him; if not, you''ll see him as soon as you wake up tomorrow." Zhuang Zhixiforted the child. He had a good rtionship with his nephews and nieces.


    While Zhuang Zhixi wasforting the child, Ming Mei went out. The one with the worst mood in the courtyard was undoubtedly Jii. He had been happily stealing, doing well, when suddenly the Zhuang family caused a disturbance.


    His grandmother and mother were right; this family was utterly unkind, evil to the core. Not helping their family was already unforgivable, but they even caused trouble during his thieving, truly despicable!


    He was furious but didn''t dare move, fearing he''d be discovered. If found out, it would be disastrous. The recent events were still fresh in his mind. He stayed still, listening intently to what was happening outside, secretly anxious. If they dyed any longer, he might not finish stealing before the Zhou family returned. Jii was in a hurry.


    When he heard it was Hutou who wasn''t feeling well, he felt a perverse pleasure. He hated all the kids in the courtyard; why did they all have fathers and mothers while his family didn''t?


    Why?


    He wished all the children would have a hard time, then he''d be happiest. Hearing that Hutou had gone to the hospital, heughed with delight, hoping the boy would die. But he quickly covered his mouth, not daring to make a sound, lest he be discovered. He crawled out from under the bed, nning to steal some more goodies before leaving.


    But just as he crawled out, he heard the sound of a door mming shut, and quickly ducked back under: "Damn it!"


    Even a child could curse.


    Ming Mei emerged, her back bent and her hands tucked into her sleeves, she quickly walked out of the courtyard. Ever since rumors of ghosts started circting vaguely, people didn''t go to the bathroom at night much anymore, and they would definitely try to make do.


    But Ming Mei didn''t care. To be honest, it wasn''t because she was a firm atheist, but because... she didn''t feel like there was anything to be afraid of.


    Her master had once said, even ghosts are afraid of evil people.


    She could fight; if there really were ghosts, she''d be bold enough to throw them into the cesspool¡ªjust like how Bai Fendou fought Su Jii!


    Go eat shit!


    What was there to be afraid of!


    Ming Mei arrived at the bathroom, and at that moment, Zhou Qun and his wife Jiang Lu were also approaching the alley. Zhou Qun had had a bit too much to drink and was unsteady on his feet, swaying. Jiang Lu supported him, saying, "Slow down, take it easy. Look at you, drinking so much, I couldn''t even persuade you. When we get home, I''ll make you some tea to get rid of the alcohol."


    Zhou Qun was a bit tipsy and snorted coldly, "You with your woman''s perspective, if I didn''t drink, how could I have made a good impression on the factory director? Do you know how hard it is for me? If I don''t strive, how can I climb up? If you want to live well, you can''t let go of any opportunity. Or do you think my efforts are useless? Hehe, I know, I know that''s what you think. What''s the point of my efforts when I don''t even have a child? And my mother is a hindrance, an old hag..."


    Ming Mei was about toe out when she heard the term "old hag." She was shocked, raising her eyebrows and immediately leaning against the wall, eavesdropping with her ears pricked up. If Jiang Lu had said that, it wouldn''t be surprising, because Madam Zhou Li treated Jiang Lu really badly.


    But Zhou Qun was Madam Zhou Li''s own son.


    Madam Zhou Li treated Zhou Qun as if he were precious, holding him in her hands and fearing he''d break, putting him in her mouth and fearing he''d melt. How could Zhou Qun say that?


    Zhou Qun: "None of you make it easy for me, you all..."


    Jiang Lu''s eyes reddened with guilt, whispering, "It''s my fault, I couldn''t give you a child, it''s all my fault..."


    She lowered her voice: "If, if I really can''t have a child, I''ll find you a woman..."


    Ming Mei heard this and was furious, what was Jiang Lu saying?!


    Did she have a problem?!


    As a woman herself, Ming Mei was furious, while Zhou Qun, the beneficiary, was delighted.Aliali: 6755186fbd5e46c308ab483c


    Even so, he could still pretend.


    Zhou Qun''s heart stirred, the corners of his mouth curling slightly, yet he still pretended to scold, "What are you talking about! I''m not that kind of person, don''t think so poorly of me."


    Jiang Lu: "It''s my fault, you''re not young anymore, everyone else has children, but you don''t. I know you''re suffering..."


    How could she not be suffering? She truly hated her useless body, why couldn''t she have children? Where was there a woman who couldn''t have children? Jiang Lu said with a sob, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry to the Zhou family."


    Ming Mei thought, this Jiang Lu, really has a muddled mind!


    She snorted heavily in anger, and it just so happened that Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu had reached the bathroom side... Hearing the woman''s angry snort, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu turned pale, instantly thinking of countless ghost stories, they screamed, "There''s a ghost!! Help!!!"


    And they ran off quickly!


    Ming Mei: ???


    A ghost?


    She instantly realized, was it about her?

 Chapter 41

    Ming Mei was quite angry. How could someone as pretty as her be mistaken for a ghost? That was simply ridiculous!


    She hurried out, intending to catch up and exin. Although eavesdropping wasn''t exactly polite, it hadn''t been intentional. Ming Mei felt somewhat innocent in this situation. Besides, what on earth were they talking about? She really didn''t want to hear any of it - it was enough to make her want to wash her ears out.


    Ming Mei rushed out, but when she looked again, the couple was nowhere to be seen. She had only hesitated for a brief moment, yet they had already fled. They were remarkably quick. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu ran home as fast as their legs could carry them. At this point, Zhou Qun wasn''t showing any signs of drunkenness anymore, not even a slight stumble - he was running at full speed!


    As for his wife, who had time to worry about wives at a moment like this!


    He burst into the courtyard howling, and before he could shout again, there was a creak - their door opened, and Su Jii poked his head out from inside. Their eyes met and... Zhou Qun: "Damn it! Su Jii, you little brat, you''re stealing from my house again!"


    Zhou Qun, already on edge from being scared,pletely lost it when he saw this troublemaker. He immediately struck Su Jii across the face, sending him falling backward onto his bottom, crying out loudly.


    Zhou Qun was furious. He grabbed Su Jii and pped him twice across both cheeks.


    "Help! Help!" Now someone else was calling for help, but this time it was the little thief Su Jii.


    The child was wailing loudly. Usually, at this hour, most people would be asleep, but there had been so many events that day. People had stayed upte discussing Zhou''s family and their yet-to-arrive new neighbors.


    Just as they were about to sleep, the Zhuang family''s child had gotten sick and was rushed to the hospital.


    As everyone was finally settling back down to sleep, Zhou Qun''s roars and Su Jii''s cries erupted in alternation. Su Jii was screaming for help like a stuck pig, causing everyone to hurriedly throw on their clothes ande outside. Aunt Su was the first to rush out, crying, "Don''t hit my grandson!"


    She rushed forward quickly, but by this time Zhou Qun hadpletely lost control. He turned and struck her, instantly causing one side of her face to swell. As for Su Jii, his face was already swollen like a pig''s head.


    "You dare to interfere? Well, well, I caught your Su Jii stealing, was this all nned by your family? How else could you havee out so quickly at the first sound of trouble?" Zhou Qun wasn''t stupid - he immediately caught on and said, "Your family''s really something, living in the same courtyard - what are you up to! Do you take me for a fool? Waiting until my house is empty to send your kid to steal."


    Zhou Qun''s loud cursing served not only to vent his anger but also to release his fear.


    Jiang Lu snatched up the cloth bundle that Su Jii had dropped on the ground. The eggs inside had broken, making a mess with the corn flour, and there was also a small bag of their rice inside.


    Jiang Lu angrily shouted, "Look, look how this little devil has ruined everything, my good eggs!"


    By now, all the neighbors hade out, pointing and gossiping. Aunt Su was crying while shielding Su Jii, and Wang Xiangxiu rushed out in her nightclothes, throwing herself at Zhou Qun: "How could you hit a child? He doesn''t know any better, he was just hungry. We don''t have enough to eat..."


    She wasn''t as shrewd as Aunt Su, who, seeing the situation turn bad, immediately fell silent and just protected Su Jii while crying. Wang Xiangxiu, however, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, started defending her son with excuses.


    "Hah, listen to that, just listen to what she''s saying. Is that how a decent person talks? Your kid''s hungry so you steal from my house? You don''t have a husband, so are you going to go stealing too?" Zhou Qun''s words were merciless, showing no regard for their former "rtionship."


    What rtionship? It had been nothing more than a transaction of money and goods, and now Zhou Qun couldn''t care less about any of that.


    Wang Xiangxiu stared at Zhou Qun in disbelief. How could he talk to her like this? How could he say such things about her? Their rtionship - how could he? Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes widened as she cursed, "Zhou Qun, you bastard!"


    He was supposed to be wrapped around her finger!


    "Your insults mean nothing to me. Tell me, what should we do about your son? Again and again, when will it end? This time, I''m definitely reporting this to security." As it happened, he had caught a thief, so he had done something good. It might help offset the bad reputation his mother had left behind.


    Zhou Qun grabbed Jii and said, "Come on, we''re going to the security office."


    Aunt Wang saw that Zhou Qun was serious and quickly tried to mediate: "Zhou Qun, calm down. I know what this child did was terribly wrong, but please calm down first, it''s still the middle of the night..."


    She could only try to calm Zhou Qun''s emotions for now.


    But Bai Fendou couldn''t stand by anymore. He rushed forward and punched Zhou Qun in the face. Zhou Qun couldn''t dodge in time and took the hit square on, screaming furiously, "Bai Fendou, damn you!!!"


    Bai Fendou: "My mother''s gone, go join her below!!!"


    He was quite the troublemaker himself. He shouted loudly: "Zhou Qun, are you even a man? Just bullying a widow and her child? Like mother, like son - your mother was no good, and neither are you. Let me tell you, now that I''m here, you won''t be bullying Sister Xiu and Jii anymore. Come here, child, Uncle Fendou won''t let anyone bully you."


    "Fine, fine! I see you''re determined to defend a thief, you must be in cahoots with them, and you dare to hit me..." Zhou Qun pointed at Bai Fendou, trembling with rage, but Bai Fendou remained defiant.


    "What about it!"


    He red at Zhou Qun, and suddenly, Jiang Lu charged forward, crashing hard into Bai Fendou, who lost his bnce and fell. Jiang Lu''s ws went straight for Bai Fendou''s face: "I''ll teach you to hit my husband, I''ll teach you to hit my husband!"


    She straddled Bai Fendou, both hands wing like the Nine Yin Skeleton w.


    Ming Mei watched in amazement, taking small steps to Zhuang Zhixi''s side. Zhuang Zhixi had the sleepy Xiao Yanzi on his shoulders - children usually would be asleep at this hour, but with all themotion, she was caught between wanting to watch the excitement and wanting to sleep, in a daze.


    Zhuang Zhixi patted her and held his wife''s hand, with no one paying attention to Ming Mei. Actually, Ming Mei had originally intended to catch up with the Zhou couple to exin, but before she could enter the courtyard, Zhou Qun had already started throwing punches. And then... things had escted.


    She gave Zhuang Zhixi a look that clearly meant: Is this what you meant by Zhou Qun being able to resolve things peacefully?


    Zhuang Zhixi returned a helpless look - this was his second failed prediction.


    Who could have expected Zhou Qun to suddenly explode like this!


    At this point, Ming Mei felt there was no need for exnations anymore. The toilet, the female ghost - none of that mattered now. What mattered was that Zhou Qun and his wife had caught a thief. The scene had descended into utter chaos.


    Aunt Wang didn''t know who to pull apart first.


    Nobody dared to intervene much, as Jiang Lu was like a mad woman, pulling hair and scratching faces, making Bai Fendou''s already sparse hair even more pitiful. Old Man Bai wanted to help but hesitated toy hands on a woman.


    However, Jiang Lu was still just a woman, and with one roll, she was pinned down. Now he was on top, his hand almost touching somewhere inappropriate.


    Zhou Qun''s eyes zed with fury: "Bai Fendou, you pervert!!!"


    Bai Fendou: "No, I''m not, this isn''t what it looks like... Ah!"


    Zhou Qun charged in at this point, and Old Man Bai, seeing the previous restraining position had ended, also jumped in. Meanwhile, the instigators of all this - the Su family women - hugged each other, both holding onto the child and crying.


    Despite being the thieves, they acted as if they were the ones who had been greatly wronged.


    Aunt Wang: "Enough, stop fighting, all of you stop fighting..."


    No one listened to her.


    Everyone had fought themselves into a frenzy, who would pay attention to her?


    At this moment, Aunt Wang couldn''t help but think of the day she fell into the cesspool. On that day, she had felt just as helpless.


    Life, s, is all aboutparisons. Today may have been tough, but we must look on the bright side¡ªat least they weren''t fighting in a cesspit, right?


    Aunt Wang: "Come on, a few of youds, help me pull these people apart."


    "Aunt Wang, we can''t hold them! What if we get beaten up?"


    "Yeah! If we hurt them, they''ll hurt us, and that''s not good either."


    Everyone chimed in, hesitant to lend a hand. Aunt Wang shouted, "Help out! If theyin, I''ll go to the neighborhoodmittee!"


    Still, no one dared to act. It wasn''t the fear of hurting someone; if they did, Aunt Wang would take responsibility. It was the fear of getting hurt themselves. Those four were clearly in a frenzy. Today, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were utterly different from their usual selves, as if possessed by some demon!


    Who could have known that Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were on the brink of eruption after being startled by a "ghost girl"? Though they were fighting, it was also a form of release.


    Aunt Wang: "Are you guys really that scared?!"


    Aunt Wang''s loud roar prompted Ming Mei to raise her hand and say, "I''ll do it!"


    Aunt Wang paused and said, "Xiao Zhuang''s wife, you''re just a little girl¡­"


    Ming Mei: "I can handle it. You remember I caught a thief before, right? But I do have a heavy hand¡­"


    She wanted to make that clear first.


    Aunt Wang: "It''s fine, I''ll take responsibility if anything happens!"


    A little girl, how strong could she be?


    She was already quite strong for a woman, but even she couldn''t break into the four-way brawl. That''s why she had been calling for help.


    "Just try, but be careful."


    Ming Mei immediately rolled up her sleeves¡ªwell, her cotton-padded jacket, which didn''t roll up, but it didn''t hinder her. She dashed over, grabbed Jiang Lu, and using her as a pivot, kicked Zhou Qun, sending him flying two to three meters and crashing into the door, which promptly fell off its hinges.


    Everyone: "Holy crap!"


    Before they could react, Ming Mei twisted Bai Fendou''s arm and kicked him, causing him to collide with Old Man Bai, the two of them like a human stack, crashing into their own door, which also fell.


    Both copsed on the door.


    Everyone: "Holy crap!"


    "You!" Jiang Lu was about to explode, but Ming Mei, as if not exerting much force, twisted her hand, sending Jiang Lu flying andnding on Zhou Qun.


    Zhou Qun: "Ugh!"


    He groaned under the weight of his wife.


    Ming Mei pped her hands and smiled, "All done."


    Everyone: "Holy crap!"


    They all took a synchronized step back.


    Aunt Wang swallowed hard.


    Ming Mei gave a bright smile, her voice soft and sweet, "Is this okay?"


    Aunt Wang: "Yes, this is more than okay."


    She looked at the two fallen doors and thought, if this isn''t okay, then nothing is.


    "Uh, thank you¡­" Aunt Wang felt awkward saying it, but Ming Mei chirped, "No need to thank me, it''s what I should do. If you need help again, just call me. I''m always happy to serve the people."


    Aunt Wang: "¡­"


    The others in the courtyard: "¡­"


    They all looked at Ming Mei, then turned to Zhuang Zhixi, who was sure he saw sympathy in their eyes.


    What were they thinking? His wife wouldn''t hurt him; she was very gentle.


    He gave a broad smile and raised his thumb, "Wife, you''re amazing."


    Ming Mei''s cheeks flushed pink; she hadn''t fought in front of so many people before. She felt a bit shy and quickly ran to Zhuang Zhixi''s side. The bus incident was different; she was doing a good deed then, and the thief had a knife, so she had to focus on capturing him and protecting others. There was no time to be shy.


    As for the time with Zhuang Zhixi, there were no onlookers, so this was her first time feeling self-conscious. She pointed at the two fallen doors and said earnestly, "Aunt Wang, you said I don''t have to take responsibility."


    Aunt Wang swallowed again and nodded, "You don''t!"


    After that, she didn''t know what else to say.


    The scene fell into an awkward silence. No one knew what to say.


    The four who were forcibly separated were bewildered. They never expected Ming Mei to be so strong. The others were equally shocked, having seen people fly through the air.


    Though there were rumors about Ming Mei''s bravery in catching thieves, no one truly believed how strong she was until now.


    Jii silently snuggled into his grandmother''s arms, thinking that thest time she kicked bricks was just a warm-up. This was the real deal. He couldn''t steal from this family anymore.


    He was beaten by Zhou Qun, but he didn''t consider Zhou''s house off-limits. Instead, he firmly decided never to steal from Zhuang''s. If he got caught¡­


    Even a big man got kicked several meters; he, a little guy, wouldn''t stand a chance.


    He was the eldest grandson of the Su family; he couldn''t afford to get hurt.


    In just a moment, everyone in the courtyard had gone through a whirlwind of thoughts.


    Ming Mei leaned against Zhuang Zhixi, looking like a docilemb, hard to imagine she was the one who kicked people earlier. She had an innocent expression. Zhuang Zhixi said, "What are you all staring at? My wife is beautiful, but you can''t keep staring. I''ll get jealous."


    This brought out some chuckles.


    Yang Lixin: "Is it Shanxi''s old vinegar?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "A whole barrel."


    Theughter eased the previous tension. Aunt Wang stepped forward, helping Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun up. "Are you guys okay?"


    Zhou Qun gave a sardonic chuckle. Aunt Wang quickly said, "Today''s incident, you can''t me Xiao Zhuang''s wife. I asked her to separate you. If you want to me someone, me me. The doors aren''t too damaged; we can fix them with a wrench tomorrow. I did this for your own good. Look at how badly you''re all hurt. I know you''re the victims and feel wronged, but if you two really fought, you''d be at a disadvantage."


    They were outnumbered by Bai Fendou and his father.


    Zhou Qun was an electrician, not needing much strength, mostly working in the office. Jiang Lu was also a desk worker, far from being able to handle the Bai father-son duo. Aunt Wang''s words slightly improved Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu''s mood.


    But only a little.


    The couple remained sullen. Bai Fendou thenined, "Aunt Wang, why are you taking sides? They''re wronged, but what about us? Look at the scratches on my face; I haven''t even married yet!"


    Aunt Wang shot him a look and said, "You''re lucky to have the nerve toin. If you hadn''t started the fight, there wouldn''t be this mess. Jii stealing was wrong, and a little discipline is good for him. But no, you had to make a scene. What does this have to do with you? Besides, you started the fight first. Do you think you''re in the right?"


    Aunt Wang was blunt; she didn''t like Bai Fendou. A thirty-something man, living like this, should look at himself.


    Bai Fendou: "But I couldn''t just watch him hit the kid¡­"


    "A tree needs pruning to grow straight. Today, Zhou Qun was in the right," Aunt Wang said, not wanting to escte the issue but also not condoning theft. She didn''t want things to get out of hand, mainly because she had her own grandchildren and felt for the kids.


    Although the three children of the Su family were a bit mischievous, they had lost their father, and their lives were tight and difficult. That''s why she didn''t want the children to end up in a juvenile detention center. If they were recorded in the files, their future would be even more difficult.


    Aunt Wang didn''t want the matter to escte out of pity for the children, but she agreed that the boy should be taught a lesson. If not, he would keep repeating his mistakes, over and over again.


    Moreover, the boy didn''t dare to steal outside; he only wandered around their courtyard and the nearby area, targeting familiar faces, which was also annoying.


    So she thought education was necessary, even a beating to make him remember, but she didn''t agree with handing the matter over to the security department for serious handling. She originally believed that by talking things out, the issue could be resolved without escting, but she didn''t expect Bai Fendou, that brainless dog, to be so mindless for the widow.


    She scolded, "Look at what you''ve done! Look at how you''ve beaten Zhou Qun and his wife. Don''t even mention your injuries; we all saw you start the fight. Look at what you''ve done, acting so irresponsibly day after day. You''re over thirty, yet you''re less steady than a twenty-something youngster! I''ve watched you grow up, so how did you end up like this!"


    Aunt Wang felt a mix of pity and frustration.


    The more she spoke, the angrier she became, so she moved a chair and sat in front of the Bai family''s door: "Old Man Bai, I have to talk to you too. As a father, you should set a good example for your son, not drag him down. Look at how old Fendou is. It''s time for him to find a wife and settle down. But go ask around, what kind of reputation does your son have? Even if there are one or two who don''t care, they''re scared off by your reputation. Do you want to live like this forever? Do you want to have a future? Today, you have to apologize to Zhou Qun andpensate him."


    "Why should we?"


    "Because you started the fight, and now Zhou Qun and his wife are injured."


    Bai Fendou was not convinced: "Ming Mei also hit me."


    Aunt Wang was about to explode, but Zhuang Zhixi spoke up, sneeringly said: "So, ording to you, it''s my wife''s fault? Everyone here saw it; they were fighting in a group, and Aunt Wang wanted my wife to help stop it. Now you want to turn the tables? Bai Fendou, don''t think just because you''re older, I call you Fendou Ge, that you''re really my brother. I don''t take you seriously in our usual antics, but you dragging my wife into this won''t fly! Come on, tell me, how should wepensate for hitting you?"


    "You!" Bai Fendou didn''t expect Zhuang Zhixi to be so tough and was rendered speechless.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What? You want to hit me? Go ahead, try touching me."


    Zhuang Zhixi was usually a good-natured young man in the courtyard, always smiling and polite, though sometimes a bit mischievous. It was rare to see him angry.


    Everyone chimed in: "Bai Fendou, this is really not cool of you. Are you looking for trouble? If you keep this up, I''ll definitely testify for Ming Mei."


    "Exactly, you chasing after the widow and sticking up for her is your business, but you dare to hit people over a kid stealing? That''s too shameless. Now you want to frame someone."


    This wasn''t just to support Zhuang Zhixi but also out of fear of being stolen from. If they lost a few small items, it wouldn''t be worth pursuing.


    "I think Zhuang Zhixi is right; having someone like you in the security department is a disgrace."


    "Absolutely, what a disgrace."


    "Ming Mei, don''t worry, I''ll testify for you too. There''s no such thing as being so shameless, really embarrassing us guys from Beijing."


    Everyone was disgusted, and Bai Fendou was attacked by the crowd, unhappy: "Hey, why are you all ganging up on me? I''m a victim too. Look at my door..."


    "Stop pretending, Bai Fendou. You didn''t say you were a victim when you were hitting people, or when you were pinning Zhou Qun''s wife down."


    "Exactly!"


    Mentioning this made Zhou Qun furious again. It was just a reversal during the fight, but it sounded a bit ambiguous when everyone talked about it. Zhou Qun could mess around outside, but he couldn''t tolerate his wife like this.


    He rushed into the house, grabbed a stool, and came out again: "Bai Fendou, you bastard!"


    Thud, he smashed it towards Bai Fendou, who dodged, and the ss in his house was shattered.


    "Damn it... Are you done?"


    Bai Fendou charged again, and the two started fighting once more. This time, no one tried to stop them. Everyone remembered how Bai Fendou turned around to me others, and no one wanted to deal with such a petty person.


    Aunt Wang was also furious and said directly: "Fight, fight as much as you want, I don''t care if you kill each other!"


    At this time, Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu had already taken Su Jii to the side, not feeling any responsibility for the origin of the incident, just watching themotion.


    However, Old Man Bai didn''t join in this time. He had been beaten badly earlier and didn''t want to get involved again. Anyway, his son wouldn''t be hurt. But Jiang Lu couldn''t stay out; she charged in, two against one.


    It was no surprise that Bai Fendou, being in the security department, was stronger. The couple couldn''t beat him, and Zhou Qun was pinned to the ground.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched them, his eyes flickering, but he didn''t move. Xiao Yanzi, seeing them punch and p each other, covered her eyes, wanting to look but not daring to, and said in a childish voice: "Uncle, fighting is wrong."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Yes, fighting is wrong. Xiao Yanzi doesn''t fight. If someone bullies you, tell the teacher. If the teacher can''t solve it, tell me, and I''ll have your aunt go and settle it for you."


    Ming Mei heard this and patted Zhuang Zhixi''s arm, saying: "What are you saying?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly, saying: "I''m just coaxing a child."


    He shook Xiao Yanzi a bit, saying: "You''re a skinny little thing, but you''re quite heavy. I''m getting tired after holding you for a while. My arm is going numb..."


    He switched arms to hold Xiao Yanzi and shook his arm: "My arm is numb... Ah!"


    His arm bumped into the person in front, who stumbled forward and bumped into the next person, causing three people to stagger and identally knock over Bai Fendou, who was in a dominant position. Bai Fendou had Zhou Qun pinned down and Jiang Lu held back with one hand. The collision caused him to let go of Jiang Lu, who didn''t hesitate and pped him hard, causing Bai Fendou to fall forward andnd on Zhou Qun.


    Zhou Qun: "Ah, my back!"


    "Damn it!"


    The scene was a bit awkward.


    "Jiang Lu, I curse your ancestors!"


    Jiang Lu didn''t expect to identally hurt her own man and was furious, grabbing a nearby rock and smashing it at Bai Fendou.


    "Ah!!!"


    "My goodness!"


    "He''s bleeding!"


    "Jiang Lu is too ruthless!"


    "The women in our courtyard are tough, even the young wives are no joke!"


    Jiang Lu hit Bai Fendou on the head with the rock, and just as she was about to hit him again, Aunt Wang quickly stopped her, saying: "No, don''t hit him anymore! You''ll be in trouble if you kill him!"


    "Quick, quick, send him to the hospital!"


    "Goodness, he''s bleeding."


    Aunt Wang didn''t expect Jiang Lu to be so fierce. She said, "Hurry up, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou both need to go to the hospital. Everyone, please lend a hand."


    "Aunt Wang, what if we get med for helping?"


    "He dares?!" Aunt Wang retorted, "Everyone, please help. This is a matter of life and death."


    Zhuang Zhixi remained calm, saying, "There''s no one in my family left, and my wife and I can''t go with them. Besides, that person just tried to me us, so we definitely can''t get involved. We can''t afford to be involved." He pushed his wife and said, "Let''s go home, we have to go to work tomorrow. We won''t join in their nonsense."


    Ming Mei agreed, "I think so too, let''s go."


    The young couple, carrying their child, turned and left.


    Others quickly chimed in, "I have work tomorrow..."


    "So do I..."


    Aunt Wang was furious, "Everyone, please help. Neighbors should help each other in times like these. Don''t let things get worse. I''ll go borrow a tricycle and take them to the hospital..."


    "Alright, alright, for the sake of being neighbors."


    "Aunt Wang, we''re doing this for you."


    "Let''s go, let''s take them to the hospital."


    The few men in the courtyard finally decided to do the right thing. They quickly got to work, and Jiang Lu cried out, "Be gentle, my husband Zhou Qun has a strained back."


    A group of people hurriedly moved the injured onto a small cart and rushed off. The Su family and their daughter-inw stood there in shock for a long time. Wang Xiangxiu finally said, "This has nothing to do with us, right?"


    Aunt Su replied, "It doesn''t. Their fight is their own business, this is something else. Let''s go home and sleep."


    Su Jii broke free from Aunt Su and dragged the bag that Jiang Lu hadn''t put away back home.


    Those who hadn''t gone home yet looked at Su Jii''s actions and felt that Zhou Qun hadn''t beaten him enough. This little rascal needs a good thrashing!


    Su Jii dragged the bag home and said, "Since I''ve already been beaten, I might as well take it!"


    This kid really has some strange blood in him.


    Because of this epic battle in the courtyard, everyone lingered, unwilling to disperse. They chatted under the spring night breeze.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei had already put Xiao Yanzi to sleep. The little girl had been too excited to sleep, but once ced in her soft bed, she was snoring within a minute.


    Ming Mei sighed, "Xiao Yanzi has seen a lot today. When I was her age, I hadn''t seen such a big scene."


    Although she was mischievous and often climbed roofs, she had never seen such a big scene. Shemented, "My grandfather shouldn''t have gone home today. Look, how many things he missed!"


    She added, "My parents and my older brother and sister-inw also missed out."


    "It''s fine," Zhuang Zhixi said with a smile, "Our courtyard''s dramas are constant and new."


    He pinched her cheek and said, "You were deliberately provoking them today, weren''t you?"


    Ming Mei remained calm, raising an eyebrow, "It seems like you were too."


    They looked at each other andughed.


    Ming Mei pouted, "Are we colluding like wolves?"


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and shook his head, "How could that be? We''re such good people, how could we use such a word? Are there wolves as good-looking as us?"


    They were, after all, a couple. Ming Mei had deliberately gone to help because she had long been annoyed by Bai Fendou, and there was an old grudge. As for Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun''s mother had picked a fight with her grandfather, and Zhou Qun wasn''t a good person either. Ming Mei had been holding a grudge.


    Her grandfather, a frail old man, must have felt so helpless when Zhou Qun''s mother was making a scene!


    As his granddaughter, it was only right for her to take some interest from the Zhou family.


    She had only given each of them a kick, which was already a sign of her good character.


    As for Zhuang Zhixi, he had "identally" bumped into someone, intending to change the bnce of power for the Zhou couple, giving them more fighting spirit. He couldn''t directly hit them, but it didn''t stop him from hoping they would fight each other.


    He hadn''t expected Jiang Lu to be so fierce.


    Indeed, when women unleash their fury, there''s not much men can do.


    That night, the courtyard was quite lively, and everyone had a hard time sleeping. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were no exception. They leaned against each other, with Xiao Yanzi sleeping against the wall inside. Ming Mei mumbled, "If our courtyard had more incidents like this, we wouldn''t need a radio. We could just watch them all day."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "You''ll get used to it. But recently, they''ve been particrly troublesome."


    He objectively stated, "Before, Bai Fendou wasn''t so crazy. Recently, he''s been getting worse, and he seems to be quite hostile towards me. It''s probably because I got married. Now, in the courtyard, apart from a few teenagers who haven''t grown up, he''s the only bachelor left. I guess he''s anxious and jealous!"


    If he weren''t anxious, he wouldn''t be so obvious about his feelings for Wang Xiangxiu. Before, he would still care a bit, but now... today, he blindly defended Jii without asking questions, which is rare.


    This man wants to get married.


    However, although he was objective, he wasn''t a kind-hearted person. If someone made him ufortable, he would certainly make them ufortable too.


    Ming Mei said, "I don''t care about him. I just remember that he tried to ambush you in the bathroom. Whether he seeded or not, he had that thought. My master taught me that one should act with righteous indignation."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I often hear you talk about your master. When will you introduce me to him?"


    Ming Mei replied, "My master doesn''t like meeting outsiders."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Am I an outsider?"


    Ming Mei said, "Oh, no! It''s just that... my master works in a mortuary."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Ming Mei continued, "So he doesn''t like meeting people much."


    She paused and said, "Besides, my master is also in Jinling now."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Didn''t your master teach you here...?"


    Ming Mei: "Yes, he was in the capital before, but three years ago he went to Jinling and started working at the mortuary, living a secluded life. My master is also an old acquaintance of my grandfather and uncle. Otherwise, my dad wouldn''t have been able to marry my mom."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought about it and realized it made sense. One in the capital, one in Jinling, it was indeed a rare coincidence to meet.


    He said, "Then if we have the chance to go to Jinling, we should pay him a visit."


    Ming Mei nodded, "Sure."


    Her master, or her uncle, should indeed be visited.


    Ming Mei leaned on Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "I wonder how things will turn out today."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I guess they''ll negotiate, but I don''t dare to predict anymore. Every time I do, I''m wrong."


    Ming Mei thought about it and realized it was true, so sheughed. She pouted, "Look, you''ve lived in the same courtyard for so long, but you don''t really understand each other."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Who can truly understand anyone? I can only understand my wife."


    Ming Mei quickly waved her hand, "I''m on my period."


    Zhuang Zhixi said seriously, "What are you talking about? I didn''t mean anything. You''re misunderstanding me. Why do you always think about that?"


    Ming Mei''s face turned red instantly, and soon Zhuang Zhixi got a punch. He groaned softly andughed, "Ouch, attempted murder of your husband."


    Ming Mei: "Oh, go on."


    The two of them started to y around. However, due to her period, Ming Mei soon felt tired and said, "I''m a bit tired."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sleep, you don''t need to get up early tomorrow. I''ll make breakfast."


    Although he didn''t know when his mother would be back, Zhuang Zhixi had already thought about it. If she didn''te back, he would go to deliver breakfast and go to work a bitter. After all, it was clear that Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou probably wouldn''t be able to work properly tomorrow.


    Today they were injured and needed to go to the hospital, and the matter wasn''t resolved yet, so there would be more to discuss.


    He thought about it and drifted off to sleep.


    At the same time, the Zhuang family was surprised to see familiar faces from the courtyard at the hospital. Although there were several hospitals in the city, they were ustomed toing to the nearest one.


    And so, they ran into each other.Aliali: 6754d302bd5e46c308a67379


    Zhao Guihua had already arranged for Xiaohutou''s hospitalization and was downstairs paying the fees when she suddenly saw a group of familiar faces.


    She quickly called out, "Aunt Wang, what''s going on?"


    Upon closer look, oh my, it was brutal!


    How did he get scratched up like this? It was almost unbearable to look at.


    What happened to Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou? Did they get into another fight?


    "What happened to you all..."


    Aunt Wang also felt it was unlucky. Other courtyard managers didn''t have to deal with such troubles, and she felt her white hair sprouting rapidly. It was so frustrating!


    She waved her hand, "Don''t mention it, they got into another fight. Bai Fendou crushed Zhou Qun''s waist, and Zhou Qun''s wife bashed Bai Fendou''s head open."


    She briefly exined the current injuries of the two men, and as for the background story, it would take half an hour to recount, so she didn''t borate.


    Even with just those two sentences, Zhao Guihua was shocked: "My goodness, they are something else!"

 Chapter 42

    Nothing serious happened to Hutou.


    He just had mild food poisoning. After careful questioning, the doctor learned that the child had picked and eaten some wild berries by the roadside with his friends after school. As luck would have it, these wild berries were slightly poisonous.


    Adults with stronger bodies might barely notice it, perhaps just feeling slightly ufortable, but it''s different for children.


    Little Hutou was so young, so he naturally felt much worse. Lying in the hospital bed with his pale little face, he said weakly, "Dad, I''ll never pick wild berries again."


    The berries tasted awful and made him suffer so much - the child truly hated those bad fruits now.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sat by the bed, rubbing Hutou''s stomach, saying, "Well, let''s see if you''ll dare to be so greedy again."


    If it weren''t for seeing the child''s pale face and weakened state, showing how much he had suffered, he would have wanted to spank the little rascal - eating things he''d never seen before! Such reckless behavior.


    "From now on, don''t just eat things you''ve never seen before!"


    Hutou replied pitifully, "I only took one bite. It was bitter and made my mouth numb. It tasted bad so I threw it away. I didn''t even give any to my sister!"


    That''s why Xiao Yanzi was fine. Seeing his son''s defensive expression, Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "Does it still hurt?"


    Children can''t pretend, and he replied, "It still hurts, but not as much as before."


    The child whimpered softly, his little face buried in the pillow, asking, "Dad, can I go home tomorrow?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "No. Your grandmother went to pay the fees. You need to stay in the hospital for three days for observation."


    Hutou''s big eyes dimmed, saying, "I have to stay here for three more days?"


    "Yes."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan could tell his son didn''t want to stay here at all, but they weren''t medical experts, and the doctor''s orders had to be strictly followed. Besides, what the doctor said made sense - the child was so young, so extra observation would be good to prevent any subsequent problems.


    It would give the adults more peace of mind.


    Moreover, two more days of IV drips would help him recover better.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Don''t worry about anything, little one. Just rest well, and your mom will take care of you here."


    "I want Grandma!"


    Hutou had his own demands - he loved his grandmother the most.


    Liang Meifen muttered quietly, "You ungrateful little thing."


    Hutou managed a pitiful smile, "I want Grandma, I want to find Grandma~" The sick child was being a bit willful.


    "Your grandma went to pay the fees."


    Just as he finished speaking, they saw Zhao Guihua hurrying in, her face full of shock, wearing an expression like she''d just discovered major gossip. Old Man Zhuang noticed immediately and quickly asked, "What happened?"


    Zhao Guihua said, "Guess who I just met downstairs? I saw people from ourpound - Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun got into a fight and were brought to the hospital."


    "What?!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was stunned. He really couldn''t understand how these two older brothers, who were even older than him, could be so impulsive.


    He asked, "Where are they?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "They''re in the treatment room on the second floor. I didn''t ask for details - Bai Fendou was bleeding profusely, and they all had injuries. I didn''t dare dy their treatment."


    Zhao Guihua remembered that this hadn''t happened in her previous life, but she wasn''t surprised.


    After all, theirpound was always lively.


    Fighting broke out every few days.


    "I''ll go take a look." Who wouldn''t be curious about such things?


    Zhao Guihua said, "Go ahead, many people from ourpound are there. They came to bring them in."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan rushed out, and Liang Meifen hesitated before saying, "I''ll go look too."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t stop them. Instead, she said to Old Man Zhuang, "You can go watch themotion too if you want."


    Old Man Zhuang smiled, "What''s the point of me going? They''ll tell us everything when theye back anyway."


    There were other patients in the ward. Zhao Guihua noticed it was gettingte and said, "Then you should go home. You have work tomorrow. We''ll be fine staying here, but you need to rest, or you won''t have energy during the day."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I can handle one night."


    Zhao Guihua frowned, "Handle what? You think you''re still young? Go quickly, don''t make me say it twice. Why won''t you listen to advice?"


    When Zhao Guihua got stern, Old Man Zhuang immediately became submissive. He hesitated and said, "How about I just make do here for the night? I wouldn''t get much sleep at home anyway."


    There were still two empty beds in their ward.


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and said, "That works too."


    Going home would waste time, so it made more sense to sleep here and go straight to the factory in the morning. She said, "Then go to sleep."


    By this time, little Hutou was also drowsy. The child had been fighting sleep for a while, only staying awake because of his stomach pain. Zhao Guihua watched the IV drip and said, "Grandma will keep an eye on it, you go to sleep."


    Hutou softly replied "Oh."


    Zhao Guihua pulled up Hutou''s nket and patted him. The child quickly fell asleep. It was nowte at night, and everyone was sleeping, making the ward particrly quiet. However, Zhao Guihua stayed awake, as she needed to monitor Hutou''s IV drip.


    She sat by the bed, watching her eldest grandson. Among all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Hutou was the most honest and open-minded. The saying that you can tell a person''s character by age three seemed to have some truth - Hutou was an obedient and honest child when young, and he remained the same as he grew up. He was also the child who spent the most time with her.


    It wasn''t that the other children weren''t filial - all the children in their family were quite filial - but this eldest grandson was the one who always stayed by her side, taking care of her. Looking at the child''s pale face, she felt heartbroken. After all, what did the child do wrong?


    What child isn''t greedy these days?


    Zhao Guihua pondered how to vary their meals at home to make them better. If they couldn''t even eat well, wouldn''t it be a waste of her chance to live life again? One shouldn''t be so useless.


    Zhao Guihua was deep in thought about improving their family''s meals, but what she didn''t know was that everyone in their family, from the oldest to the youngest, thought they ate quite well. Compared to many families who only ate meat once or twice a month, their meals were actually quite good.


    After all, every week, they had fish at least once and meat at least once.


    Even for a working-ss family, this wasn''t something everyone could afford.


    The ward was very quiet, and Zhao Guihua was lost in deep thought. However, outside the ward was a different story. While it wasn''t noticeable on their third floor, the second floor was unusually lively. When Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife went down to see what was happening, they immediately saw Old Man Bai demanding money from Jiang Lu.


    In his view, whether it was his injury or his son''s injury, Jiang Lu should pay for it.


    But Jiang Lu was also angry, pointing at Old Man Bai and cursing. In theirpound, she usually maintained the image of an educated young wife, so this sudden outburst was shocking to everyone. Actually, Jiang Lu wasn''t just angry about the money - if it weren''t for Bai Fendou, her husband wouldn''t have been injured, and this infuriated her.


    The two families started yelling at each other in the hospital. Jiang Lu didn''t hold back at all, shouting, "We were catching a thief, and your son not only interfered but threw the first punch. We would be justified even if we beat him to death! Look at me, look at my husband - we''re the victims here, and now you''reing to throw your weight around? Uncle Bai, this isn''t how things should be done!"


    "How dare you speak to me like that, young woman! That''s all in the past now, that matter is settled, but your husband broke my windows! Let''s deal with one thing at a time."


    "If your son hadn''t protected the thief, if your son hadn''t thrown the first punch, none of this would have happened, it wouldn''t be like this!"


    "What are you all arguing about? This is a hospital!" A nurse came out to scold them. "Are you going to let other patients rest or not?"


    "This isn''t my fault, their family..."


    "Your family is just like thieves..."


    Both sides went back and forth, arguing until it seemed the sky would fall. Not just Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife, but even patients from the second-floor wards came out in their hospital gowns to watch themotion. They hadn''t seen anything like this before.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan watched the scene with a toothache-like expression. To be honest, many people in their courtyard always thought that Jiang Lu was the gentlest. However, people truly cannot be judged by their appearance. How could Jiang Lu, with her strong will, be so easily controlled by Madam Zhou Li?


    It was beyond understanding.


    Liang Meifen was also startled, but her thoughts differed from Zhuang Zhiyuan''s. She thought that a mother-inw is naturally capable of suppressing her daughter-inw. Even Jiang Lu, who was so difficult to deal with, had to act subservient and timid in front of Madam Zhou Li.


    So, being a daughter-inw means enduring, and one day you will oust the mother-inw and eventually be one yourself after many years of suffering.


    They watched themotion from the crowd when Aunt Wang quickly emerged. Aunt Wang couldn''t stay hidden; as a fellow resident, she felt too embarrassed. Such embarrassment was unbearable for her.


    Why were there so many trivial matters in theirrge courtyard?


    At this moment, Aunt Wang envied Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, the young couple. Look at how smart they were, not showing up at all. It was the right decision not toe!


    It was so embarrassing!


    Under the overwhelming sense of embarrassment, Aunt Wang used the excuse of needing to use the restroom to escape.


    Although Aunt Wang felt embarrassed, she also found the spectacle enjoyable. But was the excitement really worth it? The next morning, many residents in their courtyard hadrge dark circles under their eyes, and their eye bags were almost drooping to their chins.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, however, seemed in good spirits, as they had slept at home.


    In the morning, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t cook breakfast. He had woken up ratherte, so he decided to use his personal savings to buy breakfast. He went out with a basin to buy youtiao (fried dough sticks) and douzhi (soybean milk). Xiao Yanzi, who had woken up early, followed Ming Mei around, and Ming Mei braided her hair into two little pigtails.


    Ming Mei contributed two red hair stics, and Xiao Yanzi''s eyes curved with joy as she sweetly said, "Thank you, Auntie."


    Ming Mei replied, "You''re wee. Your little mouth is so sweet."


    Xiao Yanzi proudly patted her chest and said, "Teacher says that children should be polite."


    Ming Mei stifled augh and nodded, "Xiao Yanzi is right."


    "What are you talking about?" Zhuang Zhixi returned with the food and asked, "Xiao Yanzi, did you wash your hands?"


    Xiao Yanzi loudly replied, "I did!"


    Her big eyes were glued to the youtiao, her mouth watering.


    Although they were from Beijing, being able to have youtiao for breakfast at this time was quite a treat for a family. Just like Zhao Guihua, who had traveled through time, she had only bought youtiao a few times.


    So, Xiao Yanzi''s eyes couldn''t help but widen at the sight of the youtiao.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let''s eat. After that, I''ll take you to the hospital to bring breakfast to your brother."


    "What breakfast?"


    Zhuang Zhixi turned around and eximed, "Mom, why are you back?"


    Looking again, he saw his older brother Zhuang Zhiyuan, and he quickly invited them to sit and eat. "There''s plenty; I thought I''d bring some to you after we finished eating. How is Hutou?"


    Zhao Guihua and the others were hungry after their early return.


    Zhao Guihua started with a big bowl of douzhi. Although many people couldn''t stand the taste, feeling it was like swill, as a native of Beijing, Zhao Guihua relished it. She thought it was the most authentic at this moment.


    She said, "Hutou had mild food poisoning, but he''s fine. The doctor prescribed three days of IV and hospitalization for observation."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What did he eat?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Oh, kids will eat anything they find. I..."


    She exined Hutou''s situation and added, "I didn''t sleep all night. I came back to get some rest, and your brother will pack some things and return to the hospital. Your sister-inw is currently looking after the child."


    Zhuang Zhixi suggested, "Should I take the day off to take care of Hutou? You all need to rest."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "No need. Your sister-inw and I can manage, plus Mom is helping. Don''t take leave. Constantly taking leave, what will your superiors think? What will your colleagues think? How will you advance? You can''t stay a cashier in the clinic forever. People need to have aspirations. You should read more, study current policies, and strive to..."


    "Stop it!"


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t take it anymore. This man always had so many words.


    She said, "Eat your meal. Don''t spout so much nonsense."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan pouted, feeling wronged, as he thought his mother was too authoritarian. What he said was entirely correct.


    Looking at his brother, he was happily eating without paying attention.


    He sighed deeply, realizing that only he in the family was ambitious. He quietly ate his meal, but Zhao Guihua spoke up, "They were quite intense yesterday. I saw their doors kicked down. How did they fight?"


    "Pfft!" Zhuang Zhixi almost spat out his food, quickly covering his mouth, thenughed.


    Ming Mei blinked, shyly saying, "I kicked them."


    "Pfft!"


    This revtion was shocking.


    Ming Mei quickly added, "I was helping."


    She looked innocent.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "That''s right. My wife is very righteous."


    "Auntie is amazing. Auntie just flicked her hand, and the person flew out..." Xiao Yanzi mimicked, "Thud, they hit the door, and the door fell!"


    Zhao Guihua smiled.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan swallowed hard, realizing his sister-inw was formidable.


    Zhao Guihua said, "It''s fine, kick them if you need to."


    The Zhuang brothers both gave their mother a thumbs up. Clearly, their mother was also a tough one.


    Ming Mei smiled, saying, "I knew Mom would be on my side. Mom, you don''t know, yesterday they did this... then...ter... Bai Fendou got pped by Jiang Lu, and he fell on Zhou Qun, who yelped, it was quite a scene..."


    Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhiyuan only knew that the two families had fought, but they didn''t know there were so many incidents beforehand. This sequence of events was truly astonishing. Zhao Guihua listened for a long time, eximing, "They really know how to make trouble."


    Ming Mei said, "Exactly."


    As Ming Mei was enthusiastically recounting, Zhuang Zhixi suddenly said, "Wife, if you don''t leave now, you''ll bete for work."


    Ming Mei: "Ah!"


    She screamed, darted back into the house, grabbed her bag, and pedaled off on her bicycle like a rabbit, leaving in a sh.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Be careful!"


    "Got it~" Ming Mei''s voice came from afar, her bicycle riding like a streak of light and fire.


    With no need for Zhuang Zhixi at home, he quickly got ready for work, handed Xiao Yanzi to his mother, and said, "Mom, take her to kindergarten, okay?"


    Xiao Yanzi softly said, "I want to see my brother."


    Zhao Guihua decisively replied, "I''ll take you after school."


    Xiao Yanzi: "¡­Oh."


    Actually, the kindergarten was just for ying, especially for Xiao Yanzi''s age group. Going or not didn''t matter much, but Zhao Guihua still sent her off. With Hutou not at home, keeping this little one at home would require constant supervision.


    Zhao Guihua nned to go to the mountain today.


    Although Zhuang Zhiyuan had mentioned going to the mountain, this unexpected event meant he couldn''t.


    Zhao Guihua specifically went to check on Old Man Lan''s house, saying, "It definitely won''t be moved today, it''ll be tomorrow. If the old manes over, entertain him. I''ll take a nap and then go out."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Huh? Mom, where are you going? You¡­"


    "Are you the mom or am I the mom? Don''t ask so much."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Alright."


    This wasn''t Zhao Guihua intentionally keeping secrets from her son; it was just that exining one thing led to another, and it was better not to start. Zhao Guihua had thought a lotst night, trying to figure out how to improve their family''s quality of life.


    Although their family had several people working and some money, this was an era where even money couldn''t buy things. She could frequent the ck market, but that ce wasn''t very safe, and if she got noticed, it would be troublesome.


    Zhao Guihua pondered for most of the night, thinking back and forth, and finally came up with an idea.


    Oh, this wasn''t a memory from her previous life, but from a few days ago. A few days ago, she went up the mountain to fish but ended up catching a rabbit. She vaguely remembered seeing a chestnut tree in the distance while chasing the rabbit.


    At the time, she was focused on the rabbit and didn''t pay much attention, but she vaguely remembered it.


    She nned to go and check it out. If it really was a chestnut tree, she could wait for it to ripen and pick some to make snacks. Eating them fresh would be great too. Plus, if there was a chestnut tree, it would likely attract some small animals. She could wait and see if she could catch anything.


    Besides, she also nned to bring matches. Last time, she had found the rabbit''s den nearby, though she wasn''t sure if there were still rabbits there now. But she still nned to go and check. If there was no wind, she could try a fire attack to see if she could catch a rabbit.


    This was a bit of a long shot, so Zhao Guihua didn''t want to go into too much detail.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, you tidy up, I''m going to sleep for a bit."


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t slept all night, and her energy was really starting to wane. It''s true that with age, you can''t stay up toote. Although she felt she could handle it, she really couldn''t. Zhao Guihua didn''t change her clothes, justy down on the bed fully dressed, and fell asleep instantly.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan finished the rest of the work, saying, "Come on, I''ll take you to school."


    Xiao Yanzi: "Oh."


    Why did she have to go to school?


    The little girl with pigtails really didn''t want to go to school, but she still followed her father out the door. This was when having a car at home came in handy. Zhuang Zhiyuan took his daughter to school in no time and then took a short nap himself.


    But when he woke up again, he found his mother was no longer at home, and the bicycle was gone too. However, the fishing rod was still there, so she definitely wasn''t fishing.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan rubbed his eyes, feeling like he heard his brother''s voice. Wasn''t his brother at work?


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled and shook his head, thinking he must be sleep-deprived.


    "Grandpa, is this okay?" Just as Zhuang Zhiyuan thought he must be hallucinating, he heard his brother''s voice again. Going outside, he saw it really was Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi was with an energetic old man.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Old Man Lan, right? I''m Zhixi''s older brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan."


    He didn''t recognize the old man but guessed who he was. Naturally, he should be warm and weing: "Come,e, let''s go to my ce for some tea. My mother said they won''t move in today, it''ll be tomorrow. Come, let''s go to my ce for some tea."


    Old Man Lan: "No need."


    The old man checked the room, saying, "Hmm, not bad."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan asked his brother in a low voice, "What''s going on?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Well, the factory leader knows I''m Old Man Lan''s grandson-inw, so they assigned me to help the old man move."


    Actually, the old man had a few disciples he could have asked, but the factory leader wanted to be considerate, so they assigned Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi moved a corner cab, asking, "Should I put this here?"


    The old man nodded, saying, "That''s fine, yes."


    Old Man Lan hade from Jinling with not much, but since he was going to live here, he needed to buy some things. The old man took Zhuang Zhixi to buy two cabs in the morning.


    "I heard there was amotion herest night?" the old man asked.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Indeed! Oh, you don''t know, it was quite the scene. It was my wife who stepped in and stopped them. But these people, they don''t know how to be grateful. As soon as she stopped them, they started fighting again. They''re still in the hospital now."


    Old Man Lan smiled: "You people in this courtyard, what a harmonious big family, so harmonious! A five-star courtyard!"


    Aunt Wang, who had just woken up from a nap, heard this and her mouth twitched. She felt her footsteps be heavier as she walked forward. This old man, he was always so sarcastic.


    He must have been beaten up a lot when he was young, right?


    As the courtyard manager, Aunt Wang felt quite embarrassed, but Zhuang Zhixi just smiled and said, "Grandpa, you see, who''s right? Although our courtyard has a lot of incidents, it''s also lively, isn''t it? If you buy a radio, it''s not cheap, and radio tickets are hard toe by. Radios also consume electricity. Which one isn''t money? But our courtyard is lively, which saves you this money."


    He put on a cheerful expression, saying, "Other courtyards don''t have as much fun as ours! Watching these daily dramas, you don''t even need to buy a radio."


    "You make a good point, young man, I like that," Old Man Lan said, not sure if he was being sincere or sarcastic again: "How did youe up with that? You''re so smart."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "If I weren''t smart, how could I be worthy of Ming Mei? You see, me and your granddaughter, aren''t we a perfect match, made in heaven?"


    Old Man Lan nodded: "That''s true, quite a good match."


    He smiled and said, "When Ming Mei was little, the first time she came to Jinling by car, she broke the radio I had just bought. You both have a connection with radios, don''t you? It''s a perfect match."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Oh, she was so cute when she was little."


    "Indeed, the cutest, most obedient, and most sensible," Old Man Lan said.


    This conversation between the old and the young was so awkward that it felt like you could dig out three rooms with your toes. Zhuang Zhiyuan, who wasn''t as skilled, already felt extremely ufortable.


    As for Aunt Wang, she had turned around and gone back inside, pretending she had nevere out.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Well, that... "


    The old and young men turned to look at Zhuang Zhiyuan. Zhuang Zhiyuan took a deep breath and said, "My son is sick, I have to go to the hospital, so I won''t be able to keep youpany. Old Man, tomorrow when you move in, let''s drink together."


    The old man nodded with dignity: "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sighed in relief in his heart and quickly picked up his pace, leaving in a hurry.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "It''s fine, Grandpa, they can leave, I''ll keep youpany. Take a look at what''s missing at home, I''ll go with you to buy it. We can chat as we go. You don''t know, the moment I saw you, I felt like we were old friends. Treat me like your own grandson, I''ve always been introverted, but with you, I really have so much to say. And hey, if you need anything, just tell me, I won''t hesitate."


    Old Man Lan nced at him and said, "Oh, you''re introverted, you''re really too introverted. Out of all the people I''ve met, you''re the most introverted, no one is more introverted than you."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan stumbled, almost falling, and hurried into the house, quickly packing up to go to the hospital as fast as possible. Could they really talk like this without feeling embarrassed?


    It seemed that only Zhuang Zhixi could keep up with this.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan locked the door and left quickly, running all the way. Old Man Lan watched Zhuang Zhiyuan''s back and said, "Your brother looks like a steady and reliable person."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Probably worried about his child. My nephew is still in the hospital, the kid ate some wild fruit and got food poisoning. By the way, Grandpa, let me tell you about what happenedst night? It was quite the scene."


    "Sure," Old Man Lan took out a handful of melon seeds from his pocket.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Give me some."


    Old Man Lan looked at Zhuang Zhixi again, and Zhuang Zhixi said, "Hehe, chatting without melon seeds, half the fun is gone."


    This time, Old Man Lan agreed, nodding in approval.


    The two of them squatted at the door, chatting and eating melon seeds. Passersby: "..."


    You two, that''s going too far.


    Aunt Su''s house couldn''t see the door of Old Man Lan''s house, so she kepting out to peek at their activities, evaluating whether this old man was worth trying to win over.


    Aunt Su had relied on the "support" of others in her youth, but she wasn''t like Wang Xiangxiu, who was foolish enough to eat grass from her own yard. Aunt Su had her own affairs, but she never touched grass from her own yard.


    In their courtyard, the only fish she kept was Old Man Bai, and she never let him get his way, all for the sake of a good reputation. This was very important. So, although Aunt Su had some small thoughts, she was also considering whether this person was worth getting close to. After all, if she really got involved with this person, she would have to distance herself from Old Man Bai. Otherwise, the neighbors'' gossip would not be little.


    She was not young anymore, and she couldn''t afford to lose such a person.


    Moreover, she still had her grandson Hutou to support her old age, and she couldn''t let them lose face.


    In one courtyard, she couldn''t keep two fish.


    So, Aunt Su kept going back and forth, partly to test the old man''s attitude towards her, and partly to see what kind of person he was. After several rounds, she was speechless.


    Listen to what this old guy is saying?


    "Oh, the people in your courtyard are so friendly, really too friendly~"


    "I never thought that in the famous city of Beijing, the old saying is called the emperor''s feet, and there are still thieves lurking~"


    "Such a warm and close neighborhood rtionship is really enviable..."


    ...


    Aunt Su: "¡­¡­"


    This old turtle''s words just make you want to hit him, she immediately looked at the old man unfavorably. This mean old man deserved to be a bachelor!


    This person actually said that about her grandson, it was too much, no love at all. And Zhuang Zhixi, that little turtle, just had to show off, didn''t he? Was it really necessary to spread rumors about her grandson stealing? That mouth just keeps running off, not a good person at all.


    She angrily left, and Zhuang Zhixi nced up and said with a smile: "Grandpa, it''s almost noon, let''s go out and have a bite to eat?"


    Old Man Lan: "Sure, Donishun."


    Zhuang Zhixi was naturally familiar, smiling: "You treat me, huh?"


    Old Man Lan: "Filial, you''re really too filial, not taking any advantage of the elderly at all."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said: "Look at you, you misunderstood me, I was just joking. Between us, of course, I''ll treat you. Let''s go."


    He said: "I''ll introduce you to some ces around here, the bathhouse, the grocery store, and..."


    Zhuang Zhixi kept talking, and luckily, Old Man Lan didn''t seem unhappy, but rather enjoyed listening. Although he looked serious, since he had moved here, he was very willing to quickly integrate into life.


    The two of them headed towards Donishun, enjoying a leisurely life.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua rode her bike to the outskirts and up the mountain.


    Zhao Guihua was like this, thinking of something and doing it right away. But it wasn''t until she rode out to the outskirts that she realized, how could she be so stupid? There were still a few big men in the house, why didn''t she know how to order them around?


    Although they usually went to work, there was always a day off, spoiling them to the point of having food delivered to their mouths and clothes handed to their hands.


    Zhao Guihua was very envious of her mother-inw at this time, who could control everyone in the house with gentle words. As for her, she had to be like a lioness. Although Zhao Guihuained in her heart, she still pedaled with vigor.


    At forty-five, in the eyes of ordinary people, it was already old age.


    But Zhao Guihua deeply felt that she was still young, capable of anything!


    She had lived over a hundred years, and looking at it that way, she was not even fifty yet, not even halfway through her life, so she was still young. Zhao Guihua didn''t have the old age of this age, she was full of energy.


    She climbed the mountain, locked her bike to a tree, and after searching around, hey, she really found it. It was indeed a chestnut tree, but it wasn''t the season for chestnuts to ripen, that would be autumn. However, even though the chestnut tree was on the mountain, it was possible that someone else had also set their sights on it. Now there was no one watching because the chestnuts hadn''t ripened yet.


    Zhao Guihua marked the spot in her mind, nning toe often in the fall. She would get as many as she could, even if it was just to roast some chestnuts, they would be very delicious.


    Slither...


    Zhao Guihua was pondering when suddenly she felt something pass by her, a rabbit!!


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes lit up and she immediately turned to look, only to be startled: "Pfft, what rabbit, it''s a little green snake."


    The little green snake slithered into the grass, and Zhao Guihua then realized that in the spring, snakes and insects were also more numerous. She picked up a stick and, while looking around, used it to scare off these creatures.


    She didn''t catch those things, and they shouldn''te looking for her either.


    She used the stick to beat the grass as she headed towards the ce where she had seen a rabbit hole earlier, hoping to catch a rabbit and improve their life. In fact, from the "fish for meat" exchange at the end of the year, they still had a lot left, but who would ever have too much of such things?


    Not to mention, this was free.


    Free is good.


    Zhao Guihua thought that if she could get fresh meat, she would eat fresh. If not, she would eat the preserved meat at home, anyway, there was a backup n. Zhao Guihua arrived at the destination, and although she wasn''t very good at judging whether there were rabbits inside, luckily there was no wind today, so she could proceed with her original n.


    After getting older, Zhao Guihua''s favorite thing to watch were small videos about rural life, farming, breeding, hunting. Even though she knew nine out of ten were staged, she still enjoyed watching them, feeling like she was back in her youth.


    As for those celebrity entertainment and social news, she didn''t care to watch.


    Boring.


    Zhao Guihua got to work quickly, searching around for other rabbit holes. A crafty rabbit has three burrows, and the rabbit was very cunning. She had to find other holes before she could start a fire. No matter what, she had to try.


    Zhao Guihua quickly got busy, and soon found another rabbit hole not far away. She persevered and found the third and fourth holes one after another. Zhao Guihua didn''t know if there were any more, but after searching further, she didn''t find any. It was said that rabbit holes were interconnected, so Zhao Guihua nned to block two of them.


    She really hoped that the rabbit''s burrows were like the tunnels in the tunnel war, interconnected, otherwise, it would be in vain.


    She directly found wild grass, branches, and stones to block the two farthest holes, and then prepared to light a fire at another hole. Actually, doing this in the mountains was a bit risky, but luckily there was no wind today, and the rabbit hole itself was very small, so a small fire was enough, which made people feel more at ease.


    Zhao Guihua blocked the farthest rabbit hole and left the two rtively close ones, then lit a fire at one of the holes.


    She herself quickly ran to the other side andy in ambush at the hole, preparing well, setting up a bag, waiting for the rabbit to fall into the¡ªprovided there was a rabbit inside.


    Zhao Guihua quickly took action, lying at the hole, looking far away, seeing the fire start to burn at the other small hole, she quietly waited, hoping she hadn''t wasted her time today.


    Speaking of which, she, this olddy, was really a disgrace to those who were reborn.


    Those who were reborn made a fortune, had a sessful career, and love, reaching the peak of life, sweeping everything before them. Not having a hundred million assets was considered a failure. But she, a pitiful olddy, just wanted to block a rabbit hole, and didn''t even know if there was a rabbit inside.


    That was really mediocre.


    Looking at herself, she knew of a fish pond, but she didn''t know how to fish, so it was very sad!


    Zhao Guihua despised herself a bit, and felt that the timing of her rebirth was just so-so. If it was ten yearster, she could still set up a stall in Xidan. Selling clothes in the early 1980s was quite profitable. But now it seemed impossible. She could only stay low-key.


    The timing was wrong, so she had to stay low.


    However, Zhao Guihua soon realized that she was different from the typical reincarnated characters in novels. Those reincarnated individuals usually struggled in the countryside, eventually passing the college entrance exam, moving to the capital, and starting their own businesses. But she, Zhao Guihua, had a much higher starting point.


    She was a native of the old city, which already gave her a lot of luckpared to others. So it wasn''t surprising that she didn''t be a wealthy entrepreneur by beating everyone else. After all, good things can''t all be monopolized by one person.


    As Zhao Guihua was lost in her thoughts, she suddenly felt a slight movement. Although it was small and she was distracted, she immediately noticed it. Zhao Guihua perked up and looked ahead.


    Sure enough, as soon as she focused, she saw a rabbit dart out of a hole, followed by a second one. Both rabbits seemed to be unable to bear the smoke and darted out quickly, almost simultaneously, tumbling into a bag. Zhao Guihua didn''t wait to see if there was a third one and didn''t hesitate. She quickly pressed down on the bag.


    The rabbits struggled inside the bag, and Zhao Guihua quickly found a rope to tie it up. She then went to the other end to extinguish the fire, stomping on it several times to make sure it was out before she finally rxed and pped her hands.


    She proudly put her hands on her hips andughed heartily, "I''m just amazing!"Aliali: 6754d302bd5e46c308a67379


    It was difficult to catch rabbits, yet she managed to catch two in a row. That''s two words: awesome!


    Zhao Guihua became quite boastful.


    No matter what, as an olddy, she could catch nimble rabbits and even use "military tactics." That was pretty impressive. She felt quite aplished, and Zhao Guihua started to gloat.


    This meant they could have a better meal tonight. If she could catch rabbits every few days, this would be a pretty good secret base.


    Before her reincarnation, she had nothing better to do than listen to stories about spicy wives and good times in certain eras, watching various protagonists go crazy on the mountain. Back then, Zhao Guihua didn''t understand. She was just an olddy from the city.


    Now, she finally experienced the benefits of going up the mountain to "hunt for treasures."


    There were indeed practical benefits on the mountain!


    She could repeat the menu from thest time she caught a rabbit.


    Although her fishing skills were average, she was a rabbit killer!


    Little rabbit, be obedient, open the door,e to the bowl!

 Chapter 43

    Zhao Guihua was living life with great vigor and energy.


    This was just how life went. As a 47-year-old housewife approaching 50, one couldn''t expect her to have any extraordinary abilities. For now, she just focused on getting by. Though she was bold, she knew better than to jeopardize her family members'' status as factory workers.


    In the early 1980s, being a factory worker was still something to be proud of.


    Moreover, workerrades were considered the most respectable members of the working ss, and Zhao Guihua was well aware of this. If she got caught at the ck market, it might affect their jobs, and that was something she absolutely wouldn''t risk!


    Though she was bold, she knew her limits.


    Zhao Guihua thought that catching a couple of rabbits and fishing to improve their family''s meals was the most practical thing she could do at this stage. As she rode her bicycle down the mountain, she happened upon a patch of wild strawberries. Seeing the ground strawberries had turned red, Zhao Guihua didn''t hesitate - she started picking them right away!


    In her previous life, their family had lived in the city and rarely ventured into the suburban mountains. To be honest, as city folks, they were actually quite afraid of going up the mountains, always imagining them to be full of wolves and tigers. Too dangerous.


    But now in this second chance at life, Zhao Guihua wasn''t afraid of anything.


    She knew this wasn''t a big mountain - it stood alone, and there weren''t anyrge animals. If there were, word would have gotten out long ago. After picking the wild strawberries, she cycled home. By the time Zhao Guihua returned, it waste afternoon, approaching evening.


    Every household had started cooking dinner, and there weren''t any women chatting in the courtyard as usual. This day was different - everyone had watched quite a showst night, gotten little sleep, and didn''t have much energy today.


    When Zhao Guihua parked her bicycle and entered the house, she found not Zhuang Zhiyuan but Liang Meifen, who hade home in the afternoon to catch up on sleep. Her husband was at the hospital keeping watch, and Xiao Yanzi had been taken there too. Liang Meifen, who had been dozing off, heard the door open and quickly rubbed her eyes as she got up, "Mom, you''re back? What did you... Holy cow!"


    Liang Meifen couldn''t help herself, feeling a bit embarrassed after blurting that out, but she was still shocked: "Mom, did you go to the ck market...?"


    Zhao Guihua replied: "ck market my foot! That''s not a ce you can visit regrly. I went up the mountain in the suburbs, to the same spot where we caught rabbitsst time. I went to scout it out again, and look, I caught two more rabbits."


    Liang Meifen''s eyes lit up, and she said happily: "That''s wonderful! Mom, next time take me with you, I can help you."


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said: "We''ll see how you behave. How''s Hutou doing?"


    "Nothing serious. He seems to be in good spirits. Mom, we don''t really need to stay for three days, do we? That''s a lot of money. I think the hospital just wants to make money. Kids bounce back so quickly, he''s already jumping around!"


    Zhao Guihua gave Liang Meifen a cold look and scolded: "Are you stupid? That''s your son - how can you worry about money at a time like this? You don''t even know what''s worth spending on and what''s worth saving. Let me tell you, you need to pay me back for the hospitalization fees I paid yesterday. I may provide your food and don''t charge you for utilities or cleaning, but I''m not paying for your child''s medical expenses!"


    She knew this wasn''t entirely Liang Meifen''s fault - everyone thought the same way these days, believing there was no need for observation if nothing seemed wrong. But Zhao Guihua didn''t see it that way. They didn''t know anything about medicine, so they had to listen to the doctor. If the doctor said observation was needed, they should follow the medical advice since they knew nothing.


    It was one thing to be foolish, but it was worse to be foolish and think you''re clever.


    She said: "Yesterday cost seven yuan, you need to pay me back."


    Liang Meifen''s mood instantly dropped. Her heart felt like it was being hammered and then dunked in a pool of bitter herbs. How could her mother-inw ask her for money?


    How could she demand money from her?


    Liang Meifen felt bitter inside, but she still had to pay. She couldn''t afford to offend her mother-inw. Even Jiang Lu, who was bold enough to argue with Old Bai, was usually kept in check by her mother-inw!


    This was just how it was for daughters-inw.


    Just had to endure it.


    Liang Meifen said: "Mom, Zhiyuan handles our money. I''ll have him pay you when he gets back."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said: "Fine. Now cook the rabbit - use half of it, stew it with potatoes. Wash these strawberries and put them in a lunch box. We''ll take them to the childrenter. There aren''t many, so we won''t share with others - just let Hutou and Xiao Yanzi have this treat."


    When Liang Meifen heard this, she immediately perked up. It was exclusively for her children, and the third son''s family wouldn''t get any. She instantly became happy, her eyes crinkling with joy as she said: "Alright, will do!"


    As long as she got some advantage, she was happy.


    Liang Meifen started cooking efficiently. Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua took a rest - she had been busy all day and was quite tired. Sitting on a stool to rest her feet, she said: "I saw a chestnut tree today."


    Liang Meifen''s hand trembled as she looked excitedly at her mother-inw.


    Her mother-inw was really something!


    Zhao Guihua continued: "They''re not ripe yet, and no one has touched them. Don''t know if anyone else knows about them. When autumnes, we should go there frequently. Chestnuts are delicious."


    Living in the city, they had nothing except what their ration books allowed. No matter what kind of grain it was, it was limited. Though their family''s ration wasn''t small since they had many adults, they were all big eaters. There wasn''t much left over.


    So whenever there was a chance for free food like this, Liang Meifen was especially pleased. She said proudly: "That''s wonderful news. I''ll go with you when the timees."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, we''ll mobilize the whole family then. We''ll take as much as we can get - we can''t miss out."


    "Absolutely!"


    Liang Meifen: "We need to keep this secret, otherwise Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou will copy us. If they see... Oh?" Liang Meifen''s voice trailed off as she scratched her head and said: "Hasn''t Aunt Zhoue back yet?"


    Zhao Guihua started: "Not back?"


    But then she thought about it and pped her thigh,ughing: "Well, that''s not bad at all."


    That old witch was so mean-spirited, a few more days in detention would serve her right. Though she didn''t think the detention wouldst very long, one more day was still one more day. She felt happy just hearing about it. Zhao Guihua: "She''s getting what she deserves. See? This is karma."


    Liang Meifen nodded andughed along, even more heartily.


    Aunt Zhou had the nastiest mouth of all. When Liang Meifen had given her work position to her brother, she already couldn''t hold her head high at home, yet Aunt Zhou would still gossip with neighbors both openly and behind her back, calling her an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.


    This had really struck a nerve with Liang Meifen. People were just like that.


    If Liang Meifen hadn''t been that kind of person herself, she might not have been so angry. It was precisely because she felt somewhat guilty that when Aunt Zhou said those things, she became as furious as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    Now seeing Aunt Zhou in trouble, she felt like setting off firecrackers in celebration.


    "I bet she won''t being back anytime soon. Zhou Qun is still in the hospital, and Jiang Lu is taking care of her husband. Who has time to deal with a mother-inw? Besides, Jiang Lu probably hopes her evil mother-inw stays locked up longer to ease her own grievances."


    Zhao Guihua gave Liang Meifen a meaningful look, making her heart skip a beat. She quickly said: "Mom, I''m not like her."


    Zhao Guihua: "Bah, you''d better wish me well. I won''t get locked up - we''re not the type to steal other people''s houses."


    "Mom, of course you''re not that kind of person. You''re such a good person. Oh right, Mom, is sister-inw noting home for dinner tonight?"


    She remembered Ming Mei was supposed to visit her parents'' home tonight, as instructed by her mother-inw.


    Zhao Guihua nodded, and Liang Meifen looked down at the wild rabbit, feeling even more delighted. See, see? Even though Ming Mei was good at ttery, as the eldest daughter-inw, she wasn''t just all talk. Even with Ming Mei absent, they still got to eat well.


    Her lips curved up high as she cooked with great enthusiasm.


    In these times, every household''s meals were in and simple. If someone just fried an egg, the smell would attract attention, let alone stewing rabbit. Soon, people could smell it. Aunt Su''s house was the closest, and she cursed quietly at home: "Those shameless people, always showing off. Eating meat now - hope they choke on it..."


    She sniffed the air again - hmm, not stewed meat, chicken maybe? Something like that.


    "That old hypocrite must have gone to the ck market. Your family makes so much money, and you''re just showing off. One child in the hospital? The whole family should be hospitalized! What a curse. Why weren''t you arrested and your whole family fired from their jobs? Let your family starve!" Aunt Su muttered angrily at home, worrying about how to discuss this with her three children. If they caught the smell, Hutou would definitely demand food.


    It really was causing trouble for their family.


    Aunt Su felt frustrated at home. She wanted to go ask for some, but felt too embarrassed. This kind of thing was fine for a daughter-inw to do - after all, she had no shame - but not for her. She could have done such things when she was young and struggling, but as she got older, she cared more about saving face.


    While she was hesitating, she heard Aunt Wang''s loud voice in the courtyard: "Zhao Guihua, you''re living too well! Howe you''re stewing meat when it''s not even a holiday?"


    Though Aunt Wang was passionate about being the yard supervisor, she wasn''t a calcting person and would speak her mind directly. Zhao Guihua didn''t take offense - it depended on who was speaking. Some people spoke with ill intent, while others were just making casual conversation.


    Zhao Guihua replied: "My Hutou is in the hospital, doesn''t he need some good food to recover?"


    "This doesn''t quite look like regr meat."


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s rabbit. My eldest grandson is sick, you see? I figured the child would want something nice to eat, so I went to the outskirts. I went to where I caught rabbitsst time. I wasn''t sure I''d find anything, but would you believe my luck? I struck gold again!"


    Aunt Wang was shocked: "You''re really something!"


    Zhao Guihua smiled proudly and said, "How could I not be? I have to be!"


    Though Aunt Wang wasn''t particrly cunning, she realized that Zhao Guihua must have found a rabbit warren. But regardless, she didn''t ask further questions - who would tell others about such a lucky find?


    Meat was hard toe by these days.


    She gave a thumbs up, "You''re amazing."


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course! I might not show it usually, but when I do show off a bit, I''m quite impressive."


    "Tsk!" Aunt Wang couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Alright, I need to go home and cook. No point chatting away here. Oh right, do you know if Aunt Zhou ising back today?"


    Zhao Guihua replied with a half-smile: "You sure know how to ask! How would I know? I''ve been out in the suburbs all day! Even if I were home, I wouldn''t know. You know I don''t have those connections."


    "That''s true."


    Aunt Wang hesitated before saying, "We''ll see tomorrow then."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "I bet her son and daughter-inw have already taken care of everything."


    "That''s true, otherwise they wouldn''t havee home so drunk." Even Jiang Lu had been drinking. If they hadn''t been drinking, the couple wouldn''t have been so angry. It was mostly the alcohol talking.


    She said, "Well, I should go home and make dinner."


    "Listen to you - your daughter Li Fang is at home, why would you need to?"


    Aunt Wangughed, her daughter was indeed capable.


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but think of her own daughter. Her daughter was capable too, just too capable and strong-willed. She had stubbornly insisted on getting married and barely came home once in several years. Her son-inw was a soldier on an ind, and her daughter had followed him there. Even sending things to them was quite troublesome.


    Zhao Guihua: "Ah, my daughter..."


    Aunt Wang heard the sadness in her voice and said, "Your second child is living well, you don''t need to worry. Her husband treats her well, and her inws aren''t around. That''s not bad."


    Zhao Guihua: "I know that, but they''re so far away. Who doesn''t want their daughter nearby, where you can see them whenever you want? Never mind, there''s no point talking about this. She''s already married, it''s not like I can bring her back."


    "You really couldn''t bring her back - marriage is free choice nowadays."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, stop it, are you just trying to argue with me? Can''t I just vent a little? You know what, with Aunt Zhou gone, I can''t even find someone to argue with."


    Aunt Wang: "...You''re really something."


    Well, she wouldn''t mess around with her old friend anymore. Time to go home!


    Zhao Guihua also turned to go home...


    Who hadn''te home?


    The legendary figure everyone talked about, Aunt Zhou, still hadn''t returned home.


    She had been brought in by the factory security department yesterday morning. Although Aunt Zhou was quite unlikeable, her character was questionable, and her actions were hard to defend, because she hadn''t caused any serious consequences, it was difficult to justify any severe punishment.


    After all, the incident wasn''t that serious, and she was elderly.


    Being "an elderly person" sometimes served as a good shield, regardless of whether that elderly person was worthy of respect or not.


    Although the security department had brought her in, they understood this principle, so they had anticipated from the start that Aunt Zhou would just receive a minor punishment as a warning. When they heard that Zhou Qun''s father-inw was hosting a dinner for the factory director that evening, the security department understood everything.


    That''s what having connections could do.


    Who knows what the factory director was thinking, but Zhou Qun''s father-inw chose to host the factory leaders at their small factory cafeteria, presumably to send a message to the security department, letting them figure out the implications. In any case, the security department knew that the next time Zhou Qun came to collect his mother, they would have to release her.


    The factory director got a favor, the department chief got some cigarettes, but poor them - they got nothing except being cursed as watchdogs by an old woman. They couldn''t help feeling angry. They wouldn''t actually do anything to Aunt Zhou - that would give people something to talk about - but every profession had its ways, and dealing with her wasn''t that difficult.


    Aunt Zhou had been brought in yesterday morning and had been handcuffed to a water pipe the entire time. After more than a day and a half of standing on tiptoes, her legs felt like they were about to break, and one arm was aching terribly from being cuffed up high.


    The old woman who had been cursing people arrogantly yesterday now couldn''t even shout. She had yelled for most of yesterday, and now her voice was hoarse and speaking was difficult. She was suffering, miserable, and hungry - yes, the security department wouldn''t waste food on her, and she hadn''t eaten for over a day.


    Aunt Zhou was barely hanging on, feeling like she was about to die. And her precious son still hadn''t shown up. The security department hadn''t originally nned to keep the old woman for so long. The factory director''s assistant hade by this morning with instructions that when Zhou Qun came to collect her, they should have the old woman apologize to everyone and that would be the end of it. Zhou Qun had also promised to keep his mother in check and prevent such incidents from happening again.


    Thinking about it, the matter wasn''t thatplicated. However, unexpectedly, Zhou Qun hadn''te to collect her, hadn''t evene to work. The reason? - He was in the hospital.


    This put the security department in a difficult position. The factory director had said to release her when Zhou Qun came to collect her, but Zhou Qun hadn''te. They couldn''t just release her on their own - wouldn''t that be disobeying leadership?


    The security department was truly in a bind.


    It really was quite a predicament.


    Having a young woman stuck with them would be one thing, but having a howling old woman on their hands - what were they supposed to do?


    Everyone was suffering. They were stuck between a rock and a hard ce, and Aunt Zhou was miserable too. She had yelled until nightfall yesterday, but no matter how much she called out, nobody came to release her - only to curse at her. Even Zhou Qun hadn''t appeared.


    At first, Aunt Zhou wasn''t afraid at all. Who was her son? He was a level-seven electrician at the factory, a technical expert. Such a capable person could be called a young talent without exaggeration. She thought that with her son being so impressive, even the factory director would have to grovel to him. Perhaps her son would even be the factory director someday.


    However, as time passed, Aunt Zhou''s confidence began to waver, and she started to feel afraid. Why hadn''t anyonee? Her Zhou Qun was nowhere to be seen. She thought Zhou Qun must not know about this - if he knew, how could he note to help her?


    These heartless people really knew how to torment someone, deliberately handcuffing her to the heating pipe so she couldn''t stand properly, just to make her suffer. But by this point, Aunt Zhou no longer dared to curse freely. She cried out in pain, begging for mercy, but still no one paid her any attention.


    After a night, Aunt Zhou''s hair was as messy as a bird''s nest, her voice was too hoarse to speak loudly, and her entire body ached from the ordeal. What was even more hateful was that these people wouldn''t give her a drop of water or a grain of rice - these heartless wretches.


    When she gained power, when her son became the factory director, she would definitely fire all these people!


    Looking at the prospect of indefinite confinement, Aunt Zhou was truly frightened now, terribly scared. She wished she could kneel down and beg heaven to make Zhou Qune rescue her from this predicament. However, as darkness was approaching again, Zhou Qun still hadn''te. Aunt Zhou sobbed quietly, as her inmed throat couldn''t produce loud cries anymore.


    "Qun, my dear Qun, pleasee take mother home. Please spare me, please let me go. I won''t fight for the house anymore. I was wrong, isn''t that enough?"


    "Give me something to eat, give me some water, please have mercy..."


    "I want to go home, I was wrong, I was so wrong... I''ll never dare do it again..."


    No matter how quietly she whimpered, no one paid any attention to her. Aunt Zhou cried, "I''m going to die, I''m surely going to die. Please let me go, I was wrong, I was wrong..."


    She kept repeating herself. The security guards passing by her detention room frowned. One of them, Wang Er, couldn''t take it anymore andined back in the office: "Damn, I''m speechless. Zhou Qun is too cruel, not even caring about his own mother."


    Security guard Zhang San asked: "What? You feel sorry for her?"


    There were really quite a lot of people named Zhang San and Li Si these days.


    Even that thief from before had the same name.


    Wang Er spat: "Pah! Me, feel sorry for her? What a joke! That old hag called me a watchdog yesterday. I''d have to be pretty pathetic to feel sorry for her. I''m on duty tonight, and this troublemaker keeps whimpering like a ghost. How am I supposed to sleep?"


    Zhang San: "Come on, yourining is nothing. I was on dutyst night, and this olddy went from cursing people to begging for mercy. My god, her voice was so shrill, like a cat scratching a cardboard box. It made my skin crawl. She annoyed me so much I had to patrol outside all night."


    He pointed at his face: "Look at these dark circles under my eyes. I didn''t sleep at all."


    "You''re not the only one with dark circles today. Hey, did you hear Zhou Qun and his wife got into a fight with Bai Fendou?"


    The two started gossiping in low voices. Bai Fendou was one of their security guards, but he wasn''t particrly close with the others in the security department. He had low emotional intelligence and often said offensive things. Plus, he spent all his attention on the widow, so others didn''t respect him much.


    "Oh, this news spread early this morning. Let me tell you, it''s about the widow Wang Xiangxiu..."


    "What? Are they both involved with her? Fighting over the widow?"


    "No way, you''re way off. Zhou Qun may put on airs, but I''ve never heard of him having any issues with women. But Bai Fendou... hehe. Listen, they say Wang Xiangxiu''s son was caught red-handed stealing from Zhou Qun''s house when no one was home. Then Bai Fendou came out defending the widow and straight up hit Zhou Qun."


    "Damn, what kind of person is he, defending a thief? How did our security department end up with such a bad apple?"


    As security guards, they really looked down on thieves and petty criminals. Now they looked down on Bai Fendou even more. "So then..."


    "They say Bai Fendou knocked Zhou Qun down and fell right on top of him, damaged his kidney. Think about it - it''s his kidney! His kidney! This affects Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu''s happiness for the rest of their lives. Plus, Zhou Qun doesn''t have any children yet. Jiang Lu got furious and smashed a brick right on Bai Fendou''s head. So they all ended up in the hospital."


    "Never thought Jiang Lu had it in her."


    "Well, it wasn''t serious before because it didn''t involve kidneys, right? Listen, this is what I heard personally, others don''t know this - they say Zhou Qun agreed not to pursue charges about the widow''s son stealing or his own injury, and Bai Fendou won''t pursue Jiang Lu for cracking his head open. Neither side will report to the factory, and they''ll pay their own medical expenses."


    "Damn... going all out for a widow, how disgusting!"


    "Disgusting indeed!"


    While they were gossiping, suddenly someone knocked on the window. Zhang San went over and was surprised to see Zhuang Zhixi, looking smart and handsome in a wool coat. Zhang San looked enviously at his clothes and opened the window, saying, "Doctor Zhuang, what brings you here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Whatever, let them think what they want.


    People seemed to never understand that he wasn''t actually a doctor.


    But he was used to it, really used to it. He smiled and said, "I''m heading to the hospitalter and wanted to ask if Aunt Zhou needs me to pass any message to Zhou Qun."


    His expression was so sincere, looking truly genuine.


    Zhang San and Wang Er both remarked: "Doctor Zhuang, you''re such a good person. Why bother with someone like her?"


    Zhuang Zhixi lowered his eyes, speaking even more sincerely: "What she did wasn''t right, but we''re still neighbors in the same courtyard. I think we shouldn''t let things get too tense. Otherwise, how can we face each other in the future? It''s not like we can move away. We can''t just re at each other every time we meet. My elders are furious, but I think it''s better to keep things peaceful. By the way, she probably doesn''t know about Zhou Qun being hospitalized, right? Sigh. Zhou Qun injured his kidney - his kidney!"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked very concerned.


    Zhang San and Wang Er quickly asked for first-hand information: "Is it serious? Will it affect his ability to have children?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows! Even if it does, it''s not like someone else can do it for him."


    "That''s true."


    "Indeed!"


    The two felt that young Doctor Zhuang was such a good person - even though he was a victim, he still took the initiative to help. Such spirit was truly admirable. Zhang San said: "Come in, Doctor Zhuang."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    He walked in and said: "About Aunt Zhou..."


    "Come, I''ll take you to her. Really, never seen such a kind person like you. You know what they say about... what''s that saying about doctors having something like parents'' hearts?"


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked: "A doctor''s heart is like a parent''s heart?"


    "Yes, that''s it! See, you really have a good heart."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled nomittally but still said sincerely: "I''m just thinking about the harmony in ourpound. Otherwise, it''s awkward seeing each other all the time..."


    "That''s true, you are neighbors after all."


    "Exactly."


    When Aunt Zhou heard the sound of the door lock turning and people talking, she didn''t even care that the voice sounded nothing like her son''s. She quickly tried to shout: "Son, my dear Qun, your mother has suffered terribly! You''ve finallye!"


    She suddenly found her voice again despite being hoarse earlier.


    Creak, the door opened.


    Dear Qun?


    Not a chance!


    Who was this person before her?


    Aunt Zhou''s already pale face turned even whiter. Damn it, the person who came wasn''t her son Zhou Qun, but thepletely unexpected Zhuang Zhixi. She was stunned, as if something was stuck in her throat, unable to say a word.


    She stared at Zhuang Zhixi like a strangled chicken.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled gently and said: "Aunt Zhou, I''vee to see you."


    Madam Zhou Li: "..."


    Usually, she would definitely curse at him, but after being locked up for more than a day, she was scared and had no strength or energy left. She could only stare nkly at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi smiled at Aunt Zhou, and seeing her disheveled state, his smile grew even gentler.


    "Where... where is Qun?" Aunt Zhou finally squeezed out a few words from her throat.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Aunt Zhou, that''s exactly why I''m here. I''m going to the hospitalter, would you like me to pass any message to Zhou Qun?"


    Aunt Zhou: "???"


    Having suffered so much, her mind wasn''t working well. It took her a while to react, then she anxiously asked: "What happened to Zhou Qun? What did you do to him?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked innocent: "Aunt Zhou, how can you say that? I didn''t do anything to Brother Zhou. His kidney was injured when Bai Fendou fell on him. He''s in the hospital now. I just thought I''de ask if you wanted me to pass along any message, how could you misunderstand me like this? Have you ever seen me fight? From childhood until now, I''ve never been involved in any of the fights in our alley. I''m a civilized person."


    Aunt Zhou thought about it and realized there was some truth to this. Although Zhuang Zhixi had been quite annoying since childhood, he wasn''t the type of kid who would get physical. This remained true even as he grew up. Aunt Zhou overlooked the fact that Zhuang Zhixi had once caught a thief, but even if she had remembered, she would have thought that catching a thief didn''t necessarily require physical force!


    Indeed, when Zhuang Zhixi caught the thief, he didn''t use his own hands.


    Soon, Aunt Zhou processed what Zhuang Zhixi had said, and her face darkened: "Kidneys? What kidneys? My son... damn you, Bai Fendou! You''re just a lonely bachelor who''ll never have children, and now you want to harm my son..."


    Aunt Zhou began wailing, and Zhuang Zhixi reminded her: "Aunt Zhou, are you sure you don''t want me to pass along a message?"


    If Zhao Guihua were here, she would definitely be reminded of an oldedy sketch, the one with Lao Mao and Comrade Peis, where Huang Jun says "Let me pass along a message..." - the tone was exactly the same! Just from the intonation, you could tell he wasn''t up to any good.


    But people these days were simple-minded and never suspected that Zhuang Zhixi hade not to help but to cause trouble, so he still maintained his reputation as a good person.


    "His waist, what happened to my son''s waist?"


    This is why they say a parent''s love knows no bounds. Even in such a miserable state, this olddy was still worried about her good-for-nothing son.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed deeply for them, saying: "Don''t worry too much. When I saw him being carried onto the cart yesterday, he was still conscious."


    "What?!"


    Aunt Zhou wailed: "He had to be carried? My son, my eldest son! Let me go, let me go! I need to see my son, I need to see my son..."


    She then turned to curse at Zhuang Zhixi: "You little brat, I watched you grow up! Hurry up and find a way to get me out of here, you disrespectful..."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied: "How can you... why are you snapping at people like a mad dog! I came with good intentions, but you immediately attack me. How disappointing! Well, I''d better leave then. Seems like you don''t need me to pass along any messages."


    As he left, he said: "See, no good deed goes unpunished."


    Zhang San said: "You shouldn''t have tried to be nice. Doctor Zhuang, you don''t understand - some people are just bad to the core. Just because they''re old doesn''t mean they deserve respect. They''re just bad people who got old."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, looking at Zhang San admiringly: "What you just said is so true. Not many people could express something so profound."


    Zhang San: "Oh,e on!"


    He scratched his head and said: "I''ve just seen a lot working in security, that''s all."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, not everyone who works in security has such insights. You''re just on a different intellectual level."


    These words made Zhang San beam with happiness. He felt that Doctor Zhuang was truly a good person: "Come on, I''ll walk you out. Don''t worry about that olddy anymore. Let her suffer here tonight. I doubt her son wille to get her. Heh, unless her sones to apologize to everyone, she won''t be leaving security."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyshes flickered slightly as he smiled and said: "You''re doing this for her own good. I''m sure even if she''s released, she''ll thank you. Think about it - she''s learned her lesson this time, so she won''t do such inappropriate and illegal things again. It''s like saving an olddy with backward thinking. On the contrary, if she hadn''t learned her lesson and instead got away with it, she would only be more aggressive. Each time would be worse than thest, and eventually, she''d face serious consequences! So you''re actually the heroes who saved her life. If she understands this, she should bring gifts to everyone in the security office. You''ve truly helped her. People should know how to be grateful."


    "Exactly, exactly!" Zhang San pped his thigh as he thought about it and said: "What you''re saying makes perfect sense."


    Wang Er nodded vigorously too. Some people in the factory always looked down on their security department behind their backs, thinking they were too controlling. But they never considered who ultimately benefits from their work!


    "Doctor Zhuang, you really understand how we feel."


    Zhuang Zhixi said seriously: "I''m just stating facts. Anyone with a brain should think this way."


    "Right, right, right!"


    Zhuang Zhixi chatted with the two security guards at the door for a while, still faintly hearing Madam Zhou Li''s heart-wrenching cries. He curved his lips slightly and said: "Well, I should go now. I have other matters to attend to."


    "Alright, take care, Doctor Zhuang."


    After leaving the factory, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t go to any hospital but went straight home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he smelled the aroma of meat. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked toward his house. He smiled as he entered: "Mom, good food again?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Why didn''t you juste back tomorrow morning?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, I was just exercising my virtuous character by checking on Aunt Zhou."


    Zhao Guihua snorted: "You went tough at her misfortune, didn''t you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi put on a serious face: "Am I that kind of person?"


    Zhao Guihua: "You are exactly that kind of person. I know exactly what you''re up to just by looking at you. You''ve been full of tricks since you were little."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked innocent, feeling that his mother had really misunderstood him. He was such a good young man; how could she think he would do such things? He was just being neighborly, why couldn''t she understand? He said: "Mom, look at you, you''re breaking my heart."


    Zhao Guihua: "Hmph."


    She didn''t believe a single word, not even the punctuation marks.


    But she still asked: "How is Aunt Zhou?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "She won''t die."


    "Pfft!"


    Liang Meifen, his sister-inw, couldn''t help but burst outughing.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The security office didn''t do anything to her, just locked her up. She''s still in decent shape, probably just weak from not eating, but her spirit is fine - she can still yell quite loudly."


    "When has she evercked spirit? Nobody would believe that," Zhao Guihua said.


    Liang Meifen quickly nodded in agreement.


    The three of them ate together, and Zhuang Zhixi said: "Grandfather treated me to Donishun for lunch today."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She looked up at Zhuang Zhixi: "Have you no shame? Letting an elder treat you to a meal?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, you really shouldn''t criticize people so quickly... Actually, I wanted to treat him, but I didn''t have enough meat coupons, so the old man treated me instead. We''re family anyway. Oh right, Grandfather is moving tomorrow, and I''lle back to help."


    Zhao Guihua: "As you should."


    "Grandfather is really quite interesting. I think we get along well."


    Despite having eaten meat for lunch, Zhuang Zhixi had no trouble eating heartily at dinner, taking big bites of meat. His mouth wasn''t idle either, chattering away.


    Zhao Guihua: "I know you get along!"


    In their previous life, the old man and the young one had gotten along well, getting into plenty of "mischief" together.


    She said: "Ming Mei is going back to her parents'' house tonight. Go pick her upter, so she won''t be unsafe in the dark." Although she knew that if any troublemakers encountered Ming Mei, it wasn''t clear who would be in more danger, but Ming Mei was still a girl, and it would be better to have someone apany her.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I''ll go over in a bit, though I expect my father-inw will probably escort her. If he''s not home, my brother-inw will."


    Zhao Guihua: "Their escorting is their business. You''re her husband - how can you not take care of anything?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What do you mean? Didn''t I say I''m going? It''s perfect timing to get some snacks too. My inws'' house has lots of snacks. I''ll eat some and bring some back."


    Zhao Guihua stood up: "Where''s my eight-meter sword?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Calm down, calm down, Mom. Look at you - how can you still be so fierce at your age!"


    He felt his life was really difficult, so he quickly said: "Sister-inw, would you mind recing my brother at the hospitalter? I can take you there, and we can check on Hutou, then I''ll head straight to my inws'' ce from the hospital."


    Liang Meifen stared at Zhuang Zhixi in amazement, her heart skipping a beat. After some hesitation, she said: "Okay, alright."


    She wondered if her brother-inw was setting her up for something.


    It''s no wonder Liang Meifen thought this way. She knew that Zhuang Zhixi had held a grudge against her because of previous incidents. Having been married into the family for several years now, even a fool like Liang Meifen understood that her brother-inw wasn''t as harmless as he appeared on the surface.


    He was the type who would always go two steps further if you took one step against him.


    The pitiful thing was that whether sheined to her own family or the neighbors, nobody believed her. They all said she was naturally prejudiced against her brother-inw and was overthinking things. "Oh, Zhuang Zhixi," they''d say, "although he can be a bit loose-tongued sometimes, he''s mostly pure-hearted. He''s simple-minded and not a bad person at all."


    Liang Meifen found it absurd - were these people blind?!


    At times like these, Liang Meifen had to admit that her mother-inw knew better. Though her mother-inw was fierce and difficult to deal with, she was quite good at reading people.


    She coughed and said, "Actually, actually Hutou is fine, you don''t have to go. He''ll be back the day after tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "How can that be? How can I, as his uncle, not visit my nephew? Besides, children get bored in the hospital. Having someone visit will cheer him up."


    Liang Meifen: "Oh... oh, okay."


    Since the people at the hospital hadn''t eaten yet, they didn''t want to dy. After finishing their meal, they got on their bicycles to head to the hospital. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Sister-inw, you should give me a ride. If I were to give you a ride, people would gossip."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Wouldn''t they gossip if I give you a ride too?


    As if reading her mind, Zhuang Zhixi said, "If you give me a ride, people won''t think that way. They''ll just wonder, ''What''s up with that young man?''"


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    She remained silent and quickly packed up the lunch boxes into a mesh bag before heading out. Zhuang Zhixi offered, "Let me carry that."


    Sitting on the back seat, he smiled and said, "Sister-inw, why hasn''t your younger brother visited youtely?"


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Didn''t he used toe secretly before? He hasn''te much this year. Why is that? Is it because you''re out of money?"


    Liang Meifen: "..."Aliali: 67567e30bd5e46c308c72371


    Liang Meifen nearly crashed into a ditch, feeling bitter inside. What the hell was he talking about?! Her brother wasn''t that kind of person! But... but her brother really hadn''t visited her for a long time, and not just him - her entire family barely contacted her anymore.


    Liang Meifen bit her lip.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, sister-inw, even if you don''t like me, you should ride properly. Why are you zigzagging? Be careful - if you make me fall, I''ll have toin to my wife."


    Liang Meifen: "..." Damn it! What nonsense are you spouting! You spineless pretty boy!


    Liang Meifen kept her mouth shut like a sealed gourd.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sister-inw, since you lost your job, you''ve be less talkative. People really shouldn''t be without work."


    Liang Meifen forced out a sentence: "Third brother, is work busy at the factory?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s quite an abrupt change of topic, isn''t it?"


    Liang Meifen took deep breaths and said, "Ha, haha!!!"


    She dered to herself that Zhuang Zhixi was the most annoying person in the world.

 Chapter 44

    Old Man Lan moved houses.


    Although it was called moving, not much was actually moved. Old Man Lan came from Jinling with only his clothes. Now that the factory has allocated housing, he tidied up and bought some furniture, tables, chairs, stools, pots, bowls, and pans.


    Lan Ling, Ming Mei''s mother, came over to organize everything. Ming Mei followed behind her mother to help.


    Today was her day off. This is the difference between arge factory and a small unit. Like Zhuang Zhixi''s machinery factory, which is a ten-thousand-person factory, everyone follows a fixed schedule for rest. If you have something to do, you can only take leave, but then you lose the full attendance bonus, which is only two yuan but still a significant amount for most people. So, everyone tries not to take leave.


    Ming Mei''s passenger transport station is different. With around two hundred people, and as a station offspring, she took over her mother''s job. Most of the older people she''s known since childhood, and many younger ones are also familiar. Many took jobs to avoid going to the countryside.


    Because everyone is familiar, their passenger transport station schedules rest days more humanely. If someone has something to do, they just need to inform in advance, and they can take turns resting. If something urgentes up, someone can take over the shift, and the next time they can return the favor.


    So, Ming Mei''s rest days are quite flexible. She followed her mother early in the morning to tidy up. The room wasn''t big, so they finished quickly. Upon entering, there was a small open kitchen on the left, a square table in the center, a row of cabs against the wall, and a double bed in a partitioned area on the right, with a wardrobe and bedside table.


    The room had been freshly painted and looked clean, even the windows had new, shiny ss. Lan Ling organized her father''s clothes,ying them on the partition surface, filling a jar with hot water, and pressing it firmly over the clothes inch by inch.


    Zhao Guihua curiously asked, "What are you doing?"


    Since the inws were visiting, she naturally stayed to entertain. Although they weren''t at her house, they were all family, living in the same courtyard, so she had to be there. However, Zhao Guihua didn''t understand Lan Ling''s actions.


    Lan Ling replied, "I''m ironing the clothes to remove wrinkles."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Learned something new!


    This method was used by some meticulous households, but Zhao Guihua''s family were workers and not so particr, so they hadn''t used it. Zhao Guihua sighed, "It''s quite troublesome."


    Lan Ling: "It''s not too bad."


    Indeed, Lan Ling''s movements were swift. Although Old Man Lan had quite a few clothes, Lan Ling worked efficiently. Today was Old Man Lan''s moving day, and ording to their custom, they were "warming the pot." So early in the morning, Ming Xiangdong, Ming Mei''s father, went out to buy groceries.


    As a truck driver, he had more connections and was in charge of buying precious items. Ming Mei''s brother and sister-inw didn''te. Ming Mei''s brother was busy at the train station, following a train to the south, leaving yesterday morning. Ming Mei''s sister-inw''s mother was nearing her end, so she had to visit every day and couldn''t attend.


    But Old Man Lan didn''t mind. He didn''t demand his children be by his side, let alone a granddaughter-inw. He was chatting with Zhuang Zhixi in the courtyard. Zhuang Zhixi had actually taken leave today, but the factory approved it quickly, knowing he was helping Old Man Lan move.


    Old Man Lan nced at the neighboring house, leaning against the doorframe, and asked, "Are they still in the hospital?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, they''ll probably stay a few more days."


    Although the Zhou and Bai families had their doors kicked in, the Bai family had already fixed theirs. Bai Fendou was still in the hospital, but Old Man Bai had returned, as he only had some scratches and wasn''t serious.


    Zhuang Zhixi sat on a small stool and said, "Jiang Lu came back to pack things for Zhou Qun''s hospital stay. She didn''t have time to fix the door. Auntie Wang propped it up."


    The Zhou family didn''t have time to fix the door, but Aunt Wang, as the courtyard''s manager, couldn''t ignore it. She was afraid of another theft, especially since this incident was caused by a theft. So, Aunt Wang made sure the courtyard was locked every night.


    She also talked to each household, emphasizing fire prevention, theft prevention, and especially, theft prevention.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "It''s not easy being the courtyard manager here."


    Old Man Lan nodded, "I can see that. Such a harmonious and peaceful courtyard is rare."


    He asked again, "So, these two families aren''t in a hurry to leave the hospital?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Bai Fendou can''t leave. He got hit on the head with a brick, passed out, and bled a lot. The doctor insists he stays a few days. Even if he doesn''t want to, he can''t. As for Zhou Qun, he twisted his waist from the hit. Usually, the doctor would say he can recover at home, but Jiang Lu insists on hospitalization, fearing something might happen. I guess Zhou Qun will stay until Bai Fendou leaves."


    He had visited the hospitalst night to see themotion.


    Old Man Lan curiously asked, "So, how''s his waist?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows? I heard him howling in the wardst night. Funny enough, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun are in the same ward as my little nephew."


    Old Man Lan: "That''s a resilient waist."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Indeed, very resilient!"


    Zhao Guihua came out to fetch water and overheard their conversation. She was speechless.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, let me do it."


    Zhuang Zhixi was quick to take the water bucket from his mother, saying, "Grandpa Lan should buy a water tank for convenience."


    "Right, I''ll get one tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Why wait? Let''s do it today. I know where to buy one."


    Old Man Lan: "Sure."


    Zhuang Zhixi brought the water into the house and then left with Old Man Lan. Aunt Wang saw them andmented, "Your third son is quite enthusiastic and a good filial child."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s true."


    She asked, "How''s the matchmaking going?"


    Aunt Wang was shocked. It had only been a few days, and she was already being asked about it.


    Hearing the words "matchmaking," Lan Ling and Ming Mei also came out of the house, looking at Aunt Wang. Lan Ling gently smiled and said, "Aunt Wang, do you remember me? I''m Ming Mei''s mother. Now that my daughter is married and my father has moved in, we''ll be living in the same courtyard. We''ll likely cause some trouble, so please bear with us."


    Aunt Wang: "Oh, don''t worry about that. We''re all neighbors in the same courtyard, nothing to worry about."


    Lan Ling softlyughed, "That''s a relief. When my father first moved, we wanted him to live with us, but he didn''t want to. As children, we had no choice but to let him be. He''s over seventy now, and all we want is for him to be happy. It''s a bit worrying, but luckily, our inws live in the same courtyard, so they can inform us if anything happens. Our old man is from Jinling, and his habits are different from here. There might be some small frictions, so please be understanding."


    Aunt Wang: "I understand, I understand."


    She could see the old man was quite independent, and this gentle approach wouldn''t sway him.


    Aunt Wang was from the northeast and naturally had a tall stature and a loud voice, with a straightforward and bold personality. She came to the city of Beijing at the age of ten or so, where the local girls also had a certain straightforwardness, so she adapted well. It was Ming Mei''s mother who spoke softly and gently, with a voice so soft that even as a woman, Aunt Wang felt reluctant to speak loudly to her.


    "Ming Mei''s mom, don''t worry, I''ll help take care of the elderly for you," she assured, patting her chest.


    Lan Ling: "Thank you, by the way, I heard you talking about finding a partner, is it for my father?"


    Aunt Wang nodded: "Yes, it is."


    She observed Lan Ling, trying to gauge her feelings about her father finding another partner.


    Lan Ling smiled faintly and said, "Then I''ll have to trouble you even more. Don''t worry, we won''t let you do this for nothing. We''ll definitely prepare a generous matchmaker''s fee for you."


    Aunt Wang was a bit surprised, but then she thought, the old man has already been married several times, this is his fourth marriage. As a daughter, even if she has objections, she should be used to it by now. So she really didn''t need to think too much.


    She said, "I''m looking into it recently, I''ve already inquired about a few, I''ll see what I can find out about their intentions."


    Lan Ling smiled: "Thank you."


    At that moment, someone from the opposite house also came out, Aunt Su carrying clothes to wash. Usually, it was Wang Xiangxiu who did theundry after work, so it was rare to see her doing it. She greeted everyone with a smile and started working earnestly, but of course, her ears were perked up.


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow.


    Lan Ling also raised an eyebrow.


    Aunt Wang seemed to be deep in thought.


    Ming Mei eagerly approached and asked curiously, "Mom, what kind of person does Grandpa want to find?"


    She scratched her head, feeling a bit out of the loop. Was her grandfather really looking for another partner?


    Lan Ling: "Your grandpa likes someone who is good at cooking."


    As a daughter, she had some understanding of her father. When she said this, Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua nodded. Aunt Wang nced at Aunt Su and said with a hint, "Sometimes, when looking for a partner, it''s not always about sticking to certain criteria. Sometimes, if you hit it off, all the requirements don''t matter."


    Lan Ling lowered her eyes and softlyughed, saying, "People''s preferences are not easily changed. Although I don''t live with my father, I do know him a bit. He prefers someone straightforward and generous, healthy. Someone weak and unable to take care of themselves won''t do. If they start crying at the first sign of trouble, my father would be exasperated. Besides, we don''t want to trouble him, nor do we want him to support someone else''s family."


    She seemed to inadvertently nce towards the sink.


    Even Aunt Wang, who was usually straightforward, understood in that moment.


    She realized that Lan Ling had seen through her intentions.


    And she understood what Lan Ling was trying to say. In fact, when Old Man Lan mentioned looking for a partner, she had thought of Aunt Su for a moment. Aunt Su was weak but very strong-willed. It wasn''t surprising that Aunt Wang thought of her, as she didn''t see through Aunt Su''s true nature like Zhao Guihua. If it weren''t for Aunt Su always protecting her thieving grandson, Aunt Wang would have thought even better of her.


    But everyone has ws, so Aunt Wang thought Aunt Su was not bad.


    This was also due to Aunt Su''s management of her reputation in the courtyard. In this regard, others couldn''tpare. Like Zhou Qun, who was known for being mean. Or Zhao Guihua, who had a fierce reputation.


    Aunt Wang was even more so.


    Only Aunt Su was shrewd and good at managing her image. This made Aunt Wang feel some sympathy for her. This time, she thought it would be suitable for Aunt Su.


    However, since Old Man Lan mentioned wanting someone healthy, she didn''t want to match them up. But she did think that if they lived together in the courtyard and got to know each other, they might hit it off.


    She didn''t care about the matchmaker''s fee, she just hoped that her long-time neighbor could find a suitable partner. As for Old Man Bai, Aunt Wang hadn''t considered him from the start. She thought she saw clearly that Old Man Bai was one-sided. If Aunt Su really wanted to be with Old Man Bai, wouldn''t she have done so by now?


    In a short time, Aunt Wang thought a lot. She quickly realized that Lan Ling probably saw through her intentions and was subtly hinting at her. Aunt Wang wasn''t a bad person. Seeing that both the father and the daughter didn''t want it, she immediately said, "You''re right, I understand."


    Lan Ling smiled and said, "Today we''re having a housewarming for my father, Sister, you shoulde and eat with us. Look, we''ve already been a bother to you before even moving in. You can''t refuse."


    Aunt Wang: "Hey, what''s the trouble? I promised, so I''ll look for the right person for you."


    She had thought too much before, now that she had the right mindset, she should act quickly. After all, there were two other widows in the courtyard, it was better to find someone sooner. Aunt Wang was such a person, once she realized her original idea wouldn''t work, she didn''t dwell on it and adjusted quickly.


    Lan Ling: "Then you muste and eat."


    Aunt Wang hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright, I''ll help out in the kitchen."


    "We''ll help in the kitchenter, my father''s ce is all set up," Lan Ling said.


    Aunt Wang: "Alright!"


    The older women immediately started chatting. Lan Ling was only two years younger than Zhao Guihua, but she was much better maintained, looking almost ten years younger. Compared to Aunt Wang''s robust build, the difference in youth was even more pronounced.


    No matter when, women always have such topics.


    Zhao Guihua: "Sister-inw, look, we''re only a little apart in age, but I look so much older than you. You have to tell me your secrets."


    Lan Ling smiled: "I''ve always valued myself, like to dress up, used to use m oil since I was young, andter saved some money to buy snow cream. Now I use Sparrow Brand. On this, you can''t be stingy. We''re not starving, why save all the money? Our family has workers, the days are not bad, why not treat ourselves well? Life is short, we should make ourselves happy."


    Zhao Guihua silently sighed, her sister-inw''s thoughts were really ahead of their time.


    Aunt Wang: "Well, that''s true, but it''s hard to part with the money. The kids are still small, can''t we save some for them? They''ll grow up and get married."


    Lan Ling: "How much is enough? Children will have their own fortunes."


    Aunt Wang didn''t quite agree with this view, they didn''t save much, it''s hard to save money now.


    She muttered, "If beauty costs money, then I''d rather be ugly."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    Zhao Guihua alsoughed, saying, "Old Wang, you really... But if you ask me to buy Sparrow Brand, I''d be heartbroken. But if it''s for food, I''m willing. Eating well and nutritious food is good for the body."


    Lan Ling nodded: "That''s right. It depends on the individual, everyone has different wants."


    Ming Mei pouted: "What if I want good food, good clothes, and good things to use?"


    Lan Ling nced at Zhao Guihua and flicked her daughter''s forehead, saying, "You love to talk, what does it have to do with you when we adults are talking? Go on."


    Ming Mei: "I want to listen and learn."


    She was sitting to the left of her mother and to the right of her mother-inw, both very experienced people.


    But before Ming Mei could learn anything, her father came back.


    "Xiao Ling, I''m back!" a loud voice rang out, and Ming Mei quickly got up: "Dad."


    Ming Xiangdong strode in, with a chicken in one hand, a duck in the other, and arge pumpkin on his back.


    He said, "Come, see if we need to prepare anything else."


    Lan Ling: "It''s enough, it''s enough."


    Aunt Su''s eyes immediately stuck to the chickens and ducks. She swallowed her saliva silently, growing even more resentful of this family. What''s the point of showing off like this? Are they just showing off how well they eat? With both chicken and duck, if her grandson could eat them, it would be excellent, enough for at least two or three days.


    She swallowed her saliva, thinking that since Auntie Wang could mooch off meals, she should be able to as well.


    She threw her hand and walked over weakly, saying, "I''ll help too. We''re all neighbors, and I''m home alone, so I might as welle over and lend a hand. If the old man ever needs any clothes washed, just give them to me. One or two, it''s all the same to me."


    Lan Ling: "That''s not necessary. My dad is quite particr..."


    "Oh, oh, oh, look at my filial daughter, taking advantage of my absence to spread good words about me outside," Old Man Lan also returned, with Zhuang Zhixi and a stranger carrying a vat, both sweating.


    The young man followed the old man''s instructions and ced the vat in the kitchen. Old Man Lan took out a dime and handed it to the young man, "Alright, thank you."


    The young man happily epted it, saying, "Uncle, if you have any work in the future, call me."


    Zhuang Zhixi wiped his sweat and said, "When I first left, I didn''t think the vat was heavy at all. But the further we walked, the heavier it got. Look at my sweat."


    He pulled his wife to y the victim, and Ming Mei took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, "You''re stupid, couldn''t you have spent another dime to hire someone?"


    She muttered softly.


    Despite the tight policies now, some old trades can still find work, though it''s not done openly. Don''t ask, just say it''s free help for the people.


    As for the money?


    Oh, that''s just a dime owed from earlier.


    Such things, even if caught red-handed, are useless.


    So Ming Mei thought Zhuang Zhixi was a fool for getting so hot.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Actually, it''s not tiring, just hot. I didn''t feel hot at all at first, but this noon is getting warmer day by day."


    The young couple was being affectionate, but on this asion, they werepletely out of ce. Old Man Lan: "My filial daughter, have you tidied up everything for me?"


    Lan Ling: "Yes, I have. Don''t be sarcastic with me."


    Old Man Lan nodded: "You''re still useful. Go cook. Make the duck into saltwater duck."


    Lan Ling: "Okay, okay, okay."


    Old Man Lan turned his head to look at Aunt Su: "Why haven''t you left yet? What are you doing? Want to mooch off a meal?! Oh, oh, oh, this is ady who is not at all greedy, really not greedy at all."


    Aunt Su: "..."


    Damn it!


    Old bastard!


    Old Man Lan: "Oh, oh, oh, where''s your little thief?"


    He looked around: "That kid has some tricks, what does he look like?"


    Aunt Su immediately broke down. She could endure other things, how else could she maintain a good reputation and take advantage? But there was one thing she couldn''t bear, her three grandsons, they were her life, the roots of the old Su family.


    She couldn''t help but pull a long face and said, "Old Man Lan, how can you say that? My children are good children. You''re bullying us because we''re widows, aren''t you? You can''t juste and bully us widows with children. My children, they''re good children."


    She reddened her eyes, looking wronged.


    Just now she was calling him "old brother," now it''s "Old Man Lan"!


    Old Man Lan felt even more wronged: "Your little thief has caused quite a stir around here, can''t I even ask about it? Look, we''re neighbors, right? I just wanted to recognize him so I don''t beat him to death next time. I''m just trying to leave him some breathing room. Look, you''re not even grateful. Okay, okay, your child is a good child. Oh, this child is really too good, this child never steals, this child never causes trouble, this child never starts fights in the courtyard. This child is really a rare good child in the world. Hard to find, too hard to find. How can there be such a good child, really excellent!"


    Aunt Su was so angry her chest heaved, almost fainting.


    This old bastard!


    Old bastard!!!


    What was he saying!


    Old Man Lan''s words, more than the term "little thief," hit Aunt Su''s sore spot even harder. Damn it!


    These "good child" and "excellent" remarks were simply unbearable. How could someone be so sarcastic!


    Aunt Wang saw Aunt Su was about to explode in anger and faint, so she quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "I''m going to the toilet, old Su, don''t you want to go too? Let''s go together."


    She didn''t want to find a better excuse, but it was too sudden, too unexpected, and she wasn''t that good at smoothing things over. This was her limit. It might be awkward, but at least it would get Aunt Su out of there, or else if she got so angry she took out a knife and started cutting people, it would be over.


    Aunt Wang felt sorry for herself, their courtyard had too many troubles, so much that she now suspected the fragile Aunt Su could cut people. After all, even Jiang Lu, who had always been in the background and oppressed by her mother-inw, could hit Bai Fendou''s head with a brick and open a hole.


    What couldn''t happen?


    So awkwardness didn''t matter, she pulled Aunt Su out together, saying, "Let''s go to the toilet together."


    It was truly elementary school behavior.


    The two olddies walked out of the courtyard together, Aunt Su was still very resentful, saying, "Old Wang, you know, it''s not that I''m petty, but how can they talk about children like that? My grandson is a top-notch good child, what do they make him out to be?"


    Aunt Wang couldn''t agree with this. She also had grandchildren, but she didn''t raise them like the Su family. She thought for a while and said earnestly, "Aunt Su, I know some words are unpleasant, but I have to tell you. You should discipline Jii, Yii, and Toni. If you don''t discipline them now, when will you? Jii is already ten years old, do you really want to let him go like this? Look at how everyone sees these children, do you still want them to support you in your old age? Do you want to see them in jail?"


    Aunt Su''s face darkened at these words, she said coldly, "What do you mean by that? My children are so good, what are you implying? Are you cursing me? You''ve watched them grow up."


    Aunt Wang: "I don''t mean any harm, but if he keeps acting out, it will only get worse each time. You should discipline them. Now you can still manage, what aboutter?"


    Aunt Su wanted to kill Aunt Wang in her heart, thinking this old woman was really something, just jealous that her family had three grandsons, saying such things. So malicious, no wonder her family had to adopt grandsons, socking in virtue.


    Heartless.


    She hated it in her heart, but she couldn''t say it on the surface, she still had some reason left. She tried to calm down and put on a worried face, saying, "My children are not bad children, they are really good children with feelings. But our family''s life is hard, the children can''t eat enough, so they have to think of ways. What else can they do? Little children, how much do they understand? Besides, look, my children don''t steal from others? They steal from the Zhou family because the Zhou family always bullies us, the children know that too! They just want to give us a breath of relief. My Jii is really a good child."


    Aunt Wang saw that Aunt Su was stubbornly convinced her children were good, and she sighed slightly, saying, "You..."


    She didn''t know what to say for a moment, she looked at Aunt Su, suddenly seeing Aunt Su''s full of hatred eyes, she was startled and took two steps back. Aunt Su also noticed she had revealed herself and quickly adjusted, putting on a concerned look: "Are you alright?"


    Aunt Wang looked at her normal face again, a little suspicious if she had just seen wrong, but she still felt a bit ufortable in her heart, she said, "I''m going to the toilet."


    She didn''t try to persuade Aunt Su further and shook off Aunt Su''s hand, hurrying into the women''s restroom. Aunt Su stood still, not moving. She didn''t really need to use the restroom; she had just been pulled out by someone. Hesitating for a moment, she turned to go back, but as she did, she saw a stray dog panting and trotting past.


    Aunt Su''s anger red up at the sight.


    She immediately thought of the incident where Jinling had been bitten on the buttocks by a stray dog, a ck one just like this. Seeing no one around, she decided not to reveal her true nature. She quickly picked up a stone and threw it, muttering under her breath, "How dare you bully my grandson! I''ll beat you to death, you stray dog!"


    The stone hit the dog with a st, and the dog yelped, tail between its legs, and ran off.


    Seeing the dog''s cowardly behavior, Aunt Su felt her mood improve significantly. She quickly threw another stone and began looking for more. Anyone who dared to bully her grandson had to face her retribution!


    This person didn''t consider that, although it was a stray dog, it didn''t usually attack people. But their family had instigated the conflict twice, which was a bit underhanded!


    She threw several more stones, each hitting the dog and making it yelp. Aunt Su triumphantly put her hands on her hips.


    However, she was much smarter than her grandson. Jinling had beaten the dog and ended up unable to resolve the situation, getting bitten on the buttocks and having to get a rabies shot. She, on the other hand, kept a safe distance, ready to throw the two stones in her hand if the dog chased her, giving her time to get into the courtyard.


    "Awoo, woooo~" The dog bared its teeth at Aunt Su.


    Aunt Su wasn''t afraid; she threw another stone: "You dog, how dare you be fierce with me? How dare you bully my grandson? I''ll beat you to death and make dog meat soup today!" Aunt Su felt very satisfied; she could only do this when no one was around.


    She threw stone after stone, when suddenly, Aunt Su felt a disturbance. She turned her head and saw arge yellow dog running from behind, leaping up and biting her on the buttocks.


    "Ahhhhhh!!!"


    Aunt Su screamed in agony.


    She threw a stone directly at the dog''s head. The yellow dog, hit, quickly ran off with its tail between its legs. Aunt Su clutched her buttocks and screamed. Zhao Guihua and the others in the courtyard heard themotion, their faces changing as they rushed out. Auntie Wang also hurried out, pulling up her pants: "What''s going on? What''s happening?"


    Everyone came out to see a ck and a yellow stray dog both baring their teeth at Aunt Su. It was clear that the ck dog was injured, blood dripping.


    Aunt Su: "Help me!"


    Aunt Su, in pain, turned to run, but the ck dog, bleeding, bared its teeth and charged at Aunt Su. Before anyone could react, it bit Aunt Su on the other buttock.


    Aunt Su fell t on the ground, and the ck dog bit her thigh.


    "Ahhhh!!!"


    The heart-wrenching scream made Auntie Wang hesitate. Last time, Zhou Qun had been caught in the crossfire and fell into the toilet, getting a hand full of feces. Now, she was also near the toilet; she dared not act rashly.


    Better not get involved!


    The Ming family watched in stunned silence. They had never seen such a thing before, truly a first!


    To be honest, while stray dogs eating feces weremon, stray dogs attacking people were rare!


    They had always heard that there were many incidents in this courtyard, and now they had witnessed it for themselves.


    It was Ming Xiangdong who reacted first, picking up a broom by the gate and waving it: "Go away, go away!"


    The two dogs, seeing the crowd, quickly ran off together, disappearing in a sh.


    Aunt Su groaned in pain, but Ming Xiangdong didn''t step forward to help. He didn''t know this person, so there was no need to do a good deed. Besides, Ming Xiangdong was a truck driver, quite different from his son, Ming Cheng, a train conductor. He had seen all kinds of highway robbers over the years.


    One of them was the weak person lying on the ground asking for help.


    So Ming Xiangdong was instinctively wary of such people. He didn''t say Aunt Su was that kind of person, but his habit of being cautious had been formed. He wouldn''t get close, let alone help.


    Auntie Wang: "Old Su!"


    She ran over at this moment, asking, "Are you alright? Do you need help?"


    "Stray... stray dogs bit me, these beasts, they want to eat people! They should all be killed!"


    By this time, other people from their courtyard and nearby courtyards hade out. Such amotion, who wouldn''te out to see?


    "My goodness, what happened?"


    "Can''t you see? She got bitten by a dog."


    "Oh my, they both bit her on the butt!" Although it waste March, Aunt Su was still wearing cotton-padded pants, and the cotton was exposed where she was bitten, clearly showing where it happened.


    "Hey, isn''t that the big ck dog that bit her grandsonst time?"


    "Oh my, what a coincidence!"


    "Uh... can this be called a coincidence?"


    The man who mentioned coincidence wasn''t polite, saying confidently, "Why not a coincidence? It''s the same dog asst time, and it bit the same ce. I think it''s fate. Maybe the big ck dog has an old grudge with their family, so it came to seek revenge..."


    "Ah, this..."


    Everyone started discussing.


    Old Man Lan, with his sharp eyes, immediately saw: "That ck dog was hit by a stone and injured."


    Following his lead, everyone saw the obvious stones scattered on the street, several of which were stained with blood. If the dog had attacked first and then thrown the stones, Aunt Su''s reaction was too fast.


    It should be... Aunt Su hit the dog first. Everyone''s mouths twitched; they really didn''t understand this family.


    Why did they always provoke stray dogs?


    What kind of hobby was that!


    "Oh heavens, my life is hard, how miserable I am! It''s so difficult! Waaaah, help me..." Aunt Su cried pitifully. Auntie Wang: "Quick, someonee, help us get her to the hospital. She''s been bitten several times."


    Besides, at their age, falling like this, they didn''t know if any bones were broken. What to do!


    "Hurry up!"


    Old Man Lan: "I can''t go, today is the first day of my move-in, a warm-up day. If we go to the hospital, it''ll be inauspicious. There are so many people, we don''t need to go!"


    The Ming family definitely couldn''t go; they weren''t from this courtyard anyway.


    Ming Xiangdong was the one who chased the dogs away.


    Zhao Guihua narrowed her eyes, seeing Auntie Wang sweating in panic, and said, "I''ll go with you." She decided to do a good deed and also see the fun.


    A few more neighbors from the courtyard came out, and they quickly found a handcart, helping Aunt Su onto it. She couldn''t sit, so she had to lie on the handcart, which was used to transport coal by a neighbor from another courtyard. Aunt Su was covered in ck as soon as shey down, but at this moment, no one cared about that. She covered her face and cried.


    Zhao Guihua: "You all eat, don''t wait for me. I''ll go see my grandson."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua, along with Auntie Wang and a few others, pushed the handcart towards the hospital. Auntie Wang remembered hearing the stray dog yelping in pain in the restroom, clearly "under attack." She was truly helpless.


    She said, "Aunt Su, what were you doing! Your grandson Jinling provoked the stray dog because he''s a child and doesn''t understand. How could you do the same thing! Look, you''re suffering so much from the injuries."


    Zhao Guihua muttered, "The old one does it, the young one does it too. Your family really has a gic tendency to bully dogs. I wonder if the old one learned it from the young one, or the young one from the old one."


    Although the dog bit someone, the root cause of the incident really couldn''t be med on the dog.


    The dog was quite wronged, always encountering crazy people.


    She said, "Can''t you provoke a cat next time?"


    A young man who came to help said earnestly, "Aunt Zhao, that won''t do. It''s like the saying goes, ''attracting cats and teasing dogs.''"


    "Pfft!"


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t hold back and burst outughing, then said, "It''s almost time."


    Aunt Su wailed so loudly that she couldn''t hear anything anyone said at this point. She just felt miserable all over, especially her bottom.


    Zhao Guihua: "Just around the next corner, and oh yes, you need money to go to the hospital."


    Aunt Wang pped her head: "Does anyone have any? Can someone lend some for now?"


    Everyone shook their heads. At this moment, even if they had money, they wouldn''t admit it. Who knows when they''d get it back? Her family is notoriously poor. Seeing everyone shake their heads, Aunt Wang was suddenly in a bind.


    Zhao Guihua: "Quick, go to the factory and find her daughter-inw, Wang Xiangxiu, and tell her to prepare the money. We''re all neighbors, why would we lend her money? Besides, who has money to spare?"


    "Right, right, right!"


    Aunt Wang: "Who can go to the machinery factory..."


    Second Aunt Cui from the back courtyard: "I''ll go!"


    "Okay, but make sure Wang Xiangxiu hurries."


    Second Aunt Cui: "I know, I know."


    She was terrified of having to spend even a single cent, so she decisively turned around and dashed towards the machinery factory. By the time she arrived, it was already the noon break, and the lunch break bell had just rung. Workers were streaming towards the cafeteria.


    Second Aunt Cui rushed to the gatekeeper: "Uncle, I''m looking for a female worker named Wang Xiangxiu. Her mother-inw was bitten by a dog and might not make it!"


    ...


    Wang Xiangxiu was carrying her lunchbox, heading towards the cafeteria, her eyes scanning for someone to buy her lunch, hoping to save a bit of money. Usually, she could rely on Bai Fendou if no one else was avable, but Bai Fendou had been hospitalized the night before, leaving her in a bind.


    As she looked around, she saw an older sister running towards her: "Wang Xiangxiu, hurry to the gate, it''s said your mother-inw might not make it."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!!!!"


    She stared in shock, then let out a wail and dashed out.


    "What happened? Isn''t her mother-inw quite young?"


    "Who knows? Her mother-inw''s health has always been weak, maybe she really won''t make it?"


    "Oh dear, if she passes away, their family will be even worse off."


    "That''s for sure..."


    "Their family always has so many troubles..."


    Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t bear to listen and ran towards the gate, tears streaming down her face. How could something like this happen all of a sudden? She ran as fast as she could, and just as she was about to reach the gate, she saw a figure dash past her even faster. It was none other than Old Man Bai.


    Old Man Bai was even more anxious than Wang Xiangxiu.


    Standing at the gate, Second Aunt Cui saw Old Man Bai already shedding tears, and thought to herself: "..."


    Was it really that serious?Aliali: 67567e30bd5e46c308c72371


    "What happened to my sister?"


    "How is my mother-inw?"


    They arrived and spoke almost simultaneously.


    Second Aunt Cui: "..."


    "Tell us! What happened? Why are you just standing there? Where''s Aunt Su?"


    Second Aunt Cui quickly snapped back to reality: "She was bitten by a dog and fell. I don''t know what state she''s in now. Wang Xiangxiu, you need to hurry over. Also, you need to prepare the medical fees."


    Upon hearing about the medical fees, Wang Xiangxiu cried even louder. But even louder than her was Old Man Bai: "I have the medical fees!! No matter what, even if we have to sell pots and pans or the house, we have to treat her!"


    Second Aunt Cui was stunned!!!


    She couldn''t understand, but she was deeply shocked!


    Could this be true love?

 Chapter 45

    "We must treat her, no matter what! Even if we have to sell everything we own, including the house!" Old Man Bai''s voice was thunderous, shocking not only Second Aunt Cui but also Wang Xiangxiu. Even the security guards at the entrance and the security office staff were stunned, not knowing what to say.


    It wasn''t that they didn''t understand - true love really could be this absurd!


    Second Aunt Cui swallowed hard while carefully examining Old Man Bai. He didn''t seem mentally ill at all! Could this really be love?


    She didn''t understand, but she was deeply moved. Old Man Bai''s genuine feelings touched her heart, and she said, "Well, you don''t need to sell everything. Let''s hurry to the hospital. Come on, I''ll take you there!"


    Old Man Bai: "Let''s go!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Wait, let me ask for leave first!"


    Old Man Bai turned to Wang Xiangxiu in disbelief: "At such a critical moment, you''re still thinking about asking for leave? What''s more important - your mother-inw''s life or getting permission to leave? Forget about it, let''s go now!"


    Wang Xiangxiu wanted to exin that she would already lose her perfect attendance bonus, and if she skipped work without notice, she would face even more wage deductions. Their family needed every penny, and all their expenses were carefully calcted. She stamped her foot in frustration, feeling even more upset with Bai Fendou, that unreliable man. If he were here now, couldn''t he have helped by requesting leave on her behalf? Now she had no choice but to skip work, and Wang Xiangxiu was furious.


    But there was no other option, so she followed Old Man Bai as they rushed to the hospital.


    Tomorrow, she would have to sweet-talk her workshop supervisor to get some leniency.


    Wang Xiangxiu harbored her resentment silently as she quickened her pace.


    What they didn''t know was that as soon as they left, rumors began to spread.


    "Have you heard? Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw was bitten by a dog and taken to the hospital. Old Man Bai seems even more worried than her daughter-inw!"


    "Have you heard? Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw is in the hospital, and Old Man Bai rushed there like a madman..."


    "Have you heard? Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw is sick, and Old Man Bai wants to sell his house to pay for her treatment..."


    "Have you heard? Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw is in the hospital, possibly pregnant, and Old Man Bai rushed there like crazy - it must be his child..."


    "Have you heard? Bai Fendou is going to have a little sibling."


    "Have you heard? Old Man Bai wants to sell his house to pay the bride price for Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw because she''s pregnant..."


    ...


    Rumors are rumors precisely because they be more outrageous as they spread.


    However, the people involved were unaware of this as they finally reached the hospital. Aunt Su was being examined, having already received her injection. Old Man Bai took the initiative to pay the fees. Zhao Guihua watched for a while, thinking that Old Man Bai was truly the brightest star in the constetion of devoted admirers.


    Aunt Su must have had some mysterious connection with dogs; otherwise, why would she have such an inexplicable rtionship with various canines?


    After receiving the rabies vine and having her wounds dressed, Aunt Su was still in pain all over from her fall. Given her age, the hospital decided to keep her for observation.


    Old Man Bai busied himself running back and forth, taking care of everything.


    By this time, Wang Xiangxiu had learned that her mother-inw''s injuries were caused by provoking stray dogs, and she didn''t know what to say, her expression darkening. Aunt Su held Wang Xiangxiu''s hand and sobbed quietly, saying, "Xiu''er, I... I didn''t mean to. You know me, I''m the softest-hearted person, I would never hurt animals..."


    She said this more for the neighbors'' benefit than for Wang Xiangxiu''s - maintaining one''s public image was important.


    Tearfully, she continued, "This dog had previously bitten Jin Lai, so I thought it must be aggressive. There are always children ying in our alley, especially after school. I was worried it might bite the children, so I tried to chase it away with stones. I really had good intentions. But I didn''t expect the dog to be so fierce - two of them attacked me together, biting me like this. I was really just thinking of the children..."


    Hearing this exnation, everyone suddenly understood, nodding in agreement and saying, "Aunt Su, we were wrong to me you."


    "We really didn''t know that''s what happened."


    Aunt Su cried softly, saying, "Don''t me yourselves. I was in too much pain at the time to exin..."


    "Indeed, we should report this to the neighborhoodmittee. We can''t let stray dogs run around freely - what if they bite children?"


    "Yes, exactly."


    Zhao Guihua watched as Aunt Su quickly turned the situation around, reflecting on how it had taken her so long to see through this woman in her previous life. It wasn''t surprising at all - she was quite the actress, worthy of teaching at a film academy.


    As everyone continued discussing, Zhao Guihua headed upstairs. Her little Tiger''s ward was on the third floor, and coincidentally, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun were in the same ward, both looking rather miserable.


    When Zhao Guihua opened the door, little Tiger immediately called out happily: "Grandma!"


    He had been admitted two nights ago and would be discharged tomorrow morning. Though he didn''t have to go to school, the child found the hospital quite boring. Even with familiar faces in the ward, the little one still felt terribly bored!


    Liang Meifen quickly made room: "Mother-inw, why have youe at this hour?"


    As soon as she asked, she felt awkward, thinking her question wasn''t very appropriate - a grandmother could visit her grandson anytime she wanted. Just as she was about to smooth things over, Zhao Guihua said, "I came with some people from ourpound who needed medical attention."


    At these words, Bai Fendou in the diagonal bed and Zhou Qun by the window both looked over simultaneously.


    Of course, this included Liang Meifen and Jiang Lu, who was caring for Zhou Qun.


    Everyone''s eyes held expectation, sensing that something might be happening. Even little Tiger looked confused. He knew why he was there - he was a greedy child who had eaten something he shouldn''t have and ended up in the hospital.


    But why were all these adults in the hospital too?


    He secretly nced at the two uncles across the room, who were there because of a fight. How embarrassing to fight at their age! The little boy was deeply puzzled - weren''t they afraid of losing face at their age?


    But now...


    While the child was lost in confusion, everyone else was staring expectantly at Zhao Guihua when they heard a familiar voice from the doorway - Old Man Bai''s: "Sister, don''t worry, rest easy here. I''ll take care of everything."


    Bai Fendou: "???"


    He had many questions - wasn''t that his father?


    Who was his father talking to?


    Just then, the ward door opened, and... multiple gazes met at once.


    Zhao Guihua: Steady as a rock!


    She was indeed a woman who had seen it all, unlike the others.


    Zhao Guihua spoke first: "How did you end up in this ward too?"


    Aunt Wang spoke in a t voice tinged with resignation: "Old Man Bai found the doctor, and since Bai Fendou is in this ward, Old Man Bai thought we could help take care of each other."


    The whole situation felt rather strange.


    Old Man Bai smiled proudly: "It worked out perfectly - someone just got discharged, leaving an empty bed. Isn''t it convenient?"


    Convenient, yes, but was it really appropriate to have your son and the object of your affection in the same ward?


    "Ahem, ahem." Aunt Su coughed twice, and Old Man Bai immediately helped her onto the bed. Since Aunt Su had been bitten on her bottom, she could only lie on her stomach. As she was helped onto the hospital bed... little Tiger rubbed his crew-cut hair, feeling very confused.


    Why did she have to lie like that?


    Being a child, when he didn''t understand something, he had to ask. The little one immediately questioned: "Grandma, why does Grandma Su have to lie like that?"


    Zhao Guihua: "She was bitten by dogs on her bottom and thigh."


    Zhao Guihua took this opportunity to teach her grandson a lesson, saying, "So, Tiger Head, you see, children shouldn''t mess with stray dogs. And you shouldn''t think that just because you''re growing up, you can throw stones at dogs. Actually, when stray dogs go wild, even adults can''t handle them. Look at your Aunt Su, she got bitten after hitting a dog and had a bad fall. Little one, don''t copy that."


    Tiger Head immediately nodded and fearfully snuggled into his grandmother''s embrace, saying, "Tiger Head understands, Tiger Head won''t hit dogs."


    Zhao Guihua nodded with a smile, "That''s right, we don''t hit them, and then dogs won''t easily attack our Tiger Head."


    "Then I''ll be good."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and ruffled her grandson''s hair, while others remained silent.


    Oh, now they understood - Aunt Su had been bitten by a stray dog.


    Tiger Head even made his own connections, "Tiger Head won''t hit dogs, and won''t use firecrackers to scare dogs either. Jin Lai got bitten by dogs because of that. Can''t hit dogs, can''t use firecrackers on them, and can''t provoke them."


    Zhao Guihua: "Our Tiger Head is so clever."


    Tiger Head broke into a happy smile; he was indeed a smart child.


    The others'' gazes toward Aunt Su became even more peculiar.


    Old Man Bai: "Zhao Guihua, what are you saying? Sister Su was trying to protect all the children''s safety when she hit that dog. How can you say such things? It must break her heart!"


    He immediately criticized Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua remained unfazed and said, "I''m teaching my own child, what''s it to you? Why are you butting in? What are you, some kind of Earth Guardian? Wanting to manage everything, how ridiculous."


    "Pfft!" Everyone in the ward burst outughing - they''d never heard such a phrase before.


    The young man in the bed opposite Bai Fendou pped his bed withughter, "Hahahahaha, that''s a good one!"


    Earth Guardian.


    These days, who had ever heard such a term?


    Old Man Bai''s face turned red, and Aunt Su spoke softly: "Brother Bai, don''t say anymore... Old Zhao isn''t wrong, I did hit the stray dog first. I did it for the children, and I don''t expect everyone to understand."


    These words only fired up Old Man Bai more: "That won''t do! I know exactly what kind of person you are. You did a good deed, how can we not speak up about it? Your spirit is something everyone should learn from. You deserve recognition, how can we let people misunderstand you?"


    He turned and said, "Aunt Wang, you must report this to the streetmittee. We must apply for a merit award for Sister Su. She deserves it!!!"


    Aunt Wang spoke in her usual t tone, coldly saying, "There wasn''t a single child there, not even one person around. Trying to get a merit award - do you think the streetmittee staff are all idiots?"


    With a deadpan face, she said, "Alright, the hospitalization is arranged, and her family is here, so I''ll be leaving."


    She truly didn''t want to stay a moment longer, feeling embarrassed to even know someone like Old Man Bai.


    "If you won''t go, I will!" Old Man Bai shouted.


    Zhao Guihua mused quietly: "Wonder if making up false stories could get someone arrested..."


    Old Man Bai: "You!"


    Zhao Guihua put her hands on her hips: "What ''you''?! Can''t I talk to myself? Who are you to act tough with me?"


    Seeing this old woman getting fierce, Old Man Bai pressed his lips together and fell silent.


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself, what kind of people are these?


    At this point, everyone''s thoughts had shifted yet again. At first, they thought Aunt Su was just messing with animals, then they believed she was selflessly devoted to protecting children, and now they found Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua''s words reasonable.


    If you say you were driving away stray dogs for the children''s sake, but it was around noon, almost lunchtime, and there wasn''t a single child around... that story... it just doesn''t hold up.


    Everyone exchanged nces, and just as Aunt Su was about to defend herself again, little Tiger Head spoke up, quietly saying to his grandmother: "Grandma, I think being in the hospital is just like being at home. It''s the same people at home and in the hospital."


    Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun, and Aunt Su: "..."


    If you put it that way, we''re not very happy either.


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, they want to keep youpany."


    Tiger Head: "Wow."


    Zhao Guihua pinched his little nose and said, "What ''wow''? Can''t you tell grandma''s just trying tofort you?"


    "Grandma, you''re bad." The little boy pouted.


    Zhao Guihua: "Grandma''s not bad, grandma''s thinking of buying you steamed buns tonight."


    Tiger Head immediately started salivating and became happy: "Tiger Head wants to eat!"


    Zhao Guihua looked up at her eldest daughter-inw and said, "You should go home and rest a bit, thene back in the afternoon."


    Liang Meifen looked at this bed, that bed, and the window, at this lively environment, and very much didn''t want to leave - she really wanted to stay. Zhao Guihua saw through her thoughts and said, "If you don''t want to leave, then stay. Nobody''s stopping you."


    Liang Meifen quickly said, "Then I''ll stay here, I''m worried about Tiger Head."


    Tiger Head loudly dered, "I''m fine, I''m super good now!"


    Hearing the words "super good," Aunt Su suddenly thought of Old Man Lan. If it weren''t for Old Man Lan''s sarcastic remarks, she wouldn''t have gone out; if she hadn''t gone out, she wouldn''t have encountered the big ck dog; if she hadn''t encountered the dog, she wouldn''t have wanted revenge and hit it; if she hadn''t hit it, she wouldn''t have ended up in this situation.


    Thinking about it this way, her heart was filled with hatred.


    This Old Man Lan was truly a harbinger of bad luck, a huge jinx!


    It was all because of him that she was so unlucky.


    Hindsight is twenty-twenty - if she had known, she should never have left the courtyard!


    Aunt Su''s face went through various expressions, but fortunately, she was lying face down with her face buried in the pillow, so her expressions weren''t visible. As for the others, Zhou Qun seemed quite pleased - his mother disliked Aunt Su, and naturally influenced by his mother, he also disliked this rival. Seeing her suffer like this, he was particrly happy, and it showed on his face.


    Bai Fendou, however, was a bit worried. He didn''t care much about Aunt Su personally, but he thought she was a good person - after all, how many mothers-inw would treat their daughters-inw so well? If she wasn''t a good person, who was? Besides, Xiu had always respected this mother-inw, so he naturally felt fondness by association.


    Although he was concerned about Aunt Su, his eyes were glued to Wang Xiangxiu by the bedside.


    Everyone had different expressions, and Zhao Guihua could tell what each family was thinking with just one nce. However, she was puzzled - Zhou Qun and his wife were really carefree, just leaving their mother at the factory,pletely abandoning her?


    Zhao Guihua was confused but didn''t n to remind them. Someone like Madam Zhou Li deserved to suffer a bit.


    If she suffered more, she might behave herself for a few days, instead of jumping around like someone possessed.


    Suddenly, everyone fell silent, and the ward became quiet. Now they could only hear the sound of the nurse''s cart in the corridor. Creaking, the ward door opened. The young nurse entered and was startled: "Wow! Howe there are so many people here!"


    Everyone gave weak smiles, and someone said, "We came to see what''s going on."


    Does that even make sense?


    But others said, "Don''t talk nonsense, we''re leaving."


    "Right, we need to get home."


    The atmosphere in the ward was awkward, and people started leaving - after all, they couldn''t just hang around here, and they hadn''t had lunch yet.


    The young nurse first went to Bai Fendou''s side, checked the medical chart at the head of the bed, and said, "Time to change your IV."


    Bai Fendou''s hospital stay was really getting his money''s worth, with five IVs a day, all because he had passed out earlier. Bai Fendouy down miserably and said, "Dad,e help me up a bit."


    This old man, really useless.


    Old Man Bai went forward to help his son lie down properly, watching him get the IV, and asked, "Which one is this?"


    "The third one, still two more to go."


    The nurse then distributed medicine to other beds. When Tiger Head saw the IV bags and pills, he snuggled closer to his grandmother, a bit scared - hospitals were truly frightening. Sure enough, the nurse also gave him his afternoon medicine, but fortunately, Tiger Head only needed one IV per day, which would start in the afternoon. He quietly sighed in relief and swallowed the pills with a grimace. Looking quite pitiful.


    Seeing the child like this, Zhao Guihua felt in her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy, saying, "Here, have something sweet."


    Hutou immediately beamed with joy and said, "Grandma, you''re the best."


    He looked at his mother, who never gave him candy when she was around.


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Is this candy free? Is it easy to save money at home?


    Liang Meifen pretended not to hear and didn''t care what her son was thinking. Besides, does he think he can have candy three times a day? Dream on, even thendlords back in the day didn''t have such a luxurious life. Liang Meifen: "Mom, what did you have for lunch? Isn''t today the housewarming for Sister-inw''s grandfather? How was the feast?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Haven''t eaten yet, we were busy sending Aunt Su. Honestly, I think Aunt Su should treat us to a meal; we helped and even dyed our lunch. Otherwise, I would have been at the feast. A housewarming feast, no less."


    Aunt Su feigned ignorance.


    Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen felt a sharp pang of regret. She looked at Aunt Su with disdain, thinking she was a huge jinx.


    She said regretfully, "Should I go downstairs to buy something for you to eat, or will you go back home to eat?"


    Zhao Guihua: "You go buy something. I''ll stay here and keep my grandsonpany."


    Little Hutou immediately broke into a bright smile.


    However, the smile quickly faded. His little mouth turned down, and his eyebrows furrowed tightly as he looked at Uncle Zhou Qun''s hospital bed. Zhou Qun''s patient gown had been pulled down, and the nurse was reapplying a new medicine pack to his waist. The moment it was applied, a strong medicinal smell filled the air.


    Hutou didn''t like this smell.


    Bai Fendou didn''t like it either. He mocked from his hospital bed, "Oh, is your waist really done for?"


    Before he finished, he met Jiang Lu''s seething gaze, which sent a chill down Bai Fendou''s spine. A burly man like him was momentarily scared into silence by the venomous look.


    The room fell into an eerie silence. The nurse pushed the cart out, and Zhao Guihua went to the windowsill to pour hot water. She nced out the window and saw someone carrying a basket standing under the shade of a tree. Zhao Guihua''s eyes flickered, and she turned back to say, "Eldest daughter-inw, don''t go buy food. I''ll go home to eat, and I''lle back in the afternoon."


    Hutou: "Grandma~"


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re a big boy now, you need to be strong."


    Hutou: "Alright."


    He wasn''t too happy about it, but Liang Meifen was pleased. With her mother-inw gone, they didn''t have to spend money on lunch, saving more!


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care what Liang Meifen was thinking. She didn''t say goodbye to anyone else and simply left with her hands in her pockets. The neighbors who hade with her all left. She went downstairs, found the figure standing under the tree shade, and casually approached, saying, "Second Aunt Cui, why are you in the city?"


    The olddy turned around, looking at Zhao Guihua, not recognizing her.


    Zhao Guihua winked at her and said, "You came to deliver something, why didn''t you say so?"


    The olddy immediately understood. She lowered her voice: "Eggs, three cents each."


    Zhao Guihua also lowered her voice: "How many are in that basket?"


    "Thirty."


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ll take them all. I didn''t bring anything to carry the eggs, so I''ll give you a dor, and you give me the basket too, okay?"


    "Sure, why not? Deal!"


    The two quicklypleted the transaction, both satisfied.


    The olddy thought that the basket could be made with some twigs at home, and getting an extra dime was quite a profit, as each egg was only three cents. The basket was worth more than three eggs.


    Zhao Guihua also thought it was a good deal. Although money was tight, a dime for a basket wasn''t cheap, but they didn''t need to haggle, allowing for a quick handover and departure, saving time and effort. Plus, the basket was useful at home, and no one in her family knew how to weave one.


    Zhao Guihua bought the eggs and quickly walked home with the basket, feeling ted.


    You know, this price couldn''t be found on the ck market, and even at the supply and marketing cooperative, the quota was limited and had already been imed.


    Zhao Guihua quickly returned home with the egg basket, locking each egg in the cab. In these times, it wasn''t just about the value of the goods, but the difficulty in purchasing them.


    "Mom, why did it take you so long toe back?" Ming Mei ran in, saying, "Come, let''s go eat."


    Zhao Guihua was surprised: "Haven''t you eaten yet?"


    Ming Mei: "We already ate, but Mom saved some good stuff for you."


    Zhao Guihua smiled: "No need, I''ll just eat something simple. I just came back from the hospital, and I don''t have much of an appetite, the smell, oh."


    Ming Mei was actually a bit puzzled: "Isn''t it just the smell of disinfectant? It''s not that bad, right? Brother Zhixi often smells like that too."


    Zhuang Zhixi worked in the clinic, where they often sprayed disinfectant, so he often carried that smell. The family was somewhat used to it. Zhao Guihua shook her head: "No, it''s Zhou Qun, he used some kind of medicine, oh my, the smell was unbearable."


    Ming Mei was taken aback, hearing that Zhou Qun''s kidneys were failing.


    Ming Mei silently sympathized with Jiang Lu.


    "But it''s good that they''re all in the hospital, they can take care of each other. Second Aunt Cui said that Old Man Bai even mentioned selling his house to treat Madam Su. Is Madam Su that seriously ill?"


    At this point, Ming Mei was extremely curious.


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched: "..."


    Ah, this... for a moment, she didn''t know what to say. After pondering the doctor''s words, she said, "She''s already had the rabies vine, probably just a bit sore on her butt. She fell and might be a bit ufortable, so she''s staying in the hospital."


    Ming Mei widened her eyes: "That''s not serious at all, yet they''re talking about selling everything to treat Madam Su?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She thought for a moment and said, "Old Man Bai has a bit of a dramatic personality."


    Ming Mei: "Dramatic personality?"


    She pondered it and, surprisingly, found it quite urate.


    Indeed, someone with more experience uses more unique terms. Ming Mei: "Old Man Bai is quite something."


    "Mom!" Zhuang Zhixi came in at this moment, his face slightly flushed from drinking. He was a bit of a lightweight, and even a little alcohol showed up clearly, but he was sober: "Mom, did Old Man Bai really say he''d sell his house to treat Madam Su?"


    Well, it seemed like husband and wife had the same gossiping question.


    Zhao Guihua: "Go away, nonsense!"


    Zhuang Zhixi, disappointed: "Really not?"


    He was quite disappointed. Zhao Guihua: "You stay out of their business, understand?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t worry, I definitely won''t get involved. They wouldn''t let me anyway, what am I to them?"


    Zhao Guihua sighed: "And don''t go see Madam Zhou Li anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay, okay, I won''t, you''re so nosy."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "I''m worried you''ll get yourself into trouble. The security department is stuck with Madam Zhou Li, it''s a tough spot. Why get involved? If they ask you to pass a message to Zhou Qun, it''s just more trouble."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I get it, I understand, I know."


    Zhao Guihua nodded slightly, d that her son wasn''t foolish.


    Indeed, things turned out as Zhao Guihua had predicted. Madam Zhou Li was indeed stuck in the security department''s hands. You might wonder, isn''t the security department pitiful? They''re either stuck with something or someone. In their case, they''re stuck with an olddy. And not a very nice one at that.


    Why is she stuck with the security department? The matter itself isn''tplicated. If it weren''t for the factory director''s instructions, they could have dealt with it by lightly detaining her for a day or severely detaining her for three to five days. They would have released her after that.


    After all, if they made the olddy sick, they would have a hard time exining themselves.


    Especially since she has connections in the background.


    But the problem lies in the fact that the factory director had specifically instructed his assistant to tell Zhou Qun toe and pick her up.


    In this case, the security department couldn''t just let her go. If they did, wouldn''t it make the factory director feel like his words didn''t carry weight? Of course, they could ask for further instructions, but if they did, wouldn''t the director think they couldn''t handle such a small matter and had to escte it to him? Useless, fire them!


    The security department has its own difficulties, so this situation is quite stuck.


    The irony is that Zhou Qun didn''t get into trouble sooner orter, but right at this moment!


    This situation has left the security department staff wondering if Bai Fendou is doing this on purpose. Could it be that he''s willing to hurt himself to teach Madam Zhou Li a lesson? He mentioned that she extorted fifteen yuan from him!


    He''s beenining about it so much that their ears are almost numb from hearing it.


    However, this olddy is quite capable. Even though she seemed too weak to continue shouting, they were worried about her condition, so they gave her some water. Hey, she could still scream loudly. The night beforest, she screamed all night, andst night she screamed for most of the night.


    This morning, she finally ran out of energy, and the security department thought it was about time, so they released her from the heating pipes early in the morning. But even then, she bit a young security officer''s arm and tried to rush out, only to be restrained due tock of strength from not eating. Now, they didn''t dare to release her again, so they had to restrain her once more, though this time without any deliberate tricks.


    The olddy hadn''t eaten for two full days, only drinking water. The security department really didn''t know how to handle the situation.


    The chief was smoking a Hua cigarette given by Zhou Qun, feeling even more annoyed by the smoke. This damn thing, even if you''re in the hospital and your kidneys are problematic, you can''t just note to pick up your mother, right?


    Yes, Zhou Qun injured his kidneys, and everyone in the factory knows about it.


    It was already spread around by the neighbors in the courtyard, and then Old Man Bai spread it further. As someone who sees Zhou Qun every day in the hospital, Old Man Bai hasn''t stopped talking about how Zhou Qun''s kidneys are no good.


    It''s like inflicting a serious injury and then adding insult to injury. This family is really ruthless.


    "Chief, what should we do about this? We can''t keep holding her, but Zhou Qun hasn''te to pick her up. What do we do? This olddy hasn''t eaten for two days. What if she starves to death?"


    Their security department also eats at the factory, and who would want to give their food to this olddy? Although the department has some money, it''s not going to be spent on this old hag. She''s not a good person. Why should we?


    Although this olddy hasn''t caused any major consequences, her arrogant cursing is still fresh in their minds. If it were up to them, they would want to detain her for a week to teach her a lesson.


    Detaining her for three months wouldn''t be excessive!


    But now someone hasined to the factory director, so they have to release her, but Zhou Qun hasn''te to im her!


    "Have you guys inquired if Zhou Qun can be discharged recently? If he can''t be discharged for a month, are we stuck with this olddy?"


    "Who knows? Zhou Qun''s injury is to his waist. He probably needs to be checked thoroughly. Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw can both get pregnant, but Zhou Qun and his young wife don''t have any children yet. Can''t they be cautious?"


    The chief: "¡­You can shut up. Don''t talk nonsense. I''ve asked the gatekeeper, Old Wang. There''s no such thing as pregnancy. Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw was bitten by a dog."


    "Isn''t that right? If she was bitten by a dog, how did the housee into the picture?"


    There''s a rumor about a house, saying that Old Man Bai is going to sell his house to treat Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw.


    I guess it''s not for treatment, but for the bride price!


    It must be like that. This olddy''s bride price is really high!


    How can it be higher than what a young girl would ask for!


    Hearing this, the chief was speechless and knocked on the table: "Get to the point. Give me the main point. The main point is Madam Zhou Li, not Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw or Old Man Bai. What do they have to do with us? Just talk about Madam Zhou Li. Damn it, Jiang Lu hasn''t beening to work these days. Could this woman be doing it on purpose?"


    "Who knows? This woman looks honest, but since she could hit Bai Fendou over the head, it''s clear that her honesty is just an act. She''s probably looking for an opportunity to torment her mother-inw. I heard from their department that Jiang Lu''s mother-inw treats her very badly, extremely mean and harsh. Given that, can''t she want to take revenge?"


    The chief nodded: "Makes sense. You know, their mother-inw and daughter-inw feuding, and we''re caught in the middle."


    "We can''t do anything about it."


    The deputy chief thought for a moment and said: "Let''s find out which hospital Zhou Qun is in. We represent the factory to visit him and mention it casually, asking Jiang Lu toe and take her away. Zhou Qun should understand our intentions."


    "That''s a good idea."


    "Yes, that would work. Should we go now?"


    Zhang San: "Chief, deputy chief, you know, it''s not customary to visit patients in the afternoon. It''s usually in the morning~"


    Both of them realized that this is an old custom. Although they don''t know why, visiting patients is usually done in the morning, rarely in the afternoon.


    "Then let''s hold on for one more night, tomorrow morning."


    "Alright."


    "Early in the morning, don''t dy."


    "Alright!"


    "We really have it tough."


    Just as they finished talking, they heard Madam Zhou Li''s howling from the detention room. Madam Zhou Li felt her life was too bitter. She was almost out of tears, feeling that her life was over.


    She''s now locked up here, her son is in the hospital, and she feels like the sky is falling.


    "Oh, Lord, look at me, I''m such a good and kind person, how can you bear to treat me like this..."


    "My life, why is it so bitter? I haven''t even seen my grandson born yet."


    The olddy howled, feeling life had no hope. After a few cries, she had no energy left. Not eating, no strength to shout. She began to curse softly: "Bai Fendou, you damn scoundrel, dare to harm my son, I won''t let you off even as a ghost."


    "Jiang Lu, you little bitch, heartless, you''re not even worth a fraction of Wang Xiangxiu..."


    "Old Man Bai, you old bastard, let you be arrogant for now, wait until I get my revenge, I definitely won''t let you off, today''s suffering, I''ll repay a hundredfold."


    "Chen Director, you bitch, don''t put me in your eyes, wait until my son bes the factory director, I''ll get rid of your position as a street director..."


    "You heartless people in the security department, wait until you''re fired, wait until my son bes sessful..."


    "What kind of deputy factory director, meddling in other people''s business, wait until my son bes an official, I''ll make you sweep the toilets..."


    Zhang San and Li Si crouched at the door, listening to the olddy curse, marveling: "This olddy is both vicious and ignorant. Even if her son bes the factory director, he can''t control the streets."


    "She''s really evil to the core."


    "Exactly!"


    Originally, the two of them had a bit of sympathy for this olddy who had suffered greatly, but listening to her malicious muttering in a faint voice, they felt a chill down their spines. She''s a truly vicious old woman.


    For such a person, not a shred of sympathy is warranted. If you have any, you might get tricked.


    Old woman, keep suffering!


    "Zhang San, Li Si, what are you doing?"


    "Shh, be quiet, listen."


    ...


    Soon, another person came: "What are you doing... Mmm, don''t cover my mouth, damn, what''s she saying..."


    This thing, like a nesting doll.


    One after another, the security department staff came to listen to the olddy''s vicious words and her fervent hopes for her son.


    "Hey, listening to her tone, does she think everyone in the world owes her family?"


    "Oh, didn''t you hear? Her son will make us all leave when he bes the factory director."


    "What does leaving mean? She wants the street office director to leave too."


    "Pfft, damn, Zhou Qun''s mother is also a peculiar talent."


    "That''s for sure..."


    The security department found it a big joke and couldn''t help but share it with a few friends.


    Like Zhang San went to the third workshop to tell his buddy: "Hey, I''m telling you, don''t tell anyone else... Zhou Qun''s mother from the electrical engineering department, she said that when Zhou Qun bes the factory director, he''ll make Deputy Factory Director Zhang sweep the toilets, haha, isn''t that awesome?"


    "Damn!"


    "And there''s more..."


    Li Si also told his friend: "Hey, I''m telling you, don''t tell anyone else, Zhou Qun''s mother is going crazy in the security department, cursing heaven and earth, saying her son should be the factory director..."


    Zhou Qun, still in the hospital recovering from his injury, was unaware that his mother was causing trouble again.


    Even though she''s locked up in the security department, she can still make new heights. By the middle of the afternoon, everyone in the factory knew.


    Zhou Qun from the electrical engineering department is going to be the factory director!


    His mother said so!


    Ah, haha!


    The speed at which gossip spreads is always astounding, like everyoneing home from work in the evening, and by then, those who should know, know, and those who shouldn''t know, also know.


    At this moment, the Ming family has already left, and Zhuang Zhixi''s face has lost its redness. The couple sits on small stools, both in shock.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This... ah, this... I don''t even know what to say."


    Even someone usually eloquent has never seen this kind of maneuver, it''s quite perplexing.


    Truly, never seen before.


    Ming Mei is also greatly shocked. She props her chin on her hand and says, "I really want to sneak over to the security gate of your factory to eavesdrop."


    Zhuang Zhixi looks at her sympathetically, pinches her cheek, and says, "You wouldn''t be able to get in."


    Ming Mei: "Oh, how disappointing."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t be disappointed, I''ll keep an eye out. If anything happens, I''ll share it with you first."Aliali: 6756a3d2bd5e46c308ca07f6


    Ming Mei chuckles softly, and if you didn''t know, you''d think they were talking about some major event. In fact, they''re just gossiping about their neighbors. However, it''s really cost-effective, truly saving on buying a radio.


    It''s more interesting than the broadcast.


    Ming Meiughs softly, and the two of them sitting in the sunset look like a beautiful painting. Yang Lixin pushes his bicycle through the gate, envious of the couple for a moment, and is about to pass through the front yard when Zhuang Zhixi calls out, "Yang Ge,e here,e here."


    Yang Lixin: "What''s up?"


    Zhuang Zhixi grins: "Come, let''s exchange gossip. Tell me about Madam Su''s shocking actions at the factory, and I''ll tell you about today''s bizarre incident of Aunt Su being bitten by a dog."


    Yang Lixin''s eyes light up: "That works!"


    He''s also heard about Aunt Su being bitten by a dog at the factory, but only vaguely!


    Just right, to fill in the gaps, tomorrow he can tell others. Oh, no, his mother-inw must know everything. He doesn''t need to fill in the gaps from Zhuang Zhixi, but soon, he firmly sits down. Everyone''s ount will definitely have some small differences.


    He needs to listen to several people, absorb the strengths of each, and then synthesize the most exciting version of the story!


    Yang Lixin sits down, smiling: "Come, let''s chat..."

 Chapter 46

    Hutou was super excited!


    He, his grandmother''s precious Hutou, was finally being discharged from the hospital.


    Actually, the little boy felt he should have been discharged long ago, but the adults wouldn''t allow it.


    Fortunately, the discharge day came quickly. The little fellow packed his own small backpack, which contained all his belongings. He had secretly hidden a piece of candy, nning to share it with his sister when he got home - half for each of them.


    This was what he had saved up while enduring the bitter medicine.


    Hutou felt he was truly a good brother who cared for his sister.


    The child praised himself as he stuffed his textbooks into his backpack. Sigh, it''s tough being a kid - even when he was sick, his mother brought him his textbooks, saying he couldn''t fall behind in his studies.


    He just didn''t understand why, as just an elementary school student, he had to study so much!


    Besides, he already understood many principles and knew lots of things. He didn''t even fight, while adults still fought, so he wasn''tcking at all. Little Hutou mumbled to himself as he finished packing his bag and plopped down on the bed.


    That''s when the doctor came for rounds and, seeing his little appearance, said, "Hutou, you''re getting discharged today?"


    Hutou quickly nodded: "Yes, I''m leaving."


    After thinking for a moment, he added: "I''m nevering back."


    The doctor smiled and teased him: "Then you better not get sick again."


    Hutou nodded even more seriously and said: "I know, I want to be strong and healthy. I don''t want to get sick. No more IV drips, no more bitter medicine."


    The doctor smiled and said: "That''s good, wishing you good health, little one."


    Hutou''s eyes curved into crescents as he smiled and said: "Thank you, Doctor Uncle."


    The doctor smiled, ruffled his head, and left for the next ward.


    Although it was Hutou''s discharge day, all the men in the family had gone to work. Only Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen came. Zhao Guihua said: "Alright, we''re about ready, let''s go."


    She looked at the others in the ward and said: "You all take care now, we''re leaving. Oh my, Bai Fendou, were you out thievingst night? Why do you look such a mess? Look at those dark circles under your eyes, they''re horrible."


    He wasn''t young to begin with, and now it was even worse.


    Bai Fendou indeed looked exhausted. He cast a resentful nce at Zhou Qun and sneered, saying: "I just didn''t sleep well, that''s all. Some people really know how to cause trouble."


    Zhao Guihua looked confused, and Liang Meifen leaned close to her ear and whispered: "Before five this morning, the factory security came to see Zhou Qun, which woke everyone up. Only kids like Hutou slept through it."


    Zhao Guihua was even more surprised -ing to visit a patient before five in the morning? Was this even normal?


    Truly, in both her lives, she had never seen such behavior.


    Liang Meifen continued whispering: "They said they came to see Zhou Qun, but actually they wanted him to go to security to pick up someone. Zhou Qun''s mother has been detained by security for three whole days. They couldn''t keep holding her any longer, and they didn''t want to waste food on her either. As soon as security left, Zhou Qun sent Jiang Lu to get her."


    Zhao Guihua suddenly understood why she hadn''t seen Jiang Lu.


    These past few days, Jiang Lu had been frantically taking leave, not going to the factory at all, staying at the hospital to care for Zhou Qun instead - they were inseparable. Now she wasn''t here, and Zhao Guihua had thought the young wife had finally remembered she needed to work. But it wasn''t that at all - she had gone to rescue her mother-inw from her predicament.


    Zhao Guihua asked: "Does he..." her eyes nced at Zhou Qun as she quietly asked her daughter-inw: "Does he know about how his mother has been making him famous at the factory?"


    Liang Meifen replied: "He still doesn''t know. He and Jiang Lu have been in the ward the whole time, and no one''s told them. The couple doesn''t know." None of the people in the ward knew, and Liang Meifen certainly didn''t want to break this news, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.


    Just thinking about the oue made her shiver - it was too terrifying, too terrifying indeed. How would Zhou Qun go to work after this! Wouldn''t he faint from the shame when he returned to work? Zhou Qun was someone who really cared about face.


    Among the younger generation in theirpound...


    Zhou Qun, Bai Fendou, Zhuang Zhixi, and the other young men... Zhou Qun cared the most about his reputation.


    If Zhou Qun knew that his mother had alreadypletely ruined his reputation at the factory, he would cough up at least three bowls of blood, at least!


    "Aiyoyo, aiyoyo, oh my poor life, oh heavens..."


    Just as the mother and daughter-inw were lost in thought, they heard wailing from the doorway, the voice as hoarse as an old vige woman''s, carrying a somewhat frightening tone. Everyone turned to look at the door.


    Just then, the ward door opened.


    Well, well, another familiar face!


    Zhao Guihua: "Madam Zhou Li?"


    Indeed, the arrival was none other than Zhou Qun''s mother, Madam Zhou Li, who had just been the subject of their conversation.


    Madam Zhou Li was being supported by Jiang Lu, whose face bore two bright red handprints, clearly from being pped. Was it strange? Not at all - it would have been stranger if Madam Zhou Li had let Jiang Lu off easily.


    Sure enough, Zhao Guihua saw that Jiang Lu''s hands were covered in bloody scratches, and even her hair was disheveled.


    Jiang Lu''s eyes were red, clearly having cried.


    Everyone fell silent.


    As soon as Madam Zhou Li saw her son, tears began flowing before she could speak: "My son, I''ve suffered... I''ve really suffered..."


    She was crying with snot and tears, but because she had been shouting for several days, her voice was terribly hoarse, sounding frighteningly like a cat scratching paper, both unpleasant and somewhat scary.


    Little Hutou immediately hugged his grandmother''s legs.


    He was still small, not yet a man, and he was scared!


    Zhao Guihua naturally knew her grandson''s personality, so she picked up Hutou, saying: "Look at you, why aren''t you gaining any weight? Light as a feather."


    Hutou smiled sweetly at his grandmother, resting his head on her neck, his big eyes curiously watching Madam Zhou Li across the room. Though young, even children could be shocked by such a scene. How could they not be?


    Jiang Lu already looked miserable enough, but looking at Madam Zhou Li was even worse - her graying hair was a messy beehive, her clothes were filthy beyond recognition, carrying a rancid smell,pletely disheveled. That was from her struggling when she was arrested.


    For three days, she had nothing but water, her face was as pale as a ghost, with eye bags that seemed ready to fall off. She was leaning on Jiang Lu,pletely without strength, and her voice was beyond description. She had aged at least three years, if not more.


    She cried: "My dear Qun..."


    She tried to rush to her son''s side, but before she could take a step, she nearly copsed. Everyone then realized she truly seemed to have no strength left. How could she? She used to be quite strong, but because they had handcuffed her to the radiator, forcing her to stand on her tiptoes, and then not giving her any food - it would have been strange if she had any strength left.


    "Mom, be careful!"


    Zhou Qun quickly spoke up. He sat on the bed, his face showing concern, but he didn''t move. He said guiltily: "Mom, my back hurts, I can''te help you. Your son is useless..."


    Zhou Qun''s eyes reddened slightly, and he quickly said: "Xiao Lu, quickly help Mom over here. Mom, it''s my fault, it''s all my fault. I never thought this would happen. This is all my mistake. How could I have been so careless? I didn''t handle things well. You should hit me, hit me hard - I won''t be able to forgive myself otherwise."


    This was a six-person ward, and between Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou there was an old man, who watched very emotionally and said: "What a filial son!"


    Zhou Qun: "Mom,e quickly."


    After a pause, he added: "Xiao Lu, hurry and take Mom to see a doctor! Look at Mom''s condition - how could you just bring her here like this? Quickly take her to see a doctor!" Zhou Qun''s face was full of urgency, afraid his mother might have some serious problem.


    Jiang Lu spoke softly: "I already took Mom to see the doctor. The doctor said she''s just hungry and exhausted from worry, with no energy. I''ve arranged for her to be admitted to the hospital, and managed to get her into your ward. I can take care of both of you."


    At the mention of this, Madam Zhou Li turned around and delivered a p - smack! - right across Jiang Lu''s face. She angrily scolded, "You dare to seek credit in front of my son? If I had to rely on you as a daughter-inw, I wouldn''t even know how I''d die! Stop pretending to be a good person here! What do you mean you took me to see the doctor? Wasn''t I going to go myself? What do you mean you arranged for me to be in the same ward as Zhou Qun? If I hadn''t thrown myself on the ground and made a scene, would they have arranged it for me?"


    Madam Zhou Li felt that her daughter-inw was far inferior to Wang Xiangxiu. Though the two families didn''t get along, Madam Zhou Li secretly envied Aunt Su for having Wang Xiangxiu as a daughter-inw. Although her family was poor and had no money, she popped out children likeying eggs, quickly giving birth to three sons, one every two years, continuing the Su family line. If it weren''t for Su''s son''s bad luck, she probably could have continued having eight or ten more children without breaking a sweat.


    Moreover, even after Su''s son passed away, she stayed with the family, showing filial piety to the elderly and taking care of the children. Although there were some unsavory rumors about her rtionships with men, who knew if they were true? A widow getting some food through deception wasn''t such a big deal!


    But looking at Jiang Lu, she couldn''t produce children, and whenever something happened, she''d just give up. How could anyone rely on her?


    She red hatefully at Jiang Lu. If she had despised this daughter-inw one hundred times before, now it was ten thousand times more.


    When Madam Zhou Li''s anger peaked, smack, another pnded, and Jiang Lu silently wept. Zhou Qun quickly said, "Mom, what are you doing? Why are you hitting Xiao Lu? Even if you hadn''t brought it up, she would have taken you to the hospital anyway. She''s not that kind of ill-intentioned woman, you should know that she has the kindest heart. It''s because I hurt my back, and she''s been focused on taking care of me these past few days. Maybe other things weren''t done perfectly, but you should know her - she''s such a good, kind woman, how could she have any ulterior motives?"


    As Zhou Qun defended Jiang Lu, Madam Zhou Li''s expression grew darker, while Jiang Lu''s eyes brightened.


    Zhao Guihua shook her head inwardly, wondering how Jiang Lu couldn''t see through this mother and son''s vicious intentions. But then again, Zhao Guihua knew she couldn''t see it - she was already too deep in it, beyond salvation.


    "Mom, go lie down on the hospital bed first, we... oh, which bed is yours?"


    The ward was already full.


    There were six beds in the ward. On their side, in order, were Bai Fendou, an unfamiliar old gentleman, and Zhou Qun. Across from Zhou Qun was a young man, in the middle was Hutou, and next to Hutou was Aunt Su.


    Wasn''t that perfect?


    But he quickly realized - ah no, Hutou was being discharged today.


    "You''re taking Hutou''s bed, right?"


    "Yes, this one," Jiang Lu spoke up, looking at Zhao Guihua and her family, saying, "Aunt Zhao, you''re all packed up and ready to leave, right?"


    She continued, "My mother isn''t feeling well and needs to lie down. Since you''re leaving, could we have the bed?"


    Already starting to chase people away.


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Alright, we''re leaving, you can stay here."


    Only then did Madam Zhou Li notice Zhao Guihua.


    Earlier, she had been so focused on her son that she hadn''t paid attention to anyone else in the ward. Now looking around, she realized the people standing to the side were Zhao Guihua and her family. Madam Zhou Li opened her mouth to mock them but hesitated at thest moment, merely snorting without saying anything more.


    It wasn''t that she was intimidated or afraid. She just didn''t want to cause trouble. She said coldly, "Help me lie down."


    Jiang Lu quickly helped her to the bed. Usually, when a patient is discharged, the nurses would clean up before arranging for another patient to move in. This was why Madam Zhou Li had to make a scene. Because the bed hadn''t been cleaned yet, they had nned to put her in another bed first, but they hadn''t counted on Madam Zhou Li being who she was.


    An old troublemaker who dared to cause a scene right after leaving the security office.


    She had rolled on the ground crying and wailing, leaving everyone helpless. After repeated assurances from Jiang Lu, they had no choice but to arrange for her toe here. Madam Zhou Li had essentially "seized" this hospital bed, so she was quite smug about it. As soon as shey down, she raised her eyebrows at Zhao Guihua''s family, her expression overflowing with pride.


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t understand what there was to show off about - they were being discharged normally.


    Hutou was even more confused, his little eyebrows furrowed into a twist. He couldn''t understand why Grandma Zhou was so happy about being hospitalized. Her expression was so arrogant and pleased - he had no idea why, it was all very strange.


    Could it be that adults actually enjoyed being hospitalized?


    Otherwise, why did they all keeping here?


    Hutou didn''t likeing to the hospital at all. The IV drips were scary, the injections were frightening, and the bitter medicine tablets - Hutou hated eating them. But the adults... they seemed to enjoying here.


    They liked getting injections and taking medicine!


    The little one didn''t understand, the little one was shocked.


    Zhao Guihua fake-coughed and said, "Let''s go."


    As she turned around, she heard a shriek. Hutou quickly covered his ears, and Zhao Guihua ducked her head too. Good heavens! She turned back to see Madam Zhou Li ring at Bai Fendou across the room, her eyes bulging with rage.


    She hadn''t noticed Bai Fendou earlier either. Now that Bai Fendou had sat up, she saw him, and enemies meeting made her see red. Her hatred for Bai Fendou exceeded even that for the old man in blue who had sent her to the security office.


    Because this man had hurt her son.


    Her son was her life, and anyone who hurt her son deserved to die.


    The olddy who had been trembling just moments ago suddenly seemed to have found new strength, leaping off the hospital bed and charging towards Bai Fendou''s bed in just a few steps.


    "Oh my goodness!"


    "Good heavens!"


    "What the hell is she doing?!"


    Though there weren''t many people in the room, everyone''s shock was palpable.


    Zhao Guihua was quick to react, hugging Hutou and darting to the doorway. From there, they could both have the best view of the spectacle while avoiding getting caught in the crossfire. Liang Meifen wasn''t as quick - she was just a bit slower and almost got knocked over by the charging Madam Zhou Li. She stumbled while dodging, steadied herself against the door, and quickly ducked behind Zhao Guihua, not looking very dignified.


    But at this moment, no one was paying attention to her or caring about her.


    They watched as Madam Zhou Li charged at Bai Fendou like a ck bear spotting honey, pouncing directly onto him, her ws out. Bai Fendou''s IV drip toppled over, and he cried out, "Ah!"


    Madam Zhou Li didn''t care about any of that. Trembling yet fierce, she climbed onto the hospital bed, straddled Bai Fendou, and started swinging both fists: "I''ll teach you to bully my son, I''ll teach you to hit my son, you conscienceless creature! I''ll teach you to cause trouble while I''m away! I''ll beat you to death! I''ll send you to meet the King of Hell! You little beast!"


    Bai Fendou, who hadn''t been in good spirits to begin with, was stunned by the olddy''s attack. But he quickly recovered and got angry too, delivering a huge p across Madam Zhou Li''s face that immediately made it swell up.


    Now that Bai Fendou was angry too, one p wasn''t enough to vent his rage. He grabbed the olddy''s hair and delivered another p that knocked her to the ground. He went after her with several kicks, shouting, "You old hag! Looking for trouble when there isn''t any, are you?"


    "Bai Fendou, how dare you hit my mother!" Zhou Qun roared.


    Bai Fendou roared back, "Your mother hit me first! Look, look at my face, look at my hair still tangled in her hands!"


    Thinking about this made Bai Fendou even angrier. He didn''t have much hair to begin with, and he was particrly sensitive about it at this point in his life. He hadn''t expected someone to specifically target his hair, making his hair situation even worse.


    He angrily stepped forward and delivered two more kicks.


    "Ah! Murder! Bai Fendou ismitting murder!"


    "Oh my heavens, an elderly person is being beaten! Help! Someone, please help me!"


    Madam Zhou Li''s cries echoed like a pig being ughtered, but the few people in the ward remained silent, as quiet as chickens.


    As Madam Zhou Li''s son, Zhou Qun should have been the first to step forward, but with his back injury, he didn''t want to aggravate it. After all, his back was crucial to his future as a man. If it was for his mother''s sake, he couldn''t do it.


    The next person who should have intervened was Jiang Lu. She had just been pped twice by Madam Zhou Li, and now she cowered by the bed, trembling, too scared to move. In her heart, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.


    In her view, both Madam Zhou Li and Bai Fendou deserved to die. Watching them fight was a delight. She pretended to be too frightened to act.


    As for Aunt Su, who had been ying the weak and silent type, she was lying on the bed with a bruised buttock. Madam Zhou Li hadn''t even recognized her yet. She wasn''t about to stick her neck out. Watching Madam Zhou Li get beaten was quite the spectacle.


    The other two, an old man and a young man, also dared not speak. They didn''t know each other, and getting involved could mean getting hurt. They had no reason to get involved. The old man stayed under the covers, not daring to move. At his age, with his old bones, he couldn''t take it.


    The young man: "..." What''s it to me?


    As for Zhao Guihua, they had already retreated to the doorway before the fight started. Now, a crowd had gathered, and they were just ordinary onlookers. Yes, that''s how it goes with fights. The moment the first scream rang out, people flocked to watch the spectacle.


    After all, such events were rare!


    Very rare.


    Finally, a kind-hearted nurse squeezed in: "What are you doing? This is a hospital, not a ce for you to act out. Help her up. Look at you all, what kind of behavior is this? How can you fight in a hospital?"


    Four nurses rushed in, helping Madam Zhou Li to her feet and tending to Bai Fendou, who had been on an IV drip. The needle hade out, and his hand was bleeding. His face and hair were a mess.


    Madam Zhou Li had also taken quite a beating from Bai Fendou, a man with plenty of strength.


    "What''s going on here? Should we call the police?"


    Madam Zhou Li whimpered, "Pfft!"


    She spat out a tooth and said, "Call the police! Let them lock him up, let him eat a bullet. This scoundrel dared to hit me, the damn fool!"


    Bai Fendou wasn''t backing down either, shouting, "Call them! I''d like to see who they arrest, me or this shameless olddy. I was peacefully getting an IV, and she went crazy and attacked me first. Am I not allowed to defend myself? Do I have to take a beating for no reason? Who does she think she is? If she were my parents, I''d ept their discipline. But who the hell is she? Just a neighbor, trying toy hands on me? What''s gotten into her? Everyone knows she just got out of the security office for stealing! This olddy is of low character, vicious, and mean. Let''s call the police and see who they arrest!"


    "You! You you you!"


    Madam Zhou Li was trembling with anger!


    Bai Fendou, on the other hand, stood tall, victorious!


    It was undeniable that Bai Fendou''s outburst had some effect. At least Zhou Qun didn''t want to stir up more trouble. Though he felt his mother had every right to discipline Bai Fendou, even to the point of death, in broad daylight with everyone watching, it was clear his mother had started the fight. Even if the police were called, they might note out ahead. And Bai Fendou was right; his mother had just been released from the security office. If they caused more trouble, it could backfire on them.


    With that in mind, Zhou Qun quickly said, "Mom, stop making a scene. Let the doctor take a good look at you. What''s with this talk of calling the police? We''re all neighbors who see each other every day. If this gets out of hand, how will we face each other in the future? In the same courtyard, how will we get along? Bai Fendou, look, we''re both injured. Let''s each take a step back. My mom is more seriously hurt than you, and we''re not holding it against you. Are you really going to argue with an olddy?"


    Zhou Qun''s words, though a bit of a provocation, worked on Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou red: "Am I that kind of person? Fine, let''s drop it."


    He wiped his face andy down like a corpse, lost in thought. His injuries had worsened, meaning more hospital time and more expenses. The thought made him ufortable. But then he thought, maybe he was still ahead.


    After all, Madam Zhou Li was more seriously injured than him. If they ended uppensating each other, he''d be at a disadvantage.


    So not making a big deal out of it was better for him.


    Bai Fendouy on the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling his recent life had been a chaotic mess. But he didn''t know what had gone wrong, or if anything had really gone wrong. Maybe he was just too impatient.


    In their courtyard, all the men, except for those too young or not yet grown, were married. Only he remained a bachelor. Could his temper be any smaller?


    He stared nkly, feeling the weight of his situation.


    The dramatic showdown quickly ended, and neither side held a grudge. Zhao Guihua watched the whole thing, feeling like she had eaten a whole melon. She said, "Let''s go."


    No one paid attention to them now. Zhao Guihua held Hutou, followed by the dazed and shocked Liang Meifen, and the three of them went downstairs. Zhao Guihua hade by bicycle. Zhao Guihua: "Snap out of it. You''re still stunned from watching the fight?"


    Liang Meifen: "They were really fierce."


    She clicked her tongue: "They really dared to fight."


    Zhao Guihua: "They''ve fought before, it''s not surprising."


    Liang Meifen: "Right... it''s not surprising, but still, shocking!"


    She took the bike, saying, "Mom, you hold Hutou on the back, I''ll ride."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, but don''t get distracted."


    "Don''t worry."


    Liang Meifen rode carefully. After all, if she fell into a ditch, who knows what kind of beating she might get? She had seen it; these people were all fighters, including her mother-inw. She''d better behave. If it came to a fight, she wouldn''t stand a chance.


    Liang Meifen considered herself an educated person and never resorted to physical means. Usually, when mothers disciplined their children, they would hit them, but she never did that. At most, she would lightly pat their back or bottom.


    She didn''t advocate for hitting people or using physical force to discipline children.


    So Zhao Guihua always felt that people were hard to judge. They might have countless ws, but there was always a bright spot. Liang Meifen was no exception.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly rode home. As soon as Hutou entered the courtyard, he shouted, "I, Hutou, am back!"


    Although he knew his friends were at school, the child still wanted to shout out loud. The hospital stay had been too dull. Hutou''s shout didn''t attract his friends but brought Aunt Wang from the back yard.


    Aunt Wang came over, smiling, "You''re out of the hospital, Hutou."


    Hutou nodded eagerly, asking, "Is Weiwei home? Is Junjun home?"


    Aunt Wang: "They''re all at school. Wait until they get out, and they''lle y with you."


    Hutou nodded quickly: "Okay!"


    He was overjoyed: "I want to y with my friends."


    The child then added: "No fighting, just fun."


    Aunt Wang: "???"


    Why mention fighting?


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t even entered the house yet, saying, "Oh, don''t mention it. Just as we were leaving the hospital, Madam Zhou Li was being admitted... She just pped Bai Fendou... Bai Fendou fought back fiercely..."


    Zhao Guihua grabbed a small stool and sat down, and Aunt Wang quickly followed.


    Women from the back yard who weren''t working, like Second Aunt Cui and Sister-inw Li, also came over, quickly joining the tea party. They all expressed their shock in a chorus of exmations. Who would have thought that after being locked up for three days without food, Madam Zhou Li could still muster such fiercebat power?


    And Bai Fendou... The guy even beat up an olddy.


    Zhao Guihua: "They really are a spark of fire and lightning, I''m convinced. Even injured, they can''t stop."


    This Aunt Zhou, she''s too, too..." Someone wanted toment on this person but found there wasn''t a single appropriate word to describe this "dama" (middle-aged woman), as if any word wouldn''t do her justice.


    Aunt Wang also sighed: "She just keeps causing trouble. At her age, is it worth getting beaten up? To me, she''s just spoiled by her good life. In our courtyard, who has it asfortable as her? An olddy holding onto her daughter-inw''s thirty-something sry, with only three people eating at home. There''s no way it would run out, she could have good food, good drink, and good use of everything. But she just doesn''t know how to live well, always looking for trouble, not getting along with this one or that one. If she really got some benefit, it would be understandable, but she clearly doesn''t. Every time she ends up losing out, yet she still stirs up trouble. It seems that once someone gets muddled, no amount of cleverness helps."


    "Yes, she''s even holding onto her daughter-inw''s sry."


    "Jiang Lu is also a fool, how could she just hand over all her sry? How does she live?"


    "She leeches off her family, you see how Aunt Su''s two daughters, Zhaodi and Pandi, send everything back to their family, almost emptying their husbands'' pockets to support their family. She''s the opposite. If I had a daughter like that, I''d be livid."


    "I don''t expect my daughter to subsidize me, she just needs to live well, but not as muddled as Jiang Lu. Zhou Qun is a good person, but his mother, Madam Zhou Li, is really not."


    "That''s right, Zhou Qun doesn''t know what his mother has been saying, wait until he goes back to work at the factory, he''ll be so embarrassed."


    "What else can he do? It''s not like a wife, where you can just get divorced and be done with it. She''s his mother, he has to endure it."


    "Exactly!"


    Everyone was discussing passionately when Second Aunt Cui said: "Hey, isn''t today payday? Are you buying meat?"


    "What for? Life is tight."


    "Guihua, what about you?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m making meat stew at home today, but it''s not because of payday. It''s because Hutou is getting discharged from the hospital today? We have to eat something good to get rid of the bad luck."


    Who knows what eating well has to do with getting rid of bad luck.


    But everyone just thought it made sense.


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t usually care if they get paid or not, my family has a fixed living expense, I have to n it out."


    Zhao Guihua and her husband''s household pays ten yuan, really not much.


    "Guihua, you''re really hands-off."


    Zhao Guihua: "What''s there to worry about? They''re not three-year-olds, who doesn''t know how to manage money? Besides, they''re all married and should save for themselves, it''s all for the kids. If it weren''t for the fact that eating together is cheaper now, I''d actually want to split up. But my family''s situation is like an internal small split. If Hutou gets married, I''ll really have to separate quickly, otherwise with all these old and young, I think I''d go crazy."


    Little Hutou, running around in the courtyard, stopped his running and asked, dumbfounded: "Grandma, are you not going to keep me?"


    Zhao Guihua: "No, I''ll keep you, but you''ll grow up and get married too."


    Hutou shook his head: "I don''t want to get married, getting married is too troublesome. I want to live with Grandma."


    The child said seriously: "Wives always want to control people, I want to be free."


    Pfft, hahaha!


    "Little Hutou, you''ve exposed your family situation!"


    "Guihua, you have a female-dominated household!"


    Zhao Guihua alsoughed, saying: "You little rascal, go y, go y."


    Hutou said seriously: "Then I won''t leave Grandma."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, alright, whatever you say. Go y."


    The child immediately ran off, jumping and hopping.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing everyone stillughing, said: "What''s so funny? Isn''t this normal in my family? My husband, Laonian, if I didn''t keep an eye on him, he''d be fooled to death. He''s got no mind for schemes. In a family, there has to be someone who takes charge. Besides, women can hold up half the sky, I can do it too."


    "You''re amazing."


    Zhao Guihua: "Hehe."


    Sheughed enough and said: "What about you, don''t you manage money at home?"


    Everyone startedughing again. Zhao Guihua: "Men can''t be left in charge entirely, they don''t know how to n, living without a n, eating and drinking extravagantly at the beginning of the month, starving at the end of the month? Can''t even fill their stomachs with the northwest wind."


    "Hahaha."


    Everyoneughed again.


    "You''re right, men managing the household won''t do, they''ll mess it up."


    "Mine can''t either, he doesn''t know how to n at all."


    Aunt Wang said gloomily: "My family is different, my old man is very thrifty."


    Thinking of Chef Li, everyone nodded in agreement. Chef Li, anything that doesn''t cost money is fine, but anything that does, he''s reluctant. They''ve been neighbors for so many years, everyone knows it well.


    "Hey, it''s almost Qingming Festival, I want to pick some mugwort to make green dumplings, do you know what green dumplings are?"


    Most people shook their heads, but Zhao Guihua nodded: "I know, I know, I can make them too."


    She learned from Moyin.


    Moyin, Zhao Guihua''s cooking ss.


    "Oh? Aunt Zhao, you can too? You''re amazing. Normally, northerners don''t eat this, did you learn from your mother-inw?"


    Zhao Guihua certainly didn''t, but she smiled and said: "I just heard her mention it once, I don''t think it''s hard."


    Aunt Wang: "Are green dumplings only eaten during Qingming Festival?"


    "Not really, you can eat them anytime, but usually in spring, it''s like a feeling of spring really arriving with Qingming Festival." It''s already spring, just a bit cold, so people don''t feel it yet.


    "What are they made of?"


    "Mugwort, and flour, then prepare the filling, red bean paste is fine."


    "Ah, so many good things... forget it, can''t afford it."


    "Flour is good enough for steamed buns, why add mugwort with that weird taste?"


    "I don''t like that taste either."


    Everyone chattered away, but Zhao Guihua thought,e to think of it, it really could be made and eaten. Just for the novelty, after all, nowadays everything is seasonal and regional, unlike the inte-connected days where you can follow recipes and buy anything.


    A group of olddies chatted enthusiastically, and at that moment, Zhuang Zhixi was queuing up to get paid, just ahead of him was Wang Xiangxiu. When it was Wang Xiangxiu''s turn, Zhuang Zhixi nced and saw she got twenty-something, less than thirty.


    But after getting paid, Wang Xiangxiu didn''t leave, instead standing there with a smile: "My neighbor Bai Fendou is injured and can''te, can I collect his pay for him?"


    The cashier, with a smirk, asked: "What''s your rtionship with him, you collecting for him?"


    Surrounding people also had expressions of watching a show. Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t shy, boldly saying: "Of course it''s neighbors, we get along well, isn''t that fine?"


    "Bai Fendou''s father is also in the factory, can''t he collect for his son?"


    Who knew Wang Xiangxiu was even more shameless, directly saying: "Then I''ll collect his too, I''ll collect for both father and son. Saves them a trip, and I''ll sign for it, everyone''s seen it, what''s there to worry about? That old saying goes, the monk can run away but the temple can''t, what''s there to worry about?"


    The cashierughed again,ughing enough, saying: "Alright, if you want to collect, collect. If theyin, they''ll definitelye looking for you."


    They''re all from the same factory, just like Wang Xiangxiu said, the monk can run away but the temple can''t, no one dares to falsely collect money. Don''t they want to work anymore? This is out in the open, everyone can see.


    At this moment, there was really no privacy to speak of.


    Wang Xiangxiu counted the money one by one and put it in her pocket, her eyeballs turning, she said coquettishly: "I just remembered, I have another neighbor. Zhou Qun, I''ll collect for him too? After all, we''re all neighbors, I''ll just do a good deed."


    The cashier looked at Wang Xiangxiu in surprise and said, "Zhou Qun''s sry has already been collected by his wife. Hey, Wang Xiangxiu, what''s going on with you? Don''t cause trouble here. Did you even discuss this with them? You want to collect someone else''s money? Let me tell you, if they don''t receive this money, you won''t be able to get away with it!"


    How does this woman think of one thing after another?


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face stiffened, but she quickly smiled and said, "I understand. I just thought they''re in the hospital, and Jiang Lu rarelyes to the factory, so I thought I''d help out. You know, my mother-inw is in the hospital, Zhou Qun is in the hospital, Bai Fendou is in the hospital, all in the same ward. I just wanted to do a good deed and deliver it to them."


    "Hey, Wang Xiangxiu, why is your mother-inw in the hospital? Is it terminal?"


    "Is it because she''s hooked up with Bai Fendou''s father? If they''re together, you''d be Bai Fendou''s sister-inw, and you two can''t be together anymore, right?"


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "What are you talking about?"


    Her voice raised a bit: "My mother-inw was bitten by a dog. Those words are nonsense, don''t believe everything you hear and spread rumors. My mother-inw may be old, but her reputation is very important. You can''t just talk nonsense."


    She secretly resented, but on the surface, she looked pitiful. Her gaze swept over the crowd and saw Zhuang Zhixi there. She immediately walked over and said, "Little Zhuang brother, we live in the same courtyard, you have to vouch for us, we''re not like that. My mother-inw and Uncle Bai are as clear as tofu with green onions, absolutely innocent."


    She winked at Zhuang Zhixi after saying this, almost making him vomit his lunch.


    But even so, he could remain calm and innocent, asking, "Sister-inw Su, what''s wrong with your eyes? Why are you blinking so much? Is it some kind of illness? If there''s something wrong with your eyes, you should go to our clinic and see Dr. Wang. Your family is relying on you, if your eyes go bad, what will you do? Your children are still young, and you can''t rely on your frail mother-inw."


    He spoke quite seriously, making it hard for people to tell he was being sarcastic.


    "Pfft!"


    "Oh, is that what she meant?"


    "This young man just doesn''t understand her hints."


    Wang Xiangxiu stamped her foot in anger and said, "What are you talking about? My eyes are fine!"


    Although she acted this way, she still looked expectantly at Zhuang Zhixi, not only hoping he would speak for her but also thinking that since today is payday, maybe she could flirt a bit and get some extra money.Aliali: 6756a3d2bd5e46c308ca07f6


    Zhou Qun hurt his back and won''t be looking for her anytime soon.


    She''s missing out on another source of ie!


    "You have to vouch for my family."


    But all her efforts were in vain.


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t buying her act at all. With a bitter smile of grievance, he said, "Sister-inw Su, don''t put me on the spot. I dare not vouch for your family. The proof must be truthful..."


    "Pahahahahaha..."


    The onlookers burst intoughter again.


    Wang Xiangxiu red at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "You little rascal!"


    With that, she turned and stormed off in a huff.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Tch."

 Chapter 47

    Zhuang Zhixi was a shrewd man, and he could tell that Wang Xiangxiu had some interest in him.


    Actually, this is how rtionships between men and women often work - many times, what appears as "not knowing" is simply pretending to be naive. There aren''t really that many truly innocent men. Often, ying dumb and iming ignorance is just an act, allowing them to both enjoy the attention while maintaining their innocence.


    Zhuang Zhixi, being a man, understood that many people had this mindset. However, he kept his distance from people like Wang Xiangxiu. Although Zhuang Zhixi shared plenty of sweet words with his wife Ming Mei, he was fundamentally a pure-hearted person. He had a good rtionship with his wife and maintained appropriate boundaries with other women.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t understand why Wang Xiangxiu behaved the way she did, but understanding doesn''t necessarily mean eptance, does it?


    He simply looked down on Wang Xiangxiu. He never imed to be a selfless, kind person, nor did he hold himself to such standards. So Zhuang Zhixi just didn''t respect Wang Xiangxiu and couldn''t be bothered with her.


    Oh, if she got into fights with others, he''d still watch for entertainment.


    But if she tried to get involved with him? Sorry, get lost! Not interested!


    This was exactly how Zhuang Zhixi felt about Wang Xiangxiu - he couldn''t care less about her. When Wang Xiangxiu walked away swaying her hips, some men''s eyes were practically glued to her, but Zhuang Zhixi didn''t even spare her a nce.


    Really not worth the eye strain.


    Instead, he started thinking. Since it was payday, why not take his wife to see a movie?


    The couple hadn''t gone to the movies together recently - ah, there had been too much excitement in their courtyard, and they''d saved their movie money. Oh, they could also go out to eat, either at Donishun or Quanjude.


    His wife probably hadn''t been there in a while.


    Oh wait, today was Hutou''s discharge from the hospital, and his mother would probably cook something special. So they should eat at home first and then go to the movies - can''t miss out on good food. Zhuang Zhixi smiled happily as he thought about these ns.


    He returned to the medical room with money in his pocket, where Doctor Wang was tending to flowers - well, actually pulling them out.


    Zhuang Zhixi went over and asked, "Doctor Wang, what''s this...?"


    "Roses, know them?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, I do."


    Although growing flowers wasn''tmon, they lived in the capital city after all, so people here were more knowledgeable than those from other ces. These roses, while not abundant, were something they had all heard of and asionally seen.


    He was puzzled: "But why are you pulling them all out...?"


    Doctor Wang sighed and said, "They''re from my ssmate''s garden, they don''t want them anymore. I thought I''d take them home to make some rose pastries."


    Policies were strict now, and growing flowers could be politically sensitive if not exined properly, especially roses that symbolized love. Yes, even though it was only the 1970s, young people knew a bit about this.


    When he was in elementary school, he and other kids would squat outside the Old Moscow Restaurant, drooling as they watched Russians carrying flowers and walking in with their leather shoes. It really shocked these little country bumpkins at the time.


    But things were different now. Growing flowers itself wasn''t quite appropriate, especially these kinds. Some families simply pulled them all out to avoid trouble. Zhuang Zhixi looked curiously and asked, "Doctor Wang, could I have a few?"


    Doctor Wang looked up at Zhuang Zhixi in surprise and said, "What do you want these for?"


    Then she immediately pped her forehead and said, "Look at me, what else would you want them for?"


    They were newlyweds after all, different from others.


    She said, "Sure, I can''t use them all. Pick whichever ones you like, take more, but it''s better not to nt them at home. Just put them in a vase for a few days."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I''m also going to make rose pastries at home."


    Doctor Wang pointed at him from afar and said, "You little fox."


    He picked a few good ones, and Doctor Wang smiled and said, "Take more, don''t be shy. I can''t use them all and would have to throw them away anyway. Rose pastries are just for novelty, I can''t make a whole pot, and I don''t have that much flour either. Go ahead and choose."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Alright then, I''ll pick a few more, make it nine, for eternal love."


    All the female colleagues suddenly felt their teeth ache from the sweetness, and Doctor Wang sighed: "That''s youth for you. If I asked my husband to say something like this, he''d ask if I was sick and forgot to take my medicine."


    "Mine would ask if my head got caught in a door."


    "You''re lucky. If it were my husband, he''d send me straight to the hospital for a head examination."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled as he arranged the nine roses, saying, "What are you all talking about? I just said it casually, I really just want to make rose pastries, that''s why I''m taking some flowers home."


    He wouldn''t admit he was taking them home as a romantic gesture - such things had to be done secretly. But fortunately, if he insisted on making rose pastries, there was no point in arguing about it.


    After all, they couldn''t stop someone from eating, could they?


    Zhuang Zhixi arranged the roses and ced them under the table. As they chatted, one of the nurse seniors said, "Little Zhuang, Zhou Qun''s mother from your courtyard was taken out by her daughter-inw this morning. Did you know?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I heard about it. As soon as I got to the factory this morning, I heard the security office discussing it. Wonder how long this auntie will stay quiet after going back."


    "Well, that''s not what I wanted to talk about. I mean, she''s really vicious. When Jiang Lu went to pick her up, she grabbed Jiang Lu''s hair and pped her face. Jiang Lu tried to block with her hands and got scratched up badly. I happened to pass by on my way to work and saw it. She was forcefully pinching and twisting Jiang Lu''s arms. How can this olddy be so cruel? When she acts like this in your courtyard, hasn''t anyone reported her to the Women''s Federation?"


    The nurse senior really looked down on such people - in this day and age, still tormenting daughters-inw.


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "She''s never hit anyone in front of us, we only hear her verbal abuse. I don''t know if she hits people in private, but I''ve never seen any injuries on Jiang Lu, so I guess probably not. But she does often go into hysterical rants. She''s quite unreasonable in our courtyard, but who can interfere in their family matters? Even if you try to help, it might not work. Take my mother for example, she used to speak up for Jiang Lu many times, but Jiang Lu always defended her mother-inw. So what can you say to that? Now my mother doesn''t get involved much anymore, it''s between the mother-inw and daughter-inw. If that''s what they want."


    Zhuang Zhixi had actually noticed that since his marriage, his mother had changed somewhat, bing different from before - more decisive and more spirited. Of course, her attitude toward neighbors had also subtly changed.


    But Zhuang Zhixi thought this was good.


    Sometimes you try to be a good person, but the person involved doesn''t appreciate it and continues the same behavior. Then no matter how much you do, it bes a joke. That''s why Zhuang Zhixi thought it was good that his mother could let go.


    Then again, he thought, his mother was busy now, always bustling about with life, and didn''t have time to mind others'' business.


    "In many cases, many things, it really makes you frustrated at theirck of fight," the nurse senior heard Zhuang Zhixi''s meaning and understood that as neighbors, they definitely wouldn''t interfere in this matter. She had originally wanted to suggest to Zhuang Zhixi that the neighbors jointly petition the Women''s Federation to help Jiang Lu.


    Wouldn''t that be a good deed?


    But seeing that Zhuang Zhixi clearly wasn''t interested, she dropped it.


    She didn''t know Jiang Lu personally, and if she stepped in just because she disapproved, it would probably be even more inappropriate.


    She said, "The worst is when the person involved is willing to ept it."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "That''s exactly it."


    Just then, the end-of-work music yed, and Zhuang Zhixi immediately stood up, smiling as he said, "I''m going home to make rose pastries."


    Everyone burst outughing, their words full of hidden meaning: "Well, Little Zhuang, make them well then."


    "Why don''t you bring some for us to taste tomorrow, let''s see how your rose pastries turn out?"


    Everyone teased him, but Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said seriously, "That won''t do. Making this requires a lot of flour, oil, and sugar. How can I bear to give it away?"


    His stingy words only made everyoneugh even harder. The flower biscuits, he clearly intended to take home to his wife, but he could still find an excuse. Doctor Wang shook his head with a smile, "My words actually gave him a good excuse."


    "Exactly."


    Zhuang Zhixi carried the flowers as he left work. He left early, and the infirmary was close to the main gate, so he was among the first to leave. Zhang San was on patrol at the gate and greeted Zhuang Zhixi, "Doctor Zhuang, what... why are you carrying flowers?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "I asked for some flowers to make flower biscuits at home."


    "Flower biscuits? Can flowers be eaten?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Why can''t they be eaten? Is there anything that can''t be eaten?"


    "True, back in 1960, I even chewed on tree leaves."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Same here, my mom always said I ate enough to bankrupt my father."


    "Yes, my parents said the same thing."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t linger and hurried home. Although he and his father both worked at the factory, they rarely left together. This was due to their different work natures.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s job was less demanding, so he prepared everything before the bell rang and left immediately. Old Man Zhuang, on the other hand, needed to organize his tools and sometimes change clothes. He usually didn''t bother changing and just left in his work clothes, but he was still slower than Zhuang Zhixi.


    As Zhuang Zhixi entered the courtyard, he saw Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, and kids from the back courtyard like Li Junjun and Li Weiwei running around. Xiao Yanzi''s eyes immediately stuck to the flowers.


    It was clear that boys and girls were different.


    The boys also saw the flowers but quickly looked away, not caring much. But Xiao Yanzi couldn''t take her eyes off them, saying, "Pretty flowers."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, they''re pretty."


    He went straight into the house without cing the flowers, instead hiding them in a cab. Turning around, he saw Xiao Yanzi peeking from the doorframe, her big eyes blinking.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Xiao Yanzi, what are you doing?"


    Xiao Yanzi bit her lip, lifting her little face, "Uncle, can I have one flower?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at her hopeful eyes and said firmly, "No."


    Xiao Yanzi''s pigtails drooped, looking very dejected. Zhuang Zhixi came to the door, crouched down to look at the little girl, and said to her at eye level: "This is for your aunt. If I give it to you, there won''t be enough. Next time, I''ll give you one, okay?"


    Xiao Yanzi pouted, very disappointed, but still nodded weakly, "Okay."


    The little girl''s sadness was palpable, but the boys were happily ying hopscotch, not caring about the flowers at all. Hutou shouted, "Sister,ter we''ll pick some dogtail grass for you!"


    Xiao Yanzi: "..."


    Even the little one knew that pretty flowers and ugly dogtail grass were different!


    Very different!


    Dogtail grass, not pretty!


    Li Junjun: "What''s fun about dogtail grass? Let''s find some ck oil, that''s delicious."


    Li Weiwei: "Yes, yes, that''s tasty."


    Hutou sighed, "My grandma said not to eat outside food recently~"


    He had just been discharged from the hospital and was quite worried.


    Li Junjun and Li Weiwei looked at each other and nodded, "Right, you almost got food poisoning from eating outside. You shouldn''t eat it. Hehe, all for us."


    One lesspetitor, not bad!


    Hutou, even more worried.


    The siblings each had their own worries.


    Zhuang Zhixi patted the little girl''s shoulder, "Dogtail grass isn''t pretty. Uncle will pick other flowers for you tomorrow, just for you, not for your brother or your aunt. Okay?"


    Xiao Yanzi sped her hands together, "Let''s share a little, we all should have some."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "So obedient."


    Xiao Yanzi didn''t get the red roses, but thinking that her uncle would bring her other flowers, she thought they would surely be better than dogtail grass. So the little girl was reassured.


    Dogtail grass, a life of being disliked.


    Xiao Yanzi soon joined her brother''s game, hopping in hopscotch with everyone.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched the lively children and asked, "Hutou, just out of the hospital and already jumping around, is your body okay?"


    Hutou: "I''m fine!"


    He waved his arms in circles, "Look, I''m strong, I''m healthy."


    Zhuang Zhixi turned back, "Call me when your auntes home."


    "Okay~"


    The soft, sweet little voice.


    Zhuang Zhixi entered the house and saw his mother making mugwort. The smell was strong. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What are you doing? Why are you putting mugwort water in a basin?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I''m making green rice balls."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He twitched his mouth, today everyone mentioned strange foods, first flower biscuits, then green rice balls. He asked, "Mom, do you know how to make them?"


    He had never seen his mother make them before. Zhao Guihua replied, "What''s there to know? I just need to think about it, there''s no technical difficulty. Do I need to be a chef to make a little snack?"


    She continued with the mugwort water, suddenly remembering, "You''re off tomorrow, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Thene with me to the countryside, we''ll go fishing and pick some more mugwort. The weather''s warming up, and there are more insects and mice. Hanging some at the door and in the house is good."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure!"


    He peeked out the window, "Hey, the Zhou family hasn''te back? Madam Zhou Li was taken away by Jiang Lu, hasn''t she returned?"


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, "She''s in the hospital."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Just three days of hunger, shouldn''t eating something be enough? Why the hospital?


    It wasn''t unusual for Zhuang Zhixi to think this way. People usually didn''t go to the hospital for minor issues. So he was surprised.


    Zhao Guihua exined, "I guess... Madam Zhou Li wanted to be hospitalized to be cared for by Jiang Lu. Think about it, if she went home, Jiang Lu would have to stay in the hospital to care for Zhou Qun, and she might neglect Madam Zhou Li. But in the hospital, Jiang Lu could care for both in one room."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s quite something. But there''s more, right?"


    Zhao Guihua looked at him, "Yes,ter she got into a fight with Bai Fendou, really hurt, her face swollen like a bun, and got kicked by Bai Fendou. At her age, already weakened, and then injured. I guess she won''t be back for ten or fifteen days."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    This was...


    He mused, "It''s really strange."


    But soon, he smiled slightly, "Mom, I think some things are just meant to be. You know, even the heavens are helping us."


    Zhao Guihua was puzzled, "What do you mean?"


    Why suddenly talk about metaphysics?


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, a meaningful smile, "Look, in our front yard. Su''s family has one in the hospital; Zhou''s family has two, and Bai''s family has one. Four people in the hospital. Their families are tied up in the hospital too. So, if we do something, no one will know, right?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    That makes sense.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Tomorrow, let''s go to the outskirts together and see if we can catch some fish. I don''t believe that with both of us working together, we won''t seed."


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement, feeling that Zhuang Zhixi had a point.


    However, upon closer inspection, it was indeed quite strange. Every household in their front courtyard had someone hospitalized. You could say it was bizarre. Regardless of the reasons, everyone had someone hospitalized.


    Zhao Guihua: "Do you think we might have offended something?"


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help but chuckle, saying, "Mom, what are you thinking? That''s impossible. This is purely an ident. Think about it, it''s quite normal. With the personality of Madam Zhou, she''d get into trouble for one reason or another. Her mouth is so foul, her behavior so mean, it''s strange she hasn''t gotten into a fight yet. And Aunt Su, even if it wasn''t because of this dog incident, she always spoils Jii and the other two boys. Those boys are troublemakers, it''s inevitable they''d get into trouble sooner orter. As for Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun, it''s no surprise either. They''ve always had a rivalry, it''s not something that just started."


    He paused and continued, "So this ident isn''t really surprising. Even if it wasn''t this incident, there would have been another."


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re right, but thinking about it still makes me nervous. But we can only talk about this at home, who would dare say it outside?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You understand that, right?"


    The olddy snorted, saying, "Do you think I''m a fool? Of course, I understand."


    This matter, you really can''t say that only Zhao Guihua and her son had this thought. Many people in the courtyard had simr thoughts, but like the Zhao family, no one would talk about it outside. Gettingbeled as promoting feudal superstitions wouldn''t be good.


    However, everyone just thought about it casually, except for one person who thought too much.


    This person was none other than Madam Zhou Li. As she sat on her hospital bed, she pondered recent events and suddenly asked, "Has our courtyard been gued with troubles since the day we fell into the cesspit while catching thieves?"


    The two strangers, Old Man Lan and the young man, immediately looked at Madam Zhou Li. They hadn''t heard about their experience falling into the cesspit before.


    "Ahem."


    "Ahem, ahem!"


    Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun, rarely in agreement, both coughed incessantly, not wanting to recall their miserable past. Zhou Qun especially didn''t understand why his mother brought it up.


    Zhou Qun: "Mom, why don''t you rest for a while?"


    Madam Zhou Li: "I''m not sleepy, why rest?"


    Zhou Qun, restraining his anger, said, "Resting is always good, Mom."


    Hisst word was slightly emphasized, and Madam Zhou Li finally realized that this wasn''t something to discuss in front of others.


    Madam Zhou Li forced a smile and said, "Then I''ll lie down for a bit."


    Lying in bed, her mind was in turmoil. Look at how unlucky they''d been recently; the entire front courtyard had been hospitalized. Could this be mere coincidence? Clearly, something was amiss.


    Although there hadn''t been any rumors of ghosts for a long time, Madam Zhou Li firmly believed in them. She had even heard from Jiang Lu that they had heard a woman''s voice near the toilet that night.


    So, Madam Zhou Li believed in ghosts and thought that the recent misfortunes might be due to the time they fell into the cesspit. Perhaps they had picked up some unclean spirits, affecting their luck and leading to hospitalizations.


    The Su family had someone fall in, and Aunt Su was sleeping beside her.


    Bai Fendou had fallen in, and he was lying across from her, lost in thought.


    And her son was also lying there, deep in thought. All three families had fallen into the toilet.


    As for the Zhuang family, although no one from their family had fallen in, Madam Zhou Li believed their strong aura had still been slightly affected by the misfortunes of the other three families.


    Yes, it must be so.


    She bit her corner of the nket, bing more convinced of her reasoning. Those fools wouldn''t think as deeply as she did. They probably thought it was just an ident. Only she, with her keen insight, had seen through the truth.


    However, she wasn''t worried or scared.


    She had a n.


    She could find a shaman. Spending money was necessary for help. She nced at the others and met Aunt Su''s gaze. She snorted and turned over, maliciously thinking that she wouldn''t let anyone else know.


    She wanted everyone else to suffer while only her family escaped the misfortune.


    She coughed and said, "Jiang Lu, help me to the toilet."


    Jiang Lu quickly came over: "Okay, Mom, take it slow."


    Despite being beaten, Jiang Lu was still a good daughter-inw, taking good care of Madam Zhou Li.


    Aunt Su frowned, feeling that Madam Zhou Li was hiding something. She wanted to investigate but knew she couldn''t follow too closely. She decided to keep a closer eye on this old woman, sensing a secret.


    As Madam Zhou Li and Jiang Lu left the room, seeing no one around, Madam Zhou Li whispered, "Jiang Lu, I think our courtyard is cursed. Thest time they fell into the cesspit, they must have brought something out... We ordinary people can''t handle this. Go find Auntie Lian, the shaman. She must have a way. Tell her to help us, see how we can break the curse."


    Jiang Lu nodded seriously: "Okay, I''ll go now."


    Madam Zhou Li stopped her, shaking her head: "You''re foolish. You can''t go now. If you suddenly leave, they''ll suspect something. This matter is only known to our family. We want everyone else to keep suffering. If they find out, everyone will be fine, and that''s no good."


    She hoped others would suffer.


    Jiang Lu: "Okay, then I''ll say I''m going home to prepare clothes for you in the evening and secretly find Auntie Lian..."


    "That''s a good idea!"


    Madam Zhou Li thought this n was excellent.


    It''s no wonder they say tobat superstition; otherwise, such muddle-headed olddies could be easily swindled. But she was already on her way to being swindled, still afraid of others benefiting from her misfortune.


    With these families in the hospital, their courtyard was much quieter.


    When Ming Mei returned home from work, only children were ying in the courtyard. Xiao Yanzi, quicker than her brother, shouted loudly, "Uncle Zhuang, my aunt is back!"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly came out of the house. Ming Mei smiled charmingly, saying, "What, missing me that much?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Yes, I missed you. Come here."


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow, curious about what he wanted to do. She followed Zhuang Zhixi into the house. He said, "Close your eyes."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    She obediently closed her eyes. Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly, hiding a bouquet behind him, and said, "Open your eyes."


    Ming Mei opened her eyes: "Huh?"


    There was nothing but him.


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly pulled his hand back and said, "Dangdang, this is for you!"


    Ming Mei: "Ah!"


    She instantly burst intoughter, covering her mouth in surprise, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She looked up at him, saying, "For me? You''re giving this to me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, for you, isn''t it beautiful?"


    Ming Mei nodded vigorously: "It''s beautiful."


    She took the flowers, her cheeks flushed redder than the flowers themselves, her whole being radiating a sweet smile, as if she had just tasted honey. Herrge almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents as she lowered her head to smell the flowers, saying, "These are roses."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, do you like them?"


    Ming Mei nodded: "I love them!"


    She wrapped her arms around Zhuang Zhixi''s neck and boldly kissed his cheek, saying, "I really love them, so much."


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite pleased: "I knew you would. There are nine flowers here, symbolizing our long andsting love."


    Ming Mei''s smile widened, humming a cheerful tune, "Then I''ll put them in a vase, let''s find a bottle."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    He even boasted: "When I came back, Xiao Yanzi asked for them, but I didn''t give them to her."


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly: "You''re the best."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, I take good care of my wife. Wait for me, I''ll go to my mom''s room to get a jar, perfect for putting flowers in."


    Ming Mei pouted: "Okay."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly returned, and the couple swiftly arranged the roses in the jar. Ming Mei was overjoyed, like a chirping little magpie. Sometimes, a girl''s happiness is that simple.


    She propped her chin on her hand, saying, "It''s so beautiful."


    She must have muttered "it''s so beautiful" countless times before she looked up: "Where did you get these from?"


    Such beautiful flowers couldn''t be picked from the roadside.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, saying, "I got them from someone, Doctor Wang from our clinic. Her friend gave them to her after uprooting a flowerbed. She originally nned to make flower cakes at home, but I thought they deserved a better fate."


    Ming Mei smiled coquettishly, saying, "That''s wonderful."


    Where they came from didn''t really matter; what mattered was that Zhuang Zhixi had this thought.


    She excitedly said, "When the flowers dry, I''ll pluck the leaves and make bookmarks out of them."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, saying, "Won''t they wilt?"


    Ming Mei widened her eyes, saying, "Even if they wilt, they''ll still be my favorite flowers. Because they''re from you."


    Zhuang Zhixi was equally delighted, pulling his wife into an embrace and kissing her cheek, saying, "In the future, I''ll give you many more."


    Ming Mei softly murmured, her eyes sparkling as she nodded.


    Zhuang Zhixi was pleased: "Oh, and I got my sry today, here, it''s yours."


    He took out his pocket money and handed it to Ming Mei, who then took out ten yuan, saying, "Keep this for yourself, and give it to Momter for next month''s living expenses."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure."


    The young couple discussed matters amicably.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I n to go fishing with Mom tomorrow, do you want toe?"


    Ming Mei immediately jumped up: "I''ll go! Besides the two kids, I''m the only one who hasn''t been! How could I miss it?" She really wanted to go. But then she remembered she had to work tomorrow.


    No worries, though.


    Ming Mei: "I''ll go to my colleague''s houseter, I''ll ask her to cover my shift tomorrow, and I''ll cover hers next time."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I''ll go with you."


    "Great! Zhixi, you''re the best."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Because you''re Ming Mei, you''re my wife."


    Ming Mei giggled, the couple''s mood today was exceptionally good.


    Ming Mei ced the jar with the roses on the table, admiring it with great delight. After all, roses were scarce these days. Even more so because they were from Zhixi. They held a special meaning.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I originally wanted to take you to the movies tonight, but since we''re going to your colleague''s house, let''s do it next time."


    Ming Mei: "Okay~"


    She said softly, "Next time, there aren''t any new movies anyway, it''s more fun watching the neighborhood squabbles. The cinema always ys old movies, nothing new. But the neighborhood fights are always fresh, always something new."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh right, I have to tell you, today at the hospital..."


    The young couple were quite the gossipers.


    But was that strange?


    Not really, with so few forms of entertainment, people could talk about anything for ages. Like the incident with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou falling into the cesspit, it was still a hot topic. Whenever someone had a visitor, they''d take them to see the "attraction."


    "No swimming here" was a notable sight on the street.


    It was rumored that a rtive of Old Chen from the back street hade all the way from Tong County just to see it, quite absurd!


    Dinner was nice tonight, and after the meal, the young couple quickly went to Ming Mei''s colleague''s house. Everything was settled, and on their way back, they ran into Old Man Lan at the alley entrance. Ming Mei chirped, "Grandpa, where have you been?"


    Old Man Lan spoke arrogantly: "Out to eat."


    Ming Mei: "You''re living quite well, huh."


    Old Man Lan: "Of course, I''m different from you. I wouldn''t be happy living like you, struggling every day."


    Ming Mei chuckled, saying, "We had meat for dinner too, it was pretty good."


    Old Man Lan: "Little fool."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Why the sudden personal attack?


    She looked quite clever, didn''t she?


    Old Man Lan: "A few bites of meat, what''s the point."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Many families couldn''t even afford to eat meat.


    Old Man Lan: "But I won''t treat you to a meal, so whether you eat well or not, you''re on your own."


    Ming Mei: "Oh..."


    She hadn''t expected the old man to treat her anyway.


    Ming Mei felt she didn''t quite understand the old man.


    At that moment, Old Man Lan fished out a White Rabbit candy from his pocket, saying, "Here."


    He stuffed his hands back into his pockets, saying, "I''m going back to my room."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at the White Rabbit candy in Ming Mei''s hand, pouting, "Grandpa, no candy for me?"


    Old Man Lan: "Oh, you''re such a filial grandson-inw, haha, haha~" He finished his fakeugh, saying, "Get lost!"


    Without even turning back, he strode arrogantly, opened the door, mmed it shut!


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei looked at each other, then burst outughing. Ming Mei said, "My grandpa is quite the character, my mom always said he''s a strange old man."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I find him quite interesting. I think if I spend more time with him, my ability to annoy people could increase tenfold."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "You, don''t learn any bad habits."


    Zhuang Zhixi innocent: "I''m actually very good."


    Ming Mei peeled the candy and put it in her mouth, saying, "So sweet."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s go back to our room, I want to taste how sweet the candy is too."


    Ming Mei: "I ate it, how will you taste it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a meaningful smile, and Ming Mei suddenly understood. She punched him, saying, "You''re so naughty!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Am not!"


    Ming Mei: "Hmph!"


    The two of them pushed and shoved, soon returning to their room to taste the sweetness of the White Rabbit candy... Yes, very sweet.


    Truly, exceptionally sweet.


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that among all the times he had eaten White Rabbit candy, this one seemed sweeter than any other. Sweet to the core of his heart. This over-sweetness led to the couple... oversleeping.


    Zhao Guihua: "I really have to thank you two, can''t you sleep in on another day? You really can dawdle, the sun''s high, and you''re still not up, I''m about to panic."


    The newlyweds, red-faced, quickly apologized with folded hands.


    It was indeed their fault; Zhao Guihua had reminded them to leave early yesterday!


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, hurry up and go."


    Liang Meifen saw them off, asking, "You''re noting back for lunch, right?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "We won''t be back for lunch. Just make do with something simple. We''ll be back victorious tonight! Let''s have a feast then!"


    Liang Meifen: "¡­Alright!"


    In truth, she was quite skeptical about whether her mother-inw could actually seed. It had been so long since they bought the fishing rod, and they still hadn''t managed to catch a single fish. It was hard to trust her ability. However, Liang Meifen didn''t dare to voice her doubts. She said, "I''ll wait until you return in the evening to start cooking."


    "Sure."


    "We''ll be back after fishing tonight. Let''s have fish stew."


    Zhao Guihua was quite confident, but Liang Meifen, as the daughter-inw, was full of doubts.


    "Alright, let''s go, go, go. Don''t dy."


    Two bicycles, four people, set off together.


    This time, Old Man Zhuang also joined them.


    Zhuang Zhixi carried Ming Mei, while Old Man Zhuang carried Zhao Guihua. They were fully equipped with fishing rods,s, baskets, and baskets on their backs¡ªnothing was left out. It was a real show of determination.


    No matter the oue, with such aplete set of equipment, they had to catch a lot to justify it.


    Ming Mei was particrly excited to be going up the mountain with them for the first time. She hummed a tune along the way: "Liuyang River, how many bends have you crossed..."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly joined in: "A journey of dozens of miles to the Xiangjiang River..."


    When the young couple reached the outskirts, they didn''t hold back and sang merrily.


    Zhao Guihua had almost forgotten the lyrics to this song but was very familiar with the melody. She didn''t like modern pop songs at all. She preferred these old tunes, and the only modern ones she liked were by Phoenix Legend.


    She enjoyed listening to them, but others just didn''t suit her taste.


    She sang along with her son and daughter-inw, while Old Man Zhuang pedaled the bike with a smile on his face.


    The family of four rode for quite a while before reaching the outskirts. It took even longer to ride up the mountain. That''s why Zhao Guihua wanted to leave early¡ªthe distance was indeed not short. Ming Mei felt they had been riding for over an hour and a half, nearly two hours.


    It was quite a distance.


    No wonder, this was already the outskirts.Aliali: 6754b6e1bd5e46c308a4c310


    When they reached the mountain, Ming Mei felt her eyes couldn''t take it all in. She looked around everywhere, as she rarely went up the mountain. Her usual range of activities had always been within the city, and ces like this were seldom visited. Generally, city kids wouldn''te here. It was too far without adult supervision, and adults wouldn''t bring children here for no reason.


    Ming Mei looked around and said, "I bet there are a lot of wild fruits in the mountains. Let''s take a look around."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "That''s what I thought too."


    Ming Meiughed.


    Although they talked about picking wild fruits, their main goal was still the pond, as fishing was the most important. No matter how delicious the wild fruits were, could theypare to fish? Absolutely not!


    The family of four quickly headed towards the pond. The location of the pond was quite special. Once you found it, it seemed easy toe back. But if you didn''t notice it, it was a bit tricky to find, as it was somewhat secluded and not easy to spot from a distance, making it look like a dead end. Naturally, no one would head this way.


    When they arrived, Ming Mei jumped off the back of the bicycle and quickly looked ahead. She saw a green mountain pond with rippling water...


    Ming Mei: "It''s so beautiful here."


    She swallowed hard and added, "There must be fish!"


    Well! She was definitely craving some fish!

 Chapter 48

    As the absolute boss of the family, Zhao Guihua was the one in charge of everything.


    Watching Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei darting around like wild rabbits, she said, "That''s enough, let''s divide up the work."


    Ming Mei responded, "Sure, you tell us!"


    They hade to the mountain to catch fish, not for a spring outing, so Ming Mei became serious: "We''ll do whatever you say!"


    Ming Mei rarely went to the mountains and knew nothing about such wild ces, but she had a good personality and never acted superior about things she didn''t understand, always following instructions well. Zhao Guihua nodded with satisfaction and said, "Let''s split into two groups. Old man, you and I will fish together on this side. I borrowed a fishing from Sister Wang, so we can try using that if needed. Let''s see how it goes. Third son, you and your wife take the basket and look around to see if you can find any wild fruits or something. If not, gather some wormwood to take home."


    She paused, then asked, "You can recognize wild fruits, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi felt wronged: "Mom, I''m not an idiot who doesn''t know what''s edible. You think I''m as little as Hutou? Don''t worry."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "Alright, that''s how we''ll divide up the morning. Come back here for lunch, and after we eat, we''ll adjust based on the situation. We''ll see whether to dig for wild vegetables or check out the rabbit holes."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "Rabbits are clever. Since you blocked their holesst time, they''ve probably abandoned them."


    He knew a thing or two about this. Zhao Guihua wasn''t too concerned about it though, nodding as she said, "Fine, we''ll go check in the afternoon anyway. If we catch a rabbit while searching through the grass, great; if not, no big deal. We mainly came up here to fish anyway. I just can''t believe that I, Zhao Guihua, can''t catch even one fish!"


    She continued, "There''s nothing wrong with my bait either."


    She was truly frustrated. She had been practicing for quite a while, going fishing whenever she had time, sometimes specifically biking up to the mountain, but the results were, well, very disappointing. Zero catches, to be exact.


    It was really irritating.


    "Could it be that we caught too many fish before, and there are none left?"


    "Pfft, how is that possible?" As soon as Zhuang Zhixi finished speaking, he met his mother''s death re. He immediately coughed and looked everywhere but at his mother, changing the subject: "Oh my, Ming Mei, shouldn''t we get going?"


    Zhao Guihua let out a heavy snort and said, "You little rascal."


    Zhuang Zhixi grabbed the basket, took his wife''s hand, and quickly fled. As he ran away, he whispered to his wife, "I don''t think my mom has any talent for fishing."


    Zhao Guihua roared like a lioness: "Zhuang Zhixi, you little brat, I heard that!!!!"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately covered his ears while Ming Mei doubled over withughter.


    The couple quickly left. Zhuang Zhixi looked around and said, "Let''s make a marker so we don''t get lost trying to find our way back."


    Ming Mei gave him a surprised look and said, "Don''t worry, I remember the way."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately smiled and said, "Wow, my wife is so capable!"


    Ming Mei put her hands on her hips proudly, pretending to be cocky: "What did you expect? When I was little, I often climbed into my dad''s car and went out with him. I''m very good at remembering routes, I''m used to it."


    Zhuang Zhixi gave her a thumbs up.


    Ming Mei said, "Let''s go! I''ve rarely been to the mountains before. Are there wild fruits in this season? Don''t fruits usually ripen in autumn?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "We''ll look around. If we find any, we''ll pick them; if not, it''s fine. Mom said we''ll adjust after lunch anyway."


    Ming Mei nodded and smiled, "Alright."


    She proudly said, "I''ve always been a lucky person, maybe we''ll find something good."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and teased, "Are you bragging?"


    Ming Mei: "...What bragging? I''m telling the truth."


    They wandered around together. Taking a walk in spring was truly wonderful, even if they found nothing, it felt great. The whole mountain was much greener than when they hade before New Year''s. While Zhuang Zhixi felt nostalgic about this, Ming Mei didn''t.


    After all, it was her first time here, and she happily looked around everywhere. Zhuang Zhixi said, "My mom picked some strawberriesst time, but unfortunately, Hutou was in the hospital, so she took them all to him. Ever since we had Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, I''m no longer mom''s favorite child..."


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi teasingly.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed wistfully, but quickly brightened up and said, "But fortunately, my brother says the same thing."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "My brother and sister are close in age, so they don''t feel much of an age gap, but I''m several years younger than them. So when I was born, my brother and sister were already somewhat grown up. My brother often says I stole mom''s love. I stole it from him back then, and now his son has stolen it from me. Talk about karma!"


    Ming Mei: "Pfft."


    Seeing her unable to contain herughter, Zhuang Zhixi said, "You''re like a water fountain with all that spraying."


    Ming Mei pouted coquettishly: "I can if I want to... Oh, oh oh, look, there are strawberries over there!"


    "Let me see, let me see!"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately turned around: "Where, where?"


    Sure enough, there was a cluster of wild strawberries on the ground not far away. They immediately went over, and Zhuang Zhixi picked a bright red one and held it to his wife''s lips. Ming Mei didn''t hesitate to eat it, her eyes lighting up: "It''s very sweet!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let me taste..."


    Ming Mei quickly covered her mouth and said, "What taste? Behave yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi innocently said, "Look at you, misunderstanding me again. I meant picking one to taste! What were you thinking? Hey, wife, you''re the one with inappropriate thoughts now."


    Ming Mei reached out to pinch Zhuang Zhixi''s waist, and he cried out, "Ah!!!"


    Ming Mei smacked him: "Stop yelling! What if mom and dad misunderstand?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Misunderstand what?"


    He blinked and teased, "What could I possibly do to you here?"


    Ming Mei''s concern about misunderstanding was about "encountering wild beasts or danger in the mountains."


    But obviously, Zhuang Zhixi was thinking of a different kind of misunderstanding, which was quite ridiculous.


    After chasing and ying around for a while, they finally finished picking the strawberries and wrapped them in leaves before putting them in the basket. In this season, besides strawberries, they could only find mountain cherries and mountain dates in their area. The young couple searched for a while longer and indeed found some dates.


    Looking at the basket nearly half-full of dates, Ming Mei happily said, "This is really great! Who in the city would think there are so many wild fruits in the suburbs? If people knew, many woulde up to the mountain."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "You think everyone has as much free time as we do? Ask mom if she woulde specifically for wild fruits if there wasn''t fishing here."


    Ming Mei realized he was right. They had bicycles, but without them, they would need to take the bus to the suburbs, which would cost twenty cents for a round trip. Wild fruits couldn''t substitute for meals, so people might not be willing toe.


    Of course, there might be wild rabbits and chickens on the mountain, but you''d have to be lucky enough to encounter and catch them, right?


    So it wasn''t that they were particrly lucky, but rather that others weren''t foolish and considered practical matters. While there might be harvests on the mountain, they weren''t guaranteed to be substantial enough to make it worthwhile.


    Ming Mei: "Let''s continue. Mom always catches rabbits when shees here, she''s like a rabbit killer. I refuse to believe we can''t do it!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Then let''s keep trying."


    They smiled at each other, and Ming Mei said, "I... Oh my god!!!"


    Ming Mei was in the middle of talking to Zhuang Zhixi when she suddenly burst out and darted forward with a quick step. Zhuang Zhixi was a bit slower than Ming Mei but quickly followed, and at this point, they both saw that there really was a wild rabbit.


    You could say this rabbit was quite foolish - they had just been talking about rabbits, and here one was, walking right into their trap.


    The two quickly chased after the rabbit, one in front and one behind. Ming Mei moved very quickly. After running a few steps, she stopped, immediately picked up a stone, took aim, and threw it... whoosh!


    The rabbit stumbled and was hit, and Ming Mei quickly pounced over, grabbing its ear: "I told you to run!"


    She turned triumphantly, showing off: "Look, am I amazing?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed out loud, sincerely saying: "You''re incredible, wife!"


    The rabbit was still kicking its legs. Zhuang Zhixi poked its head and said, "This rabbit''s escape skills are not up to par."


    Ming Meiughed and said, "It''s clearly because I''m amazing. No matter how fast it runs, it can''t escape my grasp."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "So you''re the big demon king?"


    Ming Mei pouted and raised her chin, saying, "Is that not okay?"


    She scratched her head and said, "The title ''Big Demon King'' doesn''t sound very nice. Change it for me."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "You''re like a fairy, what demon king nonsense, that''s all just me talking rubbish."


    He nced around and saw a willow tree, pulling off a few branches to tie the rabbit up in a "five-flower" binding. He said, "Let''s go, since we''ve caught this rabbit, we should catch its old one and its children too, so they can be reunited."


    Ming Mei giggled: "How can you be so bad?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Look at you, isn''t it for everyone to have a good meal?"


    Ming Mei: "Oh, oh, oh."


    "Do you think our inws have any harvest?" Ming Mei looked at their decent catch and curiously asked Zhuang Zhixi. Since Zhuang Zhixi had been with Ming Mei the whole time, he naturally didn''t know, but that didn''t stop them from specting.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hard to say. Visibly, my mom''s fishing skills aren''t great, not sure if she can think of other methods. Like breaking ice in winter and deep stirring with branches, it sounds strange but actually makes sense. But now the weather is warm, the ice has melted, so the old method can''t be used. If we had a fisherman in the family, it might be easier to catch them all at once. But unfortunately, we don''t."


    Ming Mei tilted her head and thought, saying, "I think Mom can do it."


    Her mother-inw was reborn, with so much experience, she must have many methods. Even if she couldn''t fish today, she would surely think of something tomorrow or the day after!


    So Ming Mei believed that her mother-inw would eventually catch fish.


    She said, "I trust Mom."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at her with a sigh, "You''re so admiring of my mom, I''m getting jealous. I''m your most beloved sweetheart, you know."


    "Eww!" Ming Mei shivered, feeling goosebumps.


    She said, "Oh... you''re really something."


    Zhuang Zhixi confidently said, "Am I not your little sweetheart?"


    This guy could say such strange things so seriously, making you feel like it was all your overreaction. If I''m not embarrassed, then the embarrassed one is you. Zhuang Zhixi had such a strong heart and thick skin.


    She clicked her tongue, saying, "Did you talk like this when you were little? Did your mom not beat you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted, "Why would she beat me? I was so cute. When I was little, I was the best-looking boy on our street. Back then, customs were still there, many people got married and asked me to sleep on their bed. Look how amazing I was? I could earn candy just by sleeping on the bed."


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh again. She poked Zhuang Zhixi''s face and said, "You''re so thick-skinned."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "I''m earning money throughbor, what do you know..."


    "You are thick-skinned."


    "Am I not?"


    "You are!"


    The young couple bickered as they wandered around, quite happy. With a rabbit in hand and half a basket of fruit, they had a decent harvest. Even if they went back now, they wouldn''t be empty-handed, so they were quite cheerful,ughing and teasing...


    It''s true that a mother understands her son, and a son also understands his mother to some extent.


    Zhuang Zhixi guessed that his mom wasn''t very good at fishing, and that was indeed true. She fished for a while with no results. Old Man Zhuang, on the other hand, had already caught six or seven fish and put them in the basket by the shore, full of enthusiasm.


    One was gloomy, the other was ted.


    A very clear contrast.


    Old Man Zhuang tested the depth of the water and found a spot to cast the. Although he wasn''t very skilled since he had been a worker since he was young, their courtyard had Li the Cook, right?


    Li the Cook really lived up to his profession. Anything rted to food, he could figure out. He often asked everyone for help, and they all went to the river to casts and catch fish, then distributed the catch ording tobor.


    But it didn''tst long. Later, they didn''t have enough people.


    Old Su and Old Zhou left, and a few others didn''t want to get involved. In the end, only Li the Cook, him, and Old Bai were left. They were getting old and couldn''t manage it anymore. Later, policies changed, and they didn''t dare to go fishing together anymore. After all, the city was more strictly managed.


    Time passed, and they had long forgotten, but somehow, when they tried again, the feeling came back.


    And so, he did better than his wife, catching several fish one after another, happily. He said, "Hey, hey, here ites, here ites, wife, this one must be a big fish,e help me, it''s a bit heavy!"


    Zhao Guihua heard and, despite her strong disappointment, quickly ran over, took off her shoes, rolled up her pants, and rushed into the pond, Old Man Zhuang: "Quick!"


    The two of them pulled the together, straining, "One, two,e on, one, two!"


    "We must have caught something big."


    The happiest thing was to have a harvest.


    "Charge!"


    Finally, they pulled the up, and upon seeing it, the old couple burst intoughter.


    Old Man Zhuang almost let go: "This... hahaha!"


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you doing, hold on! Come on, pull it up before youugh!"


    She herself couldn''t hold back either! But they couldn''t lose heart, pulling it up wasn''t the end, getting it ashore was! They held back theirughter and quickly dragged the to the shore. Zhao Guihua was so tired she sat down directly, pointing at the andughing uncontrobly. She said, "How could such a thing happen!"


    Old Man Zhuang alsoughed hard, but he still went forward, picking up a stone and hitting it a couple of times, separating the "three fellows"!


    Three fellows?


    Yes, three fellows!


    They didn''t catch weeds or stones, but a real big fish. This fish was quiterge, almost a meter long. Who knew how such a big fish ended up in this small pond.


    Probably because no one had found it here, they grew wildly.


    But usually, such a big fish wouldn''t go to shallow waters. This fish was unlucky, encountering an attack!


    Poor fish!


    It''s unclear how this big fish provoked two turtles, or rather, soft-shelled turtles.


    The two turtles yed tactics, biting it from both sides. The big fish probably got hurt and fled, identally running into Old Man Zhuang''s. They got lucky.


    Zhao Guihua pointed at the three fellows andughed, Old Man Zhuang alsoughed, but he still hit them with stones. The old turtles hurt and retracted into their shells. Old Man Zhuang didn''t untie the, still trapping them. They couldn''t fit the big fish in their basket. As for the two turtles, they couldn''t put them in either, in case they got aggressive and ate the small fish.


    The small fish were their harvest too!


    Old Man Zhuang, usually introverted, was also a bit proud at this moment, saying, "Look, even though I''m old, I''m still quite capable, right? I''m telling you, even if Li the Cook is good at fishing, he hasn''t caught anything this big."


    Zhao Guihua nodded andughed, saying, "You''re very impressive."


    Old Man Zhuang immediately blushed, even though he was old, he could still be shy.


    Old Man Zhuang coughed and immediately stood up, feeling even more motivated. He said, "Then I''ll keep setting the!"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head. "No need, the is still holding fish."


    Her gaze fell on Old Man Zhuang''s legs, which were red and frozen from the cold. Although he had rolled up his trouser legs, his pants were still wet. Fishing like this was inevitable, no matter how careful you were.


    Although the weather was warming up, it wasn''t yet time to freely wade into the water.


    She decisively said, "Don''t go in anymore. Come over here and fish. I''ll gather some firewood to make a fire. You need to warm up or you''ll catch a cold."


    Old Man Zhuang mumbled and hesitated for a while before finally responding with an "oh." Despite his reluctance, he felt a warm glow inside. His olddy, always so caring, hehe!


    Zhao Guihua''s feet were also wet, so she decided to go barefoot. Old Man Zhuang quickly said, "Be careful of the stones and branches on the ground."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Do you really think I need you to tell me that? I''m the most cautious person there is."


    She picked up some nearby twigs. It hadn''t rained recently, so the twigs were very dry. Zhao Guihua busily collected a pile of firewood. Seeing plenty of dandelions, she decided to dig them up as well. Their courtyard didn''t have such "good stuff." Despite being wild vegetables, many people still dug them up.


    Anything edible saved money on buying vegetables, so it was always worth saving where you could.


    Dandelions were at their tenderest now, and Zhao Guihua worked diligently.


    Old Man Zhuang turned back to see his wife digging vigorously on the ground and smiled, shaking his head. Just then, his fishing rod twitched slightly. He immediately reeled in the line. Oh ho, not bad!


    Though not a big fish, it was still quite good.


    It was undeniable that Old Man Zhuang had a knack for fishing, far surpassing his wife Zhao Guihua in this regard.


    He smirked proudly, his smile a bit arrogant. People were always happy when they had a catch. The four essential things in life¡ªeating, drinking, defecating, and urinating¡ªeating was the first on the list.


    Old Man Zhuang called out loudly, "Guihua, I caught one!"


    Zhao Guihua pouted and said, "Don''t show off to me. I know I''m not good at this, and it hurts my heart."


    Old Man Zhuang quickly added, "You may not be good at fishing, but you can do other things. I love dandelions, especially the ones you dig. Besides, being good at fishing isn''t much. Being good at cooking fish is the real skill. Even Li the Cook can''tpare to your cooking."


    Zhao Guihua spat and said, "You''ve be quite slick with your words, always saying nice things."


    Though she said that, it was clear she liked hearing it. She stopped digging, stood up, and said, "I''ll get the fire started first. Warm up your feet."


    The firewood was so dry that it caught fire easily. Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but praise herself for being so clever. It was essential to bring everything you needed when going out. She had spent the morning waiting for Zhuang Zhixi and his wife, organizing the bag and packing everything she thought might be needed. Now it seemed like the best decision.


    Having matches with her was perfect.


    The fire was burning, and Zhao Guihua said, "Come warm up first, then we''ll fish. Today''s catch is already plenty. Even if we don''t get anything more, it''s enough." She added, "I wonder how Zhixi and his wife are doing."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "They certainly can''tpare to us. Our catch, who can match it?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement. "That''s true. Although Ming Mei has some martial arts skills, this is the mountains, not a fight. She can''t be of much use here. Our harvest must be better."


    "Definitely!"


    Both of them were warming up... "Gurgle gurgle!"


    Old Man Zhuang''s stomach growled. He rubbed his belly and said, "I''m hungry. It''s gettingte."


    Zhao Guihua said, "It must be noon by now."


    They had left the housete in the morning, and the bike ride took quite some time. They had also been busy for a while. Time flies when you''re busy.


    "Why haven''t those twoe back yet? Don''t they know they''re hungry?"


    Zhao Guihua had only brought a few steamed buns with her on this trip. It wasn''t that she was stingy, but bringing any dishes would just get cold. She had thought about making meat sandwiches, but they had been eating bettertely, and there wasn''t enough flour left at home.


    She hadn''t bought new flour yet, so she settled for steamed buns, just to make do for a meal. Still, Zhao Guihua hade with the hope of a good catch. That''s why she also brought some salt.


    Zhao Guihua said, "With the fire going, let''s grill some fish."


    She chuckled proudly, "I brought salt."


    Old Man Zhuang was a bit reluctant but had no say in the matter. He unconditionally trusted Zhao Guihua, as she was the one in charge at home.


    "Alright! I''ll handle it."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "Let''s pick a few smaller fish to grill? They''ll cook faster. If we use bigger fish, the inside might not be cooked while the outside burns."


    Zhao Guihua agreed, "Okay."


    Old Man Zhuang had already caught a few small fish earlier, which was perfect.


    "Should we start now or wait for Zhixi toe back?"


    Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s start now. You can eat after you''re done. No need to wait for them. They''lle back when they''re hungry. I bet they haven''t caught anything and are waiting toe back with something before showing up. That''s how it must be."


    Old Man Zhuang thought about it and said, "Makes sense."


    Meanwhile, the couple they were talking about... had a full catch.


    The old couple had indeed guessed wrong.


    It all started with a rabbit. The rabbit was tied up and thrown into the basket. The couple immediately went to look for its siblings. It turned out that rabbits were quite promiscuous creatures, reproducing rapidly. If this had been the 1960s, they would have been eaten out of existence.


    Back then, food was scarce, and even tree leaves were eaten, let alone rabbits. The outskirts were crowded with people.


    But in recent years, people rarely went to the outskirts, and the rabbits thrived, multiplying wildly. They were everywhere, though they were fast and not easy to catch. Ming Mei was adept at it because of her quick hands and good aim. Zhao Guihua had a hard time the first time, ending up disheveled and exhausted.


    The couple searched diligently for a while but found nothing.


    But just as they stopped looking and started pulling mugwort, they suddenly spotted a rabbit nest.


    There were five or six rabbits in the nest.


    It was unclear if they were rtives of the tied-up rabbit, but the couple immediately pounced. The rabbits reacted quickly, escaping three of them, but they still caught three.


    Ming Mei held one in each hand, triumphant.


    Zhuang Zhixi only caught one, but he was still happy. He couldn''tpare to a martial arts expert, after all.


    The first step in progress was having a catch.


    The couple quickly tied up the three rabbits and added them to the basket, which now had four rabbits.


    They were both ted, feeling like they were floating. Ming Mei eximed excitedly, "Why didn''t I discover this ce earlier? It''s like my lucky spot!"


    Zhuang Zhixi also smiled brightly, saying, "Let''se here often."


    Ming Mei nodded vigorously but then added, "But we can''te too often. We can''t catch them all out of existence. We need to sustainably manage them, leave room for them to grow."


    "Oh, you know a lot," Zhuang Zhixi teased.


    Ming Mei smiled, "Of course."


    She pouted and said, "I may not often venture into the wild, but I did go to school."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "That''s true."


    Heughed, then rubbed his stomach and said, "I''m a bit hungry. Let''s head back?"


    He added, "Let''s also see what my parents have caught. I''m sure it''s not as much as ours, because I have the most capable Ming Mei."


    Ming Mei said, "Alright, let''s go."


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Okay."


    The young couple walked back together. Surprisingly, despite chasing the rabbit and getting lost a few times, Ming Mei still remembered the way back clearly. It was evident that she had a good memory.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re really something, huh? The trees here all look the same, yet you can still remember the way?"


    Ming Mei: "What''s so hard about that? Just because they look the same doesn''t mean you can''t find differences. When I was little, my dad used to take me on drives and teach me how to read the road. I... oh! What was that?"


    "What''s wrong?" Zhuang Zhixi thought she had spotted something again, but Ming Mei said, "Something just caught my pants."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked down and said, "Oh, it''s just a twig." He bent down to pull it off and nced around, smiling. "Have you seen this nt before? Look at its fruit..."


    He pinched it, and the seemingly sturdy fruit turned into tiny ck dots, much smaller than grape seeds. Zhuang Zhixi continued, "When we were kids, we used this to catch sparrows. Sparrows love these seeds, so we''d scatter them on an open field and set up a. When the sparrows came down to eat, we''d yank the stick and trap them. Then we''d have sparrow kebabs. My brother and sister used to sneak off to do this. I knew they were going to catch sparrows, so I insisted on tagging along. They were so annoyed... haha! I was young, and while I couldn''t help, I still wanted to eat more. My brother and sister didn''t like me much back then."


    Ming Mei chided, "Hutou doesn''t seem like much of an older brother, though. He''s quite loving to his sister."


    "My brother and sister were good to me too, but back then, life was nothing like it is now. It was just after liberation, and things were really tough."


    Ming Mei thought about it and said, "I guess I was lucky. My family was always doing okay."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course. Being a driver has its perks."


    He looked at the nt and said, "I''ll take some of this back. You don''t see this in the city anymore. I''ll bring it back for Hutou to catch sparrows. We''ll be contributing to pest control, won''t we?"


    Ming Mei: "Sure."


    She rubbed her stomach and said, "Actually, I''m a bit hungry. Let''s hurry back after we''re done."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "Then let''s just go back now."


    Ming Mei widened her eyes: "What do you mean, ''forget it''? I want to see how you catch sparrows. Get to it."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and they both started picking the seeds, wrapping them inrge leaves. They gathered four bundles before stopping. Zhuang Zhixi: "Shall we head back?"


    "Okay!"


    The young couple each carried a small basket and walked back together. "Shall we sing a song?"


    "What should we sing? I''m too tired to sing. I want to eat... oh my god!" Ming Mei couldn''t help but swear! She was usually a well-mannered young woman and rarely used badnguage. This was just... too shocking. Who would have thought that while walking, a wild chicken would suddenly rush towards Ming Mei? Just as it was about to hit her, Zhuang Zhixi managed to grab it.


    This wild chicken was easier to catch than a wild rabbit!


    He held the chicken and was a bit dazed: "Wait, what..."


    He wiped his face and said, "Wife, I used to think you were joking when you said you had good luck, but now I see... you were being modest. This isn''t just good luck; this is luck on steroids. How can a wild chicken just run into you while you''re walking? This is too absurd!"


    Ming Mei: "Uh..."


    She did have good luck, but this was clearly a bit of an exaggeration!


    Was this wild chicken just throwing itself into her arms?


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said, "I''ve heard of the story about waiting for a rabbit to hit a tree, but I never thought I''d experience it myself."


    Was she really that lucky?


    Before she could fully process it, a rabbit also came running towards them. "Oh my god!" The couple was equally shocked!


    The situation was too absurd, and neither of them managed to catch the rabbit. The little rabbit quickly dashed past them and ran off into the distance... leaving the couple stunned.


    "No, that''s not right!" Zhuang Zhixi quickly realized, his expression turning serious. "They''re not running towards us because of your luck. They''re running for their lives."


    Ming Mei suddenly understood and said, "Yes, they''re running for their lives."


    Just as she finished speaking, they heard a rustling sound. Ming Mei looked up and nearly fainted: "Ahhhhhhh!!!"


    She let out a deafening scream!


    Zhuang Zhixi followed her gaze and also screamed: "Ahhhhh!!"


    Arge snake was coiled on a nearby tree, its tongue flicking as it red at them with a terrifying expression. Zhuang Zhixi: "Run!"


    Ming Mei: "Ah! Okay!"


    At this moment, any thoughts of fighting back were gone. They just needed to run!


    The snake seemed to sense their fear and slithered after them, its tongue flicking greedily.


    Ming Mei: "Ahhhhh!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ahhhh!"


    Ming Mei: "Why is it always chasing us? This is terrible!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows! It must be a coward, seeing us scared and trying to bully us!"


    Humans couldn''t understand the snake''s mind!


    They just needed to run for their lives!


    Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang had just finished roasting two fish when they faintly heard the couple''s heart-wrenching screams from the forest. Zhao Guihua was startled and immediately grabbed a kitchen knife.


    Old Man Zhuang: "You really came prepared."


    Zhao Guihua: "Something''s wrong. Let''s go!"


    They quickly headed towards the direction of the screams and met the couple running towards them. Ming Mei: "Mom, run! There''s a big snake chasing us!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh my god!"


    The sight was terrifying. The snake was huge, looking like it could eat a person!


    "Run!"


    Zhao Guihua waved the knife: "I''ll hold it off, you run!"


    Seeing her son and daughter-inw in danger, Zhao Guihua, despite her usual sternness, didn''t hesitate: "I brought a knife. I''ll hold it off!"


    Even in the midst of running, Ming Mei was stunned.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said: "Mom, go! Dad, take Mom and run!"


    He wouldn''t let his parents risk their lives. If something had to happen, he''d rather it be him: "Go! Give me the knife!"


    His mom could hold it off, so could he!


    "You..."


    At that moment, no one expected Ming Mei to suddenly snatch the knife from Zhao Guihua and throw it at the snake. The knife flew like a dart,nding right in the snake''s body. The snake instantly copsed.


    It was a perfect hit, right at the snake''s vital point!


    The panicked group suddenly fell silent. Zhuang Zhixi: "This..."


    Ming Mei panted: "I have better aim than you."


    She was about to step forward when Zhao Guihua stopped her: "Don''t go. Snakes are very resilient. Sometimes, even after they''re dead, their heads can still reflexively bite. We can''t take that risk."


    She might not have much knowledge, but she''d heard of such things. And indeed, there were cases where a dead snake''s head could still attack. They couldn''t gamble on that.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Mom''s right."


    They all stared at the snake, which seemed to be dead.


    "Looks like it''s really dead?"


    Zhao Guihua: "This thing is cunning. Let''s watch it a bit longer."


    Ming Mei: "Since you''re afraid that the snake might attack, why not just hit it on the head with a rock? If it''s smashed, it definitely won''t be able to attack anymore, right?"


    Oh, that... makes sense.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll do it!"


    From a not-so-far distance, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t so clumsy that he couldn''t hit it. With one throw, the snake''s head reflexively moved, but then a few more rocks followed, and soon it was a mess!


    Zhuang Zhixi put his hands on his hips: "Just tell me, tell me how amazing my wife is, she can even take care of this thing. She''s really something."


    Ming Mei patted her chest, grimacing: "This thing looks really disgusting."


    She hated these kinds of things the most.


    Zhuang Zhixi patted his wife''s shoulder and hugged her, saying: "Don''t be afraid, think about it, no matter how powerful it is, it''s not your match, you can take care of it in a minute, right? We have nothing to fear, do we?"


    Ming Mei took a deep breath and exhaled, saying: "Mmhmm."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s take it back and cook it into soup, eat it! See how it can still be so arrogant!"


    Ming Mei frantically waved her hands: "No way!"


    This time, she reacted quickly: "I''d rather die than eat this thing."


    Zhao Guihua, who was nearby, also spoke up, both disdainful and firm: "I''d rather die than eat it too!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He thought for a moment, then nodded: "Indeed, just thinking about it is disgusting, let''s not eat it. Besides, we don''t know if it''s poisonous, although even if it is, we can handle it, but who knows what this thing has eaten, maybe it came at us because it wanted to eat us, no, can''t think about it, the more I think, the more disgusting it gets."


    It was him who suggested eating it, and it''s still him who''s now disgusted by it.


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    So among the four of us, am I the only one who''s not disgusted?


    But he, being the kind of person who definitely wouldn''t go against his family, immediately said: "So if we''re not eating it, we should just leave it here?"


    "Why leave it?" came the unanimous reply.


    Zhao Guihua, Zhuang Zhixi, and Ming Mei, three people with six eyes, looked at Old Man Zhuang as if he were a fool, and they all said in unison: "Take it back and sell it!"


    Yes, everyone thought the same.


    This kind of thing, the recycling station would buy it!


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t take it to the recycling station first, I''ll have the doctor at our clinic identify it first to see if it''s poisonous. If it is, we''ll send it to the hospital, our clinic has a corresponding hospital, don''t think it''s just meat, actually the snake''s galldder, snake venom, maybe the hospital can use it. If the hospital buys it, it''s more valuable than selling the snake''s meat. That''s a profit."


    He looked at the big snake in front of him, saying: "Not sure if it''s poisonous, if it is, that''s great!"


    Those who don''t understand would think that non-poisonous is better.


    But as someone who knows a lot, Zhuang Zhixi deeply understands that being poisonous is what makes it valuable.


    Others might not know where to sell this thing, but he does! Their clinic, although part of the machinery factory, isn''trge in any aspect, so usually, medications and medical supplies are not applied for separately, the higher-ups arrange for them to go to the corresponding hospital, the one where Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun live. Zhuang Zhixi is a young guy at the clinic, usually busy with the back-and-forth coordination.


    He''s familiar with it!


    At this moment, when Zhuang Zhixi looked at the big snake again, it wasn''t a snake that wanted to eat people anymore, but... a golden ingot!


    This thing, it''s valuable.


    Although Zhuang Zhixi himself couldn''t say exactly how much it was worth, he had a good idea in his heart, things that are rare are valuable. He thought the same about everything.


    Rare, means valuable.


    His eyes became more and more sticky, looking at the big snake with a full expression of "love."


    At the same time, Ming Mei also reacted.


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up, she swallowed and asked: "Is this... very valuable?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Absolutely!"


    The two spouses looked at each other, no longer afraid, and burst outughing like a bell¡ªhehehehehehe!

 Chapter 49

    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei had just been chased and were running for their lives, but now they seemed to have regained their spirits and were no longer afraid. They circled around therge snake, which, although still terrifying and disgusting, did not deter Ming Mei, who was now full of joy. She said, "I think it must be poisonous. Otherwise, how could a harmless, non-venomous snake grow sorge and be so unafraid of humans?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "You''re right."


    After circling the snake a few times, he said, "But the problem is, how do we get this thing back?"


    It''s no wonder Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were afraid. This snake was truly terrifying, as thick as an adult man''s thigh and about a meter and a half long. What else could be more frightening? It was downright horrifying.


    If not for Ming Mei''s precise strike, directly hitting the snake''s vital point, it would have been difficult to subdue it, even with her martial arts skills. After all, dealing with such a creature has little to do with one''s martial prowess.


    Fortunately, Ming Mei''s martial arts skills were precise, and she knew how to use her strength effectively, managing to kill the snake with a single strike.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "This basket might not be big enough to hold it."


    The snake coiled up into arge mass, making it even more unnerving.


    Ming Mei suggested, "Let''s try to stuff it in. We can''t just carry it openly; it''s disgusting and might scare people on the way."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "We have no other choice. Mom, what do you think?"


    Zhao Guihua agreed, acknowledging that they didn''t have a better solution. She said, "Our preparations were insufficient."


    "No matter how well-prepared we were, who could have expected to encounter such arge creature?" Old Man Zhuangmented, "Why did we encounter suchrge creatures today?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly asked, "Did you catch a big fish?"


    It was no surprise that the young man reacted quickly, understanding immediately upon hearing this.


    Old Man Zhuang replied, "Indeed, we caught a big fish and two turtles. You wouldn''t believe how big those turtles were..."


    Zhao Guihua interrupted, "Let''s talk about it at home. Let''s first get this snake into the basket."


    She approached the basket of Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, only to fall silent.


    She looked up nkly and asked, "Did you catch all of this?"


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi both nodded. Zhuang Zhixi said, "My wife caught most of it. She''s really amazing."


    Zhao Guihua looked at Ming Mei again, inwardly marveling at how extraordinary she was, even more so than the lucky female leads she had read about. They weren''t just picking fruits; it was as if they were stocking up. Weren''t rabbits notoriously clever and hard to catch? How did they end up with so many?


    "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I''m just amazed at how capable Ming Mei is."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Isn''t that obvious? She took down that big snake with one strike. You should have realized that already."


    Zhao Guihua: "Uh..."


    It was indeed a valid point, and she couldn''t refute it.


    She took a deep breath and said, "Alright, let''s wrap these dates and strawberries in big leaves, severalyers thick, and put them in the rabbit basket. The fruit basket will hold the snake."


    After some deliberation, they realized it wouldn''t fit entirely, with a significant portion sticking out.


    Given the size of the snake and the limitations of their baskets, they were quite troubled. Zhao Guihua said, "I''ll find some willow branches to extend the basket."


    "Mom, do you know how?"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, "No, but we can improvise. At this point, we don''t care about aesthetics; getting it home is what matters. We may not know how to weave baskets, but we can braid, right? We''ll just extend it roughly to avoid scaring people."


    "Alright."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "Wait, you and your dad take the bus back. We''ll see you off and then ride back."


    There was no way to carry such arge snake.


    "Okay!"


    The family quickly got to work. Ming Mei, despite her earlier bravery, now found herself quite uneasy looking at the snake. It was hard to believe she had been the one to strike it down.


    Ming Mei stammered, "I-I..."


    Zhao Guihua said, "I know you''re scared. Your dad and I will handle it. You two go ahead. Oh no, I left a fire burning! Go check on it!"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei hurried to the pond, not out of concern for the fish but for fear of starting a forest fire. They quickly arrived and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Guihua had been cautious, starting the fire away from the woods and surrounding it with small stones as a precaution.


    However, the sight of the two roasted fish made themugh. The fish had turned into charred remains, even dogs wouldn''t eat them!


    The fire had also died down, leaving only a few embers.


    Zhuang Zhixi found the big fish and was amazed, "Look at this fish, it''s huge!"


    Ming Mei eximed, "That''s incredible!"


    She marveled at their parents'' skill, managing to catch such arge fish.


    Zhuang Zhixi, feeling a bit uneasy, nodded, thinking his parents were quite capable. He said, "You stay here and keep an eye on things. I''ll go help mom and dad. Add more firewood to keep the fire going, and we''ll roast the fishter."


    Ming Mei agreed, "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhixi returned to his parents, relieved that the distance was short. He found them trying to stuff the snake into the basket. Despite his unease, he helped.


    The sight of the snake made him shudder, even though he was a grown man.


    He said, "Let me help."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "No need, I''ve got it. Let''s gather some willow branches and reinforce it by the pond, then we''ll head down the mountain."


    "Good idea," Zhuang Zhixi agreed, realizing they couldn''t carry everything. There was still the big fish to consider, and even with four people, practical limitations had to be taken into ount.


    They returned to the pond. Ming Mei asked, "Should we roast the fish?"


    Zhao Guihua said, "You two go ahead. I''m not in the mood to eat after handling the snake."


    She felt queasy, recalling the feel of the snake''s skin on her hands¡ªugh!


    Ming Mei said, "We need to eat to have the strength to work. How about this, Zhixi and I didn''t touch the snake. We''ll roast the fish and skewer it on sticks for you to eat without touching it. What do you think?"


    It wasn''t that Ming Mei was greedy; she just knew they needed energy for the work ahead. Their proposal was epted.


    They ced the big fish in the fish basket, with a third still sticking out. Fortunately, the fish was nearly lifeless, otherwise, its tail twitching would have made their task even more challenging.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Zhixi, find some willow branches to tie the turtles and put them in the fish basket."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    Everyone went about their tasks separately. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were in charge of catching fish, while Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang reinforced and raised the basket for the snake. As they worked, Zhao Guihua said, "Third son, Ming Mei, since you two killed this snake, we old couple won''t take advantage of you."


    The two of them turned their heads simultaneously, looking at Zhao Guihua with incredulity.


    Although they hadn''t formally separated from the family, it was practically the same as being separated. But money and food were different matters. Previously, when Liang Meifen went up the mountain with them, everything they gathered was handed over to the family. Now, they were keeping it for themselves? This idea hadn''t even crossed their minds initially, so they were a bit dumbfounded.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing their stunned expressions, said, "I know what you''re thinking, but I have my own standards. The four rabbits, one wild chicken, and these wild fruits you caught were all handed over to the family. But this snake is different. It''s something you risked your lives for, and we can''t take it."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, "Right, we can''t take it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe, how can I be so shameless?"


    Ming Mei remained silent. As a daughter-inw, some things were better left unsaid. Her mother had taught her before her marriage to keep a low profile, not to meddle in matters that didn''t concern her, and to let her husband handle things. She wasn''t good at such things anyway.


    She blinked her big, innocent eyes, looking watery.


    Zhao Guihua: "If this snake were caught by your sister-inw, I wouldn''t take it either. This is different from a few fish, a rabbit, a chicken, or wild fruits. Your sister-inw and I go up the mountain together, and our harvests are the result of our teamwork. When we all go up the mountain, if we catch a rabbit, it''s a shared harvest for the family. But if you catch a big snake, a sheep, or a cow, and I still want to im it for the family, that would be unreasonable. We haven''t formally separated, but food is for improving everyone''s life. Since this can be sold for money, I can''t take it."


    Zhuang Zhixi still wanted to decline.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Stop acting with me. You''re practically beaming with joy. I say what I mean, and you''re a smart kid, you understand my intentions."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Then, thank you, Mom."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, "What are you thanking me for? Listen, I don''t care about your trivial matters, but my kitchen knife is ruined. You have to buy me a new one."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah?"


    Zhao Guihua: "What ''ah''? After killing a snake, how can I bring it back home to use? Besides, who knows if the snake was poisonous? It''s just not safe."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay, okay, I''ll figure something out."


    He couldn''t help but boast, "Mom, look how amazing we are as a couple. We contributed four rabbits and a wild chicken to the family. My sister-inw couldn''t match that."


    Zhao Guihua looked coldly at Zhuang Zhixi and said slowly, "Before the New Year, I sold fish for over two hundred yuan, almost three hundred. I also exchanged it for sixty to seventy catties of meat. All this was done by me and your sister-inw, two women, while you men only helped a few times. That''s all our merit. Your sister-inw didn''t ask for anything. Even if she didn''t go to sell the fish, she still deserves one-third to one-fourth of the credit, right? I made clothes for the kids, but you''re sharp, you can see I didn''t spend much on the cloth. So, your sister-inw, despite her ws, has contributed a lot to the family. Don''t just see her shorings. She has her good points too. If I wasn''t afraid she''d squander the money, I would have given her some. I didn''t give her money, so I had topensate her in other ways. Don''t be jealous all the time, are you still a man? You''re not as open-minded as your wife."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah, Mom, you misunderstand me! I''m not jealous."


    Zhao Guihua red at him, "I know, you just resent her for causing trouble before your wedding. That''s undeniable; she was up to no good. I know you contributed more to the family than your older brother and sister before you got married. That was my mistake, I misunderstood. I should have realized that each of you has your own life, even if you''re brothers. I''ll adjust. Now that you''re all married, each of you can save your own money. I won''t let you suffer losses, but you also shouldn''t take advantage. I know you don''t like your sister-inw, and I don''t expect you to get along perfectly with her, just keep it civil. Don''t be petty. Your sister-inw isn''t a bad person, just a bit muddled. If she offends you, you don''t need to be polite. But if she doesn''t, don''t provoke her. Wouldn''t it be better to focus on how to live your life? Arguing with someone who''s not very clear-headed makes you look petty."


    Zhao Guihua rarely spoke so candidly.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t expect his mother to be so direct. He nced at his wife, who was grilling fish with intense concentration, as if the fish were a delicacy beyondpare.


    If you looked closely, you could see her ears perked up high.


    He said earnestly, "Mom, don''t say that. I never thought you did anything wrong. I know you care for us a lot. If we hadn''t paid less for living expenses, you wouldn''t always be trying to improve our lives by doing all this. I understand."


    He leaned on his mother''s shoulder, "I know you love me the most. Please don''t say such things to me; it makes my heart ache."


    With a hint of coquetry, he added, "Since you say I shouldn''t pick on my sister-inw, I won''t. I promise!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Good."


    Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "But I still have topete when it''s necessary, hehe, I can''t help it."


    Zhao Guihuaughed and poked his forehead, "You little rascal."


    Zhuang Zhixi yelped, "Ahhh, Mom, you just touched the snake with your hands and now you''re poking me, ahhh..."


    Are you rejecting me?


    I disdain the snake...


    "Hahahaha." Old Man Zhuangughed heartily.


    Ming Meiughed along.


    After everyone had their fill ofughter, Zhuang Zhixi suddenly said, "My dear mother, you''re quite the hoarder. You made so much money selling fish."


    Zhao Guihua: "None of your business."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "But..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Stop asking questions. There''s food to keep your mouth busy!"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Mom, you''re really good at hiding money."


    Zhao Guihua: "Get lost!"


    The harmonious mother-son rtionship copsed in an instant. Ming Mei thenughed and said, "The fish is done, Ming Mei''s exclusive grilled fish, tastes amazing."


    "Come,e."


    Everyone quickly started eating. Zhuang Zhixiplimented, "My wife is really amazing, the taste is superb."


    Ming Mei pouted, "Of course, I was very serious."


    She said, "Mmm, this fish is so fresh. I think grilled fish and stewed fish arepletely different, but both are really delicious."


    The four of them ate quickly. The fish was small, and the small bones were already crispy after grilling, so they didn''t need to pick out the bones. After they were full, Ming Mei let out a burp.


    Looking around, her father-inw, Old Man Zhuang, had already picked up his fishing rod and sat back down.


    She crouched beside him to watch.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad, stop fishing, we won''t be able to carry it all back."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Why not? The basket for the big snake and big fish will go with us on the bus, and we can stuff a couple more fish in it. It''s on the ground, we don''t need to carry it."


    "That''s true, but it''s too heavy for us."


    Zhao Guihua thought, "That''s true. Since the ''big stuff'' will be carried back by the two men, our load isn''t that heavy. Let''s pick some mugwort and tie it to the back of the cart to take home."


    Zhuang Zhixiined, "Mom, you said mugwort can keep snakes, bugs, mice, and ants away, but look, we''ve pulled a whole bundle of mugwort, and that snake wasn''t scared at all, it even chased after us. We really had a tough time. It wasn''t afraid of it at all."


    "It''s so big, of course it''s not afraid of just a little bit of mugwort. We don''t have snakes that big in the city, and if we did, it would be the end of us," Zhao Guihua replied, "We just need to keep its grandkids away, no need to worry about that big thing. Even if a person came, they couldn''t stop it..."


    "A fish is biting the hook!" Ming Mei eximed. Sure enough, Old Man Zhuang pulled up a fish.


    He was very happy, saying, "Look at this catch, we should havee earlier. I didn''t know I was this capable."


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, "Hmph, are you trying to make me angry?"


    Could she do it?


    Well, she really couldn''t.


    "Are you done yet? Are we heading back or not?"


    Normally, they could ride their bikes down the mountain, which was quick. But today, they had too much stuff to push the bikes, so they should head down early. Zhao Guihua suggested, "Let''s pack up and go?"


    "Alright."


    They quickly tidied up. Zhao Guihua made sure to stomp on the fire and pour pond water over it to ensure it wouldn''t reignite.


    Zhuang Zhixi praised, "Mom, you''re really conscientious."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "If a fire starts, it could cause big problems. If something happens, we''d regret it for a lifetime. Better to be cautious than to regret after the fact. Even though there aren''t many people on this mountain, if a forest fire starts, it''s a big deal. I absolutely won''t let that happen."


    She said, "Alright, let''s go."


    Tworge baskets were ced on the bike''s rear seat, with the two men pushing the bikes and the two women holding the baskets. Old Man Zhuang''s bike also had a rabbit basket hanging from it, which he insisted on carrying. Although Zhuang Zhixi said he could manage, it was unfortunate that the young man who spent all day in the office was not in as good shape as Old Man Zhuang, who worked in the workshop, and didn''t have as much strength.


    Ming Mei, who could kick a strong man flying with one foot and stab a snake with a kitchen knife, wasn''t particrly strong in brute strength. She was skilled in using techniques, but in tasks like arm wrestling or lifting things, she wasn''t exceptionally strong.


    The strongest woman in their courtyard was Aunt Wang.


    Others just couldn''tpare.


    The group headed down the mountain cautiously.


    Fortunately, the smell of blood was masked by the mugwort they carried, which probably kept other animals away. This was a lucky coincidence.


    Of course, it also helped that there were no particrlyrge animals in this mountain, like wolves or tigers.


    Otherwise, the mugwort wouldn''t have been enough.


    Experienced hunters would never stay in the mountains after seeing blood, but these were novices who didn''t know better. They were just lucky.


    The descent took twice as long as usual, and by the time they reached the foot of the mountain, they were out of breath.


    They arrived at the bus stop, and luckily, a bus arrived soon. The two men lifted the baskets onto the bus, and Zhuang Zhixi also carried the rabbit basket, allowing the two women to board more easily.


    The time was off-peak, so there weren''t many people.


    The bus quickly departed. Although some curious passengers nced at the baskets, no one spoke to them. After all, carryingrge baskets into the city wasn''t umon. The only unusual thing was that these two didn''t look like country folk, but that wasn''t a big deal.


    There were a few others on the bus, and it was normal to bring back some things from visiting rtives.


    In the past, many people would trade city food coupons for grain in the countryside. City folks had coupons but no grain, while country folks had grain but no coupons. It wasmon to swap through rtives and friends.


    Of course, there were limits, but some people didn''t have enough, so they had to trade.


    So it wasn''t strange.


    The bus quickly drove off. Ming Mei watched the exhaust and said, "Mom, let''s go."


    She had stayed in the shade and didn''t help carry the baskets. She and the driver worked at the same ce and didn''t want to be recognized. Not that she was afraid of embarrassment, but she didn''t want to be questioned.


    If Zhuang Zhixi and the others got on the bus, no one would talk to them.


    But if she showed up, she''d definitely be asked questions. Ming Mei didn''t want to reveal this "treasure trove."


    So, she wanted to keep it hidden for as long as possible, as it could improve their lives.


    The two women rode their bikes home. If it were just Ming Mei, she could ride very fast, but with Zhao Guihua, she slowed down. Just like when her mother Lan Ling was around, she would be scolded if she rode too fast. These elders always thought too much.


    So Ming Mei was cautious in front of them.


    As they rode, Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s not mention the snake when we get home."


    Ming Mei obediently nodded, "I''ll do as you say."


    Zhao Guihua nced at her and saw her little face was dirty, turning the usually bright and beautiful girl into a "dusty princess." She smiled faintly and said, "After we get home, let''s clean up and go for a bath."


    Ming Mei quickly agreed, "I think that''s a good idea."


    But she quickly added, "If we both go, do we have enough tickets?"


    Yes, even going to the bathhouse required tickets, not just money. Without tickets, they wouldn''t be admitted, no matter how much money you had.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Oh, that''s no problem. If we don''t have enough, I''ll swap some with someone in the courtyard."


    Ming Mei said, "That makes sense."


    Although tickets were needed, they weren''t as precious as other tickets. Many people preferred to save money and bathe at home.


    For example, in the machinery factory, a formal worker got one ticket per month, valid for three months.


    It didn''t sound generous, but remember, a bath cost twenty cents, and twenty cents could buy more than one steamed bun. So some families wouldn''t use these tickets.


    Their value for swapping was quite low.


    Usually, except for the two months before the New Year, these tickets weren''t in high demand, especially in summer when bathing at home was convenient and not cold.


    Now, although it wasn''t summer yet, it wasn''t the busy period before the New Year either.


    She said, "I''ll go swap with Aunt Wang when we get back. She definitely has some."


    Ming Mei said, "I think that''s a good idea."


    As they rode their bikes home, the time passed quickly with their chatter. When they reached Xinghua Lane, Ming Mei suddenly remembered, "Mom, why did wee back? We should have gone to the station to pick them up."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Are you stupid? Can we ride our bikes faster than the bus? They probably arrived long ago. If they waited for us with the baskets, they''d be caught by the Red Armband. They wouldn''t do something so foolish. They''re probably already home. Let''s go."


    Two people rode their bikes into the courtyard. Sure enough, they saw Old Man Zhuang already sitting at the gate. He really did look tired, resting there. The front yard was surprisingly empty, not a single person in sight. She first went to the sink to wash her hands, washing them meticulously and vigorously with soap! She had to wash them thoroughly!


    Zhao Guihua: "Why are you alone?"


    Liang Meifen came out of the house: "Mom, I''m here too."


    She was leading two children and looking at the turtles.


    "I mean the other households."


    Liang Meifen was a gossip queen, well-informed. She said, "Old Man Bai went to the hospital. His son and his old me are both at the hospital, so how could he not go? Jiang Lu hasn''te back at all, staying at the hospital to take care of her husband. As for the Su family, Wang Xiangxiu took her three kids to the hospital to see their grandmother, and they haven''t returned either."


    She whispered, "I know what Wang Xiangxiu is up to. Old Man Bai going to the hospital will definitely buy food for Aunt Su. By taking the kids there, she can always mooch a meal. If she stayed home, she wouldn''t have that chance."


    Everyone was thrifty; who didn''t know who?


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s good."


    Sheughed and said, "Since they''re all gone, let''s get to work."


    "What?"


    Both Liang Meifen and Ming Mei were a bit confused. Zhao Guihua: "We can''t keep these rabbits in the courtyard; it''s against the rules. We can''t just let them go; there are several of them, and we can''t eat them all at once. We still have one fromst time. I couldn''t do anything but salt it. On my way back, I thought, let''s kill them, make them into smoked rabbits, so they''re easier to store, and we can eat them slowly."


    "Sounds good!"


    Liang Meifen lowered her voice and asked, "Then, Mom, what about that big fish?"


    Such a big fish, they couldn''t finish it all. If they made a whole fish feast, maybe they should invite her family toe and eat? Recently, her family hadn''t been reaching out to her. When she went back for the New Year, her parents were very dissatisfied with the gifts she brought, their faces long and unhappy. If she could invite them for this fish feast, her parents would surely look at her differently.


    If, if she could bring a smoked rabbit as a gift to her family, that would be even better.


    She could surely gain face in her family.


    She was lost in her fantasies, chuckling to herself. After decades of being mother-inw and daughter-inw, Zhao Guihua knew exactly what Liang Meifen was thinking. She scoffed and said, "I n to ask Li the Cook if their cafeteria wants to buy this fish."


    "Ah???"


    Everyone looked at Zhao Guihua in surprise, never expecting this.


    Ming Mei wasn''t too surprised though. On their way back, they had discussed that such a big fish was hard to handle for an ordinary family like theirs. If they ate it themselves, they couldn''t finish it. If they cut it up to make salted fish, the thick meat wouldn''t dry easily. It was just hard to handle.


    Such a big fish, it was really a problem.


    At that time, Ming Mei felt her mother-inw must have some idea, and it turned out she was right.


    Old Man Zhuang: "You decide, whatever you decide is fine with us."


    Only Liang Meifen felt bitter inside. Such a big fish, why not have a fish feast and invite guests? How honorable that would be. She really didn''t know how to make her daughter-inw look good.


    She felt so sad.


    She deeply felt that she was unlucky to have such a mother-inw. Other young wives didn''t suffer like she did.


    Liang Meifen had a bitter face. Zhao Guihua was furious and scolded, "You miserable thing, who are you making that long face for! If you can work, then work; if you can''t, then get lost. Stop pretending here. If you''re so eager to think about your family, go back to your family and nevere back. Zhuang Zhiyuan, that rascal, must think I''ve lived too long, bringing you back to annoy me. Seeing your bitter face every day is so annoying. Even good luck would run away from you."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t want to scold, but Liang Meifen... if you didn''t scold her like this, she would just wallow in self-pity. But if you acted like a strict mother-inw, she would immediately be obedient.


    It''s just... difficult!


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t a good-tempered olddy to begin with. Picking on her daughter-inw? She was good at that.


    She snorted loudly, and Liang Meifen immediately became as meek as a rabbit meeting a big wolf, quickly saying, "Mom, I wasn''t, I wasn''t. I''ll start working right now! I wasn''t thinking about my family, please don''t send me away."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Didn''t her mother-inw just say that casually?


    She scratched her hair, making her already messy long hair even more disheveled.


    Zhao Guihua was shouting loudly at the gate. A neighbor auntie from the back yard, who was about toe forward to chat, decisively pricked up her ears and decided not toe over. She quickly went to gossip with a neighbor.


    Liang Meifen must have done something again. Zhao Guihua was roaring.


    Zhao Guihua, at her age, still had quite a temper, always shouting like a wild donkey!


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, start working. I''m going to the back yard. Ming Mei, help your sister-inw."


    Ming Mei: "Okay!"


    She was stuck on the stool but agreed very readily.


    Zhao Guihua knew what kind of person she was. Everyone has their ws. Ming Mei''s w wasziness; she didn''t like doing any housework. However, you couldn''t say she was entirelyzy. If you asked her to go up the mountain and catch rabbits, which was also a physical job, she was quite enthusiastic.


    She figured Ming Mei probably couldn''t handle the routine housewife chores, but catching rabbits was like ying for her, so she enjoyed it.


    But Zhao Guihua didn''t analyze her anymore. She picked up a fish and a small basin of dates and said, "I''m going."


    "Sure."


    She hadn''t shown her gratitude for borrowing the sewing machine so many times recently, so now was the time to do so.


    Zhao Guihua entered the Li household with the items. Aunt Wang was at home mending her grandson''s clothes when she heard Zhao Guihua''s voice: "Old Wang, are you home?"


    Fortunately, Aunt Wang was a woman; otherwise, being called "Old Wang" all the time would be quite misleading.


    Aunt Wang: "Oh, Old Zhao,e in quickly. Didn''t you go fishing? How did it go?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Need you ask? Of course, I had a catch. Look what I brought you."


    She entered the house. Aunt Wang looked and immediately frowned: "What are you doing?"


    She closed the door: "Fishing is not easy for your family. Why are you giving it to me?"


    "What are you saying? I''ve borrowed your sewing machine a lot, and the fishing too. How could I alwayse empty-handed? I couldn''t do that."


    Look at what you''re saying. We''ve been sisters for so many years. What are you doing? Take it back. If you don''t take it back, I''ll be angry." Aunt Wang was determined not to ept it. The fish was not small, enough for a dish, and she had no face to take it.


    Besides, there was also a small basin of dates.


    "I''ll take the dates for the kids to snack on, but take the fish back."


    Seeing her like this, Zhao Guihua said, "Hey, I have something else to ask you for help. If you don''t take it, how can I ask you?"


    "Huh? Something else? Tell me, but it doesn''t have to be like this."


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s really important. Today, Old Man Zhuang caught a big fish. Our pot is too small to cook it. I wanted to ask if the cafeteria wants to buy it. We don''t want money, just exchange it for food."


    Even if it''s a public ce, she couldn''t talk about money; money hurts feelings, and things getplicated. So she thought to directly ask for food. She said, "I know this is spection, but we''re not trading, just exchanging, helping each other. It shouldn''t affect anything, right?"


    Aunt Wang: "If it''s an exchange, it definitely won''t affect anything, but I don''t know if they''ll take it. Why don''t you wait for my husband? Today is a good day; someone is getting married, and he went out to cook. It''s alreadyte afternoon, so he should be back soon. How big is it? You can''t cook it at home."


    She truly believed it was because the fish was too big, not because Zhao Guihua wanted to sell it for money. After all, in their courtyard, the Zhao family was known for theirrge appetite and willingness to spend on food. Especially since their youngest son got married, their household became even more noticeable for indulging in good food.


    It seemed that with all their worries settled, they were more willing to enjoy life''s pleasures.


    She smiled and said, "You guys are really something, managing to catch such a big fish."


    Zhao Guihua: "If I were to tell you..." Before she could finish, she startedughing, saying, "You might not believe me, but there''s an old saying about how a fisherman benefits from the struggle between a snipe and a m. We really experienced that."


    Aunt Wang: "What do you mean? Tell me more."


    Zhao Guihua: "This big fish was bitten by two turtles. Maybe it hurt so much that it identally swam into our. When we pulled it up, the turtles still hadn''t let go."


    "Ah?" Aunt Wang was astonished.


    Zhao Guihuaughed: "It was really our lucky day."


    "That''s for sure. Let''s go take a look."


    Zhao Guihua stopped Aunt Wang, saying, "Wait a bit. Let''s wait for Li the Cook toe back and then we can go together. If he can take it, we''ll move it right away. I don''t want a crowd gathering to watch. Not that I don''t want you to see, but you know, I don''t want to hear all the jealousments. Besides, if those three thieves next door hear about it, and if your husband can''t take it, they might try to steal it."


    "Pfft, thieves, that''s an interesting nickname. Where did you learn that from?"


    Zhao Guihua: "You might not believe me, but it''s from Bai Zhan Tang.


    You might not know about ''The Smiling, Proud Wanderer.''


    I, Zhao Guihua, have seen the world.


    But she remained calm, saying, "Didn''t Uncle Lan mention it before? Thieves, those are real thieves, so we better be careful."


    Aunt Wang couldn''t help but burst outughing.


    "Oh right, I forgot to ask, who caught the fish today in your family?" Aunt Wang asked curiously, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, and she said gloomily, "What do you mean by that?"


    She slowly said, "Do you think I can''t catch fish?"


    Aunt Wang didn''t feel awkward and continuedughing, saying, "My husband and I were betting on whether you''d catch anything today. Did you catch anything or not?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Can you two be decent?"


    Aunt Wang: "So you didn''t catch anything?"


    If she had caught a fish, why would she be so angry?


    Obviously, she hadn''t caught anything.


    Aunt Wang felt she had seen through the truth.


    Zhao Guihua: "Hmm."


    Aunt Wang: "Pfft, hahaha."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s too much!"


    But since the conversation had reached this point, she couldn''t help asking, "So did you bet that I would catch something or not?"


    Aunt Wang''s eyes flickered.


    Zhao Guihua narrowed her eyes slightly: "You bet I wouldn''t catch anything? Are you still my old friend? Can you be like this?"


    Aunt Wang quickly said, "I, I was just being realistic."


    Zhao Guihua gave a cold chuckle, saying, "So it was Li the Cook who bet I would catch something?"


    Aunt Wang was truly embarrassed now, stuttering, "Both of us wanted to bet that you wouldn''t catch anything, and we ended up fighting over it... The bet didn''t happen in the end."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Pfft, be decent, you!


    Shame on you!

 Chapter 50: Three Hundred Grand

    Let''s split the story into two parts.


    On one side, Zhao Guihua and her group have already returned home. On the other side, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t get off the bus with his dad but instead got off at the hospital stop. Fortunately, many people from the countrysidee to the city for medical treatment, so there is a bus stop right at the hospital entrance.


    Zhuang Zhixi initially thought of having the sister at their clinic take a look at the snake, but then reconsidered, thinking it wasn''t necessary. After all, the hospital isn''t a private business; it can''t possibly cheat people. If it did, it wouldn''t be able to operate.


    Zhuang Zhixi went straight to the hospital. Carrying arge basket on his back with a giant snake inside, he felt his scalp tingling all over. But he had to tough it out. Besides the tingling sensation, the load was really heavy.


    He went straight to the office, knocked on the door. Hospitals operate every day, so there''s always someone on duty, even on weekends. Old Jiang, who usually deals with Zhuang Zhixi, opened the door and was stunned. He had never seen Zhuang Zhixi in such a state before.


    You see, this young man is always well-groomed, and every time hees, the young nurses sneak nces at him. Old Jiang jokingly asked, "Where have you been? Did you go to the countryside or collect scrap?"


    He joked, and Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yeah, I just got back. Old Jiang, I have a snake here. Do you think the hospital would buy it?"


    Old Jiang was puzzled, "Why bring a snake to the hospital? You should sell it to a collector or eat it yourself."


    As soon as he said that, he realized, "You think it''s poisonous?"


    If it''s a venomous snake, they would definitely buy it since they have connections with pharmaceuticalpanies. He quickly became serious, "Show me what it looks like."


    He continued, "Why is the basket so big..."


    "Don''t be startled, it''s a big snake. That''s why I''m so exhausted," Zhuang Zhixi warned, not wanting Old Jiang, who is close to fifty, to be scared if he suddenly saw it.


    Old Jiang: "A big snake? You''re not going to tell me there are many inside, are you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Just one, in the whole basket."


    "Holy crap!"


    Seeing Zhuang Zhixi''s serious expression, Old Jiang cautiously lifted the straw mat on top. Immediately, he eximed in Chinese, "Holy crap, holy crap, I... this..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Didn''t I tell you?"


    He wiped his face and said, "I was almost scared to death. I thought it might eat me."


    Old Jiang looked at Zhuang Zhixi in shock, now with a bit of respect, "Zhuang, you''re amazing. You killed it? I didn''t expect that."


    Zhuang Zhixi, who really wanted to boast, quickly waved his hand, "No, it wasn''t me!"


    "Not you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, it was..." He paused, then said, "It was my mom!"


    He had intended to say it was his wife, but at thest moment, he changed his mind. If he said it was his wife, people might gossip that she''s a tigress. He knew how people could talk.


    He exined, "My mom and I went fishing, and this thing chased me. My mom saved me and identally killed it."


    "Your mother is truly a remarkable person."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Not really, she''s just an ordinary housewife. But when her handsome, charming, and considerate son was in danger, a mother would naturally unleash all her power."


    Old Jiang twitched his mouth, "You don''t have to boast about yourself while talking."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You see, telling the truth isn''t appreciated. Anyway, will you buy it?"


    Old Jiang: "Wait a moment, I''ll go call Shifang, the one in charge of acquisitions."


    "Okay."


    Zhuang Zhixi brought the basket into the office and waited. He hadn''t rested for long when he heard hurried footsteps. Shifang, as Old Jiang mentioned, quickly arrived. Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know Shifang personally but was familiar with his face, as they were in the same line of work.


    Shifang was a man in his forties, not the typical schrly type one would expect from a doctor. He had a crew cut, small, nted eyes, and a fierce look. A scar on his brow made him appear even more menacing. If he stopped someone on the street to ask for directions, they might think he was a robber.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly smiled and said, "Brother Shifang, take a look. I''m not sure if it''s poisonous. If it''s just a well-fed snake, I''ll take it to the collector for a meal. If it''s poisonous, I''ll see if the hospital wants it. It''s my contribution to the hospital."


    Old Jiang raised an eyebrow and smiled. The kid was good at making himself look good, even when trying to make some money.


    Shifang gruffly said, "Let me see."


    He looked down and immediately eximed, "Holy crap, the snake''s head is smashed to bits."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I was scared out of my wits. I had to make sure it was dead before I could put it in the basket."


    Shifang nced back at Zhuang Zhixi, "You didn''t kill it, did you?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Good eye. I didn''t. But I did smash its head."


    "I can see that."


    Shifang looked at the snake for a while and sighed deeply.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Old Jiang: "???"


    Why the sigh? Is it poisonous or not? The price is different depending on that.


    Zhuang Zhixi eagerly looked at Shifang, waiting for his verdict. Shifang sighed and said, "It would have been better if you hadn''t smashed its head. It''s a pity."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly asked, "Does it affect the price... I mean, its value as a snake?"


    Shifang sighed again, "No, but it affects its appearance."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Screw the appearance!


    It wasn''t pretty even when it was intact.


    He put on a smile and asked, "So, is it..."


    Shifang: "You''re lucky and also very fortunate. It''s a venomous snake."


    He didn''t mind at all and dumped the entire snake out. Zhuang Zhixi, who had already seen it, still felt a shiver, and Old Jiang, who was standing behind Zhuang Zhixi, eximed, "Holy crap!"


    The snakey on the floor, huge and intimidating.


    Shifang: "Old Jiang, you''re too timid. It''s dead, what''s there to be afraid of?"


    Old Jiang: "It''s not about it being dead or alive. It just looks creepy. Who knows how it grew so big."


    He looked more and more ufortable and said, "Why are you messing around on the floor of my office? It''s disrespectful."


    Shifang: "Are you still a man? Why so manyints? This is a good find. Wait, I''ll go get the boss!"


    He dashed out quickly, clearly excited about the find. Zhuang Zhixi watched Shifang''s retreating figure and said, "Brother Shifang is really energetic."


    Old Jiang looked at Zhuang Zhixi strangely and suddenly asked in a high-pitched voice, "Brother Shifang... uncle? How old do you think he is?"


    After a pause, he added, "You little rascal, calling him Brother Shifang to his face and Uncle Shifang behind his back."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "A slip of the tongue, really."


    Old Jiang: "You haven''t said how old he is."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment. The man looked over forty, but probably not that old, or Old Jiang wouldn''t have asked. He decided, "About thirty."


    He was good at telling white lies, cutting off over a decade. He smiled innocently, "I really just misspoke, Old Jiang, you misunderstood me."


    Old Jiang: "..."


    He scolded, "You little rascal, always fooling people."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled innocently, really innocent.


    However, even so, Old Jiang patted Zhuang Zhixi on the shoulder and said, "Kid, let me tell you, you guessed wrong. Shifang is twenty-eight this year."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Holy crap."


    Seeing his shocked expression, Old Jiang burst outughing and said, "Never expected, right? Shifang is really not that old. He''s worthy of being called an elder brother. It''s just that he looks more mature."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself that he was too mature, but still nodded and said, "That''s true, but men, it''s all about ability. Who needs to look at their face? It''s not like we''re being kept by someone, right?"


    Old Jiang: "..."


    You, a fair and handsome young man, saying that looks don''t matter, reallycks credibility.


    Old Jiang: "Heh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Look at you, smirking at me like that. What I''m saying is all true. But I really didn''t expect Brother Shifang to be so young. I remember he''s in charge of acquisitions, right? To be in charge at such a young age, he''s really aplished. Actually, it wasn''t because of his looks; I just thought that since he could reach a leadership position, he must be quite old. I didn''t expect him to be truly young and talented."


    Old Jiang: "Well, it''s mainly because of his looks. He benefits from his appearance. You don''t know, the higher-ups arrange for hospitals at our level to have an acquisition point, specifically for buying ginseng, glossy ganoderma, pilose antler, snake galldders, and other rare items. But such things are naturally scarce, and it''s hard for this department to make achievements. A bit capable and experienced person wouldn''t want to go there. And you know, the kind of people whoe to sell these things to the hospital aren''t easy to deal with. I heard they even encountered someone selling tiger bones. Can you imagine, daring to mess with tigers, what kind of people are they? If they put someone like me in charge there, I''d be bullied in no time. They need someone fierce. He''s been there from the start, and after two years, his boss quickly packed up and left, and he took over. He naturally looks fierce, doesn''t talk much, and has a bad temper. He''s truly suited for the job."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He said, "Aren''t tigers protected animals?"


    "Yes, I''m talking about old times, many years ago."


    Zhuang Zhixi deeply felt that hospitals have it tough. They encounter people like Zhou Lishi who throw tantrums, and then there are those fierce ones who dare to sell tiger bones. It''s really, very tough.


    As the two were chatting, Shifang brought in another leader, saying, "Look, this one, just died not long ago. Let''s handle it quickly; it''s a good item. I''ve decided to allocate the good parts, and the meat can be added to the cafeteria''s menu."


    "Ah???"


    Before Zhuang Zhixi could speak, Old Jiang eximed, "Can this thing be eaten? It''s grown so big, is it safe to eat? Who knows what it''s eaten?"


    "Don''t eat it then," Shifang replied directly, then looked at the vice-president of the hospital, who said, "Really good, very good indeed. It''s a fine item."


    "Alright, Xiao Zhuang, Zhuang Zhixi, right? Leave the snake here, I''lle back to pack it up. Follow me downstairs to get the receipt; our hospital is buying it." Shifang waved his hand and said, "Come with me."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My backpack, my knife..."


    "I''ll return them to youter!"


    Shifang led Zhuang Zhixi downstairs to get the receipt, saying, "Keep this receipt well; it''s proof of the origin of your goods. If you lose it, you cane to us to get a recement. But generally, if you don''t go crazy buying this and that, no one will know you have money. We''re buying the whole snake, including the gall, venom, skin, and body, for three hundred yuan. The acquisition standards are posted on the wall; go take a look yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand."


    He oftenes here, even though he hasn''t been to this department, he''s familiar with the process. These things aren''t arbitrarily set; there are standards to follow.


    "This one falls under the ''extrarge'' category; there isn''t anything bigger than it. Generally, we consider snakes over fifty pounds to be extrarge. This one, I could tell just by feeling it, weighs over a hundred pounds. I''ll give you two extra tickets as a bonus." He paused, then looked up, "No one else gets this; we''re all in the same system, so it''s a special favor for you. But next time, if you encounter something like this again, don''t smash its head so badly. It really holds things up."


    Zhuang Zhixi sincerely said, "I hope I never encounter something like this again; I was scared to death. This time I was lucky; next time, who knows."


    Shifang twitched his mouth and said, "Let me see what tickets I can get for you."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately asked, "Do you have a knife ticket? My knife, after cutting this thing, I don''t dare to use it at home anymore."


    He forced a smile and said, "My mom is even yelling at me to rece the knife."


    Shifang twitched again but nodded and said, "That''s doable. Wait here while I go upstairs to get the leader''s signature."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    Normally, acquisitions, especially of ordinary herbs, aren''t thisplicated. But forrge items or precious things like ginseng, which have high prices, multiple signatures are needed. Don''t think that Old Jiang said people selling things here are hard to deal with. In fact, besides acquiring these rare medicinal items, they also buy a lot of herbs. If they only waited for good items, there wouldn''t be that many good items. So, actually, the bulk of their work is acquiring herbs.


    The work here is quite tedious.


    Zhuang Zhixi sat in this office, looking around. The office was in a corner to the right after entering the main gate, with the toilet just ahead. Anyone going to the toilet on the first floor would pass by here. The front had a ss window, but it wasn''t fully covered; there was a gap of about thirty centimeters at the bottom, convenient for people to hand things in.


    The ss window was painted red with the words: Acquisition, Herbs.


    Two words on each side.


    Zhuang Zhixi sat in the office, watching peopleing and going to the toilet outside, thinking that the department being ced in this position might not be due to ack of importance, but rather because it was more conspicuous.


    Although it wasn''t as prominent as the entrance hall, anyone going to the toilet would definitely see it, making it easy to find. They might think theyout is simple, but not everyone does. Some from the countryside might find the environmentplex and hard to navigate.


    He lowered his eyes, and just then, he heard a familiar voice. It was Uncle Bai, surprisingly.


    Uncle Bai: "Wang Xiangxiu, you took my sry, why didn''t you give it to me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately perked up his ears. He was there on payday and saw Wang Xiangxiu do that. He guessed she wanted to keep it for herself, but he didn''t expect Uncle Bai to confront her. In his view, Uncle Bai was just apdog for the Su family, how could he dare to ask for money from them?


    But to his surprise, Uncle Bai''s tone was quite firm when facing Wang Xiangxiu. But why did these twoe here? The wards aren''t on the third floor?


    "Even if you avoid me, it''s no use. You have to give me the money. If you don''t, I''ll go to the factory leaders. Not just my money, but also Bai Fendou''s money, not a penny less. You have no rtion to my family; how can you take my sry for me?"


    Uncle Bai continued, his tone very unfriendly, showing his dissatisfaction with Wang Xiangxiu.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his eyebrows again, quietly shrinking into the corner. Though he was in the office, he didn''t want to be seen, as it would interfere with his eavesdropping on the gossip.


    Wang Xiangxiu looked pitiful: "Uncle Bai, this is because Bai Fendou is hospitalized, and he can''t go to the unit to collect his sry. I thought about how everyone is in the hospital, so I might as well help out and collect it. It was when someone asked if I wanted to collect yours too, that I did. But then I came to the hospital to see my mother-inw, and I didn''t have time to give it to you. You really misunderstood me. Besides, I thought since you''re also going to pay for my mother-inw''s expenses and buy her food, it doesn''t matter if the money is with you or with me. As a daughter-inw, I understand my mother-inw''s tastes better, and it would be more suitable for me to buy them. Don''t you think so?"


    Uncle Bai''s face was stern: "You buy and spend with your own money! How is it that you spend my money, and I have to thank you for your kindness? Do you think that''s possible? Don''t do this again in the future, or I''ll have to have a serious talk with the cashier. Everything has its ce; the money being with you and with me is not the same. If you have filial piety, you should buy something nice for your mother-inw yourself. How hard is her life? She dedicates herself entirely to you all, not sparing a bite to eat or a sip to drink for herself, even when hospitalized, she''s thinking of you. For you, for the children, she''s willing to give everything. Now that she''s in the hospital, do you have no expression of concern? Wang Xiangxiu, one cannot behave like this. Is this how a daughter-inw should act? Do you know why I came downstairs to intercept you? It''s to talk some sense into you. Even if you hadn''t collected my sry this time, I still had to talk to you. You, this little daughter-inw, cannot be so selfish in your actions."


    Wang Xiangxiu looked incredulously at Uncle Bai; where was her selfishness? She was wholeheartedly dedicated to this family. The Su family was supported by her; how could she be selfish?


    "Uncle Bai, if you''re going to say that, I don''t want to hear it. I have the heavens and earth as my witness for my care for my mother-inw. I know you think I''m stingy with money, but Uncle Bai, think about my sry. How much do I earn a month? How many people are in my family? How many boys are there, all with big appetites. How hard is my life? I..."


    She started to tear up: "Is it easy for me?"


    "Crying won''t help; crying means you''re guilty," Uncle Bai said sternly.


    Zhuang Zhixi was in the office, thinking, "I didn''t expect Uncle Bai to not fall for this. Indeed, Uncle Bai only stumbles over Aunt Su; others, no way!"


    Even Wang Xiangxiu, this little daughter-inw, couldn''t sway him.


    This love is truly touching, deep and profound!


    As Shifang entered, he saw Zhuang Zhixi almost hanging on the wall, leaning sideways: "You..."


    He was puzzled; what was this about?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Shh."


    Shifang: "???"


    He quietly sat down, and Zhuang Zhixi whispered, "That''s my neighbor outside."


    Shifang peeked out and saw an old man and a plump young woman. He blinked, imagining a tale of love and hatred, and silently perked up his ears. It''s human nature to watch a spectacle.


    "Your mother-inw and I are deeply in love. All these years, we couldn''t be together entirely for your sake. Your mother-inw said she couldn''t bear to leave you all, nor could she bear to let me shoulder the burden of supporting so many people unrted to me. I feel sad, but I know she''s doing it for my good. But look at you, when your mother-inw was in trouble, you didn''t rush to see her; when she was hospitalized, you didn''t make her some good food to nourish her; today, you even brought the children here. Are you reasonable? Do you dare say you''re not selfish? Do you dare say your life is hard, but that doesn''t mean you can be heartless? Wang Xiangxiu, if you had even a tenth of your mother-inw''s virtues, I wouldn''t despise you so much."


    Uncle Bai was truly heartbroken. How could such a good woman like Aunt Su have such a daughter-inw?


    Wang Xiangxiu was trembling with anger. This shameless old man, what nonsense is he spouting about being in love? Her mother-inw would never look at such a scoundrel. Good women don''t enter two households. Do they really think their rtionship is love?


    They''re all after the money!


    If it weren''t for wanting the children to live better, who would look at them!


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Uncle Bai, you''ve really misunderstood me, I..."


    "Don''t give me that nonsense. Now, hand over my sry and Bai Fendou''s sry! I''m telling you, don''t think I''m joking. Next time you collect my sry, I won''t be polite!"


    Wang Xiangxiu was furious, she stuttered: "I didn''t bring the money..."


    "Then go home and get it now. You must return it to me. Wang Xiangxiu, don''t think I''m just saying it. If you do this again, I''ll go to the factory!"


    Wang Xiangxiu realized that Uncle Bai wasn''t falling for her act and seemed to have some disdain for her. She took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I''ll go home and get it for you, but Bai Fendou''s..."


    "You must hand it over! He''s my son, not your man. You, a shameless woman, have some self-respect! If you don''t give it, I won''t be polite! I don''t believe Bai Fendou would dare not recognize me as his father for your sake!"


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face turned red with anger, and tears streamed down her face: "You, you''re too much!"


    She stomped her foot and turned to leave.


    Uncle Bai: "Return the money!!!"


    He chased after her...


    Zhuang Zhixi watched with lingering interest and sighed: "Is that it?"


    Shifang: "..."


    He silently handed over a voucher for a kitchen knife and three hundred yuan: "Count it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."


    They quickly settled the ounts. Shifang, seeing him pocket the money, couldn''t help but ask, "Were those two not a family?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Two bachelors, father and son, chasing after two widows, mother and daughter-inw. The young widow took the money of the two bachelors, and the old bachelor isn''t having it. I''m just watching the drama."


    In just a few words, the content was rich.


    Shifang pondered seriously and said, "Then, one of them is bound to fail. If the old one seeds, the young one can''t be together as rtives; if the young one seeds, the old one can''t be together as rtives either."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Uh... Ah, right!"


    That''s true. Although they seem unrted, if the two older ones get together, Wang Xiangxiu''s husband would be Uncle Bai''s stepson. Even though he''s gone, Bai Fendou would be considered a brother to him. Is it appropriate for the younger brother to marry his stepbrother''s widow? Even in the countryside, such things aren''t well-regarded nowadays.


    If Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu get together, then Uncle Bai and Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw, Aunt Su, getting together wouldn''t sound good either. Bringing her mother-inw to marry her current father-inw after remarrying? That would invite gossip.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow, it really is. They''ve been entangled together so much that we''re used to it and don''t feel it''s too much. But if you think about it normally, the rtionship is quiteplicated. But I don''t think they''ll make it."


    Although the Bai father and son both want to seed, it''s clear that the Su mother-inw and daughter-inw are just looking for a meal ticket.


    Marrying for real? Probably not.


    "Soplicated."


    "Soplicated."


    Rarely, two men both expressed such sentiments.


    Shifang: "Alright, hurry up and go upstairs to get your kitchen knife and basket."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I''m leaving, goodbye."


    Shifang waved, propping his chin and looking forward to dinner tonight. The cafeteria''s dinner today has snake meat, not bad at all. Although they received the whole snake, the meat is the least useful part. They want the snake skin, venom, gall, and other parts, just not the meat.


    They buy like this, and the meat is practically a bonus. They keep it for themselves to eat. Even though it''s venomous, they aren''t worried and can handle it normally. It''s a small matter. Shifang thought of the delicious snake soup and swallowed his saliva.


    Old Jiang was also swallowing saliva.


    Zhuang Zhixi retrieved his kitchen knife and basket, seeing Old Jiang also looking forward to the delicious snake soup. He murmured, "You really don''t mean what you say. You were just nowining."


    Old Jiang: "It looks scary, but thinking of the snake soup, it seems delicious. We''re also doing good by eliminating it, aren''t we? It must have eaten many small animals to grow so big. I have to teach it a lesson."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "¡­As long as you''re happy."


    He won''t eat it, he absolutely won''t.


    At first, Zhuang Zhixi thought this thing could be eaten, but after three seconds, seeing the snake and thinking about how it might have eaten people, he felt so disgusted that he couldn''t eat a single bite. So even if it sounded delicious or smelled good, he wouldn''t.


    Absolutely not!


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly left the hospital. This trip was quite fruitful; not only did he sell the snake, but he also witnessed a gossip.


    Who would have thought that Old Man Bai is so heartless! He didn''t even spare a kind word for Wang Xiangxiu.


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered as he headed to the supply cooperative. He needed to buy a kitchen knife, no matter what. Otherwise, there would be nothing to use at home. Fortunately, the hospital provided him with a kitchen knife coupon; otherwise, he would have had to rush to the ck market to get one.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Comrade, I need a kitchen knife, this model."


    "Six yuan, one coupon."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly handed over the prepared money. Just as he finished buying, he turned around and saw someone he knew. You know, people are really¡­ you can run into familiar faces anywhere. Jiang Lu was at another counter, buying a pound of sesame cakes.


    Then she moved to the malted milk powder counter.


    Zhuang Zhixi was about to step forward to greet her when he saw Jiang Lu change her mind and quickly leave the supply cooperative, not knowing what she was up to. He shrugged, went out, and took the bus home. As the bus slowly moved, Zhuang Zhixi nced out the window and saw Jiang Lu again. This time, she was with an olddy. The olddy looked somewhat familiar, like someone from their neighborhood, but they probably didn''t live very close because he hadn''t seen her much. The two of them were talking, and Jiang Lu''s expression was very devout.


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered: "I wonder what kind of folk remedy she''s up to now¡­"


    Just as he finished speaking, he saw Jiang Lu hand the sesame cakes to the olddy and give her a ten-yuan bill¡­ Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes were sharp; he immediately recognized it as a ten-yuan bill.


    He let out a "tsk" sound, feeling a toothache.


    He pondered, what''s she up to, spending so much money?


    If Jiang Lu was looking for folk remedies for having children, he didn''t care, but recently, there have been many things happening in their front yard, so Zhuang Zhixi decided to go home and tell his mother to be cautious.


    If she''s dabbling in those folk remedies, it naturally has nothing to do with their family, but he''s afraid she might have other intentions, so it''s better to be more vignt.


    When Zhuang Zhixi got home, his older brother hadn''t gotten off work yet. He worked at the train station, and their vacation schedules were different from the machinery factory. They often needed to work in shifts, so they didn''t have fixed Sundays off.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, here you go, oh, the smell of blood, even wormwood can''t cover it up."


    They had just ughtered four rabbits and a chicken, so of course, there was a smell.


    But he quickly said: "The kitchen knife is with me, how did you ughter them?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I borrowed one from your Aunt Wang."


    She also realized when she got home that the kitchen knife was stuck in the big snake, almostpletely hidden, with only the handle exposed. They didn''t have another knife. Zhao Guihua was delighted: "This new kitchen knife is great."


    She stroked it with satisfaction and then immediately asked: "Where''s the old one?"


    Even though they had a new one, the old one was still needed.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "In the basket."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said: "From now on, we''ll use the new kitchen knife for cutting vegetables and cooking, and we''ll clean the old one and keep it for chopping bones. I just can''t bear to use the new one for that."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Ming Mei: "????"


    Old Man Zhuang: "???"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, didn''t you say we wouldn''t use the old one anymore? Didn''t you dislike it?"


    Zhao Guihua justified: "It''s not like it''s soaked in and can''t be cleaned. Just wash it clean, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "¡­¡­"


    He felt like his mom had tricked him into buying a new kitchen knife.


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh.


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, I asked you to buy a kitchen knife, and you were unwilling. Are you even a son? Do you have any sense of filial piety?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly said: "Mom, I was just kidding, really, I wasn''t unwilling¡­ Oh, let me see, let me see our rabbits. What are we going to do with them? Why did you ughter them all?"


    This was a quick change of topic.


    Zhao Guihua: "We can''t eat them all at once, so we''ll clean them up and eat them slowly."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hmm, oh right, where''s the big fish?"


    He looked around, puzzled: "I didn''t see it!"


    Zhao Guihua: "I traded it with Li the Cook at the machinery factory for food. Li the Cook just took it away. He didn''t even leave the turtle; if it weren''t for my firm stance, he would have taken both. I traded one with him, and tonight we''ll make turtle soup for you."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, can we call it soft-shelled turtle soup? It''s about to be our meal, so can we give it a nicer name for its final dignity?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at him and snorted, saying: "Pretentious."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "¡­¡­"


    Look, he''s misunderstood again, isn''t he?


    Indeed, people can''t escape being misunderstood.


    "Mom traded for fine grains, hehe," Ming Mei whispered to Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Nice one, Mom. You did a great job with this."


    Zhao Guihua dug her ears and said: "I don''t know if it''s because I''ve been listening to Uncle Bai''s wordstely, but even when others speak normally, I feel like they''re being sarcastic."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly protested, "Mom, for heaven''s sake, I really wasn''t being sarcastic. I was beingpletely sincere. You can''t misunderstand me. It''s so hard for me. I really think it''s great, I''m not lying."


    Zhao Guihua finally nodded and said: "I believe you."


    She spoke with a hint of joy: "I traded for a bag of strong flour, a bag of corn flour, and half a bag of rice."


    She showed her son, saying: "Look."


    The flour and rice were both ten-jin bags, but the rice was only half a bag, while the corn flour was almost twenty jin. This trade depends on how you look at it. If it were decadester, the value would definitely be unequal. A fish over a meter long plus a turtle would certainly be more valuable than flour, rice, and corn flour. But in this era, such a trade was quite good.


    To most people, they would think Zhao Guihua was taking advantage, as she traded for all staples, while the fish and turtle were not. It was just for a rare treat, so the pros and cons were clear.


    It was also thanks to Li the Cook''s efforts on Zhao Guihua''s behalf.


    One era speaks one era''snguage. For now, Zhao Guihua felt she was the winner.


    They could also sell the fish in the ck market, which would bring in more money, but it would be harder to buy so much strong flour in the ck market. Don''t underestimate ten jin; in this era, it''s quite a lot to get all at once.


    Zhao Guihua was still grateful for this favor. She said: "Li the Cook did a lot for our family this time. Next time we catch fish, we''ll give him one as a thank you."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, full of joy.


    For ordinary people, especially those who have experienced hard times, seeing more food at home brings great joy. Old Man Zhuang''s eyes were full of smiles. Since their third daughter-inw entered the family and they divided the household internally, their life not only didn''t get worse but got better. Take this time of year, for example; in previous years, there wouldn''t be so much at home. Others might not know, but he did¡ªtheir family still had a lot of salted meat hidden away. His wife kept it well, and she didn''t hesitate to cook it once a week, so everyone enjoyed it.


    In previous years, they would also cook meat, but it was cut as thin as chopsticks, and everyone could have a few bites, which was quite good.


    But this year, they were cutting meat slices, and it was very real. It was clear that life was much better.


    All this was thanks to his wife''s good management of the household.


    He said: "Having food in hand, the heart doesn''t panic. That''s really true."


    Zhao Guihua: "We''ll hang the rabbits at home first and dry them in the wind tomorrow during the day."


    During the day, the front courtyard was almost deserted, as Wang Xiangxiu was at work, her children were at school, and recent events had led everyone to the hospital, so people didn''te by to chat much. Even if they noticed something, it wouldn''t matter. Like today, when they were smoking rabbit meat, someone did catch a whiff of it.


    But generally, adults wouldn''t go too far. Zhao Guihua was specifically guarding against the three brats next door. Others might not know what those three were like, but could she not? No matter how tough life was, who could live particrlyvishly now?


    Their family was doing well enough, it was just that they were spoiled and selfish.


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and said firmly, "Eldest daughter-inw, we''re both at home. Don''t go too far whening and going, stay alert. It''s not about thieves stealing, but about them plotting. We must not let those little thieves next door get any ideas."


    Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen immediately got fired up, her tone aggressive: "They dare! If they dare to steal from our house, I''ll beat them to death. I don''t care about Bai Fendou, if he dares to intervene, I won''t be as easy to bully as Zhou Qun and his wife. I''ll kick him so hard he''ll never find another woman!"


    This rabbit was meant for their own consumption, even her own family couldn''t get a taste of it, let alone outsiders. Dream on!


    She was ready to fight for their chickens and rabbits, no one was getting any freebies.


    "Mom, you can rest assured, I will defend our chickens and rabbits to the death!"


    Zhao Guihua: "...That''s not necessary, though."


    Liang Meifen: "Absolutely necessary!"


    Determined!


    Zhao Guihua: "...As long as you''re happy."


    Today, they had a good catch and had been quite busy upon returning. Normally, the house would be filled with the smell of blood and fish, but luckily, they brought back a lot of mugwort this time, which helped mask the odors.


    Ming Mei was still shaken by the big snake and had ced a row of mugwort at the door, very meticulously.


    Zhao Guihua: "Tonight, we''ll make soft-shelled turtle soup. Ming Mei, go call your grandpa toe eat with us."


    Living in the same courtyard, it wouldn''t be right not to invite him.


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    Liang Meifen pouted, not inviting her family but Ming Mei''s grandpa, so biased.


    Ming Mei dashed out and back quickly, saying, "Mom, my grandpa won''te, but he said that adding some radish to the turtle soup makes it the best. After you make it, bring him a bowl, and he''ll trade a bundle of white flour noodles for it."


    The Zhuang family: "..."


    Zhao Guihua was quite natural about it, saying, "Sure, that sounds good."


    A bundle of noodles was two ounces, enough for an adult man to finish in one go, but that wasn''t the point. If they traded, a bowl of soup for noodles was fair. No one was shortchanged or cheated, just a normal exchange.


    Zhao Guihua: "Tell your grandpa to bring a bundle and a half of noodles. We''ll take a bundle, and the other half, I''ll add to the soup just before it''s done. It''ll be full of vor, delicious. He''ll get both dry and wet food, he won''t even know where the taste ising from!"


    Ming Mei smiled: "Okay."


    She dashed out again, not minding the running around.


    Liang Meifen was utterly speechless. Her mother-inw was really shameless, trading food like that... luckily, her family didn''t live nearby. Did they have no sense of kinship? Too much, absolutely too much.


    She felt that Old Man Lan shouldn''t take advantage of them. Trading was fine, but if it were her family, she wouldn''t be happy about it.


    Just then, Ming Mei ran back again, saying, "My grandpa said it''s fine, but he wants a few extra radishes, he likes the vegetables from the pot."


    Zhao Guihua: "No problem, tell him..."


    Zhuang Zhixi objected: "Mom, why don''t you just talk to him directly? Why make my wife run back and forth? She''s tired enough."


    He was very protective of his wife: "Don''t bully her, okay?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Tch, that''s what happens when you have a son. Once he gets a wife, he''s all for her."


    Liang Meifen silently looked at Hutou. She also had a son, but she didn''t know what kind of man he would grow up to be. Hutou was eating jujubes, feeling the gaze, he looked up nervously... "Mom, I didn''t steal eat, Grandpa said I could."


    Xiao Yanzi quickly nodded, agreeing with her brother: "Grandpa said we could all eat!"


    Mom''s expression was strange.


    Liang Meifen was speechless, saying, "Eat, eat, I''m not stopping you."


    Her son was still young, just a little glutton.


    "Eat what eat!" Zhao Guihua chimed in, saying, "Don''t eat too much, jujubes can make you ufortable if you eat too many. Do you want to go to the hospital again? Don''t you remember thest time you ate too much?"


    Hutou''s face changed, his little hands waving: "No hospital! Hutou doesn''t want to go to the hospital."


    He didn''t like it there at all.


    Needles hurt, and medicine was bitter.


    Zhao Guihua: "Eating a little is fine, but not too much. Besides, we have something delicious for dinner. You see, we''re making soft-shelled turtle soup tonight, that''s meat, you''ll be full of jujubes and miss out on the meat. How fragrant the meat is, and the soup, it''s very tasty."


    Hutou swallowed, almost drooling. He quickly nodded: "I know."


    He stopped eating and pulled his sister: "Xiao Yanzi won''t eat either, too much isn''t good."


    Xiao Yanzi was soft: "Oh, I''ll listen to my brother."


    Zhao Guihua instructed Liang Meifen: "Let them eat, but don''t let them go wild. If you don''t control them, little kids don''t know when to stop. By the way, take some jujubes back to your room for a snack tonight."


    She told the two daughters-inw, Ming Mei nodded, and Liang Meifen was overjoyed.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wife, pick the redder ones."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly...

 Chapter 51

    Zhao Guihua was making turtle soup for the first time. This was something she had never done before.Fortunately, she had help. Li the Cook from the backyard couldn''t stand by and watch, so he came over to assist. He knew that if they didn''t do it right, they would ruin a good thing. Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua also invited him to join them for dinner, and Li the Cook, after thinking it over, agreed.


    Although the cafeteria had also gotten a turtle, it was for the leaders'' meals, and as a cook, he couldn''t partake.


    Li the Cook had managed to survive in the machinery factory cafeteria for so many years and even arranged a job for his son-inw. He certainly had some real skills. Before long, the aroma of the soup filled the entire courtyard.


    Several households came out to investigate the source of the smell, eventually finding it at the Zhuang''s doorstep. With the warm weather, the windows were open while cooking, making the aroma even more intense.


    "Oh, Li the Cook, why are you here?"


    Li the Cook replied, "They caught a turtle, and they didn''t know how to cook it. I came over to lend a hand."


    "This smell is really overpowering."


    "That''s right. It''s very nourishing."


    "Spring is the best time for tonics."


    "Aunt Zhao, you''ve had that fishing rod for nearly two months now, haven''t you? Finally, you''ve got something. That''s great."


    Zhao Guihua''s face instantly turned cold. Li the Cook couldn''t help but chuckle, and the person who had spoken immediately understood that Zhao Guihua hadn''t caught the turtle herself. Seeing Zhao Guihua''s murderous gaze, he quickly said, "Oh, it''s gettingte. I should be going."


    He quickly made his escape, knowing that the turtle soup wouldn''t be shared with them anyway. No point in provoking the olddy.


    Zhao Guihua snorted coldly, "I don''t believe in bad luck."


    Old Man Zhuang quickly chimed in, "You''re so capable, of course you can do it."


    "Exactly!"


    Zhuang Zhixi added his support, and by this time, Zhuang Zhiyuan had also returned home, saying, "Mom, next time I have a day off, let''s go fishing together. I want to give it a try."


    He had originally nned to surprise everyone by being the first to catch a fish, but his father had beaten him to it. He sighed, looking at his son, HuTou, who had fallen ill and disrupted his ns.


    The entire courtyard was filled with the aroma of the soup, and the whole family gathered near the kitchen, waiting for dinner.


    Wang Xiangxiu led her three children home, and as soon as they reached the door, they were hit by the overpowering smell of stewed meat. Who could be so extravagant as to cook meat at this time? She was jealous but quickly thought of a n.


    No matter whose house it was, she could always ask for a share.


    She quickly entered the house and found the source of the smell. She hated the Zhuang family. Ever since Zhuang Zhixi got married, the Zhuang children had all started their own families. Zhao Guihua had changed her ways, and now there was meat every week. Wang Xiangxiu could smell it, and it made her furious.


    If it were any other family, she might have asked for a bowl or two, but the Zhuang family had refused her three times in a row.


    They wouldn''t give her anything.


    Wang Xiangxiu felt that the Zhuang family were heartless andckedpassion. Her family was in such a dire situation, and they wouldn''t help. She bit her lip, thinking of how to ask. Meanwhile, her three sons couldn''t resist the temptation. Jii, known as a little thief, wasn''t stupid. He knew which houses he could steal from and which he couldn''t.


    He silently looked at the Zhou family''s door, knowing he could steal from them, but not the Zhuang family. Their new daughter-inw was a tigress.


    He looked dejected and didn''t speak. Toni, relying on his young age, threw himself on the ground and started rolling, crying, "I want meat, I want meat..."


    He wailed, looking at his mother and then at the Zhuang family, hoping they would give him some meat.


    He was so young, and a boy at that, why wouldn''t they give him any?


    Zhao Guihua watched the brat with amusement. The three children of this family were all troublemakers, and none of them ended well. If you looked at it that way, this family was full of troublemakers.


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu''s ways had deeply influenced the three boys.


    If you looked closely now, Su Jii was the only one among the three who hadn''t been to jail, and he had some money.


    Jii had been in and out of jail since he was an adult, visiting the detention center like it was a city gate. Most of his life was spent inside, and when he came out, he was either very poor or very rich. His wife took care of the children, his mother, and his grandmother, enduring all the hardships, definitely the prototype of a rural drama heroine. She finally waited for Jii to turn over a new leaf, but by then, he was over fifty and too old to steal.


    Yii hung out with a group of street ruffians. He evolved from stealing to being a gangster, watching over video arcades, billiard halls, and game centers. He got into fights and was eventually jailed for fifteen years for assault. When he got out, he couldn''t keep up with the times and ended up working for his younger brother, Toni, who ate meat while he drank soup. He managed to stay out of trouble and make a living.


    As for Toni, he was the youngest and the most cunning. Unlike his brothers, he relied on his good looks to be a gigolo, charming rich women.


    It was thanks to him that Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu managed to live well.


    After all, Jii and Yii were always in jail and couldn''t be relied on. Even Jii''s son was raised by Toni. He was the first to get rich in their courtyard, finding rich women in their fifties from Hong Kong and Taiwan when he was just eighteen.


    But no matter how strong his stamina, it couldn''tst forever.


    By his mid-thirties, he was already struggling. He used the money from the rich women to set up a club filled with tall, slender young men. What they did was obvious.


    Despite this, he still had many girlfriends outside, and some even queued up to spend money on him. It was quite absurd.


    Eventually, his business was shut down. His woman was the legal representative and went to jail. He, however, was not implicated and tried a few more simr ventures, all unsessful. In the end, he led a group of girls into live streaming with suggestive content... ying on the edge.


    At over fifty, he was still relying on women to survive.


    Zhao Guihua looked at the brat rolling on the ground, demanding meat, and it was hard to connect him with the future gigolo. She clicked her tongue and turned to say, "Liang Meifen, go to the grocery store and buy a block of tofu to add to the soup."


    One dish wouldn''t be enough.


    They needed to make more dishes.


    Liang Meifen immediately responded, "I''ll go right now."


    She took the money and quickly left, forcing a smile past Wang Xiangxiu and her sons, thinking, "Don''t think I don''t know you want to take advantage of us. With my mother-inw around, if you get even a bit, it''ll be my loss."


    Toni paused briefly, then started wailing again, "I want meat, I want meat..."


    Liang Meifen snorted and quickly left. Zhao Guihua took a stool and sat at the door, crossing her legs.


    Wang Xiangxiu felt a bit awkward, but she was thick-skinned and said, "Aunt Zhao, you''re cooking meat, aren''t you? Look at my child, crying... it''s just because he''s craving it. Could you, could you..."


    She suddenly remembered her previous attempts to use her children as an excuse, and how they had refused.


    What had they said? "If the child is greedy, a few spankings will fix it!"


    She quickly changed her approach, "My mother-inw is sick and hasn''t gotten better. She keeps saying her mouth has no taste. I''ve been wanting to buy some meat, but we''ve used up all our meat coupons for the month. Could you spare some? I''ll pay you back next time."


    She spoke so sincerely, but if Zhao Guihua could hear her thoughts, she would probably be furious.


    Wang Xiangxiu was thinking, "As long as you lend it to me, don''t expect it back! Why would I return it? I borrowed it with my own skills, how could I possibly return it!"


    Zhao Guihua saw through Wang Xiangxiu''s little schemes, and they werepletely transparent. Although she was an irritable and impulsive olddy, she had eaten more salt than Wang Xiangxiu had walked roads, so she knew exactly what she was up to.


    She smiled and said, "Xiu''er, if you put it that way, I have to say a few words to you. Life isn''t lived like this. No one''s meat falls from the sky. Look at my family, even Xiao Mei''s grandfather is too shy toe over for a meal without bringing noodles. You open your mouth and want to borrow some, but we don''t have enough to eat either! Today, Li the Cook spent half the afternoon helping us, and we invited him to dinner. Can we not let him eat his fill? Youing to ask for this is just wrong. Besides, didn''t you just get paid the other day? Do you really have nothing left today? Is that appropriate? If you really spent it all, I really have to talk to you about it. Life isn''t lived like this, wasting everything. It''s been less than three days since you got paid, and you''ve already spent it all. Is this how you live? And don''t say your mother-inw is in the hospital. We all know Old Man Bai is helping out. Could it be that you''re secretly feasting at home while your mother-inw is in the hospital?"


    Zhao Guihua looked at Wang Xiangxiu suspiciously, her eyes full of doubt. She frowned, her expression clearly disapproving.


    "I didn''t..."


    "What! You''re feasting at home? So that''s why you didn''t properly send food to your mother-inw. Wang Xiangxiu, you''re so wicked. Your mother-inw thought you were good, but look at what you''ve be. Aunt Su was wrong about you, so wrong!" Old Man Bai came back just in time to catch this, and he couldn''t hold back.


    Although he was always fawning over Aunt Su and his son Bai Fendou was infatuated with Wang Xiangxiu, Old Man Bai''s impression of Wang Xiangxiu was only average. After all, she wasn''t his wife, so why would he care?


    Moreover, he secretly felt that Wang Xiangxiu and her three children were dragging Aunt Su down, hindering their own happiness. So he always had a bit of dislike for her. Hearing this, he was even more furious than Zhao Guihua. He immediately rushed over, grabbed Wang Xiangxiu, and yelled, "You wicked woman, you still owe me and my son''s wages. I thought you were good, but you''re just greedy for money. Poor Aunt Su, kind and naive, fell for your tricks. Pretending to be a decent person, but you don''t do decent things!"


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t expect Old Man Bai to suddenly explode. She was so angry she could barely breathe, "You, you''re talking nonsense, I never..."


    "You still dare to deny it? Your mother-inw is in the hospital, and you don''t prepare a single good meal, just some corn buns. If it weren''t for me, she wouldn''t even be able to stay in the hospital. You heartless wretch..."


    Old Man Bai wouldn''t let go, demanding, "Give me my money back!"


    "You..." Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t believe things had escted this far. The old man was making such a fuss over a few bucks. She put on a wronged expression, saying, "Uncle, how can you say that? I didn''t mean to take your money, Fendou was sick, I was just helping you collect it."


    "I don''t need your help, you wicked woman!"


    Their quarrel quickly attracted onlookers. Everyone rushed out to watch the lively scene, some still holding corn buns in their hands.


    Zhao Guihua watched with interest. Their courtyard was full of entric characters, but she had never seriously confronted them. Every time she tried to argue, someone else would take over the conversation. It was a chaotic mess!


    Even when they were arguing, someone would interrupt. Just like now.


    Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu went back and forth, one cursing, the otherining, feeling wronged.


    Su Jii angrily red at Old Man Bai and suddenly rushed up to punch him, "Let go of my mom, you old bastard!"


    Old Man Bai almost choked on his breath. This child had grown up under his care, eating all the good things he bought, but now he was acting like this. Truly an ungrateful wretch.


    But he didn''t fight back. He wasn''t worried about the child, not his own, and couldn''t carry on the family line anyway. He was afraid of hurting Aunt Su''s feelings.


    He said, "You kids, stay out of this. Go to the side."


    "You hit my mom!"


    "Yeah, you hit my mom."


    The three boys surrounded Old Man Bai and punched him fiercely.


    Although they were kids, they were sturdy, and Old Man Bai was having a hard time defending himself. Wang Xiangxiu was secretly delighted, thinking he deserved it, but she still pretended to be kind, saying, "Stop it, this is your respected Grandpa Bai."


    "He hit you, he deserves to die." Jii was fierce.


    But the neighbors shook their heads, thinking Wang Xiangxiu didn''t know how to raise her kids. Old Man Bai had spent so much money on their family, and now he got called "deserves to die." Even ungrateful people wouldn''t go this far.


    "Those three kids won''t be good when they grow up."


    "Exactly, Mom, you always say they''re pitiful and give them food. Look, are they worth it? We shouldn''t get involved."


    "You can tell from a child''s behavior. Those kids are no good."


    "Right."


    ...Everyone was talking, and Wang Xiangxiu was furious inside, but she couldn''t lose her temper. If she did, these people might not help her family anymore. They needed all the help they could get.


    Finally, she started crying. If only Wang Xiangxiu''s acting was as good as Aunt Su''s. Aunt Su''s eyes were like faucets, crying on demand. Wang Xiangxiu''s performance wasn''t as sincere and natural.


    She said, "Let go, or Mom will be angry. Didn''t I tell you? Everyone who helped us is good, we can''t be rude. You learned in school, be good kids."


    Wang Xiangxiu kept talking, while the tofu and fish stew in the Zhuang family was already done. Liang Meifen''s legs were fast.


    Zhao Guihua watched themotion for a while, knowing this would end without resolution. Aunt Wang didn''t even bother to intervene. It wouldn''t turn into a big fight, just some shouting. But if Bai Fendou were here, Aunt Wang wouldn''t be so calm. He could really start a fight. His dad, though, was just a talker. Aunt Wang knew that.


    Zhao Guihua saw the turtle soup was ready, so she found a big bowl, filled it with turtle meat, radishes, and noodles, a hearty meal.


    She brought it out, and the smell immediately spread. It was quite strong.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Uncle Lan, I''ll bring it to you."


    Lan Sihai was also watching the lively scene, and when he saw his dinner, he said, "Give it to me."


    He took it, and Jii saw the big bowl of "meat" and felt very unbnced. This whole thing started over wanting meat. He suddenly burst out, rushing over, "Give me the meat! It''s mine!"


    Such shameless wordsing from a ten-year-old child were truly despicable.


    He lunged forward to snatch, startling everyone. Before anyone could react, Old Man Lan directly kicked out, sending the brat sprawling with a loud p. He wasn''t like Old Man Bai, who wouldn''t dare offend his beloved''s precious heart.


    "How dare you kick my brother! You coffin-raising brat!" Yii also rushed up to strike, but Old Man Lan grabbed him and delivered two sharp ps across his face. sea??h th§× n?velFire website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t adhere to the motto of never hitting children. This old man''s life philosophy was: Live life, be carefree, enjoy pleasure, and that''s enough!


    Everything else can go to hell.


    "What''s wrong with you, hitting children? They''re still kids!" Wang Xiangxiu shrieked as she rushed over, reaching out to scratch. Old Man Lan didn''t hold back, grabbing her wrist, twisting, and pushing forward with force, causing Wang Xiangxiu to stagger forward and crash into Old Man Bai with a loud thud.


    "Ah!"


    Shended right on top of Old Man Bai!


    This made Old Man Bai blush furiously.


    He had been single for over twenty years...


    Wang Xiangxiu struggled to her feet, also turning red with embarrassment.


    Old Man Lan stood with his hands on his hips, unapologetic: "Wang Xiangxiu, huh? Don''t think just because I''m new here you can push me around. Thest one who dared to challenge me is now in the security office. Do you want to give it a try? If you can''t discipline your kids, as a neighbor, I''ll dly help you out. Don''t think everyone will indulge you! Begging isn''t enough, now you want to rob? That bowl is so hot, your son''s lunge, was he trying to rob or kill? What if someone got burned? You must be plotting to harm others since Zhao Guihua won''t give in to you, huh? Oh, you''re so kind, so very kind. There''s no greater family of kindness in the world."


    Upon closer inspection, it did seem true. Zhao Guihua''s bowl was still steaming. If Jii had grabbed it roughly, it would have surely spilled, burning someone for sure.


    Looking at Wang Xiangxiu now, everyone felt a bit more disdain.


    Truthfully, Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. If she were, she wouldn''t have let Aunt Su manipte her so easily, staying unmarried and enduring hardships at the Su household.


    Old Man Lan then turned to the children, saying, "Look at those eyes, so gentle. What great parenting, truly remarkable."


    Jii and Yii huddled together, ring at Old Man Lan, who didn''t care. He said, "I''m the most amicable neighbor. If someone doesn''t want to discipline their kids, send them to my ce, and I''ll dly help. If they go to the police station, they''ll end up in juvenile detention, ruining their lives. But a beating won''t kill them, so it''s not so bad."


    Not bad, but not good either.


    "Don''t look at my age, I still love to stay active. If you don''t want to discipline your kids, let theme to my ce to cause trouble or steal. No problem, I won''t bother the police, just get some exercise."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Absolutely, staying active is good for the elderly. But exercise with your fists is enough, no need for knives or axes. We don''t want any fatalities."


    Old Man Lan red at him: "Do you think I don''t know that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "You''re amazing."


    He thoughtfully added, "There''s another way to discipline people. You know the public toilet at the end of thene? It''s quite spacious, perfect for swimming. Several people from ourpound have enjoyed a dip. If anyonees to your ce, you can send them there for a swim, save on food too..."


    "Ugh!"


    "Zhuang Zhixi, shut up, do you want to eatter?" Zhao Guihua couldn''t take it anymore!


    "Aunt Zhao, you''re right. Zhixi, aren''t you a bit too mean? We''re having millet porridge tonight..." The same color, could they still eat it?


    "We''re skipping dinner tonight."


    "The idea''s good, but it''s too gross. Last time we rescued someone, I saw stter everywhere..."


    "True, only three fell in, but Wang Xiangxiu, Aunt Su, and the Bai and Zhou families, all were covered in... battle scars."


    "Hahaha."


    The conversation quickly veered off course, drifting towards the big event of the winter!


    Honestly, this event was so fascinating, it could be talked about for another year, iparable to any other story.


    Disgusting, yet exciting.


    After all, such a spectacle was rare, but they had witnessed and experienced it firsthand.


    This firsthand experience was something others could only hear about, they were the first to share the gossip.


    Li the Cook was still chatting with Zhuang Zhiyuan: "You missed such a big event due to your business trip, it''s like your lifecked an important experience."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan also felt regretful, everyone saw it, only he didn''t, which made him anxious.


    He said, "Who says otherwise?"


    He sighed, "I think Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun are amazing. Such a big thing, yet they acted like nothing happened, truly admirable. If it were an ordinary person, they would be too embarrassed to leave the house. They''re not ordinary people."


    Li the Cook nodded, thinking they must have something special about them, if it were him, he''d be in a state of shock.


    Ugh, no, no such assumptions.


    No such assumptions!


    If it were him, he''d lose his job. Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun, and Jii fell in, kids are fine, but adults are just in embarrassing. But if it were him, his kitchen job would surely be lost.


    After all, the workers who toil all day wouldn''t want to eat food cooked by someone who swam in a cesspool, even if it tasted fine, the mental hurdle was too high!


    Li the Cook: "They really benefit from their good jobs."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I think it''s their deep learning of not fearing hardship, not shying from scrutiny, and wholeheartedly serving the people that allows them to withstand immense pressure and continue burning at their posts, and..."


    Li the Cook''s mouth twitched, realizing he forgot this guy always spouts lofty ideals, as empty as clouds in the sky.


    They chatted on, while the others discussed: "My rtive recently insisted on staying at my ce for a day, no reason, just wanted toe. After asking around, I found out he heard about someone falling into the public toilet here, wanting to see this amazing toilet and the three amazing families who could fight covered in... well, you know. He wanted to witness it."


    "Well, my daughter''s art troupe was transferred out of town and heard about it too."


    "Oh, my rtive from Tong County heard, that doesn''t count."


    "Indeed."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face alternated between green and white, how did the topic suddenly shift to this again, it had been days, weren''t they over it? How did it start again.


    Zhuang Zhixi, it was Zhuang Zhixi who brought it up.


    He wrote the ban on swimming sign, a despicable rascal.


    Zhuang Zhixi then ttered: "Grandpa, let me take that for you."


    He took therge bowl from Zhao Guihua: "Wow, it''s hot, Mom, if Jii had knocked it over, you''d definitely get burned."


    Zhao Guihua coldly stared at Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "He, he wasn''t intentional, and it didn''t spill, and he got hit, he learned his lesson..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Not seeding means not doing it at all? Is that how your family educates children? My words were right after all, Wang Xiangxiu, you really are something."


    "How could she not be? She''s someone who isn''t afraid of dirt or stench and can fight with disgust." Someone unknown chimed in.


    Everyone burst intoughter.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s tears finally fell, biting her lip and shouting, "You''re all bullying a widow like me, do you know how hard my life is?"


    "Hard? You''re not returning the wages of Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou, are you? With so much money, what''s hard about it?" Zhuang Zhixi muttered softly, and everyone realized, yes, this issue hasn''t been resolved yet.


    Old Man Bai immediately started again: "Return the money, hurry up and return it!"


    Seeing that the situation was slipping out of her control, Wang Xiangxiu wished more than ever that her mother-inw was there. If she were, she would never let things get this bad. She cried and looked at everyone, but saw no sympathy in their eyes. She could only mumble, "I''m not refusing to return it, I''m just about to get the money. You''ve been misunderstanding me, I always need to exin myself. Otherwise, what will happen to my reputation?"


    Everyone, except for a three-and-a-half-year-old child, could see that she just didn''t want to return the money. Otherwise, she would have gone home to get it immediately instead of wasting so much time talking nonsense here.


    Old Man Bai: "Alright, give the money."


    He extended his hand, and Wang Xiangxiu stumbled back to her home. She felt miserable, not only because her mother-inw wasn''t there, but also because she hated Bai Fendou the most. If Bai Fendou were here, how could she be bullied like this? At least she could have kept some of the money.


    But now, things were different, and she had to endure the humiliation and return the money. Both of their wages were over sixty, nearly reaching seventy, plus her own sry, adding up to nearly a hundred. Having to hand it all out was truly painful for her. This money should have been hers.


    It was infuriating that Bai Fendou wasn''t there, leaving her at the mercy of others. This useless man, no wonder she didn''t like him. If she had married such a man, he would be useless in critical moments.


    She was furious and sighed, taking the money out. She had nned to buy summer clothes for each of her children, but now, nothing.


    She stepped out, red-eyed, and threw the money at Old Man Bai, saying, "Here, take it! Don''t always say I''m greedy for your money. If it weren''t for seeing Bai Fendou in the hospital, I wouldn''t have taken it for you. He helped me so much, and I thought it would be inconvenient for him to collect the money, so I took it for him. The cashier asked if I wanted to take your money too, so I did. Now everyone mes me, throwing dirt on me. I''m truly wronged. No one does things like this. Forget it, I won''t argue with you anymore. Here''s the money. As for my family''s affairs, you don''t need to meddle!"


    After speaking, she pulled the children and said, "Aren''t you going home? If you don''t, they''ll say more about you. You know what to say, we can''t afford meat, we''ll eat steamed buns and drink cold water, we won''t ask for anything from others, or they''ll look down on us. Let''s go!"


    She stormed into the house with the children, and even Toni didn''t ask for treats anymore.


    Although he was young, he knew that if others didn''t fall for their tricks, they wouldn''t get anything. The three children, dejected, followed their mother into the house, and Wang Xiangxiu mmed the door shut.


    Zhao Guihua watched and againmented that Wang Xiangxiu''s tactics were far inferior to Aunt Su''s.


    She called out, "Alright, that''s enough, everyone, let''s disperse. Uncle Lan, wait a moment, I''ll bring you a bowl of tofu, very suitable for the elderly."


    Lan Sihai: "You can call yourself old if you want, but I''m still young."


    Heh, this old man was quite annoying.


    Zhao Guihua thought about her past life, when he had also made her furious. This time, she deeply felt that being made angry by him in her past life was not unexpected. This old man''s words were indeed hard to endure.


    But she didn''t take it to heart.


    Zhao Guihua served the old man a te of tofu. The tofu stewed with fish, the fish''s vor was far inferior to the tofu''s. The deliciousness was all in the tofu, which was very refreshing and couldn''t be better.


    This time, the old man didn''t refuse, but he didn''t go to Zhuang''s house to eat either. He went home to slurp noodles on his own.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, the elderly like their freedom, let''s eat together. Everyone, take your seats."


    Everyone was already impatient. Li the Cook went home and brought back half a bottle of Erguotou, saying, "I''ll contribute too."


    Old Man Zhuang joked, "Didn''t you dilute it?"


    Li the Cook: "Hey, what kind of person do you take me for?"


    He shook the bottle, saying, "Look, top-notch."


    He proudly said, "This Red Star Erguotou is what I saved from the New Year. I didn''t even let my wife drink it."


    If this was how he talked, Old Man Zhuang wouldugh at him: "Don''t talk about one bottle, even ten bottles, your wife could finish them. Can you afford that?" Everyone knew that Aunt Wang was quite a drinker, even a few Beijing men in their courtyard couldn''t match her. If she drank to her heart''s content, how many would be enough? This stuff was bought with money, after all. It just wouldn''t do.


    He teased, and Li the Cook didn''t get angry, instead, he confidentlyughed and said, "That''s why I can''t let her drink it. She can drink her fill at banquets, but don''t waste our own stuff."


    Thinking of how now banquets couldn''t be grand due to the policy, he sighed, "There are fewer and fewer feasts now."


    This had a big impact on him. Unlike others, he was a cook and could earn extra money this way. Now that everything was simplified, many families didn''t do this anymore. It was really sad to think about.


    In fact, Aunt Wang started introducing people to each other because Li the Cook was a cook. They provided a one-stop service. If Aunt Wang introduced someone and it worked out, it would be hard for the couple not to use Li the Cook for the feast, right?


    This meant earning double the money, but unfortunately, it wasn''t easy to make now.


    Li the Cook thought of this with a bit of mncholy, but others couldn''t understand. Old Man Zhuang quickly led Li the Cook to the table, and the children couldn''t help but swallow their saliva. Zhao Guihua: "Don''t be polite, let''s start."


    Everyone immediately dug in. Mingmei wasn''t familiar with Li the Cook, but with such delicious food, who cared about Li the Cook? Of course, she had to enjoy it to the fullest. Mingmei: "I don''t want turtle, just radish and soup."


    She was the typical type who wasn''t hungry and didn''t eat strange things. A rabbit was already the strangest thing she had ever eaten. As for other things, she didn''t eat them, and turtles were the same. Although this stuff was very nourishing, Mingmei just felt weird about it, but she could always drink the soup.


    This she didn''t mind. She took a bite of the radish and her eyes lit up. She felt that the essence and deliciousness of the soup had been absorbed by the radish, which was exceptionally delicious. The radish had never tasted like this before; it waspletely the good taste absorbed from stewing with the turtle.


    She nodded, "Delicious."


    Xiaoyan muttered, "Auntie, you''re drinking the turtle''s bath water."


    Mingmei: "..."


    She put on a fierce look and said, "You little brat, looking for trouble, huh? Do you believe I''ll spank your little bottom?"


    The child quickly covered his little bottom and said, "Xiaoyan won''t dare anymore, but Xiaoyan didn''t lie, Auntie doesn''t eat meat."


    Mingmei snorted and said, "Mind your own business."


    Xiaoyan scratched his sparse hair, a bit confused, but still said, "I want to eat meat."


    "Of course you do,e, Mom will give you a piece."


    Mingmei snorted at her sister-inw again, then continued to gnaw on the radish. The radish was super delicious. In such soup dishes, the side dishes were definitely not inferior to the meat dishes. These people just didn''t know how to eat. If they knew how to eat, they wouldn''t think meat was the best.


    Today''s portion of food was substantial, but it couldn''t keep up with the crowd. His family is always bustling with people, and no matter what they prepare, it always feels insufficient. Big or small, everyone''s stomachs arecking in oil and water, so of course, their appetites arerge.


    Zhao Guihua understood this well. In another decade or two, when life improves and people have more oil and water in their diets, even eating a single steamed bun will be a struggle. But now, even children can eat a lot; Huttou had one bun, but he was only 80% full. If you let him continue, he could still eat more.


    Everyone sat together, lively and warm. Li the Cook genuinely remarked, "Your harvest today is truly impressive."


    He raised his thumb and added, "If you catch any more big fish in the future, be sure to call me. The leaders love to have special meals with such rare delicacies."


    Old Man Zhuang replied, "No problem, just wait for the good news."


    Although he wasn''t sure if there would be such opportunities in the future, a man from the capital city, no matter how reserved, could still boast a bit. He said, "My fishing skills are top-notch. You don''t know, but as soon as I cast my line, I can feel something special..."


    While the men bragged and ate, Mingmei, a young wife, finished her meal quickly. She went back to her room,zily lying on the bed. Although she was busy at work all day, today felt even more exhausting. She thought for a moment, then got up to pack her small bag, preparing to go take a bath soon.


    After a day like this, not taking a bath just wouldn''t do.


    Creak...


    The door opened, and Mingmei turned to see Zhuang Zhixi. He had just had half a cup of erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), his face slightly flushed from the alcohol. He approached and embraced his wife, asking, "What are you doing?"


    Mingmei replied, "I''m going to take a bath soon."


    She then looked Zhuang Zhixi up and down and said, "Can you go like this?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Why not?"


    He leaned down and kissed his wife''s cheek, saying, "I''m fine."


    There was a strong smell of alcohol.


    Mingmei turned to face him, their eyes meeting, and asked, "Are you really not drunk?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Not at all. This little bit isn''t enough to get me drunk."


    He reached into his pocket, pulled out the money and tickets from today''s sale, and handed them to Mingmei, saying, "Here, for you."


    Aliali: 672235a03a4784313d84ca8e


    Mingmei was stunned to see the thick stack of ten-yuan notes and quickly eximed, "This... this..."


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "I sold it for three hundred, but I bought a kitchen knife for my mom."


    Mingmei nodded, "That was agreed upon."


    She immediately pushed Zhuang Zhixi away and sat down to count the money.


    Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Are money more important than me?"


    Mingmeiughed and scolded, "Of course, you''re more important, but you''re not going anywhere."


    She happily counted the money, saying, "When I first started working, I couldn''t even earn three hundred yuan in a year. This is equivalent to a worker''s annual sry. It''s really valuable."


    Although she had disliked it immensely when they were on the mountain, now Mingmei thought this snake was the cutest, most beneficial snake in the world. A snake that brings benefits to the people is truly a good thing.


    She eximed joyfully, "We have money again!"


    She beckoned Zhuang Zhixi over, and Mingmei grinned, saying, "If we save a bit more this year, we''ll have a thousand yuan!"

 Chapter 52

    Ming Mei counted her money, while Zhuang Zhixi watched on the side, amused. Ming Mei pushed him away and immediately went to open her little treasure box. Zhuang Zhixi found her penny-pinching ways amusing and sat down on a chair, propping his chin with his hand as he watched Ming Mei carefully count the money and ce it in the box, then lock ityer byyer.Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Make sure you count carefully, or you might forget again."


    This was a joke about how Ming Mei had been so scatterbrained the first time she counted her money.


    Ming Mei retorted, "I was going to tell you about my savings, but seeing you like this, I don''t feel like it anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing and quickly said, "My dear wife, it''s my fault, I was wrong. Please tell me, okay?" He was quite adaptable, even when tipsy, and knew when to be humble.


    "Wife..."


    This term of endearment was said in a sweet, sticky way that made Ming Meiugh. She leaned in proudly and said, "I''m very good at saving money."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"


    Ming Mei: "I originally had five hundred yuan, and this time I sold something for three hundred. But wait, didn''t you say you also bought a kitchen knife? Yet you still gave me three hundred."


    She blinked, feeling something was off with the math.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "Three hundred is a nice round number, I thought it would be better to save it as a whole. I used my private money to buy the knife, and the knife coupon was from the hospital."


    He counted on his fingers, "Wife, you see, I get five yuan of pocket money a month, and I haven''t wasted a single cent, have I?"


    Ming Mei: "Mm-hmm, no you haven''t."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Then give me a kiss." Sear?h the N?vel?ire website on Google to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened, how did the topic suddenly shift to this? But looking at Zhuang Zhixi''s expression, she didn''t hesitate, leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek. Zhuang Zhixi immediately pulled her in and gave her a proper lesson in what a real kiss was.


    Ming Mei: "Mmmph."


    After a long, deep exchange, Zhuang Zhixi let go of Ming Mei. Now, her face was as red as an apple. Ming Mei pouted, "What are you doing? Are we still going to do the ounts?"


    Zhuang Zhixi pulled her over and made her sit on hisp, saying, "Go ahead, tell me."


    Ming Mei: "How am I supposed to do that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said confidently, "Isn''t it better to sit on a softer chair?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    How unreasonable.


    As she got closer to Zhuang Zhixi, she could see his long eyshes, bright eyes, and fairplexion. How could a man be so delicate-looking? Ming Mei stared at him without blinking.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Am I that handsome? You''re staring like you''re in a trance."


    Ming Mei: "You''re just talking nonsense."


    Her face turned even redder as she pouted, "I wasn''t."


    Despite her words, she continued to look at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Why don''t we take a romantic bath at home?"


    Ming Mei jumped up, saying, "Nonsense! Stop talking nonsense. Let''s do the ounts."


    Seeing her like a startled rabbit, Zhuang Zhixi burst intoughter. After he calmed down, he said, "Alright, go ahead."


    Ming Mei: "Where were we?"


    She scratched her head and started pulling at her hair. Zhuang Zhixi said, "I think Xiao Yanzi learned that from you, whenever she''s confused, she pulls her hair."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She only learned the bad habits from her? Besides, Xiao Yanzi isn''t her child, and they don''t interact much, so how could she have learned it from her?


    Ming Mei: "I didn''t, don''t nder me."


    Zhuang Zhixi just smiled.


    Ming Mei: "Let''s do the ounts."


    She started over: "I originally had four hundred yuan, plus the wedding dowry and the money my mom gave me, plus my scattered savings, it all added up to five hundred and forty. Then we received three months of sry, I get thirty yuan a month, and I also got subsidies for helping others. You have to pay for living expenses and keep five yuan as pocket money, so you give me thirteen yuan and fifty cents each month. Plus the three hundred yuan this time, I now have..." Ming Mei took a deep breath, "Nine hundred and ny!"


    After finishing, Ming Mei swallowed hard, incredulous: "Are we really this rich? I thought we''d need to save up more to reach a thousand, but we''re only a little bit short now? Ah! It''s so close!"


    Zhuang Zhixi also wondered, "Didn''t we spend anything since we got married?"


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and shook her head, "No, we didn''t!"


    She was puzzled too, saying, "I used to like buying clothes and snacks a lot, but why haven''t I spent any money recently?"


    Ming Mei was quite confused, and Zhuang Zhixi was a bit puzzled too, but soon, the couple looked at each other and said, "It''s because there have been too many things happening recently."


    Ming Mei nodded silently.


    Indeed, that was the case.


    There was a small incident every three days and a big one every five days in the courtyard. They were so engrossed in the gossip that their first priority after work was to rush home, afraid they''d miss the next big drama if they werete.


    There was no time to go shopping.


    And the conflicts were often on the vile side. For example, they had an ongoing feud with the public toilet at the end of the alley, which was... quite disgusting and killed their appetite.


    So they ate fewer snacks.


    The food at the Zhuang household was quite good, and they weren''t stingy. Ming Mei''s appetite wasn''t big, so she always got full. With the lively and often disgusting events in the courtyard, Ming Mei hardly ate any snacks anymore, and the money just piled up.


    Ming Mei: "Wow, I didn''t expect this effect."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "They''ve also made a significant contribution to our savings."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Ming Mei''s silly expression and said, "Keep the money for yourself, you don''t need to report it to me. It''s all your money. I haven''t contributed much to it, it''s all from your hard work."


    In truth, it was indeed the case. Zhuang Zhixi only gave thirteen yuan and fifty cents each month, and he had only done so for three months.


    That is, out of nearly a thousand yuan, Zhuang Zhixi only contributed forty or so, the rest was all earned by Ming Mei, even the money from selling snakes was from Ming Mei''s efforts. As a man, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t the type to im credit for something he hadn''t done.


    He leaned his head on his wife''s shoulder and said, "Am I really just a kept man you''re raising?"


    Ming Mei was both amused and exasperated, pouting, "Nonsense, we''re a family. If you didn''t pay for living expenses, how could I save all my sry? Besides, our meals aren''t bad at all. My family had decent conditions, one of the better-off families in thepound, and our living standards are about the same now."


    That is, while they ate well and were generous, sometimes the supplies just weren''t enough.


    Now, Ming Mei felt it was quite good.


    Zhuang Zhixi thought his wife was really open-minded. Heughed and said, "My wife is the best."


    Ming Mei huffed and poked him, "Since I''m so good, you better treat me well and don''t you dare be fickle. I''m telling you, I''m very strict. If you make me unhappy, I''ll beat you up."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Beat me up? How?"


    Ming Mei: "I''ll beat you into a pig''s head, and I have a lot of helpers, too."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You wouldn''t dare. Look at this face, would you really hit it?"


    Ming Mei proudly raised her chin: "Why wouldn''t I? I''m good-looking too, a lot of people like me."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes flickered as he smiled and asked, "Then, my dear Ming Mei, tell me, who likes you?"


    Ming Mei put her hands on her hips: "A lot of people, what, are you jealous?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, pulling her into his arms, "Yes, I''m jealous. But it doesn''t matter who likes you, my lovely Ming Mei is already married to me."


    Ming Mei giggled again, saying in a sweet, low voice, "I was just bragging."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    His wife was really an honest person.


    Ming Mei: "Bragging is allowed. My mom even said that back in the day, the line of men who pursued her stretched from Jinling to Guangzhou."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Her mother-inw might not be bragging after all.


    Although Ming Mei is much prettier, she''s straightforward and probably not someone her mother-inw could easily manipte.


    But Zhuang Zhixi really likes girls like Ming Mei. She''s innocent and simple, yet has a carefree attitude typical of girls from the big city, and she''s not pretentious.


    Ming Mei grew up in a well-off family, at least never worrying about food and clothing, and was doted on by her family. So her personality is very simple and lively, sometimes a bit loud, but very cute.


    Zhuang Zhixi pinched Ming Mei''s cheek and said, "My wife is so beautiful."


    Ming Meiughed and said, "You only care about looks."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Aren''t you the same?"


    They both burst outughing, finding the truth in that statement.


    They were both, after all, superficial.


    Ming Mei pouted, "Alright, let''s pack up and go take a bathter."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."


    As they packed, Ming Mei suddenly asked, "Have you ever been on a blind date before?"


    It seemed she was digging deep into his past.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No, you were my first."


    Ming Mei hummed and then asked, "Well, did you have someone you liked when you were in school? Did anyone like you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s lips curled up, "Why, didn''t you ask before we got married? Now you want to know?"


    But despite his teasing tone, he honestly replied, "If I had someone I liked, I wouldn''t have gone on a blind date. I wouldn''t have led a woman on like that. As for someone liking me, there probably was, but who cares? I didn''t like them, so it doesn''t matter to me. But now that I''ve been so honest, you should tell me too, right?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She said crisply, "I started learning martial arts with my uncle when I was young. So I was pretty tough and good at fighting. In our neighborhood, everyone called me Sister Ming."


    Although she looked delicate and pretty, everyone who grew up with her knew what she was like.


    So, she never had any romantic prospects growing up.


    After all, kids don''t care about looks; they just know getting beat up hurts! As they grew older, that fear was deeply ingrained. They were all like siblings, so why talk about love?


    Zhuang Zhixi covered his face upon hearing Ming Mei''s story. Ming Mei immediately reacted, "Zhuang Zhixi, what are youughing at?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m not."


    His shoulders were shaking.


    Ming Mei stomped on his foot.


    "Ouch," Zhuang Zhixi said, "Wife, wife, I''m sorry! I just found it funny."


    Ming Mei: "Stopughing!"


    Perhaps opening a floodgate of memories, Ming Mei said, "But I almost got engaged once."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What?"


    He looked at Ming Mei in surprise. Ming Mei waved it off, "It was just our elders ying matchmaker. The son of my dad''s deputy at the freight station, a snot-nosed kid who always followed me around, always getting bullied, and I defended him a few times. His dad thought I''d be perfect for his son and even suggested an engagement. My dad brushed it off saying we were too young. Later, when we were about fifteen or sixteen, his dad brought it up again. Of course, my family didn''t agree. Why would I agree? I didn''t like the snot-nosed kid. And he didn''t want it either; he was scared of me and getting beaten up. So he secretly signed up for the army and ran away overnight."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"


    Ming Mei: "Because of that, his family always felt a bit awkward, since the snot-nosed kid ran away. Last National Day, my dad went to their house for a drink and came back saying I should find someone I like soon, because the snot-nosed kid might get discharged. If he does, those old folks might bring up the engagement again. If they do, outright rejecting it would be awkward. Anyway, I was at the age to find a partner, so they started looking. My brother mentioned you, and I don''t know what spell you cast on him, but he described you as an excellent young man, the best of the best. So my parents agreed to the blind date, and we hit it off right away."


    This was also why Ming Mei was eager to get married. If she had to go on a date with the snot-nosed kid, she wouldn''t be happy. Of course, she could refuse, but that would ruin the rtionship between the families.


    Since the snot-nosed kid''s family had only one son and treated him like a treasure, if she rejected him, the rtionship would be over. Even if it did end, she couldn''t sacrifice her happiness. But since she was going to find a partner anyway, it was better to do it sooner.


    This way, she avoided offending anyone.


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his wife''s head and said, "My wife is indeed popr."


    Ming Mei gave him a sidelong nce, "Isn''t she? The snot-nosed kid was scared off, so I must be popr."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No, I mean, my wife is the kind of daughter-inw elders would like."


    She''s straightforward and doesn''t y games, but she''s not confrontational either. Instead, she''s soft and easygoing, which naturally makes her appealing to elders. Didn''t you see how my mom, who''s usually so fierce, treats Ming Mei well?


    Who would dare to speak harshly to such a cute girl?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I should thank your uncle. If he hadn''t taught you martial arts when you were young, there probably wouldn''t be room for me. The line of suitors for you would stretch from Xinghua to Tianjin."


    Ming Mei giggled and pouted, "You''re so sweet-talking."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ve already got the best, so of course I''m sweet-talking."


    He chuckled softly, his voice filled with joy, "I like you."


    Ming Mei''s cheeks turned red as she said, "I like you too."


    Zhuang Zhixi pressed his forehead against hers and said, "Then... shall we be like mandarin ducks..."


    "Get lost!" Ming Mei immediately stood up, "I''m going to ask Mom when we''re going out to bathe. You, stop talking nonsense."


    She dashed out, clearly annoyed by hisck of seriousness.


    The two of them had been dawdling inside for a while, and when they came out, everyone had already finished eating. Chef Li was happily tipsy, humming a tune as he headed to the backyard. Ming Mei peeked out and asked, "Mom, when are we going to bathe?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s go now, or we''ll bete."


    "Okay."


    Liang Meifen sighed wistfully; she was on her period and couldn''t go!


    What a pity, another loss.


    But no one seemed to care about her mood. Zhao Guihua said, "Hutou, follow your dad; Xiao Yanzi, follow your grandma."


    "Okay."


    Kids didn''t need tickets for the bathhouse and usually went with their parents.


    Both Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were very excited. At their age, there wasn''t much to do for fun, just games like "Eagle Catches Chickens," jumping squares, ying shuttlecock, or roughhousing for boys.


    But going to the bathhouse was like "going to y in the water," so the kids were thrilled.


    Hutou mumbled softly, "I want to follow Grandma."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I want to follow my wife too, but is that possible?"


    This earned him a re from Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei. He really was speaking nonsense.


    Zhao Guihua carried her basin and said, "Let''s go."


    Then she instructed Liang Meifen, "Stay home and don''t go out. We had a good meal today, and if everyone leaves, there might be some hungry cats sneaking in."


    Liang Meifen immediately became serious, "Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll keep an eye on everything. No one will get a single bit."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Good, you understand."


    The group set off together. Passing by the toilet, Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Ah, I do miss Brother Zhou Qun and Brother Bai Fendou. Without them, it feels like there''s less fun. No one swims in the toilet anymore."


    "Eww!" Xiao Yanzi covered her nose.


    Othersughed, and the whole family headed to the bathhouse. Zhao Guihua took out the bath tickets and bought more, generously saying, "I''ll treat you all."


    Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Mom, I knew you were the most generous."


    Zhao Guihua: "Get out of here."


    They got their keys and went their separate ways to the men''s and women''s baths. At this time, there were few people, and the pools were very clean. Ming Mei went in and directly got into the water, putting a wet towel over her face. Zhao Guihua also brought Xiao Yanzi in, who happily spun around, saying, "y with water, y with water."


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t slip,e to grandma."


    She carried the child into the water, and Xiao Yanzi leaned against the edge of the pool, panting heavily, "It''s so hot."


    Zhao Guihua: "Can''t handle it?"


    "Can!" Xiao Yanzi didn''t want to leave, so she sshed around in the water. Ming Mei took the towel off her face and looked around. Besides the three of them, there was only one other person in the bathhouse, who was also finishing up and wrapped in a towel, heading out.


    Zhao Guihuaughed, "It''s like we''ve got the ce to ourselves."


    Ming Mei: "It''s better with fewer people, more peaceful. When it''s crowded, it''s chaotic. Before I got married, every year before the New Year, the bathhouse would be packed with people. Sometimes, fights would break out over a water faucet."


    Although it was empty most of the time, it was different a few days before the New Year. It would be packed every day, and fights weremon over water faucets.


    Ming Mei sighed, "But it''s strange, it seems less crowded here. When I came before the New Year, it wasn''t as crowded as it was at my ce. But that doesn''t make sense, since the machinery factory''s dormitory is here. There should be more people. I really don''t understand."


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t understand?"


    Ming Mei nodded.


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s because of the living environment. Your ce has apartment buildings with water fees charged per household. But here, many live in siheyuan (courtyard houses), with water faucets outside. And we pay water fees per person, so whether you use a lot or a little, the price is the same. People naturally prefer to wash at home. If you don''t wash at home, others will, and you''ll feel like you''re losing out. Plus, in siheyuan, disposing of water is very convenient. Some even dare to wash outside in winter. But you can''t do that in apartments, right?"


    Zhao Guihua was more knowledgeable than Ming Mei. If it were the 1980s or 1990s, with modern apartment buildings equipped with showers, apartments would be more convenient. But now, the spaces are small and difficult to maneuver, so washing at home is very inconvenient.


    That''s why the bathhouse in their area makes more money.


    Because people find it inconvenient to wash at home, they are used to going to the bathhouse. Once the habit is formed, it''s hard to change. But here, people are used to washing at home. It''s just the local custom.


    Ming Mei suddenly understood, "No wonder, I thought it wasn''t that crowded here."


    At this moment, she felt a bit regretful, "So if we don''t wash at home, aren''t we losing out?"


    Zhao Guihua gave her a look, "What''s the big deal about that?"


    Ming Mei chuckled, "Right, I guess it''s not a big deal."


    She smiled sweetly, "Mom, after you''re done soaking, let me scrub your back."


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure."


    They could help each other scrub, but it was a pity that there were no masseurs for women, only for men. But then again, even if there were, they might not be needed.


    Housewives at the time were quite frugal and wouldn''t spend on such things.


    Since they had already paid, they might as well enjoy a thorough wash. Ming Mei and the others came out, and the staff was already preparing to close, giving them a big re foring at thest minute.


    At that time, expecting warm customer service was out of the question.


    Zhuang Zhixi came out with wet hair, seeing his wife and immediately smiling. Ming Mei''s head was wrapped in a towel, looking like the character Afanti from picture books.


    But it wasn''t just her; his mother and niece were the same.


    Hutou loudly teased his sister, and Xiao Yanzi said in a childish voice, "Brother, you don''t understand. This way, the wind won''t get into our bodies through our hair."


    She said seriously, "Grandma said this is better."


    "Alright, let''s go home quickly."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Ming Mei, moving closer to her. The long bath had left her skin fair with a pinkish hue, making her look like a super sweet peach. Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t resist holding Ming Mei''s hand and asked, "Feeling cold?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "Not cold."


    Although the weather wasn''t particrly warm yet, it was past winter, and the climate was good. Some people had even started wearing singleyers. The evening was a bit chilly, but after the long bath, they felt warm inside and out, not feeling much cold.


    The couple held hands, unconcerned about others.


    Their affectionate behavior was a bit cringe-worthy.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan thought, you''re just newlyweds. Over time, love fades, and holding your wife''s hand feels like holding your own. He muttered in his heart but still held his two children''s hands, who were jumping around.


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly asked, "Ming Mei, do you like boys or girls?"


    Ming Mei: "I like whatever I give birth to."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "That''s true."


    Ming Mei nced at Zhuang Zhixi, who asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and said, "I want to have children in a couple of years."


    She didn''t want to have them too early; she was still young. Having children early would mean constant care, and Ming Mei felt a bit worried just thinking about it. Her straightforwardness made Zhuang Zhixi pause, but he agreed, "Then let''s wait. Little brats are noisy and cry all the time; it''s annoying."


    He pointed at Hutou and Xiao Yanzi in front and said, "These two used to cry all the time when they were little. People in our courtyard even said they were easy to take care of. It was exhausting."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi turned back, silently looking at their uncle. How could he say such hurtful things?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What are you looking at? I''m just telling the truth. They eat, sleep, poop, and cry. I felt the pain just watching."


    Although he didn''t take care of the kids, the sight alone was headache-inducing.


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    She too had seen how much effort it took to care for a baby and felt that having a child was a big deal. The couple exchanged knowing looks and said, "No rush, no rush."


    As the eldest brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan felt he could offer some advice, "It''s good to have children early; it''s one less thing to worry about in life."


    But no one listened.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My brother is always on business trips, away from home for half a month at a time. Of course, he doesn''t feel anything because he doesn''t take care of the kids."


    Ming Mei nced at Zhuang Zhiyuan and nodded.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Back then, my brother and sister-inw both worked, and Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were mostly raised by my mom. They didn''t really take care of them. Even if they needed to do something, it was my sister-inw who did it. He doesn''t know how hard it is to take care of kids."


    Ming Mei nodded again.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "And..."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Shut up!"


    The older brother was embarrassed.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "See, the truth is always hard to hear."


    Zhao Guihua: "Zhiyuan, shut up. Let the young couple decide for themselves. Just take care of your own family."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Oh."


    With his mother''s words, he had no choice but to keep quiet.


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked, earning another re from his brother. Today, Zhuang Zhixi had received quite a few res.


    However, today, despite being tired, the harvest was really good.


    The food was also great.


    When the group returned home, they found Liang Meifen sitting at the door. The lights in the front yard were all off, indicating that everyone was probably asleep. Zhao Guihua said, "We''ve been busy all day today, so let''s all go to bed early."


    Everyone went back to their rooms to rest. As soon as Zhuang Zhixi entered the room, he hugged his wife, Ming Mei: "Mmm..."


    Her mouth was blocked.


    These young people, they just have endless energy. The two quickly fell onto the bed. Zhuang Zhixi reached out and fumbled on the wall until he found the light cord. With a quick pull, the lights went out!


    Monday, a new day has arrived!


    Ming Mei waste again.


    It wasn''t that she waszy, but there was someone who kept clinging to her every night, not letting her rest until the wee hours. How could she have the energy to get up? Ming Meiy on the bed like a boneless creature, slowly putting on her clothes and said, "Zhuang Zhixi, you can''t do this anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t been up for long either, just a minute earlier than Ming Mei.


    He was putting on his shoes and said, "What did I do?"


    Ming Mei widened her eyes: "What else could it be? You see, it''s never-ending, and it''s affecting work."


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked innocently: "We just got married, we need tomunicate more and explore the mysteries of life, don''t you think?"


    Ming Mei blushed: "What''s there to agree with? Go away."


    She felt this person was really too much.


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned over and kissed her cheek, saying, "Alright,e on, let me help you get dressed. If you''re too tired, I''ll ride my bike and take you to work."


    Ming Mei pouted: "Then won''t you bete too?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Once or twice won''t matter. I think everyone will understand my desire to explore life with my wife after just getting married."


    This earned him two little punches from Ming Mei.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why are you hitting me? They''re all older than me, they understand more. Come on, get up."


    He pulled his wife up, and the two of them finally left the house.


    Unexpectedly, today, Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife were alsote. It seems the turtle soup from yesterday had some other effects? Everyone beingte made it seem less of a big deal.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know that his brother was simplyte, quite different from him.


    Early in the morning, the water basin in the courtyard was the busiest, everyone scrambling for it.


    But recently, it''s been better since there are fewer people in the hospital. The front yard has been much quieter, even the morning routines don''t need to be rushed anymore. Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "I really hope they stay in the hospital a few more days."


    That said, it''s obviously impossible.


    Hospital stays aren''t free, and it''s about time they checked out.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "I bet I''ll see some excitement today."


    "Huh?" Everyone eating breakfast looked up at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s Monday, and we usually go to the hospital for supplies in the morning. They''re probably checking out today too. Maybe I''ll run into them, or I can just go check out the action."


    That''s possible too.


    Zhao Guihua warned her son: "Stay away from the action, don''t get caught in the crossfire. Those people fight without regard, and Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou are always looking for someone to me. Don''t let them trick you."


    Zhuang Zhixi widened his eyes and then smiled meaningfully: "Mom, you underestimate your son too much. If I can be tricked by them, I might as well not live."


    Zhao Guihua pouted, but then thought about it, this kid has never been tricked before, he''s the one who usually makes others miserable. Zhao Guihua rxed and said, "I''m going to see Aunt Wang today and push Uncle Lan to find a partner, we can''t beter than Bai Fendou."


    Ming Mei burst outughing: "Mom, you''reparing to Bai Fendou?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course."


    She thinks Uncle Lan finding a partner is easier than Bai Fendou.


    Ming Mei giggled, and Zhuang Zhixi looked at her bright smile and said, "Alright, stopughing, finish eating and let''s go. I''ll take you to work."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    She was exhaustedst night, her legs were weak, and having someone take her to work was the best.


    However, as soon as she said that, everyone looked at them. Ming Mei remained calm and said, "I was too tired yesterday."


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow but didn''tment. The young couple quickly left the house and ran into Old Man Lan. Despite his age, he also rode a bicycle. He pushed his bike out and said, "Oh, Grandpa, you bought a bike."


    Old Man Lan: "It''s Ming Mei''s mom''s."


    Ming Mei looked and indeed recognized it as her mother''s.


    Old Man Lan: "The factory director said he''d give me a bike coupon next month, so I''m making do for now."


    As a special talent, he enjoys good benefits.


    The group left together, and Old Man Lan fished out a White Rabbit candy from his pocket and said, "Here."


    Ming Mei smiled brightly: "Thank you, Grandpa."


    Zhuang Zhixi was sad: "Why didn''t I get one?"


    Old Man Lan snorted and quickly rode off on his bike, zooming away. His speed was unlike that of an old man; even Bai Fendou, who was most proud of his new bike, didn''t ride that fast.


    This old man was truly a speed demon.


    Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Grandpa, slow down, don''t fall!"


    Old Man Lan didn''t respond, zooming away.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This old man really has personality."


    Ming Mei chuckled and said, "Neither my uncle nor my mom could control him, and you, as a grandson-inw, don''t even think about it. My mom told me that Grandpa has already calmed down a lot. When my grandmother was still alive, they were a dynamic duo. After my grandmother passed away, Grandpa became much quieter, even though he remarried, it didn''t seem to be a good match."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So, your grandfather''s current state is already a restrained version?"


    Ming Mei nodded: "Yes."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I see."


    The result of Zhuang Zhixi taking Ming Mei to work was that he waste. Fortunately, the clinic was lenient, and no one said much, just teasing him a bit. Zhuang Zhixi: "You see, aspensation, I was going to share some gossip. Since you''re all teasing me, I won''t share it."


    "Hey, what gossip? Tell us, why not?"


    "Yeah, don''t hold back, spill it."


    "Is it about your neighborhood? Is it about the widow, or Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun?"


    Everyone immediately got curious. Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "You know Wang Xiangxiu took over Bai''s father and son''s wages during payday, right? Guess what, she didn''t give it to them, andst night Old Man Bai was howling for his money in the courtyard..."


    Zhuang Zhixi vividly described the scene.


    Such things, if he didn''t share, would still spread, as their ce was a familypound. He estimated that by noon, the whole factory would know, so Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t holding back.


    By sharing this gossip, everyone stopped teasing him about histeness.


    Hmm, trading the widow''s gossip for his peace was a good deal.


    "I knew the widow wasn''t easy, why doesn''t she just marry Bai Fendou? She''s already taken his money, what is she dragging for?"


    "Exactly."


    "I think she just doesn''t like Bai Fendou, she''s only after his money."


    "Ah, Bai Fendou is more than enough for her, a widow with three kids and a mother-inw. Even if she finds a man, it''s just for support, yet she looks down on Bai Fendou? Even if he''s not perfect, he''s still a young man."


    Everyone started discussing. Zhuang Zhixi tidied up and said, "I''m off to the hospital."


    "Go ahead, take the list and check the supplies."


    "Okay."


    They continued discussing the match, waving Zhuang Zhixi off like swatting a fly.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Indeed, give them a topic, and they can chat for a whole day.


    Zhuang Zhixi arrived at the hospital; as soon as he got there, he saw many people heading upstairs. Zhuang Zhixi''s keen radar immediately kicked in. If there wasn''t something going on, he would never believe it.


    And, more often than not, it was someone he knew.


    After all, such a scandal happening in a hospital was quite rare.


    Zhuang Zhixi hurried upstairs and saw everyone gathered in front of a ward. Oh ho, it was just as he expected.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly moved closer. Being tall had its advantages; with just a slight tiptoe, his line of sight immediately surpassed the crowd andnded inside the room. He could see everything clearly.


    Sure enough, it was Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su, a duel between the two "aunties". This morning, everyone in this ward was supposed to be discharged, as one couldn''t stay in the hospital forever, usually checking out after three days.


    But it was at this moment that Jiang Lu suddenly mentioned the incident of their home being burgled.


    Aliali: 673e624f3f33ac4ea767a


    Aunt Zhou knew about the burry, as Zhou Qun had been hospitalized because of it, and it had dyed picking her up. Aunt Zhou was well aware of the situation. However, since the burr had been caught on the spot, she had assumed the stolen items were recovered. It wasn''t until hearing Jiang Lu''s words that she realized the items were gone, likely taken by Jii during the chaos of everyone rushing to the hospital that night.


    This infuriated Aunt Zhou, a mix of old and new grievances. Her son was injured because of this family''s burry, and she wasn''t picked up on time because of this incident. How could she not hate it?


    She directly charged to Aunt Su''s bed and pped her twice.


    Aunt Su was in the process of packing her things. She had been bitten by a dog, but not severely. She should have been discharged yesterday, but since it was Sunday, she dyed until today. Never had she expected Aunt Zhou to explode.


    She attacked like a mad dog, rushing up to hit.


    Aunt Su was no match for Aunt Zhou. Her usual tactics were not direct confrontations; she always yed the weak and helpless card, adept at rallying the crowd to defend her. When it came to actual fighting, she couldn''t stand up to Aunt Zhou. In the past, in the courtyard, the Bai family, father and son, would always step up for her. Even if they didn''t, others would condemn Aunt Zhou, as she was so weak and helpless.


    But this time, there were no people from the courtyard, only Bai Fendou.


    Fortunately, Bai Fendou was reliable. To him, Aunt Su was like his mother-inw. Seeing his mother-inw being bullied, he certainly couldn''t stand by! At her crying, Bai Fendou couldn''t bear it, and so began the Nth round of a big brawl in the ward. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu couldn''t just watch their mother get hurt, and the scene became chaotic again...


    Zhuang Zhixi arrived just in time to see this spectacle, with many doctors and patients gathered at the door, too afraid to step forward.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "See, what did I say? I was right, I was definitely right!"

 Chapter 53: The Matters of Finding a Partner

    Sometimes, certain things can be predicted.


    Zhuang Zhixi knew that as long as Aunt Zhou was around, there would always be somemotion. Today was no exception; he had guessed right. He had thought they might cause a ruckus over hospital fees, but it turned out to be an internal struggle. Aunt Zhou had been to the security office before, so she should have learned to be more cautious, knowing that not everyone would indulge her.


    He tiptoed to watch the spectacle. Several men from the hospital security office arrived. It was understandable; you couldn''t expect the nurses to break up a fight; they valued their lives too. With the security officers'' intervention, the brawl finally subsided. This time, everyone fought more restrained.


    After all, getting injured meant spending money!


    No one wanted to waste their hard-earned cash. Fighting was one thing; spending money was another.


    Aunt Zhou pointed at Bai Fendou and cursed, "You barren wretch, always hanging around old and young widows. No wonder you''re over thirty and still single. In my eyes, you''ll stay this way forever, childless!"


    Bai Fendou, who had initially held back because of the old woman''s age, suddenly erupted. He charged forward, howling, "I''ll beat you to death, you old hag! You talk too much! If you''re not childless, let your son have a child and show me! I bet it''s your family that''s cursed! It''s all your fault, you old jinx, for making your son childless. You deserve it, damn it, you really do!"


    He shouted loudly, and the security officers restrained Bai Fendou. But his mouth was just as venomous, "I know what you''re up to. You''re jealous, jealous of Aunt Su having three strapping sons. But jealousy won''t help; you''re just a barren soul!"


    "You''re barren!"


    "You''re barren!"


    An old woman and a young man, both hurling usations of barrenness, made Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu''s faces turn as dark as coal.


    Zhou Qun: "Bai Fendou, that''s enough. Who are you calling barren? My wife and I will have kids when we''re ready. If you have the guts to call us barren, go find a woman and have kids yourself. Can''t even find a wife and you''re here bbering. What, you think you''re smart?"


    With the security officers present, physical violence was out of the question, but it didn''t stop the verbal sparring.


    Bai Fendou: "Pfft! I, Bai Fendou, am handsome and dashing. I can find any woman I want. Do you think you''re special fornding Jiang Lu, that barren hen? Pfft, I tell you, I can find a woman a million times better than yours. Aunt Wang promised to introduce me to someone better. I have plenty of girls chasing me; I can take my time. Unlike you, stuck with just one woman."


    "Bai Fendou, you scoundrel, you deserve to die!" Jiang Lu''s eyes reddened with fury. "I''ll kill you, you scoundrel, you who only grovels to widows..."


    "Wife, wife, don''t lower yourself to his level. I know you best, how good you are. We shouldn''t let an outsider''s words upset us. He''s just jealous that I found such a great wife, trying to sow discord. I won''t fall for it. No matter what you''re like, whether you can have kids or not, you''re the best wife to me. I know you''re good to me and take good care of my mother. You''re wonderful, we all know that. Why let this foul-mouthed dog ruin your mood? Look, he''s just jealous, jealous to the point of madness, ndering you. In my heart, no woman in this world is better to you."


    Zhou Qun pulled Jiang Lu back,forting her.


    His words softened the women''s gazes, making them think he was a great man. In most households, a wife unable to bear children might cause trouble, but look at this man, how good he is to his wife.


    Jiang Lu felt immensely warm and threw herself into Zhou Qun''s arms, wailing, "Qun, I know, I know you''re the best..."


    Zhou Qun gently patted her back, soothing her, "Don''t pay attention to this petty man. He''s just a pile of dog shit."


    "You bastard, who are you calling..."


    "Whoever talks nonsense. Bai Fendou, you can say whatever you want about me, but I won''t let you insult my wife. I don''t even dare to say a word against her; who do you think you are?"


    "You!"


    As they bickered, others nodded, saying, "This man is a real man."


    "Indeed, anyone who finds such a man won''t regret it. Look how he stands up for his wife in crucial moments."


    "If my man were like this, I''d be moved to tears."


    Seeing everyone''s reactions, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help but sigh: Zhou Qun really knows how to put on a show. No wonder he often gets praised. He knows just the right words to make people feel at ease. Look at Jiang Lu, she''s trembling with sobs, but it''s not out of sadness¡ªit''s out of gratitude.


    And with Zhou Qun''s words, everyone began to point fingers at Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou retorted, "I... I''m not wrong! This old hag started it!"


    "His grandson stole from my house when we weren''t home. Is that right? Every time, it''s just brushed off. My mom couldn''t take it anymore. You think it''s wrong to be angry? They raise thieves, and we''re the ones with the tempers?"


    "No, petty theft is wrong."


    "That''s true."


    "If someone stole from me, I''d break their legs."


    The crowd buzzed with discussion. Aunt Su also covered her face and cried, knowing that petty theft was deeply resented. Harshly put, if you caught a thief, some might even cheer if you killed them.


    So she had to do something.


    "I''m sorry, really sorry..."


    Aunt Su suddenly knelt down, crying, "It''s my children''s fault, I didn''t teach them well. me me, it''s all my fault. But the kids are young; they were just hungry, they''re not bad-hearted. The feeling of hunger is terrible. My husband and son are gone, and I''m a widow with three growing boys. It''s tough. But don''t worry, I''ll discipline them properly, it won''t happen again. I''m sorry, I''m begging you..."


    Aunt Su''s act of weakness immediately changed the situation.


    People are generally lenient towards the weak. Seeing the scene, Zhuang Zhixi pouted and walked away. The oue was obvious; there wouldn''t be a fight. It would just end with some muddledpromise.


    Below that, it would be aboutpensation, but their injuries weren''t severe, so they could still be discharged. Their courtyard would soon be lively again.


    It seemed that Aunt Zhou''s three-day adventure in the security office hadn''t affected her mood at all. She remained as troublesome and mischievous as ever. She was truly a mentally resilient person.


    Zhuang Zhixi went downstairs to attend to his business. As he counted the gauze, someone called out to him, "Zhuang Zhixi?"


    He looked up in surprise, "Teacher Xiang?"


    Teacher Xiang was Zhuang Zhixi''s high school math teacher, with whom he had a good rtionship. However, three years ago, Teacher Xiang stopped teaching due to his background and cut off contact with all colleagues and students.


    Zhuang Zhixi and a few ssmates had looked for Teacher Xiang several times, but he always avoided them. They knew that Teacher Xiang wasn''t too proud to see them because of his changed status but didn''t want to cause them trouble.


    Unexpectedly, they met here. Zhuang Zhixi was astonished, "Teacher Xiang, why are you here?"


    Looking at Teacher Xiang''s hospital uniform, he replied, "I work in the hospital morgue."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Teacher Xiang smiled lightly, "It''s not bad here."


    Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips, feeling a bit sad. He wasn''t the type to easily open up to people, but he was very close to Teacher Xiang. He quickly asked, "When did you get here? Have you been here all along, or...?"


    His questions were numerous. Teacher Xiang waved his hand, looked around, and seeing no one around, said, "Come to the basement level two in ten minutes."


    He left first, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed behind. The basement level two was the morgue. Just thinking about it made Zhuang Zhixi''s legs feel weak. He descended the stairs, feeling the cold intensify with each step. He took a deep breath and encouraged himself, "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re a man, how can you be so scared? This won''t do."


    A burst ofughter echoed in the corridor. Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "Oh my god!"


    Teacher Xiang walked over, amused and exasperated, "What are you afraid of?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked around and asked, "Is this where you work?"


    Teacher Xiang nodded and said, "I resigned back then and used my connections to get this job."


    He sat down on the steps and said, "Come, sit."


    The two sat down together. Teacher Xiang said, "My older sister married to Hong Kong, and our family''s background is average. There was no way I could stay at the school. If I didn''t leave, something bad would have happened sooner orter. Instead of being controlled by others, I thought I''d better find a way out. A friend of mine suggested that the more inauspicious and undesirable ces are, the safer they are. So I used my connections to get this job. Surprisingly, although this ce looks cold and inauspicious, it''s actually quite a good ce. These years, I''ve lived very peacefully."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced around. It was pitch dark, with only a smallmp. He said, "As long as you''re fine. There have been a lot of chaotic things happening these years."


    Teacher Xiang replied, "Who says otherwise? But I''m fine, living quite well. I''ve seen you several times but didn''t dare to greet you. Today, I thought I should at least let you know. You, this kid, look carefree, but you''re very loyal. I was afraid you''d worry about me. See, I''m doing well, aren''t I?"


    Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Well, what''s good about it? Look how dark it is here. People can''t live without sunlight."


    Teacher Xiang said, "As long as I can live without suffering, that''s good enough. I actually think it''s quite good now. The work is not much, no worries about food and clothing. Although it feels a bit like living like a rat, my life is not bad. I can even sneakily read books here. If I went out, would I dare to read?"


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What about Teacher Xiang''s wife?"


    Teacher Xiang replied, "We divorced. She took the kids back to her parents'' home."


    Zhuang Zhixi remained silent. Back then, Teacher Xiang and his wife had a very good rtionship. They had even brazenly gone to the Xiang''s home to eat. The wife had always been very polite to them. Unexpectedly, they got divorced...


    Teacher Xiang said, "What kind of expression is that? We had a good rtionship, it wasn''t that she abandoned me. I was the one who proposed the divorce. If we hadn''t divorced, I was afraid it would have implicated them. So I came up with a n. My mother-inw went crazy with grief after my father-inw suddenly passed away, often picking up a knife at the slightest disagreement. I said I had enough of it, that I was tired of her madness. We had a big fight and then divorced. She took the kids and moved back to her parents'' house. With my mother-inw, who often picks up a knife, and my wife''s siblings around, I''m not worried about them being bullied. I moved out, leaving everything behind, and now live here."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He frowned, "How can you live here?"


    "Why not? It''s quite good."


    He teased, "Why are you being so picky? Is this how you are now? I see you''ve be quite arrogant."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "And you weren''t arrogant before."


    Teacher Xiang had been very mboyant in the past, young and able to mix well with them. Now living in such a dark ce, Zhuang Zhixi sighed, feeling a bit sad. Teacher Xiang patted his shoulder and said, "Hey, why are you sighing? You''re young, you should live carefree. Don''t forget how I taught you? Life should be carefree to be happy. Thinking too much doesn''t bring much happiness."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Heh."


    He said, "So, Teacher Xiang, you didn''t call me out just to catch up, did you?"


    Teacher Xiang, fearing to cause them trouble, wouldn''t normally seek him out. This sudden summoning must have been for a reason.


    "You''re quite sharp."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "You used to say I had a lot of tricks, didn''t you?"


    Teacher Xiang alsoughed and said, "Actually, it''s like this. My brother-inw was hospitalized recently and happened to be in the same ward as your nephew. He recognized you and overheard Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou gossiping about your family."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"


    Teacher Xiang became serious, "I heard that your wife''s grandfather is looking for a partner. What do you think of my older sister?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"


    He almost fell down the stairs. He looked at Teacher Xiang in disbelief, feeling his head buzz. After a long while, he stammered, "Are you... are you matchmaking randomly?"


    He stared at Teacher Xiang, deeply feeling that his teacher''s brain had gone haywire. Could it be that living in this sunless ce for too long had caused water to enter his brain?


    He reached out and gently touched his forehead, saying, "Are you feverish?"


    "Go away, what fever? I''m serious."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at him with aplicated expression and said, "Do you know how old my wife''s grandfather is? He''s about seventy, or close to it. Even if he''s not seventy yet, he''s almost there. You know, my wife is his youngest granddaughter, and she''s already married. Your older sister..."


    Zhuang Zhixi started scratching his head, his neatlybed hair turning into a tangled mess. At this moment, he finally understood why Mingmei sometimes scratched her hair. It was really quite perplexing.


    "This age... it''s not suitable."


    Teacher Xiang: "Don''t reject it so quickly, listen to me."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    Teacher Xiang: "My sister-inw is fifty-one this year. She has never been married, although she was once engaged. When she was less than twenty years old, she identally fell into the water during an ident. At that time, she was already pregnant with her fianc¨¦''s child, but due to the ident, she had a miscarriage. Please don''t think she is not virtuous; in fact, she is a very good person. The reason she got pregnant early was that her fianc¨¦ was going to the battlefield. But who would have thought that this ident would happen, and the doctor said she could no longer bear children. This situation was already very difficult, but unexpectedly, the family that was supposed to marry her suddenly backed out. The man couldn''t go against his family and also abandoned my sister-inw, which made her extremely heartbroken. Because many people saw her being sent to the hospital after falling into the water, the news spread, and basically no decent families came to propose marriage. At that time, before the liberation, those who came to propose were either for concubinage or to be a second wife for an old man. Seeing these kinds of proposals, my sister-inw decided not to marry at all. She is very strong-willed and decided not to marry, always taking care of the family. Later, when my father-inw passed away, the family only had three women, and my brother-inw was still a teenager. My mother-inw thought this situation would definitely lead to being bullied, so she pretended to be crazy, often picking up a knife to threaten people. In fact, she is not really sick, so you don''t need to worry about any gic issues. My mother-inw is just pretending, so my sister-inw is perfectly fine. Later, when my wife and I got married, their family''s situation improved. They once thought of arranging a marriage for my sister-inw, but she refused. It was then that she found out that the ident of her falling into the water was actually orchestrated by her fianc¨¦''s family. They didn''t want her as a daughter-inw because of her ordinary background, but since the marriage was arranged by their deceased elders, they couldn''t back out. So they deliberately pushed her into the water, intending to catch her in a scandal of not being virtuous. Unexpectedly, before they could use this to break off the engagement, the doctor revealed that she had miscarried and could no longer bear children. They took advantage of this to break off the engagement. Her former fianc¨¦ knew about his family''s actions but did not speak out. However, their family did receive their just deserts. Asndlords, they didn''t fare well after the liberation. The former fianc¨¦ also revealed the truth on his deathbed. After knowing all this, my sister-inw couldn''t trust men anymore and didn''t want to marry again, which led to her single status until today."


    Zhuang Zhixi frowned: "Then why is there a n to marry her now?"


    This matter seemed strange and mysterious.


    Teacher Xiang: "Actually, it''s because my sister-inw has this intention. As people get older, they don''t take things as seriously as they did when they were young and be more open-minded."


    Seeing that Zhuang Zhixi was still suspicious, he smiled bitterly and said: "Don''t think too much. There really isn''t anything going on. People''s thoughts change with time. A few years ago, could I have imagined running away to work here to avoid trouble? No way. My sister-inw is the same. She didn''t want to find a partner before, but now she feels a bit lonely and has changed her mind. As for the age difference, to be honest, my sister-inw''s choices are limited. We also consider the issue of not having children. Now that she wants to find a partner, she inevitably has to face the issue of the other party''s children. We really don''t want her to go and be a nanny, nor do we want her to worry about someone else''s children. She has never had to worry about children her whole life, and we don''t want her to start worrying about someone else''s kids at her age. Isn''t that annoying? Your grandfather, although much older than my sister-inw, doesn''t have to worry about children. And he wants to find someone healthy, and my sister-inw also wants a healthy partner, so it seems like a good match. That''s why we approached you."


    After all, not having to worry about children is a big relief, even if the person is older. It''s much more convenient.


    If there were children, the trouble would be endless.


    Adult children bring even more problems.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    This exnation really left him at a loss for words.


    Teacher Xiang: "Here, I''ll give you my sister-inw''s address. You can go and ask around about her character; she is really very good."


    Zhuang Zhixi was silent for a moment, then said: "In that case, I''ll talk to my grandfather. He will definitely want to investigate. Whether it works out or not, I can''t guarantee. This isn''t like finding a partner for myself. It depends on his thoughts. Maybe he will even think your sister-inw is too young. After all, it has to be a mutual match, right?"


    Teacher Xiang agreed: "That''s true. This matter definitely requires mutual agreement. We are just going by hearsay."


    He was indeed straightforward, saying: "My brother-inw also heard Aunt Zhou and others talking behind the scenes, so he thought it was suitable. The idea is to have fewer troubles and be in good health. My sister-inw is looking for a partner who is also in good health, otherwise, she would just be a nanny, and we wouldn''t be happy about that."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said: "Alright, I''ll ask around. Whether it works out or not, I''ll give you an answer in a few days."


    Teacher Xiang nodded and said: "Okay, but don''te looking for me openly. My background is average, and I don''t want to affect you."


    He smiled bitterly and said: "If I hadn''t divorced, I would never have introduced my sister-inw to your family. Now that I''m divorced, they won''t be affected by me."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand. Well, I''ll be off then. I''ll give you newster, but don''t rush."


    Teacher Xiang nodded: "No problem."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t stay long. He hurried upstairs and didn''t want to be seen. It wasn''t that he wasn''t decent, but some things are better left untouched. If you can avoid trouble, why would you want to get involved?


    If Teacher Xiang hadn''t wanted peace, he wouldn''t have hidden in such a remote and unlucky ce.


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his arms, feeling that this ce was indeed very unlucky.


    But the word "unlucky" might differ depending on who you ask. For Teacher Xiang, it was quite fortunate. After all, only here could he find peace. In another ce, with his background, he might have been dragged out for various troubles.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly went upstairs, got on the tricycle assigned by the factory clinic, and sped back.


    If Bai Fendou knew about this, he would be dumbfounded. You see, Bai Fendou wants to get married but can''t even find a date, while Lan Sihai, an old man, has peopleing to propose marriage.


    It''s hard to understand this world.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly returned to the unit. As soon as he arrived, he heard the clinic buzzing with activity. Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    No one paid attention to him as he entered. Zhuang Zhixi: "What are you all talking about?"


    The sisters here are all capable.


    "Hey, what else? Zhou Qun came to work."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    When he went to the hospital earlier, Zhou Qun and the others were still fighting. After the fight, they came to work? Thinking about it, it''s not surprising. Zhou Qun had taken several days off. Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t remember exactly how many days, but it was at least five.


    Today is Monday, so no matter how you look at it, it''s normal for Zhou Qun toe to work.


    He curiously asked: "What about Bai Fendou? Did hee?"


    "He also came, and so did Zhou Qun''s wife, Jiang Lu. I''ve never seen a man take so many days off for a sprained back. I heard their department head is very unhappy."


    "Unhappy or not, what can he do? Zhou Qun has connections, as long as he doesn''t make a big mistake, he can take as much leave as he wants."


    "That''s true, but Jiang Lu also has it tough. Her husband and mother-inw are both in the hospital, and she has to take care of them. It''s really hard for her to find time..."


    "Hey, do you think Zhou Qun knows about his mother''s remarks?"


    Everyone looked at each other, shaking their heads. They couldn''t guess whether Zhou Qun knew or not.


    Logically, Zhou Qun should know, but who can say for sure? After all, Jiang Lu hasn''t been to work these days, so it''s possible he doesn''t know.


    ¡°Hey, have you guys seen Bai Fendou? His face got scratched, and it looks like a fresh wound. He must have gotten into another fight again, right? That guy is really something. He never stops, always causing a ruckus every day.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it was a woman who did it. Hey, could it be Wang Xiangxiu?¡±


    ¡°No way, Wang Xiangxiu seems very gentle. Maybe it was Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw. Didn''t she get pregnant with Old Bai''s child? As the only son, Bai Fendou definitely wouldn''t be happy about that. They probably got into a fight.¡±


    ¡°Could be, could be.¡±


    People nowadays really have nothing better to do. They gossip about the smallest things like it''s a big deal. It''s almost like celebrating a festival. Bute on, how did everyone just assume that Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw being hospitalized means she''s pregnant?


    This whole thing is Old Bai''s fault. He''s too loud, and now no matter how he exins it, no one believes him.


    In a few days, they''ll probably start saying the baby is born, and Bai Fendou will have a new younger brother.


    Zhuang Zhixi kept imagining this scenario and couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Doctor Wang: ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°I was thinking, Bai Fendou really has it tough.¡±


    Everyone thought about it and agreed, bursting intoughter.


    Poor Bai Fendou kept sneezing from all the gossip. Today was his first day back to work after a break, and he was three hourste. By the time he arrived, it was almost noon, but the security department didn''t give him a hard time.


    Normally, they would, but with those scratches on his face, it was clear he had been "taught a lesson." The head of the security department decided to let it slide, considering Bai Fendou was one of their own.


    But Bai Fendou''s mood was far from good. Along the way, countless people had stopped him to chat.


    ¡°Fendou, is your dad going to find a new wife for you? If he gets together with Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw, you won''t stand a chance, will you?¡±


    ¡°Fendou, heard you''re getting a new brother? Do you prefer a boy or a girl? Maybe it''ll be a sister.¡±


    ¡°I think if your dad has another kid, it''d be better if it''s a girl. A boy wouldpete with you, but a girl will just get married off.¡±


    ¡°But no matter if it''s a boy or girl, how long can Old Bai and Aunt Su manage? It''s like Bai Fendou is getting a grown-up child.¡±


    ¡°Having a grown-up child isn''t so bad. Since Bai Fendou doesn''t have any kids of his own, it''s better to treat his brother or sister like his own child. It''s all the same, right?¡±


    The more they talked, the more absurd it became. Bai Fendou was fuming, his nostrils ring. He shouted, ¡°Damn it, can you guys talk sense? What are you even talking about? Those are all rumors, rumors! They''re not true. Can you stop believing everything you hear? Can you speak like normal people? Do you have to make up stuff like that? What about Aunt Su''s reputation? And why do you think I have a chance with Wang Xiangxiu? We''re just neighbors, and our rtionship is good because I feel sorry for her situation. It''s not what you think.¡±


    Deep down, he actually liked Wang Xiangxiu, but after another fight with Aunt Su at the hospital, his heart ached.


    Why could Zhou Qun find a good woman who was also a first-time bride, while he could only find a second-time bride?


    He had boasted that he would find someone better than Jiang Lu. Although, in his heart, Wang Xiangxiu was much better than Jiang Lu¡ªconsiderate, beautiful, and capable of having children. But there was one thing: Wang Xiangxiu''s family conditions couldn''tpare to Jiang Lu''s.


    He, Bai Fendou, still wanted to find a woman with excellent family conditions, who was also a first-time bride. That way, he could outshine Zhou Qun.


    And also outshine... Zhuang Zhixi.


    Although Zhuang Zhixi had never unted in front of him, Bai Fendou still looked at him unfavorably. Before, they were just little brothers in the same courtyard, but now things were different.


    Zhuang Zhixi was married, and his wife was pretty good, while he, Bai Fendou, was still single.


    So why Zhuang Zhixi and not Yang Lixin?


    Pfft, Yang Lixin was just a son-inw who couldn''t even pass on his own surname to his son. He was spineless.


    As for Zhuang Zhiyuan, pfft, his wife only sided with her family. It was a waste to give up a good job for that. Not worth envying!


    So Zhuang Zhixi was the one to be jealous of.


    Bai Fendou''s mood was terrible. He made up his mind to find Aunt Wang and ask her to introduce a good match for him. His conditions were top-notch, weren''t they?


    Because of this, Bai Fendou and Zhuang Zhixi, both off work, showed up at Aunt Wang''s house.


    Aunt Wang: ¡°???¡±


    Was she that important now?


    Bai Fendou was also suspicious: ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°I came to see Aunt Wang about something. Is that a problem?¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°What''s the matter?¡±


    This guy reallycked tact. Zhuang Zhixi sighed and said, ¡°What do you think? Would I tell you? Hey, what about you?¡±


    Bai Fendou awkwardly smiled, then thought, asking for a wife isn''t shameful.


    He boldly said, ¡°I just wanted to ask Aunt Wang how the matchmaking is going.¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°...¡±


    Didn''t you have any self-awareness?


    Where would you find someone with those requirements?


    Aunt Wang looked at Zhuang Zhixi, who suddenly showed up. It was quite strange.


    Bai Fendou was still rambling on, saying, ¡°I want a wife, not necessarily great, just better than Jiang Lu. How about it? My requirements aren''t high, right?¡±


    Aunt Wang took a deep breath and couldn''t help but say, ¡°How are they not high? They''re very high! Look at your actual situation! You''re over thirty, and you''re entangled with a widow. Your reputation outside isn''t great. How do you expect me to find someone good for you? People with those conditions are already married early. Do you think they''d wait for you? Go, go, get out of here. Don''t joke around with me.¡±


    Bai Fendou''s eyes widened like bull''s eyes: ¡°Why is this a joke? I''m serious.¡±


    Aunt Wang, seeing hisck of self-awareness, simply didn''t want to deal with him. Matchmaking was about finding a suitable match. If the gap was too big, people would point fingers at her, and how could she continue to do matchmaking?


    She couldn''t afford to lose face like that.


    Aunt Wang then looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, ¡°Why are you here? Your grandfather? Why didn''t the old mane himself? Since you''re here, let''s go talk. I have seven potential matches for him. Let''s see which one he likes better.¡±


    Bai Fendou''s eyes widened in shock. How could he be treated like a joke, while the old man had seven potential matches? Was this even fair? How could they be so unreasonable?


    He stretched out his hand to block Aunt Wang and said, ¡°Aunt Wang, you can''t do this. You won''t introduce one match for me, but you find seven for him. Do you think that''s fair?¡±


    Aunt Wang pped his hand away and said, ¡°What''s unfair about it? I think it''s quite fair.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Your requirements are high, so there are no suitable matches; his requirements are not high, so there are many suitable matches. Even though Grandpa Lan has many options, no one knows if any of them will work out until they meet. These matches are not just for Grandpa Lan; they have other choices too. Dating is a process of seeing if both sides click. You just don''t understand. Move aside.¡±


    Since the fight at the hospital and being scolded by Aunt Zhou, Bai Fendou had been in a bad mood. The incident of falling into the cesspit and eating shit had just passed, and people had stoppedughing at him.


    Now, they were back to gossiping about his father''s affairs.


    This brother and sister are both out here, it''s really nonsense. And it''s clearly his dad''s business, so why isn''t anyone gossiping around the old man? Instead, they all gather around him. It''s infuriating.


    In any case, Bai Fendou is now eager to find a good partner to redeem himself.


    This is a matter of a man''s pride; he absolutely cannot back down.


    "My requirements aren''t high at all. Xiao Zhuang''s sry isn''t even as high as mine. Look at the kind of partner he''s found..." he muttered.


    But this remark immediately sparked Aunt Wang, the golden matchmaker, into anger. She bellowed in a loud voice, "Can you have some self-respect? It''s true that your sry is higher than his, but have you looked at your own age? How old are youpared to him? You''re almost ten years older, do you even have the nerve to say that? Plus, look at your own face, and then look at his. I beg you to go home and look in the mirror. How can you be so clueless? Don''t even mention that Xiao Zhuang is a formal worker with a job. Even if he wasn''t, with his looks, finding a partner wouldn''t be difficult. But you... forget it. Get out of here! I can''t stand to look at you! Scram!"


    She roared like a lioness from the east.


    "Scram, scram, scram!" Bai Fendou was kicked out, and Zhuang Zhixi watched the spectacle with glee.


    Aunt Wang: "What brings you here this time...?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This time, I''m here about my grandfather''s matchmaking..."


    He lowered his voice and said, "The thing is, Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su are in the hospital, right? They''ve been talking about my grandfather behind his back. You know, my grandfather just moved here from out of town, so they don''t really know much about him. So, they can only talk about his personal life, inevitably mentioning his intention to find a partner again. They mock his peculiar requirements... But you know what? They didn''t have good intentions, but the listeners took it to heart. The guy in the next bed, you might remember him, you saw him when you visited Aunt Su. He heard about it and thought my grandfather would be a good match for his older sister. So, he found me through a roundabout way, hoping to arrange a blind date..."


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    What the hell kind of development is this?


    "I''ve talked to my grandfather about this. He''s open to meeting, but we should know a bit about each other. You can''t just have someone fall from the sky for a blind date. My mom doesn''t know much about these things, so that''s why I had toe to you. Can you find out about thisdy''s personal situation? You''re well-connected in this line of work."


    As soon as Zhuang Zhixi got home, he told Lan Sihai about the situation. Lan Sihai''s requirements were really not high; he didn''t seek anything superfluous, just someone who was trouble-free and in good health. And he himself was in pretty good shape.


    But as Zhuang Zhixi said, even though Lan Sihai agreed, he definitely wanted to know the specifics. Who knows if there might be any tricks. As people get older, they be more shrewd and are wary of being scammed into marriage.


    After all, he''s been through it before. His second wife had someone on the side and used him as a meal ticket.


    And then there was the third wife who was really unwell.


    Lan Sihai was also known to be loyal and righteous in Jinling. After all, he was willing to spend money to treat hister wife''s illness without any hesitation. For that, many people would give him a thumbs up. Not everyone can do that.


    Aunt Wang: "You came to the right person for this. Your mom, despite her fiery nature, doesn''t really care much about these things and doesn''t know many people. Tell me, what''s the name of the person? I''ll go and find out."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "She lives in Nanluoguxiang, her name is Luo Xiaohe. She should have an old mother, a divorced sister, and an unmarried brother. She never married because she couldn''t have children after a drowning incident. That''s about all I know... I need you to find out the details for me."


    Aunt Wang frowned, "Luo Xiaohe? I don''t know her, but it doesn''t matter, there are many people I don''t know. We matchmakers often share information. You can rest assured, I''ll find out about this as soon as possible. Just wait for the news."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Okay."


    He said, "Thank you, Aunt Wang."


    Aunt Wang gave him a sidelong nce and said, "What''s there to thank? I''m a matchmaker, I''m happy to arrange marriages. Besides, your grandfather is easy to match."


    Although the old man is old, he''s in good health, has a good sry, no children to meddle, and has clearly stated that the house will go to his partner, which the children can''t take away. For someone looking to find a partner in theirter years, this is quite good. No matter the size of the house, at least it''s a guarantee.


    For this reason, many people would be willing.


    She said, "Just wait and see. Oh, by the way, I still need to go see your grandfather. I have a few more suitable candidates to discuss with him..."


    As the two walked out together, they saw Bai Fendou squatting in the middle of the two gates, drawing circles on the ground and lost in thought, looking dispirited.


    The moment he saw Zhuang Zhixi following Aunt Wang out, his face instantly darkened.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    What the hell is wrong with you?


    This jealousy of yours, isn''t it over yet?

 Chapter 54: Hiding Money

    Zhuang Zhixi took on the role of a matchmaker, beginning to y cupid for Old Man Lan, while showing less concern for Ming Mei, his actual granddaughter. Ming Mei was quite easygoing and somewhat casual about things. She was more curious about whether these people, now discharged from the hospital, would stir up any trouble.


    Whether they caused trouble or not, Ming Mei found it all quite interesting - these people enriched both her life and her savings.


    Ming Mei rarely watched movies nowadays; she couldn''t help it - there was too much gossip in their courtyard to keep up with. Looking at it this way, movies weren''t anything specialpared to the entertainment value of following the neighborhood gossip.


    Unexpectedly though, both Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su remained surprisingly well-behaved after leaving the hospital, which was rather unsettling - their good behavior was actually quite frightening.


    However, Zhou Qun returned from his first day back at work with a dark expression. He ran into Ming Mei at the entrance of the alley and managed a forced smile, greeting her: "Hey there, Zhuang''s wife, off work?"


    Ming Mei responded with a clear, crisp "mm-hmm" while curiously observing Zhou Qun''s expression, asking, "Brother Zhou Qun, you''re back at work already? Shouldn''t you rest a bit longer?"


    Zhou Qun replied, "We are all sessors of socialism and screws in the factory machine. The factory''s operation needs countless screws, and can''t function without mine. Our electrical team is already smaller than other teams, if I keep taking leave, others will have to work much harder. I can''t let my personal matters affect everyone else. Don''t you agree?"


    Ming Mei nodded, thinking to herself how artificial his words sounded.


    She didn''t believe a word of such hollow talk, but Ming Mei just blinked her eyes and politely said nothing more. Her silence seemed to encourage Zhou Qun, who continued talking endlessly.


    "You''re still young,cking life experience, and I''m much better than you in this regard. You see, we all married too early. It''s not that marrying early is bad, but when you marry too young, you don''t really know what you want, and your choices might not be the best. People our age can''t really give good advice either. Take Xiao Zhuang for example - his job actually has no deeper career prospects, something you surely didn''t understand before marriage. I wonder why your family didn''t point this out to you. But you should know that only technical work offers career development. Look at me, I''m already a level-seven electrician. In our machinery factory, I''m the only one so young at this level. In every aspect, I can proudly say I''m a capable person. If you have any confusion about work or life, you cane to me. As someone a few years older, I''m happy to help clear your doubts. We''re all working ss, we should help each other. Little Mrs. Zhuang, or should I call you Ming Mei? Your name sounds quite..."


    Ming Mei immediately cut in: "You''d better stick with ''Little Mrs. Zhuang.'' I''m notfortable with unfamiliar people using my given name, or you can call me Comrade Xiao Ming like others do, that works too."


    She continued chattering: "But Brother Zhou Qun, I don''t think what you''re saying is right at all. How can you say our Zhuang Zhixi has no future? I think he''s doing quite well. Yes, maybe he''s not as ambitious as you, wanting to be a factory director, but you can''t just say we have no future."


    Zhou Qun: "..." Can''t you understand what I''m saying? Is the point about Zhuang Zhixi? Does his future matter? Shouldn''t you be admiring me? Zhou Qun''s expression changed slightly.


    Moreover, his face darkened further, bing extremely ufortable.


    He had already learned about his mother''s mischief in the security office, how dare she im he would be factory director, what would everyone think, and more importantly, what would the current factory director think? Zhou Qun was already angry about this matter.


    Now things were getting even worse.


    "Oh wait, Brother Zhou Qun, you''re an electrician now, so how many steps would it take to be factory director?" Ming Mei asked curiously, "Can you be directly promoted to factory director through special promotion? If you be factory director, would you get separate housing allocation? Would you still live in this courtyard? If you move out, would you take your mother with you?"


    Ming Mei continued chattering: "I heard your mother wants to teach Deputy Director Zhang a lesson, make him clean toilets, would you listen to your mother?"


    "Oh right, I heard you''re going to fire people from the security office, is that true? Won''t you get beaten up if you do that?"


    Zhou Qun: "..."


    His mouth twitched severely, deeply feeling that Zhuang Zhixi''s wife was just as annoying as Zhuang Zhixi himself -cking awareness and irritating.


    He took a deep breath and said, "My mother was just joking, don''t take it seriously."


    Ming Mei''s eyes were very serious: "How can that be just a joke? I heard she was very serious about it. It''s a pity I''m not working at your factory, I can''t eavesdrop at the security office. I heard many people from your factory went there to listen in. Your mother really has influence! Look, shemands attention in our quadrangle courtyard, and she can attract everyone''s attention at your factory too. Even Aunt Su''s childbirth news had to take a back seat to your mother''s drama. That''s really something!"


    Zhou Qun: "...I''m home. You should hurry back for dinner."


    By this point, he no longer wanted to talk to Ming Mei. He had some messy thoughts before, but now they were all gone. Looking at Ming Mei now, he found her face rather repulsive.


    You''re the one who won''t shut up!


    For a woman, no matter how beautiful her face might be, without a gentle and servile nature, she''s destined to go nowhere.


    Zhou Qun let out a cold sneer and turned to go home. Ming Mei pushed her bicycle home, where Zhuang Zhixi curiously asked, "What were you talking about with Zhou Qun?"


    Ming Mei''s big eyes sparkled with amusement as she said, "He tried to sow discord, so I just pricked his heart a little."


    She smiled faintly, thinking that he shouldn''t assume she was naive enough to be fooled just because she seemed simple-minded. She might be inexperienced, but she wasn''t stupid.


    "That dog has ill intentions," Ming Meiined.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s expression didn''t change, but the corner of his mouth lifted meaningfully: "So he''s set his sights on my household..."


    Ming Mei rubbed Zhuang Zhixi''s face, saying, "Don''t worry, I won''t be fooled or tricked, I''m not stupid enough to believe someone like him. He shouldn''t try to take advantage of me. If he dares to provoke me, I''ll keep pricking his heart until he hurts."


    For someone so concerned about face, tearing off his mask would be extremely painful.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked down at his wife and said, "If he dares to bother my wife, I''ll give him a Foshan shadowless kick."


    Ming Mei burst outughing.


    The couple walked hand in hand to the main house for dinner. They had eaten well yesterday, so today''s meal was simpler - two stir-fried vegetable dishes and two pickled side dishes. These were pickles that Zhao Guihua had made some time ago, one radish and one Chinese cabbage.


    Because the taste was different from regr pickles, they were quite popr, with a refreshing vor.


    It was better than winter now, with more variety in vegetables, though in early April, the selection wasn''t particrly abundant. Adding one more dish meant one more vor, which was quite nice. Ming Mei especially liked the pickled radish, finding it very refreshing.


    The spicy cabbage, inparison, was less appealing.


    "Mom, how do you make this? I never had this at my parents'' home," Ming Mei asked curiously.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "It''s Korean style. It''s notmon around here. I heard about it from someone else and tried making it myself. Didn''t expect it to turn out well."


    Ming Mei: "I think it''s really tasty. Could I ask how to make it, to teach my mom?"


    She was always like this, saying whatever was on her mind directly. If something worked out, fine; if not, that was fine too. She never beat around the bush or spoke with hidden meanings. She was just very straightforward.


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t ask, it''s hard to exin. If you like it, just ask your mom toe learn from me. I''ll teach her."


    Zhao Guihua had quite a good rtionship with Ming Mei''s mother, Lan Ling. Although they were now just unfamiliar inws, to Zhao Guihua, they were decades-old sisters.


    Ming Mei: "Sure."


    Liang Meifen moved her lips slightly, wanting to suggest inviting her mother too, but that was just how she was - always hoping for benefits but reluctant to speak up. She pressed her lips together, looking expectantly at her mother-inw. However... there was no however.


    Her mother-inw had simply ended the topic there.


    Liang Meifen started feeling upset again, but Zhao Guihua deliberately avoided looking at her. These little things never bothered Zhao Guihua - to put it bluntly, if you want something but don''t fight for it yourself, how can you expect others to offer it to you?


    If you want to have your cake and eat it too, then forget about it.


    Zhao Guihua turned to look at Zhuang Zhixi: "Have you talked to Aunt Wang about that Luo Xiaohe matter?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Yes, Aunt Wang said she''d help me look into the situation."


    Zhao Guihua sighed inwardly, thinking that the butterfly effect really did exist. Look how small changes could lead to bigger ones - in her previous life, there was no hospitalization incident, so there was no Luo Xiaohe matter.


    But in this life, with the hospitalization incident, now there was the Luo Xiaohe situation.


    Come to think of it, in the previous life, Old Man Lan Sihai had gone on several blind dates, but none worked out. It wasn''t that Old Man Lan didn''t like them; rather, the women seemed fine at first but then suddenly changed their minds.


    Theyter found out that Aunt Zhou had been causing trouble behind the scenes. In the previous life, there was also a housing issue, though not as serious as this time. But it was enough for Aunt Zhou to hold a grudge and stir up trouble. With Aunt Su helping on the side, their efforts naturally doubled in effectiveness.


    Though these two olddies didn''t get along, they could unite for personal gain. At that time, Aunt Su still wanted to develop a rtionship with Old Man Lan, so she was happy to cooperate with Aunt Zhou.


    However, this time, Zhao Guihua felt things wouldn''t develop the same way as in her previous life, especially since, by coincidence, the women''s side had learned about the situation from these two olddies and knew about their ill intentions.


    "Mom, what are you thinking about?" Zhuang Zhixi asked curiously.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Nothing much."


    As they were eating, suddenly a sharp crying sound came from outside. Zhao Guihua: "Here we go again..."


    As soon as people returned home, the drama would start. She really wondered where they got all their energy from, and sighed: "There''s really no peace."


    Zhuang Zhixi rushed to the door with his rice bowl, looking toward the Zhou family''s ce. Indeed, it was Aunt Zhou''s crying - she always cried as if someone was strangling her, making terrifying sounds. While others in the family crowded around curiously to watch themotion, Zhao Guihua calmly continued eating.


    "Zhou Qun must be angry with his mother about those rumors at the factory."


    "Who wouldn''t be upset? His mother not only doesn''t help but actually undermines his work. And Zhou Qun has always been proud..."


    "Isn''t Zhou Qun supposed to be filial?"


    "Even filial piety has its limits when dealing with Madam Zhou Li''s unreasonable behavior."


    Themotion at the Zhou family drew everyone out to watch, each hoping the drama would escte.


    Old Man Lan was particrly quick toe out, being the first one there. After all, he had heard this courtyard was lively, but this was his first time actually watching the drama unfold. He stood there slurping his noodles endlessly, watching the Zhou household with great interest, and remarked: "What a remarkably harmonious family!"


    The onlookers: "..."


    However, they couldn''t help but notice that for an old man, he was eating quite well. Not only was he eating white flour noodles, but there were even strips of meat in his bowl - he was eating meat strip noodles.


    Aunt Su noticed too, her eyes flickering as she said, "Brother Lan, you''re eating so well. My grandson hasn''t had meat in such a long time..."


    Old Man Lan retorted: "Isn''t your grandson the little thief? If he''s not eating, isn''t he stealing from everywhere? Why worry about him going hungry?"


    Aunt Su''s face immediately darkened, trembling with anger. While she was usually quite calcting, she couldn''t handle someone like Old Man Lan. He always brought up her most precious grandson, and while she could tolerate most things, this was her breaking point. The three children were her heart and soul, and she couldn''t even pretend to be calm. She snapped sharply: "How dare you talk like that, Old Man Lan!"


    Just moments ago it was "Brother Lan," and now it had be "Old Man Lan."


    What a quick change.


    Old Man Lan responded righteously: "What''s wrong with speaking the truth? Don''t think you can fool me just because I just moved here. I know everything that goes on."


    Aunt Su was trembling with anger when Old Man Bai came out and quickly stepped forward: "Sister, why bother arguing with him?"


    He then red at Old Man Lan, saying: "Brother, that''s not very manly of you. What kind of hero picks on a widow?"


    He had heard that this man was looking for a partner, and Aunt Wang had somehow managed to find quite a few suitable matches for him, which made him extremely jealous. Although he himself hadn''t wanted to find anyone these past years, the fact that Aunt Wang, as a neighbor, had never actively offered to help him find someone really seemed unfair. All those years living in the same courtyard seemed wasted.


    Because of this, he couldn''t stand the sight of Old Man Lan.


    Old Man Lan couldn''t be bothered with this old fellow and said directly: "Whether I''m manly or not is none of your business. You''d better worry about yourself. Look at you - you''re twenty years younger than me but look like we''re the same age. Who knows how you''ve wasted away your life, you can''t even take care of yourself yet you''re worried about whether I''m manly or not."


    It was rare for Old Man Lan to speak without sarcasm, but the truth was even more infuriating!


    "You... you... you!"


    The neighbors who hade to watch the drama had to admit that Old Man Lan wasn''t wrong. The two old men were at least twenty years apart, but looking at their appearance, they could have been the same age. If anything, they might have guessed Old Man Lan to be younger. After all, his hair was meticulouslybed, and his clothes were neat and clean, while Old Man Bai looked like a typical bachelor.


    He was unkempt, his hair so oily it could be used to cook a dish, and his clothes were filthy.


    The man simply didn''t take care of himself.


    "Being manly isn''t about appearances, Brother Bai, don''t mind this," Aunt Su didn''t want things to escte further. This Old Man Lan was a technical expert, backed by the factory director, and had several apprentices. They would be at a disadvantage if they provoked him.


    Aunt Su didn''t care who would suffer losses, but if Old Man Bai got into any trouble, wouldn''t that mean spending money? This she absolutely couldn''t agree to. Old Man Bai''s money was essentially her money.


    She couldn''t waste it - she was still nning to make new clothes for each of her grandsons in the summer.


    This reminded her of how her daughter-inw had handed over her sry after receiving it, making Aunt Su even more angry, feeling that Wang Xiangxiu was truly useless. Whenever she wasn''t around, that worthless woman couldn''t keep the family running.


    Her mind working quickly, she hurried to pacify Old Man Bai, saying: "Brother Bai, we''re all neighbors, it''s not good to keep fighting like this, making ourselves aughing stock. We''re better than that... Besides, some things are just misunderstandings. After all, it''s just that our family is having such a hard time, and the children want to eat meat..."


    "That''s no problem, wait, I''ll buy a pound of meat tomorrow, you can cook it for the children." Old Man Bai was being very generous. While he was usually quite stingy elsewhere, he was different when it came to Aunt Su.


    Sure enough, this earned him Aunt Su''s smiling response: "Old Bai, you''re so generous!"


    Old Man Bai smiled proudly, looking toward Old Man Lan.


    However, Old Man Lan was watching them like it was a show, and somehow, his gaze made people ufortable. Just as he was about to say something to save face, they heard Aunt Zhou wailing again: "What did I do wrong? I only wanted the best for you all, and you don''t appreciate me at all. Now you''re even ming me. Jiang Lu, you''re nothing but bad luck! You''re just a hen that can''ty eggs, yet you dare to gossip about me. I''ll beat you to death!"


    "Mom, you can do whatever you want at home, I''ll listen to you, but you can''t embarrass Brother Qun in public. Do you know how hard it is for him? Your thoughtless words have caused him so much trouble..." Jiang Lu argued back reasonably.


    She hadn''t been to the factory these past few days, so naturally, she was unaware of the rumors until today when she realized how far they had spread. Initially, she thought it wasn''t a big deal, but seeing Zhou Qun''s furrowed brows, how could her heart not ache?


    Moreover, after Zhou Qun exined everything in detail, she couldn''t help but want to have a serious talk with her mother-inw.


    Otherwise, if things continued like this, it would only cause trouble for Brother Qun. How could he possibly develop his career?


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw argued back and forth, creating quite a scene.


    Everyone at the doorway was thoroughly entertained by the drama, except for Zhao Guihua, who wasn''t particrly interested. Honestly, she had seen Zhou Qun''s tactics before - when he wanted to control Jiang Lu, he would use his mother to pressure her; when he wanted to teach his mother Madam Zhou Li a lesson, he would use Jiang Lu against her.


    No matter what, he always managed to stay above the fray, maintaining his facade as a good person. He was nothing but a genuine hypocrite.


    Seeing everyone else watching the drama, Zhao Guihua decided to wash the dishes instead. Little Hutou wandered nearby, asking, "Why are they always fighting?"


    The little one was confused.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "They''re just too idle."


    Instead of watching themotion, she went back to her room and took out Xiao Yanzi''s dresses. Both dresses were finished, but she still hadn''t managed to buy a sewing machine - those ration tickets for sewing machines were truly hard toe by. Zhao Guihua called out, "Xiao Yanzi."


    "I''m here!"


    The little girl came running in with thundering steps. Though she didn''t fully understand the situation, she had been thoroughly enjoying watching the drama outside.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Come, try on the dress."


    "Is it for me? Is this really for me?" The little girl''s eyes grew wide, her cheeks flushing with excitement.


    "Yes, it''s for you."


    Zhao Guihua had created a striped dress by joining fabric strips together - it was adorable and charming.


    Xiao Yanzi excitedly moved closer, saying, "It''s so pretty!"


    Zhao Guihua said, "Come, try on the dress, let''s see if it needs any adjustments."


    Xiao Yanzi immediately grabbed the dress, eager to put it on. Zhao Guihua couldn''t help butugh at her impatience, noting how the little girl had always been fond of pretty things from an early age.


    She said, "Come here, let Grandma help you put it on."


    She quickly removed the little girl''s thick clothes before helping her into the dress. Checking the fit, it was slightly loose but actually quite suitable - this size wouldst her two or three years. She nodded and said, "It fits well, now take it off."


    Xiao Yanzi clutched the dress, reluctant to move.


    Zhao Guihua exined, "The dress needs to be washed before you can wear it, and besides, it''s still too cold. You can wear it in a few days when it gets warmer."


    Xiao Yanzi mumbled in response, and Zhao Guihua had her try on the other dress as well, nodding with approval, "Not bad, they both fit well."


    Xiao Yanzi swayed happily, delighted that she indeed had more new clothes. Grandma hadn''t lied to her after all.


    Little Hutou remarked from the side, "It looks so pretty - no one is prettier than my sister."


    Bright colors were rare these days, with most clothes being rather dull and gray. Colors like red and yellow were particrly scarce, and buying any clothing was quite difficult. Fortunately, among the fabric strips Zhao Guihua had collected, there were several pieces in these bright colors. Though they were only used as ents in the dress, you couldn''t tell it was due to fabric shortage.


    That''s the advantage of fabric strips - they were mostly long pieces, which made them easier to cut and piece together than irregr scraps. The resulting pattern was quite attractive, suitable not just for little girls but even for adults to wear.


    Though it did require more work.


    Zhao Guihuaid both dresses over a chair, and Xiao Yanzi''s eyes remained fixed on them, unwavering.


    Zhao Guihua assured her, "Don''t worry, I''ll wash them tomorrow and put them away for you."


    Xiao Yanzi nodded seriously with her little face. She knew that new clothes, touched by many hands, weren''t clean. They needed to be washed thoroughly before wearing - it wasn''t hygienic otherwise. Children needed to maintain good hygiene to avoid getting sick.


    If you get sick, you have to go to the hospital for shots and medicine.


    Medicine is bitter.


    Shots are painful.


    She didn''t want that!


    Xiao Yanzi immediately dered, "They need to be washed."


    Zhao Guihua agreed, "That''s right."


    The little girl hummed a tune she had learned in kindergarten, walking around the room with her hands behind her back. She no longer cared about the drama outside, asionally ncing at her new clothes. Soon, her attention returned to her grandmother: "Grandma, what are you sewing now?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "There''s a bit left, I''m making some cleaning rags."


    As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed the little girl''s eyes fixed on a small piece of red fabric. After thinking for a moment, Zhao Guihua suggested, "How about I make you a bean bag?"


    Xiao Yanzi''s eyes lit up again as she nodded quickly. Zhao Guihua said, "Alright then, I''ll make you one."


    "Grandma, I want one too - Hutou wants one too!"


    "Okay, I''ll make you one as well."


    Zhao Guihua asked, "By the way, did your uncle give you the fruit he picked from the mountain the other day for catching sparrows?"


    Both children paused, shaking their heads in unison.


    They had no idea about this.


    Zhao Guihua figured it out - with all the chaos, her third son must have forgotten about it. She said, "When your unclees back from watching themotion, ask him to teach you."


    Little Hutou immediately became anxious, moving toward the door wanting to call someone. Zhao Guihua could see this without even looking up, and said, "What''s the rush? It''s already dark, we can''t do anything today anyway."


    Little Hutou let out a soft sigh - he really wanted to catch sparrows.


    The children swallowed, feeling a bit hungry.


    She worked quickly, soon finishing two bean bags - one light red and one green. The light red fabric had some uneven coloring, which was why Zhao Guihua hadn''t used it for the clothes, but it was fine for bean bags.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Once I go up the mountain to find some grass seeds to put inside, they''ll be ready to use."


    "Great~"


    Both children became excited - children these days really didn''t have many toys.


    "Grandma, when will you take us? We want to go to the mountain too."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "What business do little children have going up the mountain? It''s very tiring. You stay home and let your uncle teach you how to catch sparrows."


    "But we want to go y."


    Little Hutou fidgeted with his fingers, quietly advocating for himself. He really wanted to go y - boys tend to be more mischievous after all, and he was eager for adventure in the mountains and seas. Some of his ssmates had rtives in the countryside who said they could climb trees and y in rivers.


    Although city children had better lives than those in the countryside, they had never experienced ying in rivers.


    He really wanted to go, and although adults wouldn''t say it, Little Hutou wasn''t a four or five-year-old anymore. He was already a big seven-year-old this year, and he knew about the family''s secret fishing spot outside.


    Hmph, the adults tried to keep it secret, thinking children wouldn''t know, but he had overheard everything.


    Little Hutou really wanted to go, but his grandmother dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand.


    Zhao Guihua said, "What''s there to go for? Tomorrow, when your uncle takes you sparrow hunting, you won''t even think about the mountain anymore. Going up the mountain is tiring and makes you hungry, but with sparrow hunting, you can roast and eat them right away. Which do you prefer?"


    Little Hutou replied, "Sparrows."


    Children will always choose food!


    That''s meat, after all.


    Zhao Guihua nodded, saying, "That''s more like it."


    Sparrows were considered one of the Four Pests now, and catching them was praised by everyone. No one would use you of destroying the ecological bnce or disregarding sparrows'' lives. That wasn''t the case at all - the more you caught, the better it was considered. Otherwise, these creatures wouldn''t be such a nuisance to crops, which was truly troublesome.


    That''s why they earned their reputation as one of the Four Pests.


    In a few years, the Four Pests would change to be rats, flies, mosquitoes, and cockroaches.


    But for now, cockroaches weren''t included - sparrows were among them instead.


    Sparrows were actually the lesser concern - if you caught rats, that could be a good way to earn some pocket money. Rats were numerous in these times, destroying grain and making a mess of things. Various departments strongly encouraged the elimination of the Four Pests, and neighborhoods would organize several rat-catching campaigns each year.


    Ordinary citizens could also catch rats, and they could exchange them for money. Though it wasn''t much, it was still a way to earn some extra ie. Rat tails could be exchanged for money, and some skilled rat catchers could actually make a decent bit of pocket money from this.


    Don''t doubt it, there really was such a reward at that time.


    In her previous life, Zhao Guihua had considered this idea to generate ie for the family, but catching mice proved even harder than fishing, so she eventually gave up. However, Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered something and pped her forehead as she recalled Bai Fendou.


    She vaguely remembered that Bai Fendou was quite skilled at making traps to catch mice, and he had earned quite a bit of pocket money from it.


    As Zhao Guihua''s thoughts returned to the present, the argument outside was winding down to its conclusion.


    Everyone who had been watching the drama filed back inside, still savoring the entertainment. Ming Mei remarked, "A movie ticket costs ten cents, so that''s how we save money!"


    Liang Meifen responded with confusion: "???"


    Puzzled and bewildered.


    Ming Mei insisted confidently: "By watching this drama instead, didn''t we save money on movie tickets?"


    Liang Meifen thought about it seriously and nodded: "That actually makes sense."


    Little Hutou burst out: "Uncle, Uncle! Grandmother says you have seeds that can attract sparrows!"


    He blinked his eyes and said, "I want some!"


    Zhuang Zhixi pped his forehead: "Oh right, Ipletely forgot about that."


    He said, "I''ll help you set it up tomorrow."


    "Yay!" The child jumped up and down excitedly, while his sister Xiao Yanzi also started bouncing, "Xiao Yanzi wants to join too!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure, everyone can join."


    Zhuang Zhixi was very skilled at catching sparrows. When he was a young boy during the difficult times, he had to think of ways to find food or risk starving. So catching sparrows was a simple matter for him.


    As long as there was bait, there was no worry about sparrows not taking the bait.


    "Tomorrow after work."


    "Yay!"


    Watching the children clinging to his brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan thought back to their childhood, when young Zhuang Zhixi used to cling to him the same way. He had found it so annoying back then, mainly because this kid... despite being young, always wanted the bigger portion. He was truly asking for a beating.


    He would cry if he didn''t get his way.


    It had nearly driven him crazy, but now watching his own son pestering his uncle, he smiled slightly, feeling that his son was somehow getting revenge for him.


    "Oh right, your mother sent word today, asking you to visit your family home tomorrow," Zhuang Zhiyuan said as if he had just remembered, though in truth, he had been keeping it in mind. He just didn''t particrly like talking about this matter.


    Nobody was foolish - Liang Meifen''s family was taking advantage of their daughter to support their son. As Liang Meifen''s husband, he naturally felt ufortable about this. As a man, he couldn''t directly speak about it, but even though he didn''t say anything, he was genuinely unhappy about it.


    Before they had children, he hadn''t minded much, after all, Liang Meifen''s family had raised her and paid for her education. But now they had children and their own family to care for, and her family''s constant taking advantage was bing very irritating.


    To be honest, Zhuang Zhiyuan could have tolerated it, but what really crossed the line was when Liang Meifen gave up her job. This touched Zhuang Zhiyuan''s bottom line.


    He said: "Your mother sent the message through your neighbor today. You should go tomorrow morning ande back after lunch there."


    He felt nothing but disgust towards his father-inw, mother-inw, and brother-inw.


    Zhao Guihua looked up at Liang Meifen.


    Liang Meifen immediately became expectant. In the past, whenever she visited her family, her mother-inw would let her take some gifts. This time... she was very hopeful, as they had smoked rabbit at home. She looked eagerly at Zhao Guihua, but Zhao Guihua coldly said: "You can visit your family, but you should know what to say and what not to say. If I find out you''ve told them about our fishing spot, don''t evere back."


    Liang Meifen: "!!!"


    She hadn''t expected her mother-inw to say this. Zhao Guihua continued: "Alright, everyone go to your rooms."


    In the past, she had cared about face and, although she looked down on these inws, she maintained proper etiquette. But now, heh!


    She wouldn''t waste money feeding wolves just because she had extra to spare. Some people would always feel entitled no matter how much you gave them. She used to care about saving face, but after living through this once, she knew that when someone doesn''t care about face, it means nothing.


    After sending everyone away, she added: "Liang Meifen, wash your daughter''s dress before you leave tomorrow."


    "Okay." Liang Meifen was still somewhat hopeful, but Zhao Guihua maintained her cold demeanor and didn''t mention anything else. Liang Meifen immediately felt dejected. Both families returned to their rooms, and Liang Meifen, with reddened eyes, said: "Zhiyuan, why didn''t Mom mention preparing any gifts for me?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan casually replied: "What are you dreaming about?"


    Liang Meifen: "But she always did before."


    She protested.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nced at his foolish wife and said: "You didn''t give your job to your brother before either."


    Liang Meifen was suddenly speechless. After a while, she dropped a tear and said: "Then give me twenty yuan."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had alreadyid down, sat up abruptly and said: "How much do you want?"


    Liang Meifen mumbled: "I haven''t been home for a long time, I need to bring more gifts, otherwise what will my parents think of me, and what will they think of you as their son-inw? Twenty yuan is reasonable. This money is buying our face."


    This honest man, Zhuang Zhiyuan, suddenly became angry and shouted: "Face? What face do you have? Is your face worth half a month''s sry? Do your parents treat you like family? You gave your job to your brother and still want more? What else do you want?"


    "But they raised me..."


    "Your brother didn''t raise you, and you know exactly how much you''ve contributed to them over the years. Liang Meifen, don''t treat people like fools! If you''re not happy here, just go back to your parents'' home. I won''t stop you!"


    He didn''t even wash up, just pulled the nket over his head.


    Liang Meifen: "You..."


    Her tears instantly fell, and she kept sobbing, but seeing her husband remaining silent and ignoring her, she felt that her life had been nothing but suffering. Why did no one understand her?


    "If you want to cry, go cry outside," Zhuang Zhiyuan said in a muffled voice.


    Liang Meifen stood up to leave, but looking at her husband again, who wouldn''t even nce at her, she suddenly felt panicked.


    She hesitated, then said softly: "Zhiyuan, I know, I know you resent me..."


    "Yes, I resent you for not considering your own children, and still not understanding what''s what." Zhuang Zhiyuan sat up and said: "Look at how your parents treat you. What can they do besides asking for money and things? Are you still craving that tiny bit of affection? Are you living with them or with me and the children? Do you even know what you''ve done? You have no job now, we have two children to raise, how dare you ask for twenty yuan?"


    Liang Meifen: "But, but my parents have more money than they can spend, and Third Brother and his wife have more than they can spend too..."


    She thought she was being reasonable.


    "Even if they have more money than they can spend, it''s not yours! Have some shame!" Zhuang Zhiyuan, who cared about face, exploded when he heard Liang Meifen''s words. Such talk was utterly embarrassing when said openly.


    He was mortified.


    "Liang Meifen, if I hear you say something like this again, get out!" Zhuang Zhiyuan''s voice rose.


    "You!"


    "I mean what I say. Clearly, I need to make things crystal clear since you won''t stop. You''re not the only clever one in this world. If you keep having such thoughts, keep helping your family, we''ll get divorced! Get out!" After shouting, he covered his head and went to sleep.


    He wasn''t usually someone who raised his voice, and typically was very sweet with Liang Meifen, after all, theirs was a love marriage.


    Butparisons can be cruel.


    Among all the daughters-inw in the courtyard, none were like his wife, and he found it embarrassing. Before, he could pretend not to see it, but now his brother was married too. Theparisons within the family were stark and real. How could he feelfortable?


    This time he truly exploded.


    Liang Meifen never expected Zhuang Zhiyuan to get so angry with her. This was the first time she had seen him this furious with her. She waspletely stunned, unable to find words, and could only silently weep...


    The sound of their argument carried over to the next room. Zhuang Zhixi vaguely heard it and said, "My sister-inw is making a scene again."


    "Let her be."


    Ming Mei said, "Isn''t this what she wanted anyway?"


    Ming Mei didn''t care about any of that. Instead, she was more interested in going up the mountain. She excitedly said to Zhuang Zhixi, "Next holiday, let''s go up the mountain again. If we can gather something, we can add more to our secret savings!"


    Ming Mei felt happy thinking about her substantial secret stash.


    However, she soon became a bit worried and said, "Brother Zhixi, do you think it''s safe to keep my money hidden under the bed?"


    Although she had locked her small box to the bed frame, she was still worried. After all, there were thieves in their neighborhood. What if someone sawed through it? This was her entire fortune!


    "Should we think of another way to hide the money?" Ming Mei fell into deep contemtion.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed but still went along with his wife''s concerns. Though it seemed unlikely that anyone would steal it, his wife''s cautiousness wasn''t wrong. It was quite adorable, actually.


    He said, "How about this: we can put the box up on the roof beam. Your box is about the same size and color as a brick. If we put it up there, at first nce it''ll look just like a brick. Plus, it''s dark up there, so no one would notice. It''ll definitely be safe."


    His wife was mainly worried about Jin''s children, but putting it up there would solve that problem - children couldn''t reach that high. Even if real thieves came, they wouldn''t need to worry. Thieves generally don''t mess with roof beams - it''s considered unlucky.


    So there was really nothing to worry about.


    "That''s a good idea," Ming Mei agreed enthusiastically. She said with determination, "Let''s put it up there right now. This is all my savings!"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Alright!"


    The young couple gleefully began hiding their money - ah, these were the troubles of wealthy people!

 Chapter 55

    It drizzles endlessly during the Qingming Festival.


    Every year during the Qingming Festival, it seems destined to rain.


    Early in the morning, Ming Mei put on her raincoat and muttered to herself; she really didn''t like going to work on such a rainy day. In fact, she quite liked rainy days, but she didn''t like going to work on rainy days. Just adding "going to work" made the meaningpletely different.


    Ming Mei sighed softly, saying, "This weather is really annoying."


    Zhuang Zhixiforted her, "Shall I pick you up after work?"


    Ming Mei immediately shook her head, refusing Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "No need, just go straight home after work. There''s no point in going back and forth in such heavy rain."


    Ming Mei and her husband left the house together and encountered Old Man Lan again. They met him almost every morning. Ming Mei immediately looked at her grandfather with puppy eyes, and Old Man Lan took out a big white rabbit milk candy... This old man treated her like a child.


    Ming Mei gently reminded, "Grandpa, it''s raining today, be careful when you ride your bike."


    Old Man Lan nced at her, "Am I the kind of careless person?"


    Ming Mei gave a charming smile, saying, "It''s always right to be careful, you''re not young anymore."


    This remark earned her an eye roll from the old man who didn''t want to admit his age. Seeing her grandfather unhappy, Ming Mei quickly rode her bicycle and dashed away, while Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Grandpa, take me with you for a bit, will you?"


    Old Man Lan: "It''s so close, walk yourself!"


    With that, he rode off quickly.


    Old Man Zhuang left the house with a smile. Although he worked at the same factory as his younger son, they rarely walked together. Zhuang Zhixi always went out with his wife every day, even if it was just a hundred or eighty meters.


    Old Man Zhuang had also been young once and knew better than to be annoying.


    But today, the father and son walked together, and even Zhuang Zhiyuan joined them. However, Zhuang Zhiyuan didn''t look very well; it was understandable, considering the loud argumentst night, which they naturally could hear.


    Old Man Zhuang didn''t ask what happened to his son but said, "After the rain, we can pick mushrooms. In the past, when there were pigeon markets, many farmers from the countryside woulde to town to sell mushrooms and exchange them for some small money after the spring rain. I also went to the mountains with your mother to pick mushrooms."


    Although they were city workers and not very familiar with rural work, they weren''tpletely ignorant. They could still pick mushrooms. After all, if not done properly, it could be dangerous.


    "Unfortunately, tomorrow is not the weekend, so we can''t go mushroom picking," Zhuang Zhiximented.


    Old Man Zhuang: "Indeed."


    The father and sons reached a crossroad and saw a burnt spot on the roadside. Although it had been raining all day and superstition was not allowed, the customs of the Qingming Festival made it inevitable for some to do it secretly.


    As long as no one was caught, no one could say anything.


    Old Man Zhuang sighed, "Bold indeed."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, saying, "No one saw, so it''s fine."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, however, was not in a good mood and didn''t say much, only saying, "I''m going that way."


    Since they didn''t work at the same ce, they parted ways at the crossroad. Old Man Zhuang watched his eldest son''s back and said, "The most taboo thing for a couple is to quarrel; it hurts their feelings."


    He and his wife never quarreled. A man should let his woman, after all.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If my brother takes a step back, my sister-inw will empty the Zhuang household."


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t want to discuss his brother''s private affairs. After all, he couldn''t make decisions for others, and his brother and sister-inw were ssmates with feelings. As a younger brother, he had no reason to meddle.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad, are there any closer ces in the city to pick mushrooms?"


    Old Man Zhuang: "There are, but they are few, and there will be many people in the next couple of days. Besides, you''re not off tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Can''t I go after work?"


    He said, "I want to eat chicken stewed with mushrooms."


    Thinking of this delicacy, Zhuang Zhixi licked his lips, feeling hungry. He really liked mushrooms and thought they were delicious no matter how they were cooked, especially when stewed with chicken. Although their family ate better than before, he found himself craving more.


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    He said gloomily, "Don''t dream about that."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We still have a smoked wild chicken at home, right?"


    He sounded quite assertive, but Old Man Zhuang bluntly told him, "Don''t think about it. Just two days after having turtle soup, don''t expect your mother to cook meat dishes again. What kind of family can eat meat every day?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Ah!


    The father and son walked and talked, watching Bai Fendou ride past on his bike, pressing the bell proudly: "Why aren''t you riding bikes? It''s much faster with a bike on a rainy day!" He showed off arrogantly and rode away.


    Soon, they saw Zhou Qun riding past with his wife...


    Riding a bike on such a day was quite an advantage, and Zhou Qun also showed some pride.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Aren''t they showing off? Who doesn''t have a bike? We just choose not to ride."


    Since today their sister-inw was going back to her parents'' house, they decided not to ride bikes. But they rarely rode bikes anyway, as it wasn''t very far. Walking was fine.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "We have two bikes at home too."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Why are you getting upset? They show off their bikes, we walk ours."


    Old Man Zhuang rarely argued over such things. As long as it didn''t hit his face, he was fine with it. Zhuang Zhixi knew his father''s temperament and continued to murmur...


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    He wasn''t much of a talker, but why was his son such a chatterbox?


    The father and son arrived at the machinery factory and met Zhang San at the gate. Zhuang Zhixi greeted him with a smile, "It''s your turn to be on duty again today."


    Zhang San: "Yeah, that''s right. You know my luck, it''s always like this on rainy days."


    Zhang San: "Oh, by the way, I''lle find youter to ask you something."


    He lowered his voice, as if it were something important.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Sure."


    On a rainy day, one couldn''t skip work. Zhuang Zhixi and the others had already entered the factory, and the people from their courtyard were also dwindling. Those who didn''t leave were mostly housewives without jobs. Liang Meifen waited all morning but saw no change in her mother-inw, finally realizing her mother-inw wouldn''t give her anything to take back to her parents'' house.


    Her heart ached, but she didn''t dare to ask directly.


    After waiting in vain, she finally said, "Mom, I''m going back to my parents'' house today, I''ll be leaving now."


    She tried this out, and Zhao Guihua didn''t even look up, saying, "Go ahead."


    Liang Meifen felt even more disheartened and responded with an "Oh."


    Soon, she thought of another point and bit her lip, saying, "Mom, are you using the bike today? If not, I''ll take it with me."


    This way, she saved the bus fare for the round trip.


    Her parents'' house was not far from Ming Mei''s, so walking was not an option. If she didn''t take the bus, she had to ride a bike.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t make things difficult for her on this point, saying, "Take it if you want. With such heavy rain, where could I go? Send the kids to kindergarten, then ride straight to your parents'' house." After a pause, Zhao Guihua looked up, her tone cold, "Ride it back just as you rode it there."


    Liang Meifen was stunned for a moment, then said bitterly, "Mom, you misunderstand my parents. No matter what, they wouldn''t keep the bicycle."


    Zhao Guihua smiled sarcastically, "Who knows."


    She waved her hand, "Go."


    Liang Meifen''s mood, already bad, became even worse because of this. She didn''t understand why the Zhuang family looked down on her parents. As a grown-up daughter with a job, wasn''t it right to help her family? Helping her brother was even more right.


    This family''s prosperity is what allows her to have a voice in her husband''s family and avoid being bullied.


    Such a simple truth, yet everyone seems to be oblivious to it.


    She wore a bitter expression as she took the children out, but Hutou and Xiao Yanzi''s lively chatter finally brought some relief to Liang Meifen''s mood. After dropping the kids off at kindergarten, she headed back to her parents'' home.


    Her parents'' house was also in argepound, though it was more rundown than the machinery factory''s staff quarters.


    The quadrangle houses here were once the residences of wealthy families or minor officials, typically two- or three-courtyard houses, with some level of refinement. After liberation, they were allocated to worker families, so maintenance wasn''t too bad.


    However, Liang Meifen''s family''s ce was different. It was a genuinergepound on the outskirts of the city, inhabited by impoverished families even before liberation, surrounded by ces like cart stops. It was a ssic settlement for the lower ss, where her family had lived for decades.


    Now, that area was still rtively poor, with many households relying on odd jobs like assembling matchboxes, cutting threads, or sewing rags to make a living.


    Thus, Liang Meifen was considered a "golden phoenix" who had soared out of thergepound.


    Although Zhuang''s family wasn''t particrly wealthy, it was the best possible match for Liang Meifen. If not for dating Zhuang Zhiyuan in school, even with a high school diploma, she wouldn''t have found a partner of such quality.


    She had always been the child her parents boasted about, a well-known figure.


    Her marriage was good, and every time she returned, she brought a lot of gifts, earning her much admiration.


    However, this year''s New Year visit was a disappointment to her parents. Though the gifts she brought were still the most among those who returned to their parents'' home, they were fewer than previous years. In past years, with money in hand, she would buy gifts even if her inws didn''t prepare them.


    But with no job this year, the money she earned each month was also used to support her parents, leaving her in a bind.


    For this reason, her parents'' expressions were grim, and her siblings were sarcastic. This time, she returned empty-handed... She sighed, her heart heavy as she headed to her parents'' home. As soon as she entered thepound, she met Aunt Chu, who immediately scanned her from head to toe and said with a smile, "Oh, Meifen''s back, and empty-handed too. Your parents always say you''re the most filial."


    It wasn''t surprising that Aunt Chu said this; after all, Liang Meifen''s parents often bragged, making the neighbors feel ufortable over time.


    Seeing her empty-handed, it was natural for them toment.


    Liang Meifen''s face showed difort, and she forced a smile, "I..."


    Before she could speak, the door opened, and it was Granny Hu, who quickly opened the door with a smile, "Meifen, you''re back..." Her voice stopped abruptly, focusing on Liang Meifen''s empty hands, her face turning pale.


    "Come in already, why are you standing outside chatting in the rain? Are you bored or something?"


    Her tone immediately changed, not very pleasant.


    Liang Meifen quickly pushed her bicycle into the house; there were no eaves here, so leaving it outside would get it wet. As she turned around after parking, she saw her mother staring at the bicycle, her eyes glued to it.


    "Did you buy a bicycle?" Granny Hu asked, her tone softening, "You two know how to spend money."


    Hmm, it seems Meifen still has money, she must be able to contribute more!


    Liang Meifen quickly shook her head, "No, this is what my mother-inw bought, we didn''t pay for it."


    Granny Hu didn''t care, nodding with satisfaction, "Since your husband is the eldest son, it''s for you."


    This made Liang Meifen ufortable; she had always known that boys were better, and the eldest son was even more important. This was the deep-rooted education from her parents. However, the Zhuang family wasn''t like that.


    She had been married for over eight years, almost nine, and she knew the Zhuang family well.


    She forced a bitter smile, "Mom, you know my mother-inw doesn''t care about whether you''re the eldest son or not."


    She sighed and sat down, "My sister-inw is a tterer, and she pleases the olddy a lot."


    Previously, she couldn''t say these things when her husband was around, but today she felt free to speak her mind.


    "She''s well-off, and when my mother-inw mentioned there was no tea at home, she brought back some high-grade tea dust. This made her even more favored by my mother-inw. You don''t know, her grandfather also moved into ourpound..."


    "What! How can that be!" Granny Hu immediately protested, "Why, does she have to support him?"


    Liang Meifen quickly shook her head, "No, that old man is very independent, doesn''t like living with his children. He''s living well, at over seventy, and the machinery factory still invited him as an expert from another ce. When he moved, the deputy factory director even came. With such a background, I have even less of a say in my mother-inw''s eyes."


    Granny Hu frowned, "But he''s the eldest son, and in the future, he''ll have to rely on you for old age care..."


    Granny Hu thought that her inws were muddled, not favoring the eldest son, who would eventually take care of them.


    Liang Meifen shook her head again.


    Granny Hu widened her eyes, "What? They don''t want to rely on the eldest son but the younger one? Aren''t they afraid of being criticized?"


    Liang Meifen spoke with difficulty, "No, my mother-inw said they might not be able to rely on us, so we shouldn''t try to assert ourselves in front of her."


    Granny Hu wasn''t convinced, "You listen to her, she''s just saying that now, but when they''re old, they''ll have to rely on you."


    Liang Meifen didn''t dare to share her mother''s optimism, shaking her head, "I doubt it. Since my brother-inw got married, my mother-inw has be more assertive and even fiercer."


    She sighed, feeling her mother didn''t understand her situation.


    Granny Hu poked her daughter''s forehead, "You useless girl, howe after so many years of marriage, you can''t even win over your mother-inw, letting a neer take the lead."


    Liang Meifen thought that the neer was straightforward and didn''t support her parents, which the inws naturally liked.


    Though she wasn''t clear-headed, she had a son, and if her daughter-inw supported her parents, she wouldn''t like it either.


    "Mom, what can I do? You know my mother-inw, she''s unyielding. Besides, she''s not looking kindly on me now."


    "That''s because you''re not capable. If you were, even a stone would be warmed by now. Look at how you''ve handled things..." Despite ming her daughter, Granny Hu couldn''t take her eyes off the bicycle.


    Without hesitation, she said, "Can we borrow this bicycle for a few days?"


    Liang Meifen''s heart soared instantly, suddenly recalling her mother-inw''s words before she left. She screamed, "No!!!"


    Granny Hu was startled, "What are you doing! Why are you shouting?"


    She felt her daughter was bing more and more unfilial, her face darkening, "I raised you well and even paid for your education. Look at your siblings, who had as much schooling as you? Now you''re unwilling to help the family just because of this? You''re shouting at me?"


    She wouldn''t mention that her other children weren''t academic material.


    Liang Meifen quickly nodded, "I know, Mom, I know you''ve been good to me. But the bicycle really can''t be lent... If I lend it out, my mother-inw will make me divorce." She forced a bitter smile, "You don''t know, she''s warned me about this many times..."


    This truly startled Granny Hu, "What! She dares!"


    "What wouldn''t she dare?"


    Liang Meifen felt miserable, "Now, I have no status at home."


    "That''s not eptable, I''ll go talk to her, I don''t believe my son-inw..."


    Liang Meifen quickly stopped her mother, "Mom, if you go, my mother-inw really will hit you! Zhixuan won''t help me!"


    Granny Hu didn''t expect things to have reached this point, and she was feeling rather down: "How dare they!"


    "What''s there to be afraid of? Ever since I listened to you and secretly gave my job to my younger brother, the whole family has been looking at me with disdain. Mom, don''t go, my mother-inw is not someone to be trifled with."


    Granny Hu snapped: "Are you ming me?"


    Liang Meifen quickly replied: "No, Mom, you know me... I''m having a hard time. I won''t hide it from you,st night I had a fight with Zhiyuan, and he mentioned you all as if you were bugs..."


    "How dare he!" Granny Hu was trembling with anger, but then she thought again and felt a bit uneasy. The job matter was indeed handled unfairly by their family. But helping the younger brother is not wrong! Sacrificing everything should be the norm, who cares about the daughter anyway?


    However, she really didn''t dare to make a scene, after all, she had her own ns...


    She looked at her daughter''s ipetent appearance and sighed, saying: "You, as the older sister, don''t help your younger brother, who else can he rely on? I asked you toe back this time for him."


    Liang Meifen: "Mom, is something wrong? Is it about my younger brother at the factory?"


    Granny Hu shook her head: "No, it''s about your brother''s fianc¨¦e. You know, your brother is not young anymore, and now that he has a job, they are discussing getting married. But that family only has one son and ns to use their daughter for an exchange marriage. So the bride price is a bit high, and they also want the Three Turns and One Ring, thirty-six legs... I was thinking, as the older sister, you should take responsibility. Why not prepare everything for him..."


    Liang Meifen looked at her mother in disbelief, shaking her head like a rattle drum: "No, no no, Mom, what are you saying? Where would I get the money for this? All these years, I haven''t saved anything, you know that. Now even my job has been given to my younger brother. I have nothing left, and I have no standing in my husband''s family. If you ask me to borrow money from my mother-inw, she might just incite a divorce. You don''t know how much she despises you all... Besides, you are also to me, my younger brother''s fianc¨¦e, you spoil her. What kind of conditions does she have to demand so much? Even officials'' families don''t ask for so much. Does she think she''s a fairy? And my younger brother, can''t even handle a woman, what kind of man is he? How can you let them..."


    Liang Meifen''s mind is unclear, and her words are not pleasant to hear, so she is not favored by her mother.


    Right now, although what she said is true, Granny Hu feels very ufortable hearing it.


    Granny Hu, although unhappy in her heart, still had to endure her anger and said: "Your brother likes her, and says that if he can''t marry her, he won''t marry for the rest of his life..."


    "Younger brother now has a stable job, if this one doesn''t work out, he can find another. How can he hang himself on one tree? That woman must be fooling him, my younger brother is too naive."


    "How dare you talk like that!" Granny Hu was displeased: "You just don''t want your younger brother to live well, you ungrateful wretch."


    She finally couldn''t hold back and scolded: "Just asking you to give a little money, and you''re unwilling. Look at who in the yard has studied as much as you..."


    "Mom, why are you talking about me? Aren''t we discussing my younger brother''s fianc¨¦e?" Liang Meifen said seriously: "We can''t ept such a greedy woman."


    The two mother and daughter talked past each other, and the people in the yard heard themotion, quicklying out and eavesdropping not far from the door, one by one they pouted: "Granny Hu is too shameless."


    "Greed knows no bounds."


    "If this daughter doesn''t take care of her, let''s see what she does? She''ll end up alienating all her children sooner orter."


    Granny Hu heard the whispers outside, directly opened the door, and snapped: "What''s it to you? Eavesdropping at my door, are you full and bored? Truly shameless, I..."


    She took a step forward, ready to teach them a lesson, but slipped unexpectedly, falling heavily to the ground... Thud!


    She fell heavily, a tooth falling out: "Damn it all..."


    This cursed rainy day!!


    Liang Meifen: "Mom, my goodness, are you alright..."


    "Take me to the hospital, quick! Take me to the hospital..."


    "Give me some money, I didn''t bring any..." Liang Meifen cried.


    The scene became a bit chaotic...


    While Liang Meifen''s family had a minor ident, her sister-inw, Ming Mei, also encountered a problem.


    Ming Mei really didn''t like going to work on rainy days. She didn''t know about others, but among her colleagues, none of them liked it. As a stewardess, they suffered more than drivers on rainy days. Getting on and off the bus in the rain, the stewardesses sitting by the door really suffered, often getting sshed with water.


    In winter, snow was better, but rain was really annoying.


    Not only did it easily make them look disheveled, but the work also required extra care. Rain made the ground slippery, prone to falls. In addition, there were more thieves, and such an environment was very suitable for thieves to strike. Ming Mei had once caught a thief on a rainy day.


    So on rainy days, all stewardesses had to be on high alert.


    Ming Mei''s route had not seen a thief for a long time, but she did not dare to be careless. In this day and age, the profession of thieves had not disappeared, which was strange. Ming Mei sighed with worry, and at that moment, her gaze fell on a man.


    This man was really ordinary, not tall, not strong, and wearing ordinary clothes, in short, he had no distinguishing features. As a stewardess, she encountered many such ordinary people every day, but today, Ming Mei felt something was off about this man.


    She hesitated, but still looked at him a few more times.


    Their eyes met, and the man immediately looked away.


    Ming Mei raised her eyebrows, paying even more attention to this person. As a stewardess, she met many people and had some ability to observe. Ming Mei originally thought this man was three points strange, now it became five points.


    She put on a stern face and said: "Move to the back, there are seats in the back, don''t block the front, move to the back."


    Today, this was not just a ruse to get people to move back, but there really were seats, after all, on rainy days, who would go out unless necessary? There were not many people on the bus, Ming Mei: "Move to the back."


    Not many people got on at this stop, all moving to the back.


    Ming Mei looked up at the rearview mirror, observing that man again through it. He was sitting in the second tost row from the back, looking very calm, but his eyes were surveying the surroundings.


    Ming Mei, okay, the strangeness had increased to seven points.


    "Driver, it''s raining today and the road is slippery, drive slowly! Be careful," Ming Mei said crisply, reminding the driver. The driver frowned immediately, then said: "I know."


    This was their internal "code," thieves had their own code, and they naturally had theirs.


    Ming Mei''s reminder to be careful was not about the road, the driver immediately understood what she meant. Basically, when they said such things, it meant there was a suspicious person on the bus.


    In the early years, right after liberation, there were still people with unclear identities, and the public was highly vignt, especially in their industry, with several sets of code words. They cooperated with each other to catch bad guys. Now, there were no such things.


    Whenever they reminded each other, it was usually about a thief.


    Not a thief, but someone suspicious.


    Although it''s said that during this time, doors were left utched, that was indeed the case. Some ces never locked their doors because they were so poor that even rats wouldn''t enter, what was there to worry about? Even if not, a stranger in an alley would be immediately recognized.


    Don''t underestimate the old folks''bat power, it''s top-notch.


    So basically, if there was a thief, it would be in such public ces. The profession hadn''t disappeared, and asionally there would be thieves on buses. Ming Mei''s route was rare, but others were not.


    The bus quickly stopped at the next station, Ming Mei: "Front door for boarding, rear door for alighting, buy tickets upon boarding..."


    Two women got on, Ming Mei was surprised: "Sister-inw?"


    Liang Meifen didn''t expect to run into Ming Mei. She had no idea which route Ming Mei was on, so when she saw her, she was momentarily stunned but quickly greeted her: "Ming Mei."


    Ming Mei nced at the elderly woman beside Liang Meifen. The woman bore a striking resemnce to Granny Zhou, with sharp features that hinted at a bitter and mean-spirited nature. At the moment, she was clutching her waist, supported by Liang Meifen, looking pitiful.


    Ming Mei: "Buy a ticket and move to the back."


    Liang Meifen hesitated, not wanting to buy a ticket. If she could save that money... She couldn''t bring herself to say it, but Granny Hu quickly chimed in: "Aren''t you Zhuang Laosan''s wife? We''re all rtives, how can we charge for a ticket? A couple of people not buying tickets won''t be noticeable."


    She didn''t believe this woman would have the nerve to ask her to pay.


    Ming Mei nced at the olddy and felt her instincts were right; she did resemble Granny Zhou.


    She smiled and said, "Are you trying to dig holes in the socialist wall?"


    That was quite a heavy usation.


    Liang Meifen shivered.


    Even Granny Hu was taken aback.


    Liang Meifen quickly said, "No, we don''t mean that. Mom, don''t talk nonsense."


    "Right, right, I was just talking nonsense. What I meant was, you should just pay for the ticket." She really had a thick skin.


    Ming Mei smiled: "No, one thing is one thing. Don''t try to get close during work hours. Besides, this is our first meeting, so don''t pretend we''re old acquaintances. Either buy a ticket or get off the bus. You can''t just stand here and refuse to buy a ticket, causing trouble for everyone. It''s not right to be so selfish."


    "You!"


    Granny Hu had thought that a young woman would be easily swayed by a few words, but seeing this one wasn''t backing down, her face darkened. Ming Mei''s tone grew sterner: "Are you going to buy a ticket or not?"


    The two of them blocking the entrance caused quite a stir among the passengers.


    "What''s wrong with this olddy? Even trying to get a free ride."


    "Exactly, Ming Mei even said it''s their first meeting, yet she still tries to get close. Too much..."


    "Ah, who doesn''t have such rtives? I do too... always looking for freebies."


    The passengers murmured. Generally, people were quite honest when it didn''t involve them. Liang Meifen, being conscious of her reputation, quickly bought a ticket under the scrutiny. Though she resented Ming Mei for not being lenient and buying their tickets, she didn''t say anything and pushed her mother to the back.


    "Let''s go to the back."


    Granny Hu''s face was ck as coal. Thest seats at the previous stop were already taken, and now there were no seats left. Granny Hu walked up to a man and started nagging: "People can''t be too selfish. Respecting the elderly and caring for the young is what young people should do. Giving up a seat for an elderly person is the right thing to do."


    She looked at the man, coincidentally the one Ming Mei found suspicious.


    The man ignored her.


    Granny Hu was annoyed and continued, "Young people nowadays, their morals are far worse than in our time. Back then, we would always give up our seats for the elderly..."


    Granny Hu chose this man for a reason. Usually, she would pick young girls or young women, who would easily give up their seats upon request.


    Even if they didn''t and were stubborn, she wouldn''t lose out in a scuffle.


    She wouldn''t dare to pick a strong man, though. She only targeted young girls. Men? No way, she couldn''t win a fight!


    Besides men, middle-aged women and women her age were also off-limits. They wouldn''t care about face and wouldn''t hold back in a fight.


    So she usually chose young girls or young women. If there were none, she would pick a seemingly honest young man. If even that wasn''t possible, she would give up.


    As for strong men and middle-aged women, she wouldn''t dare to provoke them.


    Today, unfortunately, there were no young girls. It made sense, as it was neither early norte, and it was Qingming Festival with rain, so there were indeed no young girls on the bus.


    Granny Hu, with her daughter, felt emboldened to challenge a male passenger.


    She stood by the man and kept muttering, drawing disgusted looks from those around.


    The man, hesitating, finally stood up: "You can sit."


    Apparently, he couldn''t take it anymore. The olddy didn''t look happy, feeling he should have given up his seat sooner, making her stand longer.


    She wasn''t grateful and said, "Young people should have given up their seats earlier. Trulycking in respect for the elderly."


    She intentionally bumped into the young man and plopped down.


    The young man hadn''t expected this old hag to be so shameless. Unaware, he was bumped, and a tter sounded as something fell to the ground. Ming Mei quickly turned around, her eyes widening in shock.


    Not just her, but other passengers were also stunned. A gold bar had fallen from the man''s possession.


    "Holy crap!" Someone eximed in astonishment.


    They hadn''t seen something like that before!


    The driver, already keeping an eye on the situation, mmed on the brakes.


    Seeing his gold bar fall, the man quickly picked it up. But then, Granny Hu, brazenly, tried to snatch it: "This is mine!"


    Such a im was truly audacious.


    The man, probably infuriated by this old hag, pped her hard.


    Smack!


    The man''s strength was considerable; Granny Hu''s face swelled instantly.


    "What are you doing, hitting my mom... Ah!!" Liang Meifen was kicked back by the man, falling to the ground, "Ugh!"


    "You, you, you!" Granny Hu was now scared: "Let me go, I was wrong..."


    Such a bullying, cheap olddy would cower at the sight of someone fierce.


    "I didn''t mean it, here, take it..."


    "Damn it, I''ve never seen anyone dare to mess with me, Xu Laizi!" He started pping her left and right, seven or eight times, causing her nose to bleed and a tooth to fly out.


    Already missing a tooth from the fall, now two more were knocked out.


    "What are you doing!"


    Ming Mei also stepped in, "You can''t just hit people, stop it!"


    Though she didn''t like the olddy, seeing someone getting beaten like this was uneptable, especially with her foolish sister-inw around. Ming Mei grabbed the man, who pushed her hard, making her stumble.


    The man''s strength was extraordinary; even Ming Mei, skilled in martial arts, was pushed back, showing his immense power.


    But Ming Mei wasn''t easy to deal with. She quickly steadied herself and grabbed him. The man blocked her, but Ming Mei pulled hard, causing his raincoat to tear open, and a package fell, ttering to the ground.


    A dozen gold barsy there, gleaming brightly...


    "My goodness!"


    "What kind of person is this!"


    Everyone was shocked. Clearly, this was no ordinary situation.


    Ming Mei was about to grab the man. The man dropped some gold bars, his face turned even darker, and he was furious, immediately pulling out a knife: "Get lost, get out of here. This is mine, all of this is mine, no one can take it away from me!"


    He kept waving the knife around, bending down to pick up his things.


    Ming Mei seized the moment and kicked the nearest gold bar, which hit his wrist.


    "You little brat, I''ll teach you a lesson," the man shouted, brandishing the knife and charging forward...


    "Ah!"


    "Oh my God!"


    Everyone scrambled to the car doors, banging on them. The driver nced at the situation and decided not to trap them inside. They had all taken safety education courses and knew that in such cases, minimizing danger was crucial.


    He quickly opened the doors, and everyone rushed out of the car. Even Granny Hu was trying to climb out when her daughter, Liang Meifen, grabbed her and pushed her forcefully: "Mom, you go first, I''ll help Ming Mei!"


    Granny Hu was about to escape when the man, who hated her intensely, stomped on her ankle: "You old hag! You''re the one causing all this trouble!"


    He stabbed towards her with the knife, but Ming Mei quickly kicked him, causing him to shift the knife away in pain. Granny Hu was terrified, screaming at the top of her lungs: "Murder!!"


    Her voice was like a pig being ughtered.


    She trembled as she crawled out of the car, rolling and scrambling, not caring about any injuries, finally managing to get out and copsing on the ground.


    Liang Meifen didn''t run away; she couldn''t find anything suitable, so she picked up a gold bar and threw it at the man like a brick. He dodged it and red at her with murderous intent.


    Liang Meifen: "No, no, don''t kill me..."


    She was terrified...


    The man''s knife swung again, but Ming Mei acted quickly, suddenly closing in and performing a judo throw, sending him crashing to the ground. Without hesitation, she followed up with a kick, which was far more severe than the thug''s kick on Granny Hu. The man, flung like a kite with a broken string, flew out from behind the car and crashed into a roadside utility pole, groaning and spitting out blood.


    He struggled to get up and was about to run when he tripped over something and fell again. Looking up, he saw it was the unlucky olddy, the jinx of a woman who seemed to be cursed against him.Aliali: 67219cfb3a4784313d7ca9d4


    He shed back with the knife, cutting through the olddy''s padded trousers, sending cotton flying...


    Luckily, the olddy wasn''t a man, or she would have been castrated.


    By now, quite a crowd had gathered. Ming Mei stepped forward again. Surprisingly, the man knew some martial arts, and they exchanged blows. Ming Meinded a punch, and the man coughed up blood.


    The onlookers: "Holy crap!"


    This woman is really fierce!


    A big man like him can be beaten to the point of spitting blood!


    Under Ming Mei''s relentless attacks, the man was finally subdued. The driver quickly stepped forward, found some rope, and tied him up. The two worked together seamlessly.


    Ming Mei: "Driver, gather the gold bars and head straight to the police station."


    She looked up: "Who''s willing to go and testify... Also, you..."


    She nced at Granny Hu, who looked at Ming Mei with fear, trembling: "I, I''ll go too~"

 Chapter 56

    Ming Mei was bing a regr visitor to the public security system.


    There was no helping it - the more capable you are, the more incidents you encounter. However, this time she was going to a different ce than before. Her previous visits had been to the district police station near the factory area, but now she was heading to the main police bureau.


    The main reason was that they were closer to the police bureau, and moreover, with so many gold bars involved, Ming Mei and the others figured this wasn''t a minor incident.


    People these days still had kind hearts, though. While they might run faster than monkeys when facing danger, once it came to visiting the police bureau, everyone was eager to help and extremely enthusiastic. Even Granny Hu, who had taken the most beating, insisted oning to the police bureau first instead of going to the hospital despite her injuries.


    Actually, Granny Hu didn''t really want toe. She mainly feared that if she didn''t show up, she might not get anypensation. She had genuinely been injured, so shouldn''t she at least get somepensation for her wounds? Besides, she had fallen earlier, so she could me everything on this incident and save money on her medical bills.


    Another reason was that Ming Mei had nced at her while asking questions, and Granny Hu trembled at that look. She thought Ming Mei probably wanted her toe, so she''d better show up - otherwise, who knows if she might get beaten up?


    Granny Hu was being quite paranoid.


    Ming Mei had merely given her a casual nce, but Granny Hu, being a suspicious elderly woman, was excellent at overthinking. She was afraid Ming Mei would beat her up. After all, hadn''t she provoked Ming Mei when getting on the bus?


    She had seen how fierce that young woman was when fighting!


    She wasn''t nearly as strong as the person who had been tied up.


    If the tied-up person could make her face swell, she definitely didn''t dare provoke Ming Mei anymore.


    In one word: scared!


    Being timid wasn''t shameful.


    Being illiterate wasn''t shameful either.


    But she was genuinely frightened - who wouldn''t be? Even strong men were scared! Would anyone believe that a delicate young woman could make a grown man cough up blood with just one punch?


    Everyone agreed on this point.


    But Ming Mei felt wronged too. If she were really that brave, it would beughable - she''d be unbeatable in the world. The truth was far from it. The reason she made that person cough up blood with one punch was that he had already been injured from hitting the electric pole.


    She knew how to use precise force, but that didn''t mean she was some mighty warrior.


    Really, there was no way to exin this properly.


    Ming Mei felt so wronged - she was actually a fragile woman, yet these people were describing her as some fierce tigress.


    Officer Tian, who was in charge this time, noticed Ming Mei''s heavy expression andforted her: "People will forget about it soon enough, don''t take it to heart."


    Ming Mei worried: "How can I not take it to heart? I''m turning into a tiger mom."


    What worried her more was that if this news reached her mother''s ears, she''d definitely get her ears pulled.


    Ming Mei sighed deeply: "My life is so hard."


    Officer Tian: "Actually, I think with your skills, you''d be perfect for our department. How about it? Would you consider changing jobs?"


    This wasn''t the first police officer to extend an olive branch to Ming Mei, and probably wouldn''t be thest.


    Ming Mei: "No thanks..."


    Shemented: "I''m not suitable... I''m just a brute..."


    "Pfft!" Not just Officer Tian, but all the other police officers burst outughing.


    Ming Mei rubbed her face and asked, "So, what''s the deal with that person from earlier?"


    She wasn''t worried about having caught the wrong person. In these times, someone carrying so many gold bars and pulling out a knife - if you said they were an upright citizen, even ghosts wouldn''t believe it. And given how chaotic the situation was, Ming Mei subduing the person was the best possible oue.


    Otherwise, who knows if they might have killed someone in their frenzy.


    Well, there was no need to guess - they definitely would have. If Ming Mei hadn''t stopped them, Auntie Hu would surely have been stabbed several times. During the incident, Auntie Hu was terrified, and now hearing everyone discussing it, she dared not even think about it.


    She truly couldn''t close her eyes without seeing that person''s fierce knife-wielding face, and Liang Meifen felt the same way.


    She never imagined that her day would be so... tumultuous.


    First, her mother had fallen and lost a tooth, which was minorpared to her sprained waist. Unable to carry her mother on a bicycle, she had to take her on the bus. Who would have thought they''d encounter such an absurd situation on the bus?


    She held her mother''s hand and said seriously: "Mom, from now on, don''t be aggressive with people anymore."


    Granny Hu stubbornly defended herself: "When was I aggressive? I just asked him to give up his seat, how could I know he''d pull out a knife just because I asked for a seat?"


    Never again, never again, never ever again!


    She was scared to death. While this incident started partly because of her, Granny Hu might act tough on the outside, but inside she was trembling with fear, secretly praying to all deities and ancestors, swearing never to raise her voice at people again.


    If she had actually been stabbed a couple of times, wouldn''t that have been the end of her?


    Forget about seeing her grandchildren, she probably wouldn''t even live to see her son get married.


    She shrank her neck, feeling a chill in her heart.


    Granny Hu was terrified, and the police officers, having just taken everyone''s statements, understood the situation. In short, this elderlydy had started the trouble. By unfortunate coincidence, she had picked on a man carrying a fortune in gold, which triggered a series of events.


    They felt somewhat sympathetic towards her, yet also felt she didn''t quite deserve the sympathy.


    At least no one was hurt.


    By now, the bus driver had also finished giving his statement. It wasn''t that he hadn''t helped Ming Mei earlier; they actually had an established coordination system.


    Generally, thieves and pickpockets don''t work alone - they usually work in pairs orrger groups. So when incidents ur, Ming Mei handles the situation while the driver watches the surroundings to prevent others from taking advantage of the chaos, and to react quickly if anyone else tries to intervene.


    Of course, this arrangement worked because Ming Mei was genuinely skilled. If multiple people had attacked at once, he would definitely have jumped in to help. But most times, he handled the aftermath, mainly because he worried that rushing in might hinder rather than help. This was their pre-arranged n, and other buses had their own coordination methods too.


    This approach worked for Ming Mei because of her fighting skills.


    As for others, some coordinated to contact the police directly. While they didn''t encounter thieves very often, they always maintained some level of preparedness.


    Of course, there were some who would ignore thieves even if they noticed them, but such people were few. Most people nowadays still maintained a sense of kindness and justice. Even while ensuring their own safety, most would remain vignt.


    Officer Tian looked over everyone''s statements and said: "That''s about everything. Thank you all foring to testify. This case is still under investigation, so please head home for now."


    The specific details of the case naturally wouldn''t be shared with everyone.


    Even Ming Mei, despite asking, wasn''t told exactly what was going on.


    Ming Mei was practically a regr here and knew that some things couldn''t be discussed until investigations wereplete. She stood up: "Then I''ll be going now. We had an incident on our route, so I need to go back and report it."


    As everyone was preparing to leave, Granny Hu looked confused and asked: "What about me? He beat me up like this, I need to go to the hospital!"


    Actually, Granny Hu had been quite lucky. When the criminal''s knife came at her, it only tore her cotton pants. Thankfully, even though it was already Qingming Festival, she hadn''t switched to thinner clothes yet, otherwise she would definitely have been injured.


    And next year''s Qingming might have been about visiting her grave.


    That knife stroke only cost her a pair of pants - a blessing in disguise.


    "Well, Xiao Zhao, please take this elderlydy to the hospital and check her condition. As for the expenses..."


    He hesitated before continuing, "We''ll cover them first, and after the investigation isplete, we''ll have that personpensate for them."


    "Understood." A female police officer named Xiao Zhao responded.


    Xiao Zhao looked at Granny Hu and said, "Auntie, shall we go?"


    Liang Meifen quickly followed, "Mom, let me help you."


    Granny Hu mumbled something, she was truly frightened and the more she thought about it, the more scared she became, her legs felt weak.


    Ming Mei stepped forward: "Sister-inw, are you okay? Didn''t that man kick you too?"


    Liang Meifen shook her head: "I''m fine, I need to take my mom to the hospital, I might bete getting back. If you get home first, tell mom for me, thank you Ming Mei."


    She had heard before that Ming Mei was quite formidable, but hearing about it and seeing it were two different things. She had never witnessed Ming Mei''s actions, only heard about the results. So the fear she felt was limited. She knew this person was formidable, but she wasn''t sure how formidable and didn''t really take it to heart. But today, seeing Ming Mei kick a grown man so hard he vomited blood, Liang Meifen was truly scared, her words carried a hint of respect.


    "Ming Mei, if sister-inw has ever done anything wrong before, please don''t hold it against me, I''m just a fool."


    Granny Hu quickly chimed in: "Yes, yes, yes, if I, your old granny, have ever done anything wrong, please don''t take it to heart, hehe, hehehe!"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    You really don''t have to go this far.


    She forced a smile and said, "Sister-inw, Granny, what are you talking about? Sister-inw, you know, we''re all family, don''t say such formal things. Besides, thank you for helping me earlier."


    Whether or not the help was effective, Liang Meifen''s willingness to help on her own initiative showed she wasn''t a bad person.


    Her proactive help was something Ming Mei hadn''t expected.


    Ming Mei was like this, you respect me, I respect you. But if you disrespect me, I''ll double it back!


    She smiled and said, "You should go to the hospital first, I''ll tell mom to prepare something good for dinner tonight, let''s replenish our strength."


    Liang Meifen: "No need, no need."


    Granny Hu whispered: "What''s she up to? It''s kind of scary."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She meant well, why are they suspicious of her?


    "Uh, uh, let''s go, let''s go to the hospital, I can''t take it anymore..." Granny Hu was really a bit scared of Ming Mei, quickly changing the subject, ready to leave.


    Officer Xiao Zhao: "Let''s go then."


    Ming Mei also left with the driver, just in time for Granny Hu to look back at her, Ming Mei gave a smile, Granny Hu shivered and quickly darted away.


    Ming Mei: "......???"


    Granny Hu thought to herself, this Ming Mei''s smile is too sinister.


    Although everyone was still curious about what exactly happened here, since the police investigation needed to be kept confidential, people gradually dispersed. Ming Mei also got into the car with the driver to return to the main station.


    Such sudden incidents were notmon, but they did happen asionally.


    Ming Mei sighed: "It''s already annoying enough with the heavy rain, and then this happens, what kind of luck is this?"


    The driverughed and said: "You can''t say it like that, think of it as a merit. Maybe this will even get you a raise. Do you have enough seniority?"


    If this matter was confirmed, he should also get some credit, his seniority was also enough, in theory, he could also get a raise. Thinking of this, he felt more energetic driving. He said: "Think of it, this isn''t just a thief, it''s walking money."


    Ming Mei chuckled: "You''re right."


    She calcted in her mind and said: "My seniority isn''t enough."


    Shemented: "If my seniority was a bit more, could I get a raise too?"


    The driver: "I think our boss can fight for it, we protected the safety of the masses on the bus and caught a bad guy, the credit can''t be small." He had longer working years than Ming Mei and knew more, saying: "Then it depends on what kind of situation this guy is in, the bigger his problem, the bigger your credit, the higher the chance of a raise."


    Ming Mei: "Who knows."


    Although she said that, Ming Mei''s mouth had already curled up, oh dear, who doesn''t like a raise!


    They returned to the main station, and this matter was indeed remarkable, even the leaders were amazed, how could Ming Mei attract bad people so much? She was already so formidable, yet there were still fools who dared to cause trouble, truly not wanting to live long.


    "You all were also frightened today, go home early and rest."


    Ming Mei hummed in agreement, saying: "Okay."


    "Ming Mei, don''t worry, our station willmunicate with the police station at any time, rify whether they have any aplices, so as not to disturb your life." To be honest, few dared to retaliate now.


    It wasn''t like catching a thief would lead to revenge, after all, times have changed.


    But as a leader and elder, Ming Mei''s old leader was still very meticulous. After all, he had watched her grow up since she was a child.


    Ming Mei chuckled softly, nodding and saying: "I know."


    "Alright, go home early and rest."


    Ming Mei nodded in agreement and left, the people in their office all sighed: "What luck is this girl, how can she always meet bad people."


    "Others might meet them too, but they might not dare to act, this girl just has a big heart."


    "She''s always been like that since she was a kid, bold and reckless, remember? When she was little, because the kids from other courtyards bullied ours, she stood up for a bunch of boys..."


    "Yes, yes, my son was one of them, this coward, let a little girl stand up for him, what a waste of his height."


    Everyone burst intoughter, the atmosphere immediately lively.


    Ming Mei didn''t know others were talking about her, she happily rode her bicycle home early, it had to be said, the appearance of bad people was somewhat useful, at least she could go home early.


    The rain hadn''t stopped all day, when Ming Mei returned to the courtyard it was already noon, every household''s chimney was smoking, Ming Mei entered the courtyard and saw Aunt Su collecting water again. Ming Mei''s mouth twitched, what a strange person.


    It seemed like they would never run out of water.


    Aunt Su was collecting water under an umbre, hearing the bicycle enter the courtyard, she looked up in surprise: "Oh, Little Ming, why are you back at this time?"


    She used to call Ming Mei "Little Zhuang''s wife", but a few days ago she heard Li Fang greet Ming Mei as Little Ming, so she started calling her that too. Ming Mei''s surname was Ming, so it was fine to call her that, like Little Zhang, Little Li, Little Wang.


    It''s just that the surname Ming was a bit special.


    Ming Mei: "Yes, I got off work early today."


    Aunt Su: "Your job is pretty good, you can go home whenever you want, quite rxing. It''s said that every industry serves the people, but you seem to have it easier than others."


    Her words carried a hint of jealousy, and she wanted to stir up some resentment for Ming Mei, don''t think she didn''t know, Madam Zhou Li must be peeking and eavesdropping from the window. Although she was arrogant in the hospital, she was taken away by the security department in the courtyard, which was quite embarrassing.


    When she was in the hospital, she didn''t know anyone, just a few neighbors, it was okay. But after returning, she always felt a bit degraded. Plus, Jiang Lu had a big argument with her, everyone knew she had caused trouble for her son at the factory, she felt even more embarrassed.


    So, except for going to the toilet or doing something necessary, she didn''t go out, but this person was restless and nosy, so she kept looking out the window.


    Not missing any little movement.


    Aunt Su deliberately said this, hoping Madam Zhou Li would spread that Ming Mei wasn''t working properly.


    But she forgot what kind of person Ming Mei was, Ming Mei spoke clearly: "Aunt Su, you''re wrong about that. We ticket sellers aren''t any easier than factory workers. At least they work in a clean environment, we have it tough on days like this. But since you stay at home all day and don''t work, you wouldn''t understand."


    Isn''t it just taunting people?


    Who can''t do that!


    She had a sarcastic grandfather and a fierce, sharp-tongued mother-inw.


    Even if she learned, she learned it well.


    She shed a brilliant smile and said, "I left work early today because of an emergency. But you wouldn''t understand anyway. I really envy you, just lying around at home all day, with food served to your mouth and clothes handed to you. Your daily routine is just fetching a bit of water."


    Aunt Su: "¡­¡­"


    In her heart, she cursed, but she said, "Where do you get that idea? My days at home are plenty busy with three mischievous boys. We can''t afford to be idle. My health isn''tparable to you youngsters, and I''m a real burden to the family. If it weren''t for the kids, I''d have followed my husband and sons long ago. But I can''t leave my three grandsons, nothing is more important than the children. Especially since I have three strapping boys."


    What she took the most pride in was her family''s male lineage, three boys, which was something no ordinary family could match. Even if others had sons, they likely also had daughters, but her family had no "useless" girls.


    Just thinking about it made her feel extra proud.


    Aunt Su, pretending to be concerned, asked, "Xiao Ming, you''ve been married for a while now, haven''t you? Still not pregnant? When do you n to have kids?"


    Ming Mei blinked andughed, saying, "Why the rush? We''re both still young, whether it''s early orte doesn''t matter. After all, what''s important is that the child is loved."


    Her tone was earnest: "If we have a child, we''ll definitely educate them well. That''s a big deal, so we can''t rush it. Having a baby early, we ourselves aren''t even settled yet, how could we teach them well? We can''t just have them without teaching them, that wouldn''t do. The child wouldn''t grow up to be a likable person."


    Aunt Su: "¡­¡­"


    She took deep breaths, feeling very angry inside.


    I suspect you''re implying something about me, and I''m sure of it!


    Aunt Su scrutinized Ming Mei, feeling that this young bride was no simpleton. In their alley, any new bride would sympathize with her and treat her well.


    Only Ming Mei, upon hearing her speak, knew she wasn''t someone to be trifled with.


    And in this exchange, she hadn''t gained any advantage. Aunt Su became even more wary of Ming Mei. Just then, she heard Madam Zhou Li''s thunderousughter. She was furious, knowing Madam Zhou Li had heard everything. Madam Zhou Li, who had no children, always felt inferior when Aunt Su boasted about hers. But this time, hearing Aunt Su being put in her ce, sheughed loudly, making sure Aunt Su could hear.


    Aunt Su, being shrewd, knew it was time to retreat. She said, "Oh, my water''s ready, I have to go cook, so I won''t chat anymore."


    Ming Mei shrugged and turned to go home.


    Meanwhile, Madam Zhou Li, peeking from the window, spat and said, "Not a single good one among them, all scumbags, old and young scumbags, why didn''t they just fight?"


    She had been nning toy low, let her scandals settle before making aeback. But being cooped up at home was suffocating, she wished those people would brawl, so she could watch the spectacle. And if there was amotion, maybe people would forget about her.


    That was Madam Zhou Li''s thinking.


    But things didn''t go as she wished.


    Why didn''t those two fight? Why didn''t they just fight?


    It was so disappointing.


    Ming Mei returned home, under Aunt Su''s curses and Madam Zhou Li''s frustrated expectations.


    Zhao Guihua had already heard Ming Mei and Aunt Su''s conversation. She didn''t step out to back her daughter-inw, knowing Ming Mei could handle herself. But she asked, "Why did you leave work early?"


    She had nned to just have some steamed buns and pickled radish at home.


    Seeing her daughter-inw back, she fried some cabbage.


    Ming Mei: "We encountered bad people today, and I ran into Sister Liang and her mom. Oh, you don''t know, that olddy was so arrogant, then someone taught her a lesson, pping her so hard her face swelled up... Now Officer Tian is apanying her to the hospital. Sister Liang asked me to tell you she might be backte."


    Zhao Guihua: "What happened?"


    She immediately perked up: "Tell me about it."


    People are lonely.


    Any gossip, they don''t want to miss.


    Ming Mei: "It was today at..."


    Ming Mei''s storytelling skills were average, but she had to boast about herself. She detailed how she had sharp eyes, spotting the troublemaker instantly. Then she described her bravery in catching the thief.


    Of course, getting beaten up also needed to be borated on.


    This monologue took Ming Mei half an hour to finish, leaving her parched.


    Ming Mei smiled, murmuring, "Oh, mom, I really saw a lot today. It was my first time seeing so many gold bars,ter counted, there were eighteen in total. I guess there was more on that person, it was my first time seeing so much gold, so rich..."


    Zhao Guihua was also surprised, eximing, "So much gold, there must be something wrong with it, big or small bars?"


    Ming Mei: "Big ones! Really big, it felt like I was going to get rich."


    Ming Mei had only focused on catching the person at the time, now thinking about it, she sighed, it would have been nice to touch them, those were gold bars.


    Shemented: "I forgot about that at the time."


    Zhao Guihuaughed, saying, "It''s good you didn''t touch them, if anything was missing, it wouldn''t be on you. Whenever ites to money, you have to be clear, so as not to invite trouble."


    Ming Mei: "Definitely not, the passengers were all around the bus, eyes like bull''s eyes, watching clearly."


    Although it was chaotic with many people, since everyone had stepped back from the "battlefield," the scene was quite clear, so there wasn''t much to worry about. But her mother-inw was right, in the future, if there were simr incidents, being more cautious would be better.


    Zhao Guihua: "Just keep that in mind."


    Ming Mei nodded, after thement, she thought of another matter.


    Ming Mei propped her chin, very seriously saying, "I think... I think... Sister Liang''s mother is a bit afraid of me."


    Zhao Guihua nced at Ming Mei, thinking, does she need to think? She''s definitely afraid of you.


    She remembered from her previous life, this woman had been more aggressive then. Of course, not with them, since no one paid her any mind. This olddy just bullied her daughter, making Liang Meifen look like her mother had died every day.


    Later, Madam Zhou Li stepped in, truly a good person, standing up at critical moments, offending Old Man Lan, stirring up trouble with matchmaking, she and Aunt Su did it. Unfortunately, Ming Mei found out, this girl didn''t beat the olddies, but her sons and daughters-inw, and smashed the windows of both Zhou and Su''s houses. It happened that Granny Hu was there too, nearly peeing her pants in fright.


    From then on, she behaved like a quail.


    Although annoying, she did one thing right, being sensible.


    Seeing Ming Mei was truly unapproachable, she disappeared into the crowd, only surfacing once a year during the New Year. And rarely came to their house. It really made Zhao Guihua feel much quieter.


    So when Ming Mei mentioned it, Zhao Guihua understood.


    She said, "That''s just how Liang Meifen''s mother is, don''t take it to heart."


    Ming Mei hummed, then said, "Mom, I''ll go buy some meatter, let''s have meat for dinner tonight. Sister Liang was helpful today, I should show my appreciation."


    Pausing, she added, "Though she didn''t really help much."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, saying, "You always know how to talk."


    She said, "Don''t buy, we still have meat at home, finish it first."


    Ming Mei sighed: "We''ve been eating it for a long time."


    A few months have passed since the meat from that time, and it''s still there. They haven''t stopped eating... Apparently, they really stocked up back then. She peeked around, and Zhao Guihua snapped, "What are you looking at?"


    Ming Mei pouted.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "Why don''t you go buy some offal? I''m craving some stewed offal."


    Ming Mei replied, "Sure, I''ll go right now."


    She''s a straightforward person, so Zhao Guihua said, "Wait, after lunch. What''s the rush?"


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw had lunch together. Zhao Guihua mentioned, "It rained all day today, and it''s unlikely to clear up tomorrow. I reckon the mushrooms will start popping up the day after tomorrow. I n to go up the mountain to pick some mushrooms, then dry them and eat them slowly. Lao San loves mushrooms."


    Ming Mei said, "I love them too, but I''ve never picked mushrooms. My mom never let me buy them because she was afraid I''d get the poisonous kind."


    Mushrooms can be dangerous if not prepared properly.


    Zhao Guihua said, "You don''t need to worry about that. I''ll go myself. You''re all just a bunch of hindrances."


    Ming Mei hung her head, feeling scolded.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "I''ll go to the outskirts and see if I can gather more. But with this rain, there will probably be more people going to the outskirts to pick mushrooms. I''m just worried someone might spot the pond."


    If it weren''t raining, fewer people would go to the outskirts, but after the rain, it''s different. Mushrooms are quite good as a dish. Plus, it''s spring! There are many wild fruits on the mountain, and people will inevitably wander around. Shemented, "If someone discovers the pond, we won''t have such a good chance to fish there anymore."


    This wasn''t an exaggeration. Zhao Guihua remembered from her previous life that once everyone started going, the pond, though full of fish, couldn''t withstand the crowds. In no time, it was emptied, even the small fish were gone. Later, even if people went, they couldn''t catch any fish.


    Ming Mei suggested, "Should we go there a few more times recently?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "We''ll see. We can''t go up the mountain in the rain."


    Ming Mei nodded. She understood her mother-inw''s concerns. They could certainly fish a lot, but it wasn''t the right season, and selling them on the ck market was both risky and not profitable.


    If they brought everything back, they would definitely be noticed. A little here and there was fine, but if they brought back too much, it could lead to usations of exploiting socialist resources, which would be a big problem. So, even though they knew where there were resources, they couldn''t bring back too much.


    As for telling rtives and friends, it wasn''t a good idea either. It might not turn out well and could even cause trouble.


    People might think you''ve been hoarding and exploiting for years.


    Don''t think this is a joke. In these times, even father and son could turn against each other. They really didn''t need to tell others and risk trouble.


    "Mom, don''t think too much. What''s ours won''t run away, and what''s not ours is just a matter of fate. We''ve already benefited a lot from that pond, so we''re not at a loss," Ming Mei said, quite open-minded. "We''ve gained a lot from that pond, so it''s fine either way."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, ncing at Ming Mei, "You''re quite good atforting people."


    Ming Mei immediately smiled, "Of course, I''m good-looking, so whatever I say is right."


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, "..."


    She said, "Stop bragging. I''ll give you money to buy the offal."


    Ming Mei replied, "No need, I have it."


    Zhao Guihua looked at her and said, "Alright then."


    She added, "I know how to cook this. Just wait and see. After lunch, go right away."


    Ming Mei''s big eyes curved into a smile, "Okay~"


    After lunch, Ming Mei immediately rode her bike out. Although she didn''t like going to work on rainy days, she had no problem doing other things on rainy days. Why did Zhao Guihua tell her to go now? Obviously, she was afraid they''d run out if she wentter.


    Offal and organs don''t require meat coupons, but they sell well. After all, old Beijingers really enjoy this kind of thing. Zhao Guihua, in her older years, listened to stories about past times, where offal and organs were given away for free, and she always had something to say about it.


    Even if it''s not good, it''s still a bit of meat. It''s never worthless.


    Even a bare bone costs three cents.


    So don''t think you''ll get something for free, dreaming is faster.


    Especially in Beijing, offal and organs are top-notch. Prepared well, they are delicious. There used to be many stewed offal shops, so don''t think you''ll get something for free.


    That''s not possible.


    If you gote, it''ll all be sold out.


    Ming Mei pedaled her bike furiously, rushing to the butcher shop under Zhao Guihua''s expectations.


    For stewed offal, charge!


    Ming Mei''s old-fashioned bike seemed to ride with sparks and lightning!


    "Wow, that bike rides fast!" a passerby eximed.


    "I can''t even ride as fast as a little girl, that won''t do!" said a cyclist.


    "What''s the rush? Riding like that, it''s like flying," someone spected.


    Ming Mei zipped to the meat stall and saw a familiar figure from afar. Don''t misunderstand, it wasn''t Zhuang Zhixi!


    And it wasn''t even a man.


    It was... Jiang Lu!


    Jiang Lu looked around, moving towards the meat stall quickly.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    This is like a secret meeting of the underground party.


    Ming Mei sped up her bike, curious!


    After all, this was the time for work, and Jiang Lu being here made people quite curious.


    Jiang Lu had sneaked out. She couldn''t wait until after work; otherwise, she wouldn''t get anything. Especially since she wanted something very hard to find. She acted like a thief as she approached the stall, whispering, "Do you have pig kidneys?"


    Ming Mei just happened to ride up and heard that.


    Ming Mei: "Ah, this..."


    Buying a pig kidney, was it really necessary to act like this?


    Jiang Lu''s face turned red. Ming Mei tried to stay calm, "Do you have pig organs and offal?"


    "Yes, we do!" On a rainy day, fewer people came out to buy things, so there was still some left even at noon. Normally, such things sell very well because they don''t require coupons and are usually gone by morning.


    "How much do you want?"


    Jiang Lu felt a bit awkward, especially since Ming Mei saw her buying pig kidneys. Everyone knows what these are for. But she alsoined in her heart, why did Ming Meie to buy things at this time? Couldn''t she choose another time?


    Even though her mother-inw wasn''t great, she was right about one thing: Ming Mei was quite annoying. Shecked tact.


    Ming Mei said, "Jiang, you go first."


    Jiang Lu quickly replied, "No, no, you go first."


    Ming Mei could see Jiang Lu''s difort and said, "Alright, I''ll buy first."


    She weighed some pig organs and offal and paid.


    Jiang Lu finally regained someposure and asked, "Didn''t you go to work today?"


    Ming Mei replied, "I did, but we got off early due to an ident. That''s why I came to buy some offal to make stewed offal. Well, Jiang, I''ll be going now."


    Although they lived in the same courtyard, they weren''t really close.


    Ming Mei paid, pulled her raincoat, and left without lingering. Although she was curious, she had some tact. Jiang Lu didn''t want to buy in front of her, so Ming Mei naturally didn''t stay to annoy her.


    Pig kidneys...


    Jiang Lu didn''t know what Ming Mei thought. Seeing Ming Mei leave, she breathed a sigh of relief. She always felt a bit embarrassed buying such things in front of others, even if they were all married women. Jiang Lu didn''t want others to think too much about her husband, which was rted to his reputation.


    She coughed lightly and said, "Give me a pig kidney."


    After a pause, she whispered, "Will there bemb supply tomorrow?"


    "Yes."


    The butcher was a middle-aged man. He nced at Jiang Lu, then looked around to make sure no one was watching, and whispered, "I get them early in the morning. If you want some,e early. I''ll cut you some fatty ones."


    Jiang Lu''s business was even worse now. She said, "Can you save one for me?"


    This butcher shop mostly supplied pork, but asionally there were beef and mutton as well. These were always in short supply, and whenever they were avable, there would be long lines, as scarcity drives up value. However, Jiang Lu was from a well-off family and bought a lot of meat, so she had some rapport with the butcher.


    Like now, she knew about the mutton before Ming Mei.


    Of course, it was also because her father was a leader at the supply and marketing cooperative, and sometimes, transactions were done through "reciprocal benefits."


    "Save the sheep''s... that part... for me."


    The crucial, unspeakable part.


    Jiang Lu thought that her husband, Zhou Qun, needed a good supplement after his injury.


    It was all that damned Bai Fendou''s fault, causing her husband so much suffering.


    "That part? It''s gone. Such a good tonic, it''s usually booked up as soon as it arrives. I''m not hiding it from you; you know how it is. It''s cut directly at the meat processing nt..."


    Even if there were any, I''d want to supplement myself.


    How can a man not need some supplement?


    He said, "Why don''t you get a sheep''s kidney instead?"


    Jiang Lu looked regretful. She sighed, "Then you have to save it for me."


    "Look, we''re old acquaintances. I''ll definitely save it for you." Although selling to anyone is the same, he asionally gets to buy "defective goods" from the supply and marketing cooperative through Jiang Lu''s connections, so he''s happy to interact with her.


    It''s about give and take!


    He usually gives Jiang Lu better meat, and she knows how to reciprocate. It''s not easy to get defective goods now; that''s a privilege for internal employees of the supply and marketing cooperative.


    Jiang Lu paid and put the pork kidney in her handbag.Aliali: 6720f5142bffb2b7bc4c0987


    The butcher, seeing her look of disappointment, hesitated and said, "Or, how about a sheep''s... testicle?"


    Jiang Lu: "???"


    "There are still some left. Not many people buy them, but they''re just as good. The main problem is that many people don''t know how to cook them, and they can have a strong smell if not done right. If you know how to cook them, you''ll see, they sell very well. After all, this stuff doesn''t require coupons. If you want, I''ll save it for you tomorrow. Don''t underestimate it; many knowledgeable people seek this out. We''re old acquaintances, otherwise, I wouldn''t save it for you. I''d eat it myself!"


    Jiang Lu decisively: "Save it!!!"


    She earnestly: "Definitely save it!!!"


    Her husband, Zhou Qun, needs a big supplement!!!


    The butcher looked at her expression with a subtle understanding but still nodded seriously, "Alright, you can rest assured." How weak must a man be to need constant supplementation!


    Jiang Lu smiled and said, "If there''s anything you need help with in the future, just tell me, and I''ll definitely help."


    The butcher was overjoyed: "Great, thank you very much."


    Both were satisfied. Jiang Lu hurried home, nning to stir-fry some kidney for her husband, Zhou Qun, tonight.

 Chapter 57 Secondment

    Aunt Su was cursing under her breath again.0


    Her life had be unbearable. She had finally managed to buy some meat¡ªsupported by her old friend¡ªand was proudly preparing to cook it to show off a bit. But just look at the smells wafting through the courtyard!0


    Disgusting!0


    Putrid!0


    The stench had overwhelmed her meat''s fragrance, making Aunt Su roll her eyes in frustration.0


    It was infuriating how the pleasant aromas couldn''t ovee the foul ones. But no matter how angry she got, others would continue eating whatever they wanted, which was truly aggravating. Though she felt quite upset, Aunt Su couldn''t really make a scene about it.0


    That wasn''t her character type, and besides, after her previous hospital incident, she didn''t want to draw too much attention. She had cultivated a pitiful persona¡ªif she became too prominent, how could she y the victim card in the future?0


    Aunt Su felt frustrated inside, but still enjoyed cooking and eating her meat.0


    It was quite the contradiction.0


    In this conflicted state of mind, Aunt Su quietly peered out her window and saw Zhao Guihua washing pig intestines. She sneered, then looked at her own meat, feeling pleased that it was much better than offal. Her mood instantly improved.0


    She softly hummed a little tune to herself.0


    Although Ming Mei had the afternoon off, she wasn''t helping Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua knew her daughter-inw was careless with housework. While that might not matter for other things, when it came to food... Zhao Guihua couldn''t trust her with something that would go into people''s mouths.0


    She had sent Ming Mei to pick up the children from kindergarten. These days, children were raised quite casually¡ªeven kindergarteners didn''t usually need escorts, as the neighborhood kids would walk together. Today was an exception because of the rain.0


    The rain had been drizzling all day long.0


    By evening, everyone had returned from work, including Liang Meifen, but the rain hadn''t stopped.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was terrified by his wife''s actions. He said helplessly, "What''s wrong with you? How did you get into trouble again? If something happened to you, I''d be so worried."0


    Though Ming Mei had done a good deed, as her husband, Zhuang Zhixi was naturally concerned about his wife. He didn''t care about others; he just didn''t want his wife to face any danger.0


    Ming Mei knew Zhuang Zhixi was worried about her and said coquettishly, "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing. If I couldn''t handle them, I wouldn''t have stepped in."0


    This earned her an eye roll from Zhuang Zhixi, who said sincerely, "I don''t expect you to earn a big sry; I just want you to be safe. I''m not worried about you fighting one person, but I''m afraid they might seek revenge. After all, you don''t know what kind of people they are, right?"0


    Ming Mei replied, "Well, my father and the others aren''t easy to mess with either."0


    Seeing Zhuang Zhixi''s expression darken further, she quickly added, "Alright, I know you''re worried about me. I''ll be more careful in the future, okay?"0


    She shook his arm yfully, and Zhuang Zhixi finally gave in, nodding reluctantly.0


    Ming Mei smiled and said, "Really, it''s nothing."0


    She continued, "Sister-inw was there too. By the way, sister-inw, how''s your mother?"0


    Liang Meifen, who had been feeling awkward about the couple''s quarrel, quickly responded, "She''s okay. At her age, the body is fragile, so there are some injuries, but nothing serious."0


    Liang Meifen waspletely exhausted today. Things were alreadyplicated enough, but when she returned to her parents'' home in the evening to get her bicycle, she discovered that her father and brother had misunderstood, thinking the bicycle was meant for their family. Her brother was excitedly nning to ride it to his girlfriend''s house to show off.0


    If Liang Meifen hadn''t taken the key with her, the bicycle might have already disappeared.0


    This time, Liang Meifen didn''t dare to be generous. She firmly refused her brother''s request. This led to a conflict between the siblings, with her father yelling at her, calling her heartless.0


    Her brother used her of not caring about sibling rtionships.0


    This deeply hurt Liang Meifen. She had done so much for her natal family, yet her mother didn''t understand her, and neither did her father and brother. It truly pained her.0


    Despite all this, Liang Meifen remained firm about not leaving the bicycle behind.0


    Though she could be muddle-headed at times, she knew that if she gave her mother-inw''s bicycle to her natal family, it wouldn''t just be about divorce anymore. Her mother-inw would surely use the receipt to sue them for "robbery," and she dared not underestimate her mother-inw.0


    After being wronged at her parents'' home, Liang Meifen returned with low spirits, but she didn''t dare tell anyone in her husband''s family, fearing they might notice. If Zhuang Zhiyuan knew her natal family had tried to im the "three major items and one echo" and the "thirty-six legs," he would surely demand a divorce.0


    She was utterly exhausted, and Liang Meifen rubbed her temples.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at Liang Meifen. She actually knew what was troubling her, but she wouldn''t get involved in such matters. She wasn''t ying the role of a kind mother-inw, and Liang Meifen had a tendency to take a mile when given an inch.0


    If you treated her poorly, she would restrain herself;0


    But if you showed her kindness, she would start funneling things to her natal family.0


    She had seen it all in her previous life.0


    Zhao Guihua had no intention of being anyone''s servant this life¡ªshe was busy enough. She said, "Eldest daughter-inw, since your mother is injured, will you go take care of her these days?"0


    Liang Meifen shook her head, "I don''t need to go. My mother can take care of herself, and besides, she''s been discharged. She''s recovering at home."0


    Zhao Guihua frowned, "Discharged? Wasn''t she beaten up?"0


    Liang Meifen nodded, "Yes, the hospital rmended she stay longer, but my mother was worried about my father and brother. If she stayed in the hospital, who would take care of them? So she insisted on being discharged."0


    Zhao Guihua snorted and said, "Don''t your father and brother have hands and feet? Do they always need someone to take care of them? What nonsense."0


    Liang Meifen''s heart trembled at Zhao Guihua''s tone, but Zhao Guihua didn''t say more. Instead, she lost interest in the topic and said, "Well, since you don''t need to care for your mother, let''s go mushroom picking in the suburbs tomorrow."0


    Liang Meifen asked, "Alright, should we bring fishing rods?"0


    "Yes, let''s see if we catch anything."0


    Ming Mei listened enviously and said, "I want to go to the mountains too."0


    Despite encountering arge snakest time, Ming Mei wasn''t scared at all; rather, she was quite enthusiastic. She wasn''t the type to be traumatized. Since childhood, Ming Mei had been this way¡ªthe more something scared her, the more she confronted it, until she wasn''t afraid anymore.0


    Of course, if not for this unyielding personality, she wouldn''t have be the big sister of the residentialpound.0


    She really wanted to go, but she had to work.0


    Ming Mei said, "Work is truly a stumbling block on my path to rxation."0


    Though she said this, she knew working was necessary. In these times, having a formal job was extremely important.0


    Somehow, Ming Mei thought of her dream where, fifteen to twenty yearster, there would be a wave ofyoffs, and even their machinery factory would close down in the 1990s. However, even then, their passenger station remained stable. It just underwent some reorganization. Ming Mei deeply felt that her job was truly secure.0


    "What are you thinking about? Dinner''s ready."0


    "Coming!"0


    Braised meat, how lovely.0


    The family enjoyed a good dinner, and Old Man Zhuang unusually spoke up during the meal, saying, "Our family''s eating well this year. I feel more energetic than before, and I''ve even gained some weight."0


    Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua were both naturally lean people, though finding someone fat these days was quite difficult. Even Madam Zhou Li, who came from a well-off family, was thin. The plumpest people in theirpound were Li the Cook and his wife.0


    But they were just robust, not fat.0


    Besides, when had anyone ever heard of a cook starving?0


    So Old Man Zhuang was quite thin, but this year, with meat once a week and fish once a week, they were having two special meals every week. In just this short time, people could already see the difference.0


    Old Man Zhuang noticed it himself, and while others might not have noticed, it was quite obvious in the children. Both Little Tiger and Little Swallow had gained some weight, particrly visible in their cheeks.0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Gaining some weight is good. At your age, you need to learn to take care of yourself."0


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled, feeling secretly pleased. He cast a somewhat boastful nce at his two sons, thinking that as their father, he had better judgment than them. In his view, while both of his daughters-inw had their ws, his wife was absolutely first-rate!0


    She was truly iparable - just look at how caring she was toward him.0


    Old Man Zhuang''s satisfactionpletely missed its mark with his two sons, who were both rather absent-minded today. Even though the food was good, they remained distracted. One was in a daze, and so was the other.0


    Who knows what they were thinking about.0


    Old Man Zhuang''s pride was like casting pearls before swine.0


    This was understandable, as both Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi were affected by today''s events, each lost in their own thoughts.0


    Old Man Zhuang: "..." They really don''t take their father seriously.0


    "Little Zhuang, Little Zhuang~"0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately snapped back to attention, saying, "I''m here."0


    It was Yang Lixin who hade looking for him. Yang Lixin smiled and said, "Have you finished eating? Come out for a moment, I need to discuss something with you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure!"0


    He quickly wolfed down a few more bites, put down his bowl, and went out with Yang Lixin.0


    Zhao Guihua: "These boys must be up to something again."0


    She muttered, though not taking it too seriously.0


    Zhuang Zhixi followed Yang Lixin outside. It was still drizzling, and the two stood under the eaves. He asked, "Brother Yang, what did you want to see me about?"0


    Yang Lixin did indeed have something to discuss. He lowered his voice and asked quietly, "Did you see Bai Fendou today?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "No, why?"0


    Yang Lixin frowned slightly, then said, "Never mind then."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"0


    He scratched his head, very curious: "Hey wait, if you''re looking for Bai Fendou, why not just go to his house? Besides, you''re being rather cryptic, I don''t quite understand. What''s up with him?"0


    Yang Lixin: "Nothing, nothing, I''ll be going now."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...what''s this all about."0


    Yang Lixin was acting strange,ing and going in such a hurry.0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself that even though he was quite sharp, he couldn''t figure out what Yang Lixin was trying to do.0


    But he could guess something was up.0


    He shrugged helplessly, turned to go back inside, muttering: "What has Bai Fendou done now."0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t particrly concerned about Bai Fendou''s affairs - what did they have to do with him? As he was mumbling to himself, he looked up to see Ming Mei smiling at him. Zhuang Zhixi blinked, thinking to himself: Just you wait, I''ll "deal with" you tonight.0


    As punishment for your "adventure" today.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe..."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    That smile didn''t look very innocent.0


    It wasn''t until that night that Ming Mei truly understood what an "not innocent" person meant - he really wasn''t innocent at all.0


    The physical activity that night left her more exhausted than a full day''s work! It was ridiculous!0


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, was in a great mood. He boasted: "See? I don''t need to eat pig kidneys to perform well."0


    Ming Mei pulled the nket over her head - who wanted to hear about such things?0


    Zhuang Zhixi saw her reaction andughed. Now that the weather was warm, they didn''t need to light the stove. He got up in the dark to pour a ss of water, and as he was gulping it down, he heard the sound of a door opening outside.0


    Previously, they didn''t use to close the main gate in theirpound, as the constant opening and closing would have bothered old Bai and his son who lived by the entrance. However, since the recent theft incident, everyone now kept their doors closed.0


    Though closed, the doors weren''t locked - they were justtched from the inside.0


    This way, people in the courtyard could open them directly, which was convenient. These days, people rarely had nighttime activities, so it didn''t cause much disruption. However, the doortch made a distinct clicking sound each time it was opened or closed, which was particrly noticeable at night.0


    People back then weren''t like those decadester who would develop neuroses from noise - most people didn''t mind such things at all. Zhuang Zhixi was the same; he didn''t think much of it, but hearing the sound, he nced out the window, and what he saw made him exim in surprise.0


    "What is it?" Ming Mei mumbled from under the covers.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Bai Fendou just left carrying a bag."0


    Ming Mei sat up: "Carrying a bagte at night? What''s he up to? Running away?"0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "Do you think that''s possible?"0


    "No, it''s not possible."0


    Ming Meiy back down but asked: "Do you want to go see what''s happening?"0


    This time Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, saying: "I won''t go. I''m not stupid - following him at this hour, I''d definitely be spotted. Besides, who knows what he''s up to! Why should I risk getting myself into trouble just to satisfy my curiosity? We''ll find out sooner orter anyway. I may be nosy, but I don''t stick my nose into everything. Heading out with a bag at this hour, he''s probably going to the ghost market. Let him court disaster if he wants."0


    In earlier years, the old city had turned a blind eye to the pigeon market, but now the pigeon market was gone, reced by ck markets.0


    But whether it was the pigeon market or ck market, they mainly dealt in daily necessities that were closely rted to people''s lives.0


    The ghost market was different - it only opened at night, mainly selling antiques and other such items, or things that couldn''t see the light of day. Generally speaking, these were items of some significance. Both buyers and sellers covered their faces, and sellers especially wouldn''t show themselves, only cing a small candle ormp on their stall, just enough to see what was being sold.0


    Those little lights looked like ghost fires, hence the name: ghost market.0


    Sellers rarely spoke, mostly just using hand gestures, only speaking when seriously negotiating prices. Whether the deal was made or not, whether you got a bargain or were cheated, once money and goods changed hands, that was it.0


    Try to find the seller again? Impossible!0


    Even if you found them, no one would admit to anything. That''s how the ghost market worked - once the transaction was done, there was nothing more to say.0


    People from their old city knew about such ces but rarely went there - only the extremely bold or those who specialized in that trade would go. So while Zhuang Zhixi knew such a ce existed, he had never been there himself.0


    Hezily returned to bed, flopping down and embracing his wife: "Let''s sleep!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s spection about Bai Fendou going to the ghost market wasn''t groundless. First, leaving with a bagte at night was suspicious in itself, and secondly, there was Zhang San - yes, that Zhang San from their factory''s security department.0


    Zhang San had approached Zhuang Zhixi today to ask about Bai Fendou.0


    Apparently, Bai Fendou had been collecting some old items, and Zhang San was asking Zhuang Zhixi if Bai Fendou had connections in that field. After all, Zhuang Zhixi and Bai Fendou lived in the same courtyard.0


    They had more or less grown up together.0


    However, Zhuang Zhixi knew absolutely nothing about it, and Zhang San left disappointed.0


    Zhuang Zhixi hugged his wife and said: "He really dares to do anything now."0


    Everyone knew this business was profitable - you could make enough in one deal to live off for three years, and even though these items were now considered part of the "Four Olds," everyone understood their true value, and some people were bold enough to deal in them.0


    But dealing in such things required expertise - even now, there were plenty of fakes.0


    If you thought you were an expert, you''d be wrong.0


    And if you thought there weren''t any fakes in this era, you''d be even more wrong.0


    Zhuang Zhixi pulled up the nket and said: "Let''s sleep."0


    Ming Mei softly responded with a "mm," she was truly exhausted. Since getting married, she had taken on more physical activities... Although, although it was quite pleasurable, it was also really tiring! She made a small sound and found afortable position, curling up in Zhuang Zhixi''s arms, quickly falling into dreand.0


    Whatever needed to be discussed, it shouldn''t be after their physical activities - she had no energy left!0


    While the young couple rested, the next morning during their washing up, Zhuang Zhixi happened to run into Bai Fendou. Seeing Bai Fendou''s drooping eye bags, he smiled and said, "Good morning, Brother Fendou."0


    Bai Fendou grunted in response, carelessly brushed his teeth a couple of times for appearance''s sake, then turned back home. It was obvious he hadn''t slept well.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, on the other hand, had slept quite well. He got himself neat and tidy, then left for work with his wife.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Be careful at work, I''ll pick you up when you''re done."0


    Ming Mei: "No need!"0


    She waved her hand and said with a smile, "I might even get off work early. The boss will definitely be looking for me today about yesterday''s matter."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Thene pick me up after work."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    She rolled her eyes at him, "Have some shame!"0


    She had never heard of a man asking his wife to pick him up!0


    She snorted and rode away on her bicycle.0


    Zhuang Zhixi went to work with a smile, ready to start another day of cking off.0


    However, today Zhuang Zhixi didn''t seed in cking off. Just after he finished sweeping, he saw Director Li from the factory officeing over. Zhuang Zhixi greeted him with a smile, "Director Li, you''ve just left home and you''re already looking for people?"0


    Director Li was Doctor Wang''s husband.0


    Director Li didn''t speak, but Doctor Wang scolded, "You chatterbox!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Look at you, why are you scolding me?"0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Director Li: "Don''t joke around. I''m really here to find someone this time - you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Me?"0


    Although he worked in the medical office, he was just a cashier. While he had good rtionships with the aunties and older sisters there, he wasn''t familiar with Director Li, who was the office director of a factory with thousands of workers - quite a powerful position.0


    They asionally exchanged words, but that was only because of Doctor Wang. It didn''t mean they were close.0


    So it was strange that he came looking for him. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Director Li, please tell me what you need."0


    Anyone can speak pleasantries.0


    Director Li smiled: "You''re quite the smooth talker. It''s like this - Labor Day ising up soon, and that''s our workers'' holiday. The factory definitely needs to put on some programs. The Publicity Department is preparing several shows, but they''re short-handed. Would you help out?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Me?"0


    He was quite surprised. Director Li: "Yes, you have a good appearance. The Publicity Department needs people, and I rmended you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi only paused briefly before nodding: "Alright, I''m fine with anything, but what about my work here..."0


    He was like a brick in the factory - ready to be moved wherever needed.0


    Director Li: "Stop pretending with me. Your medical office only gets two or three patients a day, collecting thirty or fifty cents. Anyone can fill in for that. I''ll talk to your supervisor."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright then, when should I go over? Who should I look for?"0


    "Go find Section Chief Song. They''re looking for a handsome young man to be an announcer, and I thought you''d be suitable. Plus, they really are short-handed, so you can help out."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure!"0


    Although he usually cked off, he wasn''t actually azy person. It was just that his current position was like that. Even if you wanted to work hard, there wasn''t much to do! To be honest, as a young man, he definitely hoped to advance further.0


    But obviously, there wasn''t much room for advancement as a medical office cashier, he could only umte seniority.0


    Initially, Zhuang Zhixi had wanted to work in the workshop, but with so many peoplepeting for positions, he couldn''t get in.0


    At that time, his most stable option was his current path. If he couldn''t even get into the workshop, the Publicity Department, a cadre position, was even more out of reach. Now that he could help out, at least he could get familiar with people there, take it slow. Zhuang Zhixi smiled and went directly to the Publicity Department.0


    The Publicity Department was on the second floor of the office building. When Zhuang Zhixi arrived, he went straight to the section chief''s office. Section Chief Song was busy, but when he heard Zhuang Zhixi had arrived, he nodded: "You must be Little Zhuang. Old Li said you''re talented and good-looking, with thick eyebrows and big eyes - he was right."0


    He spoke quickly: "We''re organizing a celebration for Labor Day and need a suitable host. He rmended you."0


    He looked Zhuang Zhixi up and down and said, "I think you''ll do just fine, but don''t just do this in the next few days. Help out with other things too. Our Publicity Department is really busytely."0


    This matter had really caught them off guard.0


    Actually, these kinds of publicity events used to be held every year in the past, but in recent years, due to policy changes, they had stopped organizing them. Being too high-profile wasn''t good. But unexpectedly, this year the higher-ups notified them to organize it again. After stopping for several years, suddenly starting again had left them a bit flustered.0


    Their Publicity Department wasn''t veryrge, and to put on a show, they needed helpers. But they couldn''t use workers from the workshop as that would affect production. So they could only look for people in non-essential positions, but there were even fewer people in such positions. All in all, they really couldn''t find many people.0


    Section Chief Song: "This time we need to put on a show in the morning. See what you can contribute."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright!"0


    Since he was here, he wouldn''t be pretentious. Although he had never done this before, he was willing to learn. He would follow along. Even if he was just filling in, at least he was a good-looking fill-in.0


    He wasn''t the only one they had borrowed for this asion; there were others too.0


    Most surprisingly, Zhuang Zhixi saw Old Man Bai, which was absolutely ridiculous. Old Man Bai seemed quite happy though, clearly pleased. He worked in the boiler room, and being borrowed for this meant much easier work.0


    Section Chief Song introduced everyone, saying, "Little Zhuang will be our announcer this time."0


    Everyone looked at Zhuang Zhixi''s face and nodded in approval.0


    The reason they needed to find an outside announcer was that none of them looked quite right. Since leaders mighte, they couldn''t have someone who looked too odd - it would affect the factory''s image.0


    Zhuang Zhixi got to know everyone, and then Section Chief Song continued speaking. This middle-aged man was quite impatient, never stopping: "This time we need at least a dozen programs to make it a proper show. What ideas do you all have? Speak up."0


    Everyone looked at each other, and one man with a mustache said, "Why don''t we just show a movie? A two-hour movie would solve a lot of problems."0


    Section Chief Song red at him: "You think I haven''t thought of that? If the factory leaders agreed, why would I be doing all this? We will show a movie, but that''s for the afternoon, for all our colleagues. In the morning, we still need to organize a two to three-hour variety show. Say something useful. So far we''ve decided on the chorus ''We Workers Have Strength'' and ''The White-Haired Girl''. Oh right, Master Bai is here to y Yang Bao."0


    "But who''ll y Xi''er?"0


    All the women in their Publicity Department were married, and none were the right age to y Xi''er, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl. None of them were suitable.0


    "Which of you looks young enough to make do?"0


    "You go."0


    "No, you should go."0


    "I can''t, I look more like Xi''er''s mother."0


    In short, although they wanted to be in the spotlight, they didn''t want to pretend to be young - it was embarrassing.0


    Their factory was arge machinery factory, and even the Publicity Department mainly focused on worker activities. They rarely had such performances. They weren''t like a professional performance troupe - those people were confident in their performances. They weren''t like that; nobody really wanted to participate.0


    They could fill in... no, perform as a group, but ying Xi''er wasn''t going to work.0


    Section Chief Song''s mouth was like a machine gun as he said, "Don''t just stay quiet, acting like it''s none of your business. This is a big event for our factory, and our Publicity Department hasn''t had something like this for a long time. This is our chance to prove ourselves. Why are you all pushing and shoving and not speaking up?"0


    He called out: "Little Zhuang, you say something. You''re one of our borrowed main forces."0


    Everyone''s looks toward Zhuang Zhixi were full of mockery. Everyone knew he was just a cashier in the medical office, whose daily task was just ttering a few older sisters. He had ttered well enough that Director Li had rmended him here.0


    Some people looked down on such a tterer, some wanted to build good rtionships, and others were indifferent.0


    It was always the same - there were always people who looked down on such bootlickers, and others who thought they could be friends. You never know which cloud will bring rain.0


    Now, as soon as Section Chief Song called on him, everyone looked over. Zhuang Zhixi immediately spoke up. As someone from old Beijing, when others gave him face, he couldn''t let them down. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing, and he wouldn''t be able to get along in the future.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Since this is a Labor Day event, I think we could put on a few short ys. These take up quite a bit of time, and if we''re in costume, we won''t need to prepare as many other performances. Look at how few people we have - we''re responsible for both on-stage and backstage work, with each person doing the work of eight! We can''t keep up like this! We''re all willing to work tirelessly, but singing requires practice, and if we have too many performances, our voices won''t hold up. I know everyone in the Publicity Department is talented and willing to sacrifice all their rest time, but if we overwork our voices and let everyone down at the crucial moment, what then?"0


    "Yes, young Zhuang is right! There''s too much singing, all big chorus numbers, and we have to perform in all of them. Our voices can''t take it! If we lose our voices or get hoarse, we''ll really be in trouble."0


    "I agree with Zhuang too, but what should we perform? We haven''t even cast Xier for The White-Haired Girl yet."0


    "Well... we''re not really at that level."0


    Section Chief Song said, "What do you mean you''re not at that level? You''re from the Publicity Department - this should be a piece of cake for you!"0


    Everyone exchanged nces - we''re the Publicity Department, not a performing arts troupe, could you be a bit more realistic?0


    Seeing everyone''s reaction, Section Chief Song said, "Look at you all, getting cold feet at the crucial moment..."0


    Everyone: "..."0


    Did you have to describe it in such a disgusting way?0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand: "Chief, I have an idea."0


    Section Chief Song: "Go ahead."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We could perform a scene from a movie, choosing a memorable part that doesn''t need much scenery. What do you think? We''re showing a movie in the afternoon anyway, right? We could tie it in with that, and let the workerspare our performance with the film. See where we differ."0


    He smiled and added, "Who knows, they might find we''re notcking at all."0


    "Well said!"0


    "Indeed, we may not be trained, but with enough practice, we could be just as good."0


    Section Chief Song looked at Zhuang Zhixi with appreciation and said, "Zhuang''s idea is excellent. Let''s go with that. Now, let''s discuss which scene to perform..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s discussion went on all day, and they basically settled on seven songs and four short ys. While the songs were decided, they still needed to deliberate on the ys. As the host linking the segments, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t participate in the singing performances - there wouldn''t be time between hosting duties - but he could take part in the short ys.0


    He could y minor roles that exit early, allowing him time to return to his hosting duties.0


    Everyone was discussing enthusiastically and energetically. This was the first time Zhuang Zhixi had been so busy at work, and although it had little to do with his actual job duties, it was quite fulfilling. Being good with words, he quickly became one with the Publicity Department.0


    Even those who initially looked down on him, while they hadn''t grown to like him, at least weren''t being passive-aggressive.0


    After all, everyone likes to hear nice words, and besides, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t all talk. His suggestions were well-received by everyone. They only had about twenty people, including four or five temporary transfers. If they were to sustain a whole performance with everyone singing in every number, it wasn''t that they didn''t want to entertain the workers, but their voices simply couldn''t handle it. If someone lost their voice halfway through, what would they do?0


    So everyone thought mixing in some longer skits was quite a good idea.0


    At the very least, it solved a major problem.0


    However, before everyone left work, Section Chief Song also said, "If you have any good ideas for performances, you can write them down. Especially stories - if we use our own stories instead of movie scenes, that would be even more impressive."0


    "Alright, we''ll all think about it."0


    As everyone was leaving, Old Man Bai had spent the whole day unable to get a word in, feeling his head buzzing. Although he had been happy when he arrived in the morning, since participating in the performance meant getting attention and not having to work during rehearsals, after a full day, he felt mentally exhausted.0


    It was a feeling others couldn''t understand.0


    He couldn''t join in others'' conversations and barely understood what they were talking about. Since they hadn''t started rehearsing Yang Bai Lao yet, he naturally had nothing to do. When Zhuang Zhixi came out, he walked with Old Man Bai, who wiped sweat from his forehead and said, "What a day!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite curious: "Uncle Bai, how did the factory arrange for you to y Yang Bai Lao?"0


    Although Zhuang Zhixi''s rtionship with the Bai family wasn''t particrly close, they maintained cordial rtions. After all, as neighbors, they couldn''t avoid interaction.0


    Old Man Bai replied: "The Publicity Department didn''t have anyone suitable for Yang Bai Lao, and since the weather''s warm now and we''re not too busy, they borrowed me. They said I look exactly like Yang Bai Lao when I''m worried."0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked down and thought, well, that''s actually true.0


    Uncle Bai did have the look of someone who had suffered greatly.0


    Thin, rough-looking, aged.0


    "You''ll definitely y the role well."0


    Old Man Bai: "Did you need to tell me that? I''m known for my talent in our courtyard, most people can''tpare."0


    This guy - give him an inch, and he''ll take a mile.0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and asked, "Uncle Bai, I see all your talent is focused here, with none left for anything else."0


    It took Old Man Bai a while to react, then he spat: "You little rascal, you dare make fun of me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You always misunderstand me. But speaking of which, when are we going to drink at your and Aunt Su''s wedding?"0


    Although he was a bit of a sweet-talker, his words were somewhat pointed this time.0


    "I''ve been waiting to attend your wedding feast since I was a child, but still haven''t gotten the chance. My teeth are falling out from anticipation. Look at me - I''m already married myself, but still haven''t seen you bring home a new wife. What''s going on? Are you and Aunt Su not nning to make it official?"0


    Old Man Bai''s eyes widened, and he immediately said, "Watch what you''re saying! You can''t damage Aunt Su''s reputation - she''s a good woman. Don''t be like the others at the factory, always saying she''s pregnant. If she were that kind of loose woman, would I be interested in her? You don''t know how principled she was back then. If anyone made even one inappropriatement about her, she''d be ready to fight with a knife - all to protect her reputation. No matter how difficult life was, she stood firm. They''re both widows, but look at Madam Zhou Li''s reputation! She''s never satisfied with taking advantage, who knows how many men she''s met in the grove. Zhou Qun is probably clueless. Really, if you count them up, he probably has several unofficial fathers in the factory. During those years when his mother was working as a substitute, she spent plenty of time in the grove with men for money."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Holy shit."0


    Old Man Bai: "See? You really don''t know anything."0


    Looking at Zhuang Zhixi again, Old Man Bai felt this young man waspletely out of the loop. Thinking about how he possessed countless insider secrets, he smiled smugly, maintaining an air of superiority as he floated ahead.0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly caught up and said, "Uncle Bai, is this true? Howe I never heard my father mention any of this?"0


    Old Man Bai curled his lip in disdain: "Your father? That Old Man Zhuang who never pays attention to anything outside his own world. What do you expect him to know? His informationwork isn''t nearly as good as mine. Even Li the Cook didn''t know things as early as I did."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh my goodness."0


    He really hadn''t expected this twist - his surprise wasn''t fake, it was genuine.0


    After Old Zhou passed away and Zhou Qun was still young, Madam Zhou Li had taken over the job, then passed it to her son when he was fifteen or sixteen. All in all, it had been seven or eight years. Logically, with just two people in the family and a monthly sry, they should have been able to make ends meet.0


    And not just make ends meet, but live quite well.0


    How did ite to this?0


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head.0


    Old Man Bai nced at him and said, "Don''t be skeptical. You can ask your Uncle Li - Li the Cook and others all know about it. Your father, who just keeps his head down working in the workshop, wouldn''t know these things. I can''t understand what Zhou Qun''s wife''s family was thinking, finding such a family for their daughter and giving such arge dowry. If you ask me, isn''t my son Bai Fendou much better than Zhou Qun? Our family has good values, and both parents work. Though my Bai Fendou''s sry isn''t as high as Zhou Qun''s right now, he''s ambitious and hardworking. Life wouldn''t be much different."0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes flickered as he smiled and said, "You''re right."0


    However, he didn''t say much more as he could see the medical office ahead. He said, "Uncle Bai, I need to go..."0


    "Zhuang Zhixi."0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked up and heard the security guard call out, "Your wife is here to pick you up."0


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing, not feeling embarrassed at all, and immediately replied, "I''ming!"0


    He waved goodbye to Old Man Bai and quickly ran towards the entrance. Old Man Bai felt even more indignant - among all the young men in theirpound, some were living with their wives'' families, some had poor family values, some were just pretty boys, but his son was the most impressive and dignified.0


    Why was finding a match so difficult?0


    Old Man Bai felt increasingly dissatisfied.0


    How unfair heaven was!0


    While Old Man Bai was wallowing in self-pity, Zhuang Zhixi was unaware of it. He ran to the entrance and saw his little wife happily standing there, bouncing slightly, clearly in a good mood.0


    Zhuang Zhixi called out, "Wife!"0


    Ming Mei looked up with a sweet smile: "I''m here to pick you up from work!"0


    Although she had said she wouldn''te, Ming Mei had nothing to do after work, and since it wasn''t far from home, she came directly: "There''s about ten minutes left, I''ll wait for you here."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Those ten minutes don''t matter... oh wait, I need to go back and tidy up. I haven''t been to the medical office all day." After a pause, he said, "Why don''t youe with me?"0


    Ming Mei: "Eh?"0


    Her big eyes blinked rapidly: "Aren''t outsiders not allowed in?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll talk to someone. Just don''t wander around -e straight to the factory medical office with me, we won''t go anywhere else."0


    Ming Mei nodded: "Okay."0


    Zhuang Zhixi went tomunicate with the staff, and since he wasn''t a workshop worker and wouldn''t affect production, they didn''t make things difficult for him. He led his wife to the medical office, and upon entering, Doctor Wang and others were stunned, then smiled and said, "Little Zhuang, where did you find such a beautiful girl? Is this your wife?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow proudly: "This is indeed my wife. Let me introduce you. This is my wife Ming Mei, she works at the bus terminal. Wife, this is Sister Wang from our medical office, whom I''ve mentioned before - she''s really nice. This is Nurse Sister Zhao, this is..."0


    Ming Mei greeted everyone with a sweet smile.0


    Doctor Wangughed: "You two really make a perfect couple. I always heard people in the factory saying Little Zhuang married above his station. I wondered how that could be since Little Zhuang is so handsome, but now I see they weren''t lying. Your wife is absolutely radiant. But such a beautiful wife deserves someone like Little Zhuang - you''re both so good-looking, like a paintinge to life, truly well-matched."0


    Zhuang Zhixi struck a proud pose and said, "Of course we''re well-matched! I''m known as one of the most handsome men in all four corners of the city. I''m more than worthy of my wife."0


    Ming Mei''s smile grew even brighter as she pinched his waist.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ow!"0


    Everyone couldn''t help but burst outughing.0


    Zhuang Zhixiined pitifully: "Wife, can''t you let me show off a little in public?"0


    Ming Mei replied softly and sweetly: "Go ahead, show off!"0


    Everyoneughed even more heartily...0


    Ming Mei blinked, thinking that Comrade Zhuang Zhixi''s work environment was really quite nice.0


    Everyone was so kind.0


    Doctor Wang: "Oh right, Little Zhuang''s wife, how did youe here? Aren''t you supposed to be at work?"0


    At this time, it should have been working hours, and although it was almost time to get off work, it would still take time toe from her workce.0


    Ming Mei: "I had the afternoon off. I went to the police station, then came straight here."0


    She still spoke in her soft, sweet voice: "I caught a bad person on the bus yesterday, so I went to check on the situation this afternoon."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately looked at Ming Mei, who understood his concern and quickly said, "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine."0


    It was then that everyone remembered the rumors, the vague whispers circting, that Ming Mei, Zhuang Zhixi''s wife, was quite formidable in fighting.0


    No one knew who started the rumor, but it existed.0


    She looked like a delicate young woman, so they hadn''t thought about it when they saw her, but hearing this, they suddenly remembered. The rumors seemed to be... true?0


    Ah... you really can''t judge a book by its cover!0

 Chapter 58 What Egg

    We workers have power...


    The daily off-work song rang out, and the people from the machinery factory were gradually leaving, but... "Huh?"


    Everyone saw Zhuang Zhixi, who was sticking close to a femalerade. Although he had a bicycle, he didn''t ride it but pushed it instead. Zhuang Zhixi pushed the bike, with a femalerade with two pigtails sitting on the back seat.


    This guy, isn''t he married already?


    You with those thick eyebrows and big eyes, you actually dare to cheat openly and brazenly!


    Their machinery factory has many male workers, especially unmarried ones, who were staring at the two of them with envy.


    "Isn''t there anyone to manage this? It''s too tant."


    "It shouldn''t be, he wouldn''t be so showy."


    "I think so..."


    Everyone was discussing, and when they reached the gate, the guard heard and muttered, "That''s his wife,ing to pick him up from work..."


    This statement caused a slight silence in the previously bustling environment, but soon, everyone started discussing again: "Pfft, really showing off. Making his wife pick him up from work."


    "Tomorrow I''ll find a partner, and I''ll have my wife pick me up too."


    "First find one, then talk."


    "Hey, this is the first time I''ve seen Zhuang Zhixi''s wife, not bad, really pretty."


    "Don''t let anyone hear that, is that something you should say? They might charge you with something."


    With that kind of crime.


    "I won''t say it."


    Zhuang Zhixi, with his wife on the back, didn''t ride the bike but walked instead.


    Why? Isn''t it just to show off?


    How loving they are, huh!


    Ming Mei sighed: "You''re really something. Why don''t you ride around the factory a couple of times to show off?"


    See, the couple understands each other well. Ming Mei knows that Zhuang Zhixi is just showing off. But she doesn''t mind.


    Showing off their love!


    Very good.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Riding around would be too obvious? We''re just leaving work normally."


    Ming Mei: "Do you think this isn''t obvious?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Not very obvious."


    Ming Mei couldn''t argue with that, she thought it was super obvious.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "By the way, how did it go at the Public Security Bureau today?"


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said: "Today, our section chief went with me. You know our boss, they''ve watched me grow up and are worried I''ll be retaliated against, so they went to inquire about the details."


    Zhuang Zhixi was also worried about this and asked: "Then what?"


    Ming Mei: "Then nothing happened. Yesterday, that person was a small fish, following others to loot a house, then found some hidden gold, and didn''t report it, deliberately hiding it. But he knew the family wouldn''t keep quiet, so he pretended to be unwell and left immediately, returning to the scene. Anyway, he had no one else at home, so he nned to flee with the gold bars. He was supposed to escape to Hong Kong."


    She sincerely sighed: "Truly, money moves the heart. If he wasn''t so nervous and that old woman wasn''t so unreasonable, he wouldn''t have continued the conflict and would have left quickly. He even nned to have a wonderful new life in Hong Kong."


    Zhuang Zhixi snorted at this, saying: "This guy clearly doesn''t have much sense. Is he a pig? Does he think he can escape just because he has money? He doesn''t think about it, going there requires a letter of introduction, and we''re not close to Hong Kong. He''s flying there! On the way, he has no identity papers, no letter of introduction. Once people report it,bined with his disappearance, they''ll know he''s carrying gold. They''ll definitely issue a wanted order for so many gold bars, no one can ignore that."


    Ming Mei: "Who says not, maybe he was blinded by the gold? They didn''t say it directly, but I heard the hint, there''s definitely more than what was lost, he had some on him, tied to his body. No wonder when I kicked him out, he spat blood, clearly because of the gold bars on him. People might think I practiced some powerful leg technique."


    The couple couldn''t understand this person''s thought process, why give up a good life for gold bars?


    Gold bars are good, but you can''t just swim across, there''s a long way to go. Also blinded by gold.


    Ming Mei: "I was also a coincidence this time, helping them recover the loss."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Really..."


    In recent years, there have been many incidents, like Teacher Xiang, who due to poor background, hid in the hospital morgue. Although it''s a bit eerie, it''s really hassle-free. But didn''t expect, after so many years of turmoil, there are still people with poor backgrounds hiding so much gold.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know how to describe it.


    Of course, their family, with three generations of poor farmers, is just a small grain of sand in this big wave, unrted to them.


    "Then this time you also helped them recover a huge loss, won''t they give some reward?" Zhuang Zhixi joked, thinking it''s unlikely. Those people''s way of doing things, tsk tsk.


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up: "I can get a raise this time."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"


    He was really surprised: "Isn''t your seniority not enough?"


    Ming Mei proudly raised her chin, saying: "Special approval, didn''t you say? I recovered a huge loss, otherwise, this person with so many gold bars escaping to Hong Kong, wouldn''t that cause a major loss?"


    She said with a bit of pride: "Comrade Zhuang Zhixi, you also have to work hard! Look at me, how amazing."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay, okay, you''re the best."


    He said: "I want to get a raise here, can only rely on seniority, hard."


    But he added: "This time Director Li rmended me to the propaganda department to help, I''ll work hard and see if there''s a chance to get a formal transfer. The propaganda department is more suitable for me than the medical room."


    Their medical room''s charges are basically just addition and subtraction within ten.


    He sat there prematurely aging.


    Although Ming Mei looks simple, she grew up in a worker''s family and understands a bit.


    She said: "I guess it''s not easy to transfer, now it''s one person per position, and those with connections and background are rushing in. You have no connections at all, can it work? Should we find someone?"


    Ming Mei scratched her head, her neatly braided pigtails a bit messy, she frowned and said: "My family has no connections in the machinery factory, hard to find someone."


    This time is not decadester, the circle is still very fixed now.


    Her family has connections, but can''t find this kind of connection.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, saying: "Am I the kind of person who relies on his wife? My wife is so capable, if I don''t work hard, it''s too embarrassing! Don''t worry, I have a sense of proportion, if it''s sessful at once, I don''t think it''s possible. But people, when they can perform, they should perform more, maybe there''s a chance. This time I n to seize the opportunity and work hard, also tter a bit. It should be useful. If it doesn''t work this time, there''s next time, every opportunity I grasp, let the leaders remember me."


    Ming Mei coquettishly said: "Oh, the little pitiful who has to tter."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, saying: "For the future, for money, it''s not embarrassing."


    Ming Mei also smiled, nodding: "Right."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s go home!"


    Ming Mei giggled, the two left early, but didn''t ride the bike, just walked, and ended up beingte. The couple reached the alley, meeting Jiang Lu, who was also a bitte.


    Jiang Lu: "..."


    Just annoying!


    She suspiciously looked at the couple, thinking they followed her, otherwise, how could they meet again so coincidentally. Zhuang Zhixi greeted warmly: "Sister-inw Zhou, off work?"


    He nced at Jiang Lu, whose bicycle basket was filled with something of unknown origin.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Although he didn''t know what it was, from the looks of it, it seemed vaguely like some kind of meat.


    He chuckled and said, "Your family''s living conditions are really good, eating meat yesterday and today too."


    Jiang Lu felt a bit awkward, but seeing the curiosity on the faces of the young couple, she awkwardly gathered the bag in the basket, saying, "Everyone''s life is the same, isn''t it?"


    She forced a smile and said, "I''m in a hurry to cook, I''ll be off first."


    She quickly walked a few steps, and Zhuang Zhixi and his wife exchanged puzzled nces, shrugging their shoulders at each other.


    "Why does she seem so strange?"


    "Who knows what she bought."


    Jiang Lu was indeed a bit nervous today. Could she not be nervous? What she bought today was not justmb kidneys but also testicles. They say you are what you eat, and Jiang Lu was wholeheartedly considering Zhou Qun''s well-being.


    Who let that scoundrel Bai Fendou harm her husband?


    Thinking of this, Jiang Lu felt even more distressed, hating Bai Fendou''s despicable character.


    Madam Zhou Li watched Jiang Lu hurry back and snorted coldly, saying, "Why are you back sote?"


    Jiang Lu quickly replied, "Mom, I went to buy this, it was specially reserved for us yesterday."


    Madam Zhou Li looked and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Xiao Qun should indeed be nourished, but he was injured before, so he needs more rest. A hundred days to heal a bone, he''s about there. Even if you''re his wife, you can''t always cling to him. A woman who always thinks about those things is too lowly. It''s good for you to take a break, and for him to recuperate well. After some time, you can think about having a child."


    Although she was eager for her son and daughter-inw to have a child, she couldn''t stand to see them too affectionate. After all, he was her son.


    Jiang Lu blushed and nodded.


    Madam Zhou Li coughed and said, "Didn''t Xiao Qune back with you?"


    Jiang Lu quickly exined, "Qun Ge took too many leave days before, and... he''s been working overtime recently. It''s to gain some favor with his superiors and make up for it."


    Mentioning this, Jiang Lu felt unhappy too. If it weren''t for her wicked mother-inw dragging them down, her husband Zhou Qun wouldn''t have been in such a predicament. But to rebel against her mother-inw, she didn''t dare.


    Jiang Lu softly said, "Let''s start cooking, so Qun Ge can eat when hees back."


    "How do we cook this thing?"


    To be honest, this stumped Madam Zhou Li.


    She had never cooked such things in her life, and she had no idea how to handle them. But just hearing the name, she knew it was a good thing, very nourishing. She asked, "Is it cooked the same way as stir-fried kidney slices?"


    Jiang Lu didn''t know either.


    But she was more knowledgeable than Madam Zhou Li, the homemaker, saying, "Let''s wash it first and boil it, then see if we should dip it in sauce or slice it and stir-fry it again."


    "Alright."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly got busy. At the same time, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife returned home, seeing Zhao Guihua frying vegetables. Ming Mei eagerly approached and asked, "Mom, what are we having tonight?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Stir-fried mushrooms."


    Ming Mei: "Yay!"


    Liang Meifen proudly said, "Mom and I had quite a harvest today."


    They had ridden out to the suburbs, so thepetition was less fierce than in the city, resulting in a bigger haul. She pointed to the small basket and said, "Look, it''s full."


    Mushroom picking in the city wouldn''t yield so much.


    Ming Mei: "So many!"


    "That''s right."


    "I''ll be off work in a few days, let''s go together, I also want to go up the mountain." Ming Mei was eager to go mushroom picking.


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure, when you''re off, you twoe with me. Let''s show them that women can hold up half the sky."


    "Okay." Ming Mei''sughter rang out clearly.


    Liang Meifen also nodded in agreement.


    "Xiao Zhuang."


    Zhuang Zhixi turned around and quickly greeted, "Aunt Wang, what brings you here? Please, sit down."


    Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Why can''t Ie?"


    She straightforwardly said, "Coming to your house is as easy as walking through a city gate."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "True."


    Everyoneughed, and Aunt Wang picked up a small stool and sat down, saying, "I came to talk to you about your grandfather''s matter."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s go over to Grandpa''s ce, we can discuss it face to face."


    Aunt Wang: "Alright."


    Earlier, Zhuang Zhixi had asked Aunt Wang to inquire about Teacher Xiang''s elder sister. Now that there was some progress, Aunt Wang naturally hurried over.


    Ming Mei: "I''ll go too."


    She naturally had to be present for her grandfather''s affairs.


    At this moment, Lan Sihai just got off work and saw theming together, saying, "Come in."


    Aunt Wang didn''t wait for him to sit down and directly said, "Last time Xiao Zhuang mentioned that woman to me, I asked my old friend. Her name is Luo Xiaohe, she has an old mother, a younger sister, and a younger brother. Her mother went a bit crazy after her husband passed away, sometimes even brandishing a knife. Her younger sister divorced because of her mother''s madness, and the husband, to express his regret, left everything behind. Her younger sister lives with her family, with her child. The youngest in the family is a brother who works at a food factory and is currently single, unmarried. Now, about Luo Xiaohe, she never married, but she was once engaged. Due to a miscarriage after falling into the water, she could no longer have children. Her situation was somewhat unfortunate. I inquired about her character, and everyone said she was a good person, not immoral. Her pregnancy was also due to circumstances. She just had bad luck. Their family had one misfortune after another, which dyed her bing an old maid."


    "So, why did she suddenly decide to get married...?" Zhuang Zhixi didn''t quite believe that someone could change their mind so easily. A person who had been single for fifty years and had gotten used to that lifestyle suddenly deciding to marry seemed odd.


    Although Teacher Xiang hadn''t mentioned it, Zhuang Zhixi felt that the matter might not be that simple.


    Aunt Wang: "There''s actually a reason behind this."


    "Please tell us."


    Aunt Wang: "Luo Xiaohe has an old mother, the one who went crazy, and this olddy is quite something. She favors her second daughter and youngest son, but doesn''t care for her eldest daughter. Although it''s the eldest daughter who has contributed the most to the family, the olddy takes it for granted. She even mes her eldest daughter in conversations with neighbors, thinking that if it weren''t for the eldest daughter''s failed engagement that brought shame to the family, her husband wouldn''t have been so heartbroken and passed away early. In short, this olddy holds some resentment towards her eldest daughter. But even though she doesn''t like her eldest daughter, she doesn''t want her to marry. In the past, she hoped the eldest daughter would sacrifice for the family. Now that Luo Xiaohe is older, the olddy still doesn''t want her to marry because she''s getting old herself and wants Luo Xiaohe to take care of her. And with her youngest son about to get married, they''ll have children soon. Then Luo Xiaohe can take care of her brother''s children. She hasn''t considered what will happen to her eldest daughter in the future at all. It''s just so coincidental. When she was gossiping with neighbors about this, her eldest daughter overheard. Oh, her face was as cold as ice. Then news spread that Luo Xiaohe was preparing to find another husband. The olddy reportedly made a scene at home, threatening to sever ties if she dared to marry. But Luo Xiaohe was determined to marry out."


    Ming Mei, hearing this, said, "Anyone who has contributed to the family for decades and is still despised and calcted against would feel hurt."


    Aunt Wang nodded, "That''s the point. Luo Xiaohe was always fiery. Seeing her own mother trying to scheme against her, she was determined to leave home and get married. Fortunately, her two siblings are sensible. Luo Xiaolian and her brother Luo Xiaoou unconditionally supported their sister''s decision. After all, when their father passed away, they were still young and it was Luo Xiaohe who raised them. They are not ungrateful. They all agreed with their sister''s idea and felt that she had taken care of them for most of her life, so it''s time for her to have her own life. Although she''s older now, it''s never toote as long as she''s willing. Of course, I didn''t say that, it''s what the Luo family said themselves. It''s said that there was a big argument at their house that day. Both siblings stood by Luo Xiaohe, and it was their neighbor eavesdropping at the wall who found out."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged nces. Indeed, where there are people, there are gossip and gossips.


    Aunt Wang continued, "Mr. Lan, you see, this is the general situation of their family. The family rtionships are notplicated. Although Luo Xiaohe''s mother has some issues, their younger son Luo Xiaoou insists on taking care of her, so the two sisters don''t have to worry. Luo Xiaohe herself has a job, collecting tickets at the cinema, but it''s not a permanent position, just a temporary one. Her monthly sry is eleven yuan."


    She went on, "But she doesn''t have any dowry. However, you know, at your age, remarrying, you can''t expect the woman to bring much. I think among the few I n to introduce to you, she''s the best. Mainly because she has a job."


    Don''t look down on it being a temporary job. At this age, having a job is still rare.


    After listening, Zhuang Zhixi turned to look at Grandpa Lan Sihai and asked, "Grandpa, what do you think?"


    Although they thought it was okay, it was ultimately Grandpa Lan looking for a partner, so they needed to seek his opinion. If he wasn''t willing, then there was no need to discuss further. If Grandpa Lan wanted to see her, then they could proceed with the introduction.


    Lan Sihai replied, "It''s okay. You can also tell them about my situation. I''m old and have been married several times."


    Aunt Wang said, "I will definitely mention that. In our line of work as matchmakers, the worst thing is to deceive people. That would ruin my reputation. You can rest assured. If you agree to the introduction, I''ll contact the other party."


    Grandpa Lan Sihai nodded.


    He said, "Then I''ll trouble you."


    Aunt Wang replied, "Hey, no trouble at all. You two just see if you hit it off. If you like each other, it''s a great thing. If you don''t, I''ll introduce someone else. With your conditions, it''s not hard to find someone."


    This is how the world works. Of course, it''s not that men are easier to find than women, but because of... work.


    A worker with a permanent job is very easy to find.


    This is what she sees in the city. If she looked at the countryside, despite Grandpa Lan being in his seventies, finding someone in their forties wouldn''t be difficult. Who wouldn''t want a man with a permanent job and a good ie? In this era, having a permanent job is everything.


    "Since you agree, I''ll arrange it."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Thank you, Aunt Wang. Don''t worry, if you seed in introducing my grandpa, he definitely won''t skimp on the matchmaker''s fee."


    Grandpa Lan nced at him and said, "You know that already?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Of course, I''m your granddaughter''s husband. I know you well."


    Grandpa Lan said, "Oh, so you know me. Really know me well. I''ve never met someone who knows me so well."


    Aunt Wang thought, "Here hees again with his sarcastic remarks."


    She decisively stood up, "Then I''ll go home to cook. You just wait for good news."


    But before she could leave, she frowned, "Huh, what''s this strange smell?"


    At that moment, not only Aunt Wang but also Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei quickly covered their noses. The smell was quite pungent.


    It was much stronger than the smell of pig intestines they had cooked yesterday.


    The air today was filled with a pungent, fishy odor. If one''s nose was sharp, they could even detect a slight mutton smell.


    It was an overwhelming stench.


    The few of them quickly covered their noses. Aunt Wang cursed, "Did someone wet their pants?"


    Ming Mei reminded her, "Wetting pants wouldn''t smell this bad."


    Aunt Wang''s face darkened with anger, "Then did someone fall into the toilet again?"


    This statement didn''t seem quite right either, as the toilet was just smelly, not this kind of odor.


    They should know, after all, someone in their courtyard had once "enjoyed" a swim in the public toilet. So, Ming Mei whispered, "It doesn''t seem like that smell either."


    Grandpa Lan also covered his nose and said, "Oh, this stench! Don''t guess what they did. Let''s quickly find out who did it!"


    At this moment, even his speech returned to normal. There was no way, the smell was too strong, unbearable!


    The few of them quickly went outside. Once outside, they almost fell. Why?


    Because the smell outside was even more intense. The entire courtyard was enveloped in an indescribable odor. It felt like being in a public toilet, no, even worse!


    It was beyond their expectations that they would face such a smell one day.


    Not just them, the smell was so overpowering that it drove everyone out.


    Zhao Guihua had already led her family out, frowning and covering her nose, looking utterly defeated. The Su family next door, with Madam Su and her daughter-inw and three children, also came out, their expressions no better.


    Toni even asked soul-searchingly, "Did someone fall into the toilet again?"


    As a former "toilet expert," Jii mumbled, "It''s not that smell."


    The Bai father and son looked as if they were about to faint from the stench. Bai Fendou cursed, "Which bastard did this!"


    People from the back courtyard also came out, everyone converging towards the front courtyard. Clearly, the smell came from the front courtyard.


    They looked at each other, then quickly turned their eyes to the Zhou family.


    Not only was the smell obviouslying from their house, but it was also definitely rted to them. After all, Madam Zhou Li, who was always nosy, didn''te out in such a situation, which spoke volumes.


    "Did the Zhou family do this?"


    "No doubt about it. Didn''t you see they didn''te out?"


    "But what did they do? Did they try some fertility potion again?"


    Because of their inability to have children, Madam Zhou Li and Jiang Lu were keen on trying all kinds of folk remedies. In their view, the hospital was unreliable, and folk remedies could cure serious illnesses. They hadn''t been scammed out of their life savings, which was already a testament to the simplicity of the current social environment.


    "Aunt Wang, go ask them."


    "Yes, you''re the courtyard supervisor, you can''t ignore this. I feel like vomiting..."


    "Don''t mention it, my son is already dry heaving..."


    Everyone expressed great anger. It was fine to cook, but one couldn''t create such a strong smell. This not only reminded them of the incident of falling into the cesspool. At that time, the hot water washing down, oh, that smell!


    They hadn''t been able to eat properly for days and didn''t dare stay at home.


    In short, it was a big disaster.


    Today, they felt this kind of suffering again.


    Although slightly different, this bone-deep stench was also unbearable.


    "Hey, did Madam Zhou wet her pants?"


    "Impossible, the smell wouldn''t be this strong. She''s not a weasel."


    "Ugh..."


    "Don''t vomit."


    Zhao Guihua watched everyone''s miserable state and was also puzzled about what the Zhou family was up to this time. This smell was really unbearable for ordinary people. She covered her nose and mouth tightly, her voice muffled: "Hutou, Xiaoyanzi, cover your mouths and don''t speak, and if you can''t stand it, go inside quickly. Kids can''t handle this smell; they might get poisoned."


    Hutou and Xiaoyanzi nodded seriously, their four big eyes wide open.


    They didn''t leave; they didn''t want to miss out.


    Zhao Guihua''s words affected others. Aunt Su quickly pushed her children inside: "You all go in quickly."


    Jii, Yii, and Toni all shook their heads, firmly rejecting their elders'' good intentions. They didn''t want to miss this asion either.


    Speaking of which, the children in their courtyard had seen quite a lot for their young age, witnessing many things that others hadn''t. It was truly enviable.


    Everyone stared at the Zhou house. Aunt Wang sighed, as the courtyard manager, she couldn''t avoid going, but she really couldn''t bring herself to take that step. She couldn''t be knocked out by the smell as soon as she entered, could she?


    She deeply doubted it. She looked left and right and said, "Lao Zhao,e with me, will you?"


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes widened in disbelief. What grudge did we have that you want to drag me into this!


    Aunt Wang, seeing Zhao Guihua''s expression, said helplessly, "You don''t have to go in, wait for me at the door. If I get knocked out by the smell, drag me out quickly."


    Zhuang Zhixi, with a mischievous tone, said something quite reasonable: "Of course, it won''t knock you out. Look, Madam Zhou Li and Jiang Lu can withstand it inside their house, so the smell is just strong, not enough to knock anyone out. If they couldn''t handle it, they would havee out already, so... it''s okay?"


    Aunt Wang: "That''s not how it works. What if they''ve already fainted inside?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, right, that''s true."


    He said, "Then, why don''t we call out to them and ask them toe out?"


    Whether it''s right or wrong, calling out first is always a good idea.


    This way, they would know if the mother-inw and daughter-inw had fainted inside.


    Aunt Wang: "Right!"


    She quickly called out: "Lao Zhou, Madam Zhou Li, if you''re home, make a sound."


    She added: "Jiang Lu,e out for a moment!"


    Everyone in the courtyard spected that the smell was like a skunk''s den exploded, truly unbearable. Inside the house, the Zhou family, mother-inw and daughter-inw, hadn''t fainted. It wasn''t poison gas, so how could they faint?


    They covered their noses with difficulty, feeling quite helpless.


    Jiang Lu whispered: "Mother-inw, everyone hase... shall we go out?"


    Madam Zhou Li was also suffocating, furious, she scolded: "It''s all because of you, you little wretch, what did you bring back? And you said it''s a great tonic, but before it even starts to work, we''re already done for. Did you do this on purpose? Answer me!"


    Jiang Lu''s eyes turned red with grievance: "Mom, how can you think that of me? You know me, I just wanted to give Qun a good tonic."


    Madam Zhou Li''s loud voice, even lowered, wasn''t small. Everyone immediately heard her scolding Jiang Lu inside. Aunt Wang was a bit speechless. She shouted loudly: "Madam Zhou Li, Jiang Lu,e out!"


    As for why Zhou Qun wasn''t called.


    They hadn''t seen Zhou Qune home after work.


    Bai Fendou couldn''t take it anymore, saying: "Aunt Wang, move aside, I''ll kick the door open. Otherwise, they''ll think they can get away with this? They''ve done something so outrageous, thinking they can hide it? We were just about to have dinner, did we really have to suffer this bad luck?"


    Bai Fendou was particrly angry. He had earned some extra money and bought a piece of braised meat to eat secretly.


    This was even kept from his sweetheart Wang Xiangxiu, nning to eat it secretly with his dad. The meat that smelled so good hadn''t even reached his mouth, and now he felt like the smell was overwhelming. How could he not be angry?


    "This is truly outrageous, inhumane, and... and whatever! It''s just too much!" Bai Fendou couldn''t stand it and was about to rush up to kick the door.


    Aunt Wang: "Don''t be impulsive..."


    If the door was kicked open, there would surely be endless arguments. Aunt Wang didn''t want to see such a situation.


    Fortunately, the sound of the door being kicked was heard inside.


    Madam Zhou Li still valued her own door, which had just been repaired not long ago. If it was kicked down again, it would need to be repaired again!


    Although, she could still extort Bai Fendou for it, her son was right, it was not a good time to be too conspicuous. It was a crucial moment to fade away from recent events, and she couldn''t ruin it. So she took a deep breath and opened the door with a creak.


    This arrogant and mean olddy opened the door with a bit of a domineering air.


    Madam Zhou Li shouted: "What are all of you doing gathered at my door! Want to pick a fight and bully someone?"


    She took the initiative.


    Zhao Guihua and the other "victims": "..."


    They truly felt more wronged than Dou E.


    Speaking of chatting, it was still Grandpa Lan who took the lead: "Sister, I know we have grievances. But if you have something,e out and face it directly. I respect you as a man if you do it directly, but to try to suffocate me, isn''t that a bit too much?"


    "Pfft!" Someoneughed.


    Bai Fendou followed suit: "Grandpa Lan is right, have the guts toe out directly! What kind of skill is boiling skunk''s urine at home?"


    Everyone agreed that even the toilet didn''t smell this bad.


    This pungent smell had been smelled on skunks in the past...


    It was likely that this family was really up to something.


    Madam Zhou Li was trembling with anger, these people really didn''t know how to speak, why were they so infuriating?


    She shouted loudly: "What do you mean? What''s the matter? I''m cooking in my own home, what''s it to you? Are you really so bored that you have to manage everything? What I cook and eat in my home has nothing to do with you! Do youe to my door to pick a fight because you''re jealous? Jealous that my family lives well, jealous that we can afford to eat meat, so you''re so angry that youe to find fault over a little smell. I don''t even think there''s any smell, we''re making meat, isn''t this smell very fragrant?"


    She was lying through her teeth, trying to turn the dead into the living, the stinky into the fragrant.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Madam Zhou, if you say that, we really have to be sad. It''s said that the eyes of the masses are sharp. In my opinion, the noses of the masses are sharp too. How can you say this smell is fragrant?"


    "Yes, this smell is about to send people away."


    "I say Madam Zhou, can you calm down? Someone in our courtyard fell into the toilet not long ago. We just got rid of the shadow of that incident, don''t create new topics for others, okay? Look..."


    This passerby pointed his finger, and everyone followed his finger to see a group of onlookers.


    The smell was indeed strong, but it didn''t spread to other courtyards. However, it was clearly smelled in their courtyard. Everyone gathered in the courtyard, their voices loud, and naturally attracted a crowd of onlookers.


    When they reached the gate, oh, the smell immediately hit them!


    This immediately exined why these people were gathered in the courtyard chattering. This smell was really overwhelming!


    Everyone pointed and whispered.


    Aunt Wang almost couldn''t catch her breath, their courtyard''s reputation...


    She quickly said: "Everyone, don''t watch the hustle and bustle, disperse, disperse."


    "Aunt Wang, what''s going on in your courtyard?"


    "This smell, oh."


    "Is it the Zhou family? Did someone else fall into the pit again?"


    "But didn''t they write that swimming is not allowed there?"


    "Maybe they went down to bathe?"


    Madam Zhou Li couldn''t hold back any longer when she heard this, immediately jumping to her feet: "What are you people doing! Are you here just to watch the fun? My family is just boiling an egg, is that not allowed? The smell is a bit strong, but we''re not affecting anyone else, are we? Doesn''t everyone want to eat something with a bit of vor? Haven''t you all eaten pork intestines before? Why are you picking on us? Are you picking on us because our family is notrge? Is that it! You can''t do this to us!"


    This time, Madam Zhou Li really felt wronged, even though their family had indeed created a strong smell.


    But it wasn''t intentional.


    Besides, it was all Jiang Lu''s fault for not doing it right!


    She really felt wronged!


    Madam Zhou Li''s eyes turned red: "What did I, an olddy, do to you? I''m innocent!"


    She looked genuinely innocent as she cried out: "Wanting to eat something good, what''s wrong with that!"


    "But eggs don''t smell like that! Did you boil it in urine?"


    "Hey,e to think of it, I''ve heard of such a dish."


    "Ugh... that''s disgusting, who invented that?"


    "It''s from a child, it''s clean."


    "Still disgusting..."


    The conversation drifted off topic again.


    Madam Zhou Li was trembling with anger: "It''s not that kind of egg, don''t spread rumors about me, my family boiled it with in water, don''t spread lies!"


    "That''s impossible!"


    "Exactly, no matter how you boil chicken eggs, duck eggs, or goose eggs, they can''t smell like that!"


    Madam Zhou Li shouted: "None of those!"


    "None of those? What kind of egg smells like that then?"


    "You''re still spreading lies!"


    Madam Zhou Li: "What am I lying about? I''m telling the truth, may lightning strike me if I''m lying! My family boiled an egg!"


    "Then tell us, what kind of egg!" Zhuang Zhixi interjected.


    "Sheep!!!" Madam Zhou Li roared with vigor!


    "Puhahahaahahaha."


    Everyone burst intoughter, saying: "You''re just making things up, sheep don''ty eggs, sheep are clearly..."


    The words stopped abruptly.


    At this moment, everyone finally realized, after the fact, that this "egg" was not the same as the "egg" they were talking about.


    Ah, this...


    This was quite embarrassing.


    And, well, this was indeed something they couldn''t stop her from doing.


    After all, Zhou Qun had previously been injured in the kidneys by Bai Fendou. Everyone''s usatory gaze immediately turned to Bai Fendou, it was all your fault for pushing him.


    Bai Fendou: "???"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Why is everyone suddenly looking at him?


    So, what kind of egg is it?


    This guy is still a bit slow, not catching on yet.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t wait for him to figure it out and spoke first: "Uh, people have the freedom to eat. Although, the smell is indeed a bit strong, but they need a big boost, as neighbors, we should respect their desire to seek medical treatment. Uh, anyway, I''m fine with it, you do you..."


    He grabbed his wife, saying: "Let''s go home to eat."


    The couple was the first to leave the scene.


    Old Master Lan looked sympathetically at Madam Zhou Li and her daughter-inw, thinking that the men in this family, are they done for? He quietly closed the door too, well, he''ll just have to endure it. After all, they''re not in good shape.


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s go home to eat."


    Well, the Zhuang family all left.


    And Li Fang also pulled her mother: "Mom, let''s go home too, let''s be understanding."


    Aunt Wang was also dragged away by her daughter.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes darted around, originally a five-second man, what if he bes less than five seconds in the future? She pouted, feeling that this man was even more useless, she said: "Mom, let''s go home."


    Everyone quickly found excuses and left the scene.


    Although the smell was indeed disgusting, they''ll just have to endure it, after all, the man needs to boost his "egg."


    This Zhou Qun, really isn''t easy.


    At this moment, Zhou Qun had already reached the entrance of the alley, almost home.


    Hmm, as long as he works hard, it will be easy to build a good reputation...


    This way, after working overtime for a few days, people won''t bring up his mother''s nonsense as much?


    Not bad!


    Huh?


    Why are there so many people at the entrance of the courtyard?

 Chapter 59

    <h1>Chapter 59</h1>


    Zhou Qun has been very busytely.0


    After all, building a good reputation isn''t easy, but ruining it certainly is.0


    His mother, that troublemaker, not only failed to bring him any good reputation but also caused him problems. He''d had quite enough. But she was still his mother - even if he looked down on her a thousand or ten thousand times, for the sake of his reputation, Zhou Qun had to treat her well.0


    However, the damage was done, and he needed to make amends. So now he had to present himself not as an ambitious schemer, but as a hardworking and reliable person. The leader of their electrical team was retiring next year, and he was determined to get that position.0


    Although it was still a year away, he needed to start building his reputation early, especially since his mother''s influence hadn''t left a good impression with the factory leadership.0


    Building a reputation could be both difficult and easy. Take now, for instance - after several days of conscientiously working overtime, many people were already praising him behind his back. Though his mother was indeed unreliable, it had earned him some sympathy points.0


    A diligent worker with an unreliable mother.0


    Sometimes ying the victim card could be quite useful.0


    Zhou Qun smirked with a coldugh. He had learned this from Wang Xiangxiu - through ying the victim, her family had gained quite a bit. Zhou Qun believed that any strategy that worked was worth using. He was now starting to feel like a fish in water.0


    In a good mood, he walked home under the setting sun''s glow. As he reached the entrance of the alley, he saw quite a crowd gathered at their courtyard gate. Zhou Qun raised an eyebrow, wondering whose business it was this time.0


    It couldn''t be his family - he had talked with his mother, and although she was unreliable, she still listened to him. She should know this wasn''t the time to cause trouble and would be very careful with her words and actions.0


    If not his family, could it be that Su family''s Jin Lai stealing again?0


    Hmm, very likely. That kid waspletely beyond hope.0


    He sneered in disgust, thinking this was for the best.0


    Why should they have it better?0


    Why should the Su family have three sons while he didn''t have any children at all? It was better that they were all thieves and scoundrels. Let them be society''s dregs - better yet, have them all executed, and let the Su family line end!0


    See if they can still brag about having sons then!0


    So yes, spoil them!0


    As long as they didn''t steal from his family, he would praise the child, speak up for him, spoil them - that way, they''d only get worse!0


    He gave a dark smile, then put on a concerned expression and hurried forward, saying, "What''s wrong? Did something happen in our courtyard?" Wonder which family''s misfortune it was - hehe, how wonderful.0


    Seeing others suffer made him feel better.0


    He quickened his pace, feigning concern. The people gathered outside all turned around in unison, showing sympathetic looks. Of course they were sympathetic - how could they not be? Must be kidney problems.0


    A man could have problems anywhere, but not with his kidneys!0


    "What''s wrong?"0


    Why were their looks so strange?0


    Soon, he caught the unbearable smell and said, "What happened? Who fell into thetrine this time?"0


    He felt even more delighted - he shouldn''t be the only one who had fallen into atrine. If everyone had fallen in before, then his incident wouldn''t stand out! He felt smug inside and said, "Who''s so unlucky? Everyone, please make way, let me take a look."0


    "Nobody fell into thetrine."0


    "Well, it''s gettingte, I should head home for dinner..."0


    "I need to go too."0


    "Zhou Qun..." A pat on the shoulder said everything without words.0


    Zhou Qun: "???"0


    At this moment, he suddenly began to realize. Were these peopleughing at his family again? Why else would they give him that look? His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly entered the courtyard. Ugh... no need to say more, that smell was definitelying from his house.0


    Zhou Qun''s face immediately darkened.0


    He strode home, barely containing his anger, and asked in a low voice: "What are you doing in the house again!"0


    Madam Zhou Li heard her son''s voice and quickly turned around, saying: "Little Qun, you''re back? Dinner will be ready soon. Nothing''s wrong at home, just cooking something that has a bit of an odor."0


    Then she quickly med it on Jiang Lu: "Your wife bought you some eggs for nourishment, who knew they''d smell so strong. People aren''t very happy about it, but it''s just a small matter."0


    She felt she had handled it well - hadn''t everyone quietly left?0


    It was true - if there had been a real problem, they might havee toin, but now they were innocent, just cooking food - doesn''t everyone eat? How could people be unhappy about that?0


    So she felt she had handled it quite well, saying: "The smell is strong, and we''re not good at cooking it, but it''s fine. This is very nutritious."0


    Hearing his mother''s words, Zhou Qun rxed a bit - so people had gathered because of the strong smell, that wasn''t really a big deal. He nodded and said, "I''ll wash my hands. Dinner will be ready soon?"0


    "Yes."0


    The two women in the Zhou household quickly tidied up the table.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was still leaning on the window, watching the entertainment, and said: "Huh. Why is Zhou Qun acting like nothing happened? He didn''t even get angry?"0


    Ming Mei said softly: "Maybe he''s more tolerant?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing, saying: "I''d believe the sun rising from the west before I''d believe he''s tolerant. He must not know the full situation."0


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s enough from you all,e eat dinner. Why are you so nosy? What does this have to do with you? Third Son, tell us about this temporary transfer of yours."0


    She clearly had thoughts about this matter.0


    Zhuang Zhixi sat down as well, and now the whole family was present.0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined the situation broadly, then said: "I want to seize this opportunity, though I''m not sure how effective it will be. We''ll see how it goes. I''ll give it my all anyway!"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, fully agreeing with her son''s view.0


    This was what Zhao Guihua loved most about her youngest son. Though he seemed unreliable and usually casual, at every crucial moment, he would give his all and seize the opportunity. Because of this, even in her previous life before her reincarnation, her youngest son had done better than his siblings. This wasn''t to say that Zhuang Zhixi was vastly more capable than his brothers and sisters, but rather that he was someone who could grasp every opportunity.0


    Like this time, Zhao Guihua knew that her son had been transferred to the factory''s publicity department because of this Labor Day performance.0


    This performance happened to coincide with a visit from a high-ranking old leader, who praised Zhuang Zhixi for his excellent hosting and performance despite being self-taught. This led to Zhuang Zhixi''s undisputed transfer to the publicity department, bing one of the factory''s top ten legends.0


    Actually, the old leader''s visit wasn''t unexpected - it had been announced in advance. This was a yearly urrence where upper-level leadership would visit various enterprises around the city during Labor Day to show concern for the workers.0


    There were many workers in the city across various industries, and they had to visit them all, so the time allocated to each ce was probably just a few minutes. Therefore, no one really expected the leader to stay and watch the performance. But sometimes things work out in mysterious ways - everyone thought it impossible, yet it happened.0


    By all rights, this old leader should have just said a few words and left, but someone got too nervous - yes, someone - Yang Bao.0


    Old Bai was supposed to perform next, meaning his performance would follow right after the leader''s speech. But the old man was so nervous that he crashed into a chair, which hit a table, and the water on the table spilled right onto the old leader.0


    Just their rotten luck.0


    At that moment, Zhuang Zhixi saved the situation, and while the leader was fixing his clothes, he stayed to watch a performance.0


    Well, ording to the program, this was supposed to be "The White-Haired Girl," but Old Bai was already nervous to the point of explosion, and now he was trembling so much he couldn''t even get on stage. No one else would substitute for him, so Zhuang Zhixi stepped up, wrapped himself in a worn cotton jacket, hunched over, and went on stage to y Yang Bao.0


    Because of this incident, it left a deep impression on the leadership, who praised him on the spot with severalpliments like "calm under pressure," "unique style," and so on...0


    In fact, those three consecutivepliments made such an impression that the factory leaders remembered Zhuang Zhixi and directly transferred him to the Publicity Department.0


    Zhuang Zhixi noticed his mother staring into space and nudged her, asking, "Mom, what are you thinking about?"0


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, "Nothing, I was just thinking that since you''ve taken this job, you need to put your heart into it. As the host, even if you''re not performing, you need to know every program inside and out. That way, if something unexpected happens, you can handle it smoothly."0


    She was giving her son some advice.0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I know."0


    "Grandma, what''s a host?" Hutou asked, confused.0


    Zhao Guihua exined, "It''s an announcer."0


    The term "host" wasn''tmonly used yet; everyone called them announcers.0


    "What''s an announcer?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Why do you have to be everywhere? Get out of here!"0


    Hutou: "..."0


    His grandmother was really fierce.0


    Zhao Guihua: "This is a rare opportunity to get exposure. Do it well and be careful and serious about it."0


    Based on her experience from her previous life, although her younger son was indeed a cautious person, she couldn''t help but add a few more words of advice.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded quietly and said, "Which day is your event? I''lle watch."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Labor Day. Doesn''t your work unit have activities too? Besides, why do you need to watch me? You see me at home every day."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan looked up: "Can''t I see how presentable you look?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Fine, fine, fine."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I''m going on a business trip tomorrow, taking the train to Guangzhou."0


    "Alright," Zhao Guihua said, "These days you can make it back even during May Day."0


    Both Hutou and Xiao Yanzi pouted: "Dad''s going on another business trip, Dad''s always on business trips."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I''m doing this to earn money to raise you little ones."0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi disagreed, clearly believing it was their grandmother who raised them. Even children could be logical - look, their family paid ten yuan, and their uncle''s family also paid ten yuan. So... weren''t they and Xiao Yanzi the extra ones?0


    That meant they were being raised by their grandparents.0


    Don''t think that just because they were children, they didn''t know anything. Children asionally overheard adults talking. It wasn''t just what their own family said, but also the gossip from people in the courtyard that children heard and remembered.0


    However, the children didn''t dare to be provocative and remained well-behaved.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Be careful when you''re away."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I know that."0


    He believed his situation wasn''t particrly dangerous. Although both involved transportation, there was a fundamental difference between truck drivers like Ming Mei''s family and train attendants like Zhuang Zhiyuan.0


    Their work was mostly risk-free.0


    Drivingrge trucks through mountain roads was indeed unsafe, and they could actually encounter bandits, but their situation was different.0


    When Liang Meifen heard her husband was going on a business trip, her head immediately drooped. Her heart felt even heavier. Her mother back home was injured, and she had wanted to take Zhuang Zhiyuan and the children to visit, but his business trip would take more than ten days.0


    Plus, she still remembered the matter of her younger brother''s bride price.0


    Since they had separated from the extended family, her husband had been managing their money, so what could she do?0


    She knew her husband''s disgust towards her brother. Even the children knew that whenever their uncle came, it was like a bandit entering the vige, always asking for this and that. So the children didn''t like their maternal grandmother''s family either.0


    This put Liang Meifen in a very difficult position.0


    She sank into endless contemtion, wanting to burst into tears right there.0


    She really wanted to cry!0


    While she wanted to cry, Zhao Guihua was pondering something else.0


    Actually, she had made an appointment today, with whom? The long-unseen old mystic, Auntie Lian.0


    This business of buying bargain goods was truly addictive.0


    When the previous fabric was used up, Zhao Guihua promptly sought out Auntie Lian again - after all, you could really find good stuff through her. Zhao Guihua thought Auntie Lian''s business must be doing well because once people started, they rarely stopped after just one time, usually bing regr customers.0


    Because it wasn''t a losing proposition at all, and as long as there was no loss, naturally no one wanted to give it up.0


    However, just likest time, only Zhao Guihua and her old man knew about this; as for others, they knew nothing about it. She wouldn''t tell her sons and have them worry unnecessarily.0


    Late at night, Zhao Guihua went out despite the smell - normally eggs shouldn''t smell this strong, but who knows what those two daughter and mother-inw did, they must have handled it poorly. Zhao Guihua clicked her tongue and quietly left the house.0


    Zhao Guihua met with Auntie Lian on time, still wearing a mask to cover her face, maintaining an air of mystery.0


    After all, she wasn''t alone, so it was better to be careful.0


    Sure enough,pared to the first time, there were now two more unfamiliar olddies. One of them tried to chat with Zhao Guihua, who only responded with nods and head shakes, not speaking. However, this olddy was quite friendly, and even though Zhao Guihua remained silent, she still came over to ask about this and that, trying to learn about Zhao Guihua''s family situation. Zhao Guihua simply chose not to speak at all.0


    The two olddies pursed their lips; these two knew each other.0


    Auntie Lian didn''t say much either, just waved her hand and said, "Let''s go."0


    Zhao Guihua saw the same man fromst time, the clumsy one who, like her, had been new then. However, this time he was very quiet, clearly now experienced - who knows how many times he hade in between. People like Zhao Guihua, who came once and took a long time beforeing a second time, were truly the cautious ones.0


    Besides them, there were two other men whom Zhao Guihua didn''t recognize.0


    Excluding Auntie Lian, there were three men and three women.0


    The two olddies, seeing that Zhao Guihua wouldn''t engage in conversation, weren''t sure if she was mute or just unwilling to talk, so they stopped paying attention to her and started chatting quietly between themselves as they walked.0


    One said to the other: "You know, your daughter needs to change her name. I told you the name you chose wasn''t good - a girl''s name having more strokes than a boy''s means she''s suppressing the boy."0


    "Is there really such a saying?"0


    "Of course!"0


    "Well, names shouldn''t be chosen like that. Even though your daughter is the second child, it''s still not right..."0


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips; this preference for sons over daughters could be found anywhere as long as people held such beliefs.0


    In her previous life, she probably had a bit of that mindset too, given the old ways of thinking. But even if she did have some of that bias, she never mistreated her daughter. They were all children she had painfully given birth to, suffering greatly in the process - what was the point of treating them poorly?0


    She pursed her lips again, thankfully hidden behind her mask where no one could see.0


    The group sessfully arrived and entered the warehouse following the usual procedure. Zhao Guihua immediately dove into the fabric remnants. The old man in charge spoke up at this point.0


    "This time we have some fabric to sell off, are you interested? Priced by the meter, grey Dacron fabric."0


    "Oh? How much is it?" The man who came with them quickly asked.0


    The old man quoted a price that matched the supply and marketing cooperative''s price.0


    Don''t underestimate this price - even though it was the same as the cooperative''s price, they were still making a profit. Because the cooperative required fabric coupons, which were hard to save up these days, so if they could get fabric without needing coupons, they were quite excited.0


    "Ah, why didn''t you say so earlier? I didn''t bring enough money."0


    Auntie Lian ignored this, as she wasn''t buying anyway.0


    Everyone knew good fabric was valuable, but the price wasn''t low either.0


    She made things to sell secretly, so she didn''t needrge pieces of fabric. Therefore, she didn''t participate, but Zhao Guihua said, "I''ll take it."0


    If others didn''t want it, she did.0


    These kinds of opportunities were rare and shouldn''t be passed up.0


    Besides, money wouldn''t multiply just by keeping it, but these items were hard toe by.0


    Zhao Guihua made her move, and others did too, but the two olddies she had just met didn''t buy anything. They stood to the side pursing their lips and pointing fingers, with strange looks in their eyes that made others ufortable.0


    One of them said, "It''s a shame I didn''t bring money, otherwise I definitely would have bought some, this is perfect."0


    Another person said, "That''s right. If it were me, I''d buy as much as possible. This is much better than the supply and marketing cooperative or the department store. I wish I had brought more money with me. I''d dly buy the whole bolt if I could."0


    The two of them were going back and forth, and one of them said to Zhao Guihua, "Sister, you can actually speak! I thought you were mute. You should buy more, this is really a good deal." They were trying to persuade Zhao Guihua.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at her without saying a word.0


    However.0


    Zhao Guihua felt a sudden unease in her heart, though she wasn''t sure why.0


    It wasn''t that Zhao Guihua was thinking the worst of people, but rather that there were always bad people around regardless of the times. Even now, when people barely locked their doors at night, did that mean there were no thieves? Of course there still were.0


    They had caught some themselves.0


    So it was always better to be cautious about everything.0


    Although she felt uneasy, she quickly joined the others in selecting fabric. Compared tost time, she was much more experienced now. Even with just one previous experience, she knew what to look for.0


    She quickly filled her bag, and before long, it was half full.0


    The others were doing the same; nobody was talking much at this point because time was money.0


    While searching through the pile of fabric scraps, Zhao Guihua suddenly pulled out a tangled ball of fabric. Something seemed odd about it. She tugged at it firmly and revealed a neatly folded piece of fabric, which she quickly stuffed into her bag. She continued searching and soon found several more pieces. These weren''t scraps but ratherrge pieces of cut fabric that looked quite good.0


    Zhao Guihua''s heart began to pound even faster.0


    There were too many good pieces of fabric today.0


    These clearly weren''t just scraps from cutting; they seemed deliberately ced, and someone had carefully folded them small to hide them among the scraps.0


    She kept searching and found five or six more neatly folded pieces, which made her even more nervous. Something wasn''t right here!0


    Zhao Guihua quietly nced at Auntie Lian and saw that her brows were also deeply furrowed, her face serious as she rummaged through the fabric. She seemed to have made some "big" finds as well and appeared puzzled.0


    This wasn''t just Zhao Guihua''s imagination; she had noticed Auntie Lian quickly stuffing a good piece of fabric into her bag.0


    Yes, she had definitely found something good.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at the others; everyone seemed to be finding good pieces, their faces showing delight.0


    Zhao Guihua stopped observing others and hurried to speed up her own searching. Since there was such a good deal to be had, it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.0


    Her corner seemed to yield even better finds than the others, so why should she hesitate?0


    Zhao Guihua quickly filled her bag, timing it with the old doorkeeper''s schedule.0


    "One extra yuan per person."0


    "What? Why charge an extra yuan? What for?"0


    "Yeah!"0


    "Wasn''t the price already agreed upon?"0


    "Auntie Lian, you arranged this deal, you need to speak up for us. How can they suddenly add an extra yuan? Is this how you do business? If you don''t give us an exnation, this won''t do."0


    "That''s right, and besides, I brought exactly enough money, no extra."0


    "If you didn''t bring extra, then put everything down. You won''t be taking even a single thread without paying," the old man said impatiently. "Take it or leave it. If you don''t pay the extra, don''te back. If you''re willing to pay, you cane back tomorrow - we''ve got lots of fabric scrapsing in recently." After the old man said this, everyone immediately settled down.0


    Mainly because today''s "quality" was really exceptional.0


    If they could get such bargains a few more times, they''d really strike it rich.0


    Everyone knew that even with the extra yuan, they were still making a huge profit.0


    The more they could get of such a good deal, the better.0


    Though theyined about the unfairness, they all obediently paid up. One olddy even pulled out a yuan from inside her underwear.0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    What kind of smell would that have?0


    Auntie Lian also paid, asking quietly, "Old brother, what''s going on? Why the price increase? It''ll be hard for me to rmend this to others in the future."0


    The old man gave Auntie Lian a sideways nce and said, "I''m quitting soon anyway."0


    "Ah!"0


    Auntie Lian suddenly understood - the old man was trying to make extra money before leaving.0


    The old man said, "Bring more people over in theing days. I can handle it, and you know the quality of the fabric scraps has gotten much bettertely."0


    He emphasized the words "fabric scraps."0


    Auntie Lian: "I understand."0


    They had been working together for several years, so they naturally understood each other well.0


    Auntie Lian immediately nodded: "I got it, I got it."0


    Everyone paid and left together; their ims about not bringing enough money were just excuses - they all had plenty. Zhao Guihua shouldered her bag, looked at the others, and said, "I''m leaving first."0


    This time, she didn''t walk with Auntie Lian, mainly because she saw the two olddies crowding around Auntie Lian. For some reason, Zhao Guihua felt these two were untrustworthy and somewhat suspicious.0


    Having watched many TV shows and movies, she was more vignt than others.0


    Who knew if they might encounter some thieves stealing from thieves? Those two olddies just seemed odd.0


    She picked up her bag and headed in the opposite direction.0


    Auntie Lian nced at her and decisively said, "Everyone split up, don''t walk together!"0


    Despite her small and thin frame, she was quite fast. As soon as she shouldered her bag, she darted through the alley like the wind. By the time the others reacted, Zhao Guihua had disappeared in one direction and Auntie Lian in another.0


    Several men also quickly scattered in different directions, each moving incredibly fast.0


    They were professionals at this, unlike amateur Zhao Guihua, and their movements were even quicker.0


    In no time, everyone was gone except for the two olddies Zhao Guihua had met for the first time.0


    Actually, Zhao Guihua''s caution wasn''t misced at all. As soon as they dispersed, four shifty-looking men emerged from nearby. "Godmother! They all ran away, what do we do?"0


    They were indeed nning to rob the robbers. Since these people were already secretly taking advantage of socialist property, if they were robbed, they definitely wouldn''t dare go to the police or even speak up about it. So when they learned about Auntie Lian''s operation, they immediately joined in.0


    Actually, like Zhao Guihua, they were here for the second time.0


    The first time was for reconnaissance, and this time they had people lying in wait.0


    To be honest, they had targeted Zhao Guihua all along.0


    Why?0


    Because she was elderly, because she was a woman, because she had no fighting ability.0


    If they chose Auntie Lian, it wouldn''t be worth much - they all knew that although she was in this business, she didn''t have much money. She was just a middleman, getting enough fabric scraps for her daily needs.0


    So she didn''t have much money.0


    Besides, if they took out Auntie Lian, they''d lose their guide for future operations. Coming on their own wouldn''t work as they wouldn''t be served. That would be killing the goose thatid the golden eggs.0


    As for the men, even though they had numbers on their side, you never knew who might be trouble. After all, everyone came here to make money, and many were dealers. People who dared to trade in these goods weren''t easy targets.0


    So women were the easiest targets.0


    Especially since Zhao Guihua had bought fabric, they were even more convinced she was a good target.0


    "Let''s go after her!"0


    "Why is she heading towards the outskirts of town?"0


    "Hurry!"0


    They were already a step behind and needed to catch up quickly.0


    Zhao Guihua was walking very fast, and though she quickly disappeared from sight, she was still an olddy, and soon she could hear footsteps catching up.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Grass!" (referring to the nt)0


    She took off running.0


    Hearing her running, those behind also started running.0


    The reason she headed towards the outskirts was that she was worried about being robbed. Although she had never encountered such a situation, she had watched plenty of TV shows like "Special Case Squad Six," "Crime Scene," and others... In short, she had watched enough to know how to analyze situations.0


    Besides, she knew a thing or two about reading people''s intentions.0


    If she were to head into the city, she knew the way - several routes, in fact. But if there were many people after her, she definitely wouldn''t stand a chance. After all, an elderly woman''s stamina was no match for theirs, and she might not know the environment better than they did.0


    However, heading out of the city was different.0


    She often rode her bicycle to the outskirts and up into the hills, so she knew this area like the back of her hand.0


    Moreover, having been out here frequently and being familiar with the surroundings, she also remembered some things from her previous life. She ran quickly and soon found a dog hole. Zhao Guihua didn''t feel embarrassed at all - she crawled through it directly, pulled her bag through, and covered it with some weeds.0


    This side led to an abandoned courtyard that used to belong to andlord. It had fallen into severe disrepair and waster given to a recycling station for storage. Zhao Guihua could see this ce whenever she took a detour while cycling to the suburbs. She had evene by out of curiosity to take a look, which was how she discovered the dog hole.0


    And now, it came in handy.0


    Zhao Guihua crawled in and quickly made her way to the back. The ce was filled with junk from the recycling station.0


    There was only one old night watchman, which showed that this truly was just a dump for waste materials.0


    Zhao Guihua remembered that when this old mansion was demolished, it had helped connect two streets in the area. But now, it was blocking the way. She quickly walked toward the back - the courtyard had iron gates locked at both ends, and she could only climb the gates since the walls were too high.0


    She walked toward the back courtyard, keeping her ears alert. Sure enough, she heard her pursuers reaching this area, somewhat frustrated. They couldn''t believe an old woman could climb over such high walls. They were searching around, trying to figure out where she might be hiding.0


    Someone was also looking for the courtyard''s main gate.0


    In the dead of night, inplete darkness, their voices weren''t loud, but Zhao Guihua could hear them clearly.0


    "Damn it, where did that old woman go?"0


    "She''s a real catch. Mother said she bought arge piece of fabric and still has money on her."0


    "I can''t believe an old woman could outrun us!"0


    "Keep looking. Just that bag of stuff she''s carrying - we could sell it for at least seven or eight yuan." At this point, an old woman''s voice spoke up. Zhao Guihua stopped in her tracks, hiding behind a tree as she listened: "This can''t be her first time here - she was picking through things too skillfully. The bag must be full of good stuff. I bet she escaped into the courtyard. Quick, find the main gate."0


    Hearing this, Zhao Guihua didn''t hesitate any longer and rushed toward the back gate.0


    Fortunately, the courtyard wasrge, and the front and back gates weren''t on the same street - you couldn''t go around, you had to go through.0


    She nned to climb over the iron gate, and if necessary, hide the sack ande back for itter. Zhao Guihua decisively made her way to the back gate, but...0


    Well, ns change faster than you think.0


    Though in this case, it was a good change.0


    Zhao Guihua had intended to climb the iron gate, but when she reached the back courtyard, she saw that the lock on the gate was already broken, apparently torn off by someone, hanging there uselessly.0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    If not now, then when?0


    She ran while carrying her sack, showing quite the determination to save both her life and her goods.0


    Running back, she could actually pass by that clothing factory again. From a distance, she saw another group of people going in - apparently, the old man had more connections than just Auntie Lian.0


    Afraid of being seen, she kept dodging and hiding, pressing herself against the wall. She had no choice - these people hadn''t closed the door, and they would see her if she ran past.0


    Zhao Guihua felt quite bitter - making a profit wasn''t easy, with one challenge after another.0


    She was still worried that those who had tried to rob her might return.0


    If they realized they weren''t the only grouping for goods and came back to ambush others, what then?0


    Zhao Guihua: Life is so hard.0


    This group was muchrger than the previous one - Auntie Lian''s operation was small-time. They only had six people, seven including Auntie Lian. This batch had fifteen or sixteen people. The leader was squatting at the entrance with the warehouse keeper, smoking.0


    Zhao Guihua: Damn!0


    But this actually let her overhear something interesting.0


    The old man said, "This is the third group. After you leave, there are still two more groupsing. I won''t get any sleep tonight."0


    "Come on, more people means more money. What''s not to like about that?"0


    The old man: "Damn it, if Deputy Factory Director Chen hadn''t insisted on recing people with his own trusted ones when he took over, I''d still be doing fine. I used to have just one group per night, nice and steady. Now I''m not even at ease."0


    "What''s there to worry about when making money? He was going to send you home anyway - whether you make money or not, you''re still going home. Even though Director Wang stepped down, if he tried to destroy youpletely, people would probably criticize him, right?"0


    The old man gave a coldugh and said, "My small earnings don''t matter, but don''t try to fool me. I know what you''re doing. You''re colluding with people in the factory, deliberately mixing good fabric in and hiding it at the bottom?"0


    Heined, "It wasn''t obvious when the first group was searching on top, but when the second group came, I saw them find lots of good fabric. If I hadn''t raised the price at thest minute, I would have really lost out. Even now I''m losing! If I''d known there was so much good stuff, I would have charged five yuan!"0


    He was quite bold with his demands.0


    The leader didn''t show any embarrassment at all, insteadughing and saying, "We appreciate your understanding."0


    But his eyes flickered as he asked, "Did the earlier group take a lot?"0


    "Not really, they had fewer people."0


    The leader thought this made sense - there was only so much time, and they had to search...0


    He said, "Don''t worry, you''ll get your fair share..."0


    "Hmph, I don''t see you giving much." The old man was a bit unhappy: "I''m going in to check. Don''t take my good fabric, okay?"0


    "How could we..."0


    The old man didn''t care and walked straight in, with the leader hurrying after him.0


    Just as Zhao Guihua was about to quickly leave, before she could even move one foot, she suddenly noticed two people hiding in the wall cracks across from her. These weren''t from the group that had been chasing her. These people were actually watching the entrance intently.0


    They stood straight and rigid, with one of them writing something in a notebook, seemingly taking notes!0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    What aplicated mess this was.0


    Layer uponyer ofplexity, it was terrifying.0


    It was like the praying mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.0


    She decided not to take this route anymore and would rather take a detour, even if it meant going behind the factory.0


    Better safe than sorry.0


    Zhao Guihua circled back, walking faster and faster until she broke into a run. She sprinted while carrying her sack. Her throat felt like it was on fire, but even so, she kept running.0


    Tonight had been incredibly dangerous.0


    After dodging and hiding all the way, she finally reached the alley near Xinghua Lane,pletely out of breath. She leaned against the toilet wall, panting heavily.0


    This wasn''t because she had any particr fondness for toilets, but rather... she was waiting for someone.0


    Their courtyard was now kept locked, and she couldn''t climb over the wall, so she had arranged with her old man that he would pretend to have stomach problems ande out every half hour. Whenever he came out, he would have to open the door...0


    Zhao Guihua was hiding here waiting.0


    She found a concealed spot, afraid of being seen.0


    Of course, being the clever woman she was, she wasn''t about to fall into the cesspit. She crouched in a corner, thought for a moment, then put her sack on the ground and sat on it. Quietly waiting for her old man toe out.0


    This was when not having a watch became a real problem - she had no idea what time it was.0


    Zhao Guihua looked up at the sky silently, thinking what a dangerous night it had been. If she hadn''t been so cautious and prepared for everything in advance, she might have been caught tonight. But thinking about the evening''s events, she shook her head, realizing this particr avenue might be closed to her now.0


    Auntie Lian''s business wasn''t sustainable.0


    Though she remembered hearing in her previous life that Auntie Lian had continued for many years, until the market economy was restored...0


    Indeed, rumors often differ from reality.0


    Or perhaps, even with different people involved, Auntie Lian had still managed to make connections?0


    Regardless, Zhao Guihua wouldn''t dare contact Auntie Lian anytime soon.0


    Theseyers uponyers of people - while the potential gains might be greater, the risks were also much higher, especially with people trying to rob others of their goods.0


    The most despicable thing is when thieves steal from other thieves.0


    How could they not even spare an olddy? If you''re so capable, why don''t you go pick on those strong men instead! What kind of ability is it to bully an olddy? Ptui!0


    Zhao Guihua was very indignant as she sat by the wall, hearing footsteps from far away.0


    Someone wasing out!0


    The courtyard where Zhao Guihua lived was actually quite a distance from the public toilet, separated by two other courtyards, so she couldn''t be sure if it was her old maning out, especially in this darkness. She waited quietly, nning to see who it was when they got closer.0


    Zhao Guihua sat silently in her spot, listening to the approaching footsteps.0


    She observed carefully, pursed her lips - it wasn''t him after all.0


    The person turned out to be Bai Fendou. He was holding up his pants, shuffling in his shoes, and when he reached the toilet entrance, he immediately lit a cigarette and leaned against the wall.0


    Zhao Guihua: "???"0


    What was he doing?0


    Wasn''t he blocking her way?0


    Was her luck really this bad today?0


    Zhao Guihua fell into deep doubt, wondering if she had forgotten to check the almanac before leaving home today. Everything had gone wrong, with problems piling up like cattle hair. Now she was right at her doorstep but couldn''t even get home.0


    This was really frustrating.0


    Although she was grumbling inside, Zhao Guihua didn''t dare show herself. One look at Bai Fendou and she could tell he wasn''t just drowsily out for a toilet break - he would definitely be suspicious. Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    This olddy''s situation was truly pitiful!0


    Zhao Guihua was feeling quite dejected when another person came out.0


    She startled - could it be her old man?0


    She held her breath and waited quietly.0


    Hopefully it wasn''t her old man.0


    If it was, she worried his acting skills wouldn''t be good enough!0


    This Bai Fendou was clearly waiting for someone - could it be... Wang Xiangxiu?0


    Were they meeting secretly outside?0


    Thinking about it, Zhao Guihua dismissed the idea herself. If he had that ability, he would have gotten together with Wang Xiangxiu long ago. Why wait until now? Impossible, impossible!0


    Then who could it be?0


    She didn''t have to wait long before someone came out to "rendezvous" with Bai Fendou. Zhao Guihua''s small eyes sharpened as she looked: oh my, it was Yang Lixin.0


    Why was it Yang Lixin?0


    Yang Lixin jogged over, looking particrly expectant, and asked urgently: "Fendou, how did it go?"0


    Bai Fendou put on an air of superiority and said: "When I handle things, don''t you trust me? Here, take it!"0


    He pped a bicycle voucher into Yang Lixin''s hand.0


    Yang Lixin excitedly: "Ah, a bike voucher, what kind? Forever!!!"0


    He grew even more excited: "Forever, it really is Forever."0


    Every man yearned for a Forever bicycle - it was magnificent.0


    Flying Pigeon or Phoenix? No good, those were for women to ride.0


    Only Forever was the first choice for real men.0


    He eximed excitedly: "This is great, really great! I knew you had the ability, Fendou."0


    Bai Fendou was floating on the praise and said: "Who do you think I am? Number one in the whole city. Just because others can''t do it doesn''t mean I can''t. In our courtyard, everyone else is useless except for me!"0


    "Yes, yes, yes, you''re really capable! Brother, that jar, it''s just exchanged for this one voucher?" Though Yang Lixin was praising Bai Fendou, he still asked while carefully observing him.0


    When Bai Fendou heard this, he became unhappy, bristling with anger: "What are you saying? You don''t trust me? Are you saying you don''t trust me? I''m doing you a favor here. If you don''t want it, I''ll take everything back! Give me the voucher back!"0


    He was angry!0n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhao Guihua thought wryly: Oh my, so Bai Fendou was dealing in antiques now?

 Chapter 60

    <h1>Chapter 60</h1>


    In the dead of night.0


    Zhao Guihua was stuck outside, unable to return home.0


    She felt utterly miserable. What were these people thinking, meeting at the bathroom entrance in the middle of the night, and two men at that? What was the point? Just say what needs to be said and leave quickly, stop keeping this old woman from getting home!0


    Zhao Guihua was deeply worried, but her ears were perked up high. Although she was anxious to get home, she couldn''t help but eavesdrop on their gossip. After all, from what she knew about Bai Fendou, the fellow knew absolutely nothing about antiques.0


    She wondered how he had gotten involved in this business.0


    But this did exin where Bai Fendou''s bicycle came from.0


    Actually, everyone in theirpound had been discussing how Bai Fendou managed to save up for that bicycle, especially since he was always trying to curry favor with Wang Xiangxiu and didn''t seem to have much money. Moreover, getting a bicycle voucher wasn''t something easy toe by.0


    Now it seemed he had been dealing in goods.0


    Zhao Guihua listened intently from her hiding spot, but at this moment, both Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin''s voices grew louder.0


    It was mainly Bai Fendou''s booming voice. With an displeased expression, he red and said, "Yang Lixin, what are you implying? You came to me for help, and that''s why I helped you get this bicycle voucher. Think about it - could just anyone get their hands on one? Now you''re giving me attitude? What''s your problem? You think I''m easy to push around? Let me tell you, that''s not how things work! Do you think I pocketed your money? You can''t be this shameless - I didn''t take any benefits from you, yet you''re using me. There''s no logic to this at all. Want me to beat you up?"0


    Yang Lixin''s voice was much lower, speaking cautiously: "Fendou, that''s not what I meant, I was just asking. I figured if it was something valuable, it should be worth more than just this. I was worried you got cheated, not that I don''t trust you. Look, we''ve been neighbors in the samepound for so long - if I don''t trust you, who can I trust? If I didn''t trust you, would I havee to you for help?"0


    Though Yang Lixin had a low profile in theirpound, being able to be a live-in son-inw meant he had some emotional intelligence. Sure enough, his words seemed to soothe Bai Fendou. His tone softened as he said, "When you put it that way... Do you think I''m someone who can be easily fooled? They said your item wasn''t that great. Besides, ordinary people wouldn''t dare keep such things nowadays. If you get caught, it''s serious trouble. Aren''t we just removing a potential problem?"0


    He smiled smugly and said, "I think we got the better deal - less trouble and more money. Why wouldn''t we trade?"0


    Yang Lixin''s expression darkened slightly, thinking Bai Fendou was just an absolute fool.0


    But if he had to take that risk himself, he wouldn''t dare do it either. If the ck market was full of thugs, then the ghost market was filled with knife-wielding characters - not to be trifled with. He had hoped Bai Fendou would charge ahead and get him the highest price possible.0


    At the very least, it should have been close to what Bai Fendou himself got, right?0


    But now it was clearly much less.0


    Obviously, he had overestimated this fool Bai Fendou. When he said he wanted a bicycle voucher, this guy really just traded for exactly one bicycle voucher. Nothing more. And to think he had promised that if he got more in exchange, he wouldn''t let him work for nothing.0


    Now looking back - pfft!0


    He wiped his face and said, "Bai Fendou, don''t those people at the ghost market worry about getting investigated? What kind of people do you sell to anyway?"0


    He still couldn''t let it go and wanted to probe further.0


    Bai Fendou frowned: "Hey now, what''s your problem? You''re just not going to drop this, are you? I really didn''t expect you to be this kind of person."0


    "I''m not..."0


    He paused, looked up at Bai Fendou, and said, "We had the same bowls, so howe you could trade for a bicycle voucher plus money for the bike, while I only got a voucher? I have to ask more about this, don''t I?"0


    Seeing that Bai Fendou wouldn''t respond to a gentle approach, he decided to be direct: "Don''t think I don''t know - you usually can''t save much money."0


    Bai Fendou''s eyes bulgedrger than a cow''s: "What are you implying? I make over thirty yuan a month! How can you say I can''t save money? My clothes are provided by the work unit, I''m not married, and I don''t have many expenses! Who are you looking down on? Well well, Yang Lixin, I always said someone who''d agree to be a live-in son-inw couldn''t be any good. I didn''t expect you to actually pull this kind of stunt..."0


    "Don''t raise your voice at me, you need to exin why there''s such a difference!"0


    "Bah! Why should I exin anything to you? That''s just how much they offered - you think I pocketed your money? I never expected you to be such a petty person! Fine, fine, fine, I see right through you now. If I hadn''t been hoping your mother-inw would introduce me to someone, why would I have helped you like this? Now look what happens - I help you out, and you pull this on me. I really helped the wrong person, no good deed goes unpunished! In our city, a man''s word is his bond. When I say I didn''t take your money, I didn''t take your money. Don''t believe me? Hah, go ask around the ghost market yourself! Trash! Get lost!"0


    And so the two started arguing.0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    What are you two doing?!0


    This old woman is still hiding here! If you keep arguing like this and attract people, what am I supposed to do?!0


    To be honest, Zhao Guihua felt she was truly unlucky - this night had been incredibly difficult.0


    Truth be told, for important matters in the future, she must definitely check the almanac. You really can''t dismiss these superstitions. Just look at her night - it was like watching one drama after another... It was really testing this old woman''s nerves!0


    Zhao Guihua felt that if they kept arguing, she would soon be discovered.0


    "If you didn''t pocket the money, how could the amounts be different? Don''t talk about saving money - isn''t that just a joke? Everyone knows you''re always sucking up to that widow!" If it had been ten or twenty yuan, Yang Lixin might have been upset but probably wouldn''t have said anything.0


    After all, making a big scene wouldn''t be good, but this guy had probably pocketed enough money for a whole bicycle, and Yang Lixin really couldn''t let that slide.0


    He had good emotional intelligence, but in these times, money was a big deal.0


    Bai Fendou: "You bastard, I knew you were a sneaky little man, and now it''s proven. I shouldn''t have helped you at all. Now I see clearly that you''re really not worth..."0


    "Don''t try to sound so righteous. What are you pretending for? Help me? Would you help if there wasn''t something in it for you? It''s fine if you''re greedy, but don''t be so obvious about it. Being selfish will bring bad karma."0


    Yang Lixin really had a way with words, backing people into a corner they couldn''t escape from.0


    "You!"0


    "I''m just telling the truth!"0


    Bai Fendou was so angry he grabbed him: "You little punk, I''ll teach you a lesson, you coward. Too scared to go yourself, and now you''re here falsely using me..."0


    "I''m falsely using you? Don''t resort to violence just because you can''t win the argument! If you''ve got what it takes, let''s talk this out reasonably!" Yang Lixin was afraid of getting beaten up.0


    "You... fine, fine, fine! I absolutely cannot ept this reputation of being greedy. Let''s get this straight - yes, we had tes from the same batch, but let me make this absolutely clear. My te was in perfect condition, smooth and glossy. And yours? Yours had cracks in it. How could they be worth the same? Huh? Tell me, should they be worth the same? If good and damaged ones were worth the same, then the broken one at the Su family''s house would be worth something too. Do you think that''s possible? Huh!!!" Bai Fendou really wasn''t very smart about doing business - here he was, shouting at the top of his lungs in the middle of the night, not worried at all about being overheard.0


    That was just how he was, but Yang Lixin was more cautious. He grabbed Bai Fendou and said, "Can''t you lower your voice, damn it?"0


    "I''ve done nothing wrong, I''m not afraid of anyone!"0


    Bai Fendou was quite bold.0


    Yang Lixin was really angry, but now he felt that Bai Fendou''s words made some sense. He didn''t want to make a bigger scene either, so he said, "Fine, fine, I won''t argue with you anymore."0


    "Hey, you said you wouldn''t get tangled up with me, but now it''s not about whether you want to or not - I''m going to get tangled up with you anyway. You wronged me, and you think that''s the end of it? Come on, let''s go talk to Old Lady Wang and Cook Li. Let''s have a proper discussion about whether this is how your family handles things. I had nothing but good intentions, and what did I get? Nothing but a bad reputation!"0


    Bai Fendou grabbed the person, determined to have a talk.0


    Yang Lixin was nearly scared out of his wits by his shouting. He cried, "Lower your voice, please lower your voice! Are you trying to make sure everyone knows about this? How would making a big scene help either of us?"0


    "I won''t stand for you wronging me like this!"0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    Do you really need to make such a scene? Can''t this wait until tomorrow after you''ve slept on it?0


    This olddy has it too hard.0


    Zhao Guihua gazed at the sky dejectedly, feeling that tonight had been more nerve-wracking than the entire past monthbined.0


    Life really is...0


    Just as Zhao Guihua''s head was buzzing with worry and she was feeling the weight of life''splications, they heard the sound of the main gate opening. This startled not only Zhao Guihua but also Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, who immediately let go of each other.0


    Oh well, this was typical - they were making a lot of noise but actually didn''t want anyone to know about it.0


    Zhao Guihua silently prayed that the two wouldn''t try to hide. If they decided to hide near her, she''d bepletely done for.0


    Zhao "Unfortunate" Guihua.0


    Zhao Guihua held her breath, as did Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin. They all looked toward the main gate and saw it was Zhuang Zhixiing out, yawning as he walked. Zhao Guihua immediately felt somewhat relieved.0


    Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin also rxed a bit.0


    Bai Fendou spoke first: "Little Zhuang..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi seemed startled, letting out a yelp before saying, "Damn, what are you all doing out sote instead of sleeping?"0


    Bai Fendou: "I was just..."0


    Yang Lixin cut him off, saying, "I came out to use the bathroom and happened to run into Bai Fendou. We were just chatting. What''s going on at your ce? Your father was going back and forth earlier, and now it''s your turn."0


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his stomach and said, "Maybe something I ate didn''t agree with me, my stomach''s a bit upset."0


    He continued, "Since you''re here, you can keep mepany while I''m at it. It''s pretty boring sitting there alone."0


    Bai Fendou: "..."0


    Who the hell wants to keep youpany and smell that stink?0


    He exchanged nces with Yang Lixin - how coincidental that neither of them wanted to stay. For once, their opinions aligned perfectly, which was quite rare indeed. Bai Fendou said, "Get lost, I''m tired and don''t have time to hang around here. I''ve got work tomorrow."0


    "Exactly!"0


    Yang Lixin was equally decisive, saying, "Let''s go, let''s go. Shall we walk together, Brother Fendou?"0


    "Sure."0


    As the two left together, Zhuang Zhixi called out, "You guys are so unfaithful!"0


    He shouted once, but they only walked away faster.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled faintly and whistled as he walked to the bathroom. However, once inside, he just stood by the wall, watching until they entered their yards. Then he called softly, "Mom?"0


    Zhao Guihua responded in a low voice, like someone making a covert connection: "Here."0


    Zhao Guihua whispered, "Why did youe out?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad was worried he might give himself away if people saw him, so he sent me."0


    He said, "You really did it this time."0


    Zhao Guihua ignored her son''s teasing tone and said, "Come on, let''s hurry back."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re going back just like that?"0


    He shook his head, "Wait a bit, we don''t want anyone to see you carrying that sack."0


    Zhao Guihua: "We can''t hide outside either. If the sanitation workers see us, it''s all over. I''ve spent the whole night like this, exhausted and on edge - it can''t all be for nothing."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I know, but if we go back now, Bai Fendou might not be in bed yet. We can''t let him see us. Let''s wait a bit longer. Better safe than sorry."0


    Zhao Guihua understood this logic perfectly well. It was just that after everything that had happened tonight, she was desperate to get home.0


    Mother and son spoke in hushed tones. Zhuang Zhixi didn''t ask what his mother had been doing out, he just said, "I''ll go check first, watch for my signal."0


    Zhao Guihua: "...Alright."0


    Zhuang Zhixi walked back, tiptoeing near the yard. Peering in, he saw that all the houses were dark, even Bai Fendou''s home showed no signs of movement. Zhuang Zhixi waved his hand, and Zhao Guihua sprang into action, quickly hoisting the sack and darting to the entrance with remarkable agility and courage.0


    Zhao Guihua swiftly entered the yard, trying to move silently as she ran to her door. Their door was slightly ajar, and she slipped inside with one quick step. Seeing that everything was fine, Zhuang Zhixi finally rxed a bit. He casuallytched the gate and strolled back to the house.0


    Although he had "rescued" his mother, he didn''t return to the main house, instead going straight to his own room.0


    Ming Mei mumbled drowsily, "What''s wrong?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Nothing, go back to sleep."0


    He took off his jacket and quickly slipped under the covers. As soon as he got in, Ming Mei wrapped around him like a small octopus, resting against his chest and falling into a deeper sleep. Zhuang Zhixi gently patted his wife, and Ming Mei responded softly, "I''m not a child."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled quietly.0


    The young couple quickly returned to dreand, while Zhao Guihua sat in a chair without turning on the lights, catching her breath as she remarked, "You have no idea how nerve-wracking tonight was."0


    Old Man Zhuang had been extremely worried too. He was naturally timid and very concerned about such matters. If it had been up to him, they wouldn''t have gone at all. And if they had to go, he should have been the one to do it, but his wife wouldn''t listen to him - he had no say in the matter.0


    So in the end, his wife went by herself, but this time she was clearly muchter than before. He had made several trips to the bathroom and still hadn''t seen her, which made him increasingly anxious.0


    He always felt this business was risky, and what made it even scarier was that he had noticed both Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin had gone out and hadn''t returned for a long time. This made him even more frightened. He told Zhao Guihua, "I was so worried that Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin would see you, my heart was pounding. I had no choice but to send our third son out to check. He''s clever, and I figured if you had run into Bai Fendou and the others, he could help smooth things over - he''s better at talking than my clumsy self. Sure enough, you were stuck outside."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Get me some water."0


    She gulped it down - her throat was parched from all the running around tonight.0


    Old Man Zhuang immediately poured another ss, which Zhao Guihua drank in one go.0


    The elderly couple kept the lights off as he asked, "So why did it take you so long toe back tonight?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I almost got caught today."0


    "What?" Old Man Zhuang was startled.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t hide anything from her husband and gave him a vivid ount of the night''s events. Old Man Zhuang eximed, "My goodness, that''s terrifying. Guihua, we''re not as young as we used to be - you absolutely must not take such risks anymore. As soon as you heard about this situation, you should have known it wasn''t right. What if you had been caught?"0


    He didn''t care about the mess with Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, but he was genuinely worried about his wife getting into trouble.0


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "I know. I don''t n to go again anytime soon. Not just soon - I won''t go again for the rest of this year. Who knows what''s going on over there? Sister Lian doesn''t care about consequences, she''s not even afraid of going to prison for operating sewing machines. But I can''t do that."0


    However, Zhao Guihua soon cheered up and said, "Although tonight was incredibly dangerous, my haul was really quite good. They had inside help over there, which worked out well for us. But those bastards... damn them, they better hope I don''t see them again, or I''ll find a way to deal with them. They actually dared to rob other thieves - they''ve lost all sense of honor."0


    Old Man Zhuang patted Zhao Guihua''s hand: "Don''t take it too much to heart. People like that will get theireuppance whether you go after them or not."0


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s not necessarily true. Haven''t you heard that good people don''t live long while scoundrels live forever?"0


    Unable to argue with his wife, Old Man Zhuang smiled helplessly and said, "Oh, you..."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t dwell on the topic, saying, "Come on, let''s get some rest. You also have to go to work tomorrow."0


    She wasn''t in a hurry to sort through the contents of the sack, and the two of themy down. Zhao Guihua was too tired to even wash up. Shey on the kang bed, while Old Man Zhuang wasn''t sleepy either. He said, "Do you think the te Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin talked about is the bowl from our house?"0


    At this moment, Old Man Zhuang finally thought of this matter, and Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, saying, "It should be. They also mentioned the Su family, so it''s probably that one."0


    What were they talking about?0


    This story goes back more than ten years, almost fifteen or sixteen years ago, when Bai Fendou and the others were around fourteen or fifteen.0


    Back then, they were criticizing andlord named Wang, and many people went to watch the spectacle. The way they criticized people back then was different from now. Nowadays, it''s about smashing and destroying anything that represents corrupt or incorrect thinking, but back then, people were more about taking advantage of the situation.0


    Things like pots, bowls, and other misceneous items were all fought over.0


    These items were bought with money, and they could definitely be useful at home, so there was no smashing involved.0


    Of course, they didn''t expect to get gold, silver, or jewelry; those things were for the public. But the seemingly worthless items could still be taken. For instance, these half-grown kids each got a pretty good white porcin bowl, with a particrly wide mouth. You could call it a te, or you could call it a bowl; either way was fine. At that time, there were five kids, and they divided a set of bowls called "Fu Lu Shou Xi Cai," each bowl with a character on it.0


    The one at their house had the character "Shou" (longevity).0


    The kids at that time were Bai Fendou, Yang Lixin who lived with Chef Li and learned his craft, Su Xiaozi, Zhou Qun, and their own Zhuang Zhiyuan. These half-grown boys went out to y and each took one.0


    Later, Zhou Qun''s family''s bowl was the first to break. One year during the New Year, Madam Zhou Li got into a fight and identally smashed it. At that time, the other family had to paypensation. Then came the Su family; their bowlsted for many years, but a few years ago, Jii was mischievous and broke it.0


    That left three families. Zhao Guihua''s family had the one with the character "Shou," which they had been using for over ten years. Normally, there wouldn''t be any issue, but a few years ago, the situation was tense, and Zhao Guihua was afraid that the character "Shou" might bebeled as feudal superstition.0


    So she imed that her bowl had broken and wrapped it up, cing it in a small cab in the kitchen where they kept meat. Of course, even though she hid it, she never thought it was valuable.0


    It was just a good bowl that would be a waste to throw away, much smoother than the ones they bought, and it had a character "Shou" on it.0


    Old people are a bit superstitious, and smashing or throwing away the bowl would be like losing "longevity." It just didn''t feel right, so Zhao Guihua hid it away. Now, thinking about it, they must have been talking about this bowl.0


    At this point, Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but think about her previous life.0


    In her previous life, she lost that bowl.0


    All these years, she had it hidden in that cab, but she hadpletely forgotten about it. It was around 1977 or 1979 when she found it while looking for something else. At that time, the policies had rxed, so Zhao Guihua decided to use the bowl.0


    After all, she didn''t know it was valuable, just treating it as an ordinary bowl.0


    However, after using it for about two or three months, the bowl mysteriously disappeared.0


    At that time, Zhao Guihua stood in the courtyard, pointing and cursing for a long time. She was sure it was Jii and his brothers who took it, as they were the only thieves in the courtyard.0


    The kid had been stealing since he was little, and at seventeen or eighteen, he was at his peak. Zhao Guihua wasn''t angry about losing the bowl, as she didn''t know it was valuable then. She was angry that someone would steal just one bowl.0


    Wasn''t that just to spite her?0


    So she was certain it was Jii.0


    In the end, she didn''t know if it was really Jii, as she couldn''t go to the police over a worthless bowl. And nothing else in their house was missing.0


    Actually, at that time, some people suspected she had just forgotten where she put it.0


    After all, why would someone steal just one worthless bowl?0


    But now, the bowl was valuable.0


    ording to their conversation, Zhao Guihua deduced that Bai Fendou''s undamaged bowl had been sold in the ck market for a bicycle ticket and the money to buy a bicycle. Or maybe he got a bicycle directly.0


    Even with the tight restrictions, someone dared to buy it, which Zhao Guihua, with her rich experience, immediately guessed meant the item was more valuable. It might not be priceless, but it was definitely worth something. As for Yang Lixin''s bowl with a crack, it only got a bicycle ticket, so Zhao Guihua wasn''t sure if Bai Fendou had taken a cut.0


    Actually, these details weren''t that important. The key was who the little bastard was that stole from their house. Now it was clear that the thief knew the value. Knowing the value... Bai Fendou, Yang Lixin, and the Su family.0


    If Bai Fendou knew, the Su family must have known too.0


    It was hard to tell who it was.0


    Judging from their ie, it was hard to tell.0


    Jii''s family was used to petty theft, living a hand-to-mouth existence, so it was unreliable. As for Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, both had regr jobs, making it hard to see if they had suddenly gotten rich.0


    Zhao Guihua pondered, but she had made up her mind that she would never tell anyone about the bowl''s value again. She wouldn''t be like her previous life, taking it out without knowing, letting others benefit.0


    Zhao Guihua was half-asleep, thinking about these things, when Old Man Zhuang spoke up, "Did you hide our bowl?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Yes, I hid it."0


    She added, "Don''t mention this again, or we''ll attract thieves. It could be worth a bicycle. That''s not a small amount."0


    That was a bicycle, the most important bicycle.0


    Besides the money for the bicycle, there was the cost of the bicycle ticket. Calcting it, this one bowl could be worth a year''s sry for an ordinary worker. And the actual value would be even higher, as the person who bought it would also profit.0


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, "I understand."0


    He wasn''t a talkative person anyway. He sighed, "No wonder thendlord''s family was rich. Look, even a random bowl is so valuable."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Exactly."0


    She pulled the quilt over herself and said, "Oh, why aren''t you sleeping yet? Go to bed early; you have to work tomorrow. I can sleep in, but you can''t."0


    Old Man Zhuang smiled and said, "Will you still go mushroom picking?"0


    Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes!"0


    She didn''t want to miss out. She said, "I''ll sleep in the morning, and in the afternoon, I won''t go up the mountain. I''ll go to a closer ce with Aunt Wang."0


    "You should rest too."0


    "Sleep your own, don''t worry about me."0


    Zhao Guihua was exhausted after a night of running and dodging. She didn''t even get up to make breakfast in the morning; Liang Meifen did it. Old Man Zhuang wasn''t in great shape either, but he still had to go to work.0


    He said, "Your mom didn''t sleep wellst night; she''ll sleep in the morning. Don''t wake her."0


    He was talking to Liang Meifen, who nodded, thinking, why would I wake her up? Am I that bored? I don''t enjoy seeing others'' bad moods.0


    Zhuang Zhixi watched his father''s expression and lowered his eyes, not asking anything. He knew not to pry into things he shouldn''t, or he''d get scolded. After all, his mom was a tigress!0


    Everyone went to work as usual, and as they left the house, Zhuang Zhixi encountered a few others. It was strange, but today everyone seemed to be leaving at the same time. Normally, they would all go their separate ways, but today they were all together. However, except for Zhuang Zhixi, everyone else looked quite unhappy.0


    Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin looked particrly bad, and they seemed awkward when they saw each other. Zhou Qun also had a dark expression, with a very low mood.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    One after another, they looked like they had just fallen into the toilet. Fortunately, this thought was just in Zhuang Zhixi''s mind. If he had said it out loud, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun would have exploded. That was a ck history they couldn''t even mention. Zhuang Zhixi quietly followed behind the "brothers," walking together.0


    He nced back and saw a few older uncles walking side by side not far behind. The expressions on the older uncles'' faces were also quite grim. His father''splexion was average, and even Uncle Bai looked the same.0


    What was even more surprising was that Li the Cook, who usually got up early to make breakfast, was alsote today, with a face as dark as ink.0


    Well, he really didn''t understand these people.0


    Everyone walked in silence, entering the factory one after another with the flow of people. Zhang San, who was on duty at the gate today, immediately grabbed Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Xiao Zhuang,e here."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why are you here again today?"0


    Zhang San: "I volunteered for it. I like guarding the gate, watching peoplee and go, it''s so lively. Patrolling is boring."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "What do you want from me?"0


    Zhang San curiously peeked around and whispered, "Is something going on in your courtyard? Why does everyone look so upset? Did something happen?"0


    His tone was as if it were New Year''s Day.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    After thinking for a moment, he said, "I don''t know about others, but..."0


    "Tell me, tell me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Our courtyard Zhou... forget it, we''re all from the same courtyard, it''s not good for me to talk about it. You should ask someone else."0


    Zhang San grabbed Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t be like that, tell me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s not good to talk about."0


    The more he hesitated, the more curious Zhang San became. He said, "Tell me, I won''t tell anyone. If you don''t tell me, I''ll be scratching my head. You know we''re good buddies. You can''t just leave me hanging. Come on, tell me?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s really not good to talk about."0


    "Tell me, tell me, I''ll treat you to lunch and get you a meat dish."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately smiled: "How can I ept that?"0


    Although he said that, he quickly lowered his voice and said, "Zhou Qun''s family, they boiled eggsst night."0


    Zhang San didn''t get it: "Boiling eggs? Isn''t that good?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Not chicken eggs, sheep ones... you know, for a big boost!"0


    Zhang San: "Holy crap!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "And the smell, it was so strong that the whole courtyard couldn''t eat. The smell was just..."0


    Zhang San grimaced and whispered, "Is he really that bad?"0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows, but they''re really going all out with the boost. The day before yesterday, they ate pig kidneys, yesterday, they ate sheep testicles. Today, I don''t know what they''re eating."0


    Zhang San sighed: "I never thought of that, the idea of eating like that for a boost. If I had known, I would have..." He stopped abruptly, coughed twice, and said, "No, no, I don''t need a boost, don''t misunderstand."0


    Zhuang Zhixi seriously said, "Don''t worry, I won''t misunderstand."0


    Zhang San: "Right, right, I knew you were wise and wouldn''t misunderstand. Oh, wait, does that stuff really smell that bad?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought carefully and said cautiously, "Under normal circumstances, it shouldn''t smell that bad. If it did, would that be possible? Would that make sense? I don''t think so, so I guess our courtyard smelled so bad because they must have done something wrong or added some weird stuff."0


    Zhang San: "..."0


    He blinked and felt he had to keep an eye on Zhou Qun. Maybe this shape-boosting method was particrly effective.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I''ve told you the gossip, I don''t know about others. I have to go to the propaganda department, it''s quite busy there."0


    "Alright, alright."0


    Zhang San murmured: "Where can I buy eggs..."0


    But soon, Zhang San immediately called out to Li Si: "Old Li, Old Li, I know some gossip. You know Zhou Qun, right... the young and promising one from the electrical department..."0


    This "young and promising" was a sarcastic remark from the security department. Ever since Zhou Qun''s mother made a fuss about "promoting her son and firing people," Zhou Qun''s reputation in the security department became quite dubious.0


    After all, they were going to fire them.0


    "What''s wrong with that guy?"0


    "He''s not good..."0


    "Ah, not good? Are you kidding? I just saw him, hisplexion is a bit off, but you can''t say he''s not good. He''s still alive..."0


    "No, I mean that aspect, the one about having kids. Probably got beaten up by Bai Fendou and is now boosting with shape-boosting foods... kidneys, testicles, all that! Big boost!"0


    "Ah, really? Is that true?"0


    "My first-hand information, more true than a needle''s tip!"0


    "Oh man, I have to tell Wang Ermazi..."0


    Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Ermazi... the security department is truly the hub of gossip.0


    Not to mention Zhuang Zhixi gossiping about others, if he didn''t, others would. After all, their courtyard had over a hundred people, and many from nearby courtyards came to watch too.0


    Not to mention anything else, the smell from this morning hadn''t even dispersed yet.0


    It was truly soul-stirring!0


    It was deadly soul-stirring!0


    It''s a pity that their courtyard was quite miserable, with such an incident every few days. The smell was... Ai, couldn''t be imagined, couldn''t be described. In just half a morning, the news spread throughout the factory.0


    "Hey, did you hear? The electrical department''s Zhou Qun, do you know why he doesn''t go home after work and stays to work overtime?"0


    "To serve the people?"0


    "What, he''s afraid to face his wife because he''s, well, useless."0


    "Ah? Really? How did he be useless? Got beaten up by Bai Fendou?"0


    "Of course, he was hospitalized for so long, if it wasn''t serious, how could it be?"0


    "Right, right, Jiang Lu is not easy, young and already a widow."0


    "That''s right, I heard his mother admitted it, they''re eating eggs to boost!"0


    "This man, if he''s not good in that aspect, it''s really too bad. Hey, does that stuff really boost that much? I thought only that part (can''t say it) was good for boosting."0


    "That''s true, but it''s hard to buy, being able to get eggs is already good."0


    "That''s true."0


    Zhou Qun today felt the atmosphere was strange. It seemed like everyone looked at him with a hint of sympathy. He was quite puzzled. Could it be that the incident of his mother making the whole courtyard smell bad yesterday had spread?0


    These gossipers, they spread everything so quickly.0


    But he was indeed in a bad mood today. After eating the testicles yesterday, he thought he could perform well, but unexpectedly, he went from five seconds to three seconds. This huge two-second gap must be Bai Fendou''s fault. If it weren''t for Bai Fendou injuring his waist, he wouldn''t be like this.0


    When Zhou Qun encountered Bai Fendou at the factory, his gaze was murderous.0


    Bai Fendou, however, didn''t notice and teased, "Hey, Zhou Qun, the egg man, is here."0


    Please refer to the homophonic pun.0


    Zhou Qun: "..."0


    He red at Bai Fendou with hatred. Bai Fendouughed: "Hey, don''t look at me like that. I didn''t lie, what did that stuff taste like? How could you eat it with that smell?"0


    Zhou Qun''s chest heaved with anger. He clenched his fists, wanting to hit Bai Fendou with a hammer to teach him a lesson about ndering him!0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s little gossip, though he dared not bring it up in front of the parties involved, but it must be said that Bai Fendou is a brave man who faces the harsh reality of revenge head-on. He unceremoniously went straight to Zhou Qun and gave him a nickname.0


    It must be said, this nickname is really something.0


    Just like the smell fromst night.0


    Zhou Qun tried his best to control himself and said coldly, "You wait, I won''t let you off easily!"0


    He wasn''t rash enough to fight in the factory.0


    Bai Fendou was arrogant: "Oh, you want to hit me? Come on,e on, do you think I''m scared of you? When have I, Bai Fendou, ever been a coward in a fight? If I beg for mercy even once, consider me a turtle egg! Come on, do you think I''m scared of you?"0


    Seeing Bai Fendou''s brazen attitude, Zhou Qun''s face turned even more grim.0


    He stared at Bai Fendou fiercely for a long time, then suddenly smiled lightly, turned around, and left.0


    Bai Fendou: "Hey?"0


    Why did he just leave like that?0


    This guy really can''t do anything right, not even daring to make a bold threat, what a waste.0


    A man like this can still get a wife, it''s like the heavens have gone blind!0


    Bai Fendou won the verbal battle against Zhou Qun and strolled around proudly, unaware that Zhou Qun had already gone to the workshop with a toolbox. He came to fix the electrical circuits. Although everyone''s eyes were ufortable, with a hint of strangeness, Zhou Qun endured it.0


    A smallck of patience can ruin a great n.0


    As he finished fixing the circuits and left, he deliberately passed by Wang Xiangxiu''s side and whispered, "I''ll wait for you at the warehouse at noon."0


    Wang Xiangxiu was startled, then continued working as if nothing had happened, but her hand quietly reached back and touched Zhou Qun, signaling she understood. Zhou Qun left silently as if nothing had happened.0


    Heh, Bai Fendou, you''ve offended me.0


    You''ve offended me, so I''ll sleep with the woman you desire but can''t have.0


    The woman you worship as a goddess will still serve me!0


    He sneered coldly, thinking: You''re nothing, even if you end up with Wang Xiangxiu, you''ll just be wearing the old shoes I''ve discarded! The ones I don''t want!0


    He left sinisterly and saw Zhuang Zhixi mingling with a few guys from the security department during lunch, his face darkened again.0


    He had a deep dislike for the security department, after all, they had detained his mother for several days and were also backbiting him behind his back, calling him "young and promising." It was apliment, but it didn''t sit well with him! As someone from the same courtyard, Zhuang Zhixi should be on his side, but this guy was actually hanging out with the security department, showing no sincerity in sticking together.0


    Sooner orter, he would also be able to seduce Zhuang Zhixi''s wife.0


    He, Zhou Qun, had always been sessful with women, never missing a shot!0


    He just didn''t believe it.0


    Zhou Qun finished his meal slowly and got up to leave. He looked towards the distance and met Wang Xiangxiu''s gaze. Wang Xiangxiu also pretended to have finished eating and said with a smile, "I''m done, I''ll head back first."0


    "But you still have..."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "It''s for the kids, my family isn''t as well off as yours."0


    Everyone sighed: "You really have it tough."0


    Wang Xiangxiu looked sad: "What can I do? They''ll grow up and things will get better."0


    "Yes, you have three boys, they''ll grow up and you''ll enjoy the benefits."0


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled and walked out.0


    She and Zhou Qun left the cafeteria one after the other.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    What did he just see?0

 Chapter 61

    <h1>Chapter 61</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi swore that he, as a righteous young man, had no intention of sneaking a peek at these sordid affairs.0


    However, when he looked up, he happened to catch a glimpse of Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu''s "sizzling" nce, which was so electric that it seemed to spark with lightning. He shuddered, finding it quite eye-burning, although the term wasn''t in vogue yet, Zhuang Zhixi could already feel its meaning intuitively.0


    He let out a low "tch," though he was curious, he still had some boundaries. If others hadn''t provoked him, he wouldn''t expose their sordid affairs. But if someone did provoke him, then sorry, you do the first, I''ll do the fifteenth.0


    Just as he was about to lower his head to continue eating, he saw Yang Lixin suddenly stand up and follow them out...0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow: "This..."0


    If you were to talk about it, their courtyard really was full of extraordinary people. He had originally thought Yang Lixin was quite steady, but it turns out, he''s not exactly a dim light. However, Zhuang Zhixi and Yang Lixin''s rtionship was still quite good.0


    Although Bai Fendou always said that Yang Lixin wasn''t a true man from Beijing, not very manly.0


    But Zhuang Zhixi felt that Yang Lixin''sck of arrogance wasn''t necessarily a bad thing, and everyone has their own little thoughts.0


    He silently smiled, continuing to eat, not meddling in others'' affairs.0


    Anyway, it must be rted tost night''s incident. Although he didn''t know what happenedst night, Zhuang Zhixi knew that their family''s Zhao Guihua must have been aware, and she wouldn''t have stayed up for nothing.0


    He nned to inquire about it curiously when he got home in the evening.0


    Zhuang Zhixi hummed a little tune, happily engrossed in his own world, when he saw Director Song dash into the canteen, spotting Zhuang Zhixi immediately anding over: "Xiao Zhuang,e with me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"0


    What?0


    He quickly closed his lunchbox and followed, asking: "Director, what''s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"0


    Director Song: "Xiao He, the one who ys the movies, fell on his way to the countryside this morning, breaking his leg!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah!"0


    Director Song: "I''ve seen him, and with a broken bone, it takes at least a hundred days to heal. He''ll need a long rest, and the countryside movie showings can wait, but the Labor Day afternoon movie for the factory workers can''t."0


    Normally, they could borrow someone from another unit, but that day every factory would be busy with their own affairs, so they couldn''t help. We have to find someone to fill in. Director Song: "I''ve talked to Xiao He, you''ll take his ce. These days, you''ll go to the hospital to learn from him for two hours every day. Absolutely can''t mess this up."0


    Zhuang Zhixi finally understood the situation, though understanding didn''t mean he wasn''t nervous. He said: "Director, is this easy to learn? There''s only half a month left, I''m already hosting and participating in performances, now I have to learn how to y movies. Even if I were a monkey, I couldn''t do seventy-two transformations. I can''t handle it all."0


    Director Song: "Do your best to coordinate your time, young man, take on more."0


    He was also in a bind. He would have preferred someone else from their propaganda department to learn this movie-ying skill, so they could cover for each other if needed. But Xiao He was hesitant and unwilling. After all, this was a skill, and he didn''t want others to share the benefits. If someone learned it, they might rece him.0


    Although they each had their roles in the propaganda department, ying movies was a bit different from regr clerical work. There were perks to it; when they went to the countryside to y movies, which vige wouldn''t treat them well?0


    So Xiao He definitely didn''t want to teach his craft, creating a rival for himself without even a teacher-student rtionship. He wouldn''t be doing a good deed for nothing. Xiao He definitely didn''t want to, but if he dragged his feet and messed up the factory''s ns, he knew the factory would likely make an example of him, so he made a quick decision.0


    He chose someone unexpected yet somewhat expected by Director Song¡ªZhuang Zhixi.0


    Zhuang Zhixi had no connections, so he couldn''t be transferred to the propaganda department. Learning to y movies would only allow him to fill in, not rece Xiao He. As for filling in, Xiao He wasn''t too concerned; it wouldn''t give Zhuang Zhixi any advantage over him.0


    So he strongly rmended Zhuang Zhixi to Director Song. As a leader, Director Song didn''t care about Xiao He''s thoughts; he just wanted the matter to be resolved satisfactorily. After all, they hadn''t had such a big event in years, and if they messed it up now, it would show their work wasn''t up to par.0


    Director Song: "Xiao He is willing to teach you, but you also need to study hard. Skills like these, the more you learn, the better."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was clear about the situation, but after a moment''s hesitation, he nodded immediately: "Alright, Director, don''t worry, I''ll study hard."0


    Although all these tasks fell on an "outsider" like him, Zhuang Zhixi felt that Director Song was right. Learning this skill was always good, and others didn''t even have this opportunity.0


    Opportunities like this weren''tmon.0


    "I''ll take you there, don''t worry, Xiao He will definitely teach you wholeheartedly, you don''t need to worry about that," he reassured Zhuang Zhixi. Whether it was Zhuang Zhixi or Xiao He, if anyone yed tricks on such an important matter, he certainly wouldn''t let it slide.0


    Everyone understood this, so they all behaved.0


    "Even though you''re learning to y movies, our work here can''t ck off."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, and as they walked and talked, they saw Yang Lixin looking utterly disoriented, almost as if he didn''t see them as he drifted past. Director Song certainly didn''t recognize someone like Yang Lixin, but Zhuang Zhixi curiously nced at him, wondering what was wrong with him.0


    Didn''t this guy just follow Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu''s footsteps out?0


    Why the sudden change in expression?0


    On the other hand, Zhuang Zhixi was chatting with Director Song when Yang Lixin indeed followed Wang Xiangxiu out. Yang Lixin had his own considerations; he always felt that Bai Fendou had taken advantage of him in this matter.0


    He had thought carefully about his own te, or rather, bowl, which indeed had a tiny crack, so small it was barely noticeable unless pointed out. He felt that such a small crack couldn''t possibly have such a big impact.0


    He truly believed that a tiny crack couldn''t possibly cause such a huge effect as a bicycle and a bicycle ticket.0


    Not just him, even his father-inw, Li the Cook, thought it was absolutely impossible. Bai Fendou was definitely embezzling. What a dishonest person, just like Jii''s father, most likely.0


    In short, both Yang Lixin and Li the Cook were in a bad mood.0


    Although they got a bicycle ticket, Li the Cook wasn''t in a hurry to buy a bike. Instead, he arranged for Yang Lixin to keep an eye on Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu, and whenever they were together, he had to tail them.0


    They didn''t believe that there was a cat that didn''t like fishy food. Bai Fendou had done so much for Wang Xiangxiu, and Li the Cook''s idea was to catch them in the act and then force Bai Fendou to reveal the truth.0


    That was their n.0


    So Yang Lixin followed Wang Xiangxiu.0


    To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi saw that Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu exchanged nces, but Yang Lixin didn''t see it. He really didn''t see it. He followed Wang Xiangxiu because he hadn''t seen Bai Fendou today.0


    That was normal; Bai Fendou hadn''t slept wellst night, so he was catching up on sleep during lunchtime and didn''te to eat. But Yang Lixin didn''t know that, and seeing Wang Xiangxiu leave hastily without finishing her meal, he thought she was going to bring food to Bai Fendou, so he immediately followed...0


    It was a beautiful misunderstanding that would make Bai Fendou happy, but... things weren''t as they seemed.0


    Yang Lixin quietly followed Wang Xiangxiu, watching her go to the small warehouse, his spirits immediately lifted.0


    Ah, ah ah, ah ah ah!0


    If there weren''t something fishy going on, who would believe it? If you want to find Bai Fendou, just go to the security department. Whye to the warehouse? You, a woman, sneakilying to an unused small warehouse¡ªwhat are you up to? It''s quite obvious.0


    Yang Lixin, upon seeing this situation, almost without hesitation, moved closer.0


    At the same time, Zhou Qun embraced Wang Xiangxiu. As soon as Wang Xiangxiu entered, she put down her bag and smiled charmingly, "Qun Ge~"0


    Her voice twisted and turned, soft and tender.0


    She coyly dodged, saying, "You rascal, aren''t you afraid your wife will see? She''s also in the factory."0


    Yang Lixin: "???"0


    Wife? Whose wife? Bai Fendou doesn''t have a wife!0


    If Bai Fendou had a wife, would he be following you, a widow, around?0


    Yang Lixin, realizingter, quickly caught on¡ªno, this isn''t Bai Fendou.0


    If it were Bai Fendou, this conversation wouldn''t make sense.0


    But the small warehouse had no windows, so he couldn''t see, only listened intently.0


    Just as Yang Lixin was pondering who this man could be, the man spoke, leaving Yang Lixin stunned.0


    "That old hen who can''ty eggs, dares to control me?" Zhou Qun pinched Wang Xiangxiu, with a lewd smile, "I miss you."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You scoundrel... Do you think I don''t miss you? Seeing you hurt, my heart aches so much. Feel it, it''s throbbing with pain. But how could I dare toe to you? Your wife, Jiang Lu, would tear me apart. You''re also heartless, saying you like my son. He just stole a little something from you; look how you beat him!"0


    Wang Xiangxiuined coquettishly. She remembered this man had hit her son; other things didn''t matter, but this did.0


    Zhou Qun''s eyes shed with disdain. This Wang Xiangxiu is a bit too audacious. Does she think she can manipte him?0


    He patted her and said, "I don''t care if my son steals from others, but not from my home. Even rabbits don''t eat the grass near their nest. How dare your son steal from his wild father?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned, then blushed, "What are you talking about, wild father? That sounds so unpleasant... Ah~ Oh~"0


    Soon, sounds echoed from the small warehouse.0


    Yang Lixin: Who am I? Where am I? What''s happening?0


    He never expected that the man meeting Wang Xiangxiu in the small warehouse would be Zhou Qun. Even if he thought about it a thousand times, it wouldn''t be Zhou Qun. Although he didn''t like Zhou Qun''s pretentiousness, everyone knew Zhou Qun was deeply in love with Jiang Lu. So what''s going on here?0


    Even if he said it, no one would believe it.0


    Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu have been secretly involved.0


    Oh, what about Bai Fendou?0


    In that instant, Yang Lixin felt he shouldn''t me Bai Fendou. The guy was too pitiful. He spent money and effort around Wang Xiangxiu, not even allowed to touch her hand, but look at them now. Not just touching hands, it''s all... well, you know.0


    He pursed his lips, hesitating whether to call his father-inw toe see, so the old man wouldn''t disbelieve it.0


    Just as he hesitated and hadn''t turned around, he heard rustling sounds inside, then quickly, everything returned to normal, as if the battle was over.0


    Yang Lixin: "???"0


    Oh, they''re done?0


    So soon?0


    Yang Lixin was stupefied. He felt the whole thing couldn''t have taken five seconds. It was over as quickly as a fart.0


    At that moment, Yang Lixin finally understood why Jiang Lu hadn''t had a child!0


    At that moment, Yang Lixin also understood why Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu hadn''t been caught.0


    He was so quick, how could they be discovered? Who would think such a thing could be done in seconds? From start to finish, including small talk, it didn''t even take a minute. No one could use them of fooling around!0


    After all, who would expect such speed?0


    Seeing the two were about toe out, Yang Lixin quickly ran away. Walking back, he was in a daze. Today''s information was too much.0


    He thought he knew everything about the courtyard, but now reality told him, there were things he didn''t know.0


    He didn''t see Director Song and Zhuang Zhixiing towards him. With a vague step, he headed to the canteen.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his state, wondered what he had seen to be so shocked.0


    Director Song didn''t care about Yang Lixin, considering him unimportant. He stopped and said, "I''m going to the restroom. Wait for me in the office."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."0


    Director Song, busy today, ate hurriedly. His stomach wasn''t good, so he immediately needed to use the restroom. Director Song left, and Zhuang Zhixi hesitated, looking towards the small warehouse not far away.0


    He felt a bit curious.0


    He didn''t intend to watch the gossip, but... seeing Yang Lixin so shocked, he really wanted to know.0


    Curiosity killed the cat.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, not understanding this, hesitated for a second and quickly moved closer. Just as he arrived, he heard the door opening. Zhuang Zhixi was startled. He might get caught in the act of nosiness.0


    He arrived at the worst possible time.0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t have time to feel sorry for himself. He quickly hid behind the nearest cover, though it wasn''t very good. But it was the only ce avable.0


    Zhuang Zhixi againmented why he hade here to watch the fun. Knowing Yang Lixin had left, it must be over. Poor him,ing here unaware, now trapped.0


    Zhuang Zhixi hid behind a wooden board, holding his breath.0


    If you think about it, Zhuang Zhixi''s luck was both bad and good. He quickly hid, and Wang Xiangxiu didn''te out as quickly as he thought. Instead, she and Zhou Qun cooed a bit more. She said, "Qun Ge, it''s almost Labor Day, and the factory is busy with overtime. My body can''t take it. Can you get me some meat coupons? To replenish my strength?"0


    She cooed, "Otherwise, I won''t have the energy to be with you. You''re so amazing, it''s too tiring."0


    Zhou Qun, hearing this, showed some pride. He loved hearing such words, but he wasn''t the type to give a woman everything she wanted. He coughed and said, "Didn''t I give you money? You can buy some yourself. The factory''s meat coupons are limited; how could I not take them home?"0


    Pausing, he added meaningfully, "You can ask Bai Fendou."0


    Wang Xiangxiu cursed inwardly, hating this stingy man, but said, "I have nothing with him. I treat him like a brother. You don''t think I''d like him when I have you?"0


    Zhou Qun believed this, knowing after experiencing him, she wouldn''t fancy Bai Fendou.0


    He was generous, but not at the expense of his own life. Jiang Lu was still useful.0


    He said, "That''s different. Buy it yourself; I didn''t not give you money. Three yuan can buy a lot."0


    Jiang Lu bit her lip, thinking why not five yuan? A stingy dog, with such a high sry, holding all the money, not willing to give her more. Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip. Just then, footsteps sounded from afar. Wang Xiangxiu, not having time to say goodbye, quickly moved away from Zhou Qun and left hurriedly, not even looking around.0


    This actually helped Zhuang Zhixi, as if she had left slowly, she might have seen him. Hiding here wasn''t very secure.0


    Although Wang Xiangxiu left, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t dare rx, as Zhou Qun was still there.0


    Zhou Qun stood still, letting out a cold snort, and said, "What a trashy piece of work. If it weren''t for passing the time and showing Bai Fendou some color, do you think I''d even look at you?" Wang Xiangxiu was quite attractive, with a nice figure, standing out slightly plump among the crowd of skinny women, exuding a bit of charm.0


    She could be said to be better looking than Jiang Lu.0


    Zhou Qun sought out Wang Xiangxiu for this very reason.0


    However, although Zhou Qun still sought her for her looks, he inwardly despised Wang Xiangxiu. In his eyes, Wang Xiangxiu was no different from those half-closed doors of the liberation era. They were all in the same line of work.0


    He sneered, saying, "Once I hook up with Ming Mei, I''ll dump you!"0


    Zhou Qun had thought it through thoroughly. He believed that a man like him, with a respectable job, good prospects, and a high sry, could afford to have more choices. Women like Ming Mei, who were naive and inexperienced, could be easily swayed with a bit of money.0


    Wasn''t Wang Xiangxiu like that?0


    A little bit of money was enough to make her throw herself at him.0


    The green hat, not only firmly ced on the head of the deceased Su family''s son, but also securely on Bai Fendou''s head, was impossible to remove. He chuckled softly, feeling quite satisfied.0


    He became even more smug, the next target being Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Zhou Qun thought that among the people in their courtyard, Zhuang Zhixi had the best taste in wives. Zhuang Zhixi''s wife had such a pretty face. With no one around, he let out a lewdugh, unaware that Zhuang Zhixi''s face had darkened.0


    "First, I''ll bump into her on her way home from work," he muttered to himself. "Then I''ll buy her some snacks, acting nonchnt. No one can resist that move..." Times were tough, and this was a very effective tactic. Didn''t he use this to hook up with Wang Xiangxiu?0


    It wasn''t hard at all.0


    Zhou Qun sauntered away, while Zhuang Zhixi red coldly at his back, feeling as if ice were forming all over his body.0


    He really couldn''t understand how there could be such a disgusting creature in this world.0


    Zhou Qun''s affairs with Wang Xiangxiu were none of Zhuang Zhixi''s business, but now Zhou Qun was targeting his wife? Despite his outwardly righteous appearance, he was so utterly despicable behind the scenes.0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s expression grew even darker. He pursed his lips, feeling that some people really needed to be taught a lesson.0


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t know the meaning of the saying, "Don''t bite off more than you can chew," thinking they could mess with anyone.0


    Zhuang Zhixi let out a coldugh and turned to leave this trouble-ridden ce. However, as he turned, he froze.0


    Oh, it was like the saying, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind," and there was a live performance right here.0


    He had eavesdropped on Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu, and someone else had been watching him.0


    Fortunately... it was someone he knew!0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately felt wronged: "Grandpa!"0


    Who would have thought it was Lan Sihai.0


    Lan Sihai looked at Zhuang Zhixi''s expression and said, "Follow me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."0


    Zhuang Zhixi followed Lan Sihai to the empty front courtyard, found a tree, and the two crouched down. Lan Sihai took out a cigarette: "Want one?"0


    Oh, it was a Daqianmen.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "I don''t smoke."0


    He spent his money on snacks and meals, not on things that weren''t edible or drinkable. So Zhuang Zhixi, unlike most men at the factory, didn''t smoke. He squatted on the ground and said, "Grandpa, you heard everything, right?"0


    Lan Sihai hummed in acknowledgment. Having lived a long life and seen many ups and downs, he wasn''t surprised by such things. He was very calm,pletely different from Zhuang Zhixi, who was clearly inexperienced in the variety of human behavior.0


    Lan Sihai: "I''ve been in that warehouse all along."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow!"0


    So the old man had watched the whole thing?0


    Zhuang Zhixi was a bit curious, but also embarrassed, after all, gossiping with an elder about a neighbor''s scandal was awkward.0


    But Grandpa Lan said, "You don''t need to be so angry."0


    Having watched the whole scene, he naturally heard what Zhou Qun had said. The man actually wanted to covet his granddaughter. This made Grandpa Lan very upset. He had lived so long and never had anyone try to scheme against him. This guy really thought too highly of himself.0


    Grandpa Lan was still calm, but Zhuang Zhixi was truly angry. He said, "Grandpa, how can I not be angry? Look at what kind of person he is. We live in the same courtyard, and although we''re a decade apart, we can still be considered childhood friends. But look at the disgusting things he''s done. He''s secretly scheming against my wife, and he underestimates her so much! A few snacks and he thinks he can buy her over. He really thinks too highly of himself. If I don''t teach him a lesson, I''m not a man."0


    Grandpa Lan: "Teaching a lesson is indeed necessary, but you should think carefully about how to do it."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "I''m not the type to wait three years to take revenge. I take it on the spot, no overnight waiting."0


    Grandpa Lan red: "What do you mean, do you think I''m the type to wait? You little brat, can''t you let me finish? My point is, if you''re going to teach a lesson, do it thoroughly. But you can''t just hit him. If you do, it''ll blow up and implicate you. Even if you''re teaching someone a lesson, you have to protect yourself. I''m good at this kind of thing."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Grandpa Lan: "What are you looking at? This time, follow my lead."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Grandpa Lan: "I can see that you''re not a good bird either, but youck social experience. You don''t know how to read people''s minds."0


    Zhuang Zhixi earnestly sought advice: "Grandpa, then what should we do? How should we teach him a lesson more appropriately?"0


    Grandpa Lan smiled slightly and said, "When you do something bad, you have to make good use of external factors. For example... isn''t there a rumor that the public toilet in our alley is haunted?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, what haunted? Outsiders don''t know, but I do. It''s just that my sister-inw, Liang Meifen, often goes to the toilet to cry in secret."0


    In fact, not everyone in their family knew this. His simple-minded father and upright older brother werepletely unaware of the origin of this story being Liang Meifen. But for Zhao Guihua, who knew everything about the family, and Zhuang Zhixi, who was sharp-eyed, there was no suspense at all.0


    Grandpa Lan, after hearing such a big secret, wasn''t too surprised. Instead, he said directly, "That''s not important. The important thing is that there is indeed such a rumor."0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly understood: "You want to use this rumor?"0


    Grandpa Lan nodded and said, "Exactly."0


    He said slowly: "When you deal with someone, it''s not about physically harming them, beating them up or scolding them. Although it might make them ufortable, what kind of follow-up effect does it have? They might even seize the opportunity to y the victim. That wouldn''t be worth it."0


    He spoke earnestly: "Come, since you''re my granddaughter''s husband, I''ll teach you some tricks to deal with people. When you deal with someone, you have to attack their heart! For example, what does Zhou Qun care about the most?"0


    "Children, reputation," Zhuang Zhixi immediately replied.0


    He was aware of this.0


    Grandpa Lan: "He doesn''t have children, so using that to attack him is useless. But reputation, that''s something."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Expose his affair with Wang Xiangxiu?"0


    Grandpa Lan shook his head again, saying, "He''s too fast, just a few seconds. By the time you call people, he''s already done. But if you block him in advance, you''ll implicate yourself. You still need to work here, and if you get involved in this and people start to be wary of you, it''s not good. Colleagues are actually quite wary of exposing each other''s faults. This isn''t just gossiping, it''s a big deal, and it''s not good for yourself. No matter when, you have to consider yourself when doing something bad."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ve learned."0


    Grandpa Lan: "Alright. This time, just follow my lead. Watch how I do it, and you''ll know how to attack the heart without killing."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Grandpa Lan: "Damn it, they actually schemed against our family. They really didn''t bother to find out who I am."0


    He coughed and said, "Do you have any way to get a white bedsheet?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, we have them in the factory clinic."0


    Grandpa Lan: "That won''t do. If something goes missing from the clinic and peopleter connect the dots, it''ll be problematic. What I mean is... forget it, I''ll prepare it myself."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh no, I can get one. I have connections in the hospital. I can get a bedsheet without anyone knowing."0


    Teacher Xiang can help.0


    Grandpa Lan nced at him: "So you''re asking for help again, huh?"0


    Before Zhuang Zhixi could respond, he continued, "Didn''t I tell you, when doing something bad, you can''t leave any loose ends. Not even with someone you trust." He sighed, "You, you look clever, but you haven''t really done anything bad."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Wait, how many bad things have you done?0


    So experienced?0


    He thought he was quite cunning, but Grandpa Lan was hitting him from every angle. Zhuang Zhixi began to wonder if he was really just a simple, innocent person.0


    Lan Sihai: "Bedsheet, phosphorus powder, have Ming Meie see me. Such a difficult trick, you can''t do it, but Ming Mei can."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright!"0


    At the same time, he asked, "I''ll find these things, otherwise I feel like I''m not doing anything."0


    Lan Sihai: "No need, I have connections."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    How long has Lan Sihai been in Beijing, and he already has connections like this? Zhuang Zhixi deeply felt that he was indeed a simple young man.0


    Grandpa Lan: "You go pick up Ming Mei today, and we''ll go out for dinner tonight to discuss."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright!"0


    He also thought this was a good idea. There are too many eyes in the courtyard, it''s better to discuss doing bad things outside.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This unlucky bastard, deserves a lesson."0


    Lan Sihai: "I don''t care about others, but anyone who wrongs our Lan family will get theireuppance!"0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed. This time it wasn''t the cold, angryugh from before, but one with a bit of sincerity.0


    "Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang, Director Song is looking for you everywhere, why are you still chatting here? Master Lan, you''re here too." Xiao Li from the propaganda department was looking for someone and finally found Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi pped his head: "Look at my terrible memory, I forgot about Director Song!"0


    He immediately stood up: "Grandpa, I''ll go first."0


    Lan Sihai: "Go ahead and take care of your business."0


    Zhuang Zhixi hurried away with Xiao Li from the propaganda department.0


    Lan Sihai still squatted under the tree smoking. He had finished lunch today and wanted to find a ce to take a nap. The workshop could do, but there were people around and noises. He sleeps lightly, so he wanted a quieter ce. People at the factory knew the small storage room was unused, so they told him about it.0


    Lan Sihai went there, found afortable position, and was about to sleep.0


    Just as he was about to, he heard footsteps outside, apanied by sneakyughter. Clearly not someone good, despite his age, Grandpa Lan moved quickly and hid in an empty cab.0


    But as soon as he hid, he regretted it. Why did he hide? He was just here to sleep, nothing to hide.0


    Now that he was hidden, if someone saw him, it would be hard to exin. But since he was already in, he could only hold his breath, hoping not to be found. Otherwise, his reputation...0


    He was thinking.0


    Then he heard the people who entered talking. No need to guess, it was Zhou Qun, recognized by Grandpa Lan.0


    After all, they lived in the same courtyard, familiar voice!0


    With no one around, Zhou Qun shed his hypocritical mask and was quite proud, boasting, "Bai Fendou, you want to show off with me? I''ll sleep with your beloved."0


    He was quite proud of this.0


    Grandpa Lan in the cab smirked, not very manly.0


    He was thinking, Wang Xiangxiu entered, surprisingly fast. She was dyed for a while but arrived notte. The two quickly got cozy.0


    Grandpa Lan: "..."0


    He shouldn''t have hidden, he should''ve let Zhou Qun see him sleeping here. Then Zhou Qun would''ve left.0


    Now, he didn''t have to suffer this.0


    Although he''s been married several times and experienced a lot, seeing young people so lively annoyed him. What the hell is this, huh?0


    He retracted the words "lively and vigorous."0


    Lan Sihai felt those words didn''t suit Zhou Qun at all. This was so quick?0


    Zhou Qun now embraced Wang Xiangxiu and said, "When are you going to marry Bai Fendou?"0


    If Wang Xiangxiu married Bai Fendou, it would be even better. Then he would truly have put that green hat on him!0


    Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t important, Bai Fendou was.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was buttoning her clothes, hearing this, she turned back in surprise, coquettishly said, "What nonsense are you talking? I won''t marry him, I don''t like him. You know, my heart is only for you."0


    Testing my loyalty to you?0


    I''ll say what you want to hear.0


    Zhou Qun is generous, giving several yuan each time, and doesn''t require much effort. She still wants to keep this person.0


    Testing me?0


    I won''t fall for it!0


    "My heart is only for you, didn''t I say? Between me and him, it''s like brother and sister. I know he likes me, but so what, I don''t like him. I will never do anything to betray you."0


    Zhou Qun looked at her: "You..."0


    Wang Xiangxiu was wronged: "Do you still doubt me? Don''t you know my heart?"0


    She looked pitifully: "I still love you so much."0


    Zhou Qun awkwardly said: "Look, why are your eyes red? I know you like me, I was just asking casually. Bai Fendou is deeply in love with you."0


    "Deeply in love or not, I don''t care for him." Wang Xiangxiu was a bit pretentious: "Besides, if he really likes me, he shouldn''t be dating, he should wait for me forever. But he didn''t, how can I trust him? I don''t love him, and without trust, I can''t be with him. If he truly loves me deeply and sincerely, I might consider giving him a chance, but he''s not pure! I don''t love him, just want him to be pure and good to me. If he can''t give his whole heart, how can I be with him. I''d rather be with you without a name or status."0


    Zhou Qun sneered, he knew Wang Xiangxiu well. They''ve slept in the same bed.0


    He saw through her, Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t a good person, she was dragging Bai Fendou along but not marrying him. Because if they married, she couldn''t make money from others, she wanted a whole forest, not just one tree like Bai Fendou.0


    But she wouldn''t let go of Bai Fendou, this fat sheep.0


    Even Zhou Qun had to admit Wang Xiangxiu''s ruthlessness, thinking this woman was a viper.0


    But it was Bai Fendou who suffered, and he was happy. This way, Bai Fendou staying single forever was good. Who asked him to hurt his kidney. This was a deep grudge!0


    Better to let him seek and never get, stay single forever, really satisfying.0


    He smiled and said, "Remember your words, don''t marry him."0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes flickered, she coquettishly said, "Alright~ I''m devoted to you, you better remember my good."0


    Zhou Qun nodded: "Am I not good to you? Every time, haven''t I treated you well?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I know you''re sincere to me."0


    The two of them indulged in a couple more affectionate exchanges before Wang Xiangxiu decided it was time to leave. "Let''s go back," she said. "If we stay here any longer, others might notice something''s off."0


    Zhou Qun nodded in agreement and they both headed out the door. Once they were out and the door was securely closed, Lan Sihai, the old man, emerged from the cab. He furrowed his brow, standing by the door, ready to wait until the couple was far enough away. But to his surprise, although they did walk far, he overheard Zhou Qun expressing his interest in his granddaughter. This... was the old man courting disaster, wasn''t he?0


    He stepped out, and Zhou Qun, unaware of his presence, left with a smug look on his face. However, Lan Sihai spotted his grandson-inw hiding in the corner.0


    It was clear that the drama between Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu had quite an audience today.0


    Although Lan Sihai didn''t show much concern for Zhuang Zhixi, he actually quite approved of his grandson-inw. The young man wasn''t so rigid and conventional. Lan Sihai didn''t particrly like conventional people.0


    So, he decided to take the young man along for a "revenge mission." He wanted to show Zhuang Zhixi the harsh realities of the world and the true meaning of the phrase "old and cunning."0


    With his hands behind his back, he returned to the workshop...0


    So what if it was just Zhou Qun?0


    Didn''t he want to save face?0


    Lan Sihai was determined to tear that face off and stomp on it, leaving Zhou Qun with no face to show to anyone in the future.0


    *******0


    Every day at work was a hard day''s work.0


    Ming Mei, after finishing her shift, pushed her bicycle out the door, ready to ride fast and free.0


    As she approached the gate, she saw two familiar faces. Ming Mei was taken aback and then smiled, waving, "Grandpa, Zhixi ge."0


    She hurried over and asked, "Why did you bothe to pick me up?"0


    Ming Mei''s smile was radiant, filled with joy.0


    Zhuang Zhixi ruffled her hair and said, "Because I missed you, so I came to pick you up."0


    Ming Mei''s smile grew even brighter. "How much did you miss me? A lot?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, a lot."0


    Their eyes sparkled, and Lan Sihai, standing beside them, couldn''t help but think, "These young people nowadays are so frivolous and slick."0


    However, Ming Mei seemed to enjoy it. She said, "Then how much did you miss me? A lot?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, a lot."0


    Their eyes were both shining brightly. Lan Sihai coughed, "You two, pay attention to the public image. This is outside, stop fooling around! Let''s go, I''ll treat you to dinner."0


    Ming Mei: "Ah?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s go, let''s eat like a rich man."0


    Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s waist, causing him to yelp, "Ah!"0


    Ming Mei: "How dare you talk like that, this is my grandpa!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately showed a very apologetic expression and said, "I was wrong just now, Grandpa, please forgive me."0


    The old man gave them a sidelong nce and said, "Stop making a scene, hurry up and get on the bike, or there won''t be any good food left."0


    "Right, right, right."0


    "Where are we going to eat?"0


    Lan Sihai: "Donishun."0


    Ever since he came to Beijing, he had fallen in love with Donishun.0


    "Oh, that''s great, let''s go, go, go!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi carried Ming Mei on his bike, while Lan Sihai rode his own. It was clear they were family. Lan Sihai''s cycling style was identical to Ming Mei''s, fast and smooth.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, I can''t keep up with Grandpa?"0


    He sped up.0


    Ming Mei: "Faster, faster! Zhixi ge, can you do it?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Watch me catch up in a second."0


    "Stop bragging and hurry up!"0


    The three of them, on two bicycles, quickly sped off.0


    Ming Mei''sughter was particrly crisp. She shouted, "Zhixi ge, did you tell your mother we''re going out to eat?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, I had my dad pass the message. Don''t worry."0


    Ming Mei was delighted: "I love eating out the most."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who doesn''t..."0


    Ming Mei: "Ah, stop chatting, ride faster, or you''ll fall behind again. You can''t even catch up with Grandpa, that won''t do!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Watch me!!"0


    He pedaled furiously...0

 Chapter 62

    <h1>Chapter 62</h1>


    Old Man Lan took the two youngsters out for a meal. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei naturally wouldn''t let the old man pay, and as they were arguing over the bill, they heard the old man''s sincere question: "How dare you offer to treat when your monthly sry isn''t even a hundred yuan?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    That was quite hurtful. They wondered if the old man knew what the average ie was in the capital city?0


    Even the five-yuan minimum living allowance was unattainable for many people, and here he was talking about three-digit figures - wasn''t that a bit unrealistic?0


    Ming Mei thought to herself, people know my mother-inw is the one who''s reborn, but listening to him, one might think it was him instead - such grandiose talk, casually mentioning three-digit figures!0


    While Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were still in a daze, Old Man Lan paid the bill and led the two confused birds out, saying, "When it''s your turn to pay, I''ll let you. When it''s not your turn, don''t fight over it. Acting as if you''re so well-off."0


    Ming Mei protested, "My sry is now thirty-six yuan and fifty cents!"0


    She held her head high, quite proud of herself.0


    For someone her age, this was an unusually high sry. Ming Mei had received two consecutive raises to reach this ie, and with her additional monthly allowance from her previous situation, her monthly earnings totaled around forty yuan.0


    It''s worth noting that even Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had worked for over a decade and received extra travel allowances, earned about the same.0


    This showed just how rapidly Ming Mei''s sry had increased.0


    Moreover, it was a remarkably high wage.0


    Plus, she had no dependents, which truly made her part of the wealthy ss.0


    Ming Mei: "If you count my allowance, I''m making over forty now, which is quite substantial."0


    With this sry, the couple could actually live quitefortably, more than enough for their needs, especially since Zhuang Zhixi was also a worker. To put it boldly, theirbined ie in the capital city would surpass at least ny percent of the poption.0


    Lan Sihai nced at her and said, "Oh my, that''s so much, that''s really quite something."0


    Ming Mei snorted, "It really is a lot."0


    This earned her an eye roll from her grandfather.0


    Old Man Lan: "Come on, let''s take a walk after eating. Walk a hundred steps after meals, live to ny-nine."0


    Ming Mei: "...Walking makes you thin after eating."0


    People back then didn''t consider being thin beautiful; being plump was a sign of good living conditions.0


    The habit of exercising after eating wasn''tmon then - wouldn''t digestion make you hungry again? And if you''re hungry, wouldn''t you need to eat again? How much would be enough?0


    Although she grumbled, Ming Mei was actually happy to walk back, especially since she felt quite full from the meal.0


    They hadn''t mentioned these matters at Donishun restaurant, but now Old Man Lan spoke up: "Little Zhuang, tell her about the situation."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately nodded, "Alright."0


    Ming Mei: "???"0


    She looked puzzled at the old man and the young man, then said, "I was wondering why Grandfather suddenly invited us both out for dinner, so there really is something going on? What is it?"0


    She was very curious - since they were discussing it outside, was it something that couldn''t be overheard by others?0


    She raised her eyebrows and said, "You haven''t been up to something questionable, have you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi snapped his fingers and said, "You''ve guessed it, my wife is so clever."0


    Ming Mei: "...I was just saying that. Tell me, what''s going on?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately rattled off the situation, and Ming Mei rolled up her sleeves: "That bastard dares to have designs on me! He must be tired of living! What a scoundrel!"0


    Ming Mei was quite capable of cursing when needed.0


    She just couldn''t understand how someone could be so shameless!0


    Absolutely shameless, she was furious and said, "This unfortunate..."0


    She said fiercely, "Tell me, how should we teach this dog a lesson? We must teach him a proper lesson!"0


    Just thinking about this person having designs on her made Ming Mei feel sick to her scalp. Someone who appeared to be such a proper gentleman on the surface was actually a truly despicable person.0


    Even though they were still on the street, Ming Mei couldn''t help but curse colorfully.0


    Old Comrade Lan Sihai finally spoke up, "That''s enough, how can a youngdy curse like that!"0


    Ming Mei: "The fact that I''m not rushing to his house right now to beat him to a pulp shows I''m using myst bit of self-control. I''m about to throw up from disgust."0


    Lan Sihai: "Foolish!"0


    He pointed at Ming Mei from a distance and said, "I know who you take after - you''re just like your father, simple-minded and all brawn, not using your head at all."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    How did this turn into a lecture?0


    Lan Sihai: "In life, you need to learn to use your brain. Is that brain of yours just there for decoration, nning to raise fish in it?"0


    Ming Mei: "...?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi also earnestly asked: "Raise fish?"0


    Lan Sihai: "Because your head is full of water!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi had a sudden realization: "I learned something new."0


    Ming Mei pouted: "Grandfather, am I still your most beloved granddaughter?"0


    Looking at her behavior, Lan Sihai nearly threw up the Donishun dinner they''d just eaten, which had cost quite a few meat ration tickets.0


    He strongly objected: "Speak properly and stop sticking out your tongue! And fix that mouth of yours, you look like a rooting pig."0


    Ming Mei: "I''m hurt!"0


    She pouted, feeling that her grandfather was indeed not very friendly.0


    Her mother was right.0


    Her uncle was right too!0


    Grandfather was really a difficult old man to get along with, hmph!0


    Lan Sihai: "Let''s talk about serious matters!"0


    Ming Mei: "Go ahead!"0


    Lan Sihai: "You''ll go to the bathroom and spook him with some ghostly tricks."0


    Ming Mei pouted: "Isn''t that a bit too simple?"0


    Lan Sihai smirked: "There are sophisticated and crude ways to y ghost. I''m taking the sophisticated route - you think it''s just about giving him a simple scare? I have a whole script nned. This time, we won''t let him off easy! If we don''t scare him intoplete submission, won''t you feel ufortable knowing he might still have thoughts about you?"0


    Ming Mei: "That would definitely make me ufortable."0


    She was already feeling extremely ufortable about it.0


    "That''s exactly my point. How dare he bully my granddaughter? I''ll make sure he gets a headache every time he sees a woman!" Lan Sihai wasn''t someone to be trifled with.0


    Zhuang Zhixi spoke up: "Going into the men''s bathroom to scare him... doesn''t seem right? After all, there should be boundaries between men and women."0


    Lan Sihai: "Who said anything about going into the men''s bathroom? I''m going to make him enter the women''s bathroom!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "He''s so concerned about his image, he probably won''t go in."0


    Although Zhou Qun wasn''t a good person, he was very conscious about maintaining his image, and probably wouldn''t do something so embarrassing.0


    Lan Sihai: "Then we''ll find a way to make him go in. There are ten thousand ways to do this, it just depends on which one we want to use." He looked at his grandson-inw and sincerely remarked: "Your brain doesn''t seem to work very well either!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said: "Of course I''m not as clever as you, old man. Why else would I be your apprentice in this? Don''t you agree?"0


    Thisment finally earned the old man''s approval. He nodded slightly and said: "Well, you''ve said something sensible for once. This time, I''ll let you witness this old man''s methods."0


    He stroked his chin and said: "Not only will I make himpletely indifferent to women from now on, but I''ll also make him tremble in fear at the sight of cesspools."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah...?"0


    Lan Sihai: "My ultimate goal this time is to make him take another tour in there."0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched, deeply suspecting that the old man had moved here toote, only hearing jianghu legends without witnessing someone actually falling into a cesspool, so he wanted to create an opportunity to see such a spectacle.0


    He felt his suspicion was absolutely correct.0


    But still, Zhuang Zhixi very sincerely said: "Grandfather, can we discuss something?"0


    Lan Sihai raised his eyelids and said: "Go ahead."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said earnestly: "Can we not do this?"0


    He had a miserable look on his face and said, "You don''t know how disgusting it is, I''m really not lying to you. We''re family, and family doesn''t lie to each other. This is truly revolting. Last time it was in the dead of winter, and even in the cold it was unbearable. Now that the weather''s warm, oh my god... just thinking about it makes me nauseous. We don''t have to go down this disgusting path to deal with this guy. Besides, you live next door to him. When he gets home and takes a shower, let me tell you, when that sewage meets hot water and the temperature rises, that smell lingers for three days. I''m not exaggerating - it won''t go away for a week. We shouldn''t torture ourselves!"0


    He wasn''t trying to plead for Zhou Qun; rather, this matter was truly beyond disgusting.0


    Though they were tormenting Zhou Qun, they were suffering too.0


    Absolutely suffering!0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "If you see it through, you''ll lose your appetite for at least a week."0


    He was genuinely looking out for everyone''s well-being. During the previous incident, for a whole week - an entire week - even the sight of sweet potatoes made him sick. And he wasn''t alone in this; reportedly, every single onlooker on their street that day was affected.0


    During that period, everyone turned pale at the mere mention of sweet potatoes.0


    Poor sweet potatoes - what had they done to deserve such treatment? It was simply unfair.0


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that this time they absolutely couldn''t let Grandfather do something like this. They could deal with Zhou Qun, but please, nothing involving sewage pits. In the height of summer, it would be even more unbearable than in winter. Zhuang Zhixi was literally begging from the bottom of his heart.0


    Ming Mei stood beside him, nodding vigorously with a pale face. Everything Zhuang Zhixi could think of, she could imagine too. Really, that smell was truly unbearable.0


    She chimed in, "Grandfather, please give us a break. I know you''re disappointed about missing the show, but you can''t build your happiness on others'' suffering. Besides, you still live in this courtyard."0


    Lan Sihai looked deeply at the two of them and said, "Alright. I''ll make some preparations. Tentatively nned for tomorrow night."0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged nces, then nodded saying, "Okay."0


    They were both curious to see what Grandfather had nned.0


    However, if it meant teaching Zhou Qun a lesson, they would both apud it - Zhou Qun was truly disgusting.0


    Speaking of disgusting things, there seemed to be quite a lottely.0


    As the three of them walked and talked, they quickly arrived home. Upon entering the courtyard, they saw Hutou and Xiao Yanzi jumping around in the yard, ying with several children from the back courtyard, though Jii''s children weren''t there.0


    Zhuang Zhixi went straight inside: "Oh ho!"0


    He saw something good as soon as he entered and eximed, "Oh my!"0


    He pulled his wife inside and closed the door: "Mom, did you go on a raid? These fabrics are really nice!"0


    Zhao Guihua had already sorted through the contents of the sack that afternoon, and this time she had really struck gold.0


    She counted them herself - there were eight pieces that could be considered proper fabric. Adding to what she had bought herself, it was truly a bountiful harvest. If every time could be like this, they could get rich from this alone.0


    However, it was clear she didn''t n to go again.0


    Ah, life was more important!0


    Zhuang Zhixi came closer and said, "Mom, is this what you went out forst night?"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "I found a source for fabric scraps. This was my second time going."0


    "You call these scraps? These are too good!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi poked at thergest piece of fabric, and Ming Mei nodded beside him.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Thisrge piece isn''t a scrap, I bought this one. The others are scraps."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...Still very good though."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I wentst time too, but it wasn''t this good. This time was unexpected. But this will be thest time. I can''t go anymore -st night I almost got robbed."0


    "What the hell!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei immediately became alert and started asking questions.0


    Zhao Guihua briefly exined what happened, and Ming Mei was very worried. She said, "Mom, don''t go anymore. If something really happened, it wouldn''t be worth it."0


    Getting caught would be the least of their worries - if they encountered violent robbers who knocked them out cold, that would be the end of it.0


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "I definitely won''t go again. Before, they were just selling small strips of fabric, but now they''ve started working with insiders. Since there''s internal coboration, I can''t go anymore, to avoid falling into a trap."0


    She could be certain that the factory must have noticed something was going on, as they had already arranged people to keep watch. They would surely make arrests in the next few days, as it would be better to catch people red-handed in these situations.0


    "Mom, don''t bring out all this fabric at once."0


    Zhao Guihua gave Zhuang Zhixi a look and said, "Did you really need to tell me that? I''ve eaten more salt than you''ve walked roads. Don''t I know about these things? Haven''t you noticed I haven''t even told your sister-inw? If you hadn''t suddenlye in, I wouldn''t have nned to tell you either."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, that''s not right. I was the one who rescued you yesterday! If I hadn''t gone out to cause a distraction, and if Yang Lixin and Bai Fendou hadn''t started arguing and attracted people, you would have been in trouble. Look how ungrateful you are."0


    Zhao Guihua smirked: "Why should I thank you? Aren''t you my son? When I gave birth to you, did you thank me?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi was shocked - his mother was too good at sophistry. At this point, there wasn''t even a term called "false equivalence." If there was, Zhuang Zhixi would definitely say his mother was making a false equivalence.0


    But at this moment, he could only marvel at how clever his mother was at arguing.0


    Zhao Guihua ran her fingers over the pieces of fabric. Although many weren''t just scraps, there still wasn''t enough to make a long-sleeved adult garment. After all, even with internal coboration, they couldn''t let things get too out of hand.0


    However, theserge pieces were perfect for making things happen. After all, normal clothing wasn''t made from a single piece of fabric - it always needed to be cut and sewn. As long as she could find matching fabric from the scraps for cors and sleeves, she could make wless finished garments.0


    Zhao Guihua smiled smugly, and Zhuang Zhixi came over to ask, "Mom, will you make me clothes for this summer?"0


    Zhao Guihua gave him a side nce and said, "We''ll see."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Then make something for my wife?"0


    He really wouldn''t give up, and Zhao Guihua said with disdain, "Get lost."0


    She said, "About the fabric, I need to think it through. It''s not that I won''t make clothes for you, but I want to make your father a set of clothes this summer. If everyone has new clothes, it might raise suspicions. So I want to wait a while."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t need to exin much to her son, but seeing her daughter-inw looking expectantly at her, she thought for a moment and added an exnation.0


    Old Man Zhuang heard this and proudly raised his head. His wife was so good to him - what more could a man ask for in a wife? He was truly lucky to have such a wonderful partner. He smiled and said, "I can wait for mine, take care of the kids first..."0


    Zhao Guihua: "You shut up."0


    She said fiercely, "Their clothes are still quite new, it won''t hurt to wait a year or so. But look at you - how many years has it been since you had new clothes? We''re not young anymore, we can''t always put the children first. You need to think about yourself too. They''re young, they have good days ahead of them."0


    Although Zhao Guihua was fierce, Old Man Zhuang was happy - his wife was on his side. How could he not be pleased?0


    Ming Mei immediately nodded and said, "Mom is right. Mom, you''re so amazing to find such a source."0


    Zhao Guihua''s lips curled up in a smile.0


    Ming Mei: "Mom, if there are opportunities like this in the future, take me with you!"0


    She waved her fist and said, "If anyone tries to rob us, I''ll teach them a lesson - I''ll beat them until they''re crawling on the ground!"0


    Zhao Guihua shook her head: "That won''t be necessary. You''re too obvious when you fight."0


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t get involved in these things. I won''t be going often myself. You all have proper jobs - it''s not worth risking everything for this."0


    Ming Mei immediately hugged the olddy and said coquettishly, "Mom, I knew you loved me the most."0


    Zhao Guihua got goosebumps from her embrace and said, "Go away, you little tterer."0


    She said, "How old are you now, still trying to sweet-talk me? Look, I''m getting goosebumps. Go on, do whatever you need to do, and stop bothering me."0


    Ming Mei asked, "Oh, by the way, where''s sister-inw?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Your sister-inw went back to her parents'' home this afternoon. Remember her mother was injuredst time? She went to check on her and hasn''t returned yet."0


    Ming Mei made a nomittal sound, not particrly concerned. In her opinion, while there might be some superficial injuries, there definitely weren''t any internal ones.0


    "Your sister-inw... Wait, what''s that smell?"0


    Zhao Guihua suddenly caught a faint but distinct odor. She immediately got up and looked out the window, where she saw Bai Fendou squatting at the doorway, washing something that was giving off an indescribable smell.0


    "What on earth is Bai Fendou doing?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''ll go check."0


    He quickly went outside and strolled over. "Brother Fendou, what are you up to?"0


    Bai Fendou nced up at Zhuang Zhixi, clearly reluctant to engage with him, but still answered, "Lamb testicles!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing.0


    He asked sincerely, "Why are you getting into this now?"0


    Bai Fendou retorted, "Why can''t I have these? If others can eat them, why can''t I?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "That''s not what I meant." The real question was, as a single man, what was the point of eating these? It''s not like he needed them.0


    Bai Fendou said, "Well, there you have it. If others can eat them, so can I. I''m nning to cook some. Do you know how to prepare them?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "Shouldn''t you be asking Li the Cook about this kind of thing? Or at least Yang Lixin? With two cooks around, why are you asking me? You''re giving me too much credit."0


    Bai Fendou''s expression soured as he said, "I won''t ask them."0


    He was quite displeased that this family, after receiving his help, had turned their backs on him.0


    Although, yes, he had made some profit from it, but hadn''t he taken risks to help them? Should that count for nothing? Even though they said they wouldn''t let him work for free, he knew exactly what kind of person Li the Cook was.0


    His father had told him that Li the Cook had been stingy since his youth, always taking from others but never giving back. Living in the same courtyard for decades, they had never tasted a single morsel from him.0


    Meanwhile, his family, with their connections to the canteen, had grown fat and prosperous.0


    So it was better to keep the money in hand first. After all, they wanted to buy bicycles anyway! Giving them a bicycle voucher would be good enough.0


    These were the words of Bai Fendou''s father, Old Man Bai, and Bai Fendou found them quite reasonable. Because it made sense, he had kept the money. He hadn''tpletely lied - Yang Lixin''s te did have cracks and wouldn''t fetch the same price as his.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For his te, someone had directly arranged a bicycle for him,plete with official papers for steel stamping and registration.0


    And on top of that, they had given him an extra ten yuan.0


    But Yang Lixin''s wasn''t worth as much - it only got a bicycle voucher and fifty yuan.0


    To buy a bicycle with that, they''d need to add at least another hundred yuan.0


    In the countryside, that would be an astronomical sum, and even in their city, it wasn''t something you could save up easily. A single worker might manage it, but for anyone with a family to support, it would take a year or two to save up.0


    So the difference was quite significant.0


    What Bai Fendou had kept for himself was this fifty yuan.0


    He didn''t consider it stealing, more like... a service fee.0


    He couldn''t work for free.0


    But Li the Cook and Yang Lixin kept pressing the issue, which made him very unhappy.0


    What''s wrong with making a little money off them? If he hadn''t dared to go to the ghost market, they wouldn''t have gotten anything at all. They were really ungrateful.0


    Not only were they ungrateful, but they also resented him, which wasn''t right at all.0


    Given Li the Cook and Yang Lixin''s attitude, he absolutely wouldn''t ask them how to cook these "testicles." If he did, those two might deliberately trick or deceive him. They had old grudges, after all.0


    He sighed wistfully and continued washing.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, noticing Bai Fendou''s expression, asked curiously, "What''s wrong?"0


    His expression seemed to say, "If you have something troubling you, why don''t you share it so I can enjoy your misery?"0


    Bai Fendou looked up with disdain and said, "This is none of your business."0


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "See? I try to show concern and you treat me with contempt. You''re really not very friendly."0


    Bai Fendou snorted, thinking to himself: Your wife kicked my door in, how could I possibly be friendly to you? You''re expecting too much.0


    Zhuang Zhixi put on a curious expression and asked, "Hey, what were you and Yang Lixin doing outsidest night?"0


    Bai Fendou''s heart skipped a beat: "That''s none of your business."0


    He picked up his basin and said, "If you''ve got nothing else to do, go home. Don''t bother me."0


    He had visited many ces after work just to buy these testicles. It took a lot of begging before he finally got them. He hadn''t even eaten dinner yet.0


    If Zhou Qun could eat these, so could he, Bai Fendou.0


    Why shouldn''t he have some supplements too?0


    Bai Fendou had always beenpeting with Zhou Qun in his mind. He turned and went inside, closing the door with a bang. Zhuang Zhixi, having hit a wall, walked back with his hands spread, saying, "You see, being a friendly neighbor is really difficult."0


    Ming Mei stood at the doorway watching, smiling like a flower.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Stop meddling in other people''s business. Hurry inside and seal up the doors and windows. Who knows when the stench will start."0


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "Oh my goodness, you''re right!"0


    Yesterday when the Zhou family cooked that stuff, it stank up the whole courtyard, and now it would surely be the same.0


    He pulled his wife along, saying, "We need to wash up quickly, he hasn''t started cooking yet, we can still bear it..."0


    Although there was already a strange smell, it wasn''t too obvious yet. But they knew that once it started cooking, it would be unbearable. Suddenly, the Zhuang household was in chaos.0


    Zhao Guihua called out, "Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, stop ying and wash up quickly! Li Junjun, take your brother home right away."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Why hasn''t Liang Meifene back yet!"0


    Li Junjun and Li Weiwei looked at Zhao Guihua in confusion, asking, "Grandma Zhao, what''s wrong?"0


    The other children also looked at Zhao Guihua curiously. Zhao Guihua asked, "Did you enjoy the smell yesterday?"0


    The children shook their heads in unison - they were young, not stupid!0


    Zhao Guihua: "Your Uncle Bai Fendou is going to cook them tonight!"0


    When the children heard this, they all understood and ran home quickly, shouting: "Oh no!"0


    "Mom, help!"0


    "Quick, close the doors and windows!"0


    The children were screaming and yelling. It was then that Zhuang Zhixi noticed Toni was there too. This child wasn''t very noticeable when he wasn''t with his two brothers. He had been ying with Hutou and the others.0


    But it made sense - although children tend to form cliques, they can still y together when there aren''t other ymates around. Who knows where Jii and Yii had gone, leaving their brother behind.0


    Toni also ran home yelling, "Mom, Grandma, Bai Fendou is cooking poop..."0


    The three children in their family would call him "Uncle Fendou" when they needed something, and just "Bai Fendou" otherwise.0


    Wang Xiangxiu frowned, "What''s going on? Speak properly, what do you mean cooking poop?"0


    Toni exined, "It''s what Old Lady Zhou cooked yesterday, Bai Fendou is going to cook it too."0


    Wang Xiangxiu peeked out and saw the Zhuang family bustling about, all rushing to wash up, clearly nning to close their doors and windows and stay inside. Even Old Man Lan was moving as fast as the wind - he must have heard themotion too.0


    Wang Xiangxiuined, "Where are your brothers? And what''s wrong with Bai Fendou, cooking testicles for no reason? He doesn''t even need them! What a waste of money. He could have bought something useful instead. Men are so wasteful with money."0


    Her tone was quite harsh, as if Bai Fendou was spending her money.0


    After all, she could usually squeeze money out of Bai Fendou, but this was something she couldn''t eat.0


    Toni swallowed his saliva and said, "Mom, I want to eat the cooked testicles."0


    He said, "I''ll ask Uncle Fendou for some."0


    It was really mean of him to secretly cook testicles without sharing.0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly stopped her son, saying, "They''re not cooked eggs, I misspoke. Hurry up and wash, don''t go out again."0


    Aunt Su asked, "You''d better hurry. Where are Jii and Yii?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "These two kids went out to y, really, they should havee back earlier."0


    Toni: "They didn''t even take me along."0


    Aunt Su: "Alright, hurry up now. Let''s not talk about that anymore."0


    At that moment, it wasn''t just the Zhuang family mobilizing, but the entire courtyard was in motion. Everyone was hurriedly washing their faces and brushing their teeth, preparing to close their doors and windows early. Otherwise, that smell... it was unthinkable, they had all experienced it yesterday!0


    However, many people were cursing Bai Fendou behind his back. They thought, "You knew what the smell would be like yesterday, yet you''re doing it again today. Isn''t this deliberate? You''re intentionally making us ufortable, showing ack of virtue."0


    It wasn''t that everyone was being too selfish; they all had their own thoughts, just like Wang Xiangxiu and the others. Everyone felt that Bai Fendou was a single man, so why did he need to supplement in this way? Wasn''t he just deliberately trying to disgust people?0


    Li the Cook and Aunt Wang had a different kind of anger.0


    Li the Cook: "That poor wretch, he spends all his monthly money supporting Wang Xiangxiu''s family, living well for the first half of the month and scraping by for the second half. By now, he should be broke, so where did he get money for this? Even though these things don''t need ration tickets, they still cost money. I bet he''s been stealing our money to buy food. Now he''s even showing off in front of us. It''s infuriating, truly infuriating."0


    Yang Lixin: "Next time hees to eat at the canteen, we''ll give him the worst portions."0


    "Absolutely!"0


    Despite saying this, Li the Cook was still distressed, saying: "Who knows how much money this guy has stolen from us, spending so extravagantly. It''s infuriating, truly infuriating... I absolutely won''t let this matter slide!"0


    Yang Lixin nodded in agreement and lowered his voice, saying: "Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu are having an affair. Should we deliberately leak this to Bai Fendou to upset him?"0


    Li the Cook: "Let me think about that."0


    Aunt Wang was somewhat incredulous, asking again: "Is this really true? Are you sure you didn''t see wrong?"0


    Although Aunt Wang knew that Wang Xiangxiu was exploiting Bai Fendou to support her family, she could also see that Wang Xiangxiu hadn''t taken any real advantage of him. So they hadn''t particrly looked down on Wang Xiangxiu.0


    After all, both were single.0


    Bai Fendou had feelings for her, and Wang Xiangxiu had maintained her dignity.0


    But now... she cleaned her ears, hardly believing it: "I really can''t believe Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu... they barely even spoke to each other in the courtyard."0


    "That''s exactly what makes it suspicious. We all live in the same courtyard, why would they be so distant? Besides, Mom, I guarantee I saw it with my own eyes. May lightning strike me dead if I''m lying!" Yang Lixin was determined to prove himself right.0


    He had seen it clearly.0


    Although it was hard to believe that Wang Xiangxiu and Zhou Qun were having an affair, that was the reality.0


    Li Fang: "Pah, pah, pah, don''t make such oaths! I believe you, and my mother believes you too, she''s just shocked."0


    Yang Lixin: "They were in the factory warehouse, itsted less than five seconds, I almost got caught and had to run away quickly..."0


    "Uh..."0


    Both elderly people felt awkward discussing such topics with their son-inw.0


    However, five seconds?0


    Li the Cook couldn''t help but ask: "Really five seconds?"0


    Yang Lixin shook his head, and just as Li the Cook was about to speak, he heard his son-inw say: "No, definitely not five seconds."0


    Aunt Wang: "...Perhaps their inability to have children really wasn''t Jiang Lu''s fault..."0


    The others nodded silently.0


    "Who would have thought Zhou Qun had such tendencies, you really can''t judge a book by its cover."0


    "You couldn''t tell he wouldn''tst five seconds either!"0


    "Uh..."0


    Li the Cook: "I don''t care about Zhou Qun, but Bai Fendou cheating us, that matter can''t be left alone. Let me think about it. This isn''t over!"0


    Yang Lixin nodded.0


    Aunt Wang wanted to say something but held back, thinking that her husband had a point ¨C if Bai Fendou had really stolen their money, that was indeed infuriating.0


    While they were having their private conversation, on the other side, Bai Fendou had already put the eggs in the pot, and sure enough, a strange smell wafted out. This smell was far worse than before, quite indescribable really.0


    Madam Zhou Li was the first toe out cursing, jumping up and down shouting: "Which inconsiderate bastard is this, really not acting human, are you cooking shit at home? Are you going to let people eat or not? How can someone be so inconsiderate?"0


    She was particrly vocal, thoroughly cursing Bai Fendou''s ancestors for eighteen generations.0


    Completely forgetting that she had done the exact same thing yesterday, and had feltpletely justified about it.0


    In her mind, it was fine when she did it, but not when others did.0


    Bai Fendou was also angry and immediately came out to confront her. The old and young began hurling insults at each other, not just cursing each other''s ancestors but also each other''s body parts. It was just one big argument. Though usually any little noise would bring people out to watch the excitement, today it was surprisingly quiet.0


    Nobody woulde out of their homes, preferring to stay inside and strain their ears to listen, but absolutely refusing to go outside.0


    A few more times like this and their sense of smell might be permanently damaged.0


    It was truly unbearable.0


    Was this thing really that good? Worth eating despite the suffering?0


    The men all became thoughtful...0


    Compared to others who couldn''t watch the scene live, the Zhuang family in the front courtyard could see everything, being practically opposite neighbors, and their next-door neighbors the Su family could see too. Those who could see were all peering out their windows. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were stuck to the window like two geckos, watching outside. Ming Mei remarked: "Bai Fendou is really something, actually able to argue back and forth with the olddy. That''s something not just anyone can do."0


    After all, the destructive power of someone like Madam Zhou Li was no less than a cesspool!0


    Ah, pah pah pah!0


    What was wrong with her today, why couldn''t she get past the cesspool metaphor!0


    She felt she shouldn''t talk about these things anymore, or else even her metaphors would start to stink.0


    She couldn''t disgust herself.0


    Ming Mei shook her head and leaned against the window, saying: "Do you think they''ll get physical?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You dare ask me? I''m wrong eight times out of ten."0


    Ming Mei burst outughing and said: "So you know it yourself? What do you think then?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I don''t think they will. They''ve been to the hospital several times because of this, and that costs money too. They shouldn''t be that impulsive, right? After so many times, they should have learned some self-control... Holy shit!"0


    Just as Zhuang Zhixi finished speaking, they saw Madam Zhou Li swing a p.0


    That p didn''tnd on Bai Fendou''s face, but it felt like it hadnded on his own face.0


    Ming Mei couldn''t help but burst outughing, then broke into full-blownughter.0


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi teasingly and said: "Brother Zhixi, you''re not very good at this. I can see you don''t understand your old neighbors at all. They don''t care about self-control. When they feel like fighting, they fight, without any hesitation."0


    Zhuang Zhixi pretended to wipe away non-existent sweat and said: "I admit my experience is limited."0


    But he could still make something up, saying: "But you see, after living in this courtyard, won''t everything else seem like small potatoes? Because our horizons have been broadened. So no matter what we encounter, we can remain calm andposed."0


    Ming Mei couldn''t helpughing again, and seeing her so amused, Zhuang Zhixi suddenly leaned forward and pecked her lips.0


    Ming Mei: "Mmph."0


    She widened her eyes, and Zhuang Zhixi wrapped his arm around his wife, saying: "Let''s stop watching them and focus on more important matters."0


    Ming Mei''s cheeks instantly turned red, saying: "Don''t you get tired of being like this all the time?"0


    Even though they had been married for several months, Ming Mei still often blushed. It wasn''t that she was particrly shy, it was just her personality.0


    Besides, sometimes when her face wanted to blush, even if she told herself not to, it was beyond her control.0


    She poked Zhuang Zhixi, saying: "Everyone else is taking supplements, you''re like this every day, shouldn''t you take some too?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin and said: "I really should take some supplements. How else can I keep my wife satisfied?"0


    As soon as those words were spoken, she yfully punched him a few times. Ming Mei''s little fists showed no mercy, and Zhuang Zhixi fell back onto the bed with a smile, saying, "Ouch, I''m wounded."0


    Ming Mei retorted, "Stop pretending, I barely used any strength."0


    Zhuang Zhixi propped his chin up, gazing at Ming Mei.0


    Ming Mei suggested, "Let''s take a day off."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "But I don''t want to rest."0


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said, "I''ve heard that doing this too much isn''t good."0


    The older women at their workce would often discuss such topics, making Ming Mei blush every time, though she couldn''t help but eavesdrop. She added, "Won''t you be exhausted if you don''t rest?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi reminded her, "You just said you''d help restore my energy."0


    After a pause, he dered righteously, "Restoration is one thing, but I''d rather die than eat that stuff."0


    Ming Mei''s initial shyness suddenly gave way to amusement.0


    She tried to suppress herughter at Zhuang Zhixi''s serious expression.0


    "But everyone else takes it, so it must work, right?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi insisted, "Still no way. They''re all brave warriors - I''m not. Some chives are good enough for me."0


    He was truly terrified - that smell was more than any ordinary person could handle.0


    Ming Mei''s smile widened, and Zhuang Zhixi promptly pinned her down, saying, "Ah-ha! I see what you''re doing. You''re teasing me on purpose, you little rascal..."0


    Ming Meiughed while trying to dodge, saying, "No, I''m not!"0


    "Yes, you are!"0


    They quickly became entangled, and the room''s temperature rose slightly. As for the fighting and arguing outside, what did it matter to them?0


    The bed creaked rhythmically...0


    Young people are just like that.0


    They really don''t want to rest for even a day.0


    The couple quickly withdrew from the frontline of spectators, though Zhao Guihua continued watching themotion with interest. By now, Madam Zhou Li and Bai Fendou were already in a physical altercation, with Jiang Lu helping out, while Zhou Qun remained notably absent.0


    That''s just how he was - he wouldn''t show his face in situations where he might lose face.0


    Without anyone trying to break up the fight, the battlecked intensity and quickly came to an end.0


    You see, that''s how it goes - sometimes when people try to break up a fight, the parties involved be even more determined to defeat each other! But without intervention, things often end quickly and quietly. The fight fizzled out without much drama.0


    But expecting anyone to step in and break up a fight while enduring that smell? Impossible!0


    Absolutely impossible!0


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "Our courtyard is bound to have strange smells every few days from now on."0


    Old Man Zhuang asked puzzled, "Howe? They can''t eat it every day, can they? Even if they could stomach it, they couldn''t afford it, right?"0


    It was meat after all, and expensive at that.0


    Usually, people would only buy a few ounces of meat at a time. Nobody would believe they could afford this every day.0


    Zhao Guihua gave her husband a nce and said, "I''m not saying Bai Fendou or Zhou Qun will buy it every day, but others... You see, everyone now thinks this stuff is great for men''s health. They won''t want to miss out... Today this family, tomorrow that family, taking turns - it''ll be enough to make us suffer."0


    She sighed deeply, truly dreading the thought of smelling that odor.0


    Old Man Zhuang also realized this possibility and sighed deeply, saying, "This is just... ah!"0


    Zhao Guihuamented, "I sincerely hope they''ll go ask Li the Cook how to properly prepare this stuff. If they keep cooking it so carelessly, our courtyard will smell like a toilet."0


    Zhao Guihua had faith in Li the Cook''s culinary skills.0


    She believed he would know how to handle it properly.0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I''ll go talk to Brother Li about it. He''ll agree to teach everyone how to prepare it, otherwise... his family will suffer too."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded.0


    What a situation this was!0


    Utterly speechless!0

 Chapter 63

    <h1>Chapter 63</h1>


    Despite being a reincarnated person with some reputation in "themunity," Zhao Guihua''s fame couldn''tpare to the other elderly women in the courtyard. In theirpound, Madam Zhou Li was always the most famous one.0


    That olddy was like a cockroach that just wouldn''t die.0


    Whether it was good reputation or bad, she was the most notorious.0


    Next was Aunt Su, who originally didn''t have much of a reputation. She was known for being good, but people generally thought of her as a poor, pitiful, yet strong olddy. There wasn''t much else to say about her.0


    But now, things were different.0


    Because of the gossip about her and Old Man Bai, she had suddenly be a "celebrity" in theirpound. Although everyone in their neighborhood knew that Aunt Su was hospitalized because of a dog bite, not because she was "pregnant."0


    However, the rumor had spread so widely, and Old Man Bai was so attentive to her, that people began to have strange suspicions. Could the dog bite story be just a cover-up?0


    Was it actually hiding the fact that she was expecting?0


    You see, that''s how gossip works, especially when it has a hint of scandal to it. It can make people doubt even what they''ve seen with their own eyes.0


    So in theirpound, someone like Zhao Guihua, who was simply known as a feisty olddy, couldn''t even rank on theirmunity''s list of celebrities. And Zhao Guihua, unless provoked, was actually quite peaceful.0


    For instance, she knew that Bai Fendou was selling things at the ghost market, and she understood that dealing in antiques could potentially be a way to umte capital. But would she do it? Definitely not. She didn''t have the expertise - such business required an extensive knowledge base.0


    Otherwise, relying on luck alone? You''d lose everything in no time.0


    There have always been counterfeits and fakes, and it''s no different now.0


    It''s not that this era didn''t have them - quite the contrary.0


    As a native of old Beijing, Zhao Guihua knew this better than most and had seen plenty of it.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t understand it, so she stayed away from those murky waters.0


    Although this might seem like she was letting down the "reincarnation team," at her age, she could keep herposure. Even if she wanted to do something ambitious, now wasn''t the time. After all, even when policies loosened in ''79, there were still setbacks.0


    Those "Eight Kings" and such...0


    So, Zhao Guihua really hadn''t nned on making big money through business in these years.0


    Because of this, even though she knew it would be more profitable to go with Auntie Lian to get more goods a few more times - even if she didn''t resell them, it would still be profitable - Zhao Guihua didn''t join in. Who knew when they would "cast the"?0


    It could be today, tomorrow, or the day after.0


    But Zhao Guihua wouldn''t gamble for just a few good items.0


    It wasn''t until she saw people keeping surveince that she suddenly realized - she hade back from decades in the future, knowing how times would change, that a market economy was inevitable, and that ck markets weren''t such a big deal.0


    But that wasn''t true yet! One had to remain respectful and careful.0


    Times were different, and things were still very serious now.0


    If one was too bold, they would only hurt themselves.0


    This encounter with the double-cross and discovering factory surveince had sobered Zhao Guihua considerably.0


    It made her much more vignt.0


    So, Zhao Guihua deeply reflected on herself and became more grounded. She nned toy low for a while and be a proper olddy.0


    Of course, activities that aligned with current policies were still eptable.0


    For example, catching sparrows.0


    These were considered one of the Four Pests, after all.0


    Now, on this rare weekend, Zhuang Zhixi went to work overtime at his unit - yes, the propaganda department was incredibly busy. And his promise to take his niece and nephew sparrow hunting turned out to be as empty as air.0


    He had promised so earnestly, but never followed through!0


    In the end, it still fell to old Zhao Guihua. She had prepared early, buying a - though you could borrow one, it wasn''t good to keep borrowing day after day, so she bought her own. She took the two kids to find an open space.0


    Ming Mei came along to watch the fun.0


    As for Liang Meifen, she had gone back to her parents'' home again, as her younger brother was getting engaged, and she needed to help out.0


    Zhao Guihua thought that Liang Meifen wasn''t going back to help, but probably to cause trouble. She remembered that many yearster, Liang Meifen and this sister-inw would be like fire and water, their rtionship extremely poor. Her rtionship with this sister-inw was even worse than with Ming Mei, her current sister-inw.0


    It was clear they couldn''t stand each other.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care about their affairs. After all, even if Liang Meifen''s family hoped they could help with the bride price, it would be impossible even if they went to see the King of Hell himself. Liang Meifen herself seemed to be avoiding the heat and didn''t dare to bring it up this time.0


    So, in her previous life, she had been too kind, which made Liang Meifen think she could ask and possibly seed.0


    But look at this life - this time Liang Meifen didn''t dare to ask.0


    Liang Meifen''s mother hadn''t even dared toe asking for help.0


    Sometimes fighting isn''t good, but sometimes it really can intimidate those who aren''t thinking clearly.0


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei each carried one child, and Ming Mei asked curiously, "Why aren''t we catching sparrows in the courtyard? I sometimes see sparrows flying there too."0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "With so many children in the courtyard, if you catch any, could you keep them to yourself?"0


    Ming Mei: "...No, we couldn''t."0


    Zhao Guihua: "There are more sparrows in the suburbs than in the courtyard, and no one''s eyeing them greedily. Isn''t it better toe to the outskirts? Besides, it''s good for the children to get out and about."0


    Ming Mei nodded.0


    Of course, they didn''t go to their usual spot by the pond in the wastnd - that was too far. Although they were technically in the suburbs, if you looked carefully, it wasn''t really that far out.0


    Zhao Guihua found a small grove and began setting up.0


    Ming Mei had never done this before and was watching for the first time. She couldn''t help much, but the mechanism was very simple. Even children could understand it at a nce - there was nothing difficult about it.0


    Ming Mei huddled together with the two children on the side.0


    Zhao Guihua set up the trap and sprinkled ayer of grass seeds, saying, "Sparrows love these."0


    After everything was set up, they immediately crouched down nearby. Hutou chirped excitedly, "Grandma, do you think the sparrows wille?"0


    Xiao Yanzi also called out, "Roasted sparrows, roasted sparrows!"0


    She patted her little backpack - it was new! Shaped like a white rabbit, made by her grandmother!0


    In the little pocket, she had salt and soy sauce. The little girl contentedly patted her backpack and said, "Roasted sparrows!"0


    After speaking, she couldn''t help but swallow.0


    Meat was just so delicious!0


    The little girl tugged at Ming Mei''s clothes. Ming Mei asked, "What is it?"0


    Xiao Yanzi: "Auntie, have you ever eaten sparrow?"0


    Ming Mei shook her head and said, "No, no one took me sparrow hunting when I was little."0


    Hearing this, Xiao Yanzi proudly lifted her head and chest, saying, "Someone takes me hunting!"0


    She was so proud to have someone take her along, hehe!0


    Ming Mei put her finger to her lips and quietly shushed, saying, "Don''t talk too loud, or you''ll scare the sparrows away."0


    Xiao Yanzi quickly nodded and covered her little mouth.0


    Zhao Guihua looked back.0


    Ming Mei smiled and raised her eyebrows at Zhao Guihua, who turned back around speechlessly - youth was wonderful, being a bit childish wasn''t bad at all.0


    She had scattered the grass seeds very evenly, and before long, they saw a flock of sparrows fly over. Like little fools, they dove straight for the delicious grass seeds, feasting away,pletely unaware that this was a big trap!0


    If it could catch rabbits, what were sparrows?0


    Just one of the Four Pests!0


    Zhao Guihua pulled the rope, and the prepared "heaven and earth" dropped down with a snap, instantly trapping a group of sparrows. The startled sparrows chirped and fluttered chaotically in the, but Zhao Guihua quickly rushed over, saying, "Where''s the bag?"0


    Xiao Yanzi quickly pulled out a mesh bag from her rabbit backpack, and Zhao Guihua caught the sparrows one by one, putting them in the bag and handing it to Ming Mei: "Hold this, I''ll try for another batch..."0


    Ming Mei: "Alright!"0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi pped and jumped around excitedly: "We caught them! We caught the sparrows!"0


    "Let''s roast the sparrows! Roast the sparrows!"0


    The two children were so excited that they started drooling...0


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait a bit, no hurry. Let''s catch some more."0


    "Okay!"0


    The children responded in their crisp voices.0


    Ming Mei was also very excited; this was her first time seeing sparrow catching. It looked so simple! She had never yed this as a child! Of course, ying wasn''t the important part - what mattered was that this was meat. It looked delicious!0


    Zhao Guihua scattered the bait again, and in no time at all, they had caught thirty to forty sparrows.0


    Sparrows were really abundant these days.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s roast them."0


    "Yippee!"0


    "This is awesome!"0


    Zhao Guihua instructed the two children to gather firewood while Ming Mei started the fire, and she herself began plucking the sparrows. The plucking task was clearly beyond the capabilities of the other three. Fortunately, everyonepleted their assigned tasks perfectly, and through their joint efforts, they quickly had the sparrows skewered.0


    Zhao Guihua sprinkled salt on the sparrows and instructed Ming Mei: "Watch the fire carefully. I''ll go catch some more."0


    Though Zhao Guihua had a sharp tongue, she had a heart of gold. Even while out, she was thinking of the family at home - they couldn''t just eat sparrows themselves without letting the folks at home have a taste.0


    The sparrows were small and roasted quickly, releasing a delicious meaty aroma.0


    Ming Mei''s stomach growled audibly, while Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were practically waterfalling - with drool, that is.0


    Ming Mei: "Mom, here!"0


    Ming Mei was the first to hand a skewer of roasted sparrows to Zhao Guihua, who epted it without hesitation, took a bite, and immediately made an appreciative sound, nodding in approval: "Delicious!"0


    These roasted sparrows tasted simr to roasted chicken - delicious!0


    "Auntie~" came the sweet childish voice.0


    Ming Mei: "Here you go!"0


    She handed one to Xiao Yanzi and another to Hutou.0


    The two little ones were about to stuff them straight into their mouths when Zhao Guihua quickly warned: "Careful, they''re hot!"0


    "Okay~"0


    Ming Mei put four more skewers over the fire before starting to eat her own. This was her first time eating roasted sparrows, and she felt strange about it, but she definitely wanted to try them. She took a bite and her eyes immediately lit up as she nodded in approval.0


    They were truly fragrant.0


    Each skewer had five small sparrows, and while it didn''t look like much, it was enough to keep them nibbling for a while. Ming Mei: "This is my first time eating these, I didn''t expect them to be so fragrant."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Even a fly''s leg is meat if it''s small enough, and how could meat not be tasty?"0


    Ming Mei nodded in strong agreement. Indeed, it was true.0


    Was there such a thing as meat that wasn''t delicious in this world?0


    Certainly not.0


    Hutou was happily gnawing away, his eyes fixed on the fire pit, and asked: "Auntie, can I have another skewerter?"0


    Ming Mei: "Of course, we''ll eat all the ones we''re roasting here."0


    Hutou''s eyes disappeared into his smile as he said softly: "That''s great, but, but, but, aren''t we saving any for Grandpa and the others?"0


    Though he was a glutton, this child wasn''t selfish - he was quite thoughtful.0


    Ming Mei: "We will! Isn''t your grandmother catching more? We''ll roast those when we get back home. If we took these pre-roasted ones back, they wouldn''t taste as good. We''ll make fresh ones for them at home."0


    Hutou let out an "Oh!" of understanding, and became extremely happy at the thought of getting to eat more.0


    Zhao Guihua looked at Ming Mei and then at the two children, all with dancing eyes, and she had to sigh - these days, being able to eat some meat was truly what made people happiest.0


    People''s desires were all about food and drink. Unlike decadester, when food would be plentiful and people would earn more but wouldn''t be as happy.0


    Though life was hard now, it was also simpler to find joy.0


    "I''ll catch more, and we can make sparrow stew with potatoes tonight," Zhao Guihua announced with great ambition. Since happiness was so simple to achieve, of course they should catch as many as possible!0


    "Yay, yay!"0


    "Potato stew, potato stew!"0


    "Slurp~"0


    The two children were excellent cheerleaders.0


    Zhao Guihua smiled and felt her fighting spirit rise.0


    She might not dare to engage in trading and dealing, but surely she could catch some wild game?0


    If she couldn''t even do this much, she''d be letting down all reborn people - even though she was an olddy, she could do it! Absolutely could!0


    Zhao Guihua: "Little sparrow chicks! Meeting me, Zhao Guihua, today is your doom!"0


    She shouted.0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    Mother-inw was so excited.0


    Was catching sparrows really that thrilling?0


    Ming Mei scratched her head, marveling at how extraordinary her mother-inw truly was!0


    "Auntie, turn them over, turn them over," Hutou''s sharp eyes noticed they needed rotating.0


    Ming Mei: "Right away."0


    Near the river, there were several people fishing who spotted them catching and roasting sparrows in the small grove. They became interested, particrly one elderly man who kept looking back several times until he made himself hungry.0


    After some hesitation, the old man picked up a fish and walked over to Zhao Guihua: "Young sister."0


    Zhao Guihua looked up: "Yes?"0


    The old man smiled and said: "I was just fishing over there, and I saw you catching sparrows. I was wondering if I could trade this fish for a skewer of roasted sparrows to try?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure!"0


    She was a spirited olddy and didn''t think twice about it, saying: "Alright, they''re just about done roasting. You''vee at the perfect time."0


    The old man gave a meaningful smile - would he admit that he''d been watching and waiting for just the right moment?0


    He curiously examined Zhao Guihua''s small trap and said: "Sister, they say sparrows are very difficult to catch, very alert, but you make it look so easy. Do you have some secret?"0


    After asking, he felt it might be inappropriate and quickly added: "If you''d rather not say..."0


    Before he could finish, Zhao Guihua interrupted: "There''s nothing secret about it. It''s quite simple - the key is that my grass seeds are what sparrows love to eat. Look, this kind. Actually, there''s no special technique to the trap. Any child who catches sparrows knows how to make one, but they usually don''t have bait, so it''s harder to catch them. With my bait, the sparrows love the smell. They just walk right into the trap."0


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t keeping any secrets - she couldn''t catch all the sparrows by herself anyway - so she gave him some seeds, saying: "Look, this kind."0


    The old man looked at the seeds and then at the trap, and sure enough, another flock of sparrows flew in. Zhao Guihua quickly pulled the rope, catching another group!0


    The old man nodded: "It really works."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course it does, though these grass seeds are rare in the city - you''ll have to go to the outskirts to find them."0


    The old man thanked her and left contentedly with a handful of grass seeds and a skewer of roasted sparrows.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t immediately resume catching sparrows, but instead quickly cleaned the fish and started roasting it, saying: "Roasted fish is delicious too, you can try it in a bit."0


    "Okay~"0


    The children were overjoyed.0


    Perhaps because others saw the old man sessfully trade for roasted sparrows, soon more people came to make trades. It was hard to say who got the better deal - everyone just wanted to try something different... By the time they headed home, they had not only caught sparrows but also acquired five or six fish.0


    Although these fish were notably smaller than those from the mountain pond, no one wasining.0


    On the way home, Zhao Guihua felt very heavy-hearted.0


    When she went fishing, she never seeded once!0


    Yet when she wasn''t trying to fish, she somehow ended up with fish anyway - it was truly frustrating!0


    How depressing!0


    Could her fishing skills really be that poor?0


    She said: "Ming Mei, after we drop these two off at home, I''m nning to go up the mountain. Want toe with me?"0


    She needed to prove herself again.0


    Ming Mei immediately got excited: "I''ll go!"0


    Of course she wanted to go, she loved it!0


    Ming Mei: "We can also gather more grass seeds while we''re there, so we can catch more sparrowster."0


    Hutou: "Yay!"0


    Xiao Yanzi, either copying her brother or expressing her own feelings, also chimed in: "Yay!"0


    Ming Meiughed and said, "This time, auntie will bring back more for you, so you can catch sparrows by yourselves in the future."0


    Hutou sat on the back of the bicycle, nodding vigorously.0


    The trap wasn''t difficult; a little boy like him could understand and operate it at first nce. In fact, he was the one in charge of catching themter. However, while catching wasn''t hard, the tricky part was having bait - auntie was going to get them some grass seeds.0


    Hutou felt he could fight alongside his sister for five hundred years!0


    The child happily said, "Thank you, auntie!"0


    Ming Mei replied, "Just don''t forget about me when you''re roasting sparrows."0


    Hutou nodded enthusiastically, "Hutou will never forget auntie. Auntie is the best!"0


    Ming Mei teased, "Better than your mom and dad?"0


    Hutou hesitated, he... he... he was stuck.0


    After thinking for a long while, the child fidgeted with his fingers and said shyly, "Well... maybe just a tiny bit less."0


    Ming Mei burst outughing, "You little rascal!"0


    Hutou quickly added, "Auntie is just a tiny, tiny bit behind them."0


    Ming Mei: "Go on! Like I need your ranking! You little troublemaker!"0


    Little Hutou scratched his head, his cheeks turning rosy as he smiled.0


    "Auntie and uncle are equally important."0


    "Then who''s more important, auntie or uncle? You must choose one..."0n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Hutou: "Ah..."0


    At such a young age, he had to face such difficult questions. Why were auntie''s questions always so terrifying?0


    Xiao Yanzi hugged her grandmother tightly, feeling relieved that she was sitting on grandmother''s bicycle. If she had been on auntie''s bicycle, she would have been the one being questioned.0


    How scary!0


    Xiao Yanzi covered her eyes, not daring to watch her brother''s predicament.0


    Auntie was so fierce and scary!0


    But then again?0


    Though the little one pretended not to look, she still peeked through her fingers, secretly enjoying the scene.0


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t stand it anymore. Seeing her grandson scratching his head anxiously, she said, "Stop teasing the child."0


    Ming Mei justified herself righteously: "How am I teasing? I''m helping him learn early that life is full of choices."0


    She seemed quite philosophical, but Zhao Guihua wasn''t buying it. This naughty girl was just stirring up trouble.0


    "Oh,e on, I know you too well!"0


    Ming Mei burst outughing. As they were about to reach home, Zhao Guihua suddenly called out, "Auntie Lian!"0


    Auntie Lian, who was hurrying along her way, looked up when she heard the call: "Oh? It''s you!"0


    She stopped and looked curiously at Ming Mei, then said, "You''re..."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I went sparrow catching. What about you?"0


    She looked at Ming Mei and said, "You go home first, I need to talk for a bit."0


    She put Xiao Yanzi on Ming Mei''s bicycle, now with one child in front and one behind. Ming Mei smiled, "Now you''re both in my clutches..."0


    Xiao Yanzi: "Xiao Yanzi will be good!"0


    She sweetly said, "I''m very well-behaved, I love auntie the most, auntie is the prettiest!"0


    Triple ttery!0


    Hutou: "..."0


    He never knew his sister could be like this!0


    Xiao Yanzi: "Auntie is the best person in the whole world!"0


    Ming Meiughed out loud, saying, "You''re quite the opportunist!"0


    Xiao Yanzi didn''t quite understand what "opportunist" meant, but she nodded obediently anyway, saying, "I''m very good."0


    Ming Mei smiled: "Alright, I''ll reward you with a piece of candy."0


    Hutou: "Ah! Just like that, there''s candy?"0


    Could the difference in treatment be this big?0


    He quickly said, "Auntie, I like you too, you''re the best, the very best."0


    In the face of candy, principles were worthless.0


    Ming Mei: "That''s more like it!"0


    She coquettishly asked, "Am I good?"0


    Hutou: "The BEST!!!"0


    Extra loud.0


    Ming Mei: "Then you get a piece of candy too..."0


    Zhao Guihua frowned: "Stop teasing the children and get going."0


    Ming Mei: "Oh."0


    She''d been shooed away.0


    Ming Mei stopped being nosy and rode away with the two children, disappearing in a sh.0


    Auntie Lian watched Ming Mei''s cycling speed with aplicated expression: "That must be your daughter-inw? Her cycling speed..."0


    She chose her words carefully and said, "She''s as fast as a car."0


    Zhao Guihua darkened: "She''s just showing off!" Not paying any attention to safety, how could this be okay! Did she think she was flying a ne?0


    But quickly, she came back to her senses and said, "It''s good I ran into you here, I was nning to find you anyway."0


    Auntie Lian: "What is it?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Those two olddies you brought the other day, where were they from?"0


    Auntie Lian was startled, then spoke earnestly: "In my line of work, confidentiality is crucial. If I had a loose mouth like an stic waistband, who woulde to me in the future? I can''t tell you about this. When others ask you, I won''t tell them either. When you ask about others, I won''t tell you. That''s my principle of doing business."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Fine, I respect your principles, I won''t ask more. But the problem is, they''re nning to rob people!"0


    "What!"0


    Auntie Lian was shocked.0


    Zhao Guihua: "They followed and chased after me. Fortunately, I ran fast and managed to hide. They brought four or five young men with them, I''m not sure exactly how many, but around four or five. They chased me trying to steal my goods. Auntie Lian, I know you''re an honorable businesswoman, but don''t let people take advantage of you. I just wanted to exchange some fabric to make clothes for my family. We''re not rich people; if we were, we''d buy directly from the department store. It''s because we''re not well-off that we''re looking for fabric remnants. But what if we encounter people like this? What if I got robbed? I was lucky this time, and I don''t n to go again. But you''re in this business. If they can rob me today, they can rob others tomorrow. I wasn''t robbed, so it''s fine, I just won''t go again. But if someone really gets robbed, I''m sure they''lle looking for you. Anyway, I''m telling you this as a warning, be careful."0


    Auntie Lian listened attentively, then narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Thank you for warning me about this."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m not finished yet."0


    Auntie Lian: "There''s more?"0


    Her voice rose slightly, not directed at Zhao Guihua, but worried there might be more bad news. She had taken Zhao Guihua''s words seriously and found them reasonable. If someone really got robbed, they would definitelye to her, since she was the one who brought people there.0


    Auntie Lian didn''t doubt Zhao Guihua''s words at all, because Zhao Guihua had no reason to lie about this.0


    She said: "Go on!"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I hid and avoided those people, but when I was heading back along the same route, I saw another group of people going in. I decided to hide again, and then I saw two men keeping watch at the factory entrance."0


    Auntie Lian was startled, then asked: "Were they with the same group? The ones nning to rob?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t think so, because these people had paper and pens, taking notes about something."0


    It wasn''t that Zhao Guihua was being particrly kind-hearted in telling all this to Auntie Lian.0


    Rather, since she had gotten her connection through Auntie Lian, doing her this favor would benefit herself as well. If Auntie Lian wasn''t caught in the act, there shouldn''t be major problems. If she wasn''t arrested, she wouldn''t need to implicate others.0


    Although she hadn''t heard of Auntie Lian implicating anyone in her previous life, many things showed that this life was different from thest one, and what happened in the previous life wouldn''t necessarily happen the same way in this one.0


    Moreover, even if things were the same, there might be other circumstances involved, so Zhao Guihua didn''t rely entirely on her memories.0


    "We don''t know what''s going on, but sister, you should be careful, so you don''t fall into a trap."0


    Auntie Lian was truly shocked, even more than by the news of the robbery, because ording to usual practice, they would never arrange for two groups to collect goods in one night. Too many people would make it easy to get discovered, but clearly, Zhao Guihua said there was a second group going in.0


    Additionally, since there were some good materials inside, her heart began to feel uneasy.0


    This wouldn''t do, something was bound to go wrong.0


    At this moment, she felt particrly grateful to Zhao Guihua. If it weren''t for Zhao Guihua telling her, she would never have discovered these things. She shuddered at the thought of peopleing after her or being caught in the act - it was truly chilling!0


    Auntie Lian gave Zhao Guihua a deep, earnest look: "Sister, thank you."0


    Zhao Guihua replied: "Oh, times are tough for everyone. We should help each other out."0


    Auntie Lian nodded: "That''s true, but I really must thank you!"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright then, I''m leaving."0


    Auntie Lian: "If you need anything in the future,e find me. I can read birth charts, I''ll take a look at yours sometime."0


    Zhao Guihua grimaced: "That won''t be necessary!"0


    Her birth chart was already strong enough - how else could she live to be over a hundred?0


    She knew this without being told.0


    After Zhao Guihua left, Auntie Lian touched her back, realizing she was drenched in cold sweat. She felt incredibly fortunate to have met Zhao Guihua outside - it was as if heaven itself was helping her.0


    If she hadn''t met Zhao Guihua, she would still be in the dark.0


    As a middleman, she would have certainly faced nothing but trouble.0


    But now... she turned around and started heading back.0


    She had originally nned to visit Old Wang to ask about the recent fabric situation - the quality was too good, and that made her nervous.0


    But before she could get there, this happened.0


    She decisively decided not to go.0


    Not only would she not go, but she nned to cancel all recent arrangements. If someone was watching, they would surely want to catch someone red-handed. She certainly couldn''t voluntarily associate with Old Wang''s ce anymore. She needed to keep her distance.0


    She definitely wouldn''t be going there anytime soon.0


    Zhao Guihua had no idea that her conversation with Auntie Lian had truly changed thetter''s fate. Although rumors in themunity painted Auntie Lian as an unscrupulous person who didn''t mind free meals, silver bracelets, and operating sewing machines.0


    But in reality, who actually wants to go to prison?0


    Nobody does.0


    Auntie Lian was no exception.0


    Feeling terrified, Auntie Lian immediately started walking back. Just as she reached the alley entrance, she saw a familiar face. Remembering Zhao Guihua''s words, sheughed coldly inside but maintained a friendly exterior: "Sister, what brings you here?"0


    It was Grandma Xu.0


    She was one of the two women Zhao Guihua had mentioned.0


    Auntie Lian acted as if nothing was wrong and asked about her business.0


    Grandma Xu pulled Auntie Lian aside and said: "Are you still taking people over tonight? Count me and my sister in. We''d like to buy some too."0


    They had noticed that the fabric was genuinely good quality.0


    Besides, their scheme to swindle others hadn''t seeded yet, so they couldn''t stop now.0


    Auntie Lian shook her head apologetically: "That won''t be possible."0


    Grandma Xu: "Why not?"0


    Auntie Lian: "When I used to take people there, we never dealt with fabric sales, just small cloth pieces. But this time I saw quite a lot of good quality fabric, and I don''t know what''s going on. I think we shouldn''t take advantage of public property. Isn''t this like stealing from socialism? So I''ve decided not to go for a while, at least until they sort out what''s happening."0


    Grandma Xu looked at Auntie Lian in disbelief, thinking she must be crazy to pass up such a good opportunity.0


    What kind of logic was this?0


    She became anxious and quickly said: "I don''t think you should look at it that way. When we have such a good opportunity, we should seize it! How can you back out now? You..."0


    Auntie Lian waved her hand: "No, no, I really don''t dare. I definitely won''t organize any more trips!"0


    Grandma Xu: "You!"0


    How could there be such a fool in this world!0


    Auntie Lian: "Don''t worry about it, but rest assured, once this matter is cleared up, you cane with me again, and we''ll collect fabric scraps together. Actually, buying small pieces and strips of fabric is good enough."0


    Grandma Xu: "Bah, who wants to buy scraps? If there''s no profit in it, why would I bother going?"0


    Seeing how cowardly Auntie Lian was being, she cursed: "Useless waste! If you won''t go, I''ll take people there myself! I don''t believe we need you for this!"0


    Auntie Lian: "...You, you, you, what kind of person are you?"0


    "Bah! Waste!"0


    Grandma Xu turned away, stomping off heavily, while Auntie Lian watched her departure with a cold expression. Zhao Guihua had been right - this person had no good intentions, and she was grateful to have found out early.0


    Otherwise, this person might have caused her serious trouble, and would probably have turned against her too.0


    If she could swindle others, dealing with her wouldn''t be difficult either.0


    She felt both frightened and relieved!0


    Auntie Lian quickly began nning her next moves, as this matter clearly wasn''t over...0


    Meanwhile, leaving Auntie Lian''s situation aside, Zhao Guihua felt much lighter after warning her. She wasn''t exactly a good Samaritan, but Auntie Lian was making a living on her own, which wasn''t easy.0


    She hadn''t done anything truly wrong, just dealing in goods, so Zhao Guihua was willing to warn her about small dangers.0


    Besides, they had connections anyway.0


    Zhao Guihua felt much more at ease as she cycled home. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she noticed the envious res from Madam Zhou Li and Aunt Su. Their jealousy was so intense it seemed to spark in the air - clearly, they had seen the sparrows and fish.0


    These things obviously weren''t bought with money.0


    Moreover, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had already told their ymates that they were going to catch sparrows in the suburbs today.0


    Once the children started talking, how could the adults not know?0


    Initially, no one had taken it seriously, but they hadn''t expected such a sessful harvest.0


    And quite a substantial one at that.0


    This naturally sparked jealousy.0


    Especially from Aunt Su and Madam Zhou Li in the front courtyard.0


    The Bai father and son had seen it too, but they were fine with it. After all, both of them earned wages.0


    Besides, Bai Fendou had recently made some extra money, so they weren''t short on cash.0


    They could even afford to buy meat.0


    So sparrows weren''t a big deal to them.0


    But for Aunt Su and Madam Zhou Li, this was a significant matter.0


    Madam Zhou Li had money, but having lived through hard times, she was used to it and wouldn''t spend money on herself. When buying meat, she''d get just two ounces, all for her son Zhou Qun - she and her daughter-inw Jiang Lu wouldn''t eat a bite.0


    It was the same with fried eggs.0


    In short, all the good things in the house went to Zhou Qun''s stomach.0


    Madam Zhou Li watched Zhao Guihua with intense jealousy, hatred burning inside her.0


    Aunt Su beside her was even worse - her family truly struggled, with only her daughter-inw working and three growing boys to feed. Sparrows were meat, the finest of delicacies. Her eyes were glued to them, unable to look away.0


    Seeing Zhao Guihua, Aunt Su quickly put on a smile and said: "Old Zhao, you''re back! You had quite a good catch today! I see you got quite a lot - where did you catch them? These sparrows must be easy to catch."0


    How could Zhao Guihua not see through her intentions?0


    This Aunt Su was quite crafty.0


    Whenever she opened her mouth, she either wanted something or wanted to learn how to get it first for herself.0


    Zhao Guihua replied: "Don''t you know whether sparrows are easy to catch or not? It''s not that they''re easy to catch, it''s that I''m skilled! Aunt Su, let me tell you, you can''t just stay at home all the time like an unmarried girl. If I can take children to catch sparrows in the suburbs, why can''t you? You can''t just think about your ownfort without considering your family, especially the children. The children are growing and need meat. As a grandmother, you should do more for the family, not rely entirely on your daughter-inw - she has to work too. Wang Xiangxiu has it hard enough, working during the week, doingundry and cleaning on weekends, and gathering vegetables. Look at you, acting like you''re still in postpartum confinement. This won''t do! Look at my family - we can''t afford meat, so we find other ways. Tonight, we''ll have sparrows stewed with potatoes. It''s an excellent dish. The children can eat some meat and get some nutrition. It doesn''t cost anything, just takes some effort, so why can''t you do it? You can''t just sit at the entrance watching others."0


    With these words, she cut off any chance of Aunt Su ying the sympathy card.0


    Block your path, leaving you nowhere to go!0


    Always ying the victim, it was truly annoying.0


    Zhao Guihua''s speech left Aunt Su speechless.0


    Indeed, her usual way of asking for things was to y the victim, but once Zhao Guihua said that, she couldn''t use that tactic anymore, which left her feeling quite stuck.0


    Besides, what did she mean by calling her an unmarried girl... and then suddenly switching to talking about postpartum confinement?0


    If you don''t know how to speak properly, just keep that dog mouth shut.0


    What absolute garbageing out of her mouth!0


    While she was left speechless, Madam Zhou Li felt quite pleased with herself.0


    That''s just how Madam Zhou Li was, a genuine troublemaker who couldn''t stand seeing anyone happy. She took pleasure in anyone''s misfortune in the courtyard.0


    She was the type who hated seeing others seed and loved seeing them fail.0


    Moreover, since Aunt Su was a widow just like her, theparison made her hate Aunt Su even more.0


    She hated Zhao Guihua for having aplete family.0


    She hated Wang''s wife for having both a husband and a "career."0


    In short, she couldn''t stand anyone!0


    She delighted in others'' misfortunes.0


    So naturally, she was thrilled to see Aunt Su being put in her ce.0


    "Oh my, Zhao Guihua has a point," she said with exaggerated concern. "Look at you, living in such difficulty but not making any effort to improve. That won''t do! Oh dear, it must be your bad luck. Look at my son and daughter-inw, they''re so filial, I never have to worry about such things. Hahaha..."0


    She burst outughing while Aunt Su bit her lip, cursing internally while maintaining a pitiful expression on the outside.0


    Old Man Bai immediately emerged as her knight in shining armor: "What kind of talk is this? Sister Su isn''t well physically. If she were healthier, why would she stay at home? Besides, she does plenty of work at home."0


    He continued, "Sister Su, just wait. This afternoon I''ll go to the outskirts to catch some sparrows for you. They''re just sparrows after all! I''ll make sure the children have something to eat tonight."0


    Aunt Su immediately put on a gentle, vulnerable smile.0


    "Brother Bai, thank you!"0


    Old Man Bai replied, "It''s what I should do! We''re all neighbors in the same courtyard, as close as family. This is what we should do for each other. I''m not like some people who are cold-hearted and selfish."0


    Zhao Guihua let out a coldugh and turned to go home,pletely ignoring the old bootlicker.0


    But Madam Zhou Li wasn''t so polite, immediately shouting, "Who the hell are you cursing at? You shameless old pest!"0


    "You, you, you... you shrew, talking nonsense and stirring up trouble!"0


    "Pah, you..."0


    And so they started arguing, once again, yet again.0


    Zhao Guihuamented softly, "They''re just like bickering lovers!"0


    If this were a Taiwanese drama, they''d definitely end up together.0


    But reality isn''t like television, after all.0


    Zhao Guihua shook her head and went inside.0


    As for Aunt Su, her heart skipped a beat when she heard this. Worried that they might actually develop feelings for each other through all this arguing, she quickly stepped forward: "Please don''t fight..."0


    The three of them, with theirbined age of well over a hundred years, got tangled up in the dispute.0


    Ming Mei watched from home, clicking her tongue as she came out to wash some chives and enjoy the show.0


    It was at this moment that Zhou Qun suddenly appeared, carrying a bunch of grapes to the water basin. He stood across from Ming Mei, washing them leisurely ¨C not many families could afford grapes these days. His family was well-off. He was secretly showing off, feeling smug while maintaining a facade of nonchnce. Looking at Ming Mei''s fair face, he took the initiative to ask, "Need any help?"0


    Ming Mei: "???"0


    Damn, she felt like hitting someone!0

 Chapter 64

    <h1>Chapter 64</h1>


    Zhou Qun may appear upright on the surface, but his character is far inferior to Bai Fendou.0


    At the very least, Bai Fendou wouldn''t stoop to the level of stealing someone else''s partner.0


    Of course, Bai Fendou''s greed for others'' money isn''tmendable either. However, it''s not entirely his fault; the Li family also didn''t want to take any risks, which is why they were willing to let Bai Fendou act as a go-between.0


    So, it was the Li family that gave Bai Fendou the opportunity to act.0


    And honestly, why should they take on that risk for your family?0


    So, some things are just hard to say, a messy tangle.0


    On another note, let''s talk about Zhou Qun. Zhou Qun is a true scoundrel, no matter how much he pretends to be a good person on the surface, his intentions are always crooked. Like now, he has set his sights on Ming Mei and is here to unt his "worth."0


    In fact, the people in the courtyard don''t know that Zhou Qun has more than just Wang Xiangxiu as his lover.0


    Outside, he has others as well, but why hasn''t Zhou Qun been exposed yet? This shows that he is a cautious and shrewd man. Although he has some messy romantic affairs outside, he never lets Jiang Lu catch even a hint.0


    After all, Jiang Lu is quite useful, and finding another wife with such conditions would be difficult.0


    So in this regard, Zhou Qun handles things quite well. He has affairs outside, but he never gets involved with troublesome women. Those youngdies may be fresh and beautiful, but once entangled, they are hard to shake off.0


    He mostly targets young married women or widows, especially those with poor family backgrounds, where the men are weak and the mothers-inw are vicious. It''s easy to win them over with a few kind words and some money, making them devoted to him.0


    In fact, Zhou Qun has a very secretive secret. The reason his electrician skills improved so quickly is not just because of his exceptional skills.0


    But because he knows how to make use of others.0


    He seduced his master''s wife early on. Age doesn''t matter; he can endure. With enough persistence, there''s no wall that can''t be undermined. With the master''s wife whispering in his ear, his master truly went all out to teach him. It''s said that teaching a disciple everything can leave the master without a job. In their factory, old employees usually teach new ones quickly on simple things that don''t affect work, but more detailed skills are taught slowly. That''s why the number of senior workers in the factory is always the smallest. There are some genuine masters, but there are also many with ulterior motives.0


    Everyone is just an ordinary person.0


    Zhou Qun knows that his master took him as an apprentice because of an affair his mother had with the master when she worked in the factory. That''s why he took over his mother''s position and ended up under this master''s tutge.0


    Zhou Qun knows all this, but he pretends not to.0


    Why expose something beneficial? And he''s seen from a young age how his mother used such rtionships to gain advantages. He''s learned it all. In fact, using rtionships between men and women can be very useful. His mother was not very clever and only saw immediate benefits, so she didn''t use it well.0


    He''s not like that. Although this master''s wife is two or three decades older than him, Zhou Qun can still make the move. If he can be ruthless to himself, he can gain more. Indeed, persistence pays off, and after half a year, he won the master''s wife''s heart.0


    That old woman was so stupid that she actually believed he, a young man, truly loved her. Such a fool deserves to be used.0


    With this woman whispering in his ear, he quickly gained his master''s favor. He learned faster than others, and among his peers, like Aunt Chen''s son, who was honest and hardworking, he remained a small worker in the workshop, unable to get promoted.0


    Look at him, his level rising steadily, and when his master retired, he directly ditched that woman. Such a shameful affair, she didn''t dare to make a fuss. A middle-aged woman and a young man together. If it really came out, she would only be the one to suffer.0


    And no one would believe it anyway.0


    So that woman could only swallow the loss.0


    Of course, Zhou Qun didn''t just use this one woman. For example, the wife of Master Zou, who was in charge of evaluations...0


    He knows better than anyone how useful a whisper in the ear can be.0


    He always targets women two or three decades older than him, so even if they are together, no one would suspect.0


    That''s why he lives better than his peers now. If not for his skills in dealing with women in his early years, he wouldn''t have been able to catch Jiang Lu. Her parents didn''t initially approve of him, but he still managed to win her over.0


    Jiang Lu was desperate at home, and that''s how he got what he wanted.0


    Is it hard? Not at all.0


    Now that he''s older, he doesn''t need to rely on women to climb anymore, and things are harder than before.0


    He just wants to rx a bit now, and in such times, he needs young married women.0


    Zhou Qun looked up at Ming Mei. Ming Mei doesn''t quite fit his usual criteria for choosing partners. His usual criteria are women who are poor and oppressed, who can truly fall in love with him. Ming Mei is not like that, but he doesn''t believe he can''t conquer her with his charm.0


    Moreover, another reason he chose Ming Mei is to seek revenge. He is not someone who lets others bully him; if someone wrongs him, he will retaliate. And Ming Mei will have to bear the brunt of his revenge.0


    Not the Zhuang family.0


    But Old Man Lan.0


    If not for Old Man Lan, how could his mother have been locked up in security for three days? If not for Old Man Lan, how could his mother have lost face in front of security, making him lose face too? If not for Old Man Lan, how could he have had to entertain guests and then encountered Jin Lai stealing, leading to more incidents?0


    Everything, Old Man Lan is the root cause.0


    Old Man Lan is a key figure in the factory, a technical expert, so he doesn''t dare to directly retaliate. If he did, the factory would investigate and not let it go. But parental debt is paid by the child! The wrongs of the grandfather should be borne by the granddaughter.0


    He wants to take some interest from Ming Mei to relieve his hatred.0


    He looked at Ming Mei again, she really is beautiful.0


    Ming Mei, having been stared at by this disgusting and lecherous man several times, clenched her fists, feeling she was about to lose control and hit him.0


    Really, not punching this disgusting and lewd dog would be a disservice to her own conscience.0


    Zhou Qun: "Do you need my help?"0


    Ming Mei held back again and again, looked up, and said stiffly: "No, thank you."0


    Zhou Qun frowned slightly, very dissatisfied with her attitude. He considered himself handsome and elegant. How could this person treat him like this?0


    What an ungrateful person.0


    Zhou Qun was displeased, but then he thought that he must have be rich over the years, no longer as patient as he used to be. In the past, when he was scheming against his master''s wife and others, he was very patient.0


    He adjusted his mindset, knowing he couldn''t treat Ming Mei like Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu''s life was hard, and she needed money to support her family, so it was easy to get her into the trap. But Ming Mei is different. However, he also has ways to deal with girls from well-off families.0


    For those from poor backgrounds, you have to throw money around to show your wealth.0


    For thosecking love, you have to show concern and empathy to make them feel warmth and care.0


    For those from well-off families, like his wife Jiang Lu, it''s moreplicated but not difficult. Besides showing concern, you also need to asionally y hard to get. Tighten and loosen the reins, slowly advancing, simmering with a low me.0


    The initial stage is just three words: be good to her.0


    Only by being good to her can you make her heart flutter. After attracting her attention, then you can be appropriately indifferent. Repeat this a few times, along with other moves like rescuing her in danger or providing help in times of need, and you will be unstoppable.0


    He coughed and said, "Although the weather is warm, women should still avoid using cold water, it''s not good for their health."0


    Ming Mei heard this and couldn''t help butugh out loud.0


    Honestly, such a small trick, Ming Mei really didn''t take it seriously.0


    Ming Mei had long known that Zhou Qun harbored ill intentions, and even if she hadn''t, she wouldn''t have had a favorable impression of him at this point. Zhou Qun only knew that his tactics with women were usually effective, but he didn''t realize that some people werepletely immune to such approaches.0


    Ming Mei was precisely that type.0


    Although she was young, she wasn''t born from a rock. Her mother, Lan Ling, was no pushover, which stemmed from her upbringing. Ming Mei''s grandparents, Old Man Lan and his wife, were not the type to live frugally when they were young. Spending money freely was their principle.0


    They believed in "spending all the money before you die," so they lived extravagantly, often going fromvish feasts in the first half of the month to borrowing from neighbors in the second half.0


    Living a hard life?0


    That was out of the question.0


    They raised their children, including Lan Ling and Ming Mei''s uncle, to be more worldly than the average well-to-do family''s children. After all, most well-to-do families would restrict their daughters from leaving the house.0


    The Lan family wasn''t wealthy, but Lan Ling was well-traveled. As a young girl, she apanied her parents to Shanghai to watch performances, broadening her horizons. A girl with such experiences was less likely to be easily deceived.0


    Lan Ling, with her extensive knowledge, often imparted wisdom to her daughter. After all, girls faced more challenges than boys, and being shrewd was never a bad thing. Ming Mei, though not as sharp as her mother, was attentive and learned.0


    Moreover, Ming Mei had a habit of dreaming. Although her dreams had lessened with age, the content of her dreams gave her a keen insight into people''s true natures.0


    So when Zhou Qun opened his mouth, Ming Mei knew his tricks.0


    He was just pretending to be a good guy.0


    She smirked, thinking: This guy really thinks I''m an easy mark.0


    Ming Meiughed but didn''t respond. Zhou Qun assumed she had taken his words to heart and continued, "You should add some hot water or let someone else wash first. Oh, do you want some grapes?"0


    His mother was still arguing with someone, yet he was flirting with Ming Mei as if nothing was happening.0


    He smiled, "Grapes are hard toe by these days."0


    Ming Mei looked at him, surprised, and said, "Hard toe by? I think they''re quite easy to find."0


    She chuckled, "You must not buy them often. They''re avable even in winter."0


    Although winter had fewer fruit and vegetable options, grapes could still be found, thanks to greenhouses. Even without greenhouses, her father, who transported goods from the south, sometimes brought back fruits.0


    Ming Mei nced at Zhou Qun, her look conveying "you''re quite ignorant." This look infuriated him.0


    Zhou Qun, always concerned about his image, felt his face fall. He forced a smile and said, "Is that so? I didn''t know. My mother usually handles the shopping."0


    He pursed his lips and said, "I''ll be going then."0


    Though he wanted to win over this young wife, he knew better than to be too obvious in public. And he still valued his pride.0


    He had lost all his dignity at seventeen or eighteen, so the more hecked, the more he desired. Now, he craved respect. He wouldn''t stand there and humiliate himself. Ming Mei''s reaction also confirmed that girls from well-off families were indeed hard to please.0


    If not for the "financial benefits" they could bring to their husbands, they would never get married!0


    He snorted coldly in his heart, entered the house, and Ming Mei rolled her eyes, thinking: What a despicable person.0


    Lowlife!0


    Disturbed by Zhou Qun''s disgusting behavior, she no longer wanted to watch themotion. She pouted and returned home. But soon, she hesitated and stepped out again.0


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Where are you going?"0


    Ming Mei: "I''m going to see Grandpa."0


    To check how Grandpa''s preparations were going? She couldn''t wait to teach Zhou Qun a lesson. Otherwise, with that guy around, she''d be sickened to death. However, as soon as Ming Mei reached the door, she was disappointed to find her grandfather wasn''t home.0


    There was a big lock on the door.0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    She muttered, "Where did he go?"0


    Not knowing where her grandfather had gone, Ming Mei returned home. Zhao Guihua asked, "Are you stilling with us to the mountain?"0


    Ming Mei decisively said, "Yes!"0n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    She was determined to go.0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I''ll join you too."0


    With no one else at home¡ªthe eldest son on a business trip, the second son working overtime, and the eldest daughter-inw visiting her parents¡ªhe felt he could apany them. His fishing skills were still top-notch.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "There''s no one left at home."0


    "The kids are there. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi are around during the day; no one will steal anything," Old Man Zhuang chuckled.0


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "You never know."0


    Usually, it might be fine, but today they had a good catch. She couldn''t help but worry that someone might try to steal their hard-earned catch.0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "You make a good point. Let''s have the daughter-inw stay home."0


    Ming Mei widened her eyes, thinking: How dare you take my spot?0


    Ming Mei: "Dad, I''m going. You can''t do this."0


    Old Man Zhuang smiled awkwardly and said, "You can go with Zhixi next time."0


    Ming Mei: "No way, you go with Zhixi next time. I want to go with my mother-inw."0


    Next time?0


    Who knows when that will be, so she was determined to seize this chance.0


    Ming Mei was firm and unyielding.0


    Old Man Zhuang was puzzled. Usually, young wives kept their distance from their mother-inws, but his daughter-inw was different.0


    He was a kind-hearted but tongue-tied man. Seeing his daughter-inw so resolute, he couldn''t insist. He looked at Zhao Guihua helplessly, hoping she could help. Zhao Guihua, catching his plea, couldn''t help butugh and said, "Ming Mei, next time."0


    Ming Mei looked incredulous and said, "We had a deal! How can you go back on your word? You''re prioritizing looks over friendship."0


    Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang: "Pfft!"0


    What kind of phrase is that? Your Chinese isn''t that great.0


    Zhao Guihuaposed herself and said, "I''ll decide. It''s settled with your father."0


    Ming Mei: "Sob sob."0


    Old Man Zhuang wanted to gloat but was afraid his daughter-inw might really cry, so he quickly packed up. After the inws left, Ming Mei was still moping, feeling utterly wronged.0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, not understanding what happened, just knew their grandparents had gone out. Seeing their aunt''s sad expression, Xiao Yanzi hesitated and said, "Auntie, you can borrow my little rabbit bag. Don''t be sad."0


    Ming Mei: "Even a real rabbit can''t fix my sadness, let alone a fake one that can''t be eaten."0


    Xiao Yanzi''s eyes widened: "It''s not supposed to be eaten. It''s a bag."0


    Is Auntie confused?0


    Ming Mei: "Sniff."0


    She sighed, "I guess I''ll just stay home and sleep."0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi couldn''t sleep, so they went out to y after getting permission.0


    It seemed no one was around to help her when Zhixi wasn''t here.0


    A knock sounded at the door. Ming Mei asked, "Who is it?"0


    Could it be that despicable hypocrite Zhou Qun?0


    She frowned, her brow furrowing so deeply it could crush a fly.0


    "Who?"0


    "It''s me, your grandpa!" came a loud voice.0


    Ming Mei heard the knock and immediately opened the door: "Grandpa, is that you? Weren''t you supposed to be out? I just went to look for you and you weren''t there."0


    Old Man Lan: "What did you need from me?"0


    Ming Mei whispered: "Come inside and I''ll tell you."0


    He asked: "Where are your family members?"0


    Ming Mei exined briefly and quickly added: "Grandpa, let me tell you, that hypocrite, he..."0


    Old Man Lan nodded, stepped inside, but left the door wide open instead of closing it.0


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow in surprise.0


    Old Man Lan said with a meaningful smile: "When you''re talking inside and want to prevent others from hearing, the simplest way is to leave the door wide open. The table in your house is right in front of the door. If we sit here, anyoneing and going can be clearly seen, and no one will have the chance to eavesdrop. As long as we lower our voices, others won''t be able to hear what we''re saying."0


    Ming Mei: "I see."0


    "What do you mean ''I see''? I''m telling you, the best way to discuss these things is not at home, but in an open space. This is my experience from years of gossiping. If you don''t want others to hear you badmouthing someone, you have to do it this way. If you want to scheme against someone, even more so."0


    Ming Mei: "Oh."0


    Grandpa seems like the big viin in a movie.0


    "Alright, tell me what''s going on."0


    Ming Mei spoke in a very low voice, quickly exining the situation. Old Man Lan chuckled coldly and said: "What a paragon of virtue. I''ve never seen such a virtuous person."0


    Ming Mei thought to herself: Is this the level of sophistication?0


    She would call him a hypocrite directly, but her grandpa can actually say the words "paragon of virtue."0


    Old Man Lan: "I came to find you to discuss this matter. I''ve already prepared everything. Listen carefully."0


    Ming Mei: "Mm-hmm."0


    She nodded quickly, and Old Man Lan continued: "I''ve made all the preparations. Let me exin..."0


    He lowered his voice to an inaudible level, but Ming Mei, being close, could still hear everything. Her eyes widened in amazement: "Grandpa, you''re too amazing! But will this work?"0


    Old Man Lan: "Why wouldn''t it work?"0


    He said: "You always boast about your skills. If you mess this up, I''ll look down on you."0


    Ming Mei snorted and said: "I definitely won''t let you look down on me. If I can''t even pretend to be a ghost, how can I im to have good skills?"0


    Who knows what pretending to be a ghost has to do with skills.0


    It seems to have nothing to do with it.0


    Ming Mei: "What about my voice..."0


    Old Man Lan: "Don''t worry about that. I''ve got it covered. I can mimic a woman''s voice easily. Plus, when Zhuang Zhixies backter, I''ll have him cooperate with you. Just follow my steps, and you''ll definitely scare him into a state of tranquility."0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    Old Man Lan: "Don''t be merciful. I''m telling you, good people die young while viins live long. A person like him, a little scare won''t kill him. He wants to scheme against you, and he doesn''t have good intentions. I''ve thought about it carefully, and he probably wants to get back at me. After all, I just moved here and already had a conflict with his family."0


    Old Man Lan chuckled coldly and said: "Such a petty person, too cowardly to confront directly, probably thinks of these underhanded tricks."0


    Indeed, old ginger is spicier.0


    Old Man Lan Sihai''s guess was spot on, perfectly capturing the mentality of someone like Zhou Qun.0


    Ming Mei was quite surprised and said: "But, isn''t that a different matter?"0


    Lan Sihai smiled: "Maybe in his mind, it''s the same thing. Alright, let me go over the process with you again. Zhuang Zhixi, that guy, why is he working overtime at this time? It''s really holding things up."0


    Fortunately, he''s just a minor character and not very important.0


    Ming Mei: "Okay, I''ll go over it again."0


    This was the first time Ming Mei was doing something mischievous, and she was quite excited, feeling eager to try.0


    It''s not that she wanted to do something bad. She was doing it for the good of the people!0


    Hehehehe!0


    Fighting!0


    ******0


    The evening breeze was cool.0


    The weather had warmed up, and during the day, sometimes the sun was so strong that a long-sleeve shirt was enough. But at night, it was still a bit chilly, with a drop in temperature and a bit of wind, so a thick coat was needed.0


    Gurgle, gurgle gurgle!0


    Late at night, Zhou Qun really didn''t want to get up, but tonight''s meal seemed to have been poorly digested, making him feel especially ufortable. After hesitating for a while, he had no choice but to sit up and put on his shoes.0


    "Qun Ge?" Jiang Lu asked sleepily, "Why are you getting up?"0


    Zhou Qun: "My stomach is ufortable."0


    Heined: "I said the leftovermb testicles from the day before yesterday had a bad smell, but you all insisted it was just their natural vor, that it would be fine if we made a soup out of it. Now look, my stomach is in pain..."0


    They had eaten this dish the day before yesterday, but perhaps it hadn''t been handled well, as the smell was quite strong.0


    It was a very small portion, yet he had been eating it for three days, today being the third day.0


    He felt the food had gone bad, but his mother insisted that the weather wasn''t hot enough for it to spoil. So, she chopped it up and made a soup. Zhou Qun felt nauseous when he drank it, and now it was even worse, with his stomach gurgling.0


    He said: "This lousy stuff!"0


    Jiang Lu immediately got up and said: "Is your stomach really ufortable? Is it very painful? Do you need to go to the toilet or is it something else? If it''s really bad, let''s go to the hospital."0


    Jiang Lu doted on her husband greatly, and whenever he was a bit unwell, she would be on high alert. She didn''t mind her own headaches and fevers, but if it was Zhou Qun, she wished she could take the pain for him.0


    Jiang Lu was about to get up with concern.0


    Zhou Qun shook his head and held her back: "You don''t need to get up. I just have a stomachache, probably going to have diarrhea. It''s just indigestion."0


    Hearing this, Jiang Lu rxed a bit.0


    Indeed, diarrhea was better than food poisoning.0


    At this moment, she also med her mother-inw in her heart. It was all because the old woman insisted the food wouldn''t go bad. Now, her husband was suffering. She cursed the old woman in her heart, wishing she would just die and stop wasting food.0


    "It''s all our mom''s fault, insisting it wouldn''t go bad..."0


    Zhou Qun patted his wife''s shoulder and said: "What can we do? She''s my real mother. No matter how wrong she is, she''s still good to me. I have to be filial. Let''s not take it to heart. She''s old, doesn''t understand much, and her actions are a bit off. She can''tpare to you. Just let her be. You''re a high school graduate, can''t you bear with an illiterate olddy? She doesn''t know the ABCs. Just give me face, okay?"0


    Zhou Qun knew exactly how to handle Jiang Lu. Sure enough, after hearing this, Jiang Lu immediately nodded. She said softly: "Of course, I''ll listen to you. Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. Your mom is my mom. No matter how wrong she is, I won''t me her."0


    Zhou Qun smiled: "That''s right."0


    Gurgle gurgle.0


    At this moment, his stomach growled again. Zhou Qun quickly went out and said: "I''m going to the toilet. You go back to sleep."0


    Jiang Lu: "Okay."0


    Zhou Qun went out, passing through the hall, and heard his mother''s thunderous snoring. He disdainfully curled his lip. What an old hag! The night was cold, with a strong wind, and the sky was overcast, as if it might rain. If it were an ordinary person, they would wrap themselves up tightly and hurry along. But Zhou Qun was different. Even when no one was around, he maintained an air of a "leader."0


    Although he was just an electrician, he always demanded himself to act like a leader. He strolled to the door, opened it, and a gust of wind blew straight at him.0


    Before even stepping out, he had already swallowed a mouthful of cold wind.0


    His stomach was already ufortable, and now it was even worse.0


    Zhou Qun stepped out, and the wind was indeed strong. Late at night, there was no one around. He quickened his pace towards the toilet.0


    But just as he reached the toilet entrance, he heard voicesing from the women''s toilet.0


    A shrill woman''s voice: "You scoundrel, didn''t you say you''de as soon as your wife fell asleep? Why are you only here now? I''ve been waiting for you for so long."0


    Zhou Qun''s footsteps slowed considerably, and before he could react, he heard a man''s voice, muffled and gruff: "I was just worried your husband hadn''t fallen asleep yet."0


    Evidently, two people had taken advantage of the dead of night, when the world was quiet, to have a friendly rendezvous.0


    Zhou Qun instantly perked up, eager to see who these two were who dared to sneak out in the middle of the night!0


    He quickly approached, forgetting all about his stomachache and the rumors of ghosts in the women''s restroom. He just wanted to take a peek at who these bold individuals were. But before he could even peek, he heard the man say again: "Here are some gold and silver jewelry for you. Take them and hide them. When I leave that woman, we''ll have something to fall back on."0


    "But, but there are others in my house too. What if someone finds out?"0


    The woman''s voice was filled with hesitation. After a brief pause, she said: "I''ll hide them here for now. I''ll stash them in the crack between the bricks above the women''s restroom. I guarantee no one will think to look there."0


    "But this is outside..."0


    "What does it matter? It''s safer outside. At home, someone might just stumble upon them, and I wouldn''t be able to exin..."0


    Their voices gradually lowered.0


    Zhou Qun''s ears were standing high, and if he was initially attracted by the scandalous news, now his heart and mind were filled with thoughts of the "gold and silver jewelry."0


    Money was more important than family.0


    Zhou Qun knew this better than anyone.0


    He had lost his father when he was young, and life at home was not exactly prosperous, so he had an obsessive fixation on money.0


    He held his breath, but at that moment, his stomach inappropriately rumbled.0


    "Who''s there!"0


    At the sound of this voice, Zhou Qun quickly darted towards the men''s restroom, holding his breath, terrified of being discovered. In the dark of night, the thought of being killed was terrifying.0


    Zhou Qun was very good at imagining scenarios and adding drama to his own life.0


    Hiding in a corner of the men''s restroom, he dared not move...suddenly struck by a clever idea, he took the initiative: "Meow."0


    "It''s just a stray cat, it''s fine. Quickly hide the stuff, it''s too cold tonight, let''s go back."0


    "Okay!"0


    Zhou Qun dared not move, nor did he dare to peek out, only hearing footsteps, as if someone had left. After a long while, Zhou Qun hesitated for a moment before emerging. There was no one outside.0


    He quickly rushed towards the women''s restroom, finding it empty.0


    Zhou Qun revealed a smile, quickly entered, and looked around carefully.0


    Where would the gold and silver jewelry be hidden?0


    He looked left and right, finding all the bricks identical. He quickly went out to find a few stones, stacked them up, and stood on them to search carefully: "Damn it, where did they hide it? It''s a pity I didn''t see clearly who it was..."0


    "What are you looking for?"0


    A soft female voice sounded, quite different from before, with a hint of tenderness.0


    Zhou Qun''s heart skipped a beat, and he was startled. He quickly turned around, "I... Ah!?"0


    Behind him, there was no one.0


    Zhou Qun''s cold sweat immediately broke out, and even his hair stood on end. The previous conversation in the restroom was clearly about a scandalous affair, and he hadn''t thought about ghosts, but now, this sudden voice made him instantly think of that. He let out a scream, fell off the stones, and quickly pressed himself against the wall: "Who, who''s ying tricks? Don''t think you can scare me, I saw you. I saw you!"0


    He bluffed, only to hear the voice giggle again.0


    Butpared to before, this time it wasced with more resentment: "You''re so cold, you''re not the one who loved me the most? I lured you here, and this is how you treat me?"0


    Zhou Qun: "Get lost! Go away!"0


    "I know you like women, so I came to you, but you treat me like this. How can you be so cold? Wasn''t I the one you loved the most?"0


    Zhou Qun was about to shout again when suddenly he saw a white shadow pass by. He instantly felt ice-cold all over, unable to even move. He stared fixedly at the direction of the white shadow. At that moment, a cold hand suddenly rested on his shoulder: "Zhou Qun..."0


    Zhou Qun felt his throat was blocked, unable to utter a word.0


    Not only could he not speak, but he was also trembling like a sieve.0


    "Zhou Qun, you''re so cold. Didn''t you say you loved me the most?" The woman''s voice was filled with a haunting resentment: "When we were alive, we couldn''t be together. Now that I''m dead, I''vee to find you. Are you happy?"0


    Zhou Qun''s mind buzzed, as if it had exploded. He trembled, wanting to speak but unable to. He was so nervous that he couldn''t say anything.0


    "I''ll stay here from now on. Will youe to me every night? We''ll have our affair here. You love sneaking around, don''t you?"0


    Zhou Qun: "No, no... no..."0


    "No! You actually said no! Do you want to abandon me! How can you do this! I know you can abandon me once, you can do it again. Zhou Qun, you have a ruthless heart! I won''t let you go, I won''t let you go..."0


    The woman''s voice gradually became more venomous.0


    The cold, lifeless hand disappeared, and when he looked up, he saw a woman hanging from the ceiling. This woman was dressed in white, with long hair covering her face. Although he couldn''t see her face clearly, Zhou Qun felt her gaze fixed on him.0


    In the blink of an eye, the ghost had changed positions. The ghost, indeed, was a ghost!0


    What was even more terrifying was that her voice sounded right by his ear: "You heartless man~ You deserve to die, I''ll take you with me..."0


    As soon as the words left her mouth, the ghost in front of him suddenly waved her hand, and a burst of fire appeared.0


    The fire shed and disappeared, and under the fleeting light, Zhou Qun saw a pale face. The hair covered most of it but not all, revealing a ghostly paleplexion, dark circles around the eyes, and a bright red lipstick, all shing by.0


    More terrifying than the description of a ghost!0


    "Ah! Ahhhh!" He screamed.0


    Zhou Qun: "I''m sorry, please, please let me go... Please, please let me go! I beg you!"0


    At this moment, he didn''t know what to do, quickly kneeling on the ground and kowtowing continuously: "Spare me, please, I beg you, Auntie, spare me! I didn''t mean to abandon you..."0


    Hearing this, the ghost suspiciously paused. But Zhou Qun, busy kowtowing, didn''t notice. At this moment, how could he notice anything?0


    Zhou Qun was sweating profusely, feeling as if he was about to faint, kowtowing continuously.0


    "Auntie? You were with your aunt...?" The sharp female voice sounded again...0


    Zhou Qun paused, crying out: "Not Auntie, not Auntie, you''re Xinghua, Xinghua, it''s my fault, it''s my fault, I shouldn''t have taken advantage of you... Spare me..."0


    He cried out again, kowtowing.0


    The white shadow: "..."0


    Damn, how many bad things have you done?0


    Hearing this, it wasn''t a young woman!0


    She floated up again, this time even more terrifying, almost floating in mid-air. Fortunately, the restroom ceiling was high, or she wouldn''t be able to perform...0


    "Xinghua? You had her too, you heartless man, I won''t let you go... I definitely won''t let you go!"0


    Zhou Qun: "Ah, not her either, not her either..."0


    Which ghost is this!0


    His mind was in chaos, thinking carefully: "Are you Little Tao Hong? Our fleeting affair, don''te after me... Ahhh!"0


    "Woohoo, woohoo..." The woman''s crying sounded, "You heartless man, you had so many, how can you be so cruel... How can you be so cruel..."0


    "Ah, not Little Tao Hong, not her, is it Aunt Chen? How can youe after me? We were each getting what we wanted. I needed to pass the exam, you wanted a young man, I gave my all, how can youe after me..."0


    The white shadow suspiciously paused again, and the woman''s sobs grew louder: "You''ve wronged me, you''ve wronged mepletely... Zhou Qun, you have a heart of stone, you''re cruel and heartless, your love is like loose sand, blown away by the wind... Your love is worthless, worthless... Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun..."0


    "Ghostdy, I''m wrong, I''m really wrong. Spare me, spare me... Are you Sister Xiufen? Widow Zhou? Sister Lai? Chunmei? Xintao?... Ah, you can''t be Wang Xiangxiu, can you?"0


    He cried with snot and tears, counting names one by one, but couldn''t figure out who the woman was. By this point, he didn''t care who she was, just pleading, "Spare me! Spare me, I know I wronged you! I know I''m heartless, I didn''t have true love. But I''m still young, I don''t want to die... Ahhh..."0


    Zhou Qun screamed frantically, suddenly getting up and darting out of the bathroom at lightning speed: "Help!!"0


    A heart-wrenching cry rang out.0


    The white shadow drifted and hung on the bathroom door. It seemed trapped and couldn''te out, but a ball of ghost fire shot out, causing Zhou Qun to scream, "Ahhhh!"0


    He stumbled trying to run but found he had no strength, his legs were weak. His sprint out of the bathroom had been his peak effort.0


    But now he noticed the outside was shrouded in mist, with balls of ghost fire floating in the air, the white shadow eerily appearing and disappearing.0


    The woman''s mournful and shrill voice echoed: "You wronged me, you wronged me... I''ll find you, I''ll follow you, you won''t have another woman, I''ll watch you, I''ll stare at you, three seconds, hehehehe... I''ll make sure you don''t even get three seconds... I''m always by your side, always watching you..."0


    Zhou Qun: "Ahhhh!! Mom!"0


    Not mentioning the three seconds, he was already terrified.0


    Mentioning the three seconds, he was terrified to the extreme!0


    Because he really, onlysted three seconds!0


    This female ghost, really followed him!0


    "Ahhhh... Help! Someone, please save me! Help!"0


    Finally, someone heard the deafening cries outside.0


    One by one, it seemed like doors were opening, and the woman''s venomous voice rang out again: "I won''t let you be with another woman, I won''t let you have children... Don''t even think about it, don''t think about it... I''ll keep haunting you..."0


    Someone who was opening the door suddenly heard this and stumbled back, pressing against the door, trembling.0


    Goodness!0


    There''s a ghost!0


    It''s really a ghost!0


    Zhou Qun was even more terrified, shrieking, "Ahhhh!!"0


    Some were too scared to move, but some daredevils actually opened the door, as the nearest bathroom wasn''t in Zhou Qun''s courtyard.0


    "Move aside, don''t crowd the door if you''re scared."0


    "But..."0


    "Move!"0


    As the door opened, they saw the mist outside, and the brave man stepped out: "Who''s ying tricks here!"0


    Looking again, Zhou Qun had fainted!0

 Chapter 65

    <h1>Chapter 65</h1>


    Zhou Qun''s screams echoed through heaven and earth, audible not just in the nearest courtyard near the bathroom, but even further away.0


    However, on such ate night, would you dare to go out after hearing such screams?0


    Those who were faint of heart certainly wouldn''t.0


    Who knew what was happening outside? In one word: scary!0


    In two words: very scary!0


    So despite Zhou Qun''s desperate cries, no one came out to "y hero and save the beauty" - though we can''t really call him the "beauty" in need of rescue. Even though neighbors these days were generally helpful, wasn''t this ghost business something entirely different?0


    If someone had shouted "Thief! Someone''s stealing manhole covers!", perhaps ten or twenty young men would have rushed out.0


    But when you cry: "Help! There''s a ghost!"0


    Hell no, nobody''sing out.0


    Zhou Qun howled in terror, feeling his couragepletely shattered. In the thick mist, he saw the floating female ghost and clusters of ghost fires. Zhou Qun was about to go mad with fear; he never imagined a female ghost would actuallye to haunt him.0


    He screamed like a strangled chicken, wailing non-stop.0


    The female ghost floated gently, approaching him before quickly retreating... but her voice seemed toe from very close by: "I''ll be watching you, I''ll always be watching you, I''ll keep my eyes on you..."0


    "Ahhhhh!" Zhou Qun finally copsed under the immense pressure, falling to the ground with a thud, unconscious...0


    When Zhou Qun fell silent, the sounds outside also suddenly stopped.0


    The white-robed female ghost turned to look at the men''s bathroom, revealing an ambiguous smile. She floated near the bathroom, letting out a cacklingugh. The person inside... tightly covered his mouth, trembling, just hoping the ghost wouldn''te in, wouldn''t find him.0


    He... he was innocent!0


    Unlike Zhou Qun, he didn''t have all those affairs!0


    Besides drinking, he didn''t dare do anything wrong!0


    The ghost''s voice rang out melodiously: "You must be a good person..."0


    The person hiding in the bathroom immediately fell to his knees, frantically kowtowing toward the outside: "I know, I know, I know, I''ll definitely be a good person, Ghost Sister... no, Immortal Sister, please spare me, spare me..."0


    "Hehehehehe..."0


    With a burst ofughter, the white figure floated away.0


    The man in the bathroom instantly copsed to the ground, whimpering - he would quit drinking!0


    This fellow was none other than the famous drunk of the street. He wasn''t a bad person, just unemployed, and his greatest daily pleasure was drinking. Today drinking, tomorrow drinking, drinking at every meal, seizing every opportunity to drink, creating opportunities to drink if none existed - truly the number one drunkard under heaven.0


    Because of his drinking habit, he had already encountered ghosts several times, since he always needed to use the bathroom after drinking.0


    But in previous encounters, he had only vaguely heard the female ghost''s crying, which had scared him nearly to death. Still, he thought that as someone with "experience," he was somewhat different from others.0


    He even believed that if he encountered the female ghost again, he could face off against her.0


    But when it actually happened, he discovered he was still the same old coward, unchanged in the slightest.0


    This time, the female ghost had gone crazy!0


    Ah ah ah!0


    He had drunk too much again today. His meager earnings weren''t enough for drinking. But today he had luck, very good luck - on his way home from work, he found a wallet. On this point, he was quite decent - he didn''t keep it for himself but instead honestly called out to the person ahead who had lost their wallet.0


    That person was so grateful they insisted on treating him, firmly buying him a roast chicken and two bottles of liquor. Though not expensive wine, the three items together still cost quite a bit.0


    He happily went home and feasted. After eating and drinking so much, nature soon called.0


    He staggered out, swaying, and from far away saw Zhou Qun moving stones. Though he didn''t know why, it piqued his interest - after all, Zhou Qun was moving stones into the women''s bathroom.0


    How could he not be curious?0


    The supposed gentleman of public opinion was moving stones into the women''s bathroom in the dead of night - obviously up to no good.0


    As a normal person, he absolutely had to be curious, so he crept forward stealthily, sneaking closer. But being not very brave, he was afraid Zhou Qun would discover him, so he went straight to hide in the men''s bathroom, nning to watch what Zhou Qun was doing.0


    In the dead of night, it was all very suspicious!0


    But never in a million years did he expect this!0


    He witnessed such a terrifying ghost encounter!0


    He was squatting in the bathroom stall, conveniently listening to themotion, but truly never expected... Zhou Qun would encounter a ghost.0


    And then... well, everything that could be heard, shouldn''t be heard, was allowed to be heard, wasn''t allowed to be heard... he heard it all.0


    At this moment, he really wanted to kick that immoral Zhou Qun to death. What was he doing messing around outside, ending up attracting a female ghost - he waspletely innocent! If he also got dealt with by the female ghost, it would be more unjust than Dou E.0


    This fellow had wet himself in fear, supporting himself against the wall as he came out of the stall, pressing himself against the wall, not daring to move.0


    As for running?0


    He didn''t dare do that either.0


    He covered his mouth, crying like a gori.0


    However, a ghost is a ghost - even though he made no sound, the ghost still knew he was there. Fortunately, since he usually did good deeds and never acted immorally, the female ghost didn''t make trouble for him and let him go directly...0


    Indeed, one must be a good person.0


    He didn''t know what was happening outside, just kept kneeling on the ground, upper body pressed against the wall seeking security, crying pitifully non-stop.0


    This fellow didn''t dare move, but someone braver finally came out - it was Da Qiang from the neighboring courtyard to Zhao Guihua''s.0


    With "Da" (meaning "big") in his name, his courage was indeed quite big. After hesitating for a while, he was the first to open his door. The creaking sound in the silent night seemed particrly noticeable. Many who were pressed against their doors not daring to move now pricked up their ears.0


    Da Qiang shouted loudly: "Who is it? Who''s ying ghost tricks!"0


    He bellowed once, then looked around, feeling his scalp tingle - how had the whole street suddenly be filled with mist? Who knew where this smoke came from, though it wasn''t particrly thick. And in this mist, there were indeed several ghost fires dancing.0


    G-ghost fires!!!0


    His heart jumped, pounding even harder.0


    Even though he called himself brave Da Qiang, at this moment his hand gripping the door tightened.0


    "Who! Who is it!"0


    He looked around, then eximed: "Holy shit! Isn''t that Zhou Qun?"0


    The weak moonlight still let him clearly see who had fallen unconscious!0


    Yes, they all worked at the same factory and lived nearby, so of course they knew each other. Even with Zhou Qun copsed on the ground, he recognized him at a nce.0


    "Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun!"0


    He called out loudly several times, but didn''t walk forward.0


    Well... although he was brave Da Qiang, he wasn''t reckless. Seeing this deadly situation, he didn''t dare rush forward rashly.0


    "Zhou Qun! Is anyone there? Is anyone else there?"0


    The surroundings were as quiet as a graveyard.0


    No one made a sound.0


    He froze between walking forward and not walking.0


    "Zhou Qun!"0


    Another shout, and perhaps because of this shout, suddenly a woman''s wailing voice rang out: "Brother Qun~!"0


    This sudden female voice startled brave Da Qiang so much he fell right on his bottom. Several people peeking behind him also retreated, gasping, backing up several yards.0


    One particrly timid person ran straight back inside.0


    Heaven spirits earth spirits, don''t let them see me, don''t let them see me!0


    Da Qiang held his breath, and in this tense atmosphere, running footsteps were heard: "Brother Qun, what happened to you? What''s wrong?"0


    Zhou Qun''s countless cries had awakened many people, but in the end, the only one who dared toe out was his wife, only his wife Jiang Lu. As for others, none came. Jiang Lu had been sleeping at home, unaware that Zhou Qun hadn''t returned for so long.0


    She was quite a heavy sleeper.0


    As for the mother-inw next door whose snoring sounds like thunder, she naturally slept even more soundly, and the two women werepletely unaware.0


    Jiang Lu vaguely heard some noise, and half the courtyard was roused. Everyone crowded at the doors, with Bai Fendou already having barricaded the door. He was afraid that some supernatural beings might enter. Jiang Lu, still half-asleep, woke up and called out, "Qun Ge, what''s happening outside?"0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of course, no one answered her question. She asked again, but still, no one responded.0


    Jiang Lu suddenly remembered that Zhou Qun had gone out to use the toilet and hadn''t returned yet. She became anxious and quickly threw on some clothes to rush out, asking, "What happened? What''s going on? My Qun Ge went out to use the toilet and hasn''te back!"0


    Bai Fendou: "There are ghosts outside."0


    "Oh my heavens, I''ve lived this long and this is the first time I''ve encountered such a thing."0


    "Don''t mention it, I''m ten years older than you, and I''ve never seen anything like it either!"0


    Everyone trembled but still managed to chat, each clinging to the door, both scared and curious.0


    They wanted to see, yet feared being caught by the ghosts. However, the spot by the door was a coveted ce. How could they not fight for it? They could hear better that way. But hearing this, Jiang Lu felt truly uneasy.0


    Her man, Zhou Qun, was still outside.0


    "Zhou Qun..."0


    "Don''t make a sound..."0


    "What''s going on? Is Zhou Qun outside?"0


    This revtion shocked everyone. They knew there were ghosts, but they didn''t know the specifics.0


    After all, it was just ghosts!0


    Everyone hid and watched!0


    But then...0


    "Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun!" A man''s voice called from outside. Li the Cook recognized it: "That''s Da Qiang next door shouting."0


    "He''s got guts, he must have gone out..."0


    "Listen to what he''s shouting. Is it Zhou Qun?"0


    "Yes, he''s shouting Zhou Qun. Could it be that Zhou Qun has encountered a ghost? Has something happened?"0


    With this, everyone turned to look at Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu''s heart skipped a beat and, without thinking, she pushed and pulled at the people around her, shouting, "Get out of the way, all of you! Move! I need to find Zhou Qun..."0


    Aunt Wang: "Take a look at what''s happening outside first..."0


    "Get lost!" Jiang Lu didn''t care if Aunt Wang was trying to help; she shouted loudly, "Get lost!"0


    She shoved everyone aside, taking on a heroic stance, and with a bang, she yanked open the door, darting out quickly: "Zhou Qun..."0


    Tonight, the name Zhou Qun was being shouted excessively.0


    Others saw the slightly misty scene with flickering ghost lights and felt a bit scared, but Jiang Lu wasn''t afraid. She ran forward quickly, not caring that her shoes fell off. She rushed to the toilet and saw Zhou Qun lying on the ground. She immediately threw herself on him, crying out in despair, "Zhou Qun! Don''t leave me!"0


    Jiang Lu cried out to the heavens: "Help me, someone help me! Oh heavens, please help my Zhou Qun!"0


    Everyone was watching the spectacle, no one moved. Of course, it wasn''t just because they were watching; they were also genuinely scared. Zhao Guihua was among the crowd, scanning for her younger son and daughter-inw, but she didn''t see them. Her eyelids twitched, and she coughed, saying, "Why don''t we all go out and take a look?"0


    She added, "There are so many of us; there shouldn''t be any danger, right?"0


    Aunt Wang nodded in agreement: "Yes, we''re all neighbors. Let''s show some mutual aid and go out to see."0


    Although she had just been shouted at by Jiang Lu, she put the greater good first.0


    If something happened to someone in their courtyard, she, as the caretaker, would be held responsible.0


    Since Zhao Guihua suggested everyone go out together, she fully supported it, saying, "With so many of us, there''s nothing to be afraid of. Even if something goes wrong, can it really handle all of us? Let''s be brave, I''ll take the lead!"0


    In her heart, she silently cried, thinking this caretaker job was impossible to do.0


    If she kept at it, she''d be worn out.0


    Every day, big and small issues kepting, and she was always worried and exhausted. Now, in the middle of the night during a ghost scare, she had to venture out bravely. What kind of sins had shemitted in her past life to end up doing this?0


    Simrly, Zhao Guihua also felt very sympathetic towards Aunt Wang. Everyone could step back, but she couldn''t.0


    It was just her luck to be the caretaker for these peculiar people. It was truly exhausting.0


    As Aunt Wang''s good friend, she supported her friend''s work. She held Aunt Wang''s hand and walked at the front, saying, "I''m with you, it should be fine."0


    And indeed, the ghost lights almost disappeared...0


    Aunt Wang let out a heavy sigh of relief.0


    The two aunts led the way like warriors, followed by Old Man Bai, Bai Fendou, Li the Cook, and others. Behind them were Aunt Su, Wang Xiangxiu, Yang Lixin, and others... Children were not allowed to go out, none of them.0


    But there were always those who couldn''t stay put, like Jii. He watched the whole scene from the window and then, with a twinkle in his eye, slipped on his slippers and ran out. The adults wouldn''t let them go out, so he''d go call someone.0


    He dashed to the Zhou''s house, banging on the window: "Aunt Zhou, your Zhou Qun is in trouble, get up quickly, or you''ll miss the funeral feast!"0


    What a mischievous kid.0


    Aunt Zhou was sleeping soundly, dreaming of gnawing on a pig trotter. Hearing the word "feast" in the distance, she gnawed even more happily.0


    "Aunt Zhou, there''s a feast! Aunt Zhou!" Jii was truly a persistent "good" child. His cries finally woke Aunt Zhou up. She mumbled in confusion, "Which little brat wants to die? Disturbing my sleep, what a..."0


    She continued her colorful cursing.0


    Jii: "Your Zhou Qun has met a ghost, everyone''s gone to see, and you''re not going? You''ll miss it..."0


    Jii truly knew how to hit the nail on the head.0


    Aunt Zhou finally realized what was happening and tentatively called out, "Xiao Qun?"0


    No answer.0


    She called again, "Jiang Lu?"0


    Still no answer.0


    Her face turned pale instantly, and she howled, scrambling out of bed and rushing outside: "My son..."0


    Aunt Zhou dashed out like her backside was on fire, mming the door so hard it shook.0


    Seeing Aunt Zhou run out, Jii smirked and gestured towards his home. Immediately, two more kids darted out¡ªJii, Yii, and Toni. The three boys quickly entered the Zhou''s house. Seeing half a bowl of soup on the cupboard, it seemed to have meat in it. Jii took a sip.0


    Yii: "Brother, there''s me too."0


    Toni: "And me."0


    The three boys divided the soup, each getting a piece of meat. There were four pieces in total, thest one being shared bite by bite, no one being left out. Toni smacked his lips, saying, "Brother, is this spoiled? The taste isn''t great."0


    "You''re lucky to have something to eat, don''t be picky!"0


    He rolled his eyes and said, "It''s definitely not spoiled, it''s just that taste. Remember the stench in the courtyard these days? This stuff is supposed to taste like that."0


    He added, "I heard it''s very nutritious."0


    "Right, right."0


    Jii nced around and saw a steamed bun on the cupboard. He grabbed it and ran, saying, "Let''s go, or they''lle back and catch us."0


    The three boys darted out and ran into Zhuang Zhixi, who was standing in the courtyard. They stared at each other.0


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at them, snorted, and walked out.0


    As if going to watch themotion.0


    Yii quickly asked, "Should we go to his ce?"0


    Jii was cautious: "No, his wife didn''te out."0


    He waved his hand, "Let''s go!"0


    The three boys ran home, threw off their shoes, and jumped into bed, sharing the steamed bun with a grin.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked slightly, stepping out of the courtyard. The fog had dissipated even more, and even the ghostly mes were nowhere to be seen. Everyone was gathered around Zhou Qun, and not just from their courtyard, but from others as well.0


    After all, the world was originally without paths; it was the footsteps of many that created them.0


    A simr principle applies here. Although they were afraid, since others were unafraid, they too could join in the gathering. Soon, they were surrounded inyers.0


    The reason for their bravery was also because the ghostly mes had vanished.0


    As for the mist, it seemed to have dispersed quite a bit too.0


    Everyone gathered, yet no one moved. Jiang Lu was sobbing heavily, holding Zhou Qun, while Aunt Zhou was crying even louder beside them.0


    "Please, help us take him to the hospital..."0


    Jiang Lu''s sobs continued, but no one moved.0


    Aunt Zhou became furious: "You despicable people, why aren''t you helping? You''re all my juniors, yet you dare to stand by and watch. You refuse to help my son, so you deserve to be cursed with bad luck for life, never earning a penny, and having no descendants!"0


    This old woman was universally disliked because of her vicious nature.0


    Just look, was that even a human remark?0


    "How dare you spew such filth, olddy! If you''re so capable, don''t beg for help!"0


    "Exactly, Aunt Zhou, don''t think just because we call you Aunt Zhou you can act all high and mighty. What are you, anyway? You wish for us to have no descendants? Well, I won''t, but you''re the one who''ll die childless! If you''re so capable, get your son to fire me! Isn''t he going to be a leader?"0


    "Yeah, always bragging about bing a leader. Vice Factory Manager Zhou, right?"0


    "Your family has no children because of your viciousness. You deserve it!"0


    "Exactly, exactly!"0


    Initially, people had only a slight reluctance to help. If Aunt Su had been in such a situation, even if she begged pathetically, someone might have helped. But Aunt Zhou refused to act humbly; she started cursing people with the worst possible insults, which no one could tolerate.0


    You''re asking for it!0


    No one moved, not even Aunt Wang, who also had children. Hearing such curses was deeply unpleasant; she really didn''t want to see Aunt Zhou''s spiteful face. Besides, their initial reluctance to help wasn''t entirely due to ack of neighborly affection.0


    It was... genuinely disgusting!0


    Yes, that''s the word¡ªdisgusting.0


    Zhou Qun, he reeked horribly, he had soiled himself out of fear!0


    And it was diarrhea.0


    With the warmer weather, people wore less, and the smell was overpowering. One nce and you could see the dark yellow mess all over his pants.0


    Jiang Lu didn''t mind, and Aunt Zhou, as his mother, didn''t either. But others had no reason to endure it.0


    It was simply revolting!0


    People already didn''t want to get close, and Aunt Zhou''s verbal attack made them even less inclined to help.0


    Jiang Lu was about to hate her mother-inw to death. Useless at aplishing anything, always causing trouble at the wrong time with the wrong words, always bringing shame to their family.0


    Seeing her mother-inw about to curse again, Jiang Lu suddenly erupted, shouting, "Shut up!"0


    Madam Zhou Li instantly flew into a rage: "How dare you defy me? You little wretch, have you forgotten who your mother-inw is? I''ll beat you to death!"0


    Her palm struck Jiang Lu''s shoulder, and the onlookers gasped.0


    Was this really the time for a fight?0


    Aunt Zhou''s brain must be filled with waste, how could she be so devoid of sense?0


    Aunt Zhou continued to beat Jiang Lu: "It''s all your fault, you little wretch. You can''t even take care of your own man. Look at what you''ve done to Xiao Qun, you jinx. You shameless..."0


    "Smack!"0


    A loud pnded on Madam Zhou Li''s face. Jiang Lu red at her, saying, "Get lost!"0


    Madam Zhou Li was startled by her fierce gaze, about to say something more when another p came. Jiang Lu didn''t hold back at all, and Aunt Zhou''s face visibly reddened and swelled.0


    "Get out of here, far away!"0


    Jiang Lu shouted loudly, and the surroundings fell into immediate silence.0


    Madam Zhou Li, frightened, plopped down on the ground, staring in terror at Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu grabbed her hair and delivered several more ps, each one resounding loudly.0


    "You old hag! If you hadn''t forced Zhou Qun to drink that soup, he wouldn''t have had diarrhea. If he hadn''t had diarrhea, he wouldn''t havee out to use the toilet and wouldn''t have gotten into this mess! You deserve to die! More than anyone else! Your son''s in trouble, and you''re sleeping like a pig at home, now you''re causing more trouble, I''ll make you pay for your foul mouth, for your curses, for your violence, you old hag..."0


    Her ps continued, and Madam Zhou Li was left dazed, unable to fight back.0


    The onlookers took a step back, then another.0


    Was Jiang Lu going mad?0


    Their eyes filled with fear as they looked at her.0


    Could it be... possessed by a female ghost?0


    She had always been a gentle woman!0


    Always obedient in the Zhou household, never daring to defy Madam Zhou Li.0


    But now... oh my.0


    If this continued, she''d kill the old woman.0


    They looked at each other, no one daring to move.0


    Aunt Wang swallowed hard, wanting to find someone to pull Jiang Lu away; she couldn''t do it alone, not in this frenzy. Her first thought was Mingmei, but after looking around, she only saw Zhuang Zhixi; his wife hadn''te out.0


    She hesitated, then said, "Stop fighting, Jiang Lu, you need to stop, or someone will get hurt."0


    Jiang Lu turned, her eyes fierce: "You shut up too. As the head of thepound, you can''t do anything, not even get my husband to the hospital. What right do you have to speak? Shut up! Get lost!"0


    Aunt Wang: "What the hell!"0


    She was truly furious. Helping was a favor, not an obligation. And now, not only did they not help, but they were being med?0


    Aunt Wang fumed: "You think I owe you? When your Zhou Qun fell into the cesspit, didn''t I get people to pull him out? Now you say I can''t manage anything. Fine, tell me, what else should I manage? Your mother-inw cursed us with no descendants, are we supposed to be so desperate for help that we endure the insults? Jiang Lu, you can''t be without a conscience. My work in thepound is evident to everyone. Count how many troubles your family causes every year, my hair has turned white from the stress. Alright, since you say I can''t manage, then I won''t. Tomorrow, I''ll go to the neighborhoodmittee, whoever wants to manage can do it! Damn it, as if I''m getting some great benefit from this, pfft!"0


    She turned and stormed off.0


    Others called out: "Aunt Wang, don''t be angry, we know you''re doing a good job."0


    "Exactly, you''re always busy with this and that, we all see it. Those who say you''re not doing well are heartless."0


    "That''s right."0


    "Why bother arguing with them."0


    "Exactly, their family is always causing trouble, never a moment''s peace..."0


    Everyone chimed in, trying to calm Aunt Wang, even Zhao Guihua wasforting her. Seeing everyone''s genuine concern, Aunt Wang felt a bit better. She was truly infuriated by this family, but now that everyone recognized her efforts, she felt a bit more at ease.0


    "You... can someone help me..."0


    A weak voice broke the lively atmosphere, silencing everyone instantly.0


    They all froze.0


    "I''m human, not a ghost... I''m the Drunkard."0


    Mention his nickname, and everyone knew who he was.0


    "I''m in the men''s toilet, pull me out, my legs are too weak to stand..."0


    "Uh..."0


    Several men exchanged nces and headed towards the toilet. Sure enough, they found the Drunkard lying on the ground, looking weak and helpless.0


    "Damn, it''s really you, Drunkard, are you okay? What happened to you?"0


    Using their shlights to confirm his identity, they quickly stepped forward to help.0


    The Drunkardmented: "I... my legs are numb."0


    "Why are you here?"0


    "Let''s go, I''ll help you out."0


    "When did youe over? You''re lucky you didn''t run into a female ghost..."0


    Although it''s forbidden to talk about this now, it''s considered feudal superstition, but sometimes people still bring it up, after all, everyone is just an ordinary person.0


    "Woohoo, woohoohoohoo, I saw a ghost, I saw a ghost..." The drunkard suddenly burst into tears, looking pitiful and utterly miserable. He said, "I''m so unlucky, I just came out to use the bathroom and ran into this."0


    "Holy crap, you really encountered a ghost?"0


    "What, what happened?"0


    "Yeah, what exactly happened, tell us."0


    They helped the drunkard out and realized there was another victim. However,pared to Zhou Qun, he was still rtively sober. Sobbing, he said, "I came out to use the toilet and then this happened... The female ghost was looking for Zhou Qun, she was specifically looking for him..."0


    "You''re lying!" Jiang Lu eximed.0


    The drunkard was indignant, shouting loudly, "I''m not lying! If I''m making it up, may I run into a ghost again tomorrow!"0


    "Whoa!!!"0


    Such a vicious oath!0


    Everyone nodded in agreement.0


    "I believe you, drunkard."0


    "Me too, no one would dare make such a promise."0


    "Exactly!"0


    "What exactly happened? Why was she looking for Zhou Qun?"0


    The drunkard sobbed and wiped his tears, "The ghost said Zhou Qun was a heartless man, she wanted to find him and follow him forever... I heard it, I heard it all, it was terrifying. Zhou Qun guessed several names, but none were right, wooooo..."0


    At this point, the drunkard was still crying heavily, but some quick-witted folks quickly asked, "Who did he guess?"0


    The names Zhou Qun mentioned must have been rted to him.0


    After all, a heartless man would be connected to such matters.0


    "His shifu''s wife, Aunt Xinghua, and some other aunts... woooo, he mentioned many, I can''t remember them all... wooooo."0


    Everyone''s expressions became even more subtle.0


    Da Qiang, the brave but timid one, muttered quietly, "Why are they all older women!"0


    The drunkard said, "There were more, he mentioned so many, I can''t remember them all, but they were all aunts and sisters-inw. Oh, he finally said, ''You can''t be Wang Xiangxiu, right?''... Isn''t Wang Xiangxiu the widow from the Su family...?"0


    The scene fell into silence again. Everyone almost robotically turned their necks to look at Wang Xiangxiu, who was watching themotion from a distance. Just moments ago, she was part of the audience, but now she became the main attraction.0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face turned pale instantly, and she shouted, "Don''t you dare nder me, I''ll beat you up for spreading lies..."0


    She twisted her waist and charged forward to teach the drunkard a lesson.0


    The drunkard was still crying; he was so pitiful, couldn''t he cry?0


    "Why are you hitting me? It was Zhou Qun who said it, woooo. I was almost scared to death by the ghost, and you''re still bullying me. If you have the guts, go find Zhou Qun, it was him who said it!"0


    "You''re lying!!!"0


    A thunderous shout!0


    It wasn''t Wang Xiangxiu, but Jiang Lu. She was trembling all over and suddenly lunged forward, "I''ll kill you! How dare you nder my husband!"0


    "I swear, if I''m lying, may I see a ghost!"0


    The drunkard was also quite firm. Although he was crying, he wasn''t a spineless man.0


    He hid behind Da Qiang and said, "Your husband said it, it was him who mentioned this aunt and that aunt, and his shifu''s wife, and in three seconds, I heard it all. I swear, I dare to swear a vicious oath..."0


    "Oh? Three seconds?"0


    "That''s not possible, is it? I didn''t expect that."0


    "Yeah, he may not be tall and strong, but he''s still sturdy, not likely, right?"0


    The drunkard shouted, "If you don''t believe me, wake him up and ask him. He just fainted from fear, he''s fine..."0


    As someone present, he had the right to speak.0


    "Uh... three seconds..."0


    "I canst ten seconds... oops!" Quickly covered his mouth! Not to be mentioned!0


    "Oh my."0


    "Let''s try pouring a basin of cold water."0


    "Alright, better than sending him to the hospital."0


    With that mess, they didn''t want to get involved.0


    Soon, someone fetched water and poured the icy water on Zhou Qun''s face. Zhou Qun groaned, "......uh."0


    "It''s working, it''s working."0


    Everyone cheered.0


    Zhou Qun slowly came to, and Jiang Lu rushed over immediately, "Brother Qun."0


    She had forgotten that she had been beaten by Madam Zhou Li, her hair disheveled, her eyes red from crying, and snot and tears streaming down her face, looking quite unpresentable. Zhou Qun, upon waking up and seeing such a face, his pupils dted instantly, and he screamed, "Ghost!"0


    He pped her, and Jiang Lu was instantly knocked to the ground. Already in a state of shock, she fainted right away...0


    "That''s Jiang Lu, you hit the wrong person..."0


    Zhou Qun thought he saw a ghost again and rolled his eyes, fainting once more.0


    "Holy crap!"0


    "What the hell is going on?"0


    "My goodness!"0


    "Oh my god, I''m done with this."0


    Both Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were unconscious, and Madam Zhou Li was already beaten silly by Jiang Lu.0


    Seeing the state of this family, Zhao Guihua silently shook her head and took a step back. She wouldn''t get involved in this mess. This family would surely repay kindness with ingratitude. She thought this, and so did others.0


    Aunt Wang couldn''t stand it any longer. She sighed and said, "Everyone, think of a way to put these three on a cart and send them to the hospital."0


    No one moved.0


    Aunt Wang sighed again, "I know you''re all disgusted, but look at the situation here, can''t we just let it go until morning?"0


    She pulled Aunt Zhou up and said, "Go, go home and get the money."0


    Aunt Zhou quickly said, "I don''t have any money." Her eyes darted around nervously.0


    Aunt Wang narrowed her eyes and coldly stared at Aunt Zhou. This time, she was truly angry.0


    Aunt Wang often got angry, but this time it was a deep-seated disgust for this family.0


    No matter how much you help them, they never remember, always causing trouble, and you never know how much more they''ll need.0


    She said lightly, "Oh, okay, if you don''t have money, then forget it. Everyone, let''s disperse."0


    She walked away first, and Aunt Zhou quickly grabbed her, "You can''t leave..."0


    Aunt Wang, with her strong build, gave a hard shove, sending Aunt Zhou flying. She pointed at Aunt Zhou and cursed, "Get lost! If your daughter-inw said it to me, I''ll say it to you! Just die, all of you! I''m done being the neighborhoodmittee leader!"0


    She turned and left!0


    The others looked at the Zhou family''s miserable state and thought about their behavior earlier. One by one, they coldly turned away, not caring at all.0


    Everyone silently and uniformly left, and Madam Zhou Li was truly scared now. She didn''t think she was wrong for not wanting to pay. Since it happened in the alley, everyone should share the cost! She couldn''t understand why no one was paying attention to her.0


    She had forgotten that her stubbornness and nonsense were sometimes just about right and wrong. If it involved money, who would give her any? It was simply impossible.0


    She always boasted about her family''s good conditions, wealth, and how great they were, but now she wanted others to pay for her.0


    No one in this world is a fool.0


    Even if her family didn''t have money, no one would pay for them, let alone when they were actually wealthy.0


    Seeing everyone leave, Madam Zhou Li panicked and quickly called out, "Don''t go, how can you leave like this? You can''t be so heartless! I''ll go home and get the money, okay? You can''t just leave."0


    No one stopped as she expected; instead, they all left without looking back.0


    Aside from Madam Zhou Li''s harsh words, another reason was the drunkard''s words. Although he was crying, what he said was heard by everyone. This encounter with a ghost couldn''t have been without reason.0


    If Zhou Qun really couldy hands on his shifu''s wife, then... it was truly chilling!0


    This era was very respectful of teachers and their teachings.0


    Moreover, how old was his shifu''s wife, and how old was he?0


    And listen to those nicknames, like "Aunt Apricot Blossom," and "Auntie So-and-So, Sister So-and-So," everyone was taken aback. From his appearance, you would never guess Zhou Qun was so promiscuous. And he specifically sought out older women.0


    Aunt Su muttered as she walked, "I always thought he looked at me with such intensity..."0


    "What? That little brat, if he dares to look at you, I''ll kill him!" Old Man Bai was furious.0


    Aunt Su quickly said, "Don''t do anything rash. He didn''t actually do anything to me. Just be more careful from now on..."0


    "Yes, yes, yes."0


    "No wonder Zhou Qun can''t have children..."0


    "And he has the nerve to me Jiang Lu?"0


    "Come on, Jiang Lu is also a fool. Even after all this, she still defends her husband. I''ve never seen anyone like that. It''s utterly humiliating."0


    Although there is still some preference for boys, the saying "women can hold up half the sky" is also very popr. In daily life, Jiang Lu is suppressed by the Zhou family, which everyone feels is normal. After all, being a daughter-inw is like that.0


    How many mother-inws get along well with their daughters-inw? Many daughters-inw endure for years before bing mother-inws themselves, and they inevitably have to deal with their own daughters-inw. This is something everyone has seen.0


    But is it the same situation now?0


    No, it''s not!0


    This incident is just too disgusting to think about.0


    If Jiang Lu still defends Zhou Qun after this, they really look down on such spineless people.0


    Everyone left one after another. Wang Xiangxiu was afraid of being implicated and pretended to cry, "How could he frame me? I''m so wronged..."0


    Everyone looked at Wang Xiangxiu, but they didn''t quite believe her words.0


    Although Zhou Qun mentioned mostly older women, you, Wang Xiangxiu, are not a young bride either. You are also older than Zhou Qun. If there are "sisters," then you, Wang Xiangxiu, are not entirely innocent either.0


    Besides, Wang Xiangxiu has had her share of rumors at the factory, even if they are not obvious. Otherwise, Old Man Bai wouldn''t have directly called her a "slut"st time. Clearly, everyone has their own judgment.0


    Old Man Bai likes Aunt Su, but he doesn''t like Aunt Su''s daughter-inw.0


    Even if his son likes her, he doesn''t.0


    Wang Xiangxiu tearfully defended herself. Whether others believed her or not, Bai Fendou believed her.0


    Heforted Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Don''t cry. This person must be framing you. Wait for me to ask the drunkard tomorrow..." He paused and corrected himself, "I''ll directly confront Zhou Qun tomorrow! He''s the one framing you!"0


    If he had said to find the drunkard, he wouldn''t have been able to continue.0


    After all, he had even sworn a poisonous oath about seeing ghosts.0


    Bai Fendou couldn''t just go against his conscience and say it was all a lie.0


    Zhou Qun, that scoundrel Zhou Qun.0


    He angrily said, "This person shows no respect for teachers or traditions. He deserves to be locked up."0


    Not many people agreed with this statement. Everyone was too shocked to know what to say.0


    Truly, tonight''s event was both terrifying and absurd.0


    It''s just, full of issues!0


    They originally thought falling into a cesspit was the biggest event in their street for decades, but it wasn''t, not at all.0


    What''s that saying?0


    There''s always a higher mountain!0


    How coincidental, both incidents featured Zhou Qun''s towering figure¡ªugh!0

 Chapter 66

    <h1>Chapter 66</h1>


    Because of Madam Zhou Li''s antics, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu were leftpletely unattended. Madam Zhou Li stood in the courtyard, howling and cursing, "You heartless, despicable people... If you don''t help my family, you''ll die a horrible death... Ah!"


    A basin of washing water was suddenly thrown out. Zhao Guihua wasn''t about to indulge her. What, did she think Zhao was her mother or father?


    "Don''t dream about it."


    Zhao Guihua sshed water without hesitation and retorted, "If you keep talking nonsense, don''t me me for pping you!"


    At this moment, Ming Mei finally emerged, yawning. She clenched her fists and said, "Who should I beat up? I can handle this kind of thing!"


    Madam Zhou Li swallowed hard, trying to appear tough. "Don''t think you can scare me just because there are more of you!"


    She shouted loudly, then turned and yelled toward the Bai family''s house, "Old Man Bai, Bai Fendou, you two unlucky bastards, why aren''t youing out to help? Big men like you should know how to help your neighbors! No wonder Bai Fendou can''t get a wife. Youzy, heartless dogs deserve to be single. Old Man Bai,e out, you old scoundrel... Ah!"


    But the Bai family wasn''t about to take her insults lying down. Old Man Bai''s washing water was thrown right back at her.


    Bai Fendou waved his fists, furious. "Damn it, I didn''te looking for you, and yet you dare show up here? Let me tell you, the matter of you falsely using my Xiangxiu sister isn''t over. If you don''t go door to door in the entire neighborhood to clear her name, I''ll beat up your son every time I see him. And you, you old hag, you dare insult my father..."


    In a sh, he threw a punch, hitting Madam Zhou Li right in the eye.


    Madam Zhou Li: "Ah!"


    She fell to the ground, covering her eye.


    "If you keep talking trash, I''ll beat you to death!"


    Madam Zhou Li, badly hurt, screamed, "Murder!!"


    By now, dawn was breaking, and everyone was already awake, but no one came out to see what was happening. Who would bother? This wicked olddy deserved a beating. Let her be, no one would miss her. Bai Fendou might be hot-tempered, but he was doing the neighborhood a favor!


    Madam Zhou Li howled a few more times, but seeing no one cared, she turned and banged on Aunt Wang''s door, "Aunt Wang, you''re the neighborhood leader, you have to do something! Look at Bai Fendou, he doesn''t know how to respect his elders. You have to criticize him, drive him out... Ah!"


    Aunt Wang, too, knew how to throw washing water.


    She pointed at Madam Zhou Li and scolded, "Get lost, or I won''t be polite. Do you believe I''ll turn your other eye ck and blue too?"


    Madam Zhou Li stumbled back a few steps, then suddenly wailed, "Oh heavens, where is justice... Ah!"


    Now, no matter what she said, it always ended with an "Ah". Since she liked to howl so much, everyone was happy to throw some dirty water at her.


    Er Gouzi from the back yard had a bad temper and hadn''t joined the crowd earlier. Hearing the olddy''smotion, he got up and threw yesterday''s washing water out, "Get out!"


    He shouted loudly, and Madam Zhou Li trembled, her face pale, as she hid to one side. It was only then that she realized she had provoked the whole neighborhood. Everyone seemed to hate her and wanted to beat her up.


    She swallowed hard, feeling a bit scared. Thinking of her son and daughter-inw lying outside, she didn''t dare cause any more trouble in the courtyard.


    In the past, causing a scene had always worked for her, but now she realized it waspletely useless. This time, she had truly fallen from grace. No one indulged her, no one put up with her antics.


    She stumbled and quickly left, hearing several people discussing.


    "Pfft, a family of heartless people, expecting others to help them. Who would be so blind as to help them?"


    "They have no shame, but we do. Associating with such people would be a disgrace."


    "Look at her foul mouth, must have eaten a lot of shit to spew such nasty words."


    "Stay away from them in the future, they''re disgusting."


    "Exactly..."


    "Hey, you think Zhou Qun really has those... preferences?"


    "Who knows? I think it''s true. Otherwise, why would he be the one involved in such a thing? That drunkard even swore on his life, he can''t be lying..."


    "Damn, thinking about it makes me sick. That guy doesn''t even respect his teachers, he dares toy hands on his own teacher''s wife..."


    "Wait, I''ve been thinking, who is this Aunt Xinghua... The name sounds familiar. Isn''t she the one from the canteen, Hu Xinghua? Tall, not very big eyes, quite flirtatious, always chatting with young guys and even pinching their butts?"


    "Oh,e on, it could really be her! Her husband is Master Zou from the factory, in charge of evaluations. They both gave their jobs to their son, didn''t they?"


    "Judging by age, it could very well be her."


    "What the hell is going on here..."


    At the time, the term "social death" didn''t exist yet, but if it did, Zhou Qun would be the first person on the street to experience it.


    Thanks to the drunkard, all of Zhou Qun''s dirty deeds had been exposed.


    In fact, Zhou Qun didn''t just target older women; he preferred younger ones. However, in his early years, for the sake of his career, he mostly sought out older women, basically around his mother''s age.


    There was no other way; if he wanted to use the "backdoor" approach, he had to target older women.


    He liked younger ones, but they were useless for his purposes.


    Take the factory''s senior masters, for example; the higher their level, the older they were. The same went for those with a bit of power; they were mostly middle-aged. Their "backyards" simply couldn''t be young.


    So Zhou Qun ended up with this reputation.


    Although heter started pursuing younger women, since the "ghost woman" was supposed to be dead, it had to be someone older. So he assumed it was one of the older women he had been involved with in the past.


    As a result, his reputation became even worse.


    Social death, absolutely social death.


    And if Zhou Qun was socially dead, who in the entire neighborhood was the happiest? Was it Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei? Not at all. The happiest person was undoubtedly Bai Fendou.


    Although his beloved Xiangxiu sister had been ndered, Bai Fendou was overjoyed. He could say he was the happiest of all! From childhood to adulthood, they were alwayspared.


    Among them, Li Fang was a girl, Zhuang Zhiyuan was three years younger, and Zhuang Zhixi was ten years younger.


    He and Yang Lixin, Zhou Qun were the ones most oftenpared. Back then, he got along best with Yang Lixin because Zhou Qun was so annoying, always trying to show off. Whenever people mentioned Zhou Qun, they praised him for being so well-behaved, which was incredibly irritating.


    Later, they all entered the factory. Zhou Qun quickly climbed the ranks, advancing level by level without wasting any time. In contrast, he and Yang Lixin moved slowly.


    By then, everyone had grown up and startedparing their jobs. Zhuang Zhiyuan, though younger, didn''t join the factory. The new apprentice, Yang Lixin, was just a trainee. Yang Lixin eventually left, so it became apetition between him, Bai Fendou, and Zhou Qun.


    All these years, although he never backed down in words, Bai Fendou had always been overshadowed by Zhou Qun. Now, finally, Zhou Qun had fallen from grace.


    Completely and utterly fallen.


    Bai Fendouughed heartily, saying, "Evil people get their just deserts. Look, Zhou Qun has finally received his punishment! Dad, let''s have a drink?"


    He was in high spirits, happier than during any holiday.


    He said, "What do you think, should I buy some firecrackers and set them off?"


    Old Man Bai looked at him sideways. "Why waste the money? Got too much money to burn? Wouldn''t it be better to buy some meat?"


    Bai Fendou: "Well, isn''t it something? Zhou Qun finally got what wasing to him! Walk the night road long enough, and you''re bound to meet a ghost. Haha... Gah!"


    Hisughter cut off abruptly. Though he was pleased, he suddenly became frightened. Lowering his voice, he said, "Father, about this... did he really see a ghost?"


    He scratched his head. Having little education and no understanding of science, he genuinely believed in ghosts.


    Though he believed, he still feltpelled to ask his father.


    This was when having an elderly father at home proved useful - old folks have seen it all.


    He said, "If ghosts are real, how are we supposed to use the bathroom from now on?"


    Old Man Bai was also somewhat scared, but he collected himself and said, "Don''t panic. I think this isn''t such a big deal." Not sure whether he wasforting Bai Fendou or himself, he continued, "Think about it, carefully consider what the drunk fellow said... What exactly did he say?"


    "Sister-inw..."


    Old Man Bai rolled his eyes: "Don''t think about that part. I''m not talking about that. I''m talking about how the drunk said the female ghost was specifically looking for Bai Fendou. If she''s specifically after Bai Fendou, then it clearly has nothing to do with us."


    He emphasized, "She definitely won''te after us. Every debt has its debtor. Even ghosts follow some logic."


    Bai Fendou nodded hurriedly, saying, "That makes sense, that makes sense."


    But... he scratched his head: "Still, I really don''t dare use the bathroom at night now."


    Old Man Bai: "You think I do?"


    Bai Fendou: "That''s not what I mean. I think even if you go, the female ghost won''t bother you. She likes young men - look at Zhou Qun, he''s young, right?"


    Old Man Bai: "That little scoundrel, wanting so many women all to himself. No wonder good old men like me are still single. He married a young one and still wants the older ones. Such greed, absolutely shameless!"


    "Exactly... and he''s falsely using Sister Xiu. With his taste, he could never get together with Sister Xiu, yet he''s still trying to smear her reputation. I bet he did it on purpose - he must have known the drunk was there. He said that just to spite me. Yes, he definitely said that to get under my skin!"


    Bai Fendou found himself an excuse and managed to rationalize the whole thing.


    Old Man Bai didn''t quite agree with this interpretation. He frowned: "About this Wang Xiangxiu matter..."


    "She''s definitely being wrongly used!"


    "I don''t think so."


    "She is!"


    "Hey now, who''s the father here? Are you talking back to me? You dare argue with me over a woman..."


    The father and son started bickering, while the subject of their discussion, Wang Xiangxiu, was sitting on her kang bed with a worried expression.


    "Mom, what should we do?"


    Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu, internally cursing her carelessness, but outwardly consoled her gently: "Don''t be afraid. This isn''t such a difficult situation. I think everyone''s attention is focused on those older women, and they might not necessarily believe you''re involved. Just stick to your story about being innocent. They need evidence to catch a thief, and nobody caught you directly, so what are you afraid of? If things get really bad, you can always cry, make a scene, or threaten to hang yourself..."


    She lowered her voice and said, "You know how to fake a suicide attempt, right?"


    She added meaningfully: "As long as Bai Fendou is around, he''ll definitely stop you. You need to actpletely wronged and utterly grieved."


    Wang Xiangxiu thought for a moment and nodded: "I understand."


    Having settled on a n, she finally calmed down somewhat and cursed, "That bastard Zhou Qun, I never imagined he was so promiscuous behind the scenes. It makes me sick just thinking about it. No wonder he onlysts three seconds - it must be from all those years with those olddies, that''s what ruined him."


    Aunt Su: "Keep your voice down."


    She looked toward the three brothers sleeping on the other side, and seeing them sound asleep, she rxed.


    She said, "I feel something''s not right about this whole thing."


    "Hm?" Wang Xiangxiu didn''t understand.


    Aunt Su: "How did he suddenly see a ghost out of nowhere? Although there have been rumors about our public toilet being haunted, they were just rumors. It''s never been this serious... Today was really frightening."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "It''s all because Zhou Qun is so vicious... how could he do such things with old women..."


    The thought made her want to vomit. She had gotten involved with such a person - how unlucky! What a cursed way to make money!


    "I''m not talking about the ghost." Aunt Su was a shrewd woman, and she had already caught onto something else. She said, "I''m not talking about the ghost - that doesn''t really concern us. I''m talking about the women Zhou Qun mentioned, his master''s wife, and Aunt Xinghua... Speaking of Aunt Xinghua, I think I know who she might be - possibly Master Zou''s wife from back when he was doing the skill assessments..."


    She had earned some money from Master Zou back then.


    Though Master Zou was extremely stingy, and she only dealt with him once.


    She furrowed her brow and said, "Haven''t you noticed? These two women have something very obvious inmon."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "They''re old?"


    Aunt Su nearly choked, feeling that Wang Xiangxiu was truly hopeless, without an ounce of wit. She, as a mother-inw, couldn''t even guide her properly.


    She said, "What do you mean ''they''re old''? Don''t think about that aspect. Think harder."


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head, unable to figure it out.


    Aunt Su sighed and said, "Your brain... think carefully, don''t they both have capable husbands? And aren''t these husbands all in positions to help Zhou Qun?"


    She continued, "Though we don''t know if there are others, but from the way he talked about ''aunties'' and ''sisters-inw,'' they''re clearly older women. But being older also means their husbands might have some status. No wonder Zhou Qun''s master was so generous, teaching him everything he knew. His skill assessments went suspiciously smoothly too. Now we know the root cause... it was this all along..."


    Wang Xiangxiu suddenly understood, saying, "Mom, you mean there were deals involved?"


    Aunt Su nodded slightly, spat, and said, "That dog, he climbed up using women."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Despicable!"


    After thinking, she added: "What a scoundrel!"


    She added again: "He''s just a gigolo coward!"


    No wonder he onlysts three seconds!


    He must have worn himself out when he was younger!


    Serves him right!


    While Wang Xiangxiu continued cursing, Aunt Su sighed and said, "But being a kept man pays well..."


    Wang Xiangxiu paused, saying, "That''s true. Zhou Qun just had to sleep with older women, but he got so much in return. He''s now a Level 7 electrician, earning over ny yuan. He''s the youngest Level 7 worker in our factory. Electricians earn more than others anyway, and without these older women''s help, how could he have such good prospects... Earning so much money, it''s worth all the fine food and drinks."


    Aunt Su nodded, "That''s how it is."


    As the two women chatted, they hadn''t noticed that their young grandson Toni was already awake. Hey there with his eyes closed, pretending to sleep, while a seed was quietly nted in his heart...


    In his previous life as a suave male escort, he awakened at this young age to the miraculous bloodline of relying on women to enjoy the finer things in life... though it remained to be seen whether he had good kidneys for it.


    The nighttime conversation in the Su household continued, and other families werergely in simr situations.


    Some clever ones, like Aunt Su, had already guessed at some of the connections, while others simply treated it as scious gossip, marveling at Zhou Qun''s peculiar tastes.


    They also discussed whether Wang Xiangxiu was involved.


    In short, not just their courtyard, but the entire street was buzzing with gossip.


    Every household was the same, including the Zhuang family.


    Old Man Zhuang warned again: "Dear, you better stay away from that little punk Zhou Qun from now on. He''s no good, we can''t let ourselves be taken advantage of. This guy specifically targets older sisters! In all my years, I''ve never seen someone with such peculiar tastes. It''s really eye-opening, truly educational."


    Zhao Guihua red at Old Man Zhuang and scolded, "Are you a pig? What peculiar tastes? If he had peculiar tastes, would he go after Wang Xiangxiu?"


    Wang Xiangxiu may not be the most beautiful woman in their courtyard, but she has the best figure. Zhou Qun certainly doesn''t like older women.


    She said, "Can you use your brain for once? He''s not into older women; he''s into the power behind those men."


    This incident today didn''t happen in the previous life. The ultimate social death scene where Zhou Qun was exposed didn''t ur either. In the previous life, Zhou Qun wasn''t exposed, and she remembers that he did quite well at the factory. A year or soter, he became the leader of the electrician group, andter, he even got promoted again, bing a small leader in the factory. Although the factoryter went through a wave ofyoffs, as a small leader with a high electrician level and a good reputation, Zhou Qun wasn''t directlyid off but was transferred to a government unit.


    In the end, he retired, and his life was quitefortable and smooth.


    However, this lifetime, it''s clear that things won''t go the same way as before.


    Zhao Guihua: "No wonder he had such good luck all along; it turns out he was wearing cotton pants over long johns."


    Liang Meifen: "What does that mean?"


    Zhao Guihua felt that her daughter-inw was really not very bright. She said, "There must be a reason."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    She scratched her head, feeling a bit slow on the uptake. She stammered, "Mom, are you saying that Zhou Qun is friendly with these older women to climb thedder?"


    Just hearing this made her shudder.


    Is this something a person can do?


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "That''s for sure."


    She let out a coldugh and said, "Only a fool would think he likes older women. He''s clearly doing this for his future and fortune."


    Liang Meifen: "That''s just too..."


    She didn''t even know how to describe it. Although she had graduated from high school, she was at a loss for words at this moment. All she could say was, "If my son ever did something like this, I''d break his legs!"


    Old Man Zhuang also sighed and said, "What is this worlding to?"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei sat quietly on the side, not saying much. Zhao Guihua gave them a meaningful look and said, "This matter will definitely be investigated."


    "Of course, how did Zhou Qun get promoted to a level-seven electrician? It must be thoroughly investigated," Liang Meifen chimed in. "It''s not just our family who thought of this; others must have too. Just wait, someone will surely report it at workter."


    The whole street was out watching, and those who didn''te out were peeking through their doors. The drunkard''s words were sure to spread quickly.


    Zhao Guihua smiled nomittally and said objectively, "I think the problem isn''t too big. Although Zhou Qun did say some things, since there was no concrete evidence, he can just say he was scared and blurted out nonsense, or firmly im the drunkard misheard him and deny everything. Do you have evidence to prove he did something wrong? Do you have evidence to prove he said those things? No, right?"


    Zhao Guihua continued, "Even though he was involved with his master''s wife and Aunt Xinghua, he did learn something from them. It''s possible that his level wasn''t quite enough when he took the exam, but don''t forget, that was almost two years ago. Over such a long time, he''s already be proficient. If you let him take the exam now, he would definitely pass. Since he can pass, there''s no issue of improper tutoring."


    "Ah, so it''s not going to be a problem for him?" Liang Meifen was incredulous.


    Zhao Guihua: "I think it''s going to be very difficult. But in the future, it will be hard for him to get promoted again. He''ll definitely be scrutinized more strictly than others. After all, he has a record now. And climbing up thedder? That''s out of the question. No one wants to get involved with this ticking time bomb. And who would dare to promote someone who uses the ''wife''s pillow talk'' route? Are they looking for a green hat or a seasoned prairie enthusiast?"


    She paused here and then looked at Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei again, saying, "I said there would be an investigation, and it will definitely be about this ghost incident. This matter has caused such a bigmotion, and it involves superstition, so it can''t be easily brushed aside."


    Liang Meifen pouted, "How can they investigate a ghost? Are they going to catch the ghost? The street officials can''t catch ghosts."


    Zhao Guihua let out a cold chuckle and said, "If it''s someone pretending to be a ghost, then they have to investigate! Zhou Qun isn''t a fool; he doesn''t want to bebeled as superstitious, so he''ll definitely say someone was pretending to be a ghost. Then there will be an investigation."


    Her gaze met her son Zhuang Zhixi''s, and Zhuang Zhixi raised his eyebrows at his mother, showing a bright smile. He said, "Investigate away. He did something shady and ran into a ghost; everyone knows what''s going on. Since he wants to pass the buck, then let them investigate. Who''s afraid of their investigation? Maybe they''ll end up uncovering Zhou Qun''s own mess, which would be hrious."


    Ming Mei chimed in, "Exactly!"


    Zhao Guihua looked at the two of them with a meaningful expression and said, "That''s true. Ghosts are invisible and intangible; if there were any traces, they wouldn''t be ghosts."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "I guess there''s nothing to find, right? What traces could a ghost leave?"


    He stretched and said, "Let''s go, while it''s still not fully light out, let''s get a little more rest. All thismotionst night has left me without energy for work."


    "Right," Ming Mei muttered.


    Liang Meifen: "I''ll go back and lie down too, and check on the kids."


    Their two little ones were sound asleep, not disturbed by the night''smotion.


    It wasn''t surprising; the kids had run around all day and were exhausted, so they slept soundly at night.


    As they walked out the door, Zhuang Zhixi suddenly turned back and said, "Mom, can you make something good for breakfast? We didn''t sleep well, and if we don''t eat something good, we won''t have the energy for work."


    Zhao Guihua gave him a long look and said, "Sure."


    Zhuang Zhixi gave his mother a bright smile and said, "Then, how about steaming some buns? Or making noodles would be good too."


    Zhao Guihua: "Pfft, get out of here!"


    She shooed them out and mmed the door shut.


    Zhao Guihua turned back and said, "You go lie down too; I''ll steam some buns."


    Old Man Zhuang: "I''ll help you..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Go, go, what help? You should rest; you have to go to work during the day. It''s tiring; you need to rest well. I don''t have anything to do during the day, so it doesn''t matter if I lie down for a bit."


    Old Man Zhuang thought that made sense and went into the inner room to lie down.


    Zhao Guihua was silent for a moment, then went to the stove. She squatted down, opened the fire hole, and let out a coldugh.


    As she expected, inside was a white bedsheet and a long wig.


    She had no idea where these came from.


    She thought, it must be those two little troublemakers pretending to be ghosts. Those kids have way too much nerve to pull off such a prank. No doubt, it was that old man Lan Sihai who orchestrated this.


    But she didn''t me Lan Sihai; after all, her son Zhuang Zhixi has always been a troublemaker. Moreover, Zhao Guihua was quite sure that Zhou Qun must have done something to offend the couple.


    Why do I say that?


    It''s not because she''s biased; it''s because Zhao Guihua knows her son very well. This kid, although he''s a troublemaker, isn''t the type to jump into things himself. He''s a bitzy at heart. If it''s someone else causing trouble or being mean, as long as it doesn''t concern him, he''ll just watch the entertainment and not get involved. In his opinion, getting involved is a waste of time.


    But now he''s actively plotting against Zhou Qun, which means Zhou Qun must have offended him.


    Thinking about how Zhou Qun isn''t a good person, Zhao Guihua didn''t feel her son had done anything wrong. Even if he did, she''s the type to side with her family over right and wrong. Besides, exposing Zhou Qun''s character is doing a service to society.


    It saves others from being harmed!


    She rolled her eyes and immediately started kneading dough to steam buns, decisively lighting the fire, and the crucial evidence of the prank disappeared in a ze. Although she muttered to herself, Zhao Guihua was quite efficient in covering up for her son. After all, the little rascal had just told her to clean up the mess.


    She knew it was Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei who were ying pranks.


    She also knew that Zhuang Zhixi knew she knew they were ying pranks.


    She even knew that her third son and his wife wouldn''t bring it up, and they all understood each other tacitly.


    However, from the hints in his words earlier, she could tell that Zhuang Zhixi was confident he wouldn''t be caught. This reassured Zhao Guihua a bit. But thinking it over carefully, she wasn''t too worried anyway.


    Because it was an outdoor location, anyone could go there, and there were many people yesterday. So even if there were some ws, they might be obscured by the crowd. Any traces could be exined away.


    Although she knew it was Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei behind the prank, Zhao Guihua didn''t n to tell her husband, Old Man Zhuang. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust him¡ªif she didn''t trust her own husband, then who could she trust?


    She mainly knew that Old Man Zhuang was a straightforward and honest man.


    Since he was so honest, he probably wasn''t very good at lying.


    Simrly, Zhao Guihua was afraid that if someone came to inquire, Old Man Zhuang might inadvertently reveal something.


    So she decided not to tell him. If he didn''t know, his reactions would be normal.


    Zhao Guihua started kneading dough to steam buns. She wasn''t afraid of anything and directly opened the window, giving her a clear view of the courtyard. As she was busy, she saw Madam Zhou Li supporting her son and daughter-inw returning.


    Zhou Qun was awake now, and so was Jiang Lu. It was unclear how Madam Zhou Li had managed to wake them up.


    But looking at their staggering steps, it was clear they had suffered a significant blow.


    Zhao Guihua spat and muttered, "Serves them right!"


    Probably seeing Zhou Qun return, Bai Fendou immediately rushed out and said, "Zhou Qun, don''t leave. Exin yourself! Why did you nder Sister Wang Xiangxiu?"


    Zhou Qun''s face was ashen, his voice t and lifeless. "I didn''t say anything. Ask whoever told you. I don''t know anything. Someone was ying pranks and scared me."


    As expected, Zhou Qun, though pale and listless, immediately distanced himself from the situation, quickly pushing the me onto someone ying pranks.


    Zhao Guihua thought, "I called it!"


    Bai Fendou sneered mockingly. "What are you pretending for? ying pranks? I think you''ve done so many wicked things that you''ve run into real ghosts! We saw everything clearly. Don''t think you can just push the me onto others. You pervert!"


    "I didn''t. I''ll report this to the neighborhoodmittee." Zhou Qun, now mentally and physically exhausted from the ordeal, didn''t want to argue with Bai Fendou. He had bigger problems to deal with, far beyond what Wang Xiangxiu or Bai Fendou couldpare to.


    Zhou Qun knew that if this incident wasn''t handled perfectly, his future would be ruined.


    If he wanted to have any chance of moving forward, this matter had to be resolved properly! He couldn''t admit to any wrongdoing, not even a little. If he did, he would be utterly disgraced. He had to grit his teeth and hold on.


    His heart trembled, but he looked up and said, "Was it you ying pranks?"


    Bai Fendou: "What?"


    He couldn''t believe his eyes. Zhou Qun was trying to frame him!


    How could there be such a shameless person in the world?


    Enraged, he threw a punch... Thud! Itnded right on Zhou Qun''s eye.


    Just like his mother, his left eye was now ck!


    It was almost like a family trait.


    "Damn it, you dare frame me! First, you med Sister Wang Xiangxiu, and now you''re trying to pin it on me. Do you think I''m easy to bully...?"


    The courtyard erupted into chaos again...


    At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei had just fallen asleep. Their nap hadn''t even reached the deep sleep stage when they were woken up. Zhuang Zhixi muttered in frustration, "Why can''t this just end?" Unlike others, who had slept through the first half of the night, he had been up all night!


    Ming Mei also frowned, not opening her eyes, and snuggled closer to Zhuang Zhixi, her voice soft and sweet. "Cover my ears..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He kissed her forehead and said, "You''re really clever."


    He covered his wife''s ears and said, "Sleep a little longer."


    But he himself opened his eyes and didn''t sleep anymore.


    How could he fall asleep with all themotion outside? The wailing and shouting were intense, and without Aunt Wang''s intervention, the situation seemed a bit out of control. The cries were deafening. It seemed Aunt Wang was truly tired, genuinely exhausted.


    Although Aunt Wang usually tried to mediate and minimize conflicts, she was genuinely helpful and fair. Without her presence, the scene was like a scattered pile of sand.


    Zhuang Zhixi covered Ming Mei''s ears, but she too couldn''t fall asleep. She hugged him and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Zhixi, do you think everything will be okay?"


    Yes, it was them who had yed the prank.


    Ming Mei had yed the ghost, while her grandfather, Lan Sihai, had hidden in the toilet, deliberately imitating women''s voices. When Zhou Qun entered and didn''t see anyone, it was because Lan Sihai had covered himself with a ck cloth, making it look like a wall. In the dark, their hiding was perfect.


    Lan Sihai had imitated various women''s voices, far more varied than Ming Mei''s.


    As for the ghostly mes and smoke, that was Zhuang Zhixi''s doing.


    They each had their roles, and they performed exceptionally well.


    After Zhao Guihua had encouraged the crowd toe out, Zhuang Zhixi quickly blended in with the onlookers. Meanwhile, Ming Mei and Lan Sihai climbed over the wall and swiftly returned home.


    Lan Sihai, despite his age, was surprisingly nimble. The "prank trio" had Zhuang Zhixi as the least agile, struggling to climb the wall and having to blend in with the crowd.


    It was a pity. The others were like flying grasshoppers, effortlessly scaling the wall and returning home.


    He gently patted Ming Mei''s back and said, "Don''t worry, it''ll be fine. Grandpa already rehearsed this with us many times. We had almost no ws, and even the props were burned by my mom. Everything will be fine."


    Ming Mei softly hummed in agreement and then said, "It was so thrilling."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "My mom was right. This will probably be investigated, so don''t let anything slip."


    Ming Mei nodded, pouting, "Of course I know that. I''m not a little dummy."


    But she also sighed, "I never expected Zhou Qun to have so many affairs. It''s just disgusting to think about."


    They ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????hadn''t intended to dig into Zhou Qun''s secrets, just wanted to scare him a bit. But Zhou Qun had so many skeletons in his closet that he ended up spilling them all... It was almost unbelievable. Ming Mei felt her worldview was being reshaped.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "He''s really something. How could he do those things?"


    Ming Mei, however, focused on another point: "Do you think Jiang Lu will divorce him after knowing all this?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head.


    Ming Mei: "She won''t divorce him?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s hard to say. Normally, yes, but Jiang Lu is deeply in love with Zhou Qun, so it''s hard to predict."


    Ming Mei sighed, "If she doesn''t divorce him, isn''t she just stupid?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Maybe it''s love? Plus, Zhou Qun might be really good at handling Jiang Lu? I don''t know."


    He stretched and said, "I have to go to work today. I bet it''ll be busy."


    Ming Meiughed and said, "Isn''t it always busy in the propaganda department?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I mean, I''ll be busy spreading gossip. A lot of people will probably ask me about this ghost incident."


    He spread his hands, "This incident is definitely going to cause a huge stir in the factory today. Last time, the story about falling into a cesspit even reached Tianjin, and this time, the rumor about Zhou Qun stealing from his mistress is likely to reach Beidaihe. Our courtyard is going to be famous, and Zhou Qun is going to be infamous. No matter how he exins it, this scandal won''t be washed away."


    Ming Mei was a bit worried, "Will something bad happen if it blows up this big?"


    She scratched her hair, feeling a little anxious, and leaned against Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder.


    Of course, it wasn''t that she was afraid of being discovered; she was quite confident in that regard. It was more about the impact on the women involved, since Zhou Qun had mentioned several women...


    Such a reputation would certainly be bad for the women. They disliked Zhou Qun, that was true, but they didn''t want to involve others.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I seem to remember that his mistress had already passed away, so it shouldn''t affect anyone."


    Since the person was no longer alive, there was no need to worry about their reputation.


    If she hadn''t passed away, Zhou Qun wouldn''t have guessed her as the first ghost.


    Later on, it might have been a desperate guess, but there must have been some reason at the beginning.


    He patted Ming Mei and said, "Don''t worry, just act like you don''t know anything."


    Ming Mei hummed in agreement, mumbling, "I didn''t expect there to be an unexpected gain."


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Who would have thought?"


    This night was a night of greatmotion, a night full of legends. It was a big gossip that had been circting in this alley for the past twenty years... Many, many yearster, even Jii could educate his own son.


    He said, "Son, our street once had a ghost scare. That ghost was really scary. See that empty lot over there? That used to be the toilet, the center of the ghost scare, but now it''s all been demolished. Do you know that Zhou Uncle? He was quite the yboy back then..."


    In short, this ghost rumor solidlysted for decades, and even decadester, there were still old folks talking about it, iming that there really are ghosts in this world!


    And now, everyone was still outside watching themotion, the boxing match between Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun.


    They were fighting with great passion, and there were plenty of onlookers.


    Someone trying to break it up? Not a chance!


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t sleep and got up to watch themotion. He saw that Zhou Qun was no match for Bai Fendou. However, Bai Fendou wasn''t faring well either. Zhou Qun had helpers¡ªhis mother and wife were quite formidable. They rushed forward with pale faces to scratch and w.


    Bai Fendou''s face and neck were a mess, his clothes were torn open, and... it was too embarrassing to look at!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Bai Fendou howled, "Jiang Lu, you''re such an idiot, mentally ill! Your man is out there ying with old women, and you still treat him like a treasure. He won''t even give you a child, and you still don''t get it. I feel ashamed for you..."


    "Shut up! Don''t try to sow discord between us..."


    "We''re going to the neighborhoodmittee, we''re going to the police station. Bai Fendou, I swear I''ll make you pay!"


    Bai Fendou spat, "Pfft! I wouldn''t want a stupid kid like you even if I could..."


    Zhuang Zhixi watched for a while, marveling, "Their cursing skills are really something. They''ve really mastered the art of insults."


    Ming Mei listened intently, saying, "I need to remember this. If I ever get into an argument, maybe I can use some of these lines..."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "You should learn something good."

 Chapter 67

    <h1>Chapter 67</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi arrived at the factory early in the morning. As soon as he reached the main gate, he was stopped.0


    Security guard Zhang San grabbed Zhuang Zhixi, his eyes sparkling like they were filled with stars. He said, "Dr. Zhuang, I heard there''s a ghost haunting the toilets in your alley?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched. How many times did he have to exin that he wasn''t a doctor?0


    He smiled and said, "I''m not too sure about that. I sleep deeply, so you should ask someone else."0


    Although he often heard gossip, Zhuang Zhixi knew what to say and what not to say. If he spoke too much, he might end up being used of spreading feudal superstitions. He added, "I don''t know if there''s a ghost or not, but I saw Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun fighting each other this morning."0


    Zhang San: "What?!"0


    He quickly asked, "Fighting? Over what? Is it about a woman? I heard Wang Xiangxiu is involved too. Tsk tsk, this is quite themotion."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m not too clear about that. Maybe you should ask someone else. I need to head to the Propaganda Department, so I''ll have to leave now."0


    "Don''t go! Tell me, I won''t tell anyone else."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: I believe you, my foot.0


    He thought to himself but still smiled on the surface and said, "I really am busy. Oh, by the way, I vaguely heard Zhou Qun saying he wanted to go to the neighborhoodmittee this morning. But I don''t think that''s the right approach, is it? Shouldn''t our security department be involved? The neighborhoodmittee is good for handling family disputes and trivial matters, but for this kind of situation, I''m not sure they''re the right fit. Besides, even though the neighborhoodmittee oversees our area, everyone there has their own jobs. They might just push it back to the factory anyway. Who knows who will end up handling it..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed.0


    He then smiled and said, "Our security department hasn''t been busytely, huh? You even have time to block me here and listen to gossip."0


    Zhang San pped his thigh and said, "Ah! This matter should be handled by our factory''s security department! Zhou Qun can''t go to the neighborhoodmittee; everyone in your courtyard works at the factory. Both Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou are factory employees; how can they involve outsiders? This is disrespecting our security department! I''ll go tell our boss! We need to handle this."0


    It wasn''t about gossip; he just didn''t want to admit it!0


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a meaningful smile, then pretended to think deeply and nodded immediately, saying, "That makes sense. Having the factory handle it is better than the neighborhoodmittee. If necessary, a joint investigation would work too. Otherwise, if the neighborhoodmittee investigates and just informs the factory, the factory would look too passive. After all, they are all factory employees."0


    "Exactly!"0


    Zhang San suddenly became energized and said, "I''ll go find the leadership."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Maybe by then, you''ll know more details than I do. Next time, I''ll have to ask you about what happened."0


    Zhang San: "Hah, my gossip-gathering skills are better than yours."0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Keep bragging. I''m heading upstairs now."0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t linger and quickly went to the Propaganda Department. He had been busy with this recently. Several skits had been finalized, but they still needed to prepare some props. For example, for "The White-Haired Girl," they needed to set up some scenery; for "The Marriage of Little Erhei," they needed to prepare some backgrounds. They had initially decided to use a pastoral painting as the backdrop.0


    With limited manpower, they had to juggle both rehearsing and preparing props, with each person doing the work of two.0


    Zhuang Zhixi climbed the stairs and entered the room, where he saw several people already there. One of the older women looked up and quickly asked, "Zhuang, I heard there''s a ghost in your area?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought, "Wow, news travels fast!"0


    He smiled and joked, "You all are so well-informed."0


    At that moment, Director Song entered the room and chimed in, "I hadn''t even entered the factory this morning when I heard people talking about it at the gate. What''s the deal? I heard it has something to do with Zhou Qun from the electrical department?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I can''t reallyment on that."0


    He sped his hands together and said, "Everyone, just wait. Zhou Qun has decided to go to the security department, so you''ll soon know the full story. To be honest, I don''t really know what happenedst night. I didn''t even dare to go out at first. You know how it is; a handsome guy like me always has to be careful."0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Pfft! Your face is so thick!"0


    "Exactly."0


    "Hey, don''t hold back. We''re all working together; just tell us a bit."0


    Everyone started urging him to speak, but sometimes, it wasn''t that Zhuang Zhixi was gossipy; it was a way of socializing. In this era, it wasn''t about minding your own business. Any little thing would spread like wildfire.0


    If everyone was talking and you weren''t, it was harder to fit in. Sometimes, sharing a secret or gossip helped integrate into a new environment.0


    Of course, there was a bnce. Some things shouldn''t be said, as it would only earn you disrespect. So, after deflecting a bit, Zhuang Zhixi started to share what he could: "I don''t know if there''s a ghost. People are just saying that. I didn''t even think to check at first. Butter, Jiang Lu said it was Zhou Qun outside and rushed out. We were worried, so we followed to take a look."0


    "So... was there really a ghost?"0


    "Nonsense, there''s no such thing as ghosts."0


    "Quiet, let Zhuang speak." Director Song also widened his eyes and reprimanded the others, urging Zhuang Zhixi to continue.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t see any ghosts. It was just a bit foggy. I''m not sure what really happened, but Zhou Qun was so scared he wet his pants."0


    "What the...!"0


    "Ugh, that''s disgusting."0


    "Is this a real man from Beijing? How cowardly!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Later, Zhou Qun''s mother didn''t want to spend money to send him to the hospital, so we all went home. But this morning, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou started fighting again. I saw them still at it when I left."0


    "What were they fighting about? Why did they start again?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Just a disagreement, I guess. Everyone''s been on edge."0


    "What kind of disagreement? You must know. Spill it, you''re always holding back half the story."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled wryly, "Some things... it''s not appropriate to talk about. It involves another female colleague. If I say anything, I''d be like those gossipy old women. Just wait, I think the security department will get involved. Then you''ll know more than I do. I only have bits and pieces, and I''m afraid of saying something wrong and damaging someone''s reputation."0


    "Come on... you..."0


    Director Song: "Alright, stop pressuring Zhuang. Let''s get back to work. We all know what''s important. Those gossipy matters are trivial. We need to focus on the Labor Day event. By the way, Old Huang, you can start preparing the backdrop."0


    Old Huang nodded, "I know, but I can''t do it all by myself."0


    Director Song immediately looked at the others, but those he looked at quickly averted their eyes, not meeting his gaze.0


    Director Song: "Little Li, you help Old Huang..."0


    Little Li looked miserable and said, "Director, I have three performances to rehearse. I''m already stretched thin. I really can''t help, you see..."0


    Director Song thought for a moment, "That''s true. Little Wang, you go."0


    Little Wang wasn''t happy either. She pouted and said, "I also have two performances. I can''t even memorize all the lines for ''The Marriage of Little Erhei''..."0


    Director Song: "Then..."0


    Everyone quickly avoided eye contact, none of them wanting to help.0


    Performing on stage was a chance to be seen and was quite honorable. But working behind the scenes on props was tedious and unrewarding. Old Huang was also a bit rigid and entric, so naturally, no one wanted to work with him.0


    Director Song knew this well, and he sighed in frustration. His gazended on Zhuang Zhixi, and his eyes lit up. "Zhuang, you were here yesterday preparing the backdrop, right? I see you have some experience. Perfect, you can help Old Huang with the backdrop for the skits."0


    Before Zhuang Zhixi could respond, Little Li chimed in, "Yes, yes, I think Zhuang can handle it."0


    Xiao Wang also nodded in agreement: "Right, Zhuang Zhixi mainly hosts and leads the chorus, so he doesn''t need to memorize much. He''s a good fit for this."0


    "I think so too."0


    "Me too."0


    Everyone seemed to be of the same mind, thinking that Zhuang Zhixi would be perfect for the job.0


    In truth, whether someone went or not didn''t matter much, as long as it wasn''t themselves paired with Old Huang. Anyone else would do.0


    It didn''t matter!0


    Since everyone was saying so, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t decline, but instead said: "I can do it. After all, a revolutionary is like a brick, ced wherever needed. However, I don''t have much experience in drawing, only having done some ckboard newspapers at school. Is that okay?"0


    "Of course it''s okay! You''re already quite knowledgeable," Director Song affirmed firmly. "Many people haven''t even done ckboard newspapers, so they''re not as good as you. Alright, it''s settled. You''re in charge of this."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Since the leadership has arranged it, then sure, I''ll go. Uncle Huang, if there''s anything you need, just let me know. As long as you don''t mind my clumsy hands, I''ll be your assistant."0


    Old Huang''s face remained expressionless as he said, "Anyone will do."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He chuckled.0


    In truth, he wasn''t particrly skilled, but during his school days, he had done some ckboard newspapers, so he had a bit of experience. Being the main force might be a stretch, but assisting wouldn''t be a problem. Old Huang was the only one in the propaganda department who could draw and make props, so working under him was a good opportunity for Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Old Huang, the main force, was nearing fifty and spoke bluntly: "Alright, follow me. Let''s find arger ce."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Got it."0


    He followed behind Old Huang, like a little eunuch.0


    "Mr. Huang, is there anything else we need? I can go prepare it," Zhuang Zhixi said clearly on this point. He was here to help, not as an official employee of the propaganda department. Therefore, he wouldn''t overstep his bounds; he would listen, observe, learn, and work more, and speak less.0


    This wasn''t an era where one could casually express opinions.0


    Moreover, it was rare to have the chance to learn from Old Huang. Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t one to miss such an opportunity, even though everyone else thought this kind of work was useless and didn''t want to assist Old Huang.0


    His philosophy was: learn a little bit at a time. You never know when it mighte in handy.0


    In any case, learning something was never a waste.0


    He happily followed Old Huang. Seeing his enthusiasm, Old Huang raised an eyebrow in surprise. After all, these days, writing and drawing weren''t considered good work. Intellectuals weren''t valued, so Zhuang Zhixi''s attitude was quite rare.0


    Originally, Old Huang thought this young man named Zhuang was a bit slippery, but seeing his passionate demeanor, he reconsidered. Perhaps he was just young and exuberant, not truly cunning and experienced. If he were truly cunning, he wouldn''t be so eager to help when everyone else avoided it.0


    The two went to an empty warehouse to prepare the backdrop. Old Huang nced at him and said, "No one likes toe, yet you''re so eager."0


    This time, it wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi helping; there were others, but some were avoiding eye contact, almost shrinking into the background. In contrast, Zhuang Zhixi, being tall, stood out prominently, not declining at all.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Anyway, I''m here to help, so it doesn''t matter what I do. Besides, instead of practicing the chorus with them, I think it''s better to help you. I can even learn a thing or two. Everyone in the factory knows you''re excellent at drawing."0


    This wasn''t an exaggeration. Over the years, almost all the ckboard newspapers in the factory had been done by Old Huang.0


    Whether it was calligraphy or painting, he was quite skilled.0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t sure if he was a master of calligraphy and painting, probably not.0


    But for ordinary people like them, they didn''t need to judge whether it was a masterpiece. As long as it looked "real," that was good enough. After all, how many could achieve such authenticity? Zhuang Zhixi smiled and moved closer, saying, "Feel free to instruct me. I''d love to see how it''s done."0


    Old Huang: "Alright, but first, let''s make a window."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"0


    Old Huang: "Yang Bao''s house needs a window to look realistic, with snow falling outside."0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t very good at this, but he spread his hands and said, "I''ll follow your instructions. Just tell me what to do!"0


    Old Huang looked at Zhuang Zhixi and nodded, "Alright,e, I''ll exin it to you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t necessarily the most popr among his peers, but he was definitely well-liked by teachers. Why? Because he was eager to learn, serious, sincere, and not afraid to ask questions.0


    All these qualities resonated with teachers.0


    Zhuang Zhixi had a good rtionship with his teachers during school, and now he quickly got along well with Old Huang. Others thought Old Huang was rigid and blunt, not someone to get close to. But Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t intimidated by him; instead, they had a good back-and-forth conversation.0


    Old Huang patted his shoulder and said, "You''re not bad, quick learner."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "It''s also because you teach well."0


    The two worked busily, well, actually, the entire propaganda department was busy. Director Song was grumbling: "What''s wrong with Old Bai? He''s ying Yang Bao, yet he dares to skip rehearsal?"0


    "I checked, he didn''t take leave, but many people in their courtyard didn''te today."0


    Director Song suddenly realized, oh, the ghost incident!0


    He said, "Everything seems to be happening at once. Alright, keep practicing, I''ll go to the security department to check."0


    Indeed.0


    It turned out he was also curious.0


    He quickly went downstairs, and Little Wang smiled, "Director, if you get the first-hand news, be sure to tell us quickly!"0


    Director Song was serious: "What first-hand news? I''m going to see why Old Bai is absent without permission, not to meddle in those trivial matters. You all focus on practicing, stop joking around, we need to be serious."0


    "Yes, yes."0


    Everyone still had smiles on their faces, and Director Song quickly went downstairs.0


    Sure enough, when he arrived at the security department, he found that more than half the people were gone. He coughed and said, "Where''s your section chief?"0


    Wang Ermazi immediately stepped forward: "Director Song, our section chief has taken people out on business. Some factory employees are involved in superstitious activities, and it''s our duty to handle it."0


    Director Song nodded, "I see. I was looking for your section chief to ask something, but... well, tell me which courtyard it is, I''ll go there directly."0


    Wang Ermazi: "..."0


    Don''t think I don''t know you just want to go and watch the excitement.0


    He quickly said, "It''s Xinghua Lane. Number 44, Xinghua Lane. Just go there and find it!"0


    "Good."0


    Director Song hurried out and immediately headed towards the direction.0


    Wang Ermazi sighed enviously, "Another one going to watch the excitement, while I have to stay and work, sigh."0


    Director Song hurried, and just as he left the factory, he ran into Deputy Factory Director Zhang riding a bicycle. Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "Old Song, where are you going?"0


    Director Song coughed and said with righteous indignation, "Our propaganda department has been busy preparing for the May Day Labor Festival. We''ve borrowed some employees to help, and the one ying Yang Bao didn''t show up today, not even taking leave. I''m going to see what''s going on. Our ''Bai Mao Nu'' can''t wait."0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s mouth twitched, thinking, just admit you want to go watch the excitement, why make up so many excuses? Tsk, not honest at all.0


    But his official tone was also ready, "Look, we''re all dedicating ourselves to the factory, aren''t we? Today, many employees are absent without reason, and it seems to involve some disputes. The security department has already gone over. As the deputy factory director in charge, I can''t let such things develop unchecked and be left in the dark. I need to go and see what''s going on. If the factory director or other leaders ask, I can exin clearly. The worst thing is mimunication; even the best words can be twisted."0


    "Exactly, exactly."0


    The two exchanged nces, both understanding each other well.0


    They rode their bikes together towards the courtyard.0


    At this moment, in Courtyard No. 44 of Plum Blossom Lane, where the Zhuang family resides, many people had not gone to work. It wasn''t because they were skipping work without reason, but rather because they hadn''t rested well the previous night, so they were inevitably a bit slower in the morning.0


    If they hurried and rushed, they could still make it to the factory on time.0


    However, no one had the energy for that, and on top of that, the Security Section had arrived.0


    Yes, the Security Section had arrived.0


    And so, they naturally asked everyone to stay put. Investigations were necessary.0


    It must be said that Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou were truly warriors among warriors. The two of them kept going at it, back and forth, until the Security Section arrived, and they still hadn''t stopped. Both of them were severely injured.0


    Zhou Qun was beaten to a pulp, his face bruised and swollen, and he exuded a faint, unpleasant odor.0


    As for Bai Fendou, he was the absolute victor in the physical confrontation with Zhou Qun, a victor in the truest sense. However, Zhou Qun had two helpers: an olddy and a young woman. The two of them used a long-lost technique, the Nine Yin White Bone w, and literally scratched him into shreds.0


    Upon seeing this, Section Chief Liu of the Security Section quickly said, "Separate them, separate them! What is this all about? You two grown men, what are you fighting about?"0


    When the Security Section arrived, even Zhou Qun was flustered, and Madam Zhou Li was even more so.0


    Madam Zhou Li had a history with the Security Section, a shadowed past.0


    Before the Security Section could even question her, she plopped down on the ground, looking as if her father had just died.0


    Of course, at her age, such a thing was normal.0


    Meanwhile, Bai Fendou started to gloat. Why? Because he was part of the Security Section himself. He knew their section chief, a man with a stern face but someone who was very protective of his own. In today''s situation, he wouldn''t be at a disadvantage.0


    No matter how things were between them, the Security Section presented a united front to the outside.0


    He immediately said, "Section Chief Liu, you''ve arrived just in time. This guy, this guy right here, he''s having an affair with his shifu''s wife."0


    Zzzt!0


    Those words were like a drop of oil sshed into a hot pan, instantly causing everyone to gasp in shock.0


    Bai Fendou continued, "He''s also been with other older women, all as old as his mother."0


    Oh, this!0


    The Security Section had heard some rumors, but they hadn''t had time to investigate before rushing over. Now, they were stunned. Section Chief Liu, who had seen a lot in his time, having served near the border and heard all sorts of strange stories, was also taken aback.0


    "Bai Fendou, you''re ndering me!"0


    Zhou Qun, furious, retorted, "Stop spouting nonsense! You''re not exactly innocent yourself, you''ve been hanging around with that widow."0


    At this point, Wang Xiangxiu, feeling the pressure shift to her, immediately perked up. She brought out her best acting skills, biting her lip and crying out, "Zhou Qun, you scoundrel! You can''t nder me, so now you''re trying to smear me like this. I''m a widow, do you know how hard it is? I count the days carefully, living a clean and honest life, and you have the audacity to nder me like this. I can''t go on..."0


    She ran straight toward the wall, shouting, "I''ll die to prove my innocence!"0


    In the nick of time, Bai Fendou shouted "Ah!" and quickly rushed over to hug Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Sister Xiangxiu, how could you be so foolish? How could you kill yourself over such rumors? What about Jii and the others if you''re gone?"0


    He hugged her waist and said, "You can''t die! No, you can''t!"0


    Zhao Guihua, standing not far away, watched the scene unfold with a skeptical eye.0


    This drama, oh, it was too exaggerated.0


    Zhao Guihua, with her broad experience, immediately felt that this performance was quite exaggerated. If you tried to pull something like this for sympathy, you''d probably get punched. But at this time, people hadn''t seen much of this kind of thing, and everyone was stunned by Wang Xiangxiu''s performance.0


    Everyone chimed in: "Xiangxiu, don''t do anything foolish. Why give up on yourself for a few lowlifes?"0


    "Exactly, your kids are still young. Look at those three big, strong boys of yours. Your good days are ahead of you. Don''t do anything rash."0


    "We believe in you. We definitely believe in you. Don''t be so reckless. If you leave, the old and the young will be left behind. What will you do then?"0


    "That''s right."0


    Aunt Su ran over, crying, and hugged Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Xiangxiu, if you leave, I won''t go on either. I''ll take the kids and follow you. There''s no way we can let them bully us like this. They''re trying to drive two widows to their deaths..."0


    "Mom... I''m in such a difficult position. A widow''s life is full of troubles!"0


    The two women wept together.0


    Seeing this, everyone felt sympathy and said, "Zhou Qun, look at what you''ve done."0


    "Exactly, why bully a widow? What kind of person are you?"0


    "What kind of person? Someone who seduces his shifu''s wife and then discards her? Section Chief Liu, you don''t know, this guy is really something. He''s been haunted by a ghost..."0


    Section Chief Liu reprimanded, "Stop talking nonsense. There are no ghosts in this world."0


    He looked at Zhou Qun and said, "You, too, bullying women isn''t a skill. If you''ve got guts, take it out on men..." After saying that, he nced at Bai Fendou''s multicolored face and paused, adding, "Even fighting men isn''t right. In a harmonious society, we should unite with our neighbors. Fighting is not the way."0


    He put his hands on his hips and said, "Now, tell me, what exactly is going on here? Goodness, this ghost story has spread like wildfire since early morning. Are you deliberately trying to ruin the factory''s reputation?"0


    Zhou Qun immediately put on a smiling face and said, "Section Chief Liu, I''m innocent in this matter."0


    Zhou Qun was quite shrewd. He knew that the incident of him seeing a ghostst night couldn''t be kept secret, as so many people had witnessed it. So, he had to take the initiative.0


    He had nned to go to the neighborhoodmittee early on. The people in the neighborhoodmittee who dealt with such matters were usually quite old, and old folks tended to be a bit superstitious. With a bit of trickery, he could have passed it off.0


    But he hadn''t expected the Security Section to arrive uninvited.0


    This made thingsplicated.0


    If he told the old folks in the neighborhoodmittee that he hadn''t seen a ghost but that someone had yed a prank on him, even if they knew it was an excuse, they would likely downy the matter.0


    What if they didn''t?0


    They wouldn''t believe someone had yed a prank, so they wouldn''t bother investigating.0


    And if they believed in ghosts, they wouldn''t have the ability to deal with them, so they wouldn''t want to take on that bad luck.0


    In the end, they would likely go along with his story, saying it was a prank, avoiding the issue of superstition. Then they would investigate, but whether they found anything or not would be another matter. Over time, the matter would be forgotten.0


    Who would dare to say there were really ghosts? They wouldn''t want to take on that burden.0


    Zhou Qun''s n wasn''t about trickery but about understanding human nature.0


    But with the Security Section involved, it was a different story.0


    This had to do with theposition of the Security Section. The members were basically divided into two types: those who had been soldiers and were transferred after retirement, and those who were children of factory workers. They rarely recruited outsiders.0


    The former group, havinge from military backgrounds, were unlikely to believe in ghosts.0


    Thetter group were young people. Even if they believed in ghosts, they would likely want to stir up some trouble out of curiosity.0


    If he insisted that it was someone ying a prank, they would definitely investigate. But was Zhou Qun worried about whether it was a real ghost or a fake one? No! What he was truly worried about was what had been said yesterday, and those words had been overheard.0


    The more they investigated, the more those words would spread, and his life would be increasingly difficult.0


    And the more details they uncovered, the more likely they were to trap him.0


    Zhou Qun was now in a bit of a predicament, unsure of what to do.0


    "Zhou Qun, what are you thinking? Answer directly when asked, and don''t try to deceive the Security Section or the organization," Section Chief Liu said sternly, seeing him lost in thought.0


    Zhou Qun: "I truly am innocent..."0


    "Then exin what happened. This matter has escted so much; do you really think you can keep it hidden?" Section Chief Liu: "Go ahead, exin."0


    Zhou Qun: "..."0


    After hesitating for a moment, he said, "I had a stomachache yesterday and was about to go out to use the bathroom when I heard voices. It seemed like a man and a woman were having an affair. It''s my fault for being curious, I just wanted to see what was going on, but then I encountered something supernatural. Of course, I don''t believe in ghosts, I think someone was deliberately trying to scare me."0


    He was quite indignant: "I fainted from fright, yet the neighbors not only didn''t help, they just left. Isn''t it said that neighbors are closer than distant rtives? How could they act like this? I was only woken up this morning by my mother, and we had to help each other home. But just when I thought things couldn''t get worse, Bai Fendou came to pick a fight. You''re all from the security section, you can''t be covering for each other. Bai Fendou is really going too far."0


    Naturally, he was only presenting his side of the story.0


    But others weren''t about to let him have thest word, with Aunt Wang being the first to speak up.0


    She said, "Section Chief Liu, I''m the caretaker of this courtyard, I''m Aunt Wang, and my husband is Li the Cook. If Zhou Qun is going to talk like this, then I have something to say too. We don''t know if someone was pretending to be a ghost, but when we went out, there was only Zhou Qun lying at the bathroom door. He says we didn''t care about our neighbors, so I want you to ask everyone carefully, not just our courtyard, but the surrounding courtyards who came to watch. Was it really us who didn''t care about our neighbors? I tried several times to take him to the hospital. But how did Jiang Lu talk to me? She told me to get lost! And how did Madam Zhou Li talk? She said her son''s matter was none of our business and she didn''t want to spend money, wanting us to pay instead. Everyone knows what kind of situation her family is in, they can''t even afford it, so how can we? And why should we pay for her? Because she has a thick face and knows how to stir up trouble? Not only did she want us to pay, but she also cursed us, saying we''d be childless if we didn''t help. Can you imagine someone saying such things? There''s more that''s even worse, but I don''t want to mention it. You can go around and ask yourself."0


    Aunt Wang, being the caretaker of the courtyard and a seasoned conversationalist, delivered her speech with logic and reason.0


    Her words, however, amused Section Chief Liu, who looked at Madam Zhou Li and joked, "Madam, you''re still as sharp-tongued as ever, aren''t you?"0


    Madam Zhou Li''s face had already fallen, turning dark as she dared not provoke Section Chief Liu.0


    This Section Chief Liu was not the one who had recently taken bribes.0


    Section Chief Liu, the actual head, had been on a business trip recently and hadn''t arrived on the scene, but he did catch the tail end of the incident. He was well aware of the notorious Madam Zhou Li''s erratic and malicious behavior.0


    Later, when Jiang Lu came to pick up Zhou Qun, it was Section Chief Liu who signed for his release.0


    So, Madam Zhou Li had indeed met Section Chief Liu before.0


    Section Chief Liu chuckled and continued, "Look at you, your son hasn''t even be the factory director yet, and you''re already acting like a tyrant?"0


    The rumor of Zhou Qun bing the factory director was widespread.0


    "I, I didn''t!"0


    Madam Zhou Li fell silent, but her silence only infuriated Zhou Qun. He finally couldn''t hold back and shouted at his mother, "Mom, what''s wrong with you! Why are you doing this again! Didn''t you tell me everyone was deliberately standing by and doing nothing?"0


    He was trembling with rage, though it was unclear if it was genuine or an act.0


    In Zhao Guihua''s opinion, it was definitely not real anger. After all, he knew what kind of person his mother was. How could he believe this foul-mouthed old woman? Zhao Guihua crossed her arms and tapped her slippers rhythmically, enjoying the show.0


    It would have been even better with some sunflower seeds.0


    Too bad there weren''t any.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Alright, it seems there''s no point in discussing the matter of everyone standing by and doing nothing."0


    Zhou Qun seemed embarrassed and rubbed his face.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Then let''s talk about the fight."0


    Bai Fendou: "Tui!"0


    He spat at Zhou Qun and said, "You''re trying to downy the whole thing, Section Chief Liu, listen to me!"0


    He felt that Zhou Qun was trying to minimize the incident, and he wouldn''t allow it. Absolutely not!0


    He said, "The story beginsst night..."0


    This kind of narrative, starting from the beginning, was everyone''s favorite. The security section, led by Section Chief Liu, immediately fell silent. Deputy Factory Director Zhang and Director Song, who arrived in time, also quietly joined the crowd of onlookers. Seeing more people gather, Bai Fendou became even more energized, channeling the spirit of the famous storyteller Daganzi from Tianqiao.0


    He wasn''t like Zhou Qun, who, though a hypocrite, still had some brains and knew not to directly mention the ghost, instead pinning it on someone pretending to be supernatural. But what kind of person was Bai Fendou?0


    He lived by the principle of being straightforward!0


    He waved his hand and began his oration: "So,st night, the sky was dark and the wind was high... I was half-asleep... I squinted out the window and saw smoke and ghostly lights..."0


    Bai Fendou was in full swing, his speech flowing like a river... He was a native of Beijing, and he had a bit of the local alleyway gossip talent in him (no offense intended).0


    Though not a professional storyteller, his tale was quitepelling, with ups and downs, hitting every mark.0


    However, the story was too bizarre, and his choice of words was overly dramatic, so by the time he finished, an hour had passed.0


    Zhao Guihua, sitting on a small stool watching the show, understood why Bai Fendou couldn''t find a wife.0


    This repetitive speech, going round and round.0


    Yet, the scene remained silent. After a while, Zhao Guihua thought she heard someone gulp. At that moment, Section Chief Liu spoke, his voice calm but firm: "Master?"0


    Indeed, such topics were always of eternal interest.0


    "I''m not, I didn''t!" Zhou Qun jolted and quickly defended himself.0


    Madam Zhou Li also cursed: "Bai Fendou, you little brat, don''t you dare nder my little Qun. You''re just jealous, jealous of his goodness, so you''re ndering him."0


    Bai Fendou didn''t hold back: "It wasn''t me who said it, it was the Alcoholic. He even dared to swear a deadly oath."0


    Despite the Alcoholic''s love for drinking, people around here would rather believe him.0


    After all, who would dare to swear such a deadly oath?0


    Moreover, the Alcoholic, though a drinker, had no major ws in character, everyone knew that. His character was pretty good. As for his drinking... you can''t stop someone from drinking, can you?0


    It was just a personal hobby.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Go and bring him here."0


    He was addressing Zhang San.0


    Their security section had a knack for naming, with characters like Zhang San, Li Si, and Wang Ermazi.0


    The Alcoholic wasn''t from their factory, so of course, they had to "invite" him. However, the Alcoholic''s older brother worked at their factory, so he lived in the area. The Alcoholic hadn''t gone to work today, taking a day off after the scare was understandable.0


    But this guy was good; when he heard the mechanical factory was looking for him, he didn''t hesitate and came right over.0


    Like Bai Fendou, he wasn''t one for many tricks. He started talking, and an hourter, he had thoroughly recounted his experience of encountering a ghost...0


    By this time, Section Chief Liu wasn''t smiling anymore; his face was dark and grim. He asked, "Are you sure?"0


    The Alcoholic: "If I''m lying, may lightning strike me dead, and I''ll see a ghost tonight."0


    Madam Zhou Li cursed: "You were just drunk and confused, and now you''re trying to frame my son. My son..."0


    "Enough!" Section Chief Liu frowned: "Shut up!"0


    Being a military man, he had a broad back and a menacing aura, which effectively silenced Madam Zhou Li.0


    She trembled and didn''t dare speak.0


    Section Chief Liu tapped his fingers on his leg, his expression serious, and asked, "Did you see the female ghost?"0


    The Alcoholic nodded, then shook his head. Seeing Section Chief Liu''s piercing gaze, he shrank and said, "I saw her, but I didn''t really see her. I was hiding in the men''s bathroom, and she floated over. I didn''t dare look up, but I saw a white shadow out of the corner of my eye... but I remember the sound, oh man, it was terrifying, like the sound of a cat scratching a window frame, it sent shivers down my spine."0


    "You heard the sound."0


    ¡°I heard it too. I even overheard the conversation between Zhou Qun and the others. They did mention several older women¡­ and ghost fires. I saw ghost fires.¡±0


    The security department staff were all amazed, feeling lucky that it was broad daylight. If it had been nighttime, it would have been quite scary.0


    However, there were those with bigger guts. Li Si was one of them. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Could it be that something caught fire and was smoking?¡±0


    Everyone shook their heads.0


    How could they be sure?0


    Section Chief Liu: ¡°I think this matter has escted quite a bit. As employees of the factory, the factory cannot ignore it. Since Zhou Qun ims it¡¯s someone ying tricks, the factory must investigate thoroughly. Otherwise¡­ oh, Deputy Factory Director Zhang, why are you here? And Director Song?¡± He immediately realized the leaders were here to watch themotion, but he couldn¡¯t say that outright. He quickly added, ¡°Look how big this matter has be. Even Deputy Factory Director Zhang and Director Song havee to inquire personally. How can we not investigate thoroughly? This matter must be investigated rigorously, thoroughly. Deputy Factory Director Zhang, what do you think?¡±0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang nodded: ¡°This is necessary. Otherwise, if this rumor spreads, it will turn into superstitious nonsense.¡±0


    Mentioning this, the few who had been so certain about ghosts earlier shrank their necks.0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: ¡°Personally, I don¡¯t believe in any ghost stories. In broad daylight, we should uphold science. Superstition is not eptable. But there are witnesses on the scene. We must also investigate their testimonies thoroughly.¡±0


    Everyone nodded.0


    Indeed, whether there are ghosts or not is one matter, and whether Zhou Qun is entangled with those older women is another. Both need to be investigated seriously.0


    At this moment, Da Qiang from the neighboring courtyard, known as the bold one, was also watching the excitement. He hadn¡¯t gone to work today. After staying uptest night, he overslept and waste. But since he was alreadyte, he decided toe and see what was going on.0


    The factory could understand this situation today.0


    However, as the topic reached this point, Da Qiang shouted loudly, ¡°Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I want to report! I want to report Zhou Qun for improper rtionships and abusing his power for personal gain!¡±0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: ¡°???¡±0


    He became serious: ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±0


    Da Qiang: ¡°The Auntie Xinghua mentioned in the conversation is the wife of Master Zou, who is in charge of grading at the factory. He retired at the end of the year beforest. Just before his retirement, Zhou Qun passed the seventh-level electrician exam. I suspect there¡¯s something fishy going on.¡±0


    ¡°Right, ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????right.¡±0


    ¡°I suspect that too!¡±0


    ¡°Exactly!¡±0


    ¡°How could he have passed the levels so smoothly? If he were really that skilled, why didn¡¯t he win any awards during the factory-widepetitions?¡±0


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±0


    Zhou Qun¡¯s face turned red with anger as he shouted, ¡°I said there¡¯s nothing! This is a frame-up, the Alcoholic is framing me!¡±0


    The Alcoholic was extremely aggrieved, his voice even louder than Zhou Qun''s: "I''m not lying! He really mentioned those people and said those things. If he didn''t say it, I''ll eat shit right here!!"0


    Zhao Guihua: Wow, what a tough guy.0


    Everyone was stunned!0


    So, why are you all so obsessed with the toilet?0


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 68

    <h1>Chapter 68</h1>


    There is an old saying: "Without investigation, there is no right to speak."0


    However, there is another saying: "Do not propagate feudal superstitions."0


    So, Section Chief Liu and his colleagues, at least Section Chief Liu himself, do not believe in ghosts! Given that, he is even more convinced that someone is deliberately creating a supernatural atmosphere. As for others, well, that''s a matter of personal opinion.0


    Everyone has their own thoughts, but investigation is certainly necessary, isn''t it?0


    As Section Chief Liu was questioning, people from the neighborhoodmittee arrived. Such a big incident in their jurisdiction couldn''t go unaddressed. The two parties joined forces and quickly decided that the factory would handle the investigation.0


    To be honest, the neighborhoodmittee didn''t want to get involved in such matters. If someone else could investigate, that was the best oue.0


    The neighborhoodmittee members came and left in a hurry, almost like a gust of wind.0


    Section Chief Liu: "..."0


    It''s clear that you all believe there really is a ghost.0


    Of course, besides investigating the "supernatural prank," there''s also the matter of "improper rtionships between men and women."0


    However, since there was only one witness, a drunkard, and Zhou Qun firmly denied it, the situation became a he-said-she-said. As for who people believe, that''s another matter of personal opinion.0


    It''s easy to guess that most people believe the drunkard.0


    Normally, Zhou Qun had a slightly better reputation among the residents than the drunkard, who was known for his love of alcohol. Zhou Qun still had a reputation as a gentleman. However, people still didn''t believe him. After all, even if the drunkard were to make up stories while drunk, he wouldn''t be able to mention those names.0


    He wasn''t even from the machinery factory.0


    Moreover, a solemn oath carries a lot of weight.0


    Everyone has their own measure in mind.0


    Zhao Guihua watched for a while and then turned around to go home to cut the fabric. Her old man hadn''t had new clothes in years, and this year, she was determined to make him a new one.0


    "Is Auntie home?" A man''s voice came from outside the door. Zhao Guihua got up to take a look and saw a young man from the security department.0


    Zhang San entered and smiled, saying, "Auntie, I''m from the security department. I''d like to ask you aboutst night''s situation."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure,e in and talk."0


    She brewed a cup of tea and said, "Here, have some tea."0


    Zhang San was ttered and quickly thanked her, "Oh, how could I trouble you, Auntie. Thank you."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Ha, what''s there to thank for? You''re here investigating this matter for the safety of all of us. It''s a good thing."0


    In her heart, she was sighing that the security department really had a lot of authority at this time. She guessed that those born in the 80s and 90s wouldn''t be able to imagine how important the security department''s role was during this period. As for those born in the 2000s, even more so.0


    She said, "Young man, go ahead and ask whatever you need."0


    Zhang San nodded, "You can call me Little Zhang, Auntie. My name is Zhang San."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."0


    Ah, that name is somon. There was a thief before who was also named Zhang San.0


    Zhang San: "Last night, when did you go out?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I went out early. As you get older, you sleep lightly. I vaguely heard some noise and immediately woke up my old man. My old man is from the factory, called Old Man Zhuang. We thought it might be a thief. There was a theft incident in our neighborhood after the New Year. I thought it might be the same thing again. So we held our breath and listened for a while, then we heard the sound of the gate being closed."0


    "The gate was closed?"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "I put on my clothes and went out. I saw Bai Fendou closing the gate, so I quickly went out. Soon after, Aunt Su, Wang Xiangxiu, and the Wang family from the back courtyard, the Sui family, all came out. Many of us gathered at the gate."0


    "Was Bai Fendou closing the gate aftering back from outside?" Zhang San quickly asked the key point, as Zhou Qun had used Bai Fendou of being the one who harmed him. So this needed to be investigated in detail.0


    Zhao Guihua shook her head and said, "I don''t think so. When I went out, Bai Fendou was wearing a tank top and shorts, and he was wearing slippers. Although it''s mid-April and the weather is warm, it''s still quite cold at night. Even if someone were to go out to the public toilet, they wouldn''t dress like that."0


    Although Zhao Guihua didn''t particrly like Bai Fendou, she certainly wouldn''t nder him. She said, "We all heard noises outside, and there were also ghost fires. I did see them. Bai Fendou''s house is the one closest to the gate. He came out early, saw the fog and ghost fires, and was so scared that he quickly closed the gate. This was to ensure the safety of all of us."0


    Zhang San nodded, "I see."0


    He asked again, "Were all your family members out at that time?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "My old man and I went out first, then my youngest son, Zhuang Zhixi, came out. He''s also from your factory, working in the clinic."0


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re Little Zhuang¡¯s mom. I¡¯m quite familiar with Little Zhuang. Look, it¡¯s like the Dragon King¡¯s Temple being flooded, and a family not recognizing each other. We have a good rtionship.¡± Zhang San said with a smile, ¡°We often gather together to gossip.¡±0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    Can''t you talk about something serious?0


    However, she still smiled and said, "Thene visit more often in the future."0


    Zhang San: "Alright."0


    He said, "Let''s continue. You have more than one son, right?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, but my eldest son isn''t at home. He''s a train conductor and is away from home for most of the month. After everyone came out, they were all furious with Aunt Zhou, and soon everyone dispersed."0


    "Do you think Zhou Qun has any enemies?"0


    Zhao Guihua smirked, "Whether Zhou Qun has any, I don''t know. But his mother, Aunt Zhou, is disliked by everyone in this neighborhood. She''s mean-spirited and has a sharp tongue. Yesterday, she even cursed us with ''may you die without descendants.'' She''s made enemies everywhere. However, if someone were to target Zhou Qun specifically... I don''t think it would go that far. Even if they wanted to take revenge, they''d go after Aunt Zhou! After all, it''s her mouth that''s smelly."0


    Zhang San nodded, "Understood."0


    As a staff member of the security department, he had indeed witnessed how vicious and toxic this olddy could be.0


    But Aunt Zhao''s words made sense. If someone hated their family, they''d go after Aunt Zhou. Why would they target Zhou Qun? In his heart, he vaguely felt that maybe there really was a ghost...0


    Oh my, just thinking about it is scary.0


    "Alright, Auntie, I''ll go and get busy now. See youter."0


    "Alright."0


    The investigation by the security department basically matched what Zhao Guihua said. Although Zhou Qun insisted that someone was ying a supernatural prank,0


    There were still many inexplicable aspects. Where did the smokee from? They checked the entire alley and found no trace of anything being burned; where did the ghost firee from? The mes floated in mid-air, and they had no idea how it was done. There was also the rumored floating female ghost.0


    If it was "floating," it must have been done with tools, but the stone in the toilet was moved by Zhou Qun himself, and there were no signs of any mechanism.0


    For a moment, Section Chief Liu was a bit at a loss.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care about how others were investigating. She asked Liang Meifen to watch the house and then picked up her basket and fishing rod to go out.0


    Zhang San was talking to Section Chief Liu, and Aunt Wang was also there. Seeing here out, Zhang San greeted, "Aunt Zhao, are you going fishing? Your skills must be good."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes."0


    For some reason, Zhang San felt that when Zhao Guihua said those two words, she seemed a bit gritted her teeth.0


    She rode her bike out, and Aunt Wang whispered, "Old Zhao''s fishing skills are terrible. Mentioning fishing to her is like provoking her."0


    Zhang San: "But I remember seeing a fish hanging on the beam when I went over earlier."0


    Aunt Wang: "That was caught by her old man yesterday afternoon. Since she bought the fishing rod, she hasn''t caught a single fish. Everyone mentioning it makes her turn ck-faced, but she''s quite addicted to it and is determined to redeem herself."0


    Zhang San: "What an unyielding olddy."0


    Aunt Wangughed and said, "Exactly. By the way, is there anything else you want to ask? To be honest, I think this doesn''t need investigation. It''s definitely a ghost. What''s with this ''supernatural prank''? It''s just Zhou Qun''s excuse."0


    Actually, this is something that shouldn''t be said, but Aunt Wang felt that such a big investigation was quite tiring, so she decided to juste out and say it.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Nonsense, what ghosts are you talking about?"0


    He nced around and said, "I heard that Madam Zhou Li''s daughter-inw is quite skilled?"0


    If someone is really pretending to be a ghost, they must be quite agile!0


    Aunt Wang: "You mean Meimei? Well, she''s quite capable. She''s caught thieves several times. She''s... well, not just in our courtyard. But wait, Section Chief Liu, are you suspecting her?" Aunt Wang looked suspiciously at Section Chief Liu, feeling speechless: "What are you thinking? How could it possibly be rted to Meimei? She''s good at fighting, sure, but that''s different from being able to float. Besides, Meimei hasn''t been here long, and she doesn''t have much to do with the Zhou family. What would she gain from doing something like that?"0


    "Her grandfather had some conflict with Madam Zhou Li, didn''t he?"0


    That''s why Section Chief Liu is a section chief. He''s definitely not someone like Zhang San.0


    He does have some judgment skills.0


    Aunt Wang was even more speechless: "That was ages ago. Let me tell you, the conflict between Aunt Zhou and Grandpa Lan is considered a minor one in our courtyard. Aunt Zhou... you don''t know her, but she''s really good at making enemies. Besides, she was already punished back then, wasn''t she? Your security department locked her up for three days? Who would still hold a grudge now? And if anyone were to seek revenge, it would be against Aunt Zhou, not Zhou Qun."0


    Aunt Wang felt that Section Chief Liu was overthinking things.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Did Meimeie out to watch themotion?"0


    Aunt Wang thought carefully and said, "Not at first, but she came outter. She even said she wanted to beat up Aunt Zhou."0


    Section Chief Liu''s mouth twitched.0


    Since she was in the courtyard, it probably wasn''t her!0


    ording to everyone''s ount, Bai Fendou had closed the gate, so anyone in the courtyard couldn''t have been involved.0


    Moreover, she wanted to fight... If someone had done something bad, they would definitely try to lower their profile and hide, not stand out. This suggests that Meimei is likely not involved in this matter.0


    "Why did she want to fight?"0


    Aunt Wang quickly exined: "Aunt Zhou was being rude, cursing her with words like ''childless and cursed.'' Everyone wanted to beat her up. You saw her eyes, right? Bai Fendou couldn''t hold back and hit her."0


    Section Chief Liu''s mouth twitched again, feeling utterly speechless. Just how annoying must Madam Zhou Li be to have made enemies all over the courtyard.0


    "Wah, wah wah..."0


    Just as they were talking, a child''s crying sounded. Everyone turned around simultaneously to see Toni crying like a big fool. Due to the excitement fromst night, the three brothers hadn''t gone to school today and were ying in the alley.0


    "What''s wrong now?"0


    Before they could finish, they saw Zhao Guihua dragging Toni in, shouting: "Aunt Su, Aunt Su,e out quickly! Your Toni has had an ident in his pants."0


    She had nned to go to the toilet and then go fishing. Just as she came out of the bathroom, she saw the three boys lying on the ground ying with crickets. Before Zhao Guihua could leave, the boy started crying, clutching his stomach...0


    Being neighbors, she couldn''t just ignore it.0


    Aunt Su rushed out: "What happened?"0


    She questioned Zhao Guihua: "What did you do to my Toni?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Hey, don''t you have any shame? You''re really like a dog biting Lu Dongbin¡ªungrateful. Your kid having a stomachache and diarrhea has nothing to do with me. I even kindly brought him back for you. Yet you want to me me? How shameless can you be?"0


    Aunt Su: "Uh..."0


    Zhao Guihua: "What? Do you think I''m easy to bully?"0


    Aunt Su quickly said: "No, I''m sorry, Old Zhao. I''ve been dealing with all these troubles, and I''m a bit muddled. Don''t take it personally. I''m sorry, okay?" She was good at navigating situations, clever in knowing what to say and when to say it.0


    Now that the factory leaders had left, but the security department was still around, she wouldn''t leave a bad impression at this time.0


    She quickly picked up the child and said: "Toni, what''s wrong? Don''t scare your grandma..."0


    "Grandma, help..." Yii also ran back, his body emitting a smell that was hard to describe. Following him was Jii, who, being older, had a bit of shame and looked listless.0


    Aunt Su: "Oh dear, what did they eat?"0


    With all three children having diarrhea, Aunt Su was really struggling. She called out: "Guihua,e help me..."0


    Zhao Guihua retorted: "Forget it! You were about to me me just now. I''m not crazy enough to help you."0


    She turned and left, not wanting to be the good Samaritan.0


    Fishing, she must go fishing today. Otherwise, she''d have to endure this smell in the courtyard.0


    Aunt Su: "Old Wang, help me..."0


    Aunt Wang: "I''ll boil some water for you. You should quickly change the kids'' pants. How did this happen..." She turned: "Section Chief Liu, you''re overthinking things. No one in our courtyard would do something like pretending to be a ghost. I''m not talking to you anymore. I''m going to help."0


    She muttered softly: "That ghost fire wasn''t man-made. It was clearly a ghost... always suspecting people for no reason."0


    As she spoke, she looked up at Zhao Guihua, who was also looking over. Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes in exasperation.0


    Aunt Wang forced a smile and then said: "What did they eat?"0


    Aunt Su''s eyes turned red: "I don''t know. How could all three of them have diarrhea? We eat the same things..."0


    "Ah! You little thief!" Madam Zhou Li suddenly burst out of the house, rushing up and pping Aunt Su across the face so fast it was unbelievable. She shouted: "I knew it! My freshly bornmb eggs are gone. It must be your kids who stole them! You three little brats, while my son is suffering outside, you sneak into my house to steal. I''ll beat you all to death, you thieving family..."0


    "What are you doing!"0


    Before Section Chief Liu could step forward, Old Man Bai rushed over like a whirlwind, pping Madam Zhou Li across the face. "I''ve tolerated you for too long. You''ve been bullying Sister Su all along, and it''s never-ending. I won''t let you get away with it, you old hag. Don''t think I don''t know why you''re targeting her! You''re jealous because I treat her well, so you''re taking this chance to get back at her!"0


    Oh ho!0


    Zhao Guihua, who had just stepped out the door, casually stepped back in.0


    No fishing today.0


    An old love story in the Beijing alley, she couldn''t miss it.0


    Zhao Guihua quietly stood at the door, and every household came out, silently watching the scene unfold.0


    Fortunately, the questioning had just ended, and many had gone to work. Otherwise, there would have been even more people.0


    Section Chief Liu rubbed his forehead, unable to help but shout out his soul''s cry. How many things were happening in this courtyard? He felt overwhelmed. The other security officers were equally excited, having never seen such a scene before.0


    They had seen many love and hate dramas, but never one involving people of this age.0


    Madam Zhou Li''s face darkened as she cursed: "Stop talking nonsense. Have some shame. Do you think I''d look at you? You''re only good enough for someone like Aunt Su."0


    Old Man Bai sneered: "You''ve forgotten about the time you came to my ce, took off your shirt, and said you liked me! I saw through what kind of vicious woman you are and didn''t fall for it. You call her dirty? I think you''re the filthiest. Don''t think I don''t know you had an affair with Zhou Qun''s master, which is why Zhou Qun got into the electrical department at the factory. You and your son are quite something. It''s like a knife slicing through my eyes. I''ve never seen anything like it. You two didn''t leave a single person in that couple untouched. You had an affair with the man, and your son slept with the wife. At that age, how could you even do such a thing? It''s disgusting."0


    Old Man Bai sure knew a lot. After all, he had worked in the factory for so many years and was in logistics, so he had more opportunities to see and hear things. This revtion left everyone in disbelief, their eyes wide, almost popping out.0


    Wow, what did they just hear?0


    Was this something they, as ordinary people, should be hearing?0


    "Coming to my door to undress? And seducing Zhou Qun''s master?"0


    This olddy is really into some wild stuff, no wonder Zhou Qun is like this... is he just following her lead?0


    Old Man Bai is jumping up and down: "None of you in your family are good people!"0


    "I''ll kill you!"0


    "I..."0


    The scene once again erupts into full-blown chaos, with Section Chief Liu shouting: "Quickly, pull them apart, get them separated, what the hell is going on here..."0


    He finally understands why Aunt Wang said it was impossible for Mingmei.0


    Because that conflict, it really wasn''t a big deal, just look at the situation now, this is...0


    He rubs his forehead again, feeling that Aunt Zhou is truly a one-of-a-kind unique character in the universe.0


    The other members of the security department are all excited, having never seen such a lively scene at the factory. They wish Old Man Bai would reveal more secrets. Keep talking, we want to hear more.0


    Sniff, sniff, I really want to move into this courtyard.0


    Zhang San approaches Aunt Wang and asks: "Auntie, is there any vacant room in your courtyard?"0


    Aunt Wang''s mouth twitches: "No."0


    Three stiff words.0


    Zhang San sighs with disappointment, feeling really let down.0


    Such good drama, why can''t they encounter it? Compared to this, their own courtyard is so mundane. Although there are also family squabbles, nothing as exciting as this. Zhang San feels deeply regretful.0


    The others share the same sentiment.0


    I really want to move here.0


    Section Chief Liu: "..."0


    Just, feeling very tired.0


    They''ve tussled for half a day, found nothing, and even had to break up a fight.0


    Aunt Zhou: "You old bastard Bai, you''re the one who''s unclear with Aunt Su, and now you''re trying to frame me? Don''t even think about diverting the topic. Themb testicles we bought three days ago, my son said they tasted off yesterday, so we didn''t eat the rest. But just now, I found out someone had moved our cupboard, not only was themb testicle soup gone, but also a steamed bun was missing. If it wasn''t Jii the thief who ate it, then who else? My son also didn''t eat well because of this and got diarrhea! They must have stolen and eaten it!"0


    Aunt Zhou is unusually logical and coherent this time, which isn''t because she''s particrly sharp, but because Zhou Qun had hinted at her earlier in the house.0


    Zhou Qun was so scared he wet his pants, and this would ruin his reputation if it got out. It''s better to attribute it to a stomachache, which sounds more eptable.0


    Section Chief Liu: "..."0


    Truly, he''s never been so speechless in his entire life.0


    He looks at Aunt Su, who is crying, her face swollen on one side. Her daughter-inw has already gone to work, and she''s holding three children, crying pitifully. She says: "I don''t know, I really don''t know..."0


    She pats the three children and says: "Tell me, did you steal anything? Tell me."0


    Jii''s eyes dart around, but he loudly deres: "No!"0


    His tone is firm.0


    Aunt Su looks up: "See, my kids didn''t steal anything. Aunt Zhou, I know you don''t like me, but you can''t always me me like this. I know you have... feelings for Old Man Bai..."0


    "You''re lying, I''ll tear your mouth apart!"0


    The scene once again esctes into a fierce fight.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Stop fighting, stop fighting!"0


    Zhang San: "Stop fighting, stop fighting."0


    Other members of the security department: "You guys... oh, who the hell scratched me, damn it..."0


    The scene descends intoplete chaos.0


    Zhao Guihua quickly retreats from the battlefield, pulling her silly daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, back: "Why are you still stepping forward, eager to get hit or what?"0


    Liang Meifen: "They''re really hot-temperedtely."0


    Zhao Guihua thinks for a moment and says: "It''s probably because it''s getting hotter. When the weather gets hot, people get more irritable. In a few days, let Old Man Zhuang go up the mountain to pick some free herbs, and we''ll make some tea to cool down. Otherwise, all they do is fight all day."0


    Liang Meifen nods in agreement.0


    As Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen are talking, they don''t notice an olddy limping towards the gate. This is none other than Liang Meifen''s mother, Granny Hu, who got beaten up for being rude and grabbing a seat. Although the person who beat her is now in jail for the gold bar incident, Granny Hu still hasn''t fully recovered.0


    She''s here this time to borrow money from her inws. Her son is desperate to marry a certain woman, and as parents, they have to scrape together every penny to support him. If they can''t provide for their son, what''s the point of living?0


    This woman isn''t a good match, demanding too much, but she has promised to bring a sewing machine as part of her dowry, which gives Granny Hu some peace of mind. At least this future daughter-inw is thinking about the family.0


    But their family''s situation is dire. Don''t even mention the "three rounds and one sound" (amon phrase referring to expensive household items in the 60s and 70s); even one of those would be hard toe by. They can''t borrow anything from rtives and friends. Now, they''re relying on the inws of their daughters.0


    She first came to Liang Meifen''s ce, as this family is the best off.0


    The other two daughters'' families are a bit worse.0


    Actually, she''s a bit scared this time. It''s not that she''s cowardly, but she''s truly aware of Zhao Guihua''s temperament after some interactions. Her daughter oftenins about her mother-inw when she visits her parents.0


    So Granny Hu knows this person is not to be messed with.0


    She originally thought that since her daughter is the eldest daughter-inw, she could use that position to control the younger daughter-inw and maybe get some benefits. But she never expected, on their first meeting, to witness the younger daughter-inw''s "skills."0


    To be honest, thinking about that little wife still makes her heart tremble.0


    That''s why she chose this time toe, to avoid that tigress.0


    She limps to the courtyard of the apricot flowers, and as she approaches, she hears an unusually livelymotion. She''s surprised, aren''t they supposed to be working? It''s like a New Year''s celebration here. With curiosity, she listens to conversations about "ghosts," "master''s wife," "security department," "exam irregrities," and "preferring older targets"...0


    In such a context, Granny Hu is quite confused.0


    Just, this ispletely iprehensible.0


    But these topics also give her a sense of excitement.0


    So what are they talking about here?0


    She originally wanted to stand here and listen for a while, but she''s afraid that if she dys, time will pass, and her younger daughter-inw mighte home from work. Then the matter of borrowing money might be difficult to bring up. After all, in a family with more than one son, there''s alwayspetition.0


    She doesn''t want to meet Mingmei, so she has to give up on the gossip and limps to her daughter''s inws'' ce.0


    Like their own crowded courtyard, this siheyuan is also amunal living space, but there''s a clear difference in quality. This ce looks much better. She walks to the gate, takes a deep breath, and is about to step in when suddenly she stumbles and quickly grabs the door frame.0


    What the hell!0


    What''s going on!0


    Inside the courtyard, old and young are cursing each other, insulting each other''s ancestors for eighteen generations.0


    An olddy is pulling another olddy''s hair, while thetter is kicking at the old man''s sensitive area. There are also younger women taking sides, and a few security guards in uniform.0


    Around them, three kids are squatting, and even from the gate, you can see the dirty stains on their pants, the smell... For a moment, Granny Hu feels like she''s watching a movie.0


    Really, besides movies, she''s never seen such a fiery scene.0


    At this moment, an olddy is kicked out, and her inw Zhao Guihua quickly helps her up, but unexpectedly, the olddy, either out of rage or on purpose, directly scratches Zhao Guihua.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t expect Madam Zhou Li to be so shameless. She was kind enough to help her, yet she took the opportunity to attack. What does this have to do with her!0


    She sidesteps, ps, and then kicks.0


    Madam Zhou Li stumbles back several steps and falls onto Old Man Bai, who quickly pushes her away and shouts: "You old tramp, don''t take advantage of me!"0


    Everyone who was fighting couldn''t help butugh.0


    That line really is...0


    The scene descended into chaos once again. Granny Hu''s face turned as pale as paper. Trembling, she looked at Zhao Guihua, who was standing with her hands on her hips, shouting, "Madam Zhou Li, you ungrateful wretch! I was trying to help you, and you want to take advantage of the chaos to hit me? Who do you think you are?!"0


    With a howl, she charged forward, grabbed Aunt Zhou, and pinned her down, pping her face repeatedly¡ªlike a tigress on the prowl.0


    This disy stunned everyone present.0


    "Holy crap!"0


    "My goodness, this olddy''s gone wild..."0


    "How can she be so fierce?"0


    Section Chief Liu: "Oh,e on~ Auntie, calm down, please calm down..."0


    He dragged and pulled Zhao Guihua out of the fray. Her aggressive intervention had stopped the fight.0


    Zhao Guihua pointed at Madam Zhou Li and continued to curse loudly, not holding back on any ancestral insults. Who couldn''t do that? Zhao Guihua was even more skilled at it.0


    She was a shrew¡ªand she feared no one!0


    Granny Hu, entangled in the chaos, leaned against the doorframe, silently retreating, step by step, until she turned and ran. It was no wonder Liang Meifen resembled someone; she had inherited some traits from her mother. Granny Hu was also the type who bullied the weak and feared the strong.0


    If you were kind and easy to talk to, she would take advantage of you endlessly.0


    But if you were fierce and domineering, she wouldn''t dare say a word, behaving as meek as amb.0


    Granny Hu hade with the intention of borrowing money, but upon seeing Zhao Guihua''s ferocity, her determination plummeted from 80% to -80%.0


    Forget borrowing money¡ªshe didn''t even dare enter the house.0


    This woman, when she lost her temper, was like a Siberian tiger!0


    She valued her life. Although her son''s affairs were important, she couldn''t risk her own life. What if something happened? How would she see her son have grandchildren in the future? Granny Hu bolted, her heart filled with the deep realization that her third daughter had been right¡ªher mother-inw was indeed not someone to be trifled with.0


    There were asional fights among their neighbors, but nothing as fierce as this. She had no doubt that if she dared to speak up, this olddy would p her. Thinking of the pitiful state of the other elderly woman being beaten, she shivered and quickly boarded a bus.0


    Recalling the courtyard, her head shook like a rattle drum.0


    In their neighborhood, neighbors often bickered, but nothing like this... What kind of people lived in this courtyard? It was too crazy¡ªa full-on brawl, with even the security team unable to stop it.0


    She grimaced and decided to visit less often in the future.0


    In fact, their whole family should stay away.0


    One must cherish their life.0


    Granny Hu darted away faster than a monkey, her previously unsteady legs not slowing her escape.0


    Meanwhile, her daughter Liang Meifen hadn''t noticed her mother''s arrival or departure.0


    Zhao Guihua pointed at Aunt Zhou, exuding arrogance: "If you dare provoke me again, I''ll p you to death!"0


    Aunt Zhou was dazed from the beating, mainly because she had been hit so many times today¡ªeveryone seemed to take a swing. She was so angry she could barely breathe, but she didn''t dare retort to Zhao Guihua. If it were Aunt Su, she might have fought back.0


    Aunt Su only had Old Man Bai, an outsider, to back her up, and an old man wasn''t much of a threat. As long as Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t involved, Bai Fendou wouldn''t step in¡ªhe was a man of Beijing and cared about face.0


    But Zhao Guihua was different. She had both a husband and sons. At this moment, Aunt Zhou only regretted having too few sons, only Zhou Qun. If she had more, she wouldn''t be so humiliated.0


    She sobbed miserably, not saying a word.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Aunt Zhao, please calm down. Aunt Zhou, stop crying. Aunt Su... Old Man Bai, you all stop fighting."0


    He turned back to see the three children who had soiled their pants, sighing helplessly. "Stealing is wrong, but it''s important to educate them properly."0


    He felt utterly drained, finally understanding the challenges of grassroots work. "You all stop fighting. If you continue, I''ll have to take you to the security office."0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Everyone''s expressions softened.0


    Section Chief Liu: "This isn''t me scolding you, but you''re all not young anymore. You should set an example for the younger generation. Instead, you''re even more fiery than them. Look at yourselves¡ªdon''t you feel ashamed in front of your children? This time, I''ll let it go, understanding that everyone was tense afterst night''s scare. But if it happens again, the security office will have to intervene."0


    This day felt longer than a year.0


    Everyone looked at each other. Zhao Guihua grumbled, "It won''t happen again."0


    "Right, it won''t."0


    "Nor will it at my ce."0


    They all agreed.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Alright, think about it. Zhang San, lead the team back."0


    Although many questions remained unanswered, his heart was shattered by these elderly folks. He waved his hand, and the security team, unlike their section chief, seemed a bit reluctant to leave.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Let''s go."0


    As for the investigation, he left it to his subordinates. He never wanted to visit this courtyard again.0


    Section Chief Liu had marched in with determination, but left with faltering steps, looking thoroughly worn out. Aunt Wang, seeing this, felt a sense of bnce. She still had some standing in the courtyard¡ªat least when she intervened, the fighting decreased.0


    Look at Section Chief Liu¡ªhe was useless.0


    The matter, if Section Chief Liu insisted on being strict, could have resulted in taking them all in, but then again, a bunch of old folks fighting was significant but not that significant.0


    And these people had their reasons, so it wasn''t appropriate to take them all in.0


    This era''s security teams were armed, dealing with major incidents. Small matters could be managed, but if they directly arrested people, it would be awkward. People might use them of overreacting, using a cannon to kill a mosquito.0


    It was possible, but really unnecessary.0


    The same went for Jii. Was this his first time stealing? No, but in this era, kids who didn''t steal money and just took some food were usually just beaten. Taking them to the security office would only embarrass the security team.0


    Besides, ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????if they took these people in, they''d still need food and care.0


    As for Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun fighting, since it happened in the courtyard and no one reported it to the security office, Section Chief Liu simply ignored it. After all, Bai Fendou was still part of their security team.0


    Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou eventually parted ways, so it was left alone.0


    So Section Chief Liu didn''t bother and left.0


    He was done with it.0


    That was his mindset.0


    Of course, regarding Zhou Qun''s mother or aunt, this matter would still be thoroughly investigated, as it potentially involved an upgrade exam, which was more important to the factory than investigating ghost rumors.0


    The ghost rumors could be dismissed as someone ying tricks. Whether the culprit was found wasn''t that important.0


    But the exam matter needed to be crystal clear, like scallion and tofu¡ªclear and distinct.0


    Under various considerations, Section Chief Liu left, and everyone stopped fighting.0


    After all, there was no one to mediate anymore.0


    What if they got the short end of the stick if they continued!0


    Everyone limped home, and Liang Meifen once again witnessed her mother-inw''sbat prowess, feeling even more awed and subdued. She asked, "Mother-inw, would you like to rest?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Go buy some tofu. We''ll have fish stew tonight."0


    Liang Meifen: "Got it."0


    Zhao Guihua loved this dish, and their family often prepared it.0


    Liang Meifen left, and Zhao Guihua tidied up her clothes,y on the kang, covered her face with her hand, then uncovered it, silentlyughing...0


    Everyone thought she was just a fierce olddy who lost her temper and hit people, but little did they know, Zhao Guihua had achieved three goals with one move.0


    If it weren''t for seeing Granny Hu standing at the door, she definitely wouldn''t have gone up to beat Aunt Zhou. This is what you call: killing a chicken to scare the monkey.0


    Fortunately, the monkey was truly frightened. Isn''t it great to have some experience from a past life? She knows this mother-inw quite well¡ªa family of bullies who are afraid of the strong and bully the weak. Killing a chicken to scare the monkey works wonders for them.0


    Sure enough, Granny Hu didn''t even dare to enter the door, let alone borrow money.0


    Yes, even without exchanging a single word, Zhao Guihua knew she hade to borrow money.0


    She wasn''t about to indulge them.0


    You wear a hat that fits your head size; if you don''t have money, don''t go for those fancy three-turn-one-ring and thirty-six-legged things. Isn''t that justughable? Fortunately, she knew this family was all about taking advantage and had a timid nature. She figured a good scare would reduce such incidents in the future.0


    That was her first goal.0


    Achieved, ¡Ì.0


    Her second goal was to thoroughly humiliate Aunt Zhou. Otherwise, this olddy would never know when to stop, always jumping around like a monkey, not biting but annoying people. After Zhao Guihua beat her this time, Aunt Zhou would definitely be on her best behavior for a long while. It might not be forever, but it would definitelyst for quite some time.0


    Having peace for half a year would be good enough.0


    Second goal, achieved, ¡Ì.0


    As for the third goal, Zhao Guihua felt a bit subtle about it. Her third goal was to clean up the mess for her son and daughter-inw. She had a feeling that Section Chief Liu suspected Mingmei. Just from Aunt Wang''s nce, she was certain Section Chief Liu must have asked about this.0


    Although she knew it was definitely Mingmei''s doing.0


    But others couldn''t think that way. She had to cut off this suspicion.0


    She used reverse psychology, thinking that if someone did something bad, they would definitely try to lower their profile. As a family member, Zhao Guihua decided to be more aggressive. The more she jumped around, the less it would seem like their family had anything to do with the ghost incidents.0


    Moreover, she wanted to give the impression that their family was reckless, that they would directly resort to violence when things got tough. Although Zhao Guihua couldn''t judge the oue from Section Chief Liu''s behavior, observing his state, she guessed that this goal had also been achieved.0


    This olddy, though not good at reading, knew how to use tactics. Sacrificing her reputation as a fierce olddy to achieve three goals¡ªthat''s a surefire win.0


    After all, she already had a reputation for being fiery and outspoken.0


    A three-bird-one-stone move, perfect!0


    However, Zhao Guihua stroked her chin and pondered, these two little rascals have some tricks up their sleeves. Creating such a bigmotion and leaving no clues behind, with smoke and ghost fires, she had no idea how they did it.0


    And those props...0


    Come to think of it, this stuff is actually quite challenging. Even as a reborn person, Zhao Guihua wouldn''t know how to do it.0


    But soon, she thought of it: these two little rascals probably don''t know either, but they have a mentor, Lan Sihai, that old man is no simpleton. He knows more tricks than those street performers at Tianqiao.0


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "This life is going to get even more lively."0


    ******0


    Lan Sihai: "Achoo, achoo, achoo."0


    He frowned, "Who''s talking about me!"0


    Which bold scoundrel is gossiping about me behind my back!

 Chapter 69

    <h1>Chapter 69</h1>


    Lan Sihai led Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei to Donishun again.0


    This old man''s meat coupons hadn''t been spent at the butcher''s; they had all been spent at Donishun.0


    At ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????this moment, Zhuang Zhixi began to understand what Ming Mei meant by "having a refined taste in food and drink." Indeed, it was quite refined. The three of them even ordered a bottle of Xifeng liquor, each holding a small half-cup, and clinked their sses.0


    Lan Sihai smiled and said, "This time, our operation to deal with those three troublemakers was aplete sess, thanks to our teamwork. Let''s toast to our future endeavors, big or small, all going smoothly."0


    "Cheers!"0


    "Cheers!"0


    Ming Mei took a sip, stuck out her tongue, and said, "I can''t handle this stuff."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If you can''t drink it, give it to me, I''ll take it."0


    Ming Mei shook her head and refused: "No, I want to drink a little, I''m happy."0


    When she was a child, she was also a mischievous little girl, but as she grew up, she became much more well-behaved. This kind of incident where even the security department was involved was unprecedented. However, despite the scale of the incident, Ming Mei was very happy, exuding a joyful aura.0


    Her voice soft and sweet, she said, "Do you think there will be any follow-up?"0


    Lan Sihai: "There will definitely be, but I don''t think the security department will investigate it strictly. It''s not a big deal. You two should just go about your business. Whether it''s really ghost-rted or just pretending, I believe the security department will focus more on the internal affairs of the grading system. Not to mention, there''s also the added element of a scandal. They will definitely prioritize investigating those."0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, "So, you had me hint to the security department, pulling them into this..."0


    The words he said to Zhang San weren''t without purpose.0


    Lan Sihai with a meaningful look: "If the neighborhoodmittee investigated, it would just be about the ghost incident. No matter how seriously they take it, their main focus would be on that. But if the security department investigates, the most important thing will be whether there are any internal dealings in the grading system. Although we didn''t know Zhou Qun would say those things at the beginning, now that we do, it''s still necessary to involve the security department. Investigating clearly is a form of fairness for everyone. Why should someone who engages in all these shady dealings get a high sry while others work diligently and hone their skills? Is that fair?"0


    He, Lan Sihai, isn''t a great man. Throughout his life, he''s been selfish, caring only about his own pleasures¡ªfood, drink, fun, and entertainment. But he does have a sense of justice. As a retired rehire, he doesn''t have to worry about upgrading, but he hopes that others who work hard can get a fair oue.0


    Zhuang Zhixi ttered: "Grandpa, I knew you were a very just person. Our Ming Mei takes after you, she has such a good character."0


    ttering both at once, it''s quite effective.0


    Lan Sihai gave Zhuang Zhixi a knowing look and said, "Oh, you''re quite the smooth talker."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled brightly, looking very innocent.0


    He sighed: "I''m telling the truth, though. Ah, speaking of which, this was my first time doing something so thrilling. You don''t know, I was so nervous, but the more nervous I got, the more excited I became. Grandpa, how did youe up with the idea? It''s really impressive."0


    Zhuang Zhixi truly felt he had seen something new. When he was a kid, he used to run around with his older brother and Bai Fendou, but he had never seen such a high-level y. And the tricks involved, they really had something to them.0


    Lan Sihai: "Do you think I just watched circus acts for nothing? I''m a man with life experience."0


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed and gave a thumbs up.0


    Lan Sihai snorted proudly and said, "There''s nothing I can''t do. Tricks like these don''t faze me. Besides, I''ve seen this kind of ghostly stuff before. If you want me to pretend to be the celestial master Zhong Kui, I guarantee I can summon visible ghosts for you. It''s not hard for someone who knows how, got it!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi really doesn''t understand, but that doesn''t prevent him from eximing: "You are truly a remarkable person, you even know how to do this."0


    Lan Sihai looked at the two eager faces and said, "I''ve seen a lot of this before. I''m a curious person myself; whenever I see something interesting, I have to ask about how it works. After asking a few times, I end up knowing a lot more. Don''t mention just this kind of stuff; I can even show movies!"0


    Lan Sihai stood tall and proud.0


    To be honest, he knows a lot of things.0


    This time, even Ming Mei was surprised. She said softly, "Grandpa, you can do this too... Did they really teach you?"0


    Lan Sihai: "Of course, I won''t easily teach my cooking skills. Whether it''s showing movies or those little tricks, others are quite protective of their methods and won''t casually share them. However, after some time and familiarity, if you pay more attention and ponder over it, and do some research, and ask for advice, you can definitely figure it out."0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Mingmei both nodded.0


    I have to say, the old man''s mindset is really right.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It is indeed the case that skilled people don¡¯t easily share their knowledge with others. You all know that I''ve been going to the hospital every afternoon recently to learn from our projector operator, Xiao Xu, for a while. Oh my, this guy really knows how to be secretive every time he talks. Recently, he even asked me for something. The implication of his words is that drinking some chicken soup is good for recovery. As an apprentice, one must show respect to the master, and I really..."0


    Xiao Xu is very conflicted; he wants to teach him but is afraid that he will really learn it.0


    This contradictory feeling is that every time he sees Zhuang Zhixi, he has a long face, as if Zhuang Zhixi is asking him for something. Even the implication in his words seems to suggest that he is demanding something from Zhuang Zhixi. He feels that he shouldn''t teach for free.0


    However, I didn''t expect that this matter was arranged by the leader.0


    He sprained his ankle and couldn''t show movies on Labor Day afternoon, which meant that serious work was dyed. However, he still wants to take advantage of this situation, having an attitude akin to Zhang Zhixi not providing him with gifts, so he won''t teach properly.0


    Mingmei was surprised: "Why have I never heard you say that?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "These are all trivial matters, why would I talk about them when I get home?"0


    He is unwilling to bring bad things home.0


    Lan Sihai: "So what do you n to do?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "What should I do? If he doesn''t teach me, then I won''t learn. I don''t really want to learn that much anyway."0


    Meimei: "Aren''t you learning to paint and make props with Old Huang with a lot of enthusiasm?"0


    She thought that Zhuang Zhixi liked everything.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "That''s not the same thing. So what if I''ve learned to film movies? I can''t just transfer to the publicity department to film movies; this job has a technical aspect, but it¡¯s not that technical. It doesn¡¯t really take two people to do it. Young as Xiao Xu is, he¡¯s not going to retire anytime soon. And if he really teaches me, who knows how many tricks he might pull in the process while pretending to be my master? I find that disgusting. Clearly, he wants me to learn from him, worried that others in the publicity department might take his job. But once I really join him, he might just take charge. I¡¯m well-acquainted with the hospital and have heard that he has privately inquired a few times about whether he could be discharged before Labor Day, even if he¡¯s not fully recovered. As long as he can get out, he wants to imply to the hospital not to let anyone know about his potential discharge before Labor Day... It¡¯s obvious that he won¡¯t sincerely teach me. The things he teaches are all over the ce, and he keeps saying I have a talent for learning well even though I¡¯ve just started. It makes me uneasy, and I think it¡¯s better to retreat early. I¡¯ve already thought it through; since he can be discharged, tomorrow I¡¯ll take advantage of Old Huang being too busy and refuse to continue learning about filming movies. Let him find someone else."0


    Lan Sihai said meaningfully: "You are still young."0


    Zhuang Zhixi hurriedly said like a sycophant: "Do you have any insights, sir? Please do enlighten me."0


    Mingmei said excitedly, "I want to listen too."0


    Lan Sihai smiled and said, "He doesn''t teach you properly, yet praises you for learning well. Can''t you see that? If, on Labor Day, something went wrong with the movie screening, do you think it would be his problem or yours?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s expression changed: "That must be mine."0


    Mingmei asked in confusion, "But why would he do that? There is no conflict between us."0


    However, when Lan Sihai mentioned this, Zhuang Zhixi understood. He said, "I get it now. There''s no contradiction, but if I mess up on the spot, he can quickly rush over from the hospital to save the day. That would showcase his abilities. It not only demonstrates his importance but might even earn him recognition from the higher-ups, potentially leading to a promotion."0


    Lan Sihaiughed and nodded. "That''s exactly the point. People like us who have lived through the old society are different from you youngsters who grew up in the sunshine. We''ve truly seen a lot of darkness. I never assume anyone is a good person. If someone''s actions seem to defymon sense and appear unreasonable, don''t doubt your judgment. Chances are, this person isn''t up to any good."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded seriously.0


    Ming Mei, sitting beside them, also had an expression of "I''ve learned something new."0


    Both of them were in their early twenties. While they had experienced hunger to some extent, they hadn''t seen much of the darker side of life. In their eyes, the neighbor Aunt Zhou was already not a good person.0


    But in reality, she wasn''t even that bad.0


    Zhuang Zhixi pondered, "I know what to do now. Thanks for the advice, Grandpa."0


    Lan Sihai said with a meaningful look, "Sometimes, there''s no need to waste your time on being overly conscientious. Use that time for more productive things. As for such petty people, the world is round¡ªthose who y small tricks might end up falling themselves."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I know that. I''m not that kind of person either."0


    Lan Sihai nodded.0


    This situation was different from Zhou Qun''s. Zhou Qun had been trying to scheme against Ming Mei, which was why Lan Sihai wanted to teach him a lesson.0


    Ming Mei, who wasn''t much of a drinker and had a low tolerance, was a bit tipsy despite not having consumed much. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was a bit excited, eximing, "I''m not doing it anymore! This is bullying, we shouldn''t stand for it!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Oh, my wife, you''ve hit the nail on the head."0


    Ming Mei pouted yfully and gave a soft huff, and Lan Sihai sighed softly, saying, "I, Lan Sihai, can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Howe my granddaughter can''t handle even a little bit?"0


    Ming Mei''s eyes were dark and bright as she mumbled, "I''m not..."0


    "Eat more meat! It''ll get hot in a few days, and I won''te anymore. If I don''te, you won''t have this treat anymore, so hurry up and eat."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Then I''d better take advantage while I can."0


    Ming Mei whispered mysteriously, "It''s okay, we have money."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Even if we have money, we should still save where we can and take advantage of opportunities when they arise."0


    Lan Sihai interjected dryly, "I heard that..."0


    Ming Mei giggled.0


    The three of them finished their meal and headed home together. Lan Sihai watched the young couple and shook his head slightly, saying, "I''ll head out first. You two take your time."0


    Ming Mei replied, "As you wish."0


    She smiled softly and wrapped her arms around Zhuang Zhixi''s waist, saying, "Let''s ride fast, we''ll fly."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    That seems a bit unnecessary.0


    Ming Mei insisted, "Catch up with Grandpa! Look, he''s so old, yet he''s faster than you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted, "Who canpete with your family?"0


    This old man, at over seventy, could still jump over walls with ease, something Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t do.0


    Ming Mei wasn''t satisfied. "Hurry up! If you can''t, I''ll do it. I can make the bike go as fast as a whirlwind."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    That seems even more unnecessary.0


    He soothed his tipsy wife, saying, "We don''t have to rush back. It''s nice to enjoy the scenery along the way. Look, the willow trees are sprouting new leaves."0


    Ming Mei replied, "Do you like willows? Then I''ll pluck some branches and weave a wreath for you."0


    She was enthusiastic, but Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched. "Green... I''m not really into that."0


    Ming Mei pouted, "Picky."0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Well, I don''t want one."0


    He added, "Who likes green... uh."0


    His words trailed off as he spotted Jiang Lu, the bearer of a genuine green hat.0


    Jiang Lu was riding her bike from the other direction, turning into the main road just ahead of them.0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "It''s Sister Jiang Lu."0


    Ming Mei hummed in acknowledgment and whispered to Zhuang Zhixi, "How can she act like nothing happened?"0


    Two days had passed since the ghost incident. If yesterday was chaotic due to therge-scale conflict, today there should at least be some resolution, right? But seeing Jiang Lu so calm was quite puzzling.0


    Ming Mei murmured, "I wonder what she''s thinking."0


    If it were an ordinary person, they would have left this mess long ago.0


    It was quite baffling.0


    Ming Mei softly added, "She''s really not an ordinary person."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, deeply agreeing.0


    The young couple followed Jiang Lu back to the courtyard. They saw Jiang Lu carrying a bag entering the house, and Zhuang Zhixi''s sharp eyes spotted a long, cylindrical object inside. If he wasn''t mistaken, it looked like a sheep''s... uh, you know.0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched. "..."0


    Seriously, at a time like this, she''s still thinking about aphrodisiacs?0


    Besides that, there was also a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).0


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at it again, and Jiang Lu looked up. He quickly averted his gaze, pretending to look elsewhere, while Jiang Lu showed no expression and went inside with her things. The Zhou family''s house was eerily quiet.0


    Even Madam Zhou Li wasn''t making any noise. Normally, if Jiang Lu came homete, Madam Zhou Li would start yelling, using all kinds of harsh words.0


    Today, however, it was silent.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and exchanged a look with his wife. Ming Mei, though a bit tipsy, wasn''tpletely out of it. Instead, she was a bit excited. She whispered, "This..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let''s go home."0


    The young couple held hands, not particrly concerned.0


    Wang Xiangxiu came out carrying clothes to wash. Seeing their intimate posture, she awkwardly pursed her lips, then gave a suggestive smile, saying, "Oh, look at this young couple, their love is so sweet."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sister Su, it''s getting dark, and you''re still washing clothes?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu showed a bitter expression, softly saying, "I have to wash the clothes. I have many children, and the boys are very naughty. Being a mother is always tiring."0


    She nced down at the couple''s hands and said, "You two went out to eat, didn''t you?"0


    At this time, after work, they must have just returned from dining out. Wang Xiangxiu looked at Ming Mei with envy, unable to control her emotions. She said, "You can''t live like this. Eating and wearing aren''t what will make you poor; it''s poor nning that does. If you spend money recklessly, that''s even worse."0


    She used to envy Jiang Lu the most, but after Zhou Qun''s scandal spread, she felt much better. Although she was also involved a bit, her fake suicide had worked well, so her reputation wasn''t affected.0


    Looking at Jiang Lu''s face, she felt extremely satisfied.0


    But that satisfaction didn''tst long. Seeing Ming Mei, she became unhappy again.0


    All of them were women, so why did she have to be a widow, while others lived so happily?0


    Her tone was full of malice as she said, "Since we live in the same courtyard, as an older sister, I have to remind you. Living like this isn''t right. Young couples going out to eat and drink together, neglecting the elders at home, will be talked about behind your backs. Ming Mei, as a new bride, this is really disrespectful."0


    She waited maliciously, expecting to see Ming Mei panic, but Ming Mei seemed not to hear her.0


    Instead, Ming Mei turned to Zhuang Zhixi with a soft, coquettish look, saying sweetly, "Zhixi, the Donishun today was so delicious. Shall we go again sometime?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Sure."0


    He looked at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "Sister Su, I heard you went to a small hotel with Zhou Qun?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face changed, and she said sharply, "What are you talking about! You''re ruining my reputation by saying that!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled faintly, saying calmly, "Yes, I''m ndering you by making false usations, ruining your reputation. But weren''t you ndering us just now, trying to use us of being disrespectful?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu was momentarily speechless, then said awkwardly, "You just came back from eating, didn''t you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, Zhou Qun mentioned you, so you must have had something going on and went to a small hotel together."0


    ¡°You! Don''t push your luck too far.¡± Wang Xiangxiu was furious, never expecting Zhuang Zhixi to be so difficult to deal with. She bit her lip and red fiercely at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t even think you¡¯re being unreasonable, so how could I be? It¡¯s all just hearsay, isn¡¯t it? You can say it, but I can¡¯t? Are you some kind of justice crusader, only allowed to speak? That¡¯s really funny.¡±0


    Ming Mei watched with amusement and nodded, saying, ¡°Exactly! Oh, by the way, Zhixi, can you stay at a small inn without an introduction letter?¡±0


    She genuinely asked out of curiosity.0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°In theory, no. But if you can get an introduction letter or know someone at the inn, maybe it¡¯s possible? I¡¯ve never been, but that¡¯s what I assume.¡± He was speaking with hidden meaning.0


    Ming Mei said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem easy.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not easy, but it¡¯s not too hard either. It all depends on connections.¡±0


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±0


    The couple continued their conversation as if no one else was around.0


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s face turned even paler. If it were a false usation, she would have been confident enough to argue back, as she had a sharp tongue. But the problem was, she had indeed stayed at a small inn with Zhou Qun, whose rtive worked there. She had been there many times and wasn¡¯t sure if anyone had seen them. Her heart was heavy with guilt.0


    At that moment, Aunt Su stepped in to defuse the situation. She smiled and said, ¡°What are you two discussing?¡±0


    She nced at her daughter-inw and said, ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up and wash, or it won¡¯t dry in time, and you¡¯ll have to gomando tomorrow. Those boys are really mischievous; look at this perfectly good pair of pants, now torn. You¡¯ll have to mend it, and there¡¯s no spare to change into.¡±0


    ¡°I know.¡±0


    Aunt Su continued, ¡°My Xiangxiu might not have chosen her words well, but she meant no harm. You know, her family is from the carriage house area, where many are poor and uneducated. She doesn¡¯t think too much before speaking. But she¡¯s a good-hearted person. After my son passed away, she¡¯s been holding the family together, and it hasn¡¯t been easy. You can see how kind she is by the way she works.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei bothughed and exchanged another nce. Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help but admire Aunt Su¡¯s skill. She wasn¡¯t just ying the victim; she could apologize,in, and show strength all at once. Wang Xiangxiu didn¡¯t have a tenth of her ability.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, ¡°Aunt Su, we¡¯re young and hot-headed. But Sister-inw Wang¡¯s words were really unpleasant.¡±0


    He added, ¡°She can talk to us like that, and we can retort, and it¡¯s fine. But if she speaks to others like that, she¡¯s bound to get into trouble. We were lucky this time, someone else footed the bill, or we¡¯d have been branded as unfilial. Being uneducated isn¡¯t an excuse to speak nonsense. If you don¡¯t know anything and just make assumptions, then getting pped is no big deal, right? Besides, if she can just guess and spread rumors, then if I see her at a small inn, can I assume she¡¯s having an affair?¡±0


    He wasn¡¯t about to let anyone use his wife of being unfilial.0


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu were both caught off guard by Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s relentless response. Their faces turned pale, and the constant mention of the small inn made them uneasy.0


    ¡°What small inn? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked and looked at Wang Xiangxiu, saying, ¡°Oh, I was just making an assumption. You assumed we were unfilial, so I¡¯m just returning the favor.¡±0


    Aunt Su quickly intervened, ¡°This is no joking matter. Little Zhuang, don¡¯t be upset. I¡¯ll talk to her and make sure she doesn¡¯t run her mouth off anymore.¡±0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhuang Zhixi fell silent for a moment, then chuckled softly, ¡°You understand, that¡¯s good. We¡¯ll be heading back now.¡±0


    He led his wife home, and Ming Mei pouted, ¡°Is she jealous of me?¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing, ¡°You noticed?¡±0


    Ming Mei said, ¡°Of course!¡±0


    She leanedzily in her chair and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been dealing with jealousy since I was a kid. People get jealous of me, and I can tell right away.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, ¡°Oh?¡±0


    Ming Mei said proudly, ¡°It¡¯s true! My family¡¯s in a good position, and my mom always spent a lot on clothes and food for me. Plus, my master and uncle often bought me snacks, so I had way more than other kids. Hehe¡­¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°So you were quite popr as a child.¡±0


    Ming Mei nodded, ¡°Of course! I had talent, and teachers love talented students. It¡¯s the same with martial arts.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re really good at blowing your own horn.¡±0


    Ming Mei¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯m not blowing my own horn! I¡¯m telling the truth. You don¡¯t understand how important talent is in our field. I¡¯ve been envied since I was a kid. Boys envied me, and girls envied me. So I know all about jealous looks.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re an expert. So, talented Miss Ming Mei, how about getting ready for bed? I¡¯ll go fetch some water for you.¡±0


    Ming Mei said, ¡°Okay~¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and got up to fetch water and heat it.0


    As he stepped outside, he saw his mother standing at the door. Zhuang Zhixi immediately turned into a sycophant, rushing over, ¡°Mom, are you looking for me?¡±0


    His mother had been trying to clean up their mess, and her reputation had be even more fiery because of it. As a son, he had to show his humility.0


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°You two, have some decency and stop making the elders pay for everything.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, ¡°Got it.¡±0


    He added, ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t take time off before Labor Day, but Ming Mei has a regr schedule. If there¡¯s anything that needs doing, just tell her.¡±0


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Do I need you to tell me that?¡±0


    She turned and left, and Zhuang Zhixi went to fetch water. Wang Xiangxiu was still washing clothes, her face a bit sour from the earlier tension. But now, she took the initiative to greet him, saying, ¡°You¡¯re really considerate.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, there aren¡¯t many men like me left in the world.¡±0


    Wang Xiangxiu had meant it as a joke, but Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s shamelessness caught her off guard. She clicked her tongue, unsure how to respond. But as she nced at Zhuang Zhixi, she found herself increasingly drawn to him. He was clean-cut, had a steady job, and was quite good-looking. The only downside was his sharp tongue.0


    Still, she thought she might be able to make a move.0


    Previously, she had Zhou Qun as her regr meal ticket, but after the ghost rumors, Zhou Qun wouldn¡¯t be able toe to her easily, no matter how much he tried to clear his name. That meant she¡¯d lose that ie.0


    Her family needed money, especially since they had a son to feed. Just relying on her sry and the small advantages she got from Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t enough. She needed a steady meal ticket. She looked at Zhuang Zhixi and thought he was the perfect candidate.0


    Though it was said that rabbits don¡¯t eat the grass near their burrow, she was willing to make an exception. Not only could she get money, but she could also satisfy her ego.0


    Take Jiang Lu, for example. Jiang Lu¡¯s family was well-off, but her husband still got involved with her and gave her money. That kind of psychological satisfaction was crucial for Wang Xiangxiu, making her feel like she was stepping on Jiang Lu.0


    Now, her eyes were set on Zhuang Zhixi.0


    No man could resist temptation, as long as she put in the effort.0


    In that moment, Wang Xiangxiu felt a surge of determination.0


    Heh, once Zhuang Zhixi was earning money for her, what would that little bitch Ming Mei have to be smug about? Always acting so cheerful, as if she had everything. And she couldn¡¯t even have a son.0


    It had been months since she got married, and there was still no sign of a pregnancy.0


    Thinking of this, Wang Xiangxiu couldn¡¯t help but smile with satisfaction. Only her belly was fertile; no one else couldpare.0


    She was eager for others to be unable to have children.0


    This woman, if she can''t have children, if she can''t have a son, what''s the difference between her and a useless person? She nced at Useless One Jiang Lu''s family, and then at Useless Two Ming Mei''s family, andughed triumphantly and gleefully.0


    ¡°Gagaga.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi had already returned to his room by then and naturally didn''t see this woman''s smug expression, but Jiang Lu, standing by the window, saw it clearly. Although neither Zhou Qun nor Wang Xiangxiu admitted to any rtionship between them, Jiang Lu still kept a close eye on Wang Xiangxiu.0


    She believed that her husband Zhou Qun was so good, and Wang Xiangxiu must have had some thoughts about him; otherwise, why would she keep looking in their direction?0


    She trusted her own manpletely, fully confident in his goodness; but she didn''t trust other women outside. What this vixen was thinking, she could see it all too clearly.0


    And even if, by some remote chance, something were to happen, her family was the man''s side, and men don''t lose out in such situations.0


    However, seeing Wang Xiangxiu''s smug smile, Jiang Lu still felt a surge of anger. Her nails dug into her palm, and she let out a heavy huff before turning around and saying, "Qun Ge, let''s avoid getting too close to Wang Xiangxiu in the future. That woman is no good. I think she''s infatuated with you."0


    Zhou Qun nodded and said, "I know. Actually, Wang Xiangxiu has been pestering me for a while, but I thought it would be awkward since we''re neighbors, so I''ve been holding back from saying anything. But don''t worry, my taste isn''t so low as to fancy a woman like her."0


    Jiang Lu: "I know."0


    Zhou Qun gazed deeply at Jiang Lu and said, "You went back to your parents'' ce today. What did they say?"0


    Mentioning this, Jiang Lu bit her lip, feeling distressed.0


    She had gone back today to ask her father for help. The scandal involving Zhou Qun had be quite a sensation, and it wasn''t good for his reputation. If her father could intervene and smooth things over with the factory, it might help calm the situation.0


    But to her utter surprise, her father had scolded her harshly and pressured her to divorce Zhou Qun.0


    Jiang Lu bit her lip, not saying a word. Zhou Qun, of course, knew the matter hadn''t gone well. He struggled to suppress his anger but also knew he had to keep Jiang Lu on his side at all costs.0


    He said, "Maybe I should go with you to talk to your parents. I thought your father, being such a smart man, would understand my predicament, but I guess he doesn''t. Don''t you think about it¡ªI have a beautiful, young wife like you. Why would I risk it all for some old woman? Besides, there are plenty of masters in the factory who make their apprentices do chores. Many of them even send their apprentices home to work. Do you think I wanted to go to her ce? I had no choice. And now, just because I went to help, it''s be evidence of my bad conduct. There''s no justice in this world!"0


    "I understand, I understand. I believe you," Jiang Lu said, seeing the pain in her husband''s expression and quickly grabbing his hand.0


    Zhou Qun: "As long as you understand me, that''s all that matters. If everyone else misunderstands me, it doesn''t matter. As long as you don''t, I''m happy. Ah, it''s just my bad luck. Back when I went to my master''s house to work, his wife took a liking to my youth and kept pestering me. Because of that, I stopped visiting my master. And then, he went around saying I was disrespectful. Can you imagine how hard that was for me? I''ve been carrying that ck mark for years, and now there''s a new one. It''s tough."0


    Jiang Lu hugged him tenderly: "Don''t be sad. I understand, I understand you. You have me! Even if no one else understands you, I do! I''ll always stand by your side."0


    Jiang Lu clenched her teeth: "Don''t worry, even if my dad doesn''t understand, I''ll go back and persuade them."0


    Zhou Qun wanted exactly this. He wrapped his arms around his wife and said passionately, "I knew you were the one who truly understands me. No one else gets me at all."0


    Jiang Lu was moved: "I know. They''re all just jealous of you."0


    The couple was sweet and loving, practically a model couple.0


    But as soon as Zhou Qun finished speaking, he pushed Jiang Lu away and said, "I''m going to lie down for a bit. You go make dinner."0


    Seeing his pale face, Jiang Lu nodded and said, "I got some good stuff today to give you a big boost."0


    She quickly left the inner room and got busy.0


    As for Madam Zhou Li, she had been scolded by Bai Lao Tou earlier and then snubbed by her son, so she was lying in her room, pretending to be sick.0


    She was too embarrassed to show her face.0


    Jiang Lu went to cook, but she didn''t notice Zhou Qun ring at the spots Jiang Lu had touched. He was thoroughly disgusted. A useless, stupid woman.0


    He wondered how well she could handle his affairs. To show that he had nothing to hide and was fearless, he had gone to work today, but the whole day felt like walking on thorns. Being pointed at and whispered about was unbearable.0


    Of course, it wasn''t just that that bothered him. He also couldn''t bring himself to use the public toilet in the alley anymore. No matter how tough he tried to act, the ghost stories still terrified him. The thought of ghosts...0


    He could still feel that chill.0


    Zhou Qun pulled a pillowcase over his face, feeling miserable.0


    In contrast to the gloom at the Zhou household, the Bai family was in high spirits, almost like celebrating a festival. Bai Fendou despised Zhou Qun, and this turn of events delighted him to no end. He hummed a little tune, sipping his drink, while his father was on duty at the boiler room and wasn''t home.0


    The door creaked open, and in walked Wang Xiangxiu. Seeing the pig''s head meat on the table, she pouted and said, "You bad guy, eating all this good stuff by yourself. I even worried you might not have anything to eat and brought you two eggs."0


    Her tone was a mix ofint and familiarity.0


    Bai Fendou immediately said, "Oh, you''re the best, Xiangxiu Jie. Come sit, have some too."0


    Wang Xiangxiu nced at the pork on the table and teased, "You''re living so well, yet you always tell me you''re broke. You''re not being honest with me at all..."0


    Bai Fendouughed and said, "You know how much I make. I even borrowed fifteen bucks from you this month. You saying that really hurts me."0


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately cooed, "Well, I wouldn''t borrow money from just anyone, you know. If it were someone like Zhou Qun, I wouldn''t even take his money."0


    As expected, this worked on Bai Fendou: "Pfft, what is he? Just a hypocrite. Come on, sit down, Xiangxiu Jie."0


    Wang Xiangxiu sat down, curious, and asked, "So... did youe into some money? If you have any leads, you have to tell me, you know. I''m struggling to make ends meet, and you know how tough my life is. Yet, people still try to smear my name. Being a widow is hard enough, and I''m as pure as theye. If I were the kind to fool around, I''d be living in luxury by now. Do you think I''d still be relying on you for help?"0


    She mixed truth with fiction, dabbing at her eyes with mock tears, and Bai Fendou waspletely smitten. He quickly said, "I know, I know what kind of person you are, Xiangxiu Jie. Everyone knows you''re innocent. It''s that Zhou Qun who''s the bad one. And that drunkard, after a few drinks, he doesn''t even know his own name, spouting nonsense."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Exactly. But you haven''t told me where this money came from?"0


    Bai Fendou immediately became proud and said, "I hit the jackpot. You know how I got my bike, right?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu already knew about that, so she nodded.0


    Every time she thought about it, she couldn''t help but want to scold her child. Her mischievous kid had broken that te. That money could have bought a whole bicycle! Every time she thought about it, her heart ached.0


    "Does this have anything to do with that?"0


    Bai Fendou: "Of course there is. The Li family, Li the Cook''s family, has been wanting to buy a bicycle for a long time and was curious about how I got mine. They finally came to ask me for help. I agreed to help Yang Lixin with this matter. Back then, there were four tes, and Zhuang''s broke two years ago. Your te was also broken by the kids early on, leaving only ours and yours. I thought this favor wouldn''t be done in vain, so I agreed. Since he wanted a bicycle ticket, I gave him one. But I kept all the fifty yuan from the sale, hehe, am I smart, buddy?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu was surprised. She didn''t expect Bai Fendou to have such a big appetite, which was almost equivalent to her two months'' sry.0


    No wonder Bai Fendou had been eating better than usual these days. It turned out to be because of this.0


    However...0


    "Hey, that''s not right. You had more than that back then."0


    Bai Fendou became even more proud: "Buddy, I kept mine in good condition. His had cracks, so it couldn''t fetch that much money. To be honest, you and the Zhuang family just don''t have the luck for sudden wealth. Howe you didn''t know how to take good care of such a valuable item?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu also felt heartbroken. She said painfully, "What can I do? Back then, who knew this thing was so valuable? You only found out by ident yourself."0


    "That''s because I have the fortune. Otherwise, why don''t you have it?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Alright, stop poking at my heart."0


    Speaking of which, Bai Fendou really did find out by ident. There was a big character "Lu" written on the te, and he felt uneasy about it. Logically, there shouldn''t be anything, but who knows if someone might go crazy and insist that it was part of the ''Four Olds''.0


    So Bai Fendou decided to break the te to eliminate any future trouble. He didn''t want to do it in the courtyard, so he nned to take it to the men''s restroom and just throw it in. While on his way to the restroom, he overheard two people talking about the ghost market, mentioning how someone had sold a te there and made a good profit.0


    Hearing this, Bai Fendou, to be honest, couldn''t bear to break his own te. He didn''t think it was an antique, but just because of the auspicious character on it, it could fetch some money. He couldn''t help but feel tempted.0


    However, despite being tempted, he didn''t dare to go. He wasn''t as bold as people thought. The ghost market wasn''t a ce for ordinary people. But he was truly stimted. Even Zhuang Zhixi, who was ten years younger than him, had gotten married, while he was still a bachelor.0


    This kind of feeling was truly something that only he could understand.0


    That night, while others were enjoying their wedding night, he took the te to the ghost market and, to his surprise, sold it for a high price.0


    This was truly a dreame true.0


    Logically, he wouldn''t go there again, but then Wang Xiangxiu asked to borrow money from him. Since he didn''t have much money, he started to think about making some extra cash and began asking around among his colleagues, hoping to make a profit.0


    His colleagues didn''t have much, but Yang Lixin didn''t disappoint him.0


    Heughed and said, "Look, am I amazing, buddy?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "I''ve always said, the most capable man in this courtyard is you."0


    After a pause, she hesitated and said, "The one from the Zhuang family, is it really broken?"0


    She immediately thought of the te from the Zhuang family.0


    If Bai Fendou could trick Yang Lixin, she could also take advantage of the Zhuang family.0


    "Their te broke long ago. To be honest, they just don''t have the luck for wealth." Bai Fendou said, "Their te broke even earlier than yours, seems like it was also broken by a kid. To me, kids who are too mischievous should be punished, otherwise, look at how much money it costs."0


    When ites to luck, it''s still about him.0


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed, "Why did they all break? It would have been so good if they hadn''t..."0


    She murmured with a deep sigh, regretting the lost opportunity. But soon, she revealed a smile and said, "You''re so rich, eating well is easy. This pig''s head meat is mine now."0


    She picked up the pig''s head meat, threw a flirtatious nce with her eyes full of charm, and swayed away.0


    She wanted money, but always asking for it directly wasn''t good. If she did it too many times, Bai Fendou would surely get annoyed. So this time, she didn''t n to borrow money, taking a te of pig''s head meat instead, which wasn''t much.0


    Bai Fendou called out behind her, "Eat some yourself too, don''t always think about the kids, you need to take care of yourself too!"0


    He was concerned about Wang Xiangxiu.0


    Wang Xiangxiu chuckled softly, her voiceced with allure, "I understand..."

 Chapter 70

    <h1>Chapter 70</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi was helping out in the Propaganda Department, where he was practically doing the work of three people.0


    Of course, it wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi who was like this; everyone else was the same. People in this era were generally more simple and honest. Counting every penny was a sign of truly tough times, but when it came to work, they were full of energy and enthusiasm.0


    However, when it came to learning how to operate the film projector, Zhuang Zhixi politely declined.0


    His refusal was well-reasoned; he was assisting Old Huang with props and backdrops, leaving him with no spare time.0


    Director Song agreed to this, as he saw that while people weren''t keen on working with Old Huang, they were eager to learn how to operate the film projector. So, finding someone for the film projector role wasn''t difficult, but Old Huang''s side was harder to staff.0


    Since Zhuang Zhixi had informed him in advance that he was too busy, Director Song didn''t take it personally.0


    Thus, Director Song didn''t pay much attention to it.0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s decision to decline the film projector role didn''t concern him about who would take his ce; instead, he focused on assisting Old Huang with props and drawing posters. The reason Old Huang was busier was not only because he had to prepare props for skits and create backgrounds but also because he was responsible for drawing posters for the factory.0


    Of course, the Propaganda Department wasn''t entirely reliant on just one person. Others could also draw, but their skills weren''t as good as Old Huang''s. Additionally, they were short-handed, and to put on a decent show, one person often had to perform multiple roles, leaving everyone busy with rehearsals.0


    Old Huang, being introverted and unwilling to perform, ended up shouldering most of the logistical tasks.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, assisting Old Huang, found himself quite at ease. He was in good spirits, though not everyone shared his mood. Little Xu, who was hospitalized, was particrly unhappy. He saw that the person learning to operate the film projector from him had been reced by Old Cao from their department, and he felt extremely ufortable.0


    Little Xu valued his technical skills the most, fearing that someone might learn from him and eventually rece him. After all, there were significant benefits to be had from being the one who operated the film projector during rural screenings. Although this wasn''t openly discussed, everyone knew it.0


    When the opportunity arose, Old Cao didn''t hold back. Unlike Zhuang Zhixi, who wasn''t a formal employee of the Propaganda Department, Old Cao was.0


    Little Xu asked unnaturally, "Why did they rece you? Director Song wasn''t supposed to have Zhuang Zhixi learn from me? How could they change ns at thest minute? It doesn''t seem proper, does it? Doing things halfway like thiscks the spirit of young people striving upward. Besides, Old Cao, don''t you have your own work? Won''t this dy things?"0


    Old Cao smirked and said, "Zhuang Zhixi is busy helping Old Huang and doesn''t have the time toe back and forth. Director Song thought I already had some experience and would learn faster, so he assigned me to this task. What? Are you that unhappy about it?"0


    Don''t think he didn''t know; he was well aware that Zhuang Zhixi didn''t want to learn from Little Xu.0


    Director Song might not have paid attention to the small details, but they were all in the same department and knew each other well. Little Xu was known for being greedy and always trying to take advantage of situations. They all knew it.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, just helping out, didn''t rely on Little Xu for anything, so it was no surprise he didn''t want to deal with him. That''s why he immediately backed out.0


    This gave Old Cao the chance to step in. He had long been eyeing the benefits of Little Xu''s role and saw this as an opportunity to get a piece of the action. He said, "This was Director Song''s arrangement. You''re not going to object, are you? That would be too selfish and not considering the bigger picture. Do you really think this is your private property?"0


    Little Xu was startled by Old Cao''s words. He quickly said, "Of course not."0


    After a pause, he almost gritted his teeth as he said, "This isn''t easy to learn. It might be harder for someone older..."0


    Old Cao replied, "I already have some experience. You forgot? I have a foundation."0


    He didn''t give Little Xu any chance to argue, and Little Xu knew he couldn''t pull any tricks on Old Cao.0


    Both men had their own agendas. Little Xu couldn''t help but resent Zhuang Zhixi. If Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t backed out, Old Cao wouldn''t have had the opportunity to step in. Little Xu felt extremely frustrated. Besides having to deal with Old Cao, his ns had also fallen through. He had originally intended to use Zhuang Zhixi to boost his own reputation.0


    After all, they weren''t in the same department, so if he offended Zhuang Zhixi, it wouldn''t matter much. They could just avoid each other in the future.0


    Little Xu didn''t fear someone who just worked in the medical office collecting fees.0


    To his surprise, Zhuang Zhixi had withdrawn, leaving him with a dark expression but still having to deal with Old Cao. Old Cao had learned some basics of operating the film projector years ago from his father, who had used some underhanded tactics to get him the job. However, Old Cao had been tricked and didn''t end up getting the position, which was eventually taken by Little Xu.0


    So, the two had a "grudge," and Little Xu knew he couldn''t easily outmaneuver Old Cao.0


    Old Cao, having been deceived by his father, was especially cautious and experienced, making it impossible for Little Xu to pull any tricks.0


    Little Xu was unhappy, while Old Cao felt quite satisfied.0


    In fact, Director Song had initially wanted to assign Old Cao to the role, as he had some experience. However, considering their strained rtionship and Little Xu''s strong rmendation of Zhuang Zhixi, Director Song had chosen Zhuang Zhixi instead. But ns changed, and since Zhuang Zhixi was too busy, Director Song decided to go with Old Cao after all.0


    As long as the work got done and they didn''te to blows, the rest didn''t matter to a leader.0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t aware of what was happening with Little Xu, but even if he didn''t know the details, he could guess the general situation. During the time he had been learning from Little Xu, the man''s behavior had clearly shown him to be a petty and calcting individual.0


    It would be strange if such a person didn''t hold a grudge.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was well aware of this and knew that Little Xu wouldn''t dare to do anything overt against him. The most he might do was try some small tricks, but since they weren''t in the same department, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t worried. Besides, even if they were in the same department, it wasn''t as if anyone could just do as they pleased.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was a smart man, but his life experience was far less than that of Lan Sihai.0


    However, since he no longer had to learn how to operate the film projector, Zhuang Zhixi was able to leave work at a normal time and return home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he noticed that it was unusually crowded.0


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "Oh, what''s going on here?"0


    Curious, he asked his mother, Zhao Guihua, who whispered, "Old Man Lan is going on a blind date. Everyone''s just curious, that''s all."0


    Aunt Wang had gone to pick someone up, while the others gradually gathered in the courtyard, their eyes glued to the entrance of the Lan family''s house.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He chuckled and said, "It''s just a blind date. What''s there to be curious about?"0


    Despite his words, his neck was stretched out, clearly eager to watch the excitement.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at him sideways, thinking that her son was being anything but honest. However, she too soon became engrossed in the spectacle, even though the person hadn''t arrived yet.0


    Next door, Aunt Su was even more curious and asked, "What kind of person is he meeting? What does she look like? Where is she from? Is she from the countryside? Is she a widow or divorced? A widow, right? How many husbands has she lost?"0


    One could see how malicious her intentions were, hoping for the worst for others.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked at Aunt Su, inwardly cursing the old woman for being so unkind. He said, "Aunt Su, you''ve got it all wrong. The person is much better than you. She''s from the city and has a job."0


    Aunt Su''s face immediately darkened, looking quite displeased.0


    She felt somewhat unhappy. She and Zhao Guihua were of the same generation, a few years older than Zhao Guihua but much younger than Old Man Lan. She had initially thought that with another old man in the courtyard, her pool of admirers would grow. However, she was disappointed to find that he showed no interest in her and was even quite rude. This left Aunt Su feeling very dissatisfied. She wondered if he was ying some kind of... what was it called?0


    Ah, ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????yes¡ªying hard to get!


    She deeply suspected that the old man was secretly attracted to her and was deliberately being cold to gain her attention.0


    After all, if he didn''t do this, how could he hope to win her favor? She had some rumors with Old Man Bai, and it wasn''t easy to dig someone else''s corner. Aunt Su was quite confident in her charm with men.0


    She had been young until now, and although her looks were not particrly outstanding, her personality had won over many men. If a man fell for her, it wouldn''t be surprising at all.0


    While she was lost in thought, Aunt Wang brought in another woman of a certain age. She looked to be in her fifties, dressed in faded clothes that were clean and neat. Her face was expressionless, with a few silver strands in her meticulouslybed hair. One could tell at a nce that she was not a warm and gentle olddy; her stern demeanor spoke volumes without a single word.0


    Aunt Wang introduced, "This is a two-courtyard house. Uncle Lan moved in this year and lives in the room between the front and back courtyards. The house was assigned to him by the factory. Although it''s notrge, it''s been cleaned and tidied up, and all the necessary furnishings are in ce. See, the windows have new ss, and the walls have been freshly painted. It feels like a brand-new house as soon as you step in."0


    In those days, housing was of utmost importance, and no matter what, this detail had to be made clear.0


    The woman nodded, indicating she understood.0


    Aunt Wang continued, "Here, this is the room. Uncle Lan..."0


    Lan Sihai immediately came out. He had changed into a white shirt, gray trousers, and wore a watch. His hair was freshly washed and looked neat and tidy.0


    Aunt Wang wasn''t surprised, as Uncle Lan was known for his meticulous and presentable appearance.0


    She said, "Let me introduce you. This is Uncle Lan Sihai, and this is Luo Xiaohe."0


    Lan Sihai extended his hand, "Hello."0


    Luo Xiaohe was polite and shook his hand in greeting.0


    The three of them entered the room, and the neighbors in the courtyard were eager to crowd outside Lan Sihai''s door to watch the excitement, but as adults, they felt it was inappropriate. Except for one person... Ming Mei.0


    Ming Mei had followed Aunt Wang and Luo Xiaohe into the house. She handed her bicycle to Zhuang Zhixi and immediately leaned against the wall to eavesdrop.0


    Yes, she was eavesdropping openly.0


    The neighbors: "..."0


    Ming Mei didn''t care what others thought. After all, Lan Sihai was her grandfather.0


    Zhuang Zhixi parked the bicycle and also crept over, pressing himself against the wall like arge gecko, alongside Ming Mei. The neighbors'' mouths twitched, feeling it was a bit improper, but they couldn''t quite pinpoint why.0


    After all, they were family.0


    Zhao Guihua also happily sat at the door, ncing over to watch the excitement.0


    Not just her, but others were doing the same. Today, the courtyard was unusually lively.0


    Everyone wanted to see if this matchmaking would seed.0


    They had originally thought they would be the first to receive wedding candies from Aunt Su and Old Man Bai, or at least from Wang Xiangxiu and Bai Fendou. Unexpectedly, neither of those pairs had made any progress, while Uncle Lan had started dating.0


    This was a case of theter surpassing the early bird.0


    The Bai father and son were truly spineless, useless!0


    Inside the room, Aunt Wang, as a seasoned matchmaker, diligently introduced both parties. Both sides already had a general understanding of each other''s circumstances, as modern matchmaking involved thorough background checks before meeting.0


    Of course, there were some deceptive matchmakers, but Aunt Wang prided herself on her integrity and would never engage in such practices.0


    She said, "Uncle Lan Sihai is from Jinling. He was transferred this year to our Forward Machinery Factory to serve as a master craftsman. He is currently in a rehired status, specializing in mentoring apprentices. He ns to settle down in Beijing. He has a son and a daughter; his son is in Jinling, and his daughter is in Beijing. However, they don''t visit often. Ming Mei, the young wife of the Zhuang family in our courtyard, is the granddaughter of Uncle Lan. Having a rtive in the neighborhood can be a source of mutual support."0


    After introducing Lan Sihai, she turned to Luo Xiaohe, "This is Comrade Luo Xiaohe. She has a mother and siblings at home. She has never been married but was once engaged. Her mother currently lives with her siblings."0


    These details were already known to both parties, as they had been thoroughly investigated beforehand. Now, they were merely being formally stated.0


    Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Some backgrounds are already known to everyone. You''re not young girls or boys anymore, so feel free to discuss things directly. As the saying goes, ''The matchmaker brings you together, but your fate is in your own hands.'' Why don''t you get to know each other a bit?"0


    Lan Sihai coughed and said, "Since we''re here for a matchmaking meeting, I think it''s best to share my full background with you."0


    Luo Xiaohe nodded, "Please go ahead."0


    Lan Sihai: "I am from Suzhou. When I was six or seven, my family passed away, and I followed elders from the vige to Shanghai City to make a living. I apprenticed at a goldsmith''s shop and worked there for decades. After liberation, the owner fled to Hong Kong, but I stayed. As a master craftsman, I was assigned to a factory in Jinling, where I moved. I had three children with myte wife, but my eldest son passed away in childhood, leaving me with a son and a daughter. After my wife''s death, I remarried several times. My second wife passed away unexpectedly, my third wife died of illness, and my fourth wife and I divorced. If you find me eptable, I would be your fifth husband."0


    Luo Xiaohe''s mouth twitched. She already knew about these details, as her younger brother had been hospitalized with Aunt Su, Aunt Zhou, and Bai Fendou, who had gossiped about Lan Sihai extensively. The Luo siblings were well aware of his history.0


    However, no one was without ws. Lan Sihai''s reputation in this regard was somewhat tarnished, but Luo Xiaohe''s wasn''t much better. She had been pregnant out of wedlock and had lost the child, rendering her unable to have more children. In many people''s eyes, she was even more disgraceful.0


    Yes, life was often unfair.0


    She hadn''t been at fault, yet everyone looked down on her.0


    Luo Xiaohe said, "You should know about my situation¡ªI can''t have children."0


    Lan Sihai smiled, "Whether you can have children or not has nothing to do with me. I''m at this age."0


    He continued frankly, "Since we''re here to meet, it means we both have some understanding of each other and are willing to give it a try. In a matchmaking meeting, I believe we should be upfront. I''m a bit selfish and self-centered. Even my children know not to meddle in my affairs. I enjoy smoking and drinking, and I value good food andfort. I''m not the type to deprive myself, nor do I seek someone to control me. My children don''t even try to control me."0


    Luo Xiaohe asked seriously, "Will you get violent or abusive when you drink?"0


    Lan Sihai replied, "No, I only drink a little¡ªjust enough to savor the vor. Drinking is about appreciation, not guzzling like a beast."0


    Aunt Wang: "..."0


    I suspect you''re implying something about me, though I have no evidence. How is being hearty and straightforward considered guzzling?0


    Lan Sihai continued, "As for getting violent or abusive under the influence, I would never do something so uncouth. I may be selfish, but I would never sink to that level. A man hitting a woman is utterly disgraceful. If I were that kind of person, the machinery factory wouldn''t have hired me. It would be too embarrassing."0


    Luo Xiaohe felt more at ease.0


    She then asked, "Your granddaughter lives in the same courtyard as us. Will she look down on me or cause trouble?"0


    At her age, she wasn''t a starry-eyed girl dreaming of romance. She asked practical questions, as one would expect from someone with life experience. The idea of falling in love at first sight was absurd.0


    Lan Sihai waved his hand, "No, she won''t have the time to bother you. Over time, you''ll see that she has a good personality. Although she''s in her twenties, she''s quite naive. She''s soft-spoken but straightforward, not cunning. If you don''t scheme against her, she won''t harm you. But if you do scheme against her, she does have a bit of a stubborn streak."0


    Ming Mei, who was eavesdropping, pointed at herself and pouted, looking a bit childish. Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and ruffled her hair. The two continued to eavesdrop.0


    Lan Sihai spoke up at this moment: "I don''t like my life being disturbed. Whether it''s my children or others, I don''t want any interference. I know you have a mother, so what are your ns for her?"0


    Luo Xiaohe''s tone turned colder: "She will live with my younger brother and sister, and she won''t bother us."0


    After a pause, she said very seriously: "I''ve worked hard for my family for half my life. Now, I want to live for myself."0


    Lan Sihai chuckled: "You''re not just saying one thing and doing another, are you?"0


    Luo Xiaohe: "No, I''m not!"0


    Both of them were straightforward people, and afterying out their intentions, they found each other quite agreeable.0


    Lan Sihai didn''t like people who were indecisive and overly clingy. Although Luo Xiaohe was a bit tough, she clearly wasn''t a weak woman. She seemed capable of managing a household well. Simrly, Luo Xiaohe had a good impression of Lan Sihai. He wasn''t the sloppy old man she had imagined but was quite energetic and straightforward.0


    No matter how they usually behaved, she was happy to meet someone straightforward during a blind date. Whether it was a good or bad match, they made it clear from the start, so there was no room for misunderstandings.0


    Compared to such people, although their directness might feel ufortable, it was actually very suitable for her.0


    As they continued tomunicate, Aunt Wang, the matchmaker, felt something was off. It was just... off.0


    Lan Sihai: "I''m quite a bit older than you. If we get together, it''s really me who''s benefiting. But I''ll also provide you with security. When I meet the King of Hell, this house will be yours. Don''t worry, my son and daughter won''t try to take it. If we can be together, I''ll write you a document for some security. But don''t try to off me early for the house, okay?"0


    Luo Xiaohe twitched her mouth, saying: "You''re overthinking it. Murder is illegal."0


    She said: "It''s not about age. It''s not easy for me to find a suitable partner, but I need to make it clear that I''ll keep my rtives from causing trouble or interfering in my life. You also need to control your family... I don''t want anyone nitpicking at me. If that happens, I''d rather not marry. After all, even at my parents'' house, my mother was like that."0


    Lan Sihai: "I can guarantee that. Those little rascals won''t dare to cause trouble."0


    "That''s good."0


    Lan Sihai: "Although you say it''s not about age, I am older. If my health declines in a few years, we can hire someone to help out. Every family has a few poor rtives, and hiring someone like that to assist wouldn''t make you too tired. I won''t burden you with the weight of life."0


    It was undeniable that Lan Sihai''s words hit the mark. No matter how things turned out, his clear nning made her feel at ease.0


    Luo Xiaohe: "You''re a good person."0


    Lan Sihai: "I''m not very good at saying nice things."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "What a coincidence, neither am I. We''re even, so let''s not judge each other."0


    Their eyes met, and they both knew they were no pushovers.0


    Lan Sihai: "I heard you got interested in me after hearing people gossip about me at the hospital. Why? Most people would stay far away from someone like that."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "Those two gossips weren''t worth listening to. If they said something bad about you, you must be a good person. Besides, I''m not exactly known for my good reputation either."0


    Lan Sihai nodded, appreciatively: "You''re quite straightforward."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "I''m not good at saying things that please others."0


    "Why should we please others? People aren''t living for others. Life is short, and we should live for ourselves. Otherwise, we won''t eat or drink well, and life will be miserable. What''s the point? Are we here to endure hardships?"0


    Lan Sihai had a lot to say on the matter.0


    Luo Xiaoheughed, saying: "You''re right. I used to be so stuck in my ways, wasting so much time and feeling so frustrated. Listening to you is like reading ten years'' worth of books."0


    Lan Sihai smiled, then said: "Actually, I haven''t read many books, but don''t underestimate me. I''ve seen a lot. As they say, ''Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.'' A broad experience opens up one''s horizons."0


    Luo Xiaohe agreed deeply: "That makes sense."0


    She kept agreeing, clearly findingmon ground with Lan Sihai. Lan Sihai asked: "By the way, do you like watching movies?"0


    Luo Xiaohe nodded sincerely: "I do, but my family has been tight on money, so I don''t go often. There are too many ces where money is needed."0


    Lan Sihai: "Then I''ll take you sometime. In the fall, we can go to the Fragrant Hills to see the maple leaves. I''ve only heard about it, never seen it."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "Oh, I''ve been there. Although life has been dull, I sometimes find little joys on my own. Free joys..."0


    Lan Sihai: "That''s right. There are ways to enjoy life with money, and there are free ways too. Both are beautiful..."0


    The two of them kept chatting.0


    It was clear that their rapport had improved significantly since they first met.0


    Aunt Wang: "..."0


    She had introduced many blind dates, both young and old, and there was usually some reserve. But today, she had never seen anything like this. However, it was clear that these two difficult people were quitepatible.0


    Didn''t they start discussing entertainment together?0


    Aunt Wang felt a bit out of ce sitting there, but she couldn''t just leave. That would be inappropriate. So, she sat there like a statue.0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, who had been eavesdropping at the door for a while, exchanged nces and finally stepped away from the wall.0


    They returned to their own doorstep and whispered to Zhao Guihua, Ming Mei gesturing: "My grandpa seems to have taken a liking to her."0


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s great."0


    Although she didn''t understand why someone would marry multiple times, everyone has their own way of living. People can''t even figure out their own lives, so it''s not wise to judge others. If someone finds joy inpanionship, that''s a good thing.0


    She said: "It''s good for your grandpa to have someone to support each other."0


    Ming Mei nodded naturally: "I know. I''m just expressing my feelings, not unhappy. No one in our family objects to my grandpa finding apanion."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, truly admiring the Blue family siblings, especially Ming Mei''s mother and uncle. They truly let their father do as he pleased. Even when Lan Sihai gave his previous house to his ex-wife, they didn''t object.0


    Now, he promised to give this house to his new wife, and the Blue siblings still didn''t care.0


    After all, this was a house. In decades, people would go crazy for houses, and now it was even more intense. How many families had been torn apart over a house, how many brothers had fallen out?0


    This was a house in Beijing, yet the Blue siblings had such a generous attitude.0


    Zhao Guihua thought of her previous life, where Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su had sabotaged Lan Sihai''s blind dates. This time... she nced at Aunt Su, who was washing sweet potatoes, and whispered to Ming Mei: "Tell your grandpa to be careful of Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou."0


    Ming Mei nced over and nodded immediately.0


    Zhao Guihua was just reminding her, not overly worried. After all, this time was different from the past. This time, Luo Xiaohe already knew about Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou''s gossip. If she still believed them, then she must be really naive.0


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t expected such a twist of fate, but a good twist was always a happy thing.0


    Zhao Guihua was lost in thought when Aunt Su spoke up first. She said, "Oh, Uncle Lan''s blind date has been going on for quite a while. I wonder how it''s going and if it will work out?"0


    She secretly hoped it wouldn''t. If it didn''t, maybe she could groom him into her ownpdog? Old Man Bai was loyal and all, but his sry certainly couldn''tpare to Uncle Lan''s. Since Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu stopped interacting, their family''s ie had taken a hit.0


    She hoped it wouldn''t work out!0


    A few days ago, she had been too narrow-minded.0


    How could she not have realized earlier that Uncle Lan was wealthy?0


    "Little Zhuang''s wife," Aunt Su continued, "you were just over there listening, weren''t you? How is it going?"0


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly. "Aunt Su, are you envious? You and Old Man Bai have such a good rtionship. Why not just get married already? There''s no need to drag it out like this."0


    Old Man Bai walked in just in time to hear this and grinned from ear to ear, giving Ming Mei a thumbs up. This young wife of the Zhuang family sure knew how to talk¡ªwhat a great person!0


    Ming Mei received Old Man Bai''s "good person card" and thumbs-up, her smile even brighter. She said, "I see how deep your feelings are. You''re not young anymore, so why care so much about what outsiders think? Look at my grandfather¡ªhe''s at that age and still pursuing a new life. You should think about yourself too. Otherwise, Old Man Bai is so pitiful, pouring out his heart but always alone, unable to be with you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "Exactly, Aunt Su. Everyone at the factory knows how good your rtionship with Old Man Bai is. People are all for it. This isn''t the old society anymore. Pursuing a new life is perfectly eptable."0


    Aunt Su: "..."0


    Who asked you busybodies to meddle in my affairs?0


    Why do you have to be so nosy and pushy?0


    She cursed in her heart but still said, "My children are still young. If they knew about this, they definitely wouldn''t be happy. I can''t ignore my children. Besides, Old Man Bai and I are clear as water. It''s not like what you think."0


    But before she could finish, Zhuang Zhixi interrupted. He said sternly, "Aunt Su, if you say that, I have to criticize you. You can''t always indulge the children. They''re young and don''t understand. This kind of spoiling won''t do. How can adults let children lead them around by the nose? Kids don''t know anything. Adults should know better. And if you marry, they''ll have a grandfather to help discipline them. It might even be good for them. Otherwise, with the way they run around stealing things, they''ll end up ruined. I know I''m being a bit harsh, but you know I mean well. I care about the children."0


    Aunt Su: "..."0


    Who asked you to care about me?0


    Her expression was very unpleasant, but Zhuang Zhixi continued with a smile,pletely unaware of how annoying he was.0


    "Good kids and bad kids are just a moment apart. You can''t let them lead you around. If you do, where does that leave Old Man Bai, who has been pouring out his heart for you? He''s waited for you for over twenty years. How could you bear to treat him like this? You''re letting down a heart that loves you."0


    "Exactly!" Ming Mei chimed in.0


    Zhao Guihua watched the two of them sing in harmony, then nced at Aunt Su, whose face was about to crack with anger, and Old Man Bai, whose eyes were red with emotion. She lowered her head, struggling hard not tough out loud.0


    It was true¡ªthis was quite effective against Aunt Su.0


    Zhao Guihua stifled herughter, but Old Man Bai was genuinely moved. He said, "Sister Su, I... I really have poured out my heart..."0


    Aunt Su: "..."0


    Just give me money, why do you want a title too? Do you even deserve it?0


    She took a deep breath and said, "Old Man Bai, I can''t! My family''s burdens are too heavy. I can''t drag you down. And I can''t drag down your son, Bai Fendou. If we got together, the pressure on your family would be too much. How could Bai Fendou ever find a partner?"0


    The shrewd and eloquent Aunt Su was back in action.0


    However, she didn''t expect a few nosy people to be around.0


    Ming Mei''s eyes were wide and sincere as she said, "What does it matter? Even though I haven''t been here long, I know Bai Fendou has deep feelings for Sister Su. Perfect¡ªyou two old ones get married, the young ones get married, and the two families be one... it''s so perfect!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "Right, wife, how did you get so smart? This way, two pairs of lovers can finally be together."0


    Ming Mei smiled. "I could see they were true loves from the start."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course. Do you remember when they fell into the cesspool? The Bai father and son fought through the filth, not afraid of the stench or hardship, all for the Su family. Truly moving. If that''s not true love, then what is?"0


    Ming Mei: "Exactly. And when Jinling stole something, Bai Fendou even kicked Zhou Qun into the hospital for the kids."0


    "Love, it''s all love," they both said in unison, almost like aedy routine.0


    Aunt Su felt they were just too detestable.0


    Wang Xiangxiu rode into the courtyard on a bike, just hearing the word "love." She asked, puzzled, "What are you...?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s gaze fell on Wang Xiangxiu''s bicycle, and he let out a mischievous chuckle. "Isn''t this Bai Fendou''s bike? I knew it."0


    Wang Xiangxiu yed it cool. "I had to go shopping today and was afraid I''d bete, so I borrowed the bike from Fendou. He''s such a great guy, never nitpicks about things like that."0


    "Of course," Zhuang Zhixi said with a smirk, his tone even more suggestive.0


    Wang Xiangxiu hesitated, looking around. She felt there were too many people in the courtyard, and their gazes were strange.0


    She asked, "Is something going on?"0


    Jiang Lu, who had been watching the excitement, finally spoke up. "Wang Xiangxiu, when are you and Bai Fendou getting married?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned. "What are you talking about? What marriage? Fendou and I have a deep brother-sister rtionship. How did this turn into marriage? You can''t spread such rumors."0


    Jiang Lu: "A brother-sister rtionship? That''s funny. Who would believe that?"0


    Usually, Jiang Lu wouldn''t bother joining in such conversations. In her eyes, it was low-ss chatter, something only idle gossipers would engage in. She came from a cadre family and mingling with these people felt degrading.0


    But after half a year of constant embarrassments and setbacks, her skin had thickened. Plus, she particrly hated Wang Xiangxiu, finding her fidgety demeanor insincere. So, she seized the opportunity to jab at Wang Xiangxiu.0


    Wang Xiangxiu, however, wasn''t easy to deal with. She immediately retorted, "Whether you believe it or not, we are clear as water. Saying such things is really inappropriate."0


    Jiang Luzily replied, "It''s not just me saying it. Everyone''s saying it. Besides, if you have no rtionship, why do you ride his bike so often? That bike belongs to Bai Fendou. You''ve used it a lot. I''ve even seen him giving you a ride to work in the mornings."0


    "Don''t nder me! We help each other out¡ªis that wrong? I don''t like Bai Fendou at all. We are clear as water!" Wang Xiangxiu didn''t want to get entangled and raised her voice, her gaze shifting toward Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Her target was Zhuang Zhixi, so she had to distance herself from Bai Fendou publicly.0


    Of course, even if she said this, she was confident she could smooth things over with Bai Fendou before he heard the rumors. He was under her control. For now, she had to present herself as a virtuous woman in front of Zhuang Zhixi.0


    "I know there are some unttering rumors about me outside, but we''ve been neighbors for over ten years. Don''t you know what kind of person I am? I am clear as water! There is absolutely no rtionship between me and Bai Fendou!"0


    Everyone stared at Wang Xiangxiu.0


    Seeing the strange looks, Wang Xiangxiu said, "I swear, I don''t like him! The person I love will never be him! If you keep spreading these rumors about us, you''re trying to drive this widow to her death!"0


    Oh ho!0


    Everyone''s expressions grew even more peculiar.0


    Wang Xiangxiu frowned in confusion as she noticed her mother-inw giving her a meaningful nce. Her heart skipped a beat, and when she turned her head, she saw Bai Fendou standing not far behind her. His face was pale, and he was staring at her with a look of shock and disbelief. It was unclear how long he had been standing there, but it was evident that he had overheard her loud deration.0


    Wang Xiangxiu panicked. Although she had been confident that she could persuade Bai Fendou, she certainly didn''t want him to witness the scene firsthand. The impact would be entirely different.0


    Hadn''t Bai Fendou gone to the ck market to get meat for her? Why had he returned so quickly? And where was the meat?0


    She tensed for a moment, then quickly said, "Fendou, sis..."0


    Bai Fendou wiped his face as if all the energy had drained out of him. He said, "I''m tired. Just leave the bicycle at my door."0


    With that, he turned and went into the house.0


    The neighbors looked at each other, unsure of what to say.0


    Bai Fendou walked into the house with his head hanging low, looking like a frost-bitten eggnt. The onlookers remained silent and still, watching as the door mmed shut with a loud bang, shaking everyone.0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged a nce, their hands intertwining.0


    Love, oh, how it tests one''s patience.0


    How fortunate they were to be with the ones they loved.0


    The two of them looked sympathetically at the closed door of Bai Fendou''s house, feeling that he must have been deeply hurt.0


    What a scoundrel, meeting a scoundrel indeed!0


    Not just them, but everyone else also looked at Wang Xiangxiu with reproach.0


    Look at her, not marrying but still flirting!0


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t pay attention to the others. She hesitated for a moment, considering whether she should step forward to exin herself. However, with everyone''s eyes on her, she found it difficult to act immediately, leaving her in a dilemma. Old Man Bai coldly stared at Wang Xiangxiu, snorted, and said, "Give me the bike keys!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I''ll just give them directly to Fendouter..."0


    "Enough nonsense, hand them over!"0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Old Man Bai''s anger was directed solely at Aunt Su, not at Wang Xiangxiu in the slightest.0


    He secretly looked down on Wang Xiangxiu. He snatched the bike keys and said, "In the future, don''t always borrow our bike. If you can''t afford one, don''t ride."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "But..."0


    Her eyes reddened, but she didn''t know how to exin.0


    Aunt Su sighed inwardly, thinking that this daughter-inw of hers was truly useless. Despite her fox-like appearance, her brains werecking. She always fell apart at critical moments. She quickly said, "Old Man Bai, don''t be so cold. Our families have a good rtionship; there''s no need to speak so harshly. I know what kind of person my Xiangxiu is. Don''t be angry with her. She''s not being cold to Fendou; she''s just struggling to get over that mental hurdle..."0


    Old Man Bai: "You don''t have to feel sad. Seeing you like this, I feel sad too..."0


    Aunt Su: "Then don''t be angry with Xiangxiu. Xiangxiu, hurry up and go exin to Fendou. Even if it''s not love, it''s still a bond closer than family."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Oh."0


    With the step, she quickly went to knock on the door.0


    Bai Fendou refused to open it.0


    Everyone watched in unison...0


    Lan Sihai, though noting out himself, also stood by the window in his house, looking outside. Beside him was Luo Xiaohe, who was equally engrossed in the drama.0


    What a coincidence, these people, she knew them all.0


    They had met at the hospital!0


    She was quite familiar with the general love-hate story.0


    Luo Xiaohe: "Your courtyard is so lively!"0


    I want to move in!0

 Chapter 71

    <h1>Chapter 71</h1>


    Lan Sihai, also known as Elder Lan, had a very smooth experience with his matchmaking.0


    He and Luo Xiaohe were both of an age where they didn''t have much time to waste, so they both made it clear from the start that they found each other suitable. They quickly got their introduction letters and got married.0


    The speed of it all was like a gust of wind.0


    Although it was fast, no one thought it was unusual. Nowadays, this was the norm. Even young men and women would decide on marriage after just a few meetings. For people of their age, there was no room for unnecessary sentimentality.0


    After getting their marriage certificate, Lan Sihai suggested, "Let''s go take a photo together."0


    Luo Xiaohe nodded. They went to a photo studio near the Great Front Gate. The photographer had never seen such an elderly couplee to take a wedding photo before and had a rather meaningful expression. This made Luo Xiaohe a bit ufortable, but Elder Lan remained calm. He said, "Let''s take several photos. When we''re even older, we can look back and think we were quite young then."0


    "Pfft."0


    Both the photographer and Luo Xiaoheughed.0


    This eased the tension a bit.0


    In truth, Luo Xiaohe thought it was a bit of a waste of money, but she didn''t stop him. After all, they were a couple starting anew, and they needed time to adjust to each other. She had taken photos before, but rarely, so she was a bit stiff and unnatural.0


    Lan Sihai said, "Later, let''s buy a bag of candy to share with everyone."0


    Luo Xiaohe replied, "Alright."0


    Nowadays, extravagant weddings were discouraged. Simplicity was emphasized, and old customs were avoided. So, the couple didn''t n to host a banquet. Young people these days had simple weddings, and for older couples like them, it was even less of a hassle.0


    After getting their marriage certificate, Luo Xiaohe moved her belongings to Lan Sihai''s ce. He had apanied her, and her siblings seemed normal and close to their sister. However, Luo Xiaohe''s mother was somewhat dissatisfied.0


    Luo Xiaohe''s mother was about the same age as Lan Sihai, but the hardships of life had aged her more. Her eyes were cloudy and yellowish, giving her a gloomy appearance. Lan Sihai didn''t show much enthusiasm either. Although they were now married, it was a bit premature to consider themselves a family.0


    The two sides didn''t interact warmly. Luo''s mother was unhappy about losing a source of support for her old age. But Luo Xiaolian and Luo Xiaohu, her sister and brother, thought it was good that their sister was seeking the life she wanted.0


    Although Lan Sihai was older, their sister wasn''t at a significant disadvantage by marrying him, and it wouldn''t be too much of a hardship.0


    Despite not wanting to admit it, many problems in life stemmed from poverty. With better conditions, life would be easier. Luo''s siblings helped her move, and they didn''t let their mother visit Lan Sihai''s ce.0


    They didn''t bring it up, and Lan Sihai didn''t mention it either. He had better things to do.0


    After taking photos and buying candy, they headed back. Truthfully, Luo Xiaohe felt a bit lightheaded. She hadn''t expected to get married one day. She had thought she would live her whole life at home.0


    But who could have predicted how quickly ns could change?0


    One''s perspective could shift in an instant. Whether to get married or not was a matter of the heart.0


    "Today is our wedding day. Although we''re not having a banquet, we should still have a good meal. Let''s buy a roast duck, some pork trotters to make a pork and soybean soup, and a fish dish, like grass carp with tofu. What do you think about adding another dish?"0


    Luo Xiaohe thought it was toovish but also felt it was appropriate for a wedding. It should be a bit different from everyday meals. She thought for a moment and said, "Since we have three meat dishes, let''s add a vegetable. How about stir-fried leeks?"0


    "Sounds good."0


    They returned to the courtyard. It wasn''t the weekend, so most people were at work. Only Zhao Guihua and a few other housewives were there. Some were sewing, others were making shoes, each busy with their own tasks.0


    However, the mainstay of the courtyard, Aunt Zhou, hadn''t been seen for a few days. She had lost face and was scolded by her son, so she was feeling down. Being so concerned about her reputation, she didn''t want to mix with the others.0


    Even without her, the gossip continued.0


    Aunt Wang whispered, "I heard the factory is investigating, and Zhou Qun will have to retake the electrician level seven exam."0


    "That''s right. This way, we''ll know if there was any cheating."0


    Aunt Wang continued, "He''s already taken the exam a long time ago. He''s probably practiced enough by now."0


    "Technically, they shouldn''t verify level seven. It''s been too long. They should verify level eight."0


    "There''s no logic in that. After all, he passed level seven. Even if he hasn''t progressed since, you can''t say much. We know he''s exploiting loopholes, but there''s nothing we can do. Besides, if this is confirmed, it would be a scandal for the factory. The leaders would feel embarrassed, so they probably don''t want to confirm it." Some people understood the situation well.0


    Zhao Guihua agreed with this.0


    "This kind of person should be sent home. Always trying to cheat." The Sui Family womanined, then added, "I heard his master''s wife died about seven or eight years ago."0


    Now everyone understood why Zhou Qun mentioned those specific people.0


    Zhou Qun''s master''s wife had died of illness due to depression.0


    The "Xinghua Aunt" Zhou Qun mentioned had fallen and be bedridden the year her husband retired. She died less than three monthster.0


    There was also "Taohong," a woman from over ten years ago who had been involved in shady activities. She had been caught and imprisoned. Though she should have been released by now, she hadn''t returned to Beijing. There were rumors that she had passed away, but it wasn''t clear if it was true.0


    It seemed Zhou Qun''s suspicions about these women weren''t unfounded. He had likely thought it through.0


    Of course, Zhou Qun had mentioned others, but the drunkard didn''t remember, so there were no rumors about them. Only these few women were mentioned, but their reputations added anotheryer to Zhou Qun''s situation.0


    The good part was that since they were all dead, there was no way to prove anything. It was truly a case of "dead men tell no tales."0


    Although the phrase wasn''t ideal, it was the reality.0


    The bad part was that people were even more convinced Zhou Qun was not clean. How coincidental that all the people he mentioned had passed away. This made it clearer that Zhou Qun knew them and their situations.0


    Otherwise, how would he know about these unrted people?0


    Although Zhou Qun denied saying anything, the drunkard''s oath made people believe him. This gossip had been the talk of the alley for days, even overshadowing other events like Bai Fendou breaking up with Wang Xiangxiu and Elder Lan''s matchmaking.0


    Zhao Guihua asked, "When is Zhou Qun''s retake?"0


    "It''s set for tomorrow. The factory is in a hurry too. They can''t let this gossip continue endlessly. The factory''s reputation is at stake. You don''t know, I went to my hometown in Lotus Vige yesterday. It''s two and a half hours away by car, and even there, people were talking about it. Someone asked me, ''I heard there''s a young man in your machinery factory who likes to target olddies? You better be careful.'' Can you imagine how embarrassing that is? I didn''t even have the heart to say he''s not just from our factory, but from the same courtyard."0


    "You think that''s bad? My rtive in Tong County heard about it too."0


    "Ha, that''s nothing. My rtive from Hang City came to visit recently and heard about it too. This gossip has spread all the way to Hang City."0


    Everyone was feeling quite frustrated. Good news might not spread far, but bad news certainly did. As neighbors, they all felt embarrassed by the situation.0


    Zhao Guihua tried tofort them, "Don''t be too upset, everyone. Look at it from another angle¡ªwho else has seen as much as we have? No matter how strange things get in the future, we''ll be able to stay calm, right? We''ve seen it all¡ªbutterfly swimming in a cesspool, and even targeting olddies. We''re experienced,rades, experienced!"0


    Aunt Wang and the other older women burst outughing.0


    Aunt Su also joined in the casual chat, but she felt uneasy when she heard this. After all, her grandson Jii was one of those who had "butterfly swam" in the cesspool. How could she be happy about it? She nced at Zhao Guihua with a hint of resentment. It had been so long, yet Zhao Guihua kept bringing it up. Did she think her family was better or something?0


    Aunt Su really couldn''t stand Zhao Guihua''s showing off. What was the point?0


    However, Zhao Guihua did have her uses. Aunt Su cleared her throat and asked, "Guihua, how did your rtive Uncle Lan''s blind date go?"0


    Everyone turned to look at her in unison. Aunt Su was taken aback and said, "What? Why are you all looking at me? I was just asking casually."0


    Zhao Guihua smirked and replied, "Didn''t you know? They hit it off. I thought everyone in the courtyard knew. You didn''t?"0


    Aunt Su: "!!!"0


    She couldn''t believe it and widened her eyes. "They hit it off?"0


    She hadn''t even made her move yet, and they were already together?0


    She was furious and quickly asked, "Why didn''t anyone tell me?"0


    As soon as she said that, she realized it wasn''t a good thing to say. Zhao Guihua didn''t give her a chance to exin, responding, "What does it have to do with you? Do you expect someone toe to your house with a gong and drum to inform you? What kind of logic is that?"0


    Zhao Guihua''s words carried a hidden meaning: "Besides, everyone in the courtyard knew they were sessful. You were too busy being all lovey-dovey with Old Bai to notice, weren''t you?"0


    Aunt Su: "......"0


    She became even more uneasy and said dryly, "Me and Old Bai arepletely innocent."0


    There were two widows in the household who were quite interesting. The older widow imed to be innocent with Old Bai, and the younger widow imed to be innocent with Little Bai. Yet, they always seemed to be spending their money. Zhao Guihua sneered mockingly.0


    At that moment, Lan Sihai and Luo Xiaohe returned.0


    Lan Sihai: "Oh, you all are so busy, so very busy, all gathered together chatting."0


    Everyone: "......"0


    What the hell do you mean by "busy"?0


    You''re just saying we''re too idle, aren''t you?0


    Everyone was speechless.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Uncle Lan, did you two go to get your marriage certificate today?"0


    As soon as she said that, everyone turned their attention to the couple. Lan Sihai smiled and said, "Yes, here are some wedding candies."0


    He grabbed a handful and said, "Share in our happiness."0


    Almost every household had someone who wasn''t working, so the group chatting here basically included everyone. Lan Sihai''s distribution of candies saved him from having to go door to door. Everyone received the candies and immediately smiled from ear to ear.0


    "Congrattions! Uncle Lan, you''re quick."0


    "Exactly, I didn''t expect you to be so decisive."0


    "Thisdy..."0


    Luo Xiaohe noticed everyone''s attention on her and said, "I''m Luo Xiaohe. You can call me Old Luo or Xiaohe."0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Aunt Wang, as the head of the courtyard, took the initiative to say, "If you need anything in the future, just speak up. We''re all neighbors, so harmony is key."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "Okay."0


    Everyone started to exchange pleasantries. Only Aunt Su''s heart was bleeding. She looked at the nice things Lan Sihai and Luo Xiaohe were carrying and felt her heartache. If only she had seized Lan Sihai earlier, would there be a Luo Xiaohe now?0


    Her family''s life could have improved. She stammered, "My kids have been having diarrheately. Their stomachs are empty, and they don''t have any oil in them."0


    As she spoke, her eyes were glued to the bags in their hands.0


    Everyone had been expressing their condolences to the new neighbor, but then Aunt Su suddenly brought up this topic. Her intentions were obvious.0


    Lan Sihai scoffed and said, "Your kids stillck oil? If they did, wouldn''t they have already gone to steal?"0


    Everyone burst outughing.0


    Luo Xiaohe, although not exactly easy to get along with, didn''t have Lan Sihai''s boldness. She had always cared about others'' opinions, suppressing her own personality and living a difficult life.0


    This was the first time she had seen such a straightforward person. Looking at her newlywed husband, she felt a bit of admiration.0


    Although his words were harsh, they were also refreshing.0


    Lan Sihai even took the time to introduce to Luo Xiaohe, "I moved inte, so I didn''t see the incident where they fell into the cesspool. But I did hear about the Su family''s little thieves stealing Zhou''s sheep testicles. I don''t know if the food was spoiled or if they couldn''t handle the supplement, but oh, the diarrhea they had..."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "Oh my."0


    Their previous home was a small standalone house with neighbors, but it was different from thismunal siheyuan. She hadn''t experienced such a lively scene before. Since the day of their blind date, she had a feeling that this courtyard would be quite lively.0


    There would be plenty of drama toe.0


    The Sui family member, being straightforward, spoke quickly, "Uncle Lan, what you''re saying isn''t the important part. The key is to keep the women in your family away from Sister Zhou next door. Xiaohe, let me tell you, you need to be wary of that guy next door, Zhou Qun, who looks all proper but is actually into older women. Be careful, especially since you''re new here."0


    Luo Xiaohe: "!!!"0


    This was really... something.0


    Zhao Guihua, seeing their shocked expressions,ughed and said, "Alright, keep talking, and Sister Zhou mighte out to hit someone. Didn''t you see her peeking from the window?"0


    Everyone followed her gaze and saw, oh, indeed.0


    She was peeking out the window with a pair of venomous eyes fixed on them. It was quite frightening at first nce.0


    "There are all kinds of people in the world."0


    "That''s for sure."0


    After chatting for a while, Zhao Guihua stood up and said, "I''m going to the bathroom. Who''sing with me?"0


    "Oh, I''ll go with you."0


    "Me too."0


    "I don''t really need to go, but I''lle along. I''d be scared to go aler!"0


    Because of the ghost stories, no one went to the bathroom at night in this area. Unless absolutely necessary, they wouldn''t go. Even during the day, people rarely went alone and usually went in groups.0


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t afraid. She knew the truth behind the stories, but she didn''t act too nonchnt. After all, the security department was still investigating.0


    Although they might be going through the motions, the investigation was still ongoing. Zhao Guihua didn''t want to cause trouble for herself. The group went to the bathroom together, and Aunt Su, recovering from being put down by Lan Sihai, also joined them.0


    As they walked to the bathroom, Aunt Su suddenly said, "Guihua, do you remember? Back then, those few boys each picked up a te with a word on it?"0


    Zhao Guihua remained calm and asked, "What te?"0


    She looked at Aunt Su with a puzzled expression, "With a word on it? I don''t remember that."0


    "It had auspicious words on it. My son''s had the word ''fortune.'' Remember? A group of young boys went out to y and picked them up?"0


    What "picked up while ying"? That time was during the overthrow of thendlord''s family. A group of boys had divided the loot.0


    However, Zhao Guihua acted as if she suddenly remembered and said, "Oh, you mean that? I remember now. Why are you bringing up something from so long ago? Even the tes are broken by now. Why bring up such old news?"0


    Aunt Su''s expression tightened as she stared intently at Zhao Guihua, but she couldn''t find anything unusual about her.0


    This matter had been on her mind for several days. She was certain that her family''s te had been broken. But she hadn''t seen the Zhuang family''s te herself. So, she thought she should verify it again. If the Zhuang family''s te hadn''t been broken, she would have to find a way to get it. After all, these tes were worth money.0


    Even if it were broken, it wouldn''t matter. As long as it wasn''t thrown away, even with cracks, it could still be worth money. The only question was, what kind of situation did his family have with it? Aunt Su was obsessed with the idea of making a fortune overnight. She didn''t have any other avenues, so she could only consider this.0


    Even if there was truly no possibility at all, she still felt that saying it out loud would be better. She couldn''t let just their family suffer the pain. She wanted to see the look of pain on Zhao Guihua''s face.0


    She said, "Is that thing of yours still around?"0


    Zhao Guihua looked at Aunt Su with confusion and said, "Are you sick? It broke years ago. Why would I keep it? I threw it away a long time ago. It wasn''t edible, drinkable, or usable. Did I keep it to breed?" She continued, "But you, why are you suddenly bringing this up today?"0


    Here ites.0


    Aunt Su put on a sorrowful expression and said, "Actually, that thing could be worth a lot of money. It''s a pity that the one in my house broke, and I didn''t expect yours to break too."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, I thought you were saying something important. What''s the big deal about money? Don''t let people fool you. I don''t think that broken thing is worth anything. Maybe people just say it''s valuable to trick you. I don''t see where it''s valuable."0


    Aunt Su was anxious: "Don''t you believe me, it really is valuable."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Heh, don''t fool yourself. I don''t see where it''s valuable."0


    Aunt Su: "Why can''t you listen to what people say?"0


    Zhao Guihua narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Look at you, I think you''re the one who can''t listen. It''s clearly not true. Besides, it''s been broken for a long time. Why are you suddenly bringing this up? What''s the big deal about money? Could it be that someone is deliberately fooling you? I say, Aunt Su, you can''t just grow older without growing wiser. How can you believe such things? Anyway, I don''t think it''s valuable."0


    Aunt Su almost choked on her own blood. How could Zhao Guihua be so clueless?0


    Antiques, do you understand antiques?0


    You''re such a country bumpkin.0


    She was furious, but seeing Zhao Guihua''s disbelief and disdain, she felt a surge of anger.0


    Stupid, utterly stupid.0


    Aunt Su had only wanted to probe Zhao Guihua''s situation and stir up some emotion in her.0


    But instead of provoking Zhao Guihua, she ended up furious herself.0


    She was angry, but she forgot that someone else was even angrier, and that was Aunt Wang beside her.0


    Aunt Wang had been feeling bitter since being swindled by Bai Fendou, and upon hearing Aunt Su''s words, she immediately understood. She was even more convinced that there was something fishy about Bai Fendou selling things to their family. Otherwise, why would Aunt Su be so eager, and why would she approach Zhao Guihua again?0


    This matter, she herself couldn''t know about it, it must have been Bai Fendou who told them.0


    And they clearly saw Bai Fendou make money and wanted a piece of the pie.0


    Aunt Wang hated Bai Fendou even more.0


    Aunt Su didn''t care about the impact of her words on Bai Fendou. In her eyes, Aunt Wang''s family was better off and shouldn''t be so stingy. Besides, even if she knew, what difference would it make to her?0


    If she wasn''t happy, she could go find Bai Fendou herself.0


    Anyway, Aunt Su was an old selfish devil.0


    The atmosphere was tense, and Zhao Guihua immediately sensed it. After finishing her business in the bathroom, she went home to prepare lunch, her thoughts wandering. She couldn''t remember if Aunt Su hade to ask her about it in her previous life, but she did remember that a few yearster, she had taken the thing out to use, only to lose it again.0


    In this life, she had identally learned that the dish was worth some money, and looking back at what happened in her previous life, it was quite suspicious.0


    Her three suspects were Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin, who definitely knew the value of the item. But she wasn''t sure if the Su family knew. However, today''s conversation confirmed that Aunt Su definitely knew.0


    So, the Su family was the third suspect.0


    Moreover, Aunt Su''s suspicion had increased significantly.0


    If she knew the item was valuable, it was very likely that she would have taken action. She herself might not have been able to do it, but she had a grandson who was very willing to steal. Her chances of getting her hands on it were much greater than Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin.0


    Zhao Guihua looked in the direction of the Su family and sneered.0


    Liang Meifen was helping her mother-inw prepare lunch when she suddenly saw that smile and was startled. She became more cautious and focused on cooking. This olddy was too unpredictable, but there was nothing she could do about it. Being a daughter-inw was not easy.0


    "Mom,st time Zhiyuan left, he told me that when hees back, we''ll go on a family outing to the mountains. What do you think?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure."0


    She said, "Let''s do it on Labor Day. We''ll have two days off. The first day, there''s an event at the factory, so we''ll go and watch. The second day, we''ll go to the mountains."0


    Liang Meifen: "Zhiyuan had the same idea."0


    She hesitated for a moment and said, "Should we go fishing?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course! We have to go fishing!"0


    She still hadn''t caught anything yet, so how could she give up?0


    Liang Meifen also smiled. Fishing was a good thing. They allcked oil in their diets, and fish was delicious.0


    Zhao Guihua: "By the way, why haven''t you gone back to your family hometely?"0


    She nced at her daughter-inw, and Liang Meifen''s hand trembled, almost dropping the bowl. She quickly gripped it tightly and said, "My maternal family doesn''t have anything going on, so I don''t need to go back often."0


    In fact, the truth was thatst time her younger brother was arranging a marriage, she had a disagreement with his future wife. She was fighting for her family''s rights, but her brother used her of deliberately causing trouble and shouted at her, forbidding her to return to her maternal home.0


    Thinking about how much her younger brother had taken from her over the years, even taking her formal job, and now ending up with such a result, she couldn''t help but feel sad. But she didn''t dare to say anything more.0


    She knew her mother-inw''s feelings towards her family; she absolutely detested them. If she said anything, the situation would only get worse.0


    She knew that her younger brother resented her for not providing the "three turns and one ring" and the "thirty-six legs." But Liang Meifen was more aware that she was powerless. She was willing to help her brother and would give as much as she could, but she didn''t have a job and no money, and there was also a harsh mother-inw at home.0


    She just couldn''t do it.0


    Knowing that she couldn''t do it and still making things difficult for her, Liang Meifen felt extremely sad.0


    But she didn''t dare to show any of it and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Little Brother is helping out in the propaganda department this time. I wonder what he''s thinking, he''s so busy. It''s not like he''s going to get transferred to the propaganda department. Isn''t it just a waste of effort?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s good for him to get some exercise. Besides, if he performs well, it might catch the attention of the leaders."0


    Even though she said that, Liang Meifen couldn''t believe it. What could catch the attention of the leaders? There were so many employees, how could the leaders possibly notice them all? She didn''t believe it.0


    It was just a waste of energy.0


    Usually, he seemed like a smart person, but his actions didn''t make sense.0


    However, Liang Meifen didn''t dare to say that her brother-inw was wasting his time, so she changed the subject again, saying, "Mom, do you think Zhou Qun will pass tomorrow?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I think he will. After all, it''s been a while. He took the exam over two years ago, right? I can''t remember the exact time, but it''s been so long, he can''t still be at the same level."0


    She paused and then added, "And... the factory certainly doesn''t want any scandals."0


    Liang Meifen: "It''s disgusting. How can there be such a despicable person! I''ve never seen anyone more shameless. A grown man not working hard himself and relying on a woman, pfft!"0


    Such things were even more disgraceful than having an affair, especially given the significant age difference.0


    Liang Meifen ranted, and other families felt the same way.0


    Soon, the next day arrived. Zhou Qun had spent the entire night without sleep, and he waspletely exhausted. How could he be in good spirits? Although he kept reassuring himself, he wasn''t that confident, and he was extremely restless.0


    He was nervous, and Jiang Lu was even more so.0


    Jiang Lu still hadn''t convinced her father, and Jiang''s Father, being a prominent figure, couldn''t be unaware of these things. From the first day the scandal broke, Jiang''s Father had been pressuring Jiang Lu to divorce.0


    Actually, when Jiang''s Father didn''t approve of his daughter''s fianc¨¦, Zhou Qun, during their wedding, but at that time, Jiang Lu was determined to marry him. As a father, he ultimately couldn''t resist his daughter''s wishes. Fortunately, Zhou Qun treated Jiang Lu well, and even though they didn''t have children after more than ten years of marriage, he never med her. Additionally, he always stood up for Jiang Lu with his mother. Honestly, Jiang''s Father hade to somewhat ept this son-inw. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have gone out of his way to help him.0


    But never did he expect to be so wrong about the man. Zhou Qun had been exposed in such a huge scandal. Both Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu felt ashamed, but for Jiang''s Father, who was a public figure, the humiliation was even greater. It was as if he had lost face all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Those who were his rivals would openly discuss these matters in front of him, deliberately trying to humiliate him.0


    Jiang''s Father was adamant about forcing Jiang Lu to divorce, but she refused. Even if it meant severing their father-daughter rtionship, Jiang''s Father was resolute in never giving Zhou Qun another chance. If it were just a scandal involving extramarital affairs, it wouldn''t have been so humiliating. But this? What the hell was this?0


    A young man involved with an old woman? Jiang''s Father simply couldn''t bear the shame.0


    Jiang Lu faced one closed door after another. Her father had already announced to outsiders that if she didn''t divorce, they would sever their father-daughter rtionship. So now, Jiang Lu was in a difficult situation. In the past, she would hand over her sry to her mother-inw, but since she didn''t have much money in her hands, she would go back to her parents'' house to ask for money. Her father and brother were in powerful positions with good perks, so giving her some money was no big deal. Even though she handed her sry to her mother-inw, she wasn''t really short of money. If there was something she couldn''t buy, she would just go back to her parents'' house to get it.0


    Her sister-inw at her parents'' house hated her to the core, but Jiang Lu felt it was her right. After all, she was the daughter of the house, and taking things from her parents'' house to support her inws was perfectly normal.0


    But this time, her family was determined. Her sister-inw, taking advantage of the situation, refused to let her set foot in the house.0


    Jiang Lu was caught between a rock and a hard ce.0


    She was in a tough spot, but she hadn''t reconciled with her family, which meant she had even less of a chance to help Zhou Qun. As a result, both Zhou Qun and she were feeling more and more unhappy. Early in the morning, Jiang Lu helped Zhou Qun get dressed and said, "Today is the assessment. Just stay calm. I believe in your abilities."0


    Zhou Qun gave Jiang Lu an annoyed look and said, "Of course, I have the ability. But what if someone deliberately sets out to sabotage me? I told you to go back and ask your dad to help me with some connections, but look at you, you can''t even handle such a small matter."0


    Jiang Lu''s eyes turned red as she said, "I''ll try again with my dad, but you know my family is still very angry. They don''t understand..."0


    Zhou Qun snapped, "They don''t understand, so you can''t exin it to them?"0


    He scolded, "We''ve been rtives for so many years, and yet they''d rather believe rumors than me. It''s really disappointing. I know, I know they''ve always looked down on me, thinking I''m not good enough for you. But have they ever thought about what you have besides a good family? Even if I hadn''t married you, do you think I would have ended up with someone worse? With my conditions and my drive, I could have found someone better... but what about you? Apart from a good family, you''re nothing."0


    "Qun Ge..."0


    "Forget it, I''ll rely on myself. Let go!"0


    He pped Jiang Lu''s hand away and walked out first. It''s worth mentioning that since he encountered a ghostst time, his interest in women has waned significantly. Every time he thinks about women, he thinks about the olddy, and then the ghost, and suddenly he feelspletely uninterested.0


    Even with someone like Jiang Lu, a young woman, he feels extremely ufortable.0


    He didn''t want to be with Jiang Lu, so he left on his bicycle alone.0


    Little did he know how much the people in the courtyard cared about him. As soon as he left, everyone crowded at their doorways, peeking out to watch the show. After Zhou Qun left, Jiang Lu also walked out, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face.0


    Zhao Guihua looked out the window and sighed, "A woman fears marrying the wrong man."0


    Ming Mei, biting a steamed bun, also leaned against the window to watch, mumbling, "I wish I worked at the machinery factory too, so I could watch the drama."0


    She really was one to watch the drama without fear of trouble.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "If you were transferred to the machinery factory, you''d have to start as an apprentice. Even if you were in an office position, you''d only make a dozen bucks in the first year before being confirmed. After confirmation, you''d start at around twenty bucks. Would you be happy with that?"0


    It seemed Zhao Guihua knew Ming Mei quite well. Although Ming Mei loved watching drama, making more money was obviously more important to her.0


    She firmly shook her head and said, "No, I prefer working on the front lines of social services, serving the people. Large state-owned enterprises aren''t for me."0


    Twenty bucks?0


    With her current sry and subsidies, she was making over forty bucks a month.0


    Not even men could outearn her; she wasn''t crazy.0


    Ming Mei slung her small bag over her shoulder and said, "Alright, I''m off to contribute to society."0


    "By the way, Ming Mei, don''t you have any activities for Labor Day?"0


    Zhao Guihua asked curiously, always hearing about activities at this factory or that, but never hearing about Ming Mei''s.0


    Ming Mei pouted and said, "What kind of activities could we have? Every time there''s a holiday, it''s our busiest time. My route is rtively okay, but some rural routes are packed. May has the best weather, not too cold or too hot, so a lot of peoplee to the city to shop. We''re so busy we can''t even think about having activities. Our work nature is different."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "That''s true. Alright, you''d better hurry up."0


    Ming Mei: "Mom, can you help me buy some Pang Da Hai at the pharmacy today? I''ve been shouting so much my throat hurts."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure."0


    Ming Mei handed the money to Zhao Guihua, who didn''t refuse and took it directly. Liang Meifen calcted and figured her mother-inw would still have a few cents left. She looked at Ming Mei with sympathy; every penny counted.0


    Ming Mei, however, didn''t seem to notice and pushed her bike out the door.0


    What about Zhuang Zhixi?0


    He had been leaving early these days, even earlier than Ming Mei.0


    Liang Meifen sighed again, "I wonder why the little uncle is so dedicated to helping others. He leaves so early in the morning."0


    Zhao Guihua nced at her and said, "Even if you don''t get anything, learning is always good."0


    In her previous life, Zhuang Zhixi had used this opportunity to get into the publicity department. This time, while it wasn''t a hundred percent certain, Zhao Guihua still thought her youngest son was doing the right thing. Old Huang from the publicity department had left an impression on her; he was a very capable person.0


    Learning from him was a good thing.0


    At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi was already busy in the department. He and Old Huang had repainted the ckboard in the factory area, which was to wee the May Day Labor Festival. Old Huang said, "You see, when we do the ckboard, we have to pay a lot of attention to theposition. You don''t have to be professional in your drawing, because everyone is amateur, and they might not be able to tell, but you have to be coordinated. If you can''t do that, people will think your ckboard''sposition is awkward..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi listened carefully.0


    "You ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????see, for a spring-themed ckboard, we usually..."0


    The two were working seriously when Zhang San came running over excitedly, saying, "Do you guys know? Today, Zhou Qun from your courtyard is going to retake the seven-level electrician exam."0


    He was very excited, saying, "I saw that to ensure fairness, the factory invited several veteran electricians from other factories. Representatives from various workshops and workers can also attend."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I know, I heard several people talking about it early this morning."0


    Old Huang looked at Zhuang Zhixi and chuckled.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was really serious when he was learning, but when it came to gossip, he was just as enthusiastic. It was quite a split experience to feel both at the same time. But Old Huang was starting to like this guy more and more.0


    After all, he was serious when he needed to be and lively when it was time to be lively.0


    It''s simple, but not everyone can do it, and Old Huang couldn''t either.0


    He didn''t stop them from gossiping and even listened intently himself. After all, curiosity is human nature.0


    And their factory really hasn''t encountered such a big gossip in decades, so it''s only natural that everyone is curious.0


    Zhang San clearly knows more than the people in theirpound. He tells Zhuang Zhixi, "Our security department conducted some visits with the involved parties. All the people involved are gone, and the families of the parties certainly deny any connection with Zhou Qun. However, external investigations can still reveal a thing or two. Zhou Qun, this guy, isn''t clean. His master''s neighbors back then all said he often came by, but too frequently, and always when his master wasn''t home. Given the age difference, no one thought much of it at the time. Who knew... guess we were just naive."0


    As someone who had been ying tricks at the scene, Zhuang Zhixi had known from the start that Zhou Qun was definitely not clean, so this news didn''t surprise him at all.0


    However, he also said, "I''m not really curious about these scandalous rumors. What I''m curious about is the certification process... it''s just so unfair."0


    Zhang San: "You''re just pretending. You''re not curious about that either. No one in the factory isn''t curious. Everyone wants to know how Zhou Qun could bring himself to do it."0


    They were all gossiping together when Bai Fendou showed up, as excited as if it were New Year''s, saying, "Hey, do you think Zhou Qun can get away with this smoothly? Definitely not, right? I don''t believe he really has that kind of ability. It''s all about getting benefits from sleeping with older women."0


    Zhuang Zhixi just smiled and didn''t respond. Zhang San pondered for a moment and said, "Hard to say. We''ll know soon enough. It shouldn''t take too long..."0


    "I''m really curious," Zhuang Zhixi said, raising a question. "During the certification, there are usually five people, right? Zhou Qun can''t possibly have gotten all of them, can he...?"0


    Zhang San''s expression became a bit subtle. Zhuang Zhixi: "You know something? Spill it."0


    Zhang San: "Hehe."0


    Bai Fendou: "I know, I know."0


    As part of the security department, he knew even more.0


    He said, "There are five people: three senior electricians, one department head, and one factory leader. The problem is, among the three senior electricians, one is the head, Master Zou, who is Aunt Xinghua''s husband. The other two are Master Zou''s disciple and Zhou Qun''s senior apprentice. If someone makes a polite request (a polite way of asking for a favor), they would definitely turn a blind eye. The department head and factory leader don''t understand the technical stuff, so as long as those three insist, Zhou Qun is sure to pass..."0


    Bai Fendou cursed, "What a bunch of scoundrels! We work so hard, yet we''re not as good as these guys who take the crooked path."0


    Zhuang Zhixi just smiled, thinking that Bai Fendou wasn''t exactly clean either.0


    However, setting work aside, let''s talk about personal matters.0


    This time, Bai Fendou actually picked a fight with Wang Xiangxiu, and the two hadn''t made up, showing a strong inclination to break up.0


    Of course, it was mainly Bai Fendou''s doing.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was still trying to make up.0


    This was quite curious.0


    Zhuang Zhixi asked casually, "You seem to be in a good mood today, aren''t you angry anymore?"0


    Bai Fendou: "What do I have to be angry about?"0


    But then he realized what Zhuang Zhixi was referring to. He pursed his lips, snorted, and said, "Your grandpa, at such an old age, can immediately find someone to marry. I, a well-off young man, how can''t I find someone? Why should I get entangled with a widow?"0


    It turned out that he was so angry this time because someone else had sessfully found a partner.0


    He was stimted by this.0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself, I wonder how long you can hold out.0


    Just as they were talking, they heard someone shout loudly, "The results are out, the results are out..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"0


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 72

    <h1>Chapter 72</h1>


    "The skills assessment at the factory office, Zhou Qun''s level is currently just barely enough for a level seven," said Wang Er, who hade to spread the news. It seemed that everyone had turned into Sherlock Holmes that day, closely watching every move of the higher-ups.0


    Sure enough, as soon as there was a result, Wang Er rushed out to share the gossip with everyone.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised: "He''s only just enough for a level seven?"0


    "Exactly, you know, if you say there wasn''t any cheating in his previous exams, no one would believe it. I heard from Lao Tian from the second workshop, who was there as a representative. He said that with Zhou Qun''s current level, if they were strict, he definitely wouldn''t pass. But under normal circumstances, everyone would let him through. It''s more like he''s on the borderline, passable but not guaranteed. However, since retaking the exam might make him more nervous and lead to worse performance, everyone still thinks that Zhou Qun passing the level seven is no problem at all. Zhou Qun himself exined that his recent poor physical and mental condition affected his performance."0


    "What about the factory? How did the factory decide to handle it?"0


    "I heard the leaders discussed and decided to let him pass. On one hand, his current level is enough for a level seven, and on the other hand, it''s not easy for the factory to cultivate a master craftsman. As for all the rumors and gossip, since there''s no evidence, the factory doesn''t take them seriously."0


    In fact, everyone in the factory believed the rumors were true.0


    But the factory also had to save face, and since Zhou Qun just barely met the level, they decided to protect him.0


    Everyone looked at each other, and Bai Fendou directlyined: "He''s been stuck at this level for two years? His current level is barely passing, so two years ago, he definitely wasn''t at this level."0


    Wang Er: "He said that these past few years, because they haven''t had a child, he''s been preupied with the child issue, which has dyed his progress in his main job. So he hasn''t made any progress."0


    Zhou Qun was really good at finding excuses for himself.0


    He even managed to throw some dirt on Jiang Lu.0


    However, the excuse he came up with was somewhat reasonable, as it''s understandable that after ten years of marriage without a child, the urgency would be evident to everyone.0


    Bai Fendou: "Pfft, really, what else do they do besides forcing ck dog blood on their daughter-inw!"0


    Aunt Wang and her daughter-inw thought they were doing things secretly, but how could they hide it from their close neighbors?0


    Wang Er and Zhang San immediately perked up: "ck dog blood? Tell us about it?"0


    This kind of gossip, they hadn''t heard before.0


    Bai Fendou: "Alright, I''ll tell you."0


    Old Huang: "Xiao Zhuang, pass me the red chalk."0


    "Sure!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Let''s go, we''ll talk while patrolling."0


    The three security guards left together, and Zhuang Zhixi shrugged andughed, muttering, "It''s really..."0


    Old Huang nced at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Feeling that not dealing with Zhou Qun isn''t fair?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, saying, "I knew from the start that they wouldn''t deal with Zhou Qun. As long as Zhou Qun isn''t too far off, he can get through this. It''s just that his reputation will be ruined."0


    Old Huang was intrigued and asked, "Why do you think he can get through this? You seem quite confident in your neighbor."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m not confident in him, but in the factory leaders. They wouldn''t want this exam to turn into a scandal, so they''ll definitely let Zhou Qun pass. Plus, the reason Zhou Qun gave is passable, right?"0


    Old Huang pursed his lips.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Besides, Zhou Qun''s teacher has been very generous with him, not holding back any techniques. Zhou Qun started higher than others and learned more. Even if his level isn''t perfect, he''s still stronger than his peers. After all, most master craftsmen hold back some techniques. Zhou Qun''s foundation is solid. He''s also young and skilled, so the factory leaders, for the sake of work, won''t be too harsh on him. But I think Zhou Qun''s future upgrades will be very difficult."0


    Old Huang: "You make a good point."0


    While they were discussing Zhou Qun, others were also talking about him. Zhou Qun had be the hot topic of the factory, enjoying a moment of "unmatched poprity." Unfortunately, Zhou Qun himself didn''t want this kind of fame. He returned to the office with a dark face, finding it empty.0


    In the past, the electricians in their group would still tter Zhou Qun a bit, seeing him as young and promising, with some family background. It was clear he would have a bright future, so naturally, they were happy to befriend him. But now, things were different. No one dared to get close to him, as who knew if he might try to seduce their wives.0


    Everyone kept their distance, as no one liked the idea of wearing a green hat.0


    Because of this incident, the apprentices and trainees in the factory benefited. In the past, masters would sometimes take advantage of their apprentices, whether a little or a lot. But now, that practice hadpletely disappeared.0


    The masters strictly forbade their apprentices from visiting their homes.0


    After all, who knew if they might end up like Zhou Qun, indiscriminate and not even sparing older women.0


    Moreover, due to the recent events, masters were now more cautious in teaching their apprentices, afraid of being made an example of. The leaders might seem lenient for the sake of the factory''s reputation, but that didn''t mean they weren''t angry. For various reasons, the new employees, who were apprentices, were now benefiting greatly.0


    It could be said that Zhou Qun''s reputation was sacrificed to benefit the majority.0


    While the men like Zhuang Zhixi were discussing this, the women were also talking about it. The mechanical factory had few women, but each workshop had some. Usually, Wang Xiangxiu didn''t interact much with the female workers, as everyone disapproved of her flirting.0


    But recently, she had been spending more time with them. After all, their courtyard had a lot of drama.0


    Especially Zhou Qun, who was a very famous character.0


    They got first-hand gossip from her.0


    Of course, there were other sources of gossip, but that didn''t stop everyone from chatting about it.0


    "Xiu''er, hey, do you think Zhou Qun and his wife not having a child all these years is because he''s really not interested in younger women?"0


    As soon as this question was asked, everyone immediately perked up their ears.0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Who knows? Anyway, all the women involved are older, and he doesn''t have a child." He likes older women, right? He tried to seduce me, clearly because he''s not capable.0


    However, Wang Xiangxiu didn''t show any of this on her face.0


    She had to say that Zhou Qun liked older women, or else she wouldn''t be able to clear her name.0


    She said, "But who knows, he even stares at my mother-inw, making her very uneasy now."0


    "Older women do need to be careful."0


    "Exactly."0


    "Your mother-inw has it tough."0


    "Maybe he couldn''t get your mother-inw, so he framed you to get revenge."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..." You really dare to think.0


    She hesitated: "Who knows?"0


    They discussed passionately, and Zhou Qun was always the central figure in the conversation.0


    Even Li the Cook and his son-inw, who had old grudges with Bai Fendou, temporarily set aside their feud to gossip about Zhou Qun.0


    This trend was suppressed twice by the factory, but it was ineffective. You can''t stop people from talking. Zhou Qun was like a rat crossing the street, with everyone shouting to beat him. Amidst Zhou Qun''s deep misery, the day quickly arrived for Labor Day.0


    Labor Day is a holiday forborers, and also the most important holiday for the working ss.0


    Labor is the most glorious!0


    On the morning of Labor Day, Zhuang Zhixi got up early and changed into a short-sleeved indeed cotton shirt, looking very spirited.0


    Zhuang Zhixi needed to go early to check the venue, saying, "I''ll go first, you all musteter to watch."0


    He specifically mentioned his wife: "Come early, don''t get stuck in the back and miss seeing your man''s handsome appearance."0


    Ming Mei smiled: "Stop bragging, go quickly."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and left quickly. He knew this was important and couldn''t be dyed.0


    Ming Mei also sped up her eating, and Zhao Guihua saw this and said, "You don''t need to rush."0


    Ming Mei was very straightforward, saying, "I want to get to the front early to watch."0


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and nodded, "There will definitely be a lot of people today, since it''s been years since thest event like this."0


    There wasn''t much entertainment avable, so with a party happening, the crowd would surely be huge.0


    Hutou chimed in, "Granny, I want to go too! Hutou wants to go!"0


    Xiao Yanzi, soft and sweet, echoed, "Xiao Yanzi wants to go too."0


    "We''ll take you both, don''t worry," assured Zhao Guihua.0


    The two kids immediately brightened up.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had just returned from a business trip, said, "There will be a lot of people, so be careful the kids don''t get stepped on. I''ll carry Hutou, and you, wife, carry Xiao Yanzi. We''ll all go together."0


    It was rare for his younger brother to be the host, so Zhuang Zhiyuan naturally wanted to support him.0


    Liang Chunyu had no objections to this. She said, "I wonder how many people will show up."0


    "Come on, our factory is a huge one with thousands of employees, plus all the family members. It''s bound to be packed," Zhuang Zhiyuan replied.0


    Zhao Guihua remembered how crowded it had been in the past, to the point of being overwhelming.0


    In her previous life, she had even lost a shoe when it got stepped on and kicked off.0


    "Guihua, Old Zhao!"0


    Zhao Guihua put down her chopsticks and went outside. "Aunt Wang? What''s up?"0


    Aunt Wang said, "I just counted, and everyone in our courtyard is going to the factory to watch the fun. So I n to lock the main gate. I came over to let you know. If I''m slowing back, wait at the gate for a bit, don''t rush to climb over the wall, it''s not safe, okay?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Sure, that''s a good idea. It''ll be safer too."0


    With everyone out of the house, it would be easy for burrs to take advantage.0


    Zhao Guihua asked, "When are you leaving? We can go together."0


    Aunt Wang said, "You go ahead. I''ll be thest one out since I need to lock the gate."0


    "Alright then."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t mention trying to get there early to secure a good spot. That was unlikely, and it might be hard to even find each other in the crowd.0


    Aunt Wang said, "Okay, I''ll go notify the others now."0


    She went door to door, informing everyone. When she arrived at Lan Sihai''s house, the elderly couple was already preparing to leave. Aunt Wang couldn''t help but sigh. People really do need to dress up. The first time she saw Luo Xiaohe, her hair was gray, and although her clothes were clean, they were clearly old and worn. But after marrying into this household, Luo Xiaohe had dyed her hair ck and got herself new clothes. She looked at least ten years younger.0


    Clothes make the man, as they say.0


    She repeated the lock-up n to Lan Sihai, who nodded and said, "I understand. We won''t be back for lunch, so it won''t affect us."0


    Aunt Wang knew that Lan Sihai was nning to dine out. She admired how impressive Lan Sihai was. In their generation, whether it was their elders or their children, everyone focused on their kids.0


    Take her family, for example. With two grandsons, they had to save money for their future marriages. If her daughter had more children, they''d need to save even more. But Lan Sihai was the first old man she''d seen who lived only for himself. He was truly one of a kind in the entire region.0


    He only cared about his own happiness.0


    Everyone in their courtyard had seen Ming Mei''s mother, Lan Sihai''s daughter,e by to bring food and tidy up the house. That was before Lan Sihai started dating Luo Xiaohe.0


    Lan Sihai had even told his daughter toe less often, not to interfere with his carefree life. Can you believe that?0


    Everyone in the courtyard knew that this old man was selfish.0


    But while Aunt Wangined, she also felt a bit envious. She believed others felt the same. Sure, they all said he was selfish, but who wouldn''t want to live like that?0


    She snapped back to reality and said, "Alright, you''re leaving now? That''s pretty early."0


    Lan Sihai smiled, "We want to get a good spot. You all have sharp eyes and can see from far away, but we can''t, you know!"0


    Aunt Wang: "..."0


    His words were as annoying as ever.0


    But she was used to it. Plus... she had arranged their marriage and received a big chunk of pork head as a reward. They had enjoyed it for three meals. So in her eyes, Lan Sihai was a good man.0


    She smiled and said, "Find a safe spot, okay? It''ll be crowded, so don''t get pushed around."0


    Lan Sihai raised his chin and said, "I''ll arrive early and hang around the leaders. Maybe I can score a seat. After all, I''m old, hehe, hehehe."0


    Aunt Wang waved her hand, "You''re amazing. We can''tpare."0


    Lan Sihai said, "I won''t waste time chatting with you."0


    Luo Xiaohe also said goodbye and followed Lan Sihai.0


    Aunt Wang sighed, "Luo Xiaohe is lucky."0


    Though Luo Xiaohe had suffered in her youth due to bad choices, she had now reaped the rewards of her hardships. While Lan Sihai was older, if a twenty-year-old married a forty-year-old, people would gossip. But a fifty-year-old marrying a seventy-year-old? It didn''t seem so odd.0


    After all, they looked like an old couple, so people didn''t pay much attention or judge harshly. So Luo Xiaohe and Lan Sihai together seemed quite fitting.0


    Aunt Wang, with a hint of envy, smiled and continued her rounds, informing the rest of the courtyard.0


    Lan Sihai and Luo Xiaohe walked together, with Lan Sihai asking, "Have you ever seen a performance like this before?"0


    Luo Xiaohe shook her head, "No. In the years after my father passed away, I was the only one working, and my mother had no job, only doing some paper box folding. My siblings were in school, and the family was very poor. Even if I had time, instead of resting, I would go to the outskirts to dig wild vegetables or help my mother with the paper boxes. Later, when my siblings grew up, my brother-inw was very kind and helped us a lot. But my mother believed that a married daughter is like water thrown out (meaning she''s no longer part of the family). Our family was already burdened, and she didn''t want my brother-inw to dislike my sister, so we didn''t receive much help. Then, something happened, and my sister came back with her two kids. Though she had a job, the family burden increased again. Luckily, my brother also started working by then. You see, my family has always been busy, so I''ve never had the chance to watch such performances."0


    She wasn''tining, just stating her circumstances.0


    Lan Sihai said, "You''ve been really strong. Your family relied on you early on."0


    Luo Xiaohe proudly raised her head, "Yes, even though I was just a temporary worker and didn''t earn much, Heaven won''t let people starve. My siblings also helped by folding paper boxes from a young age."0


    Because their family worked together from a young age, she couldn''t understand the neighbors, the Su family, who had only one worker but spoiled their children.0


    Spoiling children was never a good thing.0


    Her siblings were grateful and well-behaved, thanks to their upbringing. If they had been like the kids in the Jin family... she thought she might really go crazy.0


    Lan Sihai said, "Your family is quite strong-willed."0


    Luo Xiaohe said, "Yes, when my father died, my mother feared we''d be bullied, so she went to great lengths to protect us, even if it ruined her reputation."0


    People are hard to understand. Her mother pretended to be a crazy, violent person to protect them, but she didn''t like Luo Xiaohe and wanted to keep her tied to the family forever.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    While her mother saw her siblings as having their own families and didn''t want to burden them, she saw her eldest daughter as someone who could be kept around. After all, she hadn''t married, and she wasn''t young or sessful.0


    Lan Sihai asked, "What''s wrong?"0


    Luo Xiaohe shook her head forcefully, "I thought of some unpleasant things. I don''t want to think about them anymore."0


    Lan Sihai smiled and said, "In fact, even parents may not be able to treat their children equally. It''s normal to have favorites and to look down on the least aplished child. It''s also normal to cling to the one who gives the most selflessly. I''ve seen this kind of thing many times, so you don''t need to take it to heart. Sometimes, distance makes the heart grow fonder, and maybe if you leave, your mother will behave normally. And even if she doesn''t, what can you do about it? People live their lives, and it''s always important to think about yourself."0


    Luo Xiaohe sincerely said, "You''re quite carefree."0


    Lan Sihai smiled, "Since my eldest son passed away, I''ve realized that one should cherish every day. Life should be lived happily. You can either spend your day gloomy and unhappy or joyful and content. Why choose the former?"0


    "That makes a lot of sense."0


    "Of course it does."0


    Both of themughed. Surprisingly, they seemed to get along quite well.0


    Although Lan Sihai hadn''t received much formal education, he was well-traveled and had a wealth of life experience. His knowledge might not have been extensive, but he had a good grasp ofmon sense. Luo Xiaohe, who was past the age of being impressed by looks, was genuinely impressed by Lan Sihai''s experience and wisdom.0


    They entered the factory together. Sure enough, they had arrived more than an hour early, yet they weren''t even among the first to arrive. The ce was already bustling with activity and filled with people.0


    "Master Lan, Master Lan, over here," Director Li from the office called out, spotting Lan Sihai immediately. "Master Lan, we''ve reserved a spot for you here."0


    These veteran technical experts were highly respected.0


    Especially someone like Master Lan, who was skilled in handling gold¡ªa rare talent¡ªwas practically treated like a treasure by the factory.0


    As expected of a leader, Director Li, seeing Old Man Lan with a femalepanion, immediately said, "This must be Mrs. Lan, right? Come,e, join us. You two look like a perfect match. Here, have some melon seeds."0


    Although it was somewhat unusual for Old Man Lan to be on his fifth marriage, Director Li didn''t show any hint of surprise, handling the situation with natural ease.0


    Although it was a grand performance, the front rows were reserved for factory leaders, veteran technicians, and senior skilled workers. Ordinary workers mostly stood at the back.0


    Everyone was used to this arrangement and didn''t mind much.0


    After all, there weren''t enough chairs to amodate everyone.0


    When Ming Mei and her family arrived, the venue was already packed. Ming Mei eximed, "Wow!"0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi echoed her, also eximing, "Wow!"0


    Ming Mei asked, "Should we try to squeeze to the front?"0


    Looking ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????at the crowd, she swallowed hard, imagining that just squeezing through would probably help her lose at least three pounds. There were just too many people. She marveled, "Is the entire factory here?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Indeed. The factory hasn''t held a performance in three or four years, so it''s only natural for everyone toe and join the fun."0


    "But we can''t see anything from here," Ming Mei said.0


    Liang Meifen, being of average height, found herselfpletely blocked by a few tall men standing in front of her. Some people had even brought stools, clearly nning to climb up for a better view.0


    But this made her feel a bit uneasy, worried that someone might fall off a stool in the crowded space.0


    Liang Meifen looked pleadingly at Zhao Guihua.0


    Zhao Guihua, standing on her tiptoes to look around, also found it difficult to see clearly. Besides, standing on tiptoes was tiring.0


    Ming Mei was already swinging her arms and clenching her fists, ready for action. She dered, "Let''s push through! I''ll lead the way, and you all follow closely behind me."0


    Liang Meifen could almost see mes zing on her sister-inw''s head. She swallowed hard and nodded, "Alright, I''ll follow you."0


    Zhao Guihua interjected, "What are you squeezing for? Follow me."0


    "Huh?"0


    Everyone looked at her.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "I''ll take you to a better spot."0


    Old Man Zhuang was puzzled. "What spot could there be that I, as a factory employee, don''t know about, but you do?"0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was equally confused, as he wasn''t familiar with the area.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "We''ll find a high ce to watch from."0


    Old Man Zhuang turned around and saw people crowded at the windows of the office building. He quickly said, "The office building? We''re not part of the factory administration, they won''t let us up."0


    Zhao Guihua replied calmly, "Who said I was going there?"0


    She was unruffled. "Just follow me."0


    Ming Mei and Liang Meifen immediately followed. In their family, the women were more decisive than the men.0


    Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan quickly caught up. As they pushed through the crowd, they saw Aunt Wang and Wang Fang with Li Junjun and Li Weiwei, looking flustered. Aunt Wang eximed, "Why are there so many people?"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "I''m worried someone might get trampled. Did you see those people carrying stools to stand on? I''m afraid someone might fall."0


    "What should we do? Are you not going to watch?" Aunt Wang asked, seeing them trying to move away from the crowd.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Just follow me."0


    Aunt Wang replied, "Alright, I''ll trust you."0


    "What about Li the Cook and your son-inw?"0


    Aunt Wang sighed, "Oh, don''t mention it. They had a lunch reception today and have been busy in the kitchen since early morning. I guess they''ll manage to sneak a nce if they can."0


    Zhao Guihua remarked, "They''re missing out."0


    "That''s for sure. I heard Bai Fendou and the others are working as usual today."0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I heard that too. The security department is in charge of maintaining order at the venue."0


    With so many people, the factory couldn''t just let everyone do as they pleased. They had to manage things a bit, or else something might go wrong.0


    "Mom, where are we going?" Liang Meifen asked curiously.0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Why so many questions? Just follow."0


    Zhao Guihua led the group around a corner and soon arrived at an empty warehouse. She said, "Let''s climb up. From the roof here, we can see the venue perfectly."0


    "Huh?"0


    Everyone was stunned.0


    Zhao Guihua red, "What? Don''t believe me?"0


    Ming Mei said, "Of course we believe you."0


    The others did too. Zhao Guihua wasn''t the type to make things up, but the warehouse looked to be about five meters high, and climbing it seemed daunting, especially for the older and younger members of the group.0


    Aunt Wang said, "Guihua, I believe you, but look, I can''t climb that high."0


    Ming Mei stroked her chin. "I can climb up, but I can''t just leave you all behind."0


    After all, she was a good person.0


    Zhao Guihua sighed. "Honestly, I can''t get through to you people. When you do things, you don''t even use your brains."0


    She said, "We can''t climb up, so why don''t we borrow adder? The cafeteria has one, right?"0


    Aunt Wang pped her forehead. "Right, right, right! They have adder in the cafeteria."0


    The cafeteria used adder to ess the cer where they stored winter vegetables.0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I''ll go find Li the Cook."0


    Aunt Wang said, "I''ll go. You watch Weiwei for me."0


    Sure enough, Aunt Wang soon returned with adder. Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "I''ll hold thedder at the bottom. You all go up first. Dad, you catch the kids at the top."0


    "Alright."0


    Climbing adder wasn''t a big deal for them. In those days, even the mostfortable households had to store winter vegetables and move coal, so climbing up and down wasmon. However, there were four children to consider.0


    The children weren''t very old, especially Xiao Yanzi, who hadn''t even started elementary school and was just a small bundle of energy.0


    Ming Mei suggested, "This way, I''ll stand in the middle of thedder. You pass the kids to me, and I''ll hand them up."0


    "No, it''s too high¡ªfive meters."0


    Ming Mei said, "Then I''ll just act as a buffer in the middle, helping the kids climb up."0


    "Alright."0


    They quickly began climbing, starting with the two older women and Old Man Zhuang. Then came Liang Meifen, with Ming Mei acting as a buffer in the middle, helping the children climb up one by one. The kids were nervous and trembling, but they climbed steadily.0


    Once the children were safely on top, the adults breathed a sigh of relief. Ming Mei quickly climbed up, followed by the others. As soon as they reached the top, they all marveled at how good Zhao Guihua''s choice of spot was.0


    They found themselves in a spot that offered a perfect view of the stage, though not close enough to touch it, yet not too far either. This distance was just right for a clear view. If they had been down below, jostling with the crowd, they wouldn''t have been able to get such a good vantage point.0


    Ming Mei realized that this location was quite ingenious. It was not a ce that most people would think of, yet it provided an excellent view of the stage.0


    Next to them was an office building, and many people were leaning out of the windows to watch the performance. Their spot, however, was not particrly noticeable.0


    No wonder others hadn''t realized this was a good spot. People assumed this area belonged to the office building and wouldn''t be essible to spectators.0


    The location was quite elevated, and they didn''t even need to stand up. Sitting down, they had a slight bird''s-eye view. Zhao Guihua cautioned, "You little ones, stay seated in your parents''ps. If you run around and fall, even a small misstep could be fatal. Be careful, understand?"0


    The children all replied in unison, their voices crisp and clear: "We understand."0


    Zhao Guihua gave them a sidelong nce. "Don''t think just because you say it nicely, you''ll actually behave. Not just today, but in the future as well. If I catch you climbing up and down, I''ll give you a good whipping with a cane."0


    Aunt Wang chimed in, "That''s right. Li Junjun, Li Weiwei, you two as well. If I find out you''re causing trouble, I''ll whip you with a belt."0


    The four children, threatened, all pouted, their little faces sullen. Only Xiao Yanzi obediently said, "I''m not like that. I''m the most well-behaved."0


    The little boys red at her, but Xiao Yanzi just smiled softly, "I don''t like climbing up and down either."0


    The little boys: "......"0


    Ming Mei watched the lively scene with the children and couldn''t help but smile. "It''s about to start."0


    As soon as she finished speaking, music began to y. Zhuang Zhixi emerged alone, holding a microphone. At this time, they didn''t ce much emphasis on gender pairing; it was more about getting the job done.0


    Zhuang Zhixi stepped onto the stage alone. The venue had already quieted down. He looked out at the sea of faces below, from the leaders in the front row to the crowd behind them. His heart raced a little, but he quicklyposed himself, standing tall and speaking formally: "Celebrating May Day, weing Labor Day, the Qianjin Machinery Factory, in this season of blossoming spring, has weed..."0


    His opening speech was quite lengthy.0


    Ming Mei sat on the rooftop, watching Zhuang Zhixi, and cupped her cheeks. "My Zhixi brother is really amazing. He can remember such a long speech."0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "That''s why he, an outsider, was chosen to be the host. It''s because the speech is so long, and he also has to handle unexpected situations. That''s why the propaganda department pushed it onto him¡ªno one else wanted to do it."0


    It was obvious. If it were a really good, prestigious opportunity, others would have fought to take it internally.0


    Clearly, everyone thought it wasn''t worth it.0


    Maybe it was beneficial to the individual, but not significantly so.0


    So no one wanted to waste their time. By this point, the opening remarks had ended, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped down. Immediately after, men and women in white shirts and ck pants took the stage, and the music began... "We Are the Workers, Full of Strength..."0


    Although they heard this song every day, it was the most representative of them, so it had to be included.0


    "Hey, your third son is in the second row. Did you see him?" Aunt Wang pointed out Zhuang Zhixi''s position with sharp eyes. "Is he participating in the performance?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I heard that they can''t affect production, so the workshop staff can''t be used. That''s why they''re short on people. They''re using one person for the work of eight. Luckily, they don''t need to change clothes; otherwise, they definitely wouldn''t be able to manage."0


    "Your third son is really something. If it were my two sons, they definitely wouldn''t have the guts to perform on stage."0


    Li Fang nodded in agreement.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan chimed in, "That''s not surprising, though. Don''t you remember? When he was a kid, he used to strut around the courtyard, performing for everyone. Other kids were shy, but he loved showing off."0


    "Yes, yes, he was always an outgoing kid."0


    Aunt Wangughed. "Back in the day, during our New Year''s gatherings, we used to have the kids perform. Now, we don''t do that anymore. I think we should bring back that tradition."0


    Li Junjun, Li Weiwei, Hutou, and Xiao Yanzi looked at each other, shrinking their necks. They didn''t want to perform.0


    Aunt Wang scolded, "Look at you, such cowards."0


    Zhao Guihua chuckled. "Some kids just don''t like performing."0


    Ming Mei, however, didn''t join in their conversation. Instead, she focused on the big choir on stage, tapping her fingers along with the rhythm.0


    After the choir finished, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t leave the stage. Instead, he announced the next performance: "Little Erhei''s Blind Date."0


    Soon, two people pushed arge backdrop onto the stage. Everyone eximed, "Wow, this is great!"0


    The backdrop depicted a golden, bountiful rural scene, with heavy sheaves of wheat. In one corner, a tractor was painted.0


    The factory leaders nodded in approval. "This is well done."0


    "This must be Old Huang''s work. Really impressive."0


    If Lan Sihai''s style was sarcastic and ironic, then Old Huang''s was the opposite¡ªhe was taciturn, responding with just one word no matter what you said. It made people quite ufortable. Moreover, he was very particr about his work, so his rtionships in the department were rather strained.0


    But despite his poor interpersonal skills, both Director Song of the Propaganda Department and the factory leaders treated him with respect. Why? Because he had talent.0


    Don''t think that talent wasn''t valued during this time. In fact, it was even more appreciated.0


    Many talented people had been sent away, but he, with his clean background and ability to work, was highly sought after.0


    After all, someone had to get the job done.0


    "This backdrop is really well done. It really captures a scene of a bountiful harvest."0


    "Workers are the working people, and so are farmers..."0


    While everyone was discussing, the actors took the stage.0


    This skit didn''t feature Zhuang Zhixi. Ming Mei excitedly said, "Did you see that backdrop? That was designed by Zhixi brother, with the help of the master painter. Zhixi brother said he learned a lot. I thought it would just be a simple backdrop, but it turned out so well."0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Even I, his mother, can''t boast about him as much as you do."0


    Ming Meiughed. "It''s really good. If he hadn''t done a good job, I would have called him a loser."0


    Zhao Guihua chuckled. "You''re quite good at describing things."0


    Ming Mei softlyughed. Li Fang sighed, "You two really have a great rtionship."0


    Ming Mei replied, "Of course! We''re newlyweds. If we can''t get along now, it''ll only get worseter."0


    At this point, Li Fang understood why Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had hit it off. The two of them, at first nce, seemed like a perfect match.0


    "Wife!"0


    Li Fang was startled. She stood up and looked down. "Why are you here?"0


    Yang Lixin replied, "The leaders are still busy over there, and I can''t help with anything, so I came to watch the show."0


    He climbed up thedder and eximed, "Who found this spot? It''s really great."0


    Zhao Guihua proudly said, "Me!"0


    She added with a grin, "Your Aunt Zhao, always your Aunt!"0


    Yang Lixinughed. "You''re amazing. I''ve been at the factory for so long, and I never knew the roof here was such a good spot to watch the performances."0


    He thought about it and realized that during movie screenings, this spot wasn''t as popr. There weren''t as many people, and the slightly elevated view wasn''t ideal for movies. But for performances, it was perfect. He moved closer to Li Fang, took the child from her, and asked, "What''s the next act?"0


    Little Erhei just finished. This is the third act, a solo bel canto performance.0


    Yang Lixin nodded. "Not toote. Hmm?"0


    "What is it?"0


    Everyone looked at him. Yang Lixin said, "Do you see the leadersing over there?"0


    Ming Mei: "Where? Where?"0


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself that this was just like thest time.0


    She looked out and saw a few leaders still outside, pointing at the backdrop and nodding. This was the backdrop from the previous act, "Little Erhei''s Blind Date," which hadn''t been taken down yet. The next song was "The Field of Hope," which fit perfectly with the backdrop.0


    Although the leaders did not push their way in, the security department immediately arrived. Soon, apanied by Section Chief Liu and the security departmentrades, several leaders made their way to the front. Themon folk might not recognize these people, but as someone who had been reborn, Zhao Guihua had seen them on television a decadeter, sitting in the news as prominent figures.0


    In an era of undeveloped information, most people were unaware, but the ordinary employees might not know, yet the leaders certainly did. Just look at how the factory director and deputy directors all came forward to shake hands. Quickly, Director Song hurried to the backstage.0


    The aria solo ended, and Zhuang Zhixi stepped onto the stage, smiling as he introduced, "Today, the Municipal Propaganda Department and several leaders have graced us with their presence. Let us wee them to the stage."0


    Ming Mei: "Is this person a very big official?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "The one at the back is the powerful one." One whose name could even get censored.0


    Ming Mei: "???"0


    She eximed, "That''s a big deal."0


    Yang Lixin also marveled, "Everyone said the leaders woulde to visit, but I didn''t expect them to give a speech too."0


    They had originally thought the leaders would just take a look and leave, considering how many units there were across the district. If the leaders visited every single one, it would take a considerable amount of time.0


    "Dear brothers and sisters, workers of the factory, hello. I am... I am very happy to meet you on this day. Our worker brothers and sisters are the most steadfast foundation of society, and..."0


    As the leader spoke, everyone listened especially attentively, essentially being encouraged to strive forward and continue creating more value for society.0


    Ming Mei sighed, "The leader is indeed the leader. What he says is truly inspiring."0


    Zhao Guihua did not respond; she kept her eyes firmly on the stage, watching to see if it would unfold as it had thest time. Sure enough, as the leader was about to step down, he suddenly stumbled and bumped into a table ced by the side of the stage, which was meant to be carried up. The water from the kettle on the table spilled onto his clothes.0


    From Zhao Guihua''s angle, she couldn''t see, but she noticed someone quickly rushing up.0


    The faces of those preparing to change the props turned pale with fright, but the leader himself didn''t seem displeased. Instead, heughed and said, "You all are trying to make me watch one more program, aren''t you?"0


    Normally, after his speech, he would leave, but considering that leaving immediately might make the factory think too much, or even me the props crew, he smiled and said, "Then let''s watch one more program."0


    Factory leaders: "!!!"0


    What a blessing in disguise?0


    Is this really a good thing?0


    The longer the leader stays in their factory, the more it indicates their importance.0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped onto the stage, remaining calm under pressure. "Next up, ''The White-Haired Girl.''"0


    He stepped down again, and the stage props were quickly reced with a snowy outdoor scene. The leader nodded and said, "You''ve done this very meticulously, very good."0


    Director Song stood proudly, his chest puffed out with pride.0


    But little did he know, another mishap had urred backstage.0


    Old Man Bai was supposed to y Yang Bao, but at this moment, his legs had turned to jelly, and he couldn''t step onto the stage. This was his first performance, and although he had rehearsed well, the sight of the densely packed audience hadpletely unnerved him.0


    The previous little incident had scared him even more, and he copsed to the ground, unable to move.0


    "I can''t, I can''t do it. My legs are weak, I can''t get on stage."0


    Old Man Bai''s face was filled with despair.0


    "Damn it, the show is about to start. What are you doing? Hurry up..."0


    "I can''t, I really can''t..." Old Man Bai: "Even if you drag me up, I won''t be able to stand..."0


    He was so scared that he almost wet his pants.0


    With a despairing face, he sincerely said, "I can''t go up."0


    Everyone was stunned.0


    Damn, what now?0


    They all looked at each other, panicking. The audience below had already started to murmur. Director Song came over: "What''s going on?"0


    Old Man Bai cried, "I can''t do it. My legs are weak. Maybe you can drag me up, and I''ll apologize to everyone."0


    That... was impossible.0


    The leader was down there, and they had to perform.0


    Otherwise, the factory leaders might just devour him.0


    Director Song was furious, trembling with anger: "You, you, you... Why didn''t you say you couldn''t earlier? Now, where am I supposed to find someone? Do you know who''s down there! I..."0


    "Director, let''s see who can take over. The props are already on stage; we can''t change the program!"0


    "We have to rece someone; Old Man Bai like this definitely can''t perform!"0


    Everyone''s eyes were practically devouring Old Man Bai.0


    You''re really dragging us down!0


    You couldn''t do it; you should''ve said so earlier!0


    "Right, right, right. Who can act? Let''s rece someone. Is there anyone familiar with the script?"0


    No one dared to speak, afraid they might be chosen. At a time like this, performing well was just saving the situation, but if something went wrong, it would be a big deal. No one dared to step forward. Besides, who would dare to say they could remember Yang Bao''s lines?0


    Director Song: "I''ve nurtured you all for a thousand days, and now is the time to use you. You all usually boast about how capable you are, and I believed you. Now, why is none of you speaking up? ''The White-Haired Girl'' is a y you''ve all seen more than once. Yang Bao''s lines aren''t that many. Can''t someone step up and take over? Quickly! Who can do it? If you perform poorly, I''ll take responsibility! I won''t let you bear the consequences!" As a leader, he still had that much guts.0


    But no one dared.0


    They were already nervous, and this little incident made them even more so. If they went on stage, the result wouldn''t be any better than Old Man Bai''s.0


    At that moment, Zhuang Zhixi spoke up: "Or, let me try!"

 Chapter 73

    <h1>Chapter 73</h1>


    "The north wind howls, the snowkes flutter..."


    "The White-Haired Girl," an old y, is a favorite among everyone, and after each viewing, people always curse Huang Shirren for being a despicable character. However, this y is not exactly new; its plot is well-known. Ordinary folks, busy with their daily lives, don''t watch it often, but those in leadership positions tend to have broader horizons. Take this particr leader, for instance; his attention was not on the plot but rather on Yang Bao. Yang Bao was hunched over, wearing a tattered hat and smeared with soot on his face. Yet, the leader still recognized him: "Isn''t this the same person who was the announcer just now?"


    By this time, Director Song had already scurried backstage, cursing Old Man Bai in his heart and feeling utterly anxious. Who knows how Zhuang Zhixi would perform? After all, they hadn''t rehearsed even once; it was aplete rush job.


    Director Song was in a tough spot, but others were even less capable. The thought of these useless individuals made him furious.


    Director Song dared not rx for a moment. Noticing the factory leaders'' nces, he quickly smiled and said, "You have a sharp eye, Leader. He is indeed the same person who was the announcer earlier."


    The leader smiled and remarked, "Typically, Yang Bao is yed by older actors, which aligns with the character''s age. But you were bold enough to cast a younger actor..."


    Everyone''s hearts were in their throats as the leader continued, "This spirit of innovation is indeed worth emting."


    Director Song breathed a silent sigh of relief. Compared to the factory leaders'' sycophantic ttery, his mind was still on the stage. It wasn''t that he was particrly passionate about his work; it was because he had made ast-minute substitution. If the performance flopped, he would undoubtedly face criticism.


    Director Song''s sweat dripped like beans.


    What is the spirit of innovation? If it weren''t for Old Man Bai copsing backstage due to nervousness, they wouldn''t have been in this predicament. If it weren''t for the others being utterly incapable, each one acting like "sending me on stage is like sending me to my death," they wouldn''t have been forced into this situation.


    The performance continued, and the audience seemed engrossed. The leader spoke again: "How did youe up with the idea of casting a younger actor as Yang Bao?"


    All eyes turned to Director Song, who awkwardly smiled and said, "Well..."


    He gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and said, "Leader, we originally nned for an older actor, but due to a minor ident, he couldn''t perform today. We had to make ast-minute substitution with Zhuang Zhixi. To be honest, this is his first performance, and he''s also performing with these actors for the first time. There was no rehearsal; it''s all impromptu. Neither he nor the others have ever performed together before."


    Normally, Director Song wouldn''t have revealed this, but in the brief moment of tension, he quickly decided that honesty was the best policy. Hiding the truth from the leader might not work, and lying was never a good idea. If he didn''t tell the truth and there were minor ws, the leader might think he hadn''t done his job well. But if he exined that everyone was performing together for the first time, the audience would be amazed by the effort, and any awkwardness in the performance would be overlooked.


    In Director Song''s experience, there were indeed some coordination issues in the performance, though not obvious. This was his way of salvaging the situation.


    Upon hearing this, the leader was even more astonished, almost incredulous: "You mean they were performing together for the first time?"


    Director Song replied, "Yes, I wouldn''t dare lie about that. It''s not that they''ve never performed before, but it''s their first time performing together. Only Yang Bao was ast-minute recement with Zhuang Zhixi."


    The leader nodded in understanding: "No wonder. I thought his performance was a bit awkward. But this young man has talent. Not only did he step up to the asion, but his performance was alsomendable. There''s some awkwardness and unfamiliarity, but he handled the small details very well. If we weren''t sitting in the front, we wouldn''t have noticed he was a young man. His posture and walking style were very convincing for an older character. He must be someone who pays close attention to life''s details. Young people like him have great potential."


    Director Song continued to wipe his sweat, hoping this ordeal would soon be over.


    "Isn''t this Huang Shirren the same person who sang earlier?"


    "You have a keen eye, Leader. Yes, he is. Although we''re preparing for the Labor Day event, we haven''t mobilized the entire factory. We still need to focus on production, so we didn''t borrow anyone from the workshop. We''ve made do with limited time and limited personnel. Almost everyone is doing the work of eight people. Take Yang Bao, for example; besides being the announcer for this performance, he''s also done a lot of backstage work, like the backgrounds you see. He worked with Old Huang from our department to create them. They also handle the factory''s bulletin boards and props. And this Huang Shirren, because he sings the best, he''s in almost every song-rted performance. We didn''t even dare let him sing during rehearsals, fearing he''d strain his voice and be unable to perform today. That would have been a disaster. He''s a key yer today..."


    After all, it''s not a bad thing to y the victim and earn some sympathy from the leaders.


    The leader nodded in agreement: "You''ve done well in this regard. I personally don''t approve of disrupting regr work for these events. These activities are meant to show appreciation for the workers. If they were to neglect their duties for the performances, it would defeat the purpose."


    "You''re absolutely right."


    During the performance of "The White-Haired Girl," the audience continued to curse Huang Shirren, unaware that Yang Bao was actually Zhuang Zhixi. Who would have guessed that Zhuang Zhixi, after smearing his face with soot and messing up his hair, would look so disheveled?


    However, after all, it was their first time performing together, there were a few minor mistakes. Zhuang Zhixi managed to carry on, pulling off the performance without being noticed.


    The leader smirked, nodding in approval: "What''s this young man''s name?"


    "Zhuang Zhixi."


    Director Song thought to himself, could it be that Zhuang Zhixi has caught the leader''s eye?


    Indeed, the leader said, "This young man has something special. Not bad! He''s multi-talented, bold, and willing to take on responsibilities. We need more young people like him."


    Director Song and the factory leaders exchanged nces, realizing that Zhuang Zhixi had indeed caught the leader''s attention.


    As the leader and the factory leaders chatted, the performance of "The White-Haired Girl" finally concluded. Zhuang Zhixi left the stage a minute earlier than the others. He quickly washed his face, plunged his head into the water, and vigorously scrubbed and shook it.


    Since dismantling the stage took some time, he took off his tattered cotton-padded jacket and tidied up his clothes before returning to announce the next performance.


    Who would have thought that this young man with slightly wet hair was the same person who had yed the hunched, soot-covered Yang Bao earlier?


    The leader smiled and said, "He moves pretty fast. If all young people were this capable, our work would be much easier."


    "Exactly."


    The leader said a few more words but didn¡¯t stay long. If it weren¡¯t for the earlier incident, they wouldn¡¯t have watched an extra performance. After all, time was precious today. They had to visit several factories forfort and encouragement, and this was only the third one. They were quite busy.


    The leader and his entourage left, and the performances continued as usual.


    Those on and off the stage had no idea what the leaders had discussed. Even Zhao Guihua and her group in the distance were unaware. However, seeing the situation unfold much as it had in her previous life, Zhao Guihua nodded slightly, feeling that things were likely to turn out as expected.


    People strive for advancement, just as water flows downward.


    The medical office wasn''t bad, but it wasn''t suitable for Zhuang Zhixi. He had no choice but to join the factory, but if given the opportunity, moving up wouldn''t be a bad thing.


    "Mom, wasn''t Uncle Bai supposed to y Yang Bao? Howe it''s Zhixi?" Zhuang Zhiyuan asked curiously. Others might not have recognized him, but he could tell; that was his brother. Ming Mei also recognized him.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Who knows? Maybe Old Man Bai had somethinge up and couldn''t perform?"


    "What could he have possibly hade up? Besides, with the performance right around the corner, nothing should have prevented him from performing." Zhuang Zhiyuan was puzzled.


    Yang Lixin: "Maybe he''s too scared to perform."


    Ming Mei nodded, agreeing with this statement. Otherwise, it was really hard to exin. She sighed, "Thank goodness Zhuang Zhixi managed to pull through."


    Zhao Guihua: "Third Brother performed quite well."


    Everyone nodded in agreement. The performance was so engaging that they were all thoroughly entertained. Normally, they wouldn''t have the chance to see such performances. Even Zhao Guihua, who had been reborn, felt the joy of watching the show. She had seen a lot in her previous life, but after being reborn, her life became monotonous, and opportunities to watch such programs were rare. Watching a performance was indeed a delight.


    "Hey, up there!"


    Zhao Guihua heard themotion and looked down to see Zhang San approaching. Zhang San saw Zhao Guihua peeking out and smiled, "Auntie, it''s you. Why are you up on the roof?"


    They were in charge of security and patrolling. Zhang San was assigned to the patrol team to prevent any theft or mischief. He had wandered over to this area and spotted thedder.


    It turned out someone had climbed up to the roof to watch the show.


    Zhao Guihua: "We arrivedte and couldn''t squeeze in. That''s why we found a higher spot. Don''t worry, we won''t cause you any trouble. We''ll leave after we finish watching."


    Zhang San: "Today everyone''s out to watch the show, so it''s fine. Just be careful not to fall. If you do, that would be bad."


    He was easygoing, and Zhao Guihua smiled, "Got it, got it."


    Zhang San quickly asked, "Can you see clearly from that spot?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s quite clear."


    Zhang San nodded, "Then next time there''s a movie, I mighte up here too."


    Zhao Guihua: "If it''s a movie, this spot might be a bit high, but it''ll do."


    Zhang San didn''t rush to leave and continued chatting, "Is the public toilet in your area still haunted?"


    He was quite concerned about this matter, considering how big of a deal it was.


    Zhao Guihua: "I haven''t heard anything about it. Anyway, none of us have encountered anything. But since we go in groups, we feel safer. It''s just that everyone''s a bit timid. Even though we don''t think anything will happen, there''s still some unease in our hearts."


    "You all have it tough."


    "Who says otherwise?"


    "If you need anything,e find me at the Security Office. I''m familiar with Xiao Zhuang, we''re not outsiders."


    This guy was also quite sociable. Despite the height difference, they managed to chat away.


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, that''s very kind of you, Zhang San. How old are you? Are you married?"


    The ssic three-step question routine for elderly women: First, how old are you; second, are you married; and third, the conversation branches out depending on whether you''re married or not.


    If not married, what kind of partner are you looking for?


    If married, do you have kids?


    Zhang San: "Oh, I''m not married yet."


    "What kind of partner are you looking for?" Aunt Wang suddenly chimed in, "Do you remember me, young man? I''m from the same courtyard as Auntie Zhao. We met during the haunted toilet incident."


    Zhang San: "Of course, of course. You''re the courtyard manager."


    Aunt Wangughed, "That''s right, it''s me. You have a good memory. What kind of partner are you looking for?" She said, "Let me see if I can find someone suitable for you."


    Zhang San was overjoyed, "That would be great!"


    He didn''t expect to have such a lucky encounter. He quickly replied, "I''m 24 this year. My parents are both alive, and I have two older brothers. They''re both married. My eldest brother got a house after marriage and moved out. My second brother''s family, my parents, and I live together. I live in this area, but not in the same direction as your courtyard. It''s also a siheyuan, and I have my own room."


    Aunt Wang: "Your conditions are quite good. What kind of partner are you looking for?"


    Zhang San: "I want someone who''s good-looking. I don''t have any other requirements."


    Aunt Wang: "That''s a very simple requirement, isn''t it? No other conditions? No family background requirements? No residency requirements? No job requirements?"


    Zhang San scratched his head and said, "I''d like to find someone who''s perfect in every way, but that''s not possible. I''m just an average-looking guy with average family conditions, so I can''t be picky. Someone with good conditions wouldn''t look at me anyway. I don''t ask for much. If I can get just one thing right, I''d like her to be good-looking."


    Aunt Wang: "Alright, I''ll take care of this for you. I guarantee I''ll get it done. Your requirements aren''t high at all."


    Zhang San: "Thank you so much, Auntie."


    Zhang San connected with Aunt Wang and was overjoyed. He hummed a little tune as he left.


    As soon as he was gone, Aunt Wang said, "Look, this is what a normal person is like. No one is perfect, so you have to be realistic. Like Bai Fendou, it''s no wonder he can''t find a wife. He doesn''t even look at his own situation before demanding this and that from the woman. Zhang San''s conditions are much better than Bai Fendou''s, but look at his requirements¡ªjust one condition. Sure, it''s a bit superficial to focus only on looks, but at least he knows what he wants and is smart enough to makepromises."


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    Don''t judge him just because he only cares about looks. He''s clear-headed.


    He knows that perfection doesn''t exist, so he won''t aim for the impossible.


    "I wonder when Bai Fendou will ever get married," Zhuang Zhiyuan sighed.


    "Hard to say, I think it''s unlikely," Zhao Guihua replied.


    She felt that Bai Fendou still had no self-awareness, which made it even more difficult for him.


    After watching the show and chatting, it was soon noon. The performance had reached its final act, with all the performersing on stage for a grand chorus.


    Hutou was still not satisfied, "It''s over."


    The other kids felt the same way, wishing they could watch more.


    Zhao Guihua: "There will definitely be more shows like this in the future. Next time, Grandma will take you all to watch again."


    "Great~" The children cheered up.


    "Shall we go?" Old Man Zhuang, who had been quiet the whole time, finally stood up and dusted off his pants. Zhao Guihua looked at the crowd pouring out like ants and hesitated, shaking her head, "Let''s wait a bit longer. With so many people, it''s easy for kids to get stepped on."


    At this moment, people didn''t seem to have the awareness of avoiding stampedes, but Zhao Guihua was truly worried. She had seen many news reports about such incidents.


    Even though there hadn''t been any stampedes in their area in her previous life, it didn''t mean anything. Caution was always necessary. Zhao Guihua disagreed, and Aunt Wang also decided to wait. It was true that from their high vantage point, the crowd looked incredibly dense. Even Aunt Wang felt it wasn''t very safe. There were just too many people.


    They waited until most of the crowd had left before slowly climbing down and heading out.


    As they approached the gate, they saw Bai Fendou and others maintaining order at the entrance. From a distance, Bai Fendou called out, "Aunt Wang, how''s the matchmaking going for me?"


    He had just heard from his colleagues that Aunt Wang was going to introduce someone to Zhang San and felt uneasy.


    After all, he had asked Aunt Wang for help many times, but she had never introduced anyone to him. Now she was actively helping someone else, which made Bai Fendou a bit anxious. Wasn''t there some kind of order to these things?


    Aunt Wang looked at Bai Fendou in disbelief. She couldn''t believe he had the nerve to bring this up, especially considering how outrageous his demands were.


    Moreover, there had been unpleasantness between their families regarding the selling of DVDs.


    It seemed Aunt Wang really didn''t understand Bai Fendou''s thought process. Bai Fendou hadn''t connected the two matters in his mind. He knew he had swindled 50 yuan from Chef Li''s family, but in his view, he had swindled them, but did they know? No, they were just guessing. So why should they me him? Besides, he had helped their family get a bicycle ticket, taking risks for them. He felt justified in taking that 50 yuan, and they should be grateful, not me him.


    Even if they did me him, that had nothing to do with matchmaking.


    When the timees to introduce someone, I''m not going to skimp on the matchmaker''s fee. I''m actually giving your family a chance to make some money. Ultimately, it''s your family who should be thanking me, Bai Fendou.


    So Bai Fendou didn''t think there was anything wrong with him at all.


    "Aunt Wang, I came to you first. Even if you''re introducing someone, you should do it for me first," Bai Fendou shouted, drawing the attention of everyone around.


    Aunt Wang was so angry she could barely breathe. How could there be such a little brat?


    She didn''t mince words: "Your requirements are too outrageous. I can''t help you. Go find someone else. I don''t want your matchmaker''s fee."


    "Hey, how are they outrageous? I..."


    Aunt Wang didn''t give him any face, raising her voice: "How aren''t they outrageous? Look at your own conditions. You want a family with excellent background, someone who''s a city resident, has a stable job, is good-looking, at least ten years younger than you, and must be able to bear at least three sons. Oh, and you want her to be gentle and virtuous. With those conditions, I can''t take on this job. Not only do I not have a girl like that, but even if I did, her family would probablye after me with knives!"


    "Pfft!"


    Everyone aroundughed.


    Thinking about it, wasn''t that the truth?


    If a family had those conditions, they could easily find a small factory leader, let alone someone like Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou, however, didn''t seem to care. He said, "Why can''t I find someone like that? Aunt Wang, look at how harsh you''re being. Do you have to talk like that? I know you don''t like me, but my conditions are obvious to everyone. It''s perfectly normal for me, Bai Fendou, to find someone like that. Even Zhou Qun could find someone, so why can''t I find someone better than him?"


    Everyone stared at Bai Fendou in disbelief, unable to understand how he could be so clueless.


    Although Zhou Qun''s reputation had gone down the drain now, ten years ago, his conditions were quite good.


    No exaggeration, really quite good.


    Although he came from a single-parent family with a somewhat difficult mother, Zhou Qun was ambitious. Among the same batch of workers, he was the fastest to get promoted, with a decent sry. He often helped his master and other leaders with chores at their homes, earning a reputation for being hardworking. Although this waster proven to have hidden motives, at the time, no one knew.


    Moreover, having an old mother was more appealing to potential brides than having a widower father.


    A mother-inw could help with housework and childcare, which saved a lot of trouble. A widower couldn''t do that.


    So ten years ago, Bai Fendou''s conditions were already worse than Zhou Qun''s. Now that Zhou Qun''s reputation is ruined, Bai Fendou isn''t much better off. The father and son are always fawning over the mother-inw and daughter-inw. Everyone knows that, and there''s no rumor of him saving any money. Are the women crazy?


    Even if the woman is crazy, her parents aren''t.


    Like now, doesn''t everyone know that Jiang Lu''s father is forcing her to divorce?


    There''s no such thing as a secret in this world.


    Bai Fendou didn''t get it and kept bbering: "Introduce me to someone good, and I won''t skimp on the matchmaker''s fee. If it weren''t for the fact that we''re neighbors, I would have gone to someone else."


    As if he was doing Aunt Wang a favor by letting her earn this money.


    Aunt Wang sneered: "Then you should go find someone else right away."


    She didn''t want to deal with Bai Fendou anymore and pulled her old friend to leave.


    As for the others, as peers in the same courtyard, Yang Lixin and Zhuang Zhiyuan were well aware of Bai Fendou''s bizarre ideas. So they weren''t surprised, but the people from the factory didn''t know. They were really shocked to find out Bai Fendou''s requirements for a future wife.


    He''s already over thirty, and even with a stable job, his conditions aren''t exactly top-notch.


    With that, how dare he make such demands?


    Was he crazy?


    At this point, everyone could understand why Aunt Wang was so angry. This wasn''t just ruining her reputation; it was practically smashing her signboard. Matchmakers rely on their reputation. While there are those who deceive both sides, they would never introduce a girl with such good conditions to someone like Bai Fendou.


    Matchmakers usually try to pair people with simr conditions. If the difference is too big, they risk ruining their reputation. If they do that, the men might stille to them, but the women definitely won''t.


    A matchmaker needs a widework of people to operate effectively.


    No one would do something like that for Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou didn''t get it. He thought highly of himself and believed his conditions were excellent.


    He was very unconvinced.


    But the others... the others were utterly amazed.


    It was predictable that he would be the center of conversation again.


    On the way back, Aunt Wang was still fuming. "If I knew a girl like that, introducing her to him would be like pushing her into a fire pit."


    Zhao Guihuaforted her old friend: "Why get so angry? Just ignore him."


    I know the reason, but I''m still mad.


    Zhao Guihua: "Most people get more steady as they age, but he''s getting more and more out of tune."


    Aunt Wang: "It''s all because of Zhuang Zhixi. He told me when he asked me to introduce someone that Zhuang Zhixi, who''s ten years younger than him, is already married, and he''s still single, so he has to hurry up."


    Ming Mei chimed in: "But he''s not at all like Zhixi. Isn''t it normal that he can''t find someone?"


    "The problem is, he doesn''t think so himself."


    Everyone rolled their eyes.


    When they arrived at the Plum Blossom Alley, everyone in their courtyard had already returned. Aunt Wang quickly opened the door and said, "Sorry to keep everyone waiting."


    "It''s fine, what''s the big deal?"


    "Yeah, I just got back too with the crowd."


    Usually, going to the movies, you could find a familiar face to sit with, but today, it was hard to even find someone you knew. The ce was packed. Especially when leaving, it was so crowded.


    "Zhao Guihua, your third son, Zhuang Zhixi, was the one announcing, right? I saw him from the back."


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, that was him."


    "He''s really making a name for himself."


    "I never noticed how handsome he was before."


    "Nonsense, I saw it when he was a kid. He inherited the best from Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua, without any of the ws."


    "All three of their kids are better-looking than their parents."


    Zhao Guihua: "..." You guys talking like this, I''m not happy.


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    Liang Meifen didn''t dare to look at her mother-inw''s face.


    Luckily, the topic quickly changed: "Hey, wasn''t Old Man Bai also in the performance? I didn''t see him. Did you?"


    "No, did you?"


    "No."


    After some back and forth, no one had seen him.


    Just then, Sui''s Boy, who had just returned, gossiped: "I know, I know. I stayedte and saw themotion. Old Man Bai got scared and couldn''t stand up just before going on stage."


    "?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Ah?"


    "Wow."


    "That''s not good, is it? If he couldn''t do it, he should have said so earlier. This messed things up..."


    Everyone chattered away, and at that moment, Director Song was pointing at Old Man Bai''s nose, scolding him for a good half hour. Old Man Bai was so embarrassed, but no one sympathized with him.


    If you can''t do it, you should say so early, so we can arrange someone else or find a recement.


    But you say you can''t do it just before going on stage? If it weren''t for Zhuang Zhixi, their performance would have fallen apart. Even changing the program on the spot wasn''t possible. The props were already on stage. The leaders were in the audience.


    This could have been a major performance ident.


    Luckily, there was a Zhuang Zhixi. However, even though he filled in, there were many small mistakes during the performance. It was all thanks to quick thinking and thick skin that they managed to pull it off.


    Aftering down, the actors ying Xier and Yang Bao sat on the ground, not moving for a long time.


    How could they not be angry?


    Usually, everyone can have fun however they want, but today was different. And it was so coincidental that it happened just when the leaders were there. It was almost enough to drive them crazy. Luckily, they managed to pull through with sheer willpower.


    Director Song patted Zhuang Zhixi on the shoulder and said, "Zhixi, you did a really great job this time. We all owe you a big thank you for stepping up."


    Was Zhuang Zhixi nervous? Absolutely, he was terrified. Even after a whole morning had passed, he still hadn''t fully calmed down. But he knew how to say the right things. He replied, "Director Song, there''s no need to thank me. The sess of our ''White-Haired Girl'' performance wasn''t just my doing; it was the result of everyone''s efforts. Even if I had memorized the lines, without everyone''s cooperation, it would have been a disaster. Honestly, I''m still sweating buckets from the back..."


    That was a bit of an exaggeration; he was actually sweating from the heat.


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "I never expected myself to have the guts to go on stage like that. All I thought at the time was that we absolutely couldn''t let the show fall apart, or it would have been a disgrace for the entire factory. Thankfully, everyone held it together."


    Everyone nodded in agreement. Indeed, dealing with unexpected issues like that could really mess with your mindset.


    They had all managed to pull through somehow.


    Director Song patted Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder again and said, "Alright, pack up and go home to rest."


    Zhuang Zhixi hesitated, "What about all this..."


    Director Song replied, "The tables and chairs can be taken care of by everyone else. Some of them don''t need to be moved; there''s a movie screening in the afternoon at the factory."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Alright, then I''ll head home to rest."


    "Go ahead. You''ve been working really hard these days, alwaysing early and leavingte to help out. You''re a hardworking and honest person." After a pause, Director Song suddenly smiled and asked, "By the way, you graduated from high school, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, I did."


    "How were your grades?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I won''t brag, but my grades were excellent."


    If it weren''t for the cancetion of the college entrance exams, he could have gotten into university. Zhuang Zhixi felt a slight regret, but it quickly passed. With universities being shut down, even if he had passed the exams, he wouldn''t have been able to attend. As for the worker-peasant-soldier universities that required rmendations... Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t particrly interested in those either.


    From his perspective as someone working in practical fields, he knew that while these worker-peasant-soldier universities were called universities, their actual value in various departments was rather low. Just look at Old Huang, who worked with him on the bulletin boards. When he talked about the worker-peasant-soldier universities, he would say, "It''s all just a ce to goof off. What kind of education can you get there?"


    Of course, Zhuang Zhixi knew that even if he wanted to go, he wouldn''t have been able to. These universities required rmendations, and with hisck of connections, it would never have been his turn.


    Director Song smiled, "That''s great. I can see you''re a promising talent. Working in the clinic''s billing department is a waste of your potential. I think you''d be a perfect fit for our Publicity Department."


    The room suddenly fell silent, and everyone turned to look at Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi himself was stunned,pletely caught off guard.


    Director Song chuckled and said, "Alright, go home now. Come to the Personnel Department when you start work the day after tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi stammered, "I... I''m going to the Personnel Department..."


    Director Song nodded, "You''re a talented young man, and the Publicity Department is where you belong. I don''t know what you were thinking when you applied for the clinic. That ce isn''t right for you; it would have been a waste of your youth. Young people like you should be full of energy and drive. Come join us."


    At this point, Zhuang Zhixi finally broke into a wide, ted smile, stuttering, "Th-thank you, thank you, Director Song."


    Director Song waved it off, "You don''t need to thank me. It''s your own performance that got you here."


    He smiled, musing that sometimes, it really came down to luck.


    Zhuang Zhixi had been lucky. When others had faltered in front of the big bosses, he had seized the opportunity to shine. Even the big bosses had praised him as a talented individual, and who in the factory would disagree?


    His performance had not only impressed the big bosses but also the factory leadership, earning him a spot in a more suitable position.


    Director Song''s words made it clear to everyone that Zhuang Zhixi was being transferred to the Publicity Department.


    It was worth noting that the Publicity Department was a managerial position. In other words, Zhuang Zhixi was clearly being promoted.


    Compared to the rtively unimportant clinic, the Publicity Department was far more significant.


    At this moment, some were envious, some were happy, and others admired him. Everyone had their own thoughts, all focused on Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi himself hadn''t expected this. He had originally thought that helping out would just be a way to build goodwill, with the intention of slowly working his way up. But he hadn''t anticipated that his luck woulde so suddenly. He was actually being transferred to the Publicity Department.


    As he left, his steps felt light, and a sense of indescribable joy filled him.


    This was the joy of achieving his dreams.


    The clinic was peaceful, with little work. But as a young man, he didn''t need less work¡ªhe had ambitions and aspirations.


    He walked home joyfully, feeling that the sky was exceptionally blue that day.


    He had finally achieved his goal.


    Zhuang Zhixi walked home happily, unaware that others who had also helped out in the Publicity Department were seething with envy. A man named Xiao Ding couldn''t hold back and blurted out, "Director, we all came to help out too. Why does he get this opportunity and not us? Isn''t that unfair?"


    Director Song was a bit surprised that someone would actually voice such a question.


    Most people he dealt with were adept at saying the right things depending on the situation.


    He quickly regained hisposure and smiled, asking, "Well, when I asked who could step in and save the performance, why didn''t you volunteer?"


    "Uh..."


    Xiao Ding hesitated, thinking that he was afraid of messing up and earning the boss''s displeasure.


    When Zhuang Zhixi had raised his hand to take over the performance, Xiao Ding had secretly mocked him as a fool for daring to step forward in such a situation. If Zhuang Zhixi had flopped, he wondered how he would have handled it. Even though Director Song had said that he would take responsibility for any consequences, Xiao Ding didn''t believe the boss would really stand by his word.


    Xiao Ding hade to help out with the intention of getting noticed by the bosses and possibly being transferred to the Publicity Department. So he had participated in every performance, doing minimal logistical work. He had evenughed at Zhuang Zhixi and the others for doing things like setting up props.


    He thought they wereplete fools.


    He had also heard that Zhuang Zhixi had given up learning how to operate the film projector for this, which only reinforced his opinion that Zhuang Zhixi was a total idiot.


    But to his utter surprise, things had turned outpletely differently from what he expected.


    He stammered for a moment, saying, "I... I don''t know the ''White-Haired Girl'' at all... I couldn''t have saved the performance. But we all came to help out. Why does he get to be transferred to the Publicity Department and not us? Isn''t that unfair?"


    Director Song narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Xiao Ding with undisguised disdain.


    As a leader, he was usually quite tactful, knowing how to get along with people. But Xiao Ding was clearly someone with no future.


    Mediocre in ability,cking in tact, with no family background, and prone to rash actions¡ªsuch a person had no chance of advancing.


    He said coldly, "When the Publicity Department asked you toe help, we never said we would transfer any of you to the Publicity Department. I believe everyone understood that. This has nothing to do with fairness. We don''t have any open positions in the Publicity Department. Zhuang Zhixi is being transferred here solely because he saved the performance and earned the approval of the big bosses. The factory leadership decided to ce the right person in the right position, which is why we were given this spot. If you want to talk about fairness, the opportunity was there for all of you. If you didn''t take it, don''t me anyone else. Without Zhuang Zhixi, we wouldn''t have given this spot to anyone else; we would have just canceled it."


    Xiao Ding''s face turned pale, then red, then back to pale again.


    The others who had helped out remained silent. They had been hoping that Xiao Ding would stir things up, creating an opportunity for them to fight for the position. But Director Song''s clear words made it obvious to them that they hadn''t even caught his eye.


    Among the envious ones, Old Man Bai was particrly tormented. He couldn''t help but think that if he hadn''t frozen up out of fear, this opportunity might have been his.


    It should have been his!


    He was so frustrated that he felt like he was going mad.


    Director Song: "The factory is not a ce for you to y petty tricks. Whether it''s Zhuang Zhixi''s level of hosting, his ability to save the situation, or even his assistance to Old Huang, all of this has been observed by the leadership. You may think you performed well, but what the leaders have seen are those who quietly contribute behind the scenes, not those who jump around seeking attention. My words may sound harsh, but think about it yourselves. I am very grateful to all of you foring to help in the Publicity Department, but opportunities are always given to those who are truly responsible and prepared."


    p p p.


    Old Huang silently apuds.


    Everyone is surprised and looks at Old Huang, then they too start pping, trying to tter.


    Director Song''s words really hit the mark.


    The people in the Publicity Department are all regr employees, so they don''t care whether Zhuang Zhixi gets transferred or not, since it''s not like he''speting with them. Plus, Zhuang Zhixi is hardworking, and having one more person means more strength for the Publicity Department.


    As original members of the Publicity Department, everyone thinks this is a good thing and is naturally happy about it.


    "Director Song is right."


    "Alright, everyone should disperse now. You''ve all been working hard for so many days, go home and rest well to face life with a more positive attitude. I also believe that opportunities are not limited to just one. This time you may not have seized it, but that doesn''t mean you won''t next time. Perhaps in the near future, we can work together again."


    Hearing this, the helpers'' eyes light up. It''s true, after all.


    Although they didn''t get this opportunity, Zhuang Zhixi being transferred just shows that as long as you make an impression on the leadership, you can still get a position. Maybe next time, they can seize the chance.


    Thinking this way, they don''t feel so bad anymore.


    Though a bit disappointed, they also feel hopeful, and one by one, they disperse.


    Director Song watches them leave and instructs the deputy director beside him: "Don''t call this Xiao Ding over anymore. He''s an idiot."


    Deputy Director: "I understand."


    You can be not very smart, but you can''t be stupid. If fighting for things were useful, then what''s the point of having leaders? Especially when the decision has already been made by the leadership, jumping out to question it just makes you look bad. And fairness? It''s precisely because of fairness that someone like you, who isn''t top-notch in skill, can''t be used. If you really had ability, you might be valued a bit more, but the problem is, you don''t. Someone so impulsive and without any self-awareness is not someone we''d appreciate.


    Fools are always just extras in the world.


    Zhuang Zhixi doesn''t know about these subsequent incidents, though even if he didn''t, he could guess a few things. However, he doesn''t really care. After all, once the news spreads, there will inevitably be people who are jealous.


    So he''s quite indifferent about it.


    He''s not rice or flour, nor is he meat, money, or tickets. It''s impossible for everyone to like him.


    That''s just normal.


    As long as he works hard and grasps this opportunity, that''s better than anything. Thinking about how all the effort he put in these past days hasn''t gone to waste, Zhuang Zhixi smiles, humming a little tune. His luck is really quite good!

 Chapter 74

    <h1>Chapter 74</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi''s job transfer was in the works.


    Although the formalities were not yetpleted, he couldn''t wait to announce it to everyone at home.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, thinking that people back then were indeed more simple-hearted. If this had happened a few decadester, without something in writing, it would have been hard to say if it would have been sabotaged. But back then, such situations were almost non-existent.


    Every era has its good and bad people, but the overall environment wasn''t asplicated.


    Although the Zhuang family didn''t spread the news, the neighbors in the courtyard soon found out, mainly because of Old Man Bai, who had a big mouth and felt extremely sour about it.


    This opportunity should have been his.


    If he hadn''t been scared stiff and unable to go on stage at thest minute, this chance would have been his!


    Old Man Bai felt he had missed a great opportunity, but he didn''t consider that if it had been a normal performance, there might not have been a job transfer. It was because Zhuang Zhixi had bravely stepped in to save the day and hadn''t faltered that the matter was settled.


    "The White-Haired Girl" was an old y, and everyone knew the general plot and most of the lines. Yet, no one else had volunteered to step in, only Zhuang Zhixi. This kind of courage and willingness to take responsibility was indeedmendable.


    Old Man Bai was so upset he couldn''t eat, and after returning home, hey on the bed, feeling utterly dejected.


    Aunt Su, seeing Old Man Baie back and shut the door, nced around, tidied up her clothes, and prepared to pay him a visit. She knew that Old Man Bai was supposed to y Yang Bao, as he had mentioned it several times in the courtyard, and everyone had taken note. But clearly, he hadn''t performed today.


    Later, Sui''s Boy spread the word that Old Man Bai had been too nervous to go on stage.


    Aunt Su was ustomed to stepping in during such times. When was the best time to capture a man''s heart? When he was lonely, cold, and feeling down, especially when everyone else had abandoned him. The more low-spirited he was, the more she needed to show her care and consideration.


    Aunt Su stepped out and knocked on the Bai family''s door: "Old Man Bai, it''s me, Aunt Su."


    Hearing her voice, Old Man Bai quickly replied: "Come in, the door''s not locked."


    Aunt Su entered and saw him lying on the bed, asking: "What''s wrong with you? Why so listless?" She didn''t pretend not to know, instead showing concern: "I know you''re feeling bad about it, but getting nervous right before going on stage is perfectly normal. After all, we''re not professional actors. Don''t be too hard on yourself. If you get too sad and hurt your body, those of us who care about you will feel bad too."


    Old Man Bai immediately looked at Aunt Su.


    Aunt Su sat by the bed and said: "A man should get back up where he falls. There will always be another chance. Next time, just perform well."


    Old Man Bai sighed and said: "You only know part of it."


    Aunt Su was puzzled: "What do you mean?"


    Was there more to the story?


    Old Man Bai grumbled: "It''s all because of that Zhuang kid."


    Aunt Su''s eyes darted around, and she quickly asked: "Did he scheme against you?"


    If that were the case, she would have to spread the word. Zhao Guihua was always showing off, so it was necessary to expose her family''s dirty deeds. Thinking of this, she became even more eager and asked: "Tell me, what happened?"


    Old Man Bai wiped his face and said: "It wasn''t him scheming against me. It''s that leader''s fault. If he hadn''t tripped, I wouldn''t have been scared stiff and unable to go on stage. As a result, I missed a great opportunity."


    Aunt Su: "What opportunity?"


    Old Man Bai: "Zhuang Zhixi was praised by the leader for his performance and transferred to the Propaganda Department. This opportunity should have been mine! If I hadn''t been scared and unable to go on stage, it would have been mine! I missed a great opportunity."


    Aunt Su was shocked: "What, transferred to the Propaganda Department?!"


    Old Man Bai nodded, looking miserable: "I''m in logistics now, a service position. If I had been transferred to the Propaganda Department, it would have been an administrative position, with higher pay. Not to mention, the job is much more respectable than logistics. Such a great opportunity, such a great opportunity, gone!"


    He almost cried to the heavens, feeling that fate had yed a cruel joke on him.


    Although he was not young, he could still handle the work in the Propaganda Department!


    Moreover, working in an office wasn''t that demanding.


    He had missed it, truly missed it.


    She quickly urged: "Can''t you talk to the leader about it? This was your opportunity, how could it be given to him? There''s no justice in this. You can''t let this go."


    She wanted Old Man Bai to do well because if he did, she would benefit too. But if Zhao Guihua''s family did well, she wouldn''t be happy. That family wouldn''t help her anyway.


    Besides, they were all women of simr age, and there was always somepetition.


    She didn''t want the Zhuang family to thrive.


    "This matter can''t be ignored!"


    Old Man Bai: "Do you think no one brought it up? Someone did, and they got scolded."


    In fact, Director Song had scolded him too, as he had caused too much trouble. If it weren''t for Zhuang Zhixi, the show would have been a disaster. Director Song only scolded him, reasoning with others.


    But he couldn''t say that.


    He said: "The leader said that it was because Zhuang Zhixi performed well in saving the show that he was praised and transferred. If he hadn''t been transferred, no one else would have had the chance. It wasn''t a matter ofpeting for a position, but Zhuang Zhixi taking it, and no one else having the opportunity."


    Aunt Su frowned, feeling very displeased. Sheined: "So, he stepped on you to get ahead?"


    Old Man Bai: "Exactly, if it weren''t for saving the show, he might not have had this chance."


    Aunt Su: "Then their family should show some gratitude."


    Aunt Su incited: "We should go to their house and make them give up some benefits. How can they step on you to get ahead? They mustpensate you."


    She was very proactive in inciting Old Man Bai, but he himself was somewhat hesitant. After a moment of hesitation, he said: "Maybe we should just let it go?"


    Aunt Su: "How can we let it go? If you let it go, they''ll think you''re easy to bully and will surely be even more arrogant in the future. Besides, it''s their family''s fault in the first ce. Is it wrong for us to ask for somepensation? Not at all."


    Old Man Bai: "This..."


    Aunt Su: "I support you."


    Old Man Bai, upon thinking, suddenly gained courage. He nodded: "You''re right. I''m a man from Beijing, what do I have to be afraid of? This matter should have been mine from the start. I can''t not go to them. At least half of his sry should be mine."


    Aunt Su: "Exactly."


    She quickly said: "Go to them now."


    Old Man Bai: "Alright."


    But despite saying that, he didn''t move.


    Aunt Su: "What''s wrong? Don''t think about giving them face. They didn''t show you any face in the first ce."


    Old Man Bai, despite being muddle-headed with Aunt Su, was actually a bit more sensible than his son Bai Fendou. Although Aunt Su''s incitement was very persuasive, he didn''t move, knowing that this matter wouldn''t work out.


    He had been neighbors with the Zhuang family for decades and wasn''t as brainless as Aunt Zhou. He knew that Zhao Guihua was not someone to be trifled with. This olddy was quite fierce.


    Moreover, although he was very angry about the situation, he couldn''t find any fault with the Zhuang family. He had been scolded by Director Song for half an hour backstage, and the people from the Propaganda Department wouldn''t cover for him. They probably hated him too.


    The actors ying Xi''er and Huang Shiren had already stopped talking to him.


    He had almost caused a big problem for the performance, and those people were probably spreading rumors about him. If he went to the Zhuang family to argue, he probably wouldn''t get anything good out of it.


    Not only would he gain no benefit, but he might also lose face. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Sister Su, we''re neighbors, let''s just let it go. Making a big deal out of this wouldn''t be pretty."


    Aunt Su: "What''s so unseemly about it? Brother Bai, I feel wronged on your behalf. You''ve been practicing diligently in the publicity department, haven''t you? It''s not your fault if your legs go weak just before the performance. I don''t think anyone should me you for that. If they do, they''re just heartless. Now that Zhuang Zhixi is stepping on you to get ahead, why aren''t they standing up for you?"


    Old Man Bai looked ufortable: "Everyone likes Zhuang Zhixi. That old Huang is especially protective of him. That brat knows how to tter. Director Song, old Huang, and a few other old-timers always smile when they mention him. If I were to confront him, I''d definitely be at a disadvantage. Besides, Zhao Guihua wouldn''t let me demand money from her son. That shrew can cause trouble even when she''s not in the right. Look at how she fought with Aunt Zhou a while back, pping her with such force. As a man, it''s not appropriate for me to get involved with such a woman. She''s a housewife who doesn''t care about her reputation, but I do."


    Aunt Su could see that Old Man Bai didn''t dare to confront the Zhuang family. She felt a bit contemptuous. No wonder she hadn''t been with Old Man Bai for decades. A man like him is useless in critical moments. How could she possibly look up to him?


    She didn''t expect to find a tiger of a man, but she certainly didn''t want a mouse.


    She pursed her lips and, seeing Old Man Bai''s uneasy expression, guessed that he probably hadn''t fared well in the publicity department. Knowing it was impossible to get anything out of it, that''s why he wasn''t going. This thought made her even more contemptuous. If you can''t do it, just say so!


    Clearly incapable, yet pretending to be all macho. Isn''t that just showing off?


    It was a waste of her breath.


    She felt disdain in her heart but was very good at maintaining a facade for the man, saying, "What you say makes sense too. Although it was unfair of their family, we''re neighbors, so it''s not good to make things too tense. Otherwise, it would be awkward to interact in the future. Actually, I don''t care about this matter; it has nothing to do with me. I just feel sorry for you, feeling wronged and not worth it."


    Old Man Bai was touched: "Sister Su, I understand you..."


    He grabbed Aunt Su''s hand in one go. Aunt Su: "..."


    She took a deep breath and said, "Let go quickly; it''s not good if someone sees us. By the way, where''s your son, Bai Fendou? Why hasn''t hee back yet? What''s the matter with him? Just because of a few words from Xiangxiu, he can''t forgive her? A man shouldn''t be so petty. Doesn''t he understand how sincere Xiangxiu is towards him?"


    Old Man Bai didn''t particrly like Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Sister Su, don''t be too naive. Wang Xiangxiu... I think she''s just like that. It''s a good thing she''s not close to our Fendou. With Fendou''s conditions, finding a twenty-something virgin shouldn''t be a problem. Although Wang Xiangxiu can indeed bear sons, she''s still a widow."


    "What''s wrong with being a widow? Do you look down on widows? Are you looking down on me?" Aunt Su''s eyes turned red.


    Old Man Bai: "No, of course not. It''s just that my son is still a virgin young man, so of course, he has to find a virgin girl."


    Aunt Su forced a smile, saying, "Then I''ll talk to Xiangxiu about it."


    She took a step back, cursing in her heart, "Pfft, virgin girl? Look at your stupid son, does he even deserve that?"


    Not even close!


    You don''t even deserve a widow!


    Aunt Su said, "Since that''s your family''s idea, I''ll tell Xiangxiu, and she won''t bother your son, Bai Fendou, anymore. I hope your son finds a better woman and a better future."


    Old Man Bai: "That''s what I''m thinking. If he finds someone like Jiang Lu with a good family background, wouldn''t that help our family? Don''t you think?"


    Aunt Su: "..."


    What a dumbass.


    She forced a smile, saying, "Yes, that''s for sure."


    Gurgle gurgle, her stomach growled.


    Aunt Su: "Well, Brother Bai, I''ll head back first. It''s almost dinnertime."


    Old Man Bai quickly said, "Stay for dinner. I''ll make some noodles with white flour; let''s eat together."


    Aunt Su: "But the kids at home..."


    Old Man Bai wasn''t capable of loving others'' children as his own, saying, "Wang Xiangxiu is at home with them; you eat here. Don''t be polite."


    He didn''t invite the children.


    Aunt Su saw that she couldn''t take advantage of the situation at home, so she sighed and said, "Alright then."


    Aunt Su stayed at Old Man Bai''s ce for a long time withouting out. Aunt Zhou was lurking nearby, sneaking around, muttering curses: "Adulterers!"


    She grumbled, "What a shameless pair."


    Her eyes rolled around, and she said, "You two won''t have it easy!"


    In this courtyard, there were actually quite a few families, but among those who had lost their spouses, there were only a few of them. The newly moved-in Lan Sihai was also a bachelor, and she thought it would be more lively. But she never expected that this old man would find a new partner so quickly.


    This incident was quite a shock.


    Sometimes she would eavesdrop by the wall, only hearingughter, which made her resentful. Why can''t she live a decent life while others can? She was alone, and before, with Aunt Su and Old Man Bai, everyone was alone, so she didn''t feel anything was wrong with her.


    But now, suddenly, Lan Sihai found a partner, and Old Man Bai stepped up his pursuit of Aunt Su, who also grew closer to Old Man Bai. This left her alone. Her reputation and character were bad, and even if she wanted to find someone, no one would be willing.


    Aunt Zhou was very resentful.


    No matter what, Aunt Su shouldn''t be allowed to find someone; she must stay alone like her.


    Absolutely.


    Aunt Zhou was furious in her heart, but she didn''t know that even though Aunt Su wasn''t a good person, she had no intention of getting involved with Old Man Bai. Why get married when she could spend his money without it? Why marry him and have to wash his clothes, cook for him, clean the house, endure his bad habits and stinky feet, and maybe even take care of his thirty-something son who can''t find a partner? She wasn''t going to suffer that.


    Aunt Zhou was eavesdropping by Old Man Bai''s window, and Zhao Guihua could see everything clearly. In the world of gossip, Zhao Guihua always had loyal partners, like her daughter-inw, Ming Mei.


    Ming Mei leaned close to Zhao Guihua and said, "Mom, do you think Aunt Zhou really loves Old Man Bai? Look at her, she''s even eavesdropping."


    "Eavesdropping means love?"


    "Well, not exactly, but she''s paying too much attention."


    Liang Meifen also joined in: "That''s right. Earlier, Old Man Bai mentioned that Aunt Zhou even took off her clothes in front of him."


    Oh my, just thinking about it makes one''s eyes burn.


    Liang Meifen felt that seeing such a scene would probably make one throw up their leftover meal from the night before.


    These old folks are really ying around. In our courtyard, the young people haven''t even gotten into any love triangles, yet the older folks are already at it. It''s a good thing they''re old; otherwise, they''d be arrested for indecent behavior.


    Old age saved them.


    Zhao Guihua thought that neither of her daughters-inw had seen through the essence of the matter. Based on her understanding of Aunt Zhou, there was no true love involved. When she was young, she sought Old Man Bai for money and a good life; now, she sought him purely out of fear that others would live better than her.


    She''s just a twisted soul!


    She said, "This person has issues."


    She didn''t say more; these young folks don''t understand anyway.


    She said, "We''re going for a pic in the suburbs tomorrow. Is anyone not going?"


    Everyone looked at Zhao Guihua; of course, no one was going to miss it.


    Ming Mei: "I wish I had a seven-day vacation every week and could go hiking every day."


    She still remembered the extra ie she made.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, we''re six people..."


    Hutou raised his hand and said pitifully, "Grandma, I''m also a person."


    Xiao Yanzi nodded and moved closer to her brother, saying, "Xiao Yanzi is also a person."


    She said seriously, "I want to be a person."


    Zhao Guihua was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Okay, okay, you can be a person. Don''t worry."


    Xiao Yanzi looked at Zhao Guihua seriously for a while and finally nodded. She said softly but cheerfully, "That''s great, I can be a person now."


    She was afraid that she wouldn''t be included, but Xiao Yanzi also wanted to go; she didn''t want to stay home alone.


    Xiao Yanzi hugged her brother''s arm tightly, not letting go for a moment, determined not to be left behind.


    Zhao Guihua said, "In that case, let''s have the old couple take the two kids on the bus, and you two couples can ride bikes."


    "Sounds good."


    Everyone agreed with this arrangement.


    This was a family outing, and Zhao Guihua added, "We should bring some lunch. Since we''re going out, there''s no rush toe back."


    "You''re right."


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t too keen on taking the kids along, but Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had been looking forward to a family outing for a long time. Although the kids didn''t know how tough hiking could be, they always saw the elders bringing back something from their trips, so they were eager to see what it was like.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s bring more stuff this time. Maybe we''ll have a good harvest."


    They usually came back with something every time they went, so Zhao Guihua was quite confident.


    "Alright."


    "Guihua, are you going to the movies this afternoon?" Aunt Wang walked in, pushing the door open and saying, "The whole family is here?"


    "Yes."


    "Aunt Wang, have you eaten?"


    Aunt Wang replied, "Yes, yes." She waved her hand and asked, "What are you all doing?"


    Zhao Guihua said, "We''re discussing our spring outing tomorrow."


    Aunt Wang chuckled and remarked, "You''re quite energetic."


    She asked, "I heard your third son''s job is being transferred?"


    In no time, Aunt Zhou had spread the news far and wide. She really was a fast talker.


    Zhao Guihua raised her eyebrows in surprise and said, "You have quite the ear for news. I haven''t even mentioned it, and you already know."


    Aunt Wang said, "Oh, Aunt Zhou told me. She heard it from Old Man Bai."


    She nced at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Zhixi, you''re usually a sharp kid, and I didn''t expect you to seize this opportunity. That''s great. In the future, your Aunt Wang might need your help."


    This was a joke; as a homemaker, she didn''t need Zhuang Zhixi for anything, but she was genuinely curious and came to inquire. How did this kid get so lucky? She couldn''t help but look at Zhuang Zhixi''s head, wondering if there was some kind of luck on it.


    Zhuang Zhixi joked, "Oh, Aunt Wang, you need my help? My Uncle Li and Brother Yang are the darlings of the leaders. Even if I go to the publicity department, I''ll just be a clerk. The leaders won''t even know who I am. But Uncle Li is different; he can talk to the leaders. Everyone in the factory knows that Uncle Li makes the best dishes. All the leaders love them."


    Aunt Wang was ttered and smiled proudly, saying, "You rascal..."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Aunt Wang, don''t say I''m exaggerating. I''m telling the truth."


    Aunt Wang was delighted and said, "Alright, I''ll have Uncle Li put in a good word for you."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sounds good."


    He leaned back in his chair with a smile, and Aunt Wang said, "Zhao Guihua, are you going to the movies? There''s a show this afternoon."


    She was enthusiastic, "They say they''re showing three movies in a row. That''s rare."


    Zhao Guihua said, "I''m going!"


    She was quite eager, but Zhuang Zhixi waved his hand and said, "I won''t go. I''ll stay home and rest. I''ve been pretty tiredtely."


    It wasn''t that he was physically tired, but he wasn''t used to the pace. In the clinic, he was always rxed, but suddenly being busy made him feel out of sync.


    "I n to sleep well this afternoon."


    ¡°Rest all you want; we''ll go our way. You''re such a weakling, not as strong as us young folks. You''re like mud that can''t be propped up against the wall.¡± Only a mother could tease her own son like that.


    Zhuang Zhixi defended himself, "I''m just a bit weak."


    He said it quite confidently.


    "You never know how to give me a good meal."


    Zhao Guihua retorted, "Just shut up."


    A grown man had the nerve to say he was weak. Was he even a normal man?


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t care and said, "I still need meat to get stronger."


    Zhao Guihua shot him a look and said, "I''ll give you a fart. You''re just thinking of good things. I see you just want meat."


    Everyoneughed.


    Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Look, I was just kidding."


    Zhao Guihua ignored him and said to Aunt Wang, "Call me when you leave."


    Hutou immediately said, "I''m going too."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Sure."


    These days, there wasn''t much entertainment. Even though they had just watched a performance in the morning, it didn''t stop everyone from going to the movies in the afternoon. The whole neighborhood set off again, bustling with activity. Zhuang Zhixi looked at his wife and asked, "Aren''t you going?"


    Ming Mei said, "I''ll stay with you."


    She teased, "Do you want to be alone at home? Besides, we can watch movies anytime."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "My wife is the best."


    The courtyard gradually emptied as people left for the movies. The coupley in bed together, cuddling. Ming Mei said, "You must be exhausted these days. Come, let me give you a massage."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and said, "That''s so nice. I''ll enjoy it thoroughly."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly.


    "What are your ns for the future?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Just work hard. Even if I''m transferred, I''ll be new there and need to prove myself. This transfer will draw a lot of attention, and many people will be watching me. I can''t afford to make mistakes."


    He was different from most people. His transfer was exceptional, and if it had been through normal channels, the attention might not have been as intense. But now, being transferred for good performance, he would be under more scrutiny.


    He said, "But you don''t need to worry about me. I''m the best at brown-nosing."


    Ming Mei burst outughing and said, "Is brown-nosing something to be proud of?"


    "Of course," Zhuang Zhixi said, holding Ming Mei''s hand. "Don''t worry about me."


    Ming Mei teased, "Why would I worry about you? Don''t I know what kind of person you are?"


    She sighed, "But you haven''t had it as smooth as me."


    Ming Mei''s work had always been smooth, which was the difference between a big unit and a small one. In a big factory with thousands of people, how many knew Old Man Zhuang? But Ming Mei''s unit was different; it was smaller, and as a sessor, she had it easier.


    "You having a smooth ride is better than me having one," Zhuang Zhixi said.


    "Come, let''s rest a bit."


    The couple chatted casually, not going out. The same went for Wang Xiangxiu. Her family had also gone to the movies. In fact, most people in the courtyard had gone, leaving only a few behind. If truth be told, Wang Xiangxiu wanted to go too, but when she heard that Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t going, she was tempted.


    Since losing Zhou Qun as a source of ie, her life had been much harder. Recently, it had been even worse, as Bai Fendou, who was heartbroken, had stopped talking to her.


    Her finances had taken a hit.


    For this reason, she had to look elsewhere for hope. She had always had her eye on Zhuang Zhixi, and now even more so.


    She stood at the window, looking out, and muttered to herself, "I wonder if Ming Mei went out."


    She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly thought that she hadn''t seen Ming Mei leave. She frowned and muttered, "What a nuisance. Always sticking with men and having no life of her own. Pfft."


    Wang Xiangxiu thought for a moment and went out to fetch water.


    As she walked through the courtyard, her eyes kept darting to the window of Ming Mei''s room. After a while, she saw that the other houses were locked. She quietly turned around and silently approached the window of Ming Mei''s house.


    She held her breath and listened intently.


    Wang Xiangxiu had just crouched down when she suddenly felt the window slide open. Startled, she didn''t even have time to react before a bucket of cold water was dumped directly on her. Fortunately, the weather was warm now. If it had been the slightest bit colder, that bucket of water would have been a real nuisance.


    Even so, Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t help but shiver.


    She pursed her lips, about to look up, when she saw the window close again.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!"


    At that moment, she wasn''t sure if Ming Mei had noticed her and deliberately poured the water, or if it was just a coincidence that she happened to be in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    It was quite normal for them to open the window and pour water directly into the yard.


    No one did this in the winter because the ice could cause falls, but in warmer weather, it didn''t matter.


    She cursed her bad luck, tiptoed back quickly, and wondered what kind of water it was. She red hatefully at the window of Ming Mei''s house, thinking it seemed like an ident. She muttered curses as she changed her clothes. Meanwhile, Ming Mei was pressed against the window, quietlyughing.


    Zhuang Zhixi gave his wife a thumbs up and said, "Impressive."


    Ming Mei put on a smug expression and said, "Who told her toe and eavesdrop?"


    Wang Xiangxiu thought she was being stealthy, but little did she know, she was spotted the moment she arrived. At noon, with the sun at its peak, Wang Xiangxiu''s shadow appeared on the window, though she was unaware of it herself.


    "Is this woman sick? Crazy,ing over to eavesdrop for no reason," Ming Mei said, unable to understand Wang Xiangxiu.


    Zhuang Zhixi half-jokingly said, "Maybe she''s got a crush on me?"


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi and then raised an eyebrow.


    Ming Mei: "Are you serious?"


    She pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s cheek, and he said, "Mercy, mydy, I''m just kidding."


    Though he said that, Ming Mei didn''t believe him.


    Although Zhuang Zhixi loved to joke, she couldn''t take his words at face value. She climbed onto the bed and pinched his cheek, saying, "Comrade Zhuang Zhixi, let me tell you, don''t try to feed me nonsense. She must have tried to flirt with you. I don''t buy your ''just kidding'' act."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Everyone knows that?"


    Ming Mei: "Of course."


    Judging from Wang Xiangxiu''s usual behavior, it was clear as day.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "She didn''t explicitly express anything, but there was a hint of that. However, since she didn''t actually do anything, I can''t just use her."


    Though he said that, both of them knew what kind of person she was.


    Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s cheek and firmly said, "I don''t care. I''m telling you, you better listen up: stay away from her. If you dare to mess around outside, I''ll kill you."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow, you''re quite fierce."


    Ming Mei: "Do you think I''m joking? Let me tell you, if you dare to be like Zhou Qun or Bai Fendou, I''ll show you what it means to have three eyes like the Horse King."


    She said seriously, "I''m not someone to be trifled with."


    Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi, who acted like he was pretending to be injured for sympathy, falling onto Ming Mei and saying, "If I misbehave, let my father-inw deal with me."


    Ming Mei chuckled and said, "Do I need my dad? I can handle you like it''s child''s y. Besides, I..." She paused and said, "I''m not to be messed with."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, thinking Ming Mei didn''t mean that sentence, but since she changed the subject, he didn''t ask further. He said, "Wife, just watch my performance."


    Ming Mei snorted.


    She said, "I''m not just talking big; I mean it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I know."


    This little incident left Ming Mei a bit unhappy, but she still trusted Zhuang Zhixi somewhat. After all, any significant event affecting her would appear in her dreams. Since she hadn''t dreamed about it, it meant Zhuang Zhixi was probably fine.


    From childhood to now, these premonitions had never been wrong.


    She said, "Alright, I''ll trust you for now."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly: "I''m not crazy, you know. Trust me, Comrade Ming Mei, you can see I wouldn''t look at her that way. I''m not blind."


    He wasn''t naturally enthusiastic about such matters. He and Ming Mei got together quickly because it was love at first sight. If he were really into women, he would have dated long ago. After all, during school, people were more innocent, and he had plenty of female ssmates.


    He wasn''t bad-looking either.


    Although Zhuang Zhixi could talk the talk and was known as a dies'' man," he usually didn''t flirt with young girls. He knew the boundaries.


    There was no need for Zhuang Zhixi to boast about himself.


    Life was about how he lived it.


    She said, "Come, let''s lie down for a bit."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    She said, "I wonder what delicious food my mother-inw will make tomorrow."


    Her topic shifted again, and Zhuang Zhixi said, "It should be good, right? If we can hunt something tomorrow, we can have a barbecue together."


    Ming Mei: "I think so too. Speaking of hunting, I think I''m pretty good at it."


    Although Ming Mei hadn''t hunted much, just a time or two, she was confident in her abilities. Last time, she proved her skills. In fact, she was quick to react and move, making her better at catching prey than most people. While she might not be as good as seasoned hunters, she wasn''t bad.


    And Ming Mei was sure that with more practice, she would only get better. After all, practice makes perfect.


    Zhuang ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Zhixi smiled meaningfully: "If you get any better, my older sister-inw will see you and run like she''s seen a tiger."


    Ming Mei: "If she''s scared of me, I think that''s great. It saves me trouble. I don''t want to deal with family drama all the time. If she behaves herself, that''s a good thing. That''s just how I am. If others don''t provoke me, I won''t provoke them. I''m a gentle girl."


    Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes and said, "You''re really good at blowing your own horn."


    Ming Mei''s little fist immediately flew over. It was true that she needed to be kept in check.


    Zhuang Zhixi was crying out,ughing and begging for mercy: "I''m wrong, I''m really wrong. You''re always right. But when you deal with my older sister-inw, please don''t hit me, it hurts. I''m your man, after all."


    Ming Mei red at him: "Stop talking nonsense. I didn''t n to deal with her."


    She remembered what her mother-inw had said in her dream. Her older sister-inw was bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Being a bit fierce would do the trick.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Scare her, alright?"


    Ming Meiughed.


    "Alright, stop talking nonsense. If someone hears that, they might take it seriously."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Tomorrow, my wife will show her prowess. I wonder what little animals wille to their doom. Little white rabbits, white and fluffy, tender and cute."


    She swallowed and said, "I think rabbits aren''t as good as chicken. I hope we get a wild chicken tomorrow. I want to eat roast chicken."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s a must."


    Ming Mei: "Pfft!"


    The couple was happy, while Wang Xiangxiu was cursing and changing her clothes: "That damn dog, they''ll divorce sooner orter!"


    She cursed viciously!


    No matter how Wang Xiangxiu cursed, the couple''s rtionship remained strong. Who would care about her thoughts?


    ******


    The next morning.


    Early, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Zhao Guihua got up. She started making pancakes and then chopped some salty pork and pickled cucumbers into strips to stuff inside.


    Zhao Guihua looked heartbroken at the oil being used and sighed; these days, even with their rtively good living conditions, they still felt deprived.


    The aroma of pancakes and fried meat filled the air. Zhuang Zhixi, tempted by the smell, woke up and came out wearing just a shirt, saying, "Mom, what are you making?"


    Zhao Guihua: "What else? I told you I was going to make you meat sandwiches, but I never had the chance. Since I woke up early today, I made some for you. One each. Try the taste."


    "Oh, that''s great," Zhuang Zhixi said enthusiastically.


    "Of course it''s good! I made Rou Jia Mo (Chinese meat sandwich), and you didn''t see how much oil and meat I put in. With so many good ingredients, how could it not be delicious?" Zhao Guihua said, "Eating like this wastes so many good things. If it weren''t for worrying that you all might be too tired today, I wouldn''t have made such avish meal."


    "Mom, what are you talking about? I know how much you care for us. You''re the best mom we could ask for," replied Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, "Heh, you''re all talk."


    "Being able to talk well is a good thing, isn''t it?"


    It wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi who smelled the aroma and came out. Soon, the two kids, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, also came running in their slippers, ttering loudly, eager and impatient.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Granny, is it something yummy? It smells like meat!"


    "Xiao Yanzi wants to eat."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Yes, it''s meat. Go wash up, and then we''ll eat."


    The kids responded in their sweet, childish voices, "Okay~"


    Liang Meifen also hurried out to help. Ever since they split from the family, her meals had been much better, and her mood had improved significantly.


    In fact, Rou Jia Mo wasn''t anything particrly special for them. This dish had been around for a long time, but since their family wasn''t well-off, they hadn''t had the chance to enjoy it much.


    "If every day could be like this, that would be perfect," she murmured.


    The family sat down together to enjoy theirvish breakfast. But in the courtyard, others began to grumble. In these times, having such a luxurious breakfast was unheard of.


    The aroma wafted through the courtyard, sparking a lot of discussion andints.


    "Whose family is this? Aren''t they holding back at all? Such a strong smell of oil."


    "What kind of household is this, eating like this?"


    "Someone''s eating meat for breakfast? Did someone really have meat?"


    "Whose family is this!"


    "I want to eat meat too! I want to eat the fatty bits..." The sound of a child crying emerged. This early morning, the courtyard was bustling with noise.


    Comints, crying, and the sound of scolding children¡ªit was a mix of familiar and unfamiliar sounds, as if it happened every day, yet not quite so chaotic. But no matter what, another lively day had begun...

 Chapter 75

    <h1>Chapter 75</h1>


    The Zhuang Family set off in a grand procession, their gate already locked while others were still busy with breakfast.


    Aunt Su watched them leave and quickly came out to ask, "Where are you going?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "It''s rare for the whole family to have a holiday together, so we''re going for a spring outing. With such beautiful spring weather, it''s best to get out and enjoy it."


    She added with a hint of sarcasm, "You''re not nning to stay indoors, are you? I think it''s important not to stay cooped up at home all the time; it can lead to all sorts of problems. The kids are always ying in the alley, so they should get out and stretch their legs too."


    Aunt ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Su weakly smiled and said, "We still have a lot of work to do at home; we can''tpare to your family."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Oh,e on, we''re all in the same boat. Besides, a day or two off won''t make much difference to your workload."


    With that, they left. Aunt Su watched them go, her lips pressed together in envy. She couldn''t understand why Zhao Guihua''s life seemed so much better than hers. Zhao Guihua had a husband who hadn''t passed away, and her son was thriving, while her own situation was... She clenched her fists tightly.


    She cursed under her breath, "I hope they trip and die on their way out!"


    "Aunt Su, what are you doing? Oh, isn''t that Zhao Guihua''s family? Where are they going?"


    Aunt Su replied, "They''re going for a spring outing."


    She sighed and said, "When you''re living well, everything seems easy. They can do whatever they want, while I can''t even decide what to do. They have holidays to go on outings, while we have to keep working at home."


    Old Man Bai heard this and quickly said, "It''s just an outing; it doesn''t cost much. Come on, gather your kids, and let''s go too. What''s so special about a spring outing? It doesn''t cost anything. You shouldn''t feel bad about it."


    Old Man Bai thought Aunt Su was just a simple and honest person who felt bad because of Zhao Guihua''s bragging. He didn''t think it was a big deal.


    He said with a smile, "Don''t think it''s such a big deal. Wait for me to get ready, and we''ll go to the pond. I''ll bring a fishing rod, and we can go fishing. What do you say?"


    Aunt Su hesitated, "Won''t that be too much trouble for you?"


    "What trouble? We don''t need to be so formal with each other."


    This touched Aunt Su''s heart, and she said, "Well... alright then."


    Just as they finished talking, they saw Aunt Wang leading her daughter and two children out the door. Aunt Su quickly stopped them and asked, "Are you going out too?"


    Aunt Wang replied, "Yes, Hutou is going for a spring outing, and my sons, Li Junjun and Li Weiwei, got so excited they insisted on going too. Kids love topare, and if everyone else is going, they''ll feel left out if we don''t take them. My husband and son-inw don''t have the time; they have to work overtime at the factory during the holiday. The boss is hosting a banquet, so they can''t miss it. So, my daughter and I will take these two rascals to the zoo. It should be fun."


    Her gaze fell on the gate of Zhao Guihua''s house and she said, "Oh, Guihua''s already left? They left pretty early."


    She added, "Well, we''re off too."


    The four of them left, and soon Uncle Lan and his wife also came out.


    Aunt Su was shocked, "You two are going for a spring outing too?"


    She thought to herself, "Spring outings are for kids, aren''t they? What''s the deal with old folks going on outings?"


    Lan Sihai wasn''t too keen on greeting Aunt Su, but his wife, Luo Xiaolian, said, "We''re going to the park to paddle boats."


    It wasn''t exactly a spring outing, but it was close enough.


    Aunt Su was relieved she had agreed to go out with Old Man Bai; otherwise, everyone would be out, and only her family would be left at home, making them look out of touch. Although their circumstances were modest, Aunt Su still believed they were no worse off than anyone else.


    Just as she was about to boast that her family was also going out, Zhou Qun''s family of three came out. Her eyes widened in disbelief, "You''re not going for a spring outing too, are you?"


    Madam Zhou Li was dressed in her newest outfit, her hair neatlybed, and even had a faint scent of face cream.


    She snorted and said, "None of your business," before strutting out proudly.


    Zhou Qun whispered, "Why do you even bother talking to her?"


    He looked down on the people in the courtyard; they were useless except for gossiping. He thought such neighbors weren''t worth having.


    He snorted coldly and said, "Let''s go."


    They weren''t actually going for a spring outing. Zhou Qun''s recent troubles had be quite the talk of the town, and Jiang Lu''s parents were pushing for a divorce, which Zhou Qun knew. He was deeply unhappy about it but also knew he had to stop his inws from pursuing this.


    Not only did he need to stop them, but he also had to ensure they continued to support him. Without their help, his career would suffer greatly.


    This time, he even brought his mother along, knowing that an old woman could be quite effective in ying the victim. So, Zhou Qun didn''t hesitate.


    Zhou Qun''s family didn''t exin why they were going out, but Aunt Su firmly believed they were also taking advantage of the holiday to go out and enjoy themselves. This made her even more envious.


    Originally, she thought only Zhao Guihua''s family was going out, but it turned out almost everyone in the neighborhood had ns. She wondered how they had all decided without letting her in on it.


    Luckily, her family had also made ast-minute decision to go out; otherwise, they would have looked out of ce.


    Aunt Su raised her voice, "Old Man Bai, are you ready? We need to go too."


    Old Man Bai rarely saw Aunt Su so openly expressing her closeness, and it made him quite happy.


    "Almost ready, almost ready. We can go soon."


    He asked, "Fendou, are youing with us?"


    Bai Fendou rolled over and said, "I''m not going."


    He had been feeling quite downtely, and his mood wasn''t great. It wasn''t that he was being melodramatic; he genuinely felt bad. His search for a partner hadn''t yielded any results, and that was weighing on him.


    In fact, his recent coldness toward Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t because she had treated him poorly. He understood Wang Xiangxiu''s situation; she had to consider their reputations. He knew that, despite some unsavory rumors, Wang Xiangxiu was a good woman, a very good woman. She was virtuous and proper.


    Yet, he still distanced himself from her. Sometimes, it wasn''t that he didn''t love her.


    It was that he couldn''t.


    He wanted to make things work with Wang Xiangxiu, but it was extremely difficult.


    Just like Old Man Bai had issues with Wang Xiangxiu, Bai Fendou had issues with Aunt Su, feeling that she as a mother-inw was holding Wang Xiangxiu back. It was hard for him to be with Wang Xiangxiu, and he didn''t want to fall behind Zhou Qun, who was also from the same courtyard. If he ended up with a divorced woman with kids, he would feel inadequate.


    So, even though he didn''t want to, he still kept his distance from Wang Xiangxiu, hoping that someone would introduce him to a nearly perfect woman.


    He didn''t need perfection, just near-perfection. Surely, that wouldn''t be too hard to find?


    Bai Fendou covered his face andy on the bed, feeling gloomy about hisck of a partner. Old Man Bai called out to him a couple more times, but seeing he didn''t move, he said, "You''re really noting? We could go fishing together, maybe even improve our lives a bit. Look at the courtyard¡ªeveryone''s out, and you''re the only one staying home. Don''t you feel embarrassed?"


    Old Man Bai had also overheard their earlier conversation.


    Bai Fendou replied, "Don''t bother me."


    Old Man Bai snorted, "Fine, I don''t want to bother you either."


    Since Bai Fendou wasn''t going, Old Man Bai didn''t bother with his son anymore. He just said, "Give me the bike."


    "Here, take it," Bai Fendou tossed the keys to his father and continued to daydream.


    Old Man Bai quickly left, humming a tune, heading towards his lovelydy... or rather, his olddy.


    Wang Xiangxiu was still feeling down the day after Ming Mei had sshed her with water. As she watched her three sons hopping and skipping, ready to head out, she said, "Go ahead, I won''t be joining you. It''s rare that I have a holiday, so I''ll tidy up the house and clean the windows."


    Aunt Su: "That''s fine."


    After a pause, she added in a whisper, "Bai Fendou isn''t going either. Go andfort him, make sure he doesn''t slip out of our control."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded and agreed.


    This was something she had to do. Without it, how could her sons live a good life, eat well and use the best? That required money, and she had no other options. Other men weren''t as selfless and generous as Bai Fendou, so she had to keep him in her grasp.


    At this moment, she also felt a bit of resentment towards the ghost rumors. If it weren''t for those, she would still be doing fine with Zhou Qun.


    Although Zhou Qun was a three-second man, she didn''t expect any pleasure from him. Money was enough.


    She sighed softly, wondering how likely it was to win Zhou Qun back. She didn''t like him, but she had to admit that Zhou Qun was the most generous man she had ever met. Others just weren''t as good.


    She did have some interest in Zhuang Zhixi, but he wasn''t easy to deal with either. And such a young man probably didn''t appreciate the charms of a fuller-figured woman like her. She was well aware of this, as she always paid attention to whether a man''s eyes were on her.


    Clearly, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t interested.


    She felt so frustrated.


    "Put in some effort. You could control Bai Fendou in a heartbeat if you wanted to," Aunt Su said, thinking her daughter-inw was upset about Bai Fendou.


    Aunt Su also had some difort. She was most afraid that her daughter-inw would really fall for Bai Fendou. But for the sake of this fat sheep, she had to encourage her daughter-inw. Although Wang Xiangxiu had broken off with Zhou Qun just a few days ago, Aunt Su could already feel the strain on the household budget. Bai Fendou was generous.


    Zhou Qun was the same; losing him was a loss. Zhou Qun might not be great in other ways, but he was truly generous with his money.


    He earned a lot and kept his money tightly in hand, with over ny yuan a month.


    Oh, how could they ever spend all that money? As long as they said the right things, the money would be theirs.


    For a moment, Aunt Su even thought about seducing Zhou Qun herself. Wang Xiangxiu had broken off with him, so maybe she could step in. After all, Zhou Qun liked older women; he might even like her.


    But this thought quickly passed. She couldn''t afford to lose face like that.


    Besides, Zhou Qun was a bit ruthless, and she didn''t want to provoke him.


    "Anyway, try to get more money. The weather is warming up; the kids will each need a new set of clothes," Aunt Su kept pressuring Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "I know."


    Seeing that she had taken it to heart, Aunt Su smiled and went out.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was the second day of Labor Day, a rare holiday. Almost no one was left in their courtyard; everyone had gone out, even some young wives weren''t home tidying up. Wang Xiangxiu suddenly felt the quietness of the courtyard.


    Normally so lively, even this morning it had been bustling with life, now it was so quiet.


    She sat alone in the house, lost in thought...


    People in the courtyard gradually left, and at this time, Zhao Guihua and the others had already arrived at the outskirts. On holidays, there were more peopleing into the city, but fewer going out. So the bus wasn''t too crowded.


    Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang led the children off the bus. Old Man Zhuang carried a bucket with a smaller bucket inside. Zhao Guihua held one child''s hand in each of hers, holding them tightly. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were both wearing short-sleeved shirts. The two kids had been listless on the bus, and even after getting off, they still didn''t have much energy.


    Zhao Guihua led the two kids to the shade of a tree and said, "Feeling unwell? Did you get car sick?"


    The kids softly hummed in agreement. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi leaned against Zhao Guihua. She said, "They haven''t arrived yet, let''s sit down and rest for a while, just in time to wait for them."


    There was still a ways to go up the mountain, so it was good to rest a bit.


    She sat down and poured water from her sk for the children. The two kids each drank some and sighed softly.


    Hutou was listless and said, "Grandma, it''s so far out here."


    The child had always thought going out was great, and it was unfair that the adults never took them. But now, they didn''t think that way anymore. The kids were so tired they almost wanted to lie on the ground. Hutou: "Riding the bus is so tiring."


    Zhao Guihua: "What did you think? Do you think we don''t take you out on purpose? We''re taking the bus, and you''re like this. If we were riding bikes, it would be even more tiring, probably hot and thirsty."


    Actually, if the two kids hade on bicycles, they might not have been in worse shape than now. They were mainly a bit car sick, not tired, but the kids couldn''t exin that.


    Zhao Guihua knew they were car sick, but she didn''t say anything. If they knew it was just car sickness, they''d definitely want toe next time. Kids needed a little trickery now and then.


    The two kids sat listlessly on the small stones. At this moment, Xiao Yanzi suddenly called out, "Mom and Dad!"


    From afar, they saw Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi riding bikes with their wives, already arriving. The weather was a bit hot today. Even though they had left early and not gone out in the sun, they were still sweating.


    Zhuang Zhixi waved from afar, "Hello,rades!"


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched. This rascal, did he think he was three and a half?


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, however, were very responsive to their uncle and immediately jumped up and down, shouting, "Uncle! We''re here!"


    Zhuang Zhixi, with his long legs, quickly rode over. He put his foot down to steady the bike and said, "How are you feeling?"


    Hutouined, "Little Uncle, we don''t feel good, I feel nauseous and want to throw up."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah, then if we catch something delicious on the mountain, you''ll be too nauseous to eat it, right?"


    Hutou immediately said, "Then I''m fine, I can still eat a little."


    This kid, no consistency at all.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "You greedy little thing."


    Xiao Yanzi muttered, "We''re kids, kids are all greedy. If we weren''t greedy, we wouldn''t be kids."


    This child, she even had a logical exnation.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, you''re better at arguing than your brother."


    The little girl didn''t understand what arguing meant and scratched her head, saying, "Little Uncle, don''t scold me, I''m very well-behaved."


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh, "Everyone''s here, shall we continue up the mountain?"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at the lush forest and said, "Do we have to walk?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, what did you think?"


    He looked at the mountain path and said, "It''ll take quite a while."


    This path up the mountain would take at least an hour. If they were riding bikes directly, it would be faster, but with the kids, they couldn''t do that.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s go."


    "Let''s go!"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi echoed, "Let''s go!"


    The whole family, a big group, started up the mountain.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi ran ahead, like little puppies let loose.


    But puppies were just puppies, and they didn''tst long. Luckily, there were bicycles, and the two kids sat on the back. Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen each pushed a bike with a child.


    Zhuang Zhixi held Ming Mei''s hand and walked at the back.


    Xiao Yanzi asked, "Little Uncle, why aren''t you pushing me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re your mom''s kid, what? Feeling sorry for your mom and want me to be thebor force? Not a chance!"


    Xiao Yanzi scratched her head in confusion, not understanding what her uncle meant, but she knew he didn''t want to push, so she quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Actually, she preferred her mom to push the bike because when Little Uncle and Auntie Ming Mei were around, they always asked questions that were hard for little kids to answer.


    Whenever the kids couldn''t answer, they wouldugh.


    They were so mean.


    Under everyone''s concerted efforts, it took over an hour to reach the location of the mountain pond. Normally, they shouldn''t have brought the kids along. However, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were not too young, and these two children could still listen to the adults.


    Generally speaking, if they were told not to speak about it, they probably wouldn''t.


    Even if they did talk about it outside, it''s unlikely that anyone would believe them. After all, kids exaggerating is amon urrence, right? Plus, it took a long time to get here, and even if the kids wanted toe, they probably couldn''t find the way.


    That''s why Zhao Guihua decided to bring them along for a visit, to prevent these two little ones from constantly fantasizing about how great it was here.


    Zhao Guihua led everyone to a familiar spot. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi jumped off the bicycle, their eyes wide with amazement: "Wow!"


    There was a smallke in the mountains.


    Both children were utterly astonished.


    Hutou quickly asked, "Grandma, can we fish here?"


    Over the past half year, their family had eaten fish more frequently, so Hutou had some idea about it.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Of course."


    Old Man Zhuang proudly ced his hands on his hips and said, "Let me do it. Grandpa is very good at fishing."


    Old Man Zhuang, who was usually unassuming, suddenly became more assertive.


    When it came to fishing, he was undoubtedly the best in the Zhuang Family.


    No contest.


    Zhao Guihua snorted but didn''t contradict Old Man Zhuang. She said, "Your grandpa is indeed good at fishing."


    Old Man Zhuang added, "Grandpa will fish, and then we''ll grill the fish. How about it?"


    Hutou''s eyes lit up: "Great!"


    Xiao Yanzi also spun in circles, pping her hands excitedly. She was simply overjoyed.


    Zhao Guihua assigned tasks: "We''ll split into pairs. I''ll definitely be paired with your dad. We''ll stay here. Our job is to fish and gather firewood. If we catch anything, we''ll grill the fish here. Zhixi, you and your wife head east; Zhiyuan, you and your wife head west. There are plenty of ripe fruits now, so pick some if you see any. If youe across wild chickens or rabbits, try to catch them, but don''t worry if you don''t. Safety first."


    This was the usual routine, but it was still necessary to remind everyone.


    After all, she was the head of the family.


    "Alright."


    "Sounds good to me."


    Everyone agreed without objections.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "This is the mountains, not your cozy kang. There are unknown risks, so be careful of snakes, insects, and rodents. They''re everywhere. Also, remember the way; don''t get lost without finding anything and end up needing us to search for you."


    "Mom, don''t worry, we''re not that clueless," one of them replied.


    "Yeah, you''re underestimating us," another added.


    Zhao Guihua just chuckled in response.


    "Grandma, what about us?" the children asked, unsure of their role.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "You two shouldn''t venture into the woods. Stay here, okay?"


    "Okay."


    "I''d rather stay with Grandma."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, satisfied: "That''s more like it."


    The three pairs quickly split up. Old Man Zhuang didn''t visit often, but he was quite experienced. After all, the fish here were plentiful, and he always had good catches. As soon as they separated, Old Man Zhuang''s fishing rod moved.


    Old Man Zhuang eximed, "Oh, a fish is biting the hook!"


    "Where? Where?"


    The two children immediately crowded around, watching as Old Man Zhuang pulled up a fish, about twenty centimeters long¡ªa decent catch.


    "Wow!"


    "Grandpa is awesome!"


    "Grandpa is the best!"


    "We have a big fish!"


    The children''s praises were loud and enthusiastic, and they were thrilled.


    Zhao Guihua remarked, "These two little rascals!"


    She asked, "Do you want toe with me to gather firewood, or stay here and watch the fishing?"


    "Watch fishing!" they chorused.


    With a catch already, of course, they wanted to see more fishing.


    Zhao Guihua reminded her husband, "Keep an eye on them. Don''t let them go near the water."


    "Okay~"


    Things were going smoothly on their end, and the same was true for Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen. They hadn''t walked far when they spotted a wild cherry tree. The cherries, though small, were already red. Back in the days when ck markets were moremon, some farmers from the countryside would pick them and sell them in the city.


    Although these cherries weren''t particrly valuable, they still had a market. Kids would buy a bowl to snack on, while adults might use them to make wine. However, since the ck markets were mostly shut down, they rarely saw such things anymore.


    Liang Meifen was excited: "Quick, let''s pick a lot to take back. They''re a bit sour, but they''re delicious. When I was a kid, having a bowl of wild cherries was a real treat."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan suggested, "Let''s have some now."


    Liang Meifen replied, "We should pick some for the kids."


    If she were with her sisters-inw, she might have kept them for herself, but since her own children were with her, she wouldn''t do that.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan chuckled, "What are you saying? This whole tree of cherries, surely there''s enough for everyone. We can have some now. Let me try one."


    He plucked a few and popped them into his mouth, smacking his lips: "Hmm, pretty sour."


    "Of course they''re sour. If wild cherries weren''t sour, they wouldn''t be called wild cherries, would they?"


    "True enough."


    Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei hadn''t had much luck. The couple had walked quite a distance, and Ming Meimented, "Today''s not been very productive. We haven''t seen anything."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "That''s normal. We can''t expect to have a catch every time."


    Ming Mei continued, "But I thought we''d at least see some rabbits. My grandpa told me that rabbits are very prolific. During the toughest years, they were the mostmon wild game people caught. Sure, they''re fast and not easy to catch, but there are so many of them. With fewer peopleing up the mountain now, you''d think we''d see some rabbits."


    Zhuang Zhixi was also puzzled. Last time they had a great catch, but this time, they had nothing.


    Not having anything was different from having something but not catching it.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Who knows what''s going on. Let''s keep walking and see. Be careful, though. Last time we encountered a big snake."


    Ming Mei replied, "You think encountering one is easy? Sure, they''re scary, but they''re not exactlymon."


    That was true. Despite being dangerous, they weren''t exactly everywhere.


    Ming Mei added, "There''s another possibility."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What?"


    Ming Mei said seriously, "I think there might be some kind of fierce animal around here, which is why rabbits and wild chickens aren''ting this way."


    This wasn''t just her specting; she had a real suspicion.


    Last time they had such a rich catch, but this time, they had nothing, which didn''t make sense.


    Ming Mei continued, "I think there might really be a more powerful animal around, scaring away the smaller ones."


    Suddenly, she said with a shiver, "What if there are tigers, lions, bears, or leopards?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched, and he was momentarily speechless.


    He had married a naive wife.


    Was that even possible?


    This was a small mountain near the suburbs.


    Suburbs!


    Small mountain!


    Not Northeast China, not Southwest China.


    Tigers, lions, bears, leopards?


    Come on, what are you dreaming about?


    Such rare animals wouldn''t be found here.


    This small mountain near the suburbs wasn''t the kind of ce where such creatures would roam.


    Sure, they had been here for a while, but this area was still within the boundaries of the city. ces like this might hide a snake, but a tiger?


    The nearby suburban viges would have reported it long ago if there were any.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s expression was so incredulous that Ming Mei pouted, "What, you don''t believe me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Do you believe it yourself?"


    Ming Mei''s eyes flickered, and she said, "Why shouldn''t I believe it?"


    She huffed, "I think..."


    "Wait."


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly interrupted.


    Ming Mei looked up, "What is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Did you hear that rustling sound?"


    Ming Mei tilted her head slightly, and Zhuang Zhixi said, "Listen carefully."


    Ming Mei remained silent for a moment before softly replying, "I think I hear something."


    This wasn''t a joke; she genuinely heard a sound. Immediately, Ming Mei thought of her earlier words and whispered, "Don''t scare yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let''s find a ce to hide first. Something might be wrong."


    He still remembered the time they encountered that giant snake. Although they managed to sell it for money, he really didn''t want to reminisce about it. The two exchanged nces and quickly found a more suitable hiding spot.


    Yes, a position that would make it easier to escape.


    "What do you think it is?" Zhuang Zhixi asked his wife in a hushed tone.


    Ming Mei suggested, "Maybe I should climb a tree and take a look. I might be able to see something."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately objected, "No, what if a snake is coiled around the tree?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She carefully examined the tree and firmly said, "There''s nothing."


    This man sure knows how to scare people.


    Without hesitation, she started climbing the tree. The trees here were much easier to climb than the ones in the city. Since no one usually came to such high mountains to cut trees, the forest was dense with plenty of branches. Ming Mei found a good foothold and quickly scaled the tree.


    Zhuang Zhixi warned, "Be careful."


    "I know," Ming Mei replied cheerfully, then ced her hand over her eyes to survey the area, focusing on the direction from which the sound hade.


    "Did you see anything?"


    Ming Mei replied, "Nothing."


    From her high vantage point, her field of vision had widened considerably.


    "If there''s nothing, we should leave this area. Uncertain situations..."


    "Holy crap!" Ming Mei suddenly eximed, her voice filled with shock.


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What happened?"


    Ming Mei stammered, "I-I saw... I saw a wild boar!"


    No wonder there were no small animals around; they must have all fled to avoid this wild boar.


    But do wild boars eat rabbits and pheasants?


    She wasn''t sure.


    Still, it didn''t stop Ming Mei from specting.


    She was utterly stunned, muttering, "Why would there be a wild boar in these mountains?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly asked, "Is it far from here? Get down quickly; we need to leave."


    If it was a wild boar, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t dare to confront it. Although the venomous snake they had encountered before was dangerous, as long as they didn''t get bitten, there was still a chance. But this wild boar was different.


    Wild boars were not like domestic pigs. After years of roaming the forest, their hides were incredibly thick.


    Even with a kitchen knife, they might not be able to cut through it. The de could break, but the boar would remain unharmed. Moreover, wild boars had tusks. Zhuang Zhixi was firm: "Get down quickly; we need to leave."


    He had no intention of hunting such a formidable beast.


    Hunting required absolute dominance over the prey. Without that, he didn''t approve of taking such risks.


    Ming Mei didn''t argue. She said, "Alright, let''s hurry back and warn everyone. I think our mother, Zhao Guihua, needs to be more careful when shees here. This ce isn''t very safe. I originally thought there was nothing, but now it seems there''s quite a bit."


    They had already encountered two dangerous animals.


    It was strange, though. When Zhao Guihua came alone, she never encountered such beasts. But Ming Mei had only been up the mountain twice, and both times she had run into them. She muttered as she climbed down the tree, "Do I have some unresolved karma with them?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Who knows?"


    He helped Ming Mei down and said, "Let''s hurry."


    Ming Mei reassured him, "Don''t worry too much; it''s still a bit far from here."


    It was fortunate that they had sharp ears; if they had gotten closer before realizing, that would have been dangerous. As it was, there was still a considerable distance, and the trees in between might prevent the boar from reaching them.


    Ming Mei sighed, "If only we had a hunting rifle. We could take it down in one shot. That boar looks pretty fat; that''s a lot of pork."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "We don''t. Don''t get any ideas; just follow me."


    Ming Mei smiled and followed. She hadn''t really intended to take down the boar; she was just venting. But it seemed Zhuang Zhixi took her seriously. Had she been too bold in the past?


    She hooked her arm through Zhuang Zhixi''s and said, "Let''s go back and spread the word, then find another spot to continue..."


    "Bang!"


    A loud noise echoed, followed by several more: "Bang bang bang."


    Not only did the sounde from a distance, but there were also noises from the wild boar.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei froze in their tracks.


    Someone was hunting the wild boar!


    Ming Mei quickly realized what was happening. "Someone''s using a gun," she said without waiting for Zhuang Zhixi to respond. She swiftly climbed the tree again, moving like a nimble monkey.


    She immediately looked toward the direction of the boar, as it was obvious the sounds were aimed at it. She quickly climbed up and surveyed the scene. In the distance, she saw a group of teenagers, around seventeen or eighteen years old, surrounding the boar. Two of them were holding guns that made popping sounds, while the others carried long knives, clearly prepared for this hunt.


    They were well-equipped.


    The wild boar had already copsed, killed on the spot.


    Ming Mei eximed, "Wow, someone actually brought a gun up the mountain. I wonder whose mischievous kids these are."


    Zhuang Zhixi began climbing the tree as well, though not as agile as Ming Mei. He wasn''t entirely useless, but he wasn''t as skilled. Still, he was determined to see the situation for himself, rather than relying solely on Ming Mei''s reports.


    Ming Mei continued to narrate from above.


    She said, "They''re really excited; they''re jumping around. But they don''t look like local kids; more like sons of officials from the city."


    In this era, one could tell a lot about someone just by their clothes.


    Zhuang Zhixi, while climbing,mented, "That makes sense. There are no hunters around here; you''d have to go deep into the mountains for that."


    "They''re making a stretcher to carry the boar down the mountain. That boar looks huge; they''re in for a feast," Ming Mei said with envy, though not out of jealousy. Their family didn''t have such advanced weapons. If they had only a kitchen knife, Ming Mei didn''t believe they could seed. It just wasn''t realistic. She might be quick, but she wasn''t invincible.


    Ming Mei sighed, "That''s nice."


    Zhuang Zhixi consoled her, "We can''t envy them. They have the tools to take down a wild boar. We''re unarmed; do you expect us to punch it? We can''t win. Honey, you''re already very capable. Let''s not dream about that big boar. Instead, we should focus on finding rabbits or pheasants. They still need our care."


    Ming Mei nodded, "That makes sense. Hmm?"


    She let out a questioning sound and said, "They''re cutting off the pig''s tail and trotters and throwing them away. What wasteful kids! That''s meat; how can they just throw it away?"


    She was heartbroken, as if it were her own pig.


    Zhuang Zhixi was also surprised and asked, "Cutting them off?"


    Ming Mei confirmed, "Yes, they''re still cutting them. I can see it. Oh, they''ve re-tied the pig and are moving it. But earlier, one of the boys wanted to cut off the pig''s head, but the others stopped him."


    Zhuang Zhixi was puzzled and muttered, "Why would they do that?"


    He finally managed to climb high enough to share Ming Mei''s view. Upon seeing the group of teenagers, he chuckled and understood their reasoning. He said, "They''re cutting those parts off to lighten the load as they carry the boar down the mountain."


    He paused and added, "I guess they considered cutting off the head too, but they probably wanted to keep it as proof of their sess in hunting a wild boar."


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that his guess was probably right. These young boys didn''t look like grown men at all; at first nce, they seemed to be only fourteen or fifteen years old. It was a tough situation for them to be staring down a massive wild boar weighing over 200 pounds as it came down the mountain. Even with a group, they would have a hard time handling it.


    Admittedly, they were quite clever to cut some corners.


    Instead of struggling for a long time, stumbling and barely managing to get the boar down the mountain, it was undoubtedly better to do it this way. If they could let go of the less meaty pig''s head, it would be even better, but it was clear they weren''t willing to part with it. So, they had to settle for discarding the tail and trotters.


    Poor pig''s tail, so tiny, what weight could it possibly add? It''s like picking on the tail.


    But then again, these fourteen or fifteen-year-old boys, even twenty-something adults like them didn''t really understand either.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What a waste! Pig trotters are so delicious. Boiled and dipped in soy sauce, they''re amazing; roasted until slightly crispy and sprinkled with chili powder, they''re also fantastic. If you cut them into pieces and stew them with radish, the vor is out of this world. Let me tell you, if we had pig trotters at home, we could make¡­"


    Ah, can''t keep talking, the more I talk, the hungrier I get.


    Slurp!


    Seriously, the more I think about it, the more delicious it seems.


    He was already starting to drool.


    Ming Mei whispered: "When my sister-inw was nursing her baby, she used pig trotters. Stewed with soybeans, simmered over high heat, then low¡­ Mmm, so delicious! Even the soybeans inside had a delicious meaty vor, with a hint of the unique aroma of beans. It''s not at all inferior to the meat."


    The two gluttons exchanged a nce, and suddenly, Ming Mei said, "Let''s go pick up the scraps."


    Zhuang Zhixi spoke at the same time: "Let''s go pick up the scraps."


    The two of them, almost in unison, really were a couple with a mutual understanding.


    They both burst outughing simultaneously. Ming Mei yfully scolded, "I didn''t expect you to think the same as me. So, shall we go now? They''ve thrown away the stuff, which means they don''t want it anymore. We can pick it up and it won''t go to waste."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Resources are quite tight right now. Since we''ve seen it, we can''t be the ones wasting pig trotters. We have to cherish every grain of food and every piece of meat."


    The two of them spoke so earnestly, but really, they were just hungry.


    They both swallowed hard. Ming Mei urged, "Quick, quick, let''s get down. Otherwise, if other animals take it, we''ll have run all this way for nothing."


    "Okay."


    Despite Zhuang Zhixi''s slow climb up the tree, the mention of food made him surprisingly agile. He slid down smoothly, plopped onto the ground, didn''t even feel the pain, and quickly got up, brushing off the grass from his clothes. "Let''s go, do you know the way?"


    He wasn''t as good at finding his way as Ming Mei.


    Ming Mei proudly nodded. Was this not knowing the way typical of Ming Mei, who came from a family of drivers?


    Of course not!


    She waved her hand confidently, exuding a sense of boldness. "Follow me!"


    The two of them didn''t care about anything else and hurried toward the good stuff. These were items that couldn''t even be bought at the grocery store. If they missed out, they''d be the biggest fools under the heavens.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei held hands, like a couple of mountain rangers, dashing forward without fear of fatigue or hardship.


    Pig trotters, here Ie!


    Pig''s tail, I''ming!


    Charge!

 Chapter 76

    <h1>Chapter 76</h1>


    The potential of a person is limitless.


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that even when he was a child and secretly followed his older brother and sister, he had never run this fast. But thinking that aheady pig trotters, he felt that he could still manage to push himself a bit more, or even twice more. After all, those were rare pig trotters, something they couldn''t usually buy.


    The two of them were panting heavily, though in reality, it was just Zhuang Zhixi who was panting. Ming Mei''s breathing was steady and strong.


    Working in the medical office, Zhuang Zhixi was more of a ckerpared to Ming Mei, who spent her days selling tickets on buses, constantly walking up and down. However, this didn''t dampen his enthusiasm. He quickly followed his wife, and the two of them finally reached their destination.


    It was undeniable that their speed had yed a significant role.


    When they arrived, no animals had shown up yet. Of course, it might also be because there were no fierce animals like tigers or wolves on this mountain. Zhuang Zhixi quickly picked up the four pig trotters and the pig tail, cing them in the basket. He was so excited that he almost wanted to dance: "Oh, look at our luck! Did we just score a jackpot?"


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh. "Of course."


    This time, they had truly encountered something good¡ªsomething that was hard toe by. It was rare to hear of anyone being so lucky as to score such a great find. The joy of scoring a jackpot was beyond imagination.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked around and remarked, "They must have been here specifically to hunt this wild boar."


    Ming Mei: "How do you know?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Look at the surroundings. It''s perfect for ambushing, and those kids brought such dangerous things up the mountain. They must have been well-prepared."


    Ming Mei observed and nodded in agreement with Zhuang Zhixi''s words. She sighed, "I think..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hmm?"


    Ming Mei: "They were probably here to kill the wild boar, and it has nothing to do with us. It''s best that the wild boar was taken down. Otherwise, such a fierce creature could easily injure people. Mother often goes up the mountain, and if she encountered it, it would be bad. Fortunately, it''s been taken care of."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly."


    The two of them rxed. At that moment, Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes suddenly wandered. He said, "Wife, do you think they can carry it?"


    Ming Mei: "I doubt it."


    This wasn''t about looking down on them. Although today they encountered five young boys, they all looked quite young. Even if they took turns carrying the wild boar, it wasn''t some small pig. Even Ming Mei could tell that the wild boar must weigh over 200 pounds.


    Carrying it for a while might be fine, but getting it into the city would be quite challenging.


    Ming Mei hesitated and said, "What are you thinking?"


    Truly, a wife knows her husband best.


    She stared at Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re not thinking of continuing to score another jackpot, are you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why not?"


    He rubbed his hands together: "I think they''ll get tired and probably cut off the pig''s head. Even though it''s not cut now, I think they''ll give up on the head sooner orter."


    Ming Mei: "But what if we get seen by them?"


    Young people have a lot of energy, and if a conflict arises, it wouldn''t be good.


    She wasn''t afraid of fighting, but beating up bad people was one thing; picking on kids was another.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We''ll quietly follow behind. After they cut off the head, there''s nothing else to cut. We''ll pick up the head and leave."


    Ming Mei made the decision: "Let''s do it."


    The two quickly followed the footsteps. These boys were heading directly down the mountain, but they weren''t taking the same path up the mountain as Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi. Instead, they were taking another route. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei followed closely. Ming Mei: "Hey, look."


    She pointed and saw a clump of wood ear mushrooms.


    Ming Mei: "These are delicious. Let''s pick them on the way back."


    "Alright."


    The two continued to follow. Zhuang Zhixi: "If we go down this way, it''s a bit farther from the city."


    Ming Mei: "Maybe they''re not kids from the city?"


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t sure. He said, "Who knows? Looking at their clothes, they should be. But never mind, let''s not worry about them. We... hey, look, the pig''s head!"


    Their prediction was correct. By the halfway point on the mountain, the pig''s head had already been cut off. It seemed they had taken a long time to do it, as the marks were still fresh. The two decisively scored another jackpot.


    Ming Mei was thoroughly satisfied. Although they hadn''t hunted the wild boar themselves, being able to pick up so many good things without doing anything was quite a joy.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If we could meet kids like this every time we go up the mountain, I think we could live a good life without doing anything."


    Ming Mei teased: "You''re dreaming."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Of ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????course, he was dreaming.


    Such good fortune onlyes once in a blue moon.


    This was because the boys were young. If they had been hunters or vigers, they wouldn''t have had a chance to score such a find.


    "Let''s go. We''ll head back."


    Swish, swish, swish.


    A sound came from nearby. Ming Mei immediately said, "There''s movement."


    A wild chicken appeared. Ming Mei''s hand was faster than her mind. The kitchen knife in her hand flew out and hit the wild chicken, which fell to the ground, instantly dead.


    Ming Mei: "Wow, I''m so amazing."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "p, p!"


    Ming Mei chuckled. The two quickly picked up the wild chicken. Ming Mei said, "See, I told you there were fierce animals around, which is why the smaller animals ran away. Now that the wild boar is dead, the wild chicken came out."


    Zhuang Zhixi was puzzled: "Wild boars don''t eat wild chickens, do they?"


    The two city-bred kids were deeply pondering the question of whether wild boars eat wild chickens.


    However, there''s nothing that can''t be solved by giving up.


    It wasn''t a big deal, so they quickly stopped thinking about it.


    "Let''s go back and pick the wood ear mushrooms."


    The two quickly headed back.


    "It really is true that you can live off thend. Do you think the viges at the foot of the mountain know there are so many good things here?" Ming Mei sighed. Zhuang Zhixi nced at his wife and said, "Of course they know."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought more clearly than his mother on this matter. He said, "There are no viges directly next to this mountain. The closest ones are a bit of a distance away, but not too far. Even so, it doesn''t stop them froming up the mountain. It''s a bit far for us city folks, but for them, it''s not too bad. They definitely know. Otherwise, where did all the mountain goods sold at the old pigeon markete from? But now, with stricter regtions, everyone is more careful."


    Ming Mei agreed with this view, but she also said, "But if they alle up the mountain, why are there still so many good things here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This mountain isn''t very high, but if only one or two vigese to pick, it shouldn''t bepletely stripped bare, right?"


    Ming Mei: "That''s true."


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "I even think that the pond our mother found might be known by others. But like us, they don''t dare to catch too much. They don''t have the conditions. After all, it''s not easy to find the right bnce."


    Catching too much could be used of overharvesting.


    If you try to hide itpletely, it''s not easy. If you try to sell it on the ck market, it''s risky. So if others have also found this pond but are taking it slow, that wouldn''t be surprising.


    Ming Mei: "Well done, Zhuang Zhixi. I think you have a good way of looking at things."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "That''s right. You should know who I am. I''m quite capable."


    This man was boasting again, not at all shy. He was quite calm, saying, "I think that although I may not be as strong as you physically, when ites to using my brain, I''m notcking at all."


    After saying this, he even pped for himself,ughing, "Hey, aren''t we a perfect match¡ªone strong, one smart?"


    Ming Mei: "Pfft."


    She poked Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder and said, "Stop it, don''t be so full of yourself."


    "How am I being cheeky? Everything I said is true."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei finished packing up thest of the wood ears and said, "Let''s head back. We''ve walked quite far, so let''s start making our way back."


    The distance they had covered was indeed considerable. While they hadn''t felt it much during their run and chase, now that they had stopped, the vast distance became apparent. Ming Mei eximed, "What a wonderful day!"


    She jokingly said, "Do you think if we encountered a venomous snake likest time, we''d strike it rich?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t scare me like that."


    He pretended to be frightened, saying, "I''m not as brave as you. Sure, making money would be great, but I prefer a bit more stability. If this kind of thing happened a few more times, I''d be scared to death."


    Ming Mei giggled, and Zhuang Zhixi pouted, "Are youughing at me?"


    Ming Mei replied cheerfully, "Not at all."


    Whether she was telling the truth or not, only she knew. However, her eyes, brimming withughter, gave her away. It was clear she was teasing him.


    Zhuang Zhixi said "menacingly," "Just you wait. I''ll deal with you tonight."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph, I''m not scared of you."


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Then don''t beg for mercy."


    Ming Mei''s cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "When have I ever begged for mercy? I won''t stoop to your level."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    She pouted, "What do you mean by that? You''re ''hehe''-ing at me."


    Thisugh sounded quite annoying.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wife, aren''t you being a bit too bossy? I can''t even ''hehe'' without you getting upset."


    He pulled Ming Mei closer and said, "Given your bad behavior, I''ve decided to teach you a lesson twice tonight."


    Ming Mei pped Zhuang Zhixi''s hand, and he pretended to cry out in pain, "You''re bullying me like this? Waaah, I knew you were a bad person. Tonight, I''m going to teach you a lesson three times..."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    This man was truly shameless.


    She decided not to engage with him and quickly took a few steps forward.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Why are you walking so fast? Wait for me, wife."


    The more he said, the faster Ming Mei walked.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My lovely wife, if you keep this up, I''ll have to do it four times..."


    Ming Mei was speechless. She stopped and challenged him, "Four times? Are you sure? Are you sure you have the stamina?"


    She mockingly looked him up and down and snorted, "You''re bragging."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "!!!"


    He stared at his wife in shock. Had he just been mocked?


    Well, he couldn''t let this stand. He dered firmly, "Tonight, I''ll show you!"


    With a fierce expression.


    Ming Mei: "Hehe."


    She let out a coldugh.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, you can doubt myziness or my stamina, but you can''t doubt my abilities."


    Ming Mei: "Heh."


    Herugh was incredibly mocking.


    Zhuang Zhixi: ...He couldn''t stand this. As a man, you could say whatever you wanted about him, but you couldn''t say he wasn''t capable. He was definitely capable, as he had proven himself before. He felt very wronged and wanted to prove himself again.


    "When we get home..."


    He couldn''t prove himself right now, so he could only make empty threats.


    Ming Mei: "Comrade Zhuang Zhixi, as a... oh, forget it~"


    Suddenly, Ming Mei darted past Zhuang Zhixi and shot off like a rocket. Her movements were incredibly fast, like a rabbit on the run. Ming Mei dashed forward, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed. In a few quick steps, Ming Mei had captured their prey¡ªa wild goat.


    Ming Mei held the goat down and called, "Quick,e help!"


    The wild goat wasn''t as quick or agile as a wild chicken or rabbit. It hadn''t managed to escape much when Ming Mei pounced on it. She quickly grabbed some willow branches and tied it up.


    There were plenty of willow trees on the mountain, which was quite convenient. At least when encountering a prey, they had something to use.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly helped his wife tie up the goat. Both of them were a bit disheveled, but the joy of their catch was overwhelming. Ming Mei shook Zhuang Zhixi''s arm and eximed, "We''re rich, we''re rich!"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, fully agreeing. He muttered, "Our luck is really good, isn''t it?"


    Ming Mei pointed to her nose and said, "It''s my luck."


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed with this. His mother had been to the mountain many times, and even his sister-inw had gone with her, but they had never had such a big catch. However, every time Ming Mei went to the mountain, she had great luck.


    Moreover, it seemed that this luck was exclusively Ming Mei''s. For example, if it were him, his mother, or his brother... they probably wouldn''t have been as quick or skilled as Ming Mei in capturing a venomous snake or a wild goat.


    They might not even have been able to spot a wild boar''s hoofprint, let alone catch one.


    Their estimation of the location and the actual spot could be vastly different.


    But with Ming Mei around, everything was different.


    Ming Mei had an impable sense of direction and could navigate the mountain paths easily. Her highbat skills also made her a reliable partner. Zhuang Zhixi, who was less skilled in this area, felt very safe and secure by his wife''s side.


    "Wife, you''re amazing."


    Ming Mei: "Of course I am."


    She was so proud she could hardly contain herself. "I didn''t expect my luck to be this good. Who knew this silly goat would just pop out like that?"


    Although the wild goat had only briefly shown itself, Ming Mei had spotted it instantly. Her eyes were like magnifying sses, always sharp and urate.


    Ming Mei chuckled and said, "Let''s go. Today, we''re going to have a great feast and decide how to handle this goat. Should we kill it or keep it alive?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We have to kill it. There''s no ce to keep it, and if you try to raise it in the yard, you can bet someone will report you."


    He was quite clear about this.


    It wasn''t that people were inherently malicious, but everyone was like this.


    Where did this goate from? How did it end up here? People were very suspicious.


    Ming Mei frowned, "But if we kill it, with this hot weather, it won''t keep well."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s leave it to Comrade Zhao Guihua when we get back. I wonder if providing such a big wild goat will exempt us from paying our living expenses for a few months. Didn''t we agree that small game like wild chickens and rabbits would be shared, but bigger catches like this would belong to the individual?"


    Ming Meiughed, teasing, "Oh, look at you. Once you got married, your loyalty shifted."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How is that shifting loyalty? Isn''t my sister-inw looking out for herself too?"


    He spread his hands, "I''m married now, so of course, I have to think about my own family."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly, "You''re... something else."


    She scratched her head as they walked, "Do you think your mom will think I''ve corrupted you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi stood tall and confidently said, "That''s impossible. My mom knows what kind of person I am. If anything, it''s me who''s corrupting you, not the other way around. To be honest, in other families, they might me the daughter-inw, but you can rest assured with my family. My mom might have a bad temper, but in this regard, you can trust herpletely. She knows me better than anyone."


    Ming Mei: "You''re quite proud of yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why shouldn''t I be? I''m not doing anything wrong."


    Ming Mei: "That''s true."


    Everyone looked out for their own family.


    They were doing fine now, but once they had kids, everything would cost money.


    Ming Mei scratched her head, recalling her mother-inw''s words¡ªchildren were money-sucking monsters.


    Ming Mei didn''t fully understand, but she was greatly impressed.


    This was the reality of raising children¡ªit was expensive.


    As Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi walked back along the path, Ming Mei spoke softly. Don''t let her strongbat skills fool you; she still had a bit of her mother''s gentle nature. She spoke in a soft, sweet voice that made her seem easy to take advantage of, but anyone who knew her even a little bit understood the truth.


    In these times, there were no truly weak people.


    Ming Mei: "Do you think they''ll have any luck?"


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite reasonable: "My dad will definitely catch something. He has a knack for fishing, and there are plenty of fish in this pond. He won''te back empty-handed. As for the others... I''m not so sure. My older brother and sister-inw have been to the mountains many times, but they''ve always followed my mom''s lead. If they''re on their own, I can''t predict how well they''ll do."


    He spoke frankly: "Wild rabbits and chickens are hard to catch. My mom managed to catch some before because she used a strategy. You caught yours because of your speed and precision. But my older brother and sister-inw... to be honest, I don''t have much hope for them. They''ll probably just pick some wild fruit. Look, they''re taking advantage of me again. I mayin a lot, but I''m the one who always ends up losing out. Can''t a person who loses outin?"


    Ming Mei chuckled softly.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I used to take advantage of him when I was a kid, and now I''ve paid him back in full."


    He sounded quite resentful.


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi in surprise and said, "What did you do when you were a kid? Come on, tell me so I canugh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Ming Mei: "Tell me, tell me."


    She really wanted to know about Zhuang Zhixi''s childhood.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "When I was a kid..."


    He drew out the words, and Ming Mei urged, "Go on."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and then said, "I was actually a good kid."


    No one believed that.


    "I really was a good kid. I didn''t cause much trouble, but I was pretty clingy with my older brother and sister. They were older, so they didn''t like having me as a tagalong, but I always managed to keep up. They couldn''t shake me off no matter what. Back then, our family was poor, and there wasn''t much to eat. My brother and sister would often find ways to get food outside. Come to think of it, Hutou is a bit like my older sister. She would eat anything, even wild vegetables, and once almost got food poisoning. Luckily, it was just a scare and she was fine. They would pick fruit, catch sparrows, or get a small fish from the river, and they never ate alone... not that they didn''t want to. Those two always tried to sneak a bite, but they could never escape my sharp eyes. I was always sticking to them, so I usually got most of the share. If they didn''t give it to me, I would cry. They ended up splitting a small portion between them, and I got therger share. If I didn''t get my way, I would cry, and my older brother and sister would get scolded because of me."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    This kid really seemed a bit annoying.


    "When I was little, my mom would divide the food equally among us. Every time she did, I would quickly stuff my share into my mouth and then look pitifully at my older brother and sister, with tears in my eyes. I would act as miserable as possible. My older sister saw through my tricks after a few times and started stuffing her food quickly too. But my older brother... every time, he would give me half of his share. Later, when he got older and could find food on his own, I ended up taking even more advantage of him. Hehe."


    He sighed, "My older brother was really good to me before he got married."


    Ming Mei: "So you don''t like your sister-inw because you''re jealous. You''re jealous that she took your brother away from you."


    Zhuang Zhixi pouted: "I''m not like that."


    Ming Mei: "You totally are."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "I''m really not. I may be a bit petty, but you can''t say that about me. It''s hurtful."


    Ming Mei grinned: "Are you sure?"


    Zhuang Zhixi spoke firmly: "Of course not. The main reason is that she has no boundaries when ites to helping her family and even tried to scheme against me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t care. Honey, you can''t misunderstand me."


    Ming Mei: "I didn''t."


    As they walked and talked, the journey didn''t seem long at all.


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had a fruitful day, and Zhuang Zhiyuan''s prediction turned out to be spot on. Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen didn''t catch any game, but they still had a decent harvest. Besides picking a lot of wild cherries, they also found arge patch of mushrooms, though they were just themon kind.


    Still, it was quite good. After all, as long as they weren''t poisonous, they could eat them.


    Mushrooms were a great find. In the winter, fresh vegetables were scarce and mostly limited to cabbage and radishes. They had learned how to make pickled cabbage from Auntie Wang, which added another dish to their menu.


    But mushrooms would be a nice addition. They could be stewed in the winter, offering a change of taste.


    The couple picked for a long time and then, under the sun, headed back. Zhuang Zhiyuan was in high spirits: "I bet our harvest is even better than Zhixi''s."


    He was unusually chatty: "Last time they caught a wild chicken and rabbit, he bragged about it to me at least ten times. I don''t believe they''ll always be so lucky. This time, it''s our turn to brag."


    His smile was radiant, but Liang Meifen wasn''t as optimistic. She whispered, "I think Sister-inw Ming Mei is quite capable."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yeah, I know that, but they have toe across the animals first. I don''t think there are that many wild rabbits on the mountain. We haven''t seen a single one all morning."


    Liang Meifen: "Uh..."


    She timidly said, "I saw one. It dashed by so fast, it was gone in a sh."


    "Hmm? Did you?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan hadn''t seen it, but Liang Meifen had. The rabbit had moved like a sprinter, vanishing in an instant. Before she could react to chase it, it was already out of sight.


    She was quite frustrated.


    "Yes, it was too fast. We didn''t even have time to react before it was gone."


    "See? It''s not easy to catch."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    But, but, for Ming Mei, wasn''t it easy to catch?


    Liang Meifen wanted to argue, but seeing her husband so cheerful, she swallowed her words.


    She was conflicted. On one hand, she hoped Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had a big harvest so they could benefit from it. But on the other hand, she didn''t want them to have a big harvest because... she nced at her husband. He would be disappointed, wouldn''t he?


    Seeing him so happy now, she really didn''t know what to hope for.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen walked back together. Compared to Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, who chatted all the way, they were much quieter. This was the difference between an old married couple and a newlywed one. As for Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang, who were even older, they were quite harmonious.


    They had their tasks divided, and after a morning''s work, both Zhuang Zhiyuan''s and Zhuang Zhixi''s families had good harvests, and their side was no exception.


    Old Man Zhuang caught quite a few fish, and Zhao Guihua roasted some, giving each child one. The fish had many bones, so Zhao Guihua carefully watched the two kids eat. After they finished, she didn''t give them more. However, for the kids, getting a fish as a snack for picking up some firewood and wild vegetables was quite a treat.


    Hutou asked cheerfully, "Granny, what should we do with the fish we caught at home?"


    Zhao Guihua: "We''ll roast one each for lunch today, and the rest we''ll take home to make dried salted fish."


    Hutou nodded happily: "Salted fish is good too."


    Zhao Guihua looked at Hutou and thought how easy it was to please kids these days. As long as there was food, everything was fine. Hutou got married quitete. When his child was born, she was already quite old and couldn''t take care of the baby. By the time the child could run, jump, and eat on their own, it was already the 1990s.


    She couldn''t take care of the child, but she lived with Hutou, and his wife hired a nanny because she couldn''t manage alone.


    Even with several people taking care of the child, mealtime was always a struggle.


    The child wouldn''t eat this, wouldn''t eat that.


    Just for eating, little Hutou got scolded a lot.


    It was a struggle to get kids to eat these days. Life had gotten better, and it seemed like kids had started to be picky eaters. Now that times were tough, kids would eat anything. Zhao Guihua barely noticed in the corner of her eye that Xiao Yanzi was up to something and shouted, "Xiao Yanzi!"


    Xiao Yanzi, who had been about to pop some wild greens into her mouth, dropped them instantly to the ground.


    Zhao Guihua sighed and tapped her forehead. "What are you doing eating that?"


    Xiao Yanzi''s eyes sparkled. "I just wanted to taste it."


    "Eating it raw like that will upset your stomach. You need to nch it and dip it in sauce at home." Zhao Guihua was exasperated. She couldn''t take her eyes off these kids for a second before they started shoving things into their mouths. "Don''t you remember what happened to your brother when he ate those wild berries by the road? He ended up in the hospital. If you don''t listen, you''ll end up there too, taking the nastiest medicine and getting the most painful shots."


    Xiao Yanzi''s face turned serious immediately. "Xiao Yanzi will be good. Xiao Yanzi won''t eat random things."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "If you get sick, you''ll get shots."


    Xiao Yanzi instantly became well-behaved. No kid liked taking medicine or getting shots.


    "Besides, if you fill up on this now, what will you do when there''s meat for lunch?" Zhao Guihua had a bit of blind faith in Ming Mei. "Maybe they''lle back with a wild chicken or rabbit. Do you like meat or grass better?"


    Xiao Yanzi was decisive. "Meat!"


    She wasn''t a little rabbit; why would she like grass?


    She loved meat, especially rabbit meat.


    The little girl''s mouth watered as she swallowed hard, and Hutou also started to daydream.


    They hadn''t been idle this morning. They had helped dig wild greens, gather firewood for lunch, and done many other things. If it weren''t for the grilled fish they had eaten halfway through, he would be starving by now.


    Hutou patted his stomach and said, "Grandma, when are we having lunch? I''m hungry."


    "Xiao Yanzi is hungry too."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Wait a bit. They haven''te back yet. Those guys have been out for quite a while."


    "Mom, we''re back!" Zhuang Zhiyuan and the others arrived first. Seeing Zhao Guihua, they excitedly showed off their haul. "Mom, look at our good catch! We got a lot of mountain cherries and mushrooms. If we dry these mushrooms, they''ll be perfect for stewing with chicken."


    Zhao Guihua eximed, "Oh, that''s great!"


    Hutou asked, "Dad, where''s the chicken? Chicken, chicken?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    Who would have thought that his own son would be the one to call him out? What a disappointment.


    "The chicken... we''ll get itter."


    Hutou looked suspiciously at his dad. He wasn''t a four or five-year-old easily fooled child anymore.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan coughed awkwardly. "What are you looking at? Do you have a problem? There are no wild chickens in the mountains. Even if there were, do you know how hard it is to catch them? They''re not like domestic chickens; wild chickens are tough. They don''t just run; they can fly. It''s incredibly difficult to catch them. It''s not that we didn''t try; there just aren''t any."


    "What''s not there?" Zhuang Zhixi''s voice came from behind, and they returned almost at the same time as Zhuang Zhiyuan, though from a different direction.


    "Uncle, my dad said there are no wild chickens in the mountains. I... huh?"


    Hutou''s voice trailed off.


    Everyone''s gaze froze.


    It was Zhao Guihua who reacted first, eximing in surprise, "Where did you get a goat from?"


    She was utterly shocked.


    There were goats in these mountains?


    She remembered hearing in her previous life that there wasn''t much in these mountains.


    Where did this rumore from?


    She stared in disbelief at her youngest son and daughter-inw, her gaze finally settling on Ming Mei. "Where did you catch it?"


    Not "you," but "you."


    As a mother, she knew her son well.


    It couldn''t have been Zhuang Zhixi; it must have been Ming Mei''s doing.


    Ming Mei replied, "In the mountains, of course. We went quite far, hehe."


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but give her a thumbs up. "You''re really something."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at each other, murmuring, "Are we going to have goat to eat?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded. "Yes, we''ll have goat. Isn''t your auntie amazing?"


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded quickly, gazing at their auntie with admiration, thinking she was the most amazing person in the world. No one else couldpare¡ªnot their mom, dad, or even grandpa.


    Well... Grandma could be amazing too, but she didn''t catch the goat, so Auntie was still the best.


    Hutou asked, "Auntie, are you a fairy?"


    Ming Mei grinned proudly, lifting her chin. "If you want to say that, I won''t object."


    Her smug expression made everyoneugh. Zhao Guihua sighed, "This goat is really something."


    She was rummaging through the baskets when she suddenly saw a big pig''s head. This startled Zhao Guihua.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan peeked over. "What the...!"


    Even a gentleman couldn''t help but swear.


    "Where did thise from?"


    Zhuang Zhixi perked up, immediatelyunching into the story of how they found the wild boar, got scared, and were about to leave when they heard a loud noise. He was a great storyteller, turning a simple event into a thrilling tale that had everyone wide-eyed.


    Zhao Guihua asked, "So, did a few guys with guns take it down?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan added, "They couldn''t carry it, so they chopped off the limbs and head and left it?"


    Liang Meifen eximed, "What a waste! Such good stuff!"


    Old Man Zhuang, who had stopped fishing, genuinely marveled, "You guys sure have great luck."


    The two kids didn''t understand much, but they knew that someone had left this behind. Their big, confused heads wondered why anyone would leave such delicious meat behind. Could it be that there were people in the world who didn''t like meat?


    Inconceivable!


    Everyone was shocked, each with their own thoughts.


    But Zhao Guihua thought even more.


    Based on the description, it sounded a lot like the group of young men from the bigpound who, in her previous life, had discovered a fishpond and caught a lot of fish, then proudly marched into the city.


    It wasn''t just a guess; there was solid evidence. First, the timing was about right¡ªit was around the same time in her previous life. Second, these kids were quite boastful, just like the ones from her past. Most people would keep such good fortune to themselves, but these guys loved to show off, proudly taking the bus and telling anyone who asked about their luck. This had led to the area being quickly depleted.


    If just one or two, or even ten or eight people came to catch fish, it wouldn''t have much impact. Like Zhao Guihua and her family, who came every day near the end of the year, catching fish for almost a month and selling them, it didn''t dry up the area.


    It was only whenrge numbers of people came¡ªcity folk, rural folk¡ªthat the fish were all caught, even the small fry, turning the pond into a dry basin.


    This time, if they returned so proudly and were seen, more people would likelye into the mountains.


    Even if they didn''t show off, if others saw the pond and knew there were fish... it might end up the same as her previous life.


    Regardless, Zhao Guihua was determined. "We have to catch as many fish as we can today. Old Man Zhuang, from tomorrow on, you and I wille here to fish. If necessary, we''ll sets. We have to catch as many fish as possible."


    Liang Meifen didn''t quite understand but nodded obediently.


    As for her husband Zhuang Zhiyuan, he was the type who didn''t understand but still had to ask: "Mom, why are you in such a hurry? It''s not good to bring back too much. It''s better to take it slow."


    Zhao Guihua retorted: "Do you think I don''t want to take it slow? If more people start going up the mountain, what''s the point of taking it slow? Maybe it''ll all end up in someone else''s hands."


    "More people going up the mountain?"


    Zhao Guihua rubbed her forehead. This eldest son of hers, though he looked smart, was actually quite clueless. He always spouted big theories, but when it came to these little details, he just couldn''t figure them out. She was speechless, but still exined: "Do you think those few guys carrying a wild boar into the city won''t be seen? Once everyone knows there are wild boars on this mountain, there will always be those who are daring. Do you think this pond will stay hidden forever? Now that no one knows, but once more people find out, will this still be ours?"


    "Uh, you''re right."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s not talk about this anymore. I''ll prepare lunch. I brought some tbreads, let''s roast them. Oh... wait, what''s this? A wild chicken?"


    Ming Mei: "I caught it."


    She looked innocent: "One sh, and it was dead."


    As soon as she said that, everyone turned to look at Zhuang Zhiyuan.


    Little Hutou''s expression was the most subtle. He said, "Dad, weren''t you saying wild chickens are hard to catch?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    Xiao Yanzi chimed in: "Dad lied!"


    Oh, child, why are you exposing your own father?


    That''s your dad!


    Zhuang Zhiyuan''s face turned bright red.


    Major embarrassment.


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s roast the wild chicken."


    The worst thing about this weather is that anything spoils quickly. But there are also good points. When the sun is strong, if you dry fish, by midday and into the afternoon, you can get them about three-quarters dry.


    After four or five days, they''ll bepletely dry. That''s much better than in cold weather.


    "Eldest daughter-inw, you pluck the chicken''s feathers; Old Man Zhuang, you help the eldest and third sons ughter this goat. We''ll handle it here and then take it back to the city."


    She continued: "I''ll handle a few fish, third daughter-inw, you help me."


    "Okay."


    Everyone immediately got to work.


    Ming Mei also felt a bit uneasy and asked, "Mom, ughtering the goat here, won''t the smell of blood attract any animals?"


    Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment, then looked at the two children and said, "You two, don''t just stand there. See that? Some dried mugwort over there, go and pick some."


    The two children hurried off. Watching them leave, Zhao Guihua said, "I''ll light some mugwort to mask the smell. Plus, this is near a pond, so the smell should dissipate more easily."


    Ming Mei: "Mm-hmm."


    Zhao Guihua nced at Ming Mei and said directly, "This goat, by rights, should belong to you and your husband."


    She then looked at the eldest son and his wife: "Didn''t I tell you this before? If wee across something big, it''s yours. Small things like rabbits and chickens go to the family."


    Zhao Guihua had mentioned this before, so Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn''t surprised. He nodded: "I know. This wild goat was caught by my sister-inw, we won''t take it."


    Liang Meifen felt a bit awkward and secretly pinched Zhuang Zhiyuan, but he seemed impervious to pain. Liang Meifen herself didn''t dare to object.


    Zhao Guihua continued: "But selling it would be a pity. I think we should keep it for ourselves. It might be a bit extravagant, but it''s good for our health. Before Zhixi got married, we saved on everything, but now that you''re all married, I don''t need to be so strict. This goat, your father and I will buy it."


    Ming Mei: "Ah?"


    Ming Mei quickly shook her head: "How can I take your money? That wouldn''t make sense."


    Zhao Guihua: "What''s the big deal? One thing is one thing. I''m not that kind of biased olddy."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan then spoke up: "Mom, we really can''t let you pay. If you buy it, it''s still for the whole family to eat. How can we shamelessly take advantage of our elders? I think this way: you tell us how much the goat is worth."


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you nning?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I''ll buy it. As the older brother, I can''t keep taking advantage of my younger brother. Normally, we pay the same living expenses, and with two more kids, we''re already at an advantage."


    Liang Meifen couldn''t believe Zhuang Zhiyuan''s suggestion and silently pinched him again, but Zhuang Zhiyuan ignored her.


    Zhao Guihua looked deeply at her eldest son and felt a mix of emotions. In her previous life, she had tried hard to keep the family harmonious, refusing to split the family, but the brothers ended up with their own grievances and grew further apart. Now that they were technically split, they were actually more peaceful with each other.


    It was clear they had no issues with each other. Completely different from her previous life.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t know what to say. In her previous life, she did a lot and was resented, but in this life, she did less and everyone thought she was fair...


    She was a bit speechless but still said, "Since you insist, I''ll be fair..."


    She looked at the eldest son and decisively said, "Ming Mei, cut a leg off the goat and take it to your family. After all, you caught it."


    Ming Mei nodded: "Okay."


    Liang Meifen felt bitter inside. She really didn''t hold back.


    Zhao Guihua: "The rest of the goat, let''s price it at fifty yuan. Goat meat is a bit more expensive than pork, usually around one or one-point-two yuan. Plus, you need coupons for it. This goat isn''t very big, minus the bones and a leg, the remaining meat should be about forty or fifty pounds. It probably won''t reach fifty, but with the bones for soup and the innards, we''ll just count it as fifty yuan. This way, it''s like we all bought it together. You don''t have to feel like you''re being filial to me, we have our own money too. But since you''re being filial, we''ll pay a smaller share, and you pay the bigger share."


    She was determined to calcte clearly: "If it''s fifty yuan, you each pay twenty, and I''ll pay ten. Any problems?"


    The two sons and their wives were all stunned, nodding nkly.


    "Then Zhixi deducts his twenty, and the eldest, you give twenty to your brother, and I''ll give him ten."


    Everyone continued to nod nkly.


    Zhao Guihua: "So this goat is considered bought together by the whole family. No one is taking advantage of anyone. Zhixi, your older brother isn''t taking advantage of you. You''re not taking advantage of your older brother."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    His mom was still the most cunning. How did shee up with this?


    He hadn''t even thought of this operation.


    Zhao Guihua: "As for the wild chicken, pig trotters, pig head, and pig tail, these small things we won''t count."


    She said: "You don''t have to feel like you''re at a disadvantage because you have more game than your older brother. Normally, when I go up the mountain, your sister-inw helps, and she doesn''tin. But we can''t calcte everything to thest detail, or else what''s the point of being a family? It would be too cold."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Mom, we get it."


    Zhao Guihua red: "What do you get? I know you, old woman that I am. Everyone says ''yes, yes, yes,'' but in your hearts, you all have your own little ns. I''m just saying this in advance, so you brothers don''t secretly curse each other behind each other''s backs, calling each other stupid or idiots!"


    Zhuang Zhixi and Zhuang Zhiyuan felt greatly wronged.


    They didn''t do that!


    The two looked at each other. Honestly, between them, there were no grudges at all.


    This mom of theirs, was she overthinking things?


    Too much imagination.


    Zhuang Zhixi defended himself: "Mom, I wouldn''t think that about my older brother. Besides, when have you ever heard me call someone an idiot?"


    That''s not even something he would say.


    He was truly wronged!


    Zhuang Zhiyuan also felt this wasn''t right. He wouldn''t hold grudges in his heart. His mom must have been watching too many dramas, she was just imagining things. What was she thinking, treating them like that? Poor brothers, they were clean and honest, yet their mom was making them out to be something else.


    It was really... so bitter!


    ¡°Mom, we really aren¡¯t like that, we¡¯re a family, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop stuttering with your ''I'' this and ''I'' that. Get to work already.¡± Zhao Guihua decisively settled the matter, then looked down at the fish. After a moment of hesitation, she said, ¡°We¡¯re not cooking this fish. Let¡¯s just dry it! Since we¡¯ve got this freshly ughteredmb, it¡¯s so fresh¡ªlet¡¯s have grilledmb skewers for lunch.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Everyone was surprised.


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Giving you all some meat, and you¡¯re not happy about it?¡±


    ¡°Happy!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Alright, start working, let¡¯s get this party started!!¡±


    Today is a wonderful day, hey~

 Chapter 77

    <h1>Chapter 77</h1>


    After Zhao Guihua had finished tutoring her two sons and scolding them a bit, she turned to the two youngest ones. She stressed over and over again, they absolutely must not tell anybody about their hunting ventures, not to mention the roasted fish, chicken, ormb skewers. All was to be kept a secret.0


    If word spread, they would end up with nothing at all.0


    Absolutely nothing.0


    Not only would they starve, forced to feed on grass, but they''d get a sound beating too - smacked on their butts three times a day!0


    This scared the living daylights out of the two little ones, both mping their hands over their bums and solemnly swearing that they would be the most obedient children on earth, not gossipers by any means.0


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re all talk now, but if you forgot as soon as you get home, don''t me me if I stop taking you out, and don''t even dream about tasting meat! Do you understand? Will you remember this?"0


    Both children bobbed their heads very seriously, indicating that they hadmitted this to memory. They would dare not forget; otherwise, they''d have no more meat to eat, and to them, there was nothing more delicious in this world than meat.0


    Nothing was tastier than meat!0


    Nothing!0


    After threatening and scaring the two little ones, Zhao Guihua then came over to help. They poured the sheep''s blood into a bucket, and Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but be thankful for her wisdom. Without a doubt, she was the smartest person.0


    When she set out this morning, she thought to bring extra tools, since strength lies in numbers.0


    She believed that many hands make light work, so she didn''t skimp on the equipment, of course, learning from the previous mishap. They brought a good amount of things along, even two buckets, onerge and one small.0


    She reasoned that if they could only catch turtles, those could be stashed away in the small bucket.0


    See? A solid n, indeed!0


    However, they didn''t catch a single turtle; however, the preparations weren''t for naught. The sheep''s blood fit perfectly in the bucket, andter, when she got home, she could make some blood tofu. It would taste rather good. Zhao Guihua was pleased as punch. Looking at Ming Mei, she couldn''t help but remark, "You,ss, certainly have some luck. I''vee out here with my eldest daughter-inw so many times, never once did we get a haul like yours. You''re quite something."0


    Ming Mei chuckled proudly, then earnestly confessed, "To tell the truth, yeah, only I could have found out. Others wouldn''t have."0


    She counted off on her fingers, "I can climb trees. It was only because I heard a slight movement and climbed up that I saw the wild pig. If it were someone else, they might just skip off or go closer. If they went closer, it would''ve been dangerous, if they left, they would''ve missed out. It was only because I climbed the tree that I saw everything clearly."0


    She continued to tick off a second finger, "Secondly, I have an excellent sense of direction. If it were someone who''s easily lost, even if they went searching, they might not find it. I never get lost and remembered the surrounding environment urately, which is why we hardly took any detours."0


    "Lastly, had we not walked that way, we wouldn¡¯t have seen the mountain goat. So, I think, besides me, it would be extremely unlikely for anyone else to make such discoveries."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Makes sense."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh my, enough with the chit-chat, you two. Let''s get going, start cutting the meat and get it ready for grilling. I¡¯m drooling already."0


    Zhuang Zhixi is anxious. If one isn''t keen on eating, something must be tantly wrong with their mind.0


    "Yes, yes,ing right up!"0


    Zhao Guihua grabbed a chunk of stone to be used as a cutting board and set out to slice the meat. The mountain was generous with its supply of twigs, and soon, meat was threaded onto them, making skewers.0


    Thankfully we bought a new kitchen knifest time, which has nowe in handy for our mountain trips. Who would have thought, it has proven itself useful even before it gets to taste any food! What a ''sensible'' knife. Zhao Guihua to Zhuang Zhixi: "Third son."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, mother?"0


    Quickly, he goes about setting the fire up and begins roasting the skewers. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi are already at his side like a pair of puppies, drooling and waiting. Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t just stand there watching. Join in!"0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Let me do it! They can''t control the heat very well. Such nice meat, if they identally over grill it, I''ll lose it."0


    This sheep, of average size and rather meaty, was roasted till fat dripped. It was only natural that the adults would find it hard to resist such lovely aroma. Zhuang Zhixi, swallowing his saliva, remarked: "This smells too delicious. Imagine, having a family where you can eat meat every day.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smirked: "What luxury are you dreaming of? Not even thendlord¡¯s family before the revolution got to enjoy such luxury."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "And how would you know?¡±0


    After grilling a skewer of meat, he handed it to his mother: "Here, elderlydy, have a taste of your son¡¯s cooking."0


    Zhao Guihua: "You guys eat first. I''ll continue cutting."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "I can continue cutting, eat yours."0


    Ming Mei: "I can cut as well."0


    "No need."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I can do it myself. Do you guys even know how to cut it appropriately, bncing the fat and lean? You don¡¯t, I can tell by your faces. Off you go, start eating, I won''t shortchange myself."0


    "Alright, we''ll eat first then."0


    Although Zhao Guihua was talking, she speeded up her actions. In no time, she joined in the circle. Everyone grabbed a skewer and got engaged, even Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. Liang Meifen kept an eye on their grilling; if overcooked, the meat would turn tough and lose its tenderness.0


    The family, to their heart''s content, taking their time at their pic.0


    With ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????a bite of themb, Ming Mei found it incredibly tasty. Themb, only lightly salted, tasted extraordinary despite the absence of spices, juicy, tender and delicious. Lamb, unlike other meats, can have a peculiar smell but it didn''t affect the taste at all.0


    Ming Mei: "Mmm, it''s delicious."0


    It''s too delicious indeed.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Which do you find tastier? Lamb or pork?"0


    Ming Mei: "Both are delicious. They''re just as good as each other. Why the need forparison? As long as there''s meat, it''s all good."0


    Hutou nodded vehemently, agreeing with his aunt¡¯s opinion. He found the adults to be peculiar. To him, food was about it being delicious, rather than what was more so.0


    Hutou, biting into his skewered mutton, his eyes gleaming with delight, while his little sister Xiao Yanzi, her face covered in oil, was eating even faster than the adults despite being the smallest.0


    Zhao Guihua cautioned, "Eat slowly, don''t rush, or else you might upset your stomach. What''s destined for you will be yours, no one is snatching it from you."0


    Xiao Yanzi replied, "Okay."0


    Zhao Guihua continued, "And we have grilled chickening, if you end up filling yourself, you won''t be able to eat anything else."0


    Xiao Yanzi realized, "Right."0


    Although she found mutton skewers to be the tastiest food in the world, she felt the same way about grilled chicken. She couldn''t decide which one was better, so she wanted to eat both. She peeked over and asked, "Is the chicken ready yet?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Almost, you and your brother can share a chicken legter."0


    Xiao Yanzi cheerfully replied, "Great!"0


    Zhao Guihua added, "Leave the chicken feet for me, I love them."0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his mother, suspicious, he asked, "There''s hardly any meat on the chicken feet. Aren''t you purposely saving the good bits for us?"0


    Zhao Guihua retorted, "...what an assumption you''re making..."0


    She continued, "Do I look like a fool to you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi, yfully grining, replied, "Don''t all parents do that?"0


    Zhao Guihua stated, "Stop dreaming, I genuinely love eating this. I also love eating the belly of the fish, why didn''t you say I was saving the best for you then? Stop overthinking, just eat your portion."0


    "Alright then."0


    "Our life these days seems as festive as the New Year," Zhuang Zhixi remarked.0


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°Even the New Year doesn''t promise this fare. Do you think muttones cheap? On an average New Year, we only buy two pounds of pork, which we stretch tost for a full lunar month. Today alone, we''ve eaten that same amount of mutton."0


    Actually,pared to others, like Zhou Qun''s household where they only have a couple ounces of meat for a whole meal, their life could be considered quite well-off. And Jiang Lu who came from a well-off family and epted that lifestyle, she seems resigned to it. But whether she can bear it or not, she is willinglyboring. It''s truly remarkable.0


    Zhao Guihua gnawed on a chicken foot, neatly spitting out the bones.0


    Hutou watched her intently, to which Zhao Guihua responded, "What are you looking at? I even chew it cleaner than a dog would, nothing wasted."0


    Everyone fell silent.0


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said, "Mom, that was..."0


    There was something odd about the way she had put it.0


    Zhao Guihua sensed the strange atmosphere and bluffed, "Stop talking and eat your food. Why do you all have to chatter even when you are eating?"0


    Everyoneplied with her and went back to their meals.0


    Six adults and two kids made quite a crowd. Despite having prepared much food, everyone had only eaten until they were 80% full. However, the thought of eating more meat seemed like a bit of a waste.0


    Zhuang Zhixi took the initiative to grill some fish. Since discovering the pond, their family isn''t short of fish and they have them weekly. But stewed fish and grilled fish are different. Zhuang Zhixi said, "In recent days, the food at our home is really superb, I have sure put on weight."0


    Actually, Zhuang Zhixi''s change wasn''t apparent. He is a tall man who used to be thin as a bamboo stick. Now he just gained a bit of weight but still appears skinny. However, the change in Hutou and Xiao Yanzi was noticeable. They''ve grown in half a year, which is clear as theirst year''s clothes don''t fit anymore.0


    Zhao Guihua stated, ¡°I don¡¯t actually care about you guys but your father is getting old, he should eat well.¡±0


    Old Man Zhuang lit up with a brilliant smile. He always said his wife cared about him the most.0


    His lips curled into a pleased smile.0


    Hutou, green with envy, quipped, ¡°Granny, am I not your dearest treasure?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes! You and your sister are dearer than your father and your uncle."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi were disconcerted. Out of the blue, she was first guessing their character, then relegating them to such lower ranks. Surely, once you have grandchildren, you forget about your children. Life is hard indeed. Zhuang Zhixi ferociously ate the fish, feeling that he had to eat more so as to alleviate his mncholy.0


    He wasn''t being gluttonous, per se.0


    Zhao Guihua: "You all need to behave. Granny wouldn''t forget you when she has delicious food. However, if you be too talkative and naughty... hehe, all the good stuff won''t be for you anymore."0


    Both the little ones nodded gravely, saying in unison, "Granny, we are obedient; we absolutely won''t say anything foolish."0


    Don''t assume kids are naive. They can be quite clever, especially during material shortages, even the simplest children be tactful concerning food. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sincerely took it to heart.0


    The two nced at each other with serious expressions.0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, seeming quite satisfied. She was worried that kids wouldn''t understand something but her grandchildren, to some extent, were sensible. Her own offspring, in all ways, were the best.0


    Ming Mei, munching on a grilled fish, asked, "Mom, what if we can''t finish the mutton? How do we preserve it?"0


    Thisment made Zhao Guihua slightly worried. They had a lot of meat, they made their pork into salted meat, should they do the same with the mutton? Frankly, they could, but the taste would be slightly off. However, in these times, having any meat was splendid, who wasn''t about to worry if it was salted or not?0


    As long as it was meat, it was more than perfect.0


    After pondering a moment, she promptly said, "We''ll turn it into salted meat and store it forter consumption."0


    "Alright."0


    Zhao Guihua continued, "This time the harvest was good, but not every time can be like this, we should eat sparingly."0


    Everyone nodded in agreement. Truth be told, they were living very well this year. Previously, they never had these kinds of good times. Hutou had even flopped on the ground contentedly, rubbing his little belly.0


    "Mom, do the people in the mountains eat meat every day? " Liang Meifen asked.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at her, and rebuked, "What a sweet dream you''re having! That''s impossible. There weren''t this many game animals in the mountains a few years ago. Even if there are now, do you think everyone can catch them?" She felt that most people couldn''t.0


    That would take a ss leader.0


    As Zhao Guihua chatted, she was far from idle. She processed the fish they had caught, gutted them and sprinkled salt on them, ready to dry under the sun. It is often the case that work goes smoothly when one has a n. For this trip to the mountain, she even brought salt, anticipating that they might catch some fish.0


    And indeed, the salt was put to use.0


    Age does bring wisdom!0


    "Mum," Zhuang Zhixi suddenly spoke up, "I''ve heard that some people use fish guts as bait. I wonder if it works well. We could give it a try."0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I''m saving these fish livers and intestines to cook with tofu when we get home. You can take the remaining small parts to try."0


    "Alright," agreed Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Give it to me, I''ll go try. I''ve never fished before."0


    Although the midday heat was intense, he was still interested in fishing. Liang Meifen, upon seeing this, offered, "I''ll join you."0


    The couple went to the pond while Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let''s rest a while. We walked quite a bit this morning, we¡¯ll wander a little more in the afternoon."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t object, simply reminding, "Don''t stray too far, or we won''t be back to town before it gets dark."0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei nodded in understanding. Zhuang Zhixi leaned against a tree, gathering a bunch of wild cherries as he admired the tranquility, musing, "This is a truly idyllic life. Like that of an immortal."0


    "Third Brother!" Zhuang Zhiyuan called out.0


    "What is it?" Zhuang Zhixi responded.0


    ¡°I think I spotted some eels. You know how to make that trap, the one to catch eels. Can you make one?¡± Zhuang Zhiyuan asked.0


    When they were younger, despite not being particrly fond of bringing their ''tag-along'' brother, Zhuang Zhixi, they recognized his knack for good ideas. They would make little traps to put in the water and eels were the easiest to catch. Once caught, they could hardly escape.0


    And in return, they were rewarded with a delicious fish.0


    Seeing an eel now, he immediately called for his brother.0


    He could make the small fish trap too, but it had been such a long time, he hardly remembered how.0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Let me find some willow branches to get a feel for it. I don''t quite recall either. But, howe there are eels in this pond¡­"0


    He was quite puzzled, as were the others.0


    Regardless, the group decided to make an attempt at catching them. The sudden appearance of such creatures was a mystery they didn''t bother to unravel.0


    Seeing her son at work, Zhao Guihua teased, "Are you making a small basket because you don''t know how to make arge one? Or are you just trying to avoid work?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed in surprise, "No, Mum! You mustn''t say that. I''m hurt! How could that be? You''ll see, making these smaller ones is actually simple. They are not sturdy, and cannot bear weight. The kind you''re talking about, therge baskets that carry a lot of stuff, those require technique, which I don¡¯t have."0


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zhao Guihua responded.0


    "I am truly wronged," sighed Zhuang Zhixi.0


    The childrenughed at the exchange, to which Zhuang Zhixi responded, "And you''re all having fun at my expense?"0


    The children quickly shook their heads, innocence written on their faces.0


    Zhao Guihua said: "Third child''s wife, take a break. Soon, we''ll walk around together."0


    Ming Mei responded: "Sure."0


    She was indifferent, but Zhuang Zhixi snorted, clearly indicating his unwillingness to separate from his wife. He felt his mother was being unfair, trying to steal his wife from him in public.0


    Liang Meifen, who was at a distance, hurriedly said: "I''ll join you."0


    This girl Ming Mei knew how to tter. Liang Meifen felt a pinch of envy as their mother-inw already favored Ming Mei slightly; she couldn¡¯t afford to let Ming Mei get more benefits. She was still brooding over the twenty bucks. But she dared not let the mother-inw walk off with Ming Mei alone; she has to stick with them.0


    Even if it meant love bombing, Ming Mei shouldn''t be the only one doing it.0


    Surprisingly, Ming Mei had no idea about Liang Meifen''s thoughts. She looked at Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s actions and abruptly said, ¡°You know, not only can this be useful in water, but it can also be used outside. Prepare some for me; I want to see if I can catch some wild fowl or rabbits.¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi responded thoughtfully, ¡°You have a point. Let me give it a try.¡±0


    He boasted, ¡°I came up with this by myself. Impressive, right?¡±0


    Ming Mei stared at Zhuang Zhixi in astonishment, ¡°Did youe up with this by yourself?¡±0


    He nodded, ¡°Yes, when I was a teenager, I was frequently famished, and I spent whole days pondering how to get some good food. After a lot of thinking, I found many ways to forage. Like figuring out which grassroots sparrows most prefer to eat, that was my discovery.¡±0


    Hutou immediately sat up and said: "Uncle, we need to collect some grass seeds. Continue catching sparrows."0


    He remembered that their stash was depleted.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, nodded: "Ok, I will tell you when I find them, then you can collect them."0


    "Good." responded the boy in a crisp voice.0


    After dealing with the children, Zhuang Zhixi saw his wife giving him a thumbs up, which made him chuckle. His mood, already lifted, was now soaring.0


    They did not take a long break, and soon everyone was busy again. They hade a long way up the hill; although it was a pleasure trip, it would be a waste not taking back something with value.0


    Zhuang Zhixi helped them set up two traps, and Ming Mei and Liang Meifen each ced theirs nearby.0


    In a baffled whisper, Liang Meifen asked, ¡°Is it really effective to use fish guts?¡±0


    She was confused; after all, aren¡¯t rabbits and such herbivores? They would not eat such things. Although she was skeptical, Liang Meifen still followed the instructions promptly. The group quickly divided the tasks. The three men were fishing by the pond. Old Man Zhuang was in charge of the fishing rod while the two Zhuang brothers used the. The kid, Hutou, found some grass nts to gather seeds for his future sparrow-hunting endeavors.0


    As for the three women, they confidently left with their kitchen knives. This time, they took a different direction, intending to cover more ground for a better harvest. Their luck in the afternoon didn¡¯t fail them, it was just as good as it had been in the morning.0


    Though they didn''te across anyrge prey like goats, they did manage to catch three rabbits and two wild pheasants. The abundance of game in the mountains was no false im. On top of that, the trio also came upon a small grass snake.0


    Ideally, Ming Mei would want to maintain a distance from such creatures. She loathed these slithering animals, finding them utterly terrifying. However, this small grass snake proved to be quite bold, wrapping itself around Liang Meifen''s leg unexpectedly.0


    Immersed in the delight of their ample catch, Liang Meifen was greatly pleased. Though Ming Mei was doing the majority of the hunting, Liang Meifen did lend a helping hand.0


    They were all family after all, and it felt good to celebrate their collective sess. Just as she was reveling in their triumph, she suddenly felt a cold, damp sensation encircling her ankle. Taking a look, she almost screamed in terror.0


    Crying out, she eximed: "Mother! Help!"0


    She too was terrified of snakes!0


    Even though she knew they were edible, she was utterly petrified.0


    Moreover, while it was just a small grass snake, it was over a meter long and as thick as a woman''s wrist - enough to strike fear in anyone. Even though it was amon grass snake and not an unusual species, it was still horrific enough to scare the life out of one.0


    Nearly crying out of fear, she hollered.0


    Ming Mei eximed: "Oh my heavens~"0


    However, Zhao Guihua proved to be braver. She confidently picked up the snake and flicked it against a tree. The small grass snake got ready to strike when Ming Mei, without hesitation, threw her cleaver.0


    Well, no matter how skilful, one has to fear a sharp knife.0


    Wouldn''t the same apply to this ferocious snake?0


    Thus, the small grass snake hastily met its end.0


    The terrified Liang Meifen quickly embraced Ming Mei, saying, "My god, little sister, I was scared to death. If it bit me once, I would have died, right?"0


    Ming Mei responded, "I have no idea."0


    She too felt ufortable around it, her skin prickling with unease.0


    Zhao Guihua added, "It''s just a small grass snake, non-venomous. But killing it was the right thing to do. If it attacked, not dealing with it could still result in some pain.¡±0


    "Agreed," came the reply.0


    Liang Meifen still felt quite uneasy.0


    Ming Mei tried to lighten the mood, telling her, "Let go. You''re making me suffocate."0


    Liang Meifen couldn''t let go; the fear was overwhelming. She felt a bit safer standing next to Ming Mei.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, stop trembling. Let''s collect it. Though it''s not big, it isn''t really small either and has quite a bit of meat on it. It tastes pretty good."0


    Both Liang Meifen and Ming Mei gave a speechless look, unable to handle the situation.0


    They would rather starve than eat it.0


    Not even if it was thest food left on earth.0


    They will just not eat it.0


    Zhao Guihua looked at the two, unable toprehend their cowardice. Especially Ming Mei ¨C you killed it quickly and efficiently, like the slice of a de. Not just it, but it seemed like you could swiftly deal with its entire lineage in a single stroke, merciless and quick!0


    To the snakemunity, you would be a female devil.0


    Now why are you shivering like a little petrified sheep?0


    She found the unbearably baffling.0


    She had never seen anyone so efficient to act, yet so afraid.0


    However, Zhao Guihua didn''t force anyone not to be afraid. Regardless of whether it was Ming Mei or Liang Meifen, even though the living conditions at home were not ideal, Liang Meifen was still a city-grown girl. For them, they had fewer encounters with such a thing.0


    That''s not to say they didn¡¯t exist in the city, but they were indeed lessmon.0


    Zhao Guihua quickly packed up the snake saying, ¡°I will carry it on my back, alright?¡±0


    Her two useless daughters-inw nodded approvingly.0


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Let''s take another walk and then head back.¡±0


    "Okay."0


    Their gains were quite good. In addition to an unpleasant sight, it was pretty good overall. But after their walk, they did not see any more small animals. Zhao Guihuamented, ¡°This is already quite good. Generally, spotting a rabbit on a mountain trip is considered lucky, let alone so many. It¡¯s more than what you would expect.¡±0


    "Mum, do you think our trap could catch any animals?"0


    Ming Mei asked eagerly, full of anticipation.0


    ¡°Who knows? I guess it should be more or less okay? I ... Oh my goodness!¡±0


    Before Zhao Guihua could finish her sentence, she was left speechless. She looked at the basket and eximed, ¡°There really are!¡±0


    There were not only one but two in the basket, two little rabbits hiding pitifully, and thetch had already dropped trapping them.0


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let''s check the other one.¡±0


    Liang Meifen ran over rapidly, soon overwhelmed with joy, ¡°There''s one here too!¡±0


    Zhao Guihua eximed, ¡°We¡¯ve struck it rich!¡±0


    She was beaming, feeling that the day¡¯s harvest was really bountiful. If every day were to bring such a harvest, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about not be able to eat well. For them, knowing the importance of good food came out of their difficult pasts.0


    The necessity had ingrained it into their bones.0


    The trio had a great haul of six rabbits, two wild chickens, and a small grass snake ¡ª a catch any old hunter would be proud of. They felt very fortunate. Zhao Guihua chuckled proudly, saying, ¡°Our mountain trip is like a festival!¡±0


    ¡°Isn''t it?¡±0


    The three happily returned to find Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sitting on the ground, eating roasted meat.0


    Upon seeing his grandmother return, Hutou panicked a bit, not knowing what to do.0


    The authority at home was clearly established.0


    Quickly, Old Man Zhuang exined, ¡°Guihua, the kids were hungry, so I let them eat a bit. Anyway, the weather has warmed up, so it won¡¯tst long even if we marinate the meat.¡±0


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright.¡±0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi breathed a sigh of relief.0


    Grandpa is formidable!0


    Zhao Guihua decided, ¡°We¡¯ve eaten our fill on the hill, and after busying ourselves all afternoon, we''re genuinely tired. The journey back home will still take a considerable amount of time, so it was good to eat a bit more to maintain energy. Besides, by eating here, we can carry fewer things down the hill, and that¡¯s less to carry."0


    Hutou peeked at the wild chicken and promptly cried, "Dad, Dad, look, there''s another wild chicken. We caught one again."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan pretended not to hear.0


    Despite Zhao Guihua and her team''s decent harvest, the three men did well too. They fished andted simultaneously, obtaining more than thirty fish. Moreover, none of them were small, andbined with their morning collection, the haul was even more substantial. Some crawling fishes had slipped into the basket as well. Zhao Guihua was overjoyed, saying, "If every day could be this good, it¡¯d be splendid."0


    She took stock of the resources, around two baskets full of fish. There was another basket of meat, with meat from pig''s heads, trotters, and half-basket''s worth of rabbit and pheasant. These were all tangible treasures. Beyond this, they had a basket of dried mushrooms and wood-ear fungi, plus a basket of wild cherries.0


    "That¡¯s a lot," theymented.0


    "Let¡¯s roast the two chickens," Zhao Guihua asserted determinedly.0


    Though she suggested this, the others were unwilling to give up their share. Everyone was a carnivore, but having enjoyed a midday feast, they felt another meat meal would be overly indulgent.0


    Old Man Zhuang added, ¡°My dear, maybe we should make itst.¡±0


    Zhao Guihua eximed, ¡°You are all¡­¡±0


    "Yeah, Mum, let''s take it home to eat."0


    Seeing everyone''s persistence, Zhao Guihua agreed, ¡°Alright then, put the heads and the rest in this basket, that way we can leave one behind.¡±0


    Her decision was firm. ¡°Once we descend the mountain and the big group takes the bus home, all you men will carry the baskets onto the bus, and as for the two kids... Eldest Daughter-in-Law, you take the bus too. Take responsibility for the kids. The three men will handle these things. I and the third Daughter-in-Law will ride our bikes home.¡±0


    "That arrangement seems pretty suitable."0


    Zhao Guihua instructed, emphasizing, "No matter how important these things are, nothing is more important than the children. Liang Meifen, don''t worry about anything else. Just handle the children, understand?"0


    Liang Meifen promptly nodded.0


    Not lingering on the mountain, they descended swiftly.0


    Zhao Guihua marveled, "The saying ''the more, the merrier'' certainly holds true. When I came alone or with only my eldest Daughter-in-Law, we never had such bountiful harvests. But now with more people, it feels like we''ve got a lot more."0


    "We can enjoy good food for a few days.¡±0


    "Of course."0


    The family panted and wheezed their way down the mountain. Even Little Tiger and Little Sparrow no longer had the opportunity to hitch a ride but had to walk. Although tired, the kids were tough and didn''t whine, instead showing resilience.0


    Ming Mei teased the kids, ¡°You must be exhausted today. Do you want toe again next time?¡±0


    The children decided firmly, ¡°Yes.¡±0


    Hutou added, ¡°We shoulde for spring outings in the future. We could eat a lot of meat.¡±0


    To them, going out during the spring was not what mattered; the meat did.0


    Ming Meiughed and remarked, ¡°The mountain''s far away, and it''s a long walk. You''re not afraid of getting tired?¡±0


    "Not at all!"0


    "I''m not scared either!" Xiao Yanzi thumped her chest.0


    Ming Mei let out a chuckle, and everyone split up at the station. The others all got on the bus, which was more crowded thanst time, and the indifferent nces of numerous passengers were drawn towards them, especially their baskets.0


    An olddy asked, ¡°Where did you guyse from? Why are you carrying so much stuff?¡±0


    It was covered, but the fishy smell was faintly detectable.0


    Luckily, the fishy smell masked the underlying scent of blood, keeping it subtle.0


    Before Old Man Zhuang could reply, Zhuang Zhixi chimed in with a jovial tone, saying, ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve been out to the country to trade for some fish.¡±0


    Coming off as the hearty type, he continued, ¡°See, I¡¯m about to get married. We always need to prepare well in the city, but there''s a scarcity of stuff here.¡± He gave an exaggerated sigh, saying, ¡°We had no choice but to find some rural rtives and exchange fish with them. Plus some bulk grains. Otherwise, with one more mouth to feed, our regr stock wouldn''t be enough.¡±0


    ¡°That¡¯s true! You''re getting married, young man. How wonderful! Congrattions on the great news,¡±mented thedy.0


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a "bashful" smile, saying, ¡°In fact, my family does fancy some meat, but meat''s hard toe by. We had to exchange for fish. Although fish isn''t as good as meat, it''s still a dish, right?¡±0


    ¡°Absolutely, absolutely.¡±0


    Engaged in their chat, Old Man Zhuang let out a sigh of relief.0


    But his son''s storytelling went off on quite a tangent.0


    Wonder where his wife and the others had bicycled to by now?0


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei were quite swift on their bikes, helped by having nothing to tote. Of course, they couldn''t match the speed of the bus. However, the evening breeze started to blow, creating a tranquil environment. Zhao Guihua was humming a tune, saying, ¡°Pick a rabbit for your grandfather once you get home, Mei.¡±0


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°Ah, sure.¡±0


    She¡¯s that kind of person, direct without the usual polite back-and-forth of social niceties. Zhao Guihua continued, ¡°Pick arger one. You two are always dining at your grandfather''s expense. Over time, that¡¯s not very proper.¡±0


    Ming Mei responded, ¡°That''s no big deal.¡±0


    Sheughed and said, ¡°That''s my grandfather. Even though he has a new partner now, it''s not like we can''t still interact right? Besides, my grandfather doesn''t care.¡±0


    Indeed, Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi frequently enjoyed meals with Lan Sihai ying the gracious host. Before his wedding, it was no different. And even after...0


    While he has only been married for a few days...0


    Ming Mei has still managed to mooch off him for a meal.0


    These days, young people tend to simplify their weddings, even more so for the fifth marriage. Thus, Lan Sihai didn¡¯t make a big fuss, he just took his daughter, granddaughter, and grandson-inw out for a meal as a formal get-together.0


    Ming Mei¡¯s mother, Lan Ling, and Luo Xiaohe have no real connection to one another. Although, living in the same court, Ming Mei does happen to rub shoulders with them.0


    As for Luo Xiaohe, she doesn¡¯t talk much. With her job keeping her upied, she generally keeps out of the courtyard''s gossip, residing somewhat in the outskirts. She¡¯s not like Ming Mei, who dashes faster than a rabbit at the mere hint of excitement.0


    Ming Mei: "Our family, from top to bottom, every one of us has a carefree attitude. You can rest assured about that. Although I don''t know if my grandfather''s newpanion is like that, but I don''t live with her, so it doesn''t really matter."0


    Zhao Guihua: "......"0


    She looked at Ming Mei, feeling astounded by how easy-going this family was.0


    The two of them were riding their bicycles home. They didn''t know how long they had been riding before they finally reached the city. The sky was getting dark, thick clouds were gathering, and it felt oppressive, as if it was going to rain. Zhao Guihua: "We need to hurry, it looks like rain."0


    Ming Mei looked up and said, "It does seem so."0


    As Ming Mei was riding the bicycle, she suddenly said, "Mom, look over there, is that Aunt Zhou?"0


    Following Ming Mei''s line of sight, Zhao Guihua said, "Hey, it indeed is. What brought her here?"0


    Aunt Zhou, all by herself, was acting rather suspicious. One might even say that the more one ns to do wrong, the more one should act openly. Sneaking around makes one more noticeable. Aunt Zhou was doing precisely that, walking into an alleyway while continuously ncing left and right, as if she was scared that others might not identify her as a malicious person.0


    However, it was evident that Aunt Zhou''s vision was not the best. Even though she was being careful, she failed to notice Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei and quickly disappeared into an alley. Ming Mei and Zhao Guihua exchanged nces, asking, "Should we follow?"0


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and said, "Let''s follow her. However, we need to be careful not to get caught."0


    She added, "Stay close behind me. I''m familiar with this area."0


    Why did she say that?0


    In the past, this area was not far from where she used to hide from criminal activities. Going further ahead, there was the factory she used to work. However, she hadn''t met Aunt Lian recently and didn''t know the current situation there.0


    Whether it was the criminal activities or matters concerning the factory, she was unaware of the developments.0


    However, she had be rather familiar with this area. Zhao Guihua began pedaling faster, and Ming Mei swiftly followed. Normally, Zhao Guihua was not that curious, her current interest was solely due to Ming Mei''s presence.0


    It has to be said, it did provide some sense of safety.0


    She said, "Cover your face a bit."0


    Ming Mei: "Alright."0


    The mother-daughter duo turned into the alley, only to find that there were quite a few houses further down.0


    They looked around a bit, and Ming Mei said, "Over there."0


    Aunt Zhou''s clothes were rtively fancy, distinguishing her in this neighborhood. They followed her and saw Aunt Zhou enter a courtyard. Ming Mei blinked and said, "She went in, do we still follow her?"0


    Zhao Guihua wondered, "What is Aunt Zhou doing here? She doesn''t have any rtives here."0


    Aunt Zhou was not a local. She hade to the city when she was young to get married. Her family demanded a high dowry, essentially selling her. From then on, she had minimal contact with her family. She had hardly any rtives in the city. It was Zhou''s family who were locals. However, when Zhou Qun''s father died, Zhou''s family came to im his job.0


    It severed the rtions between the two families for good.0


    At that time, Zhou Qun was too young to take over the duties immediately, and the Zhou family wanted to hand the job over to Zhou Qun''s uncle. Although this cannot be considered an act of driving someone to ruin, it was more or less the same. Aunt Zhou, a woman on her own bearing children without any ie, prospectively seemed to be leading a tough life. Women with the slightest hint of weakness were often manipted by their husbands¡¯ families, and if Aunt Zhou had lost her job at that point, she and Zhou Qun would have nowhere to go.0


    Back then, Aunt Zhou was desperate, trying to change the course of the incident. The Su family was facing the same situation. Hailing from the countryside, they also eagerly sought the job. Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou covertly united against their intimidating inws.0


    One yed the victim while the other protested, sessfully repelling the greedy rtives who wanted to profit from the situation.0


    Later, the widows turned against each other because they were oftenpared. However, at that time, they had formed an alliance. It was their contention that prevented the factory from appointing a male rtive as a sessor. If things were to go that way, the two widows and their children would be abandoned to their fate.0


    That year, the fiasco created quite a stir.0


    The steadfast allies of the widows, like Zhao Guihua, always had a clear distinction of right and wrong, despite asional conflicts. This is why Zhao Guihua knew both the Su and Zhou families were virtually without any rtives.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "We cannot enter the yard either, let''s drop it."0


    Ming Mei asked, "Should I climb the wall?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "... No need for that."0


    She said, "Let''s just leave... huh?"0


    Zhao Guihua stopped abruptly, saying, "Why is she here?"0


    A familiar figure entered the courtyard. Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei were hiding in the shadowy corner of the wall and hadn''t been noticed. However, the expression on Zhao Guihua''s face darkened upon seeing the old woman.0


    The reason being?0


    She recognized this person. Not long ago, she was almost swindled by this person.0


    While Zhao Guihua couldn''t spot the men who were with the woman then, she did recognize two elder women. Despite it being dark, she could still make out their faces distinctly, unlike herself who wore a mask throughout. Those women had distinctive features.0


    The person who entered the yard was one of the old women.0


    Upon seeing her, Zhao Guihua was rmed.0


    This small yard didn''t seem like it could amodate many households. Did Aunt Zhou know this person? Even though she was unsure what was going on, Zhao Guihua took matters seriously, asked Ming Mei, "Can you climb the wall and get in?"0


    Ming Mei nodded, "Yes."0


    Zhao Guihua continued, "How''s your climbing skill? Please, don¡¯t get caught or try to prove bravado."0


    Ming Mei responded, "Don''t worry."0


    She might not be confident in other things, but she was confident in her abilities.0


    Zhao Guihua concluded, "Fine, park your vehicle here and take a look at what''s going on. But if there are anyplications, leave immediately."0


    Ming Mei saw that the olddy''s attitude had changed. Although she didn''t know what happened, she still nodded seriously and quietly moved over. She swiftly climbed the wall, just as the sky was getting dark, an ideal time for her to hide. Ming Mei did not impulsively jump into the courtyard, for there were a few men eating and drinking in the courtyard. The woman who just entered was sitting with them, she clung to the eaves silently and listened.0


    With Aunt Zhou not around, Ming Mei raised an eyebrow, intending to ponder about what to do, when she saw Aunt Zhou''s silhouette. She seemed to be in another room. Ming Mei quietly approached, lifted a tile and peered inside like a gentleman on a beam.0


    Indeed, Aunt Zhou was in the room, her face full of excitement. She said, "Old sister, I am troubled by my family¡¯s situation, hence I am seeking your help. You absolutely must help me find a solution."0


    With her was the Long-faced Aunt, who slightly squinted her eyes, exuding a somewhat profound demeanor. She said, "Rx, the person you consulted earlier seems tock skill. It is not a female ghost causing the disturbance, rather it is actually your daughter-inw who cannot give birth."0


    Aunt Zhou eximed, "Ah, I knew my daughter-inw couldn''t do it. My inws even said it was my son''s fault. They are truly ungrateful. How I wish they would just drop dead. They are shameless dogs. They even dared to persuade their daughter to divorce, it''s outrageous. Please, is there any way to knock them down a peg or two?"0


    Long-faced Aunt: "There is a way, but this¡­"0


    "No matter how much it costs, I am willing to pay the price."0


    The Long-faced Aunt smiled and said, "If you are willing to spend money, I can perform a ritual to dete them a bit, but you should understand, such things can take a toll on one''s health, it requires at least thirty¡­".0


    "Ah!" Aunt Zhou never thought that it would cost so much. She bit her lip and said, "This¡­this is too much."0


    The Long-faced Aunt was emotionless: "Your inw, has a strong fortune. If I am to perform the ritual, it will consume a lot of my energy, and it is indeed quite detrimental to my health. In fact, I am reluctant to do it. If you think it''s too much money, it''s actually fine without it. It doesn''t matter, I¡­"0


    "I''ll pay for it!!!" Aunt Zhou gritted her teeth: "I am in!"0


    She had been greatly humiliated today. She was so enraged thinking of her inw''s arrogance, treating them like trash and kicking them out without any respect. If she could bring misfortune to them, she would be delighted.0


    She said: "I am in!"0


    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Long-faced Auntie nodded slightly and said, "If you don''t want to¡­."0


    "No, no, no, I really want to." She was eager to take out the money.0


    "Alright, since you insist, I will give you face, considering our longstanding acquaintance. Tell me everything about this family, without omission, then go home and wait for the result. I will start the ritual tonight, within seven days, this person will certainly stumble."0


    Aunt Zhou: "Okay!"0


    She coldlyughed: "I don''t believe they can continue to be arrogant."0


    Long-faced Aunt: "So what about your daughter-inw¡­"0


    "Good for nothing! I''ve been dreaming of having a grandson. My daughter-inw, such a useless one," Aunt Zhou grumbles through her clenched teeth, "It is truly infuriating."0


    "Alright, listen to my method. If you desire to have a child, especially a son, you can''t neglect toddler''s urine. Additionally, there''s the blood of arge rooster and..." Several more suggestions were subtly given. "You must prepare all these and have your daughter-inw drink arge sip every night. After forty-nine consecutive days, the child will arrive."0


    "Great!" Aunt Zhou bes excited. "If I''m graced with a child, I wille to show my deep gratitude towards you."0


    "I''m not asking for your gratitude. My only wish is for everyone to achieve their heart''s desire. That''s the whole point of my efforts."0


    Ming Mei, witnessing Aunt Zhou take out another thirty, was left astounded that sixty was handed over within the blink of an eye. Aunt Zhou is spending quitevishly! In an instant, she''s spent the equivalent of the average worker''s two-month sry.0


    Speechless, Ming Mei shakes her head. Aunt Zhou is a notoriously stingy person, known to only buy minimum portions even for meat. Yet she''s willing to spend so extravagantly on this? It was perplexing for Ming Mei.0


    Moreover, this is clearly a deception!0


    Could Jiang Lu really not get poisoned if she drinks that mixture?0


    However, looking at Aunt Zhou''s bright and confident eyes, it was apparent that she fully believes in this.0


    Ming Mei silently lights a candle for Jiang Lu in her heart, expressing solidarity.0


    What about Jiang Lu''s father? What a fate he has, to end up with such an atrocious inw who''s willing to pay money to put a curse on him. That substance is superstitious nonsense and shouldn''t be taken seriously, but the intent is still extremely malicious.0


    Ming Mei: "......"0


    This is outrageous!0


    Deeply shocked.0


    While she is observing the scene, she felt an overwhelming sense of bewilderment.0


    However, Aunt Zhou remainspletely convinced, joyously handing over the money, and finally leaves satisfied. As Aunt Zhou steps out, Ming Mei readies herself to leave as well. But just as she was about to move, a man enters the room. Fearing he would hear her move, she freezes.0


    The tall man, extravagant in his movements, walks into the room and flops onto a chair. "What''s the job this time? That old woman seems to have money to burn."0


    The woman inside, her face as elongated as a melon, smiles smugly, "That fool is easy to trick. As always, we have everything from her regr routes to family background. Familiarize yourself with the hotspots, see when the person she mentioned is alone. As soon as that happens, your guys just go and give him a good beating. Ah, judging by the old fool''s tone, her son-inw must be well-off too. Don''t settle just for the thrashing, rob him if the opportunity presents itself. Get anything that''s worth something. Let''s have it both ways."0


    "Well, that''s quite profitable," he agrees vaguely. "Are you sure the intel is urate?"0


    The old woman with the long melon-shaped face beamed triumphantly and said, "It was provided by her inw. How could it possibly be fake? I love this kind of blockhead. Once this deal is sealed, her side will definitely get the news. When her inw suffers mishaps, she will undoubtedly trust me all the more."0


    "Do you think she might suspect that we orchestrated the robbery? This seems pretty obvious."0


    "There''s no way, that dimwit."0


    Both of them burst into heartyughter.0


    Ming Mei: "......"0


    What on earth!!!0


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 78

    <h1>Chapter 78</h1>


    Ming Mei was really caught off guard. This person had such a scheme in mind.0


    What a cunning and treacherous person, using the information from Aunt Zhou to rob Jiang Lu''s Father; then using the robbery incident to prove that their methods were effective, truly a two-bird-one-stone strategy.0


    But wouldn''t anyone notice something fishy about this?0


    Well, maybe Aunt Zhou isn''t exactly normal, and she just enjoys believing in what these con artists say.0


    She furrowed her brow, held her breath, and continued to listen. However, the people inside the house seemed to have run out of things to talk about and instead went out together. They sat in the courtyard to eat, ignoring the impending rain, and no longer discussed Aunt Zhou''s topic.0


    Seeing this, Ming Mei didn''t waste any time. She quickly jumped off the wall and returned to the spot where Zhao Guihua had been hiding. Zhao Guihua waved at her, and Ming Mei hurried over. Zhao Guihua said, "It''s going to rain soon, let''s head home."0


    Ming Mei looked up and saw dark, heavy clouds gathering. She said, "I ride really fast, Mom. Keep up with me."0


    Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Do you think I''m slow?"0


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly pedaled their bikes. Ming Mei rode swiftly, and Zhao Guihua was no less impressive, almost like a bike god in the city. Their fast movements caught the attention of passersby, but most just nced and hurried home, as the rain was about to start.0


    No one wanted to experience the feeling of being drenched in a downpour.0


    Ming Mei said, "Mom, guess what they were doing in that courtyard? They were involved in superstitious practices. Aunt Zhou went there to ask for help with her daughter-inw''s pregnancy and to deal with Jiang Lu''s Father. You know, because Jiang Lu''s Father insists on Jiang Lu getting a divorce."0


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Superstitious practices?"0


    Ming Mei nodded and detailed what she had just witnessed, still feeling a bit shaken. "They''re so wicked, aren''t they?"0


    Zhao Guihua asked, "How many people were there?"0


    Ming Mei replied, "There were two olddies, one of them a chatan, and the other didn''t say much. There were also four men, and the one with a mole on his face seemed to be their leader."0


    Zhao Guihuapared the details and quickly concluded that this group was the same gang that had tried to pull a heist at the fabric factory by buying leftover cloth.0


    Damn, this gang really had no morals, making money any way they could.0


    Ming Mei continued, "They mentioned doing some reconnaissance, but I don''t think they need to. Aunt Zhou gave them such a detailed description of the ce. Do you think she''s brainless? How can she believe in such people?"0


    Zhao Guihua pedaled her bike in silence for a while before saying, "Maybe she never really believed them. Whether she believed or not, the oue was what she wanted, so why would she care about the process? If things go south, she can just im she was deceived by the chatans, not that she had malicious intentions."0


    With Zhao Guihua being older and more experienced, her exnation made Ming Mei understand.0


    "So, you mean Aunt Zhou didn''t really believe these people could use rituals to deal with Jiang Lu''s Father. She probably knew they would take matters into their own hands. But she pretended to believe them, as she just wanted to teach Jiang Lu''s Father a lesson. Even if she''s exposed, she can just say she was naively deceived, not that she had ill intentions."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "That''s exactly what I mean."0


    Ming Mei eximed, "Oh my... that''s so wicked!"0


    She had always thought Aunt Zhou was a foolish and brainless person, which was why she had managed to offend everyone in the neighborhood and wasn''t well-liked. Thinking this, Ming Mei blurted it out.0


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "She may not think of it, but she has a good son."0


    She added seriously, "Zhou Qun is ruthless and vicious, a true viin at heart. You see how he''s been downtely after suffering some losses, but that doesn''t mean he''s a toothless tiger."0


    Ming Mei nodded, taking her mother-inw''s words to heart.0


    She trusted every word her mother-inw said. After all, Zhao Guihua had experienced a rebirth and had the wisdom that came with it.0


    Ming Mei asked, "Should we try to tell Jiang Lu about this?"0


    If they didn''t know, it would be one thing, but if they knew and didn''t say anything, it would feel too... Ming Mei felt a bit guilty. Who knew how those people would act? What if they ended up seriously hurting someone?0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Although she didn''t know Jiang Lu personally, Ming Mei wasn''t heartless.0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Don''t tell Jiang Lu. If you do, she''ll immediately tell her husband."0


    This was something Zhao Guihua had learned from her past life.0


    Jiang Lu, after being "trained" by Zhou Qun for over a decade, had deeply believed in him and waspletely under his control. Even if they wanted to help Jiang Lu escape from this mess, she would only think they were jealous of her happiness and trying to ruin it.0


    In her previous life, around this time, due to a theft incident, Zhuang Zhixi was framed by Zhou Qun. They already knew Zhou Qun wasn''t a good person. Zhou Qun''s rtionship with Wang Xiangxiu was also exposed, but, just like in this life, Jiang Lu still believed in Zhou Qun.0


    There were even more disgusting things that followed, but Zhao Guihua didn''t even want to mention them.0


    Thinking about her innocent daughter-inw, she knew Ming Mei would probably feel sick hearing about such things. Jiang Lu, unable to conceive, had brought a girl from the countryside to have a child for Zhou Qun. They imed she was a distant cousin of Aunt Zhou, staying for a while. Bute on, no one outside knew, but they, as old neighbors, knew Aunt Zhou hadn''t been in touch with her hometown for decades.0


    How could she suddenly have a cousin from her hometown stay with her? Aunt Zhou, being so stingy and petty, would never do such a thing.0


    Everyone knew what this girl was there for.0


    Even Jii and the other kids had seen the girl sleeping in the same bed as Zhou Qun, while Jiang Lu stayed with Aunt Zhou. Despite this, there was still no news of a pregnancy. At that point, they had already suspected it was Zhou Qun''s problem. Jiang Lu probably had her suspicions too, as Zhao Guihua had once seen Jiang Lu in the hospital, looking panicked and having a medical report knocked out of her hand. It was said the report stated infertility.0


    Later, Jiang Lu became pregnant.0


    She had schemed against the girl who was supposed to have the child and sent her away.0


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu eventually had a child, but Jiang Lu''s child was definitely not Zhou Qun''s. Zhao Guihua was certain of this. The infertility report Jiang Lu had wasn''t hers, so it must have been Zhou Qun''s. Since Jiang Lu had confirmed her pregnancy and given birth in the hospital, the report couldn''t have been hers. As for who Jiang Lu had the child with and passed it off as Zhou Qun''s to continue the Zhou family line, that was unknown.0


    But it was clear that Jiang Lu had "borrowed" a child from someone else.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t know if Zhou Qun ever found out.0


    Thinking about these past disgusting things, Zhao Guihua shook her head vigorously, almost as if she wanted to shake off the thoughts.0


    Why didn''t Zhao Guihua, after being reborn, ever try to warn Jiang Lu? Because in her previous life, around the same time, no matter how much they tried to wake Jiang Lu up, she always thought they were jealous and didn''t want her to be happy.0


    So what chance was there this time?0


    Besides, Zhao Guihua wasn''t close to Jiang Lu. She was the type of person who didn''t want to waste her time on irrelevant people, especially when her own family matters weren''t in order.0


    "Mom, Mom, oh my, watch out!"0


    Ming Mei saw her mother-inw zoning out on her bike and almost falling into a ditch. She quickly stopped her bike and pulled Zhao Guihua''s bike back just in time. It was a close call.0


    Zhao Guihua snapped back to reality, startled, and patted her chest. "Oh my heavens!"0


    Ming Mei carefully examined Zhao Guihua. "Mom, are you okay?"0


    Zhao Guihua wiped her face and said, "I''m fine, I just got lost in thought. You must have been scared too. Let''s go home and talk."0


    Ming Mei nodded softly. "Are you really okay?"0


    It was unclear what had triggered Aunt Su''s sudden change in expression, but her face had turned ashen.0


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m really fine, let''s go. This rain... oh no!"0


    As she spoke,rge raindrops began to fall, and Zhao Guihua grew anxious, urging, "Quick, quick, let''s go!"0


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw dared not dy any further, pedaling their bikes home at breakneck speed, as if they were racing with sparks and lightning. Zhao Guihua eximed, "Oh my, this rain is reallying down hard!"0


    Ming Mei: "Faster, faster!"0


    They raced home, entering the alley just as they heardmotioning from their courtyard. Zhao Guihua was exasperated¡ªit seemed these people couldn''t go a day without causing trouble, or they''d feel uneasy sleeping at night.0


    She quickly parked her bike and saw that the argument was between Liang Meifen and Wang Xiangxiu.0


    Talk about drama hitting close to home.0


    Liang Meifen, hands on her hips, was shouting at Wang Xiangxiu despite the pouring rain: "If you don''t discipline your kids, I''ll go to the security office, I''ll call the police! Someone will definitely know how to deal with these little thieves. You, as a mother, set a bad example, and your kids are just as crooked. Look at your brats¡ªwhat do they do all day except climb walls and windows? They''re nothing but a bunch of thieves!"0


    Zhao Guihua: "What''s going on?"0


    Ming Mei also stepped forward: "What''s happening, what''s happening?"0


    Seeing her mother-inw return, Liang Meifen felt reinforcements had arrived and quickly began toin loudly: "Mom, you have no idea how outrageous this family is. I''ve never seen such shameless people. We went on a spring outing, caught a wild chicken, and they actually had the nerve to try and steal from us. How can people be so shameless?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu retorted: "Liang Meifen, how dare you speak to me like that! My kids were just ying around, and you''re calling them thieves? How can you nder them like this? You''re an adult, aren''t you ashamed?"0


    "Why should I be ashamed?" Liang Meifen shot back.0


    She thought to herself: I dare not provoke my mother-inw, nor my sister-inw who''s a force to be reckoned with, but I sure as hell can handle you!0


    "Stop spouting nonsense and ying the victim! Everyone knows your kids are nothing but thieves. You say they were just ying? Come on! Our kids don''t even y together, do they? Go ask around¡ªwho on this street lets their kids y with yours? Every time they do, your kids end up stealing food from them. Who can afford to keep losing stuff to your family? People only tolerate you because you''re a widow with kids. Don''t get too full of yourself. Do you really want me to rip off your veil of shame?"0


    Liang Meifen was unleashing a torrent of words, determined not to let these kids steal their hard-earned goods. Who didn''t want a bit of meat to eat?0


    What a bunch of scoundrels.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was caught off guard by Liang Meifen''s fiery outburst. She had always seen her meekly obeying her mother-inw, but now she realized she could be quite fierce. It seemed all the wives in this courtyard were like that¡ªsubmissive to their mothers-inw but ready to throw punches outside.0


    "How dare you speak to me like that? Are you trying to bully me?" Wang Xiangxiu cried. Bai Fendou, who had been trying to stay out of it but couldn''t bear to see Wang Xiangxiu being scolded, finally stepped in: "Jii is a good kid, you have no right to talk about him like that!"0


    Liang Meifen snapped: "Get out of here, you shameless man who sneaks into widows'' beds! Stay far away from me, or I''ll beat you up!"0


    Normally, Liang Meifen wouldn''t dare to provoke a man, especially someone like Bai Fendou, who had no qualms about hitting women. But now, she felt emboldened. She had seen her mother-inw stand up to Aunt Zhou, and her sister-inw was a force to be reckoned with. She knew she wouldn''t be the one to suffer. So, even facing a man, she didn''t flinch: "This is between me and the Su family. What business is it of yours? If you''ve got the guts, marry Wang Xiangxiu! Then I''ll respect you. Otherwise, stay out of it!"0


    Bai Fendou was trembling with rage: "You... you shrew!"0


    Liang Meifen: "And I''m proud of it! My husband is fine with it, so what''s it to you? You''re sticking your nose into something you have no right to. Disgusting!"0


    Oh, the crowd thought, this woman really knows how to throw shade.0


    Ming Mei: Learned something new today!0


    Despite the rain, the onlookers were undeterred, each holding an umbre as they watched the drama unfold.0


    "You... you!" Bai Fendou raised his hand to strike, but Ming Mei quickly stepped in, grabbing his wrist and throwing him back with a skillful twist. Bai Fendou stumbled several steps.0


    Ming Mei red: "Try hitting someone, why don''t you? I have zero tolerance for men who beat women. Touch my sister-inw, and I''ll make you regret it!"0


    She rolled up her sleeves, ready for action: "If this is our fault, I won''t say a word. But what''s your excuse? Trying to break in and steal, and you think you''re in the right? I don''t care if you''re involved with a widow or if you''re just confused. If you dare to act tough here, I''ll beat you until you''re searching for your teeth. Maybe then you''ll remember the Three-Eyed King of Horses!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped forward with an umbre, saying, "Wife, fight all you want, but don''t get wet."0


    Seeing Zhuang Zhixi''s sycophantic behavior, Bai Fendou pointed at him and cursed: "Zhuang Zhixi, you spineless coward, let your wife... ah!!!"0


    Ming Mei pped him across the face without hesitation: "I''ll teach you to talk trash! You think you can bully people all you want?"0


    She followed up with a kick, sending Bai Fendou sprawling into a puddle.0


    "You... you shrew! All of Zhuang''s wives are shrews!"0


    Ming Mei sneered: "Shrew? We don''t need to be polite to scumbags like you."0


    "Yeah, look at yourself¡ªyou think you''re such a big shot, but you''re just a fool who sneaks into widows'' beds and gets cuckolded. You look like you''re aging prematurely, always strutting around like you''re something special. You don''t even know your own worth!"0


    Liang Meifen continued her verbal assault, her words cutting through the wind and rain.0


    Zhao Guihua watched her two daughters-inw, one fierce and the other strong, and decided to stay on the sidelines, arms crossed, enjoying the show. Liang Meifen finished her tirade and turned back to Wang Xiangxiu: "If you can''t control your kids, and this happens again, I''ll go to their school, the neighborhoodmittee, the police, the factory security office. I''ll put up posters everywhere, letting everyone know your son is a thief!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu trembled: "You... you''re going too far."0


    Aunt Su also came out, tears streaming down her face, softly saying: "My children... they''re not like that... they were just curious, just hungry... it''s not their fault, it''s ours... we''re widows, we haven''t managed our lives well..."0


    "It''s a bit much, really. A widow with kids has it hard enough." This was the first of the "peacemakers."0


    "Exactly, kids will be kids¡ªthey get curious. And nothing was actually stolen, so why bully a widow?" This was the second "peacemaker."0


    "Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu have it tough."0


    Liang Meifen found herself momentarily at a disadvantage.0


    Ming Mei sneered, "What do you mean by ''going too far''? The premise of that statement is that her son is definitely going to steal. If her son doesn''t steal, none of this would happen, so how is that ''going too far''? Wang Xiangxiu, I don''t think even you can guarantee that your son won''t steal, can you? That''s why you''re saying it''s ''going too far''. You feel like you''re being bullied because, in your heart, you know your son is a thief! And you say all kids are greedy, so why don''t you let theme to your house every day? Since you''re so kind, you certainly wouldn''t refuse, right? My family has a lot of mouths to feed, and we can''t afford to be stolen from. Oh, and by the way, whoever spoke just now must be brave, so remember that."0


    Ming Mei might seem soft-spoken, but when it''s time to be tough, she can be very tough. After she spoke, everyone felt deted, and some quickly changed their tune.0


    "Uh... well, you can''t say it like that."0


    "Right, if their kid doesn''t steal, none of this would exist."0


    "Exactly. If you ask me, their kid has done this so many times. Every time, it''s all noise but no action. Everyone just overlooks it because he''s a kid, but their family just keeps doing it over and over again. What are we supposed to do?"0


    "I think we should beat them once, so they know what the consequences of stealing are."0


    "That''s right, that''s right."0


    When ites to their own interests, people''s attitudes change quickly.0


    Ming Mei gave a cold smile.0


    Liang Meifen immediately gained confidence again and dered, "This is thest time. If there''s another time, we won''t care about being neighbors. Don''t me me for beating them up and sending them to the police!"0


    "I think that''s a good idea."0


    "Xiangxiu, you should really discipline your kids. If you don''t, they''ll end up in jail."0


    "Yes, we know your family is struggling, but you can''t let the kids run wild like this. Every time you exin, but do you ever apologize effectively? You just keep saying the same thing and never change."0


    "Exactly, it''s always the same routine. Get caught, apologize, and then do it again next time. asionally, you even bring out Bai Fendou... your family is really over the top."0


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "If you don''t discipline your kids, I don''t think the factory will let him take over your job in the future. A notorious thief? The factory still has to save face. Besides, bringing a thief into the factory is like putting a rat in a rice jar."0


    Thisment hit Wang Xiangxiu hard.0


    She didn''t care about the other remarks, but this one struck a nerve.0


    After all, this was about her son''s future!0


    Hearing everyone''s words, Wang Xiangxiu felt utterly miserable. Suddenly, she exploded, grabbing a broom and mming it onto Jii, shouting, "Stealing, stealing, all you do is steal! Will you die if you don''t steal?! We''re poor, but you can''t be so spineless just because we''re poor. Look at how people see us! Do you even want to save face? Does our family even have any dignity left? Do you know how hard your grandmother and I have worked to keep this family together? You''re ruining our reputation! I''ll beat you to death, you little brat! Let''s see if you dare do it again!"0


    Jii and his two brothers had been standing under the eaves of the doorway, confident that nothing would happen. After all, whenever there was a problem, their mother would always find a way to fix it. If their mother couldn''t, their grandmother or Bai Fendou would step in.0


    As long as they kept their heads down and didn''t say anything, the issue would quickly blow over.0


    But they didn''t expect their mother to suddenly explode, hitting Jii hard. He looked at his mother in disbelief and then burst into tears. Yii and Toni also got hit a few times and started crying.0


    The three kids were wailing, and Wang Xiangxiu was crying too. She rarely beat her children, and although she had managed to smooth things over a few times before, this time was different.0


    Although the incident itself wasn''t that big, their son had done this so many times that people were fed up. If it had been the first time, people might have let it slide, but with repeated offenses, their son had be isted. Not just in their courtyard, but throughout the whole alley and street, no other kids wanted to y with them.0


    The reputation of being a thief had spread far and wide.0


    If this continued, their son''s reputation would be ruined, and even when he grew up, he wouldn''t be able to take over his mother''s job at the factory. With such a reputation, the factory wouldn''t want a thief working there.0


    The rain poured down heavily as everyone watched Wang Xiangxiu cry and beat her children. Aunt Su rushed over, crying and trying to shield the kids, "It''s my fault for not teaching them properly, but you can''t beat them like this... they''re still so young!"0


    Everyone watched the scene, some feeling moved.0


    Bai Fendou felt a pang of guilt and suddenly shouted, "Are you happy now? Seeing them suffer like this, are you satisfied?"0


    The rain was pouring heavily, and everyone fell silent.0


    Zhao Guihua stood up and said, word by word, "Who are you putting on this act for?"0


    She retorted, "And you, what right do you have to question us? It''s ridiculous."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t want to watch this drama anymore. She knew it would just be more crying andining. She said, "You alle back inside. If they want to act, we don''t have to watch. From now on, someone from our family will always stay home to make sure nothing gets stolen. We don''t need to be used of being unforgiving. If anyone wants to be kind, let them be the ones to sacrifice."0


    After saying that, she turned and went inside.0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at the scene and smiled, "Carry on."0


    He held an umbre in one hand and put his other arm around his wife''s shoulders, heading home together. "Let''s go, we haven''t eaten yet."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan called from the doorway, "Wife,e home."0


    Liang Meifen still wanted to keep yelling, but she suddenly felt that her mother-inw''s words and attitude were very impressive. That casual remark, "Who are you putting on this act for?" made her feel like Zhao Guihua was a formidable force to be reckoned with.0


    She quickly went inside, not wanting to ruin her mother-inw''s momentum.0


    Indeed, having a strong backing made a big difference. Her fighting ability in disputes was much higher than usual.0


    Once inside, she awkwardly approached Ming Mei and fidgeted with her clothes, saying, "Um... just now..."0


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"0


    Liang Meifen was embarrassed, "Um..."0


    She found it hard to say, but finally managed, "Thank you just now!"0


    Ming Mei chuckled, "No need to thank me. We''re all family. Since you stood up for the family, I naturally had to stand up for you too."0


    Liang Meifen smiled. Although she oftenpared herself to this sister-inw, she still knew who was on her side.0


    "I have to thank you. You don''t know, but Jii has been eyeing us ever since we got back. I felt something was off, and sure enough, the little brat tried to sneak into our house while Dad was in the bathroom. Luckily, I caught him in time. Otherwise, not only would he have stolen something, he might have discovered our day''s haul."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "You did well today."0


    Liang Meifen smiled proudly.0


    She couldn''t even get any benefits to send to her family, and some little thief wanted to take advantage? Dream on!0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s eat first. How about somemb stew?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow, Mom, you can make that?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "What can''t I do?"0


    She proudly lifted her head and said, "There''s a lot your olddy can do."0


    Everyoneughed. At that moment, Zhao Guihua suddenly realized and asked, "Where are Hutou and Xiaoyanzi?"0


    "They were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as they got home. We couldn''t even wake them up."0


    The adults were exhausted too, and even more so the kids. Fortunately, tomorrow was a day off, so they could rest. Those who had to work tomorrow wouldn''t be so lucky.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s eat first, thene help me with the meat. It all needs to be marinated."0


    "Got it."0


    Zhao Guihua and her family quickly retreated from the main battlefield, leaving Wang Xiangxiu in a bit of a bind.0


    She had thought that by causing such a scene, she would surely gain a lot of sympathy points. Even the Zhuang family would have to take a step back, lest they bebeled as bullies of widows and orphans. However, she hadn''t expected Zhao Guihua to call her performance "acting," pinning her to the wall and leaving her unable to extricate herself.0


    She wanted to exin, but with everyone else having left the scene, any further exnation would only be redundant and inappropriate.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was caught between a rock and a hard ce. She looked at the others, who were also looking at her, and even Aunt Su was at a loss. Normally, her tearful pleas were very effective. How to y the victim was something she was very skilled at, as her family was adept at exploiting others'' kindness.0


    But Zhao Guihua''s dismissal of her as "acting" and her subsequent departure had left them all in an awkward position.0


    The others, too, were feeling the same way, and seeing them like this, they couldn''t help but feel it was all fake. Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, her tears mingling with the rain, as she cried out, "I didn''t, I really didn''t. I wasn''t acting. I... why is life so hard?"0


    She seemed to suddenly break down and turned to run out... only to crash into Zhou Qun.0


    Under normal circumstances, Zhou Qun wouldn''t havee out to watch such a spectacle. He was always discerning about propriety and would never involve himself in such matters. But with so many things happeningtely, his mood was not good, so he decided toe out and watch themotion. Seeing others in distress made him happy.0


    However, he hadn''t expected to be run into by Wang Xiangxiu, who looked up at him pitifully, tears streaming down her face, and for a moment, she didn''t leave his embrace.0


    Zhou Qun: "Tsk!"0


    Jiang Lu, seeing this posture, immediately felt her anger rise. She stepped forward and pped Wang Xiangxiu across the face, scolding: "You slut, what are you looking at! This isn''t your man."0


    With a forceful push, Wang Xiangxiu fell into the rain, and Jii, who had been beaten, rushed up to protect his mother.0


    "Don''t bully my mom!"0


    He immediately charged at Jiang Lu, punching and kicking, despite being just a child of ten or so. Jiang Lu took a few hits but wasn''t about to take this lying down. After all, Jii wasn''t her son, so she pped him back, saying, "You little brat, get out of here!"0


    "Ah, how dare you hit my son!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu, who had been feeling sorry for herself, now rushed forward again. Zhou Qun: "That''s enough, isn''t it? Wang Xiangxiu, have some self-respect."0


    When there were outsiders present, he would always protect his wife, Jiang Lu, and not let her suffer any grievances. If he couldn''t do that, Jiang Lu wouldn''t be so devoted to him. He roared, "Wang Xiangxiu, keep your son in check. What kind of undisciplined thief is he?"0


    "You!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu red at Zhou Qun with hatred. In that moment, the Zhuang family, who had started the whole thing, was pushed to second ce. The person she hated the most was Zhou Qun. Once, they had been husband and wife with a hundred days of kindness, but now he was treating her like this. What a heartless man.0


    Zhou Qun didn''t know what she was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn''t care. They were just a transaction, with no emotions involved. If they wanted to talk about affection and righteousness, they shouldn''t have taken the money in the first ce.0


    Wang Xiangxiu stood in the pouring rain, the rain sliding down her face, making it impossible to tell whether it was tears or rain. With the warm weather, she was only wearing a thin top, and the rain outlined her curves.0


    The men in the courtyard couldn''t help but stare, but Zhou Qun pretended to be quite the gentleman. He had seen more than anyone else, so he didn''t bother looking. He kept his eyes straight ahead: "If your son dares toy a hand on my wife again, don''t me me for being rude!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu clenched her teeth in hatred. Suddenly, she let out a bitterugh and said, "Fine, you all look down on me, you all push me. You want to drive me to death, so I''ll die for you all to see."0


    With a howl, she turned and ran out, shouting, "I''ll die for you all to see."0


    Bai Fendou quickly wrapped his arms around Wang Xiangxiu''s waist, saying, "Sister Xiangxiu, don''t be sad. No one understands you, but I do. I know your suffering."0


    Wang Xiangxiu turned around and hugged Bai Fendou, crying loudly: "Fendou, it''s not easy for your sister. It''s not easy for me to raise three sons."0


    The two of them hugged each other openly, and everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Jiang Lu spat and scolded: "Slut."0


    Jii looked gloomy at Bai Fendou, Yii''s expression wasn''t great either, and only Toni, who didn''t understand much, could still sniff and wonder who was cooking something delicious.0


    Bai Fendou held Wang Xiangxiu protectively in his arms and dered loudly: "Wang Xiangxiu is my sister, my own flesh and blood. From now on, anyone who bullies her is my enemy. I will not let it go!"0


    The crowd: "Oh ho!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Jii, if you boys want anything to eat in the future,e to my house. Uncle Fendou will buy it for you! We won''t take from these people, who have no sympathy at all! Small-minded people drink cold water!"0


    "Hey, how are you talking?"0


    "Yeah, you''re willing to be stolen from and taken advantage of because you have other intentions. We don''t."0


    Exactly, we''re all old foxes, what''s the point of ying ghost stories? Stop pretending to be good.0


    Hmph, he''s obviously unclear with Wang Xiangxiu...0


    Bai Fendou: "Enough. What are you talking about, all over the ce? We''re as clear as green onion and tofu."0


    He waved his fists: "Want to fight?"0


    The crowd chuckled.0


    Most people were like fence-sitters, swaying with the wind. Just a moment ago, they felt that the Su family''s life was indeed a bit difficult, but now they were full of disgust. As for Aunt Wang, who hadn''t said much the whole time, she looked at one person and then another, saying, "Li Fang, take the kids home. Don''t watch this, or the kids might learn bad things."0


    She looked at Bai Fendou with disgust, as if seeing something in a cesspool.0


    The Li family also left.0


    Everyone looked at each other, and seeing that Bai Fendou still wouldn''t let go of Wang Xiangxiu, they all exchanged ambiguous smiles and then dispersed. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to watch the gossip, but they knew that there wouldn''t be much more to see. As for whether they were clear and innocent, who would believe that?0


    With everyone gone, Bai Fendou boasted, "See, I still have some prestige in the courtyard."0


    He didn''t let go of Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Come on, let''s go home. It''s raining so hard, you''re all soaked. Let''s go back and change into clean clothes, take a hot bath. By the way, do you have ginger at home? Drink some ginger soup."0


    Wang Xiangxiu gently shook her head: "No more..."0


    She didn''t mind being held by Bai Fendou like this, looking utterly despondent as she said, "Fendou, don''t bother with your sister. I''m in pain."0


    "That won''t do."0


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t say anything, and Aunt Su stepped forward: "Let''s go home first, let''s go home."0


    The whole family was soaked, each looking wretched. Jii and his brothers, especially Jii, had been beaten and rained on, looking utterly miserable. Wang Xiangxiu looked at her children and wept softly, saying, "It''s my fault, it''s Mom''s fault. I couldn''t give you a good life, so you had to sneak around, despised by others. It''s all my fault..."0


    Her face was pale, and she looked like she was about to faint.0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly helped her onto the kang (a type of heated bed), saying, "Lie down for a bit?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu looked drained.0


    At that moment, Toni suddenly spoke up: "What''s that smell?"0


    He sniffed, saying, "It smells like something delicious, like meat."0


    ¡°What are you thinking about eating at a time like this?¡± Aunt Suined, then blinked her eyes and gave Wang Xiangxiu a meaningful look. Wang Xiangxiu closed her eyes slightly, and Aunt Su eximed, ¡°Xiangxiu, Xiangxiu, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±0


    Wang Xiangxiu curled up, saying, "I''m cold..."0


    "Mom..." The three kids were also scared.0


    Bai Fendou was even more anxious: "What''s wrong?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Cold, so cold..."0


    Aunt Su: "She''s caught a chill, she''s caught a chill..."0


    She cried out, "You can''t copse, you absolutely can''t! If you do, this family will really fall apart. Yes, have some soup to warm up, to sweat it out. This cold needs nourishment. Chicken soup, I''ll go buy you a bowl of chicken soup..."0


    As Aunt Su spoke, she started to head out, her expression nk.0


    Bai Fendou saw this and quickly grabbed her, saying, "Aunt Su, where are you going to buy it from? It''s pouring outside, where could you possibly go?"0


    Aunt Su: "But Xiangxiu, my Xiangxiu... she''s the rarest, most precious daughter-inw in the world. I can''t let her suffer..."0


    "Mom, Mom, don''t die..."0


    Bai Fendou: "You all stay here, I''ll figure something out."0


    In such circumstances, he suddenly felt a surge of determination.0


    "I''ll take care of it, I''ll go out and buy it. You don''t need to worry."0


    He immediately stepped out the door, despite the torrential rain. The rain was pouring even harder, but Bai Fendou still caught a whiff of the aroma of meat broth. Without a second thought, he dashed to the Zhuang household, where they were makingmb stew. Zhuang Zhixi opened the door, his expression cold: "What do you want?"0


    Bai Fendou: "The Su family is suffering because of your family. You need to take responsibility. Give me a bowl of meat broth."0


    His tone was so brazen that one might wonder if his brain was smoking.0


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a cold chuckle, then mmed the door shut with a loud bang.0


    "Ah, you..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What a piece of trash."0


    Zhao ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Guihua was indifferent: "Why bother with such a fool?"0


    "Knock, knock, knock!" The knocking sounded again. Zhao Guihua didn''t open the door, instead, she opened the kitchen window and shouted out, "Bai Fendou, are you looking for a beating?"0


    Bai Fendou: "You''re the ones who..."0


    Zhao Guihua narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice cold: "Do you believe I''ll p you to death?"0


    Bai Fendou gulped, feeling that the people in their courtyard were truly unkind.0


    Each and every one of themcked any goodness.0


    He suppressed hisints and said, "Well, I''ll buy one."0


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Do you think I''ll sell just because you want to buy? We''re just fine as we are, we''re not selling!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Do you really want to watch them suffer like this?"0


    Thinking of Wang Xiangxiu''s frail, almost lifeless state, he pleaded, "Please, let me buy some. Sister Xiangxiu really needs some nourishing food, some soup."0


    Zhao Guihua felt that despite her two lifetimes of experience, she hadn''t learned much, but she had learned this: when someone insists on going down the wrong path, it''s best not to meddle. And such people should be kept at a distance, especially on a rainy day.0


    Lest they get struck by lightning while standing next to a fool.0


    She looked at Bai Fendou, no longer wanting to speak to him, but then... her eyes flickered and she said, "We went to the mountain today and set traps, catching a wild chicken. If you want it, we can let you have it."0


    "Ah!" Bai Fendou was stunned, then overjoyed.0


    Zhao Guihua silently held up three fingers.0


    Bai Fendou: "..."0


    His face fell: "You want money?"0


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "What else?"0


    Bai Fendou: "But a farm-raised chicken only costs two yuan, and it''s more meaty and fat. A wild chicken, at most, would be one and a half yuan, maybe even one yuan for a lean one."0


    That was the normal price.0


    Three yuan was unheard of, unless supplies were extremely tight... He felt Zhao Guihua was being overly greedy.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care: "If you think it''s not worth it, then forget it."0


    She smiled, "After all, it''s a rainy day, and scarcity drives up the price. Go find that one-yuan wild chicken elsewhere."0


    Bai Fendou: "Uh..."0


    On such a day, even the ck market would be empty. And besides, with Sister Xiangxiu in such a state, he couldn''t afford to wait. Hesitating for a moment, he said, "Alright, wait a moment, I''ll go get the money."0


    He hurried home, then rushed back.0


    Their two wild chickens were about the same in size and condition. Zhuang Zhixi casually grabbed one and handed it to him, exchanging money with one hand while delivering it with the other.0


    Seeing the wild chicken, Bai Fendou finally showed a few smiles. He didn''t waste any time and quickly returned to the Su household, beaming: "Aunt Su, Sister Xiangxiu, look what I brought for you."0


    Aunt Su had been peeking out the window earlier, so she already knew.0


    Her eyes were filled with joy, but she quickly put on a sorrowful expression, saying, "Let me, let me make some chicken soup for Xiangxiu."0


    Bai Fendou: "I''ll do it, Aunt Su. You all change your clothes, it''s too cold like this."0


    "Alright, thank you."0


    Aunt Su looked at Bai Fendou and said, "Fendou, if any girl marries you in the future, she''ll truly be blessed. A man like you, so rare. Generous, straightforward, loyal, always ready to help, with a good job, no family burdens, and a house. You could find any kind of wife you want, even a fairy. Aunt Su thinks any woman who marries you will have had good fortune built up over several lifetimes."0


    Bai Fendou was ttered, feeling quite proud.0


    "Aunt Su, in this courtyard, you have the sharpest eyes."0


    "That''s right. Back then, I chose Xiangxiu at a nce, didn''t I? She''s such a good daughter-inw."0


    "Exactly." Bai Fendou agreed.0


    The chicken at the Su household was quickly plucked and put into a pot to cook. The aroma of the chicken soup filled the air.0


    Many households in the courtyard caught the scent and started murmuring among themselves.0


    "Whose house is that? They''re making chicken soup?"0


    "Seems like it''s the front courtyard."0


    "Must be the Zhou family, they''re well-off."0


    "Not necessarily, maybe the Zhuang family. They went on a pic to the outskirts today, maybe they caught some game."0


    "Could be Bai Fendou, the father and son duo, they''ve got no one to spend their money on, so they eat well..."0


    "No way, I think it''s Uncle Lan, he''s the one who really eats well."0


    "That can''t be, the Lan family usually eats lightly in the evening. He mostly eats well in the morning and at noon."0


    "Right."0


    No matter when, there are always curious ones. Soon, someone wandered to the front courtyard and came back with a mysterious expression, eximing in disbelief, "It''s the Su family, they''re making chicken soup."0


    "Oh my~ Didn''t they just act pitiful? Now they''re eating chicken soup?"0


    "What kind of situation is this?"0


    "We better not be too kind-hearted. Look at how they live, we haven''t even had chicken soup yet."0


    Normally, the smell of chicken soup isn''t as strong asmb stew, but Zhao Guihua had closed all the doors and windows, and their family had already started eating, so the smell wasn''t that noticeable. Meanwhile, the Su family had just started cooking and had their kitchen window open, so the smell naturally spread. Plus, their kitchen was close to the passageway between the front and back courtyards, so one could tell it was their house just by walking past.0


    Bai Fendou was fanning the fire, grumbling with satisfaction, "Let you all look down on people. You look down on people, and all you get is coarse grains and porridge, while Sister Xiangxiu gets to drink chicken soup."0


    Little did he know, he had just stirred up another wave of jealousy.0


    Because of the rain, Aunt Zhou didn''t have an umbre and had to wait for a while after getting off the bus. Seeing the rain getting heavier and not stopping, she had no choice but to return. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she caught the smell from the Su household and saw Bai Fendou busy in their kitchen. She spat on the ground and cursed, "Scandalous couple!"0


    Bai Fendou didn''t back down: "Oh? Who''s this? Isn''t this Aunt Zhou, the one who seduced my father?"0


    Aunt Zhou shouted angrily, "I''ll tear your mouth apart!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Hehe, what you do, you can''t say?"0


    Aunt Zhou charged forward to fight, but Zhou Qun timely stopped her at the door, saying, "Mom,e back. What''s the point of talking to such people? Every word is a disgrace."0


    Aunt Zhou: "Right."0


    She red viciously at Bai Fendou.0


    Bai Fendou called out, "I''d rather be shameless than like you, desperate for anything."0


    Zhou Qun: "You!!!"0


    Zhou Qun took a deep breath to calm himself, saying, "Mom,e back. Such people spew filth, it''s not worth our time. The pure are pure, we don''t need to pay attention to these petty people." Though he said that, Zhou Qun was filled with resentment, giving Bai Fendou a venomous look.0


    He thought to himself that if he ever got the chance, he definitely wouldn''t let it go.0


    However, Bai Fendou didn''t dwell on it, feeling triumphant as if he had emerged victorious. Despite the others putting up a tough front, they were all retreating one by one.0


    He let out a heartyugh, but soon, he scratched his head in confusion: Come to think of it, where was his father? Why hadn''t hee back yet?0


    Oh well, never mind.0


    *******0


    The savory aroma of chicken soup filled the entire courtyard. Zhao Guihua was in the process of butchering a rabbit. If you weren''t close to her house, you wouldn''t even notice the scent.0


    The heavy rain had dispersed the smells, and with the rich fragrance of the chicken soup wafting around, no one paid any attention to her side of the yard.0


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself, "I''m such a genius."0


    Selling that wild chicken was the right move!

 Chapter 79

    <h1>Chapter 79</h1>


    The rain was pouring heavily today, and the night was filled with torrential downpours, yet the room was aze with passion.0


    Ming Mei emerged from the nkets and gently kicked Zhuang Zhixi with her foot, saying, "Get me a ss of water."0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t bother putting on any clothes; he simply lifted the nket and got up to pour water. The room was dark, but it didn''t hinder his vision. After all, he knew where everything in his own home was, even with his eyes closed.0


    He handed the water to his wife and said, "Here."0


    Ming Mei felt parched and wiped the sweat from her forehead before gulping down the water. Then, shezilyy back on the bed and said, "I''m going back to my parents'' ce tomorrow. Will youe with me?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sure."0


    If it weren''t for the heavy rain today, they would have gone over this evening. Ming Mei had ughtered a sheep herself, so she naturally wanted to bring some to her parents.0


    Zhuang Zhixi climbed back into bed beside Ming Mei and said, "It''s close to my workce, so when I get off work tomorrow, I''lle back first to get the stuff, and then we''ll go together. That way, you won''t have to make an extra trip."0


    Ming Mei smiled softly and whispered, "Okay."0


    She added yfully, "It''s your first day in the new department tomorrow. Will you have to work overtime?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and shook his head. "Why would I need to work overtime? The publicity department isn''t that busy. Unless there''s a big event like this one, there''s not much to do. It''s just about handling some publicity. Our unit doesn''t even have an arts department; otherwise, this work wouldn''t fall to the publicity department."0


    Ming Mei said, "Still, you should do your best. It''s not easy to get transferred there."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I know that."0


    The couple continued theirte-night conversation. Zhuang Zhixi mentioned, "Mom and Brother gave me the money. It''s thirty yuan in total. I put it in the drawer. You should keep it."0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Ming Mei nodded, "Okay."0


    Their private savings were the most among the entire family, even more than their inws. Ming Mei chuckled and said, "If we could always have such good luck, that would be wonderful. But Zhixi, we''re all one family. Is it really okay to take money from others like this?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What''s the problem? This was arranged by Mom. We just follow her instructions. We don''t ask for it, but if Mom decides to give it, we take it. After all, older people have seen more of the world than we have. They see things more clearly. We just need to listen to them."0


    Ming Mei agreed, "That makes sense. Listening to my mother-inw is probably the right thing to do. After all..." She suddenly felt a wave of nausea and gagged.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was startled and quickly asked, "What''s wrong?"0


    He immediately pulled the light cord, and the room lit up. Concerned, he asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Did you eat something wrong?"0


    Ming Mei nodded and then shook her head. "Maybe I ate too much meat today. My stomach feels a bit off. And then I drank a whole ss of water, which made it feel too full. I''ll be fine."0


    Zhuang Zhixi examined Ming Mei carefully, seeing that herplexion was fine and she didn''t seem unwell. He gently smoothed her messy hair and said, "If you feel worse tomorrow, we''ll go to the hospital."0


    Ming Mei nodded, "I''m fine. It''s just that I rarely get to eat so well."0


    Zhuang Zhixi started to say, "I thought you were..." but was interrupted by loud banging on the door outside. He frowned and said, "Who''s that? Who would be banging on the door sote at night? Is someone not back yet?"0


    Ming Mei looked at him, equally puzzled. "I thought everyone was here during the argument earlier."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''ll put on some clothes and go check."0


    Ming Mei nodded. She was a bit tired today and didn''t feel like moving, so she just pulled the nket over herself like a cocoon and peeked out through the curtain. The loud banging had woken up the neighbors in the front yard, and she saw Bai Fendou, wearing only his underwear, cursing as he went to open the door.0


    She said, "Zhixi, Bai Fendou is going out."0


    Zhuang Zhiximented, "He''s quick."0


    Meanwhile, Bai Fendou had been deep in sleep when the banging woke him up. The noise was closest to his house, so he was the first to be disturbed. He grumbled as he got up, "Who''s this unlucky bastard? Do they have no morals? Do they not want anyone to sleep? Disgusting!"0


    He didn''t bother putting on clothes or grabbing any rain gear. He just walked along the covered walkway to the door and shouted, "Who''s there? What''s the matter sote at night?"0


    "It''s your dad!" came a deep, gruff voice.0


    Bai Fendou immediately got angry and cursed, "Damn it, you little bastard! You dare toe here in the middle of the night and im to be my dad? You woke me up and even tried to take advantage of me. I don''t think you want toe in, do you? Stay out there!"0


    "It''s me! I really am your dad! I''m Old Man Bai!" the voice outside shouted angrily.0


    Bai Fendou was stunned. He suddenly remembered that his father hadn''t been home today. He panicked and quickly opened the door, saying, "Oh, no, Dad! Why are you out in this heavy rain? I didn''t know you weren''t home."0


    His words didn''t sit well with his father. Old Man Bai was furious. "I live under the same roof as you, and you don''t even know if I''m home? You ungrateful son! I can''t believe I raised you!"0


    He felt utterly defeated. His son was already this old and still hadn''t given him any grandchildren. Now he was even arguing with him.0


    Bai Fendou chuckled awkwardly. "You''re really angry, Dad. How could I keep an eye on you all the time? Besides... oh no! Where did you fall? You''re all dirty."0


    Old Man Bai waved him off. "Forget it, let''s go home and talk."0


    The father and son went back inside together. Zhuang Zhixi, who had been watching from the doorway, decided there was no need to put on clothes and returned to bed. He said, "It''s Old Man Bai. No wonder he wasn''t around during the argument with the Su family today. He wasn''t home."0


    Ming Meimented, "Those two really are... I wonder if they''ll ever get what they want."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I don''t think either of them will. Why would they get married when they can spend their money without it? If they got married, they''d have to take care of each other. Right now, the Su family even washing their clothes earns them gratitude. But if they were married, that would just be expected. The Su family is too clever to miss that calction."0


    Ming Mei suddenly remembered, "Oh, we need to wash the sheets tomorrow..."0


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi with pleading eyes. He said, "I''ll help you wash them."0


    Ming Mei immediately smiled. That was exactly what she was waiting for.0


    She cozied up to Zhuang Zhixi and said yfully, "I knew you were the best man."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and asked, "How good?"0


    Ming Mei teased, "Very, very good."0


    She nestled into Zhuang Zhixi''s arms like a little fox and kissed his chin. "So caring and kind."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled proudly. "Of course, I have to be good to my wife."0


    He turned off the light, and the room soon fell into darkness. Not long after, the bed started creaking again...0


    Ming Mei murmured, "I''m tired..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I''m not. I''m the one doing all the work."0


    "Well, I''m tired too..."0


    "Shh..."0


    The room was filled with creaking and warmth.0


    Outside, the storm raged on. Old Man Bai, who had returned in the midst of the storm, was aplete mess. His clothes were torn, and his pants were covered in mud, as if he had fallen into a mud pit.0


    Bai Fendou eximed, "Oh no, Dad! What happened to you? I thought you went on a spring outing with Aunt Su and the kids. Why are you onlying back now?"0


    Old Man Bai red at him and said, "It''s all for you."0


    Bai Fendou was puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean, for me? What does going out with Aunt Su have to do with me? Don''t try to pin this on me."0


    He felt quite wronged.0


    Old Man Bai: "We went out for a spring outing together, but it was a bit stuffy and hot today at noon. Aunt Su wasn''t feeling well, so we decided to head back early. We got back in the mid-afternoon. As soon as we reached the entrance of the alley, we ran into Aunt Lu from the back street. You know, Aunt Lu is a well-known matchmaker, just as good as Aunt Wang, and they''ve been old rivals for years."0


    "You''re asking Aunt Lu to introduce me to someone?" Bai Fendou''s face lit up with excitement.0


    Old Man Bai: "Exactly! Aunt Wang wouldn''t help, so we had to switch to someone else. Why hang ourselves on one tree? Aunt Wang wasn''t doing a good job introducing you to anyone anyway, and after the te-selling incident, she definitely wouldn''t help you. Chef Li looks at me with disdain now, haha, people only use you when they need you. I went to Aunt Lu, and she happened to mention that she has a rtive who''s still single, a beautiful youngdy, and she''s only twenty years old. I thought, if we don''t act fast, someone else might snatch her up. So, I suggested we arrange a meeting right away, but she said the girl had gone to her grandmother''s ce in the countryside to take care of her since the grandmother was sick. The girl''s a filial one, you know. I decided to be cautious and asked where exactly she was staying, then I went to check it out secretly. After all, we can''t fully trust matchmakers¡ªthey can twist the truth with their words. I wanted to see if what the matchmaker said was true and if the girl was indeed as filial as imed. Filial piety is very important when ites to marriage. At the very least, she should be like Wang Xiangxiu or Jiang Lu."0


    Although he thought Wang Xiangxiu''s behavior was questionable, he still admired her filial piety. He believed that having a filial daughter-inw was crucial.0


    Bai Fendou nodded repeatedly, "Sister Xiangxiu is indeed very good."0


    Old Man Bai continued, "I went to the countryside and found the girl, but I just wanted to observe her secretly. Little did I know, the vigers thought I was some old pervert and chased me, refusing to listen to my exnation. I had to run for my life and ended up falling into a ditch. By the time I got out, I missed thest bus back to the city. Then a heavy rain started, and I had to walk back in the rain..."0


    Old Man Bai felt that today was just one of those unlucky days.0


    He said, "I was exhausted by the time I got back, and you, you little rascal, are shouting at me. Don''t you know who I''m doing this for?"0


    Bai Fendou grinned, "For me, I know you''re doing this for me."0


    Old Man Bai: "You know that, huh?"0


    He felt like his old bones were about to fall apart. The journey seemed endless.0


    He slumped into a chair: "Go and boil some hot water for me."0


    Bai Fendou wasn''t happy: "Why boil hot water sote at night? Just go to sleep. I''m tired too."0


    Raising such a son was no different from raising a piece of useless meat.0


    His father was in such a state, yet Bai Fendou was toozy to care, just wanting to rest. However, earlier in the evening, he had been a dutiful son at the Su household, boiling water and even making chicken soup for them, doing his best to be helpful.0


    Although he didn''t want to move, he was still curious and asked, "How was the girl?"0


    Old Man Bai, still upset that his son wouldn''t boil water, simply replied, "Get lost!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Look at you, such a petty old man."0


    Old Man Bai ignored him and decided not to bathe. He just wanted to drink some hot water and sleep, but when he shook the thermos, it was empty. He frowned, unhappy.0


    "Where''s the hot water?"0


    He spoke harshly: "I boiled water this morning, how is it gone?"0


    Bai Fendou: "Oh, I poured it for Xiangxiu''s kid to bathe. The child got caught in the rain, and they needed hot water."0


    Old Man Bai was nearly speechless.0


    "You..."0


    "Aunt Su also got caught in the rain, and I helped them boil water," Bai Fendou added casually. Old Man Bai immediately became anxious: "What happened to her? Why did she get caught in the rain? Did something happen?"0


    Bai Fendou sat up: "It''s the family across the street, they''re really something, picking on women and children. Anyway, they didn''t really steal anything, so why make such a big deal out of it? I''ll definitely teach them a lesson."0


    Speaking of this, Old Man Bai also felt frustrated.0


    Although he knew it was because he was too weak to step up, he still felt the opportunity should have been his. This feeling of being robbed was incredibly frustrating. He said, "Zhuang Zhixi stepped on me to get ahead."0


    Actually, when Aunt Su talked about it yesterday, he was very tempted to go and confront the Zhuang family, but his remaining sense told him it wasn''t a good idea.0


    He knew it wasn''t wise. The Zhuang family wasn''t the type to be polite.0


    But that didn''t mean he wasn''t angry. He was furious and very resentful. How could they treat him like this? Since they stepped on him to get ahead, they should at least buy him gifts to apologize and keep sending them during festivals.0


    But the Zhuang family seemed to have no such intentions, not even bothering toe and exin themselves. This made Old Man Bai very dissatisfied. People shouldn''t be so thoughtless. The Zhuang family was really too unreasonable.0


    He snorted coldly and said, "They should be taught a lesson, but how do you think we should do it?"0


    When it came to this, the father and son were no longer sleepy.0


    Bai Fendou: "If we confront them directly and start a fight, I don''t think it''s a good idea. Their daughter-inw is quite good at fighting. If we go at it head-on, we might end up losing. We need to outsmart them. Dad, since Zhuang Zhixi stepped on you to get ahead, why don''t we target him? What do you think?"0


    He exined, "If we try to take on the entire Zhuang family at once, it''s not realistic. It''s better to pick one person to teach a lesson, let them know our strength, and humiliate them. What do you think?"0


    "That''s a good idea," Old Man Bai agreed. He also thought targeting Zhuang Zhixi would be the most satisfying. After all, Zhuang Zhixi had taken his ce to y Yang Bao in the propaganda department.0


    He hated Zhuang Zhixi the most. This little brat deserved a lesson.0


    Bai Fendou also thought teaching Zhuang Zhixi a lesson was the best. Somehow, he just couldn''t stand how pretentious and showy Zhuang Zhixi was, just because he got married.0


    He felt that if he didn''t teach this guy a lesson, he wouldn''t be able to get rid of the resentment in his heart.0


    "What if we use him of harassing Wang Xiangxiu?" Old Man Bai suggested. After all, Wang Xiangxiu was a woman with a questionable reputation, and doing such things would be easy for her. If they could use this to ckmail Zhuang Zhixi, they could not only damage his reputation but also possibly extort some money from him.0


    This would also help the Su family, and Aunt Su could live a bit morefortably.0


    He thought his idea was great, but Bai Fendou''s face darkened immediately and said, "No way, Dad, what are you talking about? A woman''s reputation is very important, you don''t understand that? Sister Xiangxiu is a good woman, she can''t be dragged into this. Zhou Qun has already framed Sister Xiangxiu, and some people who don''t know the truth are already pointing fingers at her. If you do this too, you''ll push Sister Xiangxiu into an even worse situation. Absolutely not! You shouldn''t even think about it! Why don''t you use him of harassing Aunt Su?"0


    Old Man Bai wasn''t happy: "Who would believe that?"0


    "People believe that Zhou Qun had an affair with the olddy."0


    Old Man Bai: "That''s because he had a purpose! If there was no purpose, it''s a different story. What''s wrong with you, shouting at me? Do you still want to deal with Zhuang Zhixi or not?"0


    Bai Fendou: "I want to, but I can''t use Sister Xiangxiu''s reputation as a price."0


    He thought for a moment and said, "What about Jiang Lu? What do you think of Jiang Lu? Let''s find a way to trick Zhuang Zhixi and Jiang Lu into the same room, then catch them in the act with a group of people, preferably at the factory, to humiliate them thoroughly. This way, not only will we hit the Zhuang family, but we''ll also hit Zhou Qun. They''ve been giving me attitude and acting all high and mightytely. This time, we''ll make both families lose face together. What do you think?"0


    Old Man Bai pondered for a moment, then nodded in approval, "That''s a great idea. Perfect."0


    The father and son chuckled smugly.0


    Old Man Bai chuckled and said, "Hey, you think this might cause some big trouble? What if theye after us?"0


    Bai Fendou was nonchnt and unconcerned, "What''s the big deal? We''re not killing or setting fires. We''re just teaching people a lesson, doing good for themunity. It''s not a big deal. Even if they use us, we just deny it. If ites to it, we can just say it was a joke. What can they do? Zhou Qun is involved with an older woman, and there are shady dealings with his exams, yet he''s still fine. I don''t think there''s any problem."0


    "You''re right about that."0


    "Of course."0


    The father and sonughed sinisterly. Zhao Guihua had a bit of a stomachache and, wearing a raincoat, came out to use the restroom. As she approached the gate, she heard the Bai family''s eerieughter, "Heh heh heh heh." Theughter was so... it takes at least twenty years of experience as a viin tough like that.0


    She frowned slightly, looked around, and confirmed that it waste and quiet. Unable to resist her curiosity, she quietly approached the window and heard the people inside say, "Let''s act tomorrow or the day after."0


    "Alright, we''ll each take one. Do you know of a suitable ce in the factory?"0


    "The small storage room."0


    "Alright, you trick one, I''ll trick the other."0


    "Heh heh, we''ll just wait and watch the show."0


    Zhao Guihua was truly surprised. Out of the blue, in the middle of the night, she had overheard something about her son. Of course, she didn''t know who exactly they were talking about yet. But she thought it over and realized these two were probably plotting against someone. She just didn''t know who they were targeting.0


    She thought again and suspected they might be plotting against her family, especially since they had just had a conflict with Aunt Su''s family today.0


    And these two bachelors are the ultimate admirers of those two widows. Wouldn''t they want to take revenge?0


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, feeling that Bai Fendou was bing more and more unlike himself. He used to be just a bit foolish, but now, with all the eligible young men in the courtyard getting married, jealousy had taken over. Not only was he foolish, but he was also bing a bit wicked.0


    Like the time he swindled Yang Lixin''s money. Granted, Yang Lixin didn''t want to take any risks and just wanted to enjoy the benefits, which wasn''t entirely right. But Bai Fendou definitely swindled his money. And swindling money is wrong.0


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips. Her stomach started cramping again, so she quickly went out, the door making a faint creaking sound. The Bai father and son didn''t pay much attention, as they lived in the room by the gate and were used to peopleing and going at night.0


    However, recently, due to the ghost rumors, fewer people wereing out at night. Everyone preferred to endure rather than go out. Zhao Guihua didn''t know who it was, but Bai Fendou peeked out and didn''t see anyone. He didn''t think much of it.0


    If only there hadn''t been that door opening and closing sound.0


    In their opinion, it would be better if the door was just left open like before. Peopleing and going would be quieter and more convenient. They didn''t understand why they had to lock the door, saying it was to prevent thieves, but the thief had been caught, hadn''t they? Since the thief was caught, there were no more thieves. It was just unnecessary.0


    Bai Fendou: "Aunt Wang, being a woman, just can''t handle things properly. No sense of order."0


    Old Man Bai agreed, "Yeah, the courtyard management should be handled by a man. A woman managing the courtyard just doesn''t work. Women have long hair and shortsightedness. If I were in charge, I''d do a much better job. Look at how she handles things. She can''t manage many situations well. There have been so many incidents in the courtyard, and she doesn''t show any consideration for widows and orphans. Women are just too jealous. I think she''s jealous of Aunt Su."0


    The father and son criticized Aunt Wang for a while before going back to their rooms and lying down.0


    Old Man Bai: "I really suffered today..."0


    Although heined a bit, he was too tired and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Zhao Guihua went out alone to use the restroom. There was no one outside. Due to the ghost rumors, everyone tried to stay indoors, making Zhao Guihua one of the few brave ones.0


    She went to the restroom and thought carefully about what the Bai father and son had said. Although she hadn''t heard who they were talking about, she felt more and more that they were targeting her family. Zhao Guihua''s expression darkened, and she became even more disdainful of the father and son.0


    However, since she knew about this, she had to warn her family to avoid falling into a trap.0


    Two, they mentioned two people. Were they targeting two of her children?0


    If that was the case, Zhao Guihua would definitely grab a knife and confront them.0


    But then she thought again and felt they probably weren''t bold enough to go that far.0


    In any case, she had to take this seriously.0


    Zhao Guihua finally finished using the restroom. As she was about to leave, she heard footsteps and a man''s light cough. Zhao Guihua decided to stay put. It wasn''t that she wanted to hide, but with the ghost rumors being strongest about the women''s restroom, she didn''t want to scare anyone by suddenlying out of the women''s restroom on a rainy night. So she decided to wait until the man went into the men''s restroom before leaving.0


    Being civilized means not scaring others, and she was very particr about that.0


    Zhao Guihua stood still, but soon felt something was off. Why? Because from where she was standing, she could see the personing, and this person was carrying a bundle.0


    Who goes to the restroom on a rainy night carrying a bundle? This was clearly suspicious. Zhao Guihua quietly moved and leaned against the wall, not daring to move.0


    Even though she didn''t know what this person was up to, Zhao Guihua still had her caution and vignce. What if she just came out to use the restroom and ended up being killed by some unknown person? That would be terrible. She didn''t know what this person wanted to do.0


    Zhao Guihua stayed still, holding her breath.0


    At this moment, she heard rustling sounds from the men''s restroom next door, as if the person was climbing. Zhao Guihua still didn''t move. Now wasn''t the time to leave; that would just get her noticed. She wasn''t that foolish.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t move, listening to the sounds next door. The person seemed to have climbed onto the roof, with heavy breathing.0


    Hmm, not very fit.0


    After a while, thud!0


    That was the sound of jumping down. The person cursed, "Damn, my foot! Shit, almost fell into the pit."0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    You guys really... no wonder Old Bao had to put up signs at the restroom. You all really have a thing for public restrooms. I''m impressed. How does everyone manage to make the restroom their stage?0


    Zhao Guihua still didn''t move, even though her legs were getting numb. She wasn''t the impulsive type. She watched the person''s back as he limped away, probably having twisted his ankle when jumping down.0


    Ah, this... the person twisted their ankle after jumping down from a height.0


    That was Zhao Guihua''s conclusion.0


    After all, the person was fine when he first came over.0


    She stood there for a while, watching the person walk away, heading towards the innermost part of the alley. She quickly left the restroom, covering herself with the rain, and hurried home. As for checking the men''s restroom next door, Zhao Guihua didn''t consider it. She didn''t know what was going on, so she wasn''t going to do anything rash.0


    Moreover, who knows if anyone in their courtyard saw her leave? If something goes missing tonight, she''d be the first suspect. She didn''t want any trouble. Although she was a bit curious about what someone would be hiding on a rainy night, she wasn''t desperate to find out.0


    Zhao Guihua quickly returned to the courtyard and closed the door before heading home.0


    She hurried inside, and Old Man Zhuang turned over, asking, "Wife?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "It''s me."0


    He asked, "How do you feel?"0


    Zhao Guihua said, "I''m fine, just ate too much."0


    She was like a wild boar that couldn''t handle fine grain.0


    Originally, her diet was quite light and mild, but suddenly, for three meals a day, there was meat, and both lunch and dinner were especially hearty. Her stomach couldn''t take it, and she ended up with diarrhea at night. However, the others in the family who ate the same food were perfectly fine.0


    Only she had stomach issues, while everyone else was fine.0


    Zhao Guihua: Very annoyed.0


    She muttered to herself as shey back down on the kang (kang, a heated brick bed), saying, "Old man, are you asleep?"0


    Old Man Zhuang replied, "No, what is it?"0


    Zhao Guihua said, "I overheard the Bai father and son plotting something. I think they''re nning to scheme against our family."0


    Old Man Zhuang sat up abruptly, saying, "What? Do they have no shame? We haven''t done anything to offend them."0


    Zhao Guihuaughed, "We didn''t offend them, but we did offend the Su family. You know them; they''re not very bright."0


    Old Man Zhuang frowned, saying, "They really are... Old Man Bai too. Over the years, he''s just gotten worse, more and more confused."0


    They had been old friends since they were sixteen or seventeen, knowing each other for decades. Now, Old Man Zhuang found it harder and harder to understand what was going on with him, as if he had some sort of problem. He wasn''t sure about anything else, but his brain certainly wasn''t functioning properly.0


    He''s really getting more and more confused as he ages.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "I don''t think he was ever quite right, even when he was young. But back then, during the chaotic times and poverty, it wasn''t so obvious. Now that life is getting better day by day, he has more time to cause trouble."0


    Old Man Zhuang sighed heavily, saying, "This is going to be tough."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, just keep it in mind, and remind the others. Whether or not it''s aimed at us, it''s better to be more cautious."0


    Old Man Zhuang agreed wholeheartedly.0


    He said, "That''s the way it should be."0


    Zhao Guihua continued, "Oh, and... I saw someone hiding something in the men''s toilet when I went to the bathroom earlier."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Huh?"0


    In these times, you really see all sorts of things.0


    "Can''t they keep it at home? Why hide it in the toilet?"0


    "Who knows."0


    Old Man Zhuang echoed Zhao Guihua''s thoughts: "Why do they have to be so obsessed with the toilet?"0


    "Right?"0


    Old Man Zhuang couldn''t help but feel impressed. How was it that every night he went to the toilet, he ended up hearing some gossip? People really shouldn''t be staying up sote and being so energetic. It''s just not right.0


    "Don''t get involved in this, and don''t tell the kids... Someone might get tempted to take the stuff and end up in trouble without even knowing what happened."0


    "I know, I only told you about the toilet thing..."0


    The two of them chatted softly, and soon their voices faded away. They weren''t young anymore, and after a day of work, they were quite tired.0


    As expected, the Zhuang family all woke upte the next morning.0


    The noisy sounds of the morning filled the air, and Zhuang Zhixi, feeling anxious, rubbed his eyes, saying, "I can''t bete today."0


    Today was his first day reporting to the Publicity Department, and beingte wouldn''t look good.0


    Zhuang Zhixi stumbled out, only to find that it was still raining outside. Compared to the torrential rain of the previous day, it had now turned into a moderate rain. However, after a night of rain, there were puddles all over the courtyard.0


    A mischievous kid named Toni stood at the door, jumping into a puddle with a st, then hopping out with a ssh.0


    He noticed Zhuang Zhixi''s gaze and, with a smug look, jumped even more energetically, back and forth.0


    Zhuang Zhixi watched his dirty pants and subtly twitched his mouth.0


    Jump away, you little rascal!0


    The usually bustling water trough area was quiet, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face at home. He peeked into the main room and saw that his parents hadn''t woken up yet. Zhuang Zhixi knocked on the door, saying, "Mom."0


    The ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????two elderly people didn''t respond, so Zhuang Zhixi knocked again. This time, Zhao Guihua finally stirred, saying, "Huh..."0


    She sat up and asked, "What time is it?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, I''m going to work without breakfast. Tell Dad not to oversleep."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Wait a moment."0


    She got up, putting on her clothes, and deeply sighed, realizing that as one gets older, it''s harder to recover from fatigue.0


    She opened the door and said, "Come in, it''s not like it''s a matter of five or ten minutes. Skipping breakfast isn''t good for your stomach."0


    Zhao Guihua remembered that her youngest son had always had stomach issues in theing years, almost as if he were the male lead in a romance novel, always getting stomach aches for no reason.0


    She said, "I''ll hurry, you can''t bete."0


    Zhuang Zhixi grinned, feeling that there was no one better than his mom in the world.0


    He teased, "Mom, I knew you loved me the most, oh my dear mom."0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    She was speechless: "Why does your tone sound so... clingy? You don''t sound like a decent person. Go on, now."0


    She quickly rolled out the dough she had prepared the night before, saying, "It''s all set fromst night, just slice it and cook it. Have some noodle soup for breakfast; it''ll keep you warm, and with the rain outside, it''ll feelfortable."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Okay."0


    His smile grew even wider, saying, "Mom, I know you love me the most, hehe."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "No need to tter me. I have something to tell you: Be careful of the Bai father and son."0


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned against the stove, askingzily, "What''s up?"0


    Zhao Guihua said, "I overheard themst night..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi sneered, saying, "What kind of idiots are they?"0


    He smiled and said, "Don''t worry, Mom, I definitely won''t fall for their tricks. Just remind the others."0


    Zhao Guihua thought about it and realized that it was true. Among their family, Zhuang Zhixi was the least likely to be deceived. Even if he didn''t know anything, he wasn''t the type to blindly trust others.0


    He was naturally quite shrewd in this regard.0


    She said, "I''ll remind everyone. Just remember to be cautious."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Alright, I know. If they dare to scheme against me, I''ll make sure they regret it."0


    He wasn''t someone to be trifled with. Zhuang Zhixi said meaningfully, "If someone tries to scheme against me, not returning the favor would be a shame given my height."0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    She twitched her mouth, quite speechless. What does that have to do with anything?0


    Zhuang Zhixi, on his first day at the Publicity Department, left earlier than everyone else. By the time he was ready to go, his wife, Ming Mei, was justing over to have breakfast, her hair a mess. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Wife, I''m leaving first."0


    Ming Mei nodded, "Oh."0


    She was still a bit dazed, half-asleep.0


    If it weren''t for her stomach growling, she wouldn''t have gotten up.0


    What was even more frustrating was that she still had to go to workter. Ming Mei went to the main room and called out, "Mom..."0


    It was worth mentioning that Ming Mei marrying into the Zhuang family was actually a bit of a step down in terms of status. She could have found a family with better conditions. However, in terms of living a morefortable life, it might not have been the case. Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had hit it off, but after getting married, Ming Mei realized that the Zhuang family was really quite nice.0


    After all, even if a daughter-inw had a job, in most families, the mother-inw would still be the one making breakfast.0


    Even though it was a new era, the mother-inw was still in charge. Many mother-inws would subtly establish rules and make life difficult for their daughters-inw.0


    Her mother-inw never cared about these things. For instance, Ming Mei and her husband almost always had ready-made meals for breakfast and dinner. They didn''t have to do much housework either. The couple mainly washed their own clothes and cleaned their own room, which was quite easy.0


    Don''t think this is simple. Just look at their courtyard. Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou don''t have jobs, but the work in both their households is done by Wang Xiangxiu and Jiang Lu. In their unit, most of the bus ticket sellers are women, and the majority are married. No matter whether they live with their inws or not, they have a lot to manage. Like her, who is married but still enjoys a rtively easy life, mainly just focusing on work, is truly rare.0


    Even the cleaning of pots, pans, and other household items, as well as the seasonal washing of curtains in each room, is all handled by Liang Meifen.0


    So Ming Mei has a good attitude towards Liang Meifen. After all, one can''t just look at what they give, but also what they receive.0


    She drank a bowl of noodle soup and sighed, "It''s really delicious."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course it''s delicious. I used the broth left over fromst night''smb stew."0


    Ming Mei truly admired her mother-inw''s cooking skills. Whether it was her own mother or the state-run restaurants outside, none couldpare to Zhao Guihua''s craftsmanship. However, Ming Mei also knew that her mother-inw''s culinary prowess came from her willingness to use ingredients. Her own family was already quite generous with food, but her mother, being a product of this era, could only be rtively generous.0


    But her mother-inw was different. Even when she held back, the amount of seasoning she used was significantly more than that of ordinary households. Moreover, she was very particr about food. Every week, they could see fish and meat on the table. If it were just based on the ten yuan they contributed monthly, they would barely be able to afford coarse grains.0


    Clearly, the older couple was subsidizing them. She knew this, and so did her sister-inw, Liang Meifen. That''s why Liang Meifen dared not utter a word. Everyone was well aware of the situation.0


    "Mom, it''s raining today. Don''t go up the mountain."0


    Yesterday, they had nned to go up the mountain, but rain made it unsafe.0


    Zhao Guihua: "I know. We won''t go today."0


    She looked at the few people eating and said, "I have something to tell you..."0


    Of course, it was aboutst night''s incident.0


    Everyone was gritting their teeth, although they weren''t sure if it was a scheme against their family, it was likely.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Those scoundrels."0


    He used to think Bai Fendou was decent, but now he''s bing more and more unbearable.0


    Strangely enough, Old Man Zhuang also had the same view of Old Man Bai. It seems that being a bachelor and a long-time admirer who can''t get what he wants makes one resentful of others'' happiness.0


    "Anyway, just keep it in mind. I don''t think it''s aimed at you. After all, you don''t work in the same factory, and you don''t interact much. Oh right~" Zhao Guihua recalled something and said, "Zhiyuan, aren''t youpeting for the position of train conductor this year?"0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yes, but there are several otherspeting, so my chances are slim."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Sometimes, you should give gifts when necessary. Don''t feel embarrassed; it''s just normal socializing."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan blushed slightly but nodded, "I understand."0


    "Mom, I''m off to work."0


    Ming Mei checked the time and realized she was runningte. She quickly got up, and Old Man Zhuang did the same.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, we''ll talk more after work. Go to work now."0


    "Okay."0


    Zhao Guihua instructed, "Meifen, take care of the kids these days. I''m afraid those two troublemakers might try something with the children."0


    Liang Meifen widened her eyes, "They dare!"0


    The Bai family was truly infuriating.0


    She said, "They''re so annoying."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Those kinds of people can''t keep their schemes hidden. It''ll only be for a couple of days. If they target our family, I''ll give them a good p. If it''s someone else... let them deal with it. Anyway, they''re either targeting the Zhou family or us. They won''t bother others."0


    It''s worth mentioning that Zhao Guihua''s random guess hit the nail on the head.0


    However, Zhao Guihua didn''t know that yet. She said, "Alright, go wake the kids up. If they don''t leave soon, they''ll bete for school. I''ve boiled an egg for each of them." Kids deserve special treatment, and Zhao Guihua was quite justified in her partiality.0


    After all, they''re just kids.0


    When they grow up, she won''t have to take care of them anymore.0


    Liang Meifen took the kids to school, while Zhao Guihua wasn''t idle. She processed some rabbit fur. Such things were unsuitable for children. Mainly because it was white, and whether it was made into a hat or gloves for kids, they''d get dirty quickly. Washing them in the cold winter wouldn''t dry easily, so Zhao Guihua didn''t consider giving them to the kids. Instead, she nned to process the fur and save it up. Once she had a few more pieces, she would make a fur vest for her husband to wear in winter.0


    Although her husband''s sry wasn''t low, he rarely used good things, always prioritizing the children. They always thought their good days were ahead. But who could have known that life is so unpredictable.0


    Her husband passed away at a rtively young age.0


    So, given another chance, Zhao Guihua still wanted to treat her husband better. After all, they had supported each other for most of their lives.0


    As she was organizing things, she heard someone calling outside, "Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang."0


    Zhao Guihua put down the rabbit fur and went out to ask, "What are you shouting for? Are you calling for a spirit?"0


    Outside was Bai Fendou.0


    Bai Fendou: "Where''s Xiao Zhuang? My dad got caught in the rain yesterday and has a cold. He should take a look."0


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and said, "You should go see a doctor for your brain. I''ve told you countless times, my son isn''t a doctor. Oh, I get it. You''re hoping your dad kicks the bucket soon so you can arrange a feast, right? Otherwise, why would youe to someone who isn''t a doctor to treat your father? You''re up to no good, Bai Fendou. That''s your own father."0


    "You..."0


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you ''you''-ing about?"0


    She looked Bai Fendou up and down and said, "I can see you''re up to no good. Let me tell you, if you keep this up, I''ll report you to the neighborhoodmittee. Who acts like you do as a son? You''re not even looking for a quack doctor; you''re asking someone who isn''t a doctor to treat your father. You clearly have ill intentions. You want to harm your dad, don''t you?"0


    "You''re talking nonsense. I just saw my dad has a fever, and my mind went nk. He''s my own father; how could I have ill intentions? Aunt Zhao, you''re really good at making things up."0


    Zhao Guihua gave a coldugh, crossed her arms, and looked Bai Fendou up and down with suspicion.0


    Bai Fendou: "Alright, I won''t argue with you. I''ll take him to the hospital right away."0


    Bai Fendou hurried back. This wasn''t an act or part of their n.0


    Old Man Bai had indeed caught a cold from the rain.0


    After all, he wasn''t young anymore. After falling and getting soaked in the rain, he walked several hours back to the city. That kind of ordeal was more than he could handle. Don''t think people of their age are used to hardship.0


    They were working-ss people, and while factory work was tiring, it couldn''tpare to farming. They hadn''t done heavybor.0


    After such a toss and turn, he couldn''t take it anymore.0


    Bai Fendou didn''t dare to argue with Zhao Guihua and quickly turned to the Su family, calling, "Aunt Su,e out for a moment."0


    Aunt Su hurried out and asked, "What''s wrong?"0


    Bai Fendou: "My dad''s sick. I can''t handle it alone. Can you help me out and take him to the hospital?"0


    Aunt Su quickly said, "Why go to the hospital? We should take him to the factory''s clinic. It''s closer and easier to take care of. If you take him to the hospital, you''ll have to go to work, and even if I can help take care of him, I''m just a woman. With the bad weather, it''s inconvenient to go back and forth."0


    Going to an external hospital would cost more than the factory clinic.0


    She didn''t want the old man to spend a lot of money. If he had that money, wouldn''t it be better to save it for her? She could use it to buy meat for her grandson.0


    She continued, "If we take him to the factory clinic, I can stay and help take care of him. If I go home to cook, you cane and take care of him yourself. Isn''t that convenient?"0


    Bai Fendou: "You''re very thoughtful."0


    The two quickly entered the house and soon emerged, supporting Old Man Bai, who was wearing a raincoat and had a pale face, clearly delirious from a high fever. Aunt Su held Old Man Bai''s hand and said, "Old Man Bai, hang in there. Once we get the fever-reducing shot, you''ll feel better. If you''re ufortable, lean on me."0


    Old Man Bai, whether genuinely unwell or not, immediately leaned on Aunt Su''s shoulder.0


    The three of them hurried out the door.0


    Aunt Wang, hearing themotion, came to the front yard and saw Aunt Su and Old Man Bai leaning closely together, holding hands. She grimaced and muttered, "What''s going on here? They''re really acting like no one else is around."0


    Zhao Guihua wore a serious expression and said, "You know, you really should take this more seriously. They''re just helping each other out."0


    Aunt Wang couldn''t help but chuckle and said, "I''ll believe that when I see it."0


    The two elderly women watched their retreating figures. Zhao Guihua thought to herself: It seems this isn''t part of any n; it must be an unexpected situation.0


    However, I wonder what they''re up to.0


    But given how close they''re acting, heading to the factory clinic...0


    Zhao Guihua: I dare not imagine.0


    By tomorrow, rumors will be flying everywhere!

 Chapter 80

    <h1>Chapter 80</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi arrived at the Propaganda Department early in the morning to report for duty.0


    Due to the recent rehearsals, he had be quite familiar with the Propaganda Department, and Director Song didn''t need to give much additional instruction. He directly led Zhuang Zhixi to the office, pped his hands to get everyone''s attention, and announced: "Everyone''s here, right? Let me introduce you to Zhuang Zhixi. I believe you all already know him quite well. Starting today, he will be transferred to our Propaganda Department. Let''s wee our new colleague."0


    The crowd immediately burst into apuse. Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''m new here, so if I make any mistakes or don''t understand something, please do guide me."0


    "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re being too modest. You''re doing just fine."0


    "Exactly, we all know each other. You''re being too humble, which makes us feel like outsiders," someone chimed in.0


    "That''s right! Oh, it''s been two or three years since we had a young guy in our department. Zhixi, you''re the youngest one here now."0


    "From now on, we''ll have a great talent for our joint performances."0


    Everyone chimed in, joking around.0


    Overall, the atmosphere was quite positive.0


    It made sense, though. There was nopetition among them, so no one would intentionally offend others from the start. After all, in the workce, it''s all about human rtionships. Unless someone was really out of their mind, no one would deliberately offend others.0


    It wasn''t worth it.0


    However, there was one exception: Little Xu.0


    Little Xu''s leg hadn''t fully healed, yet he didn''t contribute at all during the May Day Labor Festival performance. He felt like an outsider and was anxious. So, he rushed to work despite his injury, dragging one leg. It was said that his mother had even carried him to work in the morning, acting as if the machinery factory couldn''t function without her son.0


    At the moment, Little Xu sat at his desk, his face dark with displeasure.0


    Logically, he had no grudge against Zhuang Zhixi, but there were certainly some petty grievances.0


    Little Xu believed he was justified in his actions. If he was teaching someone a skill, wasn''t it natural for the learner to offer some benefits? After all, when he went to the countryside to show films, he would take bribes. Relying on his position to gain benefits was something he didn''t think was wrong at all.0


    Moreover, he hadn''t even asked for money, just some gifts. Yet, the person had refused and quit. If it weren''t for that, Old Cao wouldn''t have gotten the opportunity. Thinking about it made him furious.0


    Originally, he had nned to teach Zhuang Zhixi, but hold back on the crucial parts. Then, if Zhuang Zhixi made a mistake during the performance, he would urgently need Little Xu''s help. At that critical moment, Little Xu would step in despite his injury, save the day, and surely earn praise from everyone, maybe even gain recognition from the leadership.0


    Perhaps, he might even get a promotion. He had thought it through and nned it well.0


    First, take advantage of the situation, then step on Zhuang Zhixi to rise in position. It was an excellent n, milking the situation for all it was worth. As for what happened to Zhuang Zhixi, he didn''t care. Whether he got reprimanded or not had nothing to do with him.0


    He just wanted to move up.0


    However, things took an unexpected turn. Zhuang Zhixi had unexpectedly backed out, giving up such a great opportunity to learn about film. Thisck of ambition had ruined all of Little Xu''s ns.0


    Not only were his ns ruined, but the department had also assigned their family''s "enemy," Old Cao, to take over. These days, he had been in deep trouble. The tricks he had nned to use on Zhuang Zhixi didn''t work at all with Old Cao.0


    During the afternoon film screening on Labor Day, Old Cao performed wlessly, leaving no room for Little Xu to step in and save the day. He had heard that the performance was well-received, which was why he hade to work despite not fully recovering from his injury, fearing that his role as a film operator might be taken over.0


    That couldn''t happen.0


    However, there was even worse news.0


    Old Cao learning to operate the films was already a huge stressor, but upon returning to work, he found out that Zhuang Zhixi had been transferred to their department. This was something he had never expected. He had thought that Zhuang Zhixi had no backing and wouldn''t be able to join their department. Now, he had misjudged the situation.0


    He had inadvertently offended someone.0


    He didn''t consider Zhuang Zhixi a friend. When he was in the hospital, he had asked Zhuang Zhixi to buy him a chicken to recover, but the next day, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t visit again. Clearly, Zhuang Zhixi was aware of the situation and likely had some issues with him. Little Xu frowned slightly, his expression dark as he looked at Zhuang Zhixi.0


    However, Director Song certainly wouldn''t care about Little Xu''s expression or specte about his thoughts. He continued to introduce: "Zhuang Zhixi''s abilities are evident to everyone. Now that he''s joining our Propaganda Department, our work will improve even more, contributing to the factory''s sess. Zhixi, since you''re new here, you''ll work with Master Huang. Any objections?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Of course not. I''m very happy to work with Master Huang. He''s already taught me a lot in the past, and I''m d I can continue learning from him."0


    Master Huang nced at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "If you could talk less, that would be better."0


    Everyone paused for a moment, then burst outughing.0


    Someone joked, "Zhuang Zhixi, Master Huang is saying you''re a chatterbox!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t get annoyed; he just smiled and said, "Master Huang is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. He actually likes me a lot. Besides, talking is good; itplements Master Huang''s quiet nature. Otherwise, it would be too quiet, right, Master Huang?"0


    Master Huang didn''tugh, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly: "You''re really good at ttering yourself."0


    Despite his words, everyone who had worked together for years could tell that Master Huang genuinely liked Zhuang Zhixi. People''s expressions couldn''t lie. Moreover, during the preparation of the joint performance, Master Huang had worked closely with Zhuang Zhixi. If he didn''t like him, they wouldn''t have spent so much time together.0


    The people in their department all recognized that Master Huang was a talented and decent person, but also acknowledged that he had a bad temper and was hard to get along with. So, even though he was a good person, no one wanted to work with him.0


    After all, no one wanted to spend a day without anyone speaking to them.0


    And no one wanted to be yelled at for doing something wrong.0


    It was just too much to handle.0


    But Zhuang Zhixi seemed quite at ease. His presence also eased the tension of working with Master Huang, so everyone was in a good mood.0


    Except for Little Xu, who was displeased and looked at Zhuang Zhixi with disdain. Everyone else seemed fine, and some were even happy. Without anypetition, having an extra hardworking young man was certainly a good thing.0


    Director Song saw the lively atmosphere and felt relieved. He smiled and said, "Zhuang Zhixi, take the desk over there, the one facing Master Huang''s. Also, Master Huang, this new guy is under your wing. Introduce him to our department''s work and the tasks you''re responsible for. Don''t be too tight-lipped, alright?"0


    After finishing his introduction, he was about to leave when he remembered something and turned back: "Zhuang Zhixi, our factory also has a submission task. If you''re interested, give it a try."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure."0


    He immediately added, "Director, I still have some things at the clinic. Can I go there in the morning to sort them out?"0


    Director Song: "Sure, go ahead. Is everything else taken care of?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I handled the handover this morning."0


    Director Song nodded slightly, feeling that Zhuang Zhixi was quite organized.0


    "Alright, take care of it."0


    Zhuang Zhixi had arrived early for work, mainly to go to the clinic first.0


    The people at the clinic had already heard about his transfer, so they came earlier than usual to hand over his work. They were all happy for him, as moving up was always a good thing. Who wouldn''t be happy for him to have a better future?0


    There were no office politics in the medical room, and everyone was genuinely happy for him. They even reminded him to visit often since they were all in the same factory and would inevitably run into each other. It was true that people nowadays were not only well-informed but also quick to act.0


    Just as Zhuang Zhixi was about to transfer, Doctor Wang''s niece was arranged to join the medical room. She was eighteen years old, a recent high school graduate. Somehow, her family had managed to avoid sending her to the countryside and instead secured her a temporary job here.0


    By rule, unless a woman was married, a temporary job couldn''t be a reason to stay. However, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t pry into the details, as it didn''t concern him. He was d he was the youngest in his family. When he graduated from high school, the mandatory rural reeducation policy had just started.0


    Previously, it had been voluntary, and some naive individuals had signed up. But most people wouldn''t think of it. Could urban kids really contribute to the vast countryside? It was clear they didn''t even know how to use a hoe, only adding to the burden.0


    Zhuang Zhixi had been clever. As soon as he graduated and saw the winds of change, he quickly found a formal job. Many of his ssmates who hesitated ended up being sent to the countryside.0


    Speaking of which, their generation had been rtively lucky. The policy was tightening even more now. Zhuang Zhixi felt fortunate to be the youngest, as his family didn''t face the rural reeducation issue.0


    The current policy required that any family with eligible youth must send at least one person to the countryside.0


    If Zhuang Zhixi had a younger sibling, they would have to go, whether brother or sister. So he was d he was the youngest. As for his nephews and nieces, Hu Tou and Xiao Yanzi, they were still too young. Hu Tou would only start first grade this fall.0


    Zhuang Zhixi stopped thinking about it and walked to the medical room under his umbre. However, as soon as he pushed the door open, he heard amotion inside. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What''s going on?"0


    Sister Cui, the nurse, smiled when she saw Zhuang Zhixi. "Little Zhuang, you''re here! Take a seat first; we have a patient."0


    The medical room wasn''t usually busy. People with serious illnesses wouldn''te here; in the factory, it was generally believed that the medical room could only handle minor ailments like colds or small cuts. For anything more serious, people wouldn''t trust them unless they wanted to save money.0


    However, on rainy or snowy days, the medical room would get busier, as people often came in with minor issues like colds from getting wet or falls from slippery snow.0


    Doctor Wang also came out from the ward and said, "Oh, you''re here! I thought you''de at noon."0


    Zhuang Zhixi had finished his handover in the morning and didn''t have time to pack up, so he had asked Doctor Wang for help, leaving his things with her. He smiled and said, "I had some time, so I came over. Thanks, Sister Wang."0


    Doctor Wang waved it off. "Don''t mention it; it''s nothing."0


    She added, "Oh, let me introduce you to my niece, Tao Yuyue."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was meeting her for the first time. Although he had handed over his duties in the morning, it was with their director, and he had mostly been helping in the publicity department, so there wasn''t much to hand over. He had heard there was a new recruit, but she had been busy with paperwork and wasn''t there at the time.0


    Upon seeing her, he immediately realized the factory would be lively from now on. Tao Yuyue was quite pretty, with a round, pleasing face that many would find attractive. With many unmarried men in the factory, things were bound to get interesting.0


    However, Zhuang Zhixi only nced at her and politely nodded, "Hello, Comrade Tao."0


    He quickly looked away. As a married man, staring at a youngdy wasn''t appropriate. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Sister Wang, I..."0


    "Woohoo, woohoohoo, woohoohoohoo..." A sobbing sound filled the room, intermittent and eerie, like a ghost at night. Zhuang Zhixi frowned, "This voice sounds familiar."0


    Doctor Wang chuckled. "Of course, it''s familiar. It''s Aunt Su, Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw."0


    She leaned closer to Zhuang Zhixi and whispered, "She brought Old Man Bai here. Oh my, you should have seen them. Old Man Bai was leaning on her shoulder, so close, their hands intertwined. It was so mushy, even newlyweds wouldn''t be that clingy. And this aunt has been crying since she came in, now loud, now soft, like she''s mourning at a grave."0


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh. "Is she being that dramatic? Where''s Bai Fendou? Isn''t that his dad?"0


    Doctor Wang rolled her eyes. "Bai Fendou brought his dad here, paid the fee, and left. What''s the point of raising such a son? It''s always Aunt Su taking care of him."0


    Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes in disbelief but still leaned in curiously. As he did, he saw several people peeking through the door, eavesdropping. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi, Sister Cui immediately gestured for silence, and everyone leaned in, listening intently. Zhuang Zhixi didn''t hesitate to join them.0


    From inside the room came Old Man Bai''s voice. "Sister Su, don''t cry. Your tears are breaking my heart..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi pressed a hand to his chest, while Doctor Li next to him almost gagged, mping his mouth shut with force.0


    "I know you care for me, worry about me. I''ve never met a kinder woman than you. To have you stay and take care of me, I''m truly grateful. It''s more than I could have dreamed of..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi also covered his mouth, trying not to gag.0


    "How lucky I am to have met you in this lifetime..."0


    Aunt Su, ttered, pretended to be shy, even though she was no longer young. She adopted a girlish coyness and softly said, "Old Bai, why are you saying that? You''ve helped me so much. Now that you''re not feeling well, taking care of you is nothing. Don''t mention it; even if it''s cleaning up after you, I''d do it."0


    Of course, she didn''t really mean it. To secure a long-term benefactor, it wasn''t about how much work she did for him. Doing too much would make it seem expected, so Aunt Su never overdid it.0


    She knew better than to waste effort. What mattered was to step up at critical moments, like when he was sick and vulnerable, and show her dedication, no matter how dirty or difficult the task. Patients were already fragile; this would surely leave asting impression. With a few such instances, she was confident she could keep him under her control.0


    Old Man Bai''s wife had been dead for over twenty years. With his steady job and house, could he really not find a partner? Of course, he could. But she wouldn''t let that happen.0


    If Old Man Bai remarried, he wouldn''t help her anymore.0


    So from the start, she had to secure him. Now, after twenty years, she was sure her strategy worked.0


    She said, "What would you like to eat for lunch? I''ll go home and make it for you."0


    Old Man Bai: "I have no appetite. Just seeing you makes my heart sweet, even if I don''t eat anything..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi finally couldn''t take it anymore and stepped back, feeling queasy. He rubbed his chest and said, "Sister Cui, I think I can skip lunch today."0


    He wasn''t hungry anymore; he was full, in a sickening way.0


    Doctor Wangughed. "You can''t handle it, can you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I really can''t."0


    He picked up his cardboard box and said, "I''ll head back to work now. Let''s gossip another day."0


    Doctor Wang chuckled. "Oh, stop it. I''m not one for gossip."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "That''s me. Let''s go."0


    He held an umbre with one hand and carried a cardboard box with the other, quickly stepping into the rain...0


    Tao Yuyue watched his back and asked, "Auntie, can he handle that? Should we help?"0


    Doctor Wang smiled and said, "No need."0


    After a pause, she looked at her niece and said, "Zhuang Zhixi is married."0


    Tao Yuyue''s expression changed slightly, then she said, "Auntie, you''re overthinking. I just wanted to help out, nothing more. Besides, you know I''m looking for a well-off family with a good background."0


    Doctor Wang: "That''s good that you know. But when choosing a partner, you can''t be too materialistic. You also need to considerpatibility..."0


    Tao Yuyue: "I understand."0


    She lowered her head, but her eyes revealed a hint of disbelief. Her aunt had married well and livedfortably, yet she was lecturing them about not caring about material conditions. If she didn''t care, why did she marry so well herself? Tao Yuyue kept silent, putting on an obedient appearance.0


    She had to be obedient. After all, she was still relying on her aunt to secure her promotion and introduce her to potential partners.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was unaware of this little episode. He carried the box back, suddenly feeling someone following him. He turned around and saw Zhang San, smiling and saying, "Zhang San."0


    Zhang San: "Let me help you."0


    He helped Zhuang Zhixi hold the box and said, "You hold the umbre."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Thanks, I was really struggling with both."0


    Trying to hold both the umbre and the box was indeed inconvenient.0


    Zhang San: "Hey, just say if you need help. No need to be polite. By the way, you came from the medical office, right?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "Yes."0


    Zhang San immediately fired off a series of questions.0


    "I heard you got noticed by the higher-ups and were transferred to the publicity department, is that true?"0


    "I heard Bai Fendou''s dad and Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw came together, huh? What''s going on, are they expecting?"0


    "I heard there''s a very pretty girl in the medical office, is that true? Did you see her?"0


    Each question was more important than thest.0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, amused: "Are you helping me or just here to gossip?"0


    Zhang San: "Of course, it''s to gossip, but I''m helping you too. Hey, is the girl pretty or not?"0


    Although all the gossip was interesting, thest question was the most crucial. It was a sincere inquiry from a bachelor.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t really pay attention to how she looks."0


    "What? How could you not notice? Did you not even see her?" Zhang San asked curiously.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I saw her, just a nce. I didn''t really care. If you want to know, go check her out yourself. Why ask me? I was more concerned about Old Man Bai and Aunt Su being there."0


    Zhang San rolled his eyes: "Pfft, concern my foot. I bet you were just watching the drama."0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed.0


    "So, is Aunt Su pregnant?"0


    "Why do you always assume she''s pregnant? She''s that old, it''s unlikely, right? Even if you''re curious, you should consider reality. Theoretically, her age makes it impossible, doesn''t it? Anyway, I''m here. If you''re curious, go to the medical office yourself. You''ll definitely catch some drama."0


    He winked at Zhang San with a meaningful look. Zhang San immediately understood and said, "Alright, I''ll go check it out."0


    It seemed like there was going to be some juicy gossip.0


    He quickly left, and Zhuang Zhixi shook his head with a smile, returning to the office.0


    As soon as he entered, he heard Little Xu being sarcastic: "It feels like you''ve been gone for two years just to get something."0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t bother responding. Some people were just petty, and there was no point in engaging with them. Even if he tried to appease them, these petty people would still scheme against him when the time came. So Zhuang Zhixi simply ignored him.0


    Besides, he wasn''t even a leader. Director Song hadn''t said anything, so who did Little Xu think he was?0


    Zhuang Zhixi started organizing his things. Sister Cui from the next desk curiously asked, "Zhuang Zhixi, do you live in the same courtyard as Bai Fendou?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, we do."0


    Sister Cui''s eyes lit up with excitement and she said, "Oh, you really do live in the same courtyard. Tell me, what''s going on between Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu? Are they together? And what about Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu''s mother-inw... This morning when I came to the factory, I saw them being all lovey-dovey. Oh my~ They''re treating the factory like their own bedroom, not even trying to hide it! Are they together or not?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Actually, I don''t know."0


    Sister Cui: "How can you not know? You live in the same courtyard!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi pretended to sigh and said, "We do live in the same courtyard, but I really don''t understand. If you ask if they''re together, they deny it, and Wang Xiangxiu even ims to be Bai Fendou''s sister. But if you say they''re not together, they''re definitely closer than most neighbors, so I''m confused."0


    Even when gossiping, Zhuang Zhixi was measured.0


    "Maybe in a few years, when I''m older and have more experience, I''ll understand."0


    Everyoneughed, and Sister Cui teased, "It has nothing to do with age... Are they still in the medical office?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, they are."0


    "Oh, I need to go to the restroom."0


    Clearly, this person wanted to go check out the drama but found an excuse.0


    "Sister Cui, wait for me, I also need to go to the restroom."0


    "Me too."0


    "And me."0


    The female colleagues in the publicity department all went to the restroom together, each holding an umbre and stepping out into the rain.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head with a smile, then packed up his water bottle and other things. Old Huang looked up at him and said, "Our work in the publicity department is quite varied, but it mainly revolves around the theme of publicity. Right now, we''re mainly promoting..."0


    He exined the general situation of the publicity department to Zhuang Zhixi, who listened attentively and nodded.0


    Old Cao got up to get some water and smiled, saying, "Zhuang Zhixi is really diligent. Old Huang is a master at teaching, straightforward and without any tricks. You can learn a lot from him."0


    The enemy of an enemy is a friend. Old Cao knew Zhuang Zhixi wouldn''t like Little Xu, so he was happy to befriend him. Moreover, there was a hidden meaning in his words. Many in the department knew that back when Old Cao was still Little Cao, he had learned film projection from Little Xu, who had deliberately set him up to ruin a film reel, leading to his transfer to another position.0


    Thinking of this, everyone smiled meaningfully.0


    Little Xu gave Old Cao an unhappy look and sneered without saying anything.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, being a tactful person, noticed that Master Huang''s water cup was empty and said, "Master Cao, let me get some water for you."0


    The water room wasn''t in the office but at the end of the corridor outside. Old Cao didn''t mind the few steps, but he was pleased to meet someone who was so considerate. He said, "Sure, thank you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No need to thank me, we''re all colleagues."0


    He got up and left, quickly reaching the water room at the end of the corridor.0


    "Zhuang Zhixi."0


    At that moment, someone called out. Zhuang Zhixi looked up and saw Bai Fendou at the door.0


    In fact, he had been lurking nearby, waiting for Zhuang Zhixi to be alone so he could secretly approach him. He could have gone to the office to find him, but if he did, everyone would know he had talked to Zhuang Zhixi, and that could lead to trouble if someone tried to implicate himter. He was careful about covering his tracks.0


    So he nned to pass on a message to Zhuang Zhixi when he was alone.0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, his eyes flickering with a hint of darkness. He hadn''t expected Bai Fendou to be plotting against him. If he hadn''t been warned by his mother earlier, he might not have been so cautious now.0


    He smiled, but the smile didn''t reach his eyes. Zhuang Zhixi turned and asked, "Is there something you need, Brother Fendou?"0


    Although there had been several conflicts between their families, he was still polite, addressing him as "brother."0


    Bai Fendou forced a smile, trying to appear friendly and said, "What, can''t I find you if there''s nothing going on?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course I can, but isn''t this during work hours? If everyone cks off during work hours, how will the factory develop?"0


    He was always ready to throw on a big hat like that.0


    Bai Fendou felt a bit awkward, but he quickly replied, "You''re right."0


    If it had been in the past, he would have definitely argued, regardless of whether he was right or wrong. That was his style of doing things. But today, he didn''t argue at all. He wanted to scheme against Zhuang Zhixi, so he didn''t want Zhixi to be unhappy and be wary of him.0


    He forced a smile, even more unnatural than before. Zhuang Zhixi noticed and thought to himself that if his mother hadn''t warned him, he might have sensed something was off by now. How could Bai Fendou think his acting could fool him?0


    Did he look that stupid?0


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that Bai Fendou was overthinking things.0


    He dialed down his expression a bit and said, "Brother Fendou, what exactly did youe to see me for?"0


    Bai Fendou quickly replied, "There''s something good I want to ask you for help with."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Bai Fendou: "At two o''clock this afternoon, sneak out ande to the small warehouse. I have something good to give you."0


    He put on a very mysterious look, but Zhuang Zhixi remained expressionless, feeling even more that Bai Fendou was acting strange. He gave a meaningful smile and said, "Two o''clock, the small warehouse?"0


    Bai Fendou nodded and said, "Yes,e alone, don''t bring anyone else. If we weren''t from the same courtyard, this good thing wouldn''t fall to you. I''m doing this because we''re from the same courtyard. Just sneak in quietly. Don''t tell anyone, or else there won''t be any more good things for you in the future."0


    As long as Zhuang Zhixi arrived, he would knock him out, strip him, and then trick Jiang Lu into the warehouse and lock the door. Even if they didn''t do anything, they would still be in trouble. Thinking of this, Bai Fendou let out a cackle ofughter, feeling very pleased.0


    Let you Zhuang Zhixi marry a good wife, let you show off, let you unt. Let''s see what you do then.0


    "Brother Fendou, you''re being very mysterious, but you should at least tell me what it''s about," Zhuang Zhixi said, looking into Bai Fendou''s eyes.0


    Bai Fendou: "Look, don''t ask now, it''s a secret. You''ll know when you get there."0


    Right now, he really couldn''t think of a good secret to make up. So he just acted mysterious, saying seriously, "You can''t ask too much now. Juste, and you''ll understand everything."0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t y along, saying, "You don''t exin it clearly, I''m not going. Who knows what you''re nning!"0


    He looked Bai Fendou up and down suspiciously and said, "You''re not trying to steal something from the factory, are you?"0


    He said sternly, "I''m telling you, don''t even think about dragging me into this. If you dare to do it, I''ll report it to the factory."0


    "No, no, that''s not it. Hey, what are you talking about? Am I that kind of person? Anyway, you have toe."0


    Zhuang Zhixi sneered and said, "I''m not going!"0


    Who did he think he was, ordering people around like that?0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If you don''t exin it clearly, I absolutely won''t go." After saying that, he turned and walked toward the office.0


    Bai Fendou: "Hey, you..."0


    He wanted to chase after him, but seeing everyone looking at him, he frowned angrily and decided to leave for now.0


    There were too many people here, not a good ce to talk. He would try again at lunch, during the noon break, to persuade Zhuang Zhixi. He really didn''t understand why Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t falling for it when he had been so mysterious.0


    Why wasn''t he following the script? Shouldn''t he be eagerly agreeing by now?0


    Sure enough, Zhuang Zhixi was not a good person, too many tricks up his sleeve.0


    He snorted heavily and turned to leave.0


    "This won''t do, I''ll have to wait until noon," he frowned, feeling that things weren''t going to be easy. If there were too many people around at noon, what would he do? He rubbed his temples, thinking that the more difficult it was, the more he had to seed.0


    Bai Fendou muttered to himself, nning how to talk to Zhuang Zhixi again, but he didn''t know that Zhuang Zhixi was also plotting against him.0


    He could be sure that Bai Fendou wasn''t up to any good, he just didn''t know what kind of scheme he was plotting. Could it be stealing something from the factory? Very possible. Their factory was a machinery nt, with a lot of copper, iron, and rare metals that could fetch a good price.0


    Could he be setting him up for that?0


    Thinking of this, Zhuang Zhixi''s gaze sharpened. If it really was that, he could even end up getting shot. If Bai Fendou really did that, then he was truly audacious, with the guts of a bear and the heart of a leopard.0


    Was he really that crazy?0


    And ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????if it was about the factory''s materials, the factory would investigate thoroughly. He really shouldn''t think he could stay out of it. Honestly, by normal standards, it wasn''t that crazy or reckless, but Bai Fendou''s mind was simple and unreliable, so it wasn''t entirely unexpected.0


    Zhuang Zhixi tapped his fingers on the table, then suddenly realized.0


    No, it''s not that.0


    ording to what his mother said, they mentioned "two people." If it was two people, then it probably wasn''t about stealing... Two people, seduction.0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought of this and immediately felt it made sense, but his expression turned ugly. If it was that, then Bai Fendou was truly vicious, involving a crime of hooliganism. If that happened, his life would be over.0


    Forget about any future, if things got big, he would definitely end up in jail.0


    This couldn''t bepared to thest time with Zhou Qun, where there was no evidence.0


    But if they were caught in the act...0


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly let out a coldugh. He was someone who generally didn''t seek trouble, but he also wasn''t afraid of it. Since someone had already plotted against him, he didn''t mind returning the favor.0


    He wondered who Bai Fendou would find to set him up with. The most likely person was Wang Xiangxiu.0


    But he probably wouldn''t want Wang Xiangxiu''s reputation to suffer, and Aunt Su came to the factory today... Could it be Aunt Su? He immediately felt a wave of disgust and shook his head to get rid of the nauseating thought, no, that couldn''t be it.0


    Old Man Bai wouldn''t agree.0


    Other people wouldn''t collude with them... If not considering collusion, but aiming for a double blow... Jiang Lu!0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately thought of a suitable person. If Bai Fendou wanted to take revenge and hit two birds with one stone, setting him up with Jiang Lu would be the most fitting. This way, he could simultaneously hurt their family and the Zhou family.0


    If they really wanted to set them up, Bai Fendou alone wouldn''t be enough. He would need someone to help, one to lure him in, one to lure Jiang Lu in. This would have to be done simultaneously. His aplice would undoubtedly be his father.0


    Zhuang Zhixi had to admit, he really understood Bai Fendou quite well, and his analysis was spot on.0


    At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi smiled...0


    If they really were nning this, how could he not inform Zhou Qun?0


    He didn''t believe Zhou Qun would let Bai Fendou off the hook once he knew!0


    ******0


    The lunch break bell rang, and Zhuang Zhixi, along with a few people from the propaganda department, headed towards the cafeteria. From afar, Bai Fendou followed again. There was no other way; he had to seize every opportunity to talk to Zhuang Zhixi alone, so he could only follow him like this.0


    Zhuang Zhixi nced back and saw Bai Fendou immediately signaling to him. Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his anxious look, didn''t react.0


    Just let him worry!0


    Bai Fendou cursed in his heart, continuously gesturing with a "two."0


    This meant two o''clock.0


    Zhuang Zhixi actually couldn''t understand Bai Fendou''s mind. He had been so persistent in chasing after him, insisting on two o''clock. Wouldn''t anyone be suspicious? Why did he think he hadn''t been suspected at all?0


    Maybe he was just so stupid that he thought everyone else was equally stupid.0


    He suddenly smiled faintly, nodding slightly.0


    Bai Fendou was stunned. Zhuang Zhixi stopped and seemed about to speak. Bai Fendou quickly waved his hand, gesturing with a "two" again, then quickly left.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled. He knew that Bai Fendou wouldn''t dare to approach him in front of everyone.0


    "What''s wrong?" Old Huang, seeing him stop, asked curiously.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Bai Fendou in our courtyard is acting all mysterious and strange."0


    Sister Cui: "Bai Fendou? Isn''t he Old Man Bai''s son?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly."0


    Sister Cui looked around and said, "That boy, he''s not young anymore, yet he still doesn''t settle down. He spends all his time hanging around widows."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows."0


    They all headed to the cafeteria together. While getting their food, Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''ll take a serving of cabbage, one steamed bun, and one steamed bread roll."0


    He carried his tray and spotted Zhou Qun''s table, but instead of sitting with him, he chose a table behind Zhou Qun. Because he sat there, a few others who came with him also joined him.0


    Normally, one might not notice, but after a day in the propaganda department, Zhuang Zhixi could already tell who was friendly with whom.0


    On the surface, everyone seemed to get along, but in reality, Old Huang, Old Cao, Sister Cui, and Sister Chen were close. They always walked together to eat. Zhuang Zhixi tagged along with Old Huang, blending in with their group.0


    Once seated, Old Huang nced around, pushed his tray with meat dishes forward, and said, "Here, have some."0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "No need, I would have just gotten some if I wanted it."0


    Times were tough, and he certainly wouldn''t take someone else''s meat dish.0


    As he was about to speak, he noticed Doctor Wang approaching. She was alone, carrying her tray, and sat down with them, smiling, "You all arrived early."0


    Sister Cui smiled, "Why are you alone?"0


    Doctor Wang: "They''lleter. I came first, and then they''lle after. It''s just to take turns so the clinic isn''t left unattended. Plus, after yesterday''s heavy rain, there are quite a few people today with sore throats and colds."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s right, even Uncle Bai from our courtyard is sick."0


    Doctor Wang: "Him?"0


    Doctor Wang made a disdainful face, hesitated, and whispered, "He''s such an old rascal, always getting cozy with people in the clinic."0


    Sister Cui and the others immediately widened their eyes. Although they had been to watch themotion earlier, they didn''t stay long. Now, hearing firsthand gossip from someone on the scene, they were naturally very curious.0


    "So, he really has that kind of rtionship with Aunt Su... Oh, wait, are they nning to give Bai Fendou a younger brother?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Can you guys be a bit more scientific about this?"0


    Why does it always have to involve kids?0


    Aunt Su doesn''t look like she could have more children anyway.0


    He nced at Zhou Qun behind him, cleared his throat, and whispered, "Speaking of which, I feel like Bai Fendou is acting weird today."0


    Before he could continue, someone chimed in.0


    Doctor Wang: "I know."0


    "You know?" Zhuang Zhixi looked at Doctor Wang in surprise. Wait, do you know what I''m about to say? With her interjection, he had to adjust his words... Before Zhuang Zhixi could steer the conversation back, Doctor Wang leaned in and whispered mysteriously, "Let me tell you, but you can''t tell anyone else."0


    "Go ahead, go ahead."0


    "Yeah, we''re all tight-lipped."0


    "Yes, you can trust us."0


    Doctor Wang nodded, "I trust you all."0


    She whispered, "When I was in the clinic, I overheard Bai Fendou and Old Man Bai talking about something happening at two o''clock this afternoon, about luring someone to the small storage room... I think they''re up to no good. Maybe they''re nning to meet someone secretly."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised, "What? If they get caught doing something like that at the factory, won''t they be embarrassed?"0


    "Exactly."0


    "What are these father and son up to?"0


    "Who knows, should we go check it out this afternoon?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi suppressed a smile and said seriously, "Whether you go or not, I''m not going. Bai Fendou and I live in the same courtyard. If he''s really meeting someone secretly, it would be awkward for me to see it. We''d have to see each other every day."0


    "That''s true, you''re neighbors."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly."0


    "Hey, should we report this to the security department?"0


    Sister Cui: "Bai Fendou is already in the security department. Besides, reporting it would just make us look bad."0


    "Yeah, let''s forget about it, it''s none of our business."0


    "True, probably just meeting Wang Xiangxiu."0


    As they discussed, Old Huang spoke up, "If they''re using the word ''lure,'' then it''s likely not voluntary. I think this isn''t good, we should inform the security department."0


    "Huh?"0


    "That makes sense."0


    Doctor Wang: "Well, I''m not sure if I heard it correctly. I just happened to pass by and overheard, so I can''t be certain."0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "What is this even about?"0


    He really couldn''t stand Bai Fendou. If you''re going to do something bad, at least don''t let it get out so quickly. This n of yours is just terrible.0


    However, he was sure that Zhou Qun behind him had heard everything. He had originally nned to find a reason to mention this to Zhou Qun, but now that Doctor Wang had brought it up, there was no need. Clearly, Zhou Qun had already heard.0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t need to guess to know that Zhou Qun would definitely go, and probably bring others along.0


    After all, Zhou Qun was currently in the midst of a public scrutiny.0


    Although no one openly talked about it, everyone was secretly wondering about him. Didn''t you see? Among the electricians, he was the only one sitting alone, with no one else nearby. If Bai Fendou caused some trouble at the factory, the news would shift, and people might not focus on Zhou Qun as much.0


    Even if they did, Bai Fendou would share the attention, and Zhou Qun would certainly be happy about that.0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s analysis of people was quite urate. Maybe he wasn''t great at analyzing others, but since they were all old neighbors, he could always grasp their personalities. He smiled and continued eating.0


    Anyway, it had nothing to do with him.0


    A clean and innocent little Zhuang.0


    Zhuang Zhixi never once looked back at Zhou Qun. After finishing his meal, Zhou Qun quickly left, but he didn''t go far. Instead, he went to the kitchen and stopped Yang Lixin, and the two headed to the back courtyard together.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"0


    He nced at them, then acted as if he hadn''t seen anything and continued with his business.0


    What''s going on with these two? You should know that because Yang Lixin was a son-inw who moved into his wife''s family, Zhou Qun looked down on him, and they rarely interacted. Yang Lixin was closer to Zhuang Zhixi in the courtyard.0


    Why are they together?0


    This world is tooplicated.0


    Zhuang Zhixi silently sighed, preparing himself for whatever was toe.0


    Although he didn''t know exactly what would happen, with Bai Fendou''s intelligence, whatever he ns will likely be in vain. After all, his surname is Bai (meaning "white" or "in vain")! No matter what they do, something is bound to happen this afternoon.0


    Zhuang Zhixi lowered his head and stuffed thest bite of steamed bun into his mouth.0


    Well, let''s wait and see the show this afternoon.0


    Meanwhile, in the middle of the day, Bai Fendou went to the clinic to find Old Man Bai, helping him to the bathroom. But in reality, the bathroom trip was just a cover to discuss their scheme.0


    The father and son walked towards the factory''s bathroom, and Bai Fendou whispered, "I''ve arranged with Zhuang Zhixi. At two o''clock this afternoon, he shoulde directly. You just need to lure Jiang Lu over, tell her that Zhou Qun is injured, and she won''t ask any questions and will follow you."0


    Old Man Bai: "Got it."0


    Bai Fendou: "I''ll hide in the corner of the room. As soon as Zhuang Zhixi arrives, I''ll pin him down. Then, I''ll hide by the door. When Jiang Lu enters, you push her hard, and while she''s off bnce, we''lle out and lock the door."0


    Old Man Bai: "Alright, but they''ll definitely make a scene."0


    Bai Fendou: "That''s fine. I''ll run fast and get the security department to catch them in the act. They''ll definitely get reprimanded, and their reputation will be ruined. This will also help the Xiu family get some revenge."0


    Old Man Bai thought about it and nodded in agreement, but then said, "What if someonees in the middle..."0


    Bai Fendou: "If someonees, so be it. Others finding out works too; they won''t be able to exin themselves! Then, I''ll throw Zhuang Zhixi''s clothes outside the door, leaving him without clothes. Let''s see what they do then."0


    "Alright, but won''t this cause a bigmotion?"0


    Old Man Bai felt that this matter seemed to be quite significant.0


    However, Bai Fendou didn''t think much of it. He said, "Even Zhou Qun getting mixed up with those old women didn''t cause any major issues. I don''t think anything too serious will happen this time either. At most, it''s just a matter of losing face, and we''re not really harming anyone."0


    Old Man Bai: "Alright, let''s do it!"0


    He said, "Come on, let''s go over the n one more time to see if there are any loopholes."0


    "Got it!"0


    "We''ll seed in one go!"0


    "It''s a sure thing!"

 Chapter 81

    <h1>Chapter 81</h1>


    In the sweltering heat of May in Beijing, the clock on the wall of the Propaganda Department ticked steadily. Zhuang Zhixi nced at it and noticed that it was almost time for the legendary hour: two o''clock.0


    He remained calm, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. After all, he was the victim in this situation, so naturally, he knew nothing. Who could predict what would happen?0


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned back in his chair, organizing the documents for the year. As part of the Propaganda Department, it was essential to thoroughly understand the directives from above and grasp the various spirits of the times to work more effectively.0


    He was a man who could stay focused, and as he was reading intently, he heard amotion outside. Sister Cui rushed to the window and eximed, "There''s a fight at the small warehouse!"0


    From their vantage point, they could only see a vague crowd, but not the details. Sister Cui darted out like a rabbit, and a few other curious onlookers quickly followed.0


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself, "I might as well go and see themotion."0


    He quickly descended the stairs and caught up with Sister Cui and the others. The seven or eight people from the Propaganda Department arrived at the small warehouse, which was already surrounded byyers of onlookers. Aside from those from the workshop who couldn''t leave, people from the Security Section, the Medical Office, the Office, the Canteen, and others had all gathered. It was so crowded that it was difficult to squeeze in.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, being tall, jumped around to get a better view. He saw a chaotic scene: Bai Father and Son were both beaten, their faces bruised and swollen. Security personnel were holding them back, while Zhou Qun and his wife, Jiang Lu, were also injured. Zhou Qun had a ck eye and was ring furiously at Bai Father and Son.0


    The two sides were in a standoff.0


    The surrounding onlookers held their breath, not daring to make a sound, as if speaking could escte the conflict. No one dared to utter a word.0


    At this moment, Deputy Factory Director Zhang arrived and shouted, "Make way, everyone! What''s going on here?"0


    Everyone quickly made way, and Deputy Factory Director Zhang squeezed in. Seeing the situation, he stood in the middle and cursed, "What do you think this ce is? A boxing ring? If you don''t want to work here anymore, then go home! This is not a ce for you to fight!"0


    As he was ranting, Section Chief Liu from the Security Section quickly pulled him aside and whispered something in his ear.0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s eyes nearly popped out of his head: "What the hell!"0


    He looked incredulously at Bai Father and Son and said, "Are you two out of your minds?"0


    As soon as he said this, Zhou Qun suddenly erupted and charged forward, furiously pping Bai Father and Son: "You two are despicable! You''re shameless! You''re vile and beastly!" His ps were so loud that even Zhuang Zhixi, standing at the edge, could hear the smacking sounds.0


    Zhuang Zhixi winced and thought to himself, "They deserve it!"0


    Bai Fendou, feeling wronged, shouted, "Zhou Qun, are you done yet? I was just joking!"0


    SMACK! A heavy pnded on Bai Fendou''s face, causing his nose to bleed.0


    Zhou Qun roared, "Joking? You''re fooling no one! I knew you had ulterior motives. You''ve been eyeing my wife! That''s why you didn''t marry Wang Xiangxiu. That''s why you''ve been staring at our house. I thought you just didn''t like me, but it turns out you were after my wife! Now that I''ve caught you in the act, you call it a joke? If I hadn''t arrived, who knows what would have happened to my wife! Look at them, they even brought a lock! If they hadn''t had bad intentions, why would they lure her here? If I hadn''t shown up, who knows what kind of beastly things they would have done! They''re colluding, the two of them, and they deserve to be executed!"0


    Zhou Qun''s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like he wanted to tear them apart.0


    Although he had affairs outside, that didn''t mean he wanted to be humiliated in this way.0


    Bai Fendou wasn''t having it.0


    He shouted, "Who''s after your wife? Am I blind? Would I want your wife? She''s an idiot! Don''t tter yourself..."0


    THWACK! A big rock smashed into Bai Fendou''s head, and blood gushed out like a fountain.0


    Jiang Lu trembled and screamed, "I''ll kill you! You beast!"0


    She picked up another rock and was about to throw it again when the Security Section quickly restrained her. However, due to the gender difference, they didn''t dare to use too much force, only grabbing her wrist. Jiang Lu struggled fiercely, "Let go of me! I''ll kill him!"0


    Despite being held, her feet kept kicking, aiming repeatedly at Bai Fendou''s most vulnerable spot. The force was so intense that it seemed like she wouldn''t stop until she had crippled him.0


    All the male onlookers winced, even those who hadn''t experienced it felt the pain just by watching. Bai Fendou, in agony, crouched down and then rolled on the ground.0


    The wound on his head bleeding profusely seemed insignificantpared to the pain he was experiencing.0


    Even so, Jiang Lu continued to kick, aiming relentlessly at his vulnerable spot, causing Bai Fendou to howl in pain.0


    "My son hasn''t had any children yet! He doesn''t have an heir!" Old Man Bai wailed, trying to reason with Jiang Lu. But as soon as he spoke, Jiang Lu, like lightning, broke free from the Security Section. She threw the rock at Old Man Bai, who barely dodged it. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Jiang Lu kicked him, four times in quick session!0


    "AAAAHHHH!" The screams echoed through the sky.0


    All the male onlookers instinctively took a step back, and even the Security Section forgot to restrain her. Jiang Lu continued her assault, focusing on the most vulnerable parts of the men.0


    It seemed she had discovered a new way to fight men, targeting their weakest points.0


    Old Man Bai''s screams joined Bai Fendou''s, creating a duet of agony that reverberated through the sky.0


    The male onlookers took another step back, feeling the terror.0


    Sister Cui and the other female onlookers seized the opportunity to push forward, finding these men, indeed, not very impressive.0


    Jiang Lu was still in a frenzy when Deputy Factory Director Zhang finally snapped out of it and shouted, "What are you all doing just watching? Quickly, pull Jiang Lu away!"0


    The men, no longer caring about the gender difference, dragged her to the side. Jiang Lu struggled and screamed, "Let go of me! I''ll kill them!"0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang quickly tried to calm her down, "Jiang Lu, calm down! If you kill them, you''ll bemitting a crime, too. We understand you''re angry, and we know you''re the victim here, but we need to teach these people a lesson without killing them. Is it worth it to throw your life away for these people? You still have a great future ahead of you. As long as they live, you''re the righteous one. But if you lose your life, it''s not worth it."0


    He had some acquaintance with Jiang Lu''s father, so he couldn''t let anything happen to her in their factory. Kicking was one thing, but using a rock to hit someone''s head could be fatal. Heforted her, "Don''t worry, the factory will give you a proper resolution. You won''t be wronged."0


    Jiang Lu''s eyes were bloodshot, her hair disheveled, "I want them to rot in prison! Forever!"0


    She shouted, "Forever!"0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang nced at Sister Cui, who was in front, and gave her a meaningful look. Jiang Lu''s state needed to be calmed, and Sister Cui, though a bit scared, was still warm-hearted. She stepped forward, "Jiang Lu,e here. I see you''re really upset. Don''t worry, with the factory leadership and the Security Section here, this won''t be left unresolved. Just calm down a bit. Look, your hands are scratched. We can''t let ourselves get hurt in our anger."0


    She did her best tofort Jiang Lu, who finally couldn''t hold back and burst into tears, saying, "Old Man Bai, Old Man Bai told me that Zhou Qun was injured and asked me toe over. I didn''t suspect him at all and came with him without a second thought. But when we got there, only Bai Fendou was in the room, and Zhou Qun even suspected that I was ambiguous with the Bai father and son. Do I look that desperate? Am I blind? Who would ever look at such trash? Even dogs wouldn''t touch them..."0


    Hearing Jiang Lu''s words, everyone''s expression changed when they looked at the Bai father and son. Many people who arrivedte didn''t know what was going on, but Jiang Lu''s words were loud and clear. Looking at these two bachelors again, everyone''s eyes were filled with disgust.0


    Anyone who tried to trick women and take advantage of them was looked down upon, even by small-time hoodlums!0


    "If Zhou Qun hadn''t shown up, I wouldn''t have known what would have happened to me. I wouldn''t have known!" Jiang Lu cried out, but suddenly her anger red up again. She quickly rushed forward and kicked the spot a few more times.0


    "Ah!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi watched from a distance, wincing in sympathy. As a man, he knew how vulnerable that area was. But I have to say, Jiang Lu...well done!0


    As Zhuang Zhixi was enjoying the spectacle, he saw Yang Lixin squeeze in beside him, looking quite shaken. Zhuang Zhixi quickly grabbed Yang Lixin and whispered, "Yang Ge, what''s going on?"0


    Yang Lixin was truly at a loss for words. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to say anything, but he simply didn''t know how to exin. In his eyes, the Bai father and son had gonepletely mad.0


    "What happened?"0


    Yang Lixin: "Well, this story..."0


    It all started at noon. Zhou Qun hade straight to the kitchen and found Yang Lixin.0


    Zhou Qun was a bit cunning. He had noticed that Yang Lixin and Bai Fendou didn''t get along, even though neither family had openly shown it. So this time, wanting to team up against Bai Fendou, he directly approached Yang Lixin.0


    He pulled Yang Lixin to the backyard and asked, "Yang Ge, is there something you need from me?"0


    Zhou Qun got straight to the point: "I heard that Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu might be having an affair in the small warehouse at two o''clock this afternoon. How about we catch them in the act together?" He smiled and said, "I know you don''t like Bai Fendou either. Let''s give him a taste of his own medicine, what do you say?"0


    Yang Lixin clenched his fists and tried to stay calm, asking, "How do you know they''ll be in the small warehouse at two?"0


    Zhou Qun: "You don''t need to know how I found out. I just did. It''s a rare opportunity, and since we both dislike Bai Fendou, let''s take this chance. I know you''re on good terms with Wang Eizi from the security department. Call a few more people from the security department, and we''ll catch them red-handed. Bai Fendou will definitely be humiliated."0


    Yang Lixin, being more rational than Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, said, "If they''re caught, they''ll be finished. What if they''rebeled as hooligans and sent to jail? Even though I don''t like him, I don''t want to go that far."0


    Zhou Qun''s eyes flickered, and he calmly said, "Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu, one is unmarried and the other is not married. To protect themselves, they''ll probably get married. Then there''s no talk of being hooligans. Our factory, for the sake of its reputation, won''t pursue it too much. At most, they''ll be criticized and have a record."0


    Yang Lixin couldn''t help butugh, saying, "So we go through all this trouble, and he ends up getting what he wants? Am I punishing him or helping him?"0


    Zhou Qun remained calm: "Of course, it''s punishing him. Do you think marrying Wang Xiangxiu is a good thing for him? Not to mention the pile of colorful hats Wang Xiangxiu has given him, just look at all the baggage she brings. Do you think his life will be good? Marrying Wang Xiangxiu isn''t getting what he wants; it''s the start of a nightmare."0


    Yang Lixin: "!!!"0


    Damn, Zhou Qun''s argument actually made sense.0


    "One word, are you in or not?"0


    "I''m in!" Yang Lixin took a deep breath and agreed.0


    He really couldn''t stand Bai Fendou. This was his chance to get back at him.0


    "So, what''s the n?"0


    "You gather people. We''ll set up an ambush at the small warehouse at one-thirty and catch them in the act."0


    "Got it."0


    The two men acted without dy. Yang Lixin quickly contacted his acquaintances in the security department, and word spread, adding a few more people to the group. Despite being in the same security department, it was clear that Bai Fendou didn''t have many friends, as none of them warned him. Bai Fendou had no idea he was being targeted. He was supposed to patrol in the afternoon, but after a brief walk, he looked around, confirmed no one was watching, and hurried toward the small warehouse.0


    Bai Fendou had nned to get there early and hide, waiting for Zhuang Zhixi to arrive so he could take him by surprise. If he didn''t do this, there was a good chance he''d be discovered, as Zhuang Zhixi was tall andnky, with long arms and legs, making him harder to subdue.0


    So Bai Fendou arrived early, sneaking into the small warehouse and hiding by the door. He had originally thought about hiding in the cab, but the cab was shaky and unreliable. Plus, getting out of the cab would waste time, so he decided to stand by the door.0


    Bai Fendou entered the room and hid by the door.0


    Yang Lixin and Zhou Qun, along with the others, were on edge. They knew what was going to happen, but seeing Bai Fendou arrive still shocked them. Yang Lixin couldn''t understand what was wrong with Bai Fendou. Did he not have enough space at home? Why did he have to sneak around with Wang Xiangxiu at the factory? Was it just for the thrill?0


    It was truly bizarre.0


    The colleagues from the security department who were watching were equally speechless. However, since this was happening, they naturally wanted to see the show. Their goal wasn''t necessarily to catch them in the act but more to enjoy the spectacle.0


    Bai Fendou was always picking on others in the security department, so his reputation was terrible. Many people were waiting to see him fall.0


    Everyone focused on the small warehouse. As their hearts raced and time seemed to drag on, they suddenly heard a woman''s voice. It was Jiang Lu, who asked worriedly, "Uncle Bai, why is my husband Zhou Qun here? How did he get injured?"0


    Everyone was hiding nearby and could hear clearly.0


    No one expected that the person who arrived would be Jiang Lu.0


    They had thought Bai Fendou was going to have an affair with Wang Xiangxiu. Even Zhou Qun was caught off guard.0


    Jiang Lu continued, "Since Zhou Qun is injured, why not take him to the clinic?"0


    Despite her worry, Jiang Lu hurried forward quickly.0


    Zhou Qun: Injured? He wasn''t injured...0


    But before he could think further, he saw Old Man Bai leading Jiang Lu over. As soon as the door opened, Old Man Bai pushed Jiang Lu inside with a forceful push.0


    Jiang Lu: "Ah!"0


    Bai Fendou: "Ah!"0


    What he was waiting for was Zhuang Zhixi, but unexpectedly, it was Jiang Lu who arrived first. His father had no idea about this and followed their n, pushing Jiang Lu into the room.0


    Jiang Lu stumbled and almost fell. Looking around, she saw only Bai Fendou in the room, with no one else.0


    Her face turned pale instantly!0


    No matter what, the situation in front of her was terrifying.0


    She screamed, "Bai Fendou, what do you want to do! Help! Someone, help me!"0


    This unexpected turn of events left the Bai father and son, as well as Zhou Qun and the others,pletely stunned. Zhou Qun hade to catch Bai Fendou, but he never expected that Bai Fendou would try to "take advantage" of his wife. This was something he couldn''t tolerate. His eyes widened in rage, and he let out a roar before charging out.0


    He rushed to the door, and when Old Man Bai saw it was Zhou Qun, he even smiled, thinking the situation was even better. But he had no idea that Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t shown up, and Bai Fendou''s n hadpletely failed.0


    He was about to force a smile and say something when Zhou Qun suddenly threw a punch at him. This time, Zhou Qun wasn''t the usual weakling; hended two solid punches. Old Man Bai, already weakened by a cold, tumbled to the ground.0


    Zhou Qun kicked the door open and stormed in.0


    "Bai Fendou, Jiang Lu, what are you doing? How could you do this to me?"0


    This sudden turn of events left Bai Fendou with no time to exin, but Jiang Lu quickly threw herself at Zhou Qun, crying, "Qun Ge, I''m innocent! I was tricked intoing here."0


    Being alone in a room with Bai Fendou, a man and a woman, would ruin her reputation if word got out. So, Jiang Lu immediately shouted, "They tricked me! They said you were injured."0


    Tears streamed down her face, tears of fear.0


    After all, Jiang Lu was just a woman. How could she not be terrified in such a situation?0


    Hearing this, Zhou Qun''s anger red even more. He let out a roar and lunged at Bai Fendou.0


    Punch after punchnded on Bai Fendou. Finally, after taking a couple of hits, Bai Fendou snapped out of it. He was furious: "Zhou Qun, why are you hitting me?"0


    He retaliated with a punch of his own. Being from the security department, Bai Fendou was stronger than Zhou Qun, and with one hit, he sent Zhou Qun sprawling to the ground.0


    Jiang Lu''s eyes turned red as she screamed, "I''ll kill you!"0


    She too charged forward. By this time, others had also reacted. To be honest, everyone looked down on Bai Fendou. Although Zhou Qun''s reputation in the factory was already that of a rat running through the streets, Bai Fendou''s actions were even more despicable.0


    Zhou Qun''s actions, at least, could be seen as mutual and consensual, even if they hadn''t caught anything concrete.0


    But Bai Fendou¡ªeveryone had seen Bai Father and Son trick Jiang Lu intoing here. What they intended to do was clear to every man present. In short, the disdain for Bai Fendou was off the charts.0


    If you''re so capable, go catch spies, go catch criminals, go be a hero.0


    Trying to take advantage of a woman here is the lowest of the low.0


    Many in the security department were military veterans, and seeing this made them feel like vomiting upst night''s dinner. The fact that Bai Fendou dared to fight back only made him more despicable in their eyes. Wang Ezi and a few others quickly moved in, pinning Bai Fendou down: "You think you can still fight after doing something like that? Do you think we don''t exist?"0


    "What a trash."0


    "Quick, go get Section Chief Liu!"0


    The security officers restrained Bai Fendou, while Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu, like madmen, rushed forward, punching and kicking wildly. Especially Zhou Qun, who felt the pain of having his wife stolen. He would have killed Bai Fendou if he could!0


    Earlier, he couldn''t win in a fight, but now that Bai Fendou was held down, Zhou Qun unleashed his fury.0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Let me go! Who are you siding with? Letting him beat me like this!" Bai Fendou shouted.0


    "We''re not on your side. We''re decent people, not like you, a sneaky scoundrel. Never thought you were such a piece of work. Beating you? They should beat you to death, it''s what you deserve."0


    "I didn''t do anything!" Bai Fendou finally started to realize what was happening and howled, "I was just joking!"0


    "I''ll let you joke!" Zhou Qun pped him hard: "I''ll let you say it was a joke!"0


    Another p followed.0


    With the help of the security department, Zhou Qun single-handedly beat up Bai Father and Son. In no time, the two old men were bruised and battered. As for Yang Lixin, he had been stunned from the beginning. Before he could react, the situation had escted to this point.0


    He hade to catch them in the act, but instead, he witnessed a premeditated crime.0


    Yang Lixin, deeply shocked, didn''t hold back. He spilled everything to Zhuang Zhixi like pouring beans from a sack. Zhuang Zhixi finally pieced together the entire story. He hadn''t expected things to unfold this way, but it made sense.0


    Those who hadn''t fully understood the situation now got the full story from Yang Lixin. Looking at Bai Father and Son, they felt as if they were staring at two piles of excrement.0


    While Yang Lixin recounted the events, Jiang Lu, unable to contain her anger, charged forward to kick them again.0


    The heart-wrenching screams made everyone feel a pang of pain in their own bodies, but deep down, they all thought the father and son deserved it.0


    However... Deputy Factory Director Zhang, seeing Bai Fendou''s head still bleeding, worried about someone dying, said, "Alright, everyone, disperse. Zhou Qun, Jiang Lu, I know you two have been wronged. The factory will definitely give you an exnation. Li Si, you guys take them to the infirmary first. At least stop the bleeding."0


    Doctor Wang had alsoe to watch the spectacle, not really wanting to help. Women held even more contempt for such actions. She said, "It''d be better if they died. Dying would be a contribution to society. Treating them is a waste of medicine."0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang rubbed his temples, cursing the unreliable Bai Father and Son in his heart. But as a factory leader, he couldn''t just ignore it.0


    He thought, why is it always me handling these logistical issues?0


    I''d rather manage production!0


    He took a deep breath and said, "Let''s go, first stop the bleeding. Everyone, go back now. The factory will investigate this matter thoroughly."0


    Despite Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s words, no one moved. After all, such a spectacle was a once-in-a-lifetime event, especially since it involved people they knew.0


    Yang Lixin, supporting Zhuang Zhixi, could barely stand.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Are you okay?"0


    Yang Lixin: "Help me stand, my legs are weak."0


    He wasn''t someone who hadn''t seen the world. After all, he had even seen someone fall into a pit of excrement. They were all quite experienced in their neighborhood, but today''s events were too shocking.0


    Jiang Lu, in her frenzy, kept kicking at that particr spot. As a man, Yang Lixin feltpletely unnerved, even though it had nothing to do with him. It didn''t stop his legs from going weak.0


    Zhuang Zhixi helped Yang Lixin and said, "Should I take you back to the kitchen?"0


    Yang Lixin: "No!"0


    He was quite determined: "Go to the infirmary."0


    He wanted to be the first to know what happened.0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Yang Lixin in surprise, impressed by the man''s determination. Even with legs like jelly, he still wanted to stay in the loop.0


    He whispered, "Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s face is ck with anger."0


    Yang Lixin: "Thew doesn''t punish the masses."0


    Everyone was staying, so Deputy Factory Director Zhang couldn''t punish them all, could he?0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    You think pretty thoroughly.0


    He said, "Alright then, let''s go."0


    Ignoring Deputy Factory Director Zhang''s grim expression, the crowd marched toward the infirmary.0


    Normally, Deputy Factory Director Zhang would have chased them away, but today, he simply didn''t have the energy. Bai Father and Son were carried to the infirmary. Doctor Wang called out, "Director,e take a look."0


    The head of the infirmary was a bald, middle-aged man in his fifties, treating the job as a retirement gig.0


    It was because of this attitude that the infirmary had such low visibility. The bald director had been napping during lunch and hurried out, half-asleep: "Oh, wow."0


    He was surprised to see so many people.0


    Doctor Wang: "Director, you take a look at these two... uh, these two people. My skills aren''t enough, I can''t handle it." She didn''t want to deal with them at all.0


    Everyone''s lips twitched. Don''t think we didn''t catch that slip about "dog things."0


    You''re insulting dogs.0


    The director: "I''ll handle it, I''ll handle it."0


    Bai Father and Bai Fendou were still clutching their groins, howling in pain.0


    The director: "What happened?"0


    He said, "I''ll start by treating the head. Can''t let the bleeding continue."0


    Though both were bruised and swollen like pigs'' heads, Bai Fendou''s head was still bleeding, which needed attention. His nose was also bleeding... The bald director didn''t know what had happened, but seeing the others not only not helping but also ring at Bai Father and Son with disgust, he could guess they hadn''t done anything good.0


    He quickly dealt with the situation and noticed that they were all still clutching their groins.0


    He said, "Everyone out, out! Stop crowding around. I need to check the critical area, and it''s not appropriate for all of you to stay here."0


    Old Man Bai: "Ouch, ouch, ouch."0


    Bai Fendou: "Ouch, ouch, ouch."0


    They were in so much pain that they couldn''t speak.0


    "Everyone out, out!"0


    He pulled the curtains shut. Deputy Factory Director Zhang said, "I''ll stay. As the deputy factory director in charge of logistics, I need to know the specifics. Otherwise, I won''t be able tomunicate with the rest of the factory."0


    Section Chief Liu immediately chimed in, "Then I''ll stay too. These two made a mistake and not only didn''t repent but even fought back. We can''t rule out the possibility of them suddenlyshing out and hurting you. That would be disastrous."0


    The security team added, "We''ll stay as well. Our job is to protect the safety of anyone in the factory. If Bai Father and Son go crazy, we can stop them in time."0


    Bald Director: "...0


    You all just want to stay and watch the drama, don''t you?"0


    He nodded. "Fine, stay if you want, but all the women should leave, okay?"0


    The onlookers were finally kept outside, but even though they couldn''t see anything, they still craned their necks to catch a glimpse. Zhuang Zhixi was among the crowd. From inside the room, a series of sharp intakes of breath could be heard.0


    Yang Lixin: "What''s going on?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How would I know?"0


    He was curious too, but he didn''t have x-ray vision. He couldn''t see through the door.0


    But they didn''t have to wait long. The door soon opened.0


    The security team members maintained order, shouting, "Make way, everyone, make way! We need to send them to the hospital."0


    "Ah? The clinic can''t handle it?"0


    "How serious must it be? Are they... done for?"0


    "Probably not, our clinic is only good for minor ailments. The medical skills are average."0


    At this, Bald Director was not convinced. He said, "How can you say our clinic''s skills are average? Sure, we may not be good at treating serious illnesses, but that''s because we rarely encounter them, and our experience is limited. Many experts gain their skills through repeated exposure to cases. We don''t have that advantage. But when ites to minor ailments, we see a lot of them, and we handle them well. It''s easy to diagnose and treat. And for injuries, like stopping bleeding, fixing fractures, and bandaging, we do a lot of that and do it well. You can''t underestimate our clinic''s skills. When ites to small issues, even big hospitals don''t handle them as much as we do. We have more experience and can make quicker judgments."0


    This point had to be rified. They couldn''t be looked down upon like that.0


    "Then why are they being sent to a big hospital?"0


    Bald Director: "It''s shattered. If it''s shattered, how can we handle it here? Our clinic isn''t equipped to deal with male issues! Plus, our stitching and repairing skills aren''t up to par. If we mess it up, it really could be... done for. And he''s not even married yet. Can we afford to take risks?"0


    Oh boy!0


    Everyone stared at the two men in disbelief, their eyes as wide as saucers.0


    Shattered. Done for!0


    The crowd was stunned by the topic, deeply shocked.0


    Bai Fendou winced in pain, barely managing to squeeze out a few words: "No... don''t... don''t say..."0


    Bald Director immediately replied, "Alright, alright, I won''t say anything. You''re in so much pain, just stay quiet."0


    Bai Fendou''s vision went ck. Damn it, I told you not to say anything, yet you keep going on and on.0


    "Quick, quick, get them to the hospital. He''s turning pale, he might faint!"0


    Zhuang ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Zhixi spected from the sidelines: Are you sure he''s turning pale from pain, or is it from being annoyed by you?0


    "Hurry, hurry!"0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "Section Chief Liu, arrange for a few people to go to the hospital, and also arrange for some to escort Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu back to the security office. This matter needs a thorough investigation. We must handle it clearly to give the victim an exnation and to set an example for the rest of the factory."0


    He turned to the onlookers: "Alright, everyone, back to work. Do you all want to follow to the hospital too? Am I not making myself clear as the deputy factory director? Are you going to ignore me? Get back to work!"0


    Seeing that the situation was being taken care of and it was still work hours, the crowd reluctantly dispersed. Yang Lixin finally regained someposure and no longer needed Zhuang Zhixi''s support.0


    He sighed, "Shattered... Does that mean it''s... over?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How would I know? I''m going back to work. Today has been one wild ride."0


    Yang Lixin nodded deeply.0


    Today, he was definitely leaving work early to spread the news about what had happened.0


    This kind of gossip was unheard of, something no one else had ever seen.0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know what Yang Lixin was thinking. He followed the crowd back to the office. Sister Cui had somehow ended up beside Zhuang Zhixi. The whole way, she was full of one hundred and twenty thousand thoughts.0


    How could such a thing happen?0


    Everyone returned to the office. A few hadn''t gone out to watch the drama, like Old Huang. He asked, "What''s going on out there? You all look so shaken."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He understood a bit of what Yang Lixin had felt earlier. It was hard to know where to start exining.0


    Sister Cui, however, started talking a mile a minute, recounting the events. This story was sure to spread throughout the entire factory.0


    "What? Bai Fendou had a thing for Zhou Qun''s wife?"0


    "He got caught in the act!"0


    "My goodness, his... thing is shattered. Can that even be fixed?"0


    ...0


    The questions came one after another, so fast that it was hard to keep up.0


    It was undeniable that this was the most exciting day at the machinery factory, even more so than the May Day Labor Festival. Even when the big bosses attended the festival, the excitement didn''tpare to now. The news of the Bai Father and Son had spread to every corner of the factory.0


    This incredible father and son duo had be the talk of the town.0


    Wang Xiangxiu, working in the workshop, also heard about the incident. Although their workshop was a bit slower than other departments in getting news, such a big event couldn''t be kept under wraps.0


    Soon, it had spread like wildfire.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was in a daze, unsure of what to think. She couldn''t believe the story. In her eyes, Bai Fendou loved her, so how could he be plotting something with Jiang Lu? His rtionship with Jiang Lu wasn''t good at all.0


    If anything, there was animosity.0


    After all, Jiang Lu had fought alongside Zhou Qun many times, making things difficult for Bai Fendou. So if Bai Fendou disliked Jiang Lu, she believed it. But to say he had a thing for her? She thought that would only happen if the sun rose in the west.0


    What kind of crazy rumor was this?0


    But everyone was talking about it with such conviction, leaving Wang Xiangxiu very confused.0


    "Wang Xiangxiu, why aren''t you saying anything? Don''t you find it hard to believe? It seems Bai Fendou didn''t have much sincerity for you after all." Some of the workshop workers, who didn''t like Wang Xiangxiu, teased her. "I have to apologize to you. I used to think there was something going on between you and Bai Fendou, but I was wrong. I didn''t believe you when you said you were just like siblings, but now I do. Bai Fendou''s heart was set on Jiang Lu. No wonder he always seemed to have it out for Zhou Qun. Now we know why."0


    "Exactly, exactly."0


    "But what a disgusting person! Jiang Lu has a husband, yet he still tried to make a move. He should be dragged out and... well, he''s already shattered, so I guess that''s punishment enough. The heavens always have their way of dealing with wrongdoers. This is just karma."0


    "Yes, it''s karma!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu stood awkwardly in ce, feeling very ufortable.0


    After hesitating, she said, "Maybe... maybe there''s been a misunderstanding..."0


    Everyone turned to look at her in disbelief, then smirked andughed, their eyes filled with disdain. They said, "They were caught red-handed, with many people from the security department witnessing it. Do you think they''re fools? If it weren''t for Zhou Qun leading the way, Jiang Lu would have been in trouble."0


    "Exactly."0


    "We know you''re close with Bai Fendou, and your mother-inw is even entangled with Old Man Bai, but you can''t speak without a conscience."0


    "That''s right."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I... I didn''t."0


    She quickly lowered her head to work, but her heart grew more and more uneasy. She wasn''t concerned about Bai Fendou''s situation; she didn''t truly love him. What she worried about was what would happen to his family if Bai Fendou lost his job or got into trouble. Their current decent life relied heavily on the Bai Father and Son. If something went wrong, she didn''t even want to imagine the consequences.0


    "Ouch."0


    A metal ring slipped from her hand and hit her foot. Wang Xiangxiu cried out, "Ah, it hurts so much..."0


    "My goodness, how could you be so careless?"0


    "Quick, go to the clinic."0


    "Let''s go, I''ll take you there."0


    "Look at her, all out of sorts. Is she worried about Bai Fendou?"0


    "She''s just being overly sentimental, isn''t she?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes turned red as she felt the pain in her foot. Although the others looked down on her, a few female workers still helped her to the clinic...0


    This tumultuous day continued until the end of the work shift, with everyone still buzzing with gossip. Zhuang Zhixi packed up and left work, hurrying home. He had to visit his mother-inw''s ce today. As he walked into the alley, he noticed more people than usual gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.0


    Upon seeing Zhuang Zhixi, someone immediately called out, "Xiao Zhuang, did Bai Fendou get arrested?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I... I don''t know."0


    "How could you not know? Didn''t you go to watch themotion?"0


    "Yeah, tell us, what''s the big deal? Why keep it to yourself?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly exined, "I did go to watch, but the ce was already locked down, with only the security department and the higher-ups inside. I''m just a small fry, I couldn''t even get close. I was standing on the outermost edge."0


    ¡°Ah, you really can''t even get close to the action when watching amotion.¡±0


    The group stopped asking Zhuang Zhixi and continued their chatter.0


    Zhuang Zhixi hurried home, entering the courtyard to find those who weren''t working standing around, gossiping. All the windows of the Bai family''s house had been smashed. Aunt Zhou sat at the Bai family''s doorstep, cursing profusely, venting her anger on their ancestors for eighteen generations.0


    As an eyewitness to the incident, Yang Lixin stood in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by several people.0


    Zhao Guihua, seeing her son return, nced at him and quickly said, "Why are you onlying back now?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and replied, "Mom, I left work as soon as the shift ended. Is that still too slow? Your standards are too high."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Are you going to your mother-inw''s ce today?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, my wife is waiting for me at her workce. If I don''t go, she won''t know."0


    He entered the house, and while people didn''t pay much attention to Zhuang Zhixi, the primary source of information, Yang Lixin, was still there. Zhuang Zhixi put themb leg in a bag and said, "Is it obvious?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "No one''s paying attention to you today. Just go."0


    After a pause, she nced at the people in the courtyard and whispered, "Is this matter rted to you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s smile remained unchanged as he said, "Bai Fendou actually wanted to frame me and Jiang Lu, but... you saw it, he reaped what he sowed."0


    Truthfully, Zhuang Zhixi felt no sympathy for Bai Fendou, no matter how miserable he was. After all, Bai Fendou hadn''t spared any effort in trying to harm him. If it weren''t for his mother hearing something vague in advance, or if he weren''t so sharp and alert, he might now be the one facing endless usations.0


    At that point, both he and his family would be subjected to what kind of scrutiny?0


    Zhuang Zhixi coldly said, "He brought this upon himself."0


    Zhao Guihua clenched her teeth and said, "Exactly."0


    She hadn''t expected that Bai Fendou would indeed plot against her son. Even though he was now being punished, Zhao Guihua''s fists clenched tightly.0


    "Mom, I''m leaving first. We can talk more tonight."0


    "Alright."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly picked up his bag and left. As expected, although some people in the courtyard noticed him, they didn''t pay much attention. At this moment, no one cared about that. Zhuang Zhixi had only been gone for a short while when Zhou Qun and his wife returned.0


    As victims, the factory naturally wouldn''t restrict their actions.0


    Zhou Qun, injured, had received simple treatment, his face smeared with purple medication, and a bandage over his lip. Jiang Lu''s condition was slightly better, but her eyes were swollen from crying. The couple returned, followed by a crowd of people.0


    "Xiao Qun!" Old Lady Zhou, who had been cursing fiercely, saw her son and daughter-inw return and quickly got up, rushing over. "How are you? That scoundrel Bai Fendou, bullying us to this extent, even dared toy hands on you?"0


    She then looked at her daughter-inw, her dissatisfaction evident. She stepped forward and pped Jiang Lu, scolding, "You slut, you''ve brought shame to our entire family. What''s the deal with you and Bai Fendou being unclear!"0


    Although she had already heard the details of the incident from Yang Lixin, she still didn''t hesitate to smear her daughter-inw.0


    Jiang Lu was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears: "Mom, I didn''t~"0


    "How didn''t you! If not, why would they target others? You''re just a slut, unable to have children, and now causing trouble outside. Look at what you''ve done¡ªif it weren''t for you, how would Zhou Qun get hurt? How would our family lose face?" Madam Zhou Li was vicious, her words cutting like a knife.0


    Aunt Wang couldn''t stand it anymore and spoke up: "Madam Zhou, what are you talking about? How can you smear your own family like this? My son-inw heard it too¡ªit was Old Man Bai who tricked Jiang Lu into going there. And they immediately rushed in to help. How can you make it sound so bad?"0


    "This is my family''s business; don''t meddle." Madam Zhou knew Aunt Wang was telling the truth¡ªso many people had seen it, it couldn''t be fake. But she wanted to say it anyway, to further control her daughter-inw. A woman with a tainted reputation, how dare she think of divorce?0


    She felt triumphant, thinking her move to smear her daughter-inw was perfect.0


    She gloated, "My daughter-inw is just a shameless slut..."0


    "Mom! That''s enough! Can you show some humanity? What goes aroundes around. You''re ndering Jiang Lu like this, aren''t you afraid of karma? She''s your daughter-inw, not your enemy. How can you be so vicious? Mom, how did you be like this? Are you still my mother?"0


    Madam Zhou had thought her n was wless, but her son refused to cooperate. After all, no man likes the idea of a green hat!0


    Even if it wasn''t true, his mother was trying to weave one for him, and Zhou Qun couldn''t ept that.0


    He suppressed his anger and gave his mother a deep, resentful look, saying, "Jiang Lu,e home."0


    Jiang Lu looked at Zhou Qun with gratitude, biting her lip and saying, "Qun Ge, thank you for believing in me."0


    Zhou Qun: "Of course, I trust your character. We''re a team, a married couple. When I was in trouble, you believed in me unconditionally. Now, I naturally believe in you. We''re both innocent, and even if others misunderstand, we won''t doubt each other."0


    Jiang Lu nodded gratefully.0


    Zhao Guihua: "..."0


    It''s over, there''s no saving them.

 Chapter 82

    <h1>Chapter 82</h1>


    Today''s events were truly monumental.0


    Everyone was too preupied to cook and had gathered in the courtyard. The Bai Father and Son were still at the hospital and hadn''t returned. It was clear that even if they had dealt with their wounds, they wouldn''t be released anytime soon.0


    This incident was no small matter. Caught red-handed, the factory couldn''t just ignore it.0N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With the Bai Father and Son absent, the focus shifted to Zhou Qun and his wife. However, it was apparent that Zhou Qun didn''t want to discuss the topic. His face was grim, and even when addressing his mother, Aunt Zhou, there was a palpable resentment.0


    Nheless, the neighbors understood Zhou Qun''s frustration. Aunt Zhou''s actions were indeed questionable. Before outsiders could nder her daughter-inw, Jiang Lu, she had already jumped to conclusions, eager to tarnish Jiang Lu''s reputation.0


    Such behavior from a family member was unheard of.0


    "Zhou Qun, what''s the deal with Bai Fendou''s situation? How is the factory going to handle it?"0


    "Yeah, will he and Old Man Bai be able to keep their jobs?"0


    "More importantly, are they going to end up in jail?"0


    "Maybe even get the death penalty?"0


    The neighbors cautiously inquired, their faces reflecting the gravity of the situation. Among them, the most anxious was Aunt Su. She was deeply concerned about the Bai Father and Son, though not out of genuine care. Like her daughter-inw, she worried about the potential loss of their financial support.0


    If something drastic happened, her family would be the most affected. Hence, she was desperate to know the oue, her eyes fixed on Zhou Qun and his wife.0


    Zhou Qun calmed down and replied, "I don''t know. The investigation is still ongoing."0


    His voice was stern butced with resentment. "These people don''t deserve to live."0


    The crowd gasped, impressed by his harshness.0


    But putting themselves in his shoes, they understood the anger.0


    Zhao Guihua stood among the crowd, surprisingly sharing Zhou Qun''s view. She spoke up, "Anyone who does bad things should consider the consequences. If they hadn''t been caught, the ones suffering now wouldn''t be them. So whatever happens to them is justified."0


    Aunt Zhou looked at Zhao Guihua in surprise, unable to believe she was siding with them.0


    But thinking about it, Zhao Guihua was known for her fairness in major matters. Aunt Zhou nodded, "You''re right. The Bai Father and Son deserve to die a thousand deaths for their despicable acts."0


    "We''re all neighbors; why make such a big deal out of it? Maybe there''s a misunderstanding?"0


    "Oh, are you defending your lover now? Don''t be shameless. We still have our dignity. There''s no misunderstanding here." Aunt Zhou sneered, "Misunderstanding? Do you really believe that? With people like them living here, we all live in fear."0


    "Exactly, my daughter-inw is quite attractive too." The woman from the Sui family in the back courtyard wasn''t pleased. The actions of the Bai Father and Son were unsettling. It seemed their courtyard had bad luck.0


    First, Zhou Qun was caught mistreating older women, and now Bai Fendou was targeting older women. The thought made everyone shiver.0


    "Aunt Wang, you''re the courtyard leader. You need to report this to the neighborhoodmittee. We can''t let them stay here. Otherwise, how can the young women move around freely? Their house is right by the gate. It''s terrifying just thinking about it."0


    The Sui family''s suggestion was met with nods of agreement. Zhao Guihua added, "Exactly. I have two young daughters-inw at home. We can''t feel safe with such people around."0


    Aunt Wang replied, "Alright, I''ll report this to the neighborhoodmittee. But we also need to wait for the factory''s decision. Our housing is allocated by the factory, so they need to take action first before themittee can do anything."0


    "We understand. But we can''t let this slide. It''s too scary otherwise." Zhao Guihua wasn''t backing down.0


    After so many years as neighbors, if someone started plotting against others, then there was no need to be considerate. There was no room for sentiment.0


    "Guihua is right."0


    Empowered by the support, Aunt Zhou stood tall again. "Yes, we should drive them out. Get rid of the Bai Father and Son."0


    Aunt Wang tried to calm everyone down. "I''ll follow up on this. Don''t worry."0


    "Thank you, Aunt Wang. This is really troubling you."0


    "Yes, we''re in a tough spot."0


    Just as the crowd was riled up, Wang Xiangxiu returned, her foot wrapped in bandages, limping. Aunt Su hurried over. "Xiangxiu, what happened to you?"0


    She quickly asked, "Did you hurt your foot? Was it from a machine? Or something else? I know you work hard, but you also need to take care of yourself."0


    Wang Xiangxiu gave a weak smile. "Mom, help me home."0


    She was too distraught to think about anything else.0


    Aunt Su replied, "Alright, let''s go home."0


    Aunt Zhou sneered from the side. "Looks like your lover''s troubles have left you flustered."0


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t respond, and the mother-daughter duo quickly left.0


    Aunt Wang shook her head slightly, understanding why Wang Xiangxiu was so distressed. Others probably knew too. Finding out that the person you thought was your partner had eyes for someone else would leave anyone feeling lost.0


    However, Aunt Wang kindly reminded everyone, "Last night''s heavy rain made the roads slippery today. Be careful when walking on the small paths. Don''t twist your ankles. Yu, the kid from the alley, twisted his ankle this morning. It''s swollen like a pig''s trotter and he had to go to the hospital."0


    "He probably deserved it. He''s always causing trouble, smashing this and that. It''s about time he got some karma." Someone muttered quietly.0


    Aunt Wang coughed, pretending not to hear, and said, "Alright, everyone, it''s gettingte. Go home and eat."0


    It was already dark, yet no one in the courtyard had started cooking. They were all gathered in the courtyard.0


    Zhao Guihua''s family also went home. Unlike winter, when vegetables were scarce, there were many varieties avable now. Liang Meifen washed some leeks, and Zhao Guihua instructed, "Add an egg and stir-fry them."0


    Liang Meifen''s eyes lit up. "Okay."0


    Zhao Guihua was kneading dough, nning to make mixed-flour pancakes. As they worked, Zhao Guihua asked, "Who is this Yu kid they mentioned?"0


    Liang Meifen disdainfully replied, "Who else could it be? The Yu family at the end of our alley. What a despicable bunch." She spat in disgust. "He''s heartless, forcing his sister to give up her job and go to the countryside. Don''t you remember? It wasst year. You even said that if he didn''t get hit by a car, it was because the heavens weren''t paying attention."0


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched. She hesitated for a moment...0


    When you say that, don''t you realize you''re doing the same thing by giving your job to your brother? Criticizing others is easy.0


    Liang Meifen noticed Zhao Guihua''s expression and quietly exined, "But he''s much worse. He forced his sister to go to the countryside and messed up her marriage. That''s way more excessive..."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, not dwelling on the topic, and pondered over this Yu kid.0


    Although it happenedst year...0


    But she had lived through a whole lifetime since then. However, thinking about it, she did have some impression of him. It seemed that good people don''t live long, while viins thrive.0


    This man was one of the earliest wealthy individuals from their street. To avoid being sent to the countryside, he took his sister''s job for himself. Since his family had already registered for the rural reeducation program, someone had to go. This guy forced his sister to take his ce. His sister was about to get married, but because of this, she had to break off her engagement. A young woman, all alone, went to a remote mountain vige for rural reeducation and eventually married a local farmer. Even when the urban return wave began, she couldn''t bear to leave her children and missed the chance to return to the city.0


    As for him, he didn''t take his sister''s job seriously. Instead, he jumped on the bandwagon of the times, following a group of people all day long, wearing red armbands and vandalizing, targeting anyone with even a slight problematic background. If there was no issue, they would create one just to harass people.0


    This cunning scoundrel has been quite active over the years.0


    A few yearster, when everything settled down, he was merely fired from the factory without any serious punishment. However, this old guy took advantage of the new wave and started a business, gathering a group of his old buddies and bing active in the streets and alleys again.0


    He started by selling clothing, then moved on to pirated cassette tapes.0


    Later, he used his connections to go to Shanxi and run an illegal coal mine, tricking many people into working there.0


    With ample capital, he started strong and made his fortune, bing one of the earliest wealthy individuals on their street. However, despite his wealth, his rtives and friends didn''t benefit from it at all.0


    Not to mention others, even his sister who took his ce in the countryside received no kindness from him. This man, who drove a small car by thete 1980s, was quite affluent. Yet, when his sister came to borrow 200 yuan to treat her son''s illness, he refused to lend even that small amount.0


    Back then, 200 yuan was equivalent to a month''s sry for an ordinary worker. He wouldn''t even lend that amount, yet he would take his friends out for a meal without hesitation. By the 1990s, he became even richer, but no matter how wealthy he was, his parents and siblings still lived in the same alley.0


    He didn''t even give them a single clove of garlic.0


    His brothers said that this guy didn''t even contribute to his parents'' old-age support, showing just how ruthless he was! ording to his brothers, their family was quite ordinary. The reason this guy could rise so quickly and have the capital to start his business was entirely due to his "enthusiasm" during those years.0


    Many people only saw the destruction during those years, but few realized that for some, it was also a way to make money. Even the most ignorant could recognize that some things were valuable.0


    Perhaps some people were genuinely brainwashed and acted out of conviction.0


    But others, like this guy, saw it as an "opportunity" and not only acted aggressively but also took advantage of the situation. They might not recognize antiques and break them, but everyone knows that gold and silver are valuable.0


    Bold and greedy individuals wouldn''t hesitate to seize such opportunities.0


    And such people weren''t rare; there were quite a few of them.0


    Just like the person Ming Mei encountered on the bus. That person also used his progressive identity to make money. However, he was a bit foolish, taking all the gold bars, which was just asking for trouble.0


    Moreover, without any introduction letter, he wanted to travel thousands of miles to Hong Kong, showing ack ofmon sense.0


    Unlike this fool, the guy didn''t greedily take arge sum at once. Instead, he took a steady, long-term approach, which kept him safe and undetected. Even their neighbors had no idea about his wealth until over a decadeter when he suddenly started a big business with arge sum of money.0


    His family had been poor for generations, and they were still struggling. No one would believe that his wealth came from his ancestors.0


    This made Zhao Guihua suspect that the items he hidst night were quite suspicious.0


    Yes, Zhao Guihua focused her attention on this man because she believed he was the one who hid somethingst night. He twisted his ankle when jumping down from the beam, and when he walked back, he limped. Zhao Guihua noticed that he indeed headed towards the innermost part. So, it was likely him.0


    If it was him, Zhao Guihua understood why he hid the items outside. He had three rooms but lived with arge family. With many siblings and their families, there were over twenty people in total.0


    It was understandable that he didn''t dare to keep the items at home.0


    What did he hide?0


    "Mom, Mom, why are you zoning out?"0


    Zhao Guihua came back to her senses and said, "It''s nothing."0


    She started the fire, and Hutou kept peeking over, asking, "Grandma, isn''t the food ready yet?"0


    He was hungry.0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Almost."0


    Liang Meifen sighed, "The guy''s sister is really pitiful. Her fianc¨¦ was a worker. Now that she''s gone to Shaanxi for rural reeducation, the man''s family can''t ept her anymore. He''s remarried by now. I heard that the guy even went to the man''s family iming to seek justice for his sister and demandedpensation. Guess who got that money? Not his sister, of course. He drove her away and still wanted to squeeze thest bit of value out of her."0


    Liang Meifen was also a typical woman who favored her brother over others, but she had some limits. She wouldn''t give everything up for her brother. If she had to choose between her husband, children, and brother, she would still prioritize the former.0


    She wouldn''t even think about giving up her job for her brother, let alone her marriage or family.0


    "Howe such a person doesn''t get hiseuppance?"0


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, thinking: He really hasn''t.0


    Not just this guy, but even Zhou Qun, who was notoriously wicked in his previous life, didn''t get his punishment. Even Aunt Zhou, that wicked olddy, didn''t face any consequences.0


    And the two women from the Su family, though they did what they did for survival, weren''t exactly honorable either, yet they didn''t face any retribution. Sometimes, expecting divine punishment is just wishful thinking.0


    However, the wicked people in their courtyard pale inparison to this guy.0


    She remembered that this manter went to Shanxi to run an illegal coal mine with others, making a lot of money but harming many people. When things went south, he fled. This man was truly the worst kind of person.0


    "Alright, stop talking about them. We should stay far away from such people. He can be so ruthless to his own family, let alone others."0


    Liang Meifen: "I understand."0


    Tonight''s dinner was a bit distracted. Old Man Zhuang and the others were thinking about Bai Fendou''s situation, but Zhao Guihua was thinking about the guy and his hidden bundle.0


    Zhao Guihua was torn between "taking" and "not taking" the bundle, struggling with the decision.0


    Deep down, she knew that if the bundle contained the valuable items the guy had collected during his raids, she couldn''t use them even if she took them. She would have to hide them, which carried some risk.0


    But if she didn''t take them, she felt quite reluctant.0


    After all, the guy''s wealth wasn''t acquired honestly. She would just be taking from a dishonest source. This man was so wicked; losing some of his wealth would weaken his power.0


    Zhao Guihua felt like a little devil in her head was constantly tapping her, urging her to make a decision.0


    Tick-tock, tick-tock, it kept pushing her.0


    Yes, she had to make a decision quickly. If she dyed, the guy might move the items.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t think the hiding ce was his final destination. No one would dare to leave such valuable items in a public ce. She believed it was just a temporary stop, and the guy would move themter.0


    The only chance she had was during the few days when the guy was nursing his twisted ankle.0


    Zhao Guihua rubbed her temples.0


    "Old man, what''s wrong with you?" Old Man Zhuang asked with concern.0


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m thinking about something important."0


    Old Man Zhuang thought she was referring to Bai Fendou''s matter. He whispered, "That scoundrel is just wicked, he won''t end up well."0


    In fact, Old Man Zhuang was quite hurt by this incident. He considered himself good friends with Old Man Bai. Among the elderly men in their courtyard, two had passed away early on, and the ones left were mostly of simr age¡ªhimself, Chef Li, and Old Man Bai.0


    But he never expected that Old Man Bai would use such a vicious method to frame his son. If it weren''t for his wife''s quick thinking, they would have suffered a great loss by now. So, he was deeply resentful. After all these years, how could it be like this?0


    There was no trace of friendship left.0


    He sighed along with her.0


    Liang Meifen noticed that her inws'' expressions were not good, so she kept her head down and dared not speak. Even the observant children, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, dared not make a sound and quietly continued eating.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Mom and Dad, don''t be too angry. It''s not worth getting upset over a fool like Bai Fendou. You''ve known what kind of person he is from the very beginning. It''s not worth getting involved with the two mentally ill people in their family."0


    "We know, let''s eat."0


    "Knock knock."0


    There was a knock on the door. Zhao Guihua asked, "Who is it?"0


    To their surprise, it was Aunt Su who hade to knock. Aunt Su gave a weak smile and said, "Still eating?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Is there something you need?"0


    Aunt Su nced at the food on the table¡ªa mixed flour pancake, spinach and vermicelli soup, and scrambled eggs with leeks.0


    She inwardly cursed their extravagance. What kind of life is this, using eggs to cook with leeks? Such a waste. Eggs are precious, how can they be used like this? Despite her jealousy, she said on the surface, "I have something I''d like to discuss with you."0


    Zhao Guihua: "With me? What is it?"0


    Aunt Su: "Let''s talk inside."0


    She walked in on her own initiative. Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow and said, "Speak."0


    Aunt Su, seeing that the family didn''t even bother to be polite, felt even more displeased. At this moment, they should have asked if she had eaten. Since the new daughter-inw entered the family, Zhao Guihua had be increasingly stingy.0


    Suppressing her discontent, she said, "I came mainly to talk about the matter with the Bai family..."0


    Before she could get to the point, Zhao Guihua interrupted her, saying, "Don''t talk to me about the Bai family. Shouldn''t you be going to the Zhou family for such matters? Whye to our house to discuss it?"0


    Aunt Su was momentarily stumped, then said, "We''re all neighbors..."0


    "Don''t say that. We don''t want such neighbors. Just think about how people will talk about Courtyard No. 44 in the future. I feel embarrassed just thinking about it. Anyway, don''t talk to me about their family. I don''t want to hear it. If it''s about voting to expel them, I''ll definitely participate. If it''s anything else, just go back."0


    Zhao Guihua''s words were cold and sharp. Aunt Su''s eyes turned red as she said, "Isn''t it a bit too much?"0


    She blinked back tears: "The Bai father and son are such good people. They just like to joke a bit, but they''re not bad."0


    "They''re not bad to your family. I say, Aunt Su, don''t put on an act in our house. Everyone knows about the special rtionship between your family and theirs. You can run around for them if you want, but don''t drag us into it. Who are you trying to use as a pawn?"0


    "I''m not."0


    "Go, go, go. We''re still eating. If you just want to sit and chat, I don''t mind; but if you want to talk about the Bai family, I don''t want to hear a word. Go outside and close the door behind you, okay?"0


    "You..." She bit her lip, seeing that Zhao Guihua ignored her and the rest of the Zhuang family ignored her as well, her mood plummeted. She said, "Can''t you consider the feelings of being neighbors? We''ve always gotten along so well."0


    There are people like this, whose faces are as thick as walls. Even if you expose their tricks, they can still continue their performance, acting pitiful and innocent. She no longer looked at Zhao Guihua but turned to Old Man Zhuang and said, "Old Man Zhuang, you and Old Man Bai were good brothers. How can you not care now?"0


    Zhao Guihua stood up directly, rolled up her sleeves, and said, "Do you need me to push you out?"0


    Aunt Su looked at Zhao Guihua in disbelief, unable to believe how rude this old woman was. Without a word, Zhao Guihua pushed her out and said, "Aunt Su, go home quickly and stop running around for your sweetheart. This matter has nothing to do with our family, we''re not interested."0


    She was quick and efficient, pushing her out and closing the door with a bang.0


    Aunt Su bit her lip, wiped away her tears, andmented the coldness of humanity.0


    However, she couldn''t just abandon the Bai father and son. They were the most important source of sustenance for her family. She inwardlyined about everyone''s ruthlessness, but at the same time, she also med the Bai father and son for being unreliable. Why did they deliberately cause trouble for Jiang Lu?0


    Although there were some unfavorable rumors, Aunt Su and her daughter-inw still believed that the Bai father and son didn''t really intend to do anything to Jiang Lu. After all, they were people with bad intentions but no courage. If it were anyone else who had spent so much money on their family, they would have made a move long ago. But Aunt Su and Old Man Bai were still innocent, and Wang Xiangxiu and Bai Fendou were also innocent. So Zhao Guihua believed they didn''t have the guts.0


    If they were just trying to provoke Zhou Qun, that was possible.0


    But if they were really nning to harm a woman, she would never believe it.0


    Even if they were really up to no good, she and her daughter-inw would still stand by the Bai family. After all, they were the real source of sustenance.0


    Aunt Su went to the back courtyard again. Liang Meifen was a bit puzzled and said, "Mom, this is clearly Zhou Qun''s matter. Why does she go around the Zhou family and approach other families?"0


    She just couldn''t understand.0


    Zhao Guihua: "She wants to unite all the families to put pressure on the Zhou family. If Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu insist it was a joke and a big misunderstanding, would the factory still pursue it? Don''t you think Aunt Su is smart? She saw through the key point of the matter at once."0


    "But, but wouldn''t it be the same if she directly asked the Zhou family?"0


    "What weight does she have? Would the Zhou family listen to her if she went alone? She''s trying to gather public support."0


    Liang Meifen pouted: "Who would care about them."0


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow: "Don''t underestimate her. She''s very good at ying the victim. Maybe someone will be moved by her words. Only someone like me who has long known what kind of person she is wouldn''t be tricked. But if it were someone else, you never know. Take you, for example. If she kept crying to you, talking about neighborly affection, after a while, you might be swayed."0


    Liang Meifen: "That won''t happen."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Heh."0


    Didn''t you get fooled countless times in your previous life?0


    This time, she had subtly expressed her dislike for their family from the beginning, so Liang Meifen didn''t dare to get too close. If it were like her previous life, where she didn''t work and interacted with them more, she would have been fooled many times.0


    Aunt Su is the most adept at using her pitiful and kind appearance to gain people''s sympathy and trust. Later, Zhao Guihua figured out that many family dramas in their household were instigated by Aunt Su.0


    She''s so annoying.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Liang Meifen."0


    Liang Meifen was startled and looked up at her mother-inw.0


    Zhao Guihua was extremely serious: "Stay away from those two women. If I find out you''re getting close to them, see how I deal with you."0


    Liang Meifen quickly pledged loyalty: "Mom, I won''t."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Heh."0


    She then looked at her eldest son and said, "If Wang Xiangxiu tries to get close to you, stay alert."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled bitterly: "Mom, what are you talking about? I''m not that kind of person."0


    He''s a civilized man.0


    Liang Meifen immediately became vignt and said, "Right. You have to stay away from them. They''re not good people."0


    This widow, who knows if she might have designs on her man. If she were a decent person, she wouldn''t worry, like Sister Xu from the machinery factory, who is also a widow and no one worries about her because she''s very decent.0


    But Wang Xiangxiu... she just can''t trust her!0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."0


    Who did he offend?0


    Today, everyone was busy gossiping, so they ate dinnerte. Just after finishing dinner, Zhuang Zhixi and his wife, Ming Mei, returned. Ming Mei smiled brightly: "Mom, we''re back."0


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but sigh. Ming Mei always had a smile on her face, clearly a blessed girl.0


    She asked: "How are your parents?"0


    Ming Mei: "They''re in great health, eating and drinking with gusto."0


    How could her parents not be doing well?0


    Ming Mei: "Mom, this is some tea my mom asked me to bring for you."0


    Zhao Guihua quickly thanked her. Such tea was hard toe by nowadays, and ordinary people like them rarely got such tickets. They were lucky if they could get some coarse tea. Tea like this, which was properly packaged, was valuable and good. Only small leaders would usually drink it.0


    "You must help me thank your mom," Zhao Guihua said.0


    Ming Mei nodded with a smile, then said: "Mom, I''m going to my grandfather''s ce. My mom also sent a box for him."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead."0


    Although Ming Mei''s grandfather, Lan Sihai, lived in the same courtyard, the two families didn''t interact every day. Lan Sihai valued his personal space, and Zhao Guihua felt that he was more like a reborn person than she was. He truly lived a carefree life.0


    Even though Zhao Guihua was reborn, she wasn''t as carefree. She still had many things she couldn''t let go of, and her knowledge was limited. The only advantage she had was a bit more perspective than others. But Lan Sihai lived a truly carefree life.0


    Sometimes, she couldn''t help but feel a bit envious.0


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi carried a cloth bag to Lan Sihai''s door. Ming Mei jokingly knocked on the door: "Grandpa, your most adorable granddaughter is here."0


    The door clicked open as soon as she finished speaking. Lan Sihai smiled: "Oh, what a modest girl. My granddaughter is so thin-skinned. To praise herself so calmly, not bad, not bad at all."0


    He stepped aside and said: "Come in quickly. After all, my adorable granddaughter is so cute; if she gets carried away by a crow, that would be bad."0


    Ming Mei pouted: "Where are the crows, Grandpa? You''re just talking nonsense."0


    Lan Sihai: "Then it wouldn''t be good if she got carried away by an eagle."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "And there''s me, Grandpa, your even more adorable grandson-inw."0


    He followed them in, and Lan Sihai finally couldn''t hold back and turned to pretend to vomit. In his heart, his granddaughter would always be a child, but this grandson-inw... he said: "Can you straighten your tongue before speaking? Truly, ugly people do the most."0


    Zhuang Zhixi felt wronged: "Grandpa, why do you have double standards? You can joke with Ming Mei and call it cute, but when Ipliment myself, you call me ugly. I''m such a handsome and spirited young man. You''ve really broken my heart."0


    Lan Sihai disdainfully pursed his lips: "Get lost."0


    So blunt and cold.0


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed: "Ah, it''s hard to be a human, even harder to be a grandson-inw."0


    At this moment, Luo Xiaohe poured them each a cup of hot water with a bit of sugar: "Drink some sugar water."0


    Serving guests with something sweet was the best way to show hospitality.0


    Ming Mei gulped it down quickly and said: "Thank you."0


    Although Luo Xiaohe was her grandfather''s new wife and lived in the same courtyard, they weren''t very familiar with each other. Luo Xiaohe was quiet and didn''t talk much, while Ming Mei had a lively personality, so they naturally didn''t get along well.0


    Fortunately, Ming Mei''s trait was that if she didn''t get along with someone, she wouldn''t force it. Keeping polite was enough; being good rtives was better than forcing a close rtionship.0


    Ming Mei: "Grandpa, my mom asked me to bring you a box of tea, a pack of candied fruit, and this, a short-sleeve shirt she made for you."0


    Ming Mei ced the items down and said proudly: "My mom is great, right? You should try on this shirt."0


    Lan Sihai immediately stood up, picked up the shirt, and went into the room. He quickly changed and came out, nodding: "Your mom''s craftsmanship is passable."0


    He said: "The items are good, but tell your mom not to prepare anything for me in the future."0


    Ming Mei: "Huh?"0


    Lan Sihai: "If she prepares something for me, I have to return the favor, which is too troublesome. I''ll ept the food and drinks, but no more clothes."0


    Ming Mei: "Oh."0


    Her grandfather really did things differently.0


    Lan Sihai: "You got some candied fruit too, right?"0


    Ming Mei: "Hehe, yes."0


    Lan Sihai: "Alright, then I won''t share with you. Wait here."0


    He took out a key, opened the cab, and pulled out a bag of White Rabbit candies: "Here, take these home to eat."0


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened: "Grandpa, you''re treating me like a child."0


    Lan Sihai: "So, do you want them..."0


    Ming Mei decisively: "Yes!"0


    What girl doesn''t like sweet things?0


    She quickly took the White Rabbit candies and smiled brightly. Zhuang Zhixi leanedzily on the chair: "I..."0


    "No for you!" The grandfather and granddaughter said in unison.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"0


    He scratched his head: "You''re too mean! I didn''t even want any. Waaah, I just wanted to ask if I could have another cup of water. Waaah, you misunderstood me."0


    Luo Xiaohe smiled: "I''ll pour you some water."0


    Lan Sihai: "No need. What''s the point? Go home and drink there. It''s gettingte, and I won''t entertain you. Early to bed, early to rise is good for health. I''m old, I can''t handle staying up."0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    She pulled Zhuang Zhixi up. Zhuang Zhixi muttered: "Not even a cup of water for me."0


    Lan Sihai: "I don''t care!"0


    He rolled his eyes, extremely arrogant: "I don''t even take care of my own daughter; do you think I''d take care of a grandson-inw?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "My heart is broken. You clearly love me the most."0


    Lan ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Sihai suppressed augh: "Go away, don''t be so self-absorbed. By the way, you''ve been transferred to a new position. Since it''s an administrative role, you get a tobo ticket every quarter. No one in your family smokes, so bring it to me, and I''ll buy it from you."0


    "No need, I''ll just give it to you. After all, I..."0


    "Even brothers keep ounts clear. I don''t want to mess with that. We''ll do a straightforward exchange."0


    "Alright."0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei returned together. They saw Hutou and Xiao Yanzi holding hands,ing out to go back to their room to sleep. Ming Mei generously gave each of them a White Rabbit candy: "Here, little uncle and auntie give you White Rabbit milk candies. Am I nice?"0


    Hutou: "Yes, little auntie is the best, even better than my mom!"0


    Liang Meifen: "..."0


    She sighed: "I heard that."0


    Hutou covered his big head and quickly ran back to the room.0


    Xiao Yanzi giggled and shouted: "Little auntie is the best!"0


    She was always on the same side as her brother.0


    Ming Meiughed heartily. Liang Meifen tried to calm down. Their family was benefiting, so it was fine to lose out a bit in words. She wouldn''t take it personally.0


    Not at all!0


    She took a deep breath, then her eyes widened in shock. Oh my, so many White Rabbit candies! This bag must be about a pound!0


    Ming Mei noticed her gaze and quickly darted away: "Back to the room!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and shook his head: "Sister-inw won''t take them; she''ll just get the kids to ask for them."0


    Liang Meifen: "..."0


    You''re saying this right in front of me?0


    She awkwardly smiled: "No, don''t worry, I''m not that kind of person."0


    Although she had thought about it for a moment, being called out like that made her unable to do it. It would be too embarrassing. Liang Meifen was someone who wanted to take advantage but didn''t want to be the one to do it, and she also wanted to save face. Because of these conflicting traits, she often couldn''t get what she wanted.0


    It''s painful.0


    She sighed and went back to the room: "Sister-inw has so many White Rabbit candies."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Her grandfather gave them to her. I didn''t see any candy when she came in with the tea."0


    As a man, he wasn''t too concerned about such things, so he just said casually: "You see, although Grandpa Lan seems indifferent and his words aren''t pleasant, he treats Ming Mei quite well. I''ve seen him give Ming Mei White Rabbit candies more than once."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan had only spoken casually, but Liang Meifen felt a pinch of difort. She thought that Zhuang Zhiyuan was subtly hinting at her.0


    The inws of others, even their grandfathers, could be supported, yet her own family had to rely on her husband''s family. She felt a sourness in her heart and her eyes began to redden.0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Go fetch some water, I want to soak my feet."0


    Liang Meifen: "Oh."0


    She wiped away her tears.0


    The couple fell silent again, but Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi were lively. Ming Mei had brought back candied fruit from her mother and a bag of crispy cakes, and from her grandfather, a bag of White Rabbit candies, all stashed in a cupboard, which she considered her treasure trove.0


    Zhuang Zhixiyzily on the bed, saying, "Wife, give me a shoulder massage."0


    Ming Mei: "Get lost, you wish."0


    Zhuang Zhixi reached out, pulling her down with him onto the bed. He held her hand and ced it over his chest, saying, "See, my heart is racing. I was quite nervous today."0


    His topic came out of nowhere, but Ming Mei, who had been informed on the way back from her parents'' house, understood. She wriggled up like a caterpir, nestling into the crook of Zhuang Zhixi''s arm. She tilted her head to look at him, saying, "I know you can handle it."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I can handle it, but I still need my wife''sfort."0


    He smiled, his lips curling, and looked down at her. Under themplight, he noticed the fine down on her face. Unable to resist, he leaned down and kissed her. Ming Mei pouted at him, and Zhuang Zhixi obliged... Whatever he had been thinking or nning to say was forgotten.0


    The room was filled with warmth, while outside, the weather turned gloomy. It had been raining heavily recently.0


    Last night''s torrential rain had continued until noon today, and by evening, the sky darkened again, followed by gusts of wind. Soon, the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, apanied by a pattering noise, could be heard.0


    It was hailing.0


    Zhao Guihua was tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Old Man Zhuang, disturbed by her movements, asked, "What''s wrong? Can''t let go of today''s events?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s not that. I''m thinking about that bundle in the toilet..."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Why are you thinking about that? We decided not to meddle with it yesterday."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I think it was that Yu kid who put it there. You know him, right? The one from the old Yu family in the alley. He''s not a good guy."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "He put it there? How do you know?"0


    "Yesterday, that guy twisted his ankle, and I roughly saw where he lives. If it were someone else, I wouldn''t be tempted. But this kid... well, he''s obviously profiting from the current crackdowns. I feel like pulling a fast one on him."0


    Old Man Zhuang, who had always been an honest man, felt a bit uneasy hearing this.0


    He said, "Is... is that okay? We know it''s him and still take action?"0


    "That''s exactly why I want to do it. If it were someone else, I''d pretend I didn''t see it. But this stuff definitely isn''t from a legitimate source."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m so torn..."0


    Old Man Zhuang, cautious and fearful, said, "If it were me, I definitely wouldn''t agree to do this. We have a good life, no need to get involved in such matters. But your hesitation is because you want to pull a fast one. I can see that you''re very tempted. No matter what you decide, I support you. So, I''ll leave it to you."0


    Zhao Guihua looked at her husband and smiled, saying, "That''s why I love you. You always support me no matter what."0


    Old Man Zhuang blushed slightly, saying, "Who else would I support? You''re my olddy."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I like hearing that."0


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled, then after a while, asked, "What do you n to do?"0


    Zhao Guihua sat up abruptly, saying, "Let''s go get it!"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "I''ll go."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ll keep watch for you."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Alright."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait, let''s hold off a bit. Today''s been busy, some people might still be awake. We''ll goter to avoid being noticed. I want to see what that Yu kid is hiding."0


    Old Man Zhuang, rarely cracking a joke, said, "Maybe we''ll find out it''s nothing when we get it."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Even if it''s nothing, I won''t regret it."0


    She said, "Now that I''ve made up my mind, I don''t want to back out. Oh, it''s good that the Bai father and son aren''t home; it makes our job safer."0


    "That''s true," Old Man Zhuang agreed.0


    The sound of opening and closing doors inside the courtyard might go unnoticed, but any noise near the entrance could wake light sleepers. So, having the house near the gate empty was crucial for them.0


    "Speaking of which, I wonder how the Bai father and son are doing. I heard... it''s broken?"0


    Old Man Zhuang shuddered at the thought, feeling a phantom pain. He couldn''t imagine anything worse than that. Jiang Lu had been furious, aiming for that exact spot, and the thought made him cringe.0


    "Everyone says it''s broken. I wonder if it can be stitched back at the hospital."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."0


    He had heard of mending clothes, but never of mending such a thing.0


    He winced, feeling a sympathetic pain, and sincerely remarked, "So, never offend a woman. They can really go crazy."0


    Zhao Guihuaughed, saying, "He deserved it!"0


    "I wonder if it will affect his ability to have kids. The Bai family hasn''t had an heir yet, and Bai Fendou isn''t married."0


    "Who knows..."0


    While the elderly couple chatted idly, the actual victim, Bai Fendou, was inconsble, overwhelmed with grief and sorrow, unable to sleep in the dead of night.0


    If it weren''t for his... injury, he would probably be locked up in the security office by now.0


    Being able to lie in a hospital bed was already a blessing.0


    But it came at the cost of his... injury.0


    Although Jiang Lu had hit his head, a woman''s strength was limited, and while he had bled a lot, the head injury wasn''t severe. The most serious injury was... the one that was broken.0


    Not only was it excruciatingly painful, but it also deeply hurt his pride. He felt his life was at a crossroads because of this farce. Sobbing, he felt utterly pitiful. He had only wanted to get back at someone...0


    How did he end up in this situation?0


    In the stillness of the night, he cried over his "condition," the pain unbearable. He also thought, if only this hadn''t happened. If only Zhuang Zhixi had been the one...0


    Why hadn''t Zhuang Zhixie?0


    During the day, the pain had been so intense that he couldn''t think straight, but now, unable to sleep, his thoughts turned to the future. He needed a clear exnation; without one, this matter wouldn''t end.0


    He had originally thought it was no big deal, but clearly, others saw it differently.0


    He rubbed his eyes, feeling utterly miserable.0


    "Fendou," Old Man Bai suddenly spoke up.0


    He too was in pain and couldn''t sleep.0


    "Dad," Bai Fendou replied in a muffled voice, still a bit upset. He felt that his father had handled the situation poorly, not even checking if anyone was inside before pushing Jiang Lu in.0


    Wasn''t this just harming his own son?0


    Bai Fendou: "Dad, I have to say, you handled today''s matter poorly. Why didn''t you ask more questions? If you had, we could have exined to Jiang Lu that it was a joke, and none of this would have happened. You just pushed her in, and she screamed, how could things not go wrong?"0


    He felt it was all his father''s fault.0


    Old Man Bai''s temper red. The idea had been Bai Fendou''s, and he had just followed along. He hadn''t done his part well, failing to get Zhuang Zhixi involved, yet now his son was ming him? He felt utterly wronged.0


    His heart was as cold as ice, wondering how he had ended up with such a useless son.0


    He was also annoyed, his eyes wide with anger as he retorted, "I haven''t even said anything about you, yet here you are ming me! Didn''t you say you''d be prepared in advance? Why has everything turned out like this? If you had just knocked Zhuang Zhixi unconscious, stripped him, and thrown him inside as nned, would we be dealing with all this mess now? Every single thing that was supposed to be my responsibility, did I not handle it perfectly? It''s clearly your fault for dropping the ball, yet you dare to me me? Bai Fendou, how did I end up with a son like you? The roots of our Bai family are about to wither away!"0


    Old Man Bai burst into tears.0


    His tears were genuine.0


    After all, this was a matter of the Bai family''s legacy!0


    "You useless fool!"

 Chapter 83

    <h1>Chapter 83</h1>


    Zhao Guihua had lived through two lifetimes, and at her age, this was the first time she had ever attempted anything like being a "bandit hero."0


    Well, it couldn''t be entirely considered "theft," after all, the item in question was ced in a public restroom. Strictly speaking, it was ownerless. This was the reason Zhao Guihua dared to take action.0


    If it had been in someone''s home, she wouldn''t have dared to mess around, no matter how crazy she felt.0


    Even knowing that the Yu family''s son was no good, even if she knew the item was there, Zhao Guihua wouldn''t have done anything about it.0


    The nature of the situation waspletely different.0


    So, with the item being in the public restroom at the alley entrance, Zhao Guihua felt she could take action. The weather had been bad for a few days, and today it even started hailing. Late at night, she put on her raincoat and said, "Do I look like a notorious pirate to you?"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Not at all, you''re a good person."0


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but chuckle, "I don''t look like a good person at all. I''m about to do something bad."0


    She didn''t turn on the light but looked outside and said, "Let''s go."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Alright."0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The couple gently opened the door, not trying to be too stealthy. If someone saw them acting too suspiciously, it would only raise suspicions. They walked out as if they were just going to the bathroom at night, acting with confidence.0


    Tonight, the sky was covered with thick clouds, and the darkness wasplete. The sound of rain and hail covered the noise of them opening the door. Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang ran together to the restroom. Old Man Zhuang went in first and then said, "No one''s here."0


    It was true; ever since the rumors of ghosts started, the restroom was rarely used at night. Generally, people tried to avoid it. Going to the bathroom at night was something most people tried to avoid, especially on a rainy day like today.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Are you sure you can do this?"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Although I''m not as young as my son, I can still move quickly."0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "You go to the door and keep watch. I''ll climb up."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait, let me find some stones to help you step on. It''ll be easier for you."0


    "Alright."0


    The two worked together, and the rain seemed to be getting heavier, but it didn''t affect their actions. Zhao Guihua was quite excited. She tiptoed and looked around, saying, "Be careful."0


    Old Man Zhuang nodded.0


    He stepped on the stones and climbed up the wall. Despite his age, he was strong. The work he did at the factory required a lot of arm strength, so he was more robust than the average person. Even his two sons might not be as strong as he was.0


    After all, their jobs didn''t require as much physical effort.0


    He climbed up and stood on a cement column of one of the restroom stalls. He turned on his shlight and quickly spotted the target.0


    The bundle was not far from his current position. It was likely that someone had thrown it up from this spot. Old Man Zhuang reached out, grabbed it, and pulled hard. Oh, it was quite heavy.0


    He exerted more force and quickly pulled the bundle to him.0


    "Hmm?"0


    He let out a surprised sound. Zhao Guihua heard it and asked, "What''s wrong?"0


    Old Man Zhuang whispered, "There''s another bundle here."0


    Zhao Guihua was also surprised and confused: "Another one?"0


    She immediately thought that it must have been hidden by the Yu kid. If it wasn''t his, he wouldn''t have missed it when he came to hide his stuffst night. Finding someone else''s hidden items here would make the ce unreliable. But he still chose to hide his stuff here, which meant this must be his as well.0


    "Let''s get it out together."0


    "Alright, but this one is stuck inside a bit, so it''s a bit tricky to pull out."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Wait, let me find something to help."0


    She went out in the rain and found a stick. She helped Old Man Zhuang get the first bundle down and then used the stick to hook out the second one. Both of them were quite excited. Zhao Guihua felt the bundle was quite heavy.0


    She didn''t rush to open it but said, "Let''s move the stones out and go back home first."0


    Both of them were worried that someone might show up, although the heavy rain made it unlikely. Still, Zhao Guihua was cautious. The couple quickly returned home in the rain. Zhao Guihua was afraid that the sound of closing the door might attract attention, so she quickly carried the bundle inside, while Old Man Zhuang stayed behind to secure the door.0


    Despite her boldness, Zhao Guihua was actually quite scared. Once home, she plopped down on the floor, feeling drained. Old Man Zhuang saw her like this and quickly asked, "Olddy, what''s wrong?"0


    Zhao Guihua looked up and said, "I''m fine, just a bit scared."0


    Old Man Zhuang understood her feelings and helped her up, saying, "Since we''ve already done it, don''t think too much about it. Besides, the item was in a public restroom, so it''s not like we stole something from someone''s home. Moreover, what kind of legitimate item would be hidden in a public restroom? This thing wasn''t from a good source, so what we did wasn''t wrong."0


    Before the action, Zhao Guihua had been the one to calm him down; but now that they were done, it was Old Man Zhuang who wasforting her.0


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "You''re right."0


    She wiped her face and said, "Look at me, I was the one who wanted to do this, and now I''m the one who''s scared. I guess I''m just a coward."0


    Old Man Zhuang disagreed: "You''ve done well. If it were someone else, they wouldn''t have been as brave as you."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s open it and see."0


    Old Man Zhuang nodded. The sky was overcast, and the room was quite dark, but they didn''t turn on the light. Zhao Guihua opened the first bundle, the heavier one that Old Man Zhuang had pulled out first.0


    He said, "I wonder what''s inside... uh!"0


    His rambling suddenly stopped.0


    Zhao Guihua also gasped sharply, feeling like she was suddenly short of oxygen, her breath quickening, her body trembling.0


    "Ah... this... this this."0


    For a moment, she didn''t know what to say. The contents of the bundle werepletely unexpected. Zhao Guihua had thought there would be something valuable inside, something worth hiding, but she never imagined there would be tenrge gold bars.0


    She almost trembled as she picked one up and said softly, "It''s heavy."0


    Old Man Zhuang was also shocked and asked urgently, "Are these real? I heard you can bite into them and leave a mark."0


    He was about to take a bite when Zhao Guihua stopped him, saying, "Don''t bite. Who knows how many hands this has passed through? You don''t know if it''s clean."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "What''s not clean about gold bars? Even if it''s not, it''s still a good thing. I''m not picky."0


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t help butugh at his reaction.0


    Old Man Zhuang sighed softly, "My family has been poor for eight generations, and this is the first time I''ve ever seen such a treasure." He had always thought that having enough to eat and drink was good enough. He never expected to one day hold such a valuable item in his hands.0


    Zhao Guihua: "There are exactly ten bars. Old man, help me feel the weight; I''m not sure anymore."0


    She was so nervous that she couldn''t trust her own sense of weight.0


    Old Man Zhuang: "These should be ten taels each. One bar is probably around 300 to 400 grams. If we follow the standard used in Beijing, one bar should be about 370 grams."0


    Although their family had never owned anything so valuable, he had heard about these things. Generally,rge and small gold bars were umted since the Republic of China era. The measurement units back then were different from now.0


    However, theserge gold bars usually followed the standard, with one bar being ten taels.0


    Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered this and nodded, "You''re right."0


    She rubbed the gold bar, feeling the texture of real gold.0


    Real gold indeed.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Let me see the other one."0


    She quickly opened the second bundle, inside of which were all kinds of jewelry. There were gold ornaments, silver bracelets, jade bead nes, and white jade bangles... To be honest, seeing this, the old couple''s expressions changed slightly.0


    They were both shocked. On their street, if anyone had even one of these items, they would be considered extremely wealthy. But now, there were so many of them. Isn''t that terrifying?0


    Although gold bars can drive people crazy, seeing so many pieces of jewelry at once can also be frightening.0


    Old Man Zhuang suddenly grabbed his wife''s hand and said, "How could there be so many valuable things?"0


    He really hadn''t expected that the bundle would contain so much. Hesitating for a moment, he said, "Should we turn them in?"0


    But after saying that, he immediately shook his head, "No, we can''t turn them in. If we do, it will bring endless trouble."0


    Zhao Guihua nced at him and said, "Turn them in? Forget it! We absolutely cannot turn these things in. If you turn them in, how do you exin where they came from? You say you found them in the bathroom, but why were you climbing into the bathroom in the first ce? Then there might be all sorts of other issues, and they might pin everything on you. They could turn you into a thief even if you''re not one. Besides, with the current environment, do you really think these things would end up in the right hands if you turn them in? Who do you think hid these things? Based on my guess, it was Yu Xiaozi. In just one year, Yu Xiaozi managed to amass so much wealth. It just shows how... And if Yu Xiaozi or his family finds out about this, do you think they would retaliate against us?"0


    Zhao Guihua saw things more clearly than Old Man Zhuang.0


    The Yu family wasn''t easy to deal with. Even though they had cut ties with Yu Xiaozi and severed all ties, things were different now. Even if their rtionship wasn''t good now, and even if Yu Xiaozi had hidden these valuables, if they found out about this, they would still side with Yu Xiaozi because they are family.0


    If the money is still there, even though Yu Xiaozi hid it, there''s a chance they could get a share of it. But if it''s turned in, it has nothing to do with them anymore. So if they followed Old Man Zhuang''s suggestion and turned it in, it would definitely bring a big enemy.0


    Besides, why should they turn it in?0


    To put it bluntly, with the current situation, turning it in might not end well.0


    There was a guy who tied gold bars and nned to walk from Beijing to Hong Kong, and now there''s another guy who hid gold and silver treasures in a public bathroom. Who knows how many people are hiding things.0


    Zhao Guihua said seriously, "Old Man Zhuang, I''m a selfish person. I only care about my own family. I don''t have the heart to care about so many others. Instead of letting these things benefit some cunning petty people, I''d rather have them in my hands. You see, even though privately hiding these things carries some risk, everyone still does it. Why? Isn''t it for having an extra safety in case of emergencies? Besides, who knows what the future policies will be? Having something valuable on hand is always good."0


    Old Man Zhuang''s biggest trait is that he listens to his wife. He''s not a very decisive person, but he listens to Zhao Guihua a lot.0


    He said, "You''re right. I''ll listen to you on this. But where should we keep these things? It''s not very safe to keep them at home."0


    After a pause, he sighed, "And it''s even less safe to keep them outside."0


    Zhao Guihua started thinking and said, "Indeed, we can''t just put them anywhere. There are small thieves in our courtyard. If we work hard and end up benefiting some small thief, I''ll cry."0


    If someone ends up benefiting from our hard work, she would be devastated.0


    "So what do you suggest?"0


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Let''s extend the kitchen counter a bit and build it with cement. We can put these things in a box and embed it in the cement. It''s far from the fire pit, so it won''t be affected. And with the extra space, we''ll have more room to store things and it''ll be more convenient for cutting vegetables. No one would ever think to look there."0


    Old Man Zhuang turned around and looked, feeling it made sense. He nodded, "That works."0


    He had to admit, his wife''s idea was quite clever. Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "My brain is sharp, isn''t it?"0


    She said, "I''ll do it tomorrow. The sooner we get it done, the sooner we''ll feel at ease."0


    Old Man Zhuang said, "Your craftsmanship isn''t as good as mine. I''ll do it. You go buy the cement tomorrow, and I''ll work on it after I get off work."0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t refuse and nodded, "Alright."0


    She packed up the items and looked at the bundle cloth, saying, "I''ll burn this tomorrow."0


    Old Man Zhuang felt a bit sorry for the good fabric, but then thought it was the right thing to do. If someone saw it, it would be troublesome. It wasn''t worth it for a small piece of cloth. The old couple temporarily hid the items in the kang hole and then went back to bed.0


    It''s worth mentioning that they weren''t sleepy at all.0


    How could they be sleepy?0


    They had suddenly be wealthy. Although these things couldn''t be eaten or drunk and couldn''t be used to buy anything, they were gold and silver treasures. If they were bold enough, they could exchange them for money in the ck market.0


    Even if the ck market couldn''t handle it, there was the ghost market.0


    However, neither of them had the intention to do so. They didn''t need the money right now. Their life was still manageable.0


    Old Man Zhuang asked, "Wife, how much money do we have left? I feel like we''ve been eating welltely. Do we have much savings left?"0


    It''s true that men shouldn''t be in charge. Men always have no sense of the situation. Zhao Guihua gave him a look and said, "What do you mean? I still have several hundred yuan. Our savings haven''t decreased much; in fact, they''ve increasedpared to when we separated from the family."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Oh?"0


    He was a bit surprised.0


    Zhao Guihua said, "The reason we''ve been eating well isn''t because of our savings. It''s because of the harvest from the mountain. The meat we had earlier was exchanged for fish during the New Year. We haven''t finished it yet. This time, the harvest from the mountain was also good. We haven''t bought meat for several months. I exchanged our meat coupons for grain coupons. Haven''t you noticed that we have more fine grain than before? It''s all bought with those coupons."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Guihua, you''re really good at managing the household."0


    Zhao Guihua was proud and said, "Of course, can I be an ordinary person? I''m very capable."0


    She said, "We have to n for food and clothing. I''ve put a lot of thought into this family. You think I don''t do anything just because I don''t go to work? There''s a lot to consider at home."0


    "That''s true."0


    The old couple chatted on and on, and they really weren''t sleepy. It''s not just them; many people in the neighborhood couldn''t sleep that night. Fortunately, the old couple didn''t act hastily. They talked until midnight before going out. If they had gone out earlier, the Su family and the Zhou family wouldn''t have been asleep yet.0


    These two families had their own thoughts and worries.0


    The Su family was really worried that this incident would affect them. After yesterday''s efforts, although some people were a bit more open, most still maintained a cold attitude and weren''t willing to get involved.0


    It''s also because the Bai father and son had offended people before, mainly Bai Fendou. Old Man Bai didn''t offend people much, but Bai Fendou''s sharp tongue often offended people without realizing it. This inevitably led to some big and small consequences.0


    Since everyone wasn''t willing to help, the Su family was exhausted.0


    As for the Zhou family, Zhou Qun''s thoughts were a bitplicated.0


    He had indeed beaten Bai Fendou and his father, but he still felt a bit ufortable. The source of this difort was Jiang Lu. He knew Jiang Lu hadn''t suffered, but it wasn''t because of whether she had suffered or not that he felt ufortable.0


    He felt ufortable because of Jiang Lu''s ruthlessness.0


    A woman had actually... kicked two men''s... to pieces.0


    He shuddered at the thought. How ruthless must a person be to do such a thing? This woman, though usually gentle, was all an act. Ever since that incident in the restroom, he felt instinctively ufortable whenever he thought of women, and he had no interest in them at all.0


    He had never been interested in Jiang Lu to begin with, and now even less so. Even lying in the same bed with her made him feel nauseous.0


    His dislike for women intensified even more after she kicked someone today. He couldn''t sleep at night and only dozed offte into the night. Maybe because he sleptte, several households in their courtyard woke upte as well.0


    The hail had stopped by morning, but a light rain still drizzled in the courtyard. Aunt Sui from the back courtyard was cursing¡ªnot people, but the hail. The hail had ttened the scallions she had nted by the door, and she was heartbroken, stomping her feet in frustration. If not for her loud cursing, the front courtyard wouldn''t have woken up either.0


    Soon, everyone got up and rushed off to work, starting a new day of busyness.0


    Zhuang Zhixi left for work early, and Ming Mei went with him. Zhuang Zhixi reminded her, "Drive slowly in the rain. Don''t always act like you''re flying."0


    Ming Mei pouted and said, "Alright, okay."0


    As soon as she got on her bike, she pedaled off, her speed not slowing down at all.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Slow down!!!"0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    She was already going slow, this Zhuang Zhixi...0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head at her, thinking that Ming Mei was always so energetic.0


    He arrived early, as he usually did. When starting a new job or department, it was customary to arrive early to make a good impression. If you started off poorly, it would be embarrassing.0


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t shy about his thick skin, but since he was new, he wanted to leave a decent impression.0


    As he was wiping the desk, he saw Zhou from their department enter. It seemed every department had a gossipmonger, and their department''s was Zhou. Zhou arrived early and immediately announced, "Big news, big news! Did you hear? Bai Fendou is done for."0


    "Done for?"0


    "Really? Yesterday, they said it could be stitched up. What happened? Did the stitching not work?"0


    "I''ve only heard of sewing clothes, not that... It definitely won''t work."0


    "Bai Fendou doesn''t even have an heir. Bai''s family line will end with him. He''s letting down his ancestors."0


    "Are they still in security?"0


    Everyone chimed in with questions, and Zhou enjoyed the attention. "They''re not in security; they''re still in the hospital. His injury is in a sensitive area, and security wouldn''t let him leave so easily. After all, it''s a matter of future generations."0


    "That makes sense."0


    Zhuang Zhixi listened with great interest. The security department in their factory was quite lenient. If it were a stricter security team, Bai Fendou and his father would be in jail by now, regardless of their condition.0


    But this time, they considered that Bai Fendou wasn''t married and had no children, so they sent him to the hospital for treatment.0


    "So the stitching didn''t work?" Zhuang Zhixi was curious. As a man, he was naturally intrigued by such topics. He had never seen anything like it.0


    Zhou: "It''s hard to say if the stitching worked. I asked a doctor. Apparently, it was shattered beyond recognition, like an egg dropped on the ground."0


    "My god."0


    "Oh my."0


    "That''s terrifying."0


    "You can''t mess with women, really can''t."0


    Zhou: "Quiet, quiet, let me finish. The doctor stitched them up on the spot, but whether it will work in the future is uncertain. It depends on how they recover. Plus, they''ll need more checks."0


    Zhou paused and continued, "This situation was already critical, but who could have guessed that despite the security department''s leniency and the doctor''s efforts, the patient kept making things worse."0


    "Huh?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What happened?" Did they cause more trouble?0


    "Apparently,st night, the father and son got into an argument in the hospital. No one knows how it started, but they ended up ming each other. The father called the son a ingrate, and the son med his father for being reckless. By the time people heard them, they were already injured again."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow~"0


    "It seems both of them pulled on their wounds, causing them to bleed again. They had to be re-bandaged. The doctor said their chances of recovery have decreased..."0


    "Oh, this..."0


    "These two are really something."0


    "It''s no one else''s fault."0


    "Exactly, it''s all their own fault."0


    Soon, the news spread throughout the factory. After all, there were many gossipmongers in the factory. Such a sensational story was unheard of.0


    When Zhou Qun, Bai Fendou, and others fell into the cesspool, it almost became a tourist attraction. People even came from far away to see it. If not for the ghost rumors, it would have remained a hotspot.0


    But now, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou had brought new excitement to the factory.0


    Everyone listened with glee, despite it not being a happy event. But there was little entertainment, so listening to gossip made the day more exciting. The factory couldn''t show movies every day, but it could have daily drama from people causing trouble.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ah, these people, these people..."0


    As he was sighing, he heard someone call him at the door. It was Zhang San from security. Zhang San said, "Xiao Zhuang."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Something the matter?"0


    It was work time, so it couldn''t be a casual chat.0


    Zhang San: "I''m here to verify some information with you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Alright, go ahead."0


    Zhang San: "Zhou Qun ims he heard from you that Bai Fendou was going to the small warehouse in the afternoon. I need to confirm this."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded and said sincerely, "There was such a thing, but no one from us told Zhou Qun. We weren''t sure about the small warehouse either. At lunch, Doctor Wang from the clinic gossiped with me, saying she heard the Bai father and son were going to meet someone in the small warehouse in the afternoon. She didn''t hear the details clearly, and we weren''t sure either. To be honest, I thought he was meeting Wang Xiangxiu, so I didn''t n to watch themotion. We''re neighbors after all, and it''s not good to watch suchmotion. Later, I heard they got into a fight. I had no idea he was tricking Zhou Qun''s wife."0


    "Did you talk to Bai Fendou?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "No. I did see him at lunch. He was behind us at the cafeteria. I stopped to say hello, but he ignored me and hurried off."0


    "I know, we went to the cafeteria together at noon." Sister Cui said, "Why is this ming Xiao Zhuang? We did talk about this at the cafeteria, but it wasn''t Xiao Zhuang who brought it up first. Besides, Xiao Zhuang didn''t talk to Bai Fendou or Zhou Qun. We were together the whole time¡ªgoing to the cafeteria together, back to the office together, not even going to the restroom."0


    "Yes, I was there too."0


    "Me too."0


    Many people in the propaganda department were together, and they could all vouch for each other. Zhang San: "Alright, I''ll note that."0


    He said, "It''s not about using you, but the factory needs to figure out how Zhou Qun ended up there. By the way, Sister Cui, we also need to talk to you."0


    Sister Cui: "Oh,e on, sit down. You''re going to ask everyone, right?"0


    "Yes."0


    "Then let''s start."0


    The matter wasn''tplicated. Basically, Zhou Qun had identally overheard them talking about Bai Fendou''s affair. He must have had a grudge against Bai Fendou, otherwise, he wouldn''t have gathered people to catch him in the act.0


    However, they didn''t expect that the person being caught in the act would be his own wife.0


    The most crucial part was Old Man Bai''s "push," and since only Bai Fendou was in the room, the situation became quite serious.0


    The specifics didn''t really concern them, but Zhang San still said, "In the future, if you hear about such things, you should report them to the security department. I know none of you want to get involved, but you never know when something small could turn into a big deal."0


    "Got it."0


    Everyone nodded sincerely.0


    Zhang San: "Alright, I''ve confirmed everything with you. I need to get back now; I don''t know how Bai Fendou is doing."0


    "Oh, didn''t it break again?"0


    "They say so... but let''s not talk about it. We''re all colleagues, after all."0


    Everyone exchanged knowing smiles. You''re acting like you don''t know, but your eyes are sparkling like a lighthouse.0


    After a few more polite exchanges, Zhang San left.0


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and returned to his seat.0


    In this new department, he hadn''t even started working yet, but the environment was already lively. Director Song walked in and saw the bustling scene. He coughed lightly, understanding the situation but reminding them, "Old Huang, take your apprentice and create a bulletin board. Given what happened with Bai Fendou, let''s make one that calls for respect for women."0


    Old Huang: "Sure."0


    Their department was indeed keeping up with current events.0


    He said, "Let''s go."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly followed.0


    He asked, "Master Huang, what kind of bulletin board should we create? We have the theme, but I''m not sure what to draw."0


    Old Huang: "This is where your personal skillse into y. Let me tell you, when the higher-ups give you a theme, you need to figure out themon elements associated with it..."0


    He counted off on his fingers, exining to Zhuang Zhixi. Unlike his usual quiet self, he was quite eloquent now. Zhuang Zhixi listened intently, nodding constantly. He knew that to establish himself quickly in the publicity department, it wasn''t just about luck. He needed to get up to speed with the work to secure his ce.0


    "Master Huang, so ording to you, experience is crucial."0


    Old Huang nodded, "Experience is indeed important. And at this point, you can''t just draw whateveres to mind. You need to be aware of what themes might touch on sensitive areas. Always be cautious. Work is work, but don''t get yourself into trouble."0


    "I understand."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly got into work mode.0


    Compared to his focused morning, others seemed a bit distracted. The most troubled was Wang Xiangxiu, who used the excuse of going to the restroom to look for Zhou Qun.0


    Today, Zhou Qun was the center of attention. Wang Xiangxiu knew it wasn''t the best time to approach him, but what could she do? She had to talk to Zhou Qun; otherwise, Bai Fendou would be in serious trouble.0


    Today, she and her mother-inw had split up.0


    She came to find Zhou Qun, while her mother-inw went to the hospital to try and gather information from the Bai family to figure out how to smooth things over. She had been waiting most of the morning, making several trips to the restroom. Finally, she found an opportunity and blocked Zhou Qun at the restroom entrance.0


    Ever since his ghostly encounter, Zhou Qun had developed a habit of frequent urination. He visited the restroom often, which only fueled rumors that he and his wife couldn''t have children because he had been with too many older women, leading to kidney issues.0


    Otherwise, why no kids?0


    Otherwise, why so many bathroom trips?0


    Because of this, every time he went to the restroom, his face was dark, and he looked like he wanted to avoid everyone.0


    It was during one of these moments, when no one was around, that Wang Xiangxiu blocked him.0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly stepped forward and said, "Qun Ge."0


    Zhou Qun immediately took a step back, disdainfully asking, "What do you want?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu put on a wronged but charming smile and said coquettishly, "Why are you so cold? We used to have such deep feelings. Now that time has passed, you don''t even care about me anymore?"0


    She added a touch of softness, knowing that Zhou Qun liked women who were submissive and admiring.0


    She said, "You don''t know how much I''ve missed you these days. I really miss your heroic presence."0


    She blinked at him flirtatiously.0


    Zhou Qun: "Just say what you want. Don''t blink at me. It''s disgusting."0


    He took another step back, pulled out a handkerchief, flicked it, and wiped his hands.0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..."0


    Damn it, I didn''t even disdain you for being dirty, and you''re disdainful of me?0


    She bit her lip and said, "Do you have to be so cold?"0


    Zhou Qun sneered, "We were a business transaction¡ªme paying, you selling. What feelings do we have? I don''t disdain you? That''s funny. Just say what you want. Are you here to beg for your old lover? Let me tell you, no way!"0


    He coldly added, "I absolutely won''t let him off."0


    He said menacingly, "Since he dared to have designs on my wife, I''ll make sure he pays."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Why be so ruthless? I believe he didn''t mean it; there must be a misunderstanding. If you''re willing to let him go, I''ll do anything you ask. I''m willing to help you."0


    She blinked, her eyes full of innuendo.0


    But Zhou Qun remained unmoved: "Get out of my way."0


    He said, "You''re disgusting, with your cheap, flirtatious demeanor."0


    He snorted, "I don''t want anything to do with you."0


    After that, he wiped his face with the handkerchief again and turned to leave.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was shaking with anger.0


    What did he just call her?0


    Flirtatious?0


    Back then, he wasn''t disdainful of her¡ªhe even said he liked her like that the most. Now he''s changed? Men really are unreliable. Today they say this is the best, most charming, and tomorrow they''ll call it disgusting.0


    She red at Zhou Qun, wishing she could put a sack over his head and beat the crap out of him.0


    She was paid, sure, but with his attitude, who would do it for free?0


    He couldn''t even satisfy a widow, pfft!0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face darkened, but she quickly remembered her purpose. She wasn''t here to rekindle their past rtionship but to beg for Zhou Qun''s mercy. She gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, then chased after him. By now, Zhou Qun had walked a distance.0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly caught up and said, "Zhou Qun, tell me, what will it take for you to let Bai Fendou go? Just say it, and I''ll do it. As long as you go to the security department and say it was a misunderstanding between you and your wife, I''ll do anything you ask."0


    ¡°Do anything? What else do you want to do? Let me tell you, Wang Xiangxiu, I¡¯m not interested in women. Get lost!¡± Zhou Qun pulled out his handkerchief again, flicking it and looking even more disdainful.0


    Wang Xiangxiu finally couldn''t take it anymore: "Can you stop pulling out that handkerchief? You''re so effeminate!"0


    Zhou Qun: "!!!"0


    He widened his eyes in anger: "How dare you, Wang Xiangxiu! You''re not even trying to help your old lover now, are you? What I do is my business, and I enjoy it! Who do you think you are? Get lost!"0


    He had already spoken to Wang Xiangxiu in this harsh tone multiple times today. Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t believe it¡ªthis man who had once been so affectionate with her was now so cold and heartless. She was red-eyed with anger, but she knew she was in a position of weakness and had to resolve this quickly. Otherwise, if the Bai family was dealt with, they would lose their meal ticket.0


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Then tell me, what will it take for you to let Bai Fendou go?"0


    She got straight to the point, revealing her true intentions.0


    She spoke seriously: "As long as you set the conditions, I will find a way to meet them."0


    Zhou Qun sneered: "You''re quite sincere with your lover, even though you''re just milking money from me."0


    Wang Xiangxiu ignored his mocking remarks. No matter how much he said, it was his actions that mattered. She spoke earnestly: "If you like any woman, I can help you find a way..."0


    Zhou Qun''s eyebrows furrowed, and he said coldly: "Wang Xiangxiu, I''m not as disgusting as you think. I don''t need anyone''s help to find a woman."0


    He had always been able to charm women effortlessly.0


    Moreover, he hadn''t been particrly interested in womentely.0


    The thought of women only brought to mind ghosts, and the idea of ghosts left him with no interest at all.0


    "You''re wasting your time here. I am determined to make Bai Fendou pay."0


    Wang Xiangxiu tried to calm Zhou Qun''s anger, saying: "Why go to such lengths? If Bai Fendou really ends up in trouble, you won''t gain anything from it, will you? At most, you just don''t like him, but is there any mortal feud between you? No. If he ends up in trouble, people might initially think you''re a man of justice. But over time? Your reputation, Zhou Qun, is already not great. This will only make it worse. Besides being entangled with old women, you''ll also gain a reputation for being ruthless. Some might even specte that maybe your wife, Jiang Lu, has something going on with Bai Fendou, which is why you''re so determined to send him to his doom. I know you look down on Bai Fendou, but he''s already suffered a significant loss. Why push him to the brink? I understand your thoughts¡ªyou probably wish someone else would embarrass themselves first. But isn''t it better to leave Bai Fendou alone now? He''s already suffered a humiliating injury. People will gossip about him, not about your affairs with old women. Why not take this opportunity to gain some benefits? If he and his father end up in trouble, their house will be reallocated, and who knows who will move in. Think carefully¡ªyou''re not gaining anything from this."0


    Zhou Qun remained silent for a long time before he said: "You''re quite something, Wang Xiangxiu."0


    Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath and said: "I just hope you understand that sometimes, taking revenge for a petty grudge is not worth it. Why not gain more instead? Life is all about interests."0


    Zhou Qun chuckled coldly: "What can I gain from Bai Fendou? Everyone might not know him, but I do. He''s already been drained dry by you and your mother-inw, those two vipers. His family has nothing left. Besides, I make over ny yuan a month. How much does he have to give me?"0


    Although Zhou Qun said this, Wang Xiangxiu could sense a crack in his resolve. She quickly said: "That''s not entirely true. Think about it¡ªyou can still gain a lot. If you agree, we can write a promissory note..."0


    "Wang Xiangxiu, I find you utterly shameless. A promissory note? Are you trying to fool a simpleton? Don''t think you can trick me with this. I don''t want any promissory note from Bai Fendou. He has nothing to repay me with, so what good is a note to me?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, realizing that Zhou Qun was indeed difficult to deal with. However, she was relieved that she and her mother-inw had prepared multiple contingency ns the night before. Even today''s attempt to persuade Zhou Qun was part of their nned strategy.0


    Otherwise, relying solely on Wang Xiangxiu''s own wits, she would never have been able to pull this off. Such matters required Aunt Su''s expertise.0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "What about a child, then?"0


    She looked earnestly at Zhou Qun and said: "I will give you a child in exchange for Bai Fendou''s safety."0


    Her eyes flickered as she added: "You know I''m very fertile. If I want to, I can definitely have a son. Then your family will have an heir. I know this is what you want most right now. I''m willing to use this to help Bai Fendou in exchange."0


    Zhou Qun''s breathing quickened as he stared intently at Wang Xiangxiu. But soon, he calmed down and said coldly: "You''re pregnant? What happens then? Will you stop working? Wang Xiangxiu, it seems you really think I''m a fool. I''m telling you, these little tricks of yours won''t work on me."0


    He red at her menacingly and said: "In fact, your actions only make me more determined to destroy Bai Fendou! Then, let''s see who will help your family. You''ll end up starving and freezing, and it will serve you right, Wang Xiangxiu, you despicable woman. How dare you mock me!"0


    His tone was almost gritted.0


    Wang Xiangxiu panicked and said: "I didn''t, I..."0


    "No need to exin. Do you think I don''t know what you''re trying to do? You didn''t even think this through beforeing to me with such a story. You really think I''m a fool, don''t you? Well, think again! Besides, even if you were willing, I wouldn''t be. The mother of my child must be pure and virtuous. Someone like you, who flirts around the factory, who knows whose child you''d end up having? Moreover, even if you did get pregnant, you''d probably use that child to cling to me. I don''t want to be stuck with your leech-like family. All you do is suck blood, and nothing else! With your family''s reputation¡ªwomen earning money through questionable means, and the younger ones stealing in the neighborhood¡ªeven if you were the most fertile woman alive, I wouldn''t want your child!"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You!"0


    "Save your breath. I don''t want to see you..."0


    "Thud!"0


    The sound of something falling startled both of them, and they quickly turned toward the source of the noise.0


    There, they saw Zhuang Zhixi and Old Huang, both staring at them in shock, clearly never having witnessed such a scene before.0


    Old Huang: "...................................."0


    Zhuang Zhixi forced a smile, which looked extremely unnatural, clearly not a skilled actor.0


    He stammered: "You... you two, continue."0


    He hadn''t expected to stumble upon such a situation. To be fair, this wasn''t something they had intended to eavesdrop on. They were just working when they saw the two of them approaching.0


    And then... the content of their conversation had left him appalled.0


    He was a pure young man, and this was just... too much.0


    His ears felt tainted.0


    "Zhuang Zhixi!!" Zhou Qun''s face turned pale with anger. Simrly, Wang Xiangxiu''s face was even more horrified. She had always maintained a delicate yet strong image at the factory. But now, her sinister side had been exposed.0


    She was utterly embarrassed, but quickly moved to grab Zhuang Zhixi''s hand. Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped back: "Stay away from me."0


    He retreated, and Old Huang, despite his age, also hurriedly moved back, clearly unustomed to dealing with such women.0


    Zhuang Zhixi firmly said: "Stay where you are and keep your distance. I find you repulsive. Don''t worry, I have no interest in your dirty affairs and won''t spread them. But stay away from me."0


    He pointed at Wang Xiangxiu and said: "Especially you. Keep your distance."0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes welled up with tears: "Zhuang Zhixi, you''ve misunderstood me. It''s not what you think. I had no choice. I can''t abandon Fendou. You..."0


    "Stop acting, Wang Xiangxiu. I know exactly what kind of person you are." Zhuang Zhixi had calmed down a bit and said: "There''s no need to pretend. I''ve already said, your affairs are none of my business. I have no interest in exposing your true nature. In fact, there''s no need to expose it¡ªeveryone already knows who you are. So stop acting. Enough already."0


    He coughed in disgust and said: "I don''t provoke others, and I don''t want others to provoke me. Stay away from my family, and I won''t bother you. Otherwise, I''ll make you regret it."0


    He rubbed his ears and said: "I really don''t want to hear any more of this. It''s utterly disgusting."0


    Zhou Qun stared intently at Zhuang Zhixi for a long time before saying: "You really won''t spread this?"0


    While they could deny it, his reputation was already bad, and he didn''t want it to get even worse.0


    ¡°You promise.¡± He demanded.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was toozy to bother with him, saying, ¡°Believe it if you want!¡±0


    Zhuang ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Zhixi: ¡°Take care of your crazy dog at home.¡±0


    Zhou Qun''s face turned uglier, but he still nodded: ¡°Alright.¡±0


    It¡¯s just about keeping his old mother in check.0


    He could do that.0


    Recently, the old hag had been making too much noise, it was time to rein her in.0


    Zhou Qun nced at Old Huang, who had a wooden expression, saying, ¡°I¡¯m evenzier than you when ites to your petty schemes.¡±0


    Compared to Zhuang Zhixi, he trusted Old Huang more, as the man was known for not gossiping about others at the factory. He was the type who was stubborn, unyielding, and didn¡¯t like to socialize, so he felt more at ease with him.0


    He sneered, ¡°If you don¡¯t want people to know, don¡¯t do it.¡±0


    Zhou Qun replied stiffly, ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡±0


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°You¡¯re really misunderstanding me¡­¡±0


    She was still trying to act, but everyone present found her utterly disgusting. Who would want to watch her performance?0


    Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes and turned around, Old Huang¡¯s face became even more wooden, and Zhou Qun was fuming: ¡°Get lost! If it weren¡¯t for you dragging me into this nonsense, I wouldn¡¯t be so humiliated. You¡¯re such a vile woman, don¡¯t ever show up in front of me again.¡±0


    He vented his anger on Wang Xiangxiu, who was furious but still tightly grabbed Zhou Qun¡¯s sleeve, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the small warehouse.¡±0


    Zhou Qun: ¡°What for!¡±0


    He really was throwing caution to the wind, not even refusing outright in front of everyone.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°??????¡±0


    At this time, do you really dare to go to the small warehouse?0


    The small warehouse has recently be a popr spot for everyone.0


    They really weren¡¯t afraid of anything!0


    Zhuang Zhixi sneered, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t just demand things from us. Both of you, I advise you to be more careful in your words and actions. Don¡¯t discuss such sordid matters in public without caring if anyone is around. And don¡¯t go to the small warehouse in broad daylight. Otherwise, if something happens, don¡¯t me us. Today we might not say anything, but tomorrow someone else might see and talk.¡±0


    He really couldn¡¯t believe it!0


    How could he be so kind as to warn these two? What a good neighbor he was!0


    If it weren¡¯t for not wanting the reputation of their neighborhood to be ruined by people caught in scandals, he really wouldn¡¯t bother to remind these two fools.0


    What a mess.0


    He rubbed his temples and said sincerely, ¡°I mean, even if you¡¯re up to no good, can¡¯t you at least be a bit more discreet?¡±0


    He offered his sincere advice: ¡°Talk after work at home, find a secluded spot in the woods, or just find a ce to talk openly. Isn¡¯t that better than sneaking around? What¡¯s with all this¡­ In any case, please spare our factory¡¯s small warehouse. Okay? It¡¯s such a nice ce. It¡¯s being ruined by you. It¡¯s really a pity for the small warehouse. You¡¯re lucky to have a good neighbor like me. If it were someone else, not only would they spread it around, but they¡¯d also bring people to watch the spectacle, just like what Zhou Qun did¡­¡±0


    Zhou Qun¡¯s face turned a mixture of colors, really, he didn¡¯t know what to say at this point.0


    He felt that every time he got involved with Wang Xiangxiu, his brain just stopped working.0


    He red angrily at Wang Xiangxiu, then looked at her hand still gripping his sleeve, and with a forceful shake, he left.0


    This unlucky woman, there was never any good when he got involved with her!0


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, unwilling to give up: ¡°Wait for me!¡±0


    She simply couldn¡¯t wait until work ended.0


    She knew it was risky to talk about these things at the factory, but what could she do? She was just a woman, all she wanted was to save Bai Fendou and his father.0


    ¡°Zhou Qun, wait for me, let¡¯s find a ce to talk. As long as you¡¯re willing to let Bai Fendou off¡­¡±0


    ******0


    Old Huang was dumbfounded, his previously serious face finally copsing; he was speechless: "Unbelievable!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded in agreement, feeling the same: ¡°Exactly!¡±

 Chapter 84

    <h1>Chapter 84</h1>


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that he had been quite unluckytely.0


    It seemed that he kept encountering idiots and getting dragged into their messes. Early in the morning, he had been pulled into something, and in the afternoon, he was summoned to the security office again. This time, it was regarding Bai Fendou''s "confession." Bai Fendou was not a cunning man; when things escted, he couldn''t lie and straightforwardly revealed his intentions.0


    As a result, the security office called Zhuang Zhixi in for further verification. Zhuang Zhixi''s face was as dark as coal.0


    Zhang San and Li Si exchanged nces, then both looked at Section Chief Liu. Section Chief Liu was also observing Zhuang Zhixi, trying to gauge if he had known about this beforehand and had deliberately led Zhou Qun into it.0


    While this possibility was slim, it couldn''t be entirely ruled out. However, seeing how furious Zhuang Zhixi looked, the likelihood decreased. He genuinely seemed to have just found out about it. His face was so dark that one could almost see the anger in his clenched fists on the table, as if he could punch Bai Fendou if he were nearby.0


    Zhuang Zhixi seemed to take a long time to calm down before he finally lifted his head and said, "First, I didn''t know his n. Yes, he did block me in the water room once and said he needed to talk to me, but he never mentioned what it was about, so I didn''t pay much attention and left quickly. Second, he said we had agreed at noon..." He sneered, "That''s a tant lie. You can ask anyone in my department; I always have lunch with my colleagues at noon. I never had any contact with him, not even a single word. Bai Fendou wanted to use me as a scapegoat to cover up his disgusting deeds, but I won''t cooperate. Just because we''re neighbors doesn''t mean I have to help him unconditionally. Who does he think he is?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi continued with a dark expression, "If he genuinely intended to frame me, then I think he deserves what he got. If this has nothing to do with me and he''s just trying to drag me into it to clear his name, sorry, I won''t cooperate. Let him rot."0


    Seeing how furious Zhuang Zhixi was, Zhang San quickly consoled him, "Don''t be so angry. We know Bai Fendou''s actions were unjust..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi sneered, "Unjust? Is that what you call it? He''s despicable and shameless. I never knew he had so many tricks up his sleeve. Let''s not even consider thetter possibility. Just the former¡ªI want to ask, what did I do to offend him? I never had any issues with him!"0


    Upon hearing this, the security officers all let out an "uh," unsure of how to respond.0


    Zhang San said, "Bai Fendou mentioned that your family bullied Wang Xiangxiu''s son... so he wanted to get back at you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was incredulous. "What the hell? Wang Xiangxiu''s son stole something from our house and was caught red-handed by my sister-inw. Can''t we even curse at their doorstep? People with shorter tempers would have beaten their kid or smashed their windows by now. We''ve been quite restrained. It''s our bad luck to have such neighbors. If you put it that way, then maybe his n to frame me could be true. After all, I don''t think he''d have the guts to make a move on Jiang Lu in broad daylight. Even if he had the nerve, he wouldn''t dare do something like that."0


    The security officers all nodded. After all, they had worked with Bai Fendou for over a decade and had some understanding of him. Bai Fendou was a mischievous but cowardly man who was always looking for a wife. However, he had an overly inted sense of self-worth, believing he could match even a celestial beauty. Ordinary women were far from his consideration.0


    Jiang Lu was indeed good-looking, but she was married and childless. In Bai Fendou''s eyes, she probably wasn''t even worthy of him.0


    The security officers didn''t think he would actually try anything with a woman. Based on Bai Fendou''s confession, it seemed he was seeking revenge on the Zhuang family, which made more sense.0


    Zhuang Zhixi cursed, "Damn it, I curse his ancestors for being so immoral. He''s protecting a thief and thinks he''s in the right? What kind of person is he? And why did he drag Jiang Lu into this?"0


    He frowned in confusion and asked aloud.0


    Zhang San: "..."0


    He slowly said, "He mentioned he didn''t like Zhou Qun and that Aunt Zhou always bullied the Su family. He wanted to teach them a lesson and embarrass them."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He let out a coldugh, "What a scandal that shook the earth."0


    Zhang San: "Here, have some water. Don''t be so angry."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How can I not be angry? If I had fallen for his trap, what would my situation be now? He''s utterly despicable. He deserves it!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi stood up and said, "Is there anything else? If not, I''m leaving. I really don''t want to hear any more of Bai Fendou''s disgusting stories. The guy''s brain must have been eaten by wild dogs. He''s aplete idiot."0


    "Pfft!" A few security officers couldn''t help butugh.0


    At this moment, Section Chief Liu cleared his throat and said, "Alright, I have onest question. You didn''t agree to his n, did you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi, still furious, retorted, "Agree to what? I never talked to him! If you have the guts, call him here, and we''ll confront each other. Let''s see if I ever agreed to anything!"0


    "Calm down and speak properly," someone said.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How can I calm down? Section Chief Liu, if what he confessed is true, then shouldn''t there be consequences? He''s framing and ndering me. You can''t just dismiss it because I didn''t fall for his trap. If I had, would I even be sitting here talking now? I might be in jail by now, not enjoying Bai Fendou''s luxurious treatment."0


    He added meaningfully, "Bai Fendou is part of the security office and should be setting an example. He should understand the seriousness of his actions more than anyone else. Yet, he acted without hesitation. If he''s not severely punished, how can ordinary people feel safe? Today, he''s taking it out on my family; tomorrow, he could do the same to others. If he can pull off such a big stunt just because he doesn''t like someone, what''s to stop him from setting fire to the factory director''s house tomorrow or locking the director with a widow in a storeroom? Then, won''t he frame anyone he doesn''t like?"0


    He didn''t mention that Bai Fendou was part of the security office, knowing that Section Chief Liu might be biased. But he wouldn''t shy away from speaking the truth. A man who shrinks back would only be looked down upon.0


    "He wouldn''t dare do something that bold," Section Chief Liu said, frowning and feeling exhausted.0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Then how do you exin him framing me? Did you think he''d dare do that? Some people may not seem cunning, but it''s the stupid ones who act more recklessly. You never know what they''ll do when their brains short-circuit."0


    Section Chief Liu seemed deep in thought.0


    The others nodded vigorously. This description fit Bai Fendou perfectly. It seemed that being old neighbors, they truly understood each other.0


    Section Chief Liu: "Don''t worry; the factory will give you an exnation."0


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a bitter smile and said, "I never expected this to involve me, but since he''s done it, whether it''s true or just an excuse to clear his name, I can''t forgive him."0


    After a pause, he said, "I''m leaving now."0


    Zhuang Zhixi stood up, and this time, Section Chief Liu didn''t say anything. As Zhuang Zhixi left, Section Chief Liu cursed, "What the hell has Bai Fendou been doing? He''s tarnishing the reputation of our security office."0


    Zhang San: "I think Zhuang Zhixi really didn''t know about this..."0


    Li Si nodded and said, "Section Chief, do you think Bai Fendou really nned to frame Zhuang Zhixi, or was he just targeting Jiang Lu and wanted to take advantage of her? When he got caught, he imed he wanted to frame Zhuang Zhixi, as framing a colleague or neighbor could be passed off as a joke. But if he''d tried anything with a woman, he''d be in serious trouble, possibly even ending up in jail."0


    Although they somewhat believed that Bai Fendou wouldn''t go that far, they also knew that Bai Fendou had a tendency to act impulsively, and when impulsiveness crossed a certain line, people could easily do something foolish.0


    People are most afraid of acting on impulse. A moment of impulse can lead to unpredictable consequences.0


    "You can''t see what''s in someone''s heart through their belly. Who knows what''s really going on? Although all of us, including Zhuang Zhixi, believe that Bai Fendou might really have been targeting Zhuang Zhixi, we still can''t fully trust that. First of all, Bai Fendou never even called Zhuang Zhixi over. Zhuang Zhixi has witnesses and is willing to confront Bai Fendou. I believe he''s not lying. Besides, even if Bai Fendou had called him, why would Zhuang Zhixi have gone? And why would Bai Fendou still be hiding inside, waiting for Jiang Lu? That''s the most crucial point."0


    "Exactly. Whether or not he called Zhuang Zhixi, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t go. Yet Bai Fendou was still hiding there and managed to get Jiang Lu inside. It''s really hard to believe him. Furthermore, his excuse that he was retaliating against the Zhuang family for targeting the Su family doesn''t hold water. Wang Xiangxiu''s son is a thief, which is already wrong. The Zhuang family didn''t eveny a finger on him, so why would they need to retaliate? If that''s the case, then Bai Fendou should be targeting the actual person involved, which would be Zhuang Zhixi''s sister-inw."0


    "Exactly!"0


    "I think he still has feelings for Jiang Lu and is trying to downy the situation."0


    Section Chief Liu nodded. "I think so too. He must have grasped Zhuang Zhixi''s mindset. Look, even Zhuang Zhixi himself believes that Bai Fendou might retaliate because of his impulsiveness. Maybe Bai Fendou exploited everyone''s perception of him to make a move on Jiang Lu. We all thought he had high standards and wouldn''t be interested in Jiang Lu, but that doesn''t mean he couldn''t take advantage of her. If something happened, Jiang Lu might not dare to report it for the sake of her reputation."0


    "Exactly, exactly."0


    Section Chief Liu felt he had uncovered the truth. Indeed, smart people tend to oveplicate things, and Section Chief Liu was no exception. The rest of the security department also believed this exnation made the most sense.0


    Otherwise, how could they exin that Zhuang Zhixi didn''t go, yet they still managed to get Jiang Lu inside?0


    This was a scheme, definitely a scheme.0


    Maybe he first went to find Zhuang Zhixi as a contingency n in case his n was exposed. It''s very possible.0


    Who would have thought this old guy was quite cunning.0


    After Section Chief Liu''s analysis, Zhang San chimed in, "Chief, don''t underestimate Bai Fendou''s intelligence. He may seem reckless and not very cunning, but he''s never been one to get the short end of the stick. Even in our security department, you can see he doesn''t do much work."0


    He gets paid well but does little work. When ites to night shifts, he avoids them whenever possible. Thinking about it, who can say this guycks cunning?0


    "You''re right about that."0


    Section Chief Liu: "This scoundrel dares to y mind games with me. I guess he doesn''t know who he''s dealing with."0


    Wang Eizi whispered mysteriously, "Chief, maybe this matter can be downyed."0


    "What do you mean? Do you think I''m the kind of person who would..."0


    No, no, of course not you. I''m talking about Wang Xiangxiu. She''s been pestering Zhou Qun all day today. We all saw it. She must be pleading for Bai Fendou. If Zhou Qun and his wife change their story and say Bai Fendou was just joking, wouldn''t this whole thing be downyed?0


    Section Chief Liu: "What the hell?"0


    He scratched his hair, feelingpletely baffled by these people and their actions.0


    He said, "This is just..."0


    "Let''s wait and see."0


    "Yeah."0


    Section Chief Liu: "Pfft!"0


    The security department was buzzing with activity. Zhuang Zhixi left the office, his face dark and expression grim. He returned to his office, and it was almost time to leave. Sister Cui curiously approached and asked, "Xiao Zhuang, what happened?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t hide anything, giving a general ount of what had happened.0


    There was no point in hiding it, as even if he didn''t say anything, the security department would spread the news. So Zhuang Zhixi simply exined the general situation. Everyone was stunned upon hearing it. "What the hell? How could someone be like that?"0


    "Well, he really seems to be sincere about Wang Xiangxiu."0


    "Their devotion is like the sea; even most married couples don''t go to such lengths."0


    "Hey, why do you all believe what he said is true? It could also be a lie! If he''s convicted of a crime, that would be very serious. But if he diverts the situation elsewhere, it might not be as severe. Although framing a colleague is also serious, it didn''t seed, so it''s not a big deal. I think his story is just an excuse, a way to find a way out."0


    "Could be."0


    "What could be? That''s exactly what''s going on."0


    "Xiao Zhuang, you''re really unlucky to have such a troublesome neighbor."0


    Zhuang Zhixi forced a bitter smile and said, "Who says it isn''t? Whether he really wanted to frame me or just use me as a scapegoat, I think it''s all pretty disgusting. You know how unlucky I am."0


    "You really are... stuck with such a neighbor."0


    "Where there''s a crack, a fly will find it. Why didn''t he pick someone else but you? Maybe you should reflect on yourself a bit." Little Xu, the projectionist, casually said this. There are always some people in the world who jump out at the worst times to make things worse.0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "I think Brother Xu understands Bai Fendou''s mindset quite well."0


    "What do you mean!" Little Xu immediately exploded. Everyone knew how disreputable Bai Fendou''s reputation was. If such words got out, how would he maintain his reputation? He wasn''t even married yet.0


    "Zhuang Zhixi, exin yourself. Are you looking for trouble?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked extra innocent and said, "Look at you, why are you so angry? If you don''t understand Bai Fendou, how could you think from his perspective? I''m the one who was wronged, yet you directly me me. Isn''t that understanding Bai Fendou? I''m just speaking the truth, and you''re getting mad at me. Brother Xu, I have to say, your temper isn''t very good. The weather is getting hotter, and being easily angered can lead to getting worked up. Don''t let your anger get the better of you and end up doing something as despicable as Bai Fendou. He''s already getting hiseuppance; you don''t want to follow in his footsteps."0


    "You, you, you! You''re too arrogant!"0


    Old Cao chuckled, finding amusement in the situation. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.0


    My dear friend Zhuang Zhixi!0


    Of course, he had to back him up.0


    He said, "I think Xiao Zhuang is right. Don''t use him of being arrogant. I think you''re the one being arrogant. Don''t bully the new guy just because he''s new. We''re all watching. Xiao Zhuang has already had a pretty disgusting experience, and you still jump out with victim-ming. Does that mean we should always understand those who do bad things and criticize those who are unlucky? Your thinking is off."0


    "Old Cao, stop exaggerating."0


    Old Cao: "Only you can exaggerate and bully others, but we''re not allowed to speak the truth? You''re too bossy."0


    Sister Cui also chimed in, "That''s right, Little Xu, that''s not a good way to behave."0


    "Yeah, Little Xu, don''t stand there and talk without knowing the pain."0


    Little Xu: "You, you..."0


    He nced around, seeing that everyone disapproved of him, and was furious.0


    He had been in the propaganda department for years and thought he got along well with everyone. To his surprise, now everyone was siding with the new guy. He was so angry that he said, "Fine, fine, stick together then. Hmph."0


    He stood up angrily, "I won''t bother with you."0


    He hopped out the door with his cane.0


    "A summer insect cannot talk about ice!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his ear, a bit puzzled, "Is that phrase used correctly here?"0


    Old Huang: "No, he''s not very educated."0


    "Pfft!"0


    Everyone burst outughing.0


    It was undeniable that Old Huang had a bit of dry humor in him.0


    "Alright, alright, time to go home."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I still need to pick up my wife. I''ll head out first."0


    "Sure."0


    "You two really have a great rtionship."0


    "That''s only because they''re newlyweds. My wife used to pick me up all the time when we first got married, but then it just stopped."0


    Zhuang Zhixi left the factory amidst theughter and chatter of his colleagues, walking towards Ming Mei''s workce. He didn''t pick her up every day, but he did so once or twice a week. As he exited the factory grounds, he noticed Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu talking by the roadside.0


    It was sometimes like this¡ªdespite the slight rumors surrounding Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu, their open conversation by the roadside didn''t surprise anyone. Although they did exchange a few knowing nces, it wasn''t because people suspected anything romantic between them. Instead, it was a reflection of how deeply Wang Xiangxiu cared for Bai Fendou.0


    She was willing to risk her reputation to help this man, something most women wouldn''t dare to do.0


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at them and quickly looked away, continuing on his way.0


    It was clear that without Aunt Su''s assistance, Wang Xiangxiu''s influence was significantly diminished. She only seemed capable when her mother-inw was around. Zhuang Zhixi wondered if Wang Xiangxiu could persuade Zhou Qun.0


    If there was a bet to be made, Zhuang Zhixi would wager that Wang Xiangxiu could convince Zhou Qun. Although she hadn''t shown much skill, he believed she could do it. After all, Wang Xiangxiu was willing to go to great lengths, and Zhou Qun had his own vulnerabilities.0


    Zhuang Zhixi arrived at the bus station, where the guard greeted him with a smile, "Little Zhuang, here to pick up your wife again?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, I finished work and thought I''d walk over, a bit of exercise."0


    The guard nodded with a knowing smile, "That''s nice."0


    Just as he finished speaking, Ming Mei emerged, waving at Zhuang Zhixi with a bright smile, "Zhixi Ge."0


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Tired today?"0


    He naturally took the bicycle from her and started pushing it, while Ming Mei hopped onto the back seat.0


    Zhuang Zhixi called out, "See youter, uncle!"0


    "Goodbye!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi rode the bicycle with Ming Mei on the back, who wrapped her arms around his waist, "Tired, of course I am. My throat feels off."0


    She leaned against his back, "How was your day at work? Everything go smoothly?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Smoothly, except the security section called me in twice."0


    Ming Mei asked in surprise, "About Bai Fendou?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Don''t worry, I can handle it."0


    He had considered that Bai Fendou, being not very bright, would likely tell the truth if questioned. He didn''t see it as a big deal. However, if it involved Jiang Lu, the consequences could be severe.0


    Therefore, Zhuang Zhixi had prepared his response, showing appropriate anger when necessary.0


    Zhuang Zhiximented, "Our mom is really sharp."0


    Ming Mei asked, "Hmm?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Mom told me this morning that the smarter someone is, the more they tend to overthink. When dealing with the security section, just tell the truth. Section Chief Liu is the type who overthinks."0


    He added, "I realized she''s right. The more I act like I believe Bai Fendou is targeting me, the less Section Chief Liu will believe it."0


    Ming Mei remained silent.0


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "Our mom is amazing. She only met Section Chief Liu once, yet she analyzed him so urately. Truly, an old ginger is sharper than fresh ones."0


    Ming Mei thought, "If only you knew your mother is reborn. She definitely knows more than she lets on."0


    She felt a mix of excitement and frustration, knowing secrets she couldn''t share.0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "This time, Bai Fendou is going to suffer."0


    He continued, "But I hope Wang Xiangxiu can pull through and get Zhou Qun to forgive Bai Fendou."0


    Ming Mei looked at him in surprise, "Why?"0


    She had assumed Zhuang Zhixi wanted the Bai family gone, especially since they had plotted against him.0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Because I''m selfish. A selfish person only cares about themselves. Bai Fendou staying is more beneficial. The Su family, with just Wang Xiangxiu''s sry, can''t live well. Unlike others who can tighten their belts and manage, they demand a good life¡ªfine grains, fish, meat. They can''t afford it, so they''ll keep relying on the Bai family. If the Bai family leaves, the Su family will lose their support and will likelye after us. They have no shame, so they''ll pester us regardless. It''s better if the Bai family stays, at least they''re stuck with each other."0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t hide his selfishness. In this era, with everyone struggling to make ends meet, why would he care about others?0


    Ming Mei nodded, "I understand."0


    She kicked her legs lightly, "I think you''re right."0


    She looked up with curiosity, "Do you think Wang Xiangxiu can convince Zhou Qun?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Wang Xiangxiu alone might not, but with Aunt Su, probably. Aunt Su may not seem strong, but she''s quite cunning in crucial moments. She''ll find a way."0


    Ming Mei asked, "Is Aunt Su that powerful?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Absolutely. She''s done some bold things. Even in minor disputes, she doesn''t back down. But in major issues, she never retreats, even if it means losing face. Just look at their house¡ªshe managed to secure it through sheer determination. While Aunt Zhou tried to fight for her family''s rights and got nothing, Aunt Su managed to get what she wanted."0


    Ming Mei nodded, impressed.0


    The Su family''s house, with its several well-arranged rooms, was enough to amodate even when their grandchildren got married. It was a testament to the olddy''s capabilities.0


    Ming Mei started to speak, "I think they... ugh."0


    She suddenly covered her mouth, frowning, "Slow down, you''re making me feel queasy."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Okay."0


    He looked back worriedly at his wife, "Are you feeling unwell? You''ve been nauseous since the other night. Maybe we should go to the hospital."0


    Since their trip to the mountain, Ming Mei had been having digestive issues, likely due to the oily food. Zhuang Zhixi was concerned and suggested, "I have connections at the hospital. Let''s go now."0


    Ming Mei shook her head, "I''ll be fine. Maybe it''s just the heat affecting my stomach. Let''s go home; mom must be waiting for us to eat."0


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted, "You''re being stubborn about seeing a doctor."0


    Ming Mei pouted, "I am not."0


    She added softly, "I''ll take leave tomorrow afternoon to go, okay?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "I''ll apany you."0


    Ming Mei murmured softly, "Alright."0


    She leaned against Zhuang Zhixi''s back, slightly displeased. She didn''t like hospitals, a lingering fear from her childhood when frequent nightmares led to many visits.0


    Ming Mei looked up, "Hmm?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi reassured her, "Don''t worry, I''m here."0


    Ming Mei scoffed, "Hmph."0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "What, you''re not convinced?"0


    Ming Mei replied, "Nope."0


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Then I''ll have to drag you to the hospital right now."0


    Ming Mei retorted, "You''re really not a good person."0


    Her little face showed a few more traces of displeasure, but Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh heartily. The couple walked home together, turning into the alley and soon arriving at their doorstep. As they pushed their bikes through the gate, they happened to run into Li the Cook, who remarked with a sigh, "You two sure have a good rtionship. You''re out picking up your wife again, huh?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "That''s right."0


    He nced at Li the Cook and said, "You''re doing pretty well yourself, Uncle Li."0


    Uncle Li held a mesh bag containing a lunchbox, with a package of oil cakes wrapped in greaseproof paper on top.0


    Li the Cook grinned proudly. Working in the kitchen, these were all essential perks. However, he was well aware that some things shouldn''t be unted. "Well," he said, "today my master brother came to visit me and brought some food. I couldn''t bear to eat it myself, so I brought it back for the kids to try."0


    In truth, only the oil cakes were from his master brother; the food in the lunchbox was something else entirely. But Li the Cook wasn''t about to reveal that.0


    Although he often took leftovers from the cafeteria, he was always very careful, never being too obvious about it. He knew that because of someone being too brazen, the head chef of the Second Cafeteria had been reported. Fortunately, on that day, all he had taken was some soup, so he escaped criticism. A few scolding words wouldn''t have mattered, but the real fear was being demoted, having his sry cut, or being transferred out of the kitchen.0


    So, in this regard, Li the Cook was very cautious.0


    Everyone knew that the kitchen staff had this kind of perk, but if it was just some cabbage soup, no one cared. If it was something substantial, like meat dishes or freshly cooked food, that could provoke envy. So, Li the Cook never unted his actions.0


    This situation wasn''t without its jealous onlookers, but if you couldn''t catch him taking actual meat dishes or freshly cooked meals, there was no point in reporting him. If all you caught him with was some soup, the report wouldn''t amount to much.0


    Everyone tacitly epted that the cooks would do this, and while soup was nice, it wasn''t particrly valuable. If someone reported him once or twice without catching anything substantial, they might even end up being criticized themselves. So, Li the Cook''s cautious approach had kept him out of trouble so far.0


    As the two men talked at the gate, Jii from the Su family stood nearby, his eyes glued to the oil cakes. The boy was truly beyond hope.0


    Li the Cook said, "Hey, is someone in this courtyard cooking meat? It smells pretty good."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yeah, it does."0


    He followed the scent and said, "Oh, it''s from my ce."0


    Aunt Zhou sat at the door, her face filled with envy. "You''re stewing a snake," she said sourly.0


    The aroma had been wafting out for a while, and she was salivating, but she didn''t go over to ask for any. Unlike the shameless Su family, she prided herself on being a person of means and despised such undignified behavior. So, while she was tempted, she only sniffed the air and didn''t approach.0


    She had already decided to sit at the doorter and eat her tbread, using the fragrance from their house as her side dish. That way, she felt she was getting a little something extra.0


    "A snake?" Li the Cook looked perplexedly at Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "We caught a grass snake during our spring outing a few days ago. I thought my mom wouldn''t want to eat it, but..."0


    "Ugh!"0


    Ming Mei couldn''t hold back and turned away, gagging.0


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What''s wrong?"0


    Worried, he looked at his wife and stepped forward to pat her back. "Are you okay?"0


    Ming Mei looked miserable as she lifted her head. "I can''t eat that stuff. Just hearing about it makes me feel sick."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly replied, "Alright, alright, then we won''t eat it."0


    Aunt Zhou rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Pretentious."0


    After all, snake meat was a delicacy, even more delicious than chicken. To turn it down like that was just pretentious! If she didn''t want it, she could give it to her! It would be even better if the whole family refused to eat it.0


    Aunt Zhou muttered to herself, but no one paid her any attention. Even if they didn''t eat it, it certainly wouldn''t be going to her. She was just being delusional.0


    Zhuang Zhixi led Ming Mei into the house. Zhao Guihua asked, "What''s going on?"0


    She noticed Ming Mei''s pale face. The grass snake stew had just started cooking, and as Zhao Guihua opened the pot, Ming Mei: "Ugh..."0


    She turned her head and this time actually vomited, not just gagging.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was startled. "Honey, don''t scare me like this! Are you okay? No, you can''t dy this. Let''s go to the hospital now. You might have gastroenteritis. Otherwise, how could you react like this?"0


    Although he knew his wife was afraid of snakes and didn''t want to eat them, her reaction was too intense. Zhuang Zhixi felt there was more to it than just fear. He said, "Mom, Ming Mei might have a stomach issue. I''m taking her to the hospital."0


    At this point, he also med himself for not insisting on taking Ming Mei to the hospital earlier.0


    Zhao Guihua quickly stepped in. "Are you alright?"0


    Ming Mei shook her head lightly. "I''m fine, just feeling nauseous... ugh."0


    Zhao Guihua looked suspiciously at her daughter-inw for a long time, then suddenly said, "Could it be that you''re pregnant?"0


    After thinking it over, she realized it was about the right time for her daughter-inw to be expecting.0


    Ming Mei: "Ah?"0


    She looked up in shock.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    So did Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi: "What?"0


    The two of them, husband and wife, were in perfect sync, looking like a pair of stunned gourds.0


    Zhao Guihua decisively said, "Come on, I''ll take you to the hospital to check it out. Liang Meifen, you watch the pot. Once it''s done, you can eat first."0


    Liang Meifen: "Ah? Oh, okay!"0


    She watched as her mother-inw rushed out with the couple, her expression a bitplicated.0


    Her sister-inw... could it be that she''s pregnant?0


    That would mean another mouth to feed in the family. She sighed deeply, feeling that the good treatment her own two children had been enjoying would now be reduced. Her mood was quite downcast.0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, both experiencing this for the first time, felt like puppets being pulled along by Zhao Guihua as they left the house. Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s go, no need to ride the bikes. Zhixi, you push Ming Mei."0


    Ming Mei scratched her head and said, "It''s okay, I can walk."0


    Zhao Guihua gave her a look. "Why are you making so much trouble? Do you have more experience, or do I?"0


    Ming Mei firmly replied, "You."0


    Zhao Guihua said, "Then what are you arguing about? Just listen to me."0


    Aunt Zhou watched them rush out, still in a daze. It wasn''t until they were far away that she realized what they had been talking about. Zhao Guihua''s youngest daughter-inw might be pregnant.0


    This realization made Aunt Zhou''s face turn pale, as if someone had just owed her a huge debt.0


    For the past decade or so, thest thing Aunt Zhou wanted to hear was news of someone else''s "good fortune." While others were having one child after another, her family had none. She desperately wanted a grandson, but it was so difficult!0


    Even if it was a granddaughter, that would be fine. They could name her something like "Zhaodi," meaning "invite a younger brother," and maybe that would bring a brother. The older sister could even contribute to the family, bringing in a dowry when she married, which could be used for the brother. That would be great.0


    So, Aunt Zhou wasn''t against having a granddaughter.0


    But, but, but!0


    Right now, there was nothing, not a single child.0


    Neither a grandson nor a granddaughter.0


    And other families were having one after another.0


    Zhao Guihua was even younger than her, yet she already had both grandsons and granddaughters.0


    Now, her family was having another child?0


    Aunt Zhou couldn''t hold back anymore. She let out a howl of anguish: "Jiang Lu, you heartless wretch! You scoundrel! You''ve cut off the roots of our Zhou family! Jiang Lu, you deserve to die! You''re guilty!"0


    Aunt Zhou wailed, her tears and snot streaming down her face. Jiang Lu was inside cooking, and when she heard themotion, she waspletely baffled.0


    What was going on? Why was she suddenly ranting like this?0


    She changed her expression, biting her lip as she stepped out. "Mom, I..."0


    "Smack!" A pnded on Jiang Lu''s face. Aunt Zhou jumped up and down, shouting, "Look at them! The newlywed wife''s belly is already showing signs, and what about you? Where are the children you''re supposed to be giving our Zhou family?"0


    She sobbed, tears and snot flowing. "At my age, what am I even hoping for? Isn''t it just to hold a grandson? But look at you, Jiang Lu! You''re ruining our Zhou family!"0


    Jiang Lu stood there, stunned.0


    Jiang Lu had just been about to defend herself when, like a punctured balloon, she deted, her head drooping and her spirits sagging.0


    Aunt Zhou was still wailing and cursing, feeling herself the most pitiful person in the world. Her husband had passed away early, and her son had yet to provide an heir for the Zhou family. The root of all these problems, in her eyes, was Jiang Lu.0


    This woman, she thought, was untrustworthy.0


    Zhou Qun, hearing themotion outside, frowned in irritation. Women, he thought, were so annoying. All they could do was wail and cry. The more he thought about it, the more irritable he became. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he said, "Enough, you two."0


    Aunt Zhou''s wailing was abruptly silenced by his voice, as if it had never existed.0


    He stepped outside and said, "Mom, these things happen in their own time. Why are you ming Jiang Lu for everything?"0


    The neighbors nodded in agreement. Although Zhou Qun had been seen with other women, he was undeniably good to Jiang Lu. No matter the situation, he always stood by her side to protect her. Such a man was truly rare.0


    The other men in the neighborhood wouldn''t have bothered with such matters.0


    Only Zhou Qun, always standing by his wife''s side, truly made people envious.0


    Jiang Lu thought the same. She looked up at Zhou Qun, her eyes glistening with tears.0


    "Son, don''t take this lightly," Aunt Zhou wailed. "You''re always defending your wife, forgetting your mother. Don''t you remember who you''ve been with all these years? Now, just because of this woman who can''t have children, you''re raising your voice at me? Xiao Qun, your father died early, and you''re hurting me like this? You must listen to me on this. If your wife can''t have children, even if it means being shamed, she must be sent away!"0


    Jiang Lu swayed, looking desperately at Zhou Qun. She bit her lip, feeling immense pain.0


    Zhou Qun''s expression was equally pained. At that moment, the two of them seemed like lovers in a tragic drama, filled with unbearable sorrow. Zhou Qun took a deep breath and said, "Mom, don''t make a scene outside. It''s not good. Let''s talk at home."0


    "Home? What home do I have without a grandson?"0


    Zhou Qun immediately stepped forward and hugged Aunt Zhou, saying, "Mom, I''m your son. Of course, we''re a family. Come on, let''s go home and talk."0


    He pulled Aunt Zhou forcefully, while Jiang Lu, seeing Zhou Qun''s signal, quickly stepped forward to hold Aunt Zhou''s other arm. Together, they dragged Aunt Zhou into the house. Zhou Qun locked the door, cutting off all outside views.0


    Old Man Lan and his wife, Luo Xiaohe, were rtively new to the neighborhood and didn''t have all the details.0


    Luo Xiaohe was a bit aloof by nature, curious but not overly concerned about others'' affairs. Even if she was curious, she wouldn''t ask. But Lan Sihai stopped Aunt Wang to ask, "How long have they been married?"0


    Aunt Wang replied, "About ten years."0


    She paused and added, "Not having children is tough. But Aunt Zhou is heartless. When Jiang Lu married into the family, it was during those three tough years when everyone was starving. Jiang Lu''s family was well-off, and she brought a lot of food from her maternal family. Back then, we were all starving and emaciated, but Zhou Qun was still strong. Even Aunt Zhou had some meat on her face, looking healthy and spirited. They could eat bread every meal. Now, she doesn''t even mention that."0


    If it were another family, they might not have noticed, but Aunt Wang''s family were cooks, so they paid special attention to food. That memory was particrly vivid to them.0


    "It''s strange, though. Why don''t they have children?"0


    Lan Sihai said, "They should go to the hospital for a check-up. How can they know whose problem it is without checking?"0


    Luo Xiaohe nodded beside him. Although they were in a second marriage, she and Lan Sihai got along well. She thought Lan Sihai was a decent man, fair and reasonable, unlike some who became more confused over time.0


    That was true. Not being able to have children didn''t necessarily mean it was the woman''s problem.0


    Aunt Wang, however, said, "But they won''t go. I''ve talked to Jiang Lu about it. This issue could be anyone''s fault. Maybe it''s Zhou Qun''s problem from fooling around with older women when he was young. They should go check, maybe it''s not her fault. But Jiang Lu scolded me for meddling. She said I was jealous and trying to ruin her husband''s reputation. What kind of person is she... Let them be. If they want to check or not, it''s none of our business."0


    Lan Sihai raised an eyebrow and said, "What a simple-minded family. Too simple-minded."0


    Aunt Wang: "..."0


    Could you stop being so sarcastic for a day?0


    But he was right. This family was infuriating.0


    Luo Xiaohe smiled and pulled Lan Sihai home, saying, "Let''s go home and eat."0


    Once inside, Lan Sihai said, "This family doesn''t know what''s good for them. We should stay away from them in the future."0


    Luo Xiaohe replied, "I know that. I don''t like getting too involved with others anyway." This was a result of her life experiences. After a pause, she said, "By the way, I heard Ming Mei might be pregnant?"0


    Lan Sihai: "It''s not confirmed yet. Who knows, maybe it''s just indigestion from eating too much."0


    "Is that how you treat your grandchild?"0


    Lan Sihaiughed and said, "I think Ming Mei likes me as a grandfather. It''s better not to meddle too much. We''ll talk about it when it''s confirmed. Let''s eat."0


    While Lan Sihai remained calm, others weren''t soposed. The Su family was extremely jealous, cursing, "That brat should be infertile too. How dare she get pregnant? Even if she does, she''ll definitely give birth to a daughter."0


    "Exactly."0


    The two women, mother-inw and daughter-inw, were both full of jealousy. Even if it didn''t concern them, they wished others would suffer.0


    Suddenly, Aunt Su revealed a cunning smile and said, "I''ve figured out how to help the Bai father and son."0


    "Oh?"0


    Aunt Su continued with meaning, "What the Zhou family wants most is a son..."0


    Wang ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Xiangxiu: "I''ve already tried to persuade Zhou Qun, but he''s not interested."0


    She felt embarrassed. Although she was just trying to manipte him, hispleteck of interest made her feel humiliated. How could these men not see her worth? They were all so blind.0


    Aunt Su: "He doesn''t trust you because he thinks you can''t really give him a child, plus you''re not exactly clear with Bai Fendou. But what if we find someone clean?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!"0


    She was shocked. "Where would we find someone? This isn''t the old society anymore; people won''t do that..."0


    Aunt Su: "Look around the outskirts of Beijing. Those from the countryside, especially the poorer ones, would love to marry into the city. I can find a girl from my hometown to give Zhou Qun a child. Wouldn''t that be perfect?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu was even more shocked, stuttering, "But... but what if it''s exposed? Would she even agree? And Jiang Lu won''t divorce Zhou Qun..."0


    She hesitated, "Plus, if we bring a girl over, the neighbors will notice."0


    Aunt Su: "I''ll figure that out. With the Zhou family''s good conditions, I''m sure they''d be willing to pay to settle things. I believe even if someone did it, they wouldn''t mind. Having a son in the city to enjoy life, and she can still go back home pretending to be a virgin. What''s not to like? And when she''s older, she cane back to im her son, and Jiang Lu would just be a stepmother. What''s she worth?"0


    "Ah, this..."0


    Wang Xiangxiu was momentarily stunned. Even for someone as shrewd as her, this n seemed bizarre.0


    But Aunt Su was pleased. She said, "If we can use this to save the Bai father and son, we shouldn''t miss out on the benefits. We''ve put in a lot of effort."0


    After all, what were they working so hard for? It was for the wages of those two men.0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Well, I guess that could work, but how could Jiang Lu possibly agree? She''s not stupid..."0


    "She has to agree, it''s alreadye to this point. What other options does she have?" Aunt Su sneered, saying, "This n will work."0


    Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath: "Then please teach me what to say, I''ll go talk to them."0


    "You''re no good at this, I''ll go talk to them," Aunt Su stood up, saying, "Only I can make them listen and take it to heart."0


    This young wife of the Zhuang family, though quite annoying, had given them a good idea.0


    She nced at the sounds of argumenting from the inner room of the Zhou household, and with small, deliberate steps, quietly went over to knock on the door...0


    This long-term meal ticket absolutely cannot be lost!0


    ******0


    Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi were taking Ming Mei to the hospital together. Ming Mei kept muttering along the way: "I''m not feeling nauseous anymore, maybe it''s just an upset stomach after all."0


    In truth, neither she nor Zhuang Zhixi had nned to have a child so soon. They had just gotten married and wanted to enjoy their time together. Having a child would mean taking care of a baby, and both of them were a bit resistant to the idea. Although it wasmon for newlyweds to have children soon after marriage, and those who dyed were often nagged at, Ming Mei was different. Her mother had told her that having a child was no easy matter. Once the baby was born, there would be no avoiding the responsibility of taking care of it. Especially in a dual-ie family, no matter how casual they tried to be, it would still require a lot of effort.0


    Especially for the mother.0


    The father could still get away with being a bitzy, but the mother couldn''t. She would be tied down by the child every moment, and while the child could be let out to y with older kids once it grew a bit, those early years were tough.0


    Ming Mei felt overwhelmed just thinking about it.0


    She and Zhixi, they were both a bit evasive about the idea, Ming Mei''s cheeks puffed up like a little bun.0


    Zhuang Zhixi patted her hand and said, "Don''t worry, whatever the oue, we''ll know once we go and see the doctor."0


    He could tell that Ming Mei was a bit resistant to going to the hospital. He chuckled and said, "You must have been really scared of needles and medicine when you were a kid."0


    Ming Mei didn''t feel embarrassed at all, saying, "What kid likes that? Ask Hutao and Xiaoyan, do they like it?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I can''t argue with that."0


    Zhuang Zhixi pinched her cheek and said, "We''ll let the doctor take a look, if there''s nothing wrong, that''s even better. If there is, it''s still a good thing, we''ll just pay more attention."0


    Zhao Guihua thought her younger son''s words made sense. She nodded and said, "That''s the right way to think. If you have such feelings, it''s better to be prepared early. Many young wives who just got married don''t understand these things, so after they get pregnant, they still act the same as before, and end up losing their first child due to carelessness. Actually, losing a child is not good for a woman''s body. It''s better for us to be more careful."0


    Ming Mei: "That''s true."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Moreover, your working environment should be paid more attention to early on."0


    She spoke earnestly: "Pregnancy is a big hurdle for women, from the beginning to giving birth, there are so many things to take care of. You have to be more careful."0


    Ming Mei curiously asked: "Mom, what was it like when you had Zhixi?"0


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand: "Hey, things were different back then. We were all rough, nobody took childbirth seriously. Poor families struggled to put food on the table, who cared about all that? I gave birth to all three of my kids at home, the first two with the help of a midwife. The third one was premature, the midwife hadn''t arrived yet, and I went intobor. That''s this kid, never considerate of me in the womb. Good thing I had experience, otherwise I would have gone to see the King of Hell. Back then, giving birth felt like I hadn''t pooped in days, my stomach was cramping, but I couldn''t get it out."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "¡­¡­"0


    He said gloomily: "Mom, if you don''t know how to describe it, you don''t have to."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I like it!"0


    Ming Mei: "Sniff sniff!"

 Chapter 85

    <h1>Chapter 85</h1>


    Ming Mei visited the hospital quite often.0


    However, this was her first time at the gynecology department, and she felt a bit awkward and shy. Although she was already married, she still felt like she wasn''t quite grown up yet. She pursed her lips tightly, and Zhao Guihua noticed her nervousness, holding her hand and saying, "It''s okay, I''ll be with you."0


    Ming Mei nced at Zhao Guihua, nodded nervously, and felt a lot more at ease with an elder by her side. Zhao Guihua''s presence was much more reassuring than that of Zhuang Zhixi, who was still a novice. Zhao Guihua took the lead, and after registering, she led her daughter-inw straight to the gynecology department.0


    The doctor in the gynecology department was a fifty-something auntie. She took Ming Mei''s pulse and confidently said, "Although the pulse is still very faint, the pregnancy should be very early, probably just over a month."0


    Ming Mei: "!!!"0


    She widened her eyes in surprise, even though she had suspected it, the confirmation still shocked her. She pursed her lips again, stammering, "Wh-what should I do now?"0


    The elderly doctor smiled kindly at her reaction, saying, "Don''t worry, is this your first pregnancy?"0


    Ming Mei nodded immediately.0


    Zhao Guihua nced at the stunned young couple and took the initiative to say, "She''s still young and this is her first pregnancy, so she''s bound to be a bit careless. Could you tell me what she needs to pay attention to? Also, her job is quite demanding, I wonder if that could affect her?"0


    In fact, Zhao Guihua had taken care of her daughter-inw during her postpartum period and even looked after her grandson and great-grandson.0


    However, it had been too long, and she had forgotten some details, so she wanted to ask more clearly. She put on a humble demeanor, and the doctor also took her seriously, "She''s still in the early stages of pregnancy, the pulse is not very obvious, probably just over a month. The first three months of pregnancy are the most critical. She should avoid heavy work and any pulling or collisions. If possible, she should eat better, as she''s now eating for two..."0


    Doctors had seen all kinds of families, and from their attitudes, they could judge the situation. When they encountered families who cared about the pregnant woman, they were willing to give more advice. The elderly doctor, being a woman herself, knew the hardships of women best.0


    She asked, "What does this youngdy do for work?"0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "She''s a bus ticket collector."0


    The elderly doctor nodded, understanding why the work had been mentioned specifically earlier.0


    She said, "Your job is not a problem, but during the early stages of pregnancy, you should avoid moving around in the bus, and sudden stops are not good for you either. Generally, you sit in the front and it''s not an issue, but you still need to be careful. When the bus starts or stops, hold onto the handrails to avoid being thrown around. Your situation mainly requires extra caution during the first few months and the period just before delivery. If you fall, don''t take it lightly, don''t think it''s nothing and ignore it. You muste to the hospital immediately."0


    Ming Mei listened carefully and nodded, saying, "I understand."0


    "Also, it''s best not to wear small leather shoes."0


    Ming Mei chuckled lightly, "I know that."0


    They had to sit for long hours at work, so no one would wear small leather shoes just for the sake of looking good; that would be asking for trouble.0


    "If possible, eat more fish, it''s good for the baby," the doctor added, ncing at their attire. Zhao Guihua''s clothes were modest, looking like those of an ordinary elderly woman, and it was hard to tell her family''s financial situation. However, as a doctor, she could tell from the woman''splexion and spirit that the family was doing well.0


    Usually, families with poor conditions and poor nutrition had a sallowplexion.0


    But this woman didn''t, her face was rosy and healthy, indicating a good life.0


    Of course, even without looking at theplexion, just from the young couple''s clothes, one could guess they were well-off. The doctor continued, "Besides eating more fish, meat, eggs, and milk should also be taken if possible. It''s always better for the baby. But avoid eating too many cold or harsh things."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded and then asked again, "She''s not even that far along, but she''s already feeling nauseous and vomiting. How can we alleviate that? Otherwise, she''s suffering too much. How can we make her feel better?"0


    The doctor asked, "Is it severe?"0


    This was directed at Ming Mei.0


    Ming Mei shook her head, "It''s not severe, not very frequent, just a sudden feeling of wanting to throw up. Like today, I felt nauseous when I smelled meat soup, and a few days ago, I felt sick after eating meat."0


    The elderly doctor said, "Morning sickness is hard to avoid. If you really feel ufortable, you can prepare some sour plums, and when you feel nauseous, take one to ease it. Also, if you don''t have too much of a reaction when eating, eat a little less, as it''s nutritious. You''re not at the stage where you throw up everything you eat, so it''s not a big problem. But if you really feel too ufortable and nauseous, don''t force yourself to eat."0


    Ming Mei nodded lightly.0


    "You''re in the early stages of pregnancy and this is your first child, so there are many things to be careful about. In short, caution is always better. If you feel unwell, don''t hold it in,e here and let me check you. Being careful is good for both you and the baby."0


    Ming Mei nodded seriously.0


    "Avoid intercourse during the early stages of pregnancy."0


    Ming Mei''s face turned bright red. This... how did they suddenly start talking about this?0


    Zhuang Zhixi, who had been standing beside her, also started to look embarrassed. Even someone as thick-skinned as him began to feel awkward. He coughed once, then again. Zhao Guihua turned around, "If you''re going to cough, go outside and do it."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, you''re too harsh."0


    "Get out of here!"0


    At this moment, the doctor suddenly realized, "You''re not her mother, but her mother-inw?"0


    Zhao Guihua was also momentarily confused, then nodded, "Yes."0


    The elderly doctor smiled. Usually, those who cared so much about the pregnant woman were the mother, not the mother-inw... who typically only cared about the baby in the womb, mentioning the child every three sentences. Only a mother would concern herself so deeply with her daughter. She had thought this woman was the pregnant woman''s real mother, but it turned out to be the mother-inw.0


    It was quite unexpected.0


    So, you can''t judge a book by its cover. This seemingly strict olddy was actually very kind to her family.0


    "ording to regtions, a pregnant woman can get a pound of dates and a pound of peanuts. Do you want them?" she asked as a matter of routine.0


    In the city, where most people were workers, usually, everyone would choose to take them, as getting such good things without tickets was hard toe by. Not being a pregnant woman, one couldn''t get them at all, and some families would buy them in the name of a pregnant woman but not give them to the pregnant woman, instead selling them for profit.0


    Only families in extremely difficult conditions would choose not to take them.0


    Sure enough, Zhao Guihua said, "Of course we want them."0


    She added, "Can we get more?"0


    The doctor smiled and shook her head, "No, it''s a fixed amount."0


    She then looked up and said, "You look a bit familiar to me."0


    She was looking at Zhuang Zhixi when she said this.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, who was no longer as embarrassed as he had been at first,ughed heartily and said, "I used to work in the medical room of the machinery factory, handling the coordination of medical supplies with the hospital. That was me."0


    The elderly doctor suddenly understood. No wonder she felt familiar with this young man; he was a colleague.0


    However, he had mentioned "used to."0


    She nodded, "No wonder I thought you looked familiar. I should have seen you a few times at the hospital. What happened? Aren''t you in the medical room anymore?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Right, I''ve been transferred to the propaganda department."0


    The elderly doctor smiled and said, "That''s good."0


    Perhaps because they were a bit familiar, she lowered her voice and whispered, "If you feel the peanuts and dates are not enough, you can walk around outside the hospital. Some pregnant women get them but don''t dare to eat them and will take them out to exchange."0


    In other words, sell them, but she couldn''t say that directly.0


    If it were strangers, she wouldn''t bother giving them a heads-up. She noticed that this family treated their daughter-inw quite well, and since Zhuang Zhixi had some dealings with their hospital, she decided to quietly inform them. Zhao Guihua understood and quickly nodded, "Thank you."0


    "No need, I can see that you, as a mother-inw, are quite nice."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Although I may look a bit fierce, I do have some good qualities¡ªI''m straightforward, kind, sincere, reasonable, and I treat my own family well."0


    Both Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh. Their mom really knows how to boast wherever she goes!0


    Zhao Guihua: "What are youughing at?"0


    She retorted, "Am I wrong?"0


    Who would dare say she was wrong?0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re absolutely right, Mom. You''re that amazing and good."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded contentedly, while Zhuang Zhixi silently looked up at the sky.0


    The elderly doctor watching the family thought they were quite interesting. His own children were always so proper and well-mannered, so it was rare to see such a lively interaction. He nced at them a few more times and said with a smile, "Your family sure is lively."0


    Zhao Guihua: "They''re all a bit unreliable."0


    Zhuang Zhixi made a pitiful face, which made the old doctorugh again. She said, "Seeing families like yours, I don''t even feel tired at work anymore."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Are you about to get off work?"0


    They had arrived quitete, and they were thest patients of the day.0


    The old doctor: "Yes, after seeing you, I can go home."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately said, "Then we won''t keep you any longer. Auntie, I sometimes help the clinic with handovers, so if there''s any work that needs doing, just let me know. I''m young, and I can handle anything."0


    The old doctor: "No need, no need. Don''t think I''m old¡ªI''m still in good shape."0


    Even though she said that, Zhuang Zhixi''s words wereforting, and she couldn''t help but smile. No one dislikes hearing kind words, and no one dislikes such a warm and enthusiastic young man.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I know, but there are some tasks that are better suited for young people. You should let us youngsters show off a bit. It''s also a good way for us to gain some experience."0


    The old doctor: "Alright, next time youe to the hospital,e sit with me."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course."0


    The old doctor smiled, "Alright, hurry downstairs to pay and pick up the red dates and peanuts. They''ll be off work soon."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Got it."0


    The three of them went downstairs together. Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but wonder why her youngest son had been so sessful in his previous life. This guy knows how to seize opportunities, his words are pleasant to hear, and he''s good at navigating social situations. No wonder he''s popr.0


    Sure enough, as soon as they reached the bottom, Zhuang Zhixi went straight to the window. It turned out he was familiar with the staff there too.0


    The two young nurses at the window both congratted him with smiles. One of them said, "Wait a moment, I''ll pick out some big red dates for you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Thank you, sister."0


    If it were someone unfamiliar, they would just scoop up a pound of dates without much care. But for someone they knew, they would take a bit more time to select the best ones. The difference between big and small dates was significant. Ming Mei leaned against the side, her long eyshes fluttering.0


    The other nurse curiously peeked at Ming Mei. She saw that Ming Mei had braided hair and a delicate face. She pulled back and whispered to her colleague, "She''s so pretty. No wonder Zhuang Zhixi didn''t take a liking to Chen Jing from our hospital."0


    The older nurse nudged her and said, "Don''t gossip. You''ll affect their marital harmony."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was good-looking and had a stable job, so he was quite popr with girls. In the matchmaking scene, he was highly sought after. Several nurses at the hospital had a bit of a crush on him.0


    However, people were more reserved back then, and even if they had feelings, they wouldn''t make the first move.0


    Usually, if someone had an interest, they would find a matchmaker to mediate. Even if they knew each other, the process was the same. But before anything could happen, Zhuang Zhixi had already found a partner and quickly got married.0


    It was no secret that several nurses were quite disappointed when he got married.0


    Everyone was a bit curious about what Zhuang Zhixi''s wife looked like, but since they weren''t in the same system, and Zhuang Zhixi only came once a week, they didn''t have much chance to find out or see her.0


    Today, however, they finally got to see her.0


    And when they did, most people understood why Zhuang Zhixi had chosen her.0


    Ming Mei was beautiful, and she had a round, plump figure that made her look very charming. She had that kind of look that older generations would consider very lucky. Moreover, she seemed to have a good personality, always with a smile on her lips.0


    "Zhuang Zhixi, congrattions."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Thank you, thank you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi carried the items and gently supported Ming Mei''s arm. Ming Mei patted his hand and said, "You don''t need to help me, you''re being too exaggerated."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I always need to be careful."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    She felt a bit like a panda.0


    As they walked out of the hospital, the three of them headed toward the exit. Ming Mei asked curiously, "Why did they peek at me when you went to get the peanuts and red dates?"0


    She was a clever girl: "Could it be that you have some kind of romantic luck here?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi felt utterly wronged. He quickly said, "That''s not the case at all. Don''t nder me. It''s just because we know each other, so naturally, they''re a bit curious. Besides, what romantic luck? I have you¡ªwhat more do I need? And I''m not so great that someone would try to steal me away. It''s really just curiosity. Think about it, if Bai Fendou found a partner, wouldn''t you be curious to see what they look like? Oh no, I can''t use him as an example¡ªthat''s bad luck!"0


    Ming Mei couldn''t help butugh.0


    Zhao Guihua, who was beside them, said, "Bai Fendou and his father are also staying in this hospital, right?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, they are. I don''t know which floor their ward is on..."0


    He turned back to look, and in that instant, he eximed, "Oh my!"0


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei turned around and couldn''t help but exim, "Good heavens!"0


    It seemed that people really couldn''t be mentioned lightly.0


    Just a moment ago, they had been talking about Bai Fendou, and in the blink of an eye, they saw him sitting by the window. By now, they had already reached the hospital entrance, but from this distance, they could still see him. For some reason, Bai Fendou was sitting by the window, seemingly wiping his tears.0


    Ming Mei: "He... isn''t he going to jump off the building, is he?"0


    Zhao Guihua was moreposed and said, "Jump off the building? Don''t be ridiculous¡ªhe''s on the second floor. He won''t die from that!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly, what''s he doing?"0


    He decisively said, "I''m going to check it out."0


    Ming Mei immediately grabbed Zhuang Zhixi and said, "I''ming too."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead, both of you. Zhixi, take care of your wife."0


    By this time, not only were they concerned, but others had also noticed Bai Fendou''s behavior. People started pointing and whispering, and soon a crowd gathered downstairs. Even though it was almost off work time and there weren''t many people around, there were still some patients in the hospital, and everyone was curious.0


    This was the infamous "Egg Smash Maniac" (Bai Fendou).0


    Zhuang Zhixi, along with the other two, rushed from the entrance to the window, but even then, they couldn''t get into the front rows. It was clear how quickly everyone had gathered¡ªit was almost like lightning speed.0


    Everyone looked up at the second-floor window, where Bai Fendou sat, silent.0


    "Bai Fendou, what are you doing? Get down from the window. Sitting there won''t solve your problems." Wang Er from the security department felt like the unluckiest person in the world. Why did it have to be him on duty today?0


    Because the Bai father and son had caused such an embarrassing incident, they weren''t exactly "free." So, the security department arranged for two people to keep an eye on them every day. Today, it was Wang Er and Wang Wu. Wang Wu had stepped out for a moment, and in that short time, Wang Er saw Bai Fendou sitting by the window.0


    Wang Er: "What terrible luck."0


    He silently cursed his fate. How could he be so unlucky to encounter such a situation? Could it get any worse?0


    Yes, it could.0


    He was living it.0


    In his mind, he cursed Bai Fendou to high heaven, but he still had to speak to him gently, saying, "Bai Fendou, get down from the window. You''re a grown man¡ªsitting there over a little problem. What will people think of you? How will they see you in the future?"0


    Bai Fendou shouted, "I don''t care what others think of me! What future do I have left? My... my... is shattered! I won''t have children in the future. Why should I care about the future? I have no future!"0


    The crowd below gasped, "Wow!"0


    Wang Er stood there, speechless.0


    He took a deep breath and said, "The doctor said it''s uncertain, it could be possible or not. How can you be so sure? How can you diagnose yourself? Why are you socking in confidence?"0


    He spoke gently, "Come down first. No matter what, this won''t solve anything. Look at your father, he faced the same situation as you, yet he could stay calm. Why can''t you?"0


    Bai Fendou retorted, "He has a son! I don''t!"0


    Old Man Bai also shouted, "Having a son is no different from not having one! My son has no skills, always pushing responsibilities onto me. Now we''re facing extinction, what use is a son to me? What use is he?"0


    The father and son were both shouting at the top of their lungs, afraid that others couldn¡¯t hear about their family matters.0


    Not only the crowd below, but even the doorway of the ward was now crowded with onlookers. The duty doctor and security guards were all anxious. If something happened to the man in the hospital, their reputation would be tarnished. They felt even more innocent in this situation.0


    In these times, everyone felt innocent, except for the man on the verge of jumping.0


    But since he was about to jump, what could they do? They could only persuade him!0


    "Stay calm, please stay calm. Old Man Bai, don''t add fuel to the fire. If you don''t try to persuade him toe down, and instead speak coldly, what if it provokes him?"0


    "What if? I don''t care! He doesn''t respect me, so I''ll just treat him as if he doesn''t exist." Old Man Bai was unyielding. He was truly heartbroken. This whole mess was Bai Fendou''s idea, and now that things had gone wrong, Bai Fendou was ming him entirely. Old Man Bai couldn''t forgive this.0


    He said, "I must have done something terrible in my previous life to have such a son!"0


    He was practically jumping in anger.0


    Wang Er, unable to bear it any longer, said to the security guards, "Help me drag him to the next ward. Lessen the disturbance he''s causing."0


    Bai Fendou was already a bit out of his mind, and this old man kept pouring oil on the fire. Was he even a real father?0


    Wang Er and the security guards tried to pull Old Man Bai away. Old Man Bai shouted, "Ah... what are you doing? You disrespectful brutes! Don''t drag me! Why won''t you let me speak? I need to teach this little rascal a lesson. His mother died when he was young, and I raised him all by myself. He doesn''t carry on the family line, and when things go wrong, he mes me. Having such a son is a misfortune for our family!"0


    Old Man Bai howled.0


    The crowd watched with a mix of shock and awe. Bai Fendou sat by the window and shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! If you hadn''t acted without thinking, things wouldn''t havee to this! I admit I made mistakes, but how can you me me entirely? You''re my father, shouldn''t you stand by me now?"0


    Both men were in a frenzy, but it seemed Old Man Bai had more reason on his side.0


    However, Bai Fendou seemed equally devastated, crying and wailing with tears streaming down his face.0


    Seeing a grown man break down like this, everyone was stunned.0


    Ming Mei leaned on Zhuang Zhixi, who had just found out she was pregnant. She didn''t dare to get too close, fearing she might get hurt or fall.0


    Although they hadn''t nned to have a child initially, now that it had happened, they were overjoyed. The joy was indescribable, bubbling up from their hearts.0


    Thinking about the little life growing inside her, Ming Mei instinctively wanted to protect her unborn baby.0


    Though it wasn''t part of the n, ns often change. This "little surprise" was a source of great happiness.0


    She held her belly and moved closer to Zhuang Zhixi, who held her hand.0


    "Let''s stay back. Even if he really jumps, we don''t want to get hit."0


    Ming Mei nodded seriously.0


    Bai Fendou continued to rant, "I know, I know I went too far this time, but did I really do anything wrong? I just wanted to y a joke. Why are you all overreacting? I''ve already suffered so much. Don''t you know how important... this is to a man? Why are you so heartless?"0


    He sobbed, "I just wanted to stand up for Sister Xiangxiu. She''s a woman raising three kids and a mother-inw. How hard her life is. Why can''t you all be more understanding? Sister Xiangxiu is such a good woman!"0


    The crowd murmured, "Oh, wow."0


    Some who didn''t know asked, "Who''s Sister Xiangxiu?"0


    They had only heard about the "egg-shattering" incident and didn''t know about Sister Xiangxiu.0


    As an insider, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help but exin, "She''s a close friend of his."0


    The crowd understood, "Oh, I see."0


    "Got it, got it."0


    What a close friend, just say she''s his lover.0


    Bai Fendou continued to cry hysterically. Zhao Guihua watched this grown man and silently thought, if he were her son, she''d break his legs. Could he not be so foolish?0


    With ten people knowing something, he had to make it so that at least ten thousand people knew.0


    By tomorrow, the whole city would know: Bai Fendou from the machinery factory, had his... shattered.0


    Such self-exposure was simply incredible.0


    Zhao Guihua knew Bai Fendou wanted to get married and have his own children, but he was alsopetitive andcked self-awareness. Combined with his father, who was easily swayed by an old widow, his actions became increasingly reckless, leading to this disaster.0


    She didn''t sympathize with him but was more vignt. In the future, she would stay far away from the Su family. They were truly heartless.0


    Bai Fendou''s current predicament was not only due to his own personality ws but alsorgely influenced by the Su family''s mother-inw and daughter-inw.0


    As Zhao Guihua pondered, she saw several members of the machinery factory''s security department arrive, led by Section Chief Liu. He was furious, almost wanting to kick Bai Fendou to death. The reputation of their factory had been tarnished by this troublemaker.0n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Section Chief Liu hadn''t even made it upstairs before shouting from below, "Bai Fendou,e down! A grown man acting like this is something we''ll look down upon."0


    Then, quietly to Zhang San beside him, "Go to their courtyard and find Wang Xiangxiu."0


    His fists clenched tightly, wanting to punch this shameless man. What kind of scare tactic was this? If you really want to jump, go to the top floor. Sitting by the second-floor window, what kind of jump is that?0


    Section Chief Liu was seething with anger but couldn''t outright curse. After all, Bai Fendou was now "disabled," and men in his condition were often more sensitive and fragile. If he was provoked into jumping, it wouldn''t be good.0


    He said, "Come down and talk. You know, some things I can handle. Sitting by the window won''t solve anything. It''s better toe down and have a proper discussion."0


    Bai Fendou retorted, "You''re just a section chief, what can you decide?"0


    Section Chief Liu: "???"0


    Other security department members: "..."0


    They didn''t dare to look at their section chief''s face.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: I''m not here, I didn''t hear, I don''t know. I''m just passing by.0


    Section Chief Liu took a deep breath, "Come down. How do you know I can''t decide anything if we don''t talk?"0


    Damn it, damn it, damn it!0


    He felt his anger rising, wanting to rush up and p the man.0


    He had to hold back, he was a civilized person, he had ss.0


    Ming Mei, not knowing the security department, openly looked over and saw the man clenching his fists. She whispered, "Would getting angry to death be considered a work injury?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Probably not?"0


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow.0


    She felt this man was really angry.0


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at Section Chief Liu again, noticing that thetter was giving instructions to someone nearby, who quickly hurried upstairs. Zhuang Zhixi muttered, "Looks like everything''s fine."0


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened in amazement. "I''ve never seen anything like this before, never!"0


    An elderly man in a hospital gown, watching the scene unfold, chimed in, "Youngdy, don''t say you haven''t seen it¡ªI''ve lived this long, and I''ve never seen anything like it either."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    For some reason, she felt like she had heard this phrase quite oftentely.0


    Indeed, she had been encountering so many unusual events recently that when she visited her parents, her mother would always ask, "What''s been happening in your courtyardtely?" Ming Mei suspected that her grandfather had chosen this neighborhood precisely because of its lively atmosphere.0


    It was quite possible.0


    After all, such a lively courtyard was a rarity.0


    As Ming Mei was momentarily lost in thought, she saw someone stealthily approach Bai Fendou from behind. She quickly covered her mouth in shock. The onlookers were equally stunned, not daring to make a sound.0


    Section Chief Liu, however, remained calm and continued conversing with Bai Fendou.0


    Bai Fendou, oblivious to the person behind him, was suddenly yanked backward, causing him to stumble. Ming Mei and a few others pushed forward through the crowd, eager to see what was happening. Zhuang Zhixi, ever the cautious one, quickly pulled his wife back, saying, "Don''t get too close¡ªyou''re too curious for your own good."0


    Ming Mei pouted. "You underestimate me. I can handle myself."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Zhao Guihua interjected, "Don''t hold back too much, but be careful."0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    Could she be any more biased?0


    Ming Mei hummed a little tune, tiptoeing trying to get a better view. "Let''s go upstairs and take a look," she suggested.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, though not one to stay out of trouble himself, hesitated for just a moment before agreeing, "Alright, let''s go."0


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, muttering, "You two are never quiet. I really admire your energy."0


    Despite her words, she was the first to head upstairs.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    As Zhao Guihua reached the stairnding, she heard thunderous shoutinging from a hospital room. Section Chief Liu was in full rage mode, his voice shaking the entire corridor. The crowd had gathered at the stairnding, and Zhao Guihua sighed, "You won''t be able to get through."0


    Ming Mei: "Oh no."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t worry, I''ll go and find out what''s happening!"0


    She was always eager to be the first to catch thetest gossip.0


    "Excuse me, everyone, make way."0


    Just as Zhao Guihua and the others were about to push forward, they heard someone calling from behind. Turning around, they saw Wang Xiangxiu following Zhang San as they made their way upstairs. The trio exchanged knowing nces.0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face was flushed, her eyes fixed straight ahead, filled with concern as she hurried forward.0


    "Who''s that?"0


    "Is she the wife of the guy who... you know?"0


    "Isn''t he single?"0


    "Then why is she here?"0


    "Who knows."0


    The crowd buzzed with spection, but they still made way for Wang Xiangxiu, creating a path. Zhao Guihua thought to herself, "This is quite the red-carpet treatment."0


    Everyone watched Wang Xiangxiu with curiosity and suspicion.0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face grew even warmer under the scrutiny, but she knew there was no point in trying to hide her intentions. She cleared her throat lightly and followed Zhang San into the room, her heart genuinely concerned for Bai Fendou.0


    She and her mother-inw had gone to great lengths for the Bai family, using every trick in the book. If Bai Fendou messed up now, she would go mad. Men just couldn''t be so useless. She bit her lip, feeling like a woman born under an unlucky star.0


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly entered the room, while Section Chief Liu arranged for hospital staff to clear the area, making it clear he didn''t want an audience. Zhao Guihua, disappointed, turned back, saying, "Alright, let''s go."0


    With the scene off-limits, there was no reason for them to stay.0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei nodded in agreement.0


    As they walked downstairs together, Zhuang Zhixi pondered aloud, "I think Wang Xiangxiu has a n to help Bai Fendou."0


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. "Oh, you know everything, don''t you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered, "Look at how confident she is."0


    Thinking about it, Zhao Guihua had to admit he might be right. She pursed her lips, saying, "She''s definitely up to no good. Let''s head home."0


    The three of them had originallye to see a doctor, but instead, they stumbled upon a spectacle. Ming Mei sighed, "This is the first time I''ve seen someone jump from a building."0


    She added, "I suspect this won''t be thest time."0


    Zhao Guihua replied, "No matter how many times it happens, you need to take care of yourself."0


    Ming Mei nodded lightly.0


    It waste when they returned home. As they entered the courtyard, they saw several people sitting around chatting. Upon seeing the trio return, Aunt Zhou quickly asked, "Well? Is your daughter-inw pregnant?"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded. "The pregnancy is still early, so it''s hard to tell, but it''s likely."0


    In those days, there was no superstition about not announcing a pregnancy until the first trimester was over. Zhao Guihua didn''t hide the news, saying, "Our third son is going to be a father."0


    "That''s wonderful news."0


    "Congrattions."0


    Aunt Zhou, however, looked at them with a bitter smile. "With that round belly, it''s definitely a girl. Congrattions on getting a granddaughter."0


    She said this with a smug look, waiting for Zhao Guihua''s reaction. Zhao Guihua, unfazed, smiled back. "If it''s a girl, that''s great. Girls are affectionate and thoughtful. Take our Xiao Yanzi, for example. No matter how naughty the boys are, she never causes trouble."0


    Xiao Yanzi, who was ying with the other kids in the courtyard, puffed out her chest proudly at the mention of her name. Hutou, feeling indignant, pouted and said, "Grandma, don''t you love me anymore?"0


    Zhao Guihuaughed. "You''re a good boy too. It''s just that those with outdated ideas tend to favor boys over girls."0


    She smoothly changed the subject, ruffling Hutou''s hair. "Go y."0


    Hutou, feeling affirmed by his grandmother, proudly strutted around like a little rooster.0


    Aunt Zhou red at them, remaining silent. Normally, she would have been more vocal, but on this topic, she always felt at a disadvantage.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t push further, saying, "We haven''t had dinner yet."0


    Liang Meifen immediately stood up. "Mom, I''ll heat something up for you."0


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand. "I''ll do it myself."0


    As Ming Mei entered the house, her eyebrows furrowed. Zhao Guihua noticed and said, "You don''t like the smell of the meat broth? I''ll make you something else."0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    At this point, she wasn''t being modest¡ªshe genuinely felt unwell.0


    This difort was real and couldn''t be faked, especially since she had to consider the well-being of her unborn child.0


    Even though she had just conceived, Ming Mei was already being very careful.0


    Zhao Guihua quickly scooped out the remaining meat broth, saying, "I''ll make you an egg dish."0


    Ming Mei''s face lit up immediately.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t say much. In those days, even having an egg during pregnancy was considered a luxury. Even Ming Mei, from a rtively well-off family, couldn''t help but smile at the thought. If one were to think about a decadeter, an egg would be nothing special.0


    Zhao Guihua was quick and efficient. She soon scrambled the eggs and sliced two cucumbers into thin strips. She mixed some flour and quickly cooked it into a pancake. The aroma of frying filled the air as the pancake took shape. Zhao Guihua then rolled the eggs and cucumber strips into the pancake, creating an egg roll. "Here, take it," she said.0


    Ming Mei breathed in the delicious scent, feeling no nausea at all. She was in high spirits. "Thank you, Mom."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t thank me¡ªjust go to your room to eat. Your husband and I will have some meat broth."0


    She was worried that the smell might upset Ming Mei.0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    At this moment, Ming Mei deeply appreciated having an experienced and knowledgeable mother-inw. If it were an ordinary mother-inw, she might have thought the daughter-inw was being difficult, refusing to drink meat broth and asking for something else.0


    This is what pretentiousness looks like.0


    But Zhao Guihua could understand. As a reincarnated person, she had ess to more information than others. She also knew that not everyone likes good things, and there are people who don¡¯t eat pork. So, she could understand why her daughter-inw felt disgusted when she smelled snake soup during pregnancy.0


    Ming Mei went back to her room to eat her own meal, while Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi were also enjoying a good meal.0


    As they were eating, Zhao Guihua''s eyes wandered and she noticed that the new stove she wanted to build had already beenpleted. Although the cement hadn''t dried yet, it was clear that the work was done very well. Zhao Guihua smiled, thinking that her husband was indeed efficient.0


    Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t paid much attention at first. Although there was suddenly one more person at home, he had gotten used to it and didn''t notice anything unusual. It wasn''t until he followed Zhao Guihua''s gaze that he realized the new stove.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised: "Hey, Mom, why is there an extra one here?"0


    Zhao Guihua calmly replied: "Our stove area was a bit small, so I discussed it with your dad, and he built this one."0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and nced at his mother.0


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you looking at?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I can''t even look at you?"0


    He lowered his head and continued eating, not asking any further questions about the stove.0


    Zhao Guihua tried to appear calm. After all, this matter was only known to her and her husband for now. She had no intention of telling her two sons. These boys, after getting married, all had their own thoughts.0


    She didn''t want to cause any more chaos in the family because of such things.0


    She said: "Earlier..."0


    Before she could finish, Liang Meifen rushed in, pulling a stool to sit beside Zhao Guihua. She spoke in a hushed and hurried tone: "Mom, did you know? The Zhou family has decided not to sue Bai Fendou and his father."0


    Liang Meifen thought this was a huge piece of gossip and quickly came to tell her mother-inw.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Is that so?"0


    She looked at her youngest son, thinking that he had indeed guessed correctly. She clicked her tongue and said: "We saw Bai Fendou trying to jump off the hospital roof earlier today."0


    "What!" Liang Meifen eximed, then quickly asked: "Jump off the roof? Was it just now? Oh, that''s right, no wonder the security department came to look for Wang Xiangxiu earlier. It must have been about this."0


    She suddenly understood.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Did the security department say why they came?"0


    "No!" Liang Meifen urged: "Mom, tell me quickly."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly finished his meal, stood up, and left his mother and sister-inw behind. He went to the water trough in the courtyard to rinse his mouth, then returned to his room. By then, Ming Mei had also finished eating and was sitting at the table, munching on some sunflower seeds from her stash.0


    Ming Mei was like a little squirrel, always keeping her own snacks in a basket.0


    Zhuang Zhixi entered the room and saw her rxed demeanor, asking: "Why didn''t youe out to sit?"0


    Ming Mei pretended to be timid, saying: "If I went out now, I''d definitely be the center of attention. I''d rather not."0


    She loved listening to gossip but didn''t want to be the subject of it.0


    Zhuang Zhixi walked over to her, cing his hand on her stomach, and said: "Let me feel the baby."0


    Ming Mei chuckled, teasing: "The baby is still just a little bean sprout. You probably can''t feel anything yet."0


    Zhuang Zhixi was unyielding: "My child, even in the womb, is the smartest one."0


    When the couple got married, they wanted more time for just the two of them and weren''t in a hurry about having kids. But now that Ming Mei was pregnant, Zhuang Zhixi immediately felt differently. He wanted to announce to the world that his baby was the smartest and most adorable.0


    He proudly said: "When the baby is born, you can teach it martial arts, and it will be invincible."0


    Ming Mei was speechless: "Why would we need to fight?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Just in case, it''s better to be prepared."0


    He crouched in front of Ming Mei and said: "Starting tomorrow, I''ll pick you up and drop you off for work."0


    Ming Mei: "???"0


    Sheughed, asking: "Is it really necessary to be so over-the-top?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course it is. I''ll feel more at ease. Otherwise, with how fast you ride your bike, I can''t help but worry."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    She thought Zhuang Zhixi was being a bit exaggerated, but since he was willing to pick her up, she didn''t mind.0


    Zhuang Zhixi continued: "Tomorrow, I''ll go to the supply store and buy some sesame cookies and malted milk. That way, you can have them whenever you want, and you won''t feel deprived."0


    Ming Mei nodded: "Okay."0


    He added: "Oh, and I''ll take the afternoon off tomorrow to visit your parents. Such big news, I have to let them know."0


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi and realized he had everything well-nned. She softlyughed and said: "I''ll follow your lead."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You don''t have to follow me entirely. Think about what else we need to pay attention to. Oh, right, I''ll write to my older sister and tell her this good news..."0


    Ming Mei: "You''re going a bit overboard. Let''s wait until the baby is born to announce it to everyone."0


    Just pregnant and he already wanted to tell the whole world.0


    Ming Mei rubbed her stomach and said: "I wonder if I''m carrying a boy or a girl."0


    As soon as she said that, she suddenly paused. Zhuang Zhixi asked: "What are you thinking about?"0


    Ming Mei softly replied: "Zhixi, if I have a daughter, would you like her?"0


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi seriously. Zhuang Zhixi was casual: "That would be great. Didn''t my mom say? Daughters are more considerate."0


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Whether it''s a boy or a girl, it''s still my child. With me being so smart and you being so capable, our child will be the best, no matter the gender. Why worry about it?"0


    He nced at his wife and said: "I have to say, Ming Mei, you''re not one of those who prefer boys over girls, are you?"0


    Ming Mei raised her chin and said: "I''m a woman myself. If I preferred boys over girls, I''d be crazy."0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "That''s settled then. Whether it''s a boy or a girl, I''ll be happy. With me being so outstanding, our child won''t be bad either."0


    Ming Mei: "You''re really good at boasting."0


    Zhuang Zhixi put on a serious face and asked: "What? Do you think I''m wrong?"0


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and said seriously: "I think you''re..." She drew out the words and thenughed: "Absolutely right."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s what I''m saying. With us being so good-looking and smart, whether we have a boy or a girl, it''ll be great. If it''s a boy, he''ll be like me, and if it''s a girl, she''ll be like you. Either way, we''re both good-looking, so it''ll be fine."0


    Sheughed, feeling more rxed.0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked up at Ming Mei, gently pinched her cheek, and said: "Stop overthinking. You need to rest well and have a healthy, chubby baby."0


    Ming Mei: "I heard that giving birth is very painful."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t think about that. Didn''t my mom say? It''s like having a bad stomachache. Just think of it as having a bad stomachache and not being able to find a bathroom. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself."0


    Ming Mei nodded, saying "Mmm."0


    In fact, she found it strange how people''s emotions worked. She hadn''t felt anything before, but now that she was confirmed to be pregnant, all kinds of emotions suddenly surfaced. She worried that Zhuang Zhixi wouldn''t like a girl, that giving birth would be too painful, and that she might not take good care of the baby. All these thoughts came flooding in at once.0


    Seeing her a bit anxious, Zhuang Zhixi held her hand and said: "Let''s just have one. If it''s too hard the first time, we won''t have a second."0


    Ming Mei smiled and asked: "Even if it''s a daughter, we''ll have just one?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why not?"0


    He said: "I don''t mind. Whether we have one or several, whether it''s a boy or a girl, the important thing is to raise the child well. If we have eight or ten sons who are always misbehaving and causing trouble, like Jii who steals chickens and dogs, it''s better to have just one good child. So it''s not about the number or gender, but about the quality of the child. We have to educate our child well."0


    Ming Mei nodded lightly: "You''re right."0


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing that Ming Mei had taken his words to heart, smiled and said: "That''s settled then. Stop overthinking. This isn''t like you at all."0


    He said, "Come, let me peel the melon seeds for you."0


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No need, I can do it myself. There''s not much hot water left, could you boil a pot for me?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sure."0


    He quickly picked up the kettle and went out to the main house. Ming Mei watched Zhuang Zhixi''s back disappear, revealing a sweet smile.0


    In truth, whether it was a boy or a girl, it was the same to her. Her parents weren''t the type to favor boys over girls, so Ming Mei didn''t have the typical woman''s desire to give birth to a son. The child she had carried for ten months, whether a boy or a girl, she loved them equally.0


    However, Ming Mei still wanted to know Zhuang Zhixi''s thoughts, after all, they were a family.0


    Most men wanted a son.0


    Families like theirs, who didn''t care, were the exception.0


    Ming Mei scratched her head. She hadn''t had any dreams herself, so she didn''t know whether she would give birth to a boy or a girl. It was strange. Even when she had once dreamed of her mother-inw, the content was vague, and she couldn''t tell if she would have a boy or a girl.0


    But she knew that her mother-inw, Zhao Guihua, must know.0


    However, Ming Mei didn''t really want to ask her. Keeping a little suspense was quite nice.0


    "Knock knock knock."0


    The sound of knocking came from the door. Ming Mei said, "Come in."0


    It definitely wasn''t Zhuang Zhixi who was knocking.0


    It wasn''t someone else either, but Lan Sihai. Ming Mei quickly offered a seat, "Grandpa,e sit."0


    The ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????old man didn''t stand on ceremony, saying, "Do I need you to offer me a seat?"0


    He sat down directly, looking up and down at Ming Mei, and said, "I heard you''re pregnant?"0


    Ming Mei nodded.0


    Lan Sihai pursed his lips and nodded, saying, "You''re so young, why are you in such a hurry?"0


    Ming Mei was full of question marks, not knowing what her grandpa was getting at.0


    The old man nced out the door, seeing no one, coughed once, and quickly slipped a small golden Buddha into Ming Mei''s hand.0


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened in shock!0


    She stammered, "My my my my, my heavens!"0


    Lan Sihai looked very disdainful: "Can you not look so uncultured? It''s so embarrassing."0


    Ming Mei: "¡­ Oh, but but, I really haven''t seen such things before!"0


    She swallowed hard, saying, "Is is is this really gold¡­?"0


    Lan Sihai rolled his eyes, saying, "Do I look like someone who would give fake goods?"0


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No, you''re the richest."0


    Lan Sihai nodded, that was a good point.0


    Lan Sihai spoke with a serious tone: "Pregnant people are usually more tense, and also weaker. You''re still so young, it''s even more so. At this time, you need a little weight to press down. Let me tell you, gold is the best, it can both press down and bless you. You secretly wear it, don''t let anyone see, okay?"0


    Ming Mei swallowed again, saying, "Is is is this¡­ for me?"0


    Lan Sihai nodded, "It''s for you, don''t tell anyone else, just for you."0


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened even more.0


    She whispered like a thief, "Does no one else have one? Not my cousin? Not my sister? Not my brother?"0


    Lan Sihai''s eyes flickered, he said sternly, "Why are you asking so much? I said it''s just for you, keep it well."0


    Ming Mei: "Oh oh oh! Okay!"0


    She was very excited, with a little excitement, "I knew Grandpa loves me the most."0


    Lan Sihai nodded, "You don''t need to tter me, who let you be my granddaughter?"0


    Ming Mei scratched her head.0


    The old man looked at her silly appearance and reminded her again, "Don''t let it fall out, or else you might get into trouble. I want to bless you, not harm you. Hide it well."0


    Ming Mei said seriously, "I know!"0


    The old man nodded, "Alright, I''m leaving."0


    Ming Mei: "Grandpa¡­"0


    The old man: "Go to bed early, look at your foolishness."0


    Ming Mei made a funny face, the old man waved his hand helplessly and left quickly.0


    Ming Mei watched her grandpa''s thin back, her palm tightly clutching the small golden Buddha. She blinked, lowered her head, and arranged some melon seeds into a smiley face, then smiled at it herself.

 Chapter 86

    <h1>Chapter 86</h1>


    Ming Mei never expected to get pregnant so quickly, but now that she was, she was determined to receive the treatment a pregnant woman deserved. Whether others valued her or not, she certainly valued herself. Her mother had once said, "A woman, when pregnant, needs to be well-nurtured. Normally, whatever nutrients you consume are for yourself, but now there''s a childpeting for them."0


    Ming Mei found this reasoning quite sensible, sote at night, she decided to treat herself to ate-night snack, munching on two biscuits.0


    As Zhuang Zhixi returned with water, he noticed her eating again but didn''t say anything. Instead, he poured her a cup of water and dropped a White Rabbit candy into it. Ming Mei looked at the cup andmented, "They say White Rabbit candies are like milk, but even if you put one in a cup, it doesn''t really dissolve."0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Just leave it there."0


    He continued, "If it doesn''t dissolve tonight, drink it in the morning. I''ll try to find some connections to get a milk powder coupon so you can buy some milk powder and supplement your nutrition."0


    Even though they lived in Beijing, buying milk powder wasn''t easy. Things like malted milk were more essible, but milk powder, especially adult milk powder, was quite rare. Their jobs didn''te with such coupons.0


    Zhuang Zhixi started thinking about who he could ask for a coupon. If he couldn''t get one, he might have to go to the ck market. Despite the rarity of such coupons, ticket sellers usually had them, as that was their business.0


    Ming Mei nodded and agreed. She was very conscious of her pregnancy.0


    She thought for a moment and said, "You should go to my house tomorrow and ask my mom. She might have some connections."0


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. Ming Mei pouted, "My older sister-inw has had two kids, and my nephew has had milk powder. Even if my mom doesn''t have connections, she knows where to get them."0


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Alright."0


    He said, "I''ve heated some water. Even though it''s getting warmer, you should still soak your feet to rx."0


    He fetched a footbath and poured hot water into it for his wife. Ming Mei watched him with a smile, giggling and teasing, "I''m only a month pregnant. You''re already taking such good care of me. How long are you nning to do this? And aren''t you afraid of peopleughing at you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What''s there to be afraid of? You''re my wife, not a stranger."0


    He continued, "I''m just getting used to it. That way, when the babyes, I won''t be too overwhelmed. I''ll be able to help take care of the baby."0


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "When Tiger Head and Little Swallow were young, my mom took care of them during the day, and my brother and sister-inw took over at night. I guess we''ll do the same."0


    Though the baby wasn''t born yet, the father was already feeling the stress. He said, "I can already imagine how tiring it will be."0


    Ming Mei replied, "It''s still a long way off. By the way, I have something to show you."0


    She proudly extended her hand, opening her clenched palm and lifting her chin. "What do you think?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "Wow!"0


    He was stunned and looked up at Ming Mei, stammering, "This... this..."0


    Ming Mei whispered, "My grandpa gave this to me, just me."0n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    She added with a hint of pride, "My grandpa loves me the most."0


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "That''s really nice."0


    Ming Mei said, "Isn''t it?"0


    She hummed a little tune, clearly pleased, and said, "Grandpa told me to wear it, but with summering and fewer clothes, it might be a bit noticeable."0


    Zhuang Zhixi suggested, "Don''t wear it around your neck. If the car jostles and it shows, someone might get bad ideas. Put it in a hidden pocket and pin it in ce. That way, no one will see it, and it won''t fall out."0


    Ming Mei thought it made sense and nodded seriously. "That''s a good idea."0


    She shook the little golden Buddha in her hand and smiled, "I didn''t expect to start making money as soon as I got pregnant."0


    Zhuang Zhixi joked, "Then when we have a baby, whether it''s a boy or a girl, let''s name them Zhaocai."0


    Ming Mei immediately frowned, snapping, "Get lost."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, and Ming Mei rolled her eyes at him. "Stop talking nonsense."0


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "You''re so fierce. A fierce mom like you will have a baby with a big temper."0


    Ming Mei clenched her fists, saying, "Are you looking for a fight? Don''t think just because I''m pregnant I won''t hit you. My baby will be the sweetest and cutest."0


    Zhuang Zhixi''s smile widened.0


    Ming Mei demanded, "Stopughing and apologize."0


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Alright, alright, I''m sorry. It was just a slip of the tongue."0


    Ming Mei nodded, "That''s more like it."0


    She then asked, "By the way, why did it take you so long to boil the water?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned in with a gossipy tone, "Well, I happened to overhear my sister-inw talking about some gossip, so I listened for a bit. Guess what? The Zhou family has decided not to pursue the matter with Bai Fendou and his father."0


    This was both surprising and somewhat expected.0


    Ming Mei eximed, "What?!"0


    She widened her eyes in disbelief and asked, "But why? They were so angry. How could they just let it go? Did Bai Fendou threaten to jump off a building or something? I can''t believe they''d just drop it like that."0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled enigmatically.0


    Ming Mei poked him, "Don''t just smile like that. Tell me!"0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "The Zhou family certainly doesn''t want to see others happy, so they wouldn''t let Bai Fendou off easily. But I think Aunt Su and her daughter-inw must have done something to appease them. It''s hard to say exactly what, but it probably has something to do with the Zhou family''s desire for a child. They''re the only ones who know the details, so we can only guess."0


    He added, "But as time passes, we''ll probably find out. Such things are hard to keep secret."0


    Ming Mei rolled her eyes, "What a mess. Do you think Aunt Su might be offering one of her children to the Zhou family? After all, she has so many sons."0


    Ming Mei''s imagination was running wild, but Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh, shaking his head. "I wouldn''t dream of something so absurd. Aunt Zhou wouldn''t want someone else''s child. If she were satisfied with just any child, she wouldn''t have waited until Zhou Qun was over thirty. They want their own biological child."0


    Ming Mei nodded, "True."0


    Despite her curiosity, she found the situation a bit confusing.0


    Ming Meimented, "They''re really something. To let such a thing go, the Su family must be quite resourceful."0


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "That''s what I think. They''re quite daring."0


    After washing up, the couple went to bed together. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Get some rest. You''re carrying two now."0


    Ming Mei replied, "I know, I know. But tell me more."0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "At this point, it''s all spection. Wait a few days. Since we live in the same courtyard, we''ll find out sooner orter. Big news can''t be hidden."0


    Ming Mei said, "That Bai Fendou is so despicable, trying to scheme against you. If there''s no punishment this time, I''ll beat him up myself."0


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Even if the Zhou family lets it go, the factory will still have to punish him. But if Zhou Qun, Jiang Lu, and Bai Fendou and his father all insist it was just a joke and nothing really happened, it might not be treated too seriously."0


    He paused and added, "I don''t think the punishment will be too harsh, but there will be some. Section Chief Liu isn''t the type to let things slide. Not only did Bai Fendou embarrass the security department, but today''s stunt of threatening to jump off a building was ridiculous. Section Chief Liu has his position for a reason. You''ll see, Bai Fendou will definitely be kicked out of the security department."0


    Ming Mei still felt unsatisfied and said, "This is already letting them off easy. If it weren''t for Aunt Zhou already smashing the Bai family''s things, I would have gone to break their windows! I''ve never seen such shameless, despicable scoundrels."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, my dear wife, you''re so wonderful. Don''t be angry, it''s not worth getting upset over such fools. Just wait, as the saying goes, ''When the mountain doesn''te to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.'' This matter isn''t over yet. I, Zhuang Zhixi, am not someone to be trifled with."0


    Do you think that''s the end of it?0


    Not a chance!0


    Ming Mei immediately perked up and said, "If you want to deal with him, you must tell me, and I''ll join you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi gently patted his wife''s back and said, "We are gentlemen, and gentlemen use words, not fists."0


    Ming Mei: "Tch~"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, let''s sleep. I promise, I''ll report everything to our Ming Mei, okay?"0


    Ming Mei: "Alright, I guess."0


    She pulled the nket and said, "Move closer, I want to rest my head on your arm."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure."0


    He chuckled softly and moved closer to Ming Mei.0


    The couple cuddled together, and Ming Mei said, "Goodnight."0


    Zhuang Zhixi lowered his head and kissed her forehead, saying, "Goodnight, sleep well."0


    After their night conversation, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei fell asleep, but many others couldn''t sleep that night. It seemed like everyone''s sleep quality had been poortely. Zhao Guihua was talking to Old Man Zhuang: "I want to raise two chickens in the yard."0


    In fact, although there were restrictions on many things, raising chickens was still allowed. However, there was a limit¡ªeach household could raise a maximum of two chickens. In many rural families, two chickens were often raised, as eggs were a valuablemodity that could be exchanged for money.0


    There were no other sources of ie in the vige, so they had to rely on this to make money.0


    However, city dwellers rarely raised chickens, not because they didn''t know how, but because the conditions didn''t allow it. For those living in apartments, it was out of the question, as there was simply no space. Even in theirpound, while it was possible to raise chickens, you couldn''t let them roam freely. Otherwise, the chicken droppings would be everywhere, not only ruining the environment but also annoying the neighbors. Moreover, if thepound''s collective reputation was damaged due to the mess, it would lead to gossip and criticism.0


    Of course, one could build a small fence in front of their own door to raise chickens, but the yard belonged to everyone. Even if you could raise chickens, the space would be very limited, and the chickens wouldn''t have enough room to move around. If they were cooped up and didn''ty eggs, it would be a loss. Additionally, once you started raising chickens, you would inevitably attract the attention of your neighbors, leading to endless requests for egg exchanges, which would be quite troublesome.0


    So, although their courtyard had better conditions than apartment buildings, people weren''t very keen on raising chickens.0


    There was another reason for this in theirpound: there was a petty thief.0


    If you weren''t careful and he stole your eggs, all your efforts would be in vain.0


    Old Man Zhuang thought of this and said, "Jin Lai is a pickpocket. If we raise chickens and he steals our eggs, what can we do? Can we go to their house and start a fight? They would just cry and make a scene, and we''d end up getting angry for nothing."0


    Zhao Guihua: "I know, but both my eldest daughter-inw and I are at home. Can''t we two watch over the chickens and prevent the thief and his brothers from stealing? That would make us too useless, wouldn''t it? Besides, I''m raising chickens for our youngest daughter-inw to recuperate. If anyone wants to exchange eggs with me, I have a reason to refuse. Once she gives birth and finishes her ''month of confinement'', I won''t raise them anymore."0


    Zhao Guihua whispered: "I know raising chickens is troublesome, but meat, eggs, and milk are the most nutritious. We have a limited amount of meat to buy, and there''s no way to get milk. We can only rely on eggs to boost the nutrition for pregnant women."0


    If this were ten yearster, they could have arranged for milk or goat''s milk to supplement Ming Mei''s diet, but now, such channels were almost non-existent. These resources were mostly reserved for veteran cadres, and even ordinary cadre families might struggle to get them.0


    Old Man Zhuang: "You''re right about that."0


    Zhao ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Guihua: "Exactly. When our eldest daughter-inw was pregnant with Hutou, we could still go to the market and the pigeon market to buy things. We could supplement her diet with eggs every few days. Later, when she gave birth to Xiaoyan, it was a bit tighter, but we could still manage. But now, with the rationing system, it''s different. Now, both our daughter-inws are our family. If the eldest daughter-inw could get such treatment, shouldn''t the youngest one also be taken care of? The youngest daughter-inw is new to the family and doesn''t know much, but Zhixi knows. I don''t want the children to feel too much of a gap. After all, they are all our grandchildren, right?"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Then, listen to you."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, I''ll look around. You know how hard it is to find an old hen that cany eggs right away. It''s not easy to find one."0


    Old Man Zhuang nodded, fully agreeing.0


    Nowadays, no matter what you buy, everything is in short supply. Take sewing machine tickets, for example. They had been looking for one for a long time, but they just couldn''t find one. Of course, they could go to the ck market and find a ticket seller, but that wasn''t a ce you could frequent.0


    "These matters, you decide."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Of course, it''s up to me. Who else would it be?"0


    She turned over and said, "Move over a bit. As you get older, sleeping on a warm kang is reallyfortable."0


    Then sleep at the kangtou.0


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, "The days are getting warmer, and you want me to sleep at the kang? Why didn''t you let me sleep at the kang during the cold winter? You really want to heat me to death."0


    Old Man Zhuang was innocent: "Didn''t you just say you wanted to sleep at the kang head..."0


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s cold today."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Alright, alright, whenever you want to sleep there, just do it. I''ll listen to you, okay?"0


    Zhao Guihuaughed: "You''re a good man."0


    She said, "Didn''t I say I''d make you a cotton shirt? I''ve finished it, and as soon as I buy the buttons tomorrow, I can sew them on."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Ah, so fast? What does it look like..."0


    He had rarely had the chance to wear new clothes in his life.0


    In the old society, they were poor, and when the new society came, life stabilized, but the children grew up one after another. As parents, they couldn''t bear to spend everything on themselves, so he and his wife only made new clothes every few years.0


    Since their youngest son''s wedding was in the winter, thest time he had made new clothes was for a thick coat. He hadn''t made a new summer short-sleeved shirt in four or five years.0


    He said, "Olddy, you''re so good to me."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Who else would I be good to if not you? The children have their own families, and they can''t always focus on us. We are the ones who support each other."0


    Speaking of the past life, although her two sons had some disagreements, they were still on good terms. They were also quite filial. But Zhao Guihua knew that expecting children to be by your side all the time was unrealistic.0


    They all had their own work and lives, and she mostly spent her time alone.0


    "Let''s take good care of each other."0


    Zhao Guihua spoke seriously, and Old Man Zhuang understood the gravity of her words. He nodded and said, "Alright."0


    He grinned, showing his eight teeth.0


    Clearly, his olddy favored him the most!0


    The old couple chattedte into the night, and the Su family next door was also still awake.0


    Aunt Su instructed Wang Xiangxiu: "You go to Zhaodi''s ce tomorrow after work and have Zhaodie back to see me. Forget it, I''ll go myself. I''ll go in the morning and make the necessary gestures. We can''t dy. I''ve thought about finding someone for the Zhou family to have a child, but my family hasn''t been in touch for decades, so that''s out of the question. Your family, though poor, is in the city, so that''s not an option either. But Zhaodi''s inws might have someone suitable. Anyway, I must get to the bottom of this today. We need to show the Zhou family our actions, or that old witch Zhou might not let this go."0


    "I understand, Mom. But Mom, dealing with her is easy for you, right? We can just bluff them, and when Bai Fendou and the otherse out, what can she do to us?"0


    Upon hearing this, Aunt Su quickly shook her head, saying, "No, you can''t mess around with the Zhou family on this matter. I know Sister Zhou well, and this child issue is her bottom line. If we dare to use this to deceive her, they might even resort to violence."0


    Aunt Su saw clearly: "Sister Zhou Li has been longing for a child for over ten years. This matter is noughing matter."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I understand now."0


    "Tomorrow, you should urge the Zhou Qun couple to speak up for Bai Fendou and his father at the security department."0


    "Okay."0


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw had a good n. Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu with heartfelt words: "This time, although it''s a crisis, it might also be an opportunity. Perhaps we can find someone easy to manipte. Then we can use this person to get some benefits from the Zhou family."0


    Aunt Su''s eyes gleamed with calction as she said proudly, "I don''t believe they can stay calm when ites to their child."0


    She thenforted Wang Xiangxiu: "Xiu''er, in this courtyard, there''s no daughter-inw as good as you. You''ve given our old Su family three sons, making you a hero of our family. No one canpare."0


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled softly, a touch of pride in her expression.0


    "Our current life may be tough and full of calctions, but better days are ahead. They can''tpare to us."0


    "Mm-hmm."0


    Although every family has its own set of difficult scriptures to chant, it''s undeniable that everyone is quite satisfied with their current lives.0


    ******0


    Early in the morning, the sounds of the day began to rise and fall, marking the start of another busy day.0


    Zhuang Zhixi left home earlier than usual, specifically to see his wife off.0


    In the morning, Zhao Guihua boiled two eggs. Ming Mei had one, and Huttou and Xiaoyan shared the other. This was thanks to her foresight. After buying eggs once at the hospital gate, she went back a few more times and managed to buy some again.0


    Otherwise, relying solely on the quota, how could they have so many eggs?0


    She wanted to raise chickens partly because of this. If anyone questioned why their family ate so many eggs, she would have an exnation.0


    Today, Zhao Guihua was very busy. She left home early in the morning and headed straight to Back Street to find Auntie Lian.0


    Yes, that Auntie Lian who took on various tasks. Zhao Guihua knew that such a job would definitely be within her scope. Zhao Guihua actually knew some people, but finding a chick was easy. However, finding an old hen that wasying eggs was not easy. She needed it urgently, so naturally, she had to turn to a "professional."0


    When Zhao Guihua arrived at Auntie Lian''s courtyard, she was stopped by a neighbor: "Auntie, who are you looking for?"0


    These days, if you were a stranger, even entering an alley would attract the attention of neighborhood watchmen. Don''t even think about doing anything bad.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Is Auntie Lian here?"0


    "You''re looking for Auntie Lian?" The neighbor seemed a bit surprised, then shouted loudly: "Auntie Lian!"0


    As soon as the voice fell, Auntie Lian came out, dragging her shoes. She was quite surprised to see Zhao Guihua: "Huh? Why are you here?"0


    Although her business was extensive, most people didn''t like to associate with her. On one hand, they were afraid of being implicated, and on the other, they felt it was shameful. Nowadays, only formal factory workers were considered respectable. Anything else was beneath consideration.0


    If this were a few decadester, an olddy supporting herself by doing various activities would be praised: "Earning money, no shame in that."0


    But not now. Without a formal job and engaging in all sorts of misceneous activities was indeed quite shameful. Auntie Lian didn''t interact much with her neighbors.0


    Auntie Lian: "Come in,e in. Why are you here, sister?"0


    Zhao Guihua entered and saw some cardboard boxes piled up in the house, indicating she also did work for the neighborhood cardboard box assembly.0


    Zhao Guihua: "Auntie Lian, since you know a lot of people and have wide connections, I want to ask you to find two old hens, the kind thaty eggs immediately."0


    Auntie Lian: "Old hens?"0


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "Yes, I need them urgently. I don''t know how long it will take to find them, so I thought of you, the all-knowing one."0


    Upon hearing this, Auntie Lian smiled slightly, saying, "You''vee to the right person. If you ask someone else, it might not work, but if you ask me, I''ll arrange it perfectly. Just wait and see, I''ll have it sorted out in two or three days."0


    Zhao Guihua: "About the money..."0


    Auntie Lian gestured with a finger, and Zhao Guihua immediately agreed: "Okay!"0


    Although Auntie Lian engaged in various money-making activities, this was also within her scope. Whether it was a big job or a small one, as long as there was money to be made.0


    Zhao Guihua settled the matter and felt relieved. She whispered: "Auntie Lian, what about the clothing factory...?"0


    Auntie Lian quickly waved her hand: "No way, no way!"0


    She cursed: "These people must be crazy. They had a good ie, yet they went mad? They dared to collude internally and externally. Sister, I have to thank you for warning mest time. If not for your reminder, I would have ended up in jail. I was lucky. I didn''t go back, so I escaped that disaster. During that period, several people who often went there were caught red-handed. Even that gatekeeper, Old Brother, you''ve met him, an old man, ended up inbor reform."0


    If it were someone else, she definitely wouldn''t have said this, but Zhao Guihua had warned her, saving her from being caught. So, she feltfortable sharing this with her.0


    "The factory leadership changed, and the warehouse keepers needed to be reced. Previously, we just bought some scraps, and even the leaders turned a blind eye; after all, if we didn''t buy them, these scraps would be sold cheaply to various factories, sewn into small rags to clean machines, not worth much. But you see, aren''t they crazy? Just because there was a change in leadership, they wanted to make a big profit. They cut good fabrics into pieces and stuffed them into the waste, then colluded to smuggle them out. And it was several batches a day, a huge operation. How could it not leak out? After you told me, I didn''t dare go back. Not long after, about half a month, they were busted. I almost ended up inside, luckily, I only went once, and they didn''t catch me on the spot. Plus, they confessed that they colluded with each other, so these matters had nothing to do with me. No one bothered me."0


    If she had gone more often and been caught on the spot, it would have been over.0


    She sighed: "What a great situation I had, such a lucrative business, and it''s all gone."0


    She had lost a major source of ie, but Auntie Lian also said: "But don''t worry, I understand these things. I''llmunicate well in the future and still buy fabric scraps. I''ll definitely tell you and invite you along."0


    Zhao Guihua: "That would be great."0


    ¡°Oh, by the way. There was a ghost scare at the public toilet near your courtyard, right? Do you need a ghost exorcism?¡± Auntie Lian''s eyes lit up, trying to drum up some business.0


    Zhao Guihua: "No, I don''t believe in that."0


    Even though she had been reborn and, as an olddy, she was a bit superstitious, shepletely didn''t believe in the ghost scare at the toilet. If she believed it, she would be a fool. She knew exactly who was behind it.0


    She said: "You should promote this service to others."0


    Auntie Lian was disappointed: "Look at you, a person can''t believe in nothing."0


    Zhao Guihua smiled: "I also can''t believe in everything. Alright, I won''t chat with you anymore. I have to go back and work; there''s a lot to do at home."0


    "Okay."0


    Auntie Lian didn''t dy, saying: "I''ll go ask around for those old hens right away."0


    The two went out together. A neighbor peeked out: "Are you leaving?"0


    Auntie Lian grabbed the neighbor and said: "Do you have rtives in the countryside? This sister wants to trade for twoying hens. Do you have any connections?"0


    "I''ll take you to ask, but I''m not sure about the details."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Then I''ll trouble you."0


    Auntie Lian: "What''s there to trouble about? Go back, I''ll take care of this."0


    Zhao Guihua nodded and was about to leave when Auntie Lian suddenly said, "Oh wait, isn''t there someone in your courtyard who had an egg break?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­You mean Bai Fendou and his father."0


    Auntie Lian perked up immediately: "Oh, wait, don''t go yet! Tell us about it!"0


    As soon as she said that, the entire courtyard came alive, and everyone gathered around Zhao Guihua.0


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­"0


    "What happened?"0


    "Sister, tell us, please?"0


    Zhao Guihua felt that Bai Fendou was really going to be famous.0


    Although, he already had some reputation. After all, falling into a public toilet was quite rare, and the person involved was him, and only him.0


    Zhao Guihua swallowed hard: "Although we''re neighbors, I don''t work at the machinery factory, so I didn''t see the scene. He hasn''t returned since the incident."0


    "Ah, do you think he''ll be released?"0


    "I don''t think so. This kind of person, a hooligan, definitely can''t just let it go."0


    "I wonder how desperate he was. The one who always gets entangled with older women is also from your courtyard, right? It''s truly a hidden dragon in a crouching tiger, a hidden dragon in a crouching tiger!"0


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­"0


    How utterly disgraceful!0


    She felt embarrassed just being a neighbor.0


    Luckily, she had thick skin. If it were anyone else, they might have cried.0


    Zhao Guihua silentlyined a bit, then said, "I really don''t know the specifics, but he was the one who fell into the toiletst time too."0


    "Ah? That''s really¡­"0


    Zhao Guihua threw out a topic and quickly said, "I have things at home, so I''ll be leaving first. If you''re really curious, go to the hospital. He''s still hospitalized."0


    "He definitely won''t being out¡­"0


    "I think so too."0


    "Not necessarily, right?"0


    Seeing everyone discussing enthusiastically, Zhao Guihua quickly squeezed out and ran away from the alley, muttering curses as she walked home. Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun were really ruining the reputation of their courtyard. Poor the others living in Courtyard No. 44.0


    As she walked back, feeling mncholy, she ran into Aunt Su at the alley entrance. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Old Su, what are you¡­?"0


    You know, Aunt Su rarely left the alley. Her usual activity range was just their courtyard, and asionally the public toilet. She rarely went anywhere else.0


    Zhao Guihua was quite puzzled: "Are you going out?"0


    Aunt Su smiled weakly and said, "I''m going to my eldest daughter''s house."0


    She also looked at Zhao Guihua: "You''re out so early in the morning. Where did youe from?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I went to Back Street. I asked someone from the countryside to find me two old hens that cany eggs. I n to raise chickens. My daughter-inw is pregnant, so she should be nourished."0


    Aunt Su smiled softly, saying, "You''re such a good mother-inw. Starting to nourish her as soon as she''s pregnant. Any girl who marries into your family is fortunate. But Old Zhao, you also need to change your temper. Your temper might scare your daughter-inw."0


    Although she said that, her smile was faint. They were all old neighbors; who didn''t know who?0


    Zhao Guihua smiled: "Of course. I may have a bad temper, but I do things practically. I don''t y those fake games."0


    Aunt Su could tell this was sarcasm, but she didn''t change her expression. After all, she also talked about Zhao Guihua.0


    However, she didn''t have much time to chat with Zhao Guihua, so she just said a few words: "I have to go to my daughter''s ce. Let''s talkter."0


    Aunt Su hurried off, and Zhao Guihua watched her back thoughtfully.0


    But did Aunt Su matter? Not at all. Zhao Guihua quickly went home, nning to build a small chicken coop. Although people always say that children will have their own blessings, who is she as a mother?0


    Really, she just couldn''t help but worry about the whole family.0


    The news of Zhao Guihua building a chicken coop to raise chickens quickly spread throughout the courtyard. When Aunt Zhou saw it, she immediately said, "Since you can raise chickens, we''re going to raise chickens too."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead? No need to ask me."0


    Zhou Dama was choked, huffed, but she was in a good mood today and didn''t argue with Zhao Guihua. Instead, she said, "When you go to pick up wood to build the coop, get some for me too. I''ll need it."0


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes: "Am I your mother? Should I take care of you? Go get it yourself."0


    Zhou Aunt was furious: "How can you talk like that? Neighbors should help each other. How can you be so selfish?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Pfft. Who are you calling selfish? Who''s more selfish than you in this courtyard? Am I obligated to prepare everything for you? Can you have some self-respect? Get lost, always trying to take advantage."0


    Zhou Aunt: "Who are you saying takes advantage? Do you think my family needs to take advantage? Everyone knows we''re the richest in the courtyard. Why would I need to?"0


    She wasn''t well-liked in the courtyard, and seeing everyone looking at her mockingly, Aunt Zhou felt even more unhappy. She huffed, turned around, and went back inside. After a while, she came out again, loudly saying, "With our family''s conditions, we can afford to buy every day. We''re not raising chickens anymore. Tomorrow, we''ll buy a big rooster and kill it to nourish my son. Hopefully, it will help him have a son!"0


    Most of the working people had already gone to work, and the housewives smiled meaningfully, not responding.0


    Zhou Aunty was quite boastful, but who didn¡¯t know who she was?0


    If her family could so easily have a child, Aunt Su wouldn''t have had an advantage over Aunt Zhou for over a decade. Even if Zhou Qun was great, and Aunt Zhou always emphasized that their family was the richest in the courtyard, the topic of children was still a sore spot.0


    Previously, everyone thought it must be because Jiang Lu couldn''t have children, and it couldn''t be the man''s fault. But recently, with some of Zhou Qun''s affairsing to light, people started to have some doubts.0


    Being so young and messing around with older women, it was likely that he had ruined himself when he was young and reckless.0


    Although the former mistress who had an affair with Zhou Qun had passed away, and others with names and identities firmly denied it, making Zhou Qun''s affair end with a whimper after a lot of noise, everyone knew it must be true.0


    So, why didn''t the Zhou family have children became quite questionable.0


    Seeing no one supporting her, Aunt Zhou continued, "If anyone has extra meat coupons, trade them with me. I need to nourish my son Zhou Qun."0


    She added, "If anyonees across pig kidneys when buying meat, let me know."0


    Everyone: "¡­"0


    Is there really a need for that?0


    Zhao Guihua, while working, nced at Aunt Zhou a couple of times. She suddenly said, "It''s not a holiday. Why is Aunt Su going to her daughter''s house?"0


    Everyone knew that Aunt Su had a terrible rtionship with her inws, and they never visited each other.0


    Although Aunt Su was good at acting, her daughter exploited her husband''s family, extracting every benefit from them to support her own family, and no amount of acting could change that, as it involved real interests. So, she had a bad rtionship with both her inws and didn''t visit them.0


    Even during holidays, neither of the two sons-inw nor the grandchildren visited.0


    Even Aunt Su''s two daughters rush back and forth every time theye, dropping off things and leaving quickly, sneaking back.0


    Like Ming Mei, she had been married for several months, half a year, but hadn''t seen Su Zhaodi and Su Pandi from this family.0


    So, Aunt Su going to her daughter''s house was quite surprising.0


    When Zhao Guihua said this, she looked up and saw Zhou Da Ma''s fleeting joy. Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow slightly. She became even more certain that the Su family must have agreed to some condition with the Zhou family to "save" Bai Fendou and his father.0


    The Su family had no money, and no one either. Zhou Qun and Wang Xiangxiu had long had an unusual rtionship, so there was no reason for them to easily mediate.0


    But she had heard yesterday that the Zhou family was willing to let go of Bai Fendou and his father... The child!0


    Zhao Guihua analyzed it all and suddenly figured out the reason.0


    She nced back at Aunt Su and frowned, thinking to herself: Could it be that Aunt Su is arranging for someone to have a child for Zhou Qun?0


    After all, in her previous life, a "distant rtive" from Aunt Su''s family had appeared.0


    Could it be that this person was found by Aunt Su?0


    Although this didn''t happen in her previous life, there might be other triggers or perhaps Aunt Su took the initiative to help? Zhao Guihua thought of this and felt her stomach churning with nausea.0


    These people are really something else.0


    She quickly lowered her head and continued working on her fence.0


    Aunt Su smiled and said, "I''ll be going back to my hometown for a visit in a while."0


    She startedying the groundwork for the topic.0


    Aunt Wang was surprised and asked, "Are you feeling alright? You haven''t had any contact with your family for decades!"0


    Aunt Su replied, "As people get older, they tend to reminisce about the past."0


    Aunt Wang: "..."0


    She didn''t believe it one bit.0


    Zhao Guihua: "..." Confirmed, the Zhou family is looking for someone to have a child for Zhou Qun.0


    However... Zhou Qun seems to be infertile!0


    This is really...0


    Zhao Guihua felt that these people were acting too recklessly.0


    She often felt that her family didn''t fit in with the others in the front yard because they weren''t as outrageous.0


    Truly, they werepletely out of ce.0


    These three families each had their own quirks!0


    Jiang Lu too, how could she agree to this?0


    Zhao Guihua found herself utterly confused.0


    She really didn''t understand Jiang Lu, but Jiang Lu was also lost in thought, pondering the same matter. It all startedst night when Aunt Su came to their house. They werepletely unprepared for what Aunt Su was about to propose.0


    She offered to find someone to help Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu have a child, in exchange for Bai Fendou and his father.0


    This deal, whether from Aunt Su or Zhou Qun, and even from her perspective, seemed very worthwhile.0


    That Bai Fendou, a man whose manhood had been crushed, whether he was in jail or not wouldn''t affect her, but a child... that was an irresistible temptation. She desperately wanted to have a child for Zhou Qun.0


    She had been married for over a decade and had been ridiculed countless times because of her inability to conceive.0


    Now, this was an irresistible temptation. She couldn''t let the Zhou family die out. If there was such an opportunity, she felt she really wanted to seize it. By then, she would send the woman away and raise the child herself. Wouldn''t that be the same as having a child of her own?0


    She couldn''t let the Zhou family die out, nor could she let Zhou Qun die out.0


    Zhou Qun was such a good man, never despised her, and didn''t deserve this fate.0


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t understand why Jiang Lu agreed, in fact, Jiang Lu hadn''t objected from the start. She had recently tried all sorts of absurd remedies, from drinking dog''s blood to swallowing children''s urine, and even more disgusting folk remedies, but still, her stomach showed no signs of life.0


    What else could she do?0


    So now, if someone else could have a child for Zhou Qun, she would be willing, as long as the child called her "mom," it would be her child. She was determined to continue the Zhou family line. Anyway, as long as they kept it hidden, no one would know, right?0


    By the time the woman got pregnant, they would send her to the countryside to give birth, and Jiang Lu would pretend to be pregnant. When the time came, she would im to have given birth, and no one would be able to gossip about her. She thought this n was actually quite good.0


    "Jiang Lu."0


    Zhou Qun came over and said, "Let''s go to the security office together."0


    Jiang Lu: "Okay."0


    He stood up.0


    The couple left the office together. As soon as they were gone, the people in the office looked at each other and whispered, "What are they up to?"0


    "Who knows?"0


    "Jiang Lu has been spacing out all morning."0


    "I can''t figure it out."0


    The two didn''t pay attention to the gossip around them. As they walked down the corridor, which was empty, Jiang Lu wanted to hold Zhou Qun''s arm, but Zhou Qun quickly moved away, a sh of disgust in his eyes. Jiang Lu didn''t notice and thought he had just identally moved his arm. She took a step forward, grabbed Zhou Qun''s arm, and said, "Qun Ge, no matter what, we''ll be fine."0


    Zhou Qun gave a soft "Hmm" and tried to pull his hand away but ultimately restrained himself.0


    Although Aunt Su and Jiang Lu were quite willing to go along with this arrangement, Zhou Qun didn''t express any opposition either. In reality, if you were to ask if he was particrly happy about it, Zhou Qun wasn''t. He just wanted a son, and as for a new woman... ever since the ghost incident in the restroom, his interest in women had waned considerably.0


    Not only had his interest diminished, but he now found women quite repulsive.0


    He said, "Wife, do we really have to do this? I do want a son, but I find other women disgusting. I have no interest in them at all."0


    Jiang Lu looked at him with emotion and said, "Qun Ge, I know you love me the most. Just bear with it for a while. Once we have a child, everything will be fine... we can''t not have a child."0


    Zhou Qun was silent for a moment before nodding, "You''re right, I''m being selfish."0


    "No, Qun Ge, I know you''re like this because you love me."0


    Zhou Qun gave a faint smile and then said seriously, "I swear to you, I have no interest in other women."0


    Jiang Lu was even more moved, excitedly saying, "Qun Ge, we will definitely be happy in the future."0


    Zhou Qun nodded. The couple went downstairs and just as they reached the second floor, they saw Zhuang Zhixiing out of his director''s office. Zhuang Zhixi was wearing a white shirt and dark blue trousers. Generally, this was the standard attire for male colleagues in the office.0


    But with Zhuang Zhixi''s tall stature, standing at over six feet, his straight back and long legs made him look like he belonged in a parade, exuding a very spirited aura.0


    Zhou Qun: "Zhixi..."0


    He hadn''t noticed before, but Zhuang Zhixi was really tall.0


    Zhuang Zhixi politely greeted them and then returned to his office. Zhou Qun nced in that direction and said, "Zhuang Zhixi married a woman who''s not worthy of him."0


    Jiang Lu nodded, "Zhuang Zhixi is indeed not worthy of his wife. His wife''s conditions are quite good."0


    Zhou Qun was speechless, "I was saying that Zhuang Zhixi''s wife is not worthy of him, you got it backwards."0


    Jiang Lu: "..."0


    She disagreed but didn''t say anything, instead quickly adding, "You''re right, Zhuang Zhixi''s wife is indeed not worthy of him."0


    Zhou Qun: "Exactly. Ming Mei, she''s not very handsome, her temper isn''t good, she looks delicate but is quick to fight. A woman should be gentle and loving, not throwing punches at the slightest disagreement. It''s crude!"0


    He nced at Zhuang Zhixi''s office again and said, "Zhuang Zhixi, although he''s a bit talkative, can be considered a sunny young man, and is also smart. He just didn''t get the chance to go to university, but if he had, he would definitely have passed. Both brothers in their family were good students. Look at Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua, they only finished elementary school, but their sons were both good at studying. I wonder who they take after. Although Zhuang Zhiyuan is not as good as Zhuang Zhixi, he did quite well when he took the college entrance exam. It''s rare to get into university, and he did well enough to directly get a job in the railway department."0


    Jiang Lu nodded, "You''re right. Oh, but you don''t like their family, why are you saying nice things about them?"0


    Zhou Qun said with conviction, "I''m just being objective, one thing at a time."0


    Jiang Lu looked at Zhou Qun with admiration, saying, "Qun Ge, you''re such a wonderful person."0


    Zhou Qun gave a forced smile.0


    The couple continued on their way to the security office. Zhuang Zhixi stood by the window, watching them pass by, then returned to his seat. Although he was a neer in the propaganda department, his director hadn''t treated him like one, already assigning him tasks.0


    Old Huang: "The director asked you to write an article promoting our factory?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "I have no idea where to start."0


    Sister Cui: "Who does, really?"0


    In previous years, everyone had been anxious about this, as the praise for the factory was repetitive, and it was easy to read on the radio. But when it came to submitting articles to various journals, getting them published was difficult.0


    In previous years, everyone had been scratching their heads over this, but this year, everyone was pretending to be dead and begging for mercy.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, the new guy, was assigned to handle this task.0


    Sister Cui is a nice person, and after getting to know Zhuang Zhixi over the past couple of days, she leaned in and whispered to him, "Just write it down. If it passes, great; if not, just return it. We''ve returned plenty in previous years. Don''t push yourself too hard."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, taking her advice to heart.0


    Sister Cui then continued, "Hey, have you guys heard? Bai Fendou tried to jump off a building at the hospital yesterday?"0


    Everyone nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we''ve heard."0


    Old Cao chimed in, "The security department was talking about it this morning, telling everyone they met at the gate. Now the whole factory knows. It''s such a disgrace to men. I''ve never seen such a cowardly man. He has the guts to do bad things but not to face the consequences."0


    Zhuang Zhixi interjected, "Do you guys want to know thetest developments?"0


    Everyone turned to him in unison, asking, "What? Is there more to this story?"0


    "Zhuang Zhixi, don''t hold out on us. Spit it out."0


    "Yeah, you live in the same courtyard, you must have insider info. Tell us what''s going on. But what more could there be? Isn''t it just about how they''re going to handle Bai Fendou and his father?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled calmly and said, "Thetest news is that Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu have forgiven Bai Fendou. They should be at the security department right now, pleading for leniency for Bai Fendou and his father. I think they''re probably already there by now."0


    "What?!"0


    "Holy crap!"0


    Even Little Xu, who usually had a bit of a distaste for Zhuang Zhixi, came over to join the gossip, looking utterly confused. This situation was just beyondprehension.0


    Everyone let out shocked exmations and then looked at each other, momentarily at a loss for words. Old Huang even scratched his hair, making it messy, and deeplymented theplexity of society.0


    As a tech-savvy introvert, he really wasn''t cut out for such aplicated world, with its intricate human rtionships.0


    Such a big deal, and it''s just going to be swept under the rug?0


    Everyone was silent, utterly bewildered.0


    But the most bewildered, the absolutely bbergasted ones, were the security department. Section Chief Liu looked at Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu standing in front of him and couldn''t help but dig his ear, saying, "What did you just say? Can you repeat that for me? Did I hear wrong? I must have heard wrong, right?"0


    Zhou Qun was a bit embarrassed but repeated himself.0


    This time, not just Section Chief Liu, but the entire security department was left in a state of shock.0


    Zhang San asked the burning question, "He harassed your wife, and you''re saying it was just a joke, and you''re letting it go??"0


    Zhou Qun, with sincerity shining through the awkwardness, said: "We''re all neighbors, he didn''t mean it. We have to allow people to make mistakes and give them a chance to correct themselves. Besides, he didn''t really make a mistake. He had no bad intentions; it was just a joke. Actually, he''s just too fond of joking around. We often joke like this."0


    He nudged Jiang Lu, and she immediately nodded, "Yes, I overreacted a bit. It''s really not a big deal."0


    Section Chief Liu was at a loss for words, "He was joking? He joked and you kicked him?"0


    Jiang Lu also felt awkward but held her ground, "Actually, at the time, I was too excited and misunderstood him, but when I thought about itter, I realized he''s not that kind of person. The security department can''t wrong an innocent man!"0


    Section Chief Liu finally couldn''t hold back, "Nonsense! Innocent? What kind of innocent person does something like that? All the things he''s done, not a single one can be called innocent. I don''t know what kind of benefits you''ve received to be willing to let them off the hook. But let me tell you, you''re aiding and abetting evil! You''re making a mistake. Think carefully before you speak! Is what you''re doing right?"0


    Jiang Lu panicked for a moment.0


    Zhou Qun looked at Section Chief Liu and thought, he really has a manly aura!0


    But he quickly snapped back to reality, holding his wife''s hand, which immediately gave Jiang Lu courage. She said seriously, "I didn''t take any benefits, and I''m not lying. I just can''t stand to see an innocent person being wronged!"0


    Section Chief Liu was speechless.0


    He looked at the couple and pointed at them, shouting, "Get out of here!"

 Chapter 87

    <h1>Chapter 87</h1>


    Strange things happen every year, but this year seems particrly abundant.0


    The actions of Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu truly shocked a lot of people, including even Section Chief Liu.0


    This really proves the old saying: when the forest is big, all kinds of birds can be found. Section Chief Liu had always looked down on Zhou Qun and his wife, and now he looked down on them even more. It wasn''t that he necessarily wanted to do something to Bai Fendou and his father, but this situation was certainly not a trivial matter.0


    They were desperately trying to absolve Bai Fendou and his father of any wrongdoing, and since Bai Fendou and his father were not punished this time, what if they didn''t change their ways?0


    Section Chief Liu was utterly disgusted. He banged the table and cursed, and the security department all cowered, but under the insistence of Zhou Qun and his wife, the security department ultimately did not seriously pursue the responsibility of Bai Fendou and his father.0


    By rights, they should have been sent to prison to sew clothes.0


    However, this time, these things were avoided. Even so, Section Chief Liu was unyielding at the factory internal meeting, firmly stating: "Our security department absolutely cannot tolerate the presence of someone like Bai Fendou. The security department is here to ensure the safety of the factory and its workers. If we have a ck sheep among us, how can wemand respect? How will others view our security department, and how will they view the authority of the factory? Moreover, we all know what happened. Does a joke from Zhou Qun and his wife make this matterpletely resolved? What are we supposed to do? Pretend everyone is blind? Does Zhou Qun''s family not care about this, but will others not care? What if they offend again? Who can guarantee they won''t offend again? Who can guarantee that!"0


    These words left the entire room in silence.0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang, who had seen many interesting situations, also disliked this family quite a bit. People, after all, have both good and bad qualities, but what kind of people are they? He coughed and said, "I also support Section Chief Liu. Bai Fendou absolutely cannot continue to stay in the security department."0


    "Our logistics department also cannot keep Old Bai working in the boiler room. We cannot afford to have such a morally corrupt person.¡± He said, "Everyone should not think that working in the boiler room is a trivial matter. This is not a small matter. If Old Bai takes revenge on society and makes a big move, this will not be a small matter. In short, this job is not suitable for Old Bai."0


    Actually, this matter could have been handled quite easily. Although it was a loss of face for the factory, sending them to prison would have been enough. But since the victims, Zhou Qun and his wife, insisted it was a joke, some things couldn''t be handled that way.0


    But certainly, they couldn''t leave it without any exnation, or else with over ten thousand people in the factory, what credibility would they have?0


    The factory director pondered for a moment and said, "How about we remove both of them from their positions?"0


    He hesitated for a while and said, "Other departments..."0


    "We don''t want them."0


    "We don''t want them either."0


    Why should they bear the burden for Bai Fendou and his father? If it were Jiang Lu, maybe there would be some possibility because of her father, but Bai Fendou... Who even knows who he is? With such poor character, what if something happens in the workshop?0


    "Isn''t Old Fan, who cleans the toilets and carries manure, getting old and nning to let his son take over?" As the deputy director in charge of logistics, Deputy Factory Director Zhang knew some small details about the factory that other leaders didn''t.0


    The logistics director immediately nodded: "Yes, Old Fan''s son is going to take over."0


    Deputy Factory Director Zhang: "Then how about this, let''s directly assign both Bai Fendou and his father to clean the toilets and carry manure. Old Fan''s son is definitely a young man, and young men are strong. It''s better to let him directly enter the workshop."0


    The logistics director''s eyes lit up and he nodded: "That works."0


    He thought this was quite good. Although it''s a formal job, who would want to clean toilets and carry manure at a young age? Everyone in Beijing wants face. If they can enter the workshop, no one would be willing to carry manure.0


    Like Old Fan, he had privately approached him, wanting to switch his son''s job, but how could that be easy? After all, this kind of work is not something everyone is willing to do. He didn''t take it seriously, but he didn''t expect this to turn out unexpectedly well.0


    Thinking about it, he was quite happy. If he could arrange for Bai Fendou and his father to take over, then Old Fan''s son could go to the workshop. He wouldn''t have taken the things from Old Fan for nothing. Moreover, there''s Old Tian, who has always been diligent and hardworking. Previously, there was no opportunity to switch jobs, but this time it just so happens to give him a chance to switch out.0


    After thinking about it, the logistics director''s eyes were full of joy and he said, "I think this is a good idea, really not bad."0


    "Then it''s settled."0


    Usually, meetings are for discussing important matters, but this was the first time they were discussing something like this. Even the big men present had a bit of gossip in them. The factory director curiously asked, "Is it really... broken?"0


    "Broken for sure."0


    Everyone clicked their tongues, sighing that it was deserved.0


    But they also more so felt the fragility of men. This really breaks easily, really not durable at all.0


    "When can theye back to work? It''s not good for them to stay in the hospital forever. The factory can''t let theme and go as they please, wanting to rest whenever they want."0


    Section Chief Liu: "Besides being broken, they don''t have other major issues. Being broken, it''ll take about a week to recover. Carrying manure won''t affect that."0


    "Alright, since that''s the case, you can convey this."0


    "Okay."0


    Bai Fendou and his father, who were in the hospital, didn''t know anything yet. The factory office had already issued a notice, and a big notice was posted on the wall, detailing the results of this punishment. As soon as work was over, many people gathered around it, pointing and talking about the announcement.0


    However, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t know about this. He had taken the afternoon off and rushed straight to his mother-inw''s house. Since Ming Mei was pregnant, of course, the first thing was to inform the family elders. Ming Mei''s mother, Lan Ling, was at home taking care of the children.0


    Ming Mei''s older brother had two children, also a brother and sisterbination. The older brother had already gone to kindergarten, and the younger sister was still a baby, just learning to crawl, not yet knowing the difference between four, five, and six. Ming Mei''s older brother and sister-inw were both at work, and Lan Ling was at home preparing milk powder for the baby when she heard a knock on the door. She was puzzled and opened the door to see her son-inw.0


    Looking around, she didn''t see her own daughter. Lan Ling: "Xiao Zhuang,e in. Why are you here at this time?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded happily. He entered the house and couldn''t wait to say, "Mom, I''m here to share some good news. Ming Mei is pregnant."0


    He blurted out the whole story, and Lan Ling''s eyes lit up with joy. As a mother, she was so happy she didn''t know what to say, but soon she snapped back to reality and started giving advice. Her daughter-inw had given birth not long ago, so she still remembered the details of pregnancy very clearly.0


    Zhuang Zhixi listened carefully, really wishing he could find a notebook and write it all down, not missing a single word.0


    Lan Ling was very satisfied with her son-inw''s attitude. As the saying goes, a mother-inw looks at her son-inw and likes him more and more. Lan Ling was no exception. She knew her own daughter well, and after interacting with Zhuang Zhixi for a while, she felt that the two of them were quitepatible. Naturally, as a mother, she was happy.0


    She said, "I can''t go over right now because I''m taking care of the kids. We''ll go over after they get off work in the evening. Ming Mei is now a pregnant woman, and her mood might be a bit unpredictable. You, as her husband, have to be more tolerant. This is the most fragile time for her."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded: "I understand."0


    Lan Ling: "Ming Mei''s personality is a bit lively and she can''t stand any injustice. If something happens, don''t let her rush into things. I don''t care how she was before, but now that she has a child, it''s not okay."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded again: "Mom, don''t worry, I''ll definitely watch out for her."0


    Lan Ling: "That''s right. The matters between you two as a couple, we elders don''t interfere much, but this period is special, so you have to be more amodating."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, I know these principles. Ming Mei is the most difficult at this time, and I won''t be insensible."0


    Lan Ling showed a happy expression.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "By the way, Mom, I want to ask you, do you know how to buy adult milk powder? I want to buy some for Ming Mei. Pregnancy still requires some supplements."0


    Lan Ling: "This... don''t worry about it. I''ll prepare it for you."0


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly waved his hands, "No need, no need, Mom. We''re fine on our own. I''ve been transferred to the propaganda department, now in an administrative position, and my sry has increased by five yuan per month. Ming Mei earns even more than I do. Between the two of us, we make quite a bit each month. My parents only need ten yuan for their living expenses, so we''re quitefortable."0


    Lan Ling understood that her son-inw didn''t want to take advantage too much, so she directly said, "What you have is yours, but what we elders choose to give is our business. Don''t think you''re rich just because you have a little money. There will be plenty of expenses when raising a child. Besides, what the elders give you is yours. I don''t like it when you''re too formal."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Then, thank you, Mom."0


    Lan Ling: "Oh right. Wait a moment."0


    She quickly got up and went into the room, returning shortly with a serious expression. Zhuang Zhixi looked at her curiously. Lan Ling handed him a small velvet bag and said, "You''re a man, so you don''t know. When a woman is pregnant, it''s extremely difficult. If the baby in the womb behaves, it''s fine, but if it''s a bit mischievous, the pregnant woman suffers terribly. Don''t think giving birth is easy; it''s actually very taxing on the body. We won''t even talk about the postpartum confinement period; just the morning sickness in the early stages is unbearable. So..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Do you have a solution?"0


    His eyes lit up.0


    Even the doctors only suggested eating something sour to alleviate it.0


    Maybe his mother-inw had a better method?0


    Lan Ling: "This is the time to trust old sayings. Here, take this and keep it. Give it to Ming Mei when you get home and tell her to put it under her pillow. Actually, wearing it would be better. But with all the chaos outside, it''s better not to attract attention. Have her hide it in her pillow. This jade is very good at calming emotions, helping her stay peaceful. And this is a lucky bean. Lucky bean, lucky bean, meaning lots of luck. It''s the best. Ming Mei sleeping with the lucky bean every night, how can she not be well?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi took the small velvet bag, inside which was a green jade lucky bean with a fresh red string attached.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He scratched his head.0


    Lan Ling: "Don''t underestimate this. It''s not some feudal superstition; it''s very logical. Think about it, if it weren''t good, why would so-and-so and so-and-so wear it back then? It''s very beneficial for women."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded seriously, "Alright, I''ll keep it. I''ll give it to Ming Mei as soon as I get home."0


    Lan Ling also reminded him, "Don''t show it around, okay?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded solemnly. He looked down at the emerald green jade, which seemed very rich in color. He held it up to the sunlight and saw that it appeared wless. He said, "It looks very good."0


    Lan Ling raised an eyebrow, "You know about this?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "How would I know? I just think it looks pretty nice."0


    Lan Ling: "That''s how these things are. People who like them think they''re priceless, while those who don''t think they''re just ordinary. It''s all about personal preference. For families like ours, we can''t afford the absolute best, but this is pretty good without being extraordinary. Of course, it''s not worthless either. You should keep it well."0


    She added, "Save it for your childter."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."0


    His smile brightened a bit.0


    Lan Ling asked a few more questions about Ming Mei, then said, "Alright, you can go now. Your father and I wille over tonight."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."0


    After delivering the message, he looked at the time and found it was still early, so he went straight to the supply and marketing cooperative, buying a pound of sesame cakes. There were still some sweets at home, and he didn''t dare buy too much of other things since the weather was getting hotter and things wouldn''t keep well.0


    He''d buy more as needed.0


    Due to the leave, Zhuang Zhixi had more time and returned earlier than others in the afternoon. Since the weather had warmed up, women who didn''t work had taken to sitting in the courtyard chatting while doing small tasks like picking vegetables or mending clothes, not wasting any time.0


    Zhuang Zhixi entered the house and saw only his sister-inw, not his mother, so he asked, "Sister-inw, where''s Mom?"0


    Liang Meifen: "She went fishing."0


    Liang Meifen felt a bit sour inside. She thought her mother-inw favored Ming Mei more, but she couldn''t say this in front of others. If she did, it might reach her mother-inw''s ears and cause trouble. Liang Meifen wasn''t very decisive, but her mouth was tight.0


    And there was a fundamental difference between educated and uneducated people.0


    Liang Meifen wasn''t the sharpest, but her mother-inw treated her children well and never skimped on food, which was rare. Although there were also mild mother-inws like Aunt Su in their courtyard, Wang Xiangxiu''s life wasn''t easy.0


    Zhao Guihua''s temper was a bit bad, but they didn''t have to support the family like Wang Xiangxiu.0


    So while Liang Meifen felt a bit jealous of her sister-inw, she didn''tin to the neighbors. Besides, her mother-inw wasn''t easy to deal with, and her sister-inw wasn''t either.0


    She didn''t want to get beaten up.0


    After all, they were all family, and getting beaten was just part of the deal.0


    She volunteered, "Mom said pregnant women need to eat more fish, so after lunch, she took the fishing rod and basket and left."0


    She then pointed to the small fenced-off area in the courtyard, "Mom said we''re going to raise chickens."0


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That''s great. It''ll be convenient to have eggster."0


    He brought the sesame cakes inside and stored them, then quickly went to the main house to boil water. In winter, they had a stove in their room and boiled water there, but after winter, they boiled water in the main house. Not giving individual rooms their own stoves. As he boiled water, his gaze fell on the newly added stove in front of their house, and he raised an eyebrow.0


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off about it.0


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at it a few more times but couldn''t figure out what was wrong.0


    Could his mother be hiding good stuff here?0


    He shook his head with a chuckle; his family, born into a poor farming background, had managed to be factory workers, a significant improvement. Where could they have any good stuff? But Zhuang Zhixi knew that his parents were hardworking, otherwise, his siblings and he wouldn''t have had it so easy.0


    If they were still farming in the vige, life would be truly hard.0


    He lowered his head to boil water and called out through the window, "Sister-inw."0


    Liang Meifen: "What is it?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Come here for a moment."0


    Liang Meifen got up and walked to the kitchen window in confusion, asking, "What¡¯s the matter?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom doesn''t know when she''ll be back. If shees backte, sister-inw, could you make something good for dinner?" He exined, "I went to my mother-inw''s house this afternoon. They are nning toe over to see Mingmei in the evening. Although they didn''t say whether they woulde over for dinner, I thought it would be good to prepare in advance. Even if they don''te to eat, if we don''t prepare at all, it would be a mess."0


    This matter was not handled smoothly by him; he should have asked about it. However, he was just too excited about his wife being pregnant, which made him a bit oblivious.0


    Liang Meifen furrowed her brows and said, "It can be done, but all our food, clothing, and daily necessities are controlled by my mother-inw..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If Mom asks, I will tell her."0


    Liang Meifen: "Okay."0


    She felt a surge of resentment again. Both were doing the same thing, but her brother-inw could take on that role, while her own man was cold and indifferent towards her family. She was ufortable with it, but there was nothing she could say.0


    Are you ming your man?0


    Then she is also reluctant.0


    However, speaking of which, his parents and younger brother seem to have not contacted her for a while recently. Initially, they wanted to borrow money from her to buy a three-wheeled vehicle, which costs thirty-six legs. She didn¡¯t have a penny to spare, but she couldn''t miss her younger brother''s wedding either.0


    She should do more for her brother; there aren¡¯t many women like her sister-inw. When she went back to her family to "fight for her brother''s rights," it unexpectedly caused unhappiness for the whole family. Not only was her future sister-inw unhappy, but her brother was also displeased, subtlyining about her in his words.0


    And her parents... how could her parents say she is a troublemaker?0


    Thinking about all this, Liang Meifen felt a wave of sadness. Ever since theirst argument, they hadn''te looking for her. She hadn''t returned to her parents'' home either, as she only went back when there was something to do. There was no need to go otherwise.0


    As the saying goes, "Once a daughter is married, she''s like water spilled on the ground." She had her own life to live, but deep down, she still felt a bit unsettled.0


    "What''s wrong?" someone noticed Liang Meifen''s troubled expression and quickly asked.0


    Aunt Zhou''s eyes darted around, eager to catch a glimpse of someone else''s misfortune.0


    Liang Meifen replied, "I suddenly thought about my family. My younger brother''s wife¡­"0


    She started talking nonstop. Naturally, she wouldn''t say anything bad about her parents or brother, but her sister-inw? That was a different story. She had to talk about her shorings, and she did so in great detail.0


    "Oh, that''s a lot! Is she made of gold or something?"0


    "Hai, maybe she thinks she''s quite something¡­"0


    Although they didn''t know the person at all, the women quickly got into the gossip. Zhuang Zhixi finished boiling water and filled the thermos before heading out on his bike. Aunt Wang asked, "Zhuang Zhixi, are you heading out again?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I''m going to pick up my wife after work."0


    Zhuang Zhixi went to pick up Ming Mei after her shift, just in time to miss the usual crowd of people getting off work. He had taken the afternoon off and wasn''t at the factory, so he hadn''t seen the notice. However, almost every household in their courtyard had someone working at the factory. For example, both Li the Cook and his son-inw got off work earlier. Being in the logistics department was less demanding than other workshops, so they finished earlier. As soon as Yang Lixin returned, he announced loudly, "I have news about the Bai family''s punishment!"0


    This statement caught everyone''s attention. "What happened?"0


    "How were they dealt with?"0


    Everyone was eager to know the oue, especially after hearing about Aunt Zhou''s fake "forgiveness" the day before. Some believed it, others didn''t. They were all waiting to see the result.0


    Yang Lixin''s voice was loud and clear. "Bai Fendou and his father are off the hook. They just got transferred to a different position."0


    Everyone was shocked and looked at Aunt Zhou, wondering what kind of benefits the Zhou family had received to let the Bai family off so easily. If it was just neighborly kindness, no one believed it. Aunt Zhou wasn''t the type to be so forgiving.0


    "Aunt Zhou, you really forgave the Bai family? You''re quite something."0


    "Oh my, I never expected that."0


    "Aunt Zhou, are you still holding a torch for Old Bai?"0


    Aunt Zhou was extremely unhappy with thesements and snapped, "You bunch of gossipy busybodies, stop talking nonsense! Can''t I just let it go for the sake of being neighbors? Bai Fendou and his father have already been humiliated enough. We live in the same courtyard; can''t we just let bygones be bygones? We''re not that heartless."0


    She had her own calctions. Although there was some backroom dealing, she also wanted to paint a good picture of herself.0


    Everyone rolled their eyes, not believing Aunt Zhou''s kindness for a second.0


    "So, they got transferred? To where?"0


    Yang Lixin nodded, struggling to hide his smile. "Yes, transferred. Now Bai Fendou and his father are in the same position."0


    "Oh, did Old Bai get transferred to the security department too?"0


    "Don''t be silly. Security isn''t something just anyone can get into. And with what they did, do you really think they''d get a better position? Plus, Old Bai''s too old to be in security! He''d be useless even if he ran into a thief."0


    "Probably Bai Fendou and his dad are both cleaning boilers now. Guess it''s a family business."0


    Yang Lixin casually said, "Nope, you''re all wrong. Bai Fendou and his dad were both transferred. They''re now in the logistics department, cleaning toilets and emptyingtrines."0


    "Pfft!"0


    "What?!"0


    "Ahahahahahaha!"0


    The sharpughter came from Aunt Zhou. Although she had let the Bai family off, seeing them suffer still brought her great joy.0


    "Emptyingtrines? How could they be assigned to that?" Aunt Su, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly spoke up in a panic. "What''s going on? They didn''t do anything wrong. How could they be transferred to such a job?"0


    Yang Lixin, who harbored a deep grudge against the Bai family over the "antiques" incident, didn''t hold back. Nor did he have a good attitude toward the Su family, who always sided with the Bai family. He smirked and said, "Who said they were transferred because of a mistake? If they had really done something wrong, they''d be fired. Since nothing happened, this is just a normal work transfer. There''s no such thing as a high or low job. Every job is for serving the people. What''s wrong with cleaning toilets? It''s all the same. Serving the people. Aunt Su, your attitude is problematic. I think they''re doing just fine. At least father and son can help each other out."0


    Aunt Su''s face turned pale. She hadn''t expected that even though the Zhou family had let it go, the factory hadn''t. Although she was known for being able to make a scene, this time it wouldn''t work. She had no legitimate reason to go to the factory and cause a fuss.0


    She wasn''t Old Bai''s wife or anything.0


    Taking a deep breath, she struggled to control her anxiety.0


    It was clear that working in security and cleaningtrines were two very different things. Not only was thetter undignified, but the pay was likely to be lower too. Her face darkened with resentment.0


    Aunt Zhou looked at Aunt Su, her eyes filled with glee. Regardless of how others felt, she was truly in a good mood. She hummed a tune and said, "Today is such a good day."0


    Yang Lixin added, "The factory should be notifying them. They can''t keep taking sick leave forever. The factory gave them a week off, and after that, they have to start their new jobs. I guess that''s a promotion, right? From being security guards to bing ''toilet managers.''"0


    "Pfft!"0


    Everyone burst outughing, and the courtyard was filled with a lively atmosphere.0


    Aunt Su was unhappy, but no one cared about her feelings.0


    Everyone found it amusing.0


    The Bai father and son really seemed destined to have a close rtionship with toilets.0


    Aunt Su awkwardly stood up and said, "I''m going to the toilet."0


    "I''lle with you," Aunt Zhou quickly followed, and the two left the courtyard together. Once outside, seeing no one around, Aunt Zhou immediately said, "We''ve done our part as promised. We don''t care if Bai Fendou and his father are cleaning toilets. If it weren''t for my son Zhou Qun, they''d be in jail by now. You promised us, and you have to keep your word, not a single bit less."0


    Aunt Su sighed softly and said, "Aunt Zhou, since I promised, I will definitely follow through. Don''t doubt me. After so many years as neighbors, don''t you know me?"0


    Aunt Zhou pressed further, "So, have you found someone?"0


    Aunt Su nodded. "If I hadn''t found a suitable candidate, why would I have approached you? Aunt Zhou, you misunderstand me too much. I''ve already found the right person. You prepare a bit on your side, and I''ll discuss it on mine. We''ll take you to meet her in the next couple of days. She''s the cousin of my eldest daughter''s husband, the third daughter of her aunt''s family. They''re from a rural area, a family that had nine daughters and is still trying for a son. Such a family would be very willing to get rid of one more mouth to feed. You don''t need to give them any money; just provide a ce to stay and food. It''s like having an extra maid. If she gets pregnant and gives you a grandson, you can decide whether to keep her or send her back to her family. Either way, it''s fine."0


    Aunt Zhou''s eyes lit up with joy. "That sounds perfect."0


    She hadn''t expected that in her old age, she''d get to experience the life of andlord, having an extra maid.0


    "Make it quick. But won''t this be a troublemaker?"0


    Aunt Su: "You make it sound like she''s some kind of troublemaker, just a country girl. What could she possibly stir up? She can''t even stir her own family! You yourself came from the countryside, you know how naive country girls are. You tell her to go east, and she won''t dare go west. This is my own rtive, and if it weren''t for the sake of helping Old Bai, I wouldn''t be doing this."0


    She sighed, "I''m not that heartless, but our family has been indebted to the Bai family for so many years, and we''ve never been able to repay them. Now that something''s happened to the Bai family, how could we just turn a blind eye? People only realize the depth of their bonds during times of trouble. I don''t have any romantic feelings for Old Bai, but we''re like siblings."0


    Aunt Zhou let out a coldugh, not believing a single word, not even a punctuation mark. She knew exactly what kind of people this family was.0


    Aunt Zhou: "Enough with the act, we all know each other. Just hurry up and bring that girl over."0


    "Alright."0


    The two women whispered in the restroom, which was empty at the moment, so they didn''t bother to lower their voices. After all, they were just two uneducated housewives who didn''t think much about the consequences. Little did they know, what they said could be heard next door!0


    They thought the women''s restroom was empty and they could talk freely, but they didn''t realize that the men''s restroom next door was upied.0


    And the person in the men''s restroom wasn''t just anyone; it was Yu Baoshan from the house at the end of the alley.0


    Yes, the one who got swindled by Zhao Guihua.0


    Yu Baoshan wasn''t in the restroom by coincidence; he had hidden some things there, and he was feeling uneasy about it. So, he had been visiting the restroom frequently. This time, he came while most people were still at work, and the area was quiet.0


    For some reason, he felt like his things were missing.0


    In fact, from the ground, you couldn''t see anything, but you had to climb onto the restroom partition to check. However, Yu Baoshan just had this feeling that his things were gone. He had sprained his ankle a few days ago and hadn''t fully recovered, but today, he felt well enough to climb up and take a look.0


    Before he could even start climbing, he overheard Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su''s conversation.0


    In this neighborhood, people had been living here for decades, some for over ten years. Although some residents weren''t very distinctive and their voices might not be easily recognizable, it just so happened that the Zhou and Su families were well-known in the neighborhood.0


    Despite the Zhuang family living quite well, they weren''t the center of gossip in the alley.0


    The real talk of the town were families like the Su''s, with their distinctive characteristics, or the Zhou''s, who were always stirring up trouble. So, Yu Baoshan immediately recognized their voices and knew who they were.0


    The content of their conversation was quite explosive, and he listened intently, a malicious smile spreading across his face.0


    Such a situation was a "goldmine," and if he could catch them in the act, he would have another "windfall." He didn''t like working and preferred doing this kind of thing, not only for the sense of superiority it gave him but also for the potential profits.0


    Of ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????course, he couldn''t make much money directly, as most of the spoils were confiscated, and there were always higher-ups who took their share. He, as just a small fry, could only get a few measly benefits, but even that was enough to make it worthwhile.0


    He used to be too scared to take any risks, as getting caught would have serious consequences. But over the past year, he had be bolder, and he wasn''t the only one doing this secretly. He even knew someone who tried to steal gold bars and flee to Hong Kong.0


    But he wasn''t as foolish as that guy; he had his own ns. Even if he wanted to run away, it wouldn''t be in a hurry; he would do it slowly. Otherwise, he might not even make it out of Beijing.0


    How utterly stupid.0


    The arrest of that guy had caused quite a stir, and now they were much more cautious when confiscating property, usually working in groups to prevent anyone from pocketing anything.0


    Fortunately, he had managed to pull off a big heist before all this.0


    Otherwise, he would have been at a loss.0


    The steady umtion of small gains wasn''t bad, as it was certainly better than working.0


    But who would want less when they could have more?0


    Working was hard and had its limits, but now that he had a position, they couldn''t stop paying him. If they didn''t, it would be hindering his progress. He hadn''t learned much, but he had mastered the art of throwing around big words.0


    Hearing this conversation, he knew there was money to be made.0


    He grinned sinisterly, deciding not to jump out just yet. If he did, they might deny everything, and he would gain nothing. He would wait, wait for the girl to move in, and maybe even catch them in the act. That way, he would have leverage over the Zhou family, and he didn''t believe he couldn''t squeeze some money out of them.0


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu both had decent sries; surely they could spare some for him.0


    But now wasn''t the right time to make his move. He was... "Damn it!!!"0


    Just as he was reveling in his newfound opportunity to make money, he suddenly froze, his eyes wide with disbelief. He looked around the empty beams,pletely panicked. "Where are my things? Who took my things?"0


    At this moment, he couldn''t control his volume, and he was practically frothing at the mouth, his eyes bloodshot.0


    "Where are my gold bars? Who took my gold bars?!"0


    Yu Baoshan''s desperate screams scared the two elderlydies in the restroom so much that they nearly fell into the toilet. Fortunately, the recent rumors of ghosts in the restroom had made everyone extra cautious, and the twodies quickly grabbed the wall, narrowly avoiding a fall.0


    Aunt Su reacted quickly, pulling up her pants and running out, while Aunt Zhou wasn''t far behind. They both scrambled out, tripping over each other and falling to the ground, but they kept crawling away.0


    They couldn''t help but be terrified, both looking towards the men''s restroom.0


    Luckily, it was broad daylight, and people were starting to return from work, so the eerie screams from the restroom, though frightening, were clearly not the work of a ghost.0


    The ghost rumors had indeed affected everyone.0


    People gathered outside the restroom, not daring to go in. Meanwhile, Yu Baoshan had climbed onto the beams, his eyes bloodshot, unable to believe what he saw. "Where are my things?!"0


    The restroom wasn''t veryplicated, and even though the beams were a bit dark, it was still clear enough in the daylight. Yu Baoshan was in a frenzy. "Who took my things?"0


    At this point, Yu Baoshan waspletely losing it. He was usually a veryposed person, but no one could stay calm when faced with losing a fortune. After all, what he had lost was a treasure that many people could never earn in a lifetime.0


    How could he not go mad? He knew it would be nearly impossible to find another chance like this. In the past, there were capitalists, but in recent years, they had be scarce. Even if they found someone with issues, most were just ordinary people with bad backgrounds, making it hard to get any money.0


    "Who took it? Who took my things?"0


    Yu Baoshan was going crazy in the restroom, and by now, people were returning from work. Even Zhuang Zhixi had picked up Ming Mei, and the couple was curious about the crowd gathered at the restroom entrance. Zhuang Zhixi pulled his wife back, saying, "Let''s step back a bit; you don''t want to get pushed."0


    He then added in a "quiet" voice, "If someone falls in, we don''t want to get sshed."0


    "You''re so right."0


    Others also quietly stepped back.0


    But there were always those with bigger guts, like their neighbor from the next courtyard. When the ghost rumors started, he was the first to open his door, though he did get a scare. But such boldness was hard to change.0


    Strong-Willed stepped forward and peered into the restroom, only to hear someone in a frenzy: "Who took my gold and silver jewelry!"0


    Oh boy, he heard it loud and clear.0


    So did everyone else.0


    Yu Baoshan waspletely unable to calm down. He pounded heavily on the beam and cursed, "You bastard, damn it! If I catch you, I''ll kill you!"0


    He pounded with all his might, thudding loudly. Suddenly, there was a click... thud!0


    Everyone watched as the restroom made a noise, and a long-neglected wooden beam couldn''t take it anymore. With a loud crash, it broke, right where Yu Baoshan was sitting. There was a loud tter... "Ahhhhh!!!"0


    Screams echoed as he reached out and grabbed something, feeling the restroom about to copse.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Holy crap!"0


    He quickly pulled his wife and quickly moved a few steps toward their home, staying as far away as possible. This public restroom had been around for quite some time. With that pull, arge section of the roof instantly copsed.0


    "Someone''s trapped under there."0


    "Holy crap, good thing we got away."0


    "My goodness, thank heavens..."0


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Many old restrooms in other streets have been renovated, but we''re still using the old one from twenty years ago. The beams are wooden, and it''s clear that long neglect just doesn''t work..."0


    "Exactly, this time the street office will have to renovate ours. Others have concrete ones, which are much more durable."0


    "Exactly."0


    "Hey, wasn''t there someone in there? Let''s hurry and save them."0


    It''s true that people are still warm-hearted. Everyone quickly moved over. Zhuang Zhixi kindly reminded, "Be careful, there are scattered wooden pieces, watch your step, and don''t fall into the pit."0


    "My goodness, can''t you say something nice?"0


    "But he''s right, let''s hurry and save the person."0n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    A few men at the front moved closer and finally managed to pull the person out. Yu Baoshan was now covered in blood. He had fallen from the roof and struggled, identally hitting his head. Blood covered his face, looking quite frightening.0


    However, Yu Baoshan hadn''t fainted. Instead, his teeth were clenched, but at this moment, his reason had returned somewhat, realizing that some things couldn''t be said. But he had already blurted out too much.0


    He tried hard to calm down, but his face was still ghastly pale.0


    He looked gloomy like a demon from hell.0


    "Uh... you... you..."0


    "Oh, it''s you, Xiao Yu. Are you alright? You''re hurt pretty badly..."0


    "Don''t chit-chat, hurry and call his family, send him to the hospital."0


    "Right, right."0


    Yu Baoshan took deep breaths, trying to calm down.0


    But losing so many things, he really couldn''t calm down, only managing to say stiffly, "Thank you."0


    Fortunately, there was only him in the restroom. If there had been others, he wouldn''t have climbed onto the beam so recklessly. Now, not only had he lost his things, but he had also lost face. The Yu family soon arrived, wailing, "Son, what happened to you? How could you have ended up like this? This restroom should have been renovated long ago. The street office doesn''t care, forcing us to make do. Look, look at what they''ve done to you. The street office has to take responsibility!"0


    Truly, there''s always someone worse off. Before anything was resolved, they were already nning to pin it on the street office.0


    "Auntie Yu, don''t talk anymore. Hurry and send him to the hospital. Look at all that blood."0


    "Yes, no matter what, let''s deal with itter. Hurry..."0


    The Yu family had many brothers, and several came over. They didn''t need help from outsiders, borrowing a small cart and quickly pushing him away, shouting. Yu Baoshan sat in the cart, emanating a gloomy aura.0


    Perhaps it was due to excessive anger, but suddenly, he slumped in the cart and fainted.0


    "My heavens!"0


    "Oh my, hurry, let''s go to the hospital!"0


    Some also sighed.0


    "How did it copse so suddenly..."0


    "Was it because he was pounding? I nced at the door when I passed by, but it copsed too quickly to be sure."0


    Strong-Willed was the closest to the truth. He felt he had to speak up and not let the street office be med unjustly.0


    "I''m just telling the truth. I walked to the door and saw him sitting on the beam, pounding away, and then the wood broke... luckily, I dodged in time."0


    "I believe that. I also heard him mention gold and silver jewelry... what was he saying?"0


    "He said someone took his gold and silver jewelry. How could he have such things? And how could he keep them in the restroom?"0


    "Exactly."0


    Everyone discussed, somewhat confused, but Aunt Wang, who was more responsible, actively said, "Everyone, don''t use this restroom today. Go a bit further to the next alley. If it copses again and hurts someone, it''ll be bad."0


    She didn''t stay long, saying, "I''ll go to the street office. I hope they haven''t left yet."0


    Her words didn''t affect some people, like Aunt Zhou, who immediately rushed over and started rummaging through the fallen wood in the restroom, asionally looking up. Aunt Su also quickly understood and rushed over.0


    The two women started digging, and others with quick minds also moved in. Regardless of what was going on, they had heard about gold and silver jewelry.0


    Zhuang Zhixi, holding Ming Mei, watched themotion from the side. Seeing everyone rushing over andpeting, he deeply felt that these people didn''t bring their brains with them when they went out? If there were really valuables, would Yu Baoshan have gone crazy like that?0


    Besides, if there really were valuables, he wouldn''t have let his family take him away.0


    These people were truly blinded by the thought of gold and silver.0


    "Hey, what are you doing? Move aside."0


    "Why should I move aside? Is this your ce?"0


    "What do you mean? Is it yours if it''s not mine?"0


    Seeing the situation about to escte, Zhuang Zhixi decisively said, "Wife, let''s go home."0


    He put his arm around Ming Mei''s shoulder and prepared to leave.0


    "Ming Mei."0


    Ming Mei heard someone calling her. Turning back, she saw her parents and older brother.0


    Ming Mei immediately eximed with joy, "Mom, Dad!"0


    Ming Xiangdong looked at the dense crowd and the obviously copsed restroom in surprise, saying, "What''s going on here again?" They saw everyone rummaging through the restroom, quite a few people.0


    Ming Mei''s father sighed, "Do you guys have a problem with restrooms?"0


    "Who knows, let''s go home and avoid Ming Mei getting squeezed."0


    The Ming family quickly moved forward. Ming Mei''s older brother was still looking back at themotion, saying, "Hey, you guys really know how to make things lively."0


    They returned to the courtyard, and from the right side, someone said, "What are you all doing? Stop messing around. What could be in the restroom?"0


    There were also those who were upright and selfless.0


    Zhuang Zhixi peeked out again and saw the courtyard manager from the next door scolding people.0


    He sighed, "What a mess."0


    He led everyone back. His father and older brother were already at home. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Hey, when did you guys get back?"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Before the restroom copsed, I didn''t watch the excitement."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I met Dad at the alley entrance. He said not to watch themotion and go home, so we came back. I guess we were ahead of you. I heard some noise at the restroom and thought it wasn''t interesting and might ruin my appetite, so I left. I didn''t expect the follow-up to be even more exciting, with it copsing..."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "What are you talking about? Hurry and wee the inws."0


    He wasn''t good at entertaining guests, saying, "Zhixi, make some tea for your inws."0


    Ming Mei smiled, "Don''t treat my parents like outsiders." She then noticed her mother-inw wasn''t home; it was her older sister-inw making dinner.0


    Liang Meifen had a painful expression. She also wanted to go out and enjoy the excitement, but instead, she had to cook. She didn''t expect Ming Mei''s parents to actuallye over for dinner. It was truly unexpected; what kind of mindset would dare to casually eat at someone else''s house?0


    However, Liang Meifen didn''t pick a fight in front of her mother-inw. She wasn''t that kind of person.0


    She said, "My mother-inw went fishing. She left after lunch and hasn''te back yet."0


    "There''s no need to prepare too many dishes," Lan Ling said with a smile, her voice gentle. "I bought a roasted duck and a pork hock, and..." She continued, "Since your mother-inw isn''t here, I''ll help out."0


    Liang Meifen was quick to refuse, "No, no, please sit down. You''re a guest."0


    Lan Ling chuckled, "Then I''ll leave it to you."0


    Liang Meifen replied, "It''s no trouble at all."0


    He was practically salivating.0


    Tonight''s meal looked really good.0


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were already peeking at the door, their big eyes full of curiosity as they watched the guest. Lan Ling patted the children''s heads and said, "I bought ice cream and put it in the thermos. Would you like to share it?"0


    The children were shocked.0


    Could they really have ice cream so early?0


    Usually, they only got to eat it during the hottest days of summer!0


    Thest time they had it wasst summer, and since it wasn''t quite hot yet, their family hadn''t bought any. But now... Hutou swallowed hard, "Me, me, me. Can I have some?"0


    Lan Ling smiled, "Of course you can."0


    "I also brought some for Grandpa Lan and the others. Would you like to take it to them?"0


    Hutou nodded, then shook his head.0


    Lan Ling: "???"0


    Hutou: "No one''s home there. They haven''te back yet."0


    Old Man Zhuang: "Maybe they''re watching themotion outside."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No, they weren''t there when we were watching themotion."0


    Ming Mei, being her father''s daughter, knew him well. Lan Ling remained calm and said, "They must have gone out to eat. Since they''re not here, that makes two extra sticks. You two can have one extra each."0


    Hutou: "!!!"0


    Xiao Yanzi: "!!!"0


    Xiao Yanzi blinked her big eyes and said, "Thank you, pretty auntie."0


    Lan Ling giggled, pinched her cheek, and said, "Oh, what a sweet little girl."0


    Ming Mei: "Come on, give me one..."0


    Lan Ling smiled, "There''s no more left for you."0


    Ming Mei: "Ah???"0


    She stared at her mother in disbelief. No ice cream for her?0


    Lan Ling: "What would a pregnant woman like you want with ice cream? Come, let''s go to your room. I need to give you some advice."0


    Ming Mei: "But I just found out I''m pregnant. What''s wrong with having a little ice cream... There''s no rule against it."0


    The usually gentle Lan Ling turned stern with her daughter, "My word is the rule."0


    Liang Meifen: "..."0


    All mothers are the same.0


    Lan Ling led Ming Mei to their room, carrying a bag. Ming Mei pouted, "Mom, you''re being too strict. I''m married now, why are you still controlling me?"0


    Lan Ling smiled, "Does getting married mean you''re not my child anymore?"0


    Ming Mei: "Of course not."0


    Lan Ling: "Then what are youining about?"0


    She said, "I brought you some food. Put it away."0


    Ming Mei immediately leaned in, "What goodies did you bring?"0


    Lan Ling: "I made you some ck sesame oil tea this afternoon, with chopped walnuts in it. Have a bowl if you have no appetite, or as a snack at night. I also brought you a can of malted milk and a can of milk powder. Let me know when you finish them, and I''ll prepare more."0


    Ming Mei watched as her mother pulled out beef jerky and said, "This is what your dad bought for you at the ck market this afternoon. It''s not much, so keep it for yourself and don''t share it."0


    Ming Mei nodded seriously, then hugged her mother''s arm and said, "Mom, I''m so happy."0


    Lan Ling tapped her forehead and said, "Just take care of yourself, and that''s all I ask. Now that you''re married and not living with us, if the Zhuang family treats you badly, go to your grandfather. He won''t let you suffer."0


    Ming Mei''s lips curled up with pride as she mentioned her grandfather, "Mom, Grandpa really loves me the most. You know that, right? He gave me something special."0


    She closed the door, not worried about being seen, and quickly showed Lan Ling the small golden Buddha her grandfather had given her, "Look!"0


    She was beaming, "No one else has one."0


    Lan Ling''s lips twitched, then she smiled faintly, "Yes, he loves you the most."0


    What a joke. Everyone has one.0


    That old man, so sly!0

 Chapter 88

    <h1>Chapter 88</h1>


    When Zhao Guihua returned, the meal was almost ready. She carried a bucket, her face beaming with joy.0


    Seeing her inws, she greeted them with a heartyugh, "So, the inws are here! You''re in for a treat today, I had a great catch!"0


    She instructed her daughter-inw, Liang Meifen, to stew two more fish. Liang Meifen quickly got to work, while Zhuang Zhixi peeked in, eximing, "Wow, Mom! You''re on fire today! This is a first!"0


    Zhao ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Guihua was notoriously the worst fisherman in the family, usuallying back empty-handed. This sudden sess was indeed rare. Zhuang Zhixi joked, "If I didn''t know better, I''d think you bought the fish and pretended to have caught them yourself..."0


    Zhao Guihua shot him a look, "If you keep quiet, no one will mistake you for a mute."0


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head, chuckling sheepishly.0


    Zhao Guihua waved him off, "Go on, get out of here. Inws, you really didn''t have to bring so much stuff." She was well aware of what was in the house and knew what the inws had brought.0


    She nced around and asked, "Isn''t Meimei''s sister-inwing?"0


    Lan Ling replied, "She''s at home taking care of the two kids. Our youngest, you know, can''t take a step without being carried."0


    Babies required so much care, and the slightest thing could set them off crying. Lan Ling wouldn''t dare take the little one out unless absolutely necessary.0


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "Kids grow up fast. One day they''re crawling, the next they''re climbing roofs. Don''t you think so?"0


    She ruffled the hair of her grandson, Hutou, who was happily munching on an ice pop. He looked up, his voice clear and bright, "Grandma, I''m a good boy!"0


    He wasn''t just a good boy; he was the best one.0


    He offered, "Grandma, have an ice pop. There''s more."0


    Zhao Guihua smiled, "Alright, I''ll have one to cool off too."0


    The Ming family of three hade to visit their daughter, Ming Mei. Ming Xiangdong, Ming Mei''s brother, and Zhuang Zhiyuan were old ssmates and good friends. They had plenty to talk about, but Old Man Zhuang and Ming Mei''s father didn''t have much inmon. Old Man Zhuang had spent his whole life working in the factory, not much of a talker. As for Ming Mei''s father, he was a rugged man who spent his days driving big trucks, traveling far and wide. The two of them sitting together didn''t have much to say.0


    Luckily, Zhao Guihua and Lan Ling hit it off. They exchanged politepliments and then delved into the nitty-gritty of pregnancy. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, the newlywed couple, listened intently.0


    They were both new to this and eager to learn from others'' experiences.0


    The dinner was a grand affair, with eight dishes on the table. Despite the extra guests, everyone ate heartily, their mouths greasy with satisfaction. Surprisingly, Ming Mei, who had been nauseous from the smell of snake soup the day before, seemed fine today.0


    Lan Ling advised, "Don''t eat rabbit meat during pregnancy. They say if you do, the baby will be born with a cleft lip."0


    Ming Mei: "..."0


    Zhao Guihua bit her lip, wanting to argue that there was no logic to such superstitions. But she held her tongue, knowing that such beliefs weremon. As a mother-inw, she didn''t want to undermine the mother''s concerns, lest she be seen as malicious.0


    The meal was rich, with a rabbit, a fish dish, andmb as the main courses. The Ming family had brought four more hearty dishes, making the table almost entirely meat except for a lone green vegetable.0


    People back then were always short on meat, so such a feast was a rare treat. The dishes were quickly devoured, with several hearty men around the table.0


    After dinner, no one rushed to clear the table. Zhuang Zhixi got up to brew some tea. He nced outside and said, "Grandpa hasn''te back yet."0


    Lan Ling was unfazed, "Probably went to watch a movie after dinner."0


    There was ate-night show that evening.0


    Ming Xiangdong remarked, "Grandpa sure knows how to enjoy life."0


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "At his age, happiness is what matters most." Her words earned a thumbs-up from Lan Ling, who agreed, "Exactly. At this age, living life on your own terms is what makes it all worth it."0


    Zhao Guihua smiled. Ming Mei added, "Maybe Grandpa''s just watching themotion outside. Mom, didn''t you see? The outdoor toilet copsed."0


    Zhao Guihua had indeed seen it. She had been carrying her fish basket and didn''t bother to investigate, but she had noticed the street officials gathering, making a ruckus. She pretended to be curious, "What happened outside?"0


    Ming Mei exined, "Some guy went crazy in the toilet and fell from the beam. Who knows why he was climbing up there."0


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "It''s Yu Baoshan from the end of the alley. He ims to have hidden some valuables in the toilet, but now they''re gone. He went nuts and ended up falling, bleeding all over. He''s been sent to the hospital."0


    Zhao Guihua''s lips twitched. She knew it was her fault¡ªshe had taken Yu Baoshan''s valuables. But at her age, she had seen it all and wasn''t about to show any cracks.0


    She calmly remarked, "Who in their right mind would stash valuable things in a public toilet instead of their own home? Doesn''t that defymon sense?"0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan spected, "Maybe the stuff wasn''t legit. Maybe he stole it during some raid and was afraid to keep it at home with all his brothers and sisters-inw around."0


    "Even so, hiding it outside is just as strange. Afraid of his own family but not others? Doesn''t make sense."0


    "Who knows."0


    The group chatted away, with Lan Ling remarking, "I''ve always heard about the excitement here. Now I see it for myself. It''s quite the spectacle."0


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "Sometimes it''s just embarrassing to talk about."0


    Her words broughtughter to everyone.0


    Zhao Guihua left a good impression on Lan Ling. Before the wedding, Lan Ling had found Zhao Guihua a bit too assertive, worrying about her daughter. But she had been drawn to Zhuang Zhixi as a son-inw, believing his personality matched Ming Mei''s well. After hearing about the family dynamics from her daughter, Lan Ling realized Zhao Guihua, though strong-willed, was a reasonable woman.0


    Still, a mother''s worries never fully fade. This visit reassured Lan Ling, and she found the family quite agreeable. Even the usually calcting sister-inw wasn''t so bad.0


    People have their quirks, and as long as they''re notpletely unreasonable, they can coexist.0


    Lan Ling advised, "Mei, it''s lively here, but don''t get too involved in the chaos. You''re not the same as before."0


    Ming Mei chuckled softly, "Mom, you sound just like Zhixi. You''re both so nagging. Don''t worry." She wasn''t as impulsive as she seemed; everyone''s concerns were unnecessary.0


    She smiled, "Even if they tear the ce apart, I won''t get involved. Alright?"0


    She gestured, "I''ll stay five meters away."0


    Lan Ling nodded, "That''s more like it."0


    Ming Xiangdong added, "Stay in a good mood during pregnancy. If anyone dares to bully you, tell your dad. I''ll make them regret it."0


    With his towering frame, he was quite intimidating.0


    Ming Meiughed, waving her hand, "No one would dare, Dad. You know me, I''m not one to be bullied."0


    It was true; Ming Mei had always been tough.0


    Lan Ling smiled, "I see Zhixi takes good care of Mei. We were just worrying for nothing. You two take care of each other."0


    ¡°Got it.¡± The young couple responded.0


    The two families sat together, still quite harmonious. The two older brothers discussed their recent work situations, both facing promotions, which naturally led to a lot of experience sharing. As they chatted, they heard amotion in the courtyard.0


    Ming Mei immediately moved her chair to take a look outside, only to see Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su being scolded.0


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± It¡¯s quite something to be able to scold both Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su like that. Impressive!0


    You see, one of them is a shrew, and the other is a master of ying the victim¡ªneither is easy to deal with.0


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°The neighborhood director.¡±0


    Ming Mei suddenly understood. No wonder.0


    This drama unfolded, and the whole family came out to watch. It turned out that they were being scolded for leading the destruction of the public restroom.0


    Ming Mei: ¡°???¡±0


    She whispered to Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°Didn¡¯t they only go there after it copsed?¡±0


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°Maybe they caused secondary damage to the restroom?¡±0


    Indeed, the neighborhood director was hopping mad: ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore, so how can you have such poor manners? Just because you heard some nonsense, you went and trampled the restroom! Now, do you know how much it costs to rebuild a restroom? How could you do something like this!¡±0


    She was truly furious: ¡°Even if there was something there, you can¡¯t just go and grab it! This kind of behavior is a disgrace to our neighborhood. I¡¯m telling you, what¡¯s wrong with your courtyard? This keeps happening over and over again. I¡¯m really disappointed in you. Look at what you¡¯ve done¡ªoriginally, your courtyard had a sure shot at being awarded the title of Outstanding Courtyard for catching thieves, but now, it¡¯s not looking good. You lot are troublemakers. If I were to give the Outstanding Courtyard award to you, no one would be convinced. You can¡¯t do anything good, and now you¡¯re tarnishing other people¡¯s honors.¡±0


    Speaking of this, even Aunt Wang was extremely indignant.0


    She had led the crowd to catch a thief, which was such a good deed, but now, because of these people, their chances of winning the Outstanding Courtyard award were ruined. She looked at the neighborhood director, almost on the verge of tears. The good deeds were theirs, and the bad deeds were done by others, but since they were all in the same courtyard, they had to suffer the consequences together.0


    Aunt Wang: ¡°Director, are we out of the running for the Outstanding Courtyard award?¡±0


    The director sighed: ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. I was almost certain we¡¯d give it to you, but then Zhou Qun did that¡­¡± Before she could finish, Aunt Zhou tried to argue, but the director cut her off: ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t think that just because the factory didn¡¯t catch him in the act, your son is innocent. And Bai Fendou and his father¡ªhow can they be so shameless? I¡¯m already stressed out, and they¡¯re both old enough to know better¡­ I must have done something terrible in my past life to end up dealing with all of you.¡±0


    Aunt Wang almost burst into tears: ¡°I must have done something terrible in my past life to have such neighbors.¡±0


    Aunt Wang was even more furious.0


    Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su were sullen. They wanted to argue, but with everyone in the courtyard ring at them, it was clear how angry they were.0


    After all, they had tarnished the collective honor.0


    The director looked at the broken window of the Bai family¡¯s house and asked: ¡°When will those two shameless ones be discharged from the hospital?¡±0


    Aunt Wang: ¡°Probably soon. The factory gave them only a week¡¯s leave, and it¡¯s been three days already.¡±0


    ¡°What a bunch of unlucky people, truly unlucky.¡±0


    Some curious onlookers asked: ¡°Director, what about Yu Baoshan¡¯s story about the gold and silver treasures?¡±0


    Everyone was curious about that.0


    ¡°There are no gold and silver treasures. Where would such thingse from?¡± the neighborhood director said: ¡°He said he fell asleep while squatting and was dreaming.¡±0


    ¡°Ah, this¡­¡±0


    Such a ridiculous excuse. Would anyone believe that?0


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged a nce, finding it too absurd.0


    Could it really be that simple?0


    They didn¡¯t believe it, and neither did the others. Everyone chuckled with mockingughter: ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±0


    ¡°We heard it clearly. Besides, I¡¯ve never heard of anyone falling asleep and talking in their dreams while squatting.¡±0


    ¡°Well, now we¡¯ve seen it. Not only did he talk in his dreams while squatting, but he also climbed onto the beam. How do you exin that? Was he sleepwalking?¡±0


    The neighborhood director remained unfazed: ¡°Exactly.¡±0


    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡­¡±0


    Indeed, the world is full of all kinds of people.0


    The neighborhood director: ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all old enough to know better. Don¡¯t just grow old without growing wiser. Think before you speak and act. Don¡¯t always bring shame to your families, your courtyard, and the neighborhood. Reflect on yourselves. Also, starting tomorrow, each of you must send someone to help repair the restroom.¡±0


    She pointed out a few people who had been messing around earlier.0


    Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su¡¯s faces were grim, but they helplessly nodded, this time not objecting.0


    In addition to them, a few others who had been watching themotion and also messed with the restroom were assigned the task. Everyone looked miserable. This was just adding more work to their tes for no reason. If it weren¡¯t for Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su rummaging around, they wouldn¡¯t have done the same.0


    The neighborhood director finally left.0


    The Ming family of three didn¡¯t stay much longer. It was already dark, and with only one woman and two children at home, they weren¡¯t at ease. Zhao Guihua said: ¡°Here, take two fish back with you. We don¡¯t have much here, but luckily, we caught a lot of fish this time. Don¡¯t be polite, inws.¡±0


    What they brought wasn¡¯t just a few fish.0


    Lan Ling declined: ¡°No, no, you have a big family. Keep them for yourselves. My family doesn¡¯t eat much, so we don¡¯t need¡­¡±0


    ¡°No, when you¡¯re a guest, you follow the host¡¯s lead. You have to listen to me. We¡¯ll go fishing again next time.¡±0


    She said two, but actually packed four fish, and then added a dried rabbit: ¡°Your family has kids, and kids need to eat meat.¡±0


    Lan Ling and Zhao Guihua went back and forth, but ultimately, Lan Ling couldn¡¯t outdo Zhao Guihua and epted the items. She felt a bit embarrassed: ¡°Look at us,ing to your house to eat and then taking things away. I really feel a bit embarrassed.¡±0


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°We¡¯re inws, it¡¯s all about give and take.¡±0


    She smiled and said: "We also ate the roast duck you brought. Little swallow with a tiger head, was the roast duck delicious?"0


    The two kids, though already full, couldn¡¯t help but swallow and nodded: ¡°Delicious.¡±0


    So fragrant!0


    The pork knuckle was also delicious.0


    The popsicle was also delicious.0


    And everything else was delicious too.0


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°See, even the kids know. Don¡¯t be polite. My inws, you can rest assured. Ming Mei is married into our family, and I¡¯ll make sure to treat her well. She¡¯s pregnant now, so I¡¯ll definitely ensure she gets the nutrients she needs. Look at the little fence in the yard¡ªI n to raise twoying hens so we can have fresh eggs.¡±0


    Lan Ling nodded, and everything she saw reassured her.0


    ¡°Anyone who has a family member-inw like you must have done something good in their past life to deserve such luck.¡±0


    The two exchanged morepliments, and it was finally time to leave. As Lan Ling walked out, she nced back¡ªher dad still hadn¡¯t returned. So, it wasn¡¯t that he was watching the excitement outside; he had just gone to the movies.0


    Lan Ling muttered softly: ¡°This old man, so carefree.¡±0


    Ming Xiangdongughed: ¡°You should be used to it by now. Isn¡¯t Dad always like this?¡±0


    Lan Ling nodded: ¡°True.¡±0


    Ming Cheng: ¡°Grandpa is more fashionable than us young people.¡±0


    Lan Ling: ¡°¡­¡­¡±0


    Although she didn¡¯t see her father today, Lan Ling¡¯s mood was still good. Seeing is believing, and her daughter¡¯s inws seemed reliable, which gave her a lot of reassurance. She said: ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±0


    The family chatted as they walked, and soon they left.0


    However, even though they had left, the people in the courtyard didn¡¯t disperse. They were still discussing the matter.0


    Someone said: ¡°Yu Baoshan must have hidden something in the restroom and then lost it, which made him go crazy¡­¡±0


    There were also those who didn''t believe it, saying, "The Yu family is so poor, what good stuff could they possibly have? I think it''s still the ghost in the toilet. He was bewitched."0


    Neither of these spections sounded good, so Aunt Wang said, "Didn''t they say he was sleepwalking while asleep?"0


    "Heh, who would believe that? Falling asleep in the toilet, that''s something I''ve never even heard of. I think it''s still a ghost..."0


    "What are you talking about? It must be something good he got from raiding someone''s home. His brothers are fighting over it, that''s why he didn''t dare to keep it at home."0


    This inevitably led to more gossip about family matters. Ming Mei and the others weren''t sleeping yet, so they gathered in the courtyard listening to the gossip. Stories like "The old couple clearly favors the youngest, giving him a room to himself while the older siblings have to share with partitions," and "The third daughter-inw is scheming to take over the youngest son''s room," and "Yu forced his sister to go to the countryside and even took her savings for marriage"...0


    All sorts of gossip filled their heads.0


    Then someone suddenly realized and asked, "Aunt Zhou, your son and daughter-inw aren''t home tonight?"0


    It was quitete, and they still hadn''t returned. That wasn''t normal.0


    Aunt Zhou replied, "They went to their inws'' ce."0


    Her tone wasn''t great. Her inws were the ones pushing for a divorce, which was quite unpleasant.0


    However, thinking about the grandchild she would soon have, her mood improved slightly. She pursed her lips and said, "Bai Fendou''s incident made my son worry that his father-inw wouldn''t feel reassured, so he went over specially to exin. You know, his inws are from an official family, they eat better, so they stayed for dinner."0


    Mentioning this, she nced at Aunt Su. Aunt Su gave a weak smile and said, "You have good inws."0


    She wasn''t in a good mood today. Although they were busy digging through the toilet, theyter heard that Ming Mei''s parents and brother hade over, bringing a thermos of ice cream and roast duck.0


    Her grandson Jii and the other two kids smelled it and were drooling, practically rolling on the ground wanting some.0


    Then hearing that Zhou Qun and his wife had also gone to their inws'', her mood soured even more. Other people''s inws could benefit them, but not her daughter-inw Wang Xiangxiu. This made her quite unhappy.0


    Wang Xiangxiu''s family was from the city, but they were also very poor and couldn''t help at all. Both sides were hoping to benefit from each other, but so far, they hadn''t gained anything. And today, when she went to her eldest daughter Zhaodi''s ce, they didn''t even offer her a meal, which also made her unhappy.0


    It seemed like all the bad things hade together. Tomorrow they had to repair the toilet, and thinking about all this, she couldn''t help but feel bad. All the older women in the courtyard seemed to be living better than her. Why?0


    Aunt Su thought about these things and her face darkened.0


    But when they mentioned Jiang Lu''s family, Zhao Guihua thought of something. Earlier, she had heard that Aunt Zhou was nning to deal with that family. She frowned, feeling someone watching her, and looked up to see Ming Mei.0


    Yes, Ming Mei also knew about this and seemed worried.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t say anything but gave Ming Mei a reassuring look. Ming Mei breathed a sigh of relief. Although she didn''t know those people, she couldn''t just pretend she didn''t know if someone was nning something bad.0


    Zhao Guihua also felt the same. Although she didn''t want to meddle, she still thought she should try to do something.0


    She couldn''t just stand by and watch something happen.0


    As she pondered this, the conversation shifted to the Yu family''s affairs. This wasn''t surprising, as the Yu family''s incident was the biggest news today, and everyone was naturally discussing it a lot.0


    After listening for a while and not hearing anything special, Zhao Guihua got up and went back to her room.0


    Old Man Zhuang hadn''t gone out. They had guests today, so he had a little drink and wasn''t very energetic. He was already lying down. Hearing Zhao Guihua return, he couldn''t help but whisper, "Do you think this matter is serious?"0


    It had caused quite a stir, and he hadn''t expected it, so he was a bit uneasy.0


    Zhao Guihua reassured him, "It''s nothing. It has nothing to do with you. He didn''t even dare to keep it at home, so what good could it be? Don''t think too much about it."0


    She continued, "I didn''t n to use it either, so there''s no need to worry. Just pretend you don''t know anything. Let''s keep it for ten more years, and then you canpletely forget about it."0


    She smiled and said, "You should praise me today. I actually managed to catch a fish."0


    Mentioning this, Old Man Zhuang perked up a bit and said, "You did? That''s great. Seems like practice really does make perfect."0


    Zhao Guihua looked at her old man and chuckled, saying, "You really believe I caught it with a fishing rod?"0


    Old Man Zhuang: "???"0


    Zhao Guihua: "I caught it with a."0


    This was quite exaggerated. She caught it with a but couldn''t with a fishing rod. Wasn''t that ridiculous? She sighed, "I guess I''m just not meant to fish with a rod. Next time I go out, I won''t bring one."0


    Old Man Zhuang couldn''t help butugh.0


    Zhao Guihua: "What are youughing at?"0


    She took a towel and went out to wash up, saying, "If you keepughing at me, I won''t be polite..."0


    As Zhao Guihua went out, she heard Ming Mei say, "Let''s go to the toilet. I don''t dare to go at night..."0


    Not because of ghosts, but because of the fear of it copsing.0


    Fortunately, the women''s toilet was still usable, while the men''s waspletely out ofmission.0


    But there was also good news: due to this copse, the twenty-year-old toilet would be rebuilt. It probably wouldn''t be in the original style but would be made into a regr house.0


    There would be no more ce to hide or y tricks.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Let''s go."0


    The alley was particrly lively due to the toilet copse. Meanwhile, others were not so fortunate. Yu Baoshan was like a man whose mother had just died. He had woken up by now, but his face was dark, his eyes lifeless, and he exuded an eerie aura.0


    Hey in bed, silent.0


    The Yu couple tended to their son, front and back. Bai Fendou saw this and nced at his own father, saying, "Even though both are parents, the difference is so big."0


    It just so happened that Yu Baoshan and Bai Fendou were in the same ward.0


    Bai Fendou was still hurt by his father''s indifference and spoke without holding back.0


    "Parents are only good if their children are good; if the children are no good, then no matter how much the parents do, the children will still find fault," Old Bai retorted without hesitation.0


    If this had been yesterday, they wouldn''t have had the energy to argue, but sincest night, they had learned that Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu had convinced the Zhou family. This really moved the two old bachelors to tears.0


    What is true love? Only in times of trouble can you see the truth.0


    Bai Fendou felt that Wang Xiangxiu was the best woman in the world, so virtuous, so selfless. Thinking about it made him sleepless. While Old Bai thought that Aunt Su must havee up with the n.0


    Wang Xiangxiu was a bit brainless, but Aunt Su was truly wise.0


    However, after this incident, Old Bai''s view of Wang Xiangxiu changed. Previously, he had looked down on her, being quite clear-headed about women other than Aunt Su. But this time, he truly saw her true colors.0


    He felt that although Wang Xiangxiu had some ws, she was still a good woman. If not for their efforts, he and his son would have been in big trouble. Thinking about it, although Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t a pure woman, she was raising children and taking care of her mother-inw.0


    Fundamentally, she was still very good, something others couldn''tpare to.0


    He said, "You treat me worse than other people''s daughters-inw. I don''t think I can rely on you in the future."0


    Bai Fendou sneered, "Who else can you rely on if not me?"0


    "Can I count on you? You''re the kind of person who pushes your father out in critical moments and then mes me. Are you even human?"0


    The two started arguing again. Aunt Zhou, who was unhappy, angrily said, "That''s enough, aren''t you? Is this ward your home? Don''t you see my son needs to rest? If you keep shouting, get out of here."0


    ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? This isn''t your home or my home. We paid for the hospital fees. We can talk, and if you don''t like it, plug your ears. Who knows what you did to end up in the hospital.¡± Bai Fendou was as foul-mouthed as ever.0


    These words infuriated Aunt Zhou. Her other children were already a bit resentful about the hospital expenses. Now, they had to endure Bai Fendou''s ridicule. Shepletely lost her temper and screamed, "You eunuch, I''ll make you pay for your mouth!"0


    Bai Fendou: "What did you just call me?"0


    Bai Fendou alsopletely lost his temper.0


    He was a perfectly fine seven-foot man, even if he was injured, wasn''t he already stitched up? Why call him a eunuch? Even his aunt couldn''t tolerate this. He roared and charged forward, and the two quickly entered into a brawl.0


    You yank my hair, I scratch your face.0


    Uncle Yu: "How dare you bully my wife!"0


    He quickly charged forward, and the elderly couple immediately pinned Bai Fendou down, pping his face. Aunt Zhou, the vicious woman, was about to go for the lower half, and Old Man Bai knew it was bad. He quickly grabbed the thermos by the bed, not caring if it was filled with hot water, and smashed it towards Aunt Zhou.0


    "Old hag, I''ll make you pay for bullying my son!"0


    Although he scolded his son, he could scold him, but others... others could scold him too.0


    However, absolutely no one could go for the lower half!0


    His son was already stitched up, and he absolutely couldn''t let him suffer more injuries. It wasn''t that he was particrly sincere to Bai Fendou, but he absolutely couldn''t lose his grandson. If he suffered another severe injury, his son might be a eunuch, and there would be no grandson.0


    This was the continuation of the Bai family''s lineage.0


    He pounced and joined the fight!0


    The ward immediately erupted into chaos. This ward only housed the Bai father and son, as well as Yu Baoshan, whoy motionless like a dead man. The other four were fighting fiercely. The young nurse hurried over and shouted, "What are you doing? Stop, stop right now, do you hear me?"0


    No one paid attention, and they continued to fight. The nurse didn''t dare to step in.0


    She helplessly shouted, "Quick, call the security guards."0


    Honestly, she was really distressed, never having seen such a thing. This Bai father and son had been in their hospital for three nights. The first night, the father and son argued, and the entire corridor heard it. Everyone gathered at the door to watch themotion.0


    The second night, Bai Fendou wanted to jump down, forcing them to go to the machinery factory to find their leader. Is there a problem finding the leader?0


    This was the third day, and the father and son had started a fight with the new patient''s family.0


    This father and son were truly the most extraordinary among the extraordinary, the most magical among the magical.0


    If this continued, their hospital would be torn apart. They were really too much: "You all stop right now! What are you doing? Damaging public property will requirepensation."0


    Her shouts went unnoticed. At that moment, Yu Baoshan suddenly sat up from the bed. He was extremely depressed. He had used many methods to obtain these jewels, but now his treasures had been stolen. He was filled with an indescribable rage.0


    He found everything annoying.0


    If it were just a gold bar, he thought he could control himself, but it wasn''t. He had lost a lot. Those things were enough for him to live a luxurious life, but now they were gone.0


    He couldn''t calm down, not even thinking about the aftermath of the incident.0


    He had only wanted to quietly think about who could have done this. He would definitely kill that person. Anyone who dared to take his things deserved to die. He gloomily contemted this, but there were some annoying flies buzzing incessantly.0


    He looked up and coldly watched the fight, feeling these people were so noisy, they deserved to die!0


    He pulled out the IV and stood up. While no one was paying attention, he grabbed a stool and smashed it directly onto Bai Fendou''s head¡ªbang! The stool hit Bai Fendou''s head hard, and Bai Fendou: "Ah!"0


    He copsed to the ground...0


    "Oh my god, murder!"0


    "You, you, put that down."0


    "I''ll fight you..."0


    Bai Fendou, having fought many times, was quite resilient. He took a hard hit from the stool but didn''t faint. Of course, it might also be because Yu Baoshan was too stimted today and didn''t have much strength.0


    Bai Fendou suddenly sprang up, charging forward with his head, pushing Yu Baoshan: "Damn it, watch this!"0


    Yu Baoshan was pushed back, hitting the wall with a cry. He desperately pounded Bai Fendou''s head, and Bai Fendou was bleeding profusely. Looking up at Yu Baoshan''s murderous eyes, he also felt an inexplicable rage. He felt extremely unlucky recently, even encountering such a thing while hospitalized. He directly reached out and grabbed Yu Baoshan''s vulnerable spot... "Ah!!!"0


    A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the heavens.0


    ...0


    In the dead of night, every household was deep in sleep.0


    Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door. The knock wasn''t heavy, but in the quiet night, it was particrly noticeable. Ming Mei turned over, murmuring softly, "What''s going on?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi also woke up, patted her, and said, "You sleep, I''ll go see."0


    At this moment, the advantage of having the Bai family around was evident. When the Bai family was there, Bai Fendou was always the first to go out, as he lived by the door and was the first to hear anymotion.0


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his temples, got up, pulled the nket up, and said, "You sleep."0


    Ming Mei nodded and softly responded with a sound of agreement. She wanted to get up but really had no energy. Pregnancy was really strange. Before the check-up, she ate and drank as usual, feeling no different. But after the check-up, she suddenly felt fragile.0


    She feltpletelycking in energy. Ming Mei pulled the nket over her ears and said, "Come back soon."0


    Zhuang Zhixi softly hummed and put on his coat. When he went out of the courtyard, he saw the Zhou family alsoing out, as well as his father and older brother. Zhuang Zhixi: "What''s going on?"0


    "We don''t know!"0


    In the middle of the night, no one went to open the door alone. The men just happened to gather together and walked to the door together: "Who is it?"0


    "I''m from the factory security department."0


    Everyone looked at each other, puzzled. Why would the factory security departmente at thiste hour?0


    Zhuang Zhixi was quick-witted and quickly opened the door. He saw it was Wang Eizi, whom he knew. This made him even more puzzled. He said, "Brother Wang, why are you here at this time?"0


    Wang Eizi looked really unlucky and said, "It''s all because of Bai Fendou from your courtyard. I really have bad luck for eight lifetimes to meet such a guy. Can''t he just be quiet? Every night he causes trouble, and we have to suffer because of it."0


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his ears in surprise and said, "Bai Fendou is in trouble again?"0


    What''s wrong with him this year? It''s endless. It''s only the first half of the year, and he''s caused so many troubles.0


    Zhuang Zhixi found this really hard to understand.0


    Indeed, some people being single is normal, but some people are gradually going crazy.0


    He said, "What did he do this time?"0


    Wang Eizi: "He got into a fight with his fellow patient in the ward. His fellow patient is also from your neighborhood, sent there this evening, the one who got hit on the head."0


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately: "It''s Yu Baoshan."0


    "Yes, yes, yes," Wang Er Lazizi said with a look of mixed emotions, shifting ufortably in his seat. "He got into a fight with the Yu Baoshan family. Bai Fendou crushed Yu Baoshan''s... well, you know. The Yu family is going crazy at the hospital right now..."0


    Damn, Bai Fendou is really vicious. After bing a eunuch himself, he still wants to harm others like this.0


    Too ruthless.0


    While he was speaking, everyone had alreadye out, their eyes wide with disbelief. Strange things happen every year, but this year seems to be particrly bizarre.0


    Another one... shattered?0


    Is it trendy to have your... uh, shattered this year?0


    Shocked!0


    Wang Er Lazizi looked like he was about to cry, saying, "They made a huge mess at the scene, and the hospital wants to report it to the police. But the older folks aren''t having it and are rolling around in the hospital corridor. Our factory sent someone over too. Section Chief Liu was called out in the middle of the night and is going crazy, yelling at everyone in the hospital. Even us small fries had to go..."0


    Everyone showed expressions of sympathy, both for the hospital and for the innocent factory security department.0


    Zhuang Zhixi patted Wang Er Lazizi on the shoulder and said, "Brother Wang, you really are working hard. But Brother Wang, why did youe here?"0


    Surely he didn''te all the way in the middle of the night just to spread gossip to them, right? Even if the security department had the intention, they wouldn''t have the energy. After all, their section chief wouldn''t let them do something like that.0


    Wang Er Lazizi pped his head. "Look at me, look at me¡ªI forgot the important thing. Wang Xiangxiu, is Wang Xiangxiu here?"0


    Of course, Wang Xiangxiu was there.0


    When there wasmotion outside, she had already put on her clothes ande out. She hadn''t expected it to be another issue involving Bai Fendou. Thinking about how her family had just helped Bai Fendou resolve one problem, and now he''s causing a new one.0


    Wang Xiangxiu felt really tired and really resentful.0


    She didn''t want to respond, but she still put on her usual demeanor and said, "I''m here."0


    Everyone turned to look at her in unison, and the male colleagues couldn''t help but gasp. It wasn''t their fault, though. Wang Xiangxiu was wearing a tank top, with her outer clothes draped over her but not properly put on, leaving her skin exposed. She had a curvaceous figure, and this sight was truly... well, let''s just say it was quite a sight.0


    Aunt Wang, the neighborhood leader, naturally came out at this moment and immediately said, "Xiangxiu, pull your clothes together!"0


    She frowned, thinking this was no way to behave.0


    Wang Xiangxiu, seeing the male colleagues'' gazes, felt extremely satisfied. Although her man was gone, these other men, even with their own partners, still had to look at her. Wang Xiangxiu felt a sense of pride and her voice softened as she said, "I''m Wang Xiangxiu. Is there something going on?"0


    Wang Er Lazizi looked at her with a gulp, saying, "Yes, Bai Fendou injured Yu Baoshan, and Yu Baoshan needs to pay the hospital fees. Bai Fendou said for you to bring some money over to help him sort things out."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "What?!"0


    Her face turned ck instantly. There were many things she could do, but being asked for money was not one of them. This damn Bai Fendou, what was he thinking? What did she have to do with him? She wasn''t his wife, so why should she bring money to help him? What right did he have?0


    If she had money, wouldn''t it be better to buy meat for her three sons?0


    She showed her anger, but quickly adjusted her expression, looking pitiful as she said, "I''m just a woman working to earn a sry. This month''s expenses barely cover next month''s. Where would I get money to help him? This fool, what good would it do to look for me?"0


    Aunt Su, fearing her daughter-inw wouldn''t handle it well, quickly came out and said, "When there are difficulties, one should turn to the factory. How much can ordinary neighbors help? Don''t you agree? But Xiangxiu, you should hurry up and change your clothes. No matter what, you need to go and take a look. Although our two families don''t have much of a rtionship, we''ve always gotten along well as neighbors. The Bai family has often helped us, so we should help them too. If we can''t contribute money, we can at least contribute our efforts."0


    She nced around, wanting to say that since everyone was neighbors, they should help each other and chip in to cover Bai Fendou''s expenses. But no one stepped up, and as the neighborhood leader, Aunt Wang didn''t say a word either.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this moment, Aunt Su felt that the neighborhoodmittee really didn''t know how to do things. Why choose a woman as the neighborhood leader? If it were a man, they could have easily manipted him. But Aunt Wang was a woman, and Li the Cook was stingy, so they couldn''t get any benefits from them.0


    Aunt Su, seeing that Aunt Wang wasn''t taking the lead, could only awkwardly pull her daughter-inw back into the house. She wanted everyone to help together, but she couldn''t say that outright, as it would offend people.0


    After all, no one was willing to spend money on others.0


    She wanted to benefit, but she absolutely didn''t want to offend anyone.0


    This year, things really haven''t been going well. It feels like everything is working against them. In the past, Zhao Guihua was impulsive and didn''t have much of a brain, always being a pushover. Although she wasn''t as involved as Aunt Wang, she was still willing to step in when there was a problem. Whether by ying the victim or using reverse psychology, she was usually effective. But now, even that wasn''t working.0


    Aunt Wang didn''t take the lead, and Zhao Guihua didn''t speak up either.0


    She was extremely unhappy.0


    But this wasn''t the time to dwell on that. She said, "You go to the hospital and try to convince Bai Fendou to rely on the factory. Who knows how much it will cost? We don''t have the money to help him. It''s best if Bai Fendou doesn''t have to pay either. His money is our money, and it''s meant to buy meat for Jii and the other two. Bai Fendou is a factory worker, so the factory should take care of it. You talk to Bai Fendou and make sure he clings to the factory. Losing face is nothing if the factory can cover the costs. You need to exin this to Bai Fendou."0


    She spoke earnestly, "Money doesn''t grow on trees. Don''t waste it."0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I understand."0


    She quickly got dressed and then hurried out: "Comrade Wang, I''m ready. We can go now."0


    Wang Er Lazizi: "Oh, oh, let''s go. Sister Xiu, I hear everyone calling you Sister Xiu, so can I call you that too?"0


    "Sure!"0


    Wang Xiangxiuughed heartily, thinking to herself that she truly was irresistible. Look, another potential spender hade her way.0


    She said softly, "You guys in the security department really work so hard..."0


    "Ah, Sister Xiu, you understand us. That''s right, everyone thinks we''re impressive, but who knows how tough our job is? Look at this, being called out in the middle of the night..."0


    The two chatted as they walked, disappearing into the alley.0


    The people in the courtyard looked at each other. Zhuang Zhixi decisively said, "Close the door, let''s go back to sleep."0


    "Right, we still have to go to work tomorrow..."0


    Someone muttered softly, "Why is she hooking up with Wang Er Lazizi again? Is Bai Fendou''s hat secure now?"0


    The scene fell silent for a second, then everyone pretended nothing had happened: "Go home, go home."0


    "Sleep, sleep."0


    But... how could they sleep!0


    Why, in the middle of the night, did they have to hear such shocking news!0


    Bai Fendou, he''s really too bold!0


    Now when he fights, he''s targeting... that area? That''s really not manly at all.0


    Zhou Qun stood at the door, eavesdropping, and subconsciously tightened his legs. He''d better stay far away from Bai Fendou, that crazy guy. Who knows if he''s gotten a taste for it and will do it again. It''s hard to say, really hard to say.0


    He shook his head in disgust.0


    Aunt Zhou''s voice was loud: "I think Bai Fendou is just twisted after what happened to him. He probably hates that others haven''t suffered the same fate. The men in this courtyard better be careful. You never know when Bai Fendou might ambush you."0


    Although Aunt Zhou usually spoke bluntly, this time, everyone kind of agreed with her.0


    After all, Bai Fendou''s actions were just too outrageous.0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So what do we do? Stay far away from him when we see him?"0


    "That''s the only thing we can do."0


    "Damn, what kind of mess is this."0


    "No matter what, we can''t repeat the same mistake. Look at Yu Baoshan, isn''t he suffering now?"0


    "That''s true."0


    Everyone expressed their deep fear of Bai Fendou. Damn, this guy is really out of his mind!0


    They were all men, and they weren''t afraid of fighting, but fighting was one thing. You can''t go around... crushing things. What kind of man does that?0


    Hmm... Bai Fendou might not be considered a "man" anymore if he doesn''t stop his nonsense.0


    Everyone was buzzing with gossip, and Zhuang Zhixi returned to their room. Ming Mei asked, "Zhixi, is that you?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, it''s me."0


    He closed the door, and Ming Mei opened her eyes, asking, "What''s going on?"0


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "It''s Bai Fendou again, causing trouble at the hospital. Wang Xiangxiu just took him away."0


    He climbed back into bed, and Ming Mei, like a little caterpir, wriggled over to snuggle against Zhuang Zhixi''s chest. Gently stroking her back, he found her to be soft and plump, unlike the skinny girls. However, she was different from Wang Xiangxiu. Ming Mei had a small frame, and even with her slightly rounded figure, she still appeared slender. To outsiders, it might not be noticeable, but as her husband, Zhuang Zhixi found her incredibly cuddly.0


    He gently patted her back, saying, "Let''s sleep now. We''ll talk about it tomorrow morning."0


    If he were to exin the situation, they might get too excited to sleep. After all, this was quite an unusual affair.0


    There are countless strange things in the world, and Bai Fendou seems to ount for half of them.0


    He really knows how to stir up trouble.0


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t want his wife to stay upte, so he didn''t borate and simply turned off the light. The couple quickly fell back to sleep, but the rest of the courtyard was far from quiet. Who wouldn''t get excited over gossip? And if Bai Fendou were to return... would their courtyard gain a "testicle-pinching madman"?0


    Just thinking about it was infuriating.0


    Each household was discussing the matter. Aunt Wang was instructing her husband and son-inw, "I know you all look down on Bai Fendou, and we''ve had our share of conflicts. But despite our differences, you must stay calm. Keep your distance from Bai Fendou. If you happen to run into him outside, head toward crowded ces. Don''t engage with him or try to prove your strength. We don''t need to argue with him. We''re doing just fine, but if a simple disagreement esctes into a fight, who knows what he might do? This man is already broken, and he wants everyone else to be the same. We can handle other things, but this is something we must be careful about."0


    Li the Cook red, "Does he dare?"0


    Aunt Wang retorted, "Why wouldn''t he? Didn''t he just do it to Yu Baoshan? That guy isn''t exactly a saint, and look how viciously Bai Fendou attacked him! When Bai Fendou goes rogue, he''s absolutely ruthless."0


    Hearing this, Li the Cook fell silent.0


    Aunt Wang continued, "Yang Lixin, keep an eye on your father."0


    Yang Lixin nodded silently, saying, "We should indeed be cautious."0


    "Exactly," Aunt Wang agreed.0


    Li Fang sighed in exasperation, "If he''s so desperate to find a wife, why doesn''t he just settle down with one? If he had found a good woman and lived a normal life, he wouldn''t be in this mess. Every day, he just gets more and more out of control."0


    "This is just the beginning," Aunt Wangmented. "I think he''s going to keep causing trouble."0


    She felt utterly helpless. No matter how hard she tried, there were always troublemakers like Bai Fendou dragging down the reputation of their courtyard. Today, during her conversation with the neighborhood director, she finally epted the reality that any hope of rewards was gone.0


    All she could hope for now was to avoid any more trouble.0


    She sighed, "Back when the neighborhood was selecting a courtyard manager, many believed that men would be better suited for the job. But the previous director thought otherwise. She believed that older, stay-at-home women were more appropriate. First, their age would help them handle situations better; second, being at home all day would allow them to address issues more quickly and conveniently; and third, women are more detail-oriented and better at mediating, making it easier to resolve conflicts. That''s how I, with everyone''s rmendation, took on this role. Over the years, I''ve always felt that I was doing a good job. But perhaps because of my age, this year I''ve been feeling incredibly overwhelmed."0


    She rubbed her temples, "I''m so tired of being tormented by them."0


    Li Fang said, "Mom, maybe we should just quit. The extra reward we get each year isn''t worth it."0


    Aunt Wang replied, "It''s not about the reward. I do it for the sake of serving the people."0


    Shey down, feeling mncholy, "If the people are all like Bai Fendou, I really don''t want to serve them anymore."0


    What a worry!0


    What a disgrace!0


    Their family wasn''t the only one dealing with this. Liang Meifen was also advising her husband, "Zhiyuan, no matter what, we must avoid direct conflicts with Bai Fendou. Even if we can handle him physically, we can''t risk dealing with a testicle-pinching madman. He''s already broken, and he wants everyone else to be the same. We can''t let that happen..."0


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, for once, took his wife''s words seriously and nodded, "I understand. I''ll stay far away from him."0


    Liang Meifen sighed, "This is just too terrifying..."0


    Simrly, other households weren''t at peace. Aunt Zhou frowned, saying, "I underestimated Bai Fendou''s viciousness. Son, he''s already broken, but we''re still fine. Stay far away from Bai Fendou. Our families don''t get along, and he might go for the kill..."0


    Zhou Qun''s eyes flickered with unease...

 Chapter 89

    <h1>Chapter 89</h1>


    The morning sunlight was exceptionally brilliant.0


    However, many people were already up early, with dark circles under their eyes, brushing their teeth and washing their faces. It was obvious they hadn''t slept wellst night. How could they sleep well? Such a big event happened in the dead of night; who could sleep through that?0


    Every household had been discussing the incident until dawn.0


    Inparison, Ming Mei was rtively more energetic. After all, she hadn''t been woken upst night. After brushing her teeth, she went back to her room to have breakfast and only then learned what had happened. Well, she was quitete to the gossip.0


    She was experiencing dyed gossip consumption.0


    Ming Mei was shocked: "Did such a big thing really happenst night?"0


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "No matter how big the event is, it can''t disturb your rest. Besides, this isn''t a big deal for Bai Fendou. There might even be a next time."0


    Everyone looked at him in horror, saying: "Don''t be an oracle of misfortune."0


    Zhuang Zhixi gave an innocent look: "I''m not talking about us; I''m talking about the situation."0


    Zhao Guihua was more objective: "Still, don''t say such things. It''s just bad luck to hear."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, alright, I won''t say it."0


    He sipped his cornmeal porridge and looked outside, asking: "Did Wang Xiangxiue backst night?"0


    He had gone to bed not long after returning home and wasn''t aware of the situation outside. Zhuang Zhiyuan, however, had heard some noises. He shook his head: "She didn''te back. If she had, she would have called the door. No one calledst night."0


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."0


    He sighed: "You know, Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu are so close; they might as well just get married. What''s the point of pretending to be just good neighbors... pfft."0


    The thought of it felt like they were covering their ears to steal a bell.0


    However, Zhao Guihua said: "I can understand why she doesn''t want to get married. It''s not thatplicated. Why bother finding a man to serve when you can get money without marriage? Whether married or not, Bai Fendou will have to give her money."0


    Everyone fell silent.0


    Liang Meifen pouted: "She really takes it for granted."0


    "What''s there to feel awkward about?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Wang Xiangxiu and her mother-inw are not ordinary people. Besides, the first time might feel awkward, but over time, it bes a habit. Alright, you all should hurry up and get ready for work."0


    The morning was quite hectic. Zhuang Zhixi quickly finished his breakfast and said: "Wife, let''s go."0


    Ming Mei: "Okay."0


    She put some biscuits and candy in her bag, saying: "I''ll keep these for when I want to eat something."0


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and nodded. He and his wife pushed their bikes out. Just as they were about to leave the alley, they saw a familiar figure approaching from a distance. Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his eyes and said: "Wife, am I going senile and seeing things? Look ahead, is that Bai Fendou and his father? Did I get it wrong?"0


    Ming Mei tilted her head to look: "Oh my! It''s them!"0


    Neither Zhuang Zhixi nor Ming Mei had mistaken it. The ones returning were indeed Wang Xiangxiu and the Bai father and son. Bai Fendou''s head was bandaged, his face covered in bandages, and there were several bloody scratches where the bandages didn''t cover. His eyes were puffy, indicating he hadn''t slept well for days. His face was pale, and if you looked closely, his lips were chapped.0


    Although his face was a mess, his body wasn''t much better. His arms were wrapped in bandages, and he walked with a limp, his legs awkwardly positioned.0


    In short, he looked extremely miserable. Old Man Bai by his side wasn''t much better, with just as many wounds and even less energy. Wang Xiangxiu, however, seemed rtively fine.0


    As the young couple stood there in shock, the three of them approached. Zhuang Zhixi swallowed hard, looking at his wife. Ming Mei immediately stood tall and gave Zhuang Zhixi a "I''ve got your back" look.0


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh.0


    He wasn''t looking for protection, though.0


    His little wife had misunderstood, but it was fine.0


    Zhuang Zhixi cleared his throat and said: "Let''s go."0


    He had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with the Bai father and son. After all, they were plotting against him, so there was no need to be polite. Politeness was for normal people; for abnormal ones, it was useless.0


    Zhuang Zhixi got on his bike and rode away.0


    As he rode past the Bai father and son, Bai Fendou had expected Zhuang Zhixi to at least ask about his injuries. After all, they were neighbors, and how could he be so indifferent? He hadpletely forgotten that he had been trying to scheme against Zhuang Zhixi.0


    Even if he remembered, he didn''t think it was a big deal.0


    In his mind, he was just ying a joke and teaching Zhuang Zhixi a lesson. How could that be considered a grudge?0


    After all, their family had been rude to Wang Xiangxiu first. That''s how Bai Fendou saw it, so he never thought he was in the wrong. He even believed that the factory leaders and the security chief, Liu, were deliberately targeting him, making the situation so severe.0


    Otherwise, he should have been released by now.0


    He was extremely unhappy, but even though he was reckless, he knew he was nothing in front of the factory leaders and Liu. So he had to swallow his pride and ept it for now. He nned to look for opportunities to change jobster.0


    After all, someone as capable as him couldn''t possibly stay in logistics cleaning toilets and picking up dung forever.0


    Throughout the journey, his mood had been sour. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi ignore him made it even worse. He spat and cursed: "Don''t get too cocky now; you''ll pay for it sooner orter."0


    Wang Xiangxiu was utterly exasperated with this man, but it was precisely because of his stupidity that she could always manipte him. So even though she despised him, she still acted tenderly: "Why bother getting upset over him? He''s just in a better position and looks down on us."0


    Bai Fendou red: "We''re all working-ss people; who does he think he is? We''re not inferior to him."0


    Wang Xiangxiu was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Yesterday at the hospital, she had also done some "business," which was far more profitable than dealing with Zhou Qun. She was still feeling lethargic. Indeed, men were all different.0


    She spoke softly: "Alright, let''s go back first. I need to get to work quickly. With my family''s situation, how can I afford to bete?"0


    Hearing this, Bai Fendou became more understanding: "Right, let''s hurry up."0


    This was the time for people to go to work. As they left their homes, they saw this scene in the alley and quickly stepped back. Although the incident happened in the middle of the night, the speed at which news spread was always beyond everyone''s expectations.0


    By this morning, not only their courtyard but the entire neighborhood knew about it. Everyone looked at Bai Fendou with fear. After all, this was the infamous "egg-squeezer."0


    He didn''t just kick; he squeezed!0


    Look at that word¡ªsqueeze.0


    Isn''t that just insane and terrifying?0


    People quickly stepped back, and Bai Fendou: "???"0


    Old Man Bai and Wang Xiangxiu were also puzzled. One didn''t know the news had spread, and the other, being a woman without a man in the house, didn''t quite understand everyone''s fear.0


    Bai Fendou: "What''s going on?"0


    A boy from the same courtyard, Sui, forced a very awkward smile and said: "Uh... I have to go to school..."0


    Before finishing, he darted off like a shot.0


    "Oh, I have to go to work; otherwise, I''ll bete."0


    "Right, right!"0


    "Oh no, I have a stomachache; I need to hurry to the bathroom."0


    "Wait for me; me too."0


    "Oh, what a coincidence; I also have diarrhea. Let''s go quickly."0


    The men saw Bai Fendou and fled like they were facing a pervert, their faces pale, finding excuses to run off quickly. Everyone left in a hurry. Bai Fendou looked at the only rtively calm Zhou Qun and asked curiously: "What''s going on?"0


    Zhou Qun looked Bai Fendou up and down, pausing for three seconds on the critical area.0


    Hmm, about the same as his own experience.0


    He looked back at Bai Fendou''s face and said slowly: "They''re afraid you''ll squeeze their eggs."0


    Bai Fendou: "What the hell?"0


    He hadn''t even had a chance to exin when he saw Zhou Qun already riding away on his bicycle, disappearing into the alley.0


    Bai Fendou was fuming. "Hey, what do they mean by that? What makes them think I''m that kind of person? Am I crazy? Why would I do something like that? If you don''t find it disgusting, I do!"0


    Old Man Bai turned to his son and said, "Then why did you grab Yu Baoshan?"0


    Bai Fendou: "..."0


    His father was really good at nothing but throwing him under the bus.0


    He said, "It was just because we were fighting and things got heated."0


    He felt a bit embarrassed. Hurting someone in that area during a fight wasn''t exactly manly, but it had just happened by chance. Besides, he could sew and repair things, so they should trust that doctors are professionals too.0


    Bai Fendou: "I didn''t do it on purpose. Plus, he started it. If he hadn''t attacked first, I would have been arrested by now!"0


    Bai Fendou argued forcefully, but Old Man Bai just chuckled and didn''t say anything.0


    Wang Xiangxiu felt exhausted again. "Alright, hurry up and go rest. I need to go to work too."0


    She couldn''t rely on the Bai father and son these days, so she couldn''t afford to miss a single day of work. Fortunately, she had made some money yesterday by seizing an opportunity. Otherwise, life would be even harder. These men were truly unreliable.0


    She sighed deeply.0


    Bai Fendou: "Right, right, Sister Xiangxiu needs to go to work."0


    His words trailed off as he suddenly froze, staring at the copsed public toilet in the alley. "Ah... what..."0


    He scratched his head. "What happened to the toilet? Who did this to the toilet?"0


    Wang Xiangxiu: "It was Yu Baoshan."0


    She didn''t want to exin anymore. "You guys take a look. I need to go home, eat, and get to work."0


    She had finally reached her limit and couldn''t waste any more time.0


    Bai Fendou: "Wait, Sister Xiangxiu, let''s go together."0


    The three of them walked into the courtyard one after the other. At that moment, Liang Meifen was washing clothes in the courtyard. When she saw Bai Fendou return, she couldn''t help but scream, "Ah!!!"0


    Hearing this, everyone came out of their houses, all staring at Bai Fendou and his father.0


    Bai Fendou: "What are you screaming about?"0


    He frowned. He really couldn''t stand Zhuang Zhiyuan''s wife. She was always helping her family and was easily startled,cking any manners. Anyone who married such a woman was really unlucky.0


    He looked at Liang Meifen with disdain, but she didn''t care about his expression. She shouted loudly, "Bai Fendou is back!"0


    More people came out, and even people from the neighboring courtyards hurried over. It seemed that Bai Fendou was even more of a spectacle than the tigers at the zoo. After all, while tigers eating people is natural, Bai Fendou grabbing someone''s... well, that''s truly rare.0


    Everyone looked at Bai Fendou with a mix of disdain, curiosity, and caution, afraid that he might go wild and do something unexpected.0


    This wasn''t impossible, considering this was Bai Fendou, the man who had fallen into a cesspool and... well, you know.0


    It was Zhao Guihua who stood out in the crowd of caution and fear. She asked, "Bai Fendou, why are you back? Are you better now?"0


    She nced at a certain part of his body. "Healing that fast?"0


    No wonder this hospital was a big one. No wonder people from all over the country came here for treatment in the future. It really was impressive.0


    She said, "Didn''t you get into another fight? Why were you let out?"0


    Bai Fendou was not convinced. "Aunt Zhao, how can you say that? What do you mean by ''another fight''? That wasn''t my fault. It was Aunt Yu who started it. I was just defending myself. Besides, I didn''t touch Yu Baoshan. He just grabbed a stool and hit me. Look at my head; he even cracked it open. Isn''t it normal to fight back when someone hits you? Only a fool wouldn''t."0


    This made sense.0


    H?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????owever...0


    Zhao Guihua looked suspiciously at his head. "Your wound is from yesterday. How can you be discharged so soon today?"0


    Even the best doctors couldn''t heal that fast.0


    Bai Fendou immediately looked unnatural.0


    Zhao Guihua: "What? Is there something going on?"0


    Bai Fendou awkwardly said, "What''s going on? You''re overthinking. Even though I''m injured, it doesn''t mean I can''t be discharged. Besides, I''m a young man, strong and healthy. Do I really need to stay in the hospital? I can recover at home."0


    "You''re a young man, but your father isn''t. Old Man Bai, you''re not young anymore. Can you really not stay in the hospital and get treated properly?" Zhao Guihua was curious. Although the Bai family was annoying, it didn''t stop her from gossiping.0


    People, after all, need something to do when they''re idle.0


    While Zhao Guihua was asking, the Bai father and son hadn''t replied yet when Aunt Zhou suddenly appeared. She said, "Probably because they ran out of money and got kicked out."0


    This father and son duo were just two broke men who always gave their money to widows and their families. They must have run out of money for medical fees.0


    Aunt Zhou felt she had seen through the truth.0


    Bai Fendou immediately got angry. "Hey, Aunt Zhou, how can you talk like that? How can you just make things up? I wasn''t kicked out because ofck of medical fees. The factory already paid for it. Don''t spread rumors when you don''t know the facts. Your mouth is like a cesspool, always spouting nonsense."0


    Aunt Zhou was trembling with anger. "You little brat, who are you cursing? Do you believe I''ll scratch you to death? Let me tell you, others might be afraid of you, but I''m not. I don''t have... well, you know, so I''m not afraid of you. If you dare mess with me, I''ll teach you a lesson."0


    She wasn''t some youngd. She had seen it all.0


    Bai Fendou: "You... you''re crude!"0


    He thought this olddy''s words were really too harsh.0


    He gave Aunt Zhou a deep look and thought of the warning from Section Chief Liu. He took several deep breaths to calm his frustrated heart. After a long while, he pointed at Aunt Zhou and said, "I''ll overlook you because of your age."0


    Aunt Zhou smiled proudly. "You''re just scared of me, aren''t you?"0


    She stood there like a victorious rooster, her chin raised, extremely arrogant.0


    Bai Fendou: "Pfft!"0


    He didn''t want to say anything more and turned to go home. But as soon as he reached the door, he screamed, "My god, who did this? Who did this!"0


    The ss in his house had been smashed.0


    The Bai father and son were furious. "Who did this? Who would do such a despicable thing? May lightning strike them dead!"0


    They were really angry, and Aunt Zhou wasn''t any less so. She stepped forward and shouted, "I did it, what are you going to do about it? Think about what you''ve done. I won''t let you off just because you think the Zhou family is easy to bully, or that our daughter-inw is easy to bully."0


    She pointed at their noses and said, "If it weren''t for Aunt Su pleading for you, we wouldn''t have let it go so easily. You wouldn''t be here shouting at me. I tell you, be polite to me in the future."0


    Bai Fendou was furious and wanted to curse, but at this moment, Old Man Bai was sober. He knew their actions had been discovered, and this time, the Zhou family letting it go was already thanks to Aunt Su''s efforts. They couldn''t waste Aunt Su''s goodwill.0


    He held back Bai Fendou and said, "Let it go. We''re in the wrong this time."0


    Bai Fendou: "But..."0


    Old Man Bai firmly shook his head and pulled Bai Fendou into the house, whispering, "Revenge can wait. We don''t need to tangle with them now. We''re already on the Security Department''s radar. If anything happens, Section Chief Liu will definitely target us. As the saying goes, ''If one cannot endure the small annoyances, they will ruin the great ns.'' We don''t need to act in haste."0


    Bai Fendou looked at Old Man Bai, who said quietly, "We''ll wait. There will be a time to deal with them."0


    Bai Fendou finally listened and said, "You''re right. I''ll let it go for now."0


    However...0


    He looked at the window and said, "What about the ss? What do we do about that?"0


    Old Man Bai: "Go buy some and put it in."0


    Bai Fendou, though he listened, still spoke with a confrontational tone, "It''s easy for you to say, but ss isn''t cheap, and I don''t have much money left."0


    Old Man Bai nced at him and said, "Do you think I have any?"0


    He replied, "I don''t either."0


    The wages of the two father and son were spent separately. Whether it was food, drink, or household items, each paid half. However, ss was expensive, and several panes in their home were broken, which would cost a pretty penny.0


    Thus, both father and son were reluctant to spend the money.0


    "Well, the weather is getting warmer day by day. If we cover ourselves with extra nkets at night, we won''t need to worry as much when it gets even warmer in a few days. Let''s wait until we save up some money to rece the ss," Bai Fendou suggested.0


    Old Man Bai thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright."0


    In fact, he still had some money on hand, but he didn''t want to spend it on this. For the next few months, they would only receive a five-yuan living allowance, so it wasn''t wise to spend it easily. Moreover, that was his savings for old age; he couldn''t just squander it.0


    Bai Fendou: "Then let''s wait."0


    In truth, he also had some money, but he didn''t want to spend it all. This wasn''t just his problem; if he spent it all, he would be heartbroken. Saving money wasn''t easy, and theing months would be tough.0


    Yes, the reason Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou were being so stingy this time was that they owed the factory wages.0


    Although Bai Fendou had been bold in fighting, he wasn''t happy when he saw the bill. The first night, he and his father had a quarrel that led to them knocking over a table, which broke and needed to be reced. The second day, he caused a scene by threatening to jump off a building, smashing hospital windows, which also requiredpensation.0


    On the third day, the damages were even more extensive. In addition to hospital furniture, there was Yu Baoshan''s medical fees. Fortunately, it was Yu Baoshan''s family who had started the fight. Otherwise, Bai Fendou wouldn''t have been able to go home; he would have been arrested.0


    The medical fees and variouspensations added up to a whopping one hundred and thirty yuan, which was a significant sum. Bai Fendou felt the world''s malice, believing everyone was trying to swindle them.0


    However, the hospital wasn''t at fault. The damaged public property waspensated at its actual value, not a penny more. But the medical expenses were high. After all, they had broken three eggs.0


    Old Man Bai, Bai Fendou, and now Yu Baoshan.0


    The medical fees were steep, as this was a highly skilled procedure. The doctors hadn''t even charged them for emotional damages, which was already a mercy.0


    The Yu family, however, was also somewhat cunning. Aunt Zhou directly med Yu Baoshan''s head injury on Bai Fendou. After all, it was easier to pin it on Bai Fendou than on the neighborhoodmittee.0


    All these expenses added up, amounting to a significant sum.0


    One hundred and thirty yuan was paid by the factory.0


    However, Wang Xiangxiu''s hope that the factory would cover everything was a pipe dream. Trying to pin the me on the factory was even harder than the Yu family ming the neighborhoodmittee. It was aplete fantasy.0


    But the factory didn''t want the situation to escte, as it was simply embarrassing.0


    Section Chief Liu felt his entire life''s reputation had been tarnished in just a few days. Bai Fendou being part of the security department was a huge embarrassment. Fortunately, he was leaving the job soon.0


    The one hundred and thirty yuan would be deducted directly from their wages.0


    Bai Fendou''s sry in the security department was decent, but since he was transferred to logistics, his pay would be adjusted ordingly. Starting next month, he would receive twenty-five yuan a month for his job cleaning toilets.0


    His father, Old Man Bai, was in the same situation. Both of them would receive a five-yuan living allowance each month, with the remaining twenty yuan deducted to repay the factory. That made a total of forty yuan deducted. They would have to endure this for three months. In July and August, they would receive a two-and-a-half-yuan summer cooling fee each month, totaling five yuan for the two months.0


    This would be deducted as well.0


    Exactly three months of deductions, including the summer cooling fee, would total one hundred and thirty yuan. They could resume normal wages in September.0


    For this month, since they hadn''t worked much, it was uncertain how much they would receive, so the deductions would start next month.0


    Three full months of tough timesy ahead.0


    Bai Fendouy in bed, feeling ufortable all over. He said, "Dad, can you make some food?"0


    Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou lived in opposite rooms. They could converse easily without needing to move. Old Man Bai didn''t budge, refusing to respond to Bai Fendou''s request. He wasn''t about to do any work.0


    After all, he was injured.0


    Old Man Bai didn''t move, so Bai Fendou, feeling frustrated, got up and walked to the outer room. He opened the cupboard and muttered, "I remember there were some peanuts in the cupboard..."0


    Upon opening it, he found it empty.0


    Not even a mouse dropping was left.0


    Bai Fendou cursed, "Damn, the peanuts were stolen!"0


    He clearly remembered that there were peanuts at home. He had bought two pounds, nning to fry them for a snack with some liquor. Peanuts with liquor, the more you drink, the more you have.0


    He had heard that before.0


    They didn''t have much else, but peanuts were a regr purchase.0


    "Dad, did you eat the peanuts?"0


    Old Man Bai couldn''t stay silent this time. He retorted angrily, "Why would it be me? We worked together, went to the hospital together, and left together. When would I have had the time toe back early and take them? Are you picking a fight?"0


    Bai Fendou, feeling dejected, said, "Why are you so angry? I just asked. But how did the peanuts disappear? It must be Aunt Zhou. She broke the ss and took our peanuts. I''m going to find her."0


    Old Man Bai quickly said, "Wait."0


    Bai Fendou: "What? Are you defending her?"0


    Old Man Bai spat and cursed, "Are you stupid? Why would I defend her? Think carefully. How could it be Aunt Zhou? She may be shameless and mean, but she''s never been one to steal."0


    Bai Fendou frowned, "Then who took them?"0


    Old Man Bai sighed deeply, "Who? Think, who else could it be? Why don''t you use your brain?"0


    Bai Fendou didn''t respond, impatient, "Just tell me."0


    He really had no idea. In this courtyard, there shouldn''t be any thieves. Even if there were, they wouldn''t take peanuts over pots and pans, which were more valuable.0


    He thought for a moment and said, "Could it have been eaten by rats?"0


    Old Man Bai felt like he was about to have a heart attack. He deeply regretted not having a second child.0


    He sighed with sorrow and said, "It wasn''t rats. It was the kids. Isn''t that obvious? It must have been Jii and the others."0


    They both knew what kind of kids they were.0


    When they were at home, the kids would sneak in from time to time to steal some food. Because of Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu''s leniency, they didn''t scold the children too harshly. Now that they weren''t home, the kids would surely havee in more often.0


    Old Man Bai: "Think carefully. Who else would steal just a little bit of food?"0


    Bai Fendou thought about it and nodded, "You''re right."0


    "Exactly."0


    Bai Fendou, who had been furious earlier, now calmed down. He said, "Those little brats took everything. But kids need to eat. I''m a big guy; I don''t mind missing a meal. But kids can''t go hungry."0


    He found an excuse for the child and trotted back to the room. This absurd situation could be taken seriously or lightly, and he was quiteid-back about it. However, after lying down again, his stomach began to grumble.0


    He said, "I should have bought breakfast at the cafeteria this morning before leaving."0


    Old Man Bai grunted in a muffled voice.0


    They didn''t leave the hospital of their own volition, nor did they want to leave. They were essentially kicked out by the hospital.0


    This was unprecedented¡ªpatients being kicked out of the hospital! The hospital had its reasons, though. He had caused trouble for three nights straight after staying for three nights, and before that, months ago, there was the time when Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun were hospitalized together. That time, a massive brawl had broken out right in the ward.0


    Although they eventually settled withpensation, the hospital was truly exasperated.0


    In front of Bai Fendou, the hospital was like a helpless victim bullied by a tyrant.0


    Given his history of causing trouble, the hospital was resolute in not keeping such a troublemaker. Although he did have many injuries, the main treatment was just intravenous antibiotics, which their factory clinic could handle.0


    If he really needed to change dressings, he coulde back to the hospital.0


    But for hospitalization? Sorry, not wee.0


    If the term "medical troublemaker" existed at the time, Bai Fendou would have been one of the earliest. However, his type of medical troublemaker was different from theter ones. His brand of medical troublemaking was more like: causing a ruckus in the hospital.0


    This kind of "medical troublemaker" was distinct from the usual ones.0


    In short, for the sake of public facilities and the safety of doctors, nurses, and other patients, the hospital was determined not to keep such a troublemaker.0


    Thus, the Bai father and son were unceremoniously kicked out.0


    They were unceremoniously forced to leave the hospital.0


    It was easy to imagine that in the future, if they wanted to be hospitalized, they would have to switch to another hospital. This one was definitely off-limits. But what they didn''t know was that every hospital in the city of Beijing was aware of this pair!0


    After all, the case of a shattered testicle was a first for them.0


    Many people in the city''s hospitals hade to take a peek at this rare event.0


    Bai Fendou, with his distinctive appearance, had already be famous.0


    Originally, he was already a peculiar character, and with his knack for causing trouble, he had be notorious, causing all hospitals to shudder at the mere mention of his name.0


    If Zhao Guihua had known, she would have said, "People nowadays are too naive. They haven''t seen the real deal. If this were a few decadester, medical troublemakers would be terrifying." But that was all in the future, not worth discussing now.0


    For now, the Bai father and son were forced out of the hospital. Since they weren''t in any life-threatening condition and weren''t even seriously injured, the hospital had finished treating them with just some dressing changes and intravenous antibiotics, which the factory clinic could handle.0


    So, discharge, must discharge.0


    The Bai father and son refused to say why they were discharged, but in this world, are there really any secrets? Especially such a big deal as being forcibly discharged, there were none. By mid-morning, everyone knew why this father and son had been kicked out.0


    Turns out, even the hospital didn''t want them.0


    Aunt Zhou eximed, "I used to think I was quite a difficult olddy, someone who was disliked wherever I went. But I never expected someone even worse than me. Even I haven''t been kicked out of the hospital! How much do people hate this father and son for the hospital to refuse money and kick them out?"0


    It seemed this woman had some self-awareness.0


    She actually knew she was unpopr.0


    But Aunt Zhou didn''t feel embarrassed at all; instead, she was quite proud. After all, she hadn''t been kicked out.0


    "The heavens have eyes, haha."0


    Zhao Guihua watched Aunt Zhou''s gleeful expression as she continued washing clothes. Being a homemaker, it might seem like there''s nothing to do, just staying at home without working. But in reality, the workload is enormous.0


    Even with a daughter-inw helping out, can you let the daughter-inw wash your personal clothes? Or your husband''s clothes?0


    She certainly couldn''t do that.0


    Zhao Guihua was washing clothes in the courtyard when she heard a voice at the door, "Is Zhao Guihua here?"0


    Zhao Guihua quickly replied, "That''s me."0


    She looked up and saw Auntie Lian.0


    Aunt Zhou''s expression changed, her eyes fixed on Auntie Lian, then shifting to Zhao Guihua, her gaze suspiciously flitting between the two.0


    Auntie Lian also noticed Aunt Zhou and greeted her with a smile, "Sister, you live in this courtyard too? What a coincidence."0


    She was quite natural, saying, "Sister Zhao, look, the things you asked me to swap for, I''ve found them for you."0


    Zhao Guihua had asked Auntie Lian yesterday to find her some eggying hens, and today she had already delivered. She was really efficient. Auntie Lian cheerfully said, "These two are from my rtives in the countryside. They used toy eggs every day. If it weren''t for my pleading, they wouldn''t have parted with them. Look at this one, the feathers, the tail, the rear end, they''re definitely good eggying hens. You can raise them, but since they''ve had a long journey, they might be a bit scared and might noty eggs right away. Give them a couple of days to settle in. If they don''ty eggs within a week,e find me."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."0


    This wasn''t their first business deal, and Auntie Lian wouldn''t be in this line of work if she didn''t have integrity. She said, "It''s been years since Ist raised chickens."0


    Auntie Lian: "They''re new here, so their appetite might be off." She nced around the cramped chicken coop and said, "In the countryside, they''re free-range. Coming to such a small space after living in a big ce, they might feel a bit uneasy. Feed them well. If you have kids, catch some worms for them to eat, and they''ll definitelyy eggs for you."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."0


    She politely said, "Thank you."0


    Auntie Lian: "Oh, don''t mention it. That''s just how I am. When someone asks for my help, I do my best. Right, Aunt Zhou?"0


    Aunt Zhou was suddenly addressed and gave a slightly awkward smile, saying, "I didn''t expect you two to know each other."0


    Auntie Lian remained calm: "We met during a bit of amotion a while back. When I heard I had connections in the countryside, Sister Zhao asked me to find her some eggying hens."0


    She even winked at Aunt Zhou, implying that her other side jobs shouldn''t be mentioned.0


    Aunt Zhou, seeing Auntie Lian''s wink, seemed to understand. She coughed and said, "So, how much are these eggying hens?"0


    Asked so openly, Auntie Lian didn''t get angry. Instead, she smiled and said, "How much, you ask? We don''t talk about money, just swapping things. It''s about mutual help between the city and the countryside, exchanging goods. We don''t casually discuss money."0


    Hearing this, Aunt Zhou realized that while they might negotiate prices privately, publicly, they wouldn''t mention it.0


    Aunt Zhou, watching Zhao Guihua tend to the hens with envy, pouted and said, "Come on in. It''s been a while since west talked. Come in and chat."0


    "Sure!"0


    Aunt Zhou didn''t feel the least bit out of ce for leading away Zhao Guihua''s guest. She nced arrogantly at Zhao Guihua, feeling a bit triumphant for breaking the mood. But did Zhao Guihua care? Not at all.0


    Nothing was more important than the hens.0


    Absolutely nothing.0


    After all, she and Auntie Lian had settled their business yesterday, so today wasn''t about that. Auntie Lian lived alone, and you had to allow her to find ways to make money. So Zhao Guihua wasn''t going to be petty about cutting into someone''s ie.0


    Zhao Guihua called out, "Liang Meifen, Liang Meifen."0


    Liang Meifen quickly popped out, flustered, and asked, "Mother-inw, I''m here."0


    Zhao Guihua: "Didn''t it rain the other day? Go to that shady spot by the river and see if you can find some worms or earthworms, dig some up."0


    Liang Meifen: "Alright."0


    She agreed but looked forlornly at the hens. These hens were for her sister-inw to eat the eggs, yet she had to go dig for worms. What kind of life was this? Zhao Guihua saw her dawdling and raised her voice: "What are you looking at! Hurry up. You''re like a donkey, need a whip to move!"0


    Liang Meifen quickly picked up her basket and pushed her bicycle, darting out like a thunderbolt, leaving no time for anyone to react.0


    This series of actions left "guest" Auntie Lian wide-eyed and speechless. She eximed in astonishment, "Zhao Guihua is really strict with her daughter-inw."0


    Aunt Zhou sneered, "Isn''t that the truth? Do you think she''s some kind of gentle person? She''s a mean one, and she''s partial too. Did you see that old hen? Itys eggs for her younger daughter-inw, but look, the work is all done by her elder daughter-inw."0


    Auntie Lian: "Oh my, that''s really..."0


    She never spoke ill of others, as everyone was her patron, her "god of wealth." Did gods of wealth have ranks? No, they didn''t!0


    Even if they could only bring her a penny, they were still her gods of wealth.0


    Besides, Aunt Zhou''s reputation preceded her. She said Zhao Guihua was harsh, but Zhao Guihua didn''t have as big a reputation for being mean as Aunt Zhou. However, Auntie Lian didn''t mention this. Who cared about the truth anyway? She said, "You asked me toe over for..."0


    Aunt Zhou: "I want two old hens too. What''s your price?"0


    Auntie Lian: "If you''re raising chickens, I''ll definitely charge you less than what I charged Zhao Guihua, since we''re old acquaintances, and I just met her. But I advise you not to raise them."0


    Seeing Aunt Zhou getting anxious, Auntie Lian quickly added, "Your family is different from hers. They have a big family, and you see, they all go out to dig for worms. Your family is well-off, with your son and daughter-inw both having stable jobs, and it''s just you at home. If you raise chickens, it''ll be quite tiring. If you just feed them simply, they definitely won''t be as good as those raised on worms. Then you might me me, thinking I''ve tricked you. But if you go out digging for worms every day, that''ll be too tiring. After all, we''re not young anymore, can''tpare to the youngsters."0


    Aunt Zhou nodded, "Hmm, you speak honestly."0


    Auntie Lian: "I do business, it''s just small-time stuff. I have to be honest, or who woulde to me? But no matter what business it is, have you ever heard that I''m a scammer? I told you there''s a ghost in your neighbor''s toilet, did I lie?"0


    Aunt Zhou''s face changed, but she still felt Auntie Lian was honest. She nodded, "You do have a point."0


    Auntie Lian: "Exactly, if you don''t feed them worms, they won''t be as good as those fed with worms. I have to be honest with you."0


    Aunt Zhou: "Well, I''ll raise them anyway!"0


    She was mostpetitive and said, "I have to, everyone else has them, I can''t be without. It''s just worms, I can do it too."0


    Auntie Lian: "Alright, if you''re sure, give me the money, I''ll bring them to you tomorrow or the day after."0


    Aunt Zhou: "How much?"0


    Auntie Lian showed a number, and Aunt Zhou was shocked, her eyes wide, "So much?"0


    Auntie Lian: "Don''t think it''s much, these are eggying hens. Think about it, who would sell aying hen? I have to tell you, for Zhao Guihua, I charged an extra fifty cents for each hen."0


    She spoke sincerely, "We''re old acquaintances, that''s why I gave you a discount. But if you buy them, don''t mention it in front of her, or she''ll definitelye knocking on my door. I don''t think she''s easy to deal with, might even break my door, and I''ll be the one losing out."0


    Auntie Lian''s words hit the mark with Aunt Zhou, who was pleased, "Alright then, I''ll take them."0


    Zhao Guihua spent more money than her, hehe.0


    Aunt Zhou felt very satisfied thinking about it!0


    She chuckled, "It''s just catching worms to feed them, my family can do that too."0


    Why was Aunt Zhou so confident her family could do it? Because she thought of someone, that was the girl Aunt Su was going to arrange to live with them. When that girl came to live with them, their family would provide food and drink, and it would be only right for her to do some work.0


    A country girl, doing these chores should be no problem, she thought. It seemed quite doable to her.0


    "This is really good," Aunt Zhou revealed a satisfied smile, and so did Auntie Lian. Auntie Lian also felt quite satisfied, seeing that there was another job to be done.0


    As for who was higher or lower... hehe, let''s all get scammed together, where''s the friendship in that?0


    There isn''t!0


    She smiled slightly, thinking she could probably find a third customer in this courtyard.0


    Hmm, maybe even a third one, it would be best if everyone raised chickens.0


    Auntie Lian wasn''t good at much, but as a middleman earning some brokerage money, she was quite adept. She had a new job, and she was happy, "I''ll go to the countryside tomorrow morning, you just wait and see, I''ll pick the best ones for you."0


    "Alright."0


    "Oh, by the way, I heard there''s a family with a broken... are they in your courtyard too?"0


    Everyone has curiosity, right?0


    Aunt Zhou: "Yeah, they live next to me. They came back, even the hospital didn''t want to treat them. Have you ever seen someone so failed at life? I haven''t, they''ve really embarrassed themselves..."0


    The two olddies started chattering away.0


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care what others were talking about. She put the chickens in the coop, added some water, and then continued washing clothes. Zhao Guihua calmly went about her work, while Aunt Su, sitting at the door mending her grandson''s clothes, was feeling quite restless.0


    Her heart was anxious, she couldn''t help it.0


    This unfamiliar olddy, she didn''t know her, but Zhao Guihua and Aunt Zhou did. She felt she wasgging behind.0


    But if she sat in the courtyard, she could at least strike up a conversation. Now that the olddy had gone inside, there was no way to talk to her. She didn''t know what this olddy was doing, how she could trade for old hens from the countryside. Speaking of which, she wanted to trade too, not sure if two yuan would be enough.0


    The ck market sold them for two yuan off-season, only two yuan and fifty cents during the New Year. She couldn''t go higher than that.0


    Aunt Su pondered.0


    She coughed once and said, "Guihua, how much did you pay for your old hens?"0


    Zhao Guihua: "Didn''t cost anything."0


    She smiled, "You didn''t see me pay, did you? I just traded."0


    She started hanging up the clothes.0


    Aunt Su bit her lip, unhappy.0


    They were neighbors, how could she keep secrets? This Zhao Guihua was really mean, not at all kind.0n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Excuse me, is Bai Fendou at home?"0


    A clear, crisp female voice rang out. Zhao Guihua and Aunt Su looked over simultaneously to see a young woman in her twenties, maybe even younger, dressed in a floral blouse, carrying a military green satchel with the slogan "Serve the People," her two ck and shiny braids looking quite presentable.0


    Perhaps hearing themotion outside, Aunt Zhou also quickly came out, after all, there were rarely any young womening to look for Bai Fendou.0


    Not just young women, even young wives and olddies didn''t visit their house, not even female mosquitoes in the summer. But this girl was fresh and lively, clearly a well-off youngdy, and she was pushing a bicycle.0


    "Auntie, does Bai Fendou live in this courtyard?"0


    She asked again.0


    But in her heart, she was muttering, these country bumpkins, have they never seen a pretty girl?0


    Zhao Guihua pointed and said, "That house."0


    She called out loudly, "Bai Fendou, someone''s looking for you."0


    Aunt Zhou also quickly seized the opportunity to ask, "Miss, what do you do?"0


    Her triangr eyes scanned the young woman up and down, and she asked, "Are you here to meet Bai Fendou for a blind date?"0


    At this, the young woman''s face darkened. She said sternly, "Auntie, don''t talk nonsense, what blind date? I''m from the factory clinic, and I''m here to give Bai Fendou and his father an IV drip."0


    She shook her bulging satchel and said, "I''m here for work."0


    The hospital didn''t want to deal with them, and Section Chief Liu didn''t want the people from their machinery factory to embarrass themselves in the hospital, so he took over the matter. The clinic woulde every day to give Bai Fendou and his father an IV drip, a very good service.0


    Of course, it also cost money.0


    But it was still a very good deal.0


    If it weren''t for the fact that they were all men, Section Chief Liu wouldn''t have bothered.0


    Of course, it wasn''t that being all men meant they were treated better, but this Bai Fendou was truly broken, and Section Chief Liu had a bit of sympathy.0


    It would be quite inconvenient if they had to shuffle back and forth to the hospital in small steps. Therefore, the clinic sends someone to their home every day. Fortunately, the clinic isn''t very busy.0


    This time, the one who came to visit was Tao Yuyue, the new cashier at the clinic.0


    If the person needing a home visit was a factory leader, naturally, everyone would be eager toe. But as it happens, it''s Bai Fendou. Although some people might be curious and want to see the entertainment, most are toozy to make the trip. Do Bai Fendou and his father deserve such effort?0


    Since no one is particrly keen oning, the task falls to Tao Yuyue.0


    After all, she''s the new arrival.0


    Although Tao Yuyue is also a new cashier, she''s a bit different from Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi was specifically recruited through an exam. Since the position was for a cashier, it didn''t require prior medical training; good math skills were the priority.0


    Although, there aren''t really many ounts to calcte in the hospital. But for arge factory, maintaining formal procedures is normal.0


    Zhuang Zhixi was transferred away, and immediately, Doctor Wang started maneuvering to get his niece transferred in. Despite Zhuang Zhixi leaving, the factory didn''t create any new positions. So even though Tao Yuyue came in, she''s temporarily a temp worker.0


    And even for this, she had to be either a medical school graduate or a nursing school graduate.0


    Things were very different three years agopared to now.0


    Three years ago, when Zhuang Zhixi was looking for a job, going to the countryside wasn''t mandatory. But now, it''s different. Without some solid connections, you can''t stay. Not even a temp job is easy toe by.0


    Tao Yuyue is currently a temp worker at the clinic. If she performs well, she might have a better chance during the next round of hiring. If not, she''ll just have to continue as a temp.0


    Of course, in the current situation, being able to stay as a temp is already a good thing.0


    Getting into such arge collective is no easy feat.0


    Although she has rtives in the clinic, Tao Yuyue is still at the bottom of the hierarchy. Since no one else wanted toe, Doctor Wang assigned her to the task. Doctor Wang had her own considerations. If her niece works hard, everyone will take notice, which is always a good thing.0


    Don''t think the leaders won''t see it. Didn''t they notice Zhuang Zhixi?0


    Her niece might not be as clever or good at socializing as Zhuang Zhixi, but Doctor Wang believes that with her backing, things won''t go too badly. She proactively sent her niece over, unaware that Tao Yuyue wasn''t happy about it.0


    Tao Yuyue graduated from a nursing school, but her skills are quite average. She wasn''t a good student in school, and she''s not particrly happy now.0


    However, Tao Yuyue has a bit of a girl''s shrewdness in this regard and doesn''t show her displeasure. She knows that the people living in this area are all from their factory. If a bad reputation spreads, it will be difficult to find a good match in the future. She wants to find someone with good conditions.0


    Reputation is very important.0


    "Auntie, is this the room?"0


    The... the ss is broken, why not rece it?0


    She was puzzled and a bit disgusted, but she still stood at the door and called out, "Uncle Bai, Bai Fendou."0


    "Who''s looking for me?"0


    Bai Fendou''s tone wasn''t very pleasant. He was taking an afternoon nap. Looking out the window, his eyes widened, and his face turned red as he stammered, "You you you... who are you? Are you looking for me? I... I am Bai Fendou."0


    This girl is so beautiful.0


    Tao Yuyue: "Hello, I''m Tao Yuyue, from the factory clinic."0


    "Ah. Clinic?"0


    Is there such a beautiful girl in the clinic?0


    He was puzzled but still said, "Come in quickly."0


    Seeing the pretty girl, he was like a joyful big dog.0


    "You you you... are you new here?"0


    Tao Yuyue: Hmm, this Bai Fendou, not a great guy, and he''s a stutterer!

 Chapter 90

    Bai Fendou felt that he might be falling in love.


    The first time he saw Nurse Tao Yuyue, it felt like spring flowers had bloomed. This girl was exactly the type he liked, and his face turned red as he gazed at Tao Yuyue and stammered, "Nurse... Nurse Tao..."


    Tao Yuyue''s hand trembled, and she missed the injection.


    Bai Fendou: "Ah!"


    Tao Yuyue quickly apologized, "I''m so sorry, Comrade Bai Fendou. I got nervous when you called me..." Her face turned red as she bit her lip in apology.


    Bai Fendou: "It''s okay! It doesn''t hurt! Go ahead and try again."


    Tao Yuyue: "Oh!"


    She said, "Then... please don''t talk to me..."


    Tao Yuyue was a bit nervous. After all, this was her first real patient since graduating. Although she had bragged about her top-notch performance in school at the clinic, deep down, she knew the truth.


    She took a deep breath and jabbed the needle in, only to see blood spurt out immediately. She quickly pressed her hand on it, but Bai Fendou''s face turned red again.


    He stammered, "Wh-why are you holding my hand?"


    Tao Yuyue forced a smile and said, "Close your eyes."


    Bai Fendou obediently closed his eyes. Tao Yuyue took another deep breath and jabbed the needle in. Bai Fendou groaned, "Mmm."


    Tao Yuyue: "It''s okay!"


    After several more attempts, she finally managed to get the needle in ce. Bai Fendou winced with each try, but she finally sighed in relief and said, "You can open your eyes now, Comrade Bai Fendou. You''re such a nice person. You could tell I was nervous, but you didn''t me me at all."


    Bai Fendou immediately patted his chest and said, "A real man doesn''t get petty over such things. How could I hold it against a girl like you?"


    Tao Yuyue smiled and said, "Then I''ll go give the injection to Old Man Bai."


    Old Man Bai was trembling in fear. He had heard about the IV and came over, sitting on a stool in the room, watching Tao Yuyue''s repeated attempts. The girl had a lovely face, but her skills were... questionable.


    Moreover, her judgment seemed off. How did she think his son was a nice person? Even he, as the father, hadn''t seen that.


    He hesitated, "Ah... well, I... actually, I think I''m almost better. I don''t really need the IV."


    Tao Yuyue didn''t believe him. It wasn''t a matter of having a brain; it was a matter of having eyes. Old Man Bai was clearly not "almost better." If that was the case, there would be no sick people left.


    She said seriously, "Old Man Bai, this won''t do. Your condition has been diagnosed by the hospital. We''ve already prescribed a week''s worth of IVs at the clinic, and the sry has been deducted. If you don''t take the IV, the money won''t be refunded."


    "Ah..." Old Man Bai thought of this and frowned in distress.


    He was instinctively afraid, but he didn''t want to waste the money. A week''s worth of IVs wasn''t cheap.


    Tao Yuyue: "You should take the IV. If you don''t, it''ll be a waste. The money isn''t going into my pocket, so I think it''s better for you to take it. Plus, your injury is serious. If you don''t take the IV, it''ll be harder to recover. Summer is prone to inmmation, so it''s better not to take any risks."


    Besides, it was a good opportunity for her to practice.


    Although Tao Yuyue wanted to improve her social status through marriage, she was also a practical girl. She knew that she couldn''tpletely neglect her work; otherwise, she wouldn''t have any security.


    The clinic didn''t have many patients, and she wanted to improve her skills to stand out when giving injections to leaders. She needed more practice to seize opportunities, just like Zhuang Zhixi, who had seized the chance to transfer to the security department. She could also use such opportunities to secure a permanent position.


    So she said sincerely, "Old Man Bai, if it gets inmed, it could be dangerous. I''m sure you understand. Are you afraid of injections? Don''t be. My skills are actually very good. I was top of my ss in school, but since this is my first job and my first time visiting a single man''s home, I''m a bit nervous..."


    She was tantly lying.


    Her performance in school had been mediocre. Back then, she had been more focused on using her school''s resources to find a partner rather than studying. Now, men were also shrewd and wouldn''t just look at her face; they would also consider her background. The ones she liked didn''t like her, and the ones who liked her, she didn''t like. It was frustrating.


    So she wanted to improve her skills in case of future needs.


    Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.


    Hearing her words, Old Man Bai believed her. He hesitated for a moment and nodded, "Alright."


    Although it looked terrifying, his injury was in a critical area. Although he hadn''t used it in decades, he couldn''t risk it getting inmed, especially since Aunt Su might agree to be with him. If it got infected and became useless, that would be the end.


    So he gritted his teeth and agreed. Tao Yuyue: "Should we do it here or..."


    "In my room."


    Tao Yuyue quickly followed him into Old Man Bai''s room. She frowned slightly but pretended not to notice the messy surroundings. A smart woman''s first move is to ignore the unpleasant environment. She quickly took out the IV and got to work... "Ah!"


    Old Man Bai let out a painful scream.


    The women in the courtyard were all looking at each other in confusion. Even Aunt Wang from the back courtyard came over. The four aunties of the courtyard gathered at the Bai family''s door, peeking inside. This was quite a rare sight.


    If you didn''t know it was an injection, you''d think they were ughtering a pig.


    ¡°What''s going on? ughtering a pig?¡± Auntie Lian curiously joined in, knowing that watching a lively scene was a must.


    "How can you say that? Didn''t you hear Old Man Bai''s painful screams?" This was undoubtedly Aunt Su.


    Auntie Lian didn''t respond. Fortunately, the Bai family''s windows were all broken, so they could see clearly from outside. Everyone was curious. They watched as Tao Yuyue tried again and again.


    Old Man Bai''s suffering wasn''t any less than Bai Fendou''s.


    Finally, the IV was in ce, and Old Man Bai looked utterly defeated.


    Tao Yuyue instructed, "Once this IV is finished, don''t remove the needle. Just remove the bottle and rece it with the next one. You have two IVs a day, and it usually takes four hours to finish both. I''ll be back in three and a half hours. During this time, don''t move around, or something might go wrong, and I won''t be here to help."


    Old Man Bai nodded painfully.


    Meanwhile, in the opposite room, Bai Fendou called out, "Nurse Tao, are you leaving already? Why not stay here? What if something happens to us? You''re supposed to be serving us, so shouldn''t you stay until the end?"


    He had taken a liking to the pretty nurse at first sight.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Outside the window, Aunt Su''s face darkened. She thought, "Men can''t be trusted. It''s right to take their money. Even if they don''t spend it on others, they''ll waste it. Men are never honest until they''re hanging on the wall."


    Bai Fendou looked expectantly at Tao Yuyue: "Nurse Tao..."


    Tao Yuyue: "That''s not possible. The clinic isn''t just for your family. We''ve already been specially approved by the factory toe here because of your serious injuries. For minor injuries, we wouldn''t even considering. Anyway, I''m leaving now."


    Having finished the injections, she no longer spoke softly and quickly packed up her things to leave. Seeing a group of old women watching themotion, she despised these gossiping, uneducated olddies.


    She nodded slightly and then rode her bike away.


    Aunt Zhou leaned her head toward the window and said to Bai Fendou, "Oh, Bai Fendou, this nurse is quite pretty. Do you like her?"


    Bai Fendou''s face turned slightly red, and he said, "What are you talking about? Don''t ruin Nurse Tao''s reputation."


    Aunt Zhou saw through his intentions immediately. She chuckled coldly, eximing, "What a toad lusting after a swan''s flesh! Just look at yourself¡ªwhat do you think you are?" She continued, "If you''ve set your eyes on someone, why don''t you ask Aunt Su to arrange a match for you? Oh, but I wonder if Aunt Su would be willing to part with her."


    Aunt Su responded, "What nonsense are you talking about? If Bai Fendou had a good family, I would be absolutely delighted. But I''m not familiar with Nurse Tao, and besides, her conditions are obviously very good. She''s young, and I doubt she would be interested in Bai Fendou."


    Bai Fendou, hearing this, became anxious: "Why wouldn''t she be interested? I''m in top-notch condition too!"


    This man''sck of self-awareness was truly astounding, leaving the aunts speechless.


    Back when you were in the security department, you could barely say your conditions were decent. But now that you''re cleaning toilets, do you think young girls don''t care about appearances? Although all jobs are equal, cleaning toilets in a factory is different from being a street cleaner. Yet, it''s still cleaning toilets. In the factory, the sry for cleaning toilets isn''t the lowest¡ªapprentices in the workshop only make about ten yuan. Even first-level workers in the workshop don''t earn more than twenty-five yuan.


    So, earning twenty-five yuan a month cleaning toilets isn''t bad. But while it''s not bad, it''s still embarrassing to talk about.


    When someone asks, it''s just mortifying.


    And the sry for cleaning toilets doesn''t increase¡ªno matter how many years you work, it''s always twenty-five yuan. Unlike in the workshop, where you can get a raise after advancing in rank.


    If you had no job, cleaning toilets would be the best option. But being transferred from the security department to cleaning toilets is quite shameful.


    Bai Fendou and Old Man Bai even had their sries reduced because of this, yet Bai Fendou still felt his conditions were quite good. He had never thought he would stay cleaning toilets forever. Instead, he deeply believed this was just a temporary setback. With his excellent performance, he estimated he would be back in no time¡ªmaybe in two or three months. So, he remained optimistic.


    "My job is actually pretty good. I wonder when Nurse Tao arrived? Oh, I also wonder if she''s a formal employee." Bai Fendou was even being picky about himself. If she wasn''t a formal employee, he wouldn''t consider her.


    Zhao Guihua looked at him as if he were a big fool, deeply believing he must be out of his mind.


    Did he even have the right to dislike Tao Yuyue?


    Although Tao Yuyue''s family conditions were ordinary, she had a good rtive. Aunt Wang, her older sister, would help her n her future. Aunt Wang''s husband was the director of the factory''s office, so her prospects were undoubtedly better than Bai Fendou''s.


    Moreover, she was under twenty, while Bai Fendou was over thirty.


    Where did his confidencee from?


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t very familiar with Tao Yuyue, but she vaguely remembered that Tao Yuyue would marry well. Of course, anyone with sense wouldn''t consider Bai Fendou. Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and turned to leave.


    Aunt Wang called out to Zhao Guihua, saying, "Old Zhao, wait a moment. I need to ask you something."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Alright, let''s talk inside."


    The olddies'' alliance dispersed. Aunt Zhou''s eyes darted around and she said, "Auntie Lian,e, let''s go to my ce."


    Looking around, only Aunt Su remained in the courtyard. She nced left and right, fell silent for a moment, then quickly entered the Bai household. Aunt Zhou whispered to Auntie Lian, "Look at this old widow. Isn''t she shameless? She''s always hanging around with Old Man Bai..."


    Auntie Lian replied, "Your courtyard is indeed lively."


    "That''s for sure."


    Aunt Zhou continued, "Auntie Lian, I invited you over because I wanted to ask about my daughter-inw''s pregnancy. Some say she can''t have children. I don''t know who to believe..."


    She scrutinized Auntie Lian, hoping to discern something from her expression. Auntie Lian remained calm: "It''s impossible. I don''t think that''s the case. If you don''t believe me, you can ask someone else. I don''t mind. But you should trust that time will reveal everything. Let''s leave it to time."


    Having done many superstitious acts, Auntie Lian was veryposed. Her calmness made Aunt Zhou immediately believe her. She nodded, "You''re right. Look..."


    The two began to chatter, engaging in more superstitious activities.


    Even Aunt Wang, who went to Zhuang''s house to chat, was discussing this.


    She whispered to Zhao Guihua, "Old Zhao, do you think our alley''s toilet is really haunted? Otherwise, why so many strange things happen? Should we do something to ward off the evil spirit?"


    This was a sign of deep friendship. Anyone with a less close rtionship wouldn''t dare to discuss such a sensitive topic.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I don''t think so. Not that I don''t believe in it, but our toilet is about to be rebuilt. Even if there were issues, they''ll be gone. Why bother? It''s not about the money. If word got out, it wouldn''t be good."


    Aunt Wang agreed, "That''s true. I don''t want to engage in superstition, but this matter is quite eerie. A perfectly fine man suddenly went crazy in the toilet. This isn''t the first time."


    Regarding the incident with Zhou Qun, Aunt Wang also leaned towards the idea of a haunting.


    Most people thought the same. Zhao Guihua didn''t argue, saying, "Let''s not act yet. Let''s see how things go after the reconstruction. I''ve heard that houses said to be haunted, after being torn down and rebuilt, no longer have those issues."


    Aunt Wang said, "I hope so."


    She looked at the old hen in the courtyard and became interested, asking, "This hen is nice. How much is it?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Four yuan each."


    Aunt Wang gasped¡ªoutside, a hen costs only two yuan. This was double the price! She looked at the hen as if it were a golden nugget.


    Zhao Guihua exined, "It''s expensive, but it startsying eggs right away. And look at this hen¡ªit''s not big, so it can be kept for a long time."


    She continued calcting, "Egg prices fluctuate, but let''s take an average of four cents. If itys a hundred eggs, the price difference is covered. On average, a hen costs fifty yuan and can be kept for two months, so the extra money is made up. If we keep it for one or two more years, we can eat itter without any loss. Besides, eggs are so hard to buy nowadays."


    "Did Auntie Lian persuade you?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded, "She may be a bit pricey, but she''s fast. If you want a hen thatys eggs immediately, you''d have to look for a long time. But with her, it''s done in a day or two. Time is money, you know."


    Aunt Wang chuckled, "You''re right about that."


    She whispered, "I bet Aunt Zhou will want to raise some too. Since that''s the case, I''ll get two."


    When no one was raising chickens, no one did. But once someone started, everyone followed. People always have a herd mentality. Zhao Guihua unintentionally started a new trend. She smiled and said, "I''ve already nned it. I''ll go to the scrap collection station to get an old basin or arge dish, then nt some scallions or garlic in it. Since we''re raising chickens, the chicken manure will fertilize the soil, and the nts will grow well. It won''t dy anything, and we''ll have extra vegetables. It saves money on buying vegetables."


    Aunt Wang''s eyes lit up, nodding, "That''s a great idea."


    If they were to open a plot in the courtyard to grow vegetables, it wouldn''t work. This is different from raising chickens. Raising chickens only takes up a small space, but growing vegetables requires arger area. If everyone did it, there would be disputes over territory, and some might even try to freeload by stealing vegetables, which would be frustrating.


    But if they used arge basin to grow nts, cing it on the windowsill, it wouldn''t take up much space or public area. Although the yield would be small, it could be brought inside if needed, protecting it from extreme weather and thieves.


    "When are you going?" Aunt Wang said, "I''ll go with you. I can''t miss out on this. Lao Zhao, I''ve noticed you''ve got a lot of great ideas. You''re more suited to managing the courtyard than I am."


    Zhao Guihua''s face changed instantly, and she waved her hands so fast they blurred, quickly saying, "No, no, I can''t do it. You''re doing a great job, don''t say someone else is more suitable. I''m not at all suitable. I''m selfish, I only care about myself. I''m not the right fit."


    Managing the courtyard was just too much trouble¡ªa thankless task. Zhao Guihua was terrified that Aunt Wang might rmend her, so she quickly and firmly stated her position.


    Why was she so adamant?


    In her previous life, Aunt Wang had rmended her for the role. Fortunately, Aunt Su, the Bai family, and others like Aunt Zhou didn''t support her, so she didn''t end up with the burden. They had unintentionally done her a favor by being malicious.


    Zhao Guihua had no desire to serve the people.


    Why should she go out of her way for them? She wouldn''t get a single word of gratitude, and she''d end up with gray hair sprouting everywhere.


    So no matter if Aunt Wang was just casually mentioning it or had some other idea, Zhao Guihua was frightened and extremely resolute.


    Aunt Wang was stunned, then sighed in exasperation, "You really are... why are you putting yourself down like that?"


    Zhao Guihua stood her ground, "I''m just afraid you''re feeling overwhelmed by those ''talented'' families in our courtyard and thinking of passing the buck to me. I can''t handle that. Those people are all oddballs. An ordinary person like me can''t deal with them. Besides, wouldn''t it be better to spend that time taking care of my own family? Why get involved with them?"


    Aunt Wang sighed and nodded, "You''re right, I suppose."


    Even someone like her, who loved meddling in others'' affairs, was feeling exhausted by the role.


    She said, "It''s just too tiring."


    Zhao Guihua sympathetically patted her shoulder.


    Aunt Wang: "I''m so frustrated."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Alright,e on, let''s go find Auntie Lian..."


    ...


    Those who weren''t working at home were busy with their own chores, while those who were working didn''t seem to be too busy. Zhuang Zhixi spent the entire morning writing an article. It was something their factory nned to submit to the local newspaper. However, after writing several beginnings, he wasn''t satisfied. They were too conventional, and he doubted they''d be epted.


    Although Sister Cui had mentioned that their submissions often got rejected, Zhuang Zhixi, being new to the job, was eager to showcase his abilities and establish himself. He scratched his head, got up to get some water, and on his way back from the water room, saw a few people crowding by the window. Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked, "What''s going on out there?"


    "It''s Section Chief Liu. He''s scolding the security team."


    Zhuang Zhixi joined the onlookers and saw Section Chief Liu berating the guards with great intensity. Listening closely, everyone could piece together what had happened. Yesterday, after dealing with Bai Fendou''s case, Section Chief Liu returned to the factory and found some security personnel napping on the job.


    You see, many steel thieves operate at night, so the security team is responsible not only for the safety of the factory''s personnel but also for protecting the factory''s valuable materials. This is of utmost importance.


    So Section Chief Liu was furious and today, when assigning patrols, he was especially strict, scolding anyone who moved even a bit slowly.


    "I think Section Chief Liu is taking out his anger over Bai Fendou on everyone else," someonemented.


    However, Sister Cui and the others disagreed. Sister Cui shook her head, "No, that''s not how Section Chief Liu is. He''s the kind of person who keeps things separate. Besides, you all know how serious he is about his work. When he was transferred from the military, the factory lost some steel materials. It was him who tracked and followed the thieves, eventually recovering the stolen goods and bringing the gang to justice."


    "Oh, yeah, I remember that. I heard the leader of the gang even had a gun. He tried to shoot Section Chief Liu, but somehow, he survived."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "When did that happen?"


    "You wouldn''t know. You''re too young. That was about fourteen or fifteen years ago. You were probably not even in elementary school then. That was back in the ''50s."


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head, "How old is Section Chief Liu? He doesn''t look that old."


    "Section Chief Liu is forty-two this year. But he joined the military early. Both his parents were martyrs, and he grew up in the military. He was injured and transferred at the age of twenty-seven. Sometimes, you just can''t help but believe in fate... I''m not promoting superstition, but it''s hard to exin. When he was transferred, it was in the ''50s, and there were still enemy agents causing trouble. Big and small thieves were still active. Our machinery factory often lost steel materials. He led the chase, and the leader of the gang shot at him. The bullet hit his chest. Everyone thought he was a goner, but guess what? He survived."


    Zhuang Zhixi listened intently, amazed, "Why?"


    "The bullet happened to hit his military medal. Can you believe it? He always wore three military medals on his chest, one for each of his parents and one for himself. The bullet hit the medal, and he didn''t get injured."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes widened, "Wow."


    "You could say it was divine intervention... or maybe he just has a strong life force."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That''s impressive."


    "Yeah, not long after he took office, the atmosphere at the factory improved significantly. I heard he had a chance to be promoted, but he''s attached to the factory and chose to stay."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t know Section Chief Liu had such a history."


    "Yeah, so if the security team cks off, Section Chief Liu really loses his temper. He''s always said that no matter what other departments do, the security team must never ck off or have integrity issues. Look at Bai Fendou¡ªonce he was transferred out, he''ll never be able to return to the security team."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Speaking of Bai Fendou, I saw him being discharged from the hospital this morning... He''s not fully recovered, so why did he leave?"


    He mused aloud, and Sister Cui immediately chimed in, "Oh, you didn''t know? The hospital kicked them out."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What?!"


    Sister Cui: "It''s really strange. The hospital just couldn''t handle them anymore. Now, many of the male colleagues at the factory are worried. Bai Fendou is so bitter that he seems to hate everyone else. There''s a rumor that he''s grabbing men..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He twitched his mouth, finding the rumor too absurd. Bai Fendou might not be the best person, but to specifically target men''s... well, that was just too much.


    Probably not.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s obvious disbelief made someone else say, "Don''t dismiss it so quickly. Some things might seem impossible for a normal person, but think about it¡ªis Bai Fendou really normal?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''ve convinced me with that."


    "Since you live in the same courtyard, you''d better be careful."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He nodded seriously, "I''ll definitely keep my distance from him."


    "Don''t take it as a joke. The guy''s really gone crazy."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand."


    He chuckled, looking out the window. Suddenly, Zhuang Zhixi pped his head and said, "Hey, what if we write about outstanding individuals for our submission? Focus on some of the excellent older colleagues in the factory."


    Everyone looked at him. Zhuang Zhixi pointed to Section Chief Liu, who was still energetically scolding people outside, and said, "Like him, for example."


    Everyone: "..."


    Their looks said, "You''re treating him like a circus act."


    Sister Cui swallowed hard and said, "It might work. But... Section Chief Liu has a bad temper and is suspicious. He tends to overthink things. If you approach him, he might not be willing."


    Zhuang Zhixi remained calm, "It''s okay. If Section Chief Liu agrees, that''s great. If he doesn''t, I''ll just ask someone else. It''s worth a try."


    Old Huang, who was listening nearby, thought Zhuang Zhixi''s idea was quite good. He suggested, "Sometimes, you don''t need to write about important positions. Even ordinary jobs have people who work diligently. Ordinary people are more rtable."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "In that case, I''ll start by asking Section Chief Liu. If he''s not willing, I''ll try to find someone else. I only recently learned about Section Chief Liu''s story, and I''m even less familiar with others. I''ll try to find someone with a clear and specific story so we don''t have to make things up."


    "Exactly!"


    Little Xu, who was nearby, sneered at Zhuang Zhixi, thinking that this guy was just trying to tter Section Chief Liu. As if no one could see through that.


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, didn''t pay attention to Little Xu. Why would he waste time noticing another guy when he had better things to do? After making his decision, Zhuang Zhixi went to see Section Chief Liu in the afternoon. When Section Chief Liu heard what he had to say, he burst outughing and firmly refused, "No way, I don''t like getting involved in such things. You''d better find someone else."


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his strong refusal, said, "You know, I only know about you. I don''t know anything about others. Besides, you are someone we should all learn from."


    These words made Section Chief Liu feel quite pleased, but he still insisted, "I really don''t like being in the spotlight. If I wanted that, I wouldn''t have waited until now. If you really want to write..." He nced at Zhuang Zhixi, seeing that he seemed sincere, and said, "Then go find Old Niu at the gate. Uncle Niu is the one worth writing about. Don''t underestimate him just because he''s a gatekeeper. His story is quite moving. His son died protecting important materials for our factory, and he himself is quite remarkable..."


    Zhuang Zhixi always carried a small notebook with him and immediately started taking notes.


    Seeing how seriously Zhuang Zhixi was writing, Section Chief Liu smiled and said, "Let me tell you more."


    Section Chief Liu wasn''t busy at the moment, so he sipped from his tea mug and started telling Zhuang Zhixi about Old Niu. He curiously asked, "Will this be published?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "To be honest, I don''t know if it will be published, but I want to try. Everyone writes about the same things traditionally, but I want to try promoting our factory through individual stories. It''s worth a shot."


    Section Chief Liu nodded, "You''re a straightforward guy. If you had told me it was guaranteed to be published, I would have thought you were being dishonest. Since you''re being honest, I understand." He had been with the factory for over a decade and was quite familiar with many aspects of it.


    Although he wasn''t an expert, he had a good grasp of the general situation. So, Zhuang Zhixi''s honesty impressed him, and he was quite happy to talk more with this young man.


    The two of them seemed to be having a great conversation, at least that''s what Zhou Qun thought when he walked in carrying an electrician''s toolbox. Zhou Qun hade to fix the circuit, though the problem wasn''t in this office. The weather was already getting hot, so the doors and windows were open for venttion, making it easy to see inside.


    Zhou Qun was surprised to see Zhuang Zhixi sitting there, his eyebrows furrowing in displeasure. What was this guy doing here? He was always trying to tter people.


    Zhou Qun believed that Zhuang Zhixi had only been transferred to the Publicity Department by sucking up to people. Now he was even trying to get into the good graces of the Security Department. It was really... "Watch out!"


    Zhou Qun was distracted and didn''t notice his footstep. Section Chief Liu, casually ncing around, saw Zhou Qun trip over a bag of cement in the hallway. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Zhou Qun.


    "Be careful."


    Then he said, "Zhang San, why is this bag of cement still in the hallway?"


    Their Security Department building was old and full of problems. It had leaked during the recent heavy rain.


    So, the leftover cement from the repairs was left in the hallway.


    Zhang San hurried over, "I''ll move it right away."


    He asked, "Zhou Qun, are you okay?"


    Zhou Qun shook his head, "I''m fine."


    Looking at Section Chief Liu again, Zhou Qun felt even more admiration for this manly man.


    He said, "Section Chief Liu, you saved me just now. If it weren''t for you, I would have fallen t on my face. Let me treat you to dinner tonight to show my gratitude."


    Section Chief Liu waved his hand dismissively, "No need. If you fell here in our Security Department, it would be embarrassing for us."


    "That''s not how it works. For others, it might be a small thing, but for me, it''s very important. I had a lot of tools with me, and if they had gotten damaged, it would have been a hassle. You really helped me out, so please don''t be polite, let me treat you..."


    Section Chief Liu looked at Zhou Qun''s persistent grip on his hand, pulled it away forcefully, and said, "Really, no need."


    Seeing that Zhou Qun was about to continue his insistence, Zhang San quickly intervened, "Zhou Qun, could you give me a hand and help me carry this to the back storage room?"


    Zhou Qun''s face darkened. Damn it, I almost got tripped, and you still have the nerve to ask me to work?


    He was very unhappy, but his reputation in the factory was already delicate, so he didn''t want to offend anyone. He reluctantly nced at Section Chief Liu one more time before helping Zhang San carry the cement away.


    Zhang San, however, waspletely oblivious to Zhou Qun''s displeasure and continued to chatter cheerfully, "Zhou Qun, did you hear? Bai Fendou was discharged from the hospital. You better keep an eye on your wife from now on. Even though Bai Fendou is crippled, he might still try something..."


    Zhou Qun almost dropped the cement bag on Zhang San''s face, his voice hard, "What are you talking about? Bai Fendou has nothing to do with my wife. Thest time was an ident. If there was anything going on, I wouldn''t let him off. Besides, my father-inw wouldn''t agree either."


    He nced back at Section Chief Liu''s office, unhappy, and asked, "What is Zhuang Zhixi doing here?"


    Zhang San replied, "Oh, just work. The Publicity Department has a lot of misceneous tasks."


    Zhou Qun didn''t like hearing that. He said, "What work does the Publicity Department have? I think they''re pretty idle, justzing around all day, doing nothing."


    Zhang San stammered, "You... you shouldn''t say that."


    He added, "I think every position has its challenges."


    Being a gossip, Zhang San quickly steered the conversation back to gossip, saying, "Do you know the new nurse at the medical room, Tao Yuyue? The prettiest one, the one who reced Zhuang Zhixi. She went to Bai Fendou''s house today to give him and his father an IV. I heard their windows were smashed. Hey, was it your mom who did it?"


    Zhou Qun: "..."


    How could this guy be so clueless? He nced back at Section Chief Liu''s office again. It was clear that Section Chief Liu, being such a brave man, had no decent people under him. Apart from Bai Fendou, the waste, there was Zhang San, the chatterbox, and Li Si, the one who loved to watch themotion. Being the head of the Security Department was no easy job.


    "Your section chief has a tough job," Zhou Qun said.


    Zhang San agreed, "That''s true. Take Bai Fendou, for example. All the things he''s done have brought shame to our Security Department. Even though he''s been demoted to cleaning toilets and carrying manure, he''s still technically part of our department when things go wrong. Our section chief must be really stressed. He''s been speaking more loudly today. Sigh, the heat makes people irritable, and there are all these troublesome things."


    Zhou Qun pursed his lips, deep in thought.


    Zhuang Zhixi, sitting in his chair, happened to have a good view of the window. He saw Zhou Qun looking back repeatedly, which caught Zhuang Zhixi''s attention. Zhuang Zhixi thought, "Hmm, what is Zhou Qun looking at?"


    He chuckled and said, "Zhou Qun keeps looking over here. Maybe he thinks I''m gossiping with you about something?"


    Section Chief Liu replied, "It''s possible. He tends to overthink things."


    Section Chief Liu had a very poor impression of Zhou Qun. Given the things Zhou Qun had done, anyone with a normal mind wouldn''t have a good impression of him. Although... Zhou Qun had once given the deputy section chief a carton of expensive cigarettes, which the deputyter shared with him.


    Even though he had smoked those cigarettes, Section Chief Liu couldn''t bring himself to say that Zhou Qun was a good person.


    He said, "You should be careful around him, and also around Bai Fendou. Neither of them is any good."


    He truly felt emotional: "What kind of feng shui do you have in your courtyard? Why are there so many strange people?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed: "Section Chief, we shouldn''t be saying that."


    Section Chief Liu chuckled: "I was just making a casual remark. Anyway, be careful around them."


    This was said with genuine sincerity, even though the two weren''t particrly close. The fact that someone would take the time to give him such advice was appreciated. Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I understand that, but they probably won''t have time to bother with me. As you mentioned, those two don''t get along at all and are always at each other''s throats. I doubt I''ll even get involved in their quarrels."


    When it came to fights, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t even on the radar in their courtyard.


    Section Chief Liu understood and was momentarily at a loss for words.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m used to it."


    Section Chief Liuughed and said, "You certainly have an interesting life."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s true. By the way, Section Chief, let''s talk about the gatekeeper, Uncle Niu, shall we?"


    "Sure," he replied. "Uncle Niu''s story is really worth writing about. It would be great if it could be published in the newspaper."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll try my best, but I can''t guarantee anything."


    Section Chief Liu: "Of course, I understand."


    As they chatted, they soon saw Zhou Qun returning. This time, his eyes were glued to the window. Section Chief Liu, with his heroic and powerful demeanor, looked like a tough guy, while Zhuang Zhixi, with his gentle and refined appearance, always had a warm smile and a clear, refreshing face. He seemed to have some talent as well.


    Zhou Qun stopped at the door, coughed lightly, and said, "How about I treat both of you to dinner tonight?"


    Section Chief Liu: "Oh,e on, are you never going to stop? Don''t pull this fake politeness on me. I''m not going!"


    Was he trying to bribe him?


    Was he?


    What kind of person did he think he was?


    Zhuang Zhixi alsoughed: "Zhou Ge, there''s no need for that. My wife is pregnant, and I need to pick her up from work."


    Who knew if Zhou Qun had some scheme in mind?


    Better to be cautious, very cautious!


    Seeing that both men had refused, Zhou Qun was quite dissatisfied and let out a soft sigh from his throat.


    He said, "Then next time, when there''s an opportunity, we must definitely go together."


    Section Chief Liu: "..."


    What kind of bootlicker was this? He had already given him a cold shoulder, yet he still didn''t get the hint? No wonder Zhou Qun had risen so quickly; he just stuck to people like glue, making it impossible to shake him off. But why was he sticking to him?


    Thinking about it, he asked, "Zhou Qun, if you have any difficulties, just say so directly. There''s no need for these fake gestures. Tell me, are you afraid that Bai Fendou wille back and take revenge on you?"


    He sighed and said, "Although I don''t know why you didn''t pursue the matter, regardless of anything else, in this situation, you are the victim. Since you''ve already forgiven Bai Fendou, if he doesn''t let it go, you cane straight to our security section, and we will definitely stand up for you."


    Zhou Qun''s eyes lit up and he said, "Thank you so much, Section Chief Liu."


    This man wasn''t just a man''s man; he also had a strong sense of responsibility!


    He looked at Section Chief Liu with glowing eyes, and Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help but rub his arms, feeling goosebumps rise. It was a perfectly fine, warm day, but suddenly he felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle.


    Zhou Qun''s gaze was just too creepy.


    Even though it wasn''t directed at him, it was so ufortable that he felt like vomiting up his lunch.


    Section Chief Liu also felt uneasy under his gaze and said, "You should hurry up and fix the wires."


    Zhou Qun: "Alright."


    He happily left.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Section Chief Liu: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll be heading out too."


    As he reached the door, he felt something was off. Unable to hold back, he pursed his lips and finally turned back to say, "Section Chief, I feel like he''s acting a bit strange... You should be careful too."


    Section Chief Liu nodded gravely.


    He was even more perceptive than Zhuang Zhixi.


    This guy was just so... strange.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t head straight back to the office but instead went to the gatehouse to see Uncle Niu. It was undeniable that although Uncle Niu was just an ordinary man, like any other ordinary person in the factory, there was something extraordinary about him.


    He had dedicated his entire life to the factory, working tirelessly without ever uttering a singleint. His son had even sacrificed his life for the factory, and Uncle Niu had never expressed any resentment. To him, his son''s death while trying to save the factory''s assets was a tragedy, but it wasn''t the factory''s fault.


    Zhuang Zhixi left with a sense of respect.


    Back in the office, Sister Cui asked, "How did it go?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Section Chief Liu turned down the offer, but he rmended the gatekeeper, Uncle Niu."


    He added, "I went over and talked with Uncle Niu."


    "Uncle Niu? Yes, he''s also a good choice..."


    As they discussed, Zhuang Zhixi, who had been at the factory for a short time and didn''t know many people, quickly took notes. Old Huang, seeing his serious attitude, nodded with approval.


    This young man had a vibrant, upward spirit. If he got caught up in all sorts of unnecessary nonsense, it would be quite disappointing.


    The day passed quickly. Zhuang Zhixi felt like he hadn''t done much, just gathered some information, and yet it was already time to leave work. Although he had just joined the publicity section, when it came to leaving work, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t hesitate at all. As soon as the clock signaled the end of the workday, he was out the door.


    Sister Cui: "Are you going to pick up your wife?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, she''s pregnant, and I can''t feel at ease."


    Sister Cui fully supported a man taking good care of his wife. If a man didn''t treat his wife well, what kind of man was he? She said, "Then hurry up and go."


    Recently, Zhuang Zhixi had been picking up Ming Mei, so he rode a bike to work. He rode ady''s red Phoenix bicycle without any hesitation, looking perfectly calm. It just so happened that when Zhuang Zhixi left work, he ran into Zhou Qun again.


    Uh, why was it him again?


    Seeing Zhuang Zhixi on his bike, Zhou Qun quickened his pace and caught up, frowning as he said, "Are you going to pick up your wife? You don''t need to be so good to women; spoiling them won''t do any good. You should learn from me on how to deal with women; being too nice to them is useless."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Zhou Qun continued, "How about we have dinner together tonight..."


    Zhuang Zhixi firmly replied, "No need!"


    He said, "I have an urgent matter; I''m leaving now!"


    He quickly got on his bike and sped off.


    This Zhou Qun was acting so weird and creepy. Although Zhou Qun was usually cunning, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t afraid of him. After all, he could handle whatever came his way. But today, Zhuang Zhixi felt a bit intimidated.


    It seemed like Zhou Qun genuinely wanted to have dinner with him. That was way scarier than any fake politeness.


    Plus, Zhou Qun''s gaze was just too unsettling.


    A grown man, and his eyes were practically oozing with something.


    He just couldn''t handle it. Zhuang Zhixi felt like a weakling for being unable to withstand such a look. He definitely needed to work on hisposure. This just wouldn''t do. Zhuang Zhixi quickly rode his bike to Ming Mei''s workce. As soon as he arrived, he saw Ming Mei talking with a man at the entrance. Zhuang Zhixi waved, "Wife?"


    Ming Mei turned around and ran over with a smile, to which Zhuang Zhixi said, "Hey, don''t run!"


    He added, "If you''re in a hurry, just call me to run over."


    Ming Mei rolled her eyes: "I''m just pregnant, not carrying a panda. Can you stop being so overprotective?"


    She happily introduced the man to Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "This is my cousin; you haven''t met him before, right?"


    Ming Mei''s uncle lived in Jinling, and with everyone having to work, it was quite inconvenient to visit. After all, this was the 1970s, and it was rare for people to take several days off for a rtive''s wedding, especially for such a long distance. Even for local city and rural visits, some people might not go.


    So Zhuang Zhixi hadn''t met him before.


    Ming Mei: "This is my cousin, Lan Xiang, from my uncle''s family. He''s here on a business trip to the capital, hehe."


    Ming Mei was always happy to meet her rtives. She said, "Cousin, this is my husband, Zhuang Zhixi, who works in the publicity section of the machinery factory."


    The two men quickly exchanged greetings. Lan Xiang said, "I''m staying at the guesthouse and have already checked in. Tonight, I''m going to my grandfather''s ce for dinner."


    This was his first time here and he didn''t know how to get to his grandfather''s new ce.


    As for Aunt''s house, he hadn''t been there for three or four years, so he was a bit worried about not being able to find it. However, he remembered where his aunt worked. Although Ming Mei had taken over the job, as long as he could find someone, it would be fine. Lan Xiang was quite the natural talker: "Brother-inw, hello. I''ve heard a lot about you. You''re the younger brother of Ming Cheng''s ssmate, right? I remember you, but I''m not sure if you remember me. Actually, we''ve met before. Do you remember, about ten years ago, when we were still in elementary school? My dad and I came to Beijing to visit my aunt, and we went out to y together?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "¡­¡­?"


    May I ask, how old was he back then?


    He chuckled and said, "I was pretty young back then, right?"


    "Yeah, about three or four years old, very annoying, always clinging to your older brother. We were nning to catch birds, but you clung to his leg, insisting oning along..." Lan Xiang brought up Zhuang Zhixi''s childhood embarrassments.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    Hey, wait, something so long ago, do you really remember that?


    It seemed this guy did indeed remember, and he kept going: "Back then, you were about three or four years old, still wearing open-crotch pants. I guess we''ve known each other since we were kids. Never thought you''d be my cousin-inw. My cousin is really great, so you better treat her well. Otherwise, we brothers won''t stand for it..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, I will."


    Lan Xiang: "I came here this time..."


    Ming Mei yfully scolded, "You came here just to cause trouble, didn''t you?"


    Lan Xiang pulled Ming Mei aside and whispered, "I just wanted to remind him of his embarrassing past, to warn him a bit. If he ever dares to treat you badly, I''ll write down all these childhood stories and ster them all over the streets. Everyone knows them anyway."


    This "whisper" wasn''t exactly quiet.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "I heard that."


    "So what if you heard? Heard it is what it is."


    He said, "Don''t think that just because our family isn''t around here, my sister is unprotected."


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked and said, "Look at my skinny arms and legs. Do you think I could stand up to your uncle, my father-inw?"


    Lan Xiang looked him up and down and sincerely said, "Well, I guess not."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There you go."


    Heughed, and it was undeniable that his wife''s family was quite quirky.


    Could this be what they call gic traits?


    Hmm, that does seem possible.


    At this point, Lan Xiang stopped talking to his brother-inw and instead started whispering to Ming Mei: "Cousin, I heard you''re pregnant. Isn''t that convenient? I brought you something special."


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up.


    Lan Xiang chuckled: "This is just for you, no one else has it."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She couldn''t help but scratch her head. Why did this sound so familiar?

 Chapter 91

    The Lan family''s traditional way of speaking.


    This is only for you, no one else has it.


    Whether it''s true or not is hard to say, but everyone says it so sincerely.


    Ming Mei''s mouth twitched as she deeply doubted this im, but she still nodded silently. Whether it was true or false, receiving it was always good. After all, her main task was to guide the way, bringing this seemingly sincere but unreliable cousin to the courtyard and dropping him off at her grandfather''s house.


    Luckily, her grandfather wasn''t out for dinner and a movie today, or she would have missed him again.


    But it seemed her grandfather wasn''t exactly thrilled to see this eldest grandson. Old Man Lan and his wife were preparing dinner when they heard a knock at the door. Old Man Lan was quite surprised: "Who is it?"


    Although they lived here, due to their age and being rtively new to the neighborhood, they didn''t interact much with others. He got up to open the door and saw Ming Mei''s smiling face. Just as he was about to speak, a spirited young man popped out from the side with a bright smile: "Ding dong, Grandpa, did you miss me?"


    Old Man Lan was not at all surprised and pursed his lips, saying: "I figured you''d be here in the next couple of days."


    He stepped aside and said: "Come in."


    Ming Mei chirped: "Grandpa, did you know Cousin Lan Xiang wasing?"


    Old Man Lan: "Your uncle contacted me."


    Lan Xiangined: "Look at my dad, he really ruins the mood. I wanted to give Grandpa a surprise."


    Old Man Lan nced at him and said: "Because your dad knows thating here isn''t much of a surprise. Let me introduce you, this is your Grandma Luo."


    Luo Xiaohe was not young, and in most families, she would indeed be called grandma. However, she never married, her younger sister''s children hadn''t grown up, and her younger brother had just gotten married without any children. Moreover, their family didn''t have many rtives in the area, so her generational status wasn''t that high.


    Being suddenly called grandma by a young man, Luo Xiaohe felt ufortable everywhere, but she still said: "Sit down quickly."


    Lan Xiang: "I brought some cooked food, Cousin Ming Mei, stay and eat with us. Look, I bought enough."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought that the Lan family''s personalities were indeed quite simr. Ming Mei''s mother was like this, and now Lan Xiang was the same. Even the things they bought were simr. It really showed they were one family. Lan Sihai: "That''s more like it."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I''ll go home and tell my parents."


    Since they lived in the same courtyard, he was practically home as soon as he stepped out.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care where he ate, not eating at home was even better, saving food.


    However, she also said: "Take a fish over to add to the dish."


    Because of their secret stash, their family nevercked fish. Taking a fish as a gift was just right. Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    She wrinkled her nose: "What''s that smell?"


    It smelled kind of fishy.


    He turned around and saw Jiang Lu sitting at the door washing something that looked suspiciously like... well, men knew what it was. Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched slightly. He really didn''t understand. With Zhou Qun''s... well, you know, did he really need to be so thorough?


    Speaking of which, the Zhou family was really big on tonics for kidney and yang strengthening. Whenever it came to such things, they immediately started consuming them.


    It was really quite ridiculous, not afraid of over-supplementing at all.


    Zhuang Zhixi covered his nose and silently returned to the Lan house. Old Man Lan looked utterly resigned. As neighbors living next door, they were very much aware of the smell. Old Man Lan truly felt that this family''s obsession with supplements was really not good.


    Didn''t they fear the body couldn''t handle such strong supplements?


    He was speechless.


    At this moment, Lan Xiang pulled out a small red velvet bag, and Zhuang Zhixi blinked: "..."


    Ming Mei also blinked.


    Here ites, the family''s traditional move.


    Lan Xiang: "When I came, my dad, your uncle, this old fellow, asked me to give this to you. He said it''s for your child, look, it''s a longevity lock, made of silver."


    He proudly showed it to Ming Mei, saying: "Cute, right?"


    Ming Mei opened the bag and looked at the small longevity lock. It wasn''t too big, but not small either, about the size of arge apricot. The carving on it was very delicate, and one could imagine how adorable a chubby baby would look wearing it.


    Old Man Lan: "Let me see."


    He nodded slightly and said: "Hmm, your dad''s craftsmanship has improved a bit."


    Ming Mei was surprised: "Ah, did Uncle make this himself?"


    "Of course."


    Ming Mei gave a thumbs up, saying: "What skillful hands."


    Lan Sihai immediately snorted and said: "His craftsmanship is just ordinary, much worse than mine."


    Ming Mei immediately understood her grandfather''s meaning and quickly said: "That''s right, Grandpa is Uncle''s father, so naturally he''s more skilled."


    She held the longevity lock, smiling sweetly: "Cousin, please thank Uncle for me."


    Lan Xiang: "No problem, leave it to me. And don''t tell anyone else about this."


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    She happily nodded. She was indeed the most favored in the family.


    It wasn''t surprising though. She was the youngest child in the family. Her cousins were all older than her. Among her mother''s rtives, Ming Mei was the youngest. Her father''s side of the family... well, there weren''t many left. The direct rtives were almost gone, and the more distant ones weren''t very close. Like her paternal uncle, who was her master, but he had no children.


    Calcting it out, her father''s generation had many distant siblings, but it was strange that the younger generation wasn''t very prosperous, with few people and little interaction. Ming Mei felt that she was favored for a reason.


    She happily rubbed the longevity lock. Lan Xiang babbled on: "My dad did a decent job on this. He asked me to give it to you, and I thought he was overthinking it, but it turns out you''re really pregnant."


    At this point, Old Man Lan snorted again and said: "Are you a pig''s brain?"


    Lan Xiang: "???"


    Ming Mei was also puzzled.


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly figured it out: "Grandpa told Uncle about your pregnancy."


    Everyone suddenly understood, even Lan Xiang was surprised: "So that''s how it was."


    Ming Mei: "But... if it was by letter, the timing..."


    Before she could finish, she was interrupted: "Who said I wrote a letter? Couldn''t I call?"


    "Ah this..." Ming Mei looked at her grandfather, trying to see if he was joking, but he wasn''t. Ming Mei fell into deep silence, then sincerely eximed: "I really am very important."


    You know, making a phone call these days isn''t easy. The factory''s phone wasn''t something just anyone could use. I guess only someone as skilled as my grandfather could handle it; anyone else would have no chance. As for my uncle''s side, it''s also quite difficult to get a call through there.


    Ming Mei rubbed her face and said: "You guys are making me feel embarrassed."


    Old Man Lan: "Life needs a little bit of romance. Receiving gifts is also a kind of romance."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    However, receiving gifts was always a happy thing. Ming Mei was very pleased. This pregnancy had brought her many gains, making her feel like a "big shot." She chuckled softly. Zhuang Zhixi: "Aunt Luo, let me help you with the cooking."


    Luo Xiaohe: "No need, no need, you do your own thing."


    Lan Xiang: "What''s that smell?"


    He turned to look at Luo Xiaohe. Uh, scrambled eggs with chives, isn''t that the smelling from here?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The smell from next door. I just saw them dealing with it. They have to replenish their kidneys 300 days out of the year."


    "Ah~ How bad must their kidneys be to need so much supplementation?"


    "Who knows."


    "Ah, this smell is really strong."


    Speaking of which, these things really shouldn''t have such a strong smell, but the Zhou family seemed to have no idea how to cook them properly. Every time they messed up, the smell intensified.


    It really made people feel overwhelmed.


    If you don''t know how to do something, ask a professional, right? Look at Chef Li and Yang Lixin, they''re both chefs and very skilled, but the Zhou family just won''t ask. They''re that confident. This has led to everyone smelling strange odors every now and then.


    It''s extremely frustrating.


    No wonder it''s Beijing, things are really different here. They really emphasize nourishing and tonifying. We don''t do that back home.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei exchanged a nce, saying, "We don''t do that either..."


    The Zhou family''s behavior is an exception.


    Just an exception.


    "Bai Fendou, get out here!" A woman''s furious scream echoed through the air. Zhuang Zhixi jumped, quickly darting to the door. Peering out the window, he said, "It''s the Yu family from the alley."


    Madam Yu, along with her husband and four sons, arrived in full force, apanied by a few daughters-inw.


    The whole family, a formidable group, marched in with great momentum: "Bai Fendou,e out! You heartless, childless scoundrel, you pulled some dirty tricks on my son, even using the child-ending move. Don''t think that just because the factory mediated, this matter is over. Come out, get out here."


    Madam Yu''s tirade echoed, and everyone immediately rushed out.


    After all, when ites to gossip, you have to be in the front line to enjoy the fun, right?


    Everyone came out, including Ming Mei and the others. They saw that each person was holding a wooden stick, clearly ready for a fight.


    But Bai Fendou wasn''t backing down. He shuffled out with small steps, holding his legs together, and shouted, "What! You think you can bully me just because you''re in numbers?"


    He wasn''t afraid at all, raising his voice: "I''ll tell you, don''t think that just because there are more of you, I''ll be scared. I, Bai Fendou, am still a man. If I say I''m afraid, then I''m this!"


    He gestured with his little finger.


    "You''re still being tough? You bullied my youngest son! Do you think you''re in the right?" Madam Yu was furious, but whether she was angry or not, the important thing was to squeeze out somepensation. Medical expenses were already covered, butpensation was a must.


    She roared, "Pay up!"


    Everyone eximed, now understanding why Madam Yu had brought her family over.


    So it was for money.


    "Your son started it first, look at my head, look at my forehead, I haven''t asked forpensation yet! Do you have any shame?"


    Bai Fendou shuffled forward a bit more, saying, "Even though I''m alone, I''m not afraid of you!"


    Lan Xiang was puzzled: "Why is he walking like that?"


    It just felt... off.


    Zhuang Zhixi whispered something in his ear, and Lan Xiang eximed, "Holy crap!"


    He was truly enlightened.


    Although Bai Fendou was shouting, Madam Yu wasn''t easy to deal with either. "Your head canpare to my son''s testicles? My son''s are crucial for having children. If you don''t pay up, don''t me me for smashing your windows... uh! Where are your windows? Uh, never mind that, if you don''t pay up, I''ll smash your door... uh, why is your door like this too?"


    There was a big hole in the door, which was caused by Aunt Zhou. To be fair, Aunt Zhou only made a small hole, but the three little rascals wanted to sneak in, and they were afraid of getting cut by the ss, so they decided to crawl through the hole. The hole was too small, so they expanded it a bit. And that''s how it ended up...


    Madam Yu''s threats fell t, so she finally said, "If you don''tpensate, I''ll make sure you shatter your eggs too..."


    "Madam Yu, didn''t you forget? His eggs are already shattered..." Zhuang Zhixi kindly reminded her.


    Bai Fendou red back at Zhuang Zhixi, thinking, why are you always sticking your nose in?


    Zhuang Zhixi innocently shrugged, it''s already shattered, why can''t I say it?


    It''s pretty normal, isn''t it?


    He smiled, feeling purely helpful.


    Madam Yu was so angry she was panting. It seemed her threats weren''t working on Bai Fendou. She pointed at him and cursed, "You despicable wretch, everyone hates you! There''s nothing decent left in your house. Look at what you''ve be."


    Bai Fendou retorted, "You''re the one who''s be something. Your whole family is something."


    "Who are you calling something!" Yu Baoshan''s older brother charged forward, and Bai Fendou shot back, "What, you want me to p you?"


    The two immediately got into a scuffle.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly pulled his wife back tactically, saying, "Let''s keep our distance."


    Ming Mei sighed, "Ah, it''s good that Bai Fendou is back. Without him, our courtyard wouldn''t have any big events, we''d only get to watch the drama from other courtyards. But with Bai Fendou back, our courtyard has be much livelier."


    Bai Fendou was truly a master at stirring up trouble.


    Bai Fendou could only shuffle with small steps, so he wasn''t a match for the Yu brothers in a fight. They had several people, and in an instant, they surrounded him. Bai Fendou shouted, "Come help me!"


    But no one stepped forward.


    Who cares who you are? Are we that close?


    Helping was out of the question. If they got beaten up, whose fault would it be? Bai Fendou wasn''t exactly a reputable guy. Everyone stayed where they were, watching the drama unfold, not moving a muscle. Zhou Qun clicked his tongue, saying, "Bai Fendou, you think you can take on four by yourself?"


    He taunted.


    Bai Fendou roared back, "Do you think I can''t?"


    Several kicksnded on him, and he protected his vital area fiercely, not caring about the rest of his body. This area was absolutely untouchable. He was very determined, holding on tightly, feeling that these people were truly heartless, kicking him like they wanted to kill him...


    "That''s enough, don''t push me!"


    Bai Fendou bellowed, and Madam Yu was smug, shouting, "Don''t push you? When you bullied my youngest son, why didn''t you show mercy? I see you..."


    Before she could finish her bragging, she heard her fourth son let out a blood-curdling scream: "Ah..."


    He clutched a certain part of his body and crouched down.


    Then came the third son: "Ah..."


    Followed by the second and the first...


    The four previously formidable men were now all clutching themselves and crouching on the ground: "Ahhh!"


    The Dragon w!


    Bai Fendou''s face showed a sense of victory in the fight, and he shouted, "I''ll let you guysy a hand on me! Now you know my power!"


    "Holy crap!"


    "He really can''t stand to see others doing well."


    "My goodness, this guy is a killer of men!"


    "Keep your voice down, you think he didn''t get you, huh?"


    The events unfolded too quickly, leaving everyone in a daze. But soon, they all erupted in exmations. This move, this technique, was just too outrageous. How did Bai Fendou always manage to pull off such things?


    It was truly iprehensible.


    Bai Fendou grinned triumphantly, saying, "Still want to fight me?"


    He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stood up, looking like a king.


    He pointed at Madam Yu and shouted, "Get out of here! Or else I''lle to your house and settle the score!"


    His voice was loud, filled with arrogance. Madam Yu immediately took a few steps back. This kind of old woman was a bully to the weak and afraid of the strong, relying on her many sons to be ruthless. But when she encountered a tough guy and her sons couldn''t handle it, she immediately became docile.


    Bai Fendou: "Anyone else! I ask, anyone else! Damn it, do you think I, Bai Fendou, is someone easy to bully?"


    He sneered, saying, "Impossible!"


    His arrogance was so extreme that everyone shook their heads. But when it came to provoking him, no one dared. After all, this guy fought dirty, going for the lower half of the body. Most people couldn''t handle that! They couldn''t stoop to his level.


    They could only endure.


    Bai Fendou surveyed the crowd, smiling faintly, as if he was the most dazzling guy on this street, in this courtyard. Even Lan Xiang, who was a neer and just visiting, took a step back, feeling he might not be able to handle this guy. After all, this kind of person just seemed off!


    The only one in the courtyard who wasn''t looking at Bai Fendou with fear or caution was Zhou Qun.


    Zhou Qun hade out to watch Bai Fendou''s joke, as their rtionship was quite poor. He had even made a sarcastic remark earlier. Normally, Zhou Qun didn''t take Bai Fendou seriously, but in the past half year, Bai Fendou had repeatedly challenged his authority and caused several conflicts with his family. Zhou Qun had immediately elevated Bai Fendou to his top enemy.


    In the past, it wasn''t like that.


    It was Bai Fendou who was single-handedly jealous of Zhou Qun.


    If Zhou Qun were to describe the past half year, he would say that there wasn''t really any conflict between the two families; it was all due to Aunt Su and her daughter-inw stirring up trouble, which made their rtionship worse and worse.


    But if you think about it carefully, was there really any conflict? No, there wasn''t.


    They almost became brothers. If his mother had really gotten together with Old Man Lan back then, wouldn''t they have been brothers?


    Zhou Qun thought that Bai Fendou wasn''t that bad. Under the circumstances of being outnumbered four to one, and being injured himself, he still managed to turn the tide and win. That showed some real manliness.


    If it were someone else, like Zhuang Zhixi, who always talks too much without realizing it, he probably would have already surrendered. Or he would have hidden behind his wife, but Bai Fendou didn''t. He didn''t back down at all, standing his ground firmly. That''s what a real man does.


    A seriously injured man defeating four other men? That definitely shows his strength.


    He pursed his lips, looking at Bai Fendou with a hint of admiration. That''s what a real man is!


    Zhou Qun said, "Bai Fendou, you should go home and tend to your wounds."


    Bai Fendou looked at Zhou Qun in surprise, as did the others. Zhuang Zhixi even opened his mouth wide in shock. Yes, it was that embarrassing. But don''t me Zhuang Zhixi for reacting so strongly.


    It was because that feeling of his hair standing on end hade back.


    What was Zhou Qun saying in that overly sweet tone?


    Bai Fendou cautiously stared at Zhou Qun and said, "Zhou Qun, you''re not up to something good, are you?"


    Zhou Qun paused, then said, "Don''t bite the hand that feeds you. We''re neighbors, so I can''t just stand by and watch outsiders bully you."


    Madam Yu: "What are you talking about? Do you think you''re some kind of saint?"


    "Who are you cursing? Everyone knows how good my son is. You think everyone''s like your son, producing kids left and right but useless."


    "You, you, you..."


    The two olddies started arguing, and Zhou Qun spoke up again: "Enough! What are you doing? Madam Yu, I suggest you take your sons and leave. Don''t think everyone in our courtyard is a pushover. You''re bullying Bai Fendou, and as neighbors, we can''t just ignore it. You causing trouble in the hospital is one thing, but do you really think you cane here and extort money? If you keep this up, we''ll have to call the police!"


    "You, you, you..."


    Zhou Qun: "This is clearly your family''s problem, yet you''re picking on Bai Fendou, who''s already injured. In my opinion, that''s going too far."


    Bai Fendou: "Exactly, don''t think you can extort me! See? The masses have bright eyes."


    Madam Yu was furious, thinking Zhou Qun must be out of his mind. She had a conflict with Bai Fendou, so what business was it of Zhou Qun''s? She sneered, "You''re such a spineless wretch. Someone''s bullying your wife, and you''re running to help them. Pathetic! Pfft!"


    "I''ll let you talk nonsense!"


    Aunt Zhou rushed forward and scratched Madam Yu''s face. The two olddies immediately rolled on the ground, punching and scratching each other, fighting with all their might. After all, cursing her son like that, Aunt Zhou couldn''t just let it go.


    The Yu family''s daughters-inw, seeing their mother-inw fighting, all supported their own men and didn''t step forward to help. Such a terrible mother-inw, it would be better if she died. Besides, Old Fifth didn''t treat them as family anyway. They had toe out and support Old Fifth, but they knew that even if there waspensation, the money wouldn''t be theirs. That''s why the daughters-inw all agreed not to get involved. After all, their own men had already been beaten, so they couldn''t go looking for trouble themselves.


    They weren''t going to take that kind of loss.


    The two olddies rolled on the ground, but Zhou Qun didn''t even look at his own mother. Instead, he said, "You should go to the clinic and get checked out."


    This was directed at Bai Fendou, who was watching Zhou Qun warily: "Why are you acting so strange today?"


    Zhou Qun: "I''ve always been like this."


    He said seriously, "It''s just that you''ve misunderstood me before."


    Bai Fendou felt something was off, but Zhou Qun hadn''t said anything bad, so he couldn''t be too cold. Besides, Zhou Qun had spoken up for him, which was why he was able to return. Bai Fendou hesitated for a moment and said, "You..."


    He felt a bit awkward but still said, "Well, I''ll head back first."


    "Let me help you."


    "Don''te near me. Are you trying to do something to me? Are you trying to take revenge? Zhou Qun, you''ve really learned how to y dirty tricks now!" Bai Fendou still didn''t believe that Zhou Qun had any good intentions toward him. After all, it waspletely impossible.


    Zhou Qun sighed and said, "You really underestimate me."


    He took a step forward, grabbed Bai Fendou''s arm forcefully, and said, "Come on, let me take you home."


    Bai Fendou: "???"


    Although he was very puzzled, he didn''t resist Zhou Qun and let him help him into the house.


    Ming Mei''s head was almost scratching like a chicken coop. She really couldn''t understand what was going on. The fight between Madam Yu and Aunt Zhou was no longer surprising to her. What she was curious about was why Zhou Qun was being so nice to Bai Fendou.


    This... The sun wasn''t even rising from the west today.


    This was really strange.


    "Zhixi Ge, do you think Zhou Qun is possessed by a ghost?" Ming Mei whispered.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I... I don''t know."


    He really didn''t understand. He said, "Actually, Zhou Qun has been a bit strangetely."


    But what was strange about him, he couldn''t quite put his finger on it.


    Anyway, it was just strange.


    They felt puzzled, and others did too. It was really hard to understand!


    At this moment, Zhou Qun came out and called, "Jiang Lu, you made donkey-whip soup tonight. Bring a bowl to Bai Fendou."


    Jiang Lu: "What?"


    Everyone fell into a deathly silence.


    What kind of soup did you make at home?


    Everyone was just ordinary people, but what kind of "high-end" tonic did you have at home?


    Besides, wasn''t that stuff supposed to be a big boost? Did you really need to supplement it so often?


    And even more surprisingly, Zhou Qun wanted to give a bowl to Bai Fendou?


    Why?


    Was it to poison Bai Fendou?


    Well, that didn''t seem likely.


    In short, everyone was deeply confused. It wasn''t that theycked experience, but these events were really hard to understand. There were just too many things happening in their courtyard. One after another, it was really hard to keep up.


    "So what''s going on now?"


    "How would I know? How did those two be friends?"


    They didn''t understand, and Jiang Lu didn''t either.


    She bit her lip, looking at Zhou Qun. However, she was a good wife. Since Zhou Qun had spoken, she nodded, "I understand."


    While her mother-inw was fighting outside, she could still calmly cook. It must be said that she was indeed a "good daughter-inw." Jiang Lu didn''t understand, but she thought and thought, feeling that this must be Zhou Qun''s scheme. Although she didn''t know what the scheme was, as a wife, she just needed to cooperate.


    Anyway, just listen to Zhou Qun, and there wouldn''t be any mistakes.


    She pursed her lips, smiled faintly, but then felt a bit upset. Although she desperately wanted a child, she still felt very sad. If Aunt Su brought someone over, then Zhou Qun would have another woman.


    Thinking of this, she bit her lip sadly, but she also knew that this step had to be taken.


    If she didn''t do this, when would she ever have a child?


    The courtyard was very lively. There were fights here, people watching the excitement there, and even some martial arts action.


    Everyone had their own bustle, and at that moment, a woman in a shabby patched jacket entered. She had a short haircut and was followed by a girl with a long braid. The girl was skinny, like a skeleton, with a face that had only big eyes, and her long braid was yellowish. Her clothes were patched together, and she wore straw sandals, with her feet exposed.


    The two of them were stunned as soon as they entered the courtyard: "This..."


    Who would have expected that as soon as they entered, they would see such a scene.


    The arrival of the two women didn''t affect the fight between the two olddies at all. After all, they were thick-skinned and had to fight to the end. Madam Yu was still scolding her daughters-inw while fighting, asking why they weren''t helping. But the daughters-inw were all crying and supporting their own men, not moving at all.


    The short-haired middle-aged woman who entered the door only paused briefly before calling out naturally, "Mom."


    Aunt Su: "Zhaodi, you''re back?"


    Su Zhaodi said, "I met this girl on the way. She said she''s a rtive of Aunt Zhou''s and got lost. So I brought her here. Aunt Zhou,e and take a look. Is she your rtive?"


    Aunt Zhou, who was originally in a scuffle, suddenly snapped to attention. She kicked Madam Yu away and quickly got up, looking at the skinny girl. How could she be so thin?


    She examined the girl from head to toe. The girl''s looks were passable, but her body was too thin, making her seem unfit for childbearing. To be honest, Aunt Zhou wasn''t too pleased with her appearance. However, she knew it was a new society now, and finding someone to bear children wasn''t going to be easy. Just finding someone was good enough.


    At least, her face was pretty, and her future grandchildren would be good-looking.


    She pursed her lips and asked, "What''s your name?"


    The long-braided girl was a bit nervous. To others, she was just an unfamiliar girl, but she knew why she was here. Despite her hundred and twenty thousand reluctances, her parents had agreed, and she had no say in the matter.


    She whispered, "I''m called Zhaodi."


    Uh... another Zhaodi.


    This ovepped with Aunt Su''s eldest daughter, Su Zhaodi, but that wasn''t surprising. In this era, people with the same names weremon. Like the thief they caught earlier this year named Zhang San, there was also a Zhang San in their security department.


    Names like Weiguo (defending the country), Weimin (serving the people), and Guoqing (National Day) were very popr.


    Simple names like Zhang San and Li Si were alsomon.


    As for girls, names like Zhaodi (begging for a son), Pandi (hoping for a son), and Laidi (waiting for a son) were also abundant.


    There were also names like Pan''er (hoping for a child) and Sheng''er (giving birth to a son).


    Wang Zhaodi cautiously looked at the aunt in front of her. The aunt pped her thigh and said, "Oh, isn''t this my distant cousin from my great-grandfather''s third aunt''s second son''s wife''s side? Why are you here? Quick,e inside with me, Auntie."


    Madam Yu: "I f*** you..."


    She put her hands on her hips and cursed, "You think you can just leave after hitting someone?"


    Aunt Zhou: "Don''t you dare bully people. Get lost now!"


    At this moment, Zhou Qun appeared again and said, "Madam Yu, if you don''t leave, I''ll have to call the police and see if we can charge you with causing a public disturbance."


    "You!"


    "Mom, let''s go. I don''t feel well."


    "Yeah, maybe she kicked me too hard. Honestly, don''t involve me in such things again."


    "We''re all doing this for you."


    "Oh, so you dare raise your voice to me? Is this what your wives taught you?" Madam Yu cursed and shouted, but seeing her sons not backing her up, she could only swallow her anger and leave after threatening.


    The farce ended just like that.


    Everyone who witnessed this felt it was quite entertaining.


    However, some found it strange that Aunt Zhou''s family would have a rtive visiting. Aunt Zhou, who was usually stingy, didn''t seem annoyed. It was quite unusual. She was wealthy but also very frugal. It was hard to believe she would wee a rtive.


    Moreover, why was it Su Zhaodi who brought the girl here?


    Regardless, it all seemed odd. Zhuang Zhixi narrowed his eyes and said to his wife, "There''s something fishy about this."


    Ming Mei agreed. Lan Sihai, who had seen a lot in his life, understood the situation. He said, "When I was young, I worked as a master craftsman in a gold shop in Shanghai City. You know that, right?"


    The younger generation, including Luo Xiaohe, knew this.


    She brought out the dishes, which were a bit cold but still good since the weather was warm. They sat down, and Lan Sihai continued, "My boss had seven or eight wives and over ten children. But out of those ten children, only one was a legitimate son, the one who inherited the business and was very precious. He married a famousdy from Shanghai."


    Luo Xiaohe wondered why he was talking about this when they were discussing Aunt Zhou. But seeing others were interested, she stayed silent.


    Lan Sihai continued, "This famousdy from Shanghai was much wealthier than my boss, the gold shop owner. The reason she married into a lower-status family was because she couldn''t have children. By marrying someone of lower status, they could control the situation. But since the family needed an heir, my boss brought in a young woman from outside to bear children..."


    He paused here and said, "Eat."


    Ming Mei: "And then? Is that the end of the story?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Lan Sihai sighed, "You really have no brains, girl. Very simple-minded."


    Ming Mei pouted, "Grandpa, why are you saying that? I''ll be sad."


    She said coquettishly, "I was just listening... Ah, you mean, you mean Aunt Zhou''s..."


    She couldn''t believe it, "But this is the new society!"


    Lan Sihai: "But some people''s nature is just bad. Whether in any society, there are good and bad people."


    Ming Mei: "What the hell is this?"


    Luo Xiaohe also couldn''t understand, thinking of her own experiences and feeling a bit upset.


    Lan Sihai: "Look, I tell the truth, and you all get upset. People shouldn''t be like that. Being unhappy leads to illness, and illness leads to an early death. Nothing is more important than yourself. So why be upset over others? If I knew you''d react like this, I wouldn''t say anything next time."


    "Please, don''t."


    Ming Mei quickly said, "I''m not angry, I''m not angry, okay?"


    Luo Xiaohe also added, "I just thought about the struggles of women and sighed. It''s not a big deal."


    Lan Sihai: "Many things are personal choices. You can''t control others. Besides, why bother controlling others? In this day and age, the most important thing is to take care of yourself."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his cup, "I agree with Grandpa."


    Lan Sihai: "You''re really bad at ttering."


    Zhuang Zhixi blinked and said, "That''s right, which is why Grandpa understands me so well. I''m very sincere and always tell the truth, never ttering."


    Lan Xiang almost burst outughing, "Hahaha, brother-inw, you''re really good at getting along with Grandpa."


    Zhuang Zhixi: Smiling.


    He said, "I''m also good at getting along with you."


    Lan Xiangughed, "True, but I get along well with anyone, so it''s me, not you."


    Ming Mei: "Stop talking nonsense and eat. Talking too much while eating can cause indigestion."


    Luo Xiaohe: "Eat slowly. Eating too fast can make you ufortable."


    "Okay!" Ming Mei confidently instructed Zhuang Zhixi, "Help me bite off the fat on this piece of meat. It''s a bit greasy."


    Since Ming Mei got pregnant, overly greasy food made her nauseous.


    Luo Xiaohe looked at Ming Mei with a bit of a maternal gaze. After all, Ming Mei was her junior, and if they were to be formal, Ming Mei should call her Grandma Luo. But Ming Mei always called her Aunt Luo, which was more appropriate since Luo Xiaohe wasn''t that old.


    In fact, Luo Xiaohe hadn''t interacted much with girls like Ming Mei. She and her sister were quite different in age. When their father passed away, her sister was still young. Their family struggled, and their mother had to act crazy at times to protect the children. So their household wasn''t very harmonious.


    From a young age, the siblings knew their family was poor and had to be frugal. They lived a tight life, and most families in their neighborhood were the same. Even if a family had decent conditions, they prioritized their sons.


    Girls were often introverted.


    Even if not introverted, the family''s financial situation made them less outgoing.


    Ming Mei was different from anyone she had ever met before. She marveled at how one''s upbringing could have such a profound impact on their personality. She herself had grown up in a well-off family with both parents present, and her love life had been smooth. Back then, she had been particrly optimistic.


    Even after decades of hardship, although she had grown ustomed to being quiet and reserved, she still had more decisiveness than her younger siblings, a trait she had developed in her childhood. Now, seeing Ming Mei, this cheerful and confident young woman, she found her quite rare.


    Luo Xiaohe didn''t interact much with the people in the courtyard, but she thought Ming Mei had the best personality in the entire ce, someone who was naturally likable. She said, "Next time youe to eat, I''ll cut the meat a bit thinner for you."


    Ming Mei smiled and replied, "That sounds great!"


    Their family didn''t have the old-fashioned rule of not speaking during meals. While eating, Lan Xiang briefly nced around the room and thought it was quite simple. He said, "Grandpa, why don''t you buy a radio? It would be so much less boring without one. That''s not like your style."


    His grandfather''s motto was: "Enjoy life to the fullest."


    He was the kind of person who would worry about "dying with money still in the bank."


    Lan Sihai replied, "I was nning to buy one."


    He paused and continued, "But this courtyard is so lively that I spend all day dealing with their petty disputes and find it quite entertaining. There''s no need for a radio. Listening to a radio can''tpare to watching the drama unfold here."


    Lan Xiang: "¡­That''s really¡­"


    He was at a loss for words.


    Lan Sihai: "Just wait, now that everyone is back, it''s bound to get even more lively."


    Luo Xiaohe nodded silently, agreeing: "I think so too."


    Speaking of which, Luo Xiaohe felt that having people like them around wasn''t a bad thing. She used to be very introverted and often felt depressed. It was inevitable, given how unsatisfactory her life had been.


    This unhappiness wasn''t just about her daily life but also her mental state.


    But since marrying Lan Sihai, she had to admit that she felt like a more cheerful olddy now.


    The courtyard was too lively, and outside the courtyard, there was plenty of excitement too. There were new gossip stories every day. She enjoyed watching the drama unfold so much that every night before bed, she and her husband would recap what antics the people in the courtyard had gotten up to that day.


    It was true that even the most introverted and unhappy person would find something to enjoy here.


    She would even go to her sister''s workce early after work to share these gossip stories, which made her mother, who had been unhappy about her marriage and not being able to support the family, approach her and suggest shee home asionally to liven things up.


    What her mother meant by "liven things up" was that once a daughter was married, she was like "water thrown out," as the old saying goes. Even though she had been constantly draining her daughter''s resources before the marriage, once married, her mother wouldn''t make things difficult for her.


    Her mother was a contradictory olddy, with old-fashioned ideas. Despite not liking this daughter, she wouldn''t go to her daughter''s home to ask for favors. Once married, that was it.


    Because of this, her mother rarely contacted her, and she rarely visited her family. However, recently, after sharing a few gossip stories with her younger sister, her mother''s curiosity was piqued, and she even went out of her way to approach her.


    Luo Xiaohe didn''t know what to say.


    The appeal of gossip was just too strong.


    With so much excitement in their courtyard, every time she visited her family, her mother seemed to be a bit more cheerful. Luo Xiaohe was even more speechless. She, her younger sister, and her younger brother secretly went to the hospital to ask her brother-inw about it, who then consulted with the doctor.


    ording to them, her mother was definitely biased, but there might also be some mental health issues, though not to the extent of her threatening to stab someone. But there were some mild issues.


    At that time, there wasn''t much talk about depression, but if there had been, the doctor might have mentioned it. However, the doctor''s general opinion was that Luo Xiaohe''s mother had been too repressed over the years, under too much pressure, and had some mental health problems. Luo Xiaohe herself might have had some too, so listening to these gossip stories could actually help relieve anxiety and might gradually make her more cheerful.


    Luo Xiaohe was genuinely shocked at the time.


    But thinking about it, it made sense.


    So, despite the constant bickering in their courtyard, they might actually be entertaining many people and helping those with depression tendencies find joy and relieve their unhappiness.


    It was quite absurd.


    But they had done it!


    Anyway, Luo Xiaohe herself was quite happy now. On one hand, her life with Lan Sihai was very smooth and morefortable than she had imagined. On the other hand, there was so much excitement that she even said, "Their constant bickering is actually a blessing to those around us."


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing, saying, "I bet Aunt Wang doesn''t see it that way."


    Luo Xiaohe couldn''t help butugh either, knowing that as the courtyard manager, Aunt Wang had her hands full.


    She said, "Even so, I think Aunt Wang enjoys watching the drama unfold too."


    By this time, Ming Mei had finished eating. She found a cup, went to the wall, and pressed her ear against it to listen to the noises from the next room.


    "Hey, does this even work?"


    Ming Mei: "That''s how you eavesdrop."


    After listening for a while, she sighed, "I can''t hear anything."


    If there was a loud argument, she might hear it, but if not, then it was unlikely. Ming Mei was a bit disappointed, thinking, "I wanted to hear some gossip, but I can''t hear anything."


    "Don''t worry, their drama will probably spread soon enough."


    Some families, like the Sui family, keep their issues private and handle them internally without causing a scene. But when it came to the Zhou family, that was a different story.


    Aunt Zhou was not one to keep quiet, as the old saying goes, "A dog can''t hold two ounces of oil in its stomach." Anything she knew, she couldn''t keep to herself.


    Ming Mei: "I''ll try listening again."


    She had just pressed her ear to the wall when she stood back up: "Oh, wait, today the person was brought by the Su family. So, they helped the Zhou family find someone¡­"


    Even though they tried to cover it up by saying it was a distant rtive, no one believed that.


    Ming Mei suddenly understood: "So the Su family agreed to help the Zhou family with this, which is why the Zhou family let go of Bai Fendou and his father."


    Ming Mei''s mind was quick, and she quickly figured out what was going on.


    Others could figure it out too. It wasn''t aplicated matter, and only the Su or Zhou families might think no one could see through it. Anyone with a bit of experience would immediately understand.


    Ming Mei: "That''s just disgusting."


    She said, "What''s the difference between this and an old brothel madam?"


    "None, and it''s not surprising." Zhuang Zhixi was familiar with their family and said, "I just can''t believe the mother-inw and daughter-inw are willing to go this far just to keep draining the Bai family."


    "Disgusting," Luo Xiaohe said, clearly disapproving. "These people will get their karma."


    Although she hadn''t lived there long, she had a good idea of what Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su were like. She herself didn''t approve of such people. Speaking of her mother, when her father passed away, her mother wasn''t that old. Although her mother had been unfair to her in many ways, Luo Xiaohe was still grateful to her. Her mother had done everything to protect the children, even pretending to be crazy.


    Their family had been through a lot of hardship, but they never resorted to such means to make money.


    And they had made it through.


    Luo Xiaohe disapproved of such people.


    She said, "Theyck integrity and are immoral."


    Lan Sihai: "You''re getting angry again. It''s not worth it; they''re not our concern."


    Luo Xiaohe: "I know, I just can''t stand them."


    Ming Mei: "That''s normal. Who would approve of them?"


    They gossiped about these two families, but others in the courtyard were gossiping about them too. Just as Lan Sihai could see through them, so could others. It wasn''t hard to figure out; it wasn''tplicated!


    Aunt Wang went home, feeling more and more disgusted with each passing moment. She said, "No, I need to talk to Aunt Zhou tomorrow. If this is really happening, it''s absolutely despicable. And that Aunt Su, as if anyone couldn''t see through her. I can''t believe her family is involved in such a thing. I really misjudged her. I thought she was just struggling with life, but now it seems her character is just rotten to the core."


    Li Fang chimed in, "I knew he wasn''t a good person from the start, but you didn''t believe me."


    She had seen the young Aunt Su sneaking into the woods with someone when she was in middle school. It was a shocking experience, like seeing a ghost. So, no matter how others talked about Aunt Su''s plight, she had always been coldly indifferent to that family.


    Aunt Wang thought about her daughter''s words and sighed, "I truly didn''t expect this..."


    Meanwhile, at the Zhuang household, Liang Meifen didn''t quite understand what was going on, but her husband, Zhuang Zhiyuan, did. Men are naturally more sensitive to such matters. Liang Meifen felt so disgusted that she almost vomited, eximing, "What kind of atmosphere is this in their family? Do they think it''s the old society where men could take concubines?"


    "They haven''t admitted to anything yet," Zhuang Zhiyuan replied.


    "Disgusting! Aunt Su is shameless too, ying matchmaker in all this," Liang Meifen dered firmly. "From now on, if you see Wang Xiangxiu, stay away from her. If you dare to get involved with her, I''ll follow Bai Fendou''s example and make you pay!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­What are you talking about? Do you think I''m that kind of person? I''m firmly following the Party''s call, striving to be¡­"


    Here we go again, Zhuang "Great Principles" Zhiyuan.


    Liang Meifen: "¡­"


    Zhao Guihua: "Shut up."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­"


    His mother, Zhao Guihua, had quite a temper.


    He could bber on all he wanted in front of his wife, but not in front of his mother.


    "Mom, do you think Wang Zhaodi was willing?" Liang Meifen asked.


    Zhao Guihua: "Whether she was willing or not, she''s here now. Maybe she''s not as weak as you think."


    Zhao Guihua looked at the Zhou family across the way but didn''t say much more. This matter, Wang Zhaodi hade here knowing exactly how to navigate this path. And Zhao Guihua clearly remembered that Wang Zhaodi wasn''t some simple girl.


    Of course, this "not simple" didn''t mean she was bad; rather, Wang Zhaodi had her own ideas despite her apparent weakness.


    In fact, she hadn''t been taken advantage of at the Zhou household.


    Zhao Guihua blinked and said, "Let''s just watch and see."


    At that moment, the Wang Zhaodi that Zhao Guihua deemed "not one to be taken advantage of" had already quickly prepared dinner and sat at the table, eagerly looking at Aunt Zhou. Aunt Zhou felt a sense of importance, pleased that this country girl showed her more respect than Jiang Lu ever did. She smiled slightly and said, "Alright, eat."


    Eat hearty, so you can bear children.


    Wang Zhaodi immediately picked up her bowl and started slurping down her food, her chopsticks flying toward the meat dishes¡­ whatever part of the meat, she didn''t care, as long as it was meat, she was happy.


    Before Aunt Zhou and the others could react, Wang Zhaodi had already cleared half the te and started on her second bowl of rice¡­

 Chapter 92

    The morning sun rose as usual, and the courtyard was much like any other morning, yet also different. After all, there was now one more person in their courtyard.


    Ming Mei yawned and stepped out early in the morning, only to freeze in surprise. After a brief moment of hesitation, she recognized the girl as the "rtive" from the Zhou family. Everyone knew what kind of rtive she was, even if they didn''t say it out loud.


    What surprised Ming Mei even more was that the girl was sweeping the courtyard. In their courtyard, the cleaning was rotated among the households, one family per day. Previously, it was nine families, now it was ten, rotating three times a month, which wasn''t too troublesome.


    However, today was supposed to be her family''s turn to clean.


    Ming Mei smiled and greeted, "Good morning."


    She then exined the cleaning schedule to Wang Zhaodi, who smiled humbly and said, "I didn''t know about this. It''s okay, I''m used to working in the countryside. This little bit of work is nothing."


    Just as Ming Mei was about to say something, Aunt Zhou stormed out, scolding, "You stupid girl, what are you doing? Who told you to sweep the courtyard this early in the morning? Is this your job? You do what you''re not supposed to and don''t do what you should. You have no sense at all. What am I supposed to say to you?"


    Her tone was harsh and critical as she scolded Wang Zhaodi, then turned to Ming Mei and said, "Xiao Zhuang''s wife, we''ll clean today. Let''s swap days, shall we?"


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow and said, "Sure."


    There was no need to take advantage of such a situation, it would only be unpleasant.


    She went to the water basin to wash up, watching as Wang Zhaodi, without anyints, continued diligently sweeping the courtyard. She quickly finished and then moved on to preparing breakfast, her movements swift and efficient.


    Ming Mei''s big, watery eyes nced at Wang Zhaodi, and when the girl turned around, Ming Mei smiled at her, to which Wang Zhaodi responded with a smile.


    Aunt Zhou saw this and wanted to say something sarcastic, but thinking of the girl''s reputation for being quick-tempered, she swallowed her words and muttered under her breath, "I tell you, you''re here to live a good life, to eat and drink, and to give us a grandson. Don''t you dare learn from thosezy wives. They''re not good examples. I''ve never seen a wife sozy, not doing any housework at all."


    Aunt Zhou''s words were harsh. Ming Mei just didn''t cook; she handled her own household chores without passing them to her mother-inw or sister-inw. Only during seasonal deep cleaning did Liang Meifen help wash the curtains.


    Other small chores were done by Ming Mei herself.


    However, themunal cooking was indeed done by Zhao Guihua and her daughter-inw, as they couldn''t wait for Ming Mei, who workedte and returned home tired. Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen didn''t work outside the home.


    As for othermunal tasks like buying coal or winter vegetables, that hadn''te up yet.


    So Aunt Zhou''s words were indeed a bit sharp. But people tend to see what they want to see, and Aunt Zhou believed Ming Mei did nothing, that a woman who didn''t even cook couldn''t be a good wife.


    She said, "Some people, you must never learn from. You won''t pick up any good habits."


    Wang Zhaodi hummed in acknowledgment, and Aunt Zhou continued, "Don''t make too much breakfast. Just put this much."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Okay."


    Living under someone else''s roof, she did as she was told. She knew her ce and had no status or position. If she went back home, her father might break her legs. Her family had nine daughters, which was their greatest pain.


    She was the third daughter, unloved by her parents. But even if she were the eldest, it would be the same. Her family only wanted sons, and they were still trying.


    This time, Wang Zhaodi was sent out for this very purpose. The family agreed that if she could get pregnant, they would give her fifty yuan, and if she gave birth to a boy, another fifty would be added. That would be a hundred yuan.


    Her family was always in debt, and this money would be a big deal. They were counting on this.


    Even if she couldn''t get pregnant, she could return after a year, as both sides had agreed. But without earning the money, her parents wouldn''t be happy. Still, her parents thought the deal wasn''t bad. She was the biggest eater in the family, and not having her around for a year would save a lot on food.


    As for work, there were plenty of girls at home to do the chores, so her absence wouldn''t matter. Despite all the spection in the courtyard, for Wang Zhaodi, this was just how things were. Her family was like this, and as a girl, what could she do?


    Moreover, what work was there in the city?


    Back home, she had to get up before dawn to work in the fields, chop wood, dig vegetables¡ªendless tasks, yet she only got a small bowl of coarse porridge or sweet potato gruel. She never got to eat anything substantial.


    With so many people in the family¡ªgrandparents, sisters¡ªher father always got the best food because he was trying for a son.


    So this time, when she was allowed to leave, her sisters were actually envious. They didn''t know what she was really doing here, as her parents hoped to "marry" her off properlyter.


    Her sisters thought she was going to the city to work as a maid, though that didn''t exist in the new society. Still, they envied her. Wang Zhaodi knew it was wrong, but she had no choice.


    She pursed her lips and worked diligently. Fortunately, the eldest son in this family seemed decent. Last night, Aunt Zhou had tried to push them together, but Zhou Qun refused firmly.


    Wang Zhaodi breathed a quiet sigh of relief.


    Thank goodness.


    She bent down to tend the fire, swallowing hard. The breakfast here was much better than at her home. At her house, a handful of wild greens and a bowl of coarse porridge were shared by several people. Here, at least everyone had a bowl of breakfast.


    And there were even bread rolls.


    Wang Zhaodi worked with gusto, though the morning atmosphere at the Zhou household was somewhat strained. Jiang Lu, however, was ted. She felt even more fortunate to have found such a man. Her husband was truly the best in the world. She hadn''t expected Zhou Qun to refuse Wang Zhaodi so resolutely yesterday.


    When Aunt Zhou pushed too hard, Zhou Qun even said, "If you keep this up, I''ll just sleep at Bai Fendou''s ce. I will never get involved with a girl I just met. I''m not that kind of person."


    Hearing this, Jiang Lu was moved to tears. With such a husband, how lucky she was.


    Because of this, Aunt Zhou''s face had been tense sincest night, and it hadn''t improved by morning. The breakfast atmosphere was awkward, with everyone lost in thought.


    Only Wang Zhaodi continued eating, seemingly oblivious, quickly finishing a second bread roll.


    The feeling of being six-tenths full was wonderful.


    She ate quickly and quietly, then asked, "Auntie, what should I do at home today?"


    Living under someone else''s roof, she was very aware of her ce.


    Aunt Zhou said, "You go out this morning and gather some wood. We need to build a chicken coop. In the afternoon, help me fix the toilet."


    "Okay!"


    Wang Zhaodi didn''t talk much, but she worked right away, which earned a few points of satisfaction from Aunt Zhou. However, there were still things she wasn''t happy about. She wanted someone like Wang Xiangxiu, plump and fertile-looking, not this thin girl. But at least this one didn''t cost anything.


    As long as she ate, it wasn''t a burden for the family.


    In the morning, the Zhou household went to work, and Aunt Zhou took Wang Zhaodi out. They ran into Zhao Guihua, who nced at her equipment and asked, "Are you going fishing again?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Yes. The doctor said pregnant women need to eat more fish."


    Aunt Zhou snorted coldly, clearly jealous. Did she have to show off that her daughter-inw was pregnant? Zhao Guihua hadn''t meant anything by it; it was just casual conversation. But Aunt Zhou always overthought things.


    She snorted coldly and led Wang Zhaodi away, saying, "In the future, stay away from that old hag. She''s a mean one. You might think she''s nice to her daughter-inw, but she''s biased."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded.


    Aunt Zhou led Wang Zhaodi away, while Zhao Guihua rode her bike to the outskirts police station.


    After thest incident, she had thought long and hard and decided she should report it. Although she didn''t know Jiang Lu''s family, she couldn''t just stand by and watch someone get into trouble. Zhao Guihua found a handkerchief to cover her face and headed to the police station.


    It wasn''t the station for their neighborhood, but the one from the area where that gang was discovered.


    Zhao Guihua entered the station, drawing everyone''s attention. Mainly because she was covering her face. Who covers their face unless they have something to hide?


    Zhao Guihua: "I want to report a crime."


    "You..."


    Seeing the officer''s gaze fall on the handkerchief covering her face, Zhao Guihua spoke boldly, "I don''t dare show my face. I''m afraid of retaliationter."


    Everyone: "..."


    Zhao Guihua continued nonchntly, "A few days ago, on my way back from fishing near Zhima Hutong seventy-seven, I overheard a group of young men nning a robbery."


    "What!"


    Everyone turned to look at her in unison.


    Zhao Guihua took a step back, pursing her lips and said, "I was initially afraid of getting involved and being targeted, so I didn''t report it. But after thinking it over, I felt it was wrong to stay silent. If they actually go through with something terrible, I''d beplicit in not helping. So, after much thought, I decided toe here..."


    She continued, covering her face, "I heard they n to rob the Supply and Marketing Cooperative director. They have an insider and have been staking out for days. I don''t know the specifics. At the time, it was a few men talking, and I didn''t see their faces, but I saw them enter Zhimahu Tong seventy-seven."


    After finishing her statement, she took a few steps back and said, "You can investigate the details yourselves."


    With that, she turned to leave... "Hey, Auntie, wait."


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t involve me. I don''t want to get mixed up in this..."


    She bolted away quickly.


    In truth, she wasn''t afraid of being found. After all, she wasn''t worried about being investigated.


    She just didn''t want to get more involved, in case it led back to Aunt Zhou, and then linked her to the report. She wasn''t afraid of the Zhou family, but she simply didn''t want to stir up trouble. Besides, who knew if those men had aplices.


    Zhao Guihua felt thating here to report was already quitemendable. She could have written a note, but... she wasn''t very good at writing!


    Lack of education is truly frightening.


    She recognized some characters, having attended a literacy ss and having some life experience. But when it came to writing, she knew very few characters.


    She didn''t want to involve other family members, so she didn''t n to ask for help, even from Ming Mei, who also knew about it. Ming Mei was currently pregnant and didn''t need to provoke any trouble.


    As for why she dared toe and report directly, then leave immediately, it was because this was amon practice during this era. Each era has its own characteristics. Not to mention this, even neighbors reporting someone for hiding a foreign novel wasn''t umon.


    The environment changes with the times, and doing this was quite normal.


    Saying she was afraid of retaliation and covering her face was also quite normal.


    Zhao Guihua rode away as soon as she left the station. The police officers who chased out to ask more questions saw this olddy running faster than a monkey. However, they didn''t take the matter lightly. The olddy''s information was so detailed; they couldn''t ignore it.


    This was a merit, and if true, it was a clear opportunity for promotion. Who would pass that up?


    Moreover, they had caught a key detail: "Supply and Marketing Cooperative director."


    If it was true that they were nning to rob someone of such status, and they caught them in the act, it would be a significant achievement. And, the victim would owe them a favor. The Supply and Marketing Cooperative director was a crucial connection. This was a win-win situation of merit and favors. They wouldn''t take it lightly.


    The station chief immediately arranged, "Alright, everyone, gather for a meeting right away."


    There was no dy.


    The information was clear, and they quickly deployed their n. As for Zhao Guihua, she rode her bike to the outskirts and climbed the mountain. Recently, the mountain had indeed be more crowded. Just like thest time, when a few young men carried a wild boar down the mountain, it couldn''t help but attract attention.


    Indeed, there were more people on the mountain recently. Zhao Guihua herself was getting anxious.


    Logically, she should have brought Liang Meifen along, but recently, they had added two old hens to the household. She was really worried that the kid next door, Xiao Mao Thief, might make a move. This child, when faced with trouble, could be quiet for a few days, but after a while, when the incident faded and the fear disappeared, he would continue his antics.


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t surprised. After all, in thest life, Jin Lai had been in and out of the detention center like it was a revolving door. It was clear that this guy wasn''t easy to reform. Although he was still a child now, that didn''t mean he was inherently good.


    If his family didn''t educate him properly, a few words from the neighbors wouldn''t make a difference.


    She didn''t want toe back after a day''s work to find her home robbed. If that happened, it would be a real pain. So Zhao Guihua was quite resistant.


    Zhao Guihua snapped back to reality and quickly climbed the mountain. She didn''t encounter anyone on the way, but there were definitely others on the mountain. Fortunately, most were on the other side, and this side wasn''t too crowded.


    Probably because the wild boar was caught on that side.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care about that. She charged up the mountain with determination. Recently, she had figured out a good way to fish. Although she wasn''t good at fishing,ting fish was doable. And here, the overall environment was quite suitable for this. If it were at Houhai or other ces, it wouldn''t work.


    Zhao Guihua parked her bike and quickly got to work.


    She had been climbing the mountain quite a bit thesest few days, all for the fish. As for wild chickens or rabbits, to be honest, they rarely caught any unless Ming Mei went up the mountain. She had been lucky to find a wild rabbit''s nest before.


    But after catching one there, the rabbits wouldn''t return, so Zhao Guihua had no more leads.


    She had set up a couple of small traps for catching wild animals on the mountain, but they weren''t always sessful. These creatures, having lived in the wild for so long, were quite cunning.


    Zhao Guihua focused onting fish. To be honest, one needs to have some experience. Look at her¡ªshe wasn''t good at fishing, but through thinking and experimenting, she had finally figured out a good method, inspired by something she had seen online.


    She had tried many times before finding the right approach.


    Zhao Guihua worked diligently, and as the weather gradually darkened, she calcted that it was past noon. She had already caught a basketful. Coming to this ce from the city wasn''t easy, so she sat by the pond to catch her breath. At that moment, she heard footsteps.


    In addition to the footsteps, there were the voices of a few young boys, their loud chatter filling the air.


    Oh no!


    Zhao Guihua immediately knew who it was!


    Although the timing was different, it seemed like it was still that group of teenagers.


    Zhao Guihua sighed quietly, feeling that some things, even if they seemed to pass at the time, would still happen again. As for hiding, Zhao Guihua didn''t consider it. She wasn''t crazy¡ªwhere could she hide in this area?


    Even if she could hide herself, what about her bike?


    Even if she could hide the bike, this was clearly a pond. Wouldn''t theye to catch fish? She couldn''t just hide all day, and even if she did, there was no guarantee she could avoid them. Zhao Guihua sighed and stopped doing anything.


    She sat there, gazing in the direction of the approaching footsteps.


    The group of teenagers were around fourteen or fifteen years old. After theirst sessful hunt on the mountain, they had been quite proud. However... pride aside, their tools had been taken away by their grandfathers, who were afraid they might hurt someone without thinking. So, these few times up the mountain, they had to bring sickles.


    It was really tough.


    Everyone wasining along the way, feeling deeply that theirck of sess in recent times was due to their inadequate tools. A sickle, what good is that? Although they had managed to catch a wild boar on the other side of the mountain, since they hadn''t had any luck, they had moved to this side, hadn''t they?


    As they grumbled about theirck of tools and the scarcity of game on the mountain, Zhao Guihua could hear them clearly from a distance. She couldn''t help but admit, when it came to luck, she really admired Ming Mei.


    For most people, finding a single prey on the mountain was already quite an aplishment. Take herself, for example, she had beening up here so frequently over the past few months, yet she had only managed to catch two rabbits. The first time was by chance, and the second time was by raiding a rabbit''s home.


    Just two solid catches, but when Ming Mei went up the mountain, it felt like she simply couldn''t carry everything. If only she had the time, she could probably wipe out all the game on the entire mountain. Those animals seemed to flock to her.


    Her luck was simply off the charts.


    Of course, she also had the ability. If it were an ordinary person, they wouldn''t be as quick and nimble as she was. This girl, despite learning Wing Chun, didn''t quite fit the stereotype. She was more like a tiger, full of energy and strength.


    But it really worked.


    And when you got to know Ming Mei, you''d feel that some people are just born lucky. Their luck is so good, it''s something you simply can''tpete with. It''s truly enviable. Zhao Guihua sighed, feeling that this was something innate.


    A few youngds approached the area, though due to the dense trees, they didn''t notice the pond nearby. However, their direction was towards it. The group muttered, "There aren''t many pheasants around here either. We¡­ whoa!"


    Just as they were about to walk over and see Zhao Guihua, a wild rabbit suddenly darted out.


    "Ah! Chase it!"


    The rabbit ran fast, incredibly fast, but the youngds weren''t far behind. Full of energy, they chased after it without slowing down. Zhao Guihua was waiting for them toe over, but the suddenmotion made her turn around. Oh boy¡­ they had already sprinted far away.


    She could barely see them anymore.


    Zhao Guihua: "Ah, this¡­"


    She scratched her head in confusion, feeling that this was¡­ too much of a coincidence. They were so close to the pond, yet they missed it?


    By the time she regained her focus, they were already out of sight.


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­I really am."


    She suddenly thought of something and quickly walked over to a basket trap they had set up nearby. It wasn''t too far from the pond. Zhao Guihua quickly reached it and saw that the basket had been overturned, with a few rabbit hairs stuck on it.


    Zhao Guihua fell silent, not knowing what to say.


    There must have been a rabbit that fell into the trap, but it had managed to escape quickly.


    She guessed that the boys were chasing this very rabbit.


    Zhao Guihua felt a bit absurd. She scratched her head again and returned to the pond, still puzzled. Sometimes, coincidences were just that strange. She wasn''t good at catching rabbits, despite boasting about being a rabbit killer. These wild rabbits were incredibly fast, and without some luck, it was nearly impossible.


    She sighed quietly and decided to focus on catching fish. Nothing was more important than catching fish.


    If those boys came back, she could catch more. Although this season wasn''t ideal for keeping fish fresh, making salted fish and drying them would be quick. Zhao Guihua thought this was a top-notch idea.


    Even if the smell was noticeable, Zhao Guihua decided to go for it.


    If she didn''t act now, there might be no chanceter.


    However, as the clouds gathered and the sky darkened, Zhao Guihua hesitated whether to head down the mountain or continue. But soon, she decided to keep catching fish. With the dark clouds, if it rained, she''d still get wet on her way down, so it was better to keep working.


    Generally, rainy days were actually better for fishing.


    Zhao Guihua quickly waded into the water. However, even after catching two baskets of fish, she didn''t see the boys return, nor did it rain. Zhao Guihua marveled at her good luck and pushed her cart down the mountain. With so many fish, she didn''t dare to ride her bike on the way down. If she fell, it would be a disaster.


    As Zhao Guihua made her way down the mountain, she wiped the sweat from her face. To be honest, she was quite disheveled, but she didn''t care. She quickly rode home. Little did she know, the courtyard had seen quite amotion today in her absence.


    Due to the destruction of the public restroom, those involved had to domunity service. However, to make things easier, it was divided into morning and afternoon shifts. This way, there wasn''t too much chaos, and it also left some time for families.


    Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su were scheduled for the afternoon. Aunt Zhou wasn''t happy about it, but she wasn''t worried. Her family had someone who could work for her. She didn''t have to do thebor; Wang Zhaodi could. But Aunt Su didn''t have anyone.


    Usually, she would hope that the Bai family could take her ce, but the Bai father and son were unreliable. They moved with tiny steps, like ancient noblewomen, so naturally, they couldn''t go. Besides, their IVs were scheduled for the afternoon, so they were definitely unable to help.


    Aunt Su turned her attention to Wang Zhaodi, thinking that since she was under her care, she should help with the work. But who would have thought that Wang Zhaodi had a mind of her own? After Aunt Su asked her, she immediately told Aunt Zhou.


    It wasn''t that Wang Zhaodi was cunning; she just needed to inform Aunt Zhou since she was staying at her ce and eating her food.


    Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhou was furious. She wasn''t afraid of Aunt Su anymore. With the Bai men being weak, what was there to fear from a frail widow like Aunt Su? Her family didn''t have any men, and she had all the tricks up her sleeve¡ªbreaking windows, kicking doors, pulling hair¡ªshe had it all!


    Would Old Man Bai be willing? He had always been protective of Aunt Su. This time, when the Bai family was in trouble, it was Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu who had worked hard to help. He remembered that¡­ even though his health wasn''t great, he still dragged his tiny steps out to demand justice for Aunt Su. But¡­


    When Zhao Guihua returned, the courtyard was eerily quiet. Zhao Guihua was puzzled. She had already prepared an excuse to deal with everyone, but as soon as she entered the courtyard, it was so quiet that no one was sitting at the gate watching the lively scene.


    Not only that, but the people repairing the public restroom had also dispersed.


    This was very strange.


    Zhao Guihua called out, "Liang Meifen."


    Liang Meifen hurried out of the house, saying, "Mother-inw, I''m here."


    With no one in the courtyard, she had been sleepingfortably at home.


    She quickly came over to help, saying, "Mom, let me do it, you rest."


    She tried to lift the basket but couldn''t, then happily said, "There''s so much!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Take them all home, process them, and salt them to make dried fish."


    Liang Meifen: "Where should we dry them?"


    Drying them in the courtyard would be too obvious.


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ve talked to Lao San, and he''s getting a stic sheet. We''ll dry them on the roof."


    The roof had plenty of sunlight and would dry quickly.


    And no one usually went up there, so although the smell might be noticeable or there might be flies, it would only be for a couple of days. They could just say they were drying a few fish, no big deal. Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s get to work."


    She rubbed her back, saying, "I''ve really given so much for this family."


    Liang Meifen nodded, fully agreeing.


    She said, "Mom, next time I''ll go with you."


    She wasn''tzy when it came to work.


    Zhao Guihua: "We''ll have to make sure someone''s at home, or else all our hard work could be stolen by some petty thief."


    She really despised that family. She pursed her lips, saying, "I haven''t asked you yet, why was it so quiet today?"


    Upon hearing this, Liang Meifen perked up and quickly recounted the drama of the afternoon, shrugging, "They all went to the hospital. Aunt Zhou imed she was injured, Old Man Bai said he was injured, and Aunt Su was even more injured¡­"


    She said with a hint of amusement, "Aunt Wang led a group of people to send someone to the hospital, but when the hospital saw it was Old Man Bai, they advised him to transfer to another hospital. Then, when they saw Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su, who had caused trouble at the hospital before, the hospital strongly urged them to transfer as well, saying they couldn''t keep getting scammed by the same people. Every time they get admitted, they destroy a bunch of stuff. The hospital just can''t handle it. So, they were sent to a farther hospital, and they still haven''te back yet."


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­¡­"


    Truly, it was just speechless.


    She asked, "How do you know all this? You didn''t go, did you?"


    Liang Meifen: "Jiang Lu told me. She went to the hospital but wasn''t admitted, so she didn''t go to the next one."


    Liang Meifen sighed, "An attending physician at the hospital even got teary-eyed, almost crying, saying their injuries weren''t serious and there was nothing major to worry about. He begged them to go to another hospital. I''ve never heard of such a thing before."


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­¡­"


    Today, she was full of ellipses.


    Liang Meifen worked quickly, her mouth never idle. She said, "This whole situation, Yu Baoshan is also to me."


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes flickered as she asked, "How is he involved?"


    "How isn''t he? He caused trouble at the hospital again! He smashed the toilet, the hospital''s toilet. It happenedst night, and they''re still repairing it. The hospital is really at its wit''s end with these violent patients. They really can''t take in any more of them. None of these people are easy to deal with."


    Liang Meifen sighed, "I''ve lived this long and never encountered such a thing."


    Zhao Guihua: "You''ll get used to it."


    But how could you get used to such things!


    You get used to one incident today, and tomorrow they''lle up with a new one, something even more bizarre.


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, what about Bai Fendou? Did he go too?"


    She said, "I didn''t hear anymotion when I came back."


    Liang Meifen''s mouth twitched as she said, "Bai Fendou didn''t go. He went to see off Miss Tao. She said she didn''t need him to, but he insisted on escorting her. He left and still hasn''te back."


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­¡­" Quick steps, but still not fast enough.


    She said, "Alright then."


    Liang Meifen: "But Zhou Qun has someone at home, Wang Zhaodi is there."


    Zhao Guihua asked in surprise, "She didn''t go?"


    "No. Aunt Zhou didn''t let her go. Aunt Zhou said that Su Jii''s kids are thieves. If there''s no one at home, those three kids will definitelye to steal from them. They''ve had such an experience before, and this time it can''t happen. She told Wang Zhaodi to stay and guard the house."


    Zhao Guihua: "What kind of situation is this¡­"


    The dramas in their courtyard are just too much.


    "I also heard that in the inner courtyard, the Yu family is causing trouble too. It seems that the Yu family''s daughters-inw are fighting with the olddy, saying she''s biased. Now that Yu Baoshan is hospitalized, his room is empty, and the sisters-inw want to move in. But the olddy won''t allow it, so it''s aplete mess."


    Zhao Guihua breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Luckily, it''s not just our courtyard with embarrassing situations. If it were only us, we''d be too ashamed to go out."


    Liang Meifen: "Exactly."


    She cut open the fish belly, removed the innards, salted them one by one, and ced them in a basin. She worked quickly and efficiently. She said happily, "Mom, we have a lot of fish this time."


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s been raining for the past few days, and there''s been a lot ofmotion in the courtyard, so we haven''t gone out."


    She said, "But today, it seems easier to catch them."


    Liang Meifen: "The weather is so muggy, I wonder if it''s going to rain."


    Zhao Guihua thought it might be true. The muggy weather, with low atmospheric pressure, might make the fish easier to catch. But she wasn''t sure. Zhao Guihua looked at the sky and said, "It really looks like it''s going to rain."


    "Uh¡­ rain?"


    Liang Meifen looked at the fish with worry and said, "If it rains, we can''t dry them right away. I hope it doesn''t."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "There''s someone who hopes even more that it doesn''t."


    She pointed at Bai Fendou''s house and said, "He doesn''t even have ss in his windows."


    Liang Meifen: "¡­That''s true. His family is really¡­ after working for so many years, can''t they even afford to rece the ss? What a weirdo."


    Liang Meifen didn''t understand. Like her, she didn''t have much savings, but that was because she gave it to her parents, not outsiders. Supporting one''s own parents can''t be considered wrong. But this family¡­ what did they spend their money on? They don''t seem to eat or dress particrly well.


    The Bai family eats and dresses normally, the only big item being a bicycle whose origin is unknown.


    Despite saving like this, they still don''t have money.


    Zhao Guihua: "They''re content with it."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw chatted a bit more. Hearing noises in the courtyard, Zhao Guihua went out to see who it was. It wasn''t someone else, but Ming Mei''s cousin, Lan Xiang, sitting by Lan Sihai''s door. Zhao Guihua: "Lan Xiang,e over? Your grandfather isn''t home yet. Come sit at our ce."


    Lan Xiang shook his head and said, "No need, it''s quite cool here. Auntie, your courtyard is pretty quiet today." He hade yesterday and witnessed quite a show.


    Zhao Guihua: "Yeah, you camete. They got into a fight in the afternoon, and everyone went to the hospital. They haven''te back yet."


    Lan Xiang pped his thigh in regret: "I missed it!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Exactly! If you want to see more excitement, you won''t see it for a few days. They''re probably going to be hospitalized."


    Lan Xiang: "Ah¡­"


    He made a face like he had a toothache and said, "I''m leaving in two days. Am I really never going to see it again?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Really."


    Lan Xiang made another toothache face and sighed, "I thought I could see another show."


    Zhao Guihua: "Why don''t you ask which hospital they''re at? After all, they have a history of fighting in hospitals. This time, even the doctors advised them to leave. They switched to another hospital. Maybe you can go to the hospital and catch some excitement."


    Lan Xiang: "Ah, really?!"


    Zhao Guihua with a serious face: "Absolutely."


    Lan Xiang: "Ah, ah, ah¡­ I even thought about transferring to Beijing."


    Zhao Guihua said objectively, "Even if you transfer to Beijing, you can''t move in. The only vacant room in our courtyard is upied by your grandfather. No one else has ns to move out."


    Lan Xiang: "What a pity!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Zhao Guihua: "You''d better stay in Jinling City. Beijing is deep waters, not easy to navigate. If you really had such neighbors, you wouldn''t be able to handle it."


    Lan Xiang: "¡­"


    There''s no way to argue with that. It might really be the case.


    He sighed, "Auntie, well¡­ oh, by the way, what''s with this window?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Art, they just pursue coolness."


    Lan Xiang: "¡­"


    Do you think I''ll believe that!


    The old and young chatted aimlessly when they saw Wang Zhaodi peeking her head out.


    Zhao Guihua waved her hand, "Wang Zhaodi, why stay cooped up at home? Come out and sit."


    Although it waste May, the weather in Beijing was already quite hot. Plus, it looked like it was going to rain, making the house stuffy. Wang Zhaodi hesitated. She was a quiet person, having grown up working in the countryside, with not many big ideas. Coming to the city and living with the Zhou family, she naturally still trusted Aunt Zhou a bit.


    So, looking at Zhao Guihua, she was a bit afraid. She whispered, "No need."


    She closed the door and obediently stayed at home.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t force the girl, as she wasn''t her family. And the girl knew what she was here for.


    Zhao Guihua: "Lan Xiang, what''s your name? I haven''t asked you yet."


    Lan Xiang: "I''m Lan Xiang, the ''flying'' xiang."


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched. She wanted to ask why someone living in Jinling City would have such a name, which should be more fitting for someone in Jinan.


    But she quickly thought of it. No wonder she always called him "Little Lan" in her previous life. His name was a bit odd. In her previous life, their interactions weren''t frequent, as one was in Beijing and the other in Jinling City. Later, when life got better and traveling thousands of miles became quick and convenient, many people had heard of Jinan''s Lan Xiang.


    Having a name like Lan Xiang was a bit awkward, so they just didn''t use his name.


    Zhao Guihua: "Flying, pretty good."


    "That''s right."


    Zhao Guihua: "You this..."


    "Aunt Luo, you''re back."


    Luo Xiaohe, who could get off work a bit earlier, arrived first and quickly stepped forward: "Let me open the door."


    She said: "Did you get impatient waiting?"


    Lan Xiang honestly replied: "I came early just to see the excitement, but I didn''t see anything; they said the excitement was over."


    Luo Xiaohe: "What happened?"


    She looked at Zhao Guihua and asked: "Did something happen again today?"


    Although she usually doesn''t engage in idle gossip and is quite quiet, she still makes sure to listen to the rumors. She may not talk much, but her ears are always sharp and attentive.


    Zhao Guihua: "Hey, I wasn''t here in the afternoon, but I heard..."


    Although she wasn''t present, Zhao Guihua, who heard the details from Liang Meifen, described the events quite vividly. However, towards the end, she scratched her head in confusion and said: "I wonder why the outside toilet repair ended early today."


    Just as she was about to turn around and ask Liang Meifen, she saw the Zhou family''s door open, and Wang Zhaodi whispered to them: "The neighborhoodmittee said they should rest early today."


    She added in a whisper: "Everyone was watching the fight and identally knocked over a few people, who got injured and went to the hospital. The neighborhoodmittee decided to rest today."


    She asked very softly: "Are city folks like this, so wild?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Luo Xiaohe: "..."


    They felt misunderstood.


    They were all very well-behaved people, but the truly wild ones had already gone to the hospital. It was really frustrating to live in the same courtyard as such people, as their reputation became strange and peculiar.


    Zhao Guihua: "Actually..." She forced a smile and said: "We city folks aren''t like this. Most of us are diligent and hardworkingrades."


    Wang Zhaodi looked at Zhao Guihua''s distorted smile and found it hard to believe.


    She "oh"ed and hesitated for a moment before finally taking a stool and sitting by the door.


    Seeing that many of the troublemakers were absent, even Luo Xiaohe sincerely asked: "Guihua, before I got married, I heard that someone here fell into a pittrine. Is that true?"


    She addressed Zhao Guihua as "Guihua" following Aunt Wang''s way of calling her. Although their family had kinship with the Zhuangs, due to age differences, it was sometimes awkward to address each other, so they simply called each other by their names.


    Luo Xiaohe: "I was too embarrassed to ask my husband, Lao Lan, about this."


    Zhao Guihua: "Hey, even if you asked him, he wouldn''t know. That happened before he moved here. It was Aunt Su''s son, Su Jii, along with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, who all fell into the pittrine together. Then, that day, the entire street was... h h h..."


    Zhao Guihua was quite adept at storytelling, painting a vivid picture.


    Since the people involved weren''t present, she could freely recount the events. Zhao Guihua was in full swing, spitting and gesturing, and finally concluded sincerely: "Luckily, it was still cold weather then. If it had been now, I really don''t even want to imagine..."


    The three audience members were left speechless, their eyes wide.


    Luo Xiaohe: "I guess I really am naive and inexperienced."


    Lan Xiang swallowed hard and said: "This is really... I''ve never seen anything like it, truly never seen it."


    Wang Zhaodi, however, had her own perspective. She said: "After such a big incident, they must not have been able to eat for days. That would save a lot of food."


    Her focus was a bit peculiar, but it made some sense.


    Zhao Guihua: "But people can''t withstand not eating for days."


    Wang Zhaodi fully agreed with this statement, nodding vigorously. She had always been most afraid of going hungry, as she had never been fully satisfied. Sitting on the stool, she pondered what to eat tonight. With Aunt Zhou not around, she wondered how Jiang Lu and Brother Zhou would decide.


    Regardless of the decision, she would have to follow it.


    Wang Zhaodi propped her chin up...


    Zhao Guihua had returned homete, and it had been a while since she got back. People were gradually returning from work, but those who went to the hospital hadn''te back yet. Zhao Guihua: "How far did they go? Why aren''t they back yet? Besides, why did everyone go along? I didn''t see everyone being so caring before."


    As an eyewitness on the scene, Wang Zhaodi spoke up again: "Everyone wanted to see if the hospital would admit Uncle Bai."


    Wow, just wow.


    As people returned from work, the courtyard became lively. However, many who entered noticed a fishy smell and asked: "Aunt Zhao, what are you cooking? It smells so fishy."


    Zhao Guihua remained unfazed: "I went fishing and had good luck, catching a couple of fish."


    Everyoneughed: "Congrattions to you then."


    They all knew Zhao Guihua wasn''t very lucky when it came to fishing, so they didn''t ask further.


    At this time, Liang Meifen had already cleaned the fish. She arranged the fish innards neatly and called out: "Mom, should we buy a block of tofu tonight?"


    She knew her mother-inw''s preferences. Her mother-inw loved tofu stewed with fish, and tofu stewed with fish innards was also a favorite.


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure. Go ahead."


    Liang Meifen washed her hands and felt that her whole body smelled, but she still clenched the money and went out.


    By the way, she had gained some weight these days.


    Eating well was really nice.


    Liang Meifen happily stepped out, but just as she reached the alley entrance, she met a few people with red armbands. One of them stopped Liang Meifen and asked: "Comrade, do you know where Yu Baoshan lives?"


    Liang Meifen was taken aback and said: "Yu Baoshan? Who''s that? I don''t know this person."


    "Yu Baoshan, he should have many brothers, five of them..."


    Liang Meifen: "Oh oh oh, you mean the Yu boys. They live on this street, the veryst house. But if you want to find him, you can''t go there. You have to go to the hospital. He fell from the rafters while sleepwalking in the bathroom during the day two days ago and even smashed the toilet."


    "What?"


    The few people with red armbands were stunned.


    How could such a thing happen?


    Liang Meifen: "It''s true. If you don''t believe me, ask others. I have to hurry to the grocery store to buy tofu, so I won''t exin further."


    Worried that the store might close, Liang Meifen quickly left. The people with red armbands didn''t stop her and instead stopped another female worker who had just returned from work, asking: "We heard about Yu Baoshan..."


    The person stopped was none other than Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu looked down on Yu Baoshan. After all, if it weren''t for Yu Baoshan smashing the toilet and talking about gold and silver treasures, her mother-inw wouldn''t have gone to search, resulting in extra work to rebuild the toilet.


    She was also hospitalized because of this today.


    Her heart was filled with annoyance.


    She knew she couldn''t be rude to the people with red armbands, but she still said: "That''s right. He sleepwalked into the bathroom, not sure how he could sleep there, and was talking about gold and silver treasures..."


    The people with red armbands changed their expressions.


    "Gold and silver treasures?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "He said that, and also mentioned gold bars. Who knows what kind of madness he was in."


    One of the people with red armbands changed his expression and pressed: "He said gold and silver treasures and gold bars? Are you sure? If you''re lying, that''s no small matter!"


    His eyes fixed on Wang Xiangxiu with a hint of coercion.


    Wang Xiangxiu was unconvinced: "You''re ring at me, but I''m telling the truth. If you don''t believe me, ask others."


    The people with red armbands looked at each other and quickly said: "You can go then."


    They didn''t idle around and asked a few more people nearby. Indeed, everyone confirmed the story. Many had witnessed it, so there was no need to lie, as it could lead to trouble with the people with red armbands.


    Although Yu Baoshan''s excuse was a bit absurd, no one contradicted him, as it could be seen as spreading feudal superstitions or illegally hoarding.


    There was no evidence, and Yu Baoshan was known to be vengeful. No one wanted to provoke him. So everyone acknowledged the incident, confirming that Yu Baoshan had mentioned gold and silver treasures, but it was just a dream, after all.


    The details, they truly didn''t know.


    Having rified the situation, the expressions of the people with red armbands were not very good.


    One of them directly cursed: "Damn!"


    They all understood what this implied.


    The man at the front, with a face so grim it seemed almost sinister, sneered and said, "Let''s go to the hospital and see what Yu Baoshan has to say."


    "He definitely won''t admit it," someone replied.


    "No, we can''t go to the hospital to confront him. Monkey''s right; he won''t admit anything. We need to keep a close eye on him. I don''t believe he won''t make a move. As soon as he does, we''ll take him down. And we also need to watch where he hides his stuff. Damn it, he''s trying to hog everything for himself. We agreed that we''d all get rich together. He''s going too far."


    The group began to murmur among themselves, their expressions darkening.


    In these times, people naturally tended to be wary of individuals like them, and their reputation wasn''t exactly ster. When a group of them gathered together, whispering conspiratorially, it only reinforced the impression that they were plotting something underhanded. When Liang Meifen returned and saw these men still lingering, she quickly picked up her pace and hurried home without engaging with them.


    The men didn''t notice Liang Meifen; instead, they huddled together by the wall, plotting their next move.


    Liang Meifen rushed home and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Zhao Guihua asked, "What''s wrong with you?"


    Liang Meifen quickly recounted what had happened outside that day in a hushed tone. Zhao Guihua fell silent for a moment before saying, "In the future, stay far away from people like that. You never know what kind of characters they are."


    "I understand," Liang Meifen replied.


    Zhao Guihua went back to preparing dinner. The reason she had taken such a risky step to take the goods wasn''t just out of personal greed; it was also because she truly despised what Yu Baoshan and his gang were doing.


    Their rapid rise to wealth had been fueled by the valuable items they had embezzled over the years. It was because they had such arge capital base¡ªacquired at incredibly low prices¡ªthat they had been able to sessfully set up stalls; and it was precisely because of their sess in selling goods that they had been able to afford to lease illegal coal mines. They lured people into working for them, causing countless harm.


    That was truly a malicious business.


    Zhao Guihua could only hope that by taking away this man''s capital, she would prevent him from developing further. If such a person were to seed, it would only lead to more harm.


    Yu Baoshan actually had a few aplices, though Zhao Guihua wasn''t sure if today''s group was among them. Nevertheless, she hoped that people like him would never rise to power in this lifetime. What a scoundrel!


    Zhao Guihua took a deep breath and said, "Why haven''t theye home from work yet today?"


    It was normal for Lao San (Old Third) not to be back; he had to pick up Ming Mei from her workce after his shift. But why wasn''t her husband back yet...


    Liang Meifen said, "I''ll go ask."


    She wiped her hands and went to the back courtyard... As for why she didn''t ask Wang Xiangxiu, Wang Xiangxiu had onlye back briefly to pack some things before heading to the hospital, so naturally, she wasn''t avable to ask. Liang Meifen went to the back courtyard and quickly returned, reporting, "Dad''s working overtime at the factory. He said there''s a batch of urgent orders, and the work is quite demanding. Only the fifth-grade and above craftsmen are stayingte."


    Zhao Guihua felt relieved and said, "Whenever there''s an urgent job, people get worn out."


    She added, "Let''s make more steamed buns tonight."


    Liang Meifen responded, "Got it."

 Chapter 93

    Early in the morning, Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi climbed up to the roof, looking quite miserable, and spread out a stic tarp to dry salted fish.


    These days, stic tarps were not easy toe by. It was thanks to Zhuang Zhixi''s acquaintance with Old Huang that he managed to find this one. Although it was second-hand, it was cleaned thoroughly and worked just fine. Such a thing was hard to find.


    Indeed, it was a good item.


    After the brothers finished drying the salted fish, they climbed down thedder and stored it in the basement. The courtyard was quiet at this early hour, though there was somemotion in the back courtyard, while the front courtyard remained silent.


    By the time the brothers started washing up, Wang Xiangxiu had already gotten up. The weather was getting warmer day by day. Yesterday had been overcast all day without rain, but this morning it was clear, and it was certain to be a hot day.


    Wang Xiangxiu was dressed very lightly, wearing only a sleeveless top that exposed her snow-white neck and arms. She came out with a toothbrush in hand, speaking softly, "You two brothers are up early."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded but didn''t say anything. To be honest, if you were to describe Zhuang Zhiyuan, he was somewhat simr to Zhou Qun in that he could be a bit pretentious, always putting on the airs of a cultured person. However, Zhuang Zhiyuan was a bona fide high school graduate, while Zhou Qun only finished elementary school. So, it couldn''t be said that Zhuang Zhiyuan was pretending.


    Due to his job at the railway and his self-perception of being a cut above others, Zhuang Zhiyuan often had a slightly aloof demeanor. Nowadays, people would just think he was distant and quiet, with a schrly air.


    Whenever he spoke, he always had a lot of lofty principles to share.


    When Wang Xiangxiu greeted them, she was addressing Zhuang Zhixi, not Zhuang Zhiyuan. Sure enough, Zhuang Zhiyuan didn''t respond, disapprovingly ncing at Wang Xiangxiu''s attire before turning away, holding his tongue.


    Decent people couldn''t stand to see such things.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and responded, "Sister-inw Su, you''re notte either. Are you heading to the hospital first thing in the morning? I heard your family was refused admission yesterday? What happened? How did you manage to offend the hospital? I mean, causing trouble all the time isn''t good."


    This was truly bringing up something best left untouched. Wang Xiangxiu''s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly sighed and said mournfully, "How can this be our fault? We are truly innocent. Unexpected expenses have just cropped up. Our finances were already tight, and now we''re just waiting for our paychecks. Little Zhuang, can you lend me some money? I promise to repay you as soon as I get paid."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled innocently and said, "Sister-inw Su, I can''t believe you. Your family usually saves quite a bit."


    He pointed to the pitiful window of the Bai family andughed, "Look. They can''t even afford to fix their window."


    Wang Xiangxiu, unabashed, said, "What does their family have to do with me? Actually, it''s just getting hot, and Uncle Bai thinks it''s cooler this way."


    Zhuang Zhixi drew out an exaggerated "Oh" and thenughed, saying, "Sister-inw Su, you really know how to talk, hehe."


    Wang Xiangxiu blinked, her eyes carrying a hint of coquetry, "Then, lend your sister some money, huh? I won''t borrow much, just ten yuan. That''s not much for you, right?"


    She blurted it out without hesitation, a significant sum.


    Yet, she could still im it wasn''t much.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He had truly witnessed her shamelessness. However, Zhuang Zhixi was no less shameless himself and remained calm, "I don''t have any! My sry has to support my wife. My wife is pregnant now, and there are so many expenses."


    As he turned to leave, he heard Wang Xiangxiu, still unwilling, say, "Eight yuan, just lend me eight! Five yuan, five yuan isn''t enough? Three yuan!"


    Zhuang Zhixi turned back, "Sister-inw Su, ten yuan is considered a small amount in your eyes, but we can''t afford to deal with you. You''re so capable, where would you need to borrow from me? Isn''t that a joke?"


    He smiled, his words carrying a double meaning, "You have plenty of connections, don''t cling to me."


    He turned and went home, only to see Ming Mei ring at him with her arms crossed. Zhuang Zhixi immediately defended himself, "I''m a good person, just making small talk."


    Ming Mei: "Then why could Brother leave immediately? You just kept talking non-stop, trying to show off your eloquence, huh?"


    Ming Mei red at Zhuang Zhixi, perfectly portraying the image of a jealous little wife. Zhuang Zhixi quickly said, "I promise, I won''t talk to her anymore."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, wife, don''t be mad at me. I just have a big mouth, I assure you there''s no bad intention."


    Ming Mei chuckled, staring at him. Zhuang Zhixi reaffirmed, "Really, I''m not blind. With such a beautiful wife like you, why would I look at her?"


    Ming Mei: "So, if she''s prettier than me, you''d have ideas?"


    She widened her eyes, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly replied, "No!"


    He was truly wronged!


    He said sincerely, "Look into my eyes, look into my eyes. They are filled with love for you. I really am not that kind of person. No matter how good others are, I''m not interested. Really."


    Ming Mei huffed, "I''ll take your word for it, for now."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You have to believe me, I''m so sincere."


    Ming Mei rolled her eyes. Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Wife, don''t be so angry. Being too angry can easily cause you to get upset. My dear wife..."


    Ming Mei: "Heh."


    After much persuasion, Zhuang Zhixi finally managed to soften Ming Mei''s stern expression. He made a silly face, saying, "Look at me, look at my pitiful face..."


    Ming Mei couldn''t help but burst outughing, "Stop making silly faces."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m just trying to make youugh."


    The young couple finally went out, and Zhao Guihua had already prepared breakfast early in the morning. Ming Mei, who had just been angry with Zhuang Zhixi, now transformed into an affectionate little wife, immediately went up to her mother-inw to flirt, "Mom, your cooking is too good. I could smell the aroma from outside."


    Since bing pregnant, her sense of smell had be more acute.


    Zhao Guihua nced at her and said, "Stop ttering me, sit down and eat."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    Her breakfast included an extra egg, with two eggs in total. Xiao Yanzi and Hutou shared one, while Ming Mei, being pregnant, had one to herself. Others didn''t get any, but Zhao Guihua asionally cooked an egg or made an egg soup to improve everyone''s meals.


    After all, one''s health is the most important thing.


    If your health isn''t good, you can''t do anything. As long as you''re healthy, that''s what matters most.


    Moreover, Zhao Guihua felt that saving money at this time wasn''t particrly meaningful. After all, there wasn''t much to buy, and everything required tickets. Her sewing machine, for example, had been awaited for ages without arriving.


    It was better to try to eat well and stay healthy, living a few more good years.


    Zhao Guihua: "Will everyone be back for dinner tonight?"


    "Yes."


    Zhao Guihua nodded and said, "Then I''ll cookmb tonight."


    Slurp...


    The kids started drooling.


    Their family''s standard of living had been steadily improving recently. However, Zhao Guihua still felt it wasn''t enough. It''s true that it''s easy to get used to luxury, but hard to go back to frugality. Her decades of life experience before her rebirth really made it difficult for her to adapt to such a simple life, even after nearly half a year.


    But no matter how difficult, one has to adapt.


    Hutou looked at his grandma happily and said, "Grandma, Hutou loves you the most. Your cooking is the best. A million times better than my mom''s."


    Liang Meifen: "..." What a naughty kid, but he''s right.


    Her mother-inw had been cooking more generously over the past half year, and her cooking was indeed better than hers. She really couldn''tpare.


    However, her mother-inw''s cooking did use a lot of oil, which was true.


    Zhao Guihua added, "Two dishes, and another fish. I''ll go fishing today."


    The children immediately cheered up. Xiao Yanzi said in a cute voice, "My grandma is the most amazing grandma in the world."


    Other families didn''t have it as good as theirs. Xiao Yanzi knew she would soon be able to wear her new dress. Her mom said she could wear it on Children''s Day. The little girl thought about it and giggled.


    "Why is this childughing like a fool?"


    Xiao Yanzi: "I can wear my new dress."


    Zhao Guihua: "Mm, if it''s warm, I''ll let you wear it."


    Xiao Yanzi patted her chest and assured, "I''m not cold."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, you''re not cold."


    What did she not know about kids? They just wanted to wear new clothes.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, finish eating and take the kids to school. By the way, has Hutou''s enrollment at Tiger Head Elementary School been taken care of?"


    Liang Meifen nodded: "It''s already done. He''ll start as a primary school student in the second half of the year."


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    She sighed: "How do kids grow so fast?"


    Hutou quickly said, "I want to grow up fast, make a lot of money, and then buy meat to eat."


    Xiao Yanzi added, "And buy new clothes to wear."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, buy, buy, buy."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We won''t keep you guys talking. It''s gettingte. Come on, wife, I''ll walk you out."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    The couple stood up. In the morning, people usually didn''t have much time for idle chit-chat. Most of the family talk happened during dinner, discussing work and household matters. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei stepped out together. As soon as they exited, they saw a few police officers entering the courtyard. They exchanged nces.


    The lead officer asked, "Comrade, may I ask if there is a Madam Zhou Li in your courtyard?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yes, she lives in that house, but she''s not at home right now."


    The police officer: "Out so early? Isn''t she a homemaker who doesn''t work?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, she got into a fight yesterday and was injured, so she''s in the hospital."


    The police officer: "..."


    Clearly, she''s quite a troublemaker.


    He said, "Thank you."


    Zhuang Zhixi, curious, asked, "Did she get into some trouble again?"


    The police officer: "Yes, there''s a robbery case that requires her assistance in the investigation."


    They stepped forward to knock on the door and then turned back to ask, "Is there anyone at home?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Definitely, her son and daughter-inw are both at home."


    As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened. Wang Zhaodi, looking timid, stood there. She had never seen such a scene before and quickly turned back to call out, "Brother Zhou, Sister Jiang Lu,e quickly."


    She didn''t know what was going on but assumed it was rted to yesterday''s incident. Her face turned pale.


    Despite being a dark-skinned girl, her pallor was now quite noticeable.


    Zhou Qun hadn''t slept well. His mother had gotten into yet another mess, and his mood was far from good. He no longer needed external pressures; his mother''s constant troublemaking was enough to keep him teetering on the edge of humiliation.


    He said irritably, "What''s all the shouting about so early in the morning?"


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, "It''s... it''s the police officers."


    Zhou Qun was startled and immediately perked up. He quickly came out and said, "Officers, hello. I''m Zhou Qun. May I ask what brings you here?"


    Yesterday''s incident hadn''t involved the police. Neighborhood disputes rarely called for the police. If they did, it would be impossible to live peacefully among the neighbors. So he was very puzzled as to why the police hade. The three officers looked at Zhou Qun and said, "You are..."


    One of them nced at his notebook and said, "The son of Li Xiulian, right?"


    Initially, they hadn''t mentioned Li Xiulian''s full name, guessing that people might not know it, especially for an olddy. Now that they had met her son, they used her formal name.


    He continued, "Jiang Lu is your wife, correct?"


    Zhou Qun nodded, "Yes, is something wrong? Please,e in and sit."


    The officers entered, and Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei immediately moved closer.


    Just a few simple exchanges, and other neighbors had alreadye out. Bai Fendou, Wang Xiangxiu, Aunt Wang, and even Uncle Lan and his wife had gathered around.


    What was going on now?


    This was a police visit.


    Zhou Qun awkwardly said, "My mother is still in the hospital. May I ask what this is about? If it''s about yesterday, I think there''s been a misunderstanding. It was just some old folks messing around, but they''ve been like that since they were young. They''re used to it. It''s not really a case of fighting."


    At that moment, Jiang Lu also came out from the inner room and stood beside Zhou Qun.


    The police officer nced at Jiang Lu and said, "We''re not here about yesterday''s fight. We''re here because Madam Li Xiulian is suspected of involvement in a robbery case rted to feudal superstition. We need her toe with us to assist in the investigation."


    "Feudal superstition?"


    Windows were filled with curious eyes, peering inside!


    "Yes, feudal superstition. Madam Li Xiulian is suspected of hiring a witch to curse..." The police officer nced at Jiang Lu again and continued, "Your father, Jiang Jianshe."


    "What?!" Jiang Lu looked at the police in shock, unable to believe it. "That''s impossible! You must be mistaken, officer. Jiang Jianshe is my father. How could my mother-inw scheme against my father? We''re family! There''s no need for that, and our rtionship is very good. I think there must be some misunderstanding. My mother-inw may have a sharp tongue and doesn''t back down when she''s right, but she''s not a bad person. She would never do something like this. You must be mistaken. Definitely mistaken."


    The police officer, seeing her emotional state, could understand. Such news is always hard to ept. The police station deals with these kinds of family disputes all the time, and this wasn''t even the most severe case they''ve seen.


    The officer said, "The witch Madam Li Xiulian hired was a fraud. They are a robbery gang who pose as sessful curses to rob their victims. ording to their confession, Madam Li Xiulian provided detailed descriptions of your father''s situation. So they easily found him and conducted a week-long surveince. Their n wasn''t just to rob your father but also to break his arm to ''prove'' the curse''s sess and extort more money from your mother-inw."


    Jiang Lu: "..."


    The officer continued, "It''s said that your mother-inw is a regr customer of theirs, not the first time. Given theplexity of this case, we can''t yet determine if your mother-inw truly believes in feudal superstition or if she knew these people were robbers and used them for her own purposes. Either way, we need to verify this with her. Additionally, both of you need toe to the police station to assist in the investigation."


    "What?"


    Jiang Lu was agitated: "Assist in the investigation? What kind of investigation? Do you suspect I knew about this? That''s outrageous! That''s my father! How could I possibly do something like this? I..."


    "Calm down. We''re not saying you were involved. We just need you toe and help rify some issues."


    The officer then looked at Zhou Qun, his gaze fixed on him. Zhou Qun knew that while the police might not suspect Jiang Lu, they definitely suspected him. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and then said firmly, "I don''t know exactly what happened, but I am innocent, and I believe my mother wouldn''t do something like this."


    "Then, both of you,e with us. We also need you to take us to the hospital."


    Zhou Qun: "My mother is still injured..."


    "We won''t harm her, but as a party involved, she needs to cooperate with our investigation."


    At this moment, Zhou Qun''s mind was in turmoil. He hated those people for being so ipetent and his mother for not cleaning up her tracks. How could she reveal her identity like that? It was as if she was waiting for trouble to surface so she could take the me. If she wanted to die, she should do it herself, not drag him into it.


    In the past, Zhou Qun thought his mother was quite useful. He could rely on her to handle things he didn''t like, as she was used to being unreasonable. His family never lost out because of her. But now, it seemed his mother was utterly useless. Not only did she fail to act as a shield, but she was also bing more and more of a liability.


    For the past half year, it had been him cleaning up his mother''s messes. She had indeed caused him no small amount of trouble, making him utterly disgusted to the extreme, yet he couldn''t help but y the dutiful son. After all, filial piety was such a big deal these days, which left him feeling quite ufortable.


    Zhou Qun''s mind was in a chaotic state, unsure of what to do next. Nevertheless, he instinctively stood up and said, "I''ll go with you."


    Jiang Lu: "Everything was fine, how did such a thing happen? This can''t be true! It simply can''t be!"


    "Let''s go."


    Zhou Qun took a deep breath and turned back, saying, "Wang Zhaodi, you watch the house. If anything happens, find Aunt Wang."


    He didn''t know what this "cooperation investigation" entailed, so he had to brief them first. Of course, he didn''t trust Wang Zhaodi much, considering they had only met less than two days ago. He then found Aunt Wang in the crowd and said, "Aunt Wang, my mother has caused some trouble again, and we need to go and cooperate with the investigation. I''m not sure what''s going on, but could you keep an eye on our ce? There are some mischievous kids in our courtyard who aren''t honest, and with so many peopleing and going, I''m not at ease."


    Aunt Wang: "I understand, you can rest assured."


    Zhou Qun nodded, "Then... Zhuang Zhixi, could you please ask for a day off for me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Sure."


    He felt Zhou Qun''s entire demeanor was heavy.


    However, Zhou Qun wasn''t exactly a good person. Just listening from outside for a while, Zhuang Zhixi felt that Zhou Qun was involved. Whether Madam Zhou Li would take the me or not, Zhou Qun was definitely implicated.


    He had that much insight.


    After all, he had known Zhou Qun for over twenty years.


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, and just as Zhou Qun was about to leave, Bai Fendou jumped out: "Hey, why don''t I go to the factory to ask for leave for you?"


    Hehe, he was nning to spread the news far and wide, letting everyone know why Zhou Qun couldn''t go to work. Zhou Qun would be humiliated, and he would be delighted. Zhou Qun gave Bai Fendou a deep look, stepped forward, and patted his shoulder, saying, "Brother, I know you still have some feelings for me, but you''re injured, so don''t trouble yourself. I appreciate your kindness. When I get back, I''ll treat you to a drink. In this courtyard, you''re the most righteous."


    Aunt Wang: "???"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    So, we weren''t being righteous just now?


    Can you even speak properly?


    Bai Fendou was also confused, genuinely confused. He didn''t have good intentions, so why didn''t Zhou Qun see through that? However, Zhou Qun had been acting a bit strangetely. It seemed like he suddenly wanted to be good friends with Bai Fendou, suddenly getting close.


    Who knew if there was some scheme behind it.


    Bai Fendou widened his eyes, staring intently at Zhou Qun, trying to see through his cunning mind. But Zhou Qun, seeing Bai Fendou so concerned, with his eyes wide open, felt his judgment wasn''t bad.


    Bai Fendou, though not particrly handsome, couldn''tpare to Zhuang Zhixi and the others.


    But he was brave and could fight, and he cared for Zhou Qun in critical moments, which made him a decent person. He put his arm around Bai Fendou''s shoulder and patted it, saying, "Good brother, wait for me toe back!"


    Jiang Lu: "..."


    What''s wrong with Zhou Qun?


    Why has he suddenly gotten close to Bai Fendou? She couldn''t understand it.


    Jiang Lu was utterly puzzled, but Zhou Qun had no intention of exining, not letting go.


    The police officer: "You two have a great rtionship."


    Bai Fendou was anxious: "Hey, no, it''s not... hey this..."


    He didn''t know what to say for a moment, feeling that everything was strange.


    At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi also helped his wife, Ming Mei, take a step back silently. That eerie feeling was back. He pursed his lips, feeling he didn''t understand at all. At this moment, he silently looked at his mother...


    Zhao Guihua was also standing at the door, watching themotion intently.


    She hadn''t expected it to be so coincidental. She had reported the case yesterday, and the police had acted yesterday. Fortunately, she had called the police; otherwise, if she had dyed by one more day, the nature of the matter might have changed.


    Normally, the police would catch the culprits in the act, with evidence.


    So, it was quite a coincidence.


    Zhao Guihua felt that there seemed to be some kind of divine will in everything, and fortunately, things turned out well.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, meeting Zhuang Zhixi''s gaze.


    When he made eye contact with his mother, he then looked at his grandfather, Lan Sihai... Truth be told, if there was something he couldn''t figure out, he didn''t need to ask others. Asking these two would basically give him the answer.


    He felt this difort intensely, his goosebumps rising.


    Therefore, Zhuang Zhixi decided that when he got off work, he would definitely ask the elders about it. These elders had eaten more salt than they had walked roads, so they would certainly understand what was going on. At his age, he really couldn''t grasp this situation.


    Zhou Qun was somewhat reluctant to leave, but he couldn''t help but follow. He sighed deeply, as if he had a thousand words to say, but in the end, it all turned into an endless sigh. He could only say, "I''ll go first."


    The couple left with the police officers, and the neighbors immediately started murmuring. Although there were many incidents in their courtyard, this was the first time the police hade to their door. Everyone was astonished, looking at each other in confusion, unable to recover for a long time.


    After who knows how long, Zhao Guihua was the first to speak, asking, "Aren''t you going to work?"


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, looked at the time, and quickly said, "Wife, let''s go, let''s go."


    They had been so engrossed in watching themotion that they hadn''t noticed the time. Today, they were bound to bete.


    The young couple quickly left. Apart from Li the Cook and Yang Lixin, who had to get up early to prepare breakfast in the canteen, the others hadn''t gone out much. Now, everyone was in a panic, rushing to leave. If they werete, they would be fined.


    Watching themotion was important, but definitely not at the cost of being fined.


    At this moment, only those who weren''t going to work had the mind to talk.


    They started specting with each other.


    Aunt Wang was a bit puzzled but still said, "Is she colluding in robbery? Or is it feudal superstition?"


    They had listened to the whole story and were really confused.


    From what these neighbors saw, Madam Zhou Li was probably just involved in feudal superstition. If it was colluding in robbery, she wouldn''t dare.


    Zhao Guihua also believed that Madam Zhou Li wouldn''t dare, or perhaps she didn''t understand how these people could make the superstition more "real." But she didn''t understand, Zhou Qun certainly did. Those people had made it so obvious, and Zhou Qun wasn''t an ignorant housewife. He worked in the factory and must have seen more, and this man was inherently cunning, so he couldn''t be unaware.


    It all depended on how Madam Zhou Li would exin it.


    But Zhao Guihua leaned towards Zhou Qun being fine, as Madam Zhou Li was very protective of her son. She wouldn''t let Zhou Qun get involved in such matters, even if he was aware.


    This woman was confused but utterly devoted to her son.


    Zhao Guihua lightly sighed, "What is this all about?"


    Aunt Wang suddenly thought of something and sighed deeply, saying, "This year''s outstanding courtyard award, we definitely won''t get it. It''s a pity our merits from catching thieves. Now, they''ve ruined itpletely for us."


    She truly felt this was infuriating.


    Others also felt indignant, as this outstanding courtyard award came with rewards. It was all ruined by these people, true troublemakers! Everyone spat.


    Zhao Guihua sympathetically patted her old friend''s shoulder. Aunt Wang tried to cheer up, saying, "I have to go to the neighborhood office. Something like this happened in our courtyard, I need to report it."


    Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead."


    Aunt Wang quickly left, and everyone continued talking among themselves.


    ¡°Madam Zhou Li is really vicious. Her inws helped her so much, and she repaid them with such heartless actions. She really is a snake in the grass.¡±


    ¡°That''s right, during those three years, even having enough to eat was a struggle. It was Jiang Lu''s family who gathered food for them. That was a huge favor, yet they don''t seem to care at all...¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, is this her first time?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Bai Fendou was on vacation at home, mingling with a group of women, chattering away: ¡°Maybe she''s cursed others before, like going to a fortune-teller to curse people. If anyone has a conflict with her family, they should think carefully about whether they¡¯ve fallen victim to her schemes.¡±


    One of the older womenughed and said, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the one? Don¡¯t you have a conflict with her?¡±


    Bai Fendou was stunned, then eximed loudly, ¡°Damn!¡±


    He hadn¡¯t thought about it before, but now that he did, he realized he was indeed one of those who had a conflict with her.


    As he thought more, his expression changed. He became even more convinced that everyone was right. This Madam Zhou Li must have found a fortune-teller to plot against him. Otherwise, why would he be so unlucky recently? Among the people in their courtyard, the ones who were most at odds with Madam Zhou were Aunt Su, and then his own family. Even Zhao Guihua was less of a targetpared to them.


    Look at Aunt Su, who was usually so mild-mannered, but she¡¯s been hospitalized twice in a row.


    And him, he¡¯s been having one mishap after anothertely... Thinking about it, Bai Fendou couldn¡¯t stay calm anymore. He felt that Zhou Da Ma was the cause of all his troubles. He immediately said, ¡°No wonder I¡¯ve been so unluckytely. It¡¯s her, it must be her. I need to go to the police and sort this out. I... I¡¯m so wronged...¡±


    Bai Fendou, who had been muddling through his recent troubles, now med everything on someone else.


    He firmly dered, ¡°I need to go to the police station.¡±


    With that said, he didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and quickly shuffled out with small steps.


    Some nosy onlookers said, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you there. You know...¡±


    They just wanted to tag along and watch the drama unfold.


    In a flurry, several more people followed him out. Zhao Guihua, seeing Liang Meifen also wanting to go, said, ¡°You should take the kids to school.¡±


    Liang Meifen: ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    She sighed wistfully and left.


    She couldn¡¯t go watch the gossip, which was a real pity.


    Zhao Guihua watched as almost everyone left¡ªthose going to work, those going to school, those heading to the neighborhoodmittee, and those going to the police station. She then returned to the gate, chopped some vegetables, and fed the chickens.


    These two old hens had seemed a bit listless when they first arrived, but now they looked much more lively. Zhao Guihua thought that in another day or two, they might fully recover. She just didn¡¯t know when they would startying eggs.


    She quickly began sweeping and tidying up. Despite what some men said about how tired they were from work, the women at home had plenty of chores to do as well. The worst part was that these tasks were often invisible¡ªno matter how much you did, it wasn¡¯t noticeable.


    Like Zhao Guihua, she got up early to cook, feed the chickens, sweep, and after everything was done, she took out some fabric scraps to sew small cleaning cloths.


    These were leftover pieces from the fabric she boughtst time. She picked out the unusable small bits and sewed them into cleaning cloths, which were always useful around the house. Speaking of which, Zhao Guihua felt a bit embarrassed for the ¡°time-traveling army¡± (a popr trope in Chinese novels where characters travel back in time). In those stories, the protagonists were always incredibly capable, even within the limitations of their era. They could navigate the ck market, amass wealth, and enjoy the good life, only to soar to even greater heights with the reform and opening up. But here she was, back again, still dealing with the same mundane family matters, unable to enjoy meat every day.


    Although her quality of life had improved a bit, it wasn¡¯t anything exceptional. She felt like she didn¡¯t quite measure up to the caliber of a leadingdy. Zhao Guihua sighed deeply for herself, but despite her grumbling, her hands didn¡¯t stop. She picked up a stool and sat in the courtyard, where it was cooler than inside the house.


    As she worked, she heard a series of retching sounds. Zhao Guihua: ¡°???¡±


    The sounds wereing from the back courtyard. Zhao Guihua got up and walked over, only to see Li Fang about to leave. Zhao Guihua quickly asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Li Fang: ¡°I think I might be pregnant. I can¡¯t stand any strange smellstely.¡±


    For some reason, early that morning, she felt like there was a faint, fishy smell in the courtyard. Recently, only Zhao Guihua had been fishing, so Li Fang didn¡¯t directly say it was the fish smell that was bothering her.


    After all, even though they lived in the same courtyard, no one really cared about such things. With such limited resources, any extra source of protein was a blessing. She didn¡¯t say it outright but instead smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital to check it out.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Oh, you¡¯re pregnant? You should go check it out right away.¡±


    Li Fang: ¡°I¡¯m just so disorganized. I actually felt unwell yesterday when I went to the hospital, but I didn¡¯t think to check then and just went home. Can you imagine¡­¡± She even felt a bit worried about herself.


    She said, ¡°If my momes back, could you let her know I¡¯m going to the hospital to see if it¡¯s just a summer stomach bug or if I¡¯m pregnant?¡±


    Li Fang had already had children before, so she felt this symptom was very likely pregnancy.


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let your mom know.¡±


    Li Fang nodded and then left.


    Zhao Guihua patted her head, remembering that Li Fang had indeed given birth to her third child around this time. This time, she had a daughter,pleting the family with a ¡°good¡± (a son and a daughter). This made the Li family overjoyed. In those days, if your first child was a daughter, you really wanted a son. It seemed like only having a son could make your family feelplete. But if you already had a son, things were different.


    Li the Cook loved his grandsons and wanted more grandsons. But since they already had two, this time, having a granddaughter was also something they cherished.


    Despite his traditional preference for boys, he doted on his little granddaughter more than his two grandsons.


    So, it¡¯s hard to say what kind of person someone really is.


    Zhao Guihua also thought of Ming Mei. In fact, she knew whether Ming Mei was having a boy or a girl, but Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t reveal anything. She still wanted to keep it a surprise. However, knowing the inside story and not being able to share it was a bit frustrating.


    She had already started making little clothes¡­ two of them!


    Yes, as a reincarnated person, she knew that her daughter-inw Ming Mei was actually carrying twins.


    Actually, Li Fang¡¯s pregnancy was a bit further along than Ming Mei¡¯s, but why was Ming Mei¡¯s reaction so obvious and discovered so early? Because Ming Mei was carrying twins. She gave birth to a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, born early on New Year¡¯s Day.


    Two babies.


    This wasn¡¯t surprising, though. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei having twins followed a family pattern. Their second child, Zhuang Zhixin, had also given birth to twins. She had two boys, and in every letter, Zhuang Zhixin wouldin about how her sons were always getting into trouble.


    So, Zhao Guihua thought maybe there was a generational pattern in their family, a kind of intergenerational inheritance.


    Otherwise, why would it be so coincidental that Zhuang Zhixin had twins, and now Zhuang Zhixi was having twins?


    Next year, their courtyard would wee four new babies: their own twins, Li Xiaoting (Li Fang¡¯s daughter), and Jiang Lu¡¯s son, who was a bit younger than the twins.


    Oh, no, actually, Li Fang¡¯s daughter was also born in January, but ording to the lunar calendar, the new year hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    Their daughter was born on the 22nd of the twelfth lunar month, just a few days before the twins.


    Strictly speaking, only three babies would be considered born in the new year.


    Li Xiaoting didn¡¯t count; she was still considered a baby born this year.


    After giving birth to a son, Jiang Lu seemed to gain confidence and walked with a swagger. Even when talking to Aunt Zhou, she was much more assertive. Aunt Zhou, too, doted on her grandson, attending to every little detail. Even at seven or eight years old, the child sometimes needed to be fed.


    When the child first went to kindergarten, it was said that he didn¡¯t know how to use the bathroom by himself.


    This was, of course, a far cry from decadester.


    At that time, children started kindergarten early, and it wasn''t umon for two-year-old toddlers to be sent to kindergarten. However, their grandson was over six years old before he was finally sent to kindergarten... which was quite unusual. It''s hard to say whether indulging children is right or wrong. After all, it''s natural for parents to spoil their own kids, but excessive spoiling can be problematic.


    In their neighborhood, there were families that set a "good example" of spoiling their children. The Su family''s three kids were well-known for this. The Zhou family, on the other hand, indulged their child to an extreme degree. Unlike the Su family''s kids, who would steal or act like gigolos, the Zhou family''s child was purely selfish. Eventually, he even moved to a certain beautiful country and settled there.


    Zhao Guihua thought about all this, her head shaking like a rattle drum...


    "Guihua, what are you doing? Why are you shaking your head like that?"


    Aunt Wang returned and saw Zhao Guihua in this state, curious and concerned. She quickly asked, "Why is the courtyard so quiet? Has something happened again?"


    She had been through so much that she was constantly on edge, afraid of more trouble.


    Zhao Guihua quickly replied, "They''ve gone to the police station."


    She exined Bai Fendou''s concerns and added, "You know Bai Fendou is currently in a fragile state, so everyone went with him for support."


    Aunt Wang: "¡­I really can''t believe¡­ Can he just stop causing trouble?"


    However, she understood that Bai Fendou''s worries weren''t unfounded, as he had been quite unlucky recently. She sighed and shook her head, mirroring Zhao Guihua''s earlier action.


    "Oh, by the way, Li Fang from your family went to the hospital. She''s not feeling well and might be pregnant."


    "What!"


    Aunt Wang was instantly excited, asking, "Pregnant? When did she leave?"


    Zhao Guihua: "She left a little while ago. You won''t be able to catch up with her, so you might as well wait at home."


    Aunt Wang began pacing in circles like a donkey pulling a mill, eximing, "That''s wonderful, simply wonderful!"


    Zhao Guihua: "Sit down and talk."


    Aunt Wang: "Can you believe such good news? I never expected our Fang to be pregnant again. I wonder if it''s a boy or a girl."


    Zhao Guihua smiled: "So, do you want a boy or a girl?"


    Aunt Wang: "A girl. We already have two boys, and if we had another boy, we wouldn''t be able to afford to marry him off. Besides, we''d like to have a ''good''bination of a boy and a girl. With the two boys we already have, who are always causing trouble, we''d love to have a sweet little girl."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled. Aunt Wang noticed Zhao Guihua''s movements and moved her chair closer, whispering, "What''s this¡­"


    She pointed at Zhao Guihua''s hands.


    Recently, Zhao Guihua had been making clothes for her family. Although the materials weren''t luxurious, the dresses were made from patchwork pieces, and she had managed to add some new clothes. Aunt Wang whispered, "Guihua, what''s your secret? Can you share it?"


    Zhao Guihua whispered back: "It''s nothing special. I just traded for some fabric scraps."


    The word "traded" was emphasized.


    Aunt Wang immediately understood, but Zhao Guihua quickly added, "It''s not that I''m hiding anything. I only managed to trade twice, and the second time it fell through. I can''t trade anymore."


    Aunt Wang: "Ah?"


    She felt a bit disappointed.


    Zhao Guihua: "If this were a stable source, I would definitely tell you. But I can''t get it anymore, so there''s no point. If I find another way, I''ll let you know."


    Aunt Wang: "Alright!"


    Soon, Aunt Wang happily asked, "Do you want to make some money?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Huh?"


    Aunt Wang, with a hint of pride, said, "I''ve secured a money-making opportunity for everyone. We caught a thief, and that''s a real good deed. The neighborhoodmittee promised to give us an award for being an outstanding courtyard, but due to some people''s antics, we lost that chance. Even if they gave it to us, we wouldn''t have the face to ept it. But our good deeds are real, and catching the thief was real. That can''t be denied, right? So, I went to the neighborhoodmittee to voice our concerns. We may not get the outstanding courtyard award, but they should at least give us some part-time work! This way, those of us who caught the thief won''t feel so bitter, and it''ll give everyone something to do instead of bickering all day."


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes lit up: "Aunt Wang, you''re amazing. This is a great idea."


    Aunt Wang smiled proudly: "Of course! Who do you think I am? I''ve already secured the deal. Our courtyard can volunteer for this job: assembling matchboxes. Normally, such work is reserved for families in need, but we managed to get it, which is quite an achievement."


    "What kind of work is it?"


    Liang Meifen, returning from sending her child to school, overheard and quickly joined in.


    Aunt Wang: "It''s assembling matchboxes. You get a dime for every hundred."


    Liang Meifen was instantly excited. She had been to the neighborhoodmittee many times, hoping for such opportunities. Formal or temporary jobs were out of reach, so she was thrilled to have a chance at this. The neighborhoodmittee usually didn''t offer such work to families like hers, given their circumstances.


    She eximed, "I want to join!"


    Aunt Wang: "Sure."


    Liang Meifen was overjoyed. Finally, she had a source of ie, a chance to earn money. When she was working, she didn''t realize how important it was, but now that she wasn''t, she asionally felt a tinge of regret.


    Just a little bit though.


    But it was there.


    When she was earning, her parents treated her with respect, and her brother always praised her, calling her the most sessful sibling. In her inws'' home, she stood tall because of her job, even though she still feared her mother-inw. Among the neighbors, she had a sense of superiority.


    She had a high school education, two children, and a dual-ie family.


    But now, everyone called her a foolish fool. This change was painful for Liang Meifen. She tried to convince herself not to feel bad, but she wasn''t a machine; she couldn''t help but feel sad.


    Her family didn''t value her anymore either.


    After she gave up her job, everything changed. Even her father told her not toe back and cause trouble, calling her a troublemaker. This made Liang Meifen feel terrible.


    She didn''t say it out loud, but she felt it in her heart.


    Now that she had no money, spending was inconvenient, and Zhuang Zhiyuan controlled the family finances. She had no money of her own, making her even more eager to earn some. She asked, "When do we start working?"


    Aunt Wang: "It''ll be the quickest this afternoon. The neighborhoodmittee needs to coordinate with the match factory today. Luckily, they need a lot of matchboxes recently, so we got this opportunity."


    Liang Meifen nodded vigorously.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As the three women talked, they felt a gaze on them. They turned to see Wang Zhaodi peeking through a small crack in the door, looking timid.


    Aunt Wang: "Wang Zhaodi, if you''re bored alone,e out."


    Wang Zhaodi bit her lip and said, "Okay."


    At home, she was always busy with chores, so being outside with nothing to do made her even more nervous and awkward. If you gave her a piece ofnd to work on, she might feel more at ease, but now she looked hesitant and unsure.


    Aunt Wang: "We''ve secured a job assembling matchboxes for our courtyard. If you want to join,e out this afternoon."


    Wang Zhaodi''s eyes widened in shock: "Me? I can join too?"


    She had thought this was something for others, that they wouldn''t include her.


    But to her surprise, Aunt Wang invited her.


    She eagerly asked, "Can I really join?"


    Aunt Wang: "What''s not possible about this? You may not be from thepound, but you''re a working person, and I can see your conditions aren''t great either. This job was originally meant for families with limited means. Joining in isn''t a big deal."


    Wang Zhaodi''s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude. Even though this job would be assigned to less affluent families, it wouldn''t have been given to her family. This opportunity is unique to the people of Beijing; such a thing doesn''t exist in the countryside.


    She looked up, earnestly: "I will work hard."


    Aunt Wang nodded.


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t think the Zhou family will have time to care about you recently. Work hard and save some money for yourself. Even if the Zhou family kicks you out, at least you''ll have some money to rely on."


    Liang Meifen quickly nodded, chiming in: "Truly, the feeling of having no money is unbearable."


    Wang Zhaodi fidgeted with her hands: "I... I''ve never had money."


    She had never owned any, nor had she ever spent a single cent.


    The women all looked at her, but Zhao Guihua remained calm: "This is quite normal. Many rural families are used to men controlling the money. In the vige, sometimes things are just exchanged without using money. If something is needed, it has to be bought at themune supply store, and if the journey is far, women usually don''t go; it''s mostly men who do these things. You also have parents above you, so naturally, you haven''t had many opportunities to spend money."


    Hearing this, Wang Zhaodi calmed down and wasn''t as nervous and embarrassed as before.


    She said: "That''s how it is in our vige. Many people haven''t spent money."


    Aunt Wang frowned: "Where is your home?"


    This didn''t sound like a vige near Beijing. Viges near Beijing are much better off.


    Wang Zhaodi: "My home is in Ci''ergou. It takes more than a day by bus, and you have to change buses twice."


    Ci''ergou?


    No one knew where that was.


    Such ce names aremon, but the journey sounded far, probably beyond the Beijing area.


    "That''s quite far from here."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded: "Yes, my home is quite far, but the city is so much better. In the countryside, every day is either working in the fields or working in the mountains; there''s nothing else to do. But your city is so lively."


    The others: "..."


    Wang Zhaodi''s idea of "lively" probably wasn''t the same as theirs.


    Zhao Guihua, though she thought those few families were indeed a bit too rowdy, also felt that, as someone from thepound, she should rify. She said: "Actually... ourpound is quite harmonious."


    Wang Zhaodi''s eyes widened, and she couldn''t help but dig her ears, wondering if she had heard wrong.


    She stammered: "H-h-h-harmonious?"


    Then, realizing it wasn''t appropriate, she quickly added: "Oh, harmonious!"


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips.


    Seeing Wang Zhaodi''s nervous expression, she couldn''t help butugh, a soft "pfft," and said: "Don''t be nervous."


    Wang Zhaodi scratched her head: "You city folks are... really strange."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."

 Chapter 94

    "Sister Zhang, what are you cooking tonight?"


    "Oh, just making do with whatever we have. What else can we eat? We have to be frugal with our spending these days. You know, I wish I were as well-off as Grandpa Lan. His life is trulyfortable."


    Ever since Old Man Lan moved into the courtyard, everyone has been amazed at how well he lives, never worrying about food and drink. No one knows how much money Grandpa Lan earns, but he certainly knows how to enjoy his meals. Even at his age, he loves to eat meat, and there''s always some kind of meat dish at his house every day. That''s way better than how the rest of us live.


    There are other well-off families in the courtyard, some even better off than him, but none of them are as generous with their food as Grandpa Lan.


    "I heard that when Grandpa Lan was transferred here, he even asked the factory to lower his sry as long as they could guarantee his meals. He said, ''At my age, I eat one meal less with each passing day. I don''t want to mistreat myself.''"


    Some people who are in the know shared this, and there aren''t many secrets in the factory anyway.


    "That makes sense. He''s really old, but why doesn''t he save some money for his children?"


    People of their generation are like that¡ªonce they have kids, they work tirelessly like oxen, always trying to help their children as much as possible. That''s why some people look down on Grandpa Lan''s way of living.


    "His children are doing fine too, so they don''t need him to save money for them."


    Everyone was sitting in the courtyard assembling matchboxes, chatting while they worked. The task was handed out in the afternoon, and everyone couldn''t wait to start right away. This was a good way to make some extra money, and no one wanted to miss out.


    You see, one jin of flour costs neen cents. If you assemble two hundred matchboxes, that''s equivalent to earning one jin of flour. This job is really great.


    However, assembling two hundred matchboxes takes at least a few days. Although they are small, they are much harder to assemble thanrge cardboard boxes. Large cardboard boxes are easier because they have more surface area, but these small matchboxes are different. They have patterns on them that need to be cut precisely, and if there are too many mistakes, the next batch of work won''t be given to you.


    Of course, there are also regr matchboxes that are easier to assemble, but the pay is lower. Everything is rtive.


    So, earning ten cents for assembling a hundred matchboxes isn''t easy. That''s why this work is outsourced.


    Everyone was sitting in the courtyard working, and of course, they chatted as they worked. Auntie Sui asked, "Guihua, Grandpa Lan is your inw. What kind of person is he? The other day, Old Li from the next courtyard beat his daughter, and Grandpa Lan saw it. Guess what Grandpa Lan said? He said, ''You must be a very kind father, not liking your daughter so much that you probably don''t want her to take care of you in old age.'' Then he added, ''Why do you only like your son? Is it because he can carry your banner when you die?''"


    At this, Auntie Sui couldn''t help but burst outughing. "Oh my, you should have seen Old Li''s face. He was so angry, breathing like a donkey. He said he was going to beat up Grandpa Lan. And do you know what Grandpa Lan did? He was delighted!"


    "Ah? Why?"


    "He was going to get beaten, and he was happy about it?"


    "You must be mistaken."


    Auntie Sui: "Of course not! Grandpa Lan said, ''I''ve been worried about who will take care of me in my old age. If someone touches me, that would be perfect. I could just fall down and gain a son to take care of me for free.''"


    "Pfft!"


    "This old man is really something."


    Zhao Guihua looked up and said, "It''s not just about whether he''s capable or not."


    She said half-jokingly, half-seriously, "It''s whether Grandpa Lan would actually do it."


    She said this because she wanted to help Grandpa Lan a bit. Otherwise, with his sharp tongue, someone might really hit him. At his age, even if he getspensation, it''s not worth it. At least by saying this, everyone would think twice before doing anything, considering their own wallets.


    After all, they are inws.


    "Ah, this..."


    "He''s... he''s not joking, is he?"


    "Then anyone could just pull this kind of stunt."


    Zhao Guihua argued, "How is that pulling a stunt? How old is Grandpa Lan? Can he bepared to us? Compared to Grandpa Lan, we''re young. If we fall, we might be fine, but if Grandpa Lan falls, it could be serious. This has nothing to do with pulling a stunt. The older you get, the weaker your bones be. A fall could mean a fracture. You all know this. We''ve all seen elderly people. Even without intentionally trying to pull a stunt, the medical bills would start pouring out."


    "That''s true."


    "It does make sense."


    "After hearing that, I guess we really can''t mess with Grandpa Lan."


    Zhao Guihua continued, "I think what Grandpa Lan said is right. Why is there such a strong preference for boys over girls? That''s not in line with the country''s call. The big leader has said that boys and girls are the same. Who are we to say that men are stronger than women?"


    Even those who truly believed in the importance of boys didn''t dare to say this out loud.


    That would be crazy.


    Everyone nodded in agreement, "That''s the truth."


    Zhao Guihua added, "Besides, whether someone is filial or not, whether they take care of their parents in old age, depends on the person. If you meet someone with a heart of stone, even having a son won''t guarantee care. But if you meet a filial person, a daughter can be just as warm and caring as a son."


    "That''s a great point," Aunt Wang praised. She only had a daughter and was happy to hear this. "Exactly, if you have a son who is... uh, a troublemaker. Forget about carrying on the family line; even getting him married would be a struggle."


    "That''s for sure." Don''t think we don''t know you were about to say "having a Bai Fendou kind of son is a disaster."


    Everyoneughed.


    As it was almost time to get off work, no one was in a hurry to go home and cook. Everyone was focused on their work.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I think educating your children well is the most important thing. Whether they are boys or girls, that''s really not that important."


    If Aunt Zhou were here, she would definitely say, "Of course you''d say that¡ªyou have both a son and a daughter!" But since Aunt Zhou wasn''t around, there was no one to argue with Zhao Guihua. Everyone agreed with her, as there was no need to go against her.


    Like Aunt Zhou, who was always like a fighting rooster, there were very few people like that.


    Most people didn''t like to cause trouble. Even if they sometimes argued, it was usually for their own benefit. But Aunt Zhou was the type to cause trouble even when it didn''t benefit her. That''s what everyone found most puzzling¡ªit seemed like she had some kind of mental issue, or else she wouldn''t do such things.


    At this moment, someone brought up Aunt Zhou: "I wonder how Aunt Zhou is doing. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu haven''te back yet."


    "Who knows."


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Didn''t you go with Bai Fendou to the police station? Don''t you know?"


    "This case isn''t handled by our local police station. We had to go to the one that handles that area. Oh, I was so tired. Bai Fendou walked slowly and didn''t want to spend money on the bus. I was so fed up."


    At that moment, Bai Fendou stuck his head out of the window and shouted, "Did I ask you to go? Stop talking behind my back and mind your own business!"


    He had been so tired from the walk that his thighs felt like they were about to blister. Hearing someone gossip about him, he was very unhappy. He said, "Don''t think you can watch the fun and not get involved. I''m telling you, Aunt Zhou cursed me today, and tomorrow she could curse you. Just wait and see."


    "Hey, what are you saying? Why would she curse us? The police said there''s no such thing. Why are you still ming Aunt Zhou? She''s not a good person, and she hasn''t done anything good, but the police said she cursed her inws, not anyone else. You''re just trying to make yourself look good by ming her. You''re just stupid, and you''re ming Aunt Zhou for it."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Maybe he has paranoia?"


    "What?"


    Zhao Guihua exined, "I heard there''s a condition where someone thinks others are out to get them. It''s called paranoia. You know, delusions."


    Bai Fendou was furious: "Hey, wait, how did I be paranoid? Aunt Zhao, how are you talking? It seems like it''s none of your business, so you''re just staying out of it, right? Then tell me, if it wasn''t her cursing me, why have I been so unluckytely?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t you know what you''ve done yourself?"


    "Exactly, exactly."


    "Bai Fendou, the eyes of the masses are sharp."


    Bai Fendou: "You bunch of old shrews."


    As a man, he couldn''t out-argue a group of older women, but that didn''t stop him from cursing: "You''re all so mean, you''ll get your just deserts sooner orter."


    "You haven''t gotten yours yet, so how could anyone else?"


    "That''s right!"


    "You even me your own father and push the me onto him, and you''re talking about karma? It''s no wonder you haven''t gotten yours yet."


    "Oh, but it''s obvious now."


    "Exactly."


    The group of older women were all fierce and argumentative. Bai Fendou had overestimated himself. He took a deep breath, snorted heavily, and retreated.


    "Tch, what are you backing down for?"


    "Yeah, why not keep yelling?"


    The ferocity of these older women left Wang Zhaodi, who was new to the scene,pletely stunned. Although the older women in her vige could also curse and argue fiercely, they didn''t care much about propriety. However,ing from a small, poor ce, Wang Zhaodi had always thought city folks were very dignified and refined. Seeing that city people were just like them¡ªcursing, arguing, and working for money¡ªher initial unease eased a bit.


    However, thinking about the topic of having boys or girls that these people had mentioned, she was again confused.


    In her vige, no one would say that having boys or girls was the same. They all said that having a daughter meant the end of the family line, and they had to try for a son. Her family had already had nine children and was still trying. Her mother, constantly giving birth, was in poor health, taking one pill after another, making their family poor.


    Her father also needed to be heavily nourished, and she didn''t understand why.


    But they were determined to have a son.


    She didn''t understand at all.


    She looked up at Zhao Guihua, met her gaze, gave a timid smile, and then quickly lowered her head to continue working. She worked to earn money. She had never thought thating here would allow her to earn money along with everyone else.


    "It''s gettingte, you all keep working, I''m going home to make dinner," Zhao Guihua stood up first and said, "My family has a pregnant woman, I can''t dy the meal."


    Liang Meifen quickly stood up: "Mom, let me do it."


    Zhao Guihua: "Today we''ll have some meat, I don''t trust your cooking, I''ll do it. Tomorrow when we have vegetables, you can cook."


    Liang Meifen hesitated for a moment, happy inside but trying to look sincere: "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua: "If you''re happy, just be happy. What''s with the fake calm? Everyone knows you want to earn more money, just get to it."


    Liang Meifen chuckled and smiled along.


    She turned and went home. At this time, Aunt Wang also quickly stood up: "In that case, I''d better hurry too, my daughter is also pregnant."


    Everyone had already heard about this. Li Fang had gone to the hospital today and found out she was pregnant, already two months along. It was just that she had been careless and only discovered it now. With two pregnant women in the courtyard, everyone sighed: "Although things have been a bit chaotic in our courtyard recently, there are also many happy events."


    "That''s for sure."


    Zhao Guihua went home to cook the meat. She sliced themb into pieces and also chopped an onion, preparing to make onion stir-friedmb tonight. This was a dish that was very nourishing. If only they had a refrigerator, their meal nning could be better. But they didn''t. Although the meat was marinated, it still couldn''t be stored for too long. So recently, Zhao Guihua hadn''t bought meat. Instead, they had been eatingmb. The meat ration tickets had a longer expiration date, so she was holding onto them, nning to buy meat after they finished themb.


    Since their family started eating better, in just half a year, everyone could see the changes. And they were good changes. Zhao Guihua felt that it was worth her second chance.


    Zhao Guihua finished cooking the meat and started stewing fish.


    Actually, freshwater fish was quite fishy, but everyone still loved it. This was entirely because supplies were scarce, and sometimes even money couldn''t buy them.


    Zhao Guihua was stewing the fish when she heardmotion outside. She looked out and saw Zhou Qun and his wife returning. Zhao Guihua quickly went out as well. How could she, the gossip queen, Zhao Guihua, miss such an event?


    After all, such a thing hadn''t happened in her previous life. Everything now was new. It was also quite a coincidence. If she had been a dayte, the situation might have been different. Those people would have finished their deeds, and Jiang Lu''s father would have suffered.


    But now, everything was just right. The people were safe, and the bad guys were caught.


    Zhao Guihua didn''tment on Aunt Zhou, but she thought that the capture of that gang was well-deserved. They deserved it, damn it. Back then, those people had even targeted her, wanting to pull a fast one. Pfft!


    She, Zhao Guihua, might not be very capable, but how could she miss the chance to get revenge?


    Hmph!


    Zhao Guihua had forgotten that she had only reported them casually and not really for revenge. Anyway, she was going to take the credit for this, even if no one knew. After all, she knew it herself, and knowing she had done a good deed was enough.


    Oh right, Ming Mei also knew.


    Zhao Guihua walked out proudly and joined the crowd. At this time, everyone had surrounded Zhou Qun and his wife. It could be said that Zhou Qun and his wife were the core of the courtyard, the most important figures.


    Zhao Guihua also eagerly looked at Zhou Qun.


    Everyone asked questions in a flurry. Zhou Qun was clearly unhappy, but no matter how unhappy he was, for the sake of face, he didn''t show it. Instead, he tried to speak calmly: "This matter is still under investigation, and I can''t say much about the specifics, but my mother definitely wasn''t the one who instigated the robbery. My mother wouldn''t do such a thing. Everyone, please let us through. I need to go home, change clothes, and then visit my inws."


    Only then did everyone notice that his clothes were wrinkled, and he looked quite haggard. Of course, being investigated at the police station wasn''t easy.


    "So youing back like this means this matter has nothing to do with you?"


    Someone asked.


    Before Zhou Qun could answer, Jiang Lu got angry: "Of course this matter has nothing to do with us. This was all my mother-inw''s own doing. How could Qun and I be like that? Besides, what benefit would it be for us if my father got into trouble? He''s my own father. Am I crazy? How could you think that of me?"


    She said unhappily: "Let us through, we need to go home."


    The couple quickly went home, their faces grim. They didn''t even pay attention to Wang Zhaodi, changed clothes, and quickly left again. Wang Zhaodi stayed quiet, not daring to say a word. She had that much sense.


    "Why would they go to their inws'' ce at this time?"


    "What else could it be? They must be going to ask Jiang Lu''s father to drop the charges. After all, Jiang Lu''s father is the victim. If he doesn''t pursue it, the matter won''t be that big."


    "You''re stupid. Zhou Qun''s mother didn''t hire thugs to hurt people; she was involved in superstitious activities. Jiang Lu''s father isn''t even really the victim in this case."


    "You''re the stupid one. Think about it, how this whole thing ys out is really hard to say."


    Everyone started discussing, and Zhao Guihua listened for a while. Suddenly, she let out a scream: "Ah! My fish!"


    She darted back quickly, moving like a gust of wind.


    Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst outughing.


    Zhao Guihua rushed home, almost letting the fish burn, but luckily, it was fine.


    As it gotte, everyone gradually went home to cook. Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips, looked at the house, and silently continued working. She was hungry. In fact, she hadn''t eaten lunch. With Aunt Zhou not at home, she didn''t dare to take food.


    She would dare to eat on the table, even if it meant enduring someone''s nasty looks. She was scared of hunger, but with no one at home, she didn''t dare to take the grain out to cook. Taking something without the owner''s permission was like being a thief, wasn''t it?


    She didn''t dare to do that.


    Wang Zhaodi''s stomach growled, and she lowered her head to continue assembling matchboxes.


    Mrs. Wang came over to collect everything. Seeing her with her head lowered, she said, "Let''s just leave it like this today. You should go home and cook."


    Wang Zhaodi gently hummed and got up to prepare to go out.


    She wants to see if there are any wild vegetables outside; even just a little bit that she can gather would be edible.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Wang Aunt: "Girl, where are you going?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "I, I want to go out for a walk..."


    Goo goo.


    Her stomach growled, and Aunt Wang suddenly reacted, saying, "Did you not eat anything?"


    Wang Zhao Di hesitated for a moment and then nodded gently.


    Grandma Wang sighed and said, "I guess his family can''t take care of you now."


    She thought for a moment and said, "How about this, youe over to my house tonight to get by for a meal, and in the evening I''ll talk to Zhou Qun and his wife about this matter."


    Wang Zhaodi hurriedly shook her head and said, "No, no, I won''t eat. It''s fine."


    She knows the value of food and would never dare to eat for free at someone else''s ce. She dares to eat at the Zhou family because she wants to nourish her body to bear a son for them. If she went to someone else''s house, what would she be? Food is an incredibly precious thing.


    Wang Aunt: "It''s okay, youe over. I''ll talk to Zhou Qun when the timees."


    She saw that Wang ZhaoDi was very determined and said, "I will ask Zhou Qun and his wife for the meal expenses then."


    That said, Wang Zhao Di nodded lightly.


    Wang Aunt looked at Wang Zhaodi, who was as skinny as a stick, and said, "Let''s go."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Thank you."


    She said softly, but with exceptional determination, "Thank you, Aunt Wang."


    Wang Auntie: "Hey, I''m in charge of the management department. If youe to the courtyard, how could I not take care of you? A person is like iron and rice is like steel; if you miss a meal, you''ll feel uneasy. How can a person go without eating?"


    Wang Zhaodi followed Aunt Wang and took the initiative to help start the fire, her face feeling hot and also a bit flushed.


    Bai was gazing out of the window with a thoughtful expression. He knew why Wang Zhaodi hade, after all, the Su family was there to help him. How could they possibly not inform them? It would be necessary to describe his situation as extremely difficult in order to secure their assistance.


    This will naturally increase the difficulty.


    So Bai Fendou knows about this, and he also knows that Wang Zhaodi is not a rtive of the Zhou family. In fact, she is the daughter of Su Dama''s side, a rtive of Su Zhaodi''s inws. Bai Fendou has also considered whether to interfere and ruin this matter, or whether to take the initiative himself.


    Anyway, everyone else is out, so what can the Zhou family do to him?


    However, he quickly dismissed this idea. After all, Aunt Zhou was a bit crazy, and there were certain things that were absolutely off-limits. Having children was one of those matters. If Aunt Zhou were to find any difficulties regarding this issue, it was quite possible that she could truly resort to violence.


    So he thought about it for a long time, but in the end, he didn''t dare to do it.


    Moreover, another reason is that Wang Zhaodi is generally thin; she is not short, but she is too slender. He doesn''t like girls who look too thin and unhealthy. Besides, shecks many qualities, and he still prefers girls who are a bit more plump, as they are better for childbearing.


    This girl is really not his type, so he has given up the thought of intervening.


    Moreover, he felt a vague sense of pride in his heart. No matter how good Jiang Lu''s family conditions were, she couldn''t give birth. Even if Zhou Qun found another woman to bear him children, she would still be an uneducated, low-status, and average-looking rural girl.


    But Bai''s struggle is different; he can still marry a good wife. At the very least, she should be like Mingmei.


    She is good-looking,es from an above-average family background, has supportive parents who won''t hold her back, and can conceive quickly. He believes he should at least find a girl like that, after all, he is deserving of it.


    He was contemting when he saw Zhuang Zhixi and his wife pushing a cart back together. At the moment he caught a glimpse of Ming''s beautiful face, he blushed instantly and quickly retreated.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    He pressed his lips together and said, "Let''s go home." What a bastard, looking at his ass!


    Bai Fendou watched their retreating figures, his gaze lingering for a moment on Ming Mei''s back, then he shook his head. He was getting married for the first time and couldn''t settle for someone who had been married before. If anyone was most suitable, it would be the new girl Tao from the infirmary.


    Although it has only been two or three days, he has already indirectly inquired and found out that this girl, little Tao, is single.


    He feels that Miss Xiao Tao might have a crush on him; otherwise, why would she immediately respond when he asked about it? He believes that she definitely has that intention towards him. She''s probably just too shy to say it, waiting for him to take the initiative.


    Bai felt motivated and happy again.


    He must have married the best one.


    However, if Miss Xiao Tao is not a formal employee, he cannot do it.


    If he doesn''t have a formal job, he doesn''t deserve that.


    Bai was pondering these things, growing more and more cheerful, feeling that his marriage was within reach. He even began to think about how many children he would have in the future. Anyway, he wanted to have many sons, at least more than three. Xiu''s family had three, and he wanted to do even better than Xiu.


    Bai was getting happier the more she thought about her struggles,ughing heartily. A few children from Jii rushed into the yard and, hearing herughter, eximed, "Stopughing, you sound like a ghost!"


    Three children were rushing home. Their grandmother was hospitalized again. After Wang Xiangxiu came back from work and cooked, she still had to go to the hospital to deliver meals. In short, it involved a lot of back and forth, which also wasted quite a bit of time. These kids were like wild children, running around everywhere.


    Three children ran back home, and Wang Xiangxiu followed behind them, calling out, "Slow down, don''t fall!"


    Bai was not happy and said, "Sister Xiu, take a look at your child; they were just talking about me a moment ago."


    Wang Xiangxiu said softly, "Struggle, don''t me them; they are still children! How could they understand so much? Look, those kids don''t even call each other names. They just don''t understand."


    Bai nodded and said, "I know they are not bad kids. It''s just the three of them. If it were another adult, I would have hit them."


    Wang Xiangxiu thought to herself, "You bastard, your egg is already broken, and you walk like a more delicate person than me. Who do you think you can teach a lesson to?"


    You old fart!


    Her inner thoughts are quiteplex, but on the surface, she appears gentle: "I know you are a good person."


    Bai said: "That''s true. When I get married, I''ll let them help me with the bed pressing, so I can have a chubby little boy too."


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled with her eyes but not with her mouth, yet her voice hadn''t changed: "Sure, as long as you get married, I will definitely give you a wedding night gift."


    She knows that this person is interested in the nurse Xiaotao, but he should take a look in the mirror and reflect on himself; he really doesn''t know what he''s talking about. That nurse Xiaotao has only been at the factory for a few days, and already several young men are pursuing her, but she is neither proactive nor rejecting nor taking responsibility.


    It''s strange that someone would actually regard Bai''s struggles as noteworthy.


    Wang Xiangxiu turned around and went home. Even if she were to remarry, she wouldn''t find someone like that¡ªfoolish and clumsy.


    If she really had to find someone, she would definitely prefer someone like Zhou Qun over Bai Fendou. However, Zhou Qun hasn¡¯te back yet? That¡¯s really malicious; his whole family is toxic. Although Wang Xiangxiu is reckless, she does it to support the entire family.


    And she doesn''t kill or set fires; this Aunt Zhou is really quite vicious.


    Wang Xiangxiu returned home and quickly got busy. There was a subtle aroma in the yard, as if someone was stir-frying meat. She looked in the direction of the source of the smell, and without needing to say much, it was definitely the Zhuang family''s cooking.


    It could be the Lan family; those greedy ones, why haven''t they choked to death yet?


    Every family has its own affairs. At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi''s family has already started their meal. Because of the stewed fish, Zhao Guihua has ced pancakes around it. Although the pancakes don''t taste very good, they''re different when paired with the fish stew.


    This is to say that his family has recentlye into some good fortune; it seems that after they became more prosperous, their appetite actually diminished somewhat. Apart from Old Man Zhuang, who engages in physically demanding work at the factory, everyone else''s food consumption has actually decreased a bit.


    Everyone had dinner, and Old Man Zhuang finished off the remaining fish soup. He dipped his bread into the fish soup and ate every bit of it.


    ¡°What do you think the situation will be for Aunt Zhou this time?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi''s gossip opening.


    This is a situation that is difficult to predict, and no one really knows how it will turn out. They have never encountered such a situation before, so naturally, they are unsure. Zhao Guihua has never encountered this either. However, with the current movement against the "Four Olds," engaging in feudal superstition is not a minor matter.


    Of course, it is notparable to robbery.


    But it is impossible to simply let it go unaddressed.


    If it were for something else, like Aunt Zhou buying strange things like ck dog blood for Jiang Lu to drink, hoping to help her daughter-inw get pregnant, the issue might not be too serious. And Jiang Lu''s father, for the sake of face, might even help out.


    But now, it seems unlikely.


    If someone is already cursing him, and he still helps, then that person is far too easygoing.


    In Zhao Guihua''s impression, Jiang Lu''s father is not an easygoing man. In these times, being a leader at the supply and marketing cooperative means he is not a simple person. The Zhou family benefiting from their rtionship with their daughter is due to the family''s affection for their daughter.


    But having affection for their daughter does not mean they have affection for outsiders, especially when the outsider does not have good intentions. It is unlikely they will let it go easily. If they only had Jiang Lu as their child, they might let it slide, but they don''t.


    Jiang Lu has a brother.


    After a while of gossiping, Ming Mei started yawning. Zhao Guihua asked, "Are you tired? If you are, go to bed early."


    Ming Mei nodded, "A little."


    She never really noticed before, but now that she''s pregnant, it''s quite obvious.


    She yawned again and said, "I''m really a bit sleepy."


    Although she watched a bit of drama in the morning, she wasn''t very energetic today. She didn''t know why, but she just felt a bit tired. Zhuang Zhixi was worried about his wife and said, "Come, I''ll take you back to bed."


    Ming Mei smiled, "Okay."


    Hutou chimed in, "Teacher says, early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy."


    Xiao Yanzi added, "That''s right, Auntie, go rest."


    Ming Mei replied, "Okay."


    She really likes Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. Under Zhao Guihua''s guidance, they are well-behaved and not at all troublesome. Well-behaved children are little darlings, but troublesome ones are little rascals.


    Zhuang Zhixi helped Ming Mei back to their room. Ming Mei was feelingzy and just flopped down, saying, "I don''t want to wash up, I just want to sleep."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Alright, then sleep."


    He took the initiative to help her take off her shoes and adjusted her pillow, saying, "Let me help you take off your jacket."


    He was very attentive.


    Ming Mei, as if boneless, followed Zhuang Zhixi''s movements and quickly took off her clothes.


    She had a vague feeling...


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing her like this, was a bit worried and furrowed his brows, but Ming Mei didn''t notice. She curled up in the nket and reached out, "I want to sleep with you."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled gently and whispered, "Okay."


    ******


    In the quiet night, Ming Mei walked along an empty street. She recognized it as the Apricot Blossom Alley where they lived. She heard amotion and continued walking.


    "Make way, make way..." Ming Mei quickly moved aside. Being pregnant, she couldn''t afford to be bumped into. She moved quickly, but the person still bumped into her. However, it seemed the person didn''t see her at all and just passed through her, running towards their courtyard.


    Ming Mei looked down at herself, puzzled. She was clearly standing there, so how did someone pass through her?


    She tilted her head and thought for a moment, then realized she was dreaming.


    She was clearly dreaming, yet she seemed to know she was dreaming...


    Ming Mei walked home along the alley and saw the person who passed through her running into the courtyard to deliver news: "Which house is Zhuang Zhixi''s?"


    Ming Mei raised her hand high, "Mine!"


    But the person didn''t even nce at her. He shouted again, "Zhuang Zhixi!"


    Ming Mei saw her mother-inw, Zhao Guihua,e out hurriedly and ask, "What''s going on? What happened? Zhuang Zhixi is my son."


    "Is he home?"


    "No, he''s not. What''s the matter? Tell me."


    The person quickly grabbed Zhao Guihua and said, "Auntie,e with me. Is Ming Mei your daughter-inw? She fell on the bus, had a massive hemorrhage, and was sent to the hospital..."


    "What!"


    Zhao Guihua''s face turned pale instantly. "Let''s go!"


    Zhao Guihua followed the person, stumbling as they ran. Ming Mei, at this moment, also changed her expression and quickly followed, hearing the person say, "The road was slippery due to the heavy rain, and she fell out of the bus. She''s already been sent to the hospital..."


    "She''s lost a lot of blood, let''s hurry..."


    Ming Mei desperately tried to catch up with the two, but couldn''t. She panted and crouched down, holding her belly. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain, as if something was about to leave her body...


    The scene quickly shifted, and she vaguely heard the doctor''s voice: "The child has been barely saved, but the mother needs long-term rest. It''s hard to say what will happen next. You, the family, must be very careful. Also, take good care of the mother; otherwise, it''s hard to say if the child can be saved. She''s carrying twins, which is already very taxing..."


    Ming Mei wanted to say something, but it felt like she was drowning. She clutched her belly, feeling miserable...


    Gradually, she seemed to detach herself, floating and watching herself. She looked very tired, as if she might miscarry at any moment. She was pale and haggard. People in the courtyard gossiped behind her back, saying her child might not be born smoothly, and even if born, might not be healthy...


    Ming Mei took deep breaths, and at this moment, she seemed to be in the delivery room...


    "Ah!!!" Ming Mei suddenly screamed and sat up.


    Zhuang Zhixi, who had been half-asleep, was startled awake. He quickly sat up and asked urgently, "Wife, what''s wrong? How are you? Did you have a nightmare? Don''t be afraid, I''m here."


    Looking down, he saw that the girl was actually crying.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately panicked and quickly said, "What''s wrong?"


    He hurriedly wiped her tears, "Are you feeling unwell? Should I take you to the hospital?"


    He was about to get up, but Ming Mei grabbed his undershirt and shook her head forcefully. She leaned forward and rested on his neck, biting her lip and said, "I''m fine, it''s okay, I just had a nightmare. Let me calm down..."


    She hadn''t had a nightmare.


    This was a premonition dream.


    Ming Mei suddenly understood; this was a premonition dream.


    When she was younger, she might have been weaker, and as a child, her spirit was indeed weak, so she often had all sorts of strange dreams. At that time, she would wake up crying every day. As she grew older and started practicing martial arts, she gradually became stronger and stopped having those strange dreams. Premonition dreams became rare, though she still had them asionally, especially about important events rted to herself.


    Although very rare, they did happen.


    For example, she had dreamed that Zhao Guihua was reborn.


    On the eve of her blind date, she had dreamed of a middle-aged version of herself and Zhuang Zhixi holding hands, strolling in the park, and even kissing. She had dreamed all of that.


    This time, she had another dream. She had no doubt; this was a warning for her.


    Ming Mei leaned on Zhuang Zhixi''s chest, thinking about the scenes in her dream. It was summer, with short sleeves, and she seemed to hear the loud chirping of cicadas. She bit her lip and suddenly became determined, saying, "Zhixi, I want to change jobs."


    Zhuang Zhixi was taken aback and then said, "Change jobs?"


    He didn''t ask anything else and just said, "Okay."


    Ming Mei continued, "As a conductor, I get a three-yuan bus allowance every month. If I change jobs, I won''t get that. That means I''ll lose three yuan every month. I really don''t want to..." She leaned on Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Actually, when I first got pregnant, I thought about this, but I gave up at the time. Although the baby isn''t born yet, raising a child is very expensive, and I want to save more money. But I just had a nightmare, and I''m so afraid it mighte true. Being a conductor on the bus is good, but the bus is moving, which isn''t safe for a pregnant woman like me. I can''t take the risk with my own safety."


    Although being a ticket collector on a bus is more tiring than working in the station''s logistics, many female colleagues at the station still prefer to work on the bus because they earn an extra three yuan a month. Add a bit more to that, and it''s enough to buy four jin of meat.


    So if Ming Mei wants to transfer, it wouldn''t be difficult. Internal transfers within the station are possible.


    Ming Mei softly leaned against Zhuang Zhixi, whispering, "Do you think our parents will disagree?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "Of course not. They understand what''s more important. Besides, this isn''t something they get to decide. As long as we''re willing, that''s what matters."


    Ming Mei pouted cutely, "You won''t think I''m being spoiled, will you? Just because of a little thing like this, I want to change jobs. I''ll be missing out on three yuan a month."


    Zhuang Zhixi tapped her cheek, "What are you talking about? Three yuan is a lot, but you''re more important. We need to be careful at a time like this." He patted Ming Mei, "Even if you earn three yuan less, your sry is still higher than mine. Strictly speaking, I''m the one living off you. How could I criticize you? I just want my wife to be safe and sound."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly.


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at the outside, "Go back to sleep for a while. It''s not dawn yet."


    Ming Mei murmured softly, "Okay~"


    The dream had been too terrifying. She clung tightly to Zhuang Zhixi, unwilling to let go. Seeing her anxious and worried, Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her, though he himself couldn''t fall asleep...


    She was worried about the baby, and he was worried too. Not just about the baby, but also about her.


    Yes, it wasn''t very safe for a pregnant woman to be a ticket collector...


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei weren''t the type to drag their feet. Once they made up their minds, they brought it up the next morning after breakfast, giving their family a heads-up.


    "Mom and Dad, we have something to tell you."


    Seeing everyone had finished eating, Ming Mei started the conversation, "I''m pregnant, so I want to ask my mom to find some connections and transfer me to another department at the station."


    Zhao Guihua''s eyes lit up, "That''s great news."


    She was overjoyed, "This is really good. Have you thought about which department you want to transfer to?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "Not yet. It''s easy to transfer, but getting a good position is harder. So I n to ask my mom to help. Although I''ve been working here for a few years, my mom is still familiar with our old leaders. Since I''m pregnant now, transferring for this reason would be justified."


    She thought for a moment, "It would be best to get a position in the office or logistics."


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    Although she didn''t know exactly what those departments did, it was certainly better than being a ticket collector on a bus. Being a ticket collector was quite tiring. Though there was a seat up front, it was still hard work. Even with the loudspeaker announcing stops, the ticket collector still had to shout to guide passengers. Plus, their holidays were different from regr jobs. Even on holidays like New Year''s, they had to work. Sitting up front all year round, exposed to the cold wind from frequent door openings in winter, even young peopleined of leg pain.


    Zhao Guihua knew all this. Although people back then were all hardworking, if her family member could transfer to a better position, that would be great.


    Zhao Guihua was both surprised and delighted. After all, this hadn''t happened in her previous life.


    Ming Mei added, "There''s one downside though."


    Zhao Guihua, "Hmm?"


    Ming Mei, "I''ll be missing out on the three yuan monthly bus allowance." She could have kept this to herself, but she decided to mention it because everyone''s sries were transparent. Three yuan a month, over time, added up. She didn''t want her mother-inw to think she was hiding extra money.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly interjected, "This was my idea. Money is important, but health is more so. She''s pregnant now, and I really don''t feel safe with her working on the bus. With the bus stopping and starting at every station, it''s a bit risky. This is our first child; I just want things to be stable. We can earn money anytime, but Ming Mei and the baby are more important."


    Zhao Guihua shot him a look, "Am I the kind of person who only cares about money? Besides, your money isn''t mine. I don''t care."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Then it''s settled. Tonight we won''t be home for dinner. Ming Mei and I will go to her parents'' ce to discuss this with her mom."


    Zhao Guihua, "Alright, make sure you talk to your mom properly. Try to get the transfer done as soon as possible. Even if the position isn''t the best, it''s better to transfer early. Don''t dy; things might not go as nned if you do."


    In her previous life, this hadn''t happened, but Zhao Guihua didn''t know why Ming Mei suddenly had this idea this time. However, she didn''t think it was a big deal. After all, not everything could be the same. In the few months since her rebirth, many things had changed. Even if Ming Mei''s decision was influenced by these changes, it was normal.


    Moreover, if the transfer could be arranged, it would be a good thing.


    She remembered that in her previous life, due to being pregnant with twins, Ming Mei had been very hardworking. Initially, it was manageable, but as her pregnancy progressed, she suffered greatly. Her feet swelled like pig trotters, and her overall condition wasn''t great. There were even several close calls, with frequent trips to the hospital.


    Despite all this, she managed to give birth to the children smoothly. Perhaps because this pregnancy had been so tough, it scared both Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, and they never had another child after that.


    Even though Ming Mei had been so hardworking, she hadn''t transferred jobs. It wasn''t that she didn''t want to; her mom had tried to arrange a transfer for her due to concern for her daughter. But it hadn''t worked out. Zhao Guihua couldn''t remember the exact details, but it seemed there was a new leader issue. It seemed that Ming Mei''s old leader had retired, and a new, forty-something woman had taken over. Her husband was in the Revolutionary Committee, and she herself was quite radical.


    This woman, regardless of her own qualities, was extremely harsh towards her female colleagues.


    Even though many people were willing to work as ticket collectors, she refused to transfer Ming Mei, using her of seeking special privileges just because she was pregnant. She forced Ming Mei to work until she gave birth. It was truly disgusting.


    Zhao Guihua, having lived over a hundred years, had forgotten many details. If not for Ming Mei bringing this up, she wouldn''t have remembered it.


    But now that Ming Mei mentioned it, Zhao Guihua recalled the incident. She earnestly advised, "If you can transfer, do it quickly. Your current leader is getting old, and the new one might be someone difficult. If you encounter a mean and vicious one, transferring won''t be easy."


    Ming Mei looked surprised at her mother-inw and quickly nodded, "Okay, I understand."


    Her mother-inw had even used the word "thing," indicating the new leader was definitely not a good person.


    Moreover, she had never mentioned that her leader was old and about to retire. This must be based on her mother-inw''s previous life experience.


    Ming Mei immediately took this seriously. Ah, the new leader must be bad.


    She pouted, feeling quite challenged.


    No wonder, no wonder she had that ominous dream.


    Zhuang Zhixi noticed Ming Mei spacing out and waved a hand in front of her, "What''s wrong?"


    Ming Mei, "Nothing."


    She said, "It''s just another day at work."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Exactly."


    He said, "Alright, let''s go. I''ll walk you to work."


    Ming Mei softly replied, "Okay," and followed Zhuang Zhixi out the door.


    Liang Meifen watched their retreating figures and muttered quietly, "Three yuan... just like that?"


    Zhao Guihua red at Liang Meifen, "What''s it to you?"


    Liang Meifen was momentarily speechless and didn''t know what to say, so she lowered her head. Zhao Guihua spoke seriously: "Don''t meddle in what''s not your business. Mind your own affairs and don''t get carried away just because someone gives you a little attention. Stop babbling endlessly, it''s annoying, and this doesn''t concern you."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    She nodded awkwardly. Zhao Guihua continued: "Apart from the meal money you hand in, any other ie is your own, and I don''t interfere with that. As a sister-inw, you should keep your mouth shut and not make people dislike you."


    "I understand."


    After being lectured by Zhao Guihua, Liang Meifen immediately felt deted.


    Zhao Guihua: "After you send the kids to school,e back and clean up the dishes."


    She was about to head out when Zhuang Zhiyuan was surprised: "Mom, are you going out again?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Isn''t it for everyone to have some fish to eat?"


    Did she enjoy going up the mountain? It was all for the family to eat better. At her age, close to fifty, she worked so hard not for herself, but for everyone. The Zhuang family knew the effort it took, and Zhuang Zhiyuan said: "Maybe don''t go today, wait until tomorrow. I''ll be off tomorrow, and we can go together."


    He volunteered: "Or, let my wife go today."


    Liang Meifen: "Yes, I can go."


    Zhao Guihua shook her head: "No, Meifen can''t go alone. There are a lot of people in the mountainstely, and I don''t feel safe with a young woman like you going alone."


    It was a matter of not having malicious intentions but staying vignt. While nothing should happen, in the wild mountains, one could never be too careful. She, as an olddy, didn''t matter, but Liang Meifen was still a young woman. It was better to be cautious.


    She said: "You stay home and stick matchboxes. I''ll go alone."


    Liang Meifen: "Will you be back for lunch?"


    Logically, there wouldn''t be enough time. Zhao Guihua: "Of course not. Do you think I''m a fool to ride for two or three hours, fish for a bit, and then rush back?"


    "Mom, that''s not what I meant."


    Liang Meifen quickly added: "Then I''ll make you some pancakes to take along."


    Zhao Guihua: "No need, there are still some leftover pancakes from yesterday. Just one lunch, I can manage."


    Old Man Zhuang watched his wife bustling around and said: "You''re working hard."


    Zhao Guihua: "Stop with the unnecessary words."


    She said: "We''re all doing this for the family. I do, you do, and everyone else does. No one should be pretentious."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded emphatically, fully agreeing.


    They were all striving for a better life.


    "Guihua, Guihua."


    Zhao Guihua heard the call and poked her head out: "Aunt Wang? What is it?"


    Aunt Wang: "I need to deliver the matchboxes to the neighborhood office. Can you give me a hand?"


    Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment, then said: "Sure, I''ll help you."


    Although she also needed to go fishing, she immediately decided to deal with thatter. This trip to the neighborhood office was also an opportunity to inquire about something. Zhao Guihua quickly headed out, and Aunt Wang said: "Help me carry this bag."


    "Got it!"


    As the two elderly women were about to leave, suddenly, a loud bang came from outside¡ªboom!

 Chapter 95

    BANG!


    A loud noise rang out, leaving everyonepletely bewildered.


    Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang exchanged nces, then quickly ran outside. Their quick actions were matched by others who followed suit. As they rushed out of the courtyard, they encountered several neighbors, all looking in the direction of the noise.


    Upon seeing the scene, Zhao Guihua let out a soul-shaking cry: "Holy cow!"


    Such a sight was unprecedented. The public toilet, which had only been under repair for a few days, had turned into a pile of rubble. Themunal toilet hadpletely copsed. Previously, only the men''s section had copsed, and the women''s section was still usable, albeit with slow progress in repairs due tock of enthusiasm. But now, both the women''s and the partially repaired men''s sections had copsed together.


    Zhao Guihua: "This..."


    She was at a loss for words, and the others were equally dumbfounded. Everyone was in a state of confusion. However, a few young men stood near the toilet, looking rather smug.


    Judging by their demeanor, it was likely they were responsible!


    Aunt Wang: "What''s going on here?"


    The leader of the group spoke up: "It''s just a minor ident."


    He quickly put on a smile, though it was more of a forced grin. "My brother identally caused the copse. We''re really sorry."


    "Uh... what?"


    What could possibly have caused the toilet to copse like this? It was beyond exaggerated, leaving everyone puzzled.


    The leader continued: "To make amends, we''ll help rebuild it."


    "Huh??" The crowd was even more confused. One neighbor asked: "You''re offering to help? For free?"


    The leader continued to smile, though it was a cold, forced smile. "Of course not for money. We caused the trouble, so we''ll take care of it. We''ll inform the neighborhoodmitteeter."


    Everyone: "Wow."


    "Is this for real?" someone eximed, clearly impressed.


    "This is... unexpected."


    "But how did they manage to copse the toilet? Was it really that fragile?"


    "For now, we''ll have to use the toilets on Back Street. What a hassle!" Previously, only the men''s section was unusable, but now both sections were out ofmission.


    "Exactly, it''s such a nuisance. How long will this take? The whole street will have to use the toilets on Back Street!"


    "That''s right."


    Some were happy, while others criticized the situation.


    Someone else added: "Lately, it seems like everyone''s got it in for the toilet. Did we offend some kind of toilet god...?" They quickly covered their mouth upon saying this.


    The leader narrowed his eyes, scanning the crowd with varying expressions, and said: "We''ll work quickly, in three or four days, we''ll get it done as soon as possible. We''re really sorry for the inconvenience."


    "Ah!"


    "Such a hassle!"


    Although there were manyints, no one dared to say anything too harsh. After all, these men wore red armbands, and they were not to be trifled with. If they found a reason to make trouble, there would be nowhere to cry.


    They were in a tough spot!


    "Alright, everyone, please disperse. I''ll arrange for people to start repairs right away, and we''ll try to finish as soon as possible."


    Hearing this, the crowd reluctantly turned back, clearly unhappy but with no other choice. It was indeed frustrating. Zhao Guihua''s expression was deep, suspecting that this had something to do with Yu Baoshan.


    Yu Baoshan had hidden jewels and gold in the toilet, and his breakdown was witnessed by many. The news of him embezzling confiscated assets would eventually spread. If it had already leaked, people would be looking for it. It was hard to say how many people were eyeing the treasure.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t know the specifics, but she could tell this wasn''t simple. She had already benefited from the situation and was determined to stay silent. There was no point in getting involved, especially since these men with red armbands were not to be underestimated.


    Despite their intimidating appearance, these men were not well-liked and were distrusted by many.


    While somendlords were indeed corrupt, others werepletely innocent and had been wrongly implicated. Everyone knew these men were troublemakers. Zhao Guihua followed the crowd back to the courtyard, where people were buzzing with gossip. Zhao Guihua sighed as she entered her house, saying: "I can''t go to the mountain today."


    "Huh?"


    Her family members, who were preparing to leave, looked at her in confusion, wondering why she had changed her mind. Zhao Guihua exined the situation, and they understood. With these men working outside, how could she go to the mountain? If she returned with her harvest and passed by the toilet, she might be targeted and used of something.


    Even if she caught just one or two fish, it wasn''t worth the hours of travel. So, Zhao Guihua decided to stay home. She said: "I''ll stay home and assemble matchboxes."


    Old Man Zhuang: "That''s fine. Going to the mountain is tiring work. It''s better to go together when everyone''s avable. I wouldn''t feel safe if you went alone, especially since there are so many people on the mountain."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled softly, saying: "What''s there to worry about? I''m just an olddy. No one would try anything with me."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Still, it''s better to be careful."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, I get it."


    Soon, everyone left for work, and Zhao Guihua sat in the courtyard, assembling matchboxes with the others. When it came to making money, everyone was enthusiastic. Almost everyone with free time joined in.


    If you''re not enthusiastic about making money, there''s something wrong with your mindset.


    As they worked, the tea talk began again. However, today''s topic wasn''t focused on the people in the courtyard. Aunt Zhou still hadn''t returned, and Zhou Qun and his wife hadn''te backst night. Aunt Su and Old Man Bai were still in the hospital. Bai Fendou remained holed up at home.


    There was nothing new to gossip about, so the focus shifted to the outsiders. A nosy neighbor whispered mysteriously: "You know, the toilet didn''t copse on its own."


    "Oh?"


    Everyone turned to her, intrigued. She whispered: "I happened to being out to use the toilet when I saw them use something to blow it up. Can you believe it? How could they do such a thing?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh my~"


    While surprised, it wasn''t entirely unexpected. These men were clearly up to something.


    "They must be looking for something."


    "Could they be searching for Yu Baoshan''s hidden jewels? Otherwise, why would they blow up the toilet?" someone spected shrewdly.


    Zhao Guihua feigned indifference: "Even Yu Baoshan couldn''t find them. What makes them think they can? Besides, even if it''s true, the jewels are probably gone by now. Are they really that stubborn?"


    "It''s hard to understand."


    "I think Yu Baoshan just saw a ghost in the toilet and started talking nonsense. Our toilet has had its share of ghost stories before. But for someone to believe his nonsense ande searching is just crazy."


    "Don''t talk about ghosts. I just peeked and saw them digging through the sewage. Do they really think someone would hide jewels in the toilet?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Maybe... possibly?"


    She scratched her head, genuinely puzzled by their logic.


    This whole situation was beyondprehension. From any angle, it seemed unlikely that someone would hide valuables in a toilet, let alone a sewage pit. Yet, these men were determined to dig and search. It was truly mind-boggling.


    Indeed, greed could make people lose all sense of reason and logic.


    Zhao Guihua: "I really don''t get it."


    "Neither do we."


    Everyone was equally baffled.


    At this moment, Liang Meifen was pushing her bike back from dropping her child off at school. As she passed by the public toilet, she shook her head vigorously, equally perplexed. Although she didn''t fully understand what was going on, it certainly didn''t stop her from enjoying the spectacle. She watched with great curiosity, recognizing a few familiar faces among the crowd¡ªpeople who had been inquiring about Yu Baoshan. When she saw them actually starting to clean out the toilet, her eyebrows furrowed so tightly that a fly could have been crushed between them.


    She really couldn''t make sense of it.


    Liang Meifen kept looking back, speechless, as she walked away.


    Others naturally noticed as well. Not just Liang Meifen, but anyone passing by had reactions no less intense. Being watched like monkeys by everyone made them feel quite ufortable.


    Moreover, they had never done such work before.


    Leading the group was a deputy director surnamed Zheng.


    Although he was only a deputy director, he had ambitions to rise to the position of director.


    He loved being addressed by his surname and title, feeling it gave him a unique status.


    "Director Zheng, do you think we can find those things like this?"


    Although others might not know the truth about Yu Baoshan''s rumored treasures, the members of the Revolutionary Committee were aware. They could guess that Yu Baoshan had indeed hidden something. Despite all their troubles and efforts, there weren''t many wealthy families left nowadays.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    If we talk about it, there was one family a few months ago that perfectly fit their target.


    This family was a genuine capitalist, and although they had donated a lot and appeared quite impoverished, a rtive had reported them. The rtive imed they were still hiding many valuable items, and their poverty was just a facade. When they investigated, it turned out to be true. Although the items were hidden tightly, they still managed to find quite a few.


    However, this family wasn''t honest. It seemed they were still nning to rise again, so they weren''t willing to tell the truth. They answered slowly, like squeezing toothpaste, revealing information bit by bit after repeated questioning. But indeed, wealth can move people''s hearts. An old man in their group had found arge gold bar and fled.


    Although... he was caught on a bus before leaving the Beijing area, it served as a warning to them. They prohibited others from getting close.


    Yes, this person was the one Ming Mei had caught, the one who had also beaten Liang Meifen''s mother.


    Because of this incident, they became particrly vignt. Some with lower ranks were no longer allowed to participate, to prevent anyone else from trying to profit. Everyone who handled the case tried to skim off some money, but it couldn''t go too far.


    And it was this man who, during the interrogation, suddenly convulsed and died after foaming at the mouth.


    It was said that he had taken rat poison.


    As for where the rat poison came from or how he ingested it, they investigated for some time but found no evidence. Later, they spected that he might have been afraid of suffering and had hidden the poison himself, choosing tomit suicide when he couldn''t bear it anymore.


    Such cases did ur.


    Moreover, not many people were allowed to participate in the interrogation, so few had ess to the capitalist. Therefore, the possibility of suicide was high.


    This matter had already passed.


    But just a few days ago, Yu Baoshan had been absent without leave from work. Since the incident with Xu Zhenqiu smuggling gold and fleeing, their management had be stricter, and neither tardiness nor absenteeism was tolerated.


    So when Yu Baoshan didn''t show up for work, an investigation wasunched the next day.


    This investigation revealed some discrepancies!


    The case was taken seriously. Zhao Guihua and the others didn''t know that Yu Baoshan was no longer in the hospital but had been taken back for istion and interrogation. After a day and night of questioning, he finally broke down and confessed.


    Although he tried to hold out, the interrogators had plenty of ways to break him. He eventually confessed.


    It turned out that the capitalist they had caught was poisoned by him.


    Although they weren''t allowed to participate, the management seemed strict, but with determination, he found a loophole as an insider and sessfully poisoned the man. As for why he did it, it was because he wanted to monopolize the man''s treasures.


    If the man had confessed, they would have eventually found the treasures.


    But a dead man wouldn''t confess, and no one would know about the existence of these items.


    In fact, at the time, Xu Zhenqiu had found somerge gold bars, and he had found others.


    However, unlike Xu, he discovered a small secretpartment. He was very cautious and didn''t make it known. Later, he quietly moved the items out and kept them for himself. The contents of thepartment were quite substantial.


    Enough to drive Yu Baoshan crazy. He quickly packed the items and took them away.


    In fact, he didn''t have a good ce to hide them, but he certainly couldn''t leave them in that house. Such houses would usually be redistributed, and he didn''t want to gift them to others, so he brought the items home.


    His family''s housing situation was tight, but as the youngest son, he was especially pampered by his parents and had a room to himself. He hid the items in his room. Although it wasn''t very safe, it was better than leaving them out of his sight. But who would have thought that his sisters-inw were always eyeing his room, even trying to move in without his permission. This made him worry.


    At the time, he directly pped the women to intimidate them, but he knew there might be another attempt when he wasn''t home. If these women entered his room and found the hidden items, the situation would be dire.


    So when he received a notice to go on a business trip, he was afraid his sisters-inw would take advantage of his absence and enter his room. He decided to hide the items outside to get through these few days. That rainy night, after much thought, he felt it was necessary and went out to hide the items in the public toilet. Outside was naturally less secure than at home, but the public toilet was different. Due to rumors of ghosts, few people went there, and those who did hurried in and out without lingering.


    In a way, it was quite safe. With this in mind, he hid the items outside. Unexpectedly, they went missing.


    Could Yu Baoshan not go crazy?


    Such a stroke of good fortune might never happen again.


    He had risked everything by killing the capitalist, fearing the man would reveal the hiding ce, only to end up with nothing.


    Yu Baoshan was now under arrest. They came here to quietly search again, not fully convinced by Yu Baoshan''s im that the items were gone. Both Yu''s house and the toilet were being thoroughly inspected.


    Everyone felt it was impossible for the items to be in the toilet.


    But Director Zheng considered himself experienced. During their raids, they had seen all kinds of hiding ces, so they didn''t want to rule out the possibility. What if the person who took the treasures, like Yu Baoshan, didn''t dare to bring them home?


    The most dangerous ce could be the safest ce. If the items were still hidden in the toilet but in a different spot, could that be possible? Maybe.


    If the items were submerged at the bottom of the cesspool, could that be possible? It seemed so.


    Smart people liked to think deeply, so the toilet was being searched inch by inch. There was another benefit to this: they hoped to observe the neighbors through their detailed investigation of the toilet, looking for anyone showing unusual behavior.


    If someone behaved unusually, it might mean they had taken the treasures.


    After all, it was unlikely for someone from elsewhere to be involved. The most likely scenario was that a neighbor had seen the items while using the toilet and taken them. So he carefully watched the reactions of thoseing and going.


    In his view, someone like Liang Meifen''s reaction was quite normal¡ªcurious, speechless, and slightly annoyed.


    Curiosity stemmed from never having seen such a thing before.


    Speechlessness came from not understanding why they were cleaning the toilet.


    And annoyance was because their actions had copsed the toilet, forcing them to go to a farther ce, which was certainly inconvenient and unpleasant.


    Director Zheng analyzed the situation and concluded that it was normal for these emotions to intertwine. What he wanted to see was who was feeling guilty. Anyone who was guilty was sure to have something to hide. ording to the information, Yu Baoshan had hidden quite a few valuable items, and they were not about to let them slip away.


    They had to find them.


    Once they found these items, the amount they reported as confiscated would be entirely up to them.


    "Keep searching!" Director Zheng barked, rubbing his temples. So far, they hadn''t found anything suspicious!


    Liang Meifen, who had been deemed not suspicious, quickly returned to the courtyard to join the others in pasting matchboxes. She couldn''t wait to share her observations, eximing, "These people are building a toilet, but why are they digging for manure?"


    Everyone shook their heads, equally puzzled.


    Bai Fendou, who had been recovering at home due to his injuries, woke upzily. Unlike the others, he wasn''t in a hurry to work and earn money. Leaning against the window, he said, "I bet those people are looking for something Yu Baoshan hid. I told you Yu Baoshan isn''t a good guy, right? His grandpa was right to beat him. That guy has no morals. Beating him is like doing a public service. When have I, Bai Fendou, ever done anything wrong?"


    His tone was filled with pride. Although Bai Fendou was still in the hospital when Yu Baoshan caused trouble at the toilet, he already knew the details. Having worked in the security department, he had his own thoughts and said seriously, "I think they''re looking for those gold and silver treasures. There must be something to it. If it were just some crazy talk, they wouldn''t be searching."


    "Fendou makes sense."


    "True, but I wonder how much gold and silver there is."


    "You don''t even have to ask. There must be a lot."


    Everyone chimed in with their opinions, and Zhao Guihua joined the conversation, her hands still working swiftly.


    Talking was one thing; work didn''t stop.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I wonder what''s wrong with Yu Baoshan."


    "That guy isn''t a good person."


    "Exactly."


    As they chatted, they heard the ring of a bicycle bell, followed by a young girl with braided hair entering the courtyard. This was Tao Yuyue, who came to give Bai Fendou his IV drip. Usually, she came in the afternoon, but this time was an exception.


    Tao Yuyue entered, saw everyone working, and nodded slightly, which served as her greeting.


    Aunt Wang spoke up first, "Little Nurse Tao, you''re early today."


    Tao Yuyue replied, "Yes, I had no work this morning, so I came earlier."


    In fact, it was Saturday, and since she had Sunday off, she wanted to finish this tedious task early.


    She entered with her bag, and Bai Fendou immediately brightened up, "Little Nurse Tao, please sit."


    Tao Yuyue: "Hello, Comrade Bai Fendou."


    Over the past few days, she had been practicing on Bai Fendou, though her skills hadn''t improved much. However, Bai Fendou didn''t mind herck of expertise. As she inserted the needle, he stared at her face, his eyes wide, unable to look away.


    After much effort, Tao Yuyue finally managed to insert the needle.


    Bai Fendou breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Tao Yuyue, saying, "Little Nurse Tao, today is thest day."


    Tao Yuyue: "Yes, you''ll be back at work next week. If you feel unwell,e to the clinic anytime."


    Bai Fendou immediately grinned, "Don''t worry, I definitely will."


    Tao Yuyue pouted, "You can''t juste for no reason. Our clinic is quite busy."


    Bai Fendou smirked, "Little Nurse Tao, don''t exaggerate. I know your clinic. It''s pretty idle. There aren''t many patients, just a couple of strays."


    Tao Yuyue didn''t get angry but instead smiled, "That may have been true before, but our clinic is quite busy now."


    Ever since she arrived, the number of men with headaches and colds in the factory had increased. Their clinic was seeing more patients.


    She knew it was due to her charm and smiled slightly, thinking these men had some taste. However, the quality of these "fish" in her pond wasn''t high, and she wasn''t very interested. What she wanted was a man from a well-off family, not an ordinary worker.


    So far, she hadn''t met anyone suitable and continued to keep her options open.


    "I don''t know if it''s the heat, but many of our factory brothers have beenining of chest tightness and nausea. Recently, our clinic has been selling a lot of herbal tea bags to prevent heatstroke." Tao Yuyue knew the reason but pretended not to.


    Bai Fendou quickly caught on and snorted, "Those guys are justing to see you. It''s not even June, and they''re already iming to have heatstroke? By July and August, they''d be dying? They''re just pretending to be big shots. Little Nurse Tao, you have to be careful. Those guys are totally unreliable. They go to the clinic for ulterior motives. You can''t fall for their tricks. When a girl looks for a partner, good character and responsibility are the most important. If they don''t have that, you absolutely shouldn''t consider them."


    "You''re right, but I think we can''t generalize. The factory doesn''t have the best opinion of you, but after interacting with you, I find you quite decent. You''re loyal and straightforward, which are rare qualities."


    Bai Fendou was thrilled, "Really? Am I that good in your eyes? I knew it, I knew you were different from others. Little Nurse Tao, your judgment is excellent."


    Tao Yuyue''s disdain shed briefly in her eyes but quickly turned into a smile. Her smile wasn''t like other women''s; it was subtle, with just a slight upturn of her lips, giving her a gentle appearance. She said, "Of course, I don''t talk nonsense."


    After a pause, she asked, "You''re not fully recovered yet, but you''re doing better. What do you usually do?"


    Bai Fendou: "I... I read books. I like reading. Besides that, I sometimes go out to enjoy the scenery." In reality, he liked lying down and chatting.


    Tao Yuyue''s eyes flickered, and she smiled lightly, "Those are also things I enjoy. I''m staying with my aunt now, and on weekends, I like to go out for a walk. Tomorrow, I n to go to the man-madeke. Since Sunday is Children''s Day, I want to take my little cousin boating to celebrate a day early."


    "Ah, I''ll go with you. You''re a girl, what strength do you have? I''ll go with you; I''m strong and can row the boat." He eagerly offered.


    Tao Yuyue: "Oh... that''s not necessary."


    Bai Fendou: "What''s not necessary? It''s the right thing to do. I''ll go with you. What time tomorrow? I''ll wait for you at the entrance of the man-madeke."


    Tao Yuyue waved her hand, "No, no, several people from the factory have offered to apany me, but I''ve refused. There''s no special rtionship; what would I do dragging you along?"


    Bai Fendou: "Others too?"


    He panicked, realizing Tao Yuyue was indeed very popr.


    He quickly added, "Well, that''s not a date. We''ll just happen to meet. You can''t refuse my kindness, can you?"


    He had to go; otherwise, what if Little Nurse Tao got tricked by those wolves! No way!


    Tao Yuyue gave Bai Fendou a yful re and said with a smile, "We''ll see."


    Her voice rose at the end, and Bai Fendou felt his bones melt.


    Although Wang Xiangxiu was also his type, she couldn''tpare to Tao Yuyue. He thought Tao Yuyue was a rarebination of elegance and beauty. Her tenderness was different from Wang Xiangxiu''s.


    Wang Xiangxiu was, after all, an older woman,cking Tao Yuyue''s fresh and yful charm of a young girl...


    Bai Fendou was floating on cloud nine.


    Tao Yuyue chuckled softly and said, "Alright, I''m leaving now. I''lle back at noon to remove the needle."


    It should be done by noon.


    Bai Fendou: "Ah, won''t you stay a bit longer?"


    Tao Yuyue shook her head, "No, I''m leaving now."


    She bit her lip and said, "If I go backte, my boss always gets upset. Our director wanted to introduce me to his nephew, but I refused. Now, if I don''t do something perfectly, I get scolded. I''m leaving now."


    "What! That scoundrel, how can he bully you like that?"


    "It''s not really bullying. I do everything by the rules, so there''s no issue. I''m leaving now."


    This time, she really left.


    Bai Fendou watched her retreating figure, his heart racing.


    Mom, I think I''m in love.


    Bai Fendou felt like his heart had been struck.


    This girl, she''s such a good girl.


    But such a good girl being bullied? That''s just too much. Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson!


    Bai Fendou started pondering... but at the same time, he was also thinking about tomorrow. He absolutely had to go to the man-madeke to bump into Tao Yuyue. She mentioned that someone else wanted to ask her out, but she refused. He had to make his move early, or someone else might beat him to it. Good girls are always in demand.


    He clenched his fists.


    Bai Fendou''s actions were observed by someone outside the window. It wasn''t that they wanted to eavesdrop, but the Bai family''s house was right by the front gate, and everyone else was working in the front yard. Their house didn''t even have a window, so if you couldn''t see or hear what was going on inside, there must be something wrong with your eyes or ears.


    Anyone with normal senses could see what was happening.


    Zhao Guihua whispered, "Bai Fendou doesn''t stand a chance against her."


    Aunt Wang chimed in, "He''s asking for it. He doesn''t even know his own worth. You can pursue someone better than you, but you have to know your own value first. Acting like you''re something special when you''re not just makes you aughingstock."


    "He really is like that."


    As neighbors, they all knew each other quite well.


    "Mark my words, Tao Yuyue will never go for him."


    "Oh, don''t even mention Tao Yuyue. Even Wang Xiangxiu, the widow in our courtyard, wouldn''t really go for him."


    "This guy reallycks self-awareness."


    "Exactly."


    "But Tao Yuyue is quite cunning too, isn''t she? Isn''t she just leading Bai Fendou on?" Someone saw through Tao Yuyue''s intentions. Although she said she wouldn''t go to the man-madeke with Bai Fendou, she was clearly hinting that he should go.


    Zhao Guihua looked up and said, "I think Tao Yuyue is doing just fine. Knowing what you want from the start isn''t wrong. Who doesn''t want to find someone better? Who doesn''t want someone who cares for them? It''s a matter of the willing being hooked!"


    They spoke in lowered voices while discussing this, as talking about his "goddess" in public might set Bai Fendou off. After all, he did have a bit of a temper, so they kept their voices down.


    Aunt Wang agreed, "True, everyone wants to find someone better."


    As they continued to chat, Wang Zhaodi scratched her head and nced back at Bai Fendou''s house. In her eyes, his conditions were already quite good¡ªhe had a steady job and a ce to live. For families like theirs, who couldn''t save a single penny in a year, this was really quite good.


    But clearly, others didn''t think so.


    She thought, this must be the urban-rural gap.


    Zhao Guihua noticed her looking back and said, "You''re still young, so you don''t understand how important it is to find a normal person for a family."


    Wang Zhaodi: "???"


    Was she implying that Bai Fendou wasn''t normal?


    Wang Zhaodi didn''t quite get it, but she stood up and said, "I need to go to the bathroom."


    "The toilet in our alley is under repair. You''ll have to go to the back street. I''ll take you." Zhao Guihua stood up, showing some kindness.


    Wang Zhaodi quickly waved her hands. "No, no, I can go by myself. Is it just down this street and then to the back street?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    Wang Zhaodi didn''t want to dy Zhao Guihua from her work, so she said, "I can manage. If I get lost, I''ll ask someone for directions."


    She didn''t feel right asking Zhao Guihua to apany her, as she knew it was work and shouldn''t be interrupted. She ventured out alone, taking a deep breath. Although she was unfamiliar with the city and felt timid, she knew she had to be brave.


    Wang Zhaodi walked timidly along the wall, feeling like the road stretched on forever. When she reached the toilet on the back street, she happened to see the center of their earlier conversation, Tao Yuyue. She felt nervous and pursed her lips.


    Tao Yuyue had been having some stomach trouble and was quite distressed.


    Tao Yuyue quickly asked, "Did you bring any toilet paper?"


    She was really worried, as she had forgotten to bring any.


    If it weren''t for Wang Zhaodiing in, she didn''t know how long she would have had to wait. Seeing her, Tao Yuyue was quite relieved.


    Wang Zhaodi: "I-I did bring some."


    "Can you share some with me?"


    "Sure."


    After the "toilet paper kindness," Tao Yuyue thanked Wang Zhaodi as they left the restroom.


    Wang Zhaodi blushed and muttered softly, "You''re wee."


    Tao Yuyue looked at her curiously and asked, "You''re not from the machinery factory, are you? Whose family are you with?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "I''m a distant rtive of the Zhou family."


    "A distant rtive?"


    Tao Yuyue, who was also living with her aunt, felt a bit closer to Wang Zhaodi.


    She asked, "What are you doing here as a distant rtive?"


    She looked Wang Zhaodi up and down and said, "Are you here to find a partner in the city?"


    Wang Zhaodi''s face turned bright red, and she quickly waved her hands. "No, no."


    Tao Yuyue: "There''s no need to be embarrassed. At our age, wanting to find a partner is normal. Wanting to find someone with better conditions is even more normal. There''s nothing to be shy about. You can''t be like this."


    She could immediately tell that Wang Zhaodi was a country girl from a poor family.


    Her clothes were patched so many times it was hard to count.


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, "City folks wouldn''t look at someone like me."


    Tao Yuyue: "Why wouldn''t they? Whether they look at you or not depends on what you do. Let me tell you, men aren''t thatplicated. I feel like we hit it off, so I''ll share this with you. If it were someone else, I wouldn''t say a word."


    Wang Zhaodi looked confused.


    Tao Yuyue: "If you want a good life, you have to use the right tactics. Don''t let others'' opinions dictate your actions. If you live poorly, no one will pity you. So don''t let others'' views hold you back. I''m going to the man-madeke tomorrow. Do you want toe along?"


    Wang Zhaodi quickly shook her head. "I don''t have any money."


    Tao Yuyue: "What money? This way, you cane with Bai Fendou. I guarantee you won''t have to spend a penny."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Ah, this..."


    "Come on!"


    Tao Yuyue didn''t say much more to Wang Zhaodi, just smiled and said, "You lent me toilet paper when I needed it most, so I''ll treat you to a meal tomorrow to thank you."


    She rode off quickly.


    While she was indeed grateful to Wang Zhaodi, there was another reason she wanted her toe. Sometimes, a red flower needs a green leaf to set it off. Wang Zhaodi was the perfect match for that role.


    The huge contrast would only make her look even more beautiful.


    Wang Zhaodi: "Hey? Hey hey?"


    She wanted to call out to Tao Yuyue but didn''t dare to speak loudly. She returned home, feeling very confused.


    "What''s wrong?" Zhao Guihua asked. Wang Zhaodi recounted what had happened, "I-I don''t know if I should go."


    As an "outsider," she actually wanted to see more of the city, but she was also afraid and didn''t want to miss out on the work she was doing. She was torn.


    Zhao Guihua: "Just follow your heart. If you want to go, go. It''s not like you''ll miss a day of work."


    Wang Zhaodi bit her lip. "Aunt Zhou isn''t back yet..."


    "She''s not back, so what?"


    "Yeah, what if she neveres back? Would you never leave the house?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "..."


    Everyone could see through Wang Zhaodi. She was quite easy to read, with everything written on her face. She really had no guile. Sometimes, one''s upbringing ys a huge role. Like Ming Mei, who also seemed innocent and naive, but you couldn''t easily read her thoughts.


    Meanwhile, Ming Mei was being extra cautious. Ever sincest night''s dream, she had been on guard.


    How could she not be careful?


    In her dream, there was an ident on the bus. Although today wasn''t a rainy day, it definitely wasn''t that particr day, yet caution was still essential. Perhaps it was due to today''s mental strain, but throughout the day, she felt more exhausted than usual.


    "Meimei, you don''t seem to be in good spirits today," someone remarked as she returned to the staff office after work, noticing her pale face.


    Ming Mei: "Yeah, I didn''t sleep wellst night."


    "You need to take it easy. You''re carrying a double load now."


    Ming Mei: "I know. It''s tough being this early in the pregnancy."


    "We women have it hard. Unlike men, who justin about work, we have to juggle work, taking care of the household, and giving birth. It''s exhausting."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    "Oh, by the way, Meimei, you have a package."


    Ming Mei: "Hmm?"


    She stepped forward to take a look, and it was quiterge.


    Ming Mei, upon seeing the name on the package, said: "It''s from my uncle."


    "Your rtives seem to be well-off. That cousin of yours who visited the other day, is he married?"


    Ming Mei: "His kids are quite big, in fifth grade already."


    "Ah!"


    Everyone was shocked.


    "He looks so young!"


    Ming Mei: "The rtives on my mother''s side all look young. Maybe it''s because they take good care of themselves."


    Her grandfather andte grandmother were the kind of people who loved to enjoy life, and they were quite particr about food and drink. Unlike most families who saved money by eating simple meals, their family believed in spending money to enjoy life. If they could afford better food, they wouldn''t hesitate.


    Under this influence, her uncle''s family and her own family were inclined to live simrly.


    With a carefree personality and good food, plus not doing physically demanding work, it''s no wonder they looked young.


    "Oh, I was thinking of setting him up if he wasn''t married," someone said.


    Ming Mei chuckled, "My cousin is older than my brother. He just looks young and has a lively personality, so people don''t realize his age. But even if he were the right age, it wouldn''t work. He''s gone back to Jinling. He was just here on a business trip."


    "Ah!"


    "What a catch."


    Ming Mei smiled, "If he heard that, he''d be over the moon."


    "Oh, Meimei, your husband is here."


    Ming Mei: "I''m off then."


    She carried the package out, and Zhuang Zhixi spotted her immediately. Surprised, he quickly stepped forward to take it from her, saying, "Oh my, how could you carry this yourself? You should have called me; I''d be happy to serve you."


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly, "It was just convenient!"


    She muttered, "I wonder what my master sent me. But it must be something delicious."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Little glutton."


    Ming Mei yfully red at him, "Say that again, and I''ll hit you."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m so scared."


    They bantered yfully, and Ming Mei sat on the back of the bike, one hand holding the package and the other holding onto Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll ride slowly."


    "Okay."


    Although Zhuang Zhixi and the Zhuang family didn''t know that Ming Mei could dream about reality and the future, her parents did. After all, Ming Mei had this "ability" since she was a child, and kids don''t hide things well. Her father and mother were well aware.


    They kept this secret from everyone else, only sharing it between themselves.


    Even Ming Mei''s brother, Ming Cheng, didn''t know.


    But they understood, so when Lan Ling heard her daughter wanted to transfer jobs, she immediately said, "Alright, leave it to me. I''ll help you find the right connections."


    Ming Mei could have transferred on her own, but to get a good position, she needed some help.


    Lan Ling: "Since you''re pregnant, whether you''re carrying the baby or after giving birth, you''ll have a lot on your te. I''ll see if I can get you a position with more flexible hours."


    She still had some old connections. While she couldn''t secure a formal position for her daughter, she could manage a transfer.


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    She thought for a moment and added, "As soon as possible."


    Lan Ling understood and said, "Don''t worry."


    There''s always a need to rely on one''s mother.


    Although Ming Mei knew her mother-inw was "reborn," there wasn''t much she could do in this era. The social environment was what it was, and her mother-inw didn''t have the resources to make much of a difference. So, Ming Mei trusted her own mother more.


    Lan Ling: "You two stay here; I''ll go buy some meat. We''ll have meat for dinner tonight."


    Ming Mei smiled, "Sounds great."


    She got up to open the package, but Lan Ling stopped her, "Don''t open it here. Take it home first; it''ll be inconvenient to carry it back if you open it here. Besides, your master sent it to your workce, so it''s meant for you."


    Ming Mei didn''t argue, "Okay."


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at Ming Mei''s parents'' ce before heading home together.


    By the time they got home, it was already dusk. The toilets were closed, and the matchbox-making work was done. It was too dark to work properly, and mistakes would be made if they continued. Everyone was gathered in the courtyard, chatting.


    Hearing the sound of someone returning, everyone turned towards the gate.


    Zhao Guihua was among them. She looked and said, "What did you bring from your parents'' ce again?"


    She was starting to feel a bit embarrassed.


    Ming Mei: "No, this is from my uncle."


    She wouldn''t call her master that in public.


    Ming Mei didn''t linger; she quickly went inside, eager to see what was in the package.


    Zhuang Zhixi was also curious.


    Ming Mei quickly opened it andughed upon seeing the contents, "Look, they''re such cute little clothes."


    The package was full. Knowing that Ming Mei was pregnant, her master had sent two sets of baby clothes. Of course, it wasn''t because her master knew she was having twins; that couldn''t be detected yet.


    Except for Zhao Guihua, who knew in advance, and Ming Mei, who had dreamt about itst night, no one else knew.


    Sending two sets was just to ensure there were enough for changing. Besides the baby clothes, there was also a baby bottle and a small rattle, meant for the unborn baby. For Ming Mei, there were various types of longsting snacks, just as she had expected.


    There were jerky, rice sticks, White Rabbit candies, and chestnut cakes.


    Ming Mei: "So much."


    The variety wasn''t huge, but the quantity was substantial.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Wife, if I were still a kid, I''d be jealous of you."


    Ming Mei was puzzled, "Why? Just because of the food?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "No, not because of the food. But because everyone loves you so much."


    Ever since Ming Mei got pregnant, their family had been sending all sorts of things, showing how much they cared for her. The feeling of being loved by everyone is always something to be envious of.


    Ming Mei chuckled softly, wrapping her arms around Zhuang Zhixi''s neck, "What can I do? Who told me to have so many rtives?"


    In fact, Ming Mei''s family wasn''t thatrge, butpared to Zhuang Zhixi''s family, which had even fewer rtives.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s parents had no rtives on either side.


    That era was like that; many families had lost rtives during the war.


    Ming Mei poked Zhuang Zhixi''s cheek, "You''re jealous, but there''s nothing you can do about it, heehee."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I would have been jealous as a kid, but not now! My wife is so lovable; I''m over the moon. See, I have good taste; the person I like is just so great."


    Ming Mei burst outughing.


    Zhuang Zhixi ruffled Ming Mei''s hair, "I really do have great taste."


    He lifted his chin slightly, looking quite proud.


    Ming Mei leaned on him, "I have good taste too; you''re great too."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, then asked, "Do you want to wash up or go out for a bit?"


    Ming Mei: "Let''s go out; there''s no rush to wash up."


    With a few key figures missing from the courtyard, it felt a bit quieter.


    Usually, everyone would gather in the front yard, so Bai Fendou was leaning against the window, sticking his head out to chat with everyone. Actually, he could move around now, albeit with small steps, but he waszy and hadn''t gotten up, as if glued to the bed.


    At the moment, they were discussing Wang Zhaodi''s n to go to the man-madeke.


    Wang Xiangxiu was adamant about persuading Wang Zhaodi to join them, as she absolutely would not allow Tao Yuyue and Bai Fendou to go on a date. She was utterly shocked that Tao Yuyue would be so desperate as to even consider Bai Fendou. When she heard about their nned date for the next day, she was itching to interfere immediately.


    However, she also needed to maintain a good image in front of Bai Fendou, so she strongly urged Wang Zhaodi toe along.


    After all, it was Tao Yuyue who had invited them in the first ce.


    She was worried about Tao Yuyue, but not about Wang Zhaodi.


    This skinny, timid girl wouldn''t catch Bai Fendou''s eye at all; his standards were quite high. So she wasn''t concerned about that, only about Tao Yuyue. Of course, there was also the fact that Bai Fendou didn''t want Wang Zhaodi toe.


    It was rare that Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu didn''t share the same opinion.


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi, who were unaware of the background, quickly started asking questions to get to the bottom of the situation.


    "Zhuang''s wife, do you think Wang Zhaodi should go?" Wang Xiangxiu was looking for support and was desperately trying to signal Ming Mei, even though they weren''t particrly close. She hoped Ming Mei would say a few words in favor.


    Ming Mei: "Me? I think she should go."


    Wang Xiangxiu perked up immediately, saying, "See, even Ming Mei thinks so."


    Her gaze towards Ming Mei softened considerably.


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She said, "Zhaodi, since you''re already here, you might as well go out and see something. If Aunt Zhoues back, you won''t have any chance to go out at all. You came all the way to Beijing, and if you don''t see anything, you''ll regret it when you go back home."


    "Yes, that makes sense."


    "Zhuang''s wife is right. If Aunt Zhoues back, she''ll be ordering you around all day, and you won''t get a chance to go out."


    "Well, she''s just mean,"


    "Hahaha."


    "Oh, but will she reallye back? What''s happening with that situation?"


    Everyone shook their heads, none of them knowing.


    With Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu not at home, they had no one to ask.


    "Who knows? Zhou Qun isn''t back either. I guess he''s staying at Jiang Lu''s parents'' ce."


    "He''ll definitely be back today. Jiang Lu''s parents'' ce is just a regr house, and Jiang Lu has brothers, sisters-inw, and nieces and nephews. Can they really fit? They''re lucky to have a ce to crash for one night, let alone stay longer. That''s just a dream."


    Bai Fendou spoke up, confident that he knew Zhou Qun best. He continued, "Besides, it''s not easy for a son-inw to stay at his inws'' ce. He''s not like Yang Lixin, who''s a son-inw by marriage. The Jiang family still has their own son."


    Yang Lixin''s face turned a bit sour as he gave Bai Fendou a cold nce.


    No man wants to be a son-inw living at his wife''s family''s home, and Yang Lixin was no exception. If it weren''t for the promise of a better life, he wouldn''t have given up his dignity. When you can''t even afford to eat, dignity is worthless. Now, not only was he part of the working ss with a good job, but he also had a nice ce to live.


    Even his parents in the countryside were receiving support from him.


    Overall, the choice had been the right one.


    But being called out so bluntly was deeply unpleasant.


    Yang Lixin couldn''t argue back, as doing so would imply he wasn''t entirely willing. He wouldn''t risk offending his inws, so he just looked at Bai Fendou with intense dislike.


    Bai Fendou continued, "The Jiang family is so well-off, with their leadership positions, they probably look down on people. Zhou Qun won''t be treated as well as he is in our courtyard. Mark my words, he''ll be getting the short end of the stick over there. He..."


    As he was bragging, he noticed everyone looking towards the door.


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu had returned.


    Jiang Lu''s face showed her displeasure at Bai Fendou''s words.


    But Zhou Qun''s expression was moreplex.


    If it had been before, Zhou Qun would have thought Bai Fendou was just spouting nonsense, not worth his time. But now, he was somewhat moved. Indeed, Bai Fendou understood him.


    In his casual way, Bai Fendou had revealed his grievances!


    When it came to understanding him, Bai Fendou took the top spot!

 Chapter 96

    Zhou Qun''s gaze at Bai Fendou was so intense it seemed to stretch into threads.


    He might have been "stretching threads," but it made Zhuang Zhixi''s hair stand on end.


    Zhou Qun, however, didn''t care what others thought. He said, "Brother, I bought some pig''s head meat. How about we have a drink together?"


    Bai Fendou: "???"


    He suspected Zhou Qun wanted to poison him. If not, why would he invite him to drink? How could they possibly share a table? Besides, when had Zhou Qun ever deigned to associate with the people in their courtyard? His usualpany at the table were high-ranking officials.


    Jiang Lu also looked at Zhou Qun in disbelief. Zhou Qun, however, was enthusiastic. "Let''s have a drink together. I know you understand me the best, brother."


    Bai Fendou: "???"


    Honestly, what was this about? Bai Fendou waspletely lost.


    Zhou Qun ordered, "Wang Zhaodi, prepare a few dishes and cook some rice."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Oh."


    She quickly got up to work, but as she rushed to the door, she felt Jiang Lu''s gaze and abruptly stopped. She cautiously looked at Jiang Lu and asked, "Sister Jiang Lu, how much should I make?"


    Zhou Qun: "What do you mean, how much? Make more; otherwise, how will it be enough? We men have big appetites. Jiang Lu, get that bottle of wine from your parents'' house. I''m going to toast with my brother."


    Jiang Lu was also puzzled. Looking at Zhou Qun, she suddenly felt flustered. She gently advised, "Qun Ge, I know you despise Bai Fendou, and so do I. That guy is annoying and mouthy, but we can''t really do anything to him."


    She believed Zhou Qun must be seeking revenge for her. After all, Bai Fendou had once tried to take advantage of her. Recently, her husband had been enduring humiliation to get close to Bai Fendou, undoubtedly to exact revenge. She absolutely couldn''t let that happen.


    Her mother-inw was already in trouble, and the situation was uncertain. If Zhou Qun got into trouble, what would she do? She didn''t care about that despicable, wicked mother-inw, but she couldn''t let Zhou Qun suffer. Absolutely not.


    Jiang Lu was resolute. "Qun Ge, let''s go home."


    Her shout infuriated Bai Fendou. He yelled, "Zhou Qun, are you a man? If you''ve got guts, let''s fight. What are you trying to pull? I tell you, Bai Fendou isn''t afraid of you. If you''ve got the nerve, let''s settle this!"


    Fighting?


    Even if he lost, Bai Fendou wouldn''t back down!


    That''s what it means to be a man from Beijing.


    "What are you talking about, Jiang Lu? Don''t spout nonsense. I didn''t mean anything by it. I genuinely get along with Bai Fendou and wanted to have a drink with him. But you''ve turned it into something else. Can you stop causing trouble?"


    Jiang Lu didn''t believe a word of it. She firmly held onto Zhou Qun. "Come home with me. Don''t go near Bai Fendou. We really can''t fight."


    Zhou Qun must be nning to poison him, absolutely!


    She didn''t dare say it directly, so she could only try to restrain Zhou Qun.


    "Qun Ge, I know you love me and care for me, but I beg you, don''t pick a fight with Bai Fendou. Come home with me."


    Zhou Qun: "I...!"


    Bai Fendou: "So Zhou Qun, you''ve been exposed by Jiang Lu, haven''t you? I knew you had ulterior motives. You scoundrel, how could you do such a thing..."


    The scene descended into chaos. Everyone looked bewildered, unsure of what was going on.


    Zhou Qun: "Bai Fendou and I are true brothers."


    Bai Fendou: "If you''ve got the guts, let''s settle this openly. Scheming isn''t a real man''s way!"


    Jiang Lu: "Don''t break thew for me."


    Wang Zhaodi: "...Should I cook or not?"


    The situation was inplete disarray. Zhuang Zhixi quietly asked his mother, "Mom, what''s going on here?"


    Zhao Guihua shook her head, equally baffled. She thought Zhou Qun genuinely wanted to drink with Bai Fendou; it didn''t seem like he was plotting something. But why would Zhou Qun want to drink with Bai Fendou? Their rtionship was average at best.


    Zhou Qun despised everyone in their courtyard.


    Zhao Guihua truly couldn''t figure it out. It wasn''t her fault¡ªshe just couldn''t imagine it. Even in her previous life, she had heard of such things, but she had never encountered them personally. So, Zhao Guihua was caught off guard.


    Besides, everyone knew Zhou Qun liked women. His promiscuous reputation was well-established.


    How could she have guessed he had developed feelings for Bai Fendou?


    Oh no, not just feelings¡ªintense feelings.


    It was unimaginable.


    Zhao Guihua couldn''t understand and could only say, "I don''t get it either. Let''s watch and see."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Zhou Qun''s gaze is just too disgusting."


    Seeing his mother was clueless, he turned to his grandfather, Lan Sihai, and whispered, "Grandpa, what''s going on? I just find that gaze so... ufortable."


    Lan Sihai nced at him and chuckled.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You understand!"


    Lan Sihai calmly said, "At my age, what don''t I understand? I''ve lived long enough to have seen it all. I''ve eaten more salt than you''ve walked paths."


    Under Zhuang Zhixi''s expectant gaze, he lowered his voice and said softly, "You know, when I was young, I saw many people in Shanghai idolizing actors."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "???"


    What does that have to do with anything?


    Lan Sihai: "Those actors didn''t care if they were male or female. Gender wasn''t a strict boundary. Some admirers ended up crossing lines they shouldn''t have."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "What do you mean?"


    Too young and inexperienced, he just didn''t get it.


    "Some people, even if they like women, also like men. Their preferences can shift."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Hearing this, it clicked for him. He looked at Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou in disbelief. Zhou Qun''s gaze was indeed glued to Bai Fendou... definitely not a normal look.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..." I can''t believe I had to witness this.


    Lan Sihai: "Go away."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought of how Zhou Qun had once invited him to leave work together and felt even more creeped out. He realized he had narrowly escaped a situation. He quietly watched Bai Fendou, wondering if he could sense Zhou Qun''s intentions.


    Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine Bai Fendou, of all people, would have to worry about his "purity."


    How did Bai Fendou end up being targeted by Zhou Qun? At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief for himself. It was a good thing Zhou Qun hadn''t set his sights on him. Zhuang Zhixi slipped back to Ming Mei''s side, held his wife''s hand, and settled in to watch the drama.


    However, the trio of Zhou Qun, Jiang Lu, and Bai Fendou didn''t give the audience much time to enjoy the show. Eventually, Zhou Qun gave up and went home with Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu dragged Zhou Qun away, her eyes brimming with tears. "Qun Ge, no one in this world could love me more than you. No matter the circumstances, I won''t abandon you. I want to share hardships and joys with you. We are a united couple."


    Zhou Qun''s thoughts were far from what Jiang Lu imagined. If not for Jiang Lu''s good background, he would have dumped her long ago. She was a barren hen, incapable of bearing children and now ruining his ns.


    The more Zhou Qun looked at Bai Fendou, the more he liked him. There were plenty of men out there¡ªhandsome ones like Zhuang Zhixi or heroic ones like Section Chief Liu¡ªwho were all excellent choices. But the one he found most appealing was, surprisingly, Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou was brave and never backed down, which earned respect. He was also devoted, sticking by Wang Xiangxiu, a woman of questionable virtue, showing his deep affection. Moreover, he was loyal and helpful, always willing to step up when needed in the courtyard.


    Most importantly, he understood Zhou Qun''s struggles. The Jiang family, especially her brother, deserved nothing but death. Zhou Qun pursed his lips, feeling his mother hadn''t done a good job carrying out his instructions.


    He didn''t want his father-inw to suffer; he wanted his brother-inw to face consequences.


    If something happens to Jiang Lu''s brother and her nephew, the elderly couple would have no choice but to rely on them, right? Once they manage to win over the old couple, eliminating her father, Jiang Jianshe, would be a piece of cake.


    If all the men in the family were to meet with misfortune, wouldn''t the women then be entirely in his hands? With his control over Jiang Lu, he could easily take everything from her family. But his mother turned out to be a hindrance rather than a help,pletely missing the subtext of his intentions. She even schemed against his father-inw, making the situation even moreplicated.


    What an idiot who doesn''t know how to cover her tracks.


    What he wanted was to deal with Jiang Lu''s shrewd brother.


    But as for Jiang Lu... she was also a fool, which was fortunate. Otherwise, their marriage would have been unsustainable. He knew that his inws were adamant about their daughter getting a divorce.


    They showed no sentimentality, not even considering that their daughter, unable to bear children, would be hard-pressed to find another man willing to marry her. Zhou Qun''s thoughts were racing, his expression alternating between anger and anxiety. Jiang Lu, however, thought Zhou Qun was upset because he couldn''t deal with Bai Fendou. She spoke softly, "I know you don''t like Bai Fendou, and I know you want to avenge me, but we can''t take the wrong path. That kind of person, someone will deal with him sooner orter."


    Zhou Qun didn''t want to hear this. "Enough, don''t say anymore."


    He turned and went back to the inner room, lying down on the bed. Jiang Lu followed and whispered softly, "I know you''re anxious because my parents want us to divorce. But I''ve thought about it; they can make a fuss, but I won''t divorce. The decision is in my hands. If I have a child, we can go back together, and I don''t believe they''ll still be so heartless."


    She hesitated, feeling pain but also helpless, and said, "Or, tonight, why don''t you sleep with Zhaodi?"


    Zhou Qun nced disdainfully at the door and said, "Don''t ever say such foolish things to me again. I have no interest in her."


    He added, "I now regret bringing her here. Why should I feed her for nothing?"


    Jiang Lu''s expression brightened, and she felt even more moved. She knew, she just knew that her Zhou Qun was the best man, unlike any other. Her parents always said Zhou Qun was acting, but look, look at him now! Her mother-inw wasn''t around, so Zhou Qun didn''t have to put on an act for her. He was showing his true feelings.


    His heart belonged only to her.


    He didn''t get involved with other women.


    She bit her lip, moved, and said, "I know your sincerity towards me, but we still need to have a child..."


    Zhou Qun: "Then you need to work harder!"


    The two whispered in the room, while Wang Zhaodi, unaware of their conversation, quietly prepared dinner. For her, the happiest time of the day was when she could eat. After Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu finished their argument, Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t wait to share a secret with his wife, pulling her home.


    Ming Mei: "Slow down."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Big news."


    He closed the door and quickly whispered the details.


    Ming Mei: "!!!"


    She was shocked: "What? Is that even possible? Isn''t he also attracted to women?"


    "Who knows? I think my grandfather is right; in the old days, people didn''t discriminate between genders when it came to admiring performers. So it''s possible that Zhou Qun is bisexual. Not only do you need to be careful, but I need to be careful too."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    This was too shocking.


    "Maybe he was traumatized by a female ghost and no longer likes women. Who knows?"


    Ming Mei: "If it were Bai Fendou, I could understand immediately, but Zhou Qun? I can''t quite wrap my head around it."


    After all, Bai Fendou... well, he''s broken.


    He now walks with tiny steps, so if he had some strange ideas, she could understand. But Zhou Qun, he seems fine. It''s unbelievable, but Ming Mei trusts her grandfather''s judgment.


    After all, he''s seen a lot in his life.


    She whispered, "Did anyone hear you when you were talking?"


    "No, we spoke very softly." He said, "When gossiping about someone, how could I speak loudly?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    This is just... wow.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "This courtyard is going to get even more chaotic."


    He rubbed his hands together.


    Ming Mei looked at him and said, "Don''t get so excited. I''m telling you, stay away from Zhou Qun."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately raised his hand: "I promise."


    Ming Mei: "That''s more like it."


    Each family has its own secrets. Meanwhile, Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t help but step out of her house. Bai Fendou saw her through the window and quickly asked, "Xiangxiu, where are you going?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I want to go see my mother-inw. You know, she''s still in the hospital, and I can''t stop worrying. I need to go see her."


    Bai Fendou: "I''ll apany you. It''ste, and it''s not safe for a woman to be out alone."


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head: "It''s fine, I''ll take the main road; nothing will happen. I just suddenly felt uneasy and wanted to see her."


    Bai Fendou: "No, I''ll apany you. Besides, I also want to visit my old man. That guy, he''s really not making things easy for me."


    Wang Xiangxiu spoke with a mix of coquetry and mild reproach: "You''re apanying me tonight, and you''ll be backte. Won''t that affect your date tomorrow? You''re supposed to meet Nurse Tao tomorrow, right? As your elder sister, I can''t interfere with your ns. I''m just an outsider, after all."


    "Don''t say that. In my heart, you''re not an outsider; you''re my real sister..."


    In fact, Nurse Tao hadn''t actually invited Bai Fendou. She wouldn''t be so direct; it was more of a "hook" strategy. But Bai Fendou, wanting to boost his own ego, wouldn''t admit that she hadn''t invited him. Instead, he confirmed the arrangement, leading those who hadn''t been present, like Wang Xiangxiu, to misunderstand.


    Bai Fendou: "Even if I get married, you''ll still be my sister. You, Xiangxiu, are the most important to me. Even my wife will have to take a backseat to you."


    Wang Zhaodi came out to fetch water and overheard this: "???"


    Even though she was from a rural area, she knew something was off about this statement.


    She looked at Wang Xiangxiu and Bai Fendou, then thought about the rumors she''d heard. She pursed her lips and quickly moved away.


    These two weren''t in a proper rtionship.


    She understood.


    In their vige, they called it "make that broken shoe."


    Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu didn''t feel embarrassed at being caught by Wang Zhaodi. Instead, they left together, arm in arm. Wang Zhaodi shook her head. What was going on here?


    But then she thought about her own situation, realizing she wasn''t exactly in a respectable position either. She gave herself a mental scolding.


    Then she got back to work.


    Aunt Zhou had been arrested, and now Wang Zhaodi had her own room, something she had never dreamed of. She couldn''t believe she could have a room to herself one day. Wang Zhaodi didn''t know how long this good fortune wouldst, but she was grateful. She filled the water bucket and carried it home, pouring it into the water tank. After several trips, the tank was full.


    Just as she was about to rest, she heard Jiang Lu call: "Zhaodi, wash our clothes."


    The order was casual, and Wang Zhaodi replied, "Okay."


    Even though it was dark, she quickly went to the courtyard and started washing in the dim light. Jiang Lu nced out the window and saw her working diligently. "She''s good at working, but she eats too much. She alsocks awareness. That thing from the donkey, she actually ate it on her own initiative. Doesn''t she know her ce? She''s reallycking in awareness. It''s just that my mother-inw said she needs to be nurtured to be fertile, or else she should just eat some corn bread."


    Zhou Qun didn''t care about these trivial matters. He was still immersed in the pain of not being able to drink with Bai Fendou today. He found Jiang Lu, who had tried to stop him and was overly sentimental, extremely annoying.


    He turned over and said, "I''m tired, I want to sleep early."


    Jiang Lu looked at Zhou Qun with resentment, wanting to do something intimate between husband and wife. She gently touched him, but Zhou Qun brushed her hand away. "I don''t have the mood. My mother is still inside, and we don''t know how it will turn out. How could I have such a mood?"


    Jiang Lu softly replied, "I understand. I didn''t mean..."


    Zhou Qun sneered, not bothering to hide his disdain. The two fell silent.


    Wang Zhaodi was washing clothes alone in the courtyard when she saw Ming Mei and her husband emerge from their house to brush their teeth. The weather was warm, so there was no need for hot water. Ming Mei preferred to wash up in the courtyard for convenience.


    Wang Zhaodi looked at her in surprise and asked, "It''s sote. Are you still washing clothes?"


    "Yeah, I don''t have much to do," Wang Zhaodi replied.


    Ming Mei began brushing her teeth and asked, "Will you be going with them tomorrow?"


    Wang Zhaodi hesitated for a moment before nodding gently. "I want to take a look."


    She wanted to see more of the city before she was likely sent back to her hometown. She was naive and inexperienced, but not stupid. She could tell that Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun didn''t like her at all. Jiang Lu even looked at her with hostility, which she was well aware of.


    With Aunt Zhou, who had been pushing for the pregnancy, now gone, they would probably send her away soon. After all, she ate so much.


    "I want to see more before I go back," Wang Zhaodi said.


    Ming Mei was surprised. "Are you going back?"


    She hadn''t heard that the Zhou family was nning to send her away. Wasn''t she here to have a baby?


    The Zhou family hadn''t said a word, but everyone knew.


    "Not yet, but it''s hard to say," Wang Zhaodi replied, scratching her head. "At least I''ve been to Beijing. My sister and my younger sister haven''t even left the vige."


    Ming Mei looked at Wang Zhaodi and asked, "What will you do if you go back?"


    "Work, I guess. And my parents will probably arrange a marriage for me. I''m not young anymore."


    Ming Mei didn''t know what to say. She finally said, "A man fears choosing the wrong career, a woman fears marrying the wrong man. If it''s about marriage, you really need to be careful."


    Then she felt a bit hypocritical for saying that. She had choices, but Wang Zhaodi didn''t. Her parents might just be looking for the highest bride price. It wasn''t that Ming Mei was assuming the worst, but sending a daughter to do this kind of work didn''t suggest kind-hearted parents.


    She said seriously, "Sometimes you have to fight for yourself. If someone forces you to do something, there''s the Women''s Federation."


    "What''s that?" Wang Zhaodi asked, confused.


    Ming Mei perked up and exined what the Women''s Federation was. She was about to say more when...


    "Wang Zhaodi!" Jiang Lu''s voice suddenly called out.


    Wang Zhaodi quickly replied, "Coming!"


    She gave Ming Mei an apologetic smile. "I have to go."


    She quickly wiped her hands and went inside. Jiang Lu looked at her disapprovingly. "What were you bbering about out there? Talking about the Women''s Federation? Do you really think anyone cares about your family''s business? Who do you think you are? Have some self-respect."


    Wang Zhaodi bit her lip.


    Jiang Lu, wrapped in a coat, stood in the outer room and said, "Stay away from Ming Mei from now on. Do you really think she''s being kind by telling you all that? She just doesn''t want to see our family go smoothly. She''s pregnant and thinks she''s above everyone else. What a joke. She''ll probably give birth to a girl."


    Wang Zhaodi: "..."


    Jiang Lu continued, "She lives a good life, so of course she thinks the world is full of good people and that you should go to the Women''s Federation if you''re treated unfairly. But think about it¡ªyour parents raised you, shouldn''t you repay them? It''s your duty to contribute to the family."


    Wang Zhaodi: "..."


    She whispered, "I understand."


    Everyone had their own opinions, but she vaguely felt that Jiang Lu was wrong. However, being a guest in someone else''s home, she wouldn''t dare to argue.


    "Stay away from Ming Mei," Jiang Lu repeated.


    Wang Zhaodi: "Okay."


    Jiang Lu: "Truly ridiculous."


    She snorted loudly and went back inside. Seeing that Zhou Qun was already asleep, she felt exhausted. Their family had so many problemstely, and even their marital life was strained. It was frustrating.


    Ming Mei was pregnant, and so was Li Fang.


    Howe everyone was getting pregnant? Luckily, Wang Xiangxiu was a widow; otherwise, she''d be pregnant too. That would leave only Jiang Lu unable to conceive. She felt extremely ufortable and secretly wished that these women couldn''t have children, but they all seemed to be able to.


    Yang Lixin was quite capable though. Li Fang had already had two children, and now she was pregnant with a third.


    Jiang Lu thought for a moment and came out again, asking, "Wang Zhaodi, I heard your mother was very fertile. Is that true?"


    She was hoping that being able to have many children ran in the family.


    Wang Zhaodi was about to hang up her clothes and rest when she heard this and quickly nodded. "Yes, my mother had nine children. We are nine sisters."


    "Sisters?" Jiang Lu''s tone changed, and she stared at Wang Zhaodi in shock. Suddenly, she felt cheated. She wasn''t happy. She wanted to have children, but she wanted sons, not daughters. What if she had a daughter?


    Jiang Lu didn''t want a daughter; they were just a burden.


    "Your mother had all daughters?"


    Wang Zhaodi nodded.


    Jiang Lu frowned in dissatisfaction. She waved her hand dismissively. "Go do whatever you were doing."


    She went back inside, feeling irritated. Zhou Qun was already asleep. Hearing her movements, he said, "What are you doing again?"


    Jiang Lu: "I was just talking to Wang Zhaodi."


    Zhou Qun coldly said, "I''m not sleeping with her."


    The thought alone was repulsive.


    He turned over and went back to sleep.


    Jiang Lu felt touched by his loyalty but also a bit sad.


    Meanwhile, Ming Mei had finished washing up and returned to her room, already lying down. She nestled in Zhuang Zhixi''s arms and said, "I was talking to Wang Zhaodi earlier when Jiang Lu called her away."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "They''re a family. We''re outsiders. We don''t need to get involved."


    He said, "By the way, I have good news."


    Ming Mei: "What?"


    She looked up at Zhuang Zhixi. He said, "My article was epted by the newspaper. It''ll be published soon."


    Ming Mei''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course. I may have gotten into the propaganda department partly by luck, but I still want to prove myself. This is a good start. I feel much more at ease."


    Ming Mei gently stroked Zhuang Zhixi''s face. He asked, "What are you thinking?"


    "Nothing. Don''t talk nonsense," she said.


    She added, "I just think you work hard."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Everyone''s job is tough. It''s the same for everyone."


    He touched Ming Mei''s belly and asked, "Has the baby been bothering you today?"


    Ming Mei chuckled softly. "Not too much. But pregnancy isn''t easy."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If you feel ufortable, you must tell me right away. Don''t hold it in."


    "I know," Ming Mei said with a softugh...


    It was a quiet Saturday night, and everyone had nothing else to do but sleep.


    If there was one person in the courtyard who couldn''t sleep, it was Jiang Lu. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She had just found out that Li Fang was pregnant. With Ming Mei already pregnant, the news about Li Fang added even more pressure.


    For a moment, she felt an urge to harm them, to make sure they lost their babies. But she knew that was impossible. She wasn''t capable of such actions, and if she did, she''d end up in jail. She had a good life and wouldn''t risk it.


    But the thought of pushing Wang Zhaodi and Zhou Qun together was also unappealing. After all, Zhou Qun was her husband. Why should she let Wang Zhaodi benefit? Especially after learning that Wang Zhaodi''s mother had nine daughters, she was even less willing.


    Even if Wang Zhaodi could have many children, there was no guarantee she''d have sons.


    Jiang Lu couldn''t sleep. Her eyes wide open, she thought about her parents. They had already been pressuring her to divorce Zhou Qun because of his affair with another woman. Now that her mother-inw had done something so shameless, it was even worse.


    They were all pressuring her to divorce, but Jiang Lu was unwilling. Not only did she not want to leave Zhou Qun, who treated her so well, but even if he treated her poorly, she wouldn''t agree to it. A good woman like her shouldn''t remarry; if she did, would she even be able to find a decent man?


    A woman who remarries never ends up well, and she certainly wasn''t willing to take that risk.


    However, her inws were relentless. If she didn''t divorce, they probably wouldn''t let her step into their house again. Moreover, her parents were convinced that the infertility issuey with Zhou Qun. Previously, they had never thought this way; everyone assumed that it was the woman who couldn''t conceive. How could a man be infertile?


    But her inws insisted that Zhou Qun had messed around with other women when he was young and must have damaged his health. Jiang Lu was deeply conflicted. She really wanted a child. If a woman didn''t have a child, she wasn''t aplete woman, her life was over, and she wouldn''t have anyone to take care of her in old age.


    But if she left Zhou Qun, it would be like asking her to die. She didn''t believe any of the usations against him. Outsiders didn''t know how good Zhou Qun had been to her all these years, and she remembered it all. She knew him better than anyone.


    They had been married for over ten years.


    He was definitely not the kind of person they were using him of being. Those women had manipted him into doing their bidding, and now they were trying to smear his name. They were all despicable.


    Jiang Lu tossed and turned, and suddenly, she had a terrifying idea. Her face flushed hot, even though no one was watching. She quickly turned red but felt that her idea was perfectly normal.


    She pursed her lips and nced at Zhou Qun, who was already asleep...


    She had to give Zhou Qun a child. If it was really Zhou Qun''s problem, then even if Wang Zhaodi came along, or ten of her, it wouldn''t matter.


    Before, she had firmly believed that Zhou Qun could have children, but her mother kept nagging her, telling her over and over, and eventually, it made her doubt.


    What if she found someone else to have a child with?


    As long as the child was hers, it would be Zhou''s child.


    And it would silence all the gossip about her being unable to have children for so many years.


    But if she were to find someone, who would it be?


    Jiang Lu immediately looked around the courtyard, where there were many young men. The Zhuang brothers, Bai Fendou, Yang Lixin, and others...


    There were quite a few options.


    But soon, she shook her head. If she were to choose, she couldn''t pick someone so close, or it would be disastrous if people found out. If the child looked like the neighbor, Mr. Wang, the consequences would be dire. But what to do?


    She couldn''t choose someone from their courtyard or the factory; it would be too difficult.


    The person she chose should be someone she didn''t interact with often, so they wouldn''t suspect anything.


    Ah, Ming Mei.


    Ming Mei''s cousin!


    Jiang Lu suddenly thought of this person. He seemed to be from out of town, good-looking, and well-educated. He would be an excellent choice. Jiang Lu immediately perked up, giggling with a slightly eerie tone.


    Yes, this person would be perfect.


    Having made up her mind, Jiang Lu decided to ask Ming Mei about him the next day. Although he was the grandson of Lan Sihai, Jiang Lu didn''t n to approach Lan Sihai. She was a bit afraid of him, feeling that the old man was too sharp and might see through her intentions. She absolutely couldn''t let anyone figure out her n.


    She still had her pride.


    The next morning, Ming Mei came out to go to work. Their jobs were different; they didn''t have regr days off and could only take turns. Even though it was Sunday, and everyone else was off, she still had to work.


    "Ming Mei."


    Jiang Lu had barely slept the previous night, waiting for Ming Mei. As soon as she saw her, she hurried over. Ming Mei greeted her with a smile.


    Jiang Lu: "You''re going to work?"


    Ming Mei: "Yes, we ticket sellers don''t get weekends off."


    Jiang Lu: "Why don''t you take a few days off? I remember you had guests at home, didn''t you? Don''t you need to entertain them?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She looked puzzled at Jiang Lu and said, "Guests? There aren''t any guests at my ce."


    Jiang Lu pursed her lips and said, "I mean your cousin. I remember seeing him."


    Ming Mei was stunned for a moment, thenughed and said, "Oh, him. He''s already left."


    "What!" Jiang Lu was shocked.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She looked curiously at Jiang Lu and said, "He was just here on business for four days. He''s already gone back. Why are you suddenly asking about him? He has his own job, so he can''t stay here for long."


    Jiang Lu forced a smile, halfughing, half-not, and said, "No, I was just asking casually."


    Ming Mei wasn''t entirely convinced and just gave a light "Oh," then quickly asked, "How''s Aunt Zhou doing? What''s the situation with her? Will she being back?"


    Jiang Lu''s mouth twitched. She really didn''t want to talk about that old hag. That wretched old woman always acted high and mighty at home, and Jiang Lu hated her to the core. She had no idea that the woman had been cursing her father behind her back, which made Jiang Lu even more furious.


    If it weren''t for her, her marriage wouldn''t be in such danger.


    She was just an old, worthless woman.


    But she couldn''t outright curse her, since she was her mother-inw.


    She said, "She didn''t mean any harm; she''s just old and muddled. She certainly didn''t instigate robbery or assault. But she might be held ountable for spreading feudal superstitions." Although they didn''t know the specifics yet, as both a victim''s rtive and an offender''s rtive, Jiang Lu knew a bit more.


    "She provided a lot of information about my father to that gang, so she might be held responsible for that too."


    Ming Mei: "Oh my."


    Jiang Lu took a deep breath and steered the conversation back: "So your cousin left. When will he be back?"


    Ming Mei looked at Jiang Lu strangely, sensing that she was overly interested in her cousin. She said, "It might be a long time. The distance is so far; unless it''s for business, he wouldn''t being back and forth. My cousin didn''t evene when I got married."


    Jiang Lu instantly felt that this person was no good.


    Such a good option had slipped away, and Jiang Lu regretted not making up her mind a few days earlier.


    She bit her lip, feeling very frustrated.


    She wasn''t interested in this person; her heart belonged only to Zhou Qun, no one else. She was just upset about missing such a perfect candidate. After all, with such a distance between them, there was no way to connect with him. It was a real pity.


    Ming Mei: "Are you... looking for him for something? Do you know him?"


    Jiang Lu: "No, no, I was just asking casually. I''ve never been to Jinling, so I was just curious. Don''t take it to heart."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She really didn''t believe that excuse.


    But Ming Mei didn''t ask any more questions because Jiang Lu had already turned and left.


    At that moment, Zhuang Zhixi came out: "I''ll take you to work."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    The couple left together, with Zhuang Zhixi driving Ming Mei. He asked, "What did Jiang Lu want with you? She usually doesn''t talk to you much."


    Ming Mei frowned prettily and said, "I''m puzzled too. She was asking about my cousin. It''s strange; they don''t even know each other."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow.


    He joked, "Maybe she''s got her eye on your cousin."


    Ming Mei: "Don''t talk nonsense."


    She rolled her eyes and said, "Everyone knows how deeply Jiang Lu loves Zhou Qun. You''re just making things up."


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and said, "Well, who knows? I was just joking, but think about it¡ªit''s not impossible. Ever since your grandfather mentioned that Zhou Qun likes men, I''ve realized that anything can happen. A lot of things are possible."


    Ming Mei: "If Zhou Qun is into both men and women, that''s just... too much."


    She couldn''t even describe it.


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and said, "Not at all surprising."


    Ming Mei pouted and said, "Really? Be honest."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, maybe a little."


    "Hahaha."


    The coupleughed together. Passersby heard the flute music and looked at the young couple, thinking they made a very handsome pair. Both of them were used to people''s gazes and didn''t pay it much attention.


    Zhuang Zhixi dropped Ming Mei off at her workce and said, "I''lle to pick you up after work."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    She walked into the courtyard with her shoulder bag and was about to head upstairs when she heard someone call her name: "Ming Mei."


    Ming Mei: "Section Chief Liu?"


    "Come to my office for a moment; I have something to discuss with you."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ming Mei: "Oh."


    She quickly followed her supervisor to the office. Section Chief Liu said, "Your mother came to see me yesterday about a job transfer for you."


    Ming Mei immediately sat up straight.


    The old section chiefughed and waved his hand, saying, "Rx, no need to be nervous. I''ve considered it, and your current situation isn''t suitable for your existing job. I''vemunicated with the office, and you and Little Cui will swap positions. We''ll handle the transfer tomorrow. Starting next month, you''ll take over Little Cui''s role as an office statistician, and she''ll rece you on the bus."


    Ming Mei was puzzled: "Next month? Isn''t next month starting tomorrow?"


    Tomorrow was Children''s Day.


    Section Chief Liuughed: "Yes, it''s tomorrow, but we have to be precise; that''s why we say next month."


    Ming Mei smiled, her lips curling up.


    She knew her transfer was happening so quickly because her mother had pulled some strings. It wasn''t surprising, though; her mother knew her situation, and once she mentioned wanting to change jobs, her mother must have been anxious, fearing something might happen to her daughter.


    Section Chief Liu said, "Your mother is a bit too hasty. If we waited a little longer, there might have been better positions avable. The statistician role is rtively easy, but it doesn''t offer much room for advancement. You can only advance by seniority, and it''s hard to stand out."


    Ming Mei''s big eyes sparkled as she earnestly said, "My mom just worries about me. I''m pregnant, and being on the bus all day makes her uneasy."


    Was the statistician job good? Yes, it was. You sat in the office and didn''t have much to do. The sry remained the same, so it was a good fit for those who didn''t seek advancement. But if you wanted to earn more, it wasn''t ideal.


    Why?


    Because bus ticket sellers at their station received a three-yuan monthly allowance. Although the office statistician''s sry wasn''t affected, that three-yuan allowance was gone. Three yuan wasn''t a small amount; it amounted to thirty-six yuan a year.


    Additionally, bus ticket sellers could be promoted for acts like returning lost items, resolving disputes, or performing well during inspections. Such promotions meant a raise. But statisticians, working in the office, rarely had such opportunities and could only advance through seniority.


    So, if you wanted to advance or earn more, the bus ticket seller role was better. No wonder Little Cui wanted to leave the statistician position; she couldn''t find someone to swap with her until Ming Mei wanted to change jobs.


    It was a perfect match, satisfying both parties.


    This arrangement wasn''t a loss for Ming Mei either. Besides the three-yuan allowance, other promotions and bonuses depended on chance, which one might never encounter.


    Moreover, bus ticket sellers had to work regardless of weather or holidays, unlike office staff who had regr weekends and holidays off.


    It all depended on what you valued; there were pros and cons either way.


    Ming Mei said, "So today is myst day on the bus?"


    Section Chief Liu nodded with a smile: "Yes, it is. Report to the office tomorrow and do your best."


    Ming Mei nodded: "I understand."


    She pretended to sigh, saying, "Once I''m there, no one will look out for me."


    Old Section Chief chuckled: "What are you talking about? You''re familiar with everyone here; you don''t need me to look out for you. Besides, I''ll retire in three months, so even if I wanted to, I couldn''t."


    Ming Mei was curious: "Who will take over your position when you retire?"


    Old Section Chief said, "My youngest son. Oh, don''t mention it; it''s been a mess."


    With many children, disputes were inevitable.


    Although his older sons had jobs, their wives didn''t, and they all wanted the position. Even his married daughters wanted it. But he couldn''t give it to anyone else. It wasn''t that he was biased; it was because if he didn''t give it to his youngest son, he would have to go to the countryside.


    His family already had one child sent to the countryside. This time, having a job meant avoiding the countryside, so he couldn''t let his youngest son go. They were city kids, born in Beijing, with better conditions than others. Going to the countryside would be unbearable. His third son had gone to the countryside early and was ced near the city, close enough toe home on weekends. But that wasn''t possible now. The current situation made it hard for him to use his connections effectively. His youngest son couldn''t go to the countryside.


    But his older children had their own ideas and wanted the job for their families.


    He sighed, saying, "I''m not as capable as your parents."


    Ming Mei: "What are you talking about, Section Chief?"


    Old Section Chief said, "Your family knows how to raise children and pick daughters-inw. Back then, when your mother gave the job to you instead of your sister-inw, we old neighbors were worried your family would argue, but nothing happened. Yet, look at us; every family is fighting over jobs."


    Ming Mei didn''t know what to say. She thought for a moment and earnestly said, "It will all get better."


    She remembered her dream about her mother-inw; the countryside movement would end.


    "I hope so."


    Ming Mei left and went to the bus group to check in for her work. Early in the morning, the bus group already knew she was transferring. Usually, transferring without a reason would raise questions, but now, it made sense. After all, Ming Mei was pregnant.


    Generally, people wouldn''t rush to transfer just because of pregnancy, but since it was Ming Mei, everyone found it reasonable. Her mother had worked at the station for years, and many had watched Ming Mei grow up, knowing how pampered she was.


    The driver joked, "I''ve worked with you for years, and now that you''re leaving, I''ll miss you, girl."


    Ming Mei smiled and chatted casually: "I only talked to my mom yesterday. I thought it would take some time, but she acted so quickly. Today is myst day."


    "You don''t know your mom as well as we outsiders do. She''s always decisive and doesn''t drag things out. But it''s good you''re leaving; I noticed you weren''t looking well yesterday."


    Ming Mei: "I''ve been feeling a bit off. I don''t dare to be careless, especially since it''s my first pregnancy..."


    "That''s right; better safe than sorry."


    Ming Mei muttered, "After I leave, drive carefully, especially in bad weather..."


    In her dream, it was a rainy day when the road was slippery, and the bus almost skidded off the road while avoiding a pedestrian. Fortunately, the bus stopped in time. But due to the inertia, everyone fell forward, and she, sitting in the ticket seller''s seat with no one in front, got hurt.


    "Work well with Little Cui after I leave; don''t argue."


    The driverughed: "You''re quite the chatterbox, like an olddy."


    Ming Mei: "If you say that, I''ll be mad."


    The driverughed: "I''m kidding; you''re a young girl."


    Ming Mei nodded in satisfaction. She hadn''t expected her transfer to happen so quickly, so she was determined to stand herst shift with utmost dedication, treating every passenger with utmost care and politeness. It was Sunday today, and the bus was quite crowded, but Ming Mei handled it with ease.


    However, due to her politeness, the passengers were left a bit bewildered.


    After all, everyone was used to ticket sellers being rude and yelling loudly.


    This wasn''t necessarily because anyone intentionally wanted to be bad-tempered, but rather the work environment had shaped them that way. Everyone had gotten used to speaking loudly; if they spoke too softly, those at the back couldn''t hear them. Over time, they had all developed a louder voice.


    Perhaps because it was herst day, Ming Mei not only had a good attitude but also seemed quite spirited.


    Initially, this wasn''t noticeable, but now that she was about to leave, Ming Mei felt quite sentimental about her position. After all, she had been working with the driver for three years, and she was very familiar with this route.


    Ming Mei thought, if it weren''t for that nightmare, she would have definitely requested to stay in her position.


    Even if she were pregnant.


    But now that she was really being transferred, she felt a bit lost but also somewhat relieved.


    The only thing that pained her was the three yuan she would lose, oh dear.


    She patted her belly and said, "Baby, look, you haven''t even been born yet, and your mom is already earning less for you. When you''re born, you better be good, or else I''ll spank your bottoms every time I think about the three yuan I''m losing each month."


    She muttered softly to herself, but with such a short pregnancy, there was no reaction at all.


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She poked her belly again, took a deep breath, and continued with her work.


    Last day, standing herst shift.


    ******


    In a small house on the outskirts of the city, a skinny young man ran quickly, his movements swift. He stumbled several times but forced himself to get up each time. He burst through the door, shouting, "Boss!"


    "What''s the matter? Why are you so hasty?"


    The skinny young man, like a Skinny Monkey, was gasping for breath,pletely exhausted. He slumped to the ground and said, "I-I-I heard something big."


    "Big news? What could be so big? Tell me."


    "This morning, I went to the hospital to visit my aunt. On the bus, I overheard the driver and the tigress talking. The tigress is being transferred!"


    "What!" The so-called Boss jumped up, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He grabbed the messenger, trembling, and asked, "The tigress, the tigress is being transferred? Are you sure you didn''t hear wrong?"


    "No! Really!"


    The Boss quickly rushed to the altar in the house, started burning incense, and cried, "Ancestors, bless us! Great, great, great! She''s finally being transferred... The world has suffered under the tigress for too long!"


    If all ticket sellers were like the tigress, they would starve to death. Life has been too hard, but they dared not offend this littledy. The tigress herself was fierce enough, but she also had an even fiercer father.


    They once wanted to teach the tigress a lesson, really just a simple lesson, nothing bad, just wanted to scare her a bit. But in the end, they almost got beaten into a pulp by the tigress''s father.


    This man was as strong as a bear, capable of taking on ten men at once. What''s more, he carried a knife with him at all times,pletely disregarding any sense of fair y.


    It was said that he was a long-haul truck driver.


    Such people, they dared not provoke.


    In these times, anyone who dared to drive long-haul trucks likely had a gun in their vehicle. They were too dangerous to mess with.


    Fortunately, fortunately, the tigress is being transferred.


    "Quick, go and find out for me, ask carefully, see if it''s true that she''s being transferred. If it''s true... hehe, hehehe! Our good days areing."


    He shouted, "Today at noon, we''re having meat, let''s celebrate with meat!"

 Chapter 97

    Ming Mei''s transfer was met with the most joy not by her own family, but by the petty criminals of the city.


    Yes, who said there were no thieves at this time? These days, things were rtively more stable, and thieves were not asmon. After all, everyone was poor, and even rats would feel sorry for them¡ªthere was really nothing worth stealing. Moreover, if a stranger appeared in an alley, a group of aunties would immediately take notice, and someone might even approach to interrogate them before anything could happen.


    However, even in such circumstances, there were still thieves around.


    For those who were used to the quick money of thievery, it was difficult for them to "change careers." Earning money easily made them unwilling to work hard, so there were always people like this in the city. These individuals usually avoided wandering through neighborhoods.


    They couldn''t afford to deal with those sharp-eyed aunties. Never underestimate an auntie; one could be as good as a detective. So, they targeted public ces like department store entrances, buses, and trains.


    That was their usual hunting ground.


    Ming Mei herself might not have realized it, but her reputation was well-known throughout the city. She was famously known as the "She-Tiger of Route 140," and no one dared to mess with her. The bus route itself seemed to warn people, "Mess with her, and you''re dead."


    If it weren''t for theck of advanced photography at the time, these thieves would have had photos of Ming Mei to avoid her.


    She had caught thieves twice on the bus and even nabbed a robber once. These stories had spread far and wide. When they heard that Ming Mei was being transferred, they were overjoyed, almost wanting to celebrate with drums and gongs. There was no better news in the world.


    Blessings from the patron saint of thieves!


    Because of Ming Mei''s transfer, many people were celebrating with feasts.


    Several gangs even discussed: "Should we set off firecrackers at the bus station?"


    "Or pool our money to buy a pig and send it to thank them for transferring that woman away?"


    "No, no, you''re just asking to get caught, aren''t you? Be low-key!"


    "For now, let''s avoid Route 140 to make sure they don''t transfer her back. Let''s just wait a while to let this all blow over. She''s pregnant, right? Once her belly starts showing, there won''t be any chance of hering back."


    "Exactly, boss, you''re so wise."


    "Damn, I never want to see that woman again. She''s too fierce."


    "I feel sorry for her husband. Do you think she beats him?"


    "I think so, definitely."


    "Same here. If he everins, she''d probably call her dad, and it''d be a father-daughter double beatdown. Poor guy."


    "Poor him indeed."


    "Let''s not meddle in their affairs. We''ll just quietly set off some firecrackers to celebrate at our ce."


    "Sounds good!"


    Ming Mei had no idea her transfer would cause such a stir, but she was quite happy herself. After all, who wants to suffer, even in their dreams? Feeling relieved, she bought a pound of pastries on her way home after herst day of work.


    She had originally nned to buy meat, but since they still had somemb left at home, and it was summer, she decided not to buy more meat.


    As Ming Mei walked back with the pastries, she saw Zhuang Zhixi about to ride his bike to pick her up. When he noticed Ming Mei already there, he asked in surprise, "Did you leave early?"


    Ming Mei shook her head. "No, I just finished work on time. But today, I was lucky¡ªthe bus that goes through our street happened to leave just as I was leaving, so I got off at the alley entrance."


    Zhuang Zhixi stepped forward to take her hand. Ming Mei said, "I''m not a panda; you don''t need to treat me like this."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "You should still be careful."


    Ming Mei smiled. "My transfer is finalized. Today was myst day at work."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at her in surprise. "So soon?"


    Ming Mei chuckled. "Yeah, my mom has good connections at the station. Plus, I''m leaving a position that pays less, and there are plenty of people who''d love to take it."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and nodded, agreeing with the logic. After all, the job came with an extra three yuan, which was a significant amount for most people, especially those with families and heavy financial burdens.


    He said, "That''s great. Now we can finally have weekends together."


    Previously, they had to take time off to spend together, but now they could enjoy their weekends as a newlywed couple.


    As they walked together, they passed by a public toilet where people were still cleaning it. The process was incredibly slow.


    It wasn''t that they were slow, but they were being thorough. They suspected something was hidden in the toilet, so they had to check every inch, even the cesspit. With the warm weather, the whole street was filled with an unbearable stench.


    Ming Mei covered her nose and looked up at the sky, sighing, "I wonder how long this will take."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "You should hurry up and leave. You''re pregnant¡ªbeing around this smell might not be good for you."


    Ming Mei replied, "I''ve never heard that before," though she did find the smell unbearable.


    The young couple quickened their pace. Even children passing by would cover their noses and run away. Even the fearless Jii brothers from the Su family dared note close.


    This situation was truly challenging.


    If it weren''t for the fact that they couldn''t afford to cause trouble, they would have thrown stones at the workers, shouting, "Can''t you work faster? The smell is unbearable!" But they were just kids, not fools.


    So, they stayed far away.


    The victims were full ofints, but the workers were even more miserable. They didn''t get paid, but they were the first to clean the toilets. It was a tough life. They suffered, but they didn''t get to enjoy any rewards.


    They had to endure everyone''s strange looks, which added to their stress.


    After enduring this, they went back and cursed the unlucky Yu Baoshan. He had done so many bad things, and now they had to suffer for it. If he had hidden the stuff in a better ce, they wouldn''t be in this mess. Choosing such a ce was just asking to be suffocated.


    Cleaning the toilets was already exhausting and disgusting, but now they had to build a new one in the hot summer. Just thinking about it made them feel dizzy. They weren''t used to such physicalbor.


    But their boss refused to be straightforward, always covering things up with excuses, which only added to their workload.


    It was truly exhausting.


    Life was tough, and everyone had to endure hardships to survive.


    The workers dragged their feet, hoping to find the hidden items soon and maybe even get a share of the reward. Zhao Guihua clutched some paper and hurried out, ncing at them from a distance before quickly running to the next street.


    Her look was one of disdain.


    One of the younger workers couldn''t hold back and said, "Even people going to the toilet look down on us."


    "Stopining. If the boss hears you, he''ll be mad. Just keep working."


    "But we can''t tell who''s suspicious."


    "A fox will always reveal its tail. If someone has hidden so many valuables, they''ll either be nervous or ted. We just have to watch carefully."


    "Yeah."


    They had been working here for two days, but they hadn''t noticed anything unusual among the locals. Instead, the locals found them strange. After all, who in their right mind would do such a thing? It was absurd.


    "Let''s just consider ourselves unlucky."


    The hardships of being aborer were evident.


    Zhao Guihua ran to the toilet, feeling quite satisfied. These people weren''t good either, always causing trouble and picking fights. Seeing them suffer made everyone secretly happy.


    Of course, if they didn''t mess with the toilets, people would be even happier.


    During the day, it''s manageable, but at night, if you have to deal with diarrhea or something, going to the toilet is really far.


    Zhao Guihua grumbled to herself for a while beforeing out of the toilet. Now, even going to the toilet was a long trek. Back when the foreman said it would take three or four days to finish, it now seemed like pure nonsense. They''ve been cleaning the cesspit for two days and still haven''t finished. It looks like it''ll take at least a week.


    Who knows why they''re working so slowly.


    "Zhao Guihua," Zhao Guihua turned around to see Auntie Lian.


    Auntie Lian was carrying a small bag and walked over to ask, "I heard that Aunt Zhou from your courtyard got taken in. Is that true?"


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s true."


    She nodded and said, "What are you...?"


    Auntie Lian: "She wanted two old hens, right? I managed to get them, but I don''t know if her family still wants them under these circumstances. Are her children at home?"


    Zhao Guihua: "No, they all left early in the morning. Probably out trying to smooth over rtionships. Aunt Zhou got involved in superstitious activities..." She paused and bluntly said, "Aunt Zhou won''t implicate you, will she?"


    Zhou Auntie is the kind of person who wouldn''t keep anything confidential. That''s just not possible.


    If she really gets taken in, she''ll definitely try to drag in a whole group.


    Auntie Lian, in Zhao Guihua''s opinion, wouldn''t be spared by Aunt Zhou. This olddy is like that¡ªshe schemes against anyone without holding back. She''s the type who can betray everyone but expects everyone else to treat her well.


    After Zhao Guihua asked that, Auntie Lian remained calm. She said, "What she says is what she says. That''s not how it works. I''m familiar with the police station''s work. They need solid evidence. Otherwise, I won''t admit to anything. Auntie Zhou says I''m involved in superstitious activities, so I am? Just talking doesn''t mean anything. Unless they catch me in the act, I won''t admit to anything. I''m just an old widow. Who am I supposed to be afraid of? Besides, at my age, making a little money isn''t a big deal. They won''t arrest me unless it''s a direct bust. Don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine. I''ve seen a lot in my life. Last time with the fabric scraps from the garment factory, didn''t Ie out unscathed?"


    Auntie Lian then asked, "Speaking of which, Aunt Wang in the courtyard also wanted some hens, right? Can you ask her if she wants this pair? If she does, she cane over. I''ll wait for her here. If she doesn''t show up... well, I''ll know. Ugh, it''s so annoying. There are a bunch of people with red armbands working in your alley, so I can''t just carry them over. It''s such a hassle."


    This whole situation is affecting her ability to make money. Those idiots.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, I''ll pass the message along."


    Auntie Lian: "Oh, right. Do you want some dried mushrooms? Look, they''re top-notch. I got them from the countryside. Proper, clean, and high-quality dried mushrooms. All of this, for just twenty cents."


    She shook the bag, saying, "Look, there''s quite a bit."


    Zhao Guihua immediately reached out to take it, saying, "Let me see."


    She rummaged through the bag and saw that the dried mushrooms were indeed plentiful, all strung together and stuffed in a cloth bag. They looked heavy, and twenty cents seemed reasonable. If she were to sell them at the ck market, she could probably get a bit more, considering themission.


    Still, twenty cents wasn''t exactly cheap. She said, "Can you lower the price a bit?"


    Auntie Lian: "Oh, you know, I have to make some profit too. I had to go to the countryside to get these. Plus, look at them, they''re really good. You won''t find mushrooms this good even at the grocery store."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, acknowledging the quality of the mushrooms. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Alright, I''ll take them."


    She handed over the money, saying, "Here."


    Even though she went out just to use the toilet, Zhao Guihua still carried some money. Most people nowadays didn''t carry money when they went out, but Zhao Guihua, being someone who had experienced a rebirth, still habitually kept a few cents on her just in case. And sure enough, it came in handy. Auntie Lian had been prepared to wait for her toe back with the money, but seeing the cash, she smiled brightly, saying, "Alright, if I get any good stuff in the future, I''lle to you."


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "I think that''s a good idea."


    She added, "My family is big, so we always need food and whatnot. It''s quite expensive."


    "With a big family, you earn more too," Auntie Lian winked. "You have so many workers in your family. Life must be good."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t say much, just smiled and said, "There are more people in my family who don''t work than those who do. Plus, the kids are in school. But, we can''t live too frugally. We still need to eat well. Alright, I''m leaving now."


    Auntie Lian: "Sure."


    As for Auntie Zhou being taken in, Auntie Lian didn''t seem worried at all. She wasn''t afraid of Auntie Zhou implicating her and just went about her business.


    Besides, everyone has their own connections. She hadn''t done anything major, just trying to make a living. The police station wouldn''t arrest her.


    Zhao Guihua, after going out to use the toilet, came back with a bag of dried mushrooms worth twenty cents. She handed the bag back to Auntie Lian and carried the string of mushrooms back home. As she walked to the alley entrance, she ran into Bai Fendou and Wang Zhaodi.


    Bai Fendou: "Oh, Aunt Zhao, where have you been? These dried mushrooms look pretty good."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s what you get when you''re lucky. I went out to use the toilet and ran into an acquaintance who just came back from the countryside. She gave me these dried mushrooms. Perfect for when my daughter-inw gives birth. We can make a chicken stew with them."


    Bai Fendou rolled his eyes: "Your daughter-inw isn''t due for a while. Isn''t this a bit too early?"


    "What''s wrong with preparing early?"


    She nced at Bai Fendou and then at Wang Zhaodi, saying, "What about you two...?"


    Bai Fendou''s expression darkened slightly but he still said, "I''m going to the park. She''s on the way, so we''re going together anding back together."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded lightly.


    Bai Fendou: "Aunt Zhao, since we''re all from the same courtyard, you''ve practically watched me grow up, haven''t you? Now that your two sons are married, why don''t you help me find a match too? That''s a bit too unfair. I''m not getting any younger, and it''s time for me to settle down. Plus, look at my conditions¡ªI could find anyone I want!"


    Zhao Guihua listened as he boasted about himself, thinking this guy really had no self-awareness.


    She chuckled coldly and said, "I wouldn''t dare introduce anyone to you. You have high standards, and we can''t meet them. I don''t want to end up being med."


    She quickened her pace, leaving Bai Fendou behind.


    Bai Fendou: "Hey?"


    He wanted to say more, but Aunt Zhao was already walking away.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t want to linger, after all, who wants to smell that stench? Besides, Bai Fendou was the type who, fearing injury, would only take small steps. Speaking of which, Bai Fendou had been injured for over a week now. He should be recovering, right?


    Why was he still walking like that?


    Come to think of it, Bai Fendou could walk normally now, but since his injury, he was too afraid to take big strides. Every time he went out, he took small steps. Over time, he got used to it. Plus, the doctor had said he needed to recover fully.


    Bai Fendou didn''t care about other things, but this was different. This was crucial for his future happiness. He couldn''t take any risks, so he was very careful. However, thinking about how he was mocked at the park today, his mood wasn''t great.


    He looked at Wang Zhaodi beside him and said, "You''re not allowed to tell anyone about my situation."


    Wang Zhaodi softly replied, "Oh."


    She had also gone to the park today. Initially, she was torn¡ªwanting to go but thinking about how she was living with others, she decided against it. But after talking to Jiang Lu in the morning, for some reason, Jiang Lu strongly encouraged her to go. Not only that, but she even gave her twenty cents.


    Moreover, she went to Bai Fendou''s house to specifically remind him to take care of Wang Zhaodi. Wang Zhaodi, feeling confused, followed Bai Fendou out. This was her first time going out in the city, and everything seemed fresh to her.


    They didn''t take the bus, and since Bai Fendou''s injury hadn''t fully healed, they didn''t ride bicycles either. They walked all the way to the park, their legs feeling numb by the time they arrived. Tao Yuyue was also quite warm towards Wang Zhaodi.


    She also brought along a child, who, surprisingly, seemed to dislike her. Wang Zhaodi, who was already quite self-conscious, became even quieter.


    However, despite this, she had gained a lot of new experiences that day. They "coincidentally" ran into several male colleagues in the park. Among these five or six men, along with Bai Fendou, several of them were vying to impress Tao Yuyue.


    She even benefited from it herself.


    It was her first time drinking "North Ice Ocean" soda.


    Her first time dining out.


    And her first time boating in the park.


    All of these were free of charge!


    Even now, she still felt a sense of shock, as if everyone wanted to please Tao Yuyue, and these men were busy ndering each other.


    Someone called Bai Fendou a shameless scoundrel.


    Another called him a fake man with a broken egg.


    And...


    These men,peting for attention, almost came to blows, but fortunately, Tao Yuyue managed to stop them. During lunch, she ate meat buns with Tao Yuyue. She initially hesitated to eat, but Tao Yuyue insisted.


    It was her first time eating meat buns and her first time trying fried liver, which was really delicious.


    She didn''t know how much money was spent and wanted to offer the two mao given to her by Jiang Lu, but Tao Yuyue refused. Tao Yuyue told her, "When a man is courting a woman, he should be willing to spend money. If he''s not even willing to buy a meat bun, what kind of husband would he make?"


    However, Tao Yuyue didn''t seem interested in any of these men.


    Wang Zhaodi was deeply affected and returned home in a daze.


    She followed Bai Fendou into the courtyard, and he reminded her again, "Don''t talk about what happened outside today."


    Having already mentioned it once, he repeated it, showing just how worried he was.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Wang Zhaodi softly replied with an "Mm."


    Bai Fendou had gone out excited but returned disappointed, having been scolded by several men and almost getting into a fight. This was all quite embarrassing for him. Wang Zhaodi didn''t understand, nor did she want to. Seeing that Jiang Lu and the others hadn''t returned, she quietly sat down to help assemble matchboxes.


    Today''s events had indeed left a strong impression on Wang Zhaodi. She lowered her head, lost in thought.


    Meanwhile, the Zhuang family had a joyful day. Ming Mei''s job transfer had been finalized, and Zhuang Zhixi was happy. Ming Mei herself felt a mix of emotions, saying, "I never thought I''d change jobs, leaving behind being a bus conductor."


    With the loss of three yuan, her ie fell just short of forty yuan.


    Ming Mei sighed, and Zhuang Zhixi said, "You''re earning a lot."


    He added, "There are gains and losses. Now you don''t have to work so hard all the time."


    Ming Mei gently wrapped her arms around Zhuang Zhixi''s neck. He smelled a fresh fragrance, which he thought was from the soap Ming Mei used. He leaned in closer, thinking it might be the scent of her shampoo. His hands encircled her, and he whispered, "I miss you."


    The meaning behind "I miss you" was clear to both of them.


    Ming Mei looked up, her eyes glistening, and teased, "That''s not allowed."


    She yfully added, "Just bear with it a little longer. You know it''s not okay."


    The doctor had already advised them that it wasn''t advisable in the early stages, butter, once things were stable, it would be fine. Zhuang Zhixi knew this, but he still whispered, "But I really miss you."


    Ming Mei softly chuckled, her cheeks turning pink. She kindly suggested, "Then take a cold shower."


    "You''re heartless," Zhuang Zhixi muttered.


    Ming Mei didn''t take it to heart and insteadughed lightly. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, asking yfully, "Am I still heartless now?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "If you did a little more, you''d be considerate."


    Ming Mei innocently asked, "But wouldn''t doing more make you even more ufortable?"


    She leaned her full weight against Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "I don''t want you to feel bad."


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself, if you don''t want me to feel bad, why are you leaning so close? What a mischievous girl. His hands slid across her back, and he said, "How about you think of a way?"


    Men being men, they often talked about such matters. Zhuang Zhixi had heard plenty, and while he didn''t engage in such conversations himself, he figured it wouldn''t hurt to learn a thing or two.


    So he suggested, "Or, should I teach you?"


    Ming Mei immediately pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s cheek, saying, "Where did you learn that?"


    Her tone turned stern.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Why the sudden change?


    He defended himself, "Where else could I have learned it? I just heard it from others."


    Ming Mei scoffed, "Don''t pick up these random things."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re making it hard for me. Ouch, ouch, be gentle! I promise, okay? I won''t learn anything like that again. If they talk about such things, I''ll just stay far away."


    Ming Mei huffed softly, and Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, saying, "Wife, I was wrong, alright?"


    There wasn''t really any wrongdoing, but he knew that a pregnant woman''s emotions could be unpredictable. Making her happy was his duty as a husband. He added, "You say the word, and I''ll admit my mistake."


    Ming Mei raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically, "You admit your mistake quickly, but it doesn''t seem very sincere."


    As Ming Mei leaned close to Zhuang Zhixi, she could naturally sense his reactions. Despite his words, his body was telling a different story.


    Zhuang Zhixi felt even more innocent. After all, he was a normal, young man. What could he do? He was full of vitality.


    He poked Ming Mei''s cheek and said, "Stay away from me, let me cool down."


    Ming Mei looked at him hesitantly, asking, "Are you really that ufortable?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What do you think? I''m not a machine in the workshop, immune to all feelings."


    Ming Mei stopped teasing him and stood up, saying, "Then maybe you should take a cold shower to cool down."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Later tonight, there are too many people in the courtyard now."


    Ming Mei: "Then suit yourself."


    As for taking a cold shower, Zhuang Zhixi never did it in the courtyard, not even at night. The courtyard was shared with others, and there were female residents too. It wasn''t like their own private yard where he could do as he pleased.


    Even Bai Fendou, who was known for hisck of manners, wouldn''t take a shower in the courtyard.


    Speaking of Bai Fendou, he had a terrible day. He had expected a romantic outing with Tao Yuyue, only to find that she had also invited Wang Zhaodi, which displeased him. What kind of date was that with three people?


    But Bai Fendou reasoned that perhaps Tao Yuyue had invited Wang Zhaodi for a reason. After all, Tao Yuyue had brought her younger cousin along, and a child needed looking after. Having a child around would also interfere with their romantic interactions. So maybe Tao Yuyue had invited Wang Zhaodi to act as a sort of babysitter.


    This thought made Bai Fendou feel better, convincing himself that Tao Yuyue must be quite interested in him to go to such lengths. He felt a sense of pride, believing that his charm was undeniable. If he were an ordinary man, how could Tao Yuyue, such a girl, pay him any attention?


    But to his surprise, shortly after arriving, they "coincidentally" ran into a colleague from the factory, Xiao Fang, who joined them without clear reason. Then they met Xiao Li, who also tagged along. And...


    In total, they encountered five other men, making it six including himself.


    These men all flocked around Tao Yuyue, while she held onto Wang Zhaodi.


    Later, theypeted to buy lunch for Tao Yuyue, to invite her boating, and so on. Because his money was limited¡ªhe had lent five yuan to Wang Xiangxiu the previous night for a hospital visit¡ªBai Fendou didn''tpete much.


    This led to him being ridiculed, causing him great embarrassment.


    Wang Zhaodi thought that Bai Fendou had asked her not to talk about the arguing and insulting words because of the arguments, but in fact, Bai Fendou didn''t want her to mention the fact that he hadn''t spent much money.


    Hey down on the kang, sighing deeply.


    This beautiful woman is sought after by many families, and it truly is the case.


    These people have such poor taste, only thinking about spending money to win someone''s heart. How vulgar, so very vulgar.


    Bai Fendou pursed his lips, yet felt a bit bored.


    Although he was very confident, he could sense Tao Yuyue''s distance from him. Everything had been fine, but today, because he was stingy and refused to spend money, it seemed very obvious. He didn''t know if it was just his imagination, but he didn''t me Tao Yuyue. Instead, he med those vulgar people who only knew how to spend money to win someone''s heart.


    Comparing with such things is trulycking in sincerity and genuine feelings.


    If even Tao Yuyue doesn''t work out, when will he ever find a partner?


    Hey on the kang, feeling utterly hopeless. Why is it so hard to find a partner?


    "Fendou, are you home?"


    Bai Fendou immediately sat up: "Sister Xiangxiu."


    Wang Xiangxiu came in and saw Bai Fendou''s expression, knowing he had a terrible day. She felt pleased inside but didn''t show it on her face. She said, "I''m going to wash clothes. I want to see if you have anything to wash. Sister Xiangxiu will wash them for you."


    She had just received five yuan from Bai Fendou yesterday.


    When she takes money from others, even if it''s three or two yuan, she has to give something in return. But with Bai Fendou, she doesn''t need to. However, she still needs to maintain this fool, or else there won''t be any more money in the future.


    Bai Fendou: "Alright, Sister Xiangxiu, I knew you''re the best to me. How is it that there''s a woman as good as you in this world?"


    Wang Xiangxiu gave a bitter smile and said, "What kind of good woman am I? Even if I were a good woman, I don''t have good luck. Look at my family''s situation, my mother-inw is still in the hospital. Oh right, my mother-inw is getting discharged tomorrow, just like your father."


    She asked, "Are you going to pick them up? If you are, I won''t go. It''ll cost me a morning''s work, and I''ll be deducted pay. You know my family''s situation..."


    Bai Fendou: "Leave this to me."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Alright."


    She chuckled softly and said gently, "Come, take off your clothes. I''ll wash them for you."


    Bai Fendou: "Got it."


    In this courtyard, there''s no woman more virtuous than Sister Xiangxiu.


    Jiang Lu returned from her parents'' house, exhausted, and walked past the window, seeing their actions. Her eyes widened instantly, and she screamed, "Ah!!!"


    Everyone was making matchboxes, and they all looked over: "What''s wrong?"


    "Jiang Lu, are you okay?"


    "Why the sudden shock? So dramatic."


    Jiang Lu looked at Bai Fendou''s window and cursed, "Disgusting, shameless!"


    She shouted, "Bai Fendou is taking off his clothes!"


    Bai Fendou shouted back, "So what if I''m taking off my clothes? What''s it to you? I''m taking off my clothes at my own home. I haven''t used you of being shameless for looking over!"


    Jiang Lu didn''t back down: "Taking off clothes is nothing, but Wang Xiangxiu is still in the room. Can''t you two be less tant about your shamelessness? I know you''re both unmarried, eager to be together, but can''t you at least put up some ss? We don''t want to see such disgusting scenes. Besides, let me tell you, without a marriage certificate, doing these things, I can report you for illicit behavior!"


    "You, you, you, you''re just spouting nonsense. How am I being indecent? Sister Xiangxiu and I are as pure as snow. She''s here to wash my clothes."


    "You can really spin a tale. Even if she''s washing your clothes, what''s the point of taking off your clothes in front of her? What kind of logic is that? Who are you trying to fool? Bai Fendou, you''re truly disgusting."


    Bai Fendou: "You!"


    Jiang Lu: "What about me? You''re disgusting."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes reddened: "Please don''t argue. We''re all neighbors, it''s not worth it. Sister Zhou Qun''s wife, you''ve misunderstood us. You can say whatever you want about me, but you can''t say that about Fendou. He''s a good man, he''s genuinely helping us. I just wanted to thank him by washing his clothes. Where did you get the idea that it''s so bad? He''s a man, used to changing clothes like this, but he has no bad intentions. He treats me like a sister..."


    Jiang Lu wasn''t buying it. She had always been jealous of Wang Xiangxiu for having three sons. She gave Wang Xiangxiu a hostile look and snorted heavily, saying, "Shameless."


    She added, "Adulterers."


    However, Jiang Lu didn''t want to engage further, as Zhou Qun wasn''t back yet, and Bai Fendou was a low-ss individual. If a fight broke out, she''d be at a disadvantage one against two.


    ¡°Jiang Lu, don''t get upset. Some people are just like that. You''ve been neighbors for so many years, you know that. Why bother with him? It''s not worth it, it just lowers your dignity,¡± Yang Lixin came out from the back courtyard hearing the argument,forting Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu looked at Yang Lixin in surprise.


    However, Auntie Lian and Li Fang understood why Yang Lixin would say that. After all, Bai Fendou had clearly cheated them out of money. Although the matter was over, they weren''t happy about it and had kept it in mind.


    But Jiang Lu didn''t know that, so she was surprised and slightly impressed. She nodded, "You''re right."


    Bai Fendou stuck his head out the window and shouted, "Yang Lixin, what does this have to do with you? Why are you meddling in other people''s business?"


    Yang Lixin: "I''m just telling the truth. If you can do it, don''t be afraid of people talking. Besides, what kind of man picks on a woman with words? It''s a disgrace to men."


    Jiang Lu nced at Yang Lixin again and whispered, "Xiao Yang, don''t take it personally. He''s just low-ss."


    Yang Lixin nodded, "You''re right."


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®you¡¯re right¡¯? You¡¯re ganging up on me, aren¡¯t you? Look at me, you don¡¯t like me, huh? If you¡¯ve got the guts, fight me one on one. You¡¯re all so self-important. Let me tell you, you can say I¡¯m no good, but you can¡¯t say the same about Sister Xiangxiu. She¡¯s such a good woman...¡±


    "Oh, please," Jiang Lu sneered.


    They continued to argue back and forth through the window full of ss shards.


    On one side: Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu.


    On the other side: Jiang Lu and Yang Lixin.


    The rest: onlookers.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei heard themotion outside. The couple exchanged a look and immediately climbed onto the bed, both leaning out the window to watch, their big eyes sparkling.


    Ming Mei leaned on the windowsill, her chin resting on the back of her hand, her posture like a little seal, lying on the bed. She said, "They''re really going at it."


    Zhuang Zhixi had the same posture as Ming Mei. He nodded and said, "Old grudges and new hatreds."


    If it''s a quarrel, the reason might be forgotten by tomorrow.


    But if you''ve been cheated out of money, that''s something you won''t let go of.


    So Yang Lixin is now siding with Jiang Lu against Bai Fendou.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Honey, I think we''re too honest. Look at them, causing all this trouble, but we haven''t been involved. Don''t you think we''re a bitcking in presence?"


    Ming Mei: "It seems so."


    But she quickly shot Zhuang Zhixi a look and said, "What kind of presence do you want? Stay out of their affairs. These people fight at the drop of a hat. I might have to save you, and I don''t want to do that."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''m not that weak, am I?"


    Ming Mei: "You''re not weak, but they go crazy. You don''t know how reckless they are when they fight in the courtyard. They could even fall into the toilet."


    To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t think it was like that.


    He said, "They were clearly chasing a thief..."


    Ming Mei: "But they''ve fought over other things too. Besides, don''t you remember? Bai Fendou has his special move. If you get hurt, I''ll leave you."


    Zhuang Zhixi pouted, looking pitiful, and said, "You''re so cold."


    Ming Mei: "Hmph."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "But you know, no one will dare to mess with Bai Fendou from now on. He already has his Dragon w technique. Starting tomorrow, he''ll be cleaning the toilets and handling manure. Who would dare to provoke him? That guy thinks in straight lines. If he gets angry, he could grab a handful of poop and smear it all over someone''s face. He''s capable of that."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "And, you know..."


    Ming Mei immediately crossed her arms and said, "Stop talking, you''re being too gross. I still need to eat dinner tonight, and you should consider the mental strength of a pregnant woman, okay?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay!"


    Ming Mei: "Tsk tsk!"


    The argument ended when Zhou Qun returned. Naturally, Zhou Qun sided with his wife... well, not really. He sided with Bai Fendou!


    He sternly reprimanded Jiang Lu for causing unnecessary trouble and then dragged her into the house.


    However, after entering the room, Zhou Qunforted Jiang Lu, saying, "I don''t want you to get hurt. You know, we''ve been feeling really tiredtely. How could we possibly be a match for Bai Fendou? He''s got Wang Xiangxiu by his side too. Wang Xiangxiu works as a fitter in the factory, and her strength is way more than yours, working in an office. If we fight them, we''ll definitely lose. It''s better to not pay attention to them for now. When ites to life, we need to use our brains. We''re not like Bai Fendou, that crude man. We''re civilized people. We need to think smart, outwit them. Isn''t that better than fighting?"


    All of this was nonsense. He had no intention of doing anything to Bai Fendou.


    He just couldn''t bear to.


    These were just soothing words to cate Jiang Lu, but she took them seriously. With teary eyes, she nodded, thinking her husband was really clever. She whispered, "I''ll listen to you."


    "That''s good."


    Jiang Lu looked out the window and saw Yang Lixin looking over. She nodded at him, and he responded in kind.


    This cooperation went pretty well.


    Jiang Lu nced at Yang Lixin and then lowered her eyes, hesitating. She wanted to say something to Zhou Qun but suddenly had a sh of inspiration. She bit her lip and pretended nothing was wrong.


    Today, Yang Lixin had stood up for her and spoken up for her. She found it odd. Their families had never had any interaction before. But... thinking carefully, Yang Lixin had never caused any trouble for their family.


    She had wanted to suggest to Zhou Qun that they team up with Yang Lixin to deal with Bai Fendou.


    But then, it hit her. Could it be that Yang Lixin liked her?


    Hmm, it was very possible.


    The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    Today, he had taken the initiative to stand up for her, and there had been another time before.


    In fact, there had been several times.


    Once, when it was raining heavily after work, he had given her his umbre.


    Another time, when she fell off her bike, he had helped her up and even offered to ride the bike together with her...


    And there were...


    When she didn''t think about it, she didn''t notice, but now that she did, she realized there were many such instances.


    She nced at Zhou Qun again and decided not to mention it. No man could tolerate this. Since Yang Lixin hadn''t directly said anything or approached her, only silently supported her, she shouldn''t say anything either.


    A woman''s reputation is very important.


    Looking out the window, she saw Yang Lixin had already left. So, was he just standing up for her?


    She felt a bit touched.


    Then she looked at Li Fang... Li Fang was average-looking, not particrly attractive, and her personality was very reserved. Maybe because Yang Lixin was a son-inw who lived with his wife''s family, their household was run by Li Fang.


    Jiang Lu felt even more sympathetic.


    A man shouldn''t be controlled by a woman. What kind of situation is that?


    At that moment, Li Fang felt nauseous and retched a few times. Auntie Sui immediately said, "Are you okay? You''re pregnant, you should rest."


    Li Fang smiled and said, "It''s fine."


    Jiang Lu pursed her lips. Li Fang already had two kids, and now this was her third pregnancy. She was really fertile. Yang Lixin was quite capable... She felt a bit tempted. If, if she agreed to Yang Lixin once, and got pregnant...


    Actually, it wasn''t impossible!


    The only fear was that her child might look like Yang Lixin, and that would be disastrous.


    Jiang Lu''s overthinking waspletely unknown to anyone. If Yang Lixin knew, he would probably be speechless and frustrated. He really just wanted toe out and curse Bai Fendou for being inconsiderate.


    If he knew what Jiang Lu was thinking, he would be even more bewildered.


    He lent his umbre out of kindness, and offering to ride the bike was just to try out the feeling of riding a bicycle. His family didn''t have one, and what man doesn''t love cars?


    Yang Lixin himself was unaware, but in Jiang Lu''s mind, he had be her secret admirer.


    A silent admirer who never made his feelings known.


    Yang Lixin: "..."


    Completely unaware, it was just ridiculous.


    Of course, Yang Lixin didn''t know anything now. After a brief moment of temptation, Jiang Lu quickly dismissed the idea. Even if Yang Lixin admired her and was fertile, it wouldn''t be appropriate. If she had a child who looked like a neighbor, that would be a big problem.


    Especially since Yang Lixin already had several sons. If her child resembled Li Junjun or Li Weiwei, it would be even worse.


    Zhou Qun, being so clever, wouldn''t fail to notice.


    She sighed deeply, feeling how difficult her situation was.


    "What are you spacing out about?"


    Jiang Lu immediately snapped back to reality and said, "I was thinking about my mother-inw and my family."


    Her mother insisted on taking her to the hospital to check for infertility, and no matter how she tried to avoid it, it wasn''t working. She felt so overwhelmed. She knew that if the check-up showed she was fine, her mother would force her to divorce.


    She sighed and said, "I don''t know how to deal with this."


    Zhou Qun looked up and said, "I''ve already inquired. The robbery won''t affect my mother. But the superstitious activities will probablynd her three months in jail."


    He didn''t want to face this situation, but there was no other way. Who could me his own mother for being such a fool? The n had gone awry, and she had ruined a good hand. He had originally intended to use superstition to deal with his brother-inw.


    But his mother had messed it all up. It seemed that with her, you could only be direct; any hint would be misinterpreted and botched. Zhou Qun hadn''t been straightforward to protect himself, so he could im ignoranceter.


    But he hadn''t expected his mother to be this stupid.


    He said, "The official result hasn''te out yet, but I''ve asked around, and it''s pretty much going to be like this."


    Jiang Lu felt a surge of joy but put on a sad face. "It''s hard on Mother."


    She hoped she would be locked up forever. This old hag not only treated her badly but even schemed against her father. She wished the old woman would stay inside forever, or better yet, die in there.


    She said, "Mother was just too impulsive."


    Zhou Qun: "It''s already happened."


    This had disrupted his ns, and he didn''t know when he''d have another chance. It was really frustrating.


    Zhou Qun: "I''m going to find Bai Fendou for a drink."


    Jiang Lu: "???"


    She was puzzled. Why did Zhou Qun keep seeking out Bai Fendoutely?


    She understood that Zhou Qun wanted to get closer to Bai Fendou to take revenge, but because she knew that, she felt worried. She sighed and called, "Zhaodi, make dinner!"


    Before, she used to do all these chores, but now it was easier.


    Wang Zhaodi quickly entered the room. Jiang Lu asked her about today''s outing. Wang Zhaodi hesitated and only mentioned a few things, but Jiang Lu still picked up on something and smiled meaningfully, asking more questions.


    Seeing Wang Zhaodi''s evasive behavior, Jiang Lu suddenly said, "Zhaodi,e into the inner room."


    Some things needed to be said in private.


    "How about I introduce you to someone? What about Bai Fendou?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "!!!"


    She was shocked.


    Jiang Lu: "Think about it. Your Zhou Qun brother doesn''t fancy you. You''re not a match for him, but you''re more than enough for Bai Fendou. If you go back to the countryside, you''ll never have a life like this again. You know how much better city life ispared to the countryside, right?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "Ah? I know, but but but..."


    Jiang Lu thought it was a perfect n and whispered, "Just think about it, this is a great opportunity. You could marry into the city, and Bai Fendou is a formal worker, even if he''s just a sewer cleaner, he still makes twenty-five yuan a month. His father also makes twenty-five, so two men together make fifty yuan. Plus, they have two houses. You wouldn''t get any of this in the countryside."


    Wang Zhaodi: "But..."


    She didn''t know what to say, but she just felt it wasn''t right.


    "Don''t worry about him not being willing. We can make it a done deal, and if he''s not willing, we can sue him. He won''t want to end up in jail, so he''ll have to marry you. As long as you can get married, reputation doesn''t matter, right?"


    Wang Zhaodi waspletely shocked.


    Today, she had been stirred up by Tao Yuyue, and now Jiang Lu was saying this, she was utterly astonished, her hands moving so fast they almost blurred.


    "I, I can''t..."


    Jiang Lu stared at her for a long time, then finally smiled and said, "Well, just think about it. We can take it slow."


    If Wang Zhaodi married Bai Fendou, then what could Wang Xiangxiu possibly boast about? Would she still get so much help? Would she still unt her son? Moreover, Jiang Lu believed her suggestion wasn''t bad for Wang Zhaodi.


    What kind of man could Wang Zhaodi marry if she went back to the countryside?


    Her family, just to get a dowry, would likely marry her off to someone even worse. After all, they were willing to send their daughter to the city to have a baby for someone else, so it''s clear they have no moral bottom line. As long as someone could pay the dowry, they''d probably marry her off to a gambler, an old man, or a widower.


    So why not marry someone a bit better?


    Jiang Lu felt she wasn''t doing anyone harm; in fact, she was doing a good deed.


    Bai Fendou had many ws, he was a bit of a jinx, and he was entangled with a widow, but he was still the best option Wang Zhaodi could hope for.


    "Just think it over."


    Wang Zhaodi bit her lip: "Mmm."


    The two were talking in the inner room, their voices low, thinking no one knew, but they didn''t notice Ming Mei''s conflicted expression. It wasn''t that Ming Mei had extraordinary hearing, able to hear them from her own home. It was just...


    Ming Mei''s grandfather, Lan Sihai, was preparing to make a spinning wind chime for her unborn child. Naturally, Ming Mei was curious and came over.


    Lan Sihai''s room was only separated by a wall from the inner room where Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi were talking. Ming Mei happened to be sitting near the door, right under Jiang Lu''s window. Coincidentally, she... overheard them.


    Ming Mei heard, and so did Lan Sihai.


    The old man and the young girl exchanged a nce. Ming Mei scratched her head, unsure of what to do. She hadn''t expected to hear such a topic.


    This topic was a bit explosive.


    She hadn''t expected things to develop this way.


    This Wang Zhaodi was found by the Su family for the Zhou family. Now Jiang Lu was trying to push her towards Bai Fendou. If this really happened, the Su family would go crazy.


    Ming Mei continued to scratch her head. Lan Sihai said, "Stop scratching, you''ll go bald."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She whispered, "I just don''t understand..."


    Lan Sihai: "It''s not hard to understand."


    Though he said that, the old man didn''t want to discuss this at the door. He said, "Just mind your own business and watch the show."


    Ming Mei nodded. That made sense.


    But even so, she was still quite surprised.


    After sitting for a while, Ming Mei went home in a daze. Zhao Guihua noticed and asked, "What''s wrong with you?"


    Ming Mei hesitated for a moment but couldn''t hold back and immediately gestured with her hand. Zhao Guihua: "???"


    This daughter-inw of hers, how so childish.


    But even though she thought that, she still leaned in: "What is it?"


    Ming Mei whispered in Zhao Guihua''s ear, and Zhao Guihua eximed, "Holy crap!"


    Her exmation caught the attention of everyone in the house. Zhuang Zhixi pouted in grievance: "You''re whispering secrets to Mom but not telling me."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    At this moment, don''t be jealous.


    This is your own mother!

 Chapter 98

    Ming Mei was transferred to the office to work as a statistician. This internal transfer was not particrly troublesome and was quickly processed. She handed over her work to her predecessor, Little Cui, who seemed quite pleased with the arrangement. Little Cui remarked, "This transfer is such a blessing. I''ve always wanted to work on the buses."


    Little Cui had a mother who was unwell and required medication, as well as children to support, so she naturally wanted to earn more money.


    Ming Mei was also happy. She suggested, "You should prepare arger water bottle and buy some stuff like balloon flower from the pharmacy. Our unit reimburses for these expenses."


    Although the buses had speakers, there were still many asions where one had to shout at the top of their lungs, especially during holidays when the buses were crowded. By the end of the day, one''s throat would feel parched. Little Cui appreciated Ming Mei''s advice and nodded, "Alright, I know this. I''ve already prepared everything."


    They both worked for the same unit, though in different departments. They could see each other and often interacted.


    Ming Mei recalled a dream she had about an ident and warned, "Also, during bad weather like rain or snow, the bus might skid. If you encounter such conditions, be sure to remind the passengers and hold onto the handrails. Our positions are particrly prone to being thrown forward, so be very careful and hold on tight. Your safety is important too."


    "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind. I won''t be careless. Thank you for the reminder," Little Cui replied, taking the advice seriously.


    Little Cui continued, "The work here in the statistics department isn''t too heavy, but it''s best to do a small review every week, checking the dispatch records. This way, by the end of the month, you''ll be more rxed and won''t be caught off guard if something goes wrong. You''ll be able to quickly identify where the errors are."


    "Okay," Ming Mei agreed.


    "Also, we need to schedule the shifts. You should post the schedule for the next week every Saturday afternoon."


    Little Cui went on to give more instructions, which Ming Mei diligently noted down in her notebook. Little Cui was surprised and said, "Oh? You''re left-handed."


    Ming Mei replied, "I can use both hands. I used to be left-handed as a child, but my parents made me switch, so now I can use both."


    Little Cui asked, "Can you write different things with both hands at the same time?"


    Ming Mei chuckled and said, "No way! Don''t think I''m some kind of genius. I''m just an ordinary person."


    Little Cui sighed and said, "You''re not ordinary at all. You''re quite famous here at the bus station for being a remarkable person."


    Ming Mei innocently blinked her eyes. Little Cui added, "You''re the fastest to get promoted and get a raise."


    Ming Mei replied, "Isn''t it because I caught a thief?"


    She continued, "Oh right, you should also be careful about pickpockets on the bus. Besides reminding passengers, keep an eye out yourself. Don''t be reckless. You can always ask the section chief or others for advice."


    Little Cui assured her, "Don''t worry, I know."


    The two women exchanged more advice about their respective jobs. Ming Mei had already taken Little Cui to meet the bus driver she would be working with. Little Cui, in turn, introduced Ming Mei to the office staff, saying, "Let me introduce you to everyone here. This is Sister Chen, this is..."


    At this point, sheughed and said, "Actually, I don''t need to introduce anyone. You already know them."


    Little Cui wasn''t familiar with the bus drivers because they were mostly middle-aged men, and she was a young woman. The drivers were rarely at the bus station, so she didn''t know them well. However, Ming Mei couldn''t be unfamiliar with the office staff; she was a local girl from the bus station.


    Ming Mei alsoughed and said, "Yeah, no need for introductions. You can go ahead and get busy."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Little Cui replied, "Alright, I''ll be on my way then."


    Ming Mei returned to her desk and took a deep breath.


    "Feeling nervous?" Sister Chen asked.


    Ming Mei nodded and said, "It''s a new job. I''ve always worked on the buses, soing to the office is a bit of an adjustment."


    Sister Chenforted her, "You''ll get used to it soon. The work here isn''t too heavy, just requires a bit more attention to detail."


    Ming Mei replied, "I''ll do my best."


    As she turned her head, she saw Sister Zhong had already started knitting a sweater.


    Ming Mei thought to herself, "Alright, so the office work is indeed more rxed."


    Her first day in the office began like this. Ming Mei didn''t ck off. She poured herself a cup of water and started carefully reviewing past materials, aiming to get familiar with her new duties as soon as possible. Although everyone said the work was simple, she still needed some time to adapt.


    "Ming Mei," someone called.


    Ming Mei looked up and said, "Yes?"


    "What are you drinking?" Sister Chen asked, curious about Ming Mei''s cup.


    Ming Mei looked down and said, "Oh, you mean this? It''s lemon."


    "Lemon?"


    Everyone seemed a bit curious, as this was something they hadn''t heard of before.


    Ming Mei exined, "It''s a kind of fruit. Unlike apples, you can''t eat it directly; it''s meant to be soaked in water. These are dried lemon slices. My uncle sent them to me from out of town after hearing that I''m pregnant. He said it''s good for something, but I can''t remember exactly what. I don''t really understand it, but I just drink it."


    Sister Chen eximed, "That''s quite unusual. I''ve never seen it before."


    Sister Zhong also leaned over to take a look.


    Ming Mei offered, "Would you like to try some?"


    Sister Chen quickly shook her head. "No, no, we can''tpete with a pregnant woman for food."


    Sister Zhong nced at Sister Chen and remained silent.


    Sister Chen continued, "We''re not pregnant, so we don''t need it. You enjoy it. How many months along are you?"


    Ming Mei replied, "A little over one month."


    "Oh, you found out so early?" Everyone was quite surprised. Usually, many people only discovered their pregnancy around two or three months. Ming Mei nodded and said, "Yes, I had morning sickness and the doctor was able to tell from my pulse."


    "That''s quite early," Sister Chen remarked.


    Ming Mei added, "Yes, a woman in our courtyard is about two months pregnant, and she found outter than I did."


    The women in the office quickly started chatting about pregnancy and childbirth. Apart from one unmarried woman, the rest were all married and had children, so the topic was a natural fit. Ming Mei was naturally sociable and quickly adapted to the conversation.


    Sister Chen, who was quite straightforward, said, "My house is just two buildings away from yours. If you need to pass on a message, just tell me. I know your mom."


    Ming Mei smiled and nodded, "Okay."


    Sister Chen sighed and said, "You know, when your mom was working, we called her Sister Lan. Now that her daughter is working, we''re called Sister Chen, Sister Zhong, Sister Wang... It''s a bit confusing."


    Ming Mei suppressed augh and said, "We''ll just call each other by our names."


    "That makes sense," Sister Chen agreed.


    Technically, Ming Mei should have called them "Aunt," but with so many people taking over their parents'' jobs, the titles had be quite mixed up. Everyone just called each other by their first names, which was more convenient.


    "Ming Mei, I''ve noticed your husband alwayses to pick you up. He''s quite handsome. You two make a good-looking couple. What does he do?" someone asked.


    Ming Mei replied, "He works at the Machinery City. He''s in the propaganda department of the machinery factory."


    "That''s a good job," the woman remarked.


    ...


    The conversation continued lively until it was time to go home. Ming Mei sat on the back of Zhuang Zhixi''s bicycle and remarked, "I feel like I talked just as much today as I usually do when selling tickets. The only difference is that I didn''t have to shout."


    She leaned against Zhuang Zhixi''s back. Zhuang Zhixi said, "It''s your first day. Everyone was probably just being extra friendly. It might calm down in a couple of days."


    Ming Mei nodded, "Probably."


    She swung her legs lightly and said, "I wonder if they''ve finished cleaning the restroom by now."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched, but he remained firm, "They must have finished by now. It''s the third day. If they haven''t finished cleaning a septic tank in three days, that would be too inconsiderate. We''re suffering here, and they don''t even live nearby. That would be really inconsiderate."


    If it were cold weather, it wouldn''t be so bad, but with the hot weather, the smell was quite strong. Everyone in the neighborhood wasining.


    Zhuang Zhixi had already heard that some people couldn''t stand it and had gone to the street office to protest.


    "I think the leaders who made this decision must have a few screws loose. Seriously, who in their right mind would hide gold and silver treasures in a cesspool? They even searched meticulously. I''m truly amazed. Besides, who would take something and not hide it away but leave it in ce? Are they brain dead? I think they''re just in crazy."


    Ming Mei: "Maybe... they wanted to observe people''s reactions?"


    She thought this was quite possible.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Then why not build a toilet to observe? Digging through feces to observe is just in sick."


    The couple couldn''t understand it at all, and they weren''t the only ones. Everyone around them couldn''t make sense of it either.


    Fortunately, the couple didn''t encounter such a situation when they returned home today. It seemed they had finally regained some sanity and didn''t continue this madness into the third day. However, as soon as they entered the courtyard, they felt that today''s atmosphere was unusually lively.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Why is everyone here?"


    "Oh, you young couple don''t know. The verdict on Aunt Zhou hase down."


    "Ah, what is it?"


    Zhao Guihua: "She''s being charged with promoting feudal superstitions, using superstitions to curse others, and being exploited by bad elements, nearly causing a major incident. She''s sentenced to four months in jail."


    Four months?


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi exchanged nces, both somewhat shocked. That was quite a long time.


    He whispered, "How did you find out?"


    Zhao Guihua pointed at Aunt Wang and said, "Aunt Wang went to the neighborhood office to deliver matchboxes today and happened to hear the notice."


    The speed now is quite fast.


    Aunt Wang also sighed, "I thought she might be released."


    They thought this way because of the previous incident with Bai Fendou, which ended with him being released. Unexpectedly, Aunt Zhou, who seemed less severe than Bai Fendou''s case, was being dealt with.


    Zhao Guihua pondered and said, "Our factory''s security department also handles these matters. However, since everyone is from the same factory and there are acquaintances who can help, some cases, if not too serious, are handled lightly. After all, we''re all from the same factory. But if it falls into the hands of the police or higher authorities, they will handle it by the book. Especially in Aunt Zhou''s case, since it''s from another district''s police station, they naturally investigate and handle it normally."


    Aunt Wang whispered, "Actually..."


    She looked around the courtyard and hesitated before saying, "I heard, just heard, that the victim, Aunt Zhou''s inws, demanded strict punishment. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have been... so severe."


    "My goodness."


    "Oh, why go to such extremes..."


    "This inw is making it hard to meet again in the future."


    People nowadays are used to minimizing major issues. Although they didn''t like Aunt Zhou, hearing that she was going to jail made them unconsciously speak up for her. After all, they weren''t the victims. It''s easy to talk when you''re not the one affected.


    "This is a bit ruthless."


    "Exactly, once Aunt Zhou returns, Jiang Lu''s life will definitely be even harder. Why don''t the parents think more about their child? This is too hasty."


    "That''s true."


    Zhao Guihua, hearing this, felt a bit annoyed. She was a straightforward person, speaking her mind and often fighting for everyone''s rights. But many times, after she yed the bad cop, someone else would y the good cop, making her seem like she was in the wrong.


    Those who benefited were seen as innocent, while she wasbeled as hot-tempered. In the case of the Su family, Zhao Guihua had suffered in her previous life. The suffering wasn''t about losing anything but not gaining a good reputation.


    She was speaking up for everyone, yet she didn''t get any credit. So this time, Zhao Guihua wouldn''t get involved. She listened to everyone''sments without saying a word, thinking it had nothing to do with her. Aunt Wang said, "I think maybe Jiang Lu''s family doesn''t want to be inws anymore. This might be forcing Jiang Lu to divorce."


    "Ah, breaking up a temple is better than breaking up a marriage. If they do this, it''s Jiang Lu''s parents'' fault."


    "Exactly."


    "This won''t do."


    Ming Mei pursed her lips, thinking what''s the big deal? Zhou Qun isn''t a good person anyway. The things she heard when she yed the ghost are clear evidence. So no matter how well Zhou Qun acts, Ming Mei firmly believes he''s not a good person.


    Such a despicable person, suspected of infertility, Jiang Lu should divorce early to escape her suffering.


    Jiang Lu so desperately wants a child; she should leave Zhou Qun.


    In the question of who can''t have children between Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu, Ming Mei firmly believes it must be Zhou Qun.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing everyone seemed to sympathize with Aunt Zhou being jailed, couldn''t stand it anymore and turned to go home. Ming Mei immediately followed, holding Zhao Guihua''s arm, "Mom, let''s go together."


    Zhao Guihua nced at her, and Ming Mei smiled sweetly, "Let''s go together!"


    Once inside, Ming Mei suddenly thought of something and turned to Zhuang Zhixi, "When it''s less crowded, collect the salted fish. I think it''s almost dry. Plus, it''s cloudy today. It might rain."


    "Okay."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "I''m actually looking forward to rain."


    Being his mother, Zhao Guihua knew what he was thinking just by his expression.


    She looked at Zhuang Zhixi and chuckled, "You just love watching the chaos, don''t you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi was quite calm and justified, "I like rain, isn''t that allowed? Rain is also cool."


    Zhao Guihua: "You clearly want to see the fun with Bai Fendou and his father."


    As for the Bai father and son, they are truly unique. They are unwilling to spend money and live with broken window ss. Even if they didn''t rece the ss, they could at least block it with something cheap.


    But no, they insist on enduring it, iming it''s cooler this way.


    The problem is, today is only June 1st. It''s not even hot yet. Sure, it''s hot at noon, but the temperature difference between morning and evening is significant. These two are just stubborn.


    If it rains... The Zhuang family silently looked across at the Bai''s, knowing they would suffer.


    Ming Mei: "Did they go to work today?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, the factory can''t give them too long off. Besides, cleaning the toilet isn''t heavy work; it doesn''t affect their job."


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Speaking of Bai Fendou, he sure has a connection with toilets. The toilet in our alley is finally cleaned, and the smell is fading. But he''s gone to clean the factory toilet now."


    He joked, "He didn''t get a promotion at the factory, but he''s be the director of the toilet."


    "You''re just mocking them," Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes again, peeking out the window to check the weather. It was indeed cloudy. Recently, there seemed to be rain, but it hadn''te yet. A few days ago, it was cloudy all day but didn''t rain. She didn''t know if it would today.


    She said, "Anyway, don''t forget to collect the fish."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll do it, I''ll do it right now."


    Zhao Guihua: "I wonder when these red armbands will finish and leave. They''re really holding me back. If it weren''t for them, I''d have dried the second batch of fish by now."


    Ming Mei: "Mom, I think they''ll be done soon. They''ve been at it for days and found nothing. Even if they wanted to observe reactions, they''ve probably seen enough. They''re not the type to stick around."


    Zhao Guihua nodded, finding Ming Mei''s analysis quite reasonable.


    She said, "They better leave soon so I can go catch fish on the mountain. With more people going up, it''s hard to guard the good spots. If word gets out, there won''t be such good fishing opportunities."


    Ming Mei excitedly said, "I''m off on weekends now. I''ll go with you on weekends."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Where are you going? You''re pregnant now. Don''t go up the mountain and mess around. What if you get too tired and strain yourself?"


    Ming Mei pouted and said coquettishly, "Mom, other people work until just before giving birth. Look at me, I''ve only just found out I''m pregnant. What''s there to worry about?"


    Zhao Guihua didn''t think the same way. She said, "It''s precisely because you''ve just be pregnant that you need to be more careful. Besides, being pregnant is already very hard. Other people work until just before giving birth because they have no other choice due to their circumstances. If they had a choice, why would they risk their health? This is the time when you should take the best care of yourself. Giving birth is like passing through the gates of hell. How can you be careless? Furthermore, if you don''t take good care of yourself during pregnancy and don''t rest properly during the postpartum period, it can lead to many health issues. You can''t just ruin your body for the sake of having a child, can you?"


    Although she was an olderdy who had lived through the old society, she had also experienced the changes of the times. She was a fashionable olddy, even if she didn''t understand many modern ideas, she still tried to keep up with the younger generation and had absorbed a lot of knowledge.


    Some things, even without new knowledge, she understood intuitively. Sometimes, when she didn''t understand, it was just an act.


    For example, when ites to pregnancy, who doesn''t know that you should take good care of yourself?


    But many people just can''t take good care of themselves or don''t know how to rest properly after giving birth. Wang Zhaodi once mentioned that her mother had to get up the day after giving birth to cook and doundry, or else her grandmother would scold her. So it''s clear that sometimes people are forced to do things they don''t want to.


    But their family had the means, and she had no intention of making her daughter-inw suffer. Naturally, she hoped her daughter-inw would take good care of herself.


    She said, "Take it easy."


    Ming Mei blinked and smiled, saying, "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Oh, right. Since thest time we went to the hospital, you haven''t gone again, have you?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No."


    Zhao Guihua was speechless. "You fool, howe you don''t know how to take care of yourself? Tomorrow, take some time off and I''ll take you to the hospital for a check-up."


    Ming Mei blinked her big eyes and said, "But I''m fine."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Of course, I know you''re fine. But you''re pregnant, and you need to go to the hospital for check-ups every now and then. First, to confirm the timing, and second, to check your health condition. You really..."


    She looked Ming Mei up and down and sincerely said, "You''re such a blockhead."


    Ming Mei just chuckled.


    Ming Mei wasn''t annoyed at all after being scolded. If she couldn''t tell good from bad, then she really would have lived up to Zhao Guihua''s words¡ªbeing a blockhead.


    However, the rain still didn''t fall.


    Zhuang Zhixi was extremely disappointed. The guy was just that mischievous, always looking for some entertainment. There was one thing Ming Mei had guessed right. She thought those people with red armbands weren''t good at working. It turned out she was right. Unexpectedly, they finally withdrew.


    Of course, the toilet wasn''t finished properly either. They hired a group of people to do the work, only sending two people to supervise.


    The people who actually worked hard got the job done quickly.


    Zhao Guihua heard about it from the neighbors early in the morning but didn''t pay much attention. She rode her bicycle to the bus station to pick up Ming Mei. The mother-inw and daughter-inw went to the hospital together. The doctor who received them was the same one asst time.


    She had a kind face and even remembered Ming Mei and Zhao Guihua. She smiled and said, "It''s you again."


    This time, when she took Ming Mei''s pulse, she was quite certain. She said, "Ming Mei is about one and a half months pregnant, but definitely not two months yet." Compared to thest time when she was not so sure, this time she was quite confident. She said, "Your pregnancy is still early, but your physical condition is good. Don''t do any strenuous exercise. In the early stages of pregnancy, you need to be even more careful. If possible, make sure your nutrition is adequate."


    Ming Mei replied, "Okay."


    Ming Mei knew she was carrying twins, but she couldn''t say it, because she couldn''t exin how she knew. However, Zhao Guihua spoke up. She remembered that in her previous life, Ming Mei had been very tired when she was pregnant with twins, so she wanted to bring it up early to make her take better care of herself.


    She said, "Doctor, do you think she might be carrying two? My daughter was pregnant with twins, and I noticed that Ming Mei has had reactions early on. Could she be carrying two as well?"


    The senior doctor replied, "It''s hard to say. Her pregnancy is still too early to tell. You cane back in about three months, and I''ll take her pulse again. By then, it should be possible to determine it. Before that, it''s just a guess and not entirely certain."


    Zhao Guihua said, "I thought it would be easy to find out."


    The senior doctor smiled. "It''s not that simple. You have to wait until about three months. Even though I''m somewhat well-known in Beijing for this, I still can''t be sure when the pregnancy is too early. Others would have even more trouble. So don''t be in a hurry. If you go to a Western doctor for an examination, they can urately determine it, but again, it''s not possible at this time. When the pregnancy is early, no one can be sure. It''s all spection. However, if there''s a family history of twins, then it''s not impossible. If she''s carrying two, it will be more tiring, so she needs to take extra care."


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei both nodded seriously. Both of them knew the truth but had to act as if they didn''t. The mother-inw and daughter-inw left the hospital together. Zhao Guihua took a deep breath and said, "Come, I''ll take you back to your unit. The doctor is right. We just need to be careful and meticulous. We don''t need to think too much about it early on. We... Hmm? Eh? Isn''t that Jiang Lu?"


    Ming Mei followed Zhao Guihua''s gaze and saw Jiang Lu walking alone, looking lost, clutching a piece of paper, and turning into the restroom.


    She wasn''t alone; there was also an energetic-looking olddy with her. The olddy was dressed neatly, without a single patch, clearly a well-off and pampered woman.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw exchanged a nce and followed them without hesitation. Both of them loved to watch interesting situations.


    They followed and stood silently at the door, listening to the conversation inside. "Let me see."


    Jiang Lu bit her lip and shook her head, but her reaction made the olddy understand immediately. Even without seeing the examination report, the olddy guessed what it said. She said, "You''re fine, aren''t you!"


    Jiang Lu bit her lip and started to cry.


    The olddy pped her back and scolded, "Why are you being so foolish? Why are you crying at a time like this? Tell me, you''re fine, aren''t you? You can have children, can''t you?"


    Jiang Lu still cried and didn''t speak. The olddy didn''t care and directly pried the paper out of her hand. She put on her reading sses and carefully examined it, her lips trembling slightly. When she finished reading, she said with a sob, "You can have children. You really can. You two haven''t had children not because of you. I knew it, I knew it wasn''t my daughter''s fault. That Zhou family med you, Aunt Zhou, she deserves to die. She really deserves to die. Divorce, we''re fine, let''s divorce. We''ll find someone who can have children. We''ll live a good life and not get entangled in the Zhou family''s mess, sinking with them."


    The olddy was too excited. Over the past ten years, her daughter had suffered so much because she couldn''t have children. Now it was time for the truth toe out.


    "Divorce!" she said firmly.


    Jiang Lu kept crying, but at this moment, she firmly shook her head and said, "I won''t."


    "What!" The olddy''s eyes widened.


    Jiang Lu was extremely determined. "I won''t. I won''t divorce."


    She begged bitterly, "Mom, I''m begging you, don''t make us divorce. I have feelings for Zhou Qun, and he treats me very well. I don''t want to divorce, and I can''t divorce. If I divorce, what kind of person can I find? Besides, I don''t want to find someone else. Zhou Qun has been so good to me all these years. Even when they said I couldn''t have children, he neverined or med me. Now that it''s proven he can''t have children, should I immediately abandon him? Mom, even if you beat me to death, even if you disown me, I won''t leave Zhou Qun."


    You, you, you. You''re going to drive me to death. You''ve always wanted a child, haven''t you? How can you have a child with Zhou Qun?


    Jiang Lu: "I have my own way, Mom. I can have a child. Although, it''s a bit unfair to Zhou Qun, but I want to have a child for the Zhou family. He won''t me me. I''m doing this for my own family."


    Even the well-experienced olddy was shocked. She said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Jiang Lu was serious: "I will have a child. In the future, you all need to be nicer to Zhou Qun. I n to find someone to have a child with, and Zhou Qun won''t know about it. Our daughter has wronged Zhou Qun, it''s our Jiang family''s fault, not the Zhou family''s. You all need to help Zhou Qun more."


    If she has a child with someone else, then it''s the Jiang family''s fault towards the Zhou family.


    Although, although she''s doing it for the family, she still hurts Zhou Qun''s love for her. She hopes that by doing this, her parents will feel more guilty towards Zhou Qun and help him more. It''s not fair that her father is always scheming for her brother and not for her husband, right?


    She said seriously: "Mom, Zhou Qun and I will take good care of you in the future."


    The olddy: "..."


    She looked at her daughter with a mix of emotions and said, "What are you talking about? We owe the Zhou family? What nonsense! Zhou''s olddy has harmed your father so much, and Zhou Qun can''t have children. Do you really want to stay in this family until you die? It''s the Zhou family that owes us, not the other way around. How can you be so confused now?"


    Jiang Lu: "But if I have a child with someone else, isn''t that wronging the Zhou family?"


    The olddy, however, didn''t get swayed by Jiang Lu: "He can''t have children, that''s his fault. You can choose to divorce him."


    Jiang Lu: "No!"


    The Jiang family''s olddy looked at her daughter, who was so confused that it was beyond repair. She took a deep breath and asked, "Do you really not want a divorce?"


    Jiang Lu raised her head, firm: "I would rather die than divorce him. Don''t even dream about it."


    The olddy: "You... you..."


    She was so angry she could barely breathe.


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, are you confused too? You should know, a good woman doesn''t marry twice. I know you think Zhou Qun isn''t good enough for me, but I think Qun Ge is the best man in the world. I''ve never thought about remarrying. As for the child... I''ve thought about it before. If I couldn''t get pregnant, I would find someone to have a child for him. Now, it''s actually good, I''m fine, so I''ll just find a way. There''s always a way to ovee difficulties."


    Jiang''s mother: "..."


    She leaned against the wall, feeling like she was about to faint from anger.


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, can you help me find a man? Someone who is in good health, good-looking, and has some education. A man like that would give birth to a child with better gics."


    Jiang Lu, you could say she''s traditional, and she really is.


    You could say she understands some reasoning, and she does, she even knows about gics.


    "Since we''re going to have a child, I want to have a boy in one go. It''s best to find a man who has had several sons in a row. I don''t know many people, can you help me find such a man?"


    Jiang Lu spoke so logically that her mother was about to faint from anger. She looked at her daughter with frustration, finally unable to hold back her anger, and said coldly, "If you don''t divorce, don''t consider us your parents anymore."


    She continued, "As for the family''s belongings, everything has nothing to do with you. If you don''t divorce, you won''t get a penny from us."


    She looked at her daughter and said, "I don''t know how the Zhou family turned you into this, but I''m putting this out here. You have to listen, whether you want to or not. If you don''t divorce, we will sever ties."


    She took a few deep breaths and turned to leave.


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei, who had been eavesdropping at the door, quickly turned and rushed into a ward.


    The patients in the ward all looked over.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t care what others thought and peeked outside secretly. She saw Jiang Lu''s mother leave directly. Soon after, Jiang Lu came out, her eyes red, walking very fast.


    Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei exchanged a nce. Ming Mei: "Uh..."


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s go too."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw left together, but they walked quite slowly, as they didn''t want to run into Jiang Lu. Fortunately, Jiang Lu was eager to leave the hospital and walked very fast. By the time they came out, they couldn''t see Jiang Lu anymore.


    Zhao Guihua drove Ming Mei to her workce.


    Throughout the journey, the mother-inw and daughter-inw were unusually quiet. They really didn''t know what to say, both a bit stunned.


    Especially Ming Mei, in her mind, Jiang Lu was a bit confused, but even so, she never expected Jiang Lu to do something like this. She actually wanted to have a child with someone else. What''s more, she didn''t n to divorce and wanted to pass this child off as Zhou Qun''s.


    Not only that, but she also wanted to drag her family into it. She wanted her family to feel guilty towards the Zhou family so they would help Zhou Qun.


    This logic, Ming Mei went over it several times but still couldn''t understand it.


    Is this something a person can do?


    Until they reached the workce, she finally spoke: "Mom... do you think Jiang Lu is sick?"


    Looking at Jiang Lu''s mother, she didn''t seem to be a confused person.


    Her mom isn''t confused, so how did she be like this?


    Zhao Guihua was also quite speechless. She said, "Who knows."


    She reminded Ming Mei: "Don''t talk about this with others, after all, it''s someone else''s privacy. We shouldn''t discuss it."


    Ming Mei blinked: "Not even Zhuang Zhixi?"


    Zhao Guihua: "..." Forget it, you can tell him. If Jiang Lu gets pregnant, that little rascal Zhuang Zhixi will probably figure it out anyway. That guy doesn''t know who he takes after; being so smart isn''t normal. But you two shouldn''t talk about it outside, and I won''t either. They can do whatever they want; we shouldn''t get involved. If something goes wrong, it''s over. Who knows if Zhou Qun will go crazy.


    Ming Mei: "I understand."


    Not just Ming Mei was greatly shocked, even Zhao Guihua, an experienced olddy, felt the same way. She really didn''t understand how Jiang Lu could be so infatuated. Does Zhou Qun really have that much charm?


    But what''s so good about Zhou Qun?


    If it''s looks, he''s not particrly outstanding;


    If it''s education, he only went to elementary school, oh, and didn''t even graduate properly;


    If it''s family conditions, he''s from a single-parent family, with a mother who is so mean that she can be described as vicious.


    Even in their marital rtionship, he''s only a three-second man. On top of that, he doesn''t follow the rules and fools around outside. Such a man, she really doesn''t understand what Jiang Lu sees in him. She just doesn''t get it.


    If it were Wang Zhaodi, Zhao Guihua could understand.


    Because Wang Zhaodi''s original family is too poor, no matter what kind of person she finds, it will be better than her original life. Zhou Qun, in this era, has a very high sry. Naturally, many people would be willing. After all,pared to just surviving and having enough to eat, even if the Zhou family is not ideal, it can be tolerated.


    But it shouldn''t be Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu''s family conditions are quite good; her parents are well-off and also have some influence. Her family situation is favorable, and even her parents are not confused people. You can tell from what they do and what Jiang Lu''s mother said.


    Her family is much better than all the families in their courtyard.


    But even so, Jiang Lu is stuck in this quagmire and refuses toe out.


    Zhao Guihua started shaking her head again, shaking it continuously. She just doesn''t understand!


    Butpared to Ming Mei, she knows Jiang Lu better. In her previous life, Jiang Lu was also unwilling toe out, probably brainwashed by the Zhou family (mother and son) to the core. In her heart, no one canpare to Zhou Qun.


    Of course, it''s just someone else''s business; they can watch the drama, but it''s not good to get involved. Just recently, the Red Armbands have withdrawn, and she ns to go up the mountain. As for whether those people are just pretending.


    Zhao Guihua isn''t too worried about that.


    As long as you can fish, it''s not wrong, right?


    She doesn''t steal, doesn''t rob, and doesn''t engage in spection.


    She didn''t go before because she didn''t want to be watched, but now that the Red Armbands are fewer, the problem isn''t too big.


    Zhao Guihua went home and called Liang Meifen, then they left together. But before leaving, she reminded Aunt Wang to keep an eye on the house. Normally, they wouldn''t leave the house unattended, but luckily, the three little thieves are all at school.


    They cane back early.


    Zhao Guihua had made up her mind to return before the children got out of school, which was why she had called upon Liang Meifen. If she had wanted to stay on the mountain longer, she wouldn''t have dared. There was a thief in the courtyard, and that made things inconvenient.


    Liang Meifen asked, "How''s Sister-inw doing?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "She''s fine."


    She added, "Ming Mei might be carrying twins."


    She wanted to prepare everyone in advance, so she said, "It''s not certain yet. We''ll have to wait a while longer and get the doctor to check again. For now, it''s just a suspicion."


    By subtly shifting the focus, it seemed as though the doctor had suggested it, rather than her. Liang Meifen raised her eyebrows in surprise and said, "If she''s carrying two, that would be quite a challenge."


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement.


    Liang Meifen didn''t say anything more. She rubbed her belly, thinking about how she hadn''t been able to conceive again. Two children were just too few. She had worked hard to give birth to two, while her sister-inw seemed to have it all figured out in one go.


    This thought left her feeling a bit sour.


    She wanted to have a third child, but she and her husband hadn''t been using any contraception, and yet, after so many years, she still hadn''t conceived... Liang Meifen sighed.


    Zhao Guihua asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Liang Meifen replied, "Mom, why haven''t I been able to conceive again after so many years?"


    Zhao Guihua shrugged, "How would I know? If you''re worried, go to the hospital and get checked."


    Liang Meifen immediately shook her head, "What''s the point of going to the hospital? I''ve already had two kids, so I know I can have more. No need to go to the hospital. Maybe it''s just not the right time yet."


    People back then were very superstitious about going to the hospital.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t say anything further. Regardless of what she was thinking, the conversation between the mother-inw and daughter-inw came to a halt. The two of them set off for the mountain together, and their pace was not slow. The weather had been a bit overcast recently, but even though it was overcast, it wasn''t particrly cool. Instead, the low pressure made it feel stuffy.


    Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen didn''t encounter anyone on their way up the mountain. Generally, people avoided going up the mountain on such days, fearing a sudden downpour. Getting trapped on the mountain wasn''t a concern, but getting soaked in a heavy rain wasn''t worth it. If one fell ill, the few things they had picked on the mountain might not even cover the cost of medical treatment. So, the mountain was eerily quiet.


    When the mother-inw and daughter-inw reached their destination, Zhao Guihua checked the small traps she had set earlier. To her surprise, there was actually a rabbit inside. It was unclear when it had fallen in, but the rabbit had already eaten all the grass around the basket and was weak and wobbly from hunger.


    Without hesitation, Zhao Guihua tied up the rabbit and ced it in her basket.


    If they could have such a catch every day, that would be wonderful. However, such good fortune was rare.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Come, help me set thes. I''ll tell you, on days like this, when we feel suffocated, the fish feel the same. I had a great catchst time during such weather."


    Liang Meifen replied, "Alright!"


    Zhao Guihua added, "Don''t be greedy. We need to head back before the kids get out of school. Come on~"


    The two of them quickly got to work. As Zhao Guihua had predicted, their harvest was quite good. This kind of weather was better for catching fish than a sunny day. With two people working together, their pace was faster, and soon they had filled a basket.


    Although the fish were of varying sizes, even the smaller ones looked decent.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Let''s catch one more basket, and then we''ll head back."


    Liang Meifen agreed, "I think that''s a good idea."


    The two of them worked busily, moving quickly and reaping a good harvest. On days like this, most people didn''t want to go up the mountain, and Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen felt the same. However, since they were already there, they wanted to make the most of it before heading back.


    Gurgle gurgle!


    Zhao Guihua''s stomach growled, and Liang Meifen''s followed suit.


    Zhao Guihua said, "We left in a hurry, and I forgot to bring any dry rations. You should roast a couple of fish."


    After a pause, she added, "Roast six of them. Let''s eat until we''re full before we continue working."


    Liang Meifen happily agreed, "Sure!"


    Eating fish until full¡ªwhat kind of family was this?


    But the roasted fish smelled so delicious. They had left in a hurry and hadn''t brought any salt, but even without it, the fish tasted great. The mother-inw and daughter-inw ate their fill. Liang Meifen rubbed her belly and said, "I think eating like this is going to spoil my pte."


    Zhao Guihuaughed, "Then don''t eat."


    Liang Meifen chuckled, "Hehe."


    This was something she had picked up from Ming Mei. Whenever she couldn''t argue with her mother-inw, she would just "hehe" or "hehehe," justughing it off. Her mother-inw usually wouldn''t press the issue further. Sure enough, Zhao Guihua didn''t say anything more.


    After eating, the two of them felt full of energy to continue working.


    "Come on, let''s keep going!"


    As they resumed their work, they didn''t notice that someone had spotted the smoke from their fish roasting.


    A group of boys had gone up the mountain to explore, but after a morning of nothing, they were all a bit grumpy. As they sat down to rest, one of them suddenly eximed, "Hey, look! Is that smoke? Someone''s building a fire."


    "Let me see... Oh, yeah, it is!"


    "But why would someone build a fire in the mountains! What if it catches fire? Are they crazy?"


    "Come on, let''s go check it out."


    They immediately got up, with one of them saying, "On a day like this, it''s not like they need the fire for warmth. They''d be roasting themselves alive. I bet they''re roasting something."


    "Right."


    This clever boy continued to analyze, "If they had caught just a little, they could have taken it home directly. Why build a fire here? So, I''m guessing it''s not just a little something."


    "Oh, could it be that someone caught a wild boar?"


    Ever since they had caught a wild boar in these mountains, they had beening up whenever they had free time. "Treasure hunting" in the mountains was much more interesting than fighting at the back of the sea. Thinking about it this way, they quickly headed towards the source of the smoke.


    "Let''s go see!"


    The path in the mountains wasn''t easy to navigate, and they weren''t taking the usual route up and down, so their progress was slow.


    As they made their way, the mother-inw and daughter-inw were having good luck. They pulled up another, and this one was quite substantial. After packing it up, they found they were almost full. Zhao Guihua looked at the sky and said, "Let''s do one more, and then we''ll head back."


    Liang Meifen agreed, "Sounds good."


    The two of them had been doing this for some time and were quite skilled. They quickly pulled up another and filled their baskets. Zhao Guihua looked at the sky and said, "Alright, let''s head down the mountain."


    Liang Meifen went over to make sure their fire wouldn''t cause any problems, and then the two of them pushed the cart down the mountain. Other families treated their bicycles like treasures, riding them carefully and meticulously cleaning them every day, fearing that their bicycles would suffer even a small "injustice," but their family didn''t care about that.


    The bicycle hadn''t been bought for long, but it already looked quite worn. Although they would carefully clean it every time they got home, their bicycle was used a lot for work. The two baskets were tied to the left and right of the bicycle, and Liang Meifen pushed the cart carefully.


    Zhao Guihua wasn''t idle either; she had a basket on her back with a rabbit inside. Along the way, they encountered wild vegetables and fruits, so they would take out the rabbit, tie it to the back seat, and throw their harvest into the baskets. They moved slowly down the mountain. Just as they started, they heard the lively chatter and footsteps of a group of people. Zhao Guihua patted her head, thinking that these young men sure had a lot of energy.


    Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment and said, "Oldest daughter-inw, stop. Let''s hide in the bushes."


    She didn''t want to run into these young men. If they saw their abundant harvest, they would definitely ask where it came from. If they didn''t tell them, they would be pestered. Even if they did tell them, these young men hadn''t brought any fishing tools, and they would probably ask to borrow thes. If they had to wait for them to finish using thes, they might not get home untilte. And without any containers for the fish, they might even have to go down the mountain to find help. In the end, it might be nightfall before they could get home. If they went down the mountain together, then their two baskets of fish would be exposed. Being pestered like that would be very troublesome.


    If they lent thes to them first and waited for them to return themter...


    Zhao Guihua also felt that wasn''t a good idea. Theiring to visit wouldn''t be a good thing. She hadn''t thought about building any rtionships, as they were from different social sses. Moreover, they were all young men, brash and inexperienced. Whether they would return thes or not was uncertain.


    This was something they had paid for themselves.


    If these peopleing weren''t the vigers who had discovered the pond in their previous life, then Zhao Guihua thought it would be even more troublesome. Just from the sound of their voices, it was clear there were more than a couple of them. With people struggling as they were, this was no small matter. If they were forced to leave the fish behind...


    So, the best strategy was to hide.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly hid themselves. Zhao Guihua stared intently in the direction of the sound, while Liang Meifen was so nervous that she didn''t even dare to breathe heavily. She didn''t understand why they had to hide, but since her shrewd mother-inw had made the decision, it must be the right thing to do.


    Neither of them spoke. Sure enough, as soon as they hid, they saw six or seven youngdsing from the other direction. They were following the general direction of the smoke to head this way. In fact, the smoke had long since dissipated, but that didn''t stop them froming over to check it out.


    "Hey, we''ve been here before, haven''t we?"


    "Yeah, thest time we were chasing rabbits. I remember Little Five saying there was a fishy smell here..."


    "Hahaha, what fishy smell? I said he was talking nonsense. I didn''t smell anything..."


    "Well, maybe there really is one. Let''s head up the mountain."


    "Alright, I feel like it''s in this direction."


    "Wait, look, there are traces of someone having walked this way."


    "Ah, yes! Let''s follow this path that''s been stepped on,e on!"


    The group followed the path and ran up the mountain.


    Liang Meifen looked at Zhao Guihua, who sighed, "We won''t be able to keep this fish pond."


    Although they had indeed reaped the benefits of it for almost half a year, the thought of losing the fish pond was still quite disheartening.


    Zhao Guihua: "What a good fish pond it was."


    Liang Meifen: "They... they probably won''t say anything, right? We know, but we haven''t spoken about it."


    In fact, they had all guessed that it wasn''t just their family who had discovered the fish pond. Some families living at the foot of the mountain, who often went up the mountain, were bound to have found it too. It wasn''t exactly a secret that couldn''t be seen. It was just that everyone kept quiet about it, because if they spoke up, what would happen to them?


    And the pond was quite full of fish, so those who knew about it woulde and catch some secretly to enrich their own tables. There might even be families like theirs who caught fish to make salted fish, preparing for the winter. So Liang Meifen thought that maybe these people, even if they knew, wouldn''t say anything.


    They could stille in the future.


    But Zhao Guihua firmly shook her head and said, "Don''t think about it. There''s no such good luck anymore."


    Just as the two were about to leave, they suddenly heard a cheer from up the mountain.


    "Ahhh! Holy cow!"


    "Oh my God, there''s a pond here."


    "Look, someone must have been fishing here. The edges are all wet, someone''s been catching fish here..."


    "Yes, yes, yes!"


    "Let''s catch some fish, guys..."


    Although the distance wasn''t very close, the excitement of these youngds was so loud that, despite the intermittent nature of their shouts, Zhao Guihua could still make out what they were saying. She said, "Let''s hurry down the mountain."


    Liang Meifen: "???"


    Zhao Guihua: "They''re young and full of energy. If they really catch a lot of fish, they''ll definitely boast about it. It''ll probably spread like wildfire. We don''t want to be involved."


    Liang Meifen: "If it gets out..."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s why I''m sighing. I reckon there won''t be such good luck anymore. Let''s hurry and leave."


    Zhao Guihua didn''t know what to say. These people had actually followed the path they had taken to find the pond. While she felt regretful, she also thought it was perhaps fate! After all, in their previous life, it was these veryds who had publicized the fish pond.


    This time, it seemed to be them again.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickened their pace. They descended the mountain and, riding their bikes, headed towards the city.


    Woohoo, what a great fish pond!


    The two quickly descended the mountain and rode their bikes back, hurrying as much as they could, finally arriving home in the evening. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they were immediately spotted by Aunt Su...

 Chapter 99

    Aunt Su had been hospitalized for several days, losing out on the small earnings she made from folding matchboxes, and she was furious.


    She felt that Aunt Wang was deliberately targeting her. If it wasn''t intentional, why did Aunt Wang suddenly secure earning opportunities for everyone as soon as she was hospitalized? Why hadn''t she done that before? This was clearly a personal attack.


    However, Aunt Su didn''t dare to confront Aunt Wang directly. She still relied on this old woman to secure more poverty subsidies for her. So, even though she was in a bad mood, she forced herself to endure it and continued working with everyone,ughing and chatting as if nothing was wrong. She nced around and asked, "Has the entire family of Guihua gone out?"


    Aunt Wang nodded, "Guihua said they were going fishing."


    Everyone in the courtyard knew that Zhao Guihua had be obsessed with fishing this year. Not only had she bought fishing rods, but also fishings. She went fishing every few days. Although Zhao Guihua''s luck with fishing was average, her family members were quite skilled, so they often had some catches. As a result, the smell of fish being cooked frequently wafted from their house.


    It was undeniable that fishing was one of the cheapest ways to improve their living conditions. Even Aunt Wang''s husband, Chef Li, often went fishing to supplement their meals. So, she fully supported it.


    "Fishing is good. After all, it''s a source of protein."


    "That''s true. Seeing Guihua go fishing so often, I feel like joining in too. Aunt Wang, want toe along?"


    Aunt Wang shook her head, "I can''t. I don''t know how to fish. I''d rather spend that time folding matchboxes to earn some household money. My old man catches more fish than I would, so I don''tpete with him."


    "That makes sense. Sometimes you go fishing ande back empty-handed."


    "Guihua must have had a good catch today; otherwise, she wouldn''t have gone." Aunt Su was shrewd and quickly figured it out.


    "Of course! You can see and smell it; they often eat fish at home." People were very attentive to food and drink, even if they didn''t openly discuss it. Everyone had their own calctions.


    Aunt Su smiled faintly and said, "I bet they have a good fishing spot. Otherwise, how could they always have a catch?" She slyly stirred the pot, adding, "If such a ce exists, they shouldn''t keep it to themselves. We''ve been neighbors for so many years; we should help each other. Wouldn''t it be great if we all went? Fish aren''t going to run out, are they?"


    "That makes sense."


    "Exactly. I feel like I can smell fish every day."


    Aunt Wang chuckled, "If you can smell it every day, your nose must be ying tricks on you. You can see that Old Zhao doesn''t go fishing every day."


    "I was just saying that. Maybe they''re drying fish?"


    "Could be."


    Everyone chimed in with their opinions. Zhao Guihua, of course, had no idea everyone was talking about her fishing. When she returned in the evening, she was immediately spotted by Aunt Su. Aunt Su''s eyes were like searchlights, fixed on the baskets Zhao Guihua carried. Her gaze was so intense that she forced a smile and asked, "Guihua, did you go fishing? Looks like you had a good catch."


    At this, Zhao Guihua immediately sensed Aunt Su''s ill intentions.


    After all, they were both seasoned veterans; there was no need for games.


    Didn''t she know what Aunt Su was like? Despite her seemingly meek appearance, Aunt Su could be quite vicious. The courtyard was much more peaceful when she wasn''t around. Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t very shrewd, and Zhao Guihua herself didn''t stir up trouble at home.


    But as soon as Aunt Su returned, things changed. Just look, she was already making moves.


    Zhao Guihua remained calm and nced at her, saying, "We did have a good catch today, but it wasn''t from fishing. You know my skills; I''m too embarrassed to brag about them anymore."


    Sheughed and continued, "Today, we met an old man who was really good at fishing. Seeing his plentiful catch, we exchanged some with him. I thought it was a rare opportunity, so I traded some fish to dry them for winter. That way, we''ll have an extra dish, right?"


    "Yes, you''re very thoughtful, Guihua."


    Aunt Su still stared at the baskets and said, "If you exchanged a lot, that could be considered spection and profiteering."


    These words instantly silenced everyone.


    No one spoke. Zhao Guihua sneered and said, "What spection and profiteering? Spending money to buy things is spection and profiteering. I exchanged goods with someone by the river, and many people saw it. I traded some food stamps and two rabbits. I did it openly; what do I have to be afraid of? Besides, Aunt Su, you can eat whatever you want, but you can''t just say anything. If you''re looking for trouble, don''t me me for being rude!"


    Zhao Guihua immediately rolled up her sleeves.


    Perhaps Zhao Guihua''s confidence was too convincing, and everyone instantly believed her.


    "Aunt Zhao, it''s not that serious."


    "Right, don''t get angry. Aunt Su was just speaking carelessly. We know you wouldn''t do that..."


    "Exactly, don''t get mad. Aunt Su, what are you saying? Is that how you talk?"


    Mentioning "spection and profiteering" had angered everyone.


    It wasn''t that they were particrly defending Zhao Guihua, but everyone secretly bought food from the ck market. With the limited rations, how could they survive? If you called this behavior wrong and deserving of punishment, you''d be standing against everyone. No one wanted to hear that.


    Aunt Su quickly exined, "That''s not what I meant... I was just reminding..."


    But everyone''s expressions remained displeased.


    Zhao Guihua raised her voice, "I set traps in the countryside and caught three rabbits, exchanging two of them."


    She was tantly lying, but no one could prove she was.


    She sneered and said, "Keep your mouth shut and stop scheming to plot against others. If you keep ndering me, I''ll beat you up!"


    Zhao Guihua was unyielding.


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    Oh my, her mother-inw was definitely not someone to be trifled with. Even when lying, she could be so confident and threaten to beat someone up. She, as a gentle and meek person, was no match for her mother-inw. The best course of action was to stay low-key and avoid offending her.


    Aunt Su forced a smile and said, "Guihua, you misunderstood me..."


    Zhao Guihua cut her off, "Stop with your roundabout talk. I know what you''re up to. Pfft!"


    Aunt Su had thick skin and quick reflexes. In an instant, she thought of an excuse and was about to speak when suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her butt. She turned around and was instantly terrified. All thoughts of exnation vanished, reced by a scream: "Ah!!!"


    "What''s wrong? What happened? Why are you screaming?"


    Everyone followed Aunt Su''s gaze and saw arge ck rat scurrying away.


    "Oh my god!"


    "Ugh, I hate rats..."


    "Quick, kill it!"


    "These pests are so annoying..."


    Seeing the rat, everyone sprang into action, grabbing slippers to smack it. The rat fled for its life. Although people said that in such poor conditions, even rats wouldn''t want to enter, the reality was that rats still liked toe in. And there were quite a few of them. That''s why they paid for rat tails; it was a small amount, but it was still money.


    Rats were hard to catch, but seeing one in broad daylight, they couldn''t let it go. Not only for the money, but also because rats stole food. The most annoying thing was that they ate the food.


    The courtyard became lively.


    Zhao Guihua quickly nudged Liang Meifen, who immediately reacted and carried the two baskets into the house.


    After a while, the rat managed to escape the courtyard without being caught. Aunt Wang sighed, "This is so annoying."


    Aunt Su clutched her butt, cursing, "This damn rat bit my butt! If I catch you, I''ll fry you in oil, you pest..."


    At this point, who cared about being polite?


    She was furious: "I''ll have to go to the hospital again. How much money is enough to waste like this?"


    Everyone looked at her with sympathy, feeling that Aunt Su''s recent luck was really bad. It seemed like she was treating the hospital like her home, going there endlessly. If it were something minor, she could skip it, but getting bitten by a rat? That definitely needed a check-up.


    After all, no one really knew what kind of bacteria might be lurking.


    If someone were actually pricked by a rusty nail or hit by a brick, the injured person might not even go to the hospital, opting to save money instead. People back then didn''t know about tetanus shots. But when it came to being bitten by a rat, people would actually go and get checked. They were afraid of catching some terrible disease from the filthy creatures.


    After all, rats were the most disgusting and dirtiest of all pests.


    Having lived through the old society, they had heard all sorts of rumors about rats and were deeply superstitious about them. Despite Aunt Su''s reluctance to spend money, she still tucked a dor into her pocket and grumbled her way out the door.


    "Karma! She deserved it for being so mean-mouthed!"


    The neighbors chuckled softly, clearly showing how unpopr it was to bring up the topic of "spection and profiteering." Even someone with a good reputation couldn''t escape the bacsh.


    Aunt Wang chimed in, "Alright, alright, let''s not talk about that anymore. She''s already had her bad luck."


    Zhao Guihua shrugged and said, "That''s really bad luck."


    "Who says it isn''t? Buttely, the rats have been getting more active. I heard some noises in the kitchenst night and even saw a rat trying to mess with my food. I chased it around for a long time."


    "Me too, I saw one a few days ago, slipping through the cracks by the door."


    "These damn things actually bite people! Aunt Wang, you''re the neighborhood head, you need to do something about this. What if a child gets bitten?"


    "Yeah, this isn''t a small matter."


    Aunt Wang was a capable woman. She said, "Let''s arrange a rat-catching day in the next couple of days. We usually do this in the spring and fall, but we missed it this year." She thought for a moment and added, "I''ll go to the street office and ask for some rat poison."


    "Sounds good."


    "I think that''s a good idea. Let''s do it this weekend, when everyone''s off work."


    Aunt Wang agreed, "I think that works. I''ll take care of the notifications."


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "Once the rat poison arrives, everyone needs to be careful. The kids are young and don''t understand. Keep an eye on them."


    "Of course."


    The neighbors started chattering away, and Zhao Guihua sighed, realizing how rampant these pests were. Living in modern society for so long, she had almost forgotten how bad the rat problem was back then. She shook her head, thoroughly disgusted.


    Who wouldn''t be disgusted by such filthy creatures? Everyone would find them utterly repulsive.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I need to go home and check for any rat holes. I''ll block them up."


    She turned and left, and Aunt Wangmented, "You''re too quick to act."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I can''t stand those things."


    If there was one pest everyone hated the most, it was definitely rats.


    They were just so disgusting. Zhao Guihuater heard that cockroaches were also widely detested, but at that time, cockroaches weren''t as prevalent. Even decadester, Zhao Guihua wasn''t afraid of them.


    Ever seen a centenarian kill a cockroach with a slipper?


    She had no fear of those creatures at all.


    But rats were a whole different story. She had also heard that the cockroaches in the north were different from those in the south.


    Well¡­ those were just useless bits of trivia.


    Zhao Guihua coughed and went home to look for rat holes. Liang Meifen was already busy cleaning fish.


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Why don''t you take a break before starting?"


    Liang Meifen wasn''t afraid of hard work. She said, "The sooner I finish, the sooner I can rx."


    She added, "Mom, we must have at least fifty or sixty pounds of fish, right?"


    Two baskets full, so definitely more than that.


    Zhao Guihua replied, "More than that. Set aside two for tonight''s dinner. We''ll have two dishes: stewed fish and fish innards stewed with tofu."


    Liang Meifen nodded, "Okay."


    Her mother-inw always insisted on stewed tofu.


    But Liang Meifen was still full of energy. After all, their recent catches had been quite bountiful. If they made them all into salted fish, they could eat it three or four times a week and easilyst a quarter, maybe even three months.


    So, of course, she was happy.


    If they were more frugal, they could probably stretch it to half a year.


    Liang Meifen worked diligently, while Zhao Guihua checked around the house and actually found two rat holes. She immediately got to work: "Filthy things, trying to mess with my house? Not on my watch." Seeing Zhao Guihua take action, some neighbors also went home to look for rat holes.


    "Guihua."


    Zhao Guihua was busy when Aunt Wang called her. She quickly went outside and asked, "What''s up?"


    Aunt Wang pulled her aside and whispered, "I saw you got another rabbit today. Can you spare one for me? I won''t let you do it for nothing."


    She gestured and whispered, "One dor and fifty cents."


    That was the normal price for a rabbit. A hen only cost two dors.


    Zhao Guihua agreed, "Sure."


    She turned back, picked up the rabbit, and handed it to Aunt Wang. Meat was hard toe by these days, and Zhao Guihua was willing to trade because she thought Aunt Wang was generally a decent person. Plus, good neighborly rtions required give and take.


    Aunt Wang was overjoyed, saying, "My little rascal has been craving meattely. But since my daughter-inw Li Fang is pregnant, I was nning to use the meat tickets to buy some for her to replenish her nutrients. If I give them the meat, they won''t know how to appreciate it. I thought about swapping for a rabbit, since pregnant women aren''t supposed to eat them, and it would satisfy their cravings¡­"


    There was a belief at the time that pregnant women shouldn''t eat rabbit meat, or their baby would be born with a hare lip. No one knew how this superstition spread, but it had been passed down for generations.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t believe it, but she didn''t say anything else.


    In fact, she hadn''t given the rabbit to Ming Mei to eat, as people widely believed in this superstition. As a mother-inw, she didn''t mind doing this, but she didn''t want her family to misunderstand. Zhao Guihua wasn''t afraid of outsiders'' opinions, but she cared about her family''s feelings.


    So, she hadn''t given the rabbit to Ming Mei, and since Aunt Wang wanted to swap, she agreed.


    If she didn''t swap, they would be eating while Ming Mei watched, which would be quite frustrating, wouldn''t it?


    Aunt Wang happily carried the rabbit away, and Zhao Guihua looked up at the increasingly overcast sky, saying, "It''s been cloudy for days now. I wonder if it will actually rain."


    Without rain, the air pressure was low, and it felt stuffy, making people ufortable.


    She muttered, "I think this weather¡­"


    BOOM!


    A sudden thunderp startled Zhao Guihua. She quickly looked outside and saw the wind picking up. Aunt Wang was gathering people to put away the matchboxes they were assembling. Today''s work was cut short. Actually, this kind of work could be done at home, but since these matchboxes had patterns, if they were damaged, they wouldn''t get this job again. So Zhao Guihua didn''t let them take it home. She gathered everything up, and some housewives had already started taking in their clothes.


    The weather grew even darker as more clouds gathered. Zhao Guihua hurried around, taking care of everything.


    Her "good son," Zhuang Zhixi, stood by the window, looking outside.


    Sister Cui asked curiously, "What are you looking at?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I''m watching the weather. Hopefully, it doesn''t rain too soon. I still need to go pick up my wife."


    "You''re a good man, Zhixi. All the men should learn from you." As women, they appreciated a man who was family-oriented and caring toward his wife. Those who were abusive were looked down upon.


    "I don''t deserve that praise. It''s just because my wife is pregnant¡­"


    Not far away, Xiao Xu rolled his eyes, clearly disdainful. Due to the film learning incident, he had a falling out with Zhuang Zhixi, though it wasn''t public. Everyone knew why Zhuang Zhixi had firmly refused the position, and their interactions in the office had been minimal. Since Xiao Xu often had to go to the countryside to show films, their rtionship had grown even more distant.


    Zhuang Zhixi ignored Xiao Xu''s mocking expressions and turned around, "I''m going to the restroom."


    "Has the restroom in your alley still not been fixed?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Not yet."


    Everyone knew that the restroom in Zhuang Zhixi''s alley had copsed. Of course, there were also some superstitious rumors and gossip, as ismon in employee residential areas. Everyone knew the deal.


    Because of this, Zhuang Zhixi always went to the restroom at the unit before heading home after work.


    Not only him, but basically everyone in their alley who worked at the factory operated this way. It was much more convenient. Otherwise, they would have to detour to the back alley to use the restroom. Zhuang Zhixi went downstairs and headed straight for the restroom. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou had a ck face, looking like someone owed him ten yuan, and he was visibly displeased.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, put on a smile, and said, "Yo, Fendou, you''re standing at the restroom entrance like a guardian deity. What''s up? Finished with your work?"


    Bai Fendou''s face grew even darker as he replied, "You''ve got quite the sharp tongue. Go do your business in the restroom. What I do doesn''t concern you."


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged, entered the restroom, and oh, there were quite a few people there at this time.


    "Brother, here you are?"


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched as he smiled and said, "Here I am."


    He sighed, "This restroom is quite crowded. No wonder Bai Fendou''s face was so dark."


    One of the guys said, "So what? Can''t people use the restroom?"


    "Exactly, who does he think he is, trying to control everything, even when people poop or fart? He should just mind his own business."


    "With his tiny steps, does he even have the right to meddle in others'' affairs?"


    ...


    Everyone chimed in, one after another.


    Bai Fendou was not happy about it and raised his voice, "I heard everything you said, you little brats. Let me tell you, don''t look down on the young just because they''re poor. You''re judging people from behind a crack, underestimating them. One day, your grandpa will rise up and show you. When I get back to the security department, I''ll deal with you all."


    "What ''don''t look down on the young just because they''re poor''? You''re not that young anymore."


    "You''d better hope you can get back to the security department first."


    "Right, the security department wouldn''t want someone like you with such bad character. Chief Liu is a man of integrity and wouldn''t tolerate your kind."


    "Who says otherwise? Just look at the things you''ve done. The rumors have spread as far as Tong County. It''s embarrassing enough for our machinery factory."


    "What Tong County? It''s even reached Tianjin. My aunt in Tianjin heard about it. Isn''t that embarrassing? As someone from the same factory, I feel my face burning just talking about it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hahaha."


    Bai Fendou was shaking with anger, "You bunch of scoundrels, you''re just mean. Zhuang Zhixi, you''re just joining in the fun. We live in the same courtyard, yet you have no sense of neighborly affection. Just wait for your karma."


    Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi felt he had to defend himself. He said, "Why would I deserve karma? Am I not allowed tough? How can you curse someone so viciously? With such malicious curses, of course, I have tough at you. I''ve never seen someone like you. Besides, everyone''s telling the truth. Your dirty deeds are already stinking up the ce."


    "Pfft, hahaha!"


    "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re good."


    Bai Fendou was even angrier, "You, you, you..."


    Zhuang Zhixi was a bit worried that this guy might get so worked up that he''d do something crazy, especially since they were in the restroom. What if he went berserk and started throwing feces around? Bai Fendou was sometimes so impulsive that he didn''t think things through. Zhuang Zhixi shuddered at the thought. Bai Fendou himself didn''t seem to mind, as he had once fallen into a cesspool and probably got used to it.


    But Zhuang Zhixi certainly couldn''t handle that.


    He quickly said, "Don''t get angry, this is the restroom, don''t do anything rash. If I were you, I wouldn''t think about these pointless things. Instead, I''d think about how to fix the windows at home."


    Ah, the way to calm down a problem is to bring up another one.


    He said, "It''s going to rain, don''t you want to fix your windows, and your door..."


    As he said this, Bai Fendou''s face indeed darkened. Zhuang Zhixi was right; his home''s windows and doors were all full of holes, though he liked to boast that it was quite cool this way. But in reality, he just didn''t want to spend money on repairs.


    His dad didn''t spend money, so why should he?


    He didn''t have much savings to begin with, and a few days ago, he had lent Wang Xiangxiu five yuan out of pity. Now he was even more strapped for cash. If he were to rece all the ss in his house and fix the door, he''d be left with nothing, and it might not even be enough.


    So he absolutely couldn''t touch his money. He snorted and said, "It''s been like this almost every day recently, and it hasn''t rained. I don''t believe it will rain today. It''s probably just a false rm. What do I have to be afraid of? As a man, I can''t be scared of rain. I''ll just take it as a cold shower."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re really something."


    A kind-hearted coworker said, "Bai Fendou, you should still find a way to fix them. Even if it doesn''t rain today, look at this weather. It''s bound to rain in the next few days. Fixing the windows and doors early will ensure safety."


    They had all heard about how bad Bai Fendou''s windows and doors were.


    This wasn''t something Zhuang Zhixi had spread, but gossip always travels fast.


    "Right, if it rains, your house will be flooded. You must be short on money, right?"


    "Short on money?" Bai Fendou was agitated, "How dare you say I''m short on money? What a joke. You underestimate me. My sry is all mine to spend. How could I be short on money? I''m much better off than you guys with your families to support."


    He bragged, "What flooding? As far as I''m concerned, this rain won''te!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Keep dreaming."


    Bai Fendou: "Why is it dreaming? I, Bai Fendou, say it won''t rain, and it won''t! That''s how awesome I am!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He scratched his head and walked out, saying, "You must be drunk. How else could you talk like this?"


    "Pfft."


    Everyone burst outughing. Since Bai Fendou insisted on not fixing the ss, it wasn''t their business, so they didn''t want to get involved in the mess. Zhuang Zhixi also gave Bai Fendou a deep look and said, "You''re really floating high."


    Bai Fendou turned his head, not bothering to respond.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and walked towards the office building. But before he got far, he saw Zhou Qun approaching.


    Recently, Zhou Qun had been "stuck" to Bai Fendou, always looking for him. Even during lunch, Zhou Qun would seek out Bai Fendou. It''s worth noting that Bai Fendou worked as a janitor and carried manure, which wasn''t a mark of discrimination, but he did carry a strong stench. Therefore, their lunchtime was dyedpared to others.


    Yet, even so, Zhou Qun always went to find Bai Fendou, eating with the Bai father and son.


    Well, mainly with Bai Fendou, as Old Man Bai was more of an afterthought.


    At the end of the workday, Zhou Qun didn''t leave with his wife Jiang Lu but instead looked for Bai Fendou to head home together. The people in the factory were quite puzzled by this.


    Some said, "Zhou Qun is keeping an eye on Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou has his sights set on Zhou Qun''s wife and even tried to make a move. Zhou Qun must keep a close watch on him."


    Others said, "He must be plotting something, nning to take down Bai Fendou in one go."


    Of course, there were also more moderate voices, "I think Zhou Qun is sincere. Maybe he really wants to be friends with Bai Fendou, turning hostility into friendship."


    Still, others said, "There are also rumors about Zhou Qun being involved with older women. So now, instead of mingling with women, he''s hanging out with Bai Fendou. Probably to avoid suspicion. After all, being seen with women might lead to gossip, but with men, it''s different."


    In short, there were various spections. Zhuang Zhixi stopped and smiled, "Zhou Qun, you''re here again to find Fendou,"


    He said with a hint of sarcasm, "I didn''t expect your friendship to be so strong."


    Zhou Qun: "Yes, Fendou and I sharemon goals. You young folks wouldn''t understand."


    The more he interacted with Bai Fendou recently, the more Zhou Qun felt that Bai Fendou was indeed a great guy. Sure, he was a bit rough, but he had a lot of guts.


    In a way, Zhou Qun admired men with guts and determination. He grew up with his mother, Madam Zhou Li, who was a real shrew but doted on her son unconditionally, taking care of him meticulously. As a result, Zhou Qun''s self-care skills were poor, and he wasn''t very masculine.


    Deep down, he admired men with a wild, take-charge attitude.


    He quickly passed Zhuang Zhixi and arrived beside Bai Fendou: "Fendou, it''s almost time to get off work. Shall we go together?"


    Bai Fendou still suspected that Zhou Qun had ulterior motives towards him. He believed that Zhou Qun definitely wanted to harm him. Therefore, he never gave Zhou Qun a good look, but the more he didn''t give Zhou Qun a good look, the more Zhou Qun clung to him, which made Bai Fendou even more convinced of his suspicions.


    Zhou Qun must have a big conspiracy; otherwise, how could he endure this kind of attitude?


    He snarled, "Get lost."


    Zhou Qun: "Look at you, why are you so fierce? I see it''s going to rain, and your windows..." He paused, suddenly thinking that it might be better not to fix the windows. If it rained and Bai Fendou couldn''t sleep indoors, he could invite him to stay at his house.


    With this thought, he stopped urging Bai Fendou to fix the windows and instead said, "I don''t think it''s going to rain..."


    Bai Fendou: "Do I need you to tell me that? It hasn''t rained for so many days; I don''t think it will today either."


    "You''re right," Zhou Qun''s voice softened a few degrees.


    Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his arms and quickly left.


    If he didn''t leave now, he felt like his hair would stand on end again. This Zhou Qun was truly a peculiar person. Although Grandpa Lan Sihai had made a judgment earlier, Zhuang Zhixi still had some doubts in his heart.


    After all, Zhou Qun had liked women before.


    He had also yed around quite a bit, so it was hard to believe that he suddenly started liking men.


    But facts speak louder than words.


    Zhuang Zhixi nced back and found the scene quite cringe-worthy. He quickly went upstairs. As the end-of-work bell rang, Zhuang Zhixi hopped on his bicycle and rode out in a sh. He was in a hurry, as the sky was getting darker with heavy clouds, and he didn''t want to get caught in the rain.


    Zhuang Zhixi pedaled furiously all the way to the bus station, where he saw Ming Mei running out quickly.


    She hugged Zhuang Zhixi tightly and said, "I didn''t bring an umbre; let''s hurry."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."


    Although he had ridden like the wind on the way there, he didn''t dare to go too fast on the way back, especially with his wife on the bike. The couple hurried as much as they could, and by the time they reached the alley, the rain had started.


    Big raindrops fell down all at once.


    Ming Mei: "Hurry, hurry!"


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered, "I suspect Bai Fendou provoked the heavens, which is why the rain is so heavy."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Fortunately, the couple''s luck wasn''t bad. They had reached the alley entrance just in time and quickly dashed home. Even so, their clothes were soaked halfway through.


    Zhao Guihua: "Quick, go change your clothes. I''ve boiled some hot water; you can take a quick wash and then drink some ginger soup."


    "Okay."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, the two kids, were leaning on the windowsill looking outside, saying, "The rain is so heavy."


    In no time, the rain was pouring so hard it seemed like it was smoking.


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t go out, okay?"


    "Okay," the two kids replied in their crisp voices.


    Hutou leaned out and looked down, saying, "Grandma, the old hen is clucking non-stop."


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s fine; she''s not getting wet."


    Their old courtyard house had a covered porch. These traditional courtyard houses were like this, with a section of cement ground at the entrance and a covered porch above it. As long as it wasn''t a heavy rain, cing things under the porch was fine.


    But if it rained heavily, that wouldn''t work.


    As soon as the rain started, Zhao Guihua had moved the two old hens under the porch.


    Hutou: "But, but the rain is sshing in..."


    He knew these were eggying hens, and he would even dig worms for them to eat when he went out to y. Eating worms helped themy eggs. So Hutou and his sister were particrly concerned about the hens.


    Zhao Guihua, hearing this, quickly opened the door, feeling a cold gust of wind hit her face.


    "Damn."


    She muttered, "Why is there suddenly a wind?"


    Rain was the worst when there was wind; heavy rain with strong wind was a real hassle.


    Zhao Guihua quickly pushed the two bicycles inside the house and carried the hens inside, cing them at the door. The house suddenly felt cramped, filled to the brim. Zhao Guihua put on her raincoat and said, "I''m going to give Grandpa a raincoat."


    Although Zhuang Zhixi had gone to pick up Ming Mei and returned a bitte, Old Man Zhuang had been eventer recently. Their workshop had been working on some urgent precision parts for the past half month, and they had been working overtime for three to four hours every day after work.


    This had been the case for some time, but of course, there would be some extra pay for overtime.


    She started looking around, saying, "Where''s the raincoat?"


    Liang Meifen suddenly remembered and said, "Mom, Dad took the raincoat this morning. He''s been bringing it with him for the past two days because of the bad weather."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    She sighed, "This old man is quite good at preparing for rain."


    This was good; it saved them some trouble.


    Since Old Man Zhuang had taken the raincoat, they didn''t need to worry about it.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan had left on a business trip early that morning and wouldn''t be back for at least half a month, so there was no need to worry about him either. Zhao Guihua took off her raincoat and said, "Alright, when the third couplees over, we''ll have dinner as usual."


    "Okay."


    Liang Meifen peeked out curiously.


    Zhao Guihua: "What are you looking at?"


    Liang Meifen: "The opposite house... Bai Fendou''s ce."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    Silence, then she said, "Let me take a look too."


    The heavy rain poured down, and the Bai father and son hadn''t returned home yet. In fact, their job of cleaning the toilets wasn''t that demanding, but Bai Fendou didn''t want to get up early to work, so he did more work after getting off duty.


    Generally, the toilets needed to be cleaned before morning.


    But this required getting up early, and Bai Fendou was used to sleeping in, so he wasn''t willing to get up early. Therefore, he did more work after getting off work and just tidied up a bit in the morning. This decision was also supported by Old Man Bai.


    The father and son were working hard at the factory when the rain suddenly started.


    The rain had been brewing for days and fell heavily and quickly.


    Bai Fendou: "Damn it."


    He hadn''t expected it to really rain, and his face changed instantly. Thinking about the windows and doors at home, he was anxious.


    "We''re done, Dad, let''s hurry back."


    Old Man Bai also panicked: "Why did it start raining all of a sudden? I told you to install a window, but you refused to spend the money. Now look, look at this rain, what are we going to do?"


    "What''s the use of ming me now? Was it my fault? I don''t have any money; I''ve already had my sry deducted to pay off the debt. And it''s not like Aunt Wang, that unlucky old woman, smashed our windows and doors. She deserved to be locked up..."


    He cursed non-stop.


    Old Man Bai: "What are you dawdling for? Hurry home."


    Bai Fendou: "We didn''t bring raincoats."


    Old Man Bai red at him: "At this point, don''t worry about raincoats; the bed is full of bedding..."


    They hadn''t made the bed when they left in the morning.


    The father and son looked at each other and ran home as fast as they could.


    "Oh no! We can''t tear..."


    "Damn it, why does it always rain when the roof leaks..." Bai Fendou shouted angrily.


    Old Man Bai: "You''re such a jinx; don''t say that. If it really rains all night, what are we going to do?"


    Their roof was really leaking.


    Old Man Bai shouted again: "I told you Zhou Qun isn''t a good guy. He always asks to go home together after work, but today he left first. You see..."


    "Don''t mention Zhou Qun; hurry up."


    The two big men ran in the rain, their legs intertwined, taking small, quick steps. Passersby, even in a hurry, couldn''t help but look a few extra times.


    Such effeminate men were rare.


    Heavy rain wasmon, but such strange men were truly umon.


    "Hey, why are these two running like that?"


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Haven¡¯t you heard? These are the father and son from the machinery factory who got their eggs crushed.¡±


    "Oh~"


    Even in the rain, there were still kind-hearted people eager to exin.


    "That was really bad; they might be... you know..."


    "Uh..."


    Due to the rain, Old Man Zhuang''s workshop also got off work early. He had brought a raincoat, proving that being cautious pays off. Although he leftter than Bai Fendou and his father, he quickly overtook them by running in his raincoat.


    As Old Man Zhuang caught up from behind, he noticed the father and son moving like crabs. He sped up, passing them, and shouted, "Run faster! Why are you strolling around on purpose?"


    In a sh, he was gone.


    Old Man Bai was furious: "If I could run, would I be like this?"


    Besides, are you stupid? Which eye saw us strolling on purpose?


    Aren''t we afraid of pulling¡ªsomething?


    Old Man Zhuang ran all the way home, just in time for dinner. Zhao Guihua said, "Oh, you got off work early? Did you get wet? Come sit down, I''ll get you some ginger soup to warm up."


    Old Man Zhuang drank it in one gulp and said, "You know the Bai father and son, they''re really reckless. On a day like this, they''re not in a hurry, still dawdling outside, running like that... What are they thinking? They just want to make a name for themselves at the factory! I see through them!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He chuckled and said, "You know, is there a possibility that they simply can''t run?"


    Old Man Zhuang was stunned, then pped his head: "Look, I forgot about that."


    The sky was covered with dark clouds. Although it wasn''tte, it was already dark.


    Zhao Guihua lit amp and said, "Let''s eat."


    "Mom, you know, what''s the deal with this? These cornmeal pancakes, when made alone, don''t taste great, but when put in a fish pot, it''spletely different. I think it tastes pretty good."


    It''s like the pancakes in the fish pot are a whole different thing from regr pancakes.


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s the fish that makes it taste better."


    Despite their recent good meals, they really have to thank the fish pond. They''ve been eating a lot of fish, and fish pot pancakes are a staple, so even with coarse grains, it still tastes good. It makes their half-year''s meals seem luxurious.


    "The fish pond we often go to has been discovered by others. I don''t think it''s going to work out."


    "What!" Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei were a bit surprised.


    Zhao Guihua: "A few teenagers are bound to be loud. I''ll see how it goes. If the rain stops tomorrow, I''ll go check it out."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "They won''t empty it, will they?"


    "They won''t, but with more people, it''s hard to say. Anyway, let''s not talk about this." Zhao Guihua was about to nag a bit more, but seeing Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looking over, she stopped the topic.


    The family finished eating, and Old Man Zhuang cleaned up.


    "Bang!"


    "What''s that sound?"


    Zhuang Zhixi got up and saw it was Bai Fendou, who had kicked the door.


    He was already soaked to the bone, looking very miserable. As he approached the door, he probably got angrier and kicked it hard. Several households came out to take a look. Aunt Wang from the back courtyard came out in a raincoat and saw it was him, scolding, "You little rascal, what are you doing? Looking for trouble, huh? If you break it, do you have to pay? You''re always causing trouble."


    Bai Fendou was in a bad mood and retorted, "I''ll pay if I have to! What''s the big deal!"


    He bragged: "Do I look like I don''t have money?"


    Aunt Wang rolled her eyes and retorted: "If you have money, you should fix your windows and doors first."


    "Damn, right!"


    Bai Fendou didn''t say anything else and hurried home. Once he got there, he was overwhelmed. The rain was heavy, and there was a strong wind. Even though there was a canopy, the rain had already flooded in, soaking the bedsheets, quilts, and pillows.


    And it wasn''t just that.


    The rain showed no signs of stopping, looking like it was getting heavier.


    Bai Fendou: "Dad, think of something!"


    Old Man Bai: "What can I think of?"


    These two were like that, usually fine, but in critical moments, they would just push the responsibility back and forth. However, they still started looking for something to block the windows and doors.


    "First, move the bedding away."


    "Maybe use the wet bedding to block the window?"


    "It won''t work!"


    The two were in a frenzy. Aunt Wang said, "You can''t do that. Find a wooden board."


    The father and son were too miserable, and many people in the courtyard came out, wearing raincoats and standing under the canopy. People from the back courtyard also came over. In those days, no one would carry wooden boards at home.


    As for ss, that was even more out of the question.


    Although everyone wanted to help, they were also powerless.


    Zhuang Zhixi, though enjoying the excitement, kindly reminded them: "Why don''t you go back to the factory? Check with the logistics department to see if they have anything to borrow for shelter. If you rely on us, no one has anything."


    Bai Fendou almost choked: "I just came back from the factory!"


    "We''ve already made a round trip. It''s toote. Why don''t you help us go?" Old Man Bai immediately tried to draft someone.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled but didn''t move. He said, "Uncle Bai, I can''t help you with that."


    Aunt Su immediately chimed in: "Zhixi, look, we all live in the same courtyard, and the rtionships are good. When it''s needed, it''s time for you young people to step up. You can''t just watch."


    "Yeah, just help Uncle Bai, it''s quick with a bike."


    "Right!"


    "Look at how bad their situation is."


    "Neighbors should help each other with a warm heart."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at the people speaking, feeling disgusted. He said, "It''s not that I don''t want to help. I just can''t. My older brother isn''t home, and my dad is not young anymore. With this heavy rain, how can I go out? I can''t feel at ease; what if there''s a leak? I have to deal with it."


    He looked at the people speaking and said, "Xiao Sui, since you''re so enthusiastic, why don''t you go?"


    He then looked at Aunt Su, smiling even brighter: "Aunt Su, your family has the best rtionship with the Bai family. We''re just ordinary neighbors, but you two are genuine close friends. They''ve helped your family so much, so you should take the initiative. When do people show their worth? It''s in moments like these. Aunt Su, you wouldn''t just watch, right? Uncle Bai has done so much for you; you can''t be so heartless."


    Zhuang Zhixi threw the topic back at her and then added: "Although this should be a man''s job, your rtionship with the Bai family is different from others."


    "Yeah, Aunt Su, why don''t you go?"


    Everyone started shouting again.


    The person named Xiao Sui didn''t say anything this time.


    Although he hoped someone would help, he didn''t want to do it himself.


    Zhuang Zhixi kept pushing, and no one dared to pressure him anymore.


    For a moment, the focus shifted to Aunt Su, but she didn''t refute. She immediately teared up. As expected, even before she spoke, Old Man Bai quickly said: "What are you doing? How can I let Aunt Su, a woman, run around for me?"


    He wanted to point someone else to help, but everyone was avoiding eye contact.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t avoid it; he looked at Old Man Bai with a yful expression, as if daring him to name someone so he could counter.


    Old Man Bai was a bit more cunning than his son and knew not everyone fell for their tricks.


    Zhuang Zhixi, though young, wasn''t easy to take advantage of.


    Plus, his family had Zhao Guihua, that shrew, so they couldn''t afford to offend them.


    He hesitated and said, "Well, forget it."


    He took a deep breath and said, "Since it''s already like this, no matter what we do, it''s still wet. I think we might as well put the bedding by the window to absorb the water. Just tough it out for one night, and we''ll figure something out tomorrow."


    "Ah?"


    Just give up?


    Everyone was stunned. With such heavy rain, if they didn''t do anything, what would happen tomorrow?


    Everyone looked at each other.


    At this moment, when everyone was silent, Zhou Qun stepped forward. Yes, Zhou Qun.


    The highest-paid and most "upright" person in the courtyard, Zhou Qun, took the initiative to say, "Bai Fendou,e stay at my ce tonight."


    The surrounding people instantly widened their eyes: "Ah?"


    Everyone was shocked beyond belief. This man had once tried to flirt with your wife!


    No one knew that it was an unsessful trap set by Bai Fendou. In everyone''s perception, Bai Fendou was the one who had attempted to make inappropriate advances towards Jiang Lu. And yet, this person is now inviting him to his home?


    And to stay overnight?


    Everyone looked at Zhou Qun with deep confusion,pletely baffled by his actions. What was he up to?


    Was he nning to lure Bai Fendou over and then eliminate him?


    Bai Fendou also stared suspiciously at Zhou Qun. Zhou Qun cleared his throat and said very calmly, "We are neighbors, and although there have been some unpleasantries and misunderstandings in the past, I still believe in Bai Fendou''s character. Now that the Bai family has encountered such a big problem, as a neighbor, I feel it''s my duty to step up. Bai Fendou,e stay at my ce. I''ll have my wife go to my mother''s room to sleep with Wang Zhaodi. You can sleep with me."


    The onlookers: "..."


    Something about this feels off.


    Inviting him to stay is one thing, and letting him sleep in his mother''s room is eptable. But... inviting Bai Fendou to sleep in the bedroom with his wife''s bed?


    This... doesn''t sound right, does it?


    Everyone looked at Zhou Qun, and Jiang Lu also watched Zhou Qun. This time, she didn''t speak because she knew that Zhou Qun, being so intelligent, must have a purpose for whatever he was doing. He loved her deeply and must be trying to avenge her by deliberately confusing Bai Fendou.


    She bit her lip and stood still.


    Bai Fendou said stiffly, "No need."


    Zhou Qun: "Look at your ce, how can you stay here? If you get wet and catch a cold, what then? Your wounds aren''t fully healed yet, right? What if they get infected?"


    When Zhou Qun mentioned the wounds, Bai Fendou red at Jiang Lu. If it weren''t for her, he wouldn''t be in this situation.


    Jiang Lu returned his re with cold indifference.


    Zhou Qun: "Money is just material, you can clean up the house tomorrow. But if you get sick, what then?"


    Bai Fendou: "Well... is there anyone else who wants to take me in?"


    He wanted to choose.


    If it wasn''t absolutely necessary, he didn''t want to go to the Zhou''s.


    Although he wasn''t afraid of Zhou Qun, he still wanted to ask around. With his good reputation, surely there would be apetition to take him in.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s mouth twitched.


    Ming Mei shook her head in utter disbelief. He really had no sense of his own standing.


    No one spoke up. Housing was already tight for everyone, who would take you in? Besides, what kind of tone was that, as if everyone owed him something. Who did he think he was? Didn''t he know how unpopr he was?


    Everyone remained silent, and Bai Fendou frowned.


    At that moment, Wang Xiangxiu immediately spoke up, "Fendou, I actually wanted to have you stay at my ce, but we''re a widow''s household, and there''s too much gossip. I can''t ruin your reputation. If you stay, rumors will spread like wildfire tomorrow, and it''ll be even harder for you to find a partner. I can''t do that to you."


    Bai Fendou gave her an assuring look and said, "Sister Xiangxiu, I understand. You don''t need to exin, brother gets it."


    Zhou Qun immediately gave Wang Xiangxiu an unkind look, mentally cursing, "Bitch!"


    Zhuang Zhixi watched for a while, and the more he saw, the more disgusted he felt. He turned his head and made a face. Ming Mei quickly grabbed Zhuang Zhixi''s hand, and Zhuang Zhixi smiled at his wife. Ming Mei tiptoed and whispered softly into Zhuang Zhixi''s ear, "Zhou Qun really has his eye on Bai Fendou."


    Without someone pointing it out, you wouldn''t notice, but once someone does, it bes so obvious.


    The more you look, the more obvious it is.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, Grandpa Lan is sharp."


    Apparently, no one in their courtyard had figured out Zhou Qun''s true intentions.


    But Lan Sihai saw it clearly.


    Old ginger is indeed sharper!

 Chapter 100

    Rain poured down in torrents.


    People in the courtyard stood under the eaves, watching the spectacle. You can''t really me them for watching the show, though. After all, more than one person in the courtyard had reminded Bai Fendou and his father to install ss in their windows. But these two were stubborn as rocks. They were strapped for cashtely and no one wanted to fork out the money.


    In the past, if something small was missing from the house, either father or son would buy it without much thought. But when it came to bigger items, they''d split the cost. Now, however, with both of them having their wages docked, neither wanted to spend the money. They were also wary of contributing their private stash, fearing the other wouldn''t chip in.


    This back-and-forth went on, and no matter what others said, the two of them remained steadfast in their refusal.


    Of course, the weather had been getting worsetely, and people had been urging them to take action. But the father and son just dug in their heels. And then, as expected, disaster struck¡ªthe windowpane shattered with a loud crash!


    Fortunately, there was still the kind-hearted neighbor Zhou Qun. Zhou Qun was genuinely sincere: "Bai Fendou,e stay at my ce. I''m different from others. Neighbors should help each other. Everyone else is indifferent, but not me! I''m not that kind of person!"


    Bai Fendou had initially wanted to y hard to get, but seeing that no one else was stepping up, he pursed his lips, feeling a bit dissatisfied, and snorted coldly, "Fine, I''ll give you face."


    Jiang Lu, who had been about to speak, caught Zhou Qun''s gaze and swallowed her words.


    What a horse that doesn''t know its own face is long.


    Zhou Qun''s sincere invitation to Bai Fendou was unexpected by everyone, but it didn''t stop them from specting. Some thought Zhou Qun was quite the righteous man, despite some rumors about him recently. He was still a good guy.


    Others, however, were more cynical, wondering if Zhou Qun''s sudden change was hiding some ulterior motive.


    But no one really knew the truth. In this torrential rain, Zhou Qun still showed his friendly side, stepping up to help, which was quitemendable.


    Seeing Zhou Qun''s righteousness, Old Man Bai nodded slightly. Indeed, true friendship is revealed in times of trouble.


    Aunt Wang: "Alright, everyone, let''s disperse. We''ll leave it at that for now."


    In truth, she thought this arrangement wasn''t ideal. The rain was just too heavy, and she felt the window not being blocked was a big problem. Using bedding to block it was also madness¡ªwhat would happen to the bedding?


    But since the Bai family had made their decision, there was nothing she could do to help. Just talking wouldn''t get her anywhere.


    Aunt Wang took a deep breath and decided to look the other way.


    After all, Bai Fendou and his father weren''t exactly saints. They deserved this.


    When the Bai family had schemed against her own, they hadn''t held back.


    Aunt Wang felt justified: "Alright, everyone, disperse. Don''t all crowd outside on such a rainy day."


    It seemed their courtyard was full of seasoned veterans. While other courtyards stayed indoors during rainy days, they had plenty of drama to watch. This was a real money-saver, skipping the radio fees.


    Everyone stood still, watching the Bai father and son.


    The two prepared to head to Zhou''s ce, but just as they reached the door, Old Man Bai was stopped.


    Zhou Qun said firmly: "Old Man Bai, I can''t take you in."


    "What?!" Old Man Bai''s eyes widened in disbelief as he shouted, "Why? Why can''t you take me in?"


    Normally, Zhou Qun would have given him a piece of his mind, insisting it was his home and he could decide who to take in. But now, looking at Bai Fendou''s expression, he said, "Uncle Bai, my bed is only big enough for two men. Adding one more just won''t work. Besides, everyone knows about the somewhat unclear rtionship between you and my mom. If youe to stay, it wouldn''t be good for my mom''s reputation. When she returns, there''ll be trouble."


    Ming Mei leaned against Zhuang Zhixi and whispered softly, "Bai Fendou''s reputation for trying to take advantage of Jiang Lu is even worse. Doesn''t he fear that Jiang Lu''s reputation will suffer?"


    Her voice was so low that only Zhuang Zhixi could hear. Zhuang Zhixi squeezed his wife''s hand and said, "Shh, some things are better left unsaid."


    Ming Mei clicked her tongue, as if she had a toothache.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly.


    Though the couple was whispering, their eyes were fixed on the Bai family, not wanting to miss any detail. Clearly, Zhou Qun''s words had stunned everyone, but upon reflection, his reasoning wasn''t without merit. After all, Zhou''s mom was a "pure and innocent" woman.


    If Old Man Bai''s presence tarnished her reputation, it would indeed be problematic.


    This argument left everyone momentarily speechless.


    But soon, Old Man Bai retorted, "Your mom isn''t home anyway. Heaven and earth know, we know, but she doesn''t. What''s the big deal?"


    Zhou Qun: "That won''t do. I won''t lie to my mom. I trust Bai Fendou''s character, which is why I''m willing to let him stay. But Old Man Bai, I don''t know you that well..."


    "You little brat, what do you mean you don''t know me? I''m Old Man Bai! We''ve lived next door for over thirty years. I watched you being born! How can you say you don''t know me?"


    He was furious, never expecting such coldness. Even more infuriating was the tant favoritism. What was so great about Bai Fendou''s character? How had he suddenly be the good guy? Old Man Bai was seething with indignation.


    "This isn''t about you taking me in or not. Why do you think there''s something wrong with me? Exin yourself!"


    Old Man Bai was beside himself with rage.


    The neighbors were thoroughly enjoying the show.


    Their courtyard was truly a treasure trove of drama. Even on a rainy day, it didn''t stop the entertainment. Zhuang Zhixi, always one to enjoy a good spectacle, sighed softly, "What we really need right now is Zhou''s mom."


    If Zhou''s mom hadn''t been locked up and was still present, Old Man Bai would have been beaten up by now. There was no way he''d be allowed to rant so loudly.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s words resonated with the neighbors, who all nodded in agreement,menting that Zhou''s mom had been locked up at the wrong time. After all, she had caused plenty of trouble in the courtyard, always emerging unscathed. But this one time, just as she expanded her antics outside, she ended up locked away.


    They hadn''t even witnessed the dramatic scene of the police taking her away.


    But regardless, everyone agreed that if Zhou''s mom were here, Old Man Bai wouldn''t dare be so brazen. He simply wasn''t a match for her.


    Boom!


    A sh of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a loud thunderp. The rain intensified, driven by the wind, and swept toward one side of the houses. Despite being in the same courtyard, the rain was heavier on Bai Fendou''s side.


    The rain poured through the broken window into the house. Even though everyone was still outside, Bai Fendou''s bedding was already soaked, unable to hold up.


    If the rain continued all night, the house would turn into a small river.


    Bai Fendou was now worried: "What are we going to do?"


    Yang Lixin, still angry about the te-selling incident, snapped, "Usually, when it rains this hard, it stops quickly. The harder the rain, the quicker it ends." He was bluffing, hoping the Bai family''s house would flood. Let them suffer for cheating him!


    "That''s right, that''s how it usually is."


    "Exactly, it always works that way."


    Everyone chimed in, and Bai Fendou breathed a sigh of relief.


    He looked at Old Man Bai and said, "Dad, I''m going to rest at Zhou''s ce. You stay home and keep an eye on things. Someone needs to watch the house, even on a rainy day. Right?"


    Old Man Bai was nearly choking with anger, deeply feeling that he had raised a useless son. While others raised children for old-age security, his son was unreliable to the extreme.


    "Why aren''t you at home watching over things?" Old Man Bai roared.


    Bai Fendou raised an eyebrow, looking rather innocent: "Isn''t it because they don''t want you? Why are you ming me now? I think I''m quite innocent in this."


    Though he said that, he certainly didn''t look innocent at all.


    Old Man Bai stood under the eaves, shouting loudly: "Unfilial son, unfilial son! Heavens above, why don''t you strike this scoundrel with a bolt of lightning? My son, he''s so disobedient..."


    Boom!


    The thunder roared again.


    Old Man Bai''s shouting abruptly stopped.


    Despite his loud cries, in reality, it was just for show.


    The thunder sounded again, and he was a bit scared this time. Aunt Su looked at the situation and stepped forward to console Old Man Bai: "Old Man Bai, I know you''re feeling upset. But what Zhou Qun said isn''t entirely without reason."


    She didn''t genuinely want to help Zhou Qun; she just wanted Old Man Bai to see her kindness and goodness. Moreover, she didn''t want Old Man Bai to move into the Zhou''s house. If Zhou''s mother returned and found out, she might use this totch onto Old Man Bai, which would be a loss for her.


    Although he hadn''t made any ie these past few months, she wasn''t shortsighted. She knew that looking at things from a long-term perspective, Old Man Bai was someone who could be milked for a long time.


    She said: "Think about it. Considering Zhou''s mother''s personality and character, even though you''re saving yourself some trouble now, there will be plenty of problemster. When shees back, she''ll definitely try to entangle you."


    Zhou Qun frowned: "My mom isn''t like that."


    Aunt Su: "Your mom pursued Old Man Bai when she was young, so it''s not surprising she hasn''t given up now."


    She spoke withplete confidence, then added: "Old Man Bai, I think for your own sake, you shouldn''t go to the Zhou''s. I know it''s a bit unfair for you to stay in such a house, but just bear with it for one night. It''s not that hard, right? I''ll make you some ginger soup."


    Old Man Bai couldn''t listen to others, but he could listen to Aunt Su. After thinking about it, he realized she made some sense. As a clean old man, if he got entangled with Zhou''s mother, it would be troublesome.


    He really didn''t like that woman.


    When she was young, this widow had tried to marry him by entangling him, and now... it wasn''t unexpected.


    He understood and nodded: "You''re right."


    Everyone: "Oh, oh."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s the right thing to say?"


    Now, he didn''t know if his son''s innocence would be preserved.


    This father, really isn''t attentive at all.


    Can''t he see Zhou Qun''s ambitions?


    Zhuang Zhixi pursed his lips, staring at this family. He saw them quickly make a decision. Zhou Qun: "Since Old Man Bai has decided, let''s go."


    As for Bai Fendou, this son is really unreliable.


    If it were another family, this situation wouldn''t be handled like this, but he justpletely ignored his father and followed Zhou Qun to the Zhou''s house. Old Man Bai stayed alone in the house, watching the rain pouring in through the windows and doors, feeling quite annoyed.


    Looking at this situation, he muttered: "How am I supposed to live like this?"


    Everyone didn''t want to leave, all crowding around to watch the excitement.


    Old Man Bai: "What are you all looking at? Come and help, this is really disrespectful and unfriendly. Look at my ce, it''s in such a state, yet you don''t know how to help?"


    "Old Man Bai, we want to help, but look, how can we? We can''t get involved," Zhuang Zhixi called out.


    "Right, Old Man Bai, you can''t me us. Your son Bai Fendou is cking off." As soon as Zhuang Zhixi spoke, others chimed in. This time, it''s not that everyone doesn''t want to help, but they can''t.


    "You really can''t do anything without covering it up. But we don''t have anything to help with, no one keeps ss at home."


    "That''s exactly right! We want to help but can''t."


    Hearing this, Old Man Bai felt very annoyed and waved his hand: "Go, go, all of you get lost. Not helping and just watching the excitement, how can there be such little scoundrels like you?"


    He started pushing people, and those close by were pushed out the door. He said: "Get out, get out."


    "Hey, you really... don''t take it out on us just because your son isn''t helping."


    "Exactly."


    Finally, it was Aunt Su, his old me: "Bring Bai Fendou''s bedding over, cover the windows with it, and put pots and pans here too. Anyway, you have to protect your house. Clean up the water on the bed. I''ll go home and make you some ginger soup."


    Old Man Bai: "Good, good, good."


    He looked tenderly: "I know you''re the best to me, unlike others, not human."


    "Hey, Old Man Bai, is that how you talk?"


    "Right, what does this have to do with us? You can''t me us. We''ve reminded you so many times, you didn''t install ss, now you''re in trouble, you can''t me others..."


    "Exactly, I heard Zhuang Zhixi remind Bai Fendou in the bathroom today, but he didn''t want to."


    "We''ve reminded you, so how can we help?"


    "That''s right."


    Old Man Bai pursed his lips, thinking: Can''t you all raise some money to rece the ss for our house? Haven''t you seen we''ve been spending a lot of money in the hospital recently? We''re neighbors, can''t you help a bit? What kind of good neighbors are you?


    But he knew he couldn''t say this directly; he couldn''t lose face like that.


    He could only say with a dark face: "Go, go, all go home, don''t add to the chaos here."


    Zhuang Zhixi watched the lively scene for a long time. Seeing that Bai Fendou had followed Zhou Qun away and Old Man Bai had made up his mind, he finally stopped watching. He said: "Shall we go home too?"


    Ming Mei: "Let''s go."


    It was clear there wouldn''t be any more excitement to watch.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei went home. Zhuang Zhixi looked up at the sky; it was dark and gloomy. Although it was already night, the feeling of dark clouds pressing down was still palpable.


    If the clouds were really that dense, then there was no point in hoping the rain would stop soon.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei entered the house together. Ming Mei hung her raincoat on the rack by the door and said: "I feel like this matter isn''t over yet."


    "Of course not, Bai Fendou has walked right into the tiger''s mouth. This matter isn''t going to end. Their messy affairs are really endless."


    Although the couple went home, the outside was still lively. There was no shortage of onlookers everywhere. Even though it was night, no one seemed eager to go home. If there was excitement to watch, sleeping would be boring.


    Ming Mei quickly finished washing up and got into bed, but her desire to gossip was still strong. She leaned against the window, looking outside, but there didn''t seem to be any new developments.


    Zhuang Zhixi brushed his teeth and washed his feet before joining her in bed. They had taken a quick hot shower when they came home wet from work, so they didn''t need much more washing now.


    Zhuang Zhixiy on the red peony pillow and said: "Aren''t you going to sleep?"


    Ming Mei shook her head: "Not sleepy, how can I fall asleep?"


    She looked out the window and said: "The Wangs and Lis from the back courtyard have also gone home."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There''s nothing to watch, so why not go home? Actually, everyone doesn''t need to be busy; Bai Fendou has his old me helping. Does he need others?"


    Ming Mei chuckled: "Maybe no one wants to help, they just want to watch the excitement."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed.


    Ming Mei finally stopped leaning on the window. She nestled into Zhuang Zhixi''s arms and said: "I wonder if this night will be peaceful."


    Zhuang Zhixi gently patted his wife''s back and said: "Whether it will be peaceful is hard to say, but..."


    He lowered his head, gently kissed Ming Mei''s forehead, and said: "You definitely have to sleep."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Ming Mei pouted: "Why do I have to sleep? I''m just pregnant, can''t I do what I want? You''re all too concerned about the baby. It hasn''t even been born yet, and you''re already controlling me like this."


    Ming Mei pouted slightly, and Zhuang Zhixi kissed her lips again, saying: "No."


    He chuckled softly, "It''s not that I care about the baby, it''s that I care about you. You''re pregnant and not resting properly; I''m worried about your health. The baby hasn''t even been born yet. Of course, I care more about you."


    Ming Meiughed, her smile particrly radiant. She pinched Zhuang Zhixi and found a morefortable position to lean against him, smiling sweetly, "I knew you treat me the best."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You''re my wife, who else would I treat well if not you?"


    He gently patted Ming Mei, as if trying to coax her to sleep. Ming Mei leaned against Zhuang Zhixi and suddenly said, "I''m hungry."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He said, "I''ll get you a sesame cookie."


    Ming Mei said softly, "And make me a cup of milk."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    He chuckled, "You didn''t need to brush your teeth just now."


    Ming Mei: "Don''t you think I''m being a bit of a nuisance?"


    It wasn''t intentional, but she really just suddenly felt hungry.


    "Pregnant women get hungry easily, it''s normal," Zhuang Zhixi said calmly. He prepared some food for Ming Mei. After eating and drinking to her satisfaction, she finallyy down again. Ming Mei''s sleep was quite good, and soon, she drifted off into dreand.


    They turned off the lights and went to sleep. At this moment, Zhao Guihua was on her way home. She had spent a bit too long watching themotion and started shaking her head.


    Zhao Guihua: "What is this all about?"


    Old Man Zhuang genuinelymented: "This Bai Fendou, he''s not filial."


    Old people at this age are most concerned about whether their children are filial or not. But clearly, in their eyes, Bai Fendou is not a filial son. In such a heavy rain, leaving his old father at home alone while he goes to find a cozy ce to sleep¡ªis that something a son should do?


    This is clearly extremely unfilial.


    Yet Bai Fendou did just that.


    "Now that Old Man Bai is still able to move around and earn money, Bai Fendou behaves like this. Who knows what will happen in the future?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Who can say?"


    In her previous life, this father and son managed to get by, and there was never any talk of Bai Fendou being unfilial. That''s because both Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou were workers with retirement sries, so they were better off than some but not as well off as others. But that was the past life, not this one. She hase to realize over these days that some things change, while others do not.


    It mainly depends on whether they have been influenced or not.


    It must be said that this life has been somewhat influenced. For instance, in her previous life, Aunt Zhou never ended up in jail, but in this life, she did. In her previous life, Zhou Qun never got exposed, so Jiang Lu''s family never forced her to divorce, and Aunt Zhou never sought the help of a shaman to deal with Jiang Jianshe.


    But in this life, all of that happened.


    So Aunt Zhou ended up in jail.


    In her previous life, the Bai father and son didn''t have their eggs smashed, didn''t fight, didn''t owe money to the factory, and didn''t have their windows broken. So there was no sudden financial strain for several months, and the father and son didn''t turn on each other, so their rtionship was still okay.


    This can''t be applied to this life.


    Zhao Guihua: "We don''t know how their family is doing, but I think, since they are both workers with sries, they won''t be too badly off."


    "That''s true."


    Zhao Guihua heard footsteps and turned back to see Aunt Su carrying a bowl of ginger soup hurrying towards Old Man Bai. She pursed her lips, thinking: This woman is really calcting.


    Aunt Su returned, and by now, there were only a few people left. A handful of insomniacs, mostly men, hade to watch the excitement, but most of the older folks and women had gone back to sleep.


    Aunt Su watched as Old Man Bai drank the ginger soup, his eyes turning red with emotion.


    At a time when his own son couldn''t be relied on, Aunt Su still treated him so kindly. How could he not be moved? Among the thousands of women in the world, why did he have a special fondness for Aunt Su? It was because he saw her as a rare good woman.


    He finished the ginger soup and said softly, "Sister, you should go back and rest early. Your body is weak, and running around in such heavy rain might make you catch a cold. If you get sick because of me, I''d be heartbroken."


    Aunt Su said softly, "I know."


    The two of them were a bit too affectionate, their words sticky and sweet. The few men who were still watching the excitement shivered and quietly retreated. If it were a bachelor and a widow, they might have enjoyed the show, but the two of them together were over a hundred years old. They really didn''t want to watch.


    Who wants to see the love story of elderly people in the courtyard?


    They wanted to see young people. Watching old folks was not only not exciting, but it was also kind of disgusting.


    If it were Bai Fendou and the widow Wang Xiangxiu, they might have enjoyed it.


    But it wasn''t.


    Everyone left, and Old Man Bai gazed at Aunt Su affectionately. Aunt Su said softly, "Old Man Bai, I''m going back now. Take good care of yourself. If you get sick, I''ll be heartbroken. You know... you know my feelings... even though we can''t be together due to various reasons, my heart for you, you understand..."


    "I understand, I understand."


    Old Man Bai: "You go back and rest."


    Aunt Su: "Alright."


    Aunt Su finally left the Bai family and, halfway home, looked back at the Zhou family, frowning before returning to her own home. Wang Xiangxiu was sitting on the kang, sewing clothes for her children.


    Having sons is great, but it''s also really expensive. These mischievous kids need constant mending. She looked up, "Mom, you''re back?"


    Aunt Su: "Mm."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    Aunt Su''s brow didn''t rx; the wrinkles between her eyebrows were obvious. She said, "I feel like Zhou Qun has been a bit strangetely. Why would he suddenly invite Bai Fendou to his house?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Maybe he wants to mend their rtionship? After all, they didn''t have a bad rtionship before. It''s always been Bai Fendou who envied Zhou Qun. Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou didn''t have any major conflicts. If there were any conflicts, it was because of Jii stealing things. That''s when they officially became enemies."


    That time, Bai Fendou injured Zhou Qun''s waist and got into a fight with Jiang Lu, which marked the beginning of their hostility. But maybe Zhou Qun hase to his senses?


    Wang Xiangxiu: "They had a decent rtionship at the factory too. Recently, I''ve seen Zhou Qun talking to Bai Fendou more than once. I think since Zhou Qun''s scandal broke, everyone avoids him, and he doesn''t have any friends left. Maybe he''s trying to win over Bai Fendou to make more friends. And you know, Bai Fendou isn''t very cunning. He''s easy to win over. Maybe Zhou Qun is thinking he could even get an extra bodyguard. After all, Bai Fendou used to be in the security department, and his skills are way beyond Zhou Qun''s."


    Aunt Su: "Is that so? I always feel like it''s not that simple."


    She felt that this matter wasn''t as straightforward as Wang Xiangxiu made it out to be. Based on her understanding of Zhou Qun, the guy isn''t that superficial. She said, "We''ll see how it goes, but the Bai father and son, we must keep them in our grasp. The three kids need extra nutrition, and with your sry, it''s not enough."


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed, "I know."


    She said, "Mom, recently, both the Bai father and son have had their wages docked, and I haven''t been getting any ie from Zhou Qun either. What should we do?"


    She still had some side hustles outside, but the ie wasn''t stable. Moreover, no one was as generous as Zhou Qun or as easy to manipte as Bai Fendou. She nced towards the Zhuang family''s direction and said, "Ming Mei is pregnant; I wonder if Zhuang Zhixi will be tempted to cheat."


    "Which man doesn''t cheat?" Aunt Su sneered, "Men, you can''t think too highly of them. Their not being tempted doesn''t necessarily mean they''re virtuous; it might just mean the temptation isn''t big enough. Or, you''re not worth the risk."


    Wang Xiangxiu pursed her lips, feeling a bit uneasy. She had always been very confident in herself.


    Although her family was poor, she was considered the prettiest girl in their neighborhood. Many men secretly admired her; just touching her hand would earn them a meat bun. So she had confidence in her beauty.


    She was naturally beautiful and could bear sons. Who could have three sons in a row? If her husband hadn''t died, she could have had a whole army of kids.


    She was different from ordinary women.


    She said awkwardly, "At the factory, if I just crook my finger, I can always hook one or two suckers."


    Aunt Su looked at her behavior and felt a strong disgust in her heart, but still smiled and said, "Mom knows you''re capable, but Zhuang Zhixi is different. Even rabbits don''t eat the grass near their burrow. He''s not like Zhou Qun; this guy is shrewd."


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed and said, "I know, he''s always been quite unyielding towards me."


    She could keep approaching him, but she also knew she couldn''t do that. The reason she had long had her eye on Zhuang Zhixi but didn''t make a move was precisely because they were neighbors. She couldn''t afford to ruin her reputation.


    "But where exactly can I find such a sucker?"


    The men at the factory just want to take advantage, but they offer too little.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s appetite was too big. She was willing to make this money, but too little just wouldn''t do. If they thought they could get away with giving a little and taking advantage, they were even more delusional. A measly two taels of meat would only warrant a little hand-holding.


    "Look around the factory some more, and tomorrow after work, go to Zhaodi and Pandi''s ce. Just say I was bitten by a rat, and they can''t refuse toe over."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Okay."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw schemed together and finallyy down.


    At the same time, in the same courtyard, Aunt Wang tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Li the Cook finally couldn''t take it anymore and said, "What are you doing?"


    Aunt Wang: "Don''t you think Zhou Qun is a bit strange?"


    Li the Cook: "How so?"


    He said, "Do you think he''s being nice to Bai Fendou? Could it be that he''s deliberately trying to get close, intending to seek revenge?"


    Aunt Wang hesitated and said, "It''s not that feeling either, it''s just... hard to describe..."


    She couldn''t quite put it into words, but the feeling was definitely off.


    Li the Cook: "Why do you care about their business? Zhou Qun isn''t a good guy, and Bai Fendou isn''t any better. One less of them is better for everyone."


    Although there was no evidence to prove Zhou Qun''s misdeeds, everyone at the factory knew he was always after older women. To put it harshly, he was no different from those ancient male prostitutes. No one believed he was innocent.


    Everyone has a brain, after all.


    As for Bai Fendou, even less said, he had swindled money from their family, though they weren''t sure how much. But they were certain he had swindled them. How could they look upon Bai Fendou favorably?


    "Let''s sleep, don''t worry about them."


    "Alright!"


    Late at night, every household in the courtyard inevitably discussed the Bai family''s affairs, most of them with mockery. With two workers in the family and no financial burden, they could have lived well, but instead, their life was in such a mess that even their windows had no ss. Who else could theyugh at but the Bai family?


    Of course, the topic inevitably turned to Zhou Qun.


    Zhou Qun''s strangeness was well-known to everyone.


    At this moment, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendouy on the same bed. They had actually arrived earlier, but Bai Fendou had been soaked to the bone, and Zhou Qun was afraid he would catch a cold, so he instructed Wang Zhaodi to boil some hot water for Bai Fendou to bathe.


    Bai Fendou took a bath and drank ginger soup. Finally, hey down and said, "I used to... misunderstand you. You''re actually a good guy."


    After lying down for a while, Bai Fendou spoke up.


    Zhou Qun: "We''re neighbors, helping each other is normal. Besides, we grew up together. Our bond isn''t like others''. Speaking of which, Zhuang Zhiyuan from the Zhuang family is three years younger than us, and Zhuang Zhixi is even younger. The ones who truly grew up together are you and me, and Su. Now that Su is gone, it''s just us. Why should we let others'' affairs cause such a rift between us? We don''t actually have any conflicts."


    Bai Fendou nodded and agreed.


    But he also said, "It''s also because your family was too harsh on the Su family. The child is innocent, and taking a little something when he''s hungry, what''s the big deal? He''s still a child."


    Zhou Qun pursed his lips, thinking that such a child would end up in a juvenile detention center sooner orter.


    But he didn''t argue with Bai Fendou, saying, "Mm."


    He turned over and ced his hand on Bai Fendou''s waist, saying, "Bai Fendou, what kind of woman do you want to marry?"


    Bai Fendou thought he had just casually put his hand there and didn''t pay it any mind, saying, "I want to find someone with good conditions, preferably beautiful, educated, and talented. If her family can help me out, that would be even better."


    He pursed his lips and said, "I''m not like Yang Lixin, who wants to be a live-in son-inw. Marriage is the union of two families, and helping each other is normal."


    He was also trying to cover up his own embarrassment.


    Zhou Qun nodded, "You''re right. I agree with your point of view. If a family doesn''t help each other, who else can they rely on? Outsiders certainly can''t be trusted. Look at you today, we''ve been neighbors for so many years, and apart from me, has anyone else offered to help? It''s clear they''re heartless and unfeeling."


    He ced one leg over.


    Bai Fendou didn''t pay it any mind again.


    He said, "Sister Xiangxiu is still good, but I can''t stay at the house of two widows."


    Wang Xiangxiu again!


    Zhou Qun''s eyes shed with a hint of darkness. Wang Xiangxiu, what kind of person is she?


    He took a deep breath and suppressed his anger, saying, "Don''t mention her. Let''s just talk about the people in the courtyard. It''s our bond that''s strong."


    Bai Fendou was somewhat moved by his words and nodded, "I know, you''re a good guy."


    The Zhou family isn''t all bad.


    It''s just that Aunt Zhou, the troublemaker, isn''t a good person.


    Look, when she was around, things in the courtyard were constantly going wrong, with people arguing and fighting. But now that she''s gone, everything is different. Zhou Qun even stepped forward to help proactively, showing that the previous troubles were all due to Aunt Zhou.


    He patted Zhou Qun and said, "I know you''re still a good person..."


    Zhou Qun smiled and moved closer to Bai Fendou, whispering, "Have you ever been with a woman?"


    Bai Fendou''s eyes widened like copper bells, "Why would I be with a woman? I''m a decent person. I''m not the kind of guy who just goes around casually."


    Zhou Qun: "Ha ha ha!"


    This guy, his age is a bit old for that.


    But he felt even happier.


    "Well... let me teach you?"


    Bai Fendou: "???"


    Zhou Qun seriously said, "If you don''t know anything, you''ll embarrass yourself on your wedding night. There are techniques to it..."


    "Ah! Never heard of that!"


    "You''re a bachelor, who would tell you...?"


    "Then tell me, Zhou Qun, you''re really a good guy."


    ...


    The heavy rain still hadn''t stopped. In the dead of night, Zhao Guihua grumbled as she put on her clothes and went out. The most frustrating thing in life is having a stomachache in the middle of the night during a heavy rain. Zhao Guihua went out alone. The heavy rain made the gate open.


    Earlier, they had been closing the gate every day because of the thieves, but it hadn''t been long, and everyone had rxed again.


    Not just their courtyard, some courtyards didn''t even lock their doors. But their courtyard was different; they had to lock their doors, especially with Jii being a pickpocket and Yii and Toni acting as lookouts. They had to be careful.


    Zhao Guihua, lost in thought, walked out of the alley, grumbling even more as she ran to the back street. It was a long way to the toilet. Poor them, they didn''t know when their toilet would be fixed. Zhao Guihua quickly went to the toilet.


    At this time, Zhou Qun had already taught Bai Fendou a lot of "knowledge," using both hands and feet, very seriously exining.


    Bai Fendou: "Alright, alright, stop getting closer. Teaching me won''t help; there''s no woman here anyway. I''m tired, I want to sleep."


    Although he had learned a lot, felt excited, and even a bit breathless, Bai Fendou still decided not to learn anymore. After all, Zhou Qun''s teaching method was unclear, and he had to use his hands to exin, which made Bai Fendou think his teaching skills were a bitcking.


    But the guy was really well-intentioned. He turned over and said, "I have to get up early for work tomorrow, I''m going to sleep."


    Zhou Qun frowned, feeling very unhappy, but he knew that even if Bai Fendou was still a bit injured, he might not be a match for him. He could only let Bai Fendou sleep in his bed. However, Bai Fendou''s sleep quality was really good.


    In no time, he started snoring rhythmically... Zhou Qun listened to the sound and felt the breath of the person next to him, making it even harder for him to fall asleep.


    He turned his head in the darkness and stared at Bai Fendou. Outside, the rain was pouring down, and his heart began to race. After a moment of thought, he quietly got out of bed and tiptoed to the next room. His ear pressed against the door, but he couldn''t hear anything. Carefully, he opened the door just a crack and peeked inside. He saw Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi both asleep.


    Not everyone was as restless as he was.


    Sneaky and suspicious.


    Convinced that the two women were asleep, he closed the door gently and tiptoed back to his room.


    Heh heh!


    Heh heh heh!


    In the dead of night, Zhou Qun was the most energetic person in the entire courtyard.


    This rainy night, with heavy rain pouring down, Aunt Wang from the back courtyard rubbed her stomach and went out wearing a raincoat. Maybe it was because they stood in the rain watching themotion for too long, but she felt a bit chilly. She shuffled her feet as she walked outside... Crack, rumble.


    A lightning bolt streaked across the night sky, and the thunder followed immediately.


    Aunt Wang was startled and leaned against the wall. As she turned her head... the lightning illuminated the room brightly.


    In the brightly lit room, Aunt Wang witnessed a scene she would never forget. Zhou Qun... was kissing Bai Fendou, fumbling around, hands everywhere... that kind of kissing!


    Those who are married understand!


    Even those who are not married understand, it''s just that kind of thing!


    Aunt Wang almost screamed out loud, but at the crucial moment, she covered her mouth with her hand. She trembled against the wall, her legs shaking like limp noodles.


    She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. To be honest, she couldn''t think of going to the bathroom anymore.


    She couldn''t believe what she had just seen. She leaned against the wall, struggling to gather her courage and slowly approached the window. The faint creak of the door opening sounded, and Aunt Wang quickly covered her mouth again, afraid she might scream.


    The person who came out of the room was also startled and was about to speak when he saw Aunt Wang frantically waving her hand. This person was none other than Lan Sihai.


    Lan Sihai was holding a wooden stick. He had woken up to get a drink of water and thought he saw a shadowy figure moving outside. Worried that it might be a thief taking advantage of the rainy night, he immediately grabbed the stick and went out.


    But... Aunt Wang?


    What was going on?


    Aunt Wang''s face was red, and she signaled him to be quiet, pointing at Zhou Qun''s bedroom. Lan Sihai''s eyes flickered. Being an older man, he could guess what Aunt Wang might have seen.


    As for the thief?


    This time, Lan Sihai didn''t think it was a thief in the room.


    What kind of thief would be so stupid as to target a room with two grown men sleeping in it?


    He had been watching themotion earlier and knew that Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou lived here. He put down the stick and walked directly to the window... Ah, what a sight!


    Truly... indecent!


    Extremely indecent!


    One nce and you''d want to wash your eyes. This scene was just too shocking!


    It was way too shocking!


    After a quick look, he turned back to his room and gently tapped his wife''s shoulder. Luo Xiaohe rubbed her eyes: "What''s wrong?"


    Lan Sihai pointed outside and then made a shushing gesture, leading her out. Luo Xiaohe: "???"


    As soon as she stepped out, she saw Aunt Wang clinging to the window of Zhou Qun''s house like a gecko.


    Luo Xiaohe was even more confused: "???"


    What was going on?


    But she didn''t ask, and followed Lan Sihai to the window. The moment she looked inside, Luo Xiaohe almost screamed, but Lan Sihai, prepared, quickly covered her mouth. Luo Xiaohe trembled, her fingers raised, her eyes wide, and the three of them looked at each other.


    Then they all turned their attention to the room, only to quickly turn away, covering their mouths to suppress the urge to vomit.


    Zhao Guihua returned from outside, finally feeling relieved. She hadn''t eaten much tonight, so why did she have diarrhea? It must be the cold. The temperature had dropped significantly after the rain.


    As she entered the courtyard, she immediately came face to face with three people.


    Zhao Guihua: "???"


    What... are you all doing?


    Grouping up to peek into Aunt Zhou''s window?


    Before anyone could say anything, Zhao Guihua quickly moved closer. She peeked inside and saw... Zhou Qun''s hands were way too... The two inside were almost rolling around. Zhao Guihua covered her eyes and turned to look at them. The four elderly people looked at each other.


    They were both curious to see more but also found it too disgusting.


    Mainly, the two of them were just too shocking.


    Zhao Guihua took a deep breath and quickly ran back home.


    Luo Xiaohe: "Didn''t Aunt Zhao want to see more?"


    Although she spoke, she didn''t make a sound, just moving her mouth. Aunt Wang could understand, but she wasn''t sure why Zhao Guihua left.


    Zhao Guihua didn''t disappoint them. She quickly returned, dragging out the drowsy Old Man Zhuang.


    Aunt Wang & Lan Sihai & Luo Xiaohe: "..."


    What...


    Are you forming a group to watch the show?


    But then again, Lan Sihai had already called out Luo Xiaohe.


    Aunt Wang quickly went home and soon, Li the Cook also rubbed his eyes and came out. He saw Old Man Zhuang leaning against the wall, his mouth wide open, like a fish out of water, pressing his chest.


    At his age, he had never seen anything like this before and couldn''t handle it.


    Li the Cook had already heard from Aunt Wang about what was happening between Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, so he was somewhat prepared. But the sight still made him want to vomit.


    The six elderly people all leaned against the wall, like geckos.


    However, none of them went to call their children. After all, these kids were too young. If they saw this, they wouldn''t be able to handle it! Besides, if they started imitating Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, that would be a problem!


    So, they all silently agreed not to involve their younger family members.


    Lan Sihai gestured toward his house, and the group went inside together. The six of them stood there in silence for a long time before Lan Sihai, being the oldest and most experienced, finally spoke up.


    He summarized: "Ugly people, wild games."


    They were all speechless.


    Zhao Guihua clutched her hair, almost pulling it all out. She said, "I never expected... I never expected this..."


    So, she realized that you can''t rely entirely on past experiences. Look, this is a major deviation from what you''d expect. Who could have imagined that these two would end up in such a rtionship?


    "Old man, stop pulling your hair."


    Old Man Zhuang stopped Zhao Guihua''s hand.


    Zhao Guihua: "This is way too shocking."


    Even decadester, such things aren''t umon, and Zhao Guihua had heard about them. But this was the first time she had seen something like this with her own eyes, and it was happening to people she knew. It was incredibly shocking.


    Zhao Guihua''s words were met with agreement from everyone. They all nodded. Indeed, this was way too shocking.


    "Do you think... when did Zhou Qun start having feelings for Bai Fendou?"


    "Who knows? He used to chase women, didn''t he? Maybe those stories about chasing women were fake. Maybe he''s always liked men. Those past stories might not be true." Aunt Wang said.


    Lan Sihai nced at her and said, "Maybe he likes both men and women? Even if he doesn''t, maybe he just changed his taste."


    "Ah, can it be like that?"


    "Why not? Besides, some people just don''t like women, but they can still... Anyway, why are we discussing this? What we should be discussing is, should we catch them in the act?"


    Honestly, if this had happened under normal circumstances, they would have intervened.


    But now, it''s just too awkward to deal with!


    Zhao Guihua: "I don''t know."


    Luo Xiaohe, having been married into the family for a short time, thought she had seen a lot, but this situation left herpletely baffled. She could only echo Zhao Guihua like a parrot: "I don''t know."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Aunt Wang, you''re the head of the courtyard. What do you think?"


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    Her expression was conflicted. This head of the courtyard job was really bing too much.


    This is just too frustrating. What kind of mess is this?


    She covered her face, and after a long while, she said, "Let''s just pretend we didn''t see anything."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s true. If we bring it up, whether they admit it or not, it''s just going to be embarrassing. Besides, our neighborhood''s reputation is already bad enough. If we stir things up more, it''ll only get worse."


    "Who says otherwise?"


    "I wonder why Zhou Qun is like this."


    "I don''t care about Zhou Qun. From the moment he approached Bai Fendou, he didn''t have good intentions. What I''m thinking is, Bai Fendou has always been jealous of Zhou Qun, right? How could he end up rolling around with him? It really is true that you can''t judge a book by its cover."


    Zhao Guihua sighed.


    Li the Cook chimed in, "I saw something off about their rtionship a long time ago. I mean, how could Bai Fendou try to bully Jiang Lu, and Zhou Qun still forgives him? It turns out they were involved. I bet this is a love triangle. Zhou Qun married Jiang Lu, and Bai Fendou got jealous and started targeting their family. He deliberately pushed Jiang Lu into the small warehouse at the factory, and it definitely wasn''t because he had any intentions. He just wanted to make Zhou Qun angry, so he went all out. Look, Zhou Qun even forgave him. That''s because Zhou Qun definitely feels guilty toward him. They can''t be together, so they can only silently endure their longing for each other..."


    Li the Cook seemed to have watched too many melodramatic shows, as his imagination ran wild.


    A love triangle had already emerged in his mind.


    Jiang Lu wasn''t even the main character.


    Bai Fendou was the leading role, and Jiang Lu was just a supporting character.


    Aunt Wang couldn''t take it anymore: "Please stop, you''re going to make me sick!"


    Aunt Wang was truly overwhelmed and said, "Oh my god, stop talking, I can''t handle it. Just thinking about it makes me nauseous."


    "This is just..."


    The group exchanged nces and silently left the room, pressing their faces against the window to see two naked bodies.


    Zhao Guihua covered her mouth, feeling waves of nausea, and couldn''t hold back any longer, running home... Old Man Zhuang quickly followed. Lan Sihai and his wife exchanged nces and finally couldn''t bear it anymore, hurrying back to their home.


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    Li the Cook dragged her back home.


    Aunt Wang: "I just came out to go to the bathroom."


    Well, now she had no urge to go anymore.


    The three elderly couples returned to their homes, finally able to speak freely.


    However, once back home, none of the old couples could find the words to discuss it. The incident was too shocking; how could they talk about it?


    "You see..."


    Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed through the courtyard: "Ah!!!"


    Zhao Guihua flinched, instantly recognizing whose voice it was. She quickly said, "It''s Jiang Lu!"


    She darted to the door and yanked it open. In the pouring rain, the Zhou family''s house was brightly lit! Zhao Guihua was the fastest, rushing over to see Jiang Lu standing at the door in thin clothes,pletely stunned.


    Zhao Guihua: "!!!"


    She had found out!


    Zhao Guihua hurried forward, seeing Jiang Lu suddenly freeze, then seem to snap out of it. She suddenly charged into the house, where a heartbreaking scream rang out. Jiang Lu roared in fury: "Bai Fendou, I''ll kill you! You seduced my husband!!!"


    Soon, the lights in the other houses in the courtyard turned on, and people rushed out, half-dressed, not even bothering to put on their clothes.


    "What''s going on?"


    "What happened? Why did I hear Jiang Lu''s scream?"


    "I heard her yelling at Bai Fendou!"


    "Ah, did Bai Fendou try to take advantage of her again? This is inviting trouble!"


    No, I heard her scold Bai Fendou for seducing her husband...


    "Could that have been a misunderstanding?"


    Everyone was specting, but soon they all crowded around the Zhou family''s door, only to see¡ªoh, no!

 Chapter 101

    "Ahhh!!!"


    Jiang Lu''s scream was so ear-piercing, it nearly reached the heavens.


    Themotion attracted everyone who heard it, and soon the entire neighborhood had gathered at the Zhou family''s doorstep. People huddled at the entrance, whispering and peeking inside. What they saw left them in shock.


    Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou were both stark naked, like freshly cooked chicken. Zhou Qun was rolling on the ground, covering a certain part of his body, while Bai Fendou sat in the corner, looking like a traumatized bride.


    Oh boy!


    This was something no one had ever seen before.


    Everyone looked at each other, at a loss for words... gulp. Someone swallowed hard. Zhuang Zhixi, standing at the front, quickly reacted, "Ladies, don''te forward!"


    Aunt Sui: "What''s going on? I''m old, I can handle it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Other men: "..."


    Such a shocking scene made the men naturally step forward to shield the women from the sight. Not to protect Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou''s modesty, but to prevent the women from getting nightmares. Who in their right mind would want to see this?


    Ming Mei, who was jumping around at the back, stopped and quietly peered forward. It seemed the scene inside was not something ordinary women should witness. Beside her was her equally curious sister-inw, Liang Meifen: "This is something else, something else."


    When her son, rubbing his eyes, came out, Liang Meifen scolded, "Go back to bed, now! This is no ce for kids."


    Little Hutou mumbled softly and shuffled back into the house.


    He was sent away, but other kids like Jii were peeking out from the doorway.


    Men and elderly women stood in the front row; young wives and unmarried girls in the middle; and at the back, the kids who woulde out even in the pouring rain to watch the drama.


    The entire neighborhood had been woken up.


    Zhao Guihua hadn''t expected this. They had just decided to let the matter slide, pretending they knew nothing, but then it all blew up on its own. How it happened, no one knew, but seeing Jiang Lu trembling with anger, they felt they had to say something: "Jiang Lu... you..."


    No one knew what to say.


    Everyone looked at Aunt Wang, the neighborhoodmittee leader. Aunt Wang: "..." This was truly her worst nightmare!


    "Jiang Lu, why don''t you stay at your parents'' ce for a few days?"


    She didn''t dare ask what had happened. With Jiang Lu in this state, asking would only provoke her.


    Aunt Wang meant well, but it backfired. Jiang Lu suddenly turned viciously and snapped, "Why should I go to my parents'' ce? Am I making room for Bai Fendou, the male seducer? This is my home! Does he want to usurp it?"


    Aunt Wang: "I didn''t mean that."


    She was snapped at.


    Jiang Lu: "Then why are you telling me to go to my parents''? Are you on Bai Fendou''s side? Are you colluding to drive me out?"


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    She was utterly speechless.


    Aunt Wang was so furious she was shaking. Zhao Guihua stepped in, helping Aunt Wang to the side and said coldly, "Jiang Lu, speak properly. Who are you snapping at? If it weren''t for living in the same neighborhood, who would care about your mess? You''re acting like a mad dog biting everyone. Why don''t you direct your anger at Zhou Qun?"


    Jiang Lu''s eyes were bloodshot. She red at Zhao Guihua and spat, "This is my business! You neighbors can mind your own damn business! Who do you think you are?"


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Do you think we want to meddle? If it weren''t for you snapping at Aunt Wang, I wouldn''t have said a word. If Aunt Wang weren''t the neighborhoodmittee leader, do you think she''d want to deal with your mess? Do you think this is something to be proud of?"


    She turned to Aunt Wang, "Old Wang, you''re just the neighborhoodmittee leader. Do what you can, but if you can''t, it''s not your fault. You see? Some people just don''t know good from bad."


    Aunt Wang had calmed down by now. She patted her friend''s hand and said, "You''re right."


    She looked directly at Jiang Lu and said, "I''m not getting involved in your family''s affairs anymore. Do whatever you want."


    With that, she turned and walked away!


    She was truly furious. Over the years, she had worked tirelessly for their neighborhood. While every neighborhood had its share of petty disputes, theirs seemed to have more than its fair share. She had put in a lot of effort.


    She had helped every household, but never expected Jiang Lu to bite the hand that fed her.


    Aunt Wang shouted, "Old Li, Li Fang, Yang Lixin, go home!"


    Even though Chef Li was usually the boss at home, he dared not defy Aunt Wang when she was angry. He quickly turned and obediently followed. Yang Lixin also dragged his wife and hurried away.


    Jiang Lu watched their backs and shouted through gritted teeth, "I don''t need your help!"


    Suddenly, she erupted and charged at Bai Fendou, kicking him: "You male seducer! You seduced my husband!"


    At thest moment, Bai Fendou barely dodged, thanks to his experience from previous beatings. He knew Jiang Lu''s tactics¡ªshe went for the lower body, no matter how unsightly. The goal was to win!


    He barely dodged and looked at Jiang Lu with a fierce re. No one expected him to suddenly strike back, pping Jiang Lu hard across the face.


    "Ah!" Jiang Lu''s face instantly swelled up.


    "Holy crap, Bai Fendou actually hit her!"


    "Yeah, those two men messing around, and now he''s hitting her?"


    "That''s too much."


    "He should be arrested by the security department!"


    "Exactly!"


    "Bai Fendou, are you even a man? Hitting a woman, tarnishing the reputation of us men in Beijing."


    Beijing men might brag about beating their wives at home, but actually doing it was looked down upon. Hitting someone else''s wife was downright despicable.


    Whether it was the blow or the crowd''s support that fueled her, Jiang Lu let out a howl and charged again. Her fists mercilessly pummeled Bai Fendou, who pushed her hard, not caring that he was still naked, and pped her again.


    Now both of Jiang Lu''s cheeks were swollen.


    "Holy crap!"


    "Bai Fendou, what are you doing!"


    "That''s too much!"


    "How can you hit Jiang Lu? Is there now?"


    The crowd couldn''t take it anymore and rolled up their sleeves, ready to teach this unprincipled man a lesson. But before they could step forward, Bai Fendou suddenly roared at them, "I''ll hit her! I''ll hit her! They set me up! They must have set me up! They plotted against me, waaah! My innocence! I''m still a virgin! I''ve never been with a woman! Zhou Qun molested me, waaah!"


    He cried, tears and snot streaming down his face, "I don''t believe Jiang Lu didn''t know! They must have been holding a grudge from the small warehouse incident! The couple lured me to their home, then Zhou Qun molested me, waaah, and Jiang Lu exposed me to ruin my reputation! That''s what they wanted! Waaah... you''re bullying me, you''re all bullying me!"


    Thinking of this, his eyes turned vicious, and he kicked Zhou Qun: "You bastard! You bastard took advantage of me while I was asleep. Waaah, you''re despicable, may lightning strike you down! Why don''t you just die..."


    Bai Fendou cried as if the world was ending. He never imagined he''d encounter such a thing. He''d only heard of young girls or women being harassed, never a thirty-something man!


    He was unlucky, so unlucky.


    He cried and kicked Zhou Qun: "You bastard! You''re not human! You even said you''d teach me some tricks... you were plotting against me! Waaah! You took advantage of me while I was asleep..."


    The crowd: "What the...!"


    "Oh, this..."


    Everyone was stunned, not knowing what to say.


    It was just... so bewildering.


    Bai Fendou was even more bewildered. He hadn''t expected Zhou Qun to say such a thing. Seeing Zhou Qun crying so hard that he was about to faint, yet still trying to attack Bai Fendou, Jiang Lu quickly stepped forward: "Don''t hit him! What are you doing? Who told you to act wild in my house!"


    She tried to block Bai Fendou''s attack, not allowing him to hit Zhou Qun.


    Bai Fendou roared in anger: "You''re going too far!"


    He pointed at Jiang Lu and demanded: "Tell me, did you and your husband n this together? You bullied me and even tried to ruin my reputation. Tell me!"


    Everyone followed Bai Fendou''s gaze and turned to look at Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu widened her eyes: "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Bai Fendou ignored her and kicked Zhou Qun again: "She won''t say it, so you tell me. Did you deliberately try to sleep with me? Tell me!"


    Zhou Qun, who was kicked and clutching a sensitive area, rolled around on the ground, barely able to speak: "I... this... this is a misunderstanding..."


    Bai Fendou refused to believe it and shouted: "Go to hell with your misunderstanding! There''s no way it''s a misunderstanding! You stripped me naked. How could it be a misunderstanding? Waaah, my dream girl in my dreams..."


    He cried so pitifully that everyone, who were used to seeing Bai Fendou''s tough exterior, felt sympathy for him for the first time. Although no one knew exactly what had happened, given Bai Fendou''s state, it was hard to believe he had any intention of getting involved with Zhou Qun.


    It was more likely that Zhou Qun had done something to him!


    Oh, how terrible!


    Bai Fendou: "Jiang Lu, you tell me!"


    Jiang Lu, though furious and heartbroken for Zhou Qun, saw Bai Fendou''s madness and calmed down a bit. She shouted: "I don''t know what you''re talking about! I have no idea what you''re saying! I just took you in out of kindness, and then I got up to use the bathroom and heard noises in the room... Do you think I wanted to see that? That''s my husband! That''s my husband! I''d have to be crazy toe up with such a scheme. How could I possibly do something like that to trick you?"


    By the end, Jiang Lu was shouting.


    Bai Fendou also shouted: "If that''s not the case, then why did Zhou Qun do this to me?"


    He was just one step away from losing his innocence.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He cried so hard that his tears outnumbered the raindrops outside.


    "Just one step away, I almost got vited by a man. Waaah!"


    At this point, no one dared to say a word. The atmosphere was clearly explosive on both sides, and no one knew what had really happened. Was it Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun''s plot, or did Bai Fendou somehow seduce Zhou Qun? It was impossible to tell.


    Both sides felt wronged.


    So everyone was holding their breath, afraid that even a slight movement might miss something crucial.


    But... did Bai Fendou really not get vited?


    Was that true? Jiang Lu didn''t seem that angry.


    Bai Fendou turned and saw everyone''s suspicious looks. Even though no one said anything, Bai Fendou felt like they had said it all. He roared: "Nothing happened! It was just one step away! Waaah, my dream girl was supposed to be a beauty..."


    It was all Zhou Qun''s fault. That bastard Zhou Qun was a scoundrel. Before going to sleep, he had talked nonsense to Bai Fendou and even tried to "teach him." Although Bai Fendou felt weird and refused, he couldn''t help but dream of such things.


    In his dreams, it was Wang Xiangxiu.


    He had lied when he said "big sister."


    After all, he couldn''t say that the woman in his dreams was Wang Xiangxiu. Sister Xiangxiu''s reputation was important too. In his dreams, they had kissed, hugged, and done many happy things together. But... everything was fake.


    Jiang Lu''s scream woke him up!


    Waaah, there was no Wang Xiangxiu.


    Only Zhou Qun, who had intended to take advantage of him!


    He felt so wronged that he curled up like a 150-pound ball, on the verge of losing everything. In the nick of time, he used his ultimate move¡ªthe Dragon w.


    With a powerful grip, Zhou Qun copsed!


    Bai Fendou stumbled and curled up against the wall, feeling helpless and pitiful.


    Who would have thought that even men weren''t safe these days? And to think that Jiang Lu was still trying to frame him. He felt even more wronged than Dou E! He cried even harder: "How can you treat me like this? I''m a virgin! I''m not clean anymore... How am I supposed to get married in the future?"


    Jiang Lu: "Don''t try to shift the me. I could say you''re the one who bullied my husband..."


    Bai Fendou''s eyes turned red instantly: "You bastard! I''ll kill you!"


    He rushed outside to grab a kitchen knife.


    Wang Zhaodi, who was already in the room, reacted quickly and snatched the knife just as Bai Fendou approached, throwing it out... "Holy crap!"


    "This is crazy! He''s going to kill someone!"


    "It''s a kitchen knife! How could you throw it out?"


    "Are you an idiot?"


    Wang Zhaodi was scared out of her wits, trembling: "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I... I just..." She was too nervous to speak. She hadn''t meant to do it; she was just afraid Bai Fendou would hurt someone.


    Everyone was crowded at the door. Luckily, they all dodged in time, and the knife fell to the ground. Otherwise, they would have been injured just watching the drama. Everyone gave Wang Zhaodi a disapproving look.


    Wang Zhaodi awkwardly stood by the door, not knowing what to do. Zhuang Zhixi quickly shouted: "Move aside! I''ll kick it out."


    Even the most skilled fighter would fear a kitchen knife.


    Everyone quickly moved aside as Zhuang Zhixi kicked the knife out.


    Yang Lixin quickly pulled Wang Zhaodi out of the way. Although they had left, Yang Lixin couldn''t resisting back to watch. After all, Bai Fendou losing his innocence was too good of a show to miss. He couldn''t help but peek, especially since his mother-inw and father-inw were also standing on tiptoes, trying to see what was happening.


    Although he had been angry at first, this situation was too intriguing not to watch.


    Yang Lixin pulled Wang Zhaodi out, leaving the stage to Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun''s family. Wang Zhaodi shivered and leaned against the wall, finding city people quite frightening.


    "What are you all looking at? There''s nothing to see here! Are you here to watch my humiliation? When have I, Bai Fendou, ever been so embarrassed? You''re not giving me the knife back, so..." He grabbed a cutting board and prepared to charge in.


    If this continued, someone could get seriously hurt.


    Aunt Wang was really at a loss, but she quickly spoke up: "Both of you have your reasons, but maybe neither of you is at fault. Maybe it''s Zhou Qun''s issue. Maybe Zhou Qun just took a liking to Bai Fendou. It''s not about revenge or ruining Bai Fendou''s reputation. Maybe Zhou Qun just likes Bai Fendou. Otherwise, why hasn''t Jiang Lu had a child all these years? Zhou Qun just doesn''t like women."


    Her voice wasn''t loud, but it was enough for Bai Fendou to hear.


    Bai Fendou froze, then his eyes darkened, though his tears flowed even more.


    Damn it, this was even more unbearable than being tricked.


    At that moment, Jiang Lu hugged her husband and looked up, saying seriously: "I swear, I didn''t plot against you."


    Seeing Bai Fendou go mad like this, Jiang Lu managed to clear her mind a bit. She knew she hadn''t done anything, so she had to make it clear. Otherwise, their family would never be able to face people again.


    No matter what Zhou Qun had done, she had to distance herself from it first.


    Only then could she consider that Zhou Qun might have had a dream.


    If she didn''t clear this up, their family would never be able to face people again.


    She started by distancing herself, raising her hand: "I swear, if my husband and I plotted together to trick you, let me be struck by lightning and die a horrible death! Let the lightning outside strike me down now!"


    Bai Fendou: "Waaah!"


    Seeing Jiang Lu so determined, everyone began to persuade Bai Fendou: "Fendou, since Jiang Lu is willing to make such a vicious oath, she probably didn''t trick you."


    "That''s right. If Jiang Lu had really tricked you, she wouldn''t have been so angry earlier."


    "Yeah, no one would do such a thing. You must have misunderstood her."


    "I think you misunderstood Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu is actually quite nice."


    Jiang Lu had been living in this courtyard for over ten years, and people had some understanding of her. While her mother-inw, Aunt Zhou, might have done something like this, Jiang Lu probably wouldn''t.


    What good would it do her to spread this story around?


    Bai Fendou''s reputation is already in tatters, and how could their marriage possibly remain intact?


    Obviously, it couldn''t.


    Bai Fendou was bawling his eyes out,pletely devoid of any manly dignity. Jiang Lu''s oath would have been fine if she hadn''t made it, but now it seemed to confirm that he had indeed set his sights on her.


    At thirty-something, finding a wife was so difficult, yet finding a man was so easy?


    Could it really be that his grandmother''s legs could attract the attention of a man?


    Such an absurd situation was more than Bai Fendou could handle. With a loud "Ga!" he suddenly passed out and copsed to the ground.


    "Oh my God!"


    "Mommy!"


    "Uncle Bai! Uncle Bai!"


    "Quick, Bai Fendou has fainted!"


    At a time like this, of course, they had to call for Old Man Bai. Finally, he managed to squeeze through the crowd of mischievous youngsters blocking the doorway. He hadn''t expected things to turn out like this and felt nothing but bad luck.


    He said, "Everyone, lend a hand and help me get him home."


    Who could have imagined that his son, just out for a night''s lodging, would encounter a pervert?


    Old Man Bai was heartbroken. The bitter taste seemed to rise from his throat.


    "Bai Fendou''s underwear..."


    Old Man Bai: "Wait a moment."


    First, he had to get his son home. "Fendou, pull yourself together."


    The man was unconscious; what kind of pulling himself together was he talking about?


    Since Bai Fendou was as naked as a plucked chicken, everyone shouted, "Ladies, close your eyes, don''t look!"


    As Bai Fendou was carried out, the women turned away, though some older ones, like Aunt Su, stood on tiptoe to peek. She then shook her head slightly, clearly disapproving of something, though only she knew what.


    "Son, it''s Dad''s fault. I didn''t take good care of you. I actually believed Zhou Qun''s words. That treacherous scoundrel took advantage of you..." Old Man Bai began to sob as well.


    He had only this one son. His testicles were shattered, he hadn''t married, and now he was rumored to have been bullied by a man.


    His heart was in such pain.


    He only regretted not having another child when he was young.


    Now, he was physically unable to do so.


    Sob, sob, sob.


    Old Man Bai thought of how miserable it all was and started crying too.


    He had nned to fix the leaks in his house tonight, sleepingter than everyone else. By the time themotion started, he couldn''t squeeze through the crowd. Although he was anxious and felt ashamed, he could still hold it together. But seeing it with his own eyes, hisst thread of reason snapped.


    He cried bitterly.


    However, he didn''t mention taking his son to the hospital. Bai Fendou hadn''t been injured; he had just fainted from anger. There was no need to go. Old Man Bai wailed. Bai Fendou gradually regained consciousness, saw his father crying, and couldn''t help but cry again...


    He was truly too miserable.


    The Bai father and son cried loudly, like Lady Meng Jiang trying to bring down the Great Wall. In the next room, Jiang Lu also cried, even more miserably than the Bai duo. Her husband had done such a thing, and she felt too ashamed to make any excuses.


    For the first time in their ten years of marriage, Jiang Lu resented Zhou Qun.


    Didn''t he care about his reputation at all?


    At this moment, Jiang Lu even thought that if Zhou Qun had found a woman outside, it might have been better than the current situation. How could he have set his sights on a man? What was wrong with her? Why did he choose Bai Fendou?


    Was he blind?


    Jiang Lu was exhausted. She really felt terrible, but she knew she had to protect Zhou Qun. She looked up and said, "I think it must have been a dream. Zhou Qun must have mistaken Bai Fendou for me..."


    She was determined to clear his name.


    She tried to sound sincere: "Think about it. If it wasn''t a mistake, why would Zhou Qun do such a thing? We''ve been married for so many years, and I know he''s a real man."


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t agree with this.


    She thought Zhou Qun wasn''t much of a man. After all, it onlysted a few seconds. How could that be considered manly?


    Originally, it was just a few seconds, but now he had changed his taste. As the saying goes, "Ugly people y dirty."


    That''s really true. This unlucky guy wasn''t a good person. No wonder he hadn''t been looking for hertely. She thought he was avoiding her, but it turned out he had changed his taste. Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t surprised by Zhou Qun''s change in preference.


    After all, this man had hooked up with a forty or fifty-year-old woman during his teenage years and now, in middle age, had set his sights on a man. Nothing about him was surprising.


    You couldn''t expect him to be normal.


    It was impossible.


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head slightly, not believing the "dream" excuse. If it were a dream, wouldn''t he have realized it once he touched him? Men and women are different. Bai Fendou waspletely naked.


    Thinking of Bai Fendou, Wang Xiangxiu felt even more tired. He had been one of her loyal followers, her wallet.


    But she never expected him to get into such a situation.


    Thinking of Bai Fendou''s appearance, Wang Xiangxiu deeplymented Zhou Qun''s poor taste and desperation.


    He''d take anything!


    "Zhou Qun isn''t that kind of person. Many in the courtyard have watched him grow up and know his character. Although there have been some bad rumors before, my Zhou Qun is a man of integrity. He''s really a good man..."


    Jiang Lu continued to defend Zhou Qun, though no one responded to her.


    Everyone remained silent, not knowing what to say, making Jiang Lu seem like she was performing a solo act.


    Jiang Lu''s face was already unnaturally red. She tugged at Zhou Qun and said, "Zhou Qun, say something! Exin yourself! Don''t let them nder you like this!"


    Zhou Qun: "Waaah!"


    At this moment, he finally showed some reaction, but it was also tears streaming down his face. He whimpered, "It hurts... ow... it hurts..."


    After being squeezed by Bai Fendou, he felt a searing pain.


    Before he could recover, he was kicked multiple times. He felt... he felt like he might have... been shattered.


    Zhou Qun sobbed, almost squeezing the words out: "Go... go... to... the... hospital..."


    It was only then that Jiang Lu realized Zhou Qun wasn''t refusing to speak or defend himself; he was simply unable to. After all, the injury was in a very important part of a man''s body. For a man, everything else was secondary; this was the most crucial part.


    He grabbed Jiang Lu''s shoulder, trembling: "Hospital..."


    Jiang Lu looked down and saw blood.


    She screamed, "Ah! Zhou Qun, hold on! Hold on! I''ll take you to the hospital."


    She quickly called out, "Someone, help me!"


    Upon hearing this, the men all took a step back. No one wanted to help, as Zhou Qun had a history of such behavior. If they were mistaken for being interested in him, it would be truly disgusting.


    Moreover, who would want to be misunderstood? They couldn''t help.


    The women certainly wouldn''t step forward either. Zhou Qun was naked, and they still had their reputations to protect.


    Jiang Lu: "We''re all neighbors; do you have to be so cold-hearted?"


    She shouted, but no one came forward.


    Even Aunt Wang, the neighborhoodmittee leader, didn''t intervene. Others certainly wouldn''t. Aunt Wang had her own thoughts; after dealing with the situation, would Jiang Lu me her? She wasn''t that idle. Earlier, when Bai Fendou wanted to attack with a knife, it was a big deal, and she couldn''t let him make a mistake. But now, she wouldn''t intervene.


    No one was willing to help, so Jiang Lu called, "Wang Zhaodi!"


    Others could avoid it, but Wang Zhaodi couldn''t. She closed her eyes and stepped forward reluctantly, like a blind person. She was still an unmarried girl and didn''t want to see such a scene. However, Jiang Lu could see that the two women couldn''t carry a man by themselves. She looked at the crowd, and they all took another step back.


    Jiang Lu took a deep breath, deeply hurt by their cold-heartedness.


    The people in this courtyard truly had no warmth.


    She looked up and shouted, "Who will help? I need four men to help me get Zhou Qun to the hospital. I''ll pay each of them fifty cents."


    "Ah!"


    "Fifty cents?"


    "That''s not bad."


    "That''s right, meat costs eighty-five cents a jin, so that''s more than half a jin..."


    "I''ll do it!"


    "Me too!"


    "Me, me, me."


    Under the lure of a hefty reward, brave men will emerge.


    Soon, four men stepped forward. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Old Cao from the neighboring courtyard.


    Why is he here?


    "Old Cao, why are you in our courtyard?"


    Old Cao: "I came out to use thetrine and heard themotion. With all the noise you''re making, who wouldn''t want to take a look?"


    Looking around, it was clear that many people from the surrounding courtyards hade to watch the spectacle, drawn by themotion.


    Jiang Lu felt a wave of dizziness. She found the situation increasingly unbearable, but she stubbornly persisted, saying, "Quick, quickly help Zhou Qun..."


    She meant to have him ced on a bicycle, but it was obvious that Zhou Qun couldn''t even sit up, let alone ride.


    "Maybe we should borrow a cart from the next courtyard."


    "In this heavy rain, they probably won''t be willing."


    "True."


    Jiang Lu bit her lip so hard that it bled, but she had no choice. She said, "I''llpensate them with 50 cents!"


    "Ah, that should work."


    "Five mao is quite a bit."


    Soon, the cart was borrowed. The four men lifted Zhou Qun onto the cart and covered him with a cloth, saying, "Let''s go."


    "Move, move!"


    Boom!


    The rain suddenly intensified, and the heavy drops stung as they hit the skin.


    "Hey, why does the rain feel painful when it hits?"


    "Look closely, those aren''t just rain drops¡ªthey''re small hailstones!"


    "Oh my, it''s hailing!"


    "It''s been overcast for days, and now that the rain has started, it won''t stop."


    "This weather is really miserable."


    "Stop talking. Oh, right, the nearest hospital doesn''t take patients like Zhou Qun, right? We''ll have to go farther. With this hail..."


    Five mao was a decent sum, but trudging through hail for a long distance was another matter.


    Everyone remembered thest time¡ªduring the "Battle of the Gods" when Aunt Zhou, Uncle Bai, and Aunt Su were involved. They had to visit several hospitals because the injuries weren''t severe, but even then, people advised them to try elsewhere.


    This time... If they were turned away again, where would they go?


    Seeing the reluctance in everyone''s eyes, Jiang Lu immediately shouted, "One dor! I''ll raise it to one dor! I know it''s difficult, but please help me for the sake of the money. I''m just a woman, and I really have no other options."


    Fortunately, she still had the means to earn money.


    Otherwise, what would she do?


    "Ah, fine."


    "I''m the most helpful. I love helping neighbors. Money isn''t important; what matters is not letting Zhou Qun suffer like this."


    "Exactly. Even if it''s hailing, or even if it were raining knives, we''d still help. We''re men of Beijing, and we stand by our word."


    "Absolutely!"


    The group suddenly became enthusiastic, disregarding the rain and hail. They were more than willing to "help."


    It had nothing to do with the one yuan, of course.


    It was purely out of kindness.


    They were just being righteous!


    "Let''s go!"


    "Stop right there!"


    At that moment, Bai Fendou burst out from the house, arms spread wide to block the exit. His eyes zing with fury, he red at Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu, shouting, "You two can''t run away! Everyone knows Zhou Qun''s malicious intentions, and now you want to brush it off as a dream? No way, no way at all!"


    "Ah!"


    "My goodness!"


    "Mother!"


    "Bai Fendou, are you crazy? You''re not wearing any clothes!"


    "Exactly!"


    Thankfully, the men were in the front, while the women had gathered at the back, whispering among themselves. Otherwise, seeing Bai Fendou jump out like that would have been enough to make anyone sick.


    "You''re indecent! Are you trying to be a pervert?"


    A few hot-tempered men were ready to grab Bai Fendou by the cor and give him a punch.


    But the problem was, he wasn''t wearing a cor.


    "Ladies, turn around, turn around. Ladies, please turn around..."


    "Thank goodness it''s a dark night..."


    With the heavy clouds, there was no light at all, or else it would have been unbearable to look.


    Bai Fendou raged, "They want to run!"


    "This is our home; where would we run to? Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun is injured. If we don''t take him to the hospital, what if something happens? Wait for me to return, and I''ll give you an exnation."


    Jiang Lu pleaded urgently, then added, "He really just dreamed he was you. He didn''t actually do anything to you. Really!"


    Seeing that Bai Fendou remained unmoved, Jiang Lu suddenly stepped forward. Bai Fendou shrieked, "What are you doing?"


    At that moment, Jiang Lu didn''t care if Bai Fendou was naked. She dragged him several steps to the corner and whispered, "If this gets out, both of you will have ruined reputations. Do you even know what you''re saying? No matter what happened, saying it was a dream is the best way to resolve this. Both of your reputations can be saved."


    Seeing Bai Fendou still ring, she continued, "I don''t care about the specifics, but maybe Zhou Qun did something wrong. But I won''t let you suffer. I''llpensate you for the sake of both your reputations. Just pretend it was a dream, okay?"


    Jiang Lu knew that if both Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun stuck to the story of a dream, they could at least save face.


    She said, "I''ll give you money."


    She added seriously, "You''ve suffered, and I''llpensate you."


    Bai Fendou: "I don''t care about money. It''s just..."


    ¡°Money isn''t important, but what about your reputation? Think about it¡ªeven if you''re the victim, with a reputation like this, how will you find a partner? It''s better to keep things small. I''ll introduce you to someone, and I''ll give you fifty kuai. Does that work?¡±


    "Are you serious?"


    Jiang Lu nodded firmly, "I''m not lying."


    "Fifty is too little." Bai Fendou held up a finger, "One hundred yuan, and introduce me to someone. Then I''ll forget about this whole thing."


    He rubbed his red eyes and said, "If it weren''t for my own reputation being at stake, I would never agree to this deal. But if you don''t agree, I''ll drag Zhou Qun down with me, even if it kills me!"


    Jiang Lu clenched her teeth, "Fine!"


    She quickly pushed Bai Fendou aside and said, "Let''s go."


    No one had heard what Jiang Lu and Bai Fendou had discussed, so they asked, "What did you two talk about?"


    Jiang Lu remained expressionless, "I appealed to his sense of justice."


    She said, "Fortunately, Bai Fendou is reasonable. Let''s go, take Zhou Qun to the hospital."


    The group looked at each other, then Jiang Lu asked, "Are we going or not?"


    "Let''s go!


    After all, this was a deal worth one yuan.


    The group marched out, but Zhuang Zhixi stayed behind, telling Bai Fendou, "Go home and put some clothes on."


    Bai Fendou stood in the corner, wiping the rain and tears from his face. Finally, he trudged home... only to find his room flooded. He huddled in Old Man Bai''s room, hugging his knees and leaning against the wall, looking utterly defeated.


    Though he could still talk about money, his heart was shattered.


    In pieces.


    A few people followed him into the room and cautiously asked, "Bai Fendou, are you okay?"


    Bai Fendou shook his head, "No."


    "If you encounter something like this, you have to learn to let go. Life is about being happy. Everything else..."


    Bai Fendou: "Get lost. I''m not happy."


    The group''s faces stiffened, but they continued to advise, "Life has its ups and downs. You''ll encounter unpleasant things, but as long as you endure, better days wille. Try to see the bright side."


    Bai Fendou: "I can''t."


    "What about going to the security office? He took advantage of you, a young man, and they should..."


    At this, Bai Fendou finally reacted, immediately saying, "He didn''t take advantage of me."


    Everyone: "Huh?"


    Bai Fendou, finally regaining a sliver of sanity, wasn''t born with a screw loose. The cold rain and Jiang Lu''s words had cooled his rage, and he was beginning to think more clearly.


    Jiang Lu was right; he also had to consider his own reputation.


    He took a deep breath and said, "The truth of the matter is, Zhou Qun had a dream and mistook me for Jiang Lu... Fortunately, I realized it in time and prevented a bigger mistake. In fact, nothing really happened between us."


    Everyone: "Ahhhh~~~~"


    They weren''t exactly convinced.


    Did you forget how devastated you were just moments ago?


    It''s hard to believe you changed your story so quickly without Jiang Lu''s involvement.


    Did the two of you make some kind of deal?


    Of course, Bai Fendou probably had to say this to protect his reputation.


    After all, tonight''s incident had caused quite a stir.


    "Bai Fendou, you''re swallowing your pride and teeth together."


    Bai Fendou nced at everyone and said, "There''s no such thing."


    Old Man Bai couldn''t stand it anymore and said, "Go, go, go! All of you, go home! Why are you all crowding into my house to watch themotion? Is my house a ce for you to gawk? Do you even have any manners?"


    He pushed and shoved: "Move, move, move!"


    Whoosh...!


    The pots, pans, and bedding stacked by the window to block the rain suddenly fell over, and rainwater poured in.


    Old Man Bai: "Damn it!"


    It truly was a case of bad luckpounding. He quickly rushed over to block the leak again, saying, "All of you, leave! Are you here tough at us? My family doesn''t have time to entertain you; we''re busy. Go, go, go!"


    He drove everyone out, one by one.


    Standing at the door, people still couldn''t stop whispering, "I wonder what Jiang Lu agreed to."


    "Probably money. Jiang Lu''s family is well-off. Look, I didn''t even get a chance to grab that dor!" It was painful just thinking about it; those people were too fast.


    "Me too, a dor! That''s enough to buy a pound of meat and still have change."


    "I don''t think it''s necessarily about money. Jiang Lu must have offered something, or Bai Fendou wouldn''t be saying all this to save face, right?"


    "You can''t judge him by his face; just be careful of Zhou Qun in the future."


    "Ah, right. That scoundrel is so despicable, so shameless."


    "It''s not just Zhou Qun. If anyone invites you to stay at their house, be cautious. You never know if they have ulterior motives. Men aren''t always safe, and you might just run into someone like Zhou Qun, who pretends to be kind but is actually insane."


    "Exactly. Oh, but what''s really going on with Zhou Qun? I never noticed he was like this before."


    "Didn''t you notice? I did. Think about it, with Madam Zhou Li as his mother, what kind of decent person could he be? Zhou Qun was always cold. I guess his kindness was all an act. Now he can''t keep up the facade anymore. Look at the things he''s done; none of them are decent. He''s clearly not a good person."


    "Living in the same courtyard as him is embarrassing."


    "Exactly."


    The discussions went on and on. No one slept that night.


    Some people even braved the rain to go watch themotion, even though they didn''t get a dor, but watching the drama was entertaining. Others stayed with Bai Fendou to watch the show. Some... stood under the eaves in the pouring rain, gossiping in hushed tones.


    In short, no one was tired that night.


    Such a situation was unprecedented.


    Really, no one had seen anything like it.


    But their courtyard always had its fair share of drama.


    Today it was one thing, tomorrow it was another.


    Even the types of drama never repeated.


    It not only enriched everyone''s daily life but also made them feel embarrassed whenever they went out, even though it had nothing to do with them. Still, it was hard not to feel embarrassed. Zhuang Zhixi stood in the crowd with his wife, Ming Mei, along with other members of the Zhuang family, the Lan couple, and Aunt Wang.


    Aunt Wang didn''t go to the hospital this time. Normally, in such situations, as the courtyard manager, Aunt Wang would go to the hospital to help out as much as possible. But she was really disheartened by Jiang Lu.


    The Zhou family had a lot of issues, despite only having three members. Whenever there was any chaos, their family was always involved. As a result, Aunt Wang had helped out a lot. But no matter how much she helped, Jiang Lu would turn around and take out her frustrations on others.


    This made Aunt Wang feel very disheartened. The Zhou family''s affairs? She wasn''t getting involved anymore.


    "I hope they all learn a lesson this time."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, disagreeing with Aunt Wang''s statement. "I don''t think they''ll learn anything. Their personalities are what they are. Even if they fall into a cesspool, they''ll just find new ways to embarrass themselves. People might not trip over the same stone twice, but..."


    He grinned, genuinely saying, "With personalities like Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, they can definitely trip over two stones twice."


    "You..." Everyone wanted to say he was exaggerating, but then they thought about it and realized Zhuang Zhixi had a point.


    In the past half year, there had been no shortage of drama.


    It was really baffling how they could stir up so much trouble.


    Aunt Sui came out of Bai Fendou''s house. Zhao Guihua waved her over, and Aunt Sui immediately came over. Zhao Guihua asked, "How is he? Is Bai Fendou okay?"


    Aunt Sui shook her head. "What okay? The man looks like he''s lost his soul, his eyes are zed, and he''s just staring nkly. I don''t know what he''s thinking, but he just keeps crying. People say men are strong, but it''s not always the case. Usually, they''re fine, but when something really happens, you see them cry just as much as women."


    "Didn''t he say it was an ident? That Zhou Qun had a dream?"


    "Do you believe that?"


    "Whether I believe it or not, that''s what he''s saying."


    "I really..."


    The chatter continued. Ming Mei stood by Zhuang Zhixi''s side, her big eyes darting around. She looked at Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu, who seemed to be whispering something with not-so-great expressions. Meanwhile, their three children were running around the eaves in the rain like wild horses.


    When kids get mischievous, they''re truly little devils.


    Ming Mei didn''t want to get bumped into and moved closer to Zhuang Zhixi.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked down. "What''s wrong?"


    Ming Mei: "Nothing, I''m afraid of getting bumped."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Move closer to me."


    He put his arm around his wife and asked, "Do you want to rest for a while? If not, I can ask for leave for you tomorrow at your workce, and you can catch up on sleep at home."


    Ming Mei shook her head. "No need. I''m actually fine. Besides, with such a big event, I''m too excited to sleep right now."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Then ask for leave tomorrow..."


    Ming Mei still shook her head. "No, I''ve just joined this department. It''s not good to take leave."


    She teased, "Don''t worry, I know my limits. I won''t jeopardize my safety."


    Zhuang Zhixi saw that herplexion was good and nodded.


    He said, "Alright."


    Ming Mei: "Don''t you think the rain is getting heavier?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s been getting heavier. Going to the hospital in this weather is really tough, but that''s a dor. Even if it were raining knives, I bet someone would go."


    Jiang Lu was really generous with money.


    In fact, Zhuang Zhixi wasn''t wrong. Although the rain was getting heavier, no one regretted it. The quick money was better than anything. Although the hospital had recently said they weren''t keen on treating them, in such weather, they still rushed over immediately.


    The night shift doctor saw the familiar face and fell into deep thought... At this moment, he almost wanted to step out of the realm of science and suggest that this family find a ce to pray, because how could they have so many issues?


    Their family was truly relentless in bringing business to the hospital.


    Of course, they didn''t really want it.


    But in such heavy rain, with the person injured in such a sensitive area, he sighed and quickly said, "Quick, push him to the emergency room, and family members go handle the paperwork..."


    Upon hearing the doctor''s words, the group of men pushing the cart immediately turned their heads in unison to look at the attending physician. Their eyes brimmed with deep gratitude. The hospital agreeing to admit the patient had saved them a lot of trouble.


    They had been prepared to search the entire city in the pouring rain for a hospital, but the surprise came so unexpectedly.


    "Doctor, you''re a good man, a really good man."


    "We''ve truly encountered a kind soul."


    The attending physician didn''t pay much attention to their words; the patient was quickly wheeled into the emergency room.


    Everyone sat on the long benches in the corridor. Besides the four men who were there for the money, many others hade to watch themotion. Despite the heavy rain, it did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm. They followed along and sat on the benches, discussing among themselves.


    "I wonder how he''s doing?"


    "We brought him in pretty promptly, right? He should be fine."


    "Jiang Lu has it tough, being married to a man like that. Dealing with both his mother and him, yet she doesn''t even have a child. She has to run around and spend money for him."


    "What, do you feel sorry for her? Jiang Lu is willing, and her rtionship with Zhou Qun isn''t bad. For over ten years, even without a child, Zhou Qun never once criticized her. And whenever Aunt Zhou was harsh with Jiang Lu, Zhou Qun always stood up for her. There aren''t many men like that."


    "Stop talking about that. He must have done something wrong, that''s why he treats Jiang Lu so well. Otherwise, what do you think?"


    As they chatted, Jiang Lu returned after paying the fees and overheard their conversation. Her face darkened, but she managed to suppress her anger. This wasn''t their courtyard; it was a hospital. No one here would indulge them. If she were to lose her temper and shout in the hospital, she would only be looked down upon.


    The fact that they had been able to get admitted had already made her very happy.


    "Sister Jiang Lu, you sit here," Wang Zhaodi waved, offering her seat to Jiang Lu and standing beside her like a servant.


    Jiang Lu, exhausted both physically and mentally, leaned back in the chair, her eyes fixed on the ward.


    People can''t stay still; once they do, she starts thinking about all sorts of things... She got up to go to the bathroom, ready to take out the chamber pot, when she heard a rustling sound¡ªZhou Qun''s passionate voice. Her mind went nk, and she walked over and pushed the door open.


    Zhou Qun... Zhou Qun was in the act...


    Others didn''t know, they only saw what happened afterward, but she saw it, the most disgusting scene. Zhou Qun was like an animal, that hideous sight... "Ah!"


    Jiang Lu suddenly hugged her head, covering her ears, and started sobbing.


    Bai Fendou cried out of grievance and disgust, Zhou Qun cried out of pain, but she, Jiang Lu, was also a victim. She was equally wronged and pitiful. She kept screaming: "Ahhh!!!"


    "Oh my!"


    "Damn!"


    "What''s wrong with Jiang Lu?"


    "Sister Jiang Lu, are you okay? Don''t cry..."


    "Jiang Lu, you..."


    ...


    No one knew what to say, but seeing Jiang Lu in this state, they realized she hadpletely broken down.


    A nurse hurried over, scolding, "What are you doing? Making a ruckus? Do you want others to rest or not? This is a hospital, with many patients. If you scare others and cause harm, can you take responsibility?"


    She had known it, this family always caused trouble.


    Indeed, it was just as she expected.


    "I''m sorry, really sorry..." Wang Zhaodi stood up and kept bowing in apology.


    The nurse: "Watch her, don''t let her scream anymore..."


    She was also quite helpless.


    Jiang Lu''s screams woke up many people, but this was, after all, a hospital. Some turned over in bed, muttering, "Late at night again, who''s passed away..."


    "Who knows, the family is crying so loudly..."

 Chapter 102

    Jiang Lu let out a scream and burst into tears.


    Wang Zhaodi was flustered, trying to calm her down, which attracted many people from the ward to peek out. Some were purely curious, while others, with short tempers, came out to scold. Jiang Lu ignored all the scolding and continued to wail.


    In that moment, she truly broke down.


    She could choose not to believe that Zhou Qun was fooling around with other women, and she could forgive his infertility, but she simply couldn''t understand how Zhou Qun, having her, could still engage with men, especially Bai Fendou, who had once tried to take advantage of her.


    How could he do such a thing?


    Moreover, many things couldn''t be thought about too deeply. As she pondered, she recalled how close Zhou Qun had been to Bai Fendou recently. Now, she felt that everything Zhou Qun had done was with ulterior motives. If he imed it was a dream, even Jiang Lu herself wouldn''t believe it, because Zhou Qun''s interest in Bai Fendou had been evident.


    It was precisely because of these signs that it was heartbreaking.


    Seeing Jiang Lu''s cries growing louder and her screams bing more hysterical, a few neighbors who had followed them could only help Wang Zhaodi drag Jiang Lu out of the ward. The cold wind at the entrance kept blowing, and Jiang Lu''s cries grew even more intense. She crouched on the ground, feeling like aughingstock.


    "Sister Jiang Lu..."


    Jiang Lu: "Get away, all of you, just get away! I know you''re allughing at me, I know you all have bad intentions. You''ve always been jealous of me. Now, seeing me in this situation, you must be so pleased, aren''t you? I know you must be delighted, finding amusement in my misfortune..."


    "Jiang Lu, what are you saying? Isn''t our kindness misinterpreted as something wrong?"


    "Exactly, Jiang Lu, saying such things is really heart-wrenching. We never had that intention. Besides, it''s Zhou Qun who brought you shame, not us..."


    "Jiang Lu, we understand you''re in pain, so we won''t take it personally. You should calm down before going back upstairs. If you really can''t get over this, then get a divorce. ming everyone and everything and acting hysterical won''t help."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Please, stop talking. Sister Jiang Lu isn''t a bad person; she''s just too hurt..."


    She patted Jiang Lu''s back and said, "Sister Jiang Lu, if you''re feeling sad, just shout it out. That''s what I do when I''m upset. Shouting might help you feel better."


    She didn''t know how tofort someone, but she knew what to do when she was upset, so she tried to console Jiang Lu gently: "Sister Jiang Lu, if you keep hurting yourself like this, it''s only hurting you. Wait until Brother Zhou Qun recovers, and then ask him. Ask him what happened. Maybe things aren''t as you think..."


    Jiang Lu covered her face and cried. Hearing this, she finally looked up at Wang Zhaodi, as if grasping at a lifeline.


    "Yes, you''re right. I need to ask Zhou Qun. Maybe it''s not as I imagine. Maybe... Zhou Qun isn''t that kind of person. How could I doubt him!"


    Wang Zhaodi: "Ah?"


    She was dumbfounded. She had only said that tofort Jiang Lu, never expecting her to take it seriously. This... This Zhou Qun clearly has issues. This left Wang Zhaodi at a loss.


    Everyone else was also confused.


    Just a simpleforting remark, and she believes Zhou Qun is innocent?


    Jiang Lu: "I need to go upstairs. I need to check on Zhou Qun''s condition. He can''t be in danger."


    Jiang Lu wiped away her tears and rushed upstairs.


    "Uh, this..."


    "Let''s follow her."


    As Jiang Lu hurried upstairs, the operating room door opened. She rushed over and asked, "Doctor, how is he? How is my husband?"


    The doctor looked at Jiang Lu with sympathy, took a deep breath, and said, "The patient''s... erm, private part was kicked and fractured. Although he was brought in timely and we performed surgery, the organ is still there, but the function..."


    He paused and said, "He won''t be able to have intercourse in the future."


    "Holy crap!"


    "Oh my God! He''s done for?"


    "Fractured?"


    "Goodness, Bai Fendou is ruthless."


    "Jiang Lu is so pitiful, so young and now a widow."


    "Who could me her? She married into their family without even having a child. What will her future be like?"


    "What else can she do? With this kind of scandal, Jiang Lu will definitely get a divorce!"


    "That''s true."


    Jiang Lu was struck by the news, her whole body frozen. After a long while, she leaned against the wall and sat down, her eyes vacant, as if devoid of any emotion.


    "Family member, are you alright? We noticed the injury seems to be caused by external force. Do you need us to call the police? The injury is quite severe, and he won''t be able to function in the future."


    He had also heard that the couple didn''t have any children.


    Looking at Jiang Lu''s expression, the doctor felt even more sympathetic.


    "Do you need us to..."


    "No need!" Jiang Lu suddenly spoke, her voice wooden. "No need to call the police."


    She looked up and said, "He brought this on himself."


    The doctor: "..."


    He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent, only saying, "The patient will be sent to the ward. Given the circumstances, his emotions might be fragile..."


    Jiang Lu: "He won''t die."


    The doctor: "..."


    Jiang Lu''s emotions were like a rollercoaster; you couldn''t predict when she would calm down or break down again. One moment she seemed to forgive Zhou Qun, the next she appeared to go mad.


    Everyone took a step back, not daring to provoke the clearly distraught woman.


    While others could avoid her, Wang Zhaodi couldn''t. She sat quietly, ready to help with whatever was needed.


    At that moment, Zhou Qun was wheeled out by the doctor. He hadn''t woken up yet due to the anesthesia. Jiang Lu watched Zhou Qun and silently stood up, following the gurney. Late-night hospital admissions were rare, mostly emergencies.


    Patients admitted at night were usually ced in new wards to avoid disturbing others'' rest. Zhou Qun was the first patient in this ward.


    Jiang Lu sat by the bed and said, "You can all go back now."


    Seeing that no one left, she seemed to realize something, stood up, paid everyone, and said woodenly, "Thank you for your help."


    Although they weren''t very close and Jiang Lu, due to her better circumstances, often looked down on others, at this moment, everyone felt sympathy for her. After all, who could have expected her to encounter such a situation?


    "Jiang Lu, don''t think too much. Whatever happens, wait until he recovers and then talk it out."


    "Yes, there''s no point in discussing this now. Should we inform your family?"


    Jiang Lu looked at everyone, still expressionless, and shook her head, "No need."


    She sat by the bed, not moving.


    "Maybe we should go back."


    "Yes, let''s leave so Jiang Lu can have some peace."


    Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips, and Jiang Lu said, "You go back too, and lock the door. Su Jii is a thief; don''t let him steal from your home."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Ah? Oh!"


    When everyone left the ward, Jiang Lu remained seated. Through the door, everyone sighed and shook their heads.


    "Poor Jiang Lu."


    "She''s really in a tough spot. How did she end up with such a family? Neither the mother nor the son is decent."


    "Let''s go."


    As they walked back in the rain, Wang Zhaodi whispered, "Do you think Sister Jiang Lu... will be okay?"


    Everyone was startled and quickly said, "Ah, surely not? Could Jiang Lu do something drastic?"


    "She wouldn''t try to kill herself, would she?"


    "Oh, crap!"


    "Probably not. It''s just a divorce; she wouldn''t go that far..."


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    Everyone left, and Jiang Lu slowly stood up, walking to the window. They were on the second floor. Outside, the rain poured heavily. Even though it was already dawn, the sky showed no signs of lightening. Normally, the sun would have risen by now.


    She sat on the windowsill, tilting her head slightly.


    "My goodness, you, you, you... get down quickly! Don''t even think about doing anything foolish!"


    The young nurse came in to deliver the medicine and was startled. She quickly stepped forward to persuade her.


    Jiang Lu turned her head and said, "I''m not trying tomit suicide."


    She spoke softly, "I just wanted to see how long the heavy rain wouldst."


    The nurse couldn''t fully believe her, considering the woman''s husband had just been rendered infertile, and they didn''t have any children... She spoke gently, "I know, I know you''re not trying tomit suicide. Come down, it''s slippery because of the rain, and if you fall, it would be terrible. Plus, there''s thunder, so sitting by the window is especially unsafe. Come down, and we can talk things through."


    Jiang Lu gave a faint smile and finally came down from the window. The nurse quickly helped her up, saying, "What were you doing! No matter what, we can''t give up. There are still good days ahead."


    Jiang Lu hummed in acknowledgment.


    "What''s going on here?" the nurse couldn''t help but ask. She mainly wanted to chat with this sister and help her feel better, so she wouldn''t think of anything drastic.


    Jiang Lu: "It''s nothing."


    She asked, "Do you have any cigarettes?"


    The nurse: "No..."


    She didn''t smoke.


    Jiang Lu: "Oh."


    She stood up, and the nurse quickly moved to her side.


    Jiang Lu said, "You don''t need to follow me. I''m not nning to kill myself. I''m just in a bad mood, and I don''t want to die."


    The nurse nced at her and then at the man on the hospital bed.


    Jiang Lu: "Do you know anyone who smokes? I want one."


    Seeing her emotional state, the nurse thought for a moment and said, "The hospital doesn''t allow smoking, so no one would smoke here."


    Jiang Lu sighed, "I see. Then I''ll go to the bathroom."


    She walked out, and the nurse, seeing that her mood seemed rtively stable, sighed softly and didn''t follow her. Jiang Lu walked alone toward the bathroom... Oops.


    She bumped into someone.


    "Sorry..."


    "It''s okay. Hey, you look a bit familiar..."


    "I think you do too. Oh right, are you from the machinery factory?"


    "Yes, I''m the projectionist in the propaganda department. I usually handle the movie screenings at the factory... Ah, I remember now. You''re from the factory office, right? You''re Jiang... Jiang..."


    "Jiang Lu. You''re Xu the Projectionist."


    "Yes, yes, that''s right."


    "What brings you to the hospital...?"


    "What about you...?"


    ...


    The heavy rainsted all night. That night, their courtyard was busier than ever, as if no one had slept well, yet everyone seemed quite energetic.


    After all, such excitement was rare.


    Although their courtyard was always lively, each event seemed more thrilling than thest. This time, itpletely shattered everyone''s expectations. And now, people had heard from those who returned from the hospital that Zhou Qun waspletely infertile.


    This time, it wasn''t just a matter of shattered eggs, but something far worse¡ªaplete loss of fertility. In other words, Zhou Qun would now be childless.


    Everyone was talking about this.


    No one knew if Zhou''s mother would go crazy when she returned four monthster.


    Maybe she would kill Bai Fendou, the one responsible for this?


    But then again, Bai Fendou was also a victim.


    People were now confused about how to view this situation. But if you had to say, Bai Fendou wasn''t at fault. However, Bai Fendou himself imed that he had been sleepwalking and had mistaken someone...


    Whether it was a case of mistaken identity or not, that was up to individual interpretation.


    "Let''s not talk about it¡ªBai Fendou is truly a man-killer."


    That''s true. You see, he can''t find a girlfriend, but when ites to harming male colleagues, he''s deadly urate. That kid from the Yu family¡ªhe still hasn''te back. I estimate he will be in the hospital forever, and the several bigger ones from his family, they were also dealt with by Bai Fendou, right? They walked with their legs squeezed together for several days before recovering. Well, this time it''s even more impressive; he directly made it impossible for Zhou Qun to have any descendants, so from now on, there¡¯s no way for him to do that anymore¡­


    "Do you think Zhou Qun will seek revenge? Knowing this, he''d go crazy, right?"


    "Crazy? Bai Fendou would go crazy first. Didn''t you hear? He ims he was the one who was attacked. And Bai Fendou is still a virgin, so who knows if anything actually happenedst night."


    "Bai Fendou says nothing happened."


    "Pfft, of course he''d say that. Otherwise, how embarrassing would that be?"


    "Hahaha, yeah, that''s hard to say..."


    Early in the morning, everyone was brushing their teeth in the courtyard, chatting away. The only one who didn''t say much was Wang Xiangxiu.


    In fact, Wang Xiangxiu was extremely happy. She was truly delighted. The worse Bai Fendou''s reputation became, the harder it would be for him to find a wife. And the harder it was for him to find a wife, the happier she was, as she was counting on Bai Fendou to support her family. If Bai Fendou got married, she''d be out of luck.


    But now, with this incident, no normal woman would want to be near him. Wang Xiangxiu''s joy was hard to suppress, especiallypared to others who were merely watching the spectacle and specting about whether "anything happened"st night.


    She was genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart.


    However, when Bai Fendou appeared like a ghost, she quickly stepped forward and said with concern, "Fendou, how are you? If you''re feeling down, talk to me. I''m the most concerned about you. No matter what, I believe in you."


    Bai Fendou felt wronged and ufortable seeing Wang Xiangxiu''s concern for him, and couldn''t help but think ofst night''s dream. If it weren''t for that dream, he wouldn''t have ended up in Zhou Qun''s clutches. At least, at least, he could have woken up and fought back.


    Looking at Wang Xiangxiu, he felt even more miserable and started silently crying.


    The rain hadn''t stopped in the morning, though it had turned from heavy rain to a drizzle.


    Bai Fendou didn''t wear a raincoat or carry an umbre. He just looked up at the sky, letting the rain fall on his face as he cried unjustly.


    This hurdle, he couldn''t get over it!


    "Brother, what''s wrong with you? Can you be okay? Don''t cry! I feel heartbroken seeing you like this."


    Bai Fendou suddenly lowered his head and looked at Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Xiujie, let''s get married."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "What?"


    She froze, while Ming Mei, who was about to go to work, stumbled and leaned against the door, immediately focusing on the two of them.


    Zhuang Zhixi supported his wife''s shoulder and asked, "What''s going on?"


    He followed Ming Mei''s gaze and saw Bai Fendou asking very seriously, "Will you marry me? Let''s get married today."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!"


    She swallowed hard, forcing a smile, "Fendou, have you had too much to drink? What are you talking about?" How could she marry Bai Fendou? Why would she want to take care of such a man?


    Wouldn''t it be better to take care of her own three sons?


    She said, "I''m a widow with a heavy family burden, and I''m older than you. How could I possibly be a match for you? You, a young man, shouldn''t have any trouble finding a great wife with excellent conditions."


    Bai Fendou: "But..."


    He forced a bitter smile, saying, "Xiujie, I only like you!"


    If it were before, Bai Fendou would never have confessed. He still wanted to find an unmarried young woman. A widow with three sons¡ªhe just... taking care of stepchildren would be exhausting.


    So he never intended to be with Wang Xiangxiu.


    If there was anything... he was willing, but anything further, he was always hesitant.


    But now, after a silent night, he realized things were different. With what happened between him and Zhou Qun, no matter how he exined it, it wouldn''t be clear. Finding a partner in the future would only be harder.


    Seeing Wang Xiangxiu suddenly, he almost instantly made up his mind.


    He was willing to sacrifice himself and marry Wang Xiangxiu.


    He didn''t mind that she was a widow.


    Wang Xiangxiu, seeing Bai Fendou''s silence, quickly continued, "You''re a great young man with a bright future. I can''t hold you back."


    Bai Fendou: "No, it''s not holding me back. I don''t mind."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..." Damn, this guy just doesn''t get it.


    Bai Fendou: "Even if you''re not a match for me, I don''t care. I''m willing to be with you!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..." Damn it, who''s not good enough for whom?


    Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t about to give up an entire forest for one tree.


    And it was a crooked tree at that.


    She bit her lip, pinched herself hard, and her eyes reddened as she said, "No, I can''t! I have my son... I know, I know you''re good to me, but I have no choice. Even though, even though I have some feelings for you, I have my son, I can''t just abandon him for marriage! If I marry you, what will people think of him?"


    Bai Fendou: "Let them call me Dad!"


    He thumped his chest and said, "Their father is gone, and I''ll be their dad!"


    "You bastard!"


    Suddenly, Jii charged out like a little firecracker, ramming straight into Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou stumbled from the impact.


    Once upon a time, he, Bai Fendou, was invincible.


    Now, he was so weak that a child could knock him off bnce.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Jii unleashed a torrent of curses: "You stupid piece of crap, do you still want to be my father? Don''t think I don''t know what you are, shameless and delusional. I only have one father. You won''t be able to take my mom away. I don''t want a father like you! Disgusting, shameless, a scoundrel who messes around with men!"


    Yii and Toni also rushed out, joining Jii in shouting, "Shameless! Trash! Don''t even think about being my dad!"


    Bai Fendou was knocked to the ground by the three kids, utterly weak and helpless.


    Wang Xiangxiu hurried over: "What are you doing! Stop this nonsense, Uncle Bai means well, he''s a good man, how can you treat him like this..."


    ¡°He''s not a good man, he has ulterior motives, he''s the most disgusting. In this family, if I¡¯m here, he¡¯s not!¡±


    "With me, there is no him!"


    "Exactly!"


    The three kids were of one mind, ring at the man who wanted to move in.


    They all stared at Wang Xiangxiu, asking, "Mom. Are you really going to be with him?"


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly replied, "No, no, really not. Me and him,pletely innocent."


    She crouched down and said, "Mom wouldn''t bear to leave you three."


    After all, these three were all her sons.


    Bai Fendou: "Xiangxiu, you..."


    He felt a pang of heartache. Bai Fendou pressed on, "Xiangxiu, you really don''t want to..."


    He never expected Wang Xiangxiu to reject him, even if it was for the sake of the children, it still hit him hard. He thought, he thought Wang Xiangxiu was eager to marry him.


    He started crying again. Ever since the events ofst night, he had turned into a crybaby, sobbing nonstop.


    Ming Mei peeked through the door, saying, "Here he goes again, crying again, again, again."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The blow must be too much for him."


    The most aggrieved thing in the world, perhaps, is being harassed by a man.


    The morning started with such a drama, not just Ming Mei''s family peeking through the windows, but also the neighbors, the people in the alleys, everyone was watching.


    Of course, everyone heard themotion.


    Bai Fendouy t on the ground, letting the rain pour over him, utterly despondent.


    It was his father who eventually came out to help Bai Fendou into the house. Bai Fendou didn''t resist, still despondent. Old Man Bai sighed deeply, feeling much older.


    This family, it''s just too hard.


    A night of heavy rain, no matter what happened outside, their house was flooded. The floor was covered in water, the few pieces of furniture were soaked, not to mention the bedding.


    They suffered heavy losses.


    But at this moment, they couldn''t care less...


    With Bai Fendou in this state, if they didn''tfort him properly, he might just kill himself.


    The father and son went into the house, staring at each other in silence, both lost in thought.


    This morning, the rain didn''t stop.


    The Bai household was deste, while other homes were bustling. But whether deste or bustling, everyone had to go to work. No matter how sad, work must go on. Zhuang Zhixi rode with Ming Mei to work. The night seemed unusually long, with too many things happening.


    Ming Mei hugged Zhuang Zhixi''s waist and sighed, "Zhou Qun is really shameless. I wonder if Jiang Lu will divorce him."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s hard to say."


    Normally, people would divorce. But Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t honestly say Jiang Lu was normal. Maybe she really wouldn''t divorce, who knows.


    He said, "Whether Jiang Lu divorces or not, it doesn''t change the fact that Zhou Qun is a eunuch."


    Ming Mei: "..."


    She curiously asked, "So, do you think your factory will punish him?"


    On this point, Zhuang Zhixi had a clear view. He said, "Probably not. They''re not a man and a woman, but two men. Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou can just im they identally hugged while sleeping, what can anyone say? Is there evidence of their affair? No. Bai Fendou isn''t a woman, you can''t even call it harassment. Of course, everyone knows it must be. But they can deny it."


    Ming Mei: "That''s really..."


    Bai Fendou: "Hey? Isn''t that Little Xu from our department?"


    Ming Mei: "Who? Little Xu?"


    She tilted her head, thinking, and said, "The one who wanted to teach you how to operate the projector and kept making moves?"


    Bai Fendou: "Yeah, him."


    He looked at the direction Little Xu wasing from, puzzled: "His house isn''t that way, is it?"


    At this moment, Little Xu looked pretty rough, with dark circles under his eyes, appearingpletely dispirited, with unsteady steps as he pushed his bicycle. He tried to get on the bike twice but couldn''t manage to pedal, so he got off and continued walking. His legs were so weak that they seemed about to give out.


    Zhuang Zhixi was a bit curious and took a nce, but getting his wife to work was more important. He said, "I wonder what''s wrong with him, looks like he''s been drained."


    Ming Mei: "Your workce is so lively, I want to transfer to your unit. Ah, I really want to transfer, today your unit must be very lively."


    Like their unit, it''s just ordinary.


    Sometimes being too ordinary feels so dull.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh, saying, "Unfortunately, we''re not in the same system, normally you can''t transfer."


    Ming Mei pouted, rubbing her face against Zhuang Zhixi''s back, "So annoying, so annoying, I want to transfer."


    Even though they were already married, and even though she was pregnant, she was still very childish. Sometimes that''s just how it is. Some people grow up very understanding because of family influences and have to mature.


    Others grow up in a simple and loving environment, naturally not so shrewd. Instead, they are passionate and joyful.


    Ming Mei was thetter, though not entirely innocent.


    Lan Ling, being shrewd, had taught her daughter quite a bit. Ming Mei wasn''t an innocent little dodder flower.


    After the act of being spoiled, Ming Mei herself was smiling, saying, "Forget it, it''s better if I don''t transfer."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"


    Ming Mei: "Anyway, you''ll tell me everything, right! If I transfer to your factory, my sry won''t be as high. Money is more important."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"


    Ming Mei lightly punched his back, saying, "You''ve been like a spray bottle since this morning."


    Zhuang Zhixi innocently raised an eyebrow, saying, "Isn''t it because there''s been too much stimtion?"


    Ming Mei giggled, the two chatting andughing all the way. Zhuang Zhixi dropped Ming Mei off at her unit. Ming Mei carried her little bag upstairs. Since being pregnant, she always carried a little bag with some snacks.


    Zhuang Zhixi called out, "Wife."


    Ming Mei turned back: "Huh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly caught up, whispering, "If you get a chance, take a little nap. You didn''t sleep wellst night, seize the opportunity to sneak in some rest."


    Ming Mei whispered back, "Okay."


    Last night, hardly anyone slept well.


    Ming Mei quickly went upstairs. Zhuang Zhixi then headed back, almost on time for work. Just as he entered the factory, he ran into Zhang San, who excitedly asked, "Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang, I''ve heard that something big happened in your yard yesterday?"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his expression and chuckled, "You already know, don''t you?"


    Judging from his expression, he must have heard about it.


    Themotion in their courtyardst night was so big that not only them, but many neighbors came to watch the excitement, even in the heavy rain. It''s no surprise that the news spread so quickly today. Such a big piece of news is bound to spread like wildfire early in the morning.


    Other news might take a whole morning to ferment, but this kind of news? It spreads in a second.


    Zhang San was excited and said, "I don''t know what''s true and what''s false."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Then what do you know?"


    Zhang San: "I heard that Zhou Qun was broken and then reattached, and now he''spletely useless?"


    As expected, men are most concerned about such things.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "I didn''t go to the hospital, but apparently, that''s the case."


    Zhang San: "Oh my god, this is really... Bai Fendou is really ruthless. Ever since his own... incident, he''s been targeting that area. He wants everyone to be like him. He has no good intentions, absolutely none."


    He sighed deeply and then asked again, "So... that... Zhou Qun doing this and that to Bai Fendou, is that true too? I heard Jiang Lu caught them? Did you all see it?"


    He asked with a trembling voice, looking at Zhuang Zhixi, clearly very excited.


    After all, ordinary people rarely get to witness such a big scandal.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I didn''t see the process. I only saw them without clothes, caught by Jiang Lu. But they said it was a nightmare."


    With just those few words, no one would believe it.


    Zhang San: "Tsk tsk... oh my."


    He felt this was so thrilling. He said, "I never expected Zhou Qun to like men."


    What nightmare? No one believes it, not at all.


    Not long ago, everyone knew that Zhou Qun was benefiting from messing around with older women, and now he''s heard to be messing around with men. Zhou Qun is truly a unique character in their factory. Before, no one noticed, and they even thought he was quite upright.


    If it weren''t for this recent scandal, no one would have known what kind of person he really was.


    Zhang San was excited: "Then, then, tell me more, tell me about the storm in your courtyardst night."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "If I don''t go to work now, I''ll bete. Go ask someone else."


    After a pause, he said, "Why don''t you ask the people involved?"


    Zhang San: "Bai Fendou and Old Man Bai didn''te to work today."


    "Then ask someone else."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t want to say more and returned to the office. He took off his raincoat, shook it, and hung it up. Surprisingly, he wasn''t thest to arrive. He had seen Little Xu, who seemed unsteady on his feet, hadn''t arrived yet.


    Sister Cui joked, "Is everyone in your courtyardte today?"


    The news had spread early in the morning.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Sister Cui, I wasn''tte. I was already inside before the bell, but I was stopped by the security department." He spread his hands, "Everyone''s curiosity is just too strong."


    "Xiao Zhuang, what exactly happened in your courtyard? I heard that Bai Fendou was... you know, by Zhou Qun. Aren''t they both men?" This was from someone who didn''t quite understand.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s probably... well, actually, I don''t know the specifics. I''m still confused. Anyway, something like that happened, but they said it was a nightmare..."


    "Tell us in detail."


    "Yes, tell us."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It seems everyone is curious."


    "Who wouldn''t be curious? You see, I''m twenty years older than you, but I''ve never seen anything like this." Sister Cui was very straightforward: "I''ve truly never seen anything like it. Oh, right, I heard Zhou Qun was kicked into a eunuch by Bai Fendou?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It was broken, then reattached, and now it''s useless. Strictly speaking, it''s different from a eunuch; a eunuch ispletely gone, but he still has it."


    "Oh my god."


    "And he doesn''t have a child. What''s he going to do in the future?"


    "Well, that''s up to Jiang Lu."


    "What kind of life is Jiang Lu living? How did she end up with such a man..."


    ...


    It just so happened that someone else was thinking the same thing.


    In the hospital bathroom.


    An old and a young man were "negotiating."


    An olddy was staring fiercely at Jiang Lu, saying, "Look at the man you''ve chosen. Aren''t you ashamed? All these years, how much trouble have you gone through to have a child? I know you don''t want to remarry, but look at your current situation. Zhou Qun is like this, and you still won''t divorce him? Are you stupid? He messes around with older women, he schemes against our family, and now he''s shameless enough to mess around with men. If you don''t divorce, how can your father and brother show their faces at work? They still need their reputations!"


    Jiang Lu was scolded into a daze by her mother, but she still hung her head and didn''t speak.


    Jiang Lu''s Mother was furious and asked sharply, "Are you going to divorce or not?"


    She then softened her tone and said, "If you don''t divorce, this will be thest time we interact. If you don''t divorce, your father and brother will publish a statement to cut ties with you. They can''t let you ruin their reputations."


    Jiang Lu still stood there without moving. After a long while, she looked around, then went to the door to check, confirming no one was there, and returned.


    She looked at her mother and said seriously, "I won''t divorce."


    The olddy was so angry she almost fainted.


    Jiang Lu quickly stepped forward to support her mother. She said, "Mom, I won''t divorce."


    ¡°You''re foolish! How can you be so confused? What has Zhou Qun given you to make you so loyal? Can''t you just let go of him? Can''t you live without him?¡± She hit her daughter''s back repeatedly, scolding, ¡°Can''t you just let me rest a bit? Can''t you just leave him?¡±


    Jiang Lu looked up, crying, and said, "I can, but Mom, what then if I divorce?"


    "Find someone else."


    Jiang Lu gave a bitter smile and said, "Find someone else? Mom, I''m over thirty. If I find someone else, who can I find? I can''t find someone younger than me. I can only find someone older. If I find someone older, would they be a first marriage? It would just be two second marriages trying to make it work. You know, I want to have a child. Being over thirty and unmarried, generally speaking, if someone like me who''s divorced or widowed before doesn''t have children, they might not want to find me, because I already have a reputation for being infertile. Even ifter someone says it''s Zhou Qun''s problem, many still think infertility is a woman''s issue. Such a person definitely wouldn''t want me. Even if they reluctantly took me, if there''s still no child, they''d definitely me me. I have medical reports saying I can have children, Mom, but gossip is powerful. Can I even have a third marriage?"


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: "Then find someone who''s divorced with children."


    Jiang Lu: "Why should I be a stepmother to someone else''s child? Why should I take care of someone else''s child? No matter how well I take care of them, people will say I''m bad. A biological mother scolding is nothing, but a stepmother scolding is a wicked stepmother. Sister Chen in our department is a stepmother, and I know too well the hardships of being a stepmother. The smallest thing can get you criticized. If I have my own child, it''s even harder. There''s only so much in the house, can there not be a fight? Mom, I don''t want a second marriage, whether they have children or not. But at my age, with my experience, don''t tell me I can find someone who''s never been married. That''s impossible, even I don''t have such a dream."


    Some people are confused and remain so their whole life.


    Some people are confused but suddenly bepletely clear-headed at a certain moment.


    Jiang Lu was like this.


    Zhou Qun had done many things, and she could continue to be confused.


    But Zhou Qun messing around with menpletely woke Jiang Lu up. She had money, looks, a good family background, a good job, and was a high school graduate. She wasn''t infertile, and yet Zhou Qun went to find men?


    He actually went to find men!


    This was the breaking point for Jiang Lu.


    And hisplete "castration" made Jiang Lu even more clear-headed in the cold rain.


    A "eunuch," his mother''s, he''spletely useless, how could she not wake up?


    This guy isn''t even considered a man anymore.


    After much deliberation, Jiang Lu still didn''t n to get a divorce.


    She said, "If I divorce but don''t remarry, will you agree? Will you allow me to stay at my parents'' home forever?"


    Jiang Lu''s Mother frowned, "How can you not remarry? Do you want to grow old alone? A woman always needs someone to rely on. We''ll find you a good one."


    Jiang Lu: "I just want to ask, can I live at my parents'' home for the rest of my life?"


    Jiang Lu''s Mother hesitated. She loved her daughter dearly, butpared to her son''s interests, she couldn''t agree to this. After all, she had two grandsons, and her daughter-inw was pregnant again. If Jiang Lu stayed for a while, of course, her mother would be happy. But if she lived there forever, there simply wasn''t enough space.


    With housing so tight, the machinery factory wouldn''t arrange housing for Jiang Lu again.


    "Mom, tell me!"


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: "A woman can''t stay unmarried."


    Jiang Lu looked at her mother and gave a bitter smile, saying, "You see, you can''t let me live at my parents'' home without remarrying. So why should I get a divorce?"


    She reached into her pocket, pulled out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes, and lit one up.


    Jiang Lu''s Mother''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Why are you smoking?"


    Jiang Lu: "I bought them this morning!"


    Jiang Lu: "If I get a divorce, you''ll force me to remarry, and if I don''t, I won''t even have a ce to stay. Then I might as well not get a divorce. At least the Zhou family has two rooms. And men are always unfaithful. Instead of fooling around with women, they fool around with men. So I might as well stay with Zhou Qun. At least he''s a eunuch,pletely impotent, so he definitely won''t go out and mess around. Men, as long as they''re not hanging on the wall, aren''t trustworthy. Zhou Qun is perfect for that."


    She took another puff and continued, "And Zhou Qun is a level-7 electrician. Even if he doesn''t get promoted, his sry of over ny is more than most people can achieve. If I find someone else, their conditions might not be as good, and their sry might not be as high."


    Jiang Lu''s Mother sighed, "He has money, but he doesn''t give it to you. Your sry goes to your mother-inw."


    Jiang Lu sneered, coldly, "I used to love him. I felt guilty for not having children, so I was willing to do that. But now... they''ve wronged me! If Zhou Qun doesn''t hand over his sry, we''ll get a divorce!"


    Sheughed even more coldly, "Does he dare to get a divorce? He''s a eunuch!"


    "But you want children..."


    Jiang Lu: "Yes, I want children. Who says I have to have them with him? Can''t I have them with someone else?"


    "That wouldn''t be his child. He wouldn''t treat the child well, and you couldn''t pin it on him. And your reputation would be ruined..."


    Jiang Lu said meaningfully, "What if I''m already pregnant?"


    "What?!" Jiang Lu''s Mother was stunned, "You... you''re pregnant?"


    Jiang Lu: "No, not yet. But I can say I am. In this situation, wouldn''t they treat me like a queen?"


    "But you''re not..."


    "So I''m finding someone to get me pregnant now." Jiang Lu said casually, "As long as I can get pregnant, what''s a month or so? I can say I''m just one month along. After all, it''s early enough that it can be detected. Didn''t Ming Mei find out just over a month? I can say the same. If I''m already pregnant, Zhou Qun wouldn''t suspect. We haven''t been intimate recently, but a month ago, we did a few times. I''ll find someone now, and by then, it''ll only be a month off. I can definitely pass it off..."


    Jiang Lu''s Mother waspletely stunned, utterly shocked. She couldn''t believe this was her daughter, who had always been so devoted to love and to Zhou Qun. What kind of blow had she suffered to change so drastically? She stammered, "What... what if you don''t get pregnant during this time..."


    Jiang Lu: "I''ll take the risk. If I don''t get pregnant, I''ll say I had a miscarriage."


    She said, "But this time, I have to take the gamble."


    She lowered her eyes, "If I win, it''s even better. If I lose, I''ll keep looking outside until I get pregnant. Once I have a bit of a bump, I''ll find an excuse to go out of town and have the baby. Then, after a few months, I''lle back. It''s a bitplicated, and it might raise suspicions, but it doesn''t matter. As long as there''s no evidence, who can say the child is mine? I''ll be leaving a legacy for the Zhou family."


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: "This... this..."


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, if this makes Dad and Brother too embarrassed and they want to cut ties, I don''t mind."


    She said seriously, "Let them publish it in the newspaper. I don''t want to affect their reputation, especially my brother, who needs to move up in the world. Having a brother-inw like Zhou Qun is embarrassing. But in my heart, they''ll always be my father and brother. I just hope that in the future, my child can get some help from them. That''s based on all these years of feelings."


    Jiang Lu''s Mother''s eyes reddened, "Alright, I understand. You poor child..."


    Jiang Lu: "Mom, this morning, sitting by the window, the rain fell on my face. I thought about all these years, and it felt like a dream..."


    Jiang Lu''s Mother held her daughter''s hand, "You''ve been through so much."


    She knew how hard her daughter had tried to get pregnant, trying everything from ck dog blood to boy''s urine, living a miserable life. But what could she do if she couldn''t conceive? She never expected the situation to be so different.


    She took a deep breath and said, "About this fake pregnancy, I''ll help you find someone. This afternoon, you go to the hospital and tell Zhou Qun you''re pregnant, and at the same time, bring up the divorce."


    Jiang Lu: "I don''t want a divorce..."


    "You have to bring it up!"


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: "You bring it up, then for the sake of the child, forgive him. You don''t need him to thank you. This heartless man won''t be grateful. You need to use this situation to take control of his sry."


    Jiang Lu nodded.


    "And all these years, he''s been keeping his sry for himself. It has to be handed over to you. What does a man need money for if not to fool around? If he doesn''t give it to you, you threaten to abort the child and divorce him..."


    Jiang Lu: "I''ll do as you say."


    ¡°And your mother-inw, though a wicked one, isn''t useless. Keep her around. If you really get pregnant, you''ll need someone to take care of you, especially during the confinement period. Let her look after the child when it''s young and doesn''t understand, but once the child is a bit older and understands, absolutely don''t let her near it. She can''t raise a good child. Then we''ll find a way to get rid of her. Of course, all this is based on you getting pregnant. If you don''t, once she''s released, use the incident where she harmed your father to send her to live in the countryside. She won''t leave, but you can threaten to divorce. At Zhou Qun''s current reputation, even a country girl won''t marry him. She won''t leave, but she has to. Otherwise, if you want to get pregnant and give birth elsewhere in the future, he''ll definitely find out. Zhou Qun, being a man, might be careless, but being a woman who''s also given birth, you have to be careful.


    Jiang Lu had already made up her mind, but with her mother''s help in refining the n, it became even more solid.


    She nodded, "I understand."


    "And that Wang Zhaodi in your house, get rid of her before your mother-inw is released. Otherwise, if your mother-inw uses her to cause trouble, it''ll mess up your ns."


    Jiang Lu: "I n to introduce her to Bai Fendou."


    She said, "Although I don''t particrly like Wang Zhaodi, she hasn''t been in my house long, but she''s not bad. Last night, when Bai Fendou wanted to grab a kitchen knife, only she stepped in. I remember that. His family is too poor. If I send her back to her parents'' home, it''ll ruin her. With her family''s conditions and her parents only caring about having sons, they''ll definitely marry her off for money to an even worse situation. So I thought, introduce her to Bai Fendou. He''s not great, but he has a house and a job, which is okay for a country girl. And I promised to introduce Bai Fendou to someone. Wang Zhaodi fits the bill."


    "Would she agree?"


    ¡°Mom, when you''re so poor that you can''t even eat or dress properly, you don''t have the luxury to think about so many things. Do you think I''m harming Wang Zhaodi? In fact, I''m helping her. She won''t find anyone better than Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou has a slew of ws and is obsessed with that widow. But¡­ heh heh!¡± Jiang Lu sneered, ¡°As long as I keep the money in my grip, what¡¯s a widow worth?¡±


    Jiang Lu had already moved from one extreme to another.


    She thought for a moment and said, ¡°I n to have a talk with Ming Mei to see how I can persuade Bai Fendou. I¡¯m not worried about Wang Zhaodi; I¡¯m worried that Bai Fendou won¡¯t cooperate.¡±


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: ¡°Ming Mei? Your neighbor? The newlywed young wife? Why would you go to her? What can a young girl like her possibly understand?¡±


    ¡°She may not understand, but Zhuang Zhixi does. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me, a woman, to directly approach Zhuang Zhixi. Besides, he doesn¡¯t like me and wouldn¡¯t bother to help. If I talk to Ming Mei, Zhuang Zhixi will definitely offer advice. Zhou Qun once said that the shrewdest person in the courtyard is Zhuang Zhixi. Since both Zhuang Zhixi and Bai Fendou are men, they¡¯ll surelye up with a way to handle Bai Fendou.¡±


    She added, ¡°I need Wang Zhaodi to stay in the courtyard.¡±


    She lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Though it¡¯s unlikely, if Zhou Qun really loses his mind and turns against me, I¡¯ll need allies. If I introduce Wang Zhaodi to someone and help her move to the city, regardless of what happens with Bai Fendou, her life will change for the better. I can tell she¡¯s not an ungrateful person. If I make an effort to befriend her, she¡¯ll stand by me. It¡¯s too difficult to manipte the others in the courtyard, but it¡¯ll be easy to win over Wang Zhaodi.¡±


    Jiang Lu''s Mother looked at her daughter for a long time before saying, ¡°You¡¯ve suffered, but since you¡¯ve thought this through so clearly, I won¡¯t say anything more. I support you.¡±


    She knew that their family situation couldn¡¯t allow Jiang Lu to stay for long. Her daughter-inw wouldn¡¯t be happy about it either. The inws weren¡¯t from an ordinary family, and if they came to cause trouble, it would disrupt the household harmony.


    Seeing her daughter analyze the situation so thoroughly, Jiang Lu''s Mother was convinced.


    She said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. I hope you can really get pregnant.¡±


    Jiang Lu smiled faintly, ¡°I hope so. I found a younger man¡­ younger, healthier, and more capable than Zhou Qun. I refuse to believe that I¡¯m destined to have no child.¡±


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: ¡°¡­¡±


    She hesitated for a moment and whispered, ¡°Who did you find?¡±


    Jiang Lu: ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t nned to tell anyone yet.


    She said, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not someone from our courtyard. I wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake and give anyone a reason to gossip.¡±


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: ¡°Then¡­ be careful.¡±


    Jiang Lu: ¡°I know.¡±


    She added, ¡°After being with another man, I realized that Zhou Qun is just a useless waste.¡±


    Originally, she had felt utterly despairing, not fully clear on what she should do. It was this despair that pushed her to seek temporary relief, not intentionally looking for another man to have a child with. The momentary indulgence was a result of the immense pressure, a desire to escape.


    But this escape unexpectedly opened a new world for her.


    She wasn¡¯t particrly passionate about the matter, but she suddenly understood that Zhou Qun wasn¡¯t even a real man.


    Those few seconds were all he had, which exined why she had never been able to conceive before. A real man wasn¡¯t like that!


    A man who couldn¡¯t even perform in bed wasn¡¯t worth expecting anything from¡­ In that instant, Jiang Lupletely lost respect for Zhou Qun and gave up on him. The more she had loved him before, the more disgusted she felt now.


    When a woman stops loving a man, her reason returns¡­


    She had also started to plot and schemepletely.


    She sneered, ¡°Zhou Qun is not a man!¡±


    Jiang Lu''s Mother: ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 103

    After a sleepless night, those who had to go to work had no choice. But even those who didn''t have to work found it impossible to sleep.


    In the morning, the heavy rain turned into a drizzle. Bai Father and Son were lying around at home, while many housewives who didn''t have to work gathered at Aunt Wang''s backyard. Aunt Wang''s house was bustling with activity. Everyone was busy assembling matchboxes, and they also discussed the shocking event from the previous night.


    This event was truly unprecedented, something they had never seen before.


    However, the phrase "never seen before" had been used several times in their courtyard. After each incident, someone always managed to create the next "never seen before" event, keeping everyone on their toes.


    "Aunt Wang, why don''t you go check on Bai Fendou''s house? Both he and his father are at home, not going to work, lying in bed with water all over it, and they don''t seem to care. Could something happen?"


    Aunt Wang asked seriously, "Do you think they''ll listen to me? What if I go and get scolded?"


    Everyone was momentarily speechless. It was true; this wasn''t a situation where Aunt Wang could intervene. Everyone in the courtyard knew how difficult it was to be the caretaker of the neighborhood. It wasn''t easy at all.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I don''t know how this will turn out."


    "Who does?"


    "Do you think the factory will get involved in this?"


    "I don''t think so. Both Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou have suffered injuries. They probably won''t go to the factory. Since no one is reporting it, why would the factory want to get involved? It''s not like it would make them look good. They''ll just pretend they don''t know. Someone else might report it, but the factory probably won''t want to meddle. After all, if both Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun insist it was a misunderstanding, no one can prove otherwise."


    Aunt Wang, didn''t you go to the neighborhood office this morning in the rain? What did they say?


    Such a big event couldn''t be kept from the street office. They were already numb from all the events in their courtyard. When they saw Aunt Wang, their first reaction was to rub their temples.


    However, their experience was still limited.


    They never expected the reason for this incident. The street office director was so furious that he wanted to smash Zhou Qun''s head. However, after some gossiping, they decided not to intervene.


    The incident was that Bai Fendou was "that" by Zhou Qun, well, ording to Bai Fendou, it hadn''t happened yet. But whether it had or not, only the parties involved knew. If there was one more person who knew, it would probably be Jiang Lu.


    But Jiang Lu wouldn''t say anything either.


    Additionally, Zhou Qun was kicked by Bai Fendou, and although it was reattached, he was rendered impotent.


    So, both sides suffered injuries, but the origin of the incident was Zhou Qun. Therefore, both parties would want to keep this quiet.


    Zhao Guihua felt she had the clearest view: "The street office won''t get involved, and neither will the factory."


    Hearing her analysis, everyone agreed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I never thought Zhou Qun had this kind of taste, and I certainly didn''t expect him to target Bai Fendou."


    "Who would?"


    "But Bai Fendou was really ruthless..."


    Seeing everyone start to discuss again, Zhao Guihua said, "Actually, we should all be grateful to Bai Fendou. Who doesn''t have a man at home? If Bai Fendou hadn''t kicked Zhou Qun so hard that he became a eunuch, who knows if our men would have been targeted by Zhou Qun? After all, he was desperate enough to even look at Bai Fendou. Now that his tools are gone, at least he can''t act on his intentions anymore."


    Everyone was stunned.


    But soon, Aunt Wang pped her thigh and said, "Guihua, you''re absolutely right. We should all be thankful to Bai Fendou."


    The other women and young wives suddenly understood and nodded in agreement, feeling quite moved: "Bai Fendou really did us a favor."


    "Exactly, if Zhou Qun hadn''t been rendered impotent, other men would have been in deep trouble. Thank goodness."


    Zhou Qun was truly a troublemaker. He had targeted older women, making everyone in the neighborhood avoid him. Now, after targeting older women, he had moved on to men.


    If his... ahem... hadn''t been stopped in time, who knows, he might have even started targeting old men.


    "So, we really should be thankful to Bai Fendou."


    "Absolutely!"


    "Did you see? Bai Fendou proposed to Wang Xiangxiu this morning!"


    "Yes, but how could Wang Xiangxiu agree? They never had a good rtionship before, and now Bai Fendou has such a reputation. Plus, Wang Xiangxiu has three sons. If she married Bai Fendou, he would definitely want to have more sons, which would add to the family''s burden. Wang Xiangxiu wouldn''t agree. And look at her three sons this morning, they were so upset."


    "Exactly."


    Heavy footsteps approached, and the sound of sshing water and mud followed. The heavy rain from the night hadn''t stopped, and there were puddles in the courtyard. "Aunt Wang, are you home?"


    Aunt Wang replied, "Who is it?"


    It turned out to be neighborhood officer Xiao Sun, who was out of breath. "Aunt Wang, it''s me."


    Aunt Wang quickly went up to him. "Xiao Sun? Why are you here? Is something wrong?"


    Despite the heavy rain, his shoes were soaked. Zhao Guihua and the others also stretched their necks to look. Xiao Sun said, "You, you, you have toe with me to the hospital. Something happened to Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu from your courtyard."


    "What!" Aunt Wang was stunned. "They''re in the hospital, so if something happened, isn''t that where they should be treated?"


    No, no, you misunderstood..." Xiao Sun was panting and exined, "After you reported this morning, the street office wasn''t at ease, so they sent me to the hospital to check on the situation."


    After all, having firsthand information would make handling the situation more effective.


    "When I got there, I saw that Zhou Qun, upon learning he was impotent, was trying tomit suicide. He wanted to jump off the building and kept banging his head against the wall..."


    "Oh my!" Everyone''s eyes widened.


    Zhao Guihua: How unfortunate for the hospital, having to deal with such troublemakers.


    "His wife, Jiang Lu, was trying to calm him down when suddenly she fainted... After a check-up, they found out she was pregnant!"


    "What?!" Everyone''s eyes widened even more.


    Zhao Guihua: ???


    As someone in the know, she found it hard to believe.


    Aunt Wang waspletely stunned: "Jiang Lu... pregnant?"


    "Yes!"


    Xiao Sun also found it incredible and nodded vigorously.


    Aunt Wang was in a daze.


    Xiao Sun said, "Who could have imagined? This situation is so dramatic. Zhou Qun had been married for over ten years, desperate to have a child, but they never could. Now that he''s impotent, his wife is suddenly pregnant. Isn''t that a huge coincidence..."


    She wanted to say it was divine providence, but she didn''t dare.


    Such talk would be considered superstitious.


    Aunt Zhou had already been taken in for that.


    "Then, what happened next?" Zhao Guihua pressed, knowing the story wasn''t over or Xiao Sun wouldn''t be here.


    Xiao Sun: "Zhou Qun was overjoyed, but Jiang Lu insisted on getting an abortion and divorcing him. Now Zhou Qun is kneeling, begging Jiang Lu not to leave him. Her family is there, all urging her to divorce... Zhou Qun wants people from our courtyard to go and persuade them to reconcile!"


    Xiao Sun also felt Jiang Lu should divorce, but now that Zhou Qun threatened to kill himself at the mention of divorce, things wereplicated.


    Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to say.


    Aunt Su suddenly jumped up and said, "What are we waiting for? We should go to the hospital right away!"


    At this moment, she wasn''t the usual frail olddy.


    Others immediately agreed: "Yes, yes, we have to go see. Whether we persuade them to split or reconcile, we need to check the situation. After all, they are from our courtyard..."


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Right, let¡¯s go home and put on a raincoat¡­¡±


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s actions were equally swift. She was incredibly fast, and at a time like this, of course, she had to go see what was going on.


    Although she didn¡¯t know what was happening, Zhao Guihua was aware that Zhou Qun was previously unable to have children. If Jiang Lu was pregnant, it definitely had nothing to do with Zhou Qun. However, she remembered that Jiang Lu didn¡¯t get pregnant this early in her previous life.


    But then again, maybe recent events had been too chaotic, causing things to diverge from the previous timeline.


    Everyone was in a hurry, locking the door and heading out in arge group. Even Aunt Ning, the oldest person in the courtyard, tagged along. This was something they couldn¡¯t afford to miss! Such arge crowd heading out together caught the attention of the neighbors in the next courtyard. They asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Zhao Guihua was stopped and had to exin, ¡°We¡¯re going to the hospital to check on things. Zhou Qun tried tomit suicide, and Jiang Lu is pregnant and wants a divorce.¡±


    In just two sentences, she had summarized the situation.


    ¡°Holy crap!¡±


    ¡°This is too wild, isn¡¯t it? Zhou Qun¡¯s out of the picture, and Jiang Lu¡¯s pregnant? That baby must be a boy.¡±


    These words left Zhao Guihua baffled. She asked, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°In the Zhou family, there can only be one man!¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and let¡¯s hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ming too¡­¡±


    When they arrived at the hospital, the crowd caught the attention of many patients. They didn¡¯t look like visitors; they looked more like a mob ready to cause trouble. So many people!


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? If you¡¯re here to see a doctor, you should be downstairs¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to visit a neighbor who¡¯s in the hospital. He tried tomit suicide, and we were asked toe and talk some sense into him¡­¡± Aunt Wang quickly exined. The young nurse immediately gave a knowing look and said, ¡°Oh~¡±


    She added with a meaningful tone, ¡°So you¡¯re Zhou Qun¡¯s neighbors.¡±


    Zhou Qun¡¯s name was now well-known throughout the hospital, from doctors to patients. Although Zhou Qun didn¡¯t want to talk about it, the many visitors who came to see him yesterday had spread all sorts of rumors.


    And with today¡¯s events, everyone seemed to have figured it out.


    Not just the hospital, but by tomorrow, the whole of Beijing might be talking about it.


    The nurse said, ¡°You can go to the second floor. He¡¯s no longer trying to jump off the building. But as neighbors, do advise him that jumping from the second floor won¡¯t kill him.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d dealt with such a situation. Last time, a strong man had tried to jump from the second floor.


    It was really frustrating. If they kept encountering such patients, the hospital might have to close down.


    She said, ¡°Go on up.¡±


    Everyone quickly asked, ¡°Is Zhou Qun¡¯s condition okay?¡±


    The nurse proudly replied, ¡°Our hospital¡¯s medical standards are the best. Everything¡¯s been taken care of.¡±


    Someone muttered quietly, ¡°Even if it¡¯s fixed, it¡¯s still useless.¡±


    The nurse widened her eyes and said, ¡°Well, something is better than nothing.¡±


    Hmm¡­


    That did make sense, didn¡¯t it?


    No one asked further questions and hurried to head upstairs. The nurse stopped one of the aunts and asked, ¡°So, he really got¡­ you know¡­ kicked there?¡±


    It just so happened that Zhao Guihua was the one stopped. She nodded silently.


    The nurse eximed, ¡°Oh wow!¡±


    Her eyes widened even more, clearly amazed.


    The hospital had seen quite a lot of unusual things, but this was even more shocking. She shook her head in disbelief. Zhao Guihua quickly followed the group, and with dozens of people heading to visit a patient, the scene was quite grand.


    Other patients in nearby rooms peeked out curiously. In the ward, Zhou Qun was sitting on the bed peeling an apple, smiling obsequiously at Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu sat across from him. Hearing themotion, she looked up and forced a smile, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here to visit, please sit.¡±


    Xiao Sun said, ¡°I called them over. Zhou Qun was shouting earlier, and you were talking about aborting the baby, so I went back to get reinforcements.¡±


    Jiang Lu took a deep breath, as if she had made a difficult decision. She looked up and said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to divorce. I¡¯ll keep this child.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately turned to her belly. It waspletely unexpected that she was pregnant at this time.


    Zhou Qun said, ¡°What happened yesterday was a misunderstanding¡­¡±


    As expected, he said that. Everyone exchanged nces.


    He continued, ¡°I dreamed about my wife, and I forgot that Bai Fendou was the one staying over. I acted on impulse, but I¡¯m not that kind of person.¡±


    Everyone responded with a t, ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin it to us.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Zhou Qun said, ¡°No, I need to exin to clear up any misunderstandings. Misunderstandings about me don¡¯t matter, but I don¡¯t want Jiang Lu to misunderstand me, nor do I want to affect Bai Fendou.¡±


    He was quite good at talking.


    ¡°Bai Fendou and I grew up together. I can¡¯t let this ruin his chances of finding a wife.¡± He gently put his arm around Jiang Lu, but she frowned and brushed it off. Zhou Qun didn¡¯t seem to mind and said, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll live a good life with my wife.¡±


    He smiled and said, ¡°We finally have a child.¡±


    Everyone responded with another t, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Originally, everyone had expected a dramatic scene at the hospital, but it turned out to be a dud. The atmosphere was unexpectedly calm, as if nothing had happened.


    Even Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu seemed normal.


    Well, Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t exactly normal.


    Usually, she was very attentive to Zhou Qun, but now she seemed a bit cold.


    However, thinking about it, the women present could understand. Jiang Lu had always wanted a child, and now that she was pregnant, she probably couldn¡¯t bear to abort it. After all, at her age, if she aborted this one, there might not be another chance.


    So everyone could understand Jiang Lu¡¯s choice.


    Jiang Lu then spoke up, ¡°Thank you all for your concern. Our family has been causing trouble for everyone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°Right. Now that you have a child, living well as a couple is the most important thing.¡±


    ¡°If you need anything, Jiang Lu, just say so. You¡¯re pregnant for the first time, so be careful¡­¡±


    Jiang Lu gave a faint smile and said, ¡°I know.¡±


    She gently stroked her belly.


    Zhao Guihua watched her actions but didn¡¯t say anything.


    However, Jiang Lu looked at Zhao Guihua and said with a smile, ¡°Aunt Zhao, I¡¯ll have toe to your ce to chat with Ming Mei and get some advice.¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°Sure,e over. But she¡¯s also a first-time mom, just a bit further along than you. I think it¡¯s better to listen to the doctor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s really not a big deal. I¡¯ve had three kids, and my daughter-inw has had three as well. Giving birth is easy.¡± Aunt Su said.


    Zhao Guihua countered, ¡°Well, you can¡¯t say that entirely. Jiang Lu is over thirty and having her first child. It¡¯s not the same as being in your twenties. Being more careful is always better. Besides, no matter your age, giving birth is always a risky affair. If you don¡¯t take care of yourself, who else will?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Jiang Lu nodded as well. ¡°You¡¯re right. But since it¡¯s still early in the pregnancy, there¡¯s no need to bother the doctor all the time. By the way, please sit down.¡±


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s eyes flickered. She suddenly realized that Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t really pregnant. Jiang Lu¡¯s demeanor when she was truly pregnant was quite different. So, why was Jiang Lu pretending to be pregnant? Zhao Guihua kept this thought to herself and didn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡°Goodness, why are there so many people? Excuse me, please make way.¡±


    Everyone moved aside, and a few people helped a teenager into the room. The nurse, her face flushed, introduced, ¡°You¡¯re in bed number two.¡±


    She then looked at Zhao Guihua and the others and said, ¡°Please keep your voices down. All the noise isn¡¯t good for the patients¡¯ rest.¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°We understand.¡±


    She looked at the people who had just entered, especially the patient, and felt a sense of familiarity.


    Where had she seen this person before?


    Before Zhao Guihua could figure it out, the teenager revealed it himself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to help me. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m tough. A little rain? A small cold? Nothing to worry about. You all made such a big fuss about me being hospitalized.¡± The teenager was quite bold.


    ¡°And you still talk like that? You were burning upst night, and now you¡¯re still acting tough. All for a little fish. Do you think it was worth it?¡±


    The young man was quite indignant, saying, "How can you call it just a little fish? If you''re going to say that, you''re wrong. This isn''t just a little; it''s a lot, okay! When we took the bus back yesterday, so many people praised us for being awesome."


    He was quite proud, adding, "Almost the entire bus came over to take a look, hehe."


    "Oh,e on, people just wanted to ask where you caught the fish. Do you really think they were being nice?" The older person had more life experience and immediately saw through the situation. However, the young man didn''t seem to mind, smiling and saying, "What''s the big deal? The pond isn''t ours anyway. Anyone can go. Everyone''s improving their lives, so I think I''m doing a good deed."


    Just look, the levels of understanding between people are so different.


    Zhao Guihua watched and couldn''t help but reflect on her own mediocre morals. But next time, she still wouldn''t say anything. After all, she was just an olddy and didn''t expect herself to have high moral standards. Her own family hadn''t even achieved fish freedom yet. How could she care about others?


    However, listening to the young man''s words, she knew exactly who he was. Although she hadn''t seen the faces of these young men before, just by their backs, voices, and the way they spoke, it was clear they were familiar.


    Weren''t these the same group ofds they had encountered before?


    In their previous life, it should have been them who discovered the pond and spread the word. This time, they hade close to finding it twice, and finally, on the second attempt, they seeded. And of course, it was them who spread the news.


    "That pond, though it looks big, is actually quite hidden. We''ve been there a few times before we found it. And let me tell you, there are a lot of fish."


    The young man was enthusiastic, continuing, "Didn''t you all drink the fish soupst night? It was pretty good, right?"


    "Alright, stop talking about it and get some rest."


    The young many down, but his eyes kept wandering back to the others, saying, "You''ve got a lot of peopleing to visit you. Buddy, you''ve got good connections."


    A middle-aged woman next to him pinched his arm, to which the young man responded, "Why did you pinch me?"


    Hmm, he clearlycked awareness.


    The middle-aged woman, perhaps a former soldier, stood tall and exuded a heroic aura. She nodded to everyone, saying, "My son is young and just a chatterbox. Please don''t mind him."


    She suspiciously scanned the group of "visitors" and felt something was off. Zhao Guihua also pulled Aunt Wang, who quickly said, "We don''t mind. It''s just that we''ve disturbed the patient''s rest with so many of us here. We should be leaving now."


    She turned to Jiang Lu: "Since the patient is fine, we''ll be going now."


    Jiang Lu nodded and said, "Got it."


    She stood up, "I''ll see you out. I also need to go home and prepare some things for Zhou Qun."


    "Alright."


    The group left in a grand procession. The young man scratched his chin, puzzled, wondering why so many people hade to visit. He gestured subtly and whispered, "Nurse sister, what''s going on?"


    The nurse nced at Zhou Qun across the room and muttered a few words. The young man''s eyes widened in surprise: "What the hell!"


    The happenings in the ward were unknown to them. The group went downstairs, each with something on their mind. Of course, they weren''t thinking about Zhou Qun''s condition; they were just watching themotion. But some matters were indeed serious.


    "I wonder where that pond the kid mentioned is?"


    "Yeah, it sounds like there are a lot of fish."


    Yesterday, Zhao Guihua had traded for some fish, and everyone had seen it, feeling quite envious. However, Zhao Guihua had traded for hers, which meant a cost. If they didn''t trade and fished themselves, wouldn''t that be better?


    Free.


    "Should we ask him where it is?"


    "Would he tell us? If you knew about such a ce, would you go around telling everyone?"


    "Why not? Didn''t he say it himself? If others know, it''s a good thing for improving their lives."


    "Then should we go back upstairs and ask?"


    "Let''s go back upstairs and ask."


    Several people couldn''t resist the temptation and went upstairs together. Zhao Guihua stayed at the door, waiting. After a long time, they all came down, excited. Clearly, they had found out.


    Aunt Su hurried forward: "Where did you catch the fish?"


    "Aunt Su, we found out on our own. If you want to know, you should ask yourself."


    They naturally didn''t want more people to know.


    "Oh, you''re too much. We''re all neighbors, and you''re being too selfish."


    "That''s right."


    They started arguing again. Zhao Guihua was tired of listening and said, "I''m leaving first."


    She tucked her hands into her sleeves and walked into the rain, which had lightened a bit since they came out. Aunt Wang quickly followed, asking, "You don''t want to know?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Let them argue. You believe me, by evening, the news will be flying around. Why waste time here?"


    Aunt Wang thought about it and realized she was right. Since the person involved didn''t mind, they would definitely tell many people. The two olddies walked home together. Aunt Wang said, "If we find out where it is, my husband, Li Chef, will definitely go."


    Zhao Guihua: "I''ll go too. Do you want toe with me?"


    Aunt Wang thought for a moment and said, "I''ll go with you."


    She hadn''t been sure before, but since Zhao Guihua invited her, it would be good to take a look.


    She said, "With the men at work, if the rain stops, we can find out the location and scout the ce first."


    Zhao Guihua: "Sounds good."


    The two went home. They had been out for a while, and by the time they returned, many people had already gotten off work. They were stopped by several people asking questions. The Bai Father and Son inside the house listened to the conversations outside.


    Bai Fendou suddenly burst out, his eyes wide with rage: "What did you say? Zhou Qun has a child?"


    Zhao Guihua, seeing his frantic state, took a step back and said, "Jiang Lu is pregnant."


    "Isn''t that the same thing?" Bai Fendou''s eyes were bloodshot as he shouted, "This bastard, this bastard ruined my reputation, and now he has a child of his own. This heartless dog, I should kill him!"


    This man had seemed to be getting better this morning, but now he was suddenly acting up again.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, who hade home early to get the first-hand news, immediately grabbed Zhao Guihua, one on each side.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The Jii brothers came back from school and stood outside Bai Fendou''s house, cursing him, saying he''s a toad wanting to eat swan meat. Not only his mother, Wang Xiangxiu, but even a beggar wouldn''t marry him. He''ll never get a wife in his life."


    Ming Mei: "Wang Xiangxiu came back and scolded the kids."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The Jii brothers then cursed Bai Fendou for being childless his entire life."


    Ming Mei: "Wang Xiangxiu hit the kids."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "The Jii brothers said if their mom remarried, they''d die, all three of them jumping into Houhai Lake."


    Ming Mei: "Wang Xiangxiu swore to heaven she wouldn''t remarry."


    The two of them, like a double act, went back and forth, but Zhao Guihua understood. It seemed Bai Fendou had been triggered by this. He couldn''t even marry a widow, yet Zhou Qun had managed to have a child of his own.


    How could he take that?


    He definitely couldn''t.


    Zhao Guihua looked at Bai Fendou''s lost and broken state and said, "Bai Fendou, don''t think about others. The rain hasn''t stopped yet. Go buy some ss and fix your windows. Otherwise, with the raining in all night, not only will you get a cold, but your house will be ruined. People still need to live here. Go buy some ss now."


    Bai Fendou: "Buy what ss? I don''t care anymore, I don''t care!"


    Heughed wildly, as if truly overwhelmed by a huge shock, shouting, "It''s just this one life, I don''t care, I don''t care anymore..."


    The Jii brothers appeared at some unknown time, standing in a row at the door, pping their hands and saying, "Dead is best, dead is best!"


    Zhao Guihua turned back to look at the three boys, frowning deeply and shaking her head.


    How can this be exined? If it were his family who had an issue with Bai Fendou, that would be understandable, as Bai Fendou once tried to scheme against Zhuang Zhixi on behalf of the Su family. If the scheme had seeded, Zhuang Zhixi would have been in big trouble, possibly earning a reputation as a hooligan and ending up in jail.


    Even if Bai Fendou tried to exin himselfter, Zhuang Zhixi''s reputation would still be ruined.


    So, it''s normal for his family to look down on Bai Fendou, and even to kick him while he''s down during tough times. After all, this is a deep-seated grudge. However, the behavior of Su Jii and his two brothers is downright ungrateful. The Su family''s son has been dead for several years, and all these years, it''s been the Bai Father and Son who have been supporting them.


    Back then, Bai Fendou was in the security department, earning over thirty yuan a month, and Bai the Elder was in logistics, earning a bit less but still over twenty yuan. They didn''t have much savings, nor did they buy new clothes. Most of their money went to the Su family.


    Didn''t you see how sturdy the Su brothers looked?


    Were they eating air? Or were they surviving on their mother''s twenty-five-yuan sry?


    It was entirely thanks to the Bai Father and Son, yet now these three are so ungrateful, not only taking the help but also cursing at them. It''s truly ack of upbringing. Anyone can criticize Bai Fendou, but the Su family shouldn''t.


    If they do, they''re truly shameless ingrates.


    Zhao Guihua kept shaking her head, unable to look up to the Su family''s upbringing. Others in the courtyard felt the same way. At this moment, everyone had gathered in the front yard due to Bai Fendou''s sudden outburst, all disdainfully looking at the three boys.


    People say the three boys are young and don''t understand much.


    This might be true for Toni, who is only six years old. At that age, it''s normal not to be fully mature. But Jii is already ten years old. A ten-year-old behaving like this?


    If they were determined, a fourteen or fifteen-year-old could already take over a job at the factory.


    If he still ims to be a child and not sensible, everyone would mock him. Poor kids grow up fast, and even if they''re not poor, a ten-year-old should already be sensible.


    Seeing everyone looking at them like that, Su Jii and his brothers shouted, "What are you looking at? Bai Fendou wants to take our mom away. He deserves to die!"


    Aunt Wang: "You shouldn''t say that. How much have you eaten from him?"


    Jii shouted, "What''s a little bit of food to us? We ate from him because we gave him face! Besides, he was willing, we didn''t force him."


    Jii was very stubborn, saying, "He doesn''t have a son, so he wanted to curry favor with us. He''s a childless man, trying to charm our mom so we''d take care of him in his old age. We''re boys, after all!"


    Yii: "Exactly, he''s destined to have no descendants, yet he wants to marry our mom and get three big sons for free. Dream on."


    Toni, being younger, didn''t know what to say and just echoed his brothers: "That''s right, that''s right."


    Jii blinked his small eyes and said viciously, "He''s the kind of person who messes around with men. He''s disgusting and deserves to die."


    He''s already a big kid and understands some things. After staying uptest night to watch the drama, he knows a thing or two. He sneered, "He deserves to be a bachelor for life."


    "Ah!!!" Bai Fendou suddenly screamed again, looking up at the sky.


    "What are you howling about!"


    Jii continued to shout.


    Bai Fendou looked at the boy and thought of all the years he had helped them. Suddenly, a surge of anger filled his heart. He charged out, grabbed Jii, and pped him hard across the face, "Smack, smack, smack!"


    The ps were loud and clear.


    He kept pping without stopping, leaving everyone stunned. No one expected Bai Fendou to explode like this. Even Wang Xiangxiu inside the house didn''t expect it. She deliberately stayed inside, as her sons were cursing at Bai Fendou. If she came out, she would have to deal with the situation.


    If she didn''t discipline her sons, Bai Fendou would be upset, and the neighbors might look down on her.


    But if she did discipline her sons, she wouldn''t bear to.


    After all, she had already punished them once today, and she couldn''t bear to do it again. Besides, these were her sons, the ones who would take care of her in the future. She couldn''t bear to hurt them. So, she decided to hide inside like a turtle, hoping that no one could force her toe out.


    But she never expected Bai Fendou to go crazy.


    Bai Fendou kept pping Jii, and the first to react was Yii: "Let go of my brother..."


    He rushed up and tried to bite Bai Fendou''s arm. Bai Fendou shook him off but didn''t hesitate to push Jii to the ground and kick him twice. Then he grabbed Yii and started pping him across the face.


    "You little brat, let me see you bite me!"


    Toni was so scared that he sat down on the ground. He didn''t need to be hit; just watching was terrifying. He started trembling. However, Bai Fendou still kicked him a few times. Jii was dazed from the beating, and Yii wasn''t faring any better.


    Despite the severity of the beating, it all happened in a very short time. Even Wang Xiangxiu inside the house hadn''t reacted yet.


    She didn''t expect Bai Fendou to actually hit the kids. When she heard their screams, she was momentarily confused and didn''t realize it was Bai Fendou who was beating them. But when she finally figured out what was happening and rushed out, the three boys had already been beaten.


    Jii and Yii were both beaten into pigheads, while Toni, who had fallen down out of fear, got only a few kicks and was in better shape. The three boys were all wailing loudly.


    "Ah, Bai Fendou, how dare you hit my children! I''ll kill you!"


    Wang Xiangxiu charged at Bai Fendou, her nails scratching his face. Bai Fendou, already weak from rain and emotional turmoil, could handle beating the kids but wasn''t a match for Wang Xiangxiu, a strong woman used to physicalbor.


    He was caught by Wang Xiangxiu and took many hits, his face bleeding.


    "You bastard, how could you be so heartless? They''re just kids, and they even call you Uncle Fendou. How could you bring yourself to hit them..." Wang Xiangxiu was furious, feeling that Bai Fendou was truly evil. She wanted to kill the man in front of her.


    Bai Fendou, caught by Wang Xiangxiu, looked at her with eyes full of murderous intent.


    In the past, when he faced Wang Xiangxiu, he was always full of tenderness. She was a delicate and charming woman, pouting about this and that. Suddenly seeing her look at him with such cold, venomous eyes, he felt a chill.


    As Wang Xiangxiu kept hitting him, the three brothers shouted, "Mom, kill him, kill this dog!"


    "Yes, hit him!


    "Hit him, hit him!"


    It wasn''t that no one was trying to stop the fight, but everyone was stunned. From the moment Bai Fendou suddenly erupted and started hitting, everyone felt like their throats were choked. No one understood how the fight had started, and even less expected Bai Fendou to actually hit the kids.


    Wang Xiangxiu had Bai Fendou pinned to the ground, beating him single-handedly.


    Bai Fendou was beaten to a pulp, "Ahhhhh!"


    Bai Fendou let out a roar and suddenly grabbed Wang Xiangxiu''s neck. Wang Xiangxiu: "Ugh..."


    "Let go of my mom!"


    Bai Fendou''s eyes were filled with madness as he shouted, "Wang Xiangxiu, you''re a bitch, you''re not a good person... You and your whole family are ingrates!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Ugh... Ugh."


    It was Zhao Guihua who reacted first, quickly shouting, "Bai Fendou, let go! If you kill her, you''ll be breaking thew. Hurry up and let go!"


    "Yes, Bai Fendou, you can''t kill..."


    Everyone was now scared, no one expected things to escte to this point.


    Bai Fendou was choking Wang Xiangxiu, ring at her with hatred. Whether it was because he heard everyone''s words or he calmed down, he finally let go, but not before pping her across the face and shouting, "Wang Xiangxiu, from today on, I, Bai Fendou, am cutting all ties with you!"


    He shouted loudly, "No matter how much I''ve helped you in the past, consider it all thrown to the dogs, to the wolves! But from now on, I will not spend a single penny on your family, on you, or your ungrateful sons!"


    He pped her again and pushed her hard, struggling to his feet. By now, he was covered in mud, stumbling into his house, and mmed the door shut with a bang.


    Wang Xiangxiu sat on the ground, wailing loudly.


    Her three sons were also crying, the four of them looking very miserable.


    Aunt Wang felt a bit sorry for them and said, "You should go to the hospital and get checked out."


    Wang Xiangxiu was still crying: "Where is the money? Where is the money? Why is my life so bitter? My husband is gone, and everyone bullies us, a widow and her children. Even Bai Fendou is like this. Where are the good people? Where are the good people!"


    Wang Xiangxiu was bawling in the rain, and Zhao Guihua watched her without saying a word, then turned and went home.


    Was Wang Xiangxiu pitiful? She truly was. Her whole family had a tough life. But being pitiful doesn''t mean you can''t survive. You wear what fits your head. If you don''t have the means, don''t expect to eat well every day. Who doesn''t eat mixed flour pancakes? Even with several workers in their family, they still have to eat.


    But Wang Xiangxiu wanted her son to eat big steamed buns every meal.


    Was that possible with their conditions?


    If being a widow is hard, then consider Luo Xiaohe, whom Lan Sihai married. Luo Xiaohe''s mother was a widow even in tougher times, before the liberation. Life was incredibly difficult for her. She raised a beautiful but ill-reputed eldest daughter and two younger children on her own. Yet, she didn''t resort to what the Su family is doing now.


    Even when pretending to be crazy, she protected her children and endured the hardships.


    Whether or not she treated Luo Xiaohe well, from this perspective, she didn''t take crooked paths.


    So Zhao Guihua didn''t sympathize with the Su family. People in the old society endured much harder times than they did. The Su family has workers, so why resort to such things? Moreover, Jii and his two siblings are ungrateful and have sticky fingers.


    Zhao Guihua started cooking, and Liang Meifen quickly came to help. Still, she peeked at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "She has it tough."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Who doesn''t have a tough life? No matter how tough, their three kids shouldn''t be cursing Bai Fendou like that. Others can curse, but not them."


    Liang Meifen shook her head upon hearing this: "Those three kids... they''re no good."


    Looking at her own two children, she sighed in relief. Thankfully, her kids weren''t like that.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were raised by Zhao Guihua since childhood. Despite her sternness, she was good at teaching kids. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were well-behaved and had good temperaments, unlike Jii and his siblings who were so extreme.


    Both Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had already returned from school. The two kids stood at the door, watching the scene, their hands sped tightly, their teeth gritted, and their shoulders hunched as they ran home, scared.


    Xiao Yanzi: "They''re fighting."


    Hutou nodded: "So scary. So fierce."


    They had seen kids fight before, but never like this. It was frightening.


    Zhao Guihua took the opportunity to educate them: "So, kids, don''t curse others, especially outside. Kids can''t beat adults, and you''ll definitely get hurt. If someone bullies you, run and tell your grandma or your parents. We adults will always get justice for you. As long as you''re not in the wrong, anyone who dares to bully you will get what''sing to them. But you can''t be stubborn; if you should run, then run."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded heavily, very seriously.


    How could they not be serious?


    In their minds, even the toughest kids in the neighborhood, Jii and his brothers, had been beaten into a pulp. Clearly, kids couldn''t beat adults.


    Hutou: "Fighting is wrong."


    Zhao Guihua: "That''s right."


    She raised an eyebrow: "But you can''t control whether others will fight or not."


    Hutou nodded silently.


    Zhuang Zhixi entered and remarked, "Mom, you even use this to teach the kids?"


    Zhao Guihua gave him a look: "What''s it to you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hands in surrender.


    Ming Mei curiously asked with wide eyes: "Mom, did I hear that Jiang Lu is pregnant?"


    Zhao Guihua paused, then hummed in agreement. Although she thought it might not be true, she didn''t want to expose it. She didn''t n to discuss it at home, as once word got out, things could escte.


    Their courtyard already had enough drama; they didn''t need to add more.


    She said, "With Jiang Lu having a child, the Zhou family might settle down a bit."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled: "If they settle down, it''s not because of the child, but because Zhou Qun ispletely incapacitated and can''t strut around or cause trouble anymore."


    Zhao Guihua: "You''re so smart."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s the truth. But Jiang Lu getting pregnant at this time is quite convenient. If it were a few dayster, it would be hard to exin."


    Zhao Guihua red at him: "Shut up. Stop spouting nonsense. Mind your own business."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I know, I know. I was just saying it casually."


    He had indeed said it casually, but his mother''s reaction seemed a bit much.


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow, his expression a bit more meaningful.


    Zhao Guihua shot him another re. This kid, who knows who he takes after, so cunning.


    Ming Mei, meanwhile, didn''t care about what was being said inside. She leaned against the doorframe, watching the drama. She said, "Oh, Aunt Su is back..."


    "Who did this to you, my dear grandsons? What happened to you..." The courtyard soon erupted with Aunt Su''s cries.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly leaned over: "I wonder if she''ll go to the Bai house to make a fuss..."


    Zhao Guihua calmly said, "She won''t."


    "Huh? She won''t? Isn''t she the most doting on her kids?" The family was puzzled.


    Zhao Guihua: "Do you think Aunt Su is at Wang Xiangxiu''s level? If she were like Wang Xiangxiu, Bai Fendou wouldn''t have been hooked for over twenty years and still not gotten off the hook. She''s on a higher level. Even if she hates the Bai family, she won''t make a scene. She can''t afford to leave a bad impression on Bai Fendou''s father. After all, she still needs to milk them for resources in the future."


    She paused and continued: "And does she not know what her kids are like? Bai Fendou used to get along well with the kids. He wouldn''t just go crazy and beat them up. So she must have some idea. Demandingpensation now would be less effective than ying the victim and not pursuing the matter. This way, she can maintain a steady flow of benefits from Bai Fendou''s father and even try to win Bai Fendou back."


    As soon as Zhao Guihua finished speaking, Aunt Su appeared at the door of the Bai house and said to those inside: "Old Bai, Bai Fendou, I just found out what happened. I know it was our family''s fault. You beat them to teach them a lesson, and you were right to do so. If they misbehave again, feel free to discipline them. As a woman, I don''t understand much, and I don''t know how to educate kids. Xiangxiu too, just wants her kids to eat enough, working hard every day. We don''t have much knowledge, so we might do things improperly. But we know you, father and son, are good people. This incident was our kids'' fault, and I, on behalf of the Su family, bow to you to apologize."


    ...


    Zhuang Zhixi and the others turned to look at Zhao Guihua in shock. Zhao Guihua simply said, "What did I tell you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi gave his mother a thumbs up and eximed, "Old ginger is spicier. You really know Aunt Su better."


    Zhao Guihua: "If I didn''t understand her after all these years, I''d be an idiot."


    Ming Mei: "Old Bai is out, but Bai Fendou isn''t..."


    "Bai Fendou suffered such a big blow. I guess he won''t be in any shape to deal with others for a while."


    Ming Mei: "Oh, Jiang Lu is back too."


    She shook her head, a bit puzzled why Jiang Lu hadn''t divorced. If she were in that situation, she would have divorced. However... Ming Mei understood that not everyone had the kind of open-minded environment she did.


    "She probably rushed to the hospital yesterday and came back to get some things," Zhuang Zhixi said.


    Ming Mei: "But she went into the Bai house..."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"


    He looked around: "Why?"


    Ming Mei: "How would I know? We''re all watching the same drama. I didn''t get any extra minutes."


    Zhuang Zhixi pinched her nose and said, "You."


    Ming Mei: "Hey!"


    She pouted, "You''re getting bold, pinching my nose?"


    As the two were bantering, Wang Xiangxiu suddenly turned and looked over, her eyes filled with jealousy.


    Ming Mei: "???"


    "Hey, what''s with that look?" Ming Mei shot Wang Xiangxiu an unfriendly re. "What''s it to you if I''m flirting with my husband? That look of yours makes it seem like I stole your man."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes flickered, and she quickly carried her child into the house.


    Ming Mei immediately pinched Zhuang Zhixi, warning him, "You''re not to talk to her more than necessary, do you understand?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised his hand in assurance. "I promise, I''ll avoid her as much as possible."


    Ming Mei nodded in satisfaction. "That''s more like it."


    Women, to some extent, have a sixth sense, even if the term wasn''t widely used yet. Ming Mei had this feeling that Wang Xiangxiu had a thing for Zhuang Zhixi. She had noticed more than once that Wang Xiangxiu''s gaze seemed to drift toward Zhuang Zhixi unintentionally.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been a widow for several years, and although she had some affairs outside, those were likely devoid of true emotions. It wasn''t surprising that she might have feelings for a man, and Zhuang Zhixi, despite his talkative nature, was undeniably good-looking.


    If Wang Xiangxiu had her sights set on any man in the courtyard, it was most likely Zhuang Zhixi.


    Thinking about someone trying to dig into her rtionship, Ming Mei pursed her lips and said, "You should talk to her as little as possible in the courtyard, and at work too. Don''t think that just because I''m not in the same unit as you, you can get away with anything. If I find out you''re being unclear with someone, I won''t be like Jiang Lu."


    Before Zhuang Zhixi could respond, Liang Meifen curiously asked, "What would you do?"


    Ming Mei smiled. "I''d get a divorce, but before that, I''d make sure he''s no longer a man!"


    She clenched her fist and blew on it.


    "Pfft!" Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t help butugh, leaning his head on Ming Mei''s shoulder. "I''m a good man, I only love my wife. Besides, no other woman gives me the kind of security you do. I''m a talkative guy, and I''m counting on you to protect me. I love you the most."


    He was being overly affectionate, and although they were leaning against the door, the people inside could still hear what he said.


    The room was filled with people of all ages, and everyone found it a bit too much. Little Hutou rubbed his arms and said, "Look, my goosebumps are rising..."


    "Hahaha!"


    Thisment made the adultsugh...


    Their family atmosphere was quite good, but the Su family''s atmosphere was far from pleasant. Aunt Su red coldly at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "I was away for just a moment, and you''ve caused so much trouble. Do you even know how important Bai Fendou is to our family?"


    Wang Xiangxiu defended, "He hit Jii and the others..."


    Aunt Su retorted, "Why didn''t you stop the kids? I''ve told you, don''t make enemies, don''t make enemies!"


    She was filled with frustration. If she had Wang Xiangxiu''s looks when she was young, she would have been sessful long ago. Even with her average looks, she had managed to control Bai Fendou''s father through her personality. Looking at Wang Xiangxiu now, she couldn''t even manage her own children or keep Bai Fendou in check.


    She red at Wang Xiangxiu, then turned to the three children. "What did I tell you... Your mother isn''t really going to remarry. We''re just tricking that family of fools to help us. If we want them to work for us, we have to sweet-talk them. Saying nice things doesn''t cost us anything. Yet, you go and say mean things. Do you even want to eat meat, or have steamed buns and rice?"


    She spoke earnestly. "You''ve really caused a big problem for the family."


    The three children remained silent.


    When Grandma was serious and lecturing, they didn''t dare to make a sound.


    Aunt Su sighed again. "You''ll alle with me to apologize to the Bai familyter."


    Jii pouted unwillingly, but Aunt Su was firm. "You have to do it!"


    She said, "Our family must keep them in check. I know you feel wronged and ufortable, but what can we do when your father is gone? Two widows raising three boys, your mother has it hard, and you can see that. Growing boys can eat a family out of house and home. If we don''t act humble, pretend to be submissive, and sweet-talk people, how can we keep you fed? If we want good food and to be full, we have to trick people into helping us!"


    She spoke earnestly. "Keep your grievances inside. When you grow up, Bai Fendou will be old. You can do whatever you want to him then. For now, you''re still kids, you have to act weak."


    Jii cried out, "Grandma, when I grow up, I''ll steal money for you, big money."


    Aunt Su: "..."


    Earning big money to support me in my old age would be great.


    But why start with stealing?


    Yii quickly added, "If brother steals, then I''ll rob! Grandma, I''ll rob money to support you and mom."


    After the talk of stealing and robbing, Toni was at a loss, then his eyes lit up and he quickly said, "I''ll cheat, I''ll cheat money to support you..."


    She rubbed her temples in frustration...

 Chapter 104

    Every family has its own ns, and the Su Family is fully intent on scheming against Bai Fendou and his father. However, they are unaware that their old rivals, the Zhou Family, are thinking along the same lines. Well, not exactly the Zhou Family, but Jiang Lu.


    Compared to Zhou Qun, Jiang Lu is a woman of her word. She had promised one hundred yuan, and she didn''t hesitate to carry the money and deliver it to Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou, in his despair,y on a damp bed, feeling utterly defeated. Jiang Lu''s arrival at this moment was indeed opportune.


    "Did your father go out?" she asked, noticing Old Man Bai had left, possibly to buy ss or visit thetrine.


    Bai Fendou remained silent.


    She pulled a chair over and sat beside him, saying, "I know you''re suffering, and so am I."


    Bai Fendou still didn''t respond.


    Jiang Lu continued, "In the end, we are both victims. What''s the point of being hostile to each other? Are we going topete to see who is more miserable? We''re both equally miserable."


    Bai Fendou turned his head to look at Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu took out one hundred yuan and said, "This is the hundred yuan I promised you. Take it aspensation."


    Bai Fendou remained silent for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying, "My dignity, my honor¡ªdo they only amount to one hundred yuan?"


    Jiang Lu replied, "Of course not, but it''s something. Take it as a form ofpensation. Don''t feel too bad about it. You should know by now that Zhou Qun ispletely finished."


    Bai Fendou roared, "He has a child!"


    Jiang Lu spoke softly, "Even with a child, he''s no longer a man. You, on the other hand, have suffered a major setback, but the doctor never said you can''t have children again. In the future, you can still have your own family and children, but he can''t. He''s no different from those eunuchs from the pce."


    "That''s true..." Bai Fendou was somehow convinced.


    Jiang Lu added, "I promised topensate you with one hundred yuan and to introduce you to someone. The money is yours, but the introduction will take a little time..."


    Seeing Bai Fendou about to protest, Jiang Lu quickly said, "Don''t get upset. I will introduce someone, but you know my age; all my friends are married. I need time to find someone suitable. If I were to introduce someone immediately, it would be random, and that wouldn''t be fair to you. I, Jiang Lu, may not be on good terms with your family, but I wouldn''t do something like that."


    Bai Fendou found Jiang Lu''s words the most reasonable he had heard. He thought, at least she was being sincere. He said, "Zhou Qun is a scoundrel. How could he have ended up with you?"


    Jiang Lu fell silent for a moment, as if lost in memory. She couldn''t even recall why she had ever fallen for Zhou Qun. After all, their families were far from being a match. Not to mention, she had brought a substantial dowry.


    She pursed her lips and said, "Actually, I wasn''t entirely convinced by Zhou Qun at first, but one time we went to the movies and ran into a robbery. The robber tried to harass me, and Zhou Qun fought them off, risking his life to protect me..."


    She lowered her eyes and continued, "From that day on, I waspletely devoted to him."


    Bai Fendou sneered, "Maybe it was all staged. With his capabilities, who could he have beaten? Did he get injured? I never heard about him getting hurt over that incident. Fighting off robbers without a scratch? That doesn''t add up."


    Jiang Lu was stunned.


    Bai Fendou pped his thigh, "Well, that might just be the case!"


    He became intrigued. "Tell me about what happened that day. You must remember, right?"


    Jiang Lu pursed her lips, remaining silent for a long time before finally looking up with a bitter smile, "Who knows? It''s been over a decade. I can''t remember..."


    Although she said that, Bai Fendou was convinced that it must have been a setup.


    Apart from anything else, the fact that Zhou Qun could fight off robbers without getting hurt was simply unbelievable.


    Bai Fendou looked at Jiang Lu with pity, saying, "You''ve been tricked. It was such a simple trap..."


    Jiang Lu remained silent, while Bai Fendou sat up straight, feeling a bit more spirited. How could it be? Although he had recently suffered a major setback, seeing someone else in an even worse situation made him feel a bit better about his own life.


    He said, "He must have done it on purpose. You should divorce that scoundrel!"


    Jiang Lu looked up, speaking earnestly, "This is just between you and me. Don''t spread it around. You might think I have it good, but what would I do if I divorced? My family wouldn''t take me back. They would help, but my brother has a family, and where would I live? My sister-inw isn''t easy to deal with. I have no choice."


    Bai Fendou eximed, "Ah?"


    He looked at Jiang Lu, never having expected this. He sighed, "You''re quite unfortunate too."


    Jiang Lu replied, "Yes."


    She took a deep breath and said, "Take the money. Don''t give it to your father; otherwise, he might end up spending it... Forget I said that."


    She stood up, "I shouldn''t stay too long in your house. It''s not appropriate for a man and woman to be alone together. About the introduction, I will be serious about it. After all... we are both in the same boat."


    Bai Fendou held the ten ten-yuan notes and sighed along with Jiang Lu. He didn''t hold any resentment toward her, saying, "Alright, I understand. We''re both in tough situations."


    Jiang Lu added, "I''ll have Wang Zhaodi make some ginger soup and bring you a bowl. Don''t lie on this damp bed; it''s not good for your joints as you get older."


    "Okay, I''ll listen to you."


    Jiang Lu nodded and left. Outside, the cold wind blew, and she took a deep breath, feeling a bit more clear-headed. She then turned and went home. As soon as she left, Wang Xiangxiu finally stopped peeking through the window. She said, "Jiang Lu is gone."


    She wondered, "What was Jiang Lu doing over there?"


    Aunt Su, feeling exasperated, thought Wang Xiangxiu was truly brainless not to understand. She said, "This morning, when Bai Fendou blocked the way, it was Jiang Lu who pulled him aside. They must have reached an agreement. I suspect Jiang Lu went to deliver the money..."


    She pondered, "I wonder how much they agreed on."


    "How do you know it was about money?"


    Aunt Su was even more speechless, saying, "Think about it. What else does Jiang Lu have besides money? At that critical moment, she would have used the simplest solution. Bai Fendou now has money in his hands..."


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately perked up, biting her lip and saying, "I''ll go apologize to Bai Fendou and try to feel out if I can borrow the money. What does a man need money for? He doesn''t even know how to spend it!"


    Aunt Su scolded, "Fool! How can you be so foolish? You just had a fight with him, and now you want to borrow money? Not only will he not lend it to you, but he''ll also hate you even more. Men are like that¡ªsometimes they seem easy to manipte, but other times they can be incredibly stubborn. What you did today waspletely wrong. You can apologize, but absolutely don''t mention money. Otherwise, it will look like you''re only after his money. At this moment, he''s the most sensitive and vulnerable. Mentioning even a little bit of money could trigger his nerves, and he might end up hating you forever."


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, "If I don''t borrow the money, he''ll just use it to buy ss, and we won''t get any of it."


    "Don''t focus on small gains. By focusing on such minor benefits, you might lose out on something bigger. Use your womanly charms. Xiangxiu, I know you''re anxious for the family, and I know how hard it is for you. I feel for you. But we can''tpletely lose the support of this family. Finding another supporter isn''t easy. Who else can we rely on? Everyone is selfish, only caring about their own little family. They won''t care about their neighbors. They have no heart."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, fully agreeing, "Everyone is selfish."


    She sighed, "I''ll listen to you. I''ll go apologize and not mention money."


    She quickly went out, knowing she couldn''t afford to lose this connection. Relying on those unreliable men? It just wouldn''t work!


    Her two thickest thighs were Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun. Although Zhou Qun''s interactions were less frequent, he was generous when he did act. Bai Fendou, on the other hand, was simply a fool. Zhou Qun was alreadypletely incapable, and in the future, even if he had the desire, he wouldn''t have the ability.


    She couldn''t afford to lose Bai Fendou.


    Seeing Wang Xiangxiu rush out the door in a hurry.


    Aunt Su sighed, saying, "My two daughters and daughter-inw, none of them have learned even half the essence."


    Toni quickly stepped forward and said, "Grandma, tell me, I can learn it. I''ll use it to trick little girls for money."


    Aunt Su: "Don''t mess around. Come here, let me see your injuries... This Bai Fendou, he''s really a damnable one, to have used such harsh methods. It serves him right that he''s been ruined by Zhou Qun."


    With a blink of her eye, Aunt Su thought of a n and said, "You threee here."


    Jii came over and asked, "Grandma, what''s up?"


    Aunt Su asked, "Did Bai Fendou beat you? Are you angry?"


    The three children nodded in unison. Of course, they were angry. Who did he think he was to dare to hit them?


    Aunt Su, with a calcting smile, said, "That''s good."


    She whispered, "About Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou''s affairs, you kids have all seen them, haven''t you? Go out and spread the word about Bai Fendou, say that he sleeps with men. Once his reputation is ruined, you''ll have your revenge."


    If his reputation is ruined, it will be even harder for him to find a wife.


    She looked at the three children with a "benevolent" gaze, saying, "I know you''ve suffered and feel wronged after being beaten, but what can we do since our family doesn''t have a strong man to stand up for us? When we don''t have a strong man, we have to think of small tricks. You kids should remember this too: whenever possible, avoid fighting. Fighting is only effective when you have the numbers; if you''re weak, you''ll suffer. It''s better to use your words to charm people and plot slowly from behind the scenes."


    The three children seemed to understand, yet not quite. Aunt Su smiled, ruffled their hair, and said, "You are the children of the Su Family, and in the future, you''ll have great prospects. Grandma believes in you the most."


    "Yeah!"


    Jii, with a bruised and swollen face, proudly smiled and said, "I''ll definitely ruin his reputation!"


    Aunt Su nodded slightly, satisfied with the smile. She hadn''t thought about what kind of adults her children would grow up to be with such teachings. But in her mind, if her children could be this cunning, it was a sign of intelligence.


    Such intelligence would ensure they wouldn''t suffer in the future.


    She became even more pleased, feeling that everything was going ording to n.


    At the same time, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were singing a children''s song they had learned today for Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua pped along, humming and nodding, saying, "You learn pretty fast."


    The kids chuckled.


    Hutou: "Grandma, when I start elementary school in a few days, I''ll be a big kid."


    The little one said happily, but with a bit of worry, "I''m a little worried about my sister. After I start school, she''ll be going to kindergarten alone. I''m afraid she might get bullied."


    He was really worried about his sister. Although they weren''t in the same ss, they went to school and back together every day.


    Xiao Yanzi quickly said, "I''ll be fine. I''m strong."


    Although she went to school with her brother, they weren''t in the same ss, and Xiao Yanzi had her own friends. She said, "I can do it." Her speech was a bit unclear due to her baby teeth.


    Hutou: "Ah."


    Zhao Guihua looked at the kids, impressed by their young age but already caring for each other. She said, "Hutou, focus on your studies and don''t worry about Xiao Yanzi. She''s also very capable."


    Xiao Yanzi immediately nodded.


    Zhao Guihua: "When summer vacationes, Grandma will take you to the zoo to see the big tigers."


    "Wow."


    The two kids'' eyes lit up, and they nodded excitedly, "We want to see them!"


    The two kids danced around Zhao Guihua, and Liang Meifen feltforted. The best part was that her two kids were liked by the olddy. They were practically a separate household internally, and raising kids was expensive. Schooling, clothing, and other expenses added up.


    Fortunately, the kids were likable, and their grandmother made clothes for them, saving a lot of money.


    Liang Meifen was slightly satisfied. These little perks were worth taking advantage of; otherwise, they might be gone.


    "The rain is lighter now; it should stop soon. If it doesn''t rain tomorrow, we''ll go up the mountain together," Zhao Guihua mentioned to Liang Meifen. "Auntie Wang and the others are going too."


    Indeed, Zhao Guihua guessed right; the location of the pond had spread.


    Mentioning this, Liang Meifen also felt a bit gloomy. She said, "Such a good ce..."


    Zhao Guihua didn''tment. Although their family had enjoyed the ce exclusively for a while, she couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful. People always think of themselves first.


    Liang Meifen asked, "Shouldn''t we leave someone at home?"


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment, hesitated for a while, and finally said, "No, we shouldn''t. We''ll be fine tomorrow."


    She said, "Juste back early."


    Like Jii and his brothers, who thought they were getting a big advantage, in reality, because of their constant petty thefts, every family was on high alert. Take Zhao Guihua, for example; who were they guarding against? It was Jii and his brothers.


    Zhao Guihua: "During this period, they''re in school, and we''ll be back before they get out."


    It was really troublesome, especially during summer vacation when they couldn''t be short-handed at home.


    Liang Meifen: "Mmm."


    Ming Mei said, "Mom, are you all going up the mountain tomorrow?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I heard they all want to go."


    This was an opportunity to improve their lives, and everyone wanted to check it out. Ming Mei was quite reasonable: "I think someone should stay at home. If everyone leaves, there won''t be anyone in the courtyard, and if there''s a thief..."


    Zhao Guihua: "That shouldn''t happen."


    The thieves in their neighborhood were none other than Su Jii, the little scoundrel.


    But since her daughter-inw mentioned it, she thought about it and agreed. After all, there had been a lot of incidents recently, and having someone at home... would be a good idea.


    "Meifen, you stay home then."


    Liang Meifen: "..."


    The three women were chatting at home when Zhuang Zhixi went out to use the bathroom. Although it was just a light rain, he still put on a raincoat without hesitation. As Zhuang Zhixi walked out, he happened to run into Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu was apologizing to Bai Fendou but got snubbed, her heart full of curses but still forced to smile. She hadn''t expected that after she hit him, Bai Fendou would react so strongly.


    Really, was he still a man? So petty.


    Wang Xiangxiu was a bit worried, but thinking of her mother-inw''s advice, she knew she had to take things step by step.


    She didn''t push her luck and instead went out the door. However, seeing Zhuang Zhixi go out, her eyes lit up and she quickly followed. In fact, she had never given up on the idea of seducing Zhuang Zhixi. She had even fantasized that once her children were a bit older, she would be a bit more proactive and marry Zhuang Zhixi.


    Although she was a bit older than Zhuang Zhixi, she was more than enough for him. With her voluptuous figure, she was sure to bear sons, and no man could resist her. She had already given birth to three sons in a row, making all those olddies envious.


    She believed that no one could resist her.


    Although, although Zhuang Zhixi was a decade younger than her, she didn''t look old, and it was women like her, mature and full of charm, that men couldn''t resist. She hadn''t expected that her ns were good, but Zhuang Zhixi got married.


    How could Zhuang Zhixi get married?


    He was truly blind.


    He was the best-looking man in the courtyard, and Wang Xiangxiu had always had her eye on him.


    As for love, that was not the point. She was after his youth and good physique. Plus, the Zhuang family''s conditions were also quite good. If they were together, it would be natural for him to help support her family and raise her sons.


    Wang Xiangxiu followed Zhuang Zhixi almost unconsciously. The rain had been falling for a day and a night without stopping, but now it wasn''t as heavy asst night, just a drizzle. Wang Xiangxiu hadn''t worn a raincoat when she came out, and the rain soaked her thin clothes, clinging to her body. She followed Zhuang Zhixi''s footsteps, hoping he would turn around and look at her, confident that he wouldn''t be able to resist the temptation.


    She had originally wanted to call out to Zhuang Zhixi, but as soon as she came out, she ran into Qiang Dandan from the next courtyard, so she had to hold back.


    Qiang Dandan: "Xiaozhuang, wait for me, let''s go together."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Big Brother Qiang, why aren''t you wearing a raincoat?"


    Qiang Dandan: "No need, this little rain is nothing. How''s Bai Fendou doing in your courtyard? He didn''t go to work today, and many people were asking about him."


    Currently, both Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun are the hottest topics on this street.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "He got into a fight with the Su Family in the evening."


    With a nce at Wang Xiangxiu who was following behind, he added, "I reckon he''ll be back to work tomorrow."


    Qiang Dandan: "This Zhou Qun is truly a rare gem, a unique phenomenon indeed."


    He actually wanted to talk about the Su Family, but since he saw Wang Xiangxiu, he naturally refrained from doing so. He sighed, "Ah, you know... Holy crap!"


    He suddenly shouted, startling Zhuang Zhixi: "What''s wrong?"


    Qiang Dandan: "Look over there."


    Zhuang Zhixi followed his gaze and saw a person crouching in the corner of a wall, curled up into a ball. Zhuang Zhixi: "Who is it? Who''s over there?"


    It was already dark, and the sight was quite frightening at first nce.


    The person heard themotion and slowly raised their head. Zhuang Zhixi: "Hmm? I feel like I''ve seen them before."


    Qiang Dandan: "You know them?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Just familiar."


    He raised his voice: "Why are you crouching in the corner of the wall?"


    A drifter?


    The person shivered and said, "I wanted to find someone, but I got lost."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who are you looking for?"


    "Wang Xiangxiu."


    "Ah!" This scream came from Wang Xiangxiu, who had been following Zhuang Zhixi and Qiang Dandan, hoping for a chance to have a private conversation with Zhuang Zhixi. Qiang Dandan was really too much of a hindrance.


    She didn''t expect that the person crouching in the corner was looking for her.


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly stepped forward, and upon closer look, she recognized the person. It was her cousin from her maternal aunt''s family. She was astonished and asked, "Huihui? Why are you here?"


    "Ah, Cousin!"


    The girl named Huihui quickly stood up and said, "My parents want to marry me off to a widower, so I ran away... Cousin, I''vee to seek refuge with you." She cried and hugged Wang Xiangxiu, saying, "Cousin, you have to help me! Sobbing."


    Wang Xiangxiu froze for a moment and asked, "Why did you think ofing to me for refuge? You know my situation."


    Huihui cried and said, "Cousin, I had no other choice. If there was any other way, I wouldn''t havee to disturb you. I know you''re struggling, but I really have no other options..."


    Zhuang Zhixi and Qiang Dandan were both curious about them. Wang Xiangxiu seemed unwilling to let others know more and pulled Huihui, saying, "Come, let''s go home."


    At this point, Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t care about anything else and quickly took her cousin away. Qiang Dandan watched their retreating figures and said, "What''s going on?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head: "How would I know?"


    They turned the corner to go to the toilet, and when they came back, they saw Jiang Lu riding a bicycle, apparently heading to the hospital. Qiang Dandan sighed again: "Jiang Lu really has it tough, dealing with such a man and still bearing all the burdens. She''s truly a good woman."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at him and said, "You sure have a lot of feelings."


    Qiang Dandan: "Hehe."


    As they walked back, Jiang Lu indeed went to the hospital. The distance wasn''t far. Jiang Lu shook off her raincoat and parked her bicycle under the awning. She then went upstairs with a thud. However, she didn''t enter the ward where Zhou Qun was, but instead coughed at the doorway of another ward. Soon, a young man came out.


    If Zhuang Zhixi were here, he would recognize him. It was Little Xu from their department, the one who didn''t get along with Zhuang Zhixi.


    Little Xu looked at Jiang Lu, and the two didn''t speak. Instead, they went downstairs one after the other and quickly disappeared into the rain...


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The morning sun was exceptionally bright. After a day and two nights of heavy rain, the weather suddenly became hot, truly a case of "a spring rain brings warmth." It was unusually hot early in the morning. The courtyard was as lively as ever.


    This year, however, there was something different. Zhao Guihua saw that there was an extra person at Wang Xiangxiu''s house early in the morning.


    After thinking for a long time, she recognized her as Wang Xiangxiu''s cousin Huihui, who had been here before, so she had some impression. But she didn''t know why the girl hade. Huihui was washing up and, noticing the gaze, turned back timidly and greeted, "Good morning, Auntie."


    Zhao Guihua: "Good morning, you are..."


    "I''m Huihui, Wang Xiangxiu''s cousin. I''m here to stay for a few days."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, oh. I remember you, you''ve been here before, right?"


    Huihui nodded and smiled shyly. Huihui looked a bit like Wang Xiangxiu but had more youthfulness.


    Zhao Guihua looked at her, not knowing what kind of turmoil this girl''s stay would bring. It wasn''t that she thought too much, but that''s just how things were. Bai Fendou, after all, was an eager bachelor looking for a partner.


    However... Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered that, in her previous life, Wang Xiangxiu had scolded this cousin, saying she married well but refused to help her own family, a real selfish person. Once, if one were to follow the timeline, it was about seven or eight yearster, when they met this cousin together, she was indeed acting all haughty and arrogant.


    Compared to now, it was like night and day.


    Zhao Guihua looked a bit more, smiled, and didn''t ask anything further.


    However, someone else did.


    Their front courtyard had fewer people than the back, but some woulde over to wash up, as the water bill was calcted per person, not divided by front or back courtyards. So, people weren''t too particr about it.


    "How old are you, girl?"


    "You''re cousins with Wang Xiangxiu?"


    "How long will you be staying? If it''s for a long time, you need to report to the neighborhood office."


    People started to discuss. Zhao Guihua finished washing up and turned to go home.


    As she entered, she saw Ming Mei propping her chin on the table, lost in thought. Zhao Guihua asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Ming Mei whispered, "I feel like I''ve seen that person before."


    She scratched her head: "It''s normal for you to have seen her, she''s been here before, but where did I see her?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "Don''t think about unimportant people."


    Ming Mei chuckled and said, "That''s true, too. But you know, Wang Xiangxiu''s cousin suddenlying over. Do you think it''s aimed at Bai Fendou?"


    She started brainstorming.


    "Wang Xiangxiu offended Bai Fendou yesterday, and now she brings her cousin over, maybe to introduce her as Bai Fendou''s partner, so they can reconcile?" Ming Mei muttered with a pout.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "How could that be? Wang Xiangxiu fought with Bai Fendoust night, and her cousin arrivedst night."


    "That''s true."


    "Besides, Wang Xiangxiu wouldn''t introduce a partner to Bai Fendou, even if it''s her own rtive. If she introduced someone to Bai Fendou, what would she do herself? She definitely doesn''t want to marry Bai Fendou, but she certainly wants to keep him hooked. Have you seen the leech in the river? The bloodsucker? That''s her." Zhuang Zhixi really didn''t like Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu thought highly of herself, believing that with her charms, it would be easy to win over Zhuang Zhixi. But she had no idea that everyone was annoyed by her. Zhuang Zhixi had a very poor impression of Wang Xiangxiu.


    Only Wang Xiangxiu herself didn''t realize it, thinking she was charming, but in reality, she was quite clueless.


    A twenty-something young man would never look at a thirty-something woman with three kids and a mother-inw, to put it bluntly, she wasn''t even a match for someone like Bai Fendou.


    However, the Zhuang family had no idea what Wang Xiangxiu was thinking.


    Ming Mei propped her chin and sighed, "If Wang Xiangxiu doesn''t want to marry Bai Fendou, then introducing her cousin to him would be perfect, wouldn''t it?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at Ming Mei and said, "Her cousin might not be simple either..."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    Early in the morning, they didn''t discuss for long and quickly went to work separately. Ming Mei was sitting in the office when she suddenly remembered where she had seen Huihui before. She had indeed seen Huihui, about a year ago, when she took her little nephew ice skating and happened to witness a raid. A group of people with red armbands were walking together, and among them was Huihui.


    Although she wasn''t directly involved, she was walking with those people, looking very mboyant.


    Ming Mei: "Oh my!"


    This person was obviously mboyant, but why did she pretend to be a timid little girl when she came to their courtyard?


    Ming Mei instantly felt she had uncovered a big secret.


    She bit the tip of her pen, eager to share this news with her family. She always felt that someone who went to such lengths to disguise themselves must be up to no good. Even if they weren''t, they certainly didn''t have good intentions.


    For the first time, Ming Mei was d her memory was good enough to recognize this girl.


    She clicked her tongue several times, eagerly waiting for work to end.


    While Ming Mei remembered who this person was, others didn''t bother to think much about a poor rtive of Wang Xiangxiu who hade to visit. Because they heard there was a great ce for fishing in the suburbs, many people in their courtyard went out.


    Watching themotion was fun, but life still had to go on.


    Zhao Guihua went with Aunt Su and Liang Meifen. Zhao Guihua hadn''t initially wanted Liang Meifen to join, but since Li Fang was at home and agreed to watch over the courtyard, Liang Meifen went along too.


    The three of them, plus Auntie Sui from the Sui family, made four in total.


    Zhao Guihua had been pondering how to pretend it was their first time there, but... as soon as they arrived at the foot of the mountain, they saw many people on the mountain. Well, there was no need to pretend anymore. Indeed, once the news spread, many people woulde.


    They didn''t need to put on an act; they could just follow the crowd up the mountain.


    Zhao Guihua was puzzled: "They just said there''s a pond with fish on the mountain, and so many people came?"


    "Who knows, a few days ago, a group of teenagers caught several big buckets of fish. Yesterday, someone went up the mountain in the rain and had a great catch. The pond is full of fish. With such a big harvest, everyone rushed toe."


    An old woman climbing the mountain replied.


    Zhao Guihua: "Then we''d better hurry up."


    So, sometimes you have to keep quiet to make a fortune. Just a little bit of boasting, and the situation esctes quickly.


    "I think..."


    "Don''t think too much; let''s hurry up."


    Zhao Guihua and the others usually had good harvests when they went up the mountain, but this time, Zhao Guihua shook her head inwardly, feeling this trip wouldn''t be as sessful. Still, any catch would be good.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly joined the fishing crowd...


    In the hustle and bustle of life, everyone went about their business, while Bai Fendou... Bai Fendou remained utterly dejected.


    He finally went to work today, even though he had been absent without leave yesterday. However, the director of their logistics department didn''t call him in for a talk, nor did he criticize him. This wasn''t because Bai Fendou was particrly good, but mainly because... the director didn''t dare to provoke Bai Fendou.


    After all, rumors had been flying yesterday, and everyone knew what had happened to Bai Fendou the night beforest.


    A grown man, yet he was bullied by another man.


    With such an experience, Bai Fendou would either go crazy or furious. At this point, no one dared to provoke him.


    Bai Fendou hadn''t gone to work yesterday, and it happened to be a rainy day. The toilet was in a mess, and he had to endure the pain to clean it up in the morning, wearing a face of utter despair. Although many people usually joked with Bai Fendou about this and that, today no one dared.


    After all, this guy not only had the "Dragon w" but also the "Whirlwind Kick," all aimed at the lower body.


    Didn''t you see? Zhou Qun was already crippled.


    However, no one sympathized with Zhou Qun. He totally deserved it. If it were just those messy rumors, people could stillugh it off, but the main reason Zhou Qun had bad rtionships was that he had cheated in his level exams. This was the most intolerable thing for everyone.


    After all, this was a serious matter. Although he passed the seventh-level electrician exam during the retest, the fact that he barely made it only made it more obvious that there must have been a problem during his first attempt. This was something everyone in the factory couldn''t tolerate.


    Therefore, no one spoke well of Zhou Qun.


    As a neighbor of both Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou, Zhuang Zhixi was inevitably pulled aside by everyone to ask questions.


    Zhuang Zhixi was helpless to the point of desperation. He forced a bitter smile and said, "I really don¡¯t know much. Right now, no one dares to interact with Bai Fendou, and Zhou Qun is still in the hospital."


    He said what needed to be said and refrained from specting about things he shouldn''t. Anyway, he didn''t know what would happen next.


    "I heard that Wang Eizi from the security department went to the toilet to find Bai Fendou, intending to mock him. But seeing Bai Fendou with a ck face cleaning the cesspool, he didn''t dare to say a word. He was afraid Bai Fendou would ssh it all over him."


    "You never know, Bai Fendou might really do that."


    "That''s true."


    "Hey, how can you talk like that about him..."


    Huh...


    A snore interrupted everyone''s conversation. Everyone turned their gaze and saw Little Xu sleeping on the desk, snoring continuously. They looked at each other, speechless.


    "Why is he sleeping?"


    Old Huang: "I heard his dad broke his leg and is hospitalized. He probably had to stay overnight at the hospital."


    "Ah! No wonder."


    "Staying overnight at the hospital must be really exhausting."


    "Right, look at Little Xu, don''t you think hisplexion is really bad?"


    "Yes, yes, yes, I was going to say that. Hisplexion has been terrible these past few days. There are dark circles under his eyes."


    "Not just dark circles, he''s also staggering when he walks, looks like his legs are weak."


    "Taking care of a patient is really tiring."


    "Indeed."


    Everyone discussed animatedly. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Where is his dad hospitalized?"


    "At the hospital not far from our factory. Oh, right, the same one where Zhou Qun is staying." When mentioning this hospital, everyone felt sympathy: "I heard Zhou Qun tried tomit suicide in the hospital. It''s really not easy for the hospital to deal with such people. Bai Fendou also tried tomit suicide there before."


    "Why don''t you mention the time Bai Fendou and the others fought in the hospital, almost smashing the ward?"


    "Oh my, that hospital is really in a tough spot."


    "By the way, has Jiang Lue to work?"


    "Yes, I saw her. She looks quite good."


    Sister Cui said, "Jiang Lu has always wanted a child but hasn''t been able to for many years. Now that Zhou Qun is in this situation, she''s pregnant, and she can''t divorce him. But I think the pregnancy is very important to her. Since finding out she''s pregnant, herplexion has been great."


    "Isn''t pregnancy usually associated with a worseplexion?"


    Sister Cui shook her head, "You can''t generalize. Jiang Lu''s long-held wish has finallye true, so of course, herplexion is good."


    "That makes sense."


    Zhuang Zhixi listened to everyone''s gossip but didn''t say much, lest the topic turn back to him and drag on endlessly.


    "Hey, look, isn''t that Wang Xiangxiu?"


    Xiao Lizi, sitting by the window, suddenly spoke up. Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and saw Wang Xiangxiu heading toward the toilet.


    "It''s not lunch break; why is she out?"


    "Probably sneaking to see Bai Fendou."


    "They''re old mes; it''s normal for her to go."


    A few men chuckled lewdly. Sister Cui rolled her eyes and said, "Don''t talk nonsense."


    Despite her words, everyone stood by the window and saw that Wang Xiangxiu didn''t go to the toilet but instead grabbed Bai Fendou.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn''t understand why no one seemed to realize that the office building overlooked the toilet. Why were they so unconcerned? Maybe it was true that the bold ones had the guts. Wang Xiangxiu was truly a remarkable person.


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t care what others thought, but she knew she had to quickly get Bai Fendou under control.


    Although she had tried to show her goodwillst night and didn''t get a good response from Bai Fendou, luck was on her side. Her cousin Huihui had arrived. This was a big help. Huihui was really quite good-looking.


    She nned to use Huihui to hook Bai Fendou, and she wasn''t worried about Bai Fendou not taking the bait.


    She went to the bathroom and grabbed Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou, with a cold face, asked, "What are you doing? It''s a man and a woman alone here. Why are you pulling me? You don''t care about your reputation, but I do!"


    Yesterday, this woman had been so ruthless to him, and Bai Fendou remembered it clearly. Men in the capital city of Beijing were the most concerned about their reputation. After losing such a big face, he was determined not to give her any good looks.


    He had said he wouldn''t talk to Wang Xiangxiu, and he meant it.


    A man''s word is his bond. Otherwise, others might think he''s just talking nonsense.


    He said, "If you have something to say, say it. Let go of my hand."


    Wang Xiangxiu looked at him with grievance, secretly pinching herself in the sleeve, her eyes immediately turning red. She said, "Are you really going to be so heartless to me?"


    Bai Fendou sneered, pointing to his face, "Look, just look at this. It''s all because of you. Do you have the nerve toe and talk to me about this nonsense? Do you think I''m a fool? Wang Xiangxiu, you''re really something. Get out of here."


    "I was desperate, wasn''t I? You were beating the kids so hard; how could I stand by? You should know how important my sons are to me. They call you Uncle Fendou, and you''re going so hard on them. How can you me me?"


    Bai Fendou spoke sarcastically, "No, no, don''t call me Uncle Fendou. I can''t take it. Since you think you''re not wrong, don''te looking for me. Do you think I want to see you?"


    He directly waved the broom he used to clean the bathroom and said, "Get out, get out!"


    Wang Xiangxiu was furious, "What''s wrong with you!"


    She had always been able to manipte this man, but now he had suddenly changed.


    She bit her lip and stamped her foot, "Fine, you''re treating me like this. If you do, I won''t talk to you in the future."


    Bai Fendou remained unmoved, "Get lost!"


    Wang Xiangxiu couldn''t ept his coldness towards her. Thinking that if she were to lose this support, she would really be out of money. She quickly adjusted her attitude and said, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, Fendou. I know you''re mad at me... but I was in a tough spot, I had no choice. However, I can make it up to you!"


    She stared at Bai Fendou and said, "Have you seen my cousin? She''s pretty, right? Her family conditions are even better than mine. She''s young and beautiful, only twenty-three this year. If you''re willing, I can introduce her to you."


    She continued, "Actually, she came this time because I asked her to. I know we two can''t be together, and I''m not good enough for you, so I called her over. What do you think of her?"


    Bai Fendou immediately became interested. He had naturally seen the girl this morning, and she was no less attractive than Wang Xiangxiu.


    She was full of youthful energy, looking really good.


    Fresh and delicate, unlike the women in their courtyard who were all straightforward, she had a shy and timid demeanor. Such a girl was the easiest to evoke a man''s protective instincts.


    Bai Fendou: "She..."


    Suddenly, Bai Fendou thought of Jiang Lu''s words.


    He instantly woke up, sneering, "With my current reputation, introducing her to me is just fooling me, it won''t work, right? I''ll still owe you a favor for introducing me to someone, Wang Xiangxiu. You''re quite calcting. Are you trying to scheme against me again?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned, not expecting Bai Fendou to say such a thing.


    She bit her lip, "Is that how you see me?"


    Bai Fendou didn''t speak.


    After a while, he snorted coldly, "Yes, that''s how I see you."


    Wang Xiangxiu was not Aunt Su, who had more tricks up her sleeve. If Aunt Su were Wang Xiangxiu, she would have already won over Bai Fendou. She had more ideas and more thoughts. But Wang Xiangxiu was far from that level, and after being confronted by Bai Fendou, seeing his cold face, and thinking of his previous infatuated demeanor, she couldn''t help but feel the disparity, and she got angry. She angrily said, "You heartless wretch, you deserve to be a bachelor for the rest of your life."


    She turned around angrily, waiting for Bai Fendou to call her back, apologize, and beg for forgiveness.


    At that time, she would definitely borrow ten yuan from him. Without ten yuan, she wouldn''t forgive him.


    Wang Xiangxiu held her breath, but after a few steps, she didn''t hear Bai Fendou calling her. She angrily stomped her feet and turned back to see Bai Fendou already turning around to continue cleaning the bathroom, as if he didn''t care about her at all. She was immediately furious.


    "Bai Fendou, you''re really something!"


    She shouted loudly, and this time she truly left in a rage!


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t notice that many heads were watching her performance from the windows.


    "It''s really a miracle, Bai Fendou didn''t even bother with Wang Xiangxiu."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Did you see Bai Fendou''s face? Wang Xiangxiu beat him up."


    Everyone was shocked, "What? Wang Xiangxiu beat him up? I thought he got into a fight with Zhou Qun."


    "Me too."


    "This woman is really ruthless, spending his money and hitting him. Truly the most poisonous heart of a woman."


    "Exactly."


    "I wonder if Bai Fendou can wake up this time. If he can, it''s good, but if not... once a widow sucks you in, it''s hard to get out."


    Generally speaking, one might wake up, but Bai Fendou, it''s hard to say.


    Everyone was discussing, and Wang Xiangxiu didn''t know. She angrily returned to the workshop, feeling particrly out of sorts. What was even more frustrating was that her cousin, who rarely interacted with her and usually looked down on her, had suddenly changed her attitude and came to rely on her.


    Really, not even giving a penny of living expenses and wanting to live in her house? Dream on, she wouldn''t raise this cousin of hers. Originally, she had thought of using her cousin to hook Bai Fendou, but now it seemed that Bai Fendou still only loved her, hurt by her and sulking, unwilling to ept her cousin.


    She was confident she could slowly coax Bai Fendou back.


    Then, there was no need for this cousin to stay...


    She would kick her out when she got home today!


    This little brat, does she think she can take advantage of me so easily?


    Wang Xiangxiu was pondering how to get rid of her cousin when, at that moment, Wang Xiangxiu''s cousin, Huihui, went out. Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she turned left and right and walked into an alley, directly pushing open a door.


    "Huihui, you''re here?"


    Huihui, no longer shy, nodded proudly and entered the room.


    "Why are you here? Aren''t you afraid of being seen?"


    This man was Deputy Director Zheng, who had recently led the red armband team to clean the sewers. He looked at Huihui, beckoned with his finger, and the two immediately snuggled up together.


    Huihui pouted and said, "Most of the people in their courtyard have gone out. No one knows I came out."


    "Gone out?"


    Huihui: "I heard they went to the outskirts to fish. They met a guy at the hospital who said he caught a lot of fish in the outskirts. So, these poor folks all left early in the morning, eager to get some free fish. There aren''t many people in the courtyard..."


    The boy who had greeted Huihui when she entered immediately brightened up: "Ah, you said that guy was at which hospital? This is taking advantage of socialism''s resources. We should criticize him!"


    Huihui shook her head, "No, it''s not possible. I heard that guy is a son of a big courtyard. Such a small amount of fish, if you cause trouble for him, you''re just stupid. Some people can''t be offended."


    Deputy Director Zheng also nodded, ring at the boy who spoke, "You better shut up and stop giving bad advice. Don''t just think about being tough and fighting all the time. Making money is the real deal. Huihui, how is it? Did you get anything there?"


    Huihui shook her head, "Not yet. I''ll stay there for a while and see. If someone really hid gold and silver treasures, they wouldn''t show off right away."


    Deputy Director Zheng nodded, "That makes sense."


    This matter had to start with Yu Baoshan. The gold and silver treasures that Yu Baoshan had hidden were missing, and they hadn''t given up on finding them. Previously, they didn''t know about such a batch of items, but now that they knew, ording to Yu Baoshan''s confession, there were quite a few.


    Who wouldn''t be tempted?


    Since these items were missing, if they could find them and secretly keep them without reporting, they would be theirs.


    It''s important to understand that this item is extremely valuable. Humans risk their lives for wealth, and birds die for food. Yu Baoshan was even willing to kill to cover up his tracks for this, so naturally, others are not far behind. Deputy Director Zheng has thought carefully about this. Since the item was lost in the toilets around here, the most likely scenario is that someone nearby took it.


    He also considered searching house by house, but quickly dismissed the idea. Whoever took such valuable items would surely hide them well. Searching for them would be too difficult, and there''s a chance, like with Yu Baoshan, that the items weren''t even hidden at home.


    So, they didn''t dare to stir up any suspicion.


    Coincidentally, Yu Baoshan recognized Wang Xiangxiu while wandering around the area.


    Wang Xiangxiu is the cousin of Huihui, his little mistress. The two families don''t have a good rtionship, and Huihui looks down on her cousin, so they rarely interact. However, this gave Deputy Director Zheng an idea.


    He could have Huihui find a reason to stay in this area, infiltrate themunity, and investigate. These older women know all the ins and outs of each household. If someone suddenly bes wealthy, it would be noticeable. He was prepared for a long-term investigation.


    Moreover, it''s rumored that Wang Xiangxiu''s son is a thief. They also suspect that Su Jii might have stolen the item. After all, the family''s ie and lifestyle don''t match up.


    That''s a point of suspicion.


    However, on second thought, Wang Xiangxiu is known for taking advantage of men. It''s hard to say if that''s the reason.


    Regardless of the reason, having someone move in and investigate from the inside would be the best option. It''s not that they think the jewelry was taken by someone in this courtyard, but rather that it could be anyone in the area.


    Huihui has rtives here, so she''ll move in first and explore each household in this neighborhood. As soon as there''s a lead, they''ll be ready to investigate.


    He said seriously, "Yu Baoshan confessed that there were many gold bars inside. Once we find these treasures, we''ll never have to worry about living in luxury."


    They''re already living well, but who wouldn''t want to live even better?


    Huihui: "I understand, but my cousin is such a despicable person. I doubt she''ll let me stay for long."


    Deputy Director Zheng: "Give her five yuan, tell her it''s your private savings. Staying for a month should be possible, right?"


    Huihui: "Alright. I hope she doesn''t get greedy, or I''ll make her pay."


    "Just act weak for now. Weakness is easier to gain trust."


    Huihui pouted and said, "Fine."


    Deputy Director Zheng: "Don''t underestimate this courtyard. There''s a lot of drama. Don''t get involved. If you get beaten, I won''t step in."


    Huihui snorted and said, "You''re so cold-hearted."


    Deputy Director Zheng: "The mission is the priority. Nothing is more important than finding those gold bars and jewelry."


    Huihui: "I know that."


    She sighed and said, "What if it''s not these families here? Who else could have taken the items?"


    Deputy Director Zheng: "Let''s just investigate first. Yu Baoshan killed the people involved to hide how much treasure he had. At the time, we didn''t pay attention, but someone might have noticed. It''s hard to say if one of us discovered something and followed Yu Baoshan to steal the items."


    Huihui: "Then am I just wasting my time?"


    "Anything is possible. Let''s start the investigation."


    "Okay."


    "Besides, even if someone got their hands on such treasures and didn''t dare to use them right away, I don''t believe they''d keep them hidden forever. Maybe in a year or two, they''ll try to sell them on the ck market. We''ll keep an eye on it, and we''ll find the items. They belong to us."


    "Right." Huihui teased, "If I help you find them, you have to marry me."


    Deputy Director Zhengughed loudly, pinched her chin, and didn''t agree or refuse.


    After discussing their n, Huihui stood up and said, "I''ll head back now. Even though they''re not around, I can''t stay out too long. It''s not good if someone notices."


    "Alright."


    Zhao Guihua had no idea that her taking the items hidden by Yu Baoshan had set off this chain of events. In her previous life, this didn''t happen because no one knew Yu Baoshan had hidden a batch of treasures. But this time, because the items suddenly went missing, Yu Baoshan''s panic exposed the truth.


    Fortunately, Zhao Guihua didn''t n to take out the items immediately. She had more experience than others and could stay calm.


    Although Zhao Guihua didn''t know anything, not even Huihui''s intentions, she never nned to take out the items during these years. At least, she wanted to wait until after the reform and opening up. At the moment, she was walking back with a few older women.


    She silently marveled at how these youngds had managed to spread the word so effectively.


    Zhao Guihua and her group had encountered at least eighty people on their way.


    It was truly unexpected that there were so many people.


    But, everyone wanted to get something out of it, which was normal.


    Free fish? Who wouldn''t love that!

 Chapter 105

    Zhao Guihua and her group went up the mountain to catch fish. This was quite different from their usual outings, but they didn''te back empty-handed, as they did manage to catch some. They worked together and divided the catch equally among themselves, with each person getting four fish.


    Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen were a family, so that made eight fish for them.


    Their "team" had caught quite a few fish, as the pond was abundant with them. However, the problem was that there were too many people trying to catch fish. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, and it was no small crowd. Taking the bus to catch fish wasn''t really practical either, considering the cost of the round trip.


    Going up the mountain didn''t guarantee a big catch.


    If you only managed to catch one fish, it felt like a wasted day, and it wasn''t much fun.


    However, if you rode a bicycle, you avoided the cost of transportation, which made it more worthwhile. Like Zhao Guihua and her group, they felt they had made a good profit. Not only did they catch fish, but on their way down the mountain, they also came across a plum tree. The women didn''t care if the plums were ripe or not; they just picked them all.


    If they hadn''t picked them all, they probably would have been gone by the next day.


    They were lucky to have found the tree while looking for a ce to relieve themselves. If it had been in a moremon area, it would have already been picked clean. So, all in all, their outing had been quite fruitful. The four women rode their bikes back to the courtyard, exhausted but happy with their haul.


    "Grandma, you''re back!"


    Hutou hade home early from school, bringing his sister with him. The two kids couldn''t get into their house, so they were ying hopscotch in the courtyard. Li Junjun and a few others were ying with them, but the Su family kids hadn''t returned yet.


    Zhao Guihua nodded. "We''re back."


    Li Junjun and the others also went to Aunt Wang, their grandmother.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Shall we divide up the fish and plums?"


    "Yes, let''s divide them up."


    Compared to others, they had returned rtively early.


    They divided the fish and plums right there in the courtyard.


    Aunt Su hadn''t gone out; she imed to be physically weak and didn''t have the tools to catch fish anyway. No one could lend her anything. So, when she saw everyone dividing the fish in the courtyard, she quickly came out, hoping to get a share. She smiled and said, "Oh, you all have done so well. These fish look great. With the raintely, the weather has been bad. A fish soup with some ginger would be perfect for warming up."


    The women all smiled and nodded in agreement. "Exactly."


    Aunt Su continued, "Oh, by the way, I haven''t introduced you yet. My daughter Xiangxiu''s cousin, Huihui, is here. Huihui,e out and say hello to everyone. Normally, when we have guests, we should prepare something nice, but you know, it''s been a while since we got paid, and we don''t have much money left. It''s hard to entertain guests..."


    Seeing that no one was taking the initiative, she coughed and said, "Well, how about you give me two fish? Tomorrow, when my daughter Xiangxiu gets paid, she can give you the money. We''re all neighbors, so I''m sure you won''t mind, right?"


    Since no one was volunteering, she had to take the initiative herself.


    However, Zhao Guihua directly refused, saying, "We can''t. My daughter-inw Ming Mei is pregnant, and the doctor said she needs to eat more fish. We can''t spare any; we don''t have enough for ourselves." She wasn''t going to indulge Aunt Su.


    Money?


    Aunt Su would cry poor for a century after borrowing something, and when it came to paying back, it would be like waiting for the end of the world.


    She wasn''t going to do it.


    Perhaps Zhao Guihua set a good example, as Aunt Wang quickly said, "Me neither. My daughter Li Fang is also pregnant and needs to supplement her nutrition."


    Liang Meifen didn''t have any say in the distribution of the catch, so she immediately said, "I''ll follow whatever my mother-inw decides."


    Aunt Sui from the back courtyard directly said, "My family has a lot of men, and they''ve been working overtimetely. They''recking in oil and water, so we can''t spare any either."


    It was a joke to even consider giving away the hard-earned goods. Another reason no one wanted to share was that they thought Aunt Su wasn''t pulling her weight. Even people from surrounding courtyards knew there was a pond with plenty of fish on the mountain.


    Although they weren''t sure of the exact location, they all headed in that direction, following the crowd. Everyone could go catch fish, so why couldn''t she? She wanted to ck off while catching fish, and now that others had caught some, she wanted to share in the spoils?


    Borrowing? No one believed that.


    Didn''t they all work hard? They were tired from the trip, and with the recent rain, the mountain path was difficult to navigate. Everyone was dirty and exhausted. There was no way they were going to let Aunt Su take advantage of them.


    Who wasn''t tired!


    Would they let her benefit from their hard work?


    Dream on!


    Aunt Wang, being in charge of the courtyard, took the initiative and said, "We''re going again tomorrow. If you want to join, find apanion. There are many people going to the outskirts. Besides, we also n to pick mushrooms on the mountain tomorrow."


    "With this rain, there should be plenty of mushrooms on the mountain," Zhao Guihua added happily.


    Aunt Su didn''t manage to get any fish and her smile faded, but she remained polite. "Oh, when are you leaving tomorrow? I''ll join you."


    Zhao Guihua silently smiled.


    Aunt Wang said, "You should take the bus with someone else. We''re riding bicycles, and with your health, you won''t be able to keep up. Besides, we four fit perfectly on two bikes. If you borrow a bike and ride alone, it will be too much for you. It''s quite a distance."


    Aunt Sui added, "Yes, it took us over two hours to ride back in the evening. You said it took two hours, right?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded. "Definitely. When we were getting ready to leave, I asked a young man what time it was. Now... from the time we started down the mountain until we got back, including picking plums, it took us over three hours. I estimate we spent at least two and a half hours."


    "Yes, definitely."


    Aunt Wang said, "Aunt Su, you definitely can''t do it. Take the bus."


    Zhao Guihua said, "It''s gettingte, and pregnant women get hungry easily. I need to hurry home and cook."


    Liang Meifen said, "Mom, take off your clothes, and I''ll wash them."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "No need. We''re going back up the mountain tomorrow anyway."


    "That''s true."


    Zhao Guihua quickly went home and opened the door. Aunt Wang said, "I need to hurry home and cook too."


    Aunt Sui said, "Me too."


    Everyone quickly dispersed. After everyone left, Aunt Su''s face darkened.


    She frowned and pursed her lips in dissatisfaction as she entered. Upon seeing Hu Huihui standing in the hall, she immediately put on a concerned expression and gently said, "Huihui has made youugh."


    She sighed and said, "I originally wanted to borrow some fish to make something nice for you, but... sigh, as you can see, I have no way to do that."


    She concernedly said, "How many days are you going to stay here after leaving home this time?"


    She said apologetically, "It''s not that Auntie doesn''t let you stay; I''m actually very happy that you cane and live here. It''s nice to have another person around to make things lively. But as you know, in our family, it''s really just your cousin working this early in the morning, and her sry isn''t very high. We really wish we could help, but we are simply unable to do so..."


    As soon as Hu Huihui heard this, she knew what the olddy was thinking. She suppressed her dissatisfaction and said in a somewhat weak tone, "I know..."


    She pursed her lips and said, "But, Ma''am, I really have nowhere to go. If you don''t take me in, I will have to sleep on the streets."


    She looked at Aunt Su with a pitiful expression and said, "Aunt, could you please let me stay for a while? I¡¯ll go home as soon as my dad calms down. I-I-I still have a bit of pocket money, so I can pay five yuan. Can you let me stay for a month?"


    Sister Su''s eyes brightened, and then she continued, "I''m not after your money, nor do I want your money. This matter, let''s wait until your cousines back to decide. All the family matters are up to her."


    Sister Su must get this money. Although five yuan is little, it is better than nothing. It would be best if... she could get a bit more.


    Moreover, she had another thought: there were indeed bachelors in this courtyard, and there were more than one bachelor on this street. With such a beautiful young girl living at home, she couldn¡¯t believe that others wouldn¡¯t be moved. As long as they were moved, that would be enough.


    Since you want to find a partner, you can''t avoid giving gifts, right?


    She pursed her lips and chuckled softly. This Hu Huihui hade at just the right time, just when their family was in a tight spot with no one to rely on.


    However, she wouldn''t stoop to doing something so underhanded. This was where Wang Xiangxiu came in handy. Although she knew how stupid her daughter-inw was, if she didn''t give her a heads-up, the woman might actually drive Hu Huihui away.


    She said, "I''m going out to use thetrine."


    With the machinery factory about to let out, she nned to go and intercept someone. Hu Huihui offered, "Then I''ll make dinner."


    Aunt Su immediately responded, "No need, let your sister do it when she gets back. You''re a guest, how could we let you lift a finger?"


    As she walked out, she added, "I''ll also check where the three kids have run off to. Those kids, after school they don''t even know toe straight home..."


    She muttered as she left, while Hu Huihui smirked to herself. This old hag was truly useless¡ªa mother-inw letting her daughter-inw take charge? What a waste. Still, she carefully surveyed the house, wondering if there was a ce to hide things.


    If those gold and silver treasures were indeed taken by them, where could they be hiding them?


    The surrounding area, not just this street but the ones before and after it, were all suspicious. But if there was one well-known thief in this neighborhood, it was her nephew Su Jii. So she couldn''t help but suspect the Su family. But if the Su family really had so many valuable items hidden, wouldn''t they be guarding their home like hawks? Would they really let an outsider like her wander around the house alone?


    She pursed her lips, thinking this possibility was unlikely.


    In truth, she had already prepared to stay here for a while. After all, she was determined to find those gold and silver treasures. She remembered what Old Zheng had said: as long as she found them, they would keep the items for themselves.


    She smiled smugly.


    Then they would have money.


    Ideally, she would find them first. That way, she could use the items to force Old Zheng to marry her. Old Zheng always made excuses; that wouldn''t do. With the valuables in her hands, she wasn''t worried he wouldn''t agree.


    She also dreamed of bing an official''s wife.


    She looked around and thought to herself that she definitely wouldn''t end up like her cousin.


    She sat at home, pondering these thoughts, while Aunt Su was already strolling around the alley. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu return, she quickly grabbed her and pulled her into a side alley, sharing her n.


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned, then happily said: "You''re right!"


    Aunt Su said, "Spread the word that your cousin is looking for a husband. Then we won''tck people trying to curry favor with us."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "You''re right, but letting her stay here for free..."


    "She said she could give five yuan. I told her you''d decide. Since she offered five yuan, I bet she has more. Try to get as much as you can. Does she not eat dumplings or noodles? Since she''s staying with us, the five yuan is for rent and food. The cost of meals is extra."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "I''ll ask for ten yuan."


    Aunt Su nodded, "Good. If she can''t afford it, force her to find a way. She''s not bad-looking and still a youngdy. It shouldn''t be hard for her to get money."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "I know. She''s not a good person, pretending to be gentle and shy. In reality, she''s dated quite a few men. At sixteen, she was already eating at other men''s houses. Her reputation in my hometown is not great. Now she''s pretending to be a chaste and virtuous woman, not wanting to marry. She should take a good look at herself."


    Aunt Su was surprised, "This little vixen, she''s good at pretending."


    "Let''s go home, I''ll handle her."


    Aunt Su smiled, "Then I''ll leave it all to you. That''s why our family needs you in charge. I''m too weak and useless, I can only offer advice, not take action."


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled proudly, "You can count on me."


    Compared to other families, she knew she was very lucky. Her mother-inw wasn''t just talk¡ªshe was genuinely good. For example, Wang Xiangxiu managed the household finances, deciding what to buy. Her mother-inw never interfered.


    Whenever there was a bit of cloth ration, her mother-inw would never use it. She always said, "I''m an old woman at home, why would I need nice clothes? I can make do. The kids grow fast, they need new clothes often. You need to look presentable for work. I don''t care about myself. If it weren''t for the kids and you, I''d rather die and join my husband and son."


    Wang Xiangxiu remembered these words clearly and was deeply touched.


    There was no better mother-inw in the world.


    However, Wang Xiangxiu never thought that with a monthly sry of just over twenty yuan, it was impossible to make ends meet. She didn''t realize that she had to find ways to make up for the shortfall. All she knew was that she was in charge of the household.


    She walked back with Aunt Su, saying, "This Huihui, she had a temporary job before, I wonder if she''s still working. I need to ask her. If she''s not earning, I definitely can''t keep her for long... It depends on how much she eats."


    As the two walked back, they didn''t notice Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei standing just around the corner, exchanging nces.


    After they left, Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi. He sighed, "This olddy is quite cunning."


    Wang Xiangxiu, after all, was just a tool in Aunt Su''s hands.


    Ming Mei clicked her tongue. Zhuang Zhixi pinched her cheek and said, "Enough clicking, let''s go home."


    Ming Mei followed Zhuang Zhixi, whispering softly, "I have a feeling the courtyard is about to get interesting again."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Hey wife, not bad, you can even use fancy words now."


    Ming Mei said, "Of course."


    She pouted, "Didn''t you hear Wang Xiangxiu? That Hu Huihui, she''s not simple. But she looks so weak and shy, so good at pretending. Isn''t that going to stir up trouble?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Maybe Wang Xiangxiu is just jealous and making things up about her cousin?"


    He said, "Wang Xiangxiu would do that, right?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "She would, but I also know that Hu Huihui isn''t really that weak. I just didn''t think of it this morning, butter I remembered. She seems to be part of the Red Sleeve Armband group. I''ve seen her before. She''s quite bold, not like how she looked this morning."


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised, then narrowed his eyes slightly, "Really?"


    If that was the case, then things could get interesting.


    If someone''s personality changed due to a major event, that would be normal. But recently, the Red Sleeve Armband group had been searching for something in this area, which made people think twice. He raised an eyebrow and said, "We should tell Mom when we get home."


    Ming Mei nodded, "I know."


    The couple returned home and entered the courtyard, greeted by the smell of fish. Many people had gone to the mountains today and had caught fish, so almost every household was cooking it to improve their meals.


    "Mom, we''re back," Zhuang Zhixi called out.


    Xiao Yanzi said, "Auntie, there are plums at home,e and eat."


    Ming Mei replied, "Oh, really? That''s great."


    She entered the house and saw Zhao Guihua cooking two fish.


    Ming Mei leaned close to Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Mom, on our way back, we saw Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu whispering in the alley..."


    She quickly recounted the situation. Zhao Guihua''s eyelids twitched.


    That Hu Huihui... Could she havee to their courtyard with a purpose?


    Even if others didn''t know, Zhao Guihua was crystal clear about what those people were really after. At this moment, she felt a slight tinge of regret, as she truly didn''t want to get involved with them.


    Although those people didn''t know it was her family who did it, having a suspicious neighbor made daily life uneasy. It seemed that her actions were a bit reckless, but soon enough, Zhao Guihua shook her head, deciding that what was done was done, and there was no point in regretting it.


    If those treasures had fallen into Yu Baoshan''s hands, it would have been disastrous.


    Others might not know what he had done, but Zhao Guihua knew it all too well. This man was ruthless, not just in his clothing business where he crushed hispetitors, but also in his ventures into illegal coal mines, which had caused countless harm. Zhao Guihua felt that what she did was justified.


    At the very least, without arge sum of money, his clothing business wouldn''t have grown, and he wouldn''t have been able to operate the illegal coal mines.


    The illegal coal mines had caused so much harm, Zhao Guihua had seen it on TV. They had lured many people into working in remote, deste mountain areas, refusing to pay them. People were trapped in those remote ces, and many had died. It was truly surprising that a man from Beijing could find such a ce.


    Now, well...


    Zhao Guihua calmed herself down and said, "I understand. You don''t need to pay her any attention."


    As she finished speaking, she noticed her youngest son staring at her. She red, "What are you looking at?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head and chuckled, "You''re so fierce, Mother."


    Zhao Guihua red at him again, and Zhuang Zhixi innocently shrugged.


    Zhao Guihua: "We''ll live our lives..."


    Just as she was about to continue, there was a knock on the door. Ming Mei opened the door and said, "Oh? Sister Jiang Lu? Is something the matter?"


    Jiang Lu smiled and said, "I heard you caught quite a bit today. I was wondering if you could trade me a couple of fish."


    She directly took out some money and said, "I''m pregnant, and I''ve been craving some fish."


    Ming Mei looked at Zhao Guihua, as her family was under her rule, and these were her mother-inw''s catches.


    Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment, and Jiang Lu quickly added, "If I were in good health, I wouldn''t havee. But since I''m pregnant, I suddenly got this craving. I promise it''s just this once."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright then."


    Although she had refused Aunt Su earlier, Aunt Su didn''t have a "pregnant" excuse, did she?


    Whether it was a real or fake pregnancy, no one knew.


    Jiang Lu smiled and said, "Thank you."


    She called out loudly, "Wang Zhaodi."


    Wang Zhaodi immediately ran out, "Sister Jiang Lu, what''s up?"


    Jiang Lu: "Take this home, prepare one for soup."


    Wang Zhaodi widened her eyes, "Are you going to eat both?"


    Jiang Lu nodded, "Yes, both."


    Her voice was not low at all, "I''m pregnant and craving fish."


    Well, she wanted everyone to know.


    Zhao Guihua thought, if she''s faking her pregnancy, how will she manage this?


    It was beyondprehension.


    Even with her experience, Zhao Guihua found Jiang Lu''s actions a bit puzzling.


    Could it be that Jiang Lu was so upset by Zhou Qun that she thought she was pregnant when she wasn''t? But looking at Jiang Lu''s eyes, she didn''t seem crazy. Zhao Guihua coughed, genuinely puzzled. However, Jiang Lu didn''t leave. She leaned against the doorframe and started chatting with Ming Mei: "You''re about two months along, right?"


    Ming Mei nodded, "Yes."


    She didn''t know Jiang Lu was faking her pregnancy, as it was something most people wouldn''t consider. Only Zhao Guihua, with her past and present experiences, could make such aparison.


    Jiang Lu looked Ming Mei up and down and said, "I see you''re not having much of a reaction. I heard many pregnant women have quite a bit of difort."


    Ming Mei: "Actually, I do have some reactions. Just after finding out, I was a bit unsettled and nauseous. That''s why I changed jobs. Now, with a regr schedule and not traveling on buses, I don''t have much difort. As for others who feel like vomiting... I don''t really have that, except when I smell snake meat, which makes me feel sick. Otherwise, it''s pretty okay. I guess it''s more psychological."


    Jiang Lu nodded thoughtfully.


    Of course, she didn''t juste to chat with Ming Mei about this. The truth was, she wasn''t actually pregnant, and since she was faking it, she needed to act the part. Although she also wanted tomunicate with Ming Mei to see if she could scheme with Zhuang Zhixi to deal with Bai Fendou, that was secondary. The most important thing now was to pretend to be pregnant.


    This was the key issue.


    Over the years, she hadn''t paid much attention to how other pregnant women behaved. She herself had never had a child, and whenever she encountered a pregnant woman, she would avoid them, never asking anything. So now she was a bit lost. She could ask her mother, but Jiang Lu felt it wasn''t appropriate.


    Her mother was of that age, and probably wouldn''t remember much, so it wouldn''t be urate.


    That''s why she decided to fake her pregnancy and mimic Ming Mei.


    There was another pregnant woman in the courtyard, Li Fang, but she had been married for over ten years and had no contact with Li Fang. It would be difficult to get close to Li Fang quickly. But Ming Mei was different; she had been married for a short time, and their interactions were minimal, so any misunderstandings were minor.


    If she had to choose someone to get along with better, Jiang Lu would choose Ming Mei.


    "I always hear that pregnant women crave either sour or spicy food. How about you?"


    Ming Mei looked a bit puzzled at Jiang Lu''s question but thought since they were both pregnant, she said, "I like everything. Maybe it''s because I''m in the early stages, but I don''t have any particr cravings. I''m not picky, I like everything, sour or spicy."


    Jiang Lu nodded thoughtfully, "That makes sense. Early on, there''s not much effect."


    "Exactly."


    Ming Mei asked curiously, "I heard you''re expecting too. How''s it going?"


    Jiang Lu remained calm, "Not much feeling. I used to think pregnant women change a lot, but now I don''t feel much, and it''s a bit unsettling. That''s why I wanted to ask you."


    Ming Mei felt the logic was a bit off.


    But she didn''t say much, instead saying, "Maybe it''s because I''m happy. Before I found out I was pregnant, I didn''t feel much, but once I knew, I started to worry, and even work became unfocused. But soon I calmed down, and it got better."


    Jiang Lu softly said, "Oh, I see."


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "People react differently. Some have good health and don''t feel much during pregnancy. Some are weaker and have more reactions. Others feel fine at first but get ufortable in the fourth or fifth month. These things are hard to predict."


    Jiang Lu nodded, "Right, right."


    Hearing this, she felt more at ease.


    Seeing that the family was preparing to eat, Jiang Lu said, "I''ll head back then. Let''s exchange experiences another day."


    Ming Mei: "Ah? Oh."


    She watched Jiang Lu leave and muttered softly, "Strange."


    Zhao Guihua nced at Ming Mei, who gave her a bright smile and sat down to eat.


    Liang Meifen: "Jiang Lu finally got what she wanted, she''s different now."


    Zhao Guihua: "Mm."


    Ming Mei ate quietly, and Zhao Guihua said, "We''ll go mushroom picking tomorrow. If we''rete, you two can cook."


    Ming Mei: "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua: "Cut some mutton, stir-fry it with green onions, and make a vegetable dish."


    Ming Mei: "Alright."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi both started salivating.


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Our meals are pretty good, yet you''re still so greedy."


    This made the two kids feel a bit shy. Hutou chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah, we''re really greedy."


    He tilted his head and asked, "Granny, are we eating so well that we''re running out of money?"


    Despite being a child, he understood these things. Zhao Guihuaughed and said, "If you don''t eat well and grow strong, how will you make money in the future?"


    Hutou scratched his head, "Oh, right."


    Zhao Guihua: "Eating well keeps you strong and healthy, and you won''t get sick. So, is it better to spend money on food or on medicine?"


    Hutou was absolutely determined: "Eat meat."


    Xiao Yanzi nodded in agreement beside him: "Eat meat, eat meat! We hate taking medicine the most!"


    It was so bitter, it made them feel like vomiting.


    Zhao Guihua said: "That''s why, I have my own ns, you kids don''t need to think so much. Just eat well and grow up obediently."


    The two children nodded vigorously: "Mm-hmm."


    Ming Mei also smiled cheerfully: "Mom, you''re really good at educating kids. When I have my own children in the future, I''ll let you teach them."


    Zhao Guihua nced at her and said: "You just want to bezy, don''t you?"


    Ming Mei widened her eyes, looking very determined: "How could that be? I certainly wouldn''t!"


    She pouted and said coquettishly: "Mom, you misunderstand me like this, and it hurts me so much. Oh, my heart aches~"


    She clutched her chest, putting on quite a show.


    Zhao Guihua chuckled and pointed at her: "You, you''re always causing trouble."


    Ming Mei defended herself boldly: "What trouble? Besides, look, you''re smiling, you''re clearly happy..."


    Zhao Guihuaughed and said: "You..."


    Before she could finish, a sudden cry and shouting came from outside.


    Ming Mei almost dropped her bowl of rice and said: "Goodness, what''s going on outside?"


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly got up and peeked outside, saying: "It''s Aunt Su, she''s wailing again, like a donkey."


    He went out and saw that other neighbors had alreadye out, including Bai Fendou and his father, as well as Jiang Lu, all of them standing at the door with their arms crossed, curiously watching. The people from the back courtyard also gradually moved forward. However, Aunt Su and her daughter-inw looked like they were at their wit''s end.


    Aunt Wang came to the front courtyard and quickly asked: "What''s going on again?"


    She was the most unfortunate caretaker in all of Beijing, without a doubt. Her helplessness was written all over her face. It was truly a sad situation.


    Aunt Su wailed loudly, almost unable to speak. Wang Xiangxiu was on the verge of copse, saying: "My Jii is missing, all three of my children are missing. They haven''te back, wuwuwu..."


    The children were their lifeblood. If it were any other matter, they might still have some reason left, but when it came to their three sons, Wang Xiangxiupletely broke down. She cried out: "They haven''te back at this time, what should we do?"


    Aunt Su added tearfully beside her: "Usually, after school, they sometimes y outside and onlye back for dinner, so we didn''t pay much attention when they didn''te back today. But as we waited and waited, it''s already thiste, and the usual dinner time has passed, yet the children still haven''te back. When Xiangxiu went outside to check, there were no kids around, everyone had gone home to eat. When she asked the kids from the neighboring courtyard, they said they hadn''t seen Jii and the otherse back..."


    She was really panicking. Seeing her like this, Aunt Wang''s heart skipped a beat and she was scared.


    After all, losing children at any time was no small matter.


    The neighbors also started to discuss: "Ah, the kids are missing? All three of them are missing? Could they have run into a child trafficker?"


    "There aren''t many child traffickers these days, are there?"


    "Then where could they have gone?"


    "Maybe they just got carried away ying and didn''te back?"


    "Or maybe we should just go look for them?"


    Losing children was no small matter. Even families who were usually indifferent to each other would actively help in such situations. Aunt Wangposed herself and said: "Everyone, let''s move and help look for them together."


    "Alright."


    "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua also actively helped organize, asking: "When did they finish school today? Has anyone seen the kids?"


    She said: "Let''s split up and look around. We neighbors can search the surrounding areas, and Wang Xiangxiu, you go to the school to ask around, then check with their teachers to see if they went to y at a friend''s house. Or maybe they mentioned to a friend where they were going."


    "Right, right, I''ll go to the school right away..."


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately prepared to leave. Zhao Guihua said: "Aunt Wang, since you''re familiar with the neighborhood as the caretaker, mobilize the neighbors to help look around."


    Aunt Wang: "Got it."


    She said: "Yang Lixin, you go with Wang Xiangxiu to the school..."


    Li Fang spoke up: "Mom, let my dad go instead. Young people aren''t as steady as you. I don''t feel safe letting my man go with Wang Xiangxiu alone, even if it''s an emergency. My dad is older, it''s fine."


    She wasn''t willing to let her man be alone with Wang Xiangxiu, even though the situation was urgent. She didn''t want to risk her family. Everyone knew each other well, and she was well aware of Wang Xiangxiu''s ways.


    Li the Cook: "I''ll go then, Wang Xiangxiu, let''s go together."


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately nodded, and the two hurried out. Aunt Wang also gathered everyone.


    Zhao Guihua: "The pregnant women should stay home, wait for news."


    She continued: "You kidse over, does anyone know where Jii and the others went?"


    The children all shook their heads. Hutou said: "I haven''t seen them since school today."


    Li Junjun and Li Weiwei also nodded, agreeing with Hutou.


    Li Junjun: "We''ve been ying hopscotch in the courtyard since we got back, and we haven''t seen them."


    "The three kids must be together. Jii is in elementary school, Toni is in kindergarten, so they couldn''t have gotten lost separately. They must have gone out together. Let''s go look for them. Hopefully, Wang Xiangxiu and the others will find something."


    Everyone agreed. The children didn''t need to go out, nor did the pregnant women. The rest all went out to search, regardless of whether they were on good terms or not. Such a matter was a big deal, and no one would refuse to help.


    Although people in those days might fight over a stalk of scallion or a clove of garlic, they would genuinely help in such situations.


    However, most people didn''t believe it was a case of child trafficking. In those days, there weren''t many child traffickers. Even Zhao Guihua knew this. Child trafficking became moremon in the 1980s and 1990s.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But in the 1970s, life was hard, and it was difficult just to get enough to eat. There weren''t many traffickers, mainly because of poverty. And with no birth control, every family had many children. Even if someone didn''t have children and wanted to adopt, they didn''t need to go far. Every family had poor rtives, and it was easy to find children to adopt.


    Moreover, everywhere required an introduction letter, so it wasn''t like you could just take a child and not be checked.


    So, were there traffickers? Yes.


    But they were extremely rare.


    Under this understanding, everyone still leaned towards the idea that the children had run off to y on their own. After all, these three kids were always like that, extremely mischievous. Zhao Guihua and the others all went out to search.


    Ming Mei, being pregnant, didn''t go out. She carried a small stool and sat at the door. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sat beside her. Hutou frowned and asked: "Auntie, is Jii lost?"


    Ming Mei: "I don''t know, everyone is out looking for them. They should be able to find them."


    It was already dark, and no one knew where the kids could have gone.


    Hutou propped his cheek with his hand and said: "If they can''t be found, they won''t have parents anymore."


    Ming Mei: "Yes, that''s right. So, if kids want to go somewhere, they must tell their parents. Not saying anything is not okay."


    Hutou nodded quickly, and Xiao Yanzi beside him did the same.


    The two children were quite afraid of getting lost.


    Jiang Lu didn''t go out either and came over to sit with them. Although she also wanted to go out and help, thinking of herself as a "pregnant woman," she decided not to go. She talked to Ming Mei: "These three kids are too spoiled, aren''t they? Where could they have gone?"


    Ming Mei didn''t know either and shook her head, saying: "I don''t know."


    She said: "If no one saw them, it''s troublesome. It''s hard to find them if they''re not nearby."


    Jiang Lu nodded. In fact, she had always disapproved of how the Su family raised their children. If she had children, she would definitely educate them properly. Not just Jiang Lu, but others probably thought the same way. However, since Aunt Su and her daughter-inw spoiled their kids so much, they certainly wouldn''t say anything. It wasn''t their business anyway.


    Jiang Lu: "I hope the kids are found soon."


    "That''s right."


    They didn''t talk much more than that. Although Jii and his two younger brothers were often mischievous and disliked by everyone, no one wanted to see the children go missing. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Li Fang also brought a stool to the front, and a few people sat together.


    At this moment, everyone was searching outside but found no trace of the children.


    However, Li the Cook and Wang Xiangxiu returned, and everyone gathered at the alley entrance.


    Li the Cook: "They weren''t at school. I asked around, and it turns out Jii didn''t attend ss this afternoon. He said he had a stomachache at noon and took leave to run out. After leaving, he went to the kindergarten to pick up his two younger brothers, and the three of them left together."


    They first went to the school and then to the kindergarten, getting a rough idea of what had happened.


    "Where could they have gone?"


    "My Jii..."


    "It''s already dark; what will they do? Wuuuu..."


    Aunt Su cried and threw herself onto Old Man Bai, wailing, "Old Bai, my life is so hard!"


    Everyone''s mouth twitched. She was crying, but she still had to flirt with Old Man Bai at this moment?


    Zhao Guihua: "Don''t they have any close friends? Does anyone know where they were nning to go?"


    Before the words were even finished, a middle-aged woman hurried over and said, "I''m Jii''s homeroom teacher..."


    "You give me back my son! You scoundrel, you damned thing! I sent my child to school for you to take care of him, and now he''s gone... You despicable woman! Give me back my son!"


    She lunged forward to hit the teacher, but Aunt Wang quickly stopped her, saying, "What are you doing? Are you trying to find your son or not?"


    The elementary school teacher: "Su Jii doesn''t have any particrly close friends at school, but he did tell his desk mate that he was going to do something big today. He said that many people in your courtyard were going fishing, and he wanted to go too!"


    "Ah!"


    "Fishing?"


    "Yes, everyone said they were going to the mountain today. Maybe she heard that."


    Aunt Su also swayed, saying, "Yes, yes, we talked about itst night."


    In fact, she wanted to go, which was why she had inquired about the specific details. But when she heard it was in the suburbs, she gave up. It was too far, and she didn''t want to suffer. She had thought about it and decided to ask someone for a fish instead. Wouldn''t that be easier? If someone caught a lot, she might even ask for two. After all, her life was so difficult; it was only right for others to help her.


    Who could say sheckedpassion?


    That was her thinking.


    So she didn''t go, and Wang Xiangxiu was at work, so she certainly didn''t go either. But unexpectedly, Jii had overheard this and remembered it. She was very upset, shouting, "How could they go to the suburbs? What if something happens?"


    Aunt Su grabbed Aunt Wang, saying, "Didn''t you go to the suburbs too? Did you see them?"


    Aunt Wang shook her head, "No."


    She asked, "Did any of you see them?"


    Many people from their courtyard had gone today.


    Everyone shook their heads, none of them having seen the children.


    Zhao Guihua: "We left early in the morning and started heading back in the afternoon. Even thetest to return would have been back before dinner. If they leftte and had to walk the whole way, they would have missed everyone. It''s normal not to have met them."


    "They left after lunch, so they should have arrived by the afternoon."


    "But that''s not necessarily true. Do they have bicycles? And do they have money for a bus? If they had to walk the whole way, even a few kids wouldn''t make it by evening."


    "That''s true."


    "Aunt Su, do the kids have money for a bus?"


    Aunt Su vigorously shook her head, but then said, "Even if they don''t have money, my Jii is very smart. Maybe he found a way to take the bus."


    "It''s hard to say. Since no one met them, it''s unlikely they took the bus."


    "What should we do?"


    "My poor Jii, where are you? You''re killing me! If you''re lost, I won''t live either..."


    "Stop wailing and start looking along the road to the city outskirts."


    Zhao Guihua: "Let''s split into three groups. One group should ride bikes quickly to the mountain in the suburbs; another group should search along this road leading out of the city; and Aunt Wang, you take Aunt Su and her daughter to the police station. With the help of the police, it''ll be better."


    "Yes, yes."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll go to the bus station and ask. There''s only one bus going to the suburbs. I''ll ask the driver or conductor. If three kids got on the bus for the suburbs, they must have noticed."


    "Isn''t it almost time to get off work?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It''s fine; my wife definitely knows someone."


    "Ah, right, where does Xiao Zhuang''s wife work?"


    Everyone is eager to help, and no one is ambiguous about it.


    However, at this moment, it can be seen that the reason why the old Zhao family has been able to live well is quite clear. From Zhao Guihua to her son Zhuang Zhixi, they approach their tasks with great organization. Moreover, during critical times, they are very capable of handling matters effectively.


    The Su family, apart from being noisy, can do nothing else.


    Wang Dama led people to the police station, and soon there were more helpers. At this time, Zhuang Zhixi also brought back news: "I¡¯ve found out that they indeed took a bus to the suburbs, and they got off right at the station at the foot of the mountain. There were three children, and they were also carrying a water bucket. Since there were quite a few people going to the suburbs today, the ticket collector didn¡¯t ask them in detail why the kids were out together. However, since many people were also going to catch fish, they assumed they were with adults. Besides, they had money on them; they used gold to buy tickets¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, this...¡±


    ¡°Aunt Su, didn''t you say the child has no money?¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and look for it, don''t say there''s none left.¡±


    Since the child has confirmed the drop-off point, it must be in the suburbs. Everyone hurried to the suburbs, and the police station even arranged for a bus to take us there. The reason for hoping that everyone cane is mainly because we are uncertain about the exact location. With more people, if we can''t find itter, we can split into groups to search the mountains.


    At a time when everyone was anxiously gathering together to help, regardless of their rtionships, even Hu Huihui and Wang Zhao Di were busy looking for people, what were the three brothers Su Jii doing?


    The three children lit a fire and sat together to grill fish.


    To talk about how these three children went up the mountain, we need to start with yesterday. As everyone knows, there is a ce that many people want to visit, although it''s unclear if there are really as many fish there as people say.


    After all, improving life in this way is something that should be firmly grasped.


    This fish supplied by the food store is indeed limited in quantity. It can be found on the ck market, but since everyone has a formal job, they would prefer to avoid the ck market if possible. Therefore, everyone seizes this opportunity thates for free.


    However, among these people, there is also Su''s mother.


    Sister Su is poor, but she doesn''t want to work hard.


    You said that if she were to mend clothes for her grandson, she could do it.


    Even having her doundry for the kids, or making a little money by gluing matchboxes, would be fine.


    However, if you want her to exert herself, she won''t agree to it; this olddy is quite protective of herself. As for going to the countryside or climbing a mountain, just the thought of it sounds like suffering, and she will definitely refuse to go. Although she doesn''t want to go, she has already heard about it from Jin.


    As a boy, he is not afraid of distance or fatigue.


    He immediately pulled over his two younger brothers, and the three little ones started mumbling together. They quickly came to an agreement. They wanted to go fishing in the countryside together. If other families could catch fish, why couldn¡¯t theirs?


    Recently, there has been a faint fishy smell in the yard that even the children can detect with their sensitive noses.


    They are craving it, and with the perfect opportunity to eat and have fun, they are more than happy to indulge.


    However, they also knew that the adults would definitely disagree with them going out, so in the morning, the three children still went to elementary school and kindergarten as usual. After lunch, one by one, they pretended to be sick and sneaked out.


    It must be said that Jin Lai is also quite a "talent"; he is truly a very professional "technician."


    Since they were going to the mountain to catch fish, they couldn''t just go empty-handed, so Su Jii came up with a n. The ce he had his eye on was the school''s kitchen; he wasn''t familiar with other ces, and the two ces he knew best were their courtyard and the school.


    The people in their courtyard often went to the mountain, so naturally, they wouldn''t leave fishings at home.


    So Jii set his sights on the school''s kitchen. Chef Zhang from the kitchen also liked to go fishing, so Jii sneaked in and took the fishing rod and bucket. Poor Chef Zhang, he didn''t even realize his things were gone.


    Jii grabbed the fishing rod and bucket and quietly slipped out. After the three kids met up, they discussed their n again. They knew that if they walked to the outskirts, it would take them all afternoon, so they decided to take a bus.


    Luckily, Jii had been eavesdropping the previous night and "subtly" inquired about which bus to take.


    But a new problem arose: they had no money.


    Although kids like Toni didn''t need to buy tickets, Jii would definitely be questioned, and he might even be asked to buy a half-price ticket. If they were with a parent, they might be able to pass it off, but without one, they would certainly be asked.


    Jii thought it over and felt this wouldn''t work. He considered stealing money, but that was not easy and would take time. Since Zhou Qun always doted on them, Jii decided to approach Zhou Qun. Even though they had stolen from Zhou Qun''s house before and he had gotten angry and hit them, most of the time, Zhou Qun was quite nice to the three kids. Whatever they did, Zhou Qun would praise them, saying "You''re really great!"


    This made the kids deeply believe that Zhou Qun, being childless, liked them because he had no sons of his own.


    Jii went to the hospital and finally found Zhou Qun.


    When Zhou Qun heard they wanted to "borrow" money, his face darkened, and Jii and the others thought everything was ruined. To their surprise, Zhou Qun suddenly smiled and agreed to lend them the money.


    With the five mao that Zhou Qun gave them, the three kids bought tickets and headed to the outskirts.


    They didn''t know that Zhou Qun was no kind-hearted person. He had a strategy with these three kids, which was called "spoiling them to death." Since he had no sons, he was happy to see other people''s sons go astray.


    Jii spent one jiao on his own ticket, while Yii and Toni, being younger, didn''t need to buy tickets. This way, he even made four jiao.


    Oh, if they counted the return trip, they would still have three cents left.


    In short, the three brothers felt they had hit the jackpot. They took the bus to the mountain, and since there were many people on the mountain, they managed to find a pond. However, being kids, they had leftte after preparing various things, and climbing the mountain was tiring. By the time they arrived, it wasn''t early anymore.


    As for why they didn''t run into Zhao Guihua and the others, it was because Zhao Guihua and the group were already heading down the mountain while they were still climbing up.


    Moreover, adults took the normal routes up and down the mountain to save time, while kids tended to get distracted and wander around, so they missed each other. When they got to the mountain, there were still quite a few people. However, being kids with limited skills, they didn''t catch anything even after most people had left.


    The boys became indignant, thinking that if others could catch fish, so could they.


    This back-and-forth dyed them even further...


    But finally, the three kids had some sess. They proudly eximed, "Damn, those adults always think they''re so great. But really, what''s the big deal? Look, we can fish too!"


    "Big Brother is awesome!"

 Chapter 106

    Three children, Jii, Yii, and Toni, sat by the pond, humming little tunes and enjoying roasted fish. Life was as carefree as a breeze.


    Although they didn''t have any salt, it didn''t stop the three kids from enjoying their meal.


    The roasted fish tasted really good.


    Jii boasted, "I told you fishing isn''t hard. Adults can do it, and so can we kids."


    Yii chimed in, "Big brother is the best. Other kids can''t do it. Can Hutou do it? No way! What about Lijun and Liwei? Nope! They may act cool, but they''re just little kids. We''re different; we''re real men, just like adults."


    Toni, being the youngest, wasn''t good at much but was already skilled at ttery. "Yes, big brother is the best."


    "Brother, it''s so delicious," Toni added.


    Jii waved his hand confidently. "If we run out, we''ll just catch more. Plenty to eat."


    As night fell, Yii, despite his bravado, looked around nervously. "Brother, it''s getting dark. Should we head back? We might miss the bus."


    "You''re right," Jii agreed, ncing around. There were still a few people nearby, likely locals from the foot of the mountain hoping for a good catch. Seeing them, Jii felt a bit more at ease. "What''s the big deal? Look, there are still people here. Don''t overthink it. If we miss the bus, we''ll just follow the adults."


    He felt quite clever about his n.


    Yii nodded, "That makes sense."


    Toni mumbled, "If we get backte, Mom will beat us."


    Nonsense! Grandma and Mom wouldn''t be willing to hit us. Plus, it''s not like we were just ying; we were doing important stuff. Everyone knows peoplee here to fish. We''re fine.


    "True. Other kids aren''t as capable as us."


    "Big brother is right."


    Jii grinned proudly. "And even if we didn''t catch any fish, we still borrowed 50 cents. We have 30 cents left. We earned it fair and square, no need to return it. We can buy candy or firecrackers. We''re winning."


    "Exactly!"


    The three kids basked in their self-satisfaction.


    Meanwhile, the main group was heading up the mountain. Leading the way was Wang Xiangxiu, with Aunt Su stumbling behind her, her face filled with sorrow. Supporting her was Old Man Bai.


    Old Man Bai was heartbroken. "Sister, take it slow. Your body is so frail; you can''t handle this. Let me carry you."


    Aunt Su shook her head. "No, you were injured too and haven''t fully recovered. I can''t let you carry me and risk hurting yourself."


    In truth, she was afraid Old Man Bai might drop her. He looked weak and unreliable. She nced at the strong men around her and coughed lightly, hoping someone would offer to carry her.


    She wasn''t heavy, after all.


    If anyone had a shred of respect for the elderly, they should step up.


    She nced around, coughing again to draw attention. But no one cared about an olddy; everyone was focused on finding the kids. With the police present, the group remained orderly, spreading out with shlights and calling out, "Jii, Yii..."


    "Jii..."


    The collective shouting echoed loudly.


    The search party was determined, their voices carrying through the mountain. Meanwhile, Jii and his brothers were still fishing, oblivious to themotion. Perhaps because it was night and fewer people were around, their fishing was surprisingly sessful.


    During the day, Zhao Guihua and others had managed to catch four fish each with a. But tonight, Jii and his brothers had each caught a fish, with another one roasting over the fire. They were quite pleased with themselves.


    "Jii..."


    Distant calls came from the foot of the mountain. The few adults still fishing at night heard them and looked around. But Jii and his brothers remained indifferent, either ignoring the calls or not hearing them.


    One old man called out, "Kids, it''s dark. Shouldn''t you head down the mountain?"


    Jii snapped back, "Mind your own business!"


    The old man was taken aback. "What kind of manners are those? Are they looking for you?"


    Jii retorted even more harshly, "Old fool, get lost!"


    The old man was furious. "What''s wrong with you, kid? How rude!"


    Jii sneered. "What? You gonna hit me? If you do, you''ll have to pay up!"


    He was quite proud of himself. "They''re here to find me!"


    The old man realized the kid had heard the calls.


    Fuming, the old man cursed, "What a little brat. No wonder he gets beaten. He deserves it!"


    He turned and walked away, refusing to deal with the troublemaker.


    Jii and Yii had been beaten by Bai Fendou the previous day and still had bruises on their faces.


    The old man had felt a bit sorry for them earlier, thinking someone must be tough on these kids to make them fish at night with such injuries. Now he realized they deserved every bit of it.


    He ignored them and walked off. Another fisherman nearby said, "You didn''t need to bother with him. Look at his attitude; he''s not a good kid."


    The old man sighed. "I wonder how their family raises them."


    "Forget it," the fisherman said.


    Yii picked up a stone and threw it, missing but sshing water.


    "You little brat!"


    "So what!"


    Yii, knowing his mom wasing to find them, became even more brazen. He picked up another stone and threw it, identally breaking a fishing rod.


    It was a rare chance, but it happened.


    Yii was surprised but quickly cheered himself on. "Yeah! I''m awesome!"


    Jii grinned. "Second brother is the best!"


    He picked up a stone and threw it, hitting the old man''s foot.


    The old man cursed, "Damn it!"


    Both the old man and the fisherman were furious. Such brats deserved a beating.


    Jii, Yii, and Toniughed loudly, pping their hands.


    Yii suddenly shouted, "Help! Adults are bullying kids!" He taunted the two men, clearly daring them to do something.


    "Damn it!"


    "Little brat!"


    The fisherman, unlike the old man, acted quickly. Ignoring the kid''s cries, he grabbed the little troublemaker and pped him twice.


    Yii screamed, "Ah!"


    Jii threw down his fishing rod and charged over. "How dare you hit my brother!"


    The fisherman pushed him down and kicked him. "Little brat, you deserve it for being so mouthy and reckless. You''re a troublemaker. You''ll end up in jail someday!"


    Jii and Yii got another beating.


    The old man and the fisherman didn''t care that they were kids. They weren''t their own children, so why should they tolerate their bad behavior? ps were the answer.


    Toni, seeing this, scrambled away, not wanting to get involved.


    It''s no wonder that Toni will one day be the groom of a cow. He knows how to charm all the aunties and sisters, making them happy. This definitely shows that he''s a sensible one. So, the saying "one can tell what a child will be like by looking at them at three" does hold some truth. This little rascal in their family is exactly like that.


    Don''t let his usual arrogance fool you, always following his older brothers around, acting tough. The moment those two got into a fight, he quickly scurried away.


    He stumbled and ran, not caring at all whether his two older brothers were getting beaten up.


    He didn''t run far before seeing a crowd gathering. He shouted, "Mom!"


    Wang Xiangxiu, from a distance, spotted Toni and called out, "Toni!!!"


    She quickly started running, and others followed suit, picking up their pace.


    Toni cried out, "Hurry and save my brothers! Someone''s beating us up!"


    Upon hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes widened in fury. Her sons were her most cherished treasures, her precious gems. If anyone dared toy a finger on them, she would fight to the death. She ran forward at full speed, tripped, and fell to the ground, but she quickly got up, not even caring about the pain.


    Wang Xiangxiu rushed towards Toni, hugging her son tightly and asking, "Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Where are your brothers?"


    Toni pointed towards the pond and said, "They''re over there."


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly ran over, only to find both her sons beaten up. As a mother, she was like a furious lioness protecting her cubs, lunging forward with a roar, "I''ll kill you!"


    She charged straight at the middle-aged man, ready to scratch him. However, the man wasn''t some weakling like Bai Fendou. He pped her away with a single blow, shouting, "I can see now, it''s no wonder these little brats are like this with a parent like you. How dare youe here to pick a fight? Why don''t you ask your little brats what they''ve done?"


    "Exactly!"


    "What''s going on here!" At this moment, the police officers also rushed over, and the crowd grewrger.


    Seeing the growing crowd, the middle-aged man felt a bit uneasy, but he still shouted loudly, "Officers, don''t just use me of beating up kids. Ask everyone here, what did these three little brats do!"


    "You can''t hit children, they''re just kids!"


    Before the police officers could speak, Aunt Su rushed forward, cried out loudly, and then hugged Jii, wailing, "My Jii, these heartless bastards, how could they treat us like this? We''re already struggling as a widow and her children, and now we encounter such bad people..."


    "Olddy, stop spouting nonsense! Why don''t you ask your kids what they''ve done! Look at my fishing rod, I didn''t even bother with them, but they came to provoke me. Have you ever seen such brats? This old man kindly asked if they were calling out to him, and what did they do? They directly cursed him as an old fool. And!" The old man was so angry he couldn''t help but say, "These two naughty kids threw stones at us. Ask, ask others!"


    "Yes, what this gentleman said is right."


    "Exactly, that stone directly hit my foot, look!"


    "What kind of people are they?"


    "Officers, we can testify for them. It''s these two kids who are rude and mischievous, not acting like decent people..."


    It seems that people nowadays are still quite simple-minded.


    If this were a few decadester, everyone would probably just mind their own business. But now, seeing this situation, everyone gathered around, speaking up one after another to provide evidence.


    "These two kids are real troublemakers, the youngest one didn''t say much though..."


    "They deserved to be beaten!"


    "We''ve never seen such unruly children..."


    "They were deliberately provoking, hearing your shouts, they thought they couldn''t lose out, so they started acting up..."


    "Yes, yes, those two kids deliberately threw stones at people."


    The police officers were left speechless, rubbing their temples. These three kids were really... quite the troublemakers.


    "Alright, stop crying. It''s good that the kids were found safe."


    "No, they bullied my son like this, we''re going to sue them, make them go to jail, they won''t get away with it!"


    "On what grounds!"


    "Do you have any shame!"


    The crowd started bickering and attacking each other. The Su family, especially the mother-inw and daughter-inw, were heartbroken over their children, but others were equally annoyed.


    "I don''t care, you mustpensate us, take my son to the hospital, or this matter won''t be over." Wang Xiangxiu was relentless. The police officers, though feeling helpless, could understand the parents'' distress seeing their children beaten up.


    But feeling sorry is one thing, your kids are really troublemakers. Anyone in this situation would be furious, and a beating is the least of what they deserve.


    He said, "You indeed shouldn''t haveid hands on the children."


    The leading police officer reprimanded the middle-aged man, then turned to Wang Xiangxiu, "But the cause of this incident was your children. It was your children who started the fight. Even if there''s me, your family holds most of it. Beating the children is wrong, but your kids also threw stones, breaking someone''s fishing rod..."


    The first old man who spoke said, "And they hit my foot."


    The police officer said, "If both sides feel this matter can''t be resolved,e with me to the police station. You want to pursue them for hitting your children, but they also want to pursue you for breaking the fishing rod and injuring someone."


    "A fishing rod is nothing, my son is the important one." Wang Xiangxiu felt a bit uneasy but still yelled.


    The police officer: "It''s not that children''s mistakes can be ignored. You shouldpensate each other."


    The middle-aged man immediately responded, "Compensate each other then. My fishing rod is very expensive. Look, it''s not a local brand, I brought it back from a business trip to Shanghai City, it''s quite pricey. And look at this kid, he was already bruised and battered when he came."


    He sneered, "Looking at their sneaky behavior, it''s clear these kids aren''t good seeds. They probably already got a beating somewhere else."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You!"


    She was furious. At this moment, she truly felt heartbroken. She thought about how many of the neighbors in their courtyard had been intimate with her, some even having had physical rtionships.


    Although, although she was always asking for money and food, she also gave her body in return.


    There''s a saying, "One day as husband and wife is a hundred days of grace."


    These people didn''t show any grace at all. Seeing her being bullied by strangers, they refused to stand up for her. Wang Xiangxiu felt miserable. She knew, she always knew that men were unreliable. The only ones she could rely on were her sons.


    She bit her lip, feeling a bit stuck.


    She wanted to keep yelling, but if they had topensate each other, the police officer would definitely be happy with that. However... she looked at her son, who didn''t seem too seriously injured. If they went to the hospital, it probably wouldn''t cost much. But she had no idea how much the fishing rod cost.


    She bit her lip, and at this moment, Aunt Su immediately noticed Wang Xiangxiu''s dilemma. She cried out, "We''ve been a widow and her children for so many years. I know we''ve been a bit neglectful with the kids, but it''s not easy being a widow..."


    She started by ying the victim, then continued, "Our family''s situation is so bad, even eating enough is a struggle. Where would we get the money topensate for the fishing rod? If we weren''t so hungry, the three kids wouldn''t have sneaked up the mountain to go fishing. It''s all because their grandma and mom are useless..."


    This kind of act wasmon in their courtyard, but less so for outsiders. Seeing her like this, the expressions of those around her softened a bit. Even the police officers felt the same. Aunt Su continued, "The kids made a mistake, we''ll definitely discipline them at home and make sure they don''t cause trouble again. Please, don''t hold it against them... My kids made a mistake, but you adults beating children is also a bit inappropriate."


    Zhao Guihua and others hade to the outskirts to look for the kids. Seeing Aunt Su''s performance, they knew what she was up to.


    Sure enough, Aunt Su said, "I think this incident will be a good lesson for the kids. I hope they can learn from it. As for this time, we don''t n to go to the hospital. Our family is already struggling, why go to the hospital? Just let them recover at home. Please don''t take my daughter-inw''s words seriously, I won''t pursue this matter."


    Seeing that Aunt Su was quite reasonable, the police officer immediately said, "Since both sides made mistakes, how about we just let it go?"


    Everyone has sympathy, the police officers have it, the two people from earlier have it, and the onlookers are no different. Everyone started chiming in, trying to persuade the middle-aged man. He pursed his lips and said, "Fine, let''s just call it even. This whole thing, we''ll just consider it bad luck for all of us."


    The Su family didn''t profit, but he definitely lost out.


    His fishing rod!


    But looking at this family of widows and orphans, he couldn''t bring himself to say anything more.


    Besides, he had indeed hit someone.


    "Since everyone agrees to let it go, you don''t hold it against me, and I won''t hold it against you, then this matter is settled. Let''s all apologize to each other and hurry down the mountain. It''s really gettingte."


    If they didn''t hurry home now, how would they have the energy to go to work tomorrow?


    "Yes, let''s go."


    "Right, let''s head back."


    The police officer said, "Comrade Wang Xiangxiu, your children are not young anymore. The older one is already ten or so, and the younger ones are at an age where they should know better. You can''t let them continue like this. You need to educate them properly when you get home. This time we found the kids, but what if next time we don''t?"


    He looked at the three children with a serious tone: "Kids, even if life is tough, we can''t resort to mischief. Look at you, why didn''t you tell your mom and grandma before running off? Do you know how worried they were?"


    Jii felt a bit scared of the police officer, but deep down, he was also a little resentful. He lowered his head and didn''t say anything, but in his heart, he was cursing, wishing this man would fall into the water. He had been beaten, and these two people didn''t stand up for him, so what kind of good people were they?


    Anyone who wasn''t willing to help their family was trash.


    "Where did you get the fishing rod and bucket?"


    Jii: "I took them from school."


    The police officer: "..."


    He pursed his lips: "Did the school know?"


    Jii shook his head.


    Since the school didn''t know, that means it was stolen!


    The police officer looked at the child, though it was dark and the boy was looking down, making it hard to see his face. But the officer suddenly understood. It seemed likely that he would have to deal with this child more in the future. He became even more serious: "Kid, you should know that if you steal a needle as a child, you''ll..."


    "Police officer, stop lecturing the child. He''s already in a lot of pain after being beaten like that. I know he did something wrong, but we, as parents, can forgive him. What''s your problem as an outsider?"


    Wang Xiangxiu spoke with a firm tone. She loved her son the most and no one could say anything bad about her child.


    She felt that this police officer wasn''t standing up for their family, so he wasn''t a good person, and her tone reflected that.


    The police officer: "..."


    Aunt Su quickly interjected with a knowing look: "Xiangxiu, what are you saying! If you talk like that, I''ll have to correct you. Don''t you think about it? If it weren''t for the police officer, could we have found our child so smoothly? I know you''re happy to have found the child, but you can''t get carried away. Apologize to him right now."


    Under Aunt Su''s prompting, Wang Xiangxiu immediately apologized, not hesitating.


    The police officer: "..."


    How to put it... it waspletely insincere.


    As police officers, they knew all too well that many children went down the wrong path because of their parents'' bad examples and excessive pampering. He said, "When you get home, you really need to educate your children properly."


    "We know, we know."


    Aunt Su was handling it, but her expression seemed quite sincere.


    The police officer felt that this mother-inw was much better than the daughter-inw.


    ...


    From the moment the children were discovered missing until they were found and returned home, it was already early morning.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were already asleep. The rest of the family hadn''t returned yet, and Ming Mei didn''t dare to sleep either. She was yawning non-stop as she sat with a few others in the courtyard. Everyone had gathered in the front yard, except for the three pregnant women, two very elderly grandmothers, and Lan Sihai.


    As everyone grew more and more tired and sleepy, they finally heard the bustling sounds of people returning.


    Sure enough, Zhao Guihua was the first to enter, followed by others who gradually came in. Zhao Guihua said, "You''re still waiting? Go and rest now."


    She added, "The children have been found."


    Others followed in, saying, "They went to the mountain to go fishing."


    Ming Mei frowned slightly and said, "They went fishing without telling anyone at home?"


    "Exactly, they sneaked off. It''s really..."


    "Let''s not talk about it, or Wang Xiangxiu will start yelling again."


    "Do I fear her? It''s ridiculous. We''ve been looking for the kids all night, and now we find out they were just being mischievous on the mountain..."


    Zhao Guihua saw that the neighbors were quite unhappy and didn''t continue the topic. Instead, she urged, "Ming Mei, go back to your room now."


    At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi also returned. He led his wife into the house. Ming Mei had already washed up. She took off her outer clothes, put on a tank top, and jumped into bed, mumbling, "I''m so tired, but I didn''t feel safe until you all came back... It seems like Jii and Yii''s injuries are even worse."


    "They got beaten up. They were asking for it."


    Ming Mei: "Mmm..."


    She really wanted to gossip, but she was too tired and couldn''t keep her eyes open...


    Zhuang Zhixi: "They..."


    Just as he was about to continue talking, he saw that Ming Mei had already fallen asleep, almost instantly. He chuckled softly and also tiptoed to carry the basin outside. After rushing to find the kids, he was covered in sweat and decided to take a quick shower.


    Many others had the same idea, and Bai Fendou and his father were already standing in the courtyard, taking a shower.


    The female members had already gone inside, not to avoid them, but because the women left first, and the men came out to showerter. It was already veryte, and no one was in the mood to chat. This wasn''t like the Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou incident where everyone could watch the excitement.


    Tonight, everyone was just too tired. There was nothing to gossip about, and all they wanted was to go home, lie down, and sleep.


    Zhuang Zhixi took a quick shower and felt a prying gaze. He immediately turned his head and saw the Su family''s curtain move slightly. He didn''t know who was peeking from the window, but luckily, he hadn''t fully undressed, or he would have been awkwardly seen. He hurried through his shower and went back inside. Bai Fendou said, "What''s the rush? You''re like a rabbit being chased."


    He was taking his time, but Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''m too tired. I want to sleep soon."


    Bai Fendou let out a sigh, saying, "And you call yourself a young man? Your stamina isn''t great."


    He added, "Why don''t you try some supplements?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled but didn''t respond. He waved his hand and went back inside.


    By now, Ming Mei was already deeply asleep. Zhuang Zhixi locked the door and went straight to bed. Instead of wasting time talking, it was better to get some sleep.


    Their family was one of the first to sleep. After a quick wash-up, they immediately turned off the lights and went to bed. As for the gossip, they could talk about it tomorrow. Tonight, they were just too tired. After the Zhuang family turned off the lights, Wang Xiangxiu also pulled down the curtain.


    She muttered softly, "Everyone is so heartless. My son is injured like this, and none of theme to help. Not even a bit of ointment or some money..."


    Aunt Su sighed, "People are selfish. You can''t count on others. They''re all hoping we have a hard time so they can enjoy the excitement. These people aren''t good, and you should have figured that out by now. How can you still not see their cold and indifferent nature?"


    "I know, but it still hurts every time I think about it..."


    She looked at Bai Fendou and his father, who were still showering, and disdainfully pursed her lips.


    Then she said, "Bai Fendou too, he didn''t evene over tofort us. I was so nice to him, and he''s just heartless."


    Hu Huihui watched her cousin and felt that this cousin was really peculiar. What right did she have to scold everyone? And why should anyone help her? Hu Huihui had never liked this cousin, and now she liked her even less.


    What a piece of work.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "No, I have to find Bai Fendou tomorrow. How can he ignore our family like that?"


    She turned to look at Hu Huihui and suddenly said, "Huihui, how has your cousin treated you?"


    Hu Huihui: "My cousin has been very good to me, taking me in when I was in trouble."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded: "That''s right. Since your cousin has been so good to you, shouldn''t you help her out too?"


    "Cousin, I don''t have any money. You know that, right? I have to give you eight yuan every month. After giving you that, I don''t have much left for myself." Hu Huihui had never been taken advantage of before, but now, in order to stay and investigate the whereabouts of that batch of gold and silver treasures, she had to y the part of a timid sparrow.


    Damn it, one day she would teach Wang Xiangxiu a lesson.


    She had offered five yuan, but Wang Xiangxiu tly refused, demanding ten yuan instead, or else she would kick her out.


    Hu Huihui hade up with an excuse, pretending to be troubled by her family''s pressure to marry, which was why she ended up here. She knew it was a lie, but Wang Xiangxiu didn''t. In Wang Xiangxiu''s mind, her cousin was desperate and had no other options. And for someone who was supposedly at her wit''s end, Wang Xiangxiu was being particrly ruthless. Hu Huihui wasn''t nning to let this slide.


    For now, she would y along, but she absolutely wouldn''t let this go.


    "Cousin, I don''t have any money..."


    Wang Xiangxiu rolled her eyes: "Of course, I know you don''t have money. If you did, would you be here relying on me? Look, only I''m willing to take you in, which shows how good I am to you. So, shouldn''t you help me out too? I''m not asking for much money from you, but I was thinking of introducing you to someone."


    "What?"


    Hu Huihui was shocked. She had no idea what her cousin was thinking.


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed: "Of course, it would be best if you didn''t agree..."


    Hu Huihui immediately understood. She had used this kind of tactic many times herself.


    However, plotting for herself and plotting for others were two very different things. She immediately became unwilling.


    Wang Xiangxiu noticed her reluctance and quickly said: "You''re eating and living here, so think about it. Even if you''re paying eight yuan, is that enough? We''re not cheating anyone, and we''re not stealing their money. We''re just getting them to buy some stuff. That''s not a big deal, right?"


    Hu Huihui remained silent.


    "If you''re not willing, then get out."


    Hu Huihui suppressed her anger and said, "Alright, then."


    "First, I''ll introduce you to Bai Fendou, but don''t think you can actually marry him. I won''t allow that. You just need to trick him into continuing to support our family. Also, help me get closer to Zhuang Zhixi. If you can make Zhuang Zhixi spend money on us, that would be great. They''re a dual-ie couple, paying very little for living expenses, so they must have money. Since he''s the man of the house, he''s definitely in charge of the finances. If you can slowly win him over, he''ll end up spending money on us, won''t he? Oh, and there''s also Yang Lixin from the back courtyard. He''s a cook in the kitchen. If you can trick him into bringing us leftovers from the cafeteria, that would be perfect."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s thoughts grew more and more optimistic, and she became excited.


    "I''ll spread the word that I''m trying to find you a match, and good days will surelye."


    Hu Huihui: "I''ll do as you say."


    She took the opportunity to inquire: "Cousin, who in this neighborhood has a good financial situation?"


    "Who? There are plenty of well-off families. The best one should be the Zhou family. Zhou Qun earns over ny yuan, and Jiang Lu is also in a managerial position with a long tenure, so she probably earns over forty yuan now. They only have three people in their family, but with abined ie of over one hundred and thirty yuan, they''re quite well-off. It''s a pity Zhou Qun isn''t a real man anymore; otherwise, he would have been a good target for us."


    Hu Huihui already knew about this. They had been digging through this neighborhood for days, so she had a general idea.


    However, she didn''t want to know about thesemon details. She asked: "Are there any other families with good financial situations?"


    She smiled and said: "Well, the well-off families are all well-known, and there''s no way you''d introduce me to them. So... are there any families that have suddenly be wealthy? Those are the ones worth targeting."


    Wang Xiangxiu nced at Hu Huihui and said: "I knew you weren''t some innocent little bunny. Don''t pretend to be pure and naive; I know you''re not a good person."


    Hu Huihui clenched her fists but remained silent.


    "Sudden wealth? There aren''t any in this neighborhood. Everyone here works in the factory. They''re neither poor nor rich."


    "What about Zhuang Zhixi you mentioned earlier..."


    "His family is doing well, with dual ies. Zhao Guihua only charges them ten yuan a month for living expenses."


    Hu Huihui: "I see. But I noticed they seem to have a decent standard of living."


    "Zhuang Laonian earns well. He''s a fifth-grade worker, making over fifty yuan. He''s about to take the exam for sixth grade. If he passes, his sry will increase again. With the two of them, they''ll have more money than they can spend, and they''ll definitely use it to subsidize their living expenses."


    Hu Huihui nodded: "What about Uncle Blue in the courtyard?"


    "You''re really desperate, even targeting Old Man Lan." Wang Xiangxiu looked at Hu Huihui with disdain, thinking this cousin was utterly disgraceful.


    Hu Huihui: "..." Damn it, damn it!


    "That old man has money. He has two sries: one is his retirement pension, and the other is his rehired sry." She grumbled: "We young people work so hard to support our families, and he''s so old, what does he need so much money for? Disgusting."


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    Her cousin was truly a weirdo.


    Aunt Su: "I heard that the factory rehired Lan Sihai mainly to have him train apprentices. I guess once he trains them, the factory will let him go."


    Hu Huihui: "Oh."


    Her eyes flickered. The families in this courtyard with better living conditions all seemed to be due to their jobs. There didn''t seem to be anyone whose good life was due to other reasons. It seemed the investigation would be challenging.


    But then again, if it weren''t challenging, why would they need someone like her?


    Such arge sum of money was worth a long-term battle.


    She pursed her lips and said: "Let''s go to bed early."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Since you''re staying in my house, you have to listen to me."


    Hu Huihui: "Okay."


    Damn it.


    What a disgusting person.


    Compared to other families who went to bed early, their household was quite lively, chatting until the early hours of the morning.


    Oh, except for one person: Jiang Lu. At dawn, seeing everyone return, Jiang Lu tidied up and went to the hospital. Everyone couldn''t help but sigh, wondering how Zhou Qun had such good luck to have such a devoted wife.


    Jiang Lu''s dedication to Zhou Qun was truly unwavering.


    Aunt Su advised: "Jiang Lu, why don''t you stay home today? It''s alreadyte."


    Jiang Lu shook her head: "I''ll still go to the hospital. Zhou Qun is very fragile right now, and if I don''t go, he might start overthinking again. I can''t let him cause trouble by talking about jumping off a building. That would just add to everyone else''s burden, wouldn''t it?"


    Aunt Su sighed: "You have it tough."


    Jiang Lu: "Yes, but what can I do? He''s my man. Back then, I was the one who was dead set on choosing him, so now, even if I have to grit my teeth, I have to make this work. I''m leaving now."


    Aunt Su: "Be careful, it''ste at night."


    Jiang Lu: "I know."


    She didn''t linger in the courtyard and quickly walked toward the hospital. When she reached a secluded spot, she even started running. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she was out of breath. It was alreadyte into the night, and the hospital was very quiet. Jiang Lu quietly went upstairs. She coughed softly, but there was no response.


    Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she gently pushed open the door to the ward and slipped inside, tiptoeing. She lightly nudged the man who was sitting by the bed, and he was about to shout when Jiang Lu quickly covered his mouth.


    He woke up, saw it was Jiang Lu, and pursed his lips.


    Jiang Lu pointed to the door, and the man hesitated for a moment before following her.


    The two of them went to the hospital''sundry room, where bedsheets and nkets were washed. This ce was usually empty at night, and most people avoided it because it was considered unlucky. So, Jiang Lu and Little Xu often met here.


    There was even a bed here.


    Yes, the man Jiang Lu was meeting was Little Xu from the propaganda department of the machinery factory.


    He followed Jiang Lu inside and whispered: "Jiang Lu, it''s sote today, let''s just skip it, okay?"


    Jiang Lu started unbuttoning her shirt, saying, "Forget it? Why should we forget it? Don''t you want to?"


    She stepped forward, gently wrapping her arms around Little Xu''s neck. Little Xu: "..."


    He swallowed hard, whispering, "It''s been too muchtely..."


    Jiang Luughed and leaned in closer, "How can you ever have too much of this? You''re just making excuses. I can see how much you enjoy it..." She pulled him closer...


    Little Xu: "Woohoo."


    ...


    The morning sunlight streamed into the room. It was still not fully light outside, yet the two of them had already gone several rounds. Jiang Lu was getting dressed and said, "I''ll find you tonight."


    After a pause, she added, "Wait for me at the back gate of the factory at noon. I''ll get you some bull-whip to replenish your energy."


    Little Xu held onto the headboard and slowly stood up.


    He walked unsteadily, leaning against the wall to reach the door, and nodded, "Okay."


    Although Jiang Lu demanded a lot, they were, after all, in a "newlywed" phase, so being a bit intense was normal. Moreover, Jiang Lu was really quite generous. Just look, she was willing to spend money on a man.


    This kind of thing, even with money, was hard toe by.


    But Jiang Lu could get it.


    He said, "I''ll wait for you at noon."


    Jiang Lu: "Okay."


    He walked weakly toward the ward, while Jiang Lu put on her clothes and left the room.


    As for how the two of them got together, it all started on the day Zhou Qun was hospitalized. That day, they happened to run into Little Xu, whose father had broken his leg and was hospitalized, and Little Xu was there to keep himpany.


    Although Little Xu wasn''t well-liked in the factory and wasn''t a great person, he was quite filial.


    He came to keep his fatherpany and just so happened to meet Jiang Lu, and they recognized each other.


    Jiang Lu was at her lowest point at the time. She was utterly heartbroken and thought to herself, since Zhou Qun was like this, why should she stick to him? Maybe it was time to try a different feeling. As for Little Xu, he had no willpower. As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he was easily reeled in.


    Back then, she just wanted to relieve stress, to rx.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But the next morning, she immediately realized that this might be a golden opportunity. Maybe she could have a child. Little Xu was around the same age as Zhuang Zhixi, in the prime of his life, which was far better than someone like Zhou Qun.


    After all, she had decided to have a child, and this was a perfect candidate.


    It wasn''t easy to find a suitable person, but since fate had brought them together, she naturally wouldn''t let this chance slip by. Once she had a child, she could ditch Little Xu. This wasn''t because she was cold-hearted.


    Rather, she was well aware that a young man like Little Xu wouldn''t settle down with her.


    He had decent enough conditions, so he would definitely look for someone better. So, having some fun together was fine, but if she ever brought up marriage, Little Xu would probably run for the hills.


    Jiang Luposed herself and adjusted her clothes before returning to the ward.


    Early in the morning, Zhou Qun saw Jiang Lu and was unusually obedient. He greeted her, "Why are you here so early?"


    Normally, Jiang Lu would visit in the evening to take care of him.


    This was unusual.


    Jiang Lu replied, "Jii and his brothers went missing yesterday. Everyone searched half the night, and they weren''t found until the early hours of the morning. I''m pregnant, so I didn''t join the search, but since the courtyard was empty, we couldn''t sleep. Those of us who couldn''t join the search just sat in the courtyard waiting for news."


    "Ah?" Zhou Qun was surprised, "Jii went missing?"


    His eyes flickered with glee, "Oh, that kid is so mischievous."


    He wasn''t happy that the child was lost, but hearing that the child had caused trouble again made him happy. After all, he didn''t have any children, so seeing other people''s kids causing trouble always pleased him. Who asked you to have kids when I don''t?


    Of course, Jiang Lu was also pregnant.


    But Zhou Qun couldn''t help but harbor some doubts. Why would Jiang Lu get pregnant now, at this exact moment? And after all these years, he had always worried that maybe he was the one who was infertile.


    Zhou Qun wasn''t sure, which was why he had never dared to get checked.


    He thought that maybe, because of his attempt to jump off a building, the hospital and Jiang Lu had lied to him to calm him down. That was what he believed, and he had never suspected Jiang Lu of cheating to have a child.


    He didn''t doubt Jiang Lu''s fidelity, not because he trusted her so much, but because he trusted himself. He knew that Jiang Lu, despite her good family background, was a bit of a fool, utterly stupid. She was blindly devoted to him.


    Didn''t you see?


    Even though he was clearly having affairs with other women, Jiang Lu would believe him.


    Even when his mother deliberately practiced superstitious rituals to harm her father, she still believed in him.


    And on the night of the incident, she stood up for him wholeheartedly. This woman was head over heels in love with him!


    Her feelings for him were as clear as the sky.


    He knew how deeply Jiang Lu was devoted to him and was well aware of his own charm, so he wasn''t worried about this matter. Sure, Jiang Lu had talked about divorce, but he thought it was just a momentary upset.


    Once she calmed down, wouldn''t she still treat him well?


    Look, he had only temporarily handed over his sry and savings, and it had immediately appeased Jiang Lu.


    Now, Jiang Lu worked during the day and came to take care of him at night. She could have arranged for Wang Zhaodi toe, but she didn''t, clearly showing that she still loved him so much, afraid that he might end up with Wang Zhaodi.


    He smiled smugly, proud of his extraordinary charm.


    As for the sry and savings... he would get them back eventually. Once this matter faded, he could.


    He was willing to hand over his financial power to stabilize Jiang Lu.


    First, to prevent her from divorcing him, and second, because... he still had some hope. Maybe Jiang Lu wasn''t lying, maybe she really was pregnant? After all, they had been trying for a child for so long.


    If Jiang Lu wasn''t lying, based on his understanding of her, her expression didn''t seem like she was lying. If she wasn''t lying, then he was about to have a child.


    Jii came to see me yesterday and asked for fifty cents.


    Jiang Lu was stunned and said, "Did you give it to him? Zhou Qun, what''s your rtionship with Wang Xiangxiu? Why would you give money to her child?"


    She was unhappy, "That family has no good people. Even if you give them money, you won''t get any gratitude. We could have bought four liang of meat with that fifty cents. Why would you waste it on them? You really are... men shouldn''t have money."


    Zhou Qun: "Look at you, why are you being so stingy all of a sudden? You weren''t like this before."


    Jiang Lu: "I wasn''t like this before because I didn''t have a child. Now that I have my own child, I have to save money for them. From now on, don''t collect your sry. I''ll go collect it for you, and I''ll give you one yuan to spend each month."


    Zhou Qun: "What the hell."


    He couldn''t believe his eyes and said, "One yuan? What can I even do with that? No way, no way."


    Jiang Lu: "Others manage with it, why can''t you?"


    ¡°Others manage with what? I heard Zhuang Zhixi gets five yuan, and I can''t be worse than him? This won''t work, we...¡±


    The two started haggling.


    Zhuang Zhixi sneezed in the office. It was a bright, sunny morning. He took the initiative to clean up the office, and as he turned around, he saw Little Xu walking in, looking weak, as if he had been beaten up.


    Ever since Little Xu''s father was hospitalized, Little Xu had been looking like this every day, not knowing how staying up at night could be so exhausting.


    It really looked like...


    To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi, as a man, thought Little Xu didn''t look like he was tired from staying up; it looked more like he had been drained.


    But then again, Little Xu wasn''t married, and his father was still in the hospital, so he wouldn''t be so reckless as to indulge in other activities. Probably, Zhuang Zhixi was overthinking it.


    However, it wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi who thought so. In fact, others in the office had also talked about it, specting that Little Xu wasn''t staying up to keep watch but was instead indulging in other things.


    Otherwise, how could he be so weak? Just a few days, and he already had dark circles under his eyes.


    Zhuang Zhixi was about to greet Little Xu when he saw him drift back to his seat like a ghost, copsing onto the desk and falling asleep.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    What on earth have you been up to?


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that there were really not many normal people around him. Everyone was acting strangely. However, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t care much. Recently, he had been thriving. He had cracked the code for reporting and had written about several outstanding workers, which had helped him solidify his position in the Publicity Department.


    The opportunity came unexpectedly, but one had to seize it.


    Zhuang Zhixi had managed to do just that.


    He sat down to n his next steps at work. By this time, everyone was gradually arriving at the office. Sister Cui eximed, "Oh my! Why is Little Xu asleep again?"


    "He must be exhausted from working at the hospital," Zhuang Zhixi casually replied.


    Sister Cui wasn''t convinced.


    She wasn''t as naive as Zhuang Zhixi, a young man. She had seen a lot in her life and suspected that Little Xu might not have been up to any good. If he had been doing something positive, why would he look like this?


    "Young people, be careful not to get into trouble," she warned.


    Zhuang Zhixi just smiled.


    "Knock knock knock."


    The sound of knocking on the door drew everyone''s attention. It was Tao Yuyue from the medical office. Ever since Tao Yuyue arrived, the male youth in the factory had been a bit restless. They all flocked to the medical office, making it a lively ce every day.


    It wasn''t as quiet as when Zhuang Zhixi was around.


    Tao Yuyue stood at the door and asked, "Is Zhuang Zhixi here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, is there something I can help you with?"


    Tao Yuyue smiled brightly and said, "Doctor Wang asked me to tell you toe to the medical office at noon."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Alright, thank you."


    Tao Yuyue replied, "You''re wee."


    She added, "I was just going to the third floor to deliver something, so it was on my way."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Still, thank you."


    Tao Yuyue quickly left, and Sister Cui sighed, "Tao Yuyue is now the factory''s most sought-after flower. Even Director Che wants her to be his daughter-inw."


    "Isn''t Director Che''s son a bit... simple-minded?"


    "So what if he is? With a capable father like Director Che, even a simple-minded son can find a good wife."


    Someone whispered, "Isn''t Little Xu also pursuing Tao Yuyue?"


    "Yes, he is. There are many people pursuing Tao Yuyue now. All the unmarried men in our factory are like bears seeing honey."


    "Hahaha."


    Everyoneughed.


    "So, what does Tao Yuyue say? What kind of man is she looking for?"


    "Who knows? She hasn''t agreed to anyone yet."


    "Her standards are quite high, but maybe she''s just overwhelmed by the choices. If a man had Director Che''s status and Zhuang Zhixi''s looks, she would definitely be interested."


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly waved his hands and said, "You guys can talk all you want, but don''t drag me into it. I''m a clean and decent man. This has nothing to do with me. I haven''t had any interactions with Tao Yuyue. If my wife finds out, I''ll have to kneel on the washboard at home."


    "Pfft! You''re really something..."


    "Don''t say that, or people will think you''re afraid of your wife."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Being afraid of my wife isn''t a bad thing. I love my wife, that''s why I''m afraid of her. Otherwise, why would a man be afraid of his wife? It''s not like I can''t handle a woman. This kind of ''fear'' is the same as love."


    Everyone felt their teeth ache from the sweetness.


    Sister Cui suddenly said, "Wait, your wife is indeed quite formidable. If you two really got into a fight, you wouldn''t be able to beat her."


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Is that the point here?"


    Everyone burst outughing.


    Meanwhile, Ming Mei kept sneezing. She rubbed her nose and said, "I wonder who''s talking about me."


    She thought for a moment and realized it must be Zhuang Zhixi.


    She smiled and said, "I wonder if that guy is busy."

 Chapter 107

    The scorching summer was in full swing, with cicadas chirping incessantly.


    It seemed like only yesterday when the sweltering months of July and August had arrived. The weather in early August was unbearably hot.


    Ming Mei was now nearly four months pregnant, though not quite there yet. Recently, their courtyard had unexpectedly be unusually peaceful. Perhaps it was the intense heat that had sapped everyone''s energy, leaving them with little enthusiasm for anything other than work.


    Even a brief stroll outdoors would leave one drenched in sweat. This summer was exceptionally hot.


    However, to say that nothing was happening in their courtyard would not be entirely urate. The tranquility in their courtyard was uniquepared to others.


    Firstly, there were now three pregnant women in their courtyard. Li Fang and Ming Mei were both showing, with Li Fang being further along than Ming Mei, though she appeared less noticeably pregnant.


    This was because Ming Mei had recently been confirmed to be carrying twins.


    She looked more visibly pregnant than Li Fang. Zhuang Zhixi, like a eunuch attending to the empress dowager, was constantly at his wife''s side, taking care of her every need. Zhao Guihua joked that he stood like a lowly servant. However, among the three, Ming Mei had the least severe pregnancy reactions. Li Fang and Jiang Lu were both suffering from intense morning sickness, vomiting constantly.


    Speaking of which, Li Fang and Jiang Lu were simr in that they had initially been fine after discovering their pregnancies, but the recent heatwave hadpletely overwhelmed them. Especially Jiang Lu, who had been feeling nauseous and vomiting for the past half month. Her once vibrantplexion had turned sallow in just a few days.


    Despite her poorplexion, Jiang Lu''s spirits were high. After all, this was the child she had longed for over a decade. How could she not be overjoyed? Even Zhou Qun was exceptionally happy. He had been discharged from the hospital and had initially harbored some doubts, suspecting that Jiang Lu might have colluded with the hospital to fake her pregnancy to soothe him.


    But to his surprise, Jiang Lu was genuinely pregnant. He had taken her to the hospital several times for prenatal care, confirming that she was not lying. Zhou Qun now truly believed that everything was predestined.


    He had longed for a child for over ten years, even beginning to doubt his own fertility. Yet, after his ident, Jiang Lu had unexpectedly be pregnant. Zhou Qun couldn''t help but feel that this was heaven''s way of ensuring his lineage would not end.


    Jiang Lu, too, was ted. She felt that heaven had been kind to her. She had always worried about her inability to conceive, especially since she was already in her thirties. Although medical checks had confirmed she was fine, it was still harder to conceive at her agepared to someone in their twenties.


    She had even nned to fake a miscarriage if she hadn''t be pregnant within a month and a half. Otherwise, the truth would be impossible to hide. But to her surprise, she became pregnant much sooner than expected.


    When Jiang Lu confirmed her pregnancy, she was overwhelmed with joy, almost to the point of tears.


    She calcted the dates and realized she must have conceived around the time she had been with Little Xu. This was an even better oue for her, as she had initially imed to be a month pregnant. With such a short discrepancy, it would be easy to cover up.


    She could simply exin that the due date had been pushed back, which was not umon.


    Jiang Lu had done her research and knew that there were cases of pregnancies extending beyond the expected due date by nearly a month. In this era, with less precise medical technology, it was easier to avoid suspicion.


    Zhao Guihua waspletely unaware of this. If she had known, she might have marveled at Jiang Lu''s good fortune. In this age, with less urate medical knowledge, it was easier to avoid detection. Had this been a decadeter, the situation would have been much more precarious.


    Of course, Zhao Guihua was genuinely unaware, but she did know one thing: Jiang Lu''s child was not Zhou Qun''s.


    Zhou Qun was infertile, a fact Zhao Guihua was certain of.


    She would never gossip about such matters, not even to her husband, Old Man Zhuang. Although Zhao Guihua didn''t particrly like Jiang Lu, she wasn''t the type to deliberately expose others'' secrets. Moreover, she had noticed that Jiang Lu seemed to be in high spiritstely. Zhao Guihua thought this was a good thing.


    With three pregnant women in the courtyard, everyone was being exceptionally cautious, afraid of inadvertently causing harm. This was also why there had been fewer incidents in their courtyardtely. After all, no one wanted to bear the responsibility of causing harm to a pregnant woman.


    Additionally, everyone was in high spiritstely, not wanting any trouble.


    Indeed, there were reasons to be happy.


    This was the second major event recently. The annual skill level assessments, usually held inte June or early July, had been dyed this year, starting in mid-July. Several people had advanced to higher levels in this round of assessments.


    Their courtyard was home to many factory workers, and several had been promoted, which meant a raise in sry. This was a cause for celebration. Even though it had been over half a month since the announcements, the excitement had not waned.


    Whenever the topic came up, everyone was filled with joy.


    Li the Cook and his son-inw Yang Lixin had both been promoted, as had the Sui family and another Zhang family in the back courtyard. The front courtyard was a bit behind, with only Old Man Zhuang being promoted. He had previously been a level 5 riveter, earning 55.50 yuan.


    Now promoted to level 6, his sry increased by 11 yuan, bringing it to 66.50 yuan. Additionally, his seniority pay, which increased every two years, was also adjusted, adding another yuan, bringing his total sry to 67.50 yuan. With the summer cooling allowance, he could earn over 70 yuan these two months.


    He was the only one in the front courtyard to receive a raise.


    Zhuang Zhixi, on the other hand, was in a managerial position. Having just been transferred, his sry had been adjusted once, and it was too soon for another adjustment. Jiang Lu, working in the women''s federation, which coordinated with the factory office, was also in a managerial role. Their sry structure differed from traditional ratings, so she only received a seniority raise of one yuan, which was not considered a real raise in everyone''s eyes.


    Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou, who had been demoted to cleaning the toilets in the logistics department due to their mistakes, did not receive a raise. Their position was a fixed-sry one, meaning their pay would remain at 25 yuan regardless of how many years passed, unless they were transferred elsewhere.


    But was 25 yuan a low sry?


    For most families, it wasn''t.


    In rural areas, some families struggled to save 25 yuan in a year. This was why everyone was eager to move to the city and marry someone from the city. However, the Bai father and son did not see it this way. They had previously earned much more and were deeply dissatisfied with their current situation.


    Nevertheless, they did not cause trouble in the courtyard.


    They understood the gravity of the situation, with so many pregnant women around. Any mishap could lead to serious consequences, and they wanted to avoid any trouble.


    Simrly, Wang Xiangxiu did not receive a promotion. She had been working for some time, but aside from her seniority raise, her sry remained unchanged. Her focus was on how to swindle money rather than on her job. She waszy and uninterested in improving her skills, which made it difficult for her to pass the skill assessments and earn a raise.


    In her workshop, which focused solely on craftsmanship, herck of effort kept her from advancing. Her previous sry was 25.50 yuan, and with the seniority raise, it increased to 26.50 yuan.


    These sry adjustments were not pleasant for Wang Xiangxiu. Earning just one yuan more every two years was hardly cause for celebration. Moreover, four years ago, her sry was 24.50 yuan, which was below the urban minimum living standard. As a result, her family qualified for poverty subsidies from the neighborhoodmittee. They were also given small tasks, like assembling cardboard boxes, to help make ends meet.


    But two years ago, her sry increased by a yuan to 25.50 yuan, just five cents above the threshold. This small difference changed their status, making them ineligible for poverty subsidies. Over the past two years, they had to rely on acting pitiful to get by, putting in a lot of effort for minimal gains.


    Now, she has gone up by one more yuan, so little, but their family haspletely escaped poverty. This is what makes Wang Xiangxiu unhappy. So, naturally, she is in a bad mood. Of course, there is another reason for her unhappiness: in June, she had a falling out with Bai Fendou.


    Now it''s early August, and it has been over a month and a half, but Bai Fendou still shows no intention of making up. She has tried to make amends several times, but Bai Fendou haspletely ignored her, showing a firm resolve.


    There are those who rejoice and those who grieve.


    There are more happy people, and those who are unhappy can pout all they want, but it won''t change anything.


    So, recently, the atmosphere in the courtyard has been a bit strange, but also unusually peaceful. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu haven''t gotten a raise, but they are happy because of the child. The only ones truly unhappy are the Bai family and the Su family.


    As for the Lan Sihai family, they are a bit detached from the rest, as they moved inter and Lan Sihai''s work situation is different from everyone else''s. So, unless there is a general meeting, people rarely think of them.


    Perhaps because the courtyard has been so tranquil recently, even Ming Mei has remarked that she hasn''t seen anyone fighting in the courtyard for a long time.


    Zhao Guihua: "With Aunt Zhou, the troublemaker, not around, there are fewer problems."


    Others may also cause some trouble, but not like when Aunt Zhou was here, stirring up every little thing.


    Ming Mei: "How much longer will Aunt Zhou be released?"


    Zhao Guihua casually replied, "Four months, so that''s a little over a month and a half. She''ll definitely be back by National Day."


    Ming Mei: "When shees back and finds out about Zhou Qun, I wonder if she''ll cause a scene."


    Zhao Guihua: "No, she won''t."


    Ming Mei: "???"


    She looked puzzled at her mother-inw. Zhao Guihua exined, "Jiang Lu is pregnant, and she will have to consider the feelings of a pregnant woman."


    Ming Mei sighed, thinking how pregnancy seemed to be a golden ticket, allowing everything to be considered from that perspective. She leaned back in the rocking chair her father had made for her, gently swaying. She loved sitting under the eaves, rocking in the chair and fanning herself, feeling veryfortable.


    It was a rare weekend, and after chatting with Zhao Guihua for a while, Ming Mei went outside to rest, feeling that the house was even hotter. Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua made a few chives dumplings and put them in a lunch box. She said, "Don''t wait until it''s dark toe back."


    "I understand," Old Man Zhuang replied.


    Old Man Zhuang nned to go fishing on the weekend, and Zhuang Zhiyuan would join him, but Zhuang Zhixi did not go with them. Since Ming Mei got pregnant, Zhuang Zhixi has been more focused on his wife, even on weekends, he didn''t n to go out, staying home to clean and tidy up.


    Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan left with the lunch box, and Hutou and Xiao Yanzi watched eagerly. The two kids were on summer vacation and were always running around. Seeing their grandfather and father leave, they were tempted and said, "We want to go too."


    Zhao Guihua: "No, you stay here and y in the alley. Your grandpa and dad are going to Houhai, what would you do there? y nearby, and I''ll make minced meat and eggs for you at noon."


    Hearing this, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi couldn''t move.


    They immediately swallowed their saliva and agreed.


    Although their family wasn''t poor, they were still very greedy. This shows the overall living standards of the time.


    "Go y."


    "Okay."


    The two kids ran to the gate and squatted by the chicken coop, muttering, "Big Flower, Little Flower, you musty eggs well."


    Zhao Guihua had reced the old hens a few months ago. The hens were very diligent, starting toy eggs on the fourth day after arrival, two a day, which was impressive. Zhao Guihua treasured these hens, and so did the kids.


    Because Zhao Guihua''s hens were so "sensible," more people in the courtyard started raising chickens. Two chickens were allowed, but not more. Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua did it around the same time.


    Their hens were also good, not just because Auntie Lian''s chickens were good, but also because the kids often caught bugs to feed them. Effort always pays off, and the chickens in both households were quite impressive. Auntie Lian''s chickens, though not cheap, were of good quality, so two more families in the courtyard also got hens from her.


    Jiang Lu also raised two chickens. She should have done it earlier, but with Aunt Zhou going tobor reform, they had to give the chickens to others first. Later, when Zhou Qun was discharged from the hospital, Jiang Lu started raising chickens.


    However, household chores and chicken raising were all done by Wang Zhaodi.


    Wang Zhaodi hade to the city to have a baby, no matter how unwilling she was, she didn''t dare disobey her parents and had toply. But after arriving, Zhou Qun had no interest in women and waspletely incapacitated.


    To be precise, he was incapacitated, but not entirely.


    There was something, but it was non-functional.


    Even the virgin Wang Zhaodi knew about this.


    Although she lost the beautiful picture painted by her family, Wang Zhaodi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Sometimes, ignorance is due to never having seen the truth. But now that she was in the city and influenced by others, she saw more and her mindset changed somewhat.


    She worked hard every day at Jiang Lu''s house, and Jiang Lu didn''t seem to want to send her back immediately. Wang Zhaodi worked here, treating herself like a maid. She worked hard and ensured her meals.


    Wang Zhaodi had been hungry since she was a child and was really afraid of hunger, so a ce where she could eat enough was very important to her.


    Wang Zhaodi could always position herself correctly. As long as she could eat enough, she would do any work at home. As a result, the Zhou family was now clean and tidy,pletely different from before. Aunt Zhou, although not working, waszy and didn''t do housework.


    Jiang Lu had to work,e home to doundry, cook, and clean, always busy. It was fortunate she didn''t have a child; if she did, Jiang Lu wouldn''t know how tired she would be.


    Jiang Lu was overwhelmed, so the Zhou family was in a mess, but now it was much cleaner.


    Jiang Lu didn''t do anything; everything was done by Wang Zhaodi, who was quite happy because Jiang Lu didn''t limit her eating and drinking. At home, she would be scolded for eating a bit more, but now, that didn''t happen.


    Wang Zhaodi wasn''t a stupid child. She had lived in the countryside and didn''t know much, but now she learned a lot from others. She liked following Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua the most.


    These two older women were both strong, and Wang Zhaodi felt very secure with them and could learn a lot.


    So, early in the morning, she helped Jiang Lu out and cheerfully greeted Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua: "Did you eat?"


    "Yes, I did."


    Jiang Lu also came to sit with Ming Mei and sighed, "Your rocking chair is really nice."


    Ming Mei: "Didn''t you get one too? Isn''t it ready yet?"


    Jiang Lu: "Zhou Qun went to pick it up; it should be back today."


    Since that day when Jii and others got lost, the three pregnant women in the courtyard often sat together to cool off and sometimes shared experiences. Li Fang, who had already given birth to two children, had more experience and often told Ming Mei and Jiang Lu about pregnancy.


    Sometimes, people get along like this, just needing an opportunity. Before, Li Fang didn''t interact much with them. Although she looked a lot like Aunt Wang, tall and strong, her personality wasn''t as lively as Aunt Wang''s. She often stayed at home alone.


    Jiang Lu also didn''t interact much, so they didn''t often gather together. But since the pregnancy, the situation changed, and they could sit together, havingmon topics.


    Subtly, the Zhuang family''s gate had be the gathering ce for young wives.


    Jiang Lu and Li Fang, both pregnant, woulde over, along with Ming Mei and her sister-inw Liang Meifen, making it about four people. Wang Zhaodi, on the other hand, was always busy with housework and would follow Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang around, also spending a lot of time here.


    People tend to like gathering in groups, so now everyone preferred toe to this spot.


    Jiang Lu: "I just saw Grandpa Zhuang heading out. Is he going fishing?"


    Ming Mei nodded and said, "Dad and Brother went to the Back Sea together."


    Nowadays, when they go fishing, that''s basically where they head. The catches aren''t many, but they always manage to get something. As for fishing in the mountains, that feels like a distant memory. The spot was exposed by a few teenagers, and soon, people swarmed the area like ants. Within about a week, the pond was emptied of fish.


    With so many people trying to get a catch, the pond was quickly depleted.


    If only they had let the area rest and recover, it wouldn''t havee to this.


    But with so many people and no one wanting to leave empty-handed, the oue was inevitable.


    If it''s to recover, it might take a long time.


    Their family hasn''t gone up the mountain for about a month. To be honest, if it weren''t for knowing there was a pond up there, they wouldn''t bother going so far just to pick some fruits or dig for wild vegetables.


    Luckily, they have a good supply of salted fish, enough tost through the winter with some left over.


    With the recent good weather, almost all the fish Zhao Guihua had caught were turned into salted fish, dried, and stored. Now, when they eat fish, it''s usually from the Back Sea, caught by Old Man Zhuang or Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi.


    Surprisingly, Old Man Zhuang is quite a skilled fisherman.


    He neveres back empty-handed; there''s always some catch, big or small.


    "I just don''t have the patience for this."


    "Me neither."


    The group sat down, and soon Li Fang arrived.


    As soon as she sat down, she noticed the Bai family''s window and couldn''t help butment, "What''s going on with their window? Why haven''t they fixed it yet?"


    The Bai father and son are really stubborn. After the heavy rain flooded their house, they still haven''t fixed the window. They''re really persistent. Recently, there have been a couple more rains, though not as heavy as the first time, but still, they have to clean up.


    Yet, the Bai father and son are determined to hold out, making everyone almost want to bet on how long it will take them to fix the window.


    They''d rather suffer than spend the money.


    Ming Mei: "I bet they''ll wait until after National Day. That''s when they get their regr pay. They''ll probably fix it then."


    "But who can guarantee there won''t be another heavy rain? Light rain is manageable, but what about heavy rain?"


    "Who knows."


    Jiang Lu sat there chatting, while Wang Zhaodi went back to bring a basin of clothes and started washing them at the sink.


    Ming Mei: "Wang Zhaodi is really hardworking."


    Jiang Lu: "She''s a good person. I even thought about introducing her to someone in the city."


    Since discovering how capable Wang Zhaodi is, Jiang Lu wanted to keep her even more. If she lived in the same courtyard, she could be of great help. Jiang Lu was confident that Wang Zhaodi was far more useful than her mother-inw.


    "What do you think... about Bai Fendou? Would he be a good match?"


    Jiang Lu asked, looking at Ming Mei and Li Fang.


    "Pfft!" Li Fang burst outughing.


    Ming Mei also looked shocked, her mouth wide open in disbelief.


    Jiang Lu wasn''t surprised by their reactions. Anyone would be shocked hearing this. She said, "Actually, it could work."


    Ming Mei scratched her head: "Wh-where does it work?"


    Wang Zhaodi is hardworking and diligent, while Bai Fendou iszy.


    Wang Zhaodi is under twenty, while Bai Fendou is over thirty.


    Wang Zhaodi is simple and innocent, while Bai Fendou has a bad reputation with widows.


    This just doesn''t seem to match at all.


    Ming Mei wanted to say all this, but when she opened her mouth, she suddenly found she couldn''t. Because, although Wang Zhaodi might be far superior to Bai Fendou, in everyone''s eyes, Wang Zhaodi is not good enough for him.


    Bai Fendou has a stable job and a house, which means he can find a wife.


    Wang Zhaodi, on the other hand, has a rural household registration and no grain ount, with a heavy family burden and unreliable rtives. If she were to get married, finding someone like Bai Fendou would be a blessing. Without this opportunity to meet, Bai Fendou wouldn''t even consider someone like Wang Zhaodi, even if it were five hundred years from now.


    Of course, if Wang Zhaodi were prettier, it might be a different story.


    But Wang Zhaodi is just an ordinary person.


    When she first came to the city, she looked like she had escaped a famine, thin and sallow. Now that she''s eating well at the Zhou family''s, she''s improved, but she''s still just an ordinary person.


    Ming Mei realized this and fell silent.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After Li Fang recovered from her shock, she thought about it and said, "You know, it might actually work. But..."


    Bai Fendou might not be willing.


    And if she were to get involved with a man like Bai Fendou, she''d be in for a lot of trouble. Even though Bai Fendou has distanced himself from Wang Xiangxiu, it''s not that easy to break offpletely, or he wouldn''t have gotten entangled with her for so long.


    And, there''s a feeling that Bai Fendou has softened recently, enjoying Wang Xiangxiu''s ttery.


    "This..."


    Everyone didn''t know what to say. Zhao Guihua, however, heard everything clearly. She said, "If you want to y matchmaker, you should first talk to Wang Zhaodi. Lay out all the advantages and disadvantages of Bai Fendou and her, clearly and honestly, so she understands everything. If she agrees, then you can talk to Bai Fendou. You can''t just assume Wang Zhaodi will be willing. If you exin everything clearly, at least you''ll feel no regrets. As for Bai Fendou, you should also be clear with him. People need to know their own worth. It''s not about whether he wants to marry a rural girl. He might want to marry someone from the city, but is there anyone? City girls have better conditions; would they agree to be with him? And if he wants someone young, but young people who don''t have to go to the countryside, do you think they''re from ordinary families? They have connections to stay in the city; they wouldn''t choose him.


    Jiang Lu nodded: "You''re right."


    Zhao Guihua: "And, to be blunt, Zhou Qun isn''t young anymore."


    "That''s true."


    The women chatted about these random topics, and Jiang Lu suddenly thought that maybe she didn''t need to ask Zhuang Zhixi about everything. Some things, asking Aunt Zhao might be enough. Aunt Zhao, despite being a bit bossy, seemed to have some wisdom.


    She looked at Wang Zhaodi, then at the Bai family''s house, and sighed softly.


    Li Fang then spoke up: "Wang Xiangxiu seems to be trying to introduce Hu Huihui to Bai Fendou."


    Hu Huihui was still living in their courtyard, and everyone knew that she paid eight yuan a month to stay there. That was quite a good deal, as an extra eight yuan a month could improve life significantly.


    However, the Su family mother-inw wasn''t easy to deal with, and Hu Huihui had to pay them.


    The Su family provided Hu Huihui with very in food, mostly vegetables with little oil, and the staple food was just steamed buns. If everyone ate the same, it wouldn''t be an issue, but the problem was that while everyone ate together, Jii and the other two children could have mixed flour steamed buns, and sometimes even white flour steamed buns.


    But Hu Huihui? Not a chance.


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "Do you really want topete with the kids? They''re growing, how can theyck nutrition? Adults can''tpete with kids for food."


    This left Hu Huihui speechless.


    After all, she didn''t want to tear things up and move out. She was actually quite stubborn, but she couldn''t say anything.


    She had been living here for some time, though not quite two months, and had gotten to know the situations of the various families. But knowing didn''t help. The clues she wanted about gold and silver jewelry were nowhere to be found.


    If there was anything, it was Bai Fendou''s bicycle, which seemed a bit strange. Simrly, Li the Cook''s bicycle ticket was also odd. She had probed around, and it was clear that her cousin Wang Xiangxiu knew something but wasn''t willing to say, which made her very unhappy.


    She was now focusing her attention on Bai Fendou, so when Wang Xiangxiu offered to introduce a potential partner, she was willing. However, Bai Fendou was being quite pretentious. This made Hu Huihui grind her teeth in anger, thinking, "Who does he think he is?"


    Although she wasn''t genuinely interested in dating, if Bai Fendou hesitated, then he deserved to be condemned.


    It was Sunday, and everyone was off work. Wang Xiangxiu peered through the window, watching Jiang Lu and Ming Mei sitting there chatting. She muttered, "Look at them, acting all smug just because they have kids. As if anyone can''t have children. I''ve even had three sons. Have I ever bragged about it? She''s pregnant, hasn''t even given birth yet, and who knows, maybe she''ll give birth to a useless girl. Yet, she sits at the door all day, as if afraid no one knows she''s pregnant."


    Hu Huihui looked at her cousin and found it hard to understand her. What did it matter to her what others did?


    Hu Huihui was also quite calcting and ruthless when it came to tricking people, having been able to manipte men into spending money on her since she was a teenager. However, she only acted when there was something to gain. But this cousin of hers, for no reason at all, just because she didn''t like someone, would start cursing them?


    Wasn''t that just sick?


    Hu Huihui despised this woman, considering her aplete idiot.


    However, since she was staying here, she couldn''t say much. After all, she didn''t want to leave.


    In the end, all her thoughts boiled down to one thing: "I don''t want to leave."


    "Mom, mom, I have something to tell you..." Toni came running in, panting, and leaned close to Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu asked, "Weren''t you out ying?"


    Toni whispered mysteriously, "Mom, I found out a big secret."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "???"


    She chuckled and asked, "What is it?"


    She didn''t think a child could know anything significant, but Hu Huihui immediately perked up, eager to hear. She needed to know every secret, in case it had anything to do with money or valuables.


    Toni said, "Mom, I overheard that Aunt Jiang Lu is going to introduce Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou as his wife."


    "What!" Wang Xiangxiu eximed loudly, her voice echoing through the room.


    Not only did everyone inside hear, but even those outside, like Ming Mei, were startled. Ming Mei rubbed her ears and said, "What''s going on now?"


    Jiang Lu: "Who knows."


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips and said, "Earlier, wasn''t Toni crouching in that corner?"


    This child was easily overlooked.


    Probably, he overheard their conversation?


    Zhao Guihua added, "Toni just ran back home."


    Jiang Lu: "!!!"


    She frowned and said, "This is going to be tricky."


    Zhao Guihua: "Actually, it''s not a big deal. If you really want to do this, Wang Xiangxiu will find out sooner orter. You don''t need to overthink it. Whether it works out or not depends on Bai Fendou, not Wang Xiangxiu." Jiang Lu frowned: "I hope Bai Fendou uses his brain."


    Zhao Guihua looked at Jiang Lu in surprise, never expecting to hear such words from her.


    But thinking about Jiang Lu''s current position in the family, Zhao Guihua had to admit that once a woman isn''t blinded by love, her mind bes much clearer. However, she still wanted to know who Jiang Lu was pregnant with.


    Zhao Guihua, the gossipy but tight-lipped Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua and the others looked toward the Su family''s direction. Meanwhile, Wang Xiangxiu was no longer calm. She said, "Introduce to Bai Fendou? That Jiang Lu, how dare she meddle in this? What does she have to do with it? Bai Fendou has nothing to do with her, so why is she being so kind? What a busybody!"


    "Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi are close, right?" Hu Huihui casually added.


    She actually didn''t care about Bai Fendou at all, but if he didn''t choose her and instead chose Wang Zhaodi, that wouldn''t do.


    She couldn''t be outdone by a country bumpkin.


    She didn''t like Bai Fendou, who was sloppy and useless, but Bai Fendou had to like her.


    Hu Huihui: "Maybe I should go talk to Bai Fendou myself, I..."


    "No!"


    Wang Xiangxiu looked at Hu Huihui with suspicion and said, "You can''t go see him."


    Although she had mentioned introducing Hu Huihui to Bai Fendou, she knew it was just a temporary n. She had no intention of actually doing it. Bai Fendou was her meal ticket, and she wasn''t about to let go of him.


    If Bai Fendou were to get together with Hu Huihui?


    Wang Xiangxiu would never agree.


    Bai Fendou couldn''t be with any woman, not even Hu Huihui.


    "I''ll go talk to Bai Fendou."


    Wang Xiangxiu, now a bit flustered, was about to head out.


    Aunt Su stopped her, saying, "Don''t go over like that. Are you going to confront him? What if you end up arguing with Bai Fendou? Men need to be handled with care. Don''t you understand that?"


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip.


    Aunt Su: "Don''t bring this up. Jiang Lu hasn''t mentioned it, so why should you? If you do, Bai Fendou might start thinking, ''Hey, this Wang Zhaodi isn''t bad,'' and end up liking her."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "But..."


    "No buts. It''s summer now, and it''s hot. Go help Bai Fendou take out his bedding to air and dry. Plus, it rained recently, and his bedding got wet. Take it out and beat it."


    She winked at Wang Xiangxiu, feeling it was inconvenient with Hu Huihui around. They had to be discreet.


    Fortunately, Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su had some understanding and had discussed this privately, so Wang Xiangxiu knew what to do. She took a deep breath and went out. Hu Huihui peeked around, and Aunt Su gently said, "Huihui, aren''t you supposed to be working today? Why haven''t you left yet?"


    This was a clear hint for Hu Huihui to leave.


    Hu Huihui pursed her lips and said, "Then I''ll go now."


    Hu Huihui was staying here temporarily, and although she could pay, she needed a reason for her presence. So, she fabricated a temporary job, iming to work at a theater, moving chairs and tables, earning ten yuan a month.


    In reality, she hadn''t nned to work, wanting to stay around to gather information. However, she couldn''t take it anymore.


    So, she invented a temporary job and went out every day.


    She could have stayed, but Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu were not kind people. She had paid eight yuan, yet they still piled household chores on her, even making her assemble matchboxes, taking the money for themselves. She was exhausted and overworked.


    They treated her like a maid, constantlyparing her to Wang Zhaodi.


    Wang Zhaodi didn''t pay anything to stay, yet Hu Huihui paid eight yuan and ate worse. Compared to the Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu couple, who were often criticized, Hu Huihui found the Su family even more despicable.


    She couldn''t endure it anymore, so she pretended to work and left during the day to avoid the chores.


    The vile Wang Xiangxiu.


    Hu Huihui detested her cousin, unable to believe there could be such a disgusting woman in the world. She had always known she was a cunning girl, willing to do anything for a better life.


    Butpared to her cousin, she was nothing.


    Her cousin was a true oddball.


    Hu Huihui left, smiling and greeting the people in the courtyard before heading out with her bag.


    Ming Mei asked curiously, "Where does she work as a temp?"


    Li Fang: "I heard it''s at some theater, moving chairs and tables, earning ten yuan a month."


    Jiang Lu: "Ten yuan? So the Su family is taking eight yuan from her?"


    Although the Su family received eight yuan, Hu Huihui wasn''t silent about it. She made sure to let people know, so despite the Su family''s attempts to paint a good image, saying they were helping a rtive, everyone in the courtyard and even the street knew they were taking eight yuan from a girl earning only ten.


    Eight yuan was a significant amount, especially for someone earning just ten. Additionally, Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu often took bribes under the guise of introducing partners. As a result, their reputation had taken a hit recently.


    Of course, this was also due to Hu Huihui''s intentional efforts. She wasn''t about to suffer in silence.


    Hu Huihui concocted a story for herself about escaping an arranged marriage and leaving home. She didn''t want to marry someone she didn''t like for money, nor did she want to sell herself for money. Even the promise of a formal job couldn''t sway her.


    Instead, she preferred to work temporary jobs for ten yuan a day.


    Self-reliant and self-respecting.


    Because of this persona, Hu Huihui had quite a few admirers on this street.


    Many people were interested in Wang Xiangxiu, but their interest was merely for personal gain. No one would seriously consider marrying her and bringing her home. After all, no one wants to add more "hats" to their family.


    Moreover, Wang Xiangxiu had too many burdens, but Hu Huihui was different.


    Young, beautiful, upright, and kind-hearted, she didn''t bend to money, a rare quality. Marrying a virtuous wife is what everyone wants, so Hu Huihui was very popr among young men and also well-regarded by the elderly.


    While people thought it was a bit foolish of Hu Huihui not to care about money, they also found her charming in her simplicity. Such a girl is truly wonderful. A girl with such character wouldn''t need to worry about bringing home a pile of "hats."


    She was nothing like her cousin.


    Hu Huihui had cultivated a good reputation for herself and kept a low profile,ing and going early.


    She lived far away, so the people in the courtyard didn''t know much about her background. The only one who knew a little was Ming Mei, but even Ming Mei wasn''t sure if Hu Huihui was really like that, as she didn''t know her well.


    Based on Hu Huihui''s behavior in the courtyard, Ming Mei didn''t think she was a bad person.


    Ming Mei said, "She earns ten yuan and has to hand over eight, leaving only two yuan. She only eats two meals a day at home, having lunch at work. It would be better to rent a ce to live."


    Jiang Lu replied, "Where would it be so easy to rent? Besides, what if she gets targeted as a single girl? I guess she has no choice. Although the Su family demands money, at least she''s staying with rtives, which won''t harm her reputation and ensures safety. How can a woman live alone outside?"


    When considering whether to divorce, Jiang Lu had thought about these issues.


    Her family couldn''t amodate her forever, and her unit couldn''t allocate housing for a long time. If she had no choice but to rent, finding a ce would be difficult. Moreover, living alone as a single woman would invite gossip and be unsafe.


    That''s why Jiang Lu realized she had to weigh her options.


    She didn''t dare say her choice was right, but it was the best option at the moment. Gently touching her belly, she felt she had finally achieved her wish. At least, things were progressing in the direction she wanted.


    Zhao Guihua noticed Jiang Lu''s gesture and could understand her thoughts.


    For a moment, she understood Jiang Lu''s choices and actions. In this era, such choices were the most beneficial for herself. It was good, and regarding some matters... well, you reap what you sow.


    Zhou Qun deserved it.


    Everyone chatted idly, and then Li Fang suddenly said, "Wang Xiangxiu has been inside for a long time."


    Everyone turned to look at the Bai family''s house. Without ss, they could see clearly. Bai Fendou provided a great view for everyone. They all looked over, and neither Bai Fendou nor Wang Xiangxiu knew.


    Bai Fendou was used to not having windows and didn''t mind being watched. Hey on the bed, legs crossed, not moving, and said, "Xiujie, you don''t need to talk about introducing me to someone. I don''t want any more dealings with your family. No matter how much I do, I''ll still be used of having ulterior motives and get pped in the face by your son. A man has his pride. Even if I can''t find a wife, I don''t need you."


    He used to follow Wang Xiangxiu around, helping her with this and that, but it never earned him a kind word or smile. Now that he wasn''t serving her, she wasing after him. Everyone could see that he hadn''t forgiven Wang Xiangxiu yet because he enjoyed this feeling.


    Also, he had heard about Wang Xiangxiu''s reputation for taking bribes and not following through. So when Wang Xiangxiu offered to introduce Hu Huihui, he refused. He admitted he had a soft spot for the young, simple, and hardworking Hu Huihui, but since they lived in the same courtyard and had talked before, there was no need to go through Wang Xiangxiu.


    He could get to know her himself; why would he need Wang Xiangxiu?


    Besides, while Hu Huihui was good-looking and had a great personality, her family''s poor conditions and her father''s demand for a high bride price made people hesitant to seriously pursue her.


    After all, most families were ordinary and couldn''t afford to go bankrupt for a wedding.


    So, there was still hesitation.


    Bai Fendou nced at Wang Xiangxiu and said, "Xiujie, get out now, or when your sones back, he''ll think we''re up to something. I can''t take that. I don''t want to carry that burden."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "So in your heart, I''m such a person, someone who would trick you..."


    Bai Fendou saw Wang Xiangxiu''s red eyes and tears and felt a bit soft, but thinking about how she had treated him coldly for her son, he lost all interest. He felt he had done enough for this woman, but she hadn''t done the same for him.


    He coldly said, "Wouldn''t you trick me? Your son spread rumors outside about me messing around with men. Do you dare say you didn''t know? This little brat, why doesn''t he just die!"


    Wang Xiangxiu''s heart sank, and she red venomously at Bai Fendou.


    How dare he talk about her son like that!


    "Stay out of my house and don''t look at me like that. I''m telling you, Wang Xiangxiu, no one is a fool. Get out."


    Wang Xiangxiu panicked. Recently, she hadn''t received any response from Bai Fendou, and while she was angry, she wasn''t too worried. But now that she heard someone might be introducing him to someone else, she was truly afraid.


    That Jiang Lu bitch!


    She even forgot her resentment towards Bai Fendou and quickly said, "I didn''t, I didn''t. I didn''t know about Jii''s actions. If I had known, how could I bear to let them treat you like that? Don''t you think I feel bad too?"


    She had already experienced the pain of losing this meal ticket. She hadn''t acted urgently because she knew Bai Fendou had no money these past few months, so making up wouldn''t yield much. But now...


    She had to pull out all the stops.


    Otherwise, this man would fly away.


    Suddenly, she lunged forward and threw herself into Bai Fendou''s arms.


    Bai Fendou: "What the hell!"


    He was stunned.


    And the people watching from outside: "..."


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened, and she quickly waved her hands, whispering urgently, "Zhixi ge, Zhixi ge..."


    Watching gossip needed to involve her man, so Zhuang Zhixi hurried out: "What the..."


    He was also caught off guard.


    Li Fang and Zhao Guihua, who had already figured things out, had expressions of "just as expected."


    Jiang Lu just gave a coldugh. How could she not see why Wang Xiangxiu was doing this? Wasn''t it to counter her introducing someone? She had been careless earlier. Wang Zhaodi, who was washing clothes, saw everyone''s reaction and quickly peeked, then quickly covered her mouth.


    Were city people this bold?


    They were... hugging?


    Wang Xiangxiu clung to Bai Fendou, and Bai Fendou''s face turned red. He was still a virgin.


    A pure young man, very shy, he blushed and said softly, "Let go, what are you doing?"


    Wang Xiangxiu refused to let go, wishing she could be seen by Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi. If they saw, her scheme would be halfway sessful. She bit her lip, tightly hugging Bai Fendou, and whispered, "Don''t you know my feelings? Do you really not know my feelings? I thought you understood me the most. Fendou, all these years, I know you''ve suffered, but my feelings for you have never changed. I admit, my son is very important to me, but he''s flesh of my flesh, born from me. What else can I do? They may be immature, but can I just abandon them? As a mother, how could I do such a thing? I can onlypromise with you. I know I''ve disappointed you... but Fendou, truly, I... I really..."


    Tears hung in her eyes as she spoke, full of grievance. "Why can''t you understand me? Why can''t you, as a man?"


    Bai Fendou was at a loss, this being the first time they had spoken so openly. He hadn''t expected Wang Xiangxiu''s feelings for him to be so profound. He murmured, "Why torture yourself like this? I... I can''t not find a wife..."


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "I know, but I don''t want to. I don''t want you to find someone else because I love you. I truly love you."


    Bai Fendou felt something explode in his mind, leaving him dizzy, yet he knew this woman loved him deeply.


    He stammered, "I... I..."


    "Do you think I''m just saying this for the kids? I know my own mind. It''s not just for them, but for you. I don''t want you to beughed at, for a fine young man like you to marry a widow. Every word others say about you hurts me..."


    Bai Fendou''s lips curled into a smile as he whispered, "You... you mean..."


    "Actually, when you gained some bad reputation outside, I was a bit happy, because that way, you''d be mine alone. I know, I know I''m being bad, scolding myself for being so shameless, how could I like you... but how can one control who they like?"


    Bai Fendou''s handnded on Wang Xiangxiu''s back. "I understand your heart..."


    He murmured, "Don''t say such things about yourself. There''s nothing wrong with you. Liking someone isn''t wrong."


    Wang Xiangxiu looked up, her eyes blurred with tears. "You don''t me me?"


    Bai Fendou sighed. "No, I understand you."


    His previous anger dissipated in that moment. He thought, how could such a good woman like Xiangxiu let her kids spread those rumors about him? It was because she didn''t want him taken by other women. Thinking this way, wasn''t she madly in love with him?


    How could he bear to me her?


    "I don''t me you."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Really?"


    "Really."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face lit up with joy, her lips curling into a smile as she cried andughed, her eyes full of affection. Bai Fendou''s hand moved slightly as he said, "Xiangxiu, how long have you liked me?"


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "A long time, very long. Actually... I fell for you at first sight, but what could I do? I was already engaged to the Su Family. I couldn''t go back on it, couldn''t disregard both families'' honor, so I had to suppress my feelings. I tried hard to be a good daughter-inw because I felt so guilty towards the Su Family. Because my heart had changed..."


    Bai Fendou was stunned, looking at Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "Laugh at me, I was unfaithful..."


    "No! I know your heart is true to me."


    He grabbed Wang Xiangxiu''s hand, and she yfully looked at him, saying, "Look at you."


    "You like me too."


    "If I didn''t like you, who else would I like? All these years, I didn''t dare to speak, but now, I''ve finally said it..."


    Bai Fendou''s eyes softened with affection.


    Wang Xiangxiu nced out the window, seeing Wang Zhaodi''s shocked expression, and smiled triumphantly.


    Those far away like Ming Mei couldn''t hear anything, but Wang Zhaodi, being closer, could. Wang Xiangxiu didn''t mind Wang Zhaodi hearing, she wanted her to hear, to know she couldn''tpete. Who did she think she was, eyeing Bai Fendou, wanting to marry into the city?


    Pfft!


    Dream on!


    Wang Zhaodi: "......?????"


    What kind of look was that?


    But, uh...


    What was that big sister saying?


    What the...


    Wang Zhaodi was dumbfounded, staring at them, and drifted into the crowd, needing to be with everyone else to keep from fainting in shock. As she arrived, she heard Aunt Wang say, "** and a dog, forever together."


    She scratched her head, sincerely saying, "The city is tooplicated! Too, too,plicated!"

 Chapter 108

    The city is full of schemes.


    Wang Zhaodi had truly never seen such a man and woman before. She leaned closer to Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Auntie, is it really so open-minded in the city?"


    The sun was high in the sky, and there wasn''t even a window, yet here they were, a man and a woman, hugging each other? Wang Zhaodi felt like her hair was about to fall out. She really hadn''t seen anything like this before. In their vige, nothing this explosive ever happened.


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, feeling quite at a loss for words. The reputation of city folks, all ruined by these two.


    She coughed lightly and said, "Well, they... he''s not married, and she''s not married either. Maybe they have some thoughts about each other?"


    Wang Zhaodi replied, "If they have thoughts, why not just get married? Oh, right, Jii and the others wouldn''t be happy about it."


    Zhao Guihua thought to herself: Wang Xiangxiu herself isn''t happy about it either. She only wants money, not a man. Now that she''s suddenly getting close to Bai Fendou, it must be because Toni overheard their conversation, and she''s panicking.


    But today''s incident also reminded her: from now on, she shouldn''t speak carelessly. You never know when a little kid might overhear.


    "This Bai Fendou is really hopeless," Jiang Lu muttered unhappily. She had wanted to introduce Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou, admittedly with her own motives in mind. But if you set those aside, it wouldn''t have been a bad thing.


    Wang Zhaodi would have a hard time finding someone better than Bai Fendou, and Bai Fendou would have a hard time finding a wife. If they really got together and worked hard at life, how could it be bad? At the very least, it would be better than their lives before marriage. With both husband and wife working together, their days could only get better.


    But some things just don''t follow the logical path.


    Jiang Lu felt like her n had failed before it even began. She had thought things through, but life moves faster than ns. Wang Xiangxiu''s reaction to this matter was beyond everyone''s expectations. No one could have imagined that just hearing about Jiang Lu wanting to introduce a partner to Bai Fendou would make her act so quickly.


    Bai Fendou, who had been so tough just a few days ago, now couldn''t hold that toughness anymore.


    Jiang Lu sighed and said, "I was originally going to introduce you to Bai Fendou."


    Wang Zhaodi looked at Jiang Lu in horror, disbelief written all over her face. She knelt down abruptly, stammering, "Jiang... Jiang Lu sister... I... I will never marry, I''m willing to stay by your side, I don''t want... I don''t want that man."


    It was too terrifying.


    She... she didn''t dare, she didn''t want, she couldn''t!


    Wang Zhaodi continued, "I... I can work, I can wash clothes, I can cook, I can take care of children, I can..."


    Jiang Lu quickly pulled her up and said, "What are you talking about? In this new society, why are you kneeling?"


    Zhao Guihua, seeing Aunt Suing out to see what was going on, quickly pulled Wang Zhaodi up and said, "Stop talking nonsense."


    Jiang Lu''s face looked a bit unnatural, but she still said, "I had good intentions. I also wanted you to stay in the city legally. But given your conditions, finding a good match is hard, but finding Bai... forget it, never mind."


    She whispered softly, "I know the pain of marrying the wrong person."


    Only Ming Mei, closest to her, heard this. Ming Mei looked at Jiang Lu in surprise, then smiled and said, "Wang Zhaodi, why are you so nervous? It''s nothing."


    Wang Zhaodi cautiously looked at Jiang Lu. At that moment, Aunt Su spoke up: "What are you all talking about?"


    Jiang Lu took a deep breath and smiled, saying, "I was saying that I wanted to introduce a partner to Wang Zhaodi, but this girl is so worried about me now that I''m pregnant."


    Aunt Su gave a fake smile: "You two really have a good rtionship. People might even think you''re sisters."


    Aunt Su was implying something, and Jiang Lu knew it. This was originally Aunt Su''s idea for the Zhou family, but Jiang Lu remained calm. After all, who would believe now that she brought Wang Zhaodi here to have a baby?


    Since the scandal with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou broke out, no one mentioned such topics anymore. Even if they did, no one would believe it.


    Moreover, Zhou Qun... let''s not talk about the past.


    Men have to be careful, but women, not necessarily.


    Zhou Qun''s taste has always been a bit... special. But it never included normal-aged girls.


    Jiang Lu wasn''t intimidated at all. She smiled and said, "We do have a good rtionship, like sisters. Otherwise, why would Wang Zhaodie help me? She was about to go home, but then she saw I was pregnant, and she just couldn''t bear to leave me. She insisted on staying with me for a while. She''s such a hardworking girl. Look at my house, it''s so clean now. I''ve saved so much effort. I feel a bit embarrassed; why is she so diligent?"


    Wang Zhaodi blushed from the praise, softly saying, "I''m not that good."


    "You are," Jiang Lu replied.


    It was true that since Jiang Lu found out she was pregnant, she had changed a lot. Everyone used to think she was quite cold, not very close to people, and a bit disdainful. Plus, she was like a mad dog under Aunt Zhou''s control, doing whatever she was told without any judgment. She had devoted herself to the Zhou family withoutint.


    But since her pregnancy, she had be a different person, handling things much more gracefully.


    Even Li Fang, who used to dislike Jiang Lu, could now talk to her. Ming Mei and the others felt the same. Inparison, Aunt Su wasn''t as likable. So Ming Mei quickly said, "Aunt Su, are you looking for Wang Xiangxiu? She went to Bai Fendou''s ce."


    She tilted her head, smiling.


    Aunt Su wouldn''t feel embarrassed. She said, "Oh, what would I want with her? Xiangxiu and Fendou are like brother and sister..."


    Before she could finish, Ming Mei interrupted, nodding lightly, "Yes, I''ve never seen siblings hug like that."


    Aunt Su was stunned. She turned to look at Bai Fendou''s room, where he was still hugging Wang Xiangxiu. Aunt Su''s face changed, showing some displeasure. She could ept Wang Xiangxiu''s affairs, but seeing her do this under her nose made her feel embarrassed.


    After all, that wasn''t her daughter, but her daughter-inw. Even though her son was gone, she didn''t want to see such a big, colored hat right in front of her. Her face looked a bit sour. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Auntie, are you nning to merge the two families?"


    Aunt Su chuckled faintly, not saying anything, and turned to go home.


    At that moment, Wang Xiangxiu let go of Bai Fendou, speaking softly, "You can''t give me a hard time anymore."


    She spoke with a mix ofint and affection, "Do you know how I''ve been living these days? How painful it''s been for me? You can''t hurt me anymore."


    Bai Fendou scratched his head with a silly smile.


    She said, "Let''s live well."


    Bai Fendou nodded, "Mm-hmm."


    Wang Xiangxiu continued, "Although I can''t promise you anything now, my heart is always with you."


    Bai Fendou''s smile grew wider. He said, "I didn''t know before, but now I do."


    Before, he only thought it was an unspoken understanding between them, and he didn''t dare to admit that Wang Xiangxiu truly loved him. But now, he felt that Wang Xiangxiu really did love him.


    This love was earth-shattering.


    He said seriously, "I know, I know everything."


    Wang Xiangxiu said with grievance, "I know I''m not good enough for you... I''ll introduce you to someone."


    Bai Fendou replied, "What are you talking about?"


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "What do you mean, what am I talking about? Can you really stay unmarried forever? Do you think I''ll believe that? I''m willing to stay with you without a name or title; otherwise, how can I live with myself? But you can''t just find anyone. Wait for me to introduce you to someone, at least someone who won''t resent me. What about... my cousin Hu Huihui?"


    Bai Fendou''s heart raced with excitement. He immediately started dreaming of enjoying the blessings of two women. Actually, he hadn''t thought of this before. Although he had some feelings for Wang Xiangxiu, he didn''t have the guts to act on them.


    But now Wang Xiangxiu herself has said it out loud.


    She''s willing, so how could Bai Fendou not be excited?


    He said, "Hu Huihui..."


    He had long had his eye on Hu Huihui.


    Just in terms of appearance, she was quite good.


    However... he said, "Hu Huihui doesn''t have a formal job, and her family is quite troublesome, isn''t it?"


    When he couldn''t find a partner, he would have been willing even if she had no job or a rural household registration. But as soon as someone introduced someone to him, he immediately felt that such a person was not worthy of him. Hu Huihui was good, but her family was a drag.


    When Wang Xiangxiu heard this, she thought, so you''ve really thought about this matter. Her displeasure grew, but this time she didn''t dare to confront Bai Fendou. For the sake of money, she had to humble herself: "Her family is indeed troublesome."


    Whether it was true or not, Wang Xiangxiu would say this, just to drag the matter out. She said, "But I think it''s up to us to make things happen. I''ll keep an eye on it and slowly work on her family. What do you think?"


    "Good."


    Bai Fendou was ted. A woman loved him so humbly, and he finally began to understand the joy Zhou Qun felt.


    Jiang Lu loved Zhou Qun humbly, and Wang Xiangxiu loved him no less.


    He smiled smugly and said, "I know you''re good to me."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes flickered and she said, "You know that''s all that matters. You''ve been misunderstanding me. I''ve noticed you haven''t been eating well these days, and I wanted to cook for you, but I was afraid you''d refuse. When you were injured, I was so worried and upset."


    She reached out and touched Bai Fendou, saying, "You''ve gotten so thin."


    Bai Fendou: "Wait for me, I''ll go buy some meat, and you can cook me a meat dish for lunch."


    Wang Xiangxiu was satisfied and said, "Okay."


    She added, "Money should be spent where it counts; don''t waste it. By the way, do you have money on you?"


    She probed, and Bai Fendou replied, "Don''t worry, I do. That jerk Zhou Qun attacked me before, and Jiang Lupensated me with a hundred yuan."


    He grinned proudly, "I''ve got cash, buddy."


    Wang Xiangxiu was shocked, her heartbeat quickening, but she didn''t dare to ask for the money immediately. She could only suppress her desire...


    "Then go buy the meat, and I''ll clean up your ce."


    "Okay!"


    Bai Fendou quickly got busy. This scene left several female colleagues puzzled. They just didn''t understand how Bai Fendou could so easily get entangled with Wang Xiangxiu again. He could have distanced himself from her, but instead, he jumped right back in.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "He''s stuck in this pit and can''t get out."


    As a man, he understood Bai Fendou''s thoughts better than others, but with Bai Fendou''sck of cunning, he was no match for Aunt Su and her daughter-inw. They were like venomous widows. But since Bai Fendou was willing to jump into the pit, outsiders couldn''t say much.


    "Jiang Lu. I''m back."


    Just as everyone was watching the drama, Zhou Qun returned.


    Zhou Qun: "The rocking chair is done."


    He shook his hands and said, "Ah, I''m exhausted."


    Ever since Jiang Lu found out she was pregnant and he handed over the financial control, he had been behaving quite well. When Jiang Lu saw the rocking chair Ming Mei had, he immediately found a carpenter to make one. Jiang Lu tried it out and was pleased: "Not bad."


    Zhou Qun smiled, "Of course."


    Ming Mei and her husband both rubbed their arms. If there had been any changes recently, it would be this guy.


    Zhou Qun, when he first "wasn''t able," it wasn''t very obvious, but as time went on, it became a bit more apparent. He... was a bit too feminine.


    A normal man wouldn''t talk like that, with a little drawl and holding his fingers in a mboyant manner.


    Now, every male colleague at the factory avoided Zhou Qun like the gue, fearing they''d get entangled with him. After all, everyone knew he had a preference for men. This made the electricians'' group feel uneasy. What''s more, this guy had strange tastes.


    Among so many men, some were good-looking, some were masculine and strong, but he had his eye on Bai Fendou, which was quite baffling.


    So, everyone was confused about his tastes, and no one dared to get close to him.


    However, female colleagues interacted with Zhou Qun more often.


    After all, they didn''t have to worry about anything.


    Li Fang approached and said, "This one looks just like Ming Mei''s."


    Zhou Qun hummed and smiled, "Yes, I specially got the same person to make it."


    Ming Mei also came over to take a look and said, "Yes, it''s the same."


    She sniffed and said, "Why is there a scent?"


    She looked up and saw the smell wasing from Zhou Qun, and she was at a loss for words. Zhou Qun was calm and said, "Jiang Lu is pregnant and doesn''t have much energy. She hasn''t been using the snowke cream, and I was afraid it would go to waste since it was bought with money, so I started using it. No waste, right?"


    Ming Mei: "..."


    You just wanted to use it; no need to make excuses.


    Besides, how much did you use to make the smell so strong?


    She chuckled, and Jiang Lu didn''t seem surprised at all. She said, "No waste, it''s good."


    She didn''t care what Zhou Qun did now, as long as he handed over his sry. He could use the snow flower cream or be feminine; she didn''t care. Her biggest concern now was having a child. Nothing else mattered.


    After all, Zhou Qun wasn''t able anymore.


    Men aren''t honest unless they''re pinned to the wall, but look at her Zhou Qun; he didn''t have that problem. Even without being pinned to the wall, he could be obedient. Who told him he wasn''t able?


    Jiang Lu was satisfied.


    As for herself, Jiang Lu didn''t think she had done anything wrong. She just wanted a child; what was wrong with that? She wasn''t really looking to be with another man forever. Besides, Zhou Qun wasn''t a good person either, so why should she care so much?


    And with a child, she would focus on raising the child well.


    She had already broken off with Xiao Xu.


    Thinking of Xiao Xu, Jiang Lu''s eyes darkened.


    But she quickly returned to normal. She had already broken off with Xiao Xu, but she thought Xiao Xu was a good person. After all, he had given her a child; how could he be bad? But when it came to men, they just couldn''t be trusted. Just a little over half a month, and he was already avoiding her. Was it really necessary?


    Jiang Lu and Xiao Xu had broken off not because Jiang Lu was pregnant and dumped Xiao Xu, but because Xiao Xu couldn''t handle Jiang Lu anymore. When they first got together, Xiao Xu was naturally happy. As a single man, young and full of energy, such a good opportunity to be embraced was a dreame true. But Jiang Lu was too intense, demanding his attention every day, leaving him no rest. In just half a month, he had be emaciated, with dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks hollow, and his legs weak, often tripping over t ground.


    He feltpletely drained.


    Even so, Jiang Lu still wanted... Xiao Xu couldn''t take it anymore and felt his head buzzing whenever he saw Jiang Lu. His parents had also noticed something was wrong. They didn''t know who Xiao Xu was involved with, but seeing their son like this, they knew he must have been taken advantage of.


    Under the persuasion of his parents and his own physical exhaustion, Xiao Xu decisively ended the rtionship.


    Since then, he has been in a hurry to avoid Jiang Lu, fearing she woulde back to him.


    Thinking of this person, Jiang Lu immediately thought of the child and put Xiao Xu out of her mind. He was just a tool for having a child; he wasn''t important.


    However, he was a good man.


    "Hey, what are you all looking at?" Bai Fendou returned from outside, carrying a few pieces of ss.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow, you''re finally willing to rece the ss?"


    Bai Fendou: "What''s there to be unwilling about? I''m willing, buddy. I''m not short of money. I just didn''t want to rece it before because I liked the coolness, but now I think it''s not just about the coolness; these holes look bad."


    Wang Xiangxiu hurried out of Bai Fendou''s house, saw the ss, and her face changed: "Why did you buy ss?"


    Damn, why spend money on this?


    Whether the ss was installed or not, who cared!


    Wang Xiangxiu, who had just learned that Bai Fendou had a hundred yuan, was thinking about how to get it out. She didn''t expect Bai Fendou to buy ss. She was furious and asked, "Why didn''t you discuss it with me?"


    This made it sound like they were a family.


    Bai Fendou understood the underlying meaning of the words and smugly smiled, saying, "Look at you, always trying to control me."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..." Damn it, that''s not what I meant.


    Bai Fendou: "Didn''t you say we should live a good life? I''ve thought about it, and we really can''t go on like this."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!"


    She regrets ever opening her mouth!


    Bai Fendou didn''t notice the situation, but everyone could see that Wang Xiangxiu''s face was extremely ufortable. Could it be any worse? She was only in it for the money. But because of her false words, Bai Fendou actually spent money, and Wang Xiangxiu was heartbroken to the point of almost dying.


    "So, where''s the meat you bought?"


    "I bought it, right here. Don''t rush to cook, you clean up first, and I''ll change the ss."


    Bai Fendou immediately got busy. Everyone looked at each other, not saying a word.


    Zhou Qun stared at Bai Fendou for a long time, then let out a sinister smile.


    The more he had liked Bai Fendou before, the more he hated him now. Because of this bastard, Bai Fendou, he couldn''t even enjoy the most basic pleasures of life. How could he forgive this person? And on top of that, their family had to paypensation.


    He hated this man to the core, wishing he would die, but he knew that now was not the time to act rashly.


    Bai Fendou was childless, unlike him. Although he was no longer capable now, Jiang Lu was pregnant. The child in Jiang Lu''s belly was the hope of the Zhou family, and they absolutely couldn''t afford to mess around. Just as Jiang Lu had said, no matter what, they had to keep Bai Fendou in check. Otherwise, if Bai Fendou really went berserk and pushed her or caused some ident, their family would truly be left with no heir.


    That was why Zhou Qun kept this in mind and didn''t dare to act recklessly.


    A gentleman avenges himself ten yearster.


    For now, let Bai Fendou gloat for a while. One day, he would definitely teach this man a good lesson.


    Bai Fendou didn''t know that Zhou Qun had his eyes on him. He also disliked Zhou Qun and kept his distance from him, whether at the factory or in the courtyard, never saying a word to him. Bai Fendou worked enthusiastically, vaguely feeling a gaze on him. When he looked up, he saw Zhou Qun staring at him, and his heart skipped a beat. He red fiercely at Zhou Qun.


    He was just so charming, loved by women and admired by men.


    But he had absolutely no interest in men. This Zhou Qun, if it were a few decades ago, would have been called a "rabbit."


    He red at Zhou Qun again and turned back to his work.


    The silent exchanges between the two were noticed by everyone, who all rolled their eyes and turned away.


    Zhao Guihua: "It''s almost noon, let''s go home and have lunch."


    Ming Mei and the others also went home for lunch at this time. Liang Meifen thought about Jiang Lu''s n from earlier and sighed, "I never expected Jiang Lu to have such an idea. I wonder how she thought of it."


    Introducing Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou?


    It just doesn''t match at all...


    "Bai Fendou and Wang Zhaodi won''t end up together," Zhao Guihua said. "Wang Zhaodi may be poor, but she also looks down on Bai Fendou. Without knowing his background, she might think he''s well-off, but with him entangled with a widow, who could possibly like him?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s exactly right."


    He said, "I think Bai Fendou wants to have his cake and eat it too, but I wonder if he has the ability to do so."


    Ming Mei whispered, "What a joke."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed.


    "I think Bai Fendou can''t get rid of Wang Xiangxiu. Didn''t you see? Wang Xiangxiu is still at the Bai house at noon."


    Everyone pursed their lips, clearly disapproving.


    Ming Mei yawned. Although the drama wasn''t over yet, Ming Mei was already feeling sleepy. She was a pregnant woman, and even more so with twins, so while she wanted to watch the show, she just couldn''t keep her eyes open. So, she decided to rest when she needed to.


    After all, there was always drama in their courtyard.


    At noon, Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi finished lunch and went back to their room to rest. Zhuang Zhixi gently wrapped his arms around his wife andy down on the bed. It was a bit hot, so Zhuang Zhixi gently waved a fan for Ming Mei. Ming Mei''s legs hooked around Zhuang Zhixi, and she said, "Zhixi, you should fan yourself too. Look, you''re sweating."


    Zhuang Zhixi lowered his head and lightly kissed her forehead, saying, "I''m fine. You''re the one who''s pregnant and working hard."


    When he saw others before, Zhuang Zhixi didn''t pay much attention, nor did he care about how they were doing. But now that Ming Mei was pregnant, he truly felt how hard it was for a woman to be pregnant. Ming Mei had rtively few reactions, but she still wasn''t very energetic, sleeping a lot, feeling tired, and sometimes getting leg cramps. Her appetite wasn''t too affected, but eating poorly still made her feel nauseous. He gently waved the fan, saying, "You should sleep for a while."


    Ming Mei softly said, "I can''t fall asleep."


    She smiled softly and said, "Zhixi, I miss you a little."


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised and looked down at her big, watery eyes, then chuckled softly. He knew what she meant. They hadn''t been intimate for a long time, especially during the first few months of her pregnancy, when he didn''t dare to do anything.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He stroked Ming Mei''s hair, and she said, "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed even more, whispering in her ear, "Tonight."


    During the day, it definitely wouldn''t do.


    Ming Mei''s cheeks turned slightly red, a bit shy. As a woman, talking about such things always made her a little embarrassed. Zhuang Zhixi kissed her cheek lightly and said, "Do you feel okay?"


    Ming Mei let out a soft murmur, and Zhuang Zhixi kissed her cheek again lightly.


    Ming Mei pouted, "You''re like a woodpecker."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No matter what I am, you still like me a lot, don''t you?"


    Ming Mei: "You''re so confident."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, if a man isn''t confident, what can he do?"


    Ming Mei pouted, and Zhuang Zhixi''s hands started to get a little restless. Ming Mei''s eyes widened, and she said, "Zhuang Zhixi, don''t get carried away. You yourself said to wait until tonight..."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed innocently, "I didn''t mean that."


    Ming Mei red, "If you didn''t mean it, then don''t start touching me."


    "I can''t help it."


    Ming Mei: "Oh,e on..."


    She wanted to criticize him a bit, but soon felt that there wasn''t much to criticize. After all, they were husband and wife. She huffed at him. Zhuang Zhixi patted his wife and said, "I won''t get carried away, you sleep for a while."


    Ming Mei: "With you holding me, how can I fall asleep?"


    Zhuang Zhixi didn''t believe this. She was like a little pig, sleeping very quickly when she clung to him.


    He said, "You''re just saying that. When you cling to me, you fall asleep just as fast..."


    "Who''s clinging to you..."


    "You are..."


    The newlywed couple was still very affectionate, even in the hot summer, even with a baby on the way. Although they didn''t go too far, they were still very lovey-dovey... The two were ying around, not noticing that Zhao Guihua had passed by the window.


    Zhao Guihua went out to use the bathroom. Since the reconstruction of their bathroom, it could be said that the bathroom was newer than most of the courtyard houses in this area. Isn''t that something? The bathroom is newer than the living quarters.


    Zhao Guihua went out to use the bathroom and, aftering out, heard the cicadas chirping and muttered, "Keep chirping, and I''ll catch you to eat."


    Come to think of it, roasted cicadas are quite tasty. If there''s no meat, they don''t hesitate to eat these. Kids in this area often catch cicadas for a snack.


    Although there''s little meat, it''s still meat.


    These things are easier to catch than sparrows. However, in the past two months, this area has been like a sparrow killer. Because they''ve been going up the mountain to look for grass seeds, they''ve caught quite a few sparrows.


    The two kids from the Li family and their own, four kids often get together to improve their lives, and the kids have all put on some weight.


    Zhao Guihua walked back and saw Madam Yu from a distance. Her eyes flickered, and she greeted Madam Yu, who responded briefly. The two didn''t exchange pleasantries and went about their business. It was a hot day, and not everyone was in the mood to chat.


    Zhao Guihua went home for an afternoon nap, and inevitably thought of Yu Baoshan. It seemed that since Yu Baoshan was hospitalized, he had never returned. She knew that Yu Baoshan had already been discharged from the hospital, but no one knew where he had gone.


    Zhao Guihua wanted to inquire about the situation, but she also knew that she absolutely could not do so. If people found out she had taken the gold and silver jewelry, it would certainly cause a big uproar. However, she spected that Yu Baoshan''s disappearance must be rted to the gold and silver jewelry he had mentioned.


    There were also some rumors outside, saying that Yu Baoshan hadn''t returned because he had been caught, and that he hadmitted robbery and murder.


    However, this im had not been verified, as the neighborhoodmittee had note to notify them. Usually, if something happened in their neighborhood, themittee would inform each household one by one. This was to serve as a warning to everyone, reminding them not to do bad things.


    Since the neighborhoodmittee hadn''te, Zhao Guihua was skeptical about the matter. Of course, while she was skeptical, she believed that Yu Baoshan could indeed havemitted robbery and murder. Lying on the Kang (a traditional Chinese Kang bed), Zhao Guihua wasn''t very sleepy. She was lost in thought when she suddenly heard the faint sound of a door opening outside, followed by the sound of someone tiptoeing.


    Zhao Guihua was startled. Who would dare toe in and steal during broad daylight? She grabbed the broom by her bed, jumped down from the kang, and rushed out: "Who''s the damn thief!"


    "Ah~" The three young thieves were caught before they could even start. Jii was hit twice and quickly ran away. Zhao Guihua hadn''t expected that these three kids would dare to sneak into the house in the middle of the day.


    The courtyard had been peaceful for quite some time, but now it was disrupted by these three little rascals.


    Zhao Guihua was furious and went straight outside: "Aunt Su,e out here! Do you even want any face left? Three kids sneaking in to steal during broad daylight! Do you believe I''ll call the police and send them to a juvenile reformatory? We''ve been lenient with you because the kids are young and you''re a widow, but don''t push your luck!"


    Although it was midday and a Sunday, everyone was at home. Soon, people starteding out, pointing and whispering.


    Aunt Su came out crying, saying, "You''ve misunderstood my kids. They weren''t..."


    Zhao Guihua cut her off: "Spare me your nonsense. I didn''te to argue or debate right and wrong. I know it''s useless to say more. Your family apologizes, but you never change! I''m tired of hearing your apologies and excuses. I came to tell you that if I catch them again, I won''te to talk to you. I''ll beat them up first and then send them to the police station. After all, thieves deserve whatever happens to them."


    With that, she didn''t waste any more time and ignored Aunt Su''s crying, turning around and leaving.


    "Why did her kids start stealing again?"


    "What do you mean ''start stealing again''? Her kids have always been thieves! It''s just that they haven''t been targeting our courtyardtely, so everyone forgot. But think about it, how can her kids control themselves?"


    "That''s true. Anyway, we should stay home more and lock the doors promptly."


    "Exactly."


    "I really don''t know how to educate kids. I can see that Aunt Su is a nice person, but she really doesn''t know how to raise kids."


    "She''s a widow with no education, so of course..."


    Aunt Su''s face turned red as people talked about her. She wanted to exin, but no one was paying attention. Everyone was tired of this kind of small matter. Although the courtyard had been quiet recently, this level of incident wasn''t worth their attention.


    After all, thieves are thieves.


    Not surprising.


    Seeing this situation, Aunt Su hesitated for a moment and decided not to say anything.


    It was evening when Hu Huihui returned andforted her a bit, asking curiously, "Jii, why did you want to steal from their house?"


    Jii actually didn''t like this aunt who lived with them and took advantage of them. He red at Hu Huihui but still said, "They have good food."


    Hu Huihui: "Are they well-off?"


    "They weren''t better off than us before, but now they are, so my brother said we should steal from them," Toni said.


    Jii: "Hmph."


    Hu Huihui quickly asked, "Wasn''t their family like this before?"


    What changed? Was it after they got the money?


    She immediately thought of this possibility.


    However, Aunt Su said, "Their family got better after their third son got married. It wasn''t like that before."


    "When was that?" Hu Huihui''s heart was pounding.


    Aunt Su looked at Hu Huihui curiously, not understanding why she was asking this, but she answered, "January. Their third son got married in January, and the next day they split up. To be honest, I don''t think Ming Mei is a good person. She seems nice, but she''s not. I think this girl has a lot of tricks and likes to stir up trouble, always wanting to show off."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I don''t like her either."


    As a woman, Ming Mei''s easy life made her incredibly jealous.


    However, when Hu Huihui heard it was in January, she visibly deted. She didn''t want it to be January. A change in January was too early; she wanted it to be after Labor Day. And splitting up the family changing things was normal.


    She had thought she found a clue, but it turned out to be nothing.


    Because there was no progress, Deputy Director Zheng was very unhappy and hadn''t been treating her welltely. Hu Huihui sighed softly. Men, once they get what they want, don''t cherish you anymore.


    "Huihui, why did you suddenly ask about this?"


    Aunt Su asked suspiciously, testing the waters.


    Hu Huihui: "I just asked casually."


    She thought for a moment and mixed truth with lies: "I heard that the toilet copsed because of lost gold and silver jewelry, so I just thought about it."


    Aunt Suughed out loud, saying, "Even though I don''t like Zhao Guihua, this probably isn''t the case. Their family got better after splitting up in January. Don''t look at them saying they didn''t split up, just paid for meals together, but they actually split up. But I know Zhao Guihua. They don''t go to the ck market much, mostly just trade with neighbors. With so many workers in the family, they''re afraid of affecting their jobs. Besides, the gold and silver jewelry were lost after Labor Day. You really think too much."


    "Oh, I was just thinking randomly. I thought if I knew, I could get a share. Who doesn''t want money? If I had money, I wouldn''t have to work so hard," Hu Huihui said, nning to change her strategy due to theck of progress. She decided to reveal a bit and see how others reacted.


    Investigating on her own wasn''t as effective as involving Aunt Su, who knew more about the neighbors.


    Aunt Su: "You think too much. Where are there so many good things? Besides, even if we found them, we''d probably have to turn them in. Why bother with that?"


    Instead of chasing after something invisible, she''d rather scheme more with Old Man Bai.


    What you can actually get your hands on is the best.


    Hu Huihui: "Hasn''t anyone heard of anyone getting rich?"


    Aunt Su looked at her more suspiciously, saying, "Getting rich? Who would talk about that?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Exactly. Even if you''re rich, you have to hide it. What if someone finds out?"


    She said, "I guess we don''t even know if this is true. Don''t take every rumor too seriously."


    She was toozy to deal with her fanciful cousin.


    "By the way, I''ll officially introduce you to Bai Fendou tomorrow. You two can get to know each other."


    Hu Huihui: "What!"


    She widened her eyes. Although she wasn''t home during the day, as soon as she returned, she heard people in the courtyard talking about her cousin and Bai Fendou hugging.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I''m not saying you have to marry him. Just act a bit interested. Let him know I''m serious about setting you two up. I can''t marry him, but I need to give him some hope."


    Of course, she could choose not to do this since she had already won over Bai Fendou. But she was also afraid that if Bai Fendou came to his senses, he might ignore her like before. Thest time she hit Bai Fendou was a mistake, and now she needed to show him more kindness, always demonstrating her care for him.


    She felt she wasn''t worthy of him and was even willing to introduce her cousin to him, which was what she wanted Bai Fendou to know recently.


    Bai Fendou would definitely feel sorry for her and treat her even better.


    It would be best... to give her some money to improve her life.


    ¡°Act meaner, so you can highlight me,¡± Wang Xiangxiu instructed.


    Hu Huihui: "You... you''re going too far, aren''t you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu sneered, "So you''re just eating for free at my house?"


    Hu Huihui was furious and retorted, "I paid!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Only eight yuan. What can that do?"


    Hu Huihui stared in disbelief at her cousin, Wang Xiangxiu, and her greediness became even more apparent to her. She narrowed her eyes and said, "I won''t do it."


    She did want to get closer to Bai Fendou to uncover the secret behind his bicycle, but Wang Xiangxiu''s words made her very unhappy, so she immediately opposed her. Besides, she had always been the one to be highlighted by others, never the other way around.


    Wang Xiangxiu coldly said, "If you don''t want to do it, then get lost. Don''t think you''re so great just because you paid!"


    "You!" Hu Huihui was so angry that she mmed her chopsticks down and stormed out.


    Aunt Su: "Look at you..."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "If I don''t act tough, she''ll think she''s untouchable. She has nowhere else to go, otherwise she wouldn''t havee to my ce. Don''t worry, she''ll be back on her own."


    If she didn''t assert her dominance over Hu Huihui, the girl wouldn''t listen to her.


    Aunt Su nodded and didn''t say anything more.


    Hu Huihui did return after leaving, as she had her own agenda. She sat fuming by the gate. Zhuang Zhixi came out to use the toilet and saw her sitting there like a guardian deity. He said, "Move aside."


    Hu Huihui looked up and saw it was Zhuang Zhixi, her expression softened a bit.


    People always have a bit more goodwill towards those who are good-looking. She said, "Zhuang Ge, what are you doing...?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Using the toilet."


    He paused and added, "You can just call me by my name."


    Hu Huihui nced at him and then smiled coquettishly, "Why? Can''t I call you Zhuang Ge? Hmm? Zhuang Ge. Are you afraid your wife will hear?"


    Zhuang Zhixi seriously said, "We''re not that close."


    He had always been a bit wary of Hu Huihui, as she wasn''t as harmless as she seemed.


    Hu Huihui didn''t expect Zhuang Zhixi to be so cold and was a bit displeased, "We''re neighbors, you don''t have to be so aloof."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked Hu Huihui up and down and said even more seriously, "I have a wife."


    He added, "If you have feelings for me, it''s better not to."


    Hu Huihui''s eyes widened in disbelief at what Zhuang Zhixi had just said. Although she did think Zhuang Zhixi was good-looking, she hadn''t considered him at all. What she wanted was a man with power and status. Zhuang Zhixi was just a small fry in her eyes. She could take advantage of him for some benefits, but marriage? Never. Besides, this guy was too full of himself.


    She rolled her eyes, "You''re really overthinking."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, a bit proudly, "I know my family conditions are good, I''m good-looking, and I have a decent job. Many people like me, and you might have feelings for me too, but I''m very sincere. I only love my wife. Liking me won''t do you any good."


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    What a moron.


    She immediately stood up, rolled her eyes, and said, "Only a ghost would fall for you. You''re delusional!"


    With that, she turned and left.


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged, secretlyughing as he went to the toilet. Sometimes, you have to use different approaches for different people. For someone like Hu Huihui, his performance was just right. He guessed that Hu Huihui wouldn''t be approaching him anytime soon.


    After all, Hu Huihui had quite the high opinion of herself.


    Zhuang Zhixi really didn''t want to interact with Hu Huihui.


    This was perfect.


    As he walked to the toilet, he thought about the stove in his house.


    He chuckled to himself. His mother always said he had many tricks up his sleeve, and Zhuang Zhixi didn''t deny it. He thought, with so many people in his family, no one suspected anything, right? But Zhuang Zhixi did. Ever since his parents got that extra stove, he felt something was off.


    Sure, having an extra stove was more convenient, but the thing was, the job was done by his dad.


    Ever since he and his brother grew up, their family usually had them handle chores, but his parents didn''t even mention it, just went ahead and got the stove. His dad did the work himself. At the time, Zhuang Zhixi had a small doubt, but he didn''t think much of it.


    However... after several incidents, it was a bit more apparent.


    They say a mother knows her child best, but the reverse is also true.


    Zhuang Zhixi knew his mother well, and it was precisely because he knew her that he felt something was off every time the topic came up at home. Not obvious, but noticeable.


    Zhuang Zhixi suspected that the gold and silver treasures that drove Yu Baoshan crazy were taken by his mother. Although he didn''t know the specifics or how it happened, Zhuang Zhixi calcted the timing and thought it was very possible.


    Outsiders didn''t know, but those in the family were quite clear.


    He thought so, but there was no need to bring it up.


    He acted as if he didn''t know, and he didn''t mention it to Ming Mei either. Of course, he hadn''t confirmed it, but that didn''t matter. What mattered was that he had it figured out in his mind. As for Hu Huihui, Zhuang Zhixi analyzed that she was after those treasures.


    Because he sensed that his mother was also wary of Hu Huihui.


    But given his mother''s cautious nature, Hu Huihui wouldn''t guess anything, let alone find anything.


    After all, he was his mother''s most cunning son.


    Zhuang Zhixi exhaled, relieved. As he came out of the toilet, he caught a glimpse and saw a scruffy man hiding in the shadows. Zhuang Zhixi''s heart skipped a beat. Although he didn''t clearly see who it was, it seemed like Yu Baoshan.


    He walked back nonchntly, his mind already racing. Why was Yu Baoshan back? There had been some rumors about Yu Baoshan recently, but none of them mentioned him returning.


    Did he make a mistake?


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly shook his head, confident he hadn''t. His eyesight was always sharp.


    As Zhuang Zhixi entered the courtyard, he passed by Old Man Bai. He didn''t pay much attention. Seeing the kids ying in the yard, he immediately said, "Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, stay in the yard and y, don''t go outside."


    "Okay~"


    Zhuang Zhixi went inside and whispered, "Guess who I saw? I think I saw Yu Baoshan."


    Zhao Guihua was surprised and asked, "He''s back?"


    "I don''t know, who knows what''s going on with him. But I saw him hiding and looking scruffy, like he''s not in good shape. I wonder what''s going on."


    Zhao Guihua decisively said, "We..."


    "Ah!!!"


    A scream came from outside, startling both Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi. They hurried out and asked, "What happened?"


    "What''s going on?"


    "I don''t know, let''s go check it out!"


    "It sounds like Old Man Bai''s voice."


    Qiang Dandan from next door ran over and eximed, "You guys better go check outside! Old Man Bai went out to use the toilet, and as soon as he got to the door, Yu Baoshan jumped out and smashed him on the head with a brick!"


    "What the hell!"


    "What is Yu Baoshan doing!"


    "Is he crazy? Hees back and starts attacking people?"


    Bai Fendou also eximed, "What the..." and quickly ran out, as that was his father.


    Qiang Dandan was still shaken and said, "Yu Baoshan came out with a brick and shouted, ''You father and son harmed me, watch how I deal with you!'' Then he was about to hit a second time, but I yelled, and he ran off..."


    Qiang Dandan felt that if this kept up, even he, Qiang Dandan, would be timid. These people were too chaotic.


    "I told you Bai Fendou always kicking people in the groin would cause trouble. Look, it happened."


    "Is Yu Baoshan... done for? Otherwise, why would hee to seek revenge?"


    "Probably."


    "Ah, Zhou Qun is done for, and now Yu Baoshan too... How many men is Bai Fendou going to ruin..."


    "It might not be that."


    "Enough talking, let''s go help."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll go help, Mom, you stay here. We don''t know what''s going on yet."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhixi ran out and helped everyone carry Old Man Bai onto a small cart. Bai Fendou was howling in anger, cursing, "Yu Baoshan, I''ll kill you!"


    "You bastard,e at me if you have the guts!"


    There was no response.


    Yu Baoshan had fled after attacking.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Don''t talk too much, let''s hurry to the hospital."


    "Yes, what Xiao Zhuang said is right."


    Everyone chimed in, but they were genuinely helping. Aunt Wang had already stepped forward to take charge of the situation, leading a few people to push the cart to the hospital. Zhuang Zhixi, however, didn''t go; he had a pregnant woman at home, so he couldn''t leave.


    Who knew what was going on with Yu Baoshan?


    At this moment, those who hadn''t gone to the hospital were all standing in the courtyard, each with lingering fear in their hearts.


    "What kind of mess is this?"


    "Who isn''t saying the same thing?"


    Zhuang Zhixi frowned: "He was specifically targeting Old Man Bai. I also went to the bathroom and saw Brother Sui from the back courtyard there. None of us got beaten up; only Old Man Bai did."


    "Of course, that''s obvious, isn''t it? He even shouted that he was being harmed."


    "I wonder what''s going on here."


    Everyone was specting, none of them understanding, but Hu Huihui''s eyes flickered, knowing exactly what the situation was. Yu Baoshan, having lost his gold and silver treasures, hadpletely broken down, revealing the truth. After this incident, he was taken back for investigation.


    At that time, he was actually injured¡ªone injury from falling in the bathroom, and another from fighting with Bai Fendou and his father, where Bai Fendou had used a "ck tiger heart extraction" move on him. His wounds hadn''t healed, but no one cared about that.


    The investigation and interrogation dragged on, and it was discovered that he had killed to cover up the exposure of the treasures. At this point, two factions emerged: one advocated sending him to the police station since they weren''t in charge of such matters; the other disagreed, as Yu Baoshan was technically their colleague, and having a case of embezzlement and murder would tarnish their unit''s reputation.


    In this stalemate, meetings were held repeatedly, but the matter was never resolved. Yu Baoshan was kept in custody, and no one cared about his injuries. After such a long time, a decision was finally made.


    A leader took notice of Yu Baoshan''s ruthlessness and wanted him to redeem himself by finding the gold and silver treasures, thus vouching for his release. After some maneuvering, Yu Baoshan was let out. As soon as he was released, he went to the hospital. Originally, Yu Baoshan''s release was supposed to mark the beginning of a major operation.


    He was definitely nning to take down several capitalists to prove his capability.


    But who knew he would go to the hospital? Due to the dyed treatment of his wound, and the fact that it hadn''t been changed or cared for, he... well, he was ruined.


    Yes, ruined.


    He couldn''t function anymore.


    In other words, he could still experience pleasure, but due to the loss of that part, he would never be able to have children. This revtionpletely broke Yu Baoshan. In an instant, he became utterly consumed with hatred for the Bai father and son.


    This morning he had been released, and by noon he had received the news. In the afternoon, he went straight to attack Old Man Bai.


    It was likely that Old Man Bai was just the appetizer, with Bai Fendou toe...


    Hu Huihui shrank her neck, feeling a bit scared.


    The Bai father and son were the cause of this situation, but they, along with others, had failed to provide treatment, leading to an even more severe oue. Could they also be targeted for revenge? After all, Yu Baoshan was known for his ruthlessness.


    He had taken lives before, not for the first time.


    Hu Huihui felt a shiver run down her spine.


    "Huihui, are you okay? What are you afraid of? You don''t even know him; he''s probably just here to seek revenge on Bai Fendou."


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    Damn it, he he he, of course he knows me!


    How could he not know me? We were colleagues.


    And... Yu Baoshan was so cunning; seeing her here, he would definitely be able to guess something.


    Hu Huihui: "It''s over, it''s over..."


    "Hey, what''s wrong with you?"


    Everyone noticed that she seemed particrly frightened and immediately tried tofort her: "Don''t be afraid, this has nothing to do with you."


    "Right, you arrivedte and don''t know; they have old grudges..."


    Hu Huihui couldn''t hold back and broke down: "Sob, we also have a grudge..."


    What?!


    Everyone was stunned.

 Chapter 109

    Hu Huihui was scared.


    Because everyone worked in the Revolutionary Committee, she knew how ruthless Yu Baoshan could be. The fact that he didn''t even bother to hide his actions now just showed how furious he was. Who wouldn''t be afraid of that? In these times, the bold were afraid of those who were reckless, and that was an eternal truth. She shivered and said, "This... maybe we should go to the police station right away?"


    "You don''t need to be afraid. This has nothing to do with you, and you don''t even know him," Wang Xiangxiu casually remarked. Hu Huihui became even quieter. She tried her best to appear calm and hurried into the house.


    Zhuang Zhixi turned his head and saw her frightened state. He raised an eyebrow, guessing the reason for Hu Huihui''s fear, but soon, he didn''t think much more about it. He said, "Let''s lock the front door tonight."


    During the time when thieves were roaming the streets, they had locked their doors, but over time, they had be less cautious. However, now they were a bit worried, and everyone nodded in agreement. Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Also, stay alert while sleeping at home. Even though... this probably doesn''t concern us directly, if something happens and everyone looks for him, he might dare toe home. Who knows if he might break into someone else''s house just to find something to eat? Caution is always wise."


    Several aunties nodded repeatedly, agreeing that this was the right thing to do.


    "This is so scary."


    "That Yu kid from the Yu family is just no good. I''ve always said he has terrible character. Look at how he treated his sister... tsk tsk, now he''s even worse."


    "Well... you can''tpletely me the Yu kid. He''s childless, after all."


    Men, after all, always empathize deeply with such matters.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let''s not worry about why he''s doing this. This matter definitely needs to be reported to the police station. We should just be careful ourselves."


    "That''s true."


    Even Aunt Su didn''t dare to speak much at this moment. She looked deeply worried. If anything happened to Old Man Bai, she would be in trouble, as he was the one who usually helped her out. But if she had to go to the hospital to check on him, she absolutely wouldn''t do it. What if something happened to her there? Everyone was chatting when they felt a gust of wind. The children were shouting, "So cool!"


    Zhuang Zhixi looked up and said, "Why is the dark clouding up?"


    It looked like it was going to rain. Zhuang Zhixi nced at the Bai family''s window. Their luck this time wasn''t as bad asst time. Last time, everything had been aplete mess. But this time, it was better. The ss had been installed during the day, and now it was cloudy at night. If it really rained, it would be a lucky coincidence.


    "Hey, you know what? Bai Fendou has some luck."


    "Yeah, if they hadn''t installed the ss, they would have been caught in the rain again."


    "I wonder if it will really rain."


    "The sky is already dark and the wind is picking up, so it probably will... Oh my!"


    A gust of wind suddenly blew up a piece of clothing, and the person talking quickly grabbed it, saying, "Whew, almost got blown away. Whose is this?"


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately said, "Mine, mine. It''s Jii''s pants..."


    "It''s going to rain, let''s hurry up and take in the clothes and stuff."


    "Right."


    Everyone quickly dispersed. Although Old Man Bai was miserably hospitalized, it wasn''t as important as taking in the clothes, which concerned everyone. Zhuang Zhixi also brought in everything from outside his house.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Finally, it''s raining and cooler. It''s been unbearably hot recently, it''s really ufortable."


    Since that heavy rain in June, there hadn''t been any significant rainfall, just a few small showers that didn''t feel cool at all. But this evening, the wind suddenly picked up, and a sense of coolness could be felt.


    She said, "Don''t open the windows when you sleep tonight. Don''t sleep too deeply and let the rainwater in."


    "Got it."


    Both the first and second houses responded and went back to their rooms. Ming Mei looked at the weather and said, "I wonder if this rain will be heavy."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows?"


    He felt that his wife was a bit uneasy. Zhuang Zhixi squatted down and held Ming Mei''s hand, saying, "How do you feel?"


    Ming Mei: "Pretty good."


    She blinked and smiled at Zhuang Zhixi, then leaned her head on his shoulder, saying, "Anyway, tonight we can sleep well."


    Although it was windy and rainy, the weather was cooler. It had been really hot recently, and she hadn''t been feeling well, with a poor appetite. She hadn''t been sleeping well at night, waking up several times from the heat, but tonight was much better.


    The young couple quicklyy down. After closing the windows, the room was a bit stuffy, but it was still better than the scorching days. The couple cuddled together. Ming Mei didn''t speak, but she still seemed a bit restless.


    "You don''t need to be afraid. Yu Baoshan won''te looking for us. We have no connection with him."


    Ming Mei hummed in agreement. In fact, she wasn''t worried about Yu Baoshan. What she was worried about was tomorrow. She remembered that in her dream, something happened to her on a very hot summer day when it was raining heavily. That day, the bus had to brake suddenly to avoid a pedestrian, causing her to be thrown forward.


    Ming Mei didn''t know which day it was, but if it rained heavily tomorrow, it could very well be that day.


    Ming Mei felt a bit uneasy, but fortunately, she wasn''t driving anymore.


    Suddenly, a thunderp rang out, and the window outside made a ttering sound. It seemed the rain had started. This was truly a sudden downpour.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Ming Mei: "About the rainy day. Rainy days can be quite unsafe on the road."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded and agreed, "That''s for sure. Don''t rush home after work. I''ll pick you up, and we''ll go together."


    Ming Mei gave him a yful re and said, "You already pick me up every day."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That''s true."


    Heughed.


    Zhuang Zhixi gently stroked Ming Mei''s back, and she gradually calmed down. The couple quickly became entangled... Although Ming Mei was pregnant, there were always ways to find some joy.


    The temperature in the room quickly rose, and sweat began to drip... The room was filled with creaking sounds, thanks to the new bed''s good quality. Outside, the wind and rain raged, while inside, the storm continued.


    After an unknown amount of time, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Meiy on the bed like two salted fish, gasping for breath.


    Ming Mei mumbled, "It''s hot..."


    Indeed, sometimes intense activity was the best way to calm the mind. She had been feeling uneasy before, but after the "exercise," she couldn''t think of her anxieties anymore. Instead, she feltpletely at ease, with a sense of satisfaction. She lifted her foot and kicked Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "Open the window a bit."


    She was so hot.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."


    He said, "Just for a little while."


    He pulled the nket over Ming Mei, but she said, "It''s hot."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I''ll open the window."


    He got up and opened the window without even putting on clothes. It waste at night, and with the dark clouds, no lights were on, so nothing could be seen. Zhuang Zhixi went to the window and opened it directly. The window, once opened, was immediately blown wide open by the strong wind.


    Ming Mei: "Mmm."


    Shefortably raised her eyebrows, and Zhuang Zhixi stood by the window, sighing, "It''s already smoking up."


    Mingmei: "Generally, a sudden heavy rain doesn''tst long."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "That may not be the case; with the dark clouds and such low pressure, it''s definitely going to rain for a while."


    He stepped forward and hugged Mingmei, saying, "Isn''t this much morefortable?"


    Mingmei said softly and sweetly, "Wait a moment and close the window, okay?"


    Zhuang Zhiyi smiled: "I know this."


    If they don''t close the window, his family will be the second Bai Fendou family.


    The couple opened the window, unaware that someone else had also opened a window¡ªZhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua got up to open her window and looked outside at the strong wind apanied by heavy rain. She also thought of something.


    To exin, beautiful dreams only involve matters rted to her. She might dream about people who are very important to her or situations that are significant or dangerous. However, all of this is predicated on the fact that it rtes to Ming Mei herself.


    If it doesn''t involve her, no matter how big the event, she won''t dream about it.


    Moreover, as she grows older, her character bes more resolute, and she dreams less. Even for ordinary major events, she doesn''t dream about them anymore, only for extremely significant ones.


    When she was young, she used to dream every other day, with all sorts of chaotic dreams.


    But now, she dreams at most two or three times a year, sometimes only once or twice, so even though Ming Mei does dream, she''s not omniscient. Most things, she doesn''t know. But Zhao Guihua is different.


    Zhao Guihua is a reincarnated person. Some events from her previous life might happen again in this life, or they might not due to the butterfly effect. However, she knows that some things remain unchanged, like the weather.


    Zhao Guihua watched the sudden heavy rain, initially not thinking much about it, but after lying down, she unexpectedly thought of this rain. A person''s life is filled with countless rain and snowstorms, and those that Zhao Guihua can remember must have a reason.


    She remembered that in her previous life, Ming Mei had an ident.


    In her previous life, Ming Mei had an ident while traveling in the rain, almost getting into serious trouble, but fortunately, she was unharmed.


    When she was reborn, she didn''t think of these things at first, but it was only when Ming Mei mentioned transferring jobs that she remembered. However, since Ming Mei has transferred, there''s no need to worry about that. In her previous life, she was a bus conductor, but this life is clearly different.


    There''s no need to worry about that, but it made her think of other things.


    This rainsted for a week, starting with heavy rain, then turning into intermittent light rain. In total, it rained heavily or lightly without stopping for a week. For those living in the city, it wasn''t a big deal, just a bit inconvenient, but this rain was nationwide.


    The whole country was experiencing heavy rain, which affected the harvest of crops.


    The most direct consequence of this rain was a poor harvest in the autumn. The entire country was short of food. Although they were urban residents and workers, they didn''t go hungry, but the supply decreased.


    And the price slightly increased with restricted purchases.


    Many families could only eat six or seven full meals, and their savings were spent quite a bit. After all, if you don''t want to go hungry, you have to find a way. Normally, everyone avoids the ck market, but when you''re hungry, you have to go there.


    Only the ck market can buy food.


    The ck market isn''t cheap.


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, standing by the window looking outside.


    Old Man Zhuang turned over, not seeing his wife, and sat up: "What''s wrong with you?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I can''t sleep."


    Old Man Zhuang didn''t know why, so he said: "Nothing''s happened recently."


    He thought for a moment, lowering his voice: "Are you worried about Yu Baoshan..."


    Before he could finish, Zhao Guihua interrupted: "I''m not worried about that. He doesn''t know."


    In fact, it''s easy to hide things these days. As long as she stays still, there won''t be any problems. And she didn''t n to take anything out before the reform and opening up.


    "Then what''s wrong with you?"


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m thinking, this heavy rain also affects the crops."


    Old Man Zhuang hadn''t done much farming, and Zhao Guihua hadn''t either. So Old Man Zhuang didn''t take it to heart, justughing and saying: "If you''re not at ease, just buy more food and store it at home. It won''t go bad in the short term."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    His casual remark made Zhao Guihua suddenly turn around and look at Old Man Zhuang, saying: "You''re right."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Huh?"


    Zhao Guihua pped her hands: "Your idea is right. Worrying won''t help; I can''t farm and don''t havend. But we can buy some food and store it at home. Having more insurance is good."


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    He was just saying that casually.


    "Old man, you''re really shrewd," Zhao Guihuaughed, saying: "You know, I sometimes think too narrowly. It''s simple, but you''re quicker in thinking."


    Old Man Zhuang: "................"


    Zhao Guihua: "I''m sometimes blinded by one leaf. I''m d you reminded me."


    Old Man Zhuang: "...................."


    He was just bbering.


    But soon, he was happy. Who doesn''t like being praised for being smart? Old Man Zhuang is no exception. He scratched his head, saying: "I don''t know much either. We don''t know much, so it''s not bad to be careful."


    "Right."


    The couple agreed, and Zhao Guihua felt relieved.


    Yes, if there''s a shortage of food, just buy some in advance.


    Why make herself unhappy? There''s no need for that.


    "Alright, my mind is at ease now. Let''s sleep."


    Old Man Zhuang: "Okay."


    Zhao Guihua thought about it. This matter won''t erupt until autumn, so they don''t need to go out and buy in the rain in a few days. But after the rain stops, she still needs to go to the ck market. To buy more food, she has to go there.


    Zhao Guihua had sold fish at the ck market before, so she wasn''t unfamiliar with it, but it had been a long time since shest went, so mentioning it made her a bit nervous. However, most likely, nothing would happen.


    Of course, she still needs to be cautious. If you''re not careful, you''ll eventually fail.


    Although she''s heard many stories about the era when the female lead goes to the ck market, Zhao Guihua doesn''t dare to be careless. The young and beautiful ones are the female leads, but she, an olddy reborn, isn''t even a viin, just a passerby.


    Passerby A can''t be reckless.


    Being reckless will definitely lead to failure.


    Zhao Guihua muttered to herself in her heart, feeling a bit down. Even if she were reborn to a younger age, she wouldn''t be the protagonist. What''s the first requirement for a protagonist? It''s good looks!


    She, Zhao Guihua, was a skinny, yellow-haired girl when she was young, unremarkable,pletely nondescript.


    Not good-looking and still want to be the female lead?


    Dreaming is faster.


    So, she has to be careful.


    That''s the ck market. Although the transmigration party can get rich through this, she dare not be careless. Zhao Guihua was muddle-headed, thinking about these random things, and eventually fell asleep quickly.


    The Zhuang family also closed the windows and went to sleep, and the courtyard fell into silence.


    But there are those who can''t sleep, like Hu Huihui, who tossed and turned, only worried about Yu Baoshan taking revenge on her. His injury was indeed caused by Bai Fendou and his father, but if they hadn''t forcibly taken him back and neglected him, not finding a doctor or changing the dressing, he might not have faced this oue.


    She knows that this person is vengeful. As long as he has the opportunity, he will definitely retaliate.


    This kind of mood is really quite depressing.


    "Why aren''t you sleeping?" Wang Xiangxiu asked, as Hu Huihui''s tossing and turning affected her sleep.


    Hu Huihui: "I''m just scared. How can I have seen such a thing?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You''re overreacting. Besides, you''ve seen it before."


    "Uh..."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You''d better sleep quickly. Don''t affect my rest. I still have to go to work tomorrow. It''s different from your temporary job."


    Gurgle.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s stomach suddenly felt ufortable.


    She pursed her lips, very worried. She really didn''t want to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, especially since the toilet was outside the courtyard. She said helplessly: "I want to go to the toilet. Come with me."


    Hu Huihui shook her head like a rattle drum, saying: "I definitely won''t go out with you."


    At night, she absolutely won''t go out.


    "What''s wrong with you? Is this how you treat your cousin? If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t even have a ce to stay. Apanying me to the toilet is nothing."


    "Anyway, I won''t go."


    "You."


    Hu Huihui was firm: "Even if you kill me, I won''t go. Whoever doesn''t go, doesn''t go. There''s no room for negotiation."


    "You heartless scoundrel," she said, pulling at Hu Huihui with force, but Hu Huihui stood firm, unmoving. Wang Xiangxiu was furious, her anger almost enough to curse her to death, but she was afraid of waking the children, so she said, "You can leave tomorrow. I won''t take you in anymore. What kind of person are you?"


    Hu Huihui remained resolute; nothing was more important than her life.


    That Uncle Bai had been attacked while going to the bathroom, and she was determined never to go there herself.


    Wang Xiangxiu felt distressed, but there was nothing she could do.


    If it were a minor issue, she would have dealt with it at home, but this was... definitely due to yesterday''s leftover food, which had made her feel unwell today. Wang Xiangxiu got up, holding her stomach, and put on her raincoat. Aunt Su pretended to be asleep, but the moment these two cousins started chatting, she was already awake.


    She just wanted to see what these two were talking about.


    Of course, she couldn''t make a sound now. Going to the bathroom on a rainy night was already a miserable ordeal, let alone the fact that Yu Baoshan was still atrge, and who knew if they might run into him. Aunt Su pretended to be asleep, staying perfectly still.


    Wang Xiangxiu had to go out alone, feeling mncholy. The rain was heavy tonight, and the wind was strong. She held onto her raincoat and ran toward the bathroom. Since the bathroom had been rebuilt, the old rumors had disappeared.


    However, new rumors had started to circte, with many people iming that the bathroom was haunted by ghosts, which was why it had been demolished and rebuilt. The original wooden structure had been burned to ashes, supposedly to destroy the ghost.


    It was... as if people had turned this bathroom into the setting for a hundred-episode drama.


    Wang Xiangxiu arrived at the bathroom alone. Just as she reached the entrance, someone grabbed her. Wang Xiangxiu: "Mmm!"


    She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered.


    A man''s breath approached, and Wang Xiangxiu''s hairs stood on end.


    The man''s voice was dark and cold: "You''re not allowed to scream. If you do, I''ll kill you. You know, as a woman, you can''t outrun me..."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Mmm."


    The man gripped her chin and said, "Don''t scream, do you understand?"


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded: "Mmm."


    The man quickly pinned her against the wall and began to pull at her clothes... Sometimes, certain activities can relieve stress, and this was no empty im. At least, that''s what the man was thinking now.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Ah..."


    "p! Don''t scream."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "You... who are you? Are you Yu Baoshan? Are you Yu Baoshan?"


    She hadn''t expected that Yu Baoshan hadn''t escaped and was hiding in the bathroom. This was too terrifying.


    "I... I don''t have money, I really don''t..."


    She didn''t dare raise her voice, fearing he might hit her again, so she pleaded desperately.


    The man said, "Don''t make a sound."


    He groped around and said, "No wonder you can seduce so many men. You''re quite well-endowed."


    These days, people didn''t like skinny women or those who looked like sticks. Wang Xiangxiu''s voluptuous figure was the mainstream preference. A little extra flesh showed that one was living well.


    "I... I don''t..."


    "Stop pretending. I know what kind of person you are."


    Wang Xiangxiu wasn''t actually worried about this. She said, "Don''t kill me. I don''t have money. If you like me..."


    "Hmph, who would like you? Are you dreaming? I just want to have some fun. Who cares about liking or not liking? I just want to relieve some stress."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "As long as you let me go..."


    As long as it wasn''t about money, things could be negotiated.


    Soon, some rustling sounds came from the bathroom. Fortunately, on such a rainy night, no one would notice.


    The two quickly finished. Yu Baoshan was definitely more capable than Zhou Qun. Wang Xiangxiu no longer felt the need to use the bathroom. She gathered her clothes and leaned against the wall, not caring about the dirt. Yu Baoshan: "Has Bai Fendou returned from the hospital?"


    Wang Xiangxiu''s heart skipped a beat.


    Yu Baoshan: "I''m asking you a question."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "No."


    Uncle Bai had been injured on the head, so Bai Fendou would definitely be staying with him. She said, "He hasn''te back. Can you let him go? Can you..."


    "p!" Another pnded, and Yu Baoshan said coldly, "Who do you think you are, trying to tell me what to do? Do you believe I''ll kill you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu fell silent.


    Yu Baoshan sneered and looked down at her, saying, "If you spread what happened tonight, I''ll deal with your son."


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face changed, and she quickly said, "No, please don''t. I''ll listen to you. Just don''t hurt my son. You want to know about the Bai family, right? I''ll tell you. I''ll tell you where Bai Fendou is in the hospital. You can go find him directly..."


    At this moment, Wang Xiangxiu did not hesitate to betray Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou was a good source of support, but no support was worth her life, let alone her son''s life. If it came to that, she would not hesitate to betray Bai Fendou.


    After all, she didn''t love Bai Fendou.


    "You help me lure Bai Fendou out," Yu Baoshan said, his voice filled with hatred.


    Truthfully, he had been waiting here specifically for Wang Xiangxiu today. If he didn''t catch her today, he would try tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the day after. He was determined to catch Wang Xiangxiu. Fortunately, his luck was good, and he caught her on the first night. Bai Fendou had caused him so much suffering, and he had snatched the woman Bai Fendou coveted. Wasn''t that the normal course of action?


    If it were anyone else, he might not have been interested.


    After all, who could be in the mood for such things after finding out they might never have children? He wasn''t that heartless. He just wanted revenge, to avenge the harm Bai Fendou had caused him. He would first deal with the Bai father and son, then those who had locked him up, and finally, he would stay nearby to find his hidden treasures.


    Damn it, he had killed for those treasures, and now someone had stolen them from him. Did they think Yu Baoshan was easy to bully? He had even calcted against his own parents and siblings, so what were others to him? Anyone who stood in his way would be dealt with mercilessly.


    No one would stop him from living well and getting rich.


    In fact, Yu Baoshan''s parents had always favored him the most, treating him exceptionally well. But Yu Baoshan was never satisfied. He resented his parents for not being capable enough. If only they had been braver and fought the enemy, maybe they could have been leaders. Then he could have been a well-off child of apound.


    He dreamed of being born into wealth, but his parents, these old fools, didn''t know how to strive for anything. His brothers and sisters-inw were the same, always calcting with him, never trying to make a better life.


    He hated the Yu family deeply. Since the Yu family couldn''t be relied on, he had to rely on himself.


    So these treasures had to be his.


    He leaned against the wall, his face dark, and asked, "Has anyone in your neighborhood suddenly gotten rich recently?"


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned. She suddenly felt this question was familiar, as if someone else had asked it. But she quickly dismissed these thoughts and said, "I don''t think so. I haven''t seen anyone''s life suddenly improve."


    Yu Baoshan stared coldly at Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu trembled and quickly said, "Really, really... I''m not lying. I go to work and don''t stay at home much, so I don''t know much, but among those I know, no one has suddenly gotten rich."


    Yu Baoshan chuckled and said, "No one, huh..."


    "Really."


    Wang Xiangxiu actually thought for a moment about making up a name, choosing someone she didn''t like, but she quickly realized that Yu Baoshan was a madman who was capable of killing.


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t care if others lived or died, but she was afraid that if Yu Baoshan found out she was lying, he woulde back for her.


    She could deal with anything, but she had three sons.


    This was something she couldn''t be careless about.


    She quickly said, "I''m not lying. If I made something up, wouldn''t that mislead you more?"


    Yu Baoshan looked at Wang Xiangxiu, and her heart beat even faster. Finally, Yu Baoshan nodded and said, "You do have a point."


    He then said, "Now,e with me to the hospital and lure Bai Fendou out."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Ah?"


    She looked at Yu Baoshan in surprise and stammered, "I... I can''t..."


    "p!"


    Yu Baoshan pped her again and said, "You can''t do it? I say you can, and you must! How dare you tell me you can''t? Let me make this clear: I''m not asking for your opinion, I''m telling you. If you don''t get Bai Fendou out for me, I''ll kill your son. Let''s see what you can do about that."


    As he said this, he couldn''t help but let out a coldugh, adding, "Right, I won''t have a son to take care of me in my old age, so why should you? Let''s all be childless together!"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "..."


    She was trembling with fear, her entire body copsing to the ground. "I... I can''t, I really can''t. Please, I beg you, spare my son... I''ll do anything you want, anything at all, just spare my son. I''ll even sleep with you if that''s what you want!"


    Yu Baoshan sneered with disgust. "Don''t even think about trying to take advantage of me. Sleep with you? I''d be the one losing out, a young man like me getting involved with an old woman like you! If it weren''t for the fact that Bai Fendou has a thing for me, do you think I''d even consider it? But, heh, Bai Fendou''s taste is just as bad as I thought."


    Wang Xiangxiu looked up in shock, disbelief written all over her face.


    She hadn''t expected that her current predicament was all because of Bai Fendou. This whole mess was his doing.


    If it weren''t for Bai Fendou provoking Yu Baoshan and breaking his heart, Yu Baoshan wouldn''t be here seeking revenge now.


    Suddenly, a wave of resentment surged through her. Yes, it was Bai Fendou. It was this man who had brought trouble into her life. If anything happened to her son, she wouldn''t be able to go on living. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I''ll help you lure Bai Fendou out, but if things go wrong, you absolutely cannot tell anyone it was me..."


    Yu Baoshan stared at Wang Xiangxiu, then suddenly burst outughing. "The most venomous creature is a woman''s heart. I always said, women are untrustworthy. And look, here we are. Even a married couple are like birds in the same forest¡ªwhen disaster strikes, they fly off in different directions. You''re really something, aren''t you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu put on a pitiful expression, but still said, "I''m not his wife. My husband is dead, and my son is my life. Nothing else matters. My son cannot be harmed."


    Yu Baoshan: "Bai Fendou is such a pitiful wretch."


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, not saying a word. If she could, she wouldn''t want to harm Bai Fendou, but what choice did she have? She was just a weak woman, what could she do?


    As the two were talking, the unluckiest man in the world also happened to being out in the rain to use the restroom. Yes, this unlucky man was Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi felt he must have caught a chill from standing by the window, otherwise, how could he be feeling this way?


    Rubbing his stomach, he headed towards the restroom.


    The wind and rain were fierce that night, and Zhuang Zhixi ran over, not caring about the noise he was making. Even though his footsteps were heavy, they weren''t heard over the storm. As he ran, he was just a few steps away from the restroom when he saw a man and a woman emerge from the women''s restroom, walking side by side.


    Their six eyes met in an instant, and just then, a sh of lightning¡ªBOOM!


    The thunder roared, and Zhuang Zhixi recognized the two people in front of him: Yu Baoshan and Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face changed, and she knew instantly that everything was ruined.


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing this, also realized the situation was dire. If these two were together, Yu Baoshan would surely try to kill him to cover it up.


    Without a second thought, he turned and ran, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Help! Yu Baoshan is out! Help!"


    Yu Baoshan, startled by the shouting, reflexively chased after him...


    Zhuang Zhixi fled in panic, screaming, "Help! Somebody help!"


    The rain made things difficult; the wind and rain were so loud that his cries weren''t very noticeable. On a normal night, such screams in the dead of night would be very obvious, but not tonight.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Help!"


    Yu Baoshan pulled out a knife. Although he had used a big rock to attack Bai Fendou''s father, he now had a knife. He raised it and chased after Zhuang Zhixi, who was screaming and running as fast as he could.


    Just as he was about to enter the courtyard, THWACK!


    The knife struck the door, barely missing Zhuang Zhixi, who stumbled and fell in the opposite direction. Yu Baoshan raised the knife to strike again, but Zhuang Zhixi kicked out with his foot, causing Yu Baoshan to fall.


    Zhuang Zhixi scrambled to his feet and continued running, shouting, "Help! Yu Baoshan is killing people! Somebody help!"


    He couldn''t enter the courtyard; Yu Baoshan''s fall had blocked the entrance. Zhuang Zhixi ran towards Wang Xiangxiu, hoping to lead Yu Baoshan away. It was an instinctive decision in that moment of crisis.


    Yu Baoshan, nowpletely out of control, brandished his knife and shed at Zhuang Zhixi. His family lived in the front courtyard, and his parents or older brother would likelye out to investigate first, or maybe even Ming Mei.


    He couldn''t let things escte to that point. He couldn''t let his wife get hurt. Although Ming Mei was strong, she was four months pregnant, and he couldn''t take the risk. Zhuang Zhixi ran towards the end of the alley, while Wang Xiangxiu sat on the ground, trembling with fear. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi run back towards her, she also screamed, "Help! He''s killing people!"


    She didn''t want to die either!


    She practically crawled to her feet and followed Zhuang Zhixi, the two of them running for their lives as Yu Baoshan chased them with his knife. Their desperate cries finally woke up the neighbors.


    Zhuang Zhixi''s prediction was correct; the first toe out was Zhao Guihua. Being older, she slept lightly and was the first to wake up and respond. She heard her son''s voice.


    Hu Huihui, however, hadn''t slept either. Wang Xiangxiu hadn''t returned, so she hadn''t dared to sleep. She had heard themotion early on but didn''t dare to move. If it meant risking her life to help others, she was absolutely unwilling to do so.


    Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang came out with sticks in hand, not even bothering to put on raincoats.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan also came out, and Zhao Guihua shouted, "Stay and guard the house."


    They couldn''t leave the women and children unprotected.


    They rushed out and saw someone being chased and attacked with a knife. Zhao Guihua shouted, "Yu Baoshan, you madman!"


    Seeing more peopleing out, Yu Baoshan''s anger grew even more. He was always a ruthless person who left no room for retreat; otherwise, he wouldn''t have killed for money and jewels. But now, he was impulsive, his anger boiling over, wanting to kill anyone who dared to ruin his ns.


    Anyone who stood in his way would be eliminated, their lives taken, so they wouldn''t dare oppose him again.


    If it were the old Yu Baoshan, he would have carefully nned and schemed, but since losing his... dignity, he had be extremely irritable and emotionally unstable, unable to think rationally.


    However, Zhuang Zhixi ran like a rabbit, and Wang Xiangxiu also showed incredible stamina, both of them fleeing. Soon, more people came out, but seeing Yu Baoshan''s frenzy, they quickly shut their doors, not daring to intervene.


    Zhuang Zhixi cursed, "You cowards!"


    Abandoning them to their fate!


    Zhao Guihua and the others rushed over, but Zhuang Zhixi realized this wasn''t going to work. He nced at the restroom, which had been rebuilt. Even if he wanted to lead Yu Baoshan into a pit of filth, it wasn''t possible. The rebuilt restroom was much sturdier.


    Seeing that there was still some distance between them, Zhuang Zhixi quickly climbed up the wall.


    Yu Baoshan shed upward, but missed!


    He could have continued chasing Wang Xiangxiu, but he remembered that she had betrayed Bai Fendou, so he chose Zhuang Zhixi instead. Wang Xiangxiu might still be useful in the future. He could use her to take care of Bai Fendou if he escaped.


    Zhuang Zhixi picked up a tile and threw it at Yu Baoshan''s head!


    At that moment, Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua were also approaching, and Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Mom and Dad, get out of here!"


    BOOM!


    Another sh of lightning lit up the sky, followed by thunder.


    Zhuang Zhixi saw his wife, Ming Mei, running out, and his heart nearly stopped. "Ming Mei, go back!"


    But Ming Mei didn''t listen to Zhuang Zhixi. The most capable fighter in their family was her. If she didn''t step in, no one else would help, and Zhuang Zhixi would be in trouble. Moreover, if they didn''t catch this man, he woulde back for revenge. They had to stop him.


    Ming Mei had heard plenty of gossip in the courtyard and knew exactly what kind of ruthless person Yu Baoshan was.


    She couldn''t stand by and do nothing.


    Ming Mei grabbed a broom from the yard and ran over.


    "You damned woman!"


    Ming Mei was farther away than Zhao Guihua and the others, but seeing that they were already close, and Yu Baoshan was about to swing his knife to attack, Ming Mei suddenly threw the broom in her hand. She put all her strength into it, and the broom mmed heavily onto Yu Baoshan. He dodged, but just as he was about to raise his knife again, a tile hit him.


    "Zhuang Zhixi, you damned fool,e down!"


    With a powerful sh, he swung his knife upwards.


    ng!


    In the blink of an eye, a sudden sh of lightning struck~


    A bolt of light gathered on the knife¡ªBoom!


    Bang!


    Yu Baoshan''s head started smoking, and he copsed to the ground, convulsing...


    "Holy cow, what happened to him?"


    "Don''t move!" Zhao Guihua quickly stopped Old Man Zhuang: "Don''t touch him!"


    Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Yu Baoshan got struck by lightning!"


    "What? No way!"


    "Seriously? That thunder was really loud. Is this karma?"


    "Should we go out and take a look?"


    "Probably not. Look, Zhuang Zhixi isn''t moving. He''s frozen."


    "Yeah."


    Zhuang Zhixi stood on the courtyard wall. From there, he could see everything. Themotion they caused had alerted many people, but no one dared toe out and help. If it were something minor, maybe someone would have stepped in, but Yu Baoshan was different.


    Yu Baoshan was armed with a knife, and his identity was... well, not someone to mess with.


    People were reluctant to get involved with some "association" or other, fearing that any intervention would only bring trouble. So, no one dared to step outside. But now that things had quieted down, people began to open their doors and peek outside.


    Seeing there was no danger, they gathered outside,pletely ignoring the rain.


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly jumped down from the wall and rushed to Ming Mei''s side. She wasn''t wearing a raincoat, so Zhuang Zhixi quickly took off his own and draped it over her, wrapping his arms around her. "Honey, are you okay? Why didn''t you listen to me? I told you not toe out."


    Ming Mei said seriously, "You''re my man. Others might not save you, but I have to."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s eyes reddened.


    Indeed, in this world, how many people would risk their lives for you? Out of all these people, only his parents and his wife hade out for him. He forced a smile and asked, "How do you feel? Is the baby okay? Any difort?"


    Ming Mei shook her head. "They''re fine. They know their mom is saving their dad."


    Zhuang Zhixi gently stroked Ming Mei''s cold cheeks.


    Since Yu Baoshan had been struck by lightning and possibly electrocuted, no one dared to approach him.


    After all, you can''t just touch someone who''s been electrocuted. His condition was even more uncertain.


    "I''ll go call the police station."


    "Okay, go ahead."


    "Everyone, don''t move."


    "Don''t touch anything on the ground either..."


    Before they could finish, another sh of lightning struck¡ªBoom!


    Crack!


    Everyone watched in horror as another bolt of lightning struck Yu Baoshan directly. This time, he wasn''t just smoking¡ªhe waspletely charred.


    Everyone stood frozen, too scared to move.


    "Oh my god... Run home!"


    "This is too scary! Hurry, go back inside!"


    "What kind of sins did hemit to get struck by lightning like that?"


    "Is he dead?"


    "I don''t know. Let''s get out of here!"


    Zhuang Zhixi ushered Ming Mei and his parents back inside. "Let''s go in first. I''ll stand by the door and keep an eye out until the police arrive."


    "Alright!"


    "Hurry!"


    No one dared to stay outside in such a thunderstorm.


    The crowd dispersed quickly, everyone rushing back to their homes without hesitation.


    Safety first.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, take care of Ming Mei. I''ll wait here for the police and exin what happened."


    "Okay."


    Everyone went back to their homes. Ming Mei''s face was pale. Zhao Guihua quickly said, "I''ll make some ginger tea. Ming Mei, sit down. If you feel unwell, let me know. Otherwise, we might need to go to the hospital."


    Ming Mei replied, "I''ll be fine after a rest. I just ran too fast."


    She hadn''t done anything, just ran out in a hurry.


    Seeing that Ming Mei was soaked from the rain, Zhao Guihua said, "Meifen, bring the hot water kettle from your room. Ming Mei, go back to your room and take a hot shower to warm up."


    Liang Meifen immediately got to work. She had woken up upon hearing themotion. Her husband, Zhuang Zhiyuan, had wanted to go out but was stopped by Zhao Guihua. Zhuang Zhiyuan was anxious, pacing back and forth, but he couldn''t leave. There were two kids, his wife, and his pregnant sister-inw at home. Who knew what was happening outside? If someone barged in, Liang Meifen alone wouldn''t be able to protect everyone.


    So, despite his worry, Zhuang Zhiyuan didn''t go out.


    Liang Meifen was also scared out of her wits.


    But Ming Mei had rushed out without hesitation.


    She didn''t know what was happening and didn''t dare to ask too many questions. She helped Ming Mei back to her room. "Sister-inw, you go out. I''ll just take a quick shower."


    Ming Mei was also worried about catching a cold, which wouldn''t be good for the babies. She didn''t refuse her mother-inw''s kindness and took a hot shower, washing her hair and body. Afterward, she felt the chill leave her body.


    Even though it was a hot day, Ming Mei didn''t dare take any risks.


    After putting on a long-sleeve shirt, she returned to the main house. Zhao Guihua had already prepared some ginger tea. "Drink some."


    Ming Mei softly replied, "Mm-hmm."


    Zhao Guihua added, "You don''t have to go to work tomorrow. And the day after too. Take a few days off to rest at home."


    Ming Mei agreed, "Okay."


    By this time, a few neighbors hade over. Aunt Wang had gone out to help Zhuang Zhixi deal with the situation. Li Fang and Jiang Lu also arrived. Over the past few months, the pregnant women had often gathered to share experiences. Things were different from before.


    "Ming Mei, how do you feel? Any difort? If you''re not feeling well, we should go to the hospital. Don''t take any chances."


    "Yeah, you were so brave to rush out like that."


    Ming Mei smiled softly. "If I didn''t go out, who would? He''s my man."


    "I heard someone got struck by lightning and died?"


    Many people had seen it, and even those who hadn''t gone out had quickly heard about it.


    Ming Mei replied, "I don''t know if he''s dead. He got struck twice."


    Li Fang and Jiang Lu both sighed. "He must have done so many bad things to get struck by lightning like that."


    Ming Mei nodded. "Exactly."


    She looked up and said, "Mom, Dad, you should take a shower too."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "We''ll take care of that. Don''t worry. I''ll just heat up some water and feel much better."


    She said, "You rest here. I''ll go out and see what''s going on."


    As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Aunt Su helping Wang Xiangxiu, who looked half-dead.


    "What happened to her?"


    Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered that Wang Xiangxiu had also been outside.


    "Should we take her to the hospital?"


    Aunt Su replied, "She''s just weak from running. She''ll be fine after a rest."


    Hospital?


    That would cost money.


    Did Wang Xiangxiu deserve to spend money on medical care?


    Aunt Su decided to just take her to the factory clinic the next day for some cheap medicine.


    But she didn''t say that out loud. Instead, she said with concern, "I was just telling her to go to the hospital, but she refused. She wants to wait until the investigation is over. She''s such a kind-hearted person."


    At that moment, the police arrived. Due to the thunderstorm, they didn''t approach the unfortunate man immediately. After checking, they confirmed that he was dead beyond doubt.


    It seemed everyone was right¡ªhe had indeed been struck by lightning and killed.


    Since the man was already dead, they didn''t move him, fearing another lightning strike.


    The lead officer, Lao Wang, recognized Zhuang Zhixi and asked, "Hey, where''s your wife?"


    Lao Wang had been trying for years to persuade Ming Mei to work for the police department. Before Zhuang Zhixi could answer, someone else with Lao Wang asked curiously, "His wife?"


    "Yeah, the ''Bus Tigress.'' Heard of her?"


    "Oh, oh, oh. Yeah, I''ve heard of her."


    Looking at Zhuang Zhixi, they thought, "You can''t judge a book by its cover. He sure married a tough one."


    "My wife is pregnant, and I was in such a hurry earlier that I was afraid she might have hurt the baby, so I told her to go back," he said with a wry smile. "You know, I think I''m just cursed. Why did I have toe out in the rain to use the bathroom..."


    Lao Wang patted his shoulder and said, "Tell me the specifics."


    Zhuang Zhixi was very detailed, as he was innocent in this matter and saw no reason to hold back.


    "I knew something was wrong when I saw him with Wang Xiangxiu. I thought he might kill me to cover it up. After all, this guy had already smashed a brick into Uncle Bai''s head earlier today, so I ran for my life. The more I ran, the harder he chased..."


    Zhuang Zhixi led everyone to recreate the scene. A few more people arrived, including some from the neighborhoodmittee and the revolutionarymittee.


    No one said much; they just followed Zhuang Zhixi as he recounted his escape route. "See, I climbed over this wall here. He tried to cut me a few times. Then a lightning bolt struck the knife, and he copsed..."


    He continued, "The second lightning strike happened when everyone was around, and they all saw it. Damn, there must have been at least a dozen or even twenty people standing here, and yet the lightning seemed to know exactly who to hit¡ªit just zapped him right there."


    Everyone nced at the ckened Yu Baoshan, their faces contorted in disbelief.


    "Did you see hime out of the bathroom with Wang Xiangxiu?" someone from the revolutionarymittee asked.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded.


    The group quickly found Wang Xiangxiu, who was sitting under the eaves, still trembling. She had been sitting there for a while, her mind racing to figure out what to say. She couldn''t tell the whole truth; she still had her pride, and she couldn''t admit what had happened to her.


    She coughed and said, "I... I went to the bathroom, and he suddenly rushed out and kidnapped me. Then, then..." She began to cry, looking utterly desperate.


    Everyone exchanged knowing nces.


    Men and women, they understood.


    She must have been about to do something, right?


    But Wang Xiangxiu didn''t mention that. Instead, she said, "He forced me, forced me to lure Bai Fendou out. I refused, and he hit me." She showed her swollen face. "He hates Bai Fendou so much, he said Bai Fendou left him childless and destitute. He knew I had a good rtionship with Bai Fendou, that Bai Fendou treated me like an older sister, and I treated him like a younger brother. So he kept pressuring me. I didn''t want to agree, but I had no choice. He threatened my son, said if I didn''t go to the hospital to lure Bai Fendou out, he''d kill my son. I had no choice but to pretend to agree, thinking I''d find a way to escape once I was outside. But then I ran into Zhuang Zhixi... and everything just turned into chaos. Zhuang Zhixi saw him with the knife and ran, and he chased after him. I was scared and ran too, and we were all running around while he just kept swinging that knife. Then, I don''t know how, but a lightning bolt struck him, and he just... copsed."


    "Was he here to kill Bai Fendou?" someone asked.


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded.


    "But why would he...?"


    One of themittee members quickly pulled the leader aside and whispered, "Boss, don''t you remember? Yu Baoshan is childless because of a fight with Bai Fendou. He came to seek revenge earlier today and smashed a brick into Bai Fendou''s father''s head."


    "Oh~~~"


    "I remember now. That''s what happened."


    They had assumed that Yu Baoshan, once released, would go looking for gold and jewels. Instead, his first move was to seek revenge?


    This was... well, it fit Yu Baoshan''s character.


    Maybe he hadpletely lost his precious treasures and had no choice but to focus on revenge first.


    Still, to be struck by lightning?


    This was something you''d only see in old tales or ys. No one had ever seen such a thing in real life.


    Although they couldn''t promote superstition, everyone silently thought the same thing: this was karma. He must have been getting what he deserved, being struck by lightning twice!


    It was... oh man!


    Terrifying!

 Chapter 110

    The rain poured down heavily, showing no signs of stopping even during the day.


    However, the police officers, together with the neighborhoodmittee and other officials, were all d in raincoats, inspecting the scene.


    This incident was just too bizarre, so it had to be thoroughly investigated. Otherwise, the matter of someone being struck by lightning would inevitably spark some unfavorable rumors among the public. Officer Wang, the most experienced among them, was leading the investigation.


    He was apanied by a few forensic experts as they examined the scene, while a dense crowd of onlookers gathered around, watching the spectacle. Zhuang Zhixi had taken the day off work, and so had Ming Mei.


    Both of them were among the crowd. Officer Wang scanned the area and then waved to Zhuang Zhixi, who quickly scurried over and asked, ¡°Officer Wang, you called for me?¡±


    Officer Wang nodded and asked, ¡°How many times did he sh at the wall while chasing you?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°How could I remember? There were quite a few. I just kept hitting him with a tile. Oh, by the way, Officer Wang, you see, I¡¯m a victim here. I¡¯m so unlucky¡ªI just went to the restroom and ran into a criminal. Do you think it¡¯s fair? And this tile¡ªyou can¡¯t make me pay for it, right?¡±


    Officer Wang: ¡°...¡±


    So, all you care about is the tile?


    But it¡¯s true that getting caught up in such a mess and having to pay for damages is quite unfortunate.


    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this matter. We¡¯ll handle themunication with his workce and family.¡±


    The neighborhoodmittee representative added, ¡°We¡¯ll take care of it first.¡±


    Officer Wang agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Everyone knew that the victim shouldn¡¯t be held responsible. It was better to settle this cleanly and avoid any awkwardness.


    He then asked, ¡°Did he do anything else besides shing at you?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head and said, ¡°I was too panicked at the time. I didn¡¯t notice if he did anything else, but I don¡¯t think so. That scoundrel¡ªboth Wang Xiangxiu and I were running away. I even climbed onto the roof, and he still chased after me with his knife. Seriously, even in such a situation, he still favored men over women.¡±


    Officer Wang: ¡°...You really shouldn¡¯t misuse words like that.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, ¡°I¡¯m so damn unlucky.¡±


    Hemented, ¡°There¡¯s always something happening with the restroom here. I¡¯m scared to even go at night now. What kind of mess is this?¡±


    Officer Wang said, ¡°Alright, stopining. I ask you one question, and you go off on ten tangents. Can¡¯t you act like a man?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted confidently, ¡°When it¡¯s a matter of life and death, who cares about acting like a man or a woman? If I were a woman, he wouldn¡¯t have chased me, and I wouldn¡¯t have minded. But you don¡¯t understand¡ªI was really scared out of my wits. His family shouldpensate me.¡±


    He added seriously, ¡°At least some nutrition fees would be nice.¡±


    Officer Wang was speechless. He pushed Zhuang Zhixi aside and asked, ¡°Old Qin, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    Old Qin was calm andposed. ¡°In short, he brought this upon himself.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    Officer Wang knew that Old Qin always spoke objectively, without any bias.


    Old Qin pointed to a section of a fallen wire on the ground and exined, ¡°See this wire? He must have cut it while chasing Zhuang Zhixi up the wall. Look here¡ªthese wires are all exposed, running along the walls under the eaves. When he cut it, it naturally fell to the ground. Last night¡¯s weather was terrible¡ªthe ground was soaked with water, creating the perfect conditions for electrocution. There was thunder and lightning, and the area was flooded. Plus, the handle of his knife was made of a material that conducts electricity easily in the rain. So, who else would the lightning strike? Even if it hadn¡¯t struck him, he was already at high risk of electrocution. He basically created the perfect environment for a lightning strike. If he had just run away, he wouldn¡¯t have died. Even if he had chased Wang Xiangxiu, he might not have been struck. But he had to go and cut the wire.¡±


    At this point, there was no distinction between forensic and investigative work¡ªeveryone pitched in.


    Old Qin gave a detailed exnation and concluded with a shrug, ¡°Simply put, he cut the wire, stepped on it, and was holding a knife with a conductive handle. That¡¯s what attracted the lightning.¡±


    The scene fell silent. Old Qin hadid out the facts clearly, but everyone was fixated on the final conclusion¡ªhe had essentially killed himself.


    What incredibly bad luck.


    Zhuang Zhixi was stunned. He had never imagined that so many coincidences could lead to Yu Baoshan¡¯s death. He eximed, ¡°I thought the lightning strike was an act of¡ª¡±


    He stopped himself mid-sentence.


    Of course, even if he had said it, no one would have held it against him, as everyone was thinking the same thing.


    Before the forensic team had analyzed the scene, everyone had assumed it was divine retribution. After all, even in a storm, it¡¯s rare for lightning to strike the same person twice in one night¡ªit was as if the heavens were determined to kill him.


    But now... a perfectly scientific exnation had been found.


    However, even though it seemed scientific, it only made the whole thing feel even more unscientific. Think about it¡ªhow many coincidences had to align, and all of them were his own doing. It was as if he was deliberately tempting fate.


    With Yu Baoshan¡¯s knack for self-sabotage, it¡¯s a wonder he hadn¡¯t died sooner.


    Wasn¡¯t this just fate?


    What had Yu Baoshan done to deserve such a punishment?


    ¡°Alright, Little Qin, let¡¯s pack him up and take him away.¡±


    A young man in a police uniform with a whiteb coat over it approached.


    Yes, both Old Qin and Little Qin shared the same surname¡ªall the forensic experts were Qins.


    Director Wang from the neighborhoodmittee stepped forward and said, ¡°Officer Wang, I was wondering if we could ask Old Qin to host a safety workshop for ourmunity. It¡¯s the rainy season now, with frequent thunderstorms. We¡¯d like to learn how to stay safe.¡±


    While no one in their right mind would go around cutting wires, they had heard about how certain knife materials could conduct electricity, which was something they didn¡¯t fully understand. As a responsible director, she felt it was her duty to organize such a workshop to educate everyone.


    Officer Wang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. How about this¡ªI¡¯ll file a reportter and have Old Qine over to give a few lectures. We can cover some everyday safety tips too.¡±


    ¡°That would be great.¡±


    If done well, this initiative could also count as a political achievement.


    Director Wang was pleased. The neighborhoodmittee, seeing this gaining momentum, chimed in, ¡°We¡¯d like to join as well.¡±


    Officer Wang replied, ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Usually, they were quite full of themselves, but now they were being polite. Who wouldn¡¯t be? They were scared too. Yu Baoshan¡¯s death was just too eerie. They spent their days criticizing others for superstition, but that didn¡¯t mean they didn¡¯t harbor some beliefs themselves. This incident was just too strange.


    If you said it wasn¡¯t divine retribution, no one would believe you.


    Officer Wang had finished the investigation, and everyone was starting to leave. He waved to the crowd in the pouring rain and said, ¡°Everyone, head back now. It¡¯s not safe to stay outside for too long during a thunderstorm.¡±


    He then turned and quietly instructed, ¡°We need to get these wires fixed as soon as possible to avoid any further idents.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Officer Wang then asked, ¡°What about Yu Baoshan¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°Ever since he hit Bai Fendou¡¯s father with a brick yesterday, his family has been keeping their distance, afraid of getting involved.¡±


    Officer Wang shook his head slightly,menting theck of familial affection.


    But in these times, it wasn¡¯t umon for family members to turn against each other. In his line of work, he had seen it all. After a while, it didn¡¯t faze him anymore. Different people react differently¡ªit¡¯s just the way of the world.


    He ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s wrap it up.¡±


    Director Wang, however, didn¡¯t leave immediately. Instead, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go too. We should remind everyone in this area to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Even in the heavy rain, they had to carry out their duties. Safety was paramount. People stood around in small groups, reluctant to go home. While they were afraid of death, there was always that lingering thought¡ªsuch bizarre things wouldn¡¯t happen to them.


    No one seemed particrly eager to leave.


    The crowd began to chatter: "What do you think Yu Baoshan did that was so bad he got struck by lightning?"


    "It wasn¡¯t because of the environment or the power lines or something like that¡­" Many had heard the exnation but didn¡¯t quite understand it. Still, they knew they had to be careful in such situations in the future, or they¡¯d be in trouble.


    "Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Even if it was because of those things, he still got struck by lightning. And didn¡¯t you hear what the old man said? He cut the power line himself. He brought it on himself. Isn¡¯t that just asking for it?"


    "That¡¯s true. He really¡­ But what about his family?"


    "They¡¯re probably too ashamed to show their faces. Yesterday they didn¡¯te out because they were afraid Bai Fendou would hold them ountable and demandpensation. Now they¡¯re noting out because they¡¯re too embarrassed. I mean, he was struck by lightning! Who knows what kind of evil deeds he must have done."


    "He broke up his sister¡¯s rtionship, sent her to the countryside, and stole her job. Isn¡¯t that enough? Her boyfriend broke up with her because she was sent down to the countryside with no hope of returning. And then Yu Baoshan went to him demanding money, causing a scene if he didn¡¯t get it. I heard he extorted 150 yuan from him. Can you believe how shameless he was? Then, when the guy got engaged to someone else, Yu Baoshan showed up again. The guy¡¯s parents were so scared of him they had no choice but to give him another 50 yuan. And he didn¡¯t even work at the job he stole from his sister. He just wore a red armband and wandered around all day, but the factory still had to pay him. If they didn¡¯t, he¡¯d use them of something. The textile factory has suffered because of him for a long time." This person clearly knew a lot about the situation.


    "Oh, by the way, what¡¯s going to happen to his job now that he¡¯s dead?"


    "I know, I know. I live in the same courtyard as his family. None of them went to work today. They¡¯ve been arguing behind closed doors all day, fighting over who gets Yu Baoshan¡¯s house and his job. It¡¯s a mess. Yu Baoshan had a room to himself, and now they¡¯re all fighting over it. And the job¡ªit was originally his sister¡¯s¡­"


    "Do you think the girl cane back?" This was Ming Mei, who had been listening to the gossip in the crowd. She chimed in, "It was her job in the first ce. Yu Baoshan took it from her. Shouldn¡¯t it be returned to her now?"


    "Ah, young Mrs. Zhuang, you don¡¯t understand. Your family didn¡¯t have anyone sent down to the countryside, did you?"


    Ming Mei nodded. "No, I¡¯m the youngest in my family. I missed the big wave of people being sent down. And I don¡¯t have any younger siblings, so there was no need."


    "Ah, your parents really timed it well. You don¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like. Once you¡¯re sent down, it¡¯s very hard toe back. It¡¯s not just a matter of whether the factory wants you back. There areyers of bureaucracy to navigate, and it¡¯s not easy. Plus, the policies are stricter now. Before, it was just a suggestion to go down to the countryside, but now it¡¯s mandatory. And every family has to send at least one person. There¡¯s no way his family can bring their daughter back."


    Ming Mei sighed.


    Zhuang Zhixi joined the conversation. "I also think it¡¯s impossible for their daughter toe back. But as for the job, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be able to keep it. It¡¯s pointless to fight over it."


    "Why¡¯s that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Think about it. Yu Baoshan was never liked by the leadership. He never showed up for work and used threats to keep his job. Do you think the leaders would want to keep him around? And now he¡¯s died in such a disgraceful way¡ªstruck by lightning after causing trouble. The factory has every reason to get rid of him."


    It¡¯s true that people weren¡¯t usually fired unless they made a big mistake, but Yu Baoshan had injured someone and then gone after them with a knife.


    No one would consider him a good person.


    And, to be a bit cynical, if they fired him, it would free up a position that they could "reassign" to someone else. Of course, that part didn¡¯t need to be said out loud¡ªit didn¡¯t sound very good.


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "We¡¯ll just have to wait for the official announcement. This matter will probably be decided soon."


    "That¡¯s true."


    "Hey, what about Wang Xiangxiu? She came out of the bathroom with Yu Baoshan. Do you think she was really just threatened into going to find Bai Fendou?" Some people were more interested in this kind of gossip. The crowd chuckled suggestively.


    "Who knows? Only she knows the truth."


    "Can¡¯t you think of something positive? Don¡¯t be so cynical. Maybe nothing happened at all. Yu Baoshan wasn¡¯t exactly in a state to do anything, was he?"


    "Hey, that¡¯s not fair. That¡¯s not how it works. The one who¡¯spletely incapable is Zhou Qun. Yu Baoshan wasn¡¯t like that. He couldn¡¯t have children anymore, but he was still capable of other things. He probably could¡¯ve done something."


    Zhuang Zhixi silently pitied his "good neighbor" Zhou Qun, who had been dragged into this for no reason.


    "I don¡¯t think Wang Xiangxiu is innocent. With her face, her figure, and her¡­ assets, Yu Baoshan couldn¡¯t have resisted her¡­"


    "Not necessarily¡­"


    Director Wang interrupted, "Alright, alright, stop talking about this. If nothing happened, then don¡¯t spread rumors. Don¡¯t ruin her reputation. She¡¯s a single mother, and it¡¯s not easy for her. Plus, she¡¯s a victim in all this. Everyone, go home. Go home now."


    "Go home, everyone! Don¡¯t gather outside during a thunderstorm. Go home!" The neighborhoodmittee members began dispersing the crowd.


    "Don¡¯t crowd together. If you want to chat, wait until the weather¡¯s better. Go home, everyone. Go home now."


    Zhuang Zhixi took Ming Mei¡¯s hand. "Let¡¯s go home."


    Ming Mei nodded softly. She had taken three days off work.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was trying to ck off. Zhao Guihua had insisted, saying thatst night¡¯s events had been too frightening and that Ming Mei needed to rest at home to avoid any risk to her pregnancy.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only reason.


    Zhao Guihua was also worried about Ming Mei going back to work as a bus conductor. Even though Ming Mei had been transferred to a different position, Zhao Guihua still wasn¡¯tfortable with it. So she took advantage of the situation to have Ming Mei take a few days off.


    Ming Mei didn¡¯t know what Zhao Guihua was thinking, but she trusted her premonitory dreams, so she listened to her mother-inw. Both of them had their own thoughts, but they were on the same page. Zhao Guihua said, "When the rain lets up this afternoon, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital for another check-up. We need to be careful."


    Ming Mei replied, "Alright."


    The Zhuang family headed home together. Even though such a big incident had happened the night before, not many people had taken the day off. People back then weren¡¯t the type to ck off. They were diligent and rarely missed a day of work.


    In their courtyard, only four people had taken the day off.


    One was Bai Fendou. His father was in the hospital, and his condition was serious, so he had no choice but to take care of him.


    The second was Jiang Lu. She had finally gotten pregnant, and she was extremely cautious. She¡¯d take time off at the slightest hint of trouble. She was taking half the month off and didn¡¯t care about her sry. While some people had issues with this, there wasn¡¯t much they could say.


    Again, as long as you didn¡¯t make a big mistake, state-owned enterprises wouldn¡¯t fire you.


    And Jiang Lu worked in the Women¡¯s Federation, which was a rtively easy department. Her absence didn¡¯t affect the work. As for the sry deductions, Jiang Lu didn¡¯t care. Of course she didn¡¯t care. Even though she¡¯d been handing over her sry all these years, after the recent incident, she had taken control of Zhou Qun¡¯s sry. Zhou Qun had saved up 5,000 yuan, which was a huge sum back then. Jiang Lu suspected he had even more, and she nned to slowly take it all. The 5,000 yuan was just a lump sum he¡¯d deposited in the bank.


    Don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange that Zhou Qun had 5,000 yuan. It¡¯s not strange at all. Jiang Lu had been covering all the household expenses, and Zhou Qun had been working for over a decade. He started working early, at fourteen or fifteen. Even though he had to support his family in the early years, after Jiang Lu married into the family, he stopped contributing to the household. Because he had a "good rtionship" with his mentor¡¯s wife, he had connections and rose through the ranks quickly. His sry was high from the start, and he¡¯d been getting raises over the years.


    So 5,000 yuan was actually on the low side for him.


    Although he handed over the bankbook, Jiang Lu believed that he still had some money that wasn¡¯t deposited in the bank. This wasn¡¯t surprising, as people nowadays still preferred to keep cash on hand. So, it was likely that only a portion of his money was in the bank. Jiang Lu had no evidence of exactly how much he still had, but she was determined to get her hands on it eventually.


    Besides this money, she also retrieved the thousand yuan from her mother-inw. Her mother-inw had been taken from the hospital in a hurry, leaving no time to hide the money again. Thest time there was a theft, Jiang Lu had seen where the old woman hid her money. Now that her mother-inw wasn¡¯t around, Jiang Lu simply took it all.


    As for getting it back? Forget about it.


    That money was rightfully hers.


    It was her sry, and she had already been more than generous with the old woman. But from now on, there would be no more of that. Jiang Lu now had six thousand yuan in cash, and she still received her monthly sry. Her childbirth expenses were also covered by her workce, so she wasn¡¯t worried about anything. She could rest and recover without a care in the world.


    Because of this, and because she had been a little scared the night before, coupled with the heavy rain and thunderstorm today, Jiang Lu decided not to go to work.


    Thest ones not going to work were Ming Mei and her husband.


    As ¡°witnesses¡± fromst night, it was understandable that they didn¡¯t go to work. They were too shaken, weren¡¯t they? On the other hand, Wang Xiangxiu, who had also experienced a lotst night, still managed to go to work today. She was truly resilient. She couldn¡¯t bear to miss a day¡¯s work.


    Despite the heavy rain, it didn¡¯t stop people from visiting each other. Soon, someone came to the Zhuang household.


    A group of women sat together, chatting about this and that. Zhuang Zhixi, the only man who hadn¡¯t gone to work, didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit embarrassed.


    Old Wang: ¡°Zhuang Zhixi, isn¡¯t it a pity to miss a day¡¯s work? You don¡¯t seem to have anything wrong with you.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°Nothing wrong with me? Look at my face, isn¡¯t it pale? I was scaredst night.¡±


    Old Wang: ¡°¡­¡±


    He added, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m taking my wife to the hospital this afternoon. We need to make sure everything¡¯s alright.¡±


    The topic shifted to Ming Mei, who gently shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t actually done anythingst night; she had just run over in a hurry and was a bit shaken.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a brave child. How could you, a pregnant woman with two kids, dare to run out like that? What if something had happened?¡±


    Ming Mei scratched her head, feeling a little embarrassed. She said softly, ¡°I just got carried away at the moment. I thought, if no one went to help Zhuang Zhixi, what would happen? Even though running over might have risked a miscarriage, it wasn¡¯t certain. And I was confident I could handle Yu Baoshan. I had to prioritize the person in immediate danger.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, ¡°My wife was just worried about me.¡±


    He chuckled and said, ¡°So you see, having a good wife gives you so much peace of mind. But I¡¯m lucky¡ªnot just my wife, but my mother is also amazing. The women in our family are all strong, so the men can afford to be little guys.¡±


    Uh¡­ Aren¡¯t you embarrassed to say that out loud?


    The women rolled their eyes in unison, a sea of eye-rolls.


    Zhuang Zhixi remained unfazed and continued, ¡°If people knew, they¡¯d be so jealous that I found such a good wife.¡±


    ¡°Zhuang Zhixi¡­¡± Old Wang wanted to say something, but seeing that her friend Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t say anything, she decided to let it go. She just said, ¡°You¡¯d better be careful.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixiughed.


    ¡°By the way, did Ming Mei take leave from work?¡±


    ¡°She did. Luo Xiaohe helped her apply for it,¡± Zhao Guihua said. She usually called Luo Xiaohe by her name because, although Luo Xiaohe was technically a generation older in terms of family rtions, she was only two or three years older than Zhao Guihua and looked even younger. Standing side by side, people would assume Zhao Guihua was the older one. So, calling Luo Xiaohe ¡°Auntie¡± was something Zhao Guihua just couldn¡¯t bring herself to do.


    Luo Xiaohe worked as a temporary employee at a bookstore near the bus station where Ming Mei worked, so she had offered to help Ming Mei apply for leave early in the morning. In such circumstances, they couldn¡¯t deny her the time off, could they?


    Ming Mei: ¡°I took three days off. I¡¯ll submit the medical certificate when I go back to work.¡±


    So, she really did need to go to the hospital; otherwise, taking three days off without a medical certificate would be hard to justify. Her leave was different from Jiang Lu¡¯s. Ming Mei¡¯s was a medical leave with a certificate, so thepany would cover it, and her sry wouldn¡¯t be deducted.


    Jiang Lu, on the other hand, simply said she wasn¡¯t feeling well and didn¡¯t go to work. Although it was also ¡°illness,¡± without a medical certificate or proof, it was considered personal leave, which meant her sry would be deducted. But Jiang Lu didn¡¯t seem to care about that.


    Ming Mei: ¡°Luckily, things are slow in our department.¡±


    However, what Ming Mei didn¡¯t know was that not going to work today actually saved her some trouble.


    Sometimes, things just happen for a reason.


    Today, the bus team came to borrow someone, and they specifically asked for Ming Mei.


    If Ming Mei had been at work¡­ well, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed, but it would have caused some awkwardness.


    At the bus station, Jiang Baohong, the new female leader of the bus team, came to the office to borrow someone.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Half a month ago, the previous leader of the bus team had retired, and Jiang Baohong, a woman in her forties, had taken over. She had immediately started making big changes. A new broom sweeps clean, and she was no exception. First, she required drivers and attendants to clean the bus windows every morning. Second, she strictly prohibited internal shift swaps.


    In the bus team, because shifts were irregr, employees would arrange their days off in advance. But sometimes, unexpected things came up, so the attendants would often swap shifts among themselves.


    For example, even though today was supposed to be Xiao Hong¡¯s shift, Xiao Green would actually work instead. Xiao Hong would take the day off, and when it was Xiao Green¡¯s turn to work, Xiao Hong would return the favor.


    This was their own arrangement, and in the bus station¡¯s official records, it would still show the originally scheduled person. This wasn¡¯t like decadester; back then, this was amon practice, and as long as the work got done, no one minded.


    But Jiang Baohong outright banned it.


    She was all about rules. Was she right? Yes.


    But for everyone else, it was just annoying. Who didn¡¯t have emergencies sometimes? Swapping shifts was better than taking a day off, which would mean losing a day¡¯s pay.


    But Jiang Baohong didn¡¯t care about that.


    In addition, she also demanded that attendants strictly crack down on theft on the buses. No one was to be let off.


    Everything Jiang Baohong did was technically correct, but it made everyone ufortable.


    She expected the attendants to catch thieves, but not everyone was like Ming Mei. Most attendants were delicate women, while the thieves were often burly men. It was a dangerous task.


    Since Jiang Baohong took over, the bus team had been filled withints.


    Jiang Baohong had heard about Ming Mei¡¯s prowess. After all, Ming Mei had been rewarded several times for catching thieves, and it was all on record. Jiang Baohong had wanted to use Ming Mei as a poster child.


    She had even nned to transfer Ming Mei to a long-distance route with more thieves. That way, if Ming Mei caught thieves, it would reflect well on Jiang Baohong as her direct supervisor. If she could take credit for it, even better.


    It would show how effective her leadership was!


    She had it all nned out, but to her dismay, she found out that Ming Mei had been transferred to the office as a statistician.


    This infuriated her.


    She thought her predecessor was aplete idiot, a real fool who had only made things harder for her. She had everything nned, but it had all fallen apart.


    She wanted to have someone transferred back immediately, but that was just wishful thinking. She was in charge of the vehicle team, which was a different department from the office. The office director and the vehicle team director were of the same rank, so she had no authority to transfer someone from the office.


    Moreover, even if a transfer were possible, it would require the person¡¯s consent. Forcing it was out of the question.


    However, Jiang Baohong didn¡¯t even consider Ming Mei¡¯s feelings. She believed she could persuade Ming Mei. What was the problem? Women should strive harder. How could they waste their days in an office? They should be pushing themselves to achieve more!


    She had it all figured out, but she couldn¡¯t force the office¡¯s hand. The office didn¡¯t think much of her either, and who could me them? Most of the staff at the bus station were old acquaintances, and many of the younger employees had taken over their parents¡¯ jobs to avoid being sent to the countryside.


    In other words, most of them were long-time colleagues. Jiang Baohong, as a neer parachuted into the position, was already stirring up trouble. Who would give her any respect?


    If she really wanted to do well, she could work hard on her own, but she kept making demands on others, stepping on people to climb higher, which only made her more unpopr. On top of that, Ming Mei was pregnant with twins. Who would dare mess with that?


    So the office simply ignored Jiang Baohong¡¯s request.


    Jiang Baohong had heard that Ming Mei was pregnant, but she didn¡¯t think it was a big deal. People used to work through minor injuries, didn¡¯t they? Pregnancy was just a temporary condition. Back in the day, women even gave birth in the fields. Why couldn¡¯t Ming Mei hold her post until the end?


    If something happened to the baby, it was just fate. Such a child wouldn¡¯t be healthy anyway, so it was better not to have it. Jiang Baohong didn¡¯t see any issue with wanting to transfer Ming Mei back to the vehicle team as a ticket seller. She thought she was helping Ming Mei improve herself.


    However, her work wasn¡¯t going smoothly. She knew the rtionships here wereplicated, and it was hard for a neer to make a mark. But she didn¡¯t think she was in the wrong. Instead, she believed that oveing these challenges would prove herpetence.


    Her first move was to try to use Ming Mei. She wanted Ming Mei to help catch thieves on the bus. Transferring someone wasn¡¯t an option, but since no one was paying attention to her, she decided to borrow someone instead. Coincidentally, it was raining heavily that day, so she rushed over to borrow someone.


    As everyone knew, bus thefts were moremon on rainy days.


    Although she was an outsider transferred from another ce, she was aware of this. Raincoats and wet conditions made it easier for thieves to operate unnoticed. Statistics showed that thefts were more frequent during bad weather like rain or snow.


    So early in the morning, she hurried over to borrow someone.


    She didn¡¯t realize that her actions were widely criticized. Almost everyone at the bus station disliked her because of this. It wasn¡¯t that everyone liked Ming Mei, or even knew her, but Jiang Baohong¡¯s insistence on sending a pregnant woman to work as a bus attendant to catch thieves¡ªthough she didn¡¯t explicitly say it¡ªwas obvious to everyone.


    This made people think she had no morals.


    If this wasn¡¯t endangering someone, what was?


    She was willing to sacrifice others for her own benefit, even if it meant risking the lives of a pregnant woman and her unborn twins. Herck of concern spoke volumes about her character.


    On top of that, she pressured drivers and attendants to catch thieves and denied them internal leave. All these incidents had already sparked widespread resentment before she could even make a name for herself.


    People thought, if she could treat others like this now, what would happen if she got promoted and had more authority? Wouldn¡¯t she harm them too?


    The vehicle team was already overworked, which was why they received an extra three yuan in subsidies. Yet, she still wanted to stir up trouble. If she were to manage other departments like logistics or the office¡ªces where people could ck off¡ªit would be even worse.


    For these reasons, almost everyone wished she would just leave.


    Jiang Baohong¡¯s poor rtionships didn¡¯t bother her. She understood that people resented her as a woman who had been parachuted into the position, but she wasn¡¯t afraid. She believed she was more capable than most and was determined to reform the station¡¯s deep-rooted problems and achieve results.


    So early in the morning, she went to the office to borrow someone. She had already decided that if they refused, she wouldn¡¯t leave until she got her way.


    A transfer required approval from various departments, but borrowing someone only needed the leader¡¯s consent.


    As for the person¡¯s own wishes?


    Why wouldn¡¯t they agree!


    She had no idea about Ming Mei¡¯s personality. If she did, she would have known that Ming Mei would refuse.


    But she didn¡¯t know that and was determined. ¡°Old Chen, you have to lend her to me. We¡¯re all part of the same unit. If I achieve results, it reflects well on everyone. Besides, she¡¯s so skilled. What can she do in the office? She¡¯d be able to shine in the vehicle team. If she helps me catch thieves, I¡¯ll nominate her for an award. It¡¯s a win-win!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    ¡°So what? Pregnant women can¡¯t work? It¡¯s the modern era¡ªmen and women are equal. If men can work, so can women. She shouldn¡¯t stop working just because she¡¯s pregnant. Besides, giving birth isn¡¯t that hard. If she can keep working and even give birth on the bus, I could get the newspapers to publicize her story. She¡¯d be a model worker, dedicated to her job until the very end. That would be great for our unit¡¯s reputation! If she catches a thief while giving birth, even better. She wouldn¡¯t just get an award¡ªshe¡¯d be abor hero!¡±


    Jiang Baohong was full of herself, getting more excited as she spoke.


    She thought having someone like that in her team would bring her glory as a leader.


    Director Chen looked at this harsh woman in disbelief. How could another woman be so heartless? The more she looked at her, the more disgusted she felt. She believed in women¡¯s equality, but she couldn¡¯t ept Jiang Baohong¡¯s reckless disregard for human life. It was practically the same as harming someone.


    She said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed. First, I can¡¯t lend Ming Mei to you. She¡¯s pregnant, and if something happens, I can¡¯t take the responsibility. As for what you said, I¡¯ll treat it as nonsense and advise you to think carefully before speaking like that again. Second, even if I could lend her to you, she¡¯s not here. Ming Mei had aplication with her pregnancy and took three days off.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Jiang Baohong was furious. ¡°She took three days off just for a pregnancyplication? How spoiled can she be?¡±


    Director Chen thought to herself, ¡°What an idiot. If it weren¡¯t for her connections, someone like her would never have risen to this position. She¡¯s ipetent and hical, even willing to risk lives for her own achievements. I¡¯ve seen shameless people, but never this shameless.¡±


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m short-staffed here. I can¡¯t lend anyone to you¡ªnot Ming Mei, not anyone else.¡±


    She stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you. I have things to attend to.¡±


    Jiang Baohong said, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Her face darkened as Director Chen opened the office door and said, ¡°I need to go to the logistics department. Will you stay here for a while longer?¡±


    Jiang Baohong said, ¡°You¡¯re too lenient with approving leave.¡±


    Director Chen replied, ¡°We¡¯re in a new society now. It¡¯s been over twenty years since liberation. This isn¡¯t the old society where people were exploited. She has the right to take leave.¡±


    Jiang Baohong left, frustrated.


    But she still wondered if Director Chen had lied to her on purpose. She went to the office and asked, ¡°Which desk is Ming Mei¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°That one over there.¡±


    She looked and saw it was empty.


    ¡°Ming Mei took leave.¡±


    Jiang Baohong¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Such a petty, selfish mentality!¡±


    A woman knitting quickly put her knitting away and pretended to work. Although Jiang Baohong wasn¡¯t their direct supervisor, everyone knew how unpleasant she was. It wasn¡¯t fear¡ªthey just didn¡¯t want to deal with her.


    After all, they¡¯d heard she had some connections.


    The office staff exchanged nces, silently mocking her. After Jiang Baohong left, someone whispered, ¡°We can¡¯t let this woman get promoted. If she ends up managing us, we¡¯ll never get a day off.¡±


    The older sister who had been secretly knitting earlier nodded in deep agreement.


    ¡°Look at her now, making all these demands on the team, it¡¯s pitiful to see.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just being difficult.¡±


    Jiang Baohong didn¡¯t get her way and was furious.


    Meanwhile, Ming Mei had already gone to the hospital with Zhuang Zhixi. She kept sneezing, and Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her back, asking, ¡°How are you feeling? Did you catch a coldst night?¡±


    Ming Mei shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    She rubbed her nose, feeling that it wasn¡¯t too bad.


    Ming Mei joked, ¡°Maybe someone¡¯s talking about me behind my back.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled. ¡°Who would be talking about you?¡±


    Ming Mei shrugged. ¡°Who knows? Maybe my colleagues? They¡¯re quite fond of me, so maybe they¡¯re just concerned?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi clicked his tongue, and Ming Mei yfully punched him. The two of them teased each other until Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s our turn now.¡±


    Although Ming Mei seemed fine after rushing outst night, they couldn¡¯t be entirely sure.


    Zhuang Zhixi handed over the registration slip along with a rolled-up one-yuan bill. The elderly doctor sighed, ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled naturally. ¡°Please take a look at my wife. She¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t mention the money.


    The doctor pointed at him from a distance. ¡°There¡¯s no need for this. I¡¯ll treat her properly. What¡¯s the point of doing this?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°It¡¯s only right. My wife is carrying twins, so we need to be extra careful. We, as family members, don¡¯t know much, so we¡¯ll have to trouble you often. Even the slightest issue might require your attention.¡±


    He continued earnestly, ¡°We¡¯re already imposing on you so much, how could we not show our gratitude? Besides, I used to work in the clinic and had connections here. Now that I¡¯ve moved to a different department, I don¡¯t want to lose touch. It¡¯s only natural for a younger generation to show respect to their elders.¡±


    The doctor was both amused and exasperated by his excuses.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled. ¡°Please take a look at my wife. Last night, she was running around¡­¡±


    The doctor nced at him again but didn¡¯t say anything more.


    As it turned out, being cautious was indeed wise. Although Ming Mei felt fine, her pulse was slightly irregr, indicating thatst night¡¯s events had affected her, whether it was the shock or the physical exertion. The doctor advised seriously, ¡°I rmend your wife rest at home for a week.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Is she¡­¡±


    ¡°Your wife has indeed experienced some instability in her pregnancy. She might feel fine because she¡¯s usually healthy, but her pulse is a bit irregr. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be a big issue, but since she¡¯s carrying twins, extra caution is necessary. Resting now is a precautionary measure. It¡¯s better to prevent problems than to deal with themter, which would be hard on both the mother and the babies.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded.


    Ming Mei asked cautiously, ¡°Is there anything I should be extra careful about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll write down some precautions for you. Also, you should focus on nutrition. Eat well¡­¡± The doctor looked up at Ming Mei. ¡°Well, you probably don¡¯tck for food, but you¡¯re eating for three now. If you have the means, eat even better.¡±


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She smiled softly, feeling a bit more at ease.


    It had to be said that while pregnancy was a shared experience with her husband, seeing the doctor at times like this was more reassuring than seeing her man.


    This was no exaggeration.


    As the doctor wrote down the precautions, Ming Mei carefully tucked them into her pocket.


    ¡°Your condition isn¡¯t too severe, so I won¡¯t prescribe any medication. Focus on dietary supplements at home.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    The young couple left the hospital with the medical records. Zhuang Zhixi had one arm around Ming Mei, which would have been considered inappropriate in public, but since Ming Mei was visibly pregnant, it was fine.


    He held his wife with one arm and carried a bag with the other, being extremely careful.


    Ming Meiughed. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡±


    ¡°Still, we need to be cautious.¡±


    Ming Mei said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to need so much rest. I don¡¯t feel anything wrong. I thought they¡¯d prescribe a bunch of pregnancy medications, but they didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself that while the seven-day leave was due to Ming Mei¡¯s unstable pregnancy, it might also have something to do with that one-yuan bill¡­


    He didn¡¯t say anything, just smiled. ¡°The doctor said to focus on dietary supplements. I¡¯ll ask Mom to make you steamed egg with minced meat tonight.¡±


    Ming Mei swallowed. ¡°That sounds great.¡±


    She mumbled, ¡°Ever since I got pregnant, I¡¯ve been craving food more than ever.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not you craving food. It¡¯s the babies. They¡¯re the ones who are hungry.¡±


    Ming Mei burst outughing.


    The couple returned home, where everyone was still chatting. Zhao Guihua immediately asked, ¡°How is she?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°The doctor said she¡¯s a bit unstable and needs to rest for a week. He¡¯s prescribed a week of leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡±


    ¡°Pregnant women need to be careful¡­¡±


    To everyone, a week of rest prescribed by the doctor was a big deal.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy being pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Definitely not.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°You all stay here. I¡¯m going to Ming Mei¡¯s workce.¡±


    They needed to submit the medical records. If it were just three days, Zhuang Zhixi would have waited for Ming Mei to bring them when she returned to work, but since it was a week, he decided to deliver them personally. Three days and seven days were quite different, and he didn¡¯t want to disrupt their work.


    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡±


    He held Ming Mei¡¯s hand. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, lie down for a bit.¡±


    Ming Mei shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I want to chat with everyone.¡±


    Who doesn¡¯t love a good gossip session?


    Everyone understood, and Zhuang Zhixi smiled as he left.


    Truth be told, he visited Ming Mei¡¯s workce often, but this was the first time he went upstairs. He registered at the security desk downstairs before heading to Director Chen¡¯s office with the medical records. ¡°Hello, Director Chen. I¡¯m Ming Mei¡¯s husband, Zhuang Zhixi. I¡¯m here to deliver her medical records. The hospital rmended a week of rest, and my wife didn¡¯t want to disrupt work, so she asked me to bring them over immediately.¡±


    Director Chen nodded. ¡°I recognize you. You always pick her up.¡±


    She looked down at the records and was surprised. ¡°A week of rest?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, putting on a concerned expression. ¡°Yes, the doctor said she¡¯s unstable and needs to rest. It¡¯s mainly because ofst night¡¯s scare¡­¡±


    Director Chen quickly asked, ¡°I only heard that Ming Mei needed leave due to instability, but I don¡¯t know the details. What happened? Did you not take good care of your wife?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi hesitated. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a long story¡­¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi began, ¡°A while ago, a young man from ourpound got into a fight with a neighbor from the nextpound. He ended up injuring the neighbor¡­ down there.¡±


    Director Chen nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, ¡°Yesterday morning, it was confirmed that the injured man can no longer have children. So, he went crazy and attacked ourpound in the afternoon¡­¡±


    He recounted the story vividly, concluding, ¡°I was unlucky enough to run into him when I went to the bathroom at night. He tried to kill me to cover his tracks, but just as he was about to strike, a bolt of lightning hit him. My wife was terrified when she ran out, and that¡¯s why she¡¯s unstable now.¡±


    Director Chen was silent for a long time. Finally, she said, ¡°So, the story about someone being struck by lightning was from yourpound.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. ¡°Yes. Has it already spread that far?¡±


    Director Chen nodded, "Indeed, it seems the whole city knows about it by now."


    After all, such a bizarre and superstitious incident spreads like wildfire.


    Director Chen continued, "Well, that''s that. Come with me. Let Ming Mei rest at home. I''ll take you to the personnel department to hand this over."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Alright, thank you."


    "No problem, it''s the least I can do. Ming Mei''s mother and I go way back."


    The two of them headed to the personnel department. Director Chen immediately started chatting, "Hey, did you hear? About the one who got struck by lightning..."


    Zhuang Zhixi... couldn''t leave now.


    "Ah, I heard it happened twice?"


    "What does it look like when someone gets struck by lightning? Did you see it?"


    "Just thinking about it gives me the chills."


    "Xiao Zhuang, right? Tell Ming Mei to rest at home. Coming to work now would only invite trouble..."


    It wasn¡¯t just their courtyard neighbors who were gossiping; everyone was. Hearing this, Zhuang Zhixi immediately asked, "Trouble? What kind of trouble could a pregnant woman possibly invite?"


    "Ugh, there are always those shameless ones. About half a month ago, a woman was transferred here. She¡¯s really... Even though we¡¯re all women, she doesn¡¯t seem to understand the struggles women face. All she cares about is how much she can benefit. You have no idea, this person..."


    Zhuang Zhixi listened with a smile, paying close attention.


    In no time, Zhuang Zhixi had a rough idea of what was going on. His expression remained unchanged, and he said with a smile, "She probably doesn¡¯t know about Ming Mei¡¯s condition. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be saying such things. Ming Mei¡¯s current state requires her to rest more, as per the doctor¡¯s orders. She can¡¯t even work as a bus conductor catching thieves right now. Even if she were to work normally, she¡¯d likely need frequent leave. Of course, one should strive in their work, but her health and circumstances don¡¯t allow it. There¡¯s just no way around it. Ming Mei¡¯s been feeling down about not being able to work, so I¡¯ve been telling her not to overthink it and to focus on taking care of her health."


    "Exactly."


    "You¡¯re quite naive, always seeing the good in people. Some just want to step on others to get ahead."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, looking innocent and pure, "That can¡¯t be true, can it?"


    "Are you stupid?"


    Zhuang Zhixi remained pure, his smile radiant.


    However, no one pressed the issue further. Everyone was more curious about the lightning strike victim.


    After finishing his leave application, Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t linger, leaving the gossip to the others. But no one knew that as soon as he left Ming Mei¡¯s workce, his expression darkened. Instead of going home, he headed straight to his mother-inw¡¯s house...


    Someone was scheming against his wife, and he needed to find out who this woman was and where this mad dog hade from.


    Zhuang Zhixi rode his bike towards his mother-inw¡¯s house and unexpectedly saw a familiar face from their courtyard¡ªHu Huihui.


    Hu Huihui imed to have fled her home to escape an arranged marriage and now worked as a temporary worker at the cultural center, earning ten yuan a month. But at this moment, she wasing out of another ce¡ªthe localmittee.


    She walked out with a sling bag, apanied by someone else.


    Well, Zhuang Zhixi recognized this person too.


    It was Deputy Director Zheng, the one who had been leading the team cleaning the toilets at their alley entrance for days. Not just Zhuang Zhixi, even little Yanzi from the kindergarten could recognize him at a nce.


    The two of them walked east together, with Hu Huihui seemingly having some trouble with her legs, swaying and leaning into Deputy Director Zheng.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    So, hering to the courtyard was indeed for ulterior motives.


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, not bothering to figure out what this woman was up to. It was probably what he suspected anyway.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t want to say much more; he just needed to keep it in mind. He sped towards his mother-inw¡¯s house, pedaling like the wind, turning the corner in a sh...


    Meanwhile, Hu Huihui was saying to Deputy Director Zheng, "My cousin definitely lied. She slept with Yu Baoshan, I¡¯m sure of it."


    She was very excited, but Deputy Director Zheng didn¡¯t care about that.


    He was more interested in whether there was any news about hidden treasures.


    He wasn¡¯t interested in these affairs.


    Unless it was his own.


    "So, she¡¯s hiding it because she¡¯s close to Yu Baoshan?"


    Hu Huihui: "I¡¯m not sure, I can¡¯t say for certain, but she can¡¯t hide it, no way, hehe..."


    Wang Xiangxiu had always been rude to her, but now, she wasn¡¯t going to let it slide!


    She was going to make sure everyone knew about this.


    You, Wang Xiangxiu, took money and still treated me poorly?


    Well, I¡¯m not to be messed with either!


    Hu Huihui cackled, feeling immensely satisfied...


    Now, she had caught your little secret!

 Chapter 111

    The rain poured heavily, and pedestrians hurried along the streets.


    Zhuang Zhixi rode his bicycle back home, a cloth bag hanging from the handlebars, already soaked by the rain. He didn¡¯t care much about it, pedaling so fast that he identally sshed through a puddle, sending water flying everywhere.


    Luckily, it wasn¡¯t rush hour, or he would¡¯ve earned himself a scolding for sshing someone.


    Zhuang Zhixi swiftly turned into the alley. The charred corpse that had been lying there that morning had already been taken away. Truth be told, Zhuang Zhixi hadn¡¯t dared to look at it. He wasn¡¯t a coward, but there was no need to give himself nightmares, was there?


    The area, which had been crowded with onlookers earlier, was now clean, as if nothing had happened.


    Zhuang Zhixi rode into the courtyard and almost collided with Jii and his two siblings, who were rushing out in their raincoats. Jii shouted, ¡°Move out of the way, pretty boy!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted, ¡°You little brat! If you call me that again, I¡¯ll smack you. Who do you think you are?¡±


    Jii stuck out his tongue and dashed off, followed by his brothers, who started throwing stones into the roadside ditch.


    Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes. He couldn¡¯t care less about what those little rascals were up to. He hurried home, calling out before he even entered the house.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back!¡±


    He added, ¡°Ming Mei, your mom sent you some treats.¡±


    Ming Mei was surprised. ¡°Oh, you went to my mom¡¯s ce?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. ¡°You took a week off, and I knew the news would reach your mom soon. I didn¡¯t want her to worry ande over in this heavy rain, so I went to reassure her. Look, she sent you a pig¡¯s trotter and some peanuts. Let¡¯s make a peanut stew with the trotter tonight. It¡¯ll be delicious.¡±


    Ming Mei¡¯s mouth watered at the thought. ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Zhao Guihua took the cloth bag from Zhuang Zhixi and found a sizable pig¡¯s trotter inside, along with a pack of wood ear mushrooms and peanuts. She handed a handful of peanuts to Ming Mei and ced the rest on the kitchen counter.


    She sighed. ¡°Next time you visit your mother-inw, don¡¯t act like a bandit looting a vige.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi protested, ¡°Come on, Mom, I¡¯m not like that! It¡¯s just that my mother-inw dotes on her daughter, that¡¯s all.¡±


    He felt his mother was being unfair. Besides, he had gone there for a good reason.


    Speaking of which, he added with a shudder, ¡°By the way, on my way back, I saw the bus you used to work on as a conductor got into an ident.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ming Mei¡¯s hand trembled, and the peanuts she was holding fell to the floor.


    ¡°An ident? What happened? Is everyone okay?¡±


    Zhao Guihua also looked at her son with concern. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Though both women had an idea of what might have happened, they were still anxious for details. Zhuang Zhixi quickly reassured them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I checked, and no one was seriously hurt. A pedestrian crossed the road without looking, and the driver had to brake and swerve to avoid them. The bus ended up hitting a shop¡¯s wall. The driver hit his forehead, and the conductor nearly got thrown out, but she held on tight and only sprained her ankle. Most of the passengers just fell or got minor injuries. Nothing too serious.¡±


    He paused, then added, ¡°The front of the bus was dented, and the windshield shattered.¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, ¡°It gave me a scare. I kept thinking how lucky you were to have transferred out of that job. If you were still the conductor, you might¡¯ve been the one injured. With you being pregnant, it could¡¯ve been much worse. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Thank goodness you¡¯re safe!¡±


    He poured himself a ss of water and sighed. ¡°It was really terrifying.¡±


    Ming Mei felt a bit relieved hearing that no one was seriously hurt. She pursed her lips, thinking that if it had been her, the oue might¡¯ve been worse. But since it wasn¡¯t, she didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    ¡°Why are you spacing out?¡±


    Ming Mei shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, ¡°Oh, I went to your workce to ask for your leave, and guess what? I heard about this shameless woman¡­¡± He thought the woman was out of her mind. She was new and wanted to make a name for herself, but she expected a pregnant woman to work as a conductor just so she could catch thieves and boost her own reputation.


    If something happened?


    Well, ording to her logic, it wouldn¡¯t matter. If something happened, it just meant the baby wasn¡¯t meant to be.


    The thought of that woman made Zhuang Zhixi feel sick.


    Ming Mei¡¯s face darkened when she heard this. ¡°That Jiang Baohong is the worst. Who does she think she is? I¡¯d never listen to her. It¡¯s not like she can fire me anyway.¡±


    Since it was a state-owned enterprise, as long as she didn¡¯t make any major mistakes, she couldn¡¯t be fired. Ming Mei wasn¡¯t worried at all. She added, ¡°She¡¯s got her head screwed on wrong.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°I asked your mom about her. Turns out Jiang Baohong only finished fourth grade. She got her position because of her husband, who¡¯s a deputy director. That¡¯s why she acts so high and mighty, but she¡¯s really nothing special.¡±


    Ming Mei squinted, realizing that was probably another reason he went to her mom¡¯s ce¡ªto gather information.


    But then she sighed. ¡°Oh no.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Even if she has connections, she can¡¯t force you to do anything. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Ming Mei shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    She lowered her voice. ¡°I¡¯m worried¡­ my dad will go after Jiang Baohong.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi was confused. ¡°What?¡±


    Ming Mei muttered, ¡°My dad adores me. If he finds out she tried to mess with me, he¡¯ll definitely do something about it. Oh no, what if he causes trouble?¡±


    She started pacing around the room, growing more anxious. Zhuang Zhixi quickly grabbed her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Your mom¡¯s sensible. She¡¯ll stop your dad from doing anything rash. Really, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts. Your dad¡¯s not a child. He knows what¡¯s appropriate. Just focus on taking care of yourself, especially with the baby on the way.¡±


    Ming Mei scratched her head, and Zhuang Zhixi smiled. ¡°Be good, okay?¡±


    Ming Mei let out a soft huff. Zhuang Zhixi was about to say something else when they heard Bai Fendou¡¯s voice outside. He wasn¡¯ting to their house but was calling out to Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Sister Xiu, are you home?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi hade home earlier than most since he wasn¡¯t working that day. Wang Xiangxiu hadn¡¯t returned yet. Aunt Su came out and asked, ¡°Fendou, how¡¯s your dad? I¡¯ve been so worried. Is he okay?¡±


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°Thankfully, he¡¯s fine. That Yu Baoshan is a real piece of work. If he¡¯s got a problem, he shoulde at me, not my dad.¡±


    He was clearly furious.


    Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi exchanged nces and immediately went to the window to watch.


    Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen weren¡¯t far behind. Honestly, having a strong figure in the family wasn¡¯t a bad thing. In the Zhuang household, Zhao Guihua kept things in order. Liang Meifen wasn¡¯t exactly easy to deal with, but Zhao Guihua¡¯s authority kept her in check. Over time, she had calmed down.


    Of course, the rest of the courtyard residents were so entric that the Zhuang family seemed almost normal inparison.


    The four of them stood by the window, watching the drama unfold. Aunt Su was quite the actress¡ªher eyes could well up with tears at a moment¡¯s notice. She wasn¡¯t particrly attractive, or she might¡¯ve caught more than just Old Man Bai in her younger days.


    If she had the looks of Wang Xiangxiu, she could have already opened a fish pond for the elderly by now.


    Aunt Su, with reddened eyes, said, "How long will your father need to rest? If you''re too busy with work, leave this matter to me. I¡¯ll take care of your dad. Your family has helped us so much, and I¡¯ve never been able to repay you. Don¡¯t be polite with me now."


    Aunt Su was always so shrewd. She constantly coaxed Old Man Bai into giving her money, but she never actually treated him well. It was all just sweet talk; she rarely even helped with washing clothes or cooking meals. It was essentially freebor.


    But her clevernessy in the fact that although she never lifted a finger in daily life, she would immediately step up to help during major events in the Bai family. This genuine assistance made the Bai father and son deeply grateful to her.


    They never felt that Aunt Su was taking advantage of them or that her small favors were expected. Instead, they believed that Aunt Su was a true friend in times of need.


    Bai Fendou was thinking exactly this way at the moment. He was instantly moved and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Aunt Su, in our courtyard, you¡¯re the best."


    Aunt Su smiled gently, and Bai Fendou added, "I knew it. Others can¡¯t be relied on, but you¡¯re the most dependable."


    Aunt Su replied, "What¡¯s this talk of being dependable? Do we need to be so formal with each other?"


    She continued softly, "I¡¯m well aware of all the help you and your father have given us over the years."


    Bai Fendou said, "Well, neighbors should help each other out."


    He feltpletely at ease, enjoying the feeling of being relied upon, as if he were a savior. He chuckled and said, "It¡¯s all small stuff. Your family has been good to me too."


    It hadn¡¯t urred to him before, but Aunt Su was right. If she took care of his father, he could go back to work as usual.


    He asked, "Aunt Su, are you really sure you can take care of my dad?"


    Aunt Su smiled, "Of course, why wouldn¡¯t I be able to?"


    She lowered her eyes and added, "But you know, it¡¯s just my daughter, Xiu¡¯er, who¡¯s working to support our family of five. If I have to buy meals for Old Man Bai, I¡¯m afraid¡­"


    She hesitated, pinching her fingers. Bai Fendou said, "Oh, is that all? Don¡¯t worry about it. That¡¯s my responsibility. I can¡¯t let you spend your money. I know your family¡¯s situation well. How about this? I¡¯ll give you one yuan a day to handle my dad¡¯s three meals. Does that work?"


    Aunt Su smiled, "Of course, that works."


    One yuan a day for three meals was a good deal for her. If she fed Old Man Bai something nutritious, like an egg, she could still save money. But she had no intention of feeding him that well.


    A meal costing ten cents was already quite decent, and she could easily save seventy cents. She smiled contentedly and said, "Shall we start tomorrow?"


    Bai Fendou replied, "Yes, tomorrow."


    He added, "The factory can¡¯t do without me."


    From a distance, Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s eyes flickered, thinking, "Of course, the factory can¡¯t do without you. The toilets are almost overflowing. If you don¡¯t go to work, who¡¯s going to clean them? This heavy rain has made everything so messy. If you¡¯re not there, who¡¯s going to take care of the toilets?"


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered under his breath, and Ming Mei covered her mouth,ughing.


    After finalizing the arrangement with Aunt Su, Bai Fendou said, "Oh, I almost forgot why I came here. Aunt Su, I heard something happened in our neighborhood? Did Yu Baoshan die?"


    He asked excitedly.


    Honestly, he had been terrified when Yu Baoshan suddenly appeared and attacked. No matter how skilled you are, you¡¯re still afraid of a knife. He was genuinely scared that Yu Baoshan woulde after him. The blow Yu Baoshan dealt to his father had been merciless.


    Just thinking about it sent chills down Bai Fendou¡¯s spine. He didn¡¯t know when Yu Baoshan woulde for revenge. So, when he heard the rumor that Yu Baoshan might have been struck by lightning, he rushed back without hesitation.


    He was actually one of thest to know.


    Aunt Su confirmed, "Yes, Yu Baoshan died. He was struck by lightningst night. Such a person, whomitted so many evil deeds, finally got his retribution. Let me tell you, you should be very grateful to your sister Xiu¡¯er."


    Bai Fendou asked, "Why?"


    Aunt Su exined, "Last night, Yu Baoshan kidnapped your sister Xiu¡¯er and tried to force her to lure you out of the hospital so he could kill you. She refused, even when he beat her¡­"


    "What!" Bai Fendou was shocked!


    He was furious, "That bastard! How is sister Xiu¡¯er? Is she okay¡­"


    Bai Fendou was heartbroken. He couldn¡¯t believe that his sister Xiu¡¯er had gone through such an ordeal. Aunt Su, with a pained expression, said, "She¡¯s at work now, hasn¡¯t finished her shift yet. You know our family¡¯s situation. We rely solely on your sister Xiu¡¯er¡¯s ie. She can¡¯t afford to miss work. And yet, there are people spreading rumors that something inappropriate happened between her and Yu Baoshan. It breaks my heart. These people are bullying us, a widow and her child, and they can¡¯t stand to see us doing well. Everyone knows Yu Baoshan was already dered unfit by the hospital, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t havee after you for revenge! But these people love to stir up trouble, always dragging things into the gutter. Xiu¡¯er cried half the nightst night. She¡¯s not afraid of being beaten, but she can¡¯t understand why neighbors would spread such rumors about her."


    Aunt Su cleverly twisted the facts.


    The doctor had said Yu Baoshan couldn¡¯t have children, not that he was impotent. But Aunt Su immediately conted the two issues and brought up the rumors herself. It was better for Bai Fendou to hear it from her, rather than suspecting Wang Xiangxiu after hearing it from someone else. As expected, Bai Fendou was even more furious, "Who are these bastards, Aunt Su? Tell me who¡¯s spreading these lies about sister Xiu¡¯er. I¡¯ll teach them a lesson! How dare they bully a widow and her child!"


    Bai Fendou was hopping mad in the courtyard.


    Someone came out of their house and asked, "Oh, you¡¯re back? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at the hospital taking care of your dad?"


    "Bai Fendou, your enemy was struck by lightning. You must be happy, right?"


    "Wang Xiangxiu almost lost her innocence because of you, you¡­"


    "Shut up! Sister Xiu¡¯er is a pure and good woman. Don¡¯t spread rumors! Who do you think you are?"


    "Hey, are you crazy? Why are you biting everyone¡¯s head off? I didn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯t pure. Why are you barking at me?"


    Bai Fendou clenched his fists, "Say it again. Say it again, and I¡¯ll punch you!"


    "All you know how to do is hit people, as if you¡¯re so tough. You¡­"


    "Grandma, wuwuwu¡­"


    Just then, Toni came running in, "Brother got beaten up again, brother got beaten up again."


    Aunt Su asked, "What happened?"


    Bai Fendou said, "I¡¯ll go take a look."


    He took Toni¡¯s hand and dashed out as if the boy were his own son.


    Zhuang Zhixi decisively said, "I¡¯ll go too."


    Ming Mei added, "I¡¯ming as well."


    Not just them, but others too. Jiang Lu led Wang Zhaodi out the door, clearly having been eavesdropping for a while. Well, who wouldn¡¯t want to watch Bai Fendou¡¯s drama?


    A group of people went out and saw Da Qiang from the neighboring courtyard holding Jii, spanking him and scolding, "You little brat, I¡¯ll teach you to act up, I¡¯ll teach you to be so handsy. Do you dare to do it again?"


    Yii sat in a puddle, crying, "Let go of my brother, let go, let go!"


    Bai Fendou roared, "Da Qiang! What are you doing!"


    Da Qiang was also furious, "What does it look like? Are you blind? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m teaching this little brat a lesson?"


    Bai Fendou let out a yell and charged forward, throwing a punch without hesitation, ready to defend his "son"¡ªwell, not his son, but Jii and Yii. However, Bai Fendou had clearly underestimated Da Qiang¡¯s strength.


    In their courtyard, everyone was rather gentle, making Bai Fendou seem like a tough guy. But the neighboring courtyard was different¡­ Da Qiang was a loader at the factory, known for his brute strength.


    Bai Fendou threw a punch, but Da Qiang countered with one of his own, sending Bai Fendou stumbling back several steps, grimacing in pain.


    Da Qiang: "What''s this? Is this your son? Why are you stepping in? Do you even know what they did? These little brats need to be taught a lesson, or they¡¯ll never learn who¡¯s boss. They¡¯re way too spoiled."


    Aunt Su sobbed: "But you can¡¯t hit children! They¡¯re just kids!"


    "Get out of here! They¡¯re not my kids! Why should I spoil them? Everyone, let me tell you the truth. You don¡¯t know how wicked these kids are. When I got off work, these three brats were squatting by the wall, up to no good. As I passed by the ditch, they threw rocks into it, sshing water all over me! I told them to stop messing around, but they just ignored me."


    "Yeah, that¡¯s true. They did the same to me when I came back. They deliberately sshed water on me," someone chimed in, supporting Da Qiang¡¯s story.


    "I ran into them too¡­"


    "These kids are really out of control. They need to be disciplined."


    "Absolutely."


    Da Qiang: "Listen, I wasn¡¯t even done. I didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it at first. Like Aunt Su said, they¡¯re just kids. But these kids are too wicked. After I got home, I went out to use the toilet, and they threw big rocks into the pit! They were definitely retaliating because I scolded them earlier. Look at these stains on me! Tell me, was I wrong to hit them? I could¡¯ve beaten them to death and still not felt satisfied. What kind of brats are these?"


    "Ugh!"


    "Gross!"


    "That¡¯s disgusting. How could they do that?"


    "Exactly!"


    "They deserved to be beaten!"


    If it were just some mischief, that would be one thing, but who could put up with this?


    No wonder Da Qiang lost his temper. Anyone would have.


    Da Qiang shouted angrily: "Tell me, was I wrong to hit them? Now you¡¯re saying they¡¯re just kids. Why didn¡¯t you discipline them properly? With their behavior, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll end up in jail someday!"


    Da Qiang had a booming voice that shook the heavens.


    He kept talking nonstop, and Aunt Su couldn¡¯t get a word in to smooth things over. Bai Fendou, however, wasn¡¯t having it: "So what? It¡¯s just some stains. Are you not man enough to handle it?"


    He sneered: "You¡¯re not a real man."


    Da Qiang shot back: "You¡¯re the real man? The one whose balls got crushed? The one who got treated like that by another man?"


    That was a soul-crushing blow.


    Bai Fendou: "Aaah!"


    He was trembling with rage: "I¡¯ll kill you!"


    He lunged at Da Qiang, and the two of them started wrestling.


    Ming Mei watched and shook her head, sighing: "What a pointless brawl."


    Wang Zhaodi whispered: "Isn¡¯t this¡­ pretty intense?"


    Coming from the countryside, she¡¯d never seen anything like this. She used to think their vige had its fair share of drama, but after moving to the city, she realized the city was even more chaotic.


    Back in the vige, men didn¡¯t sleep with men, no one got struck by lightning, and men certainly didn¡¯t fight like this. In the vige, it was usually the women who pulled each other¡¯s hair.


    "Da Qiang, be careful! Bai Fendou is known for his ¡®Dragon w¡¯ move. He¡¯s already ruined two men. Watch out!"


    "Yeah, be careful!"


    Compared to Bai Fendou, Da Qiang was more popr, and people were quick to warn him.


    Da Qiang broke out in a cold sweat. That¡¯s right! Bai Fendou was notorious for targeting that area, making sure his victims could never be men again.


    Bai Fendou hadn¡¯t thought of that at first, but after the reminder, he decided to go for it. He reached out for a ¡°heart grab,¡± but Da Qiang was ready and caught his hand.


    Seeing that Bai Fendou was serious, Da Qiang started punching him in the face and body.


    "I¡¯ll beat you to death, you bastard! I¡¯m not even married yet, and you¡¯re trying to ruin me? I¡¯ll kill you!"


    The scene descended into chaos. Meanwhile, the three brats, Jii and his brothers, stumbled to their feet and ran to Aunt Su, who was crying softly as she touched their faces.


    She hated Da Qiang with a passion. How could he be so brutal? How could he hit children?


    Jii was also furious about being beaten and shouted: "Hit him! Hit him in the face! Bai Fendou, you¡¯re useless!" Seeing that Bai Fendou was losing, he wasn¡¯t satisfied, but then he pped andughed: "Dogs fighting each other!"


    This brat didn¡¯t notice the looks of disgust everyone was giving him.


    What a piece of work.


    Jiang Lu, holding her belly, reminded herself that whether she had a boy or a girl, she would never raise them to be like Jii. She was utterly repulsed.


    Wang Zhaodi also thought to herself: Her parents always wanted a boy, but if boys were this annoying, she¡¯d rather they didn¡¯t have one.


    Everyone had their own thoughts, but they all shared the same disgust for Jii.


    Da Qiang and Bai Fendou were locked in a fierce battle, and under Da Qiang¡¯s relentless attacks, Bai Fendou was soon reduced to a lifeless dog. Seeing that Da Qiang had clearly won, someone finally stepped in to break up the fight. Da Qiang, giving them face, pointed at Bai Fendou and said: "I¡¯ll let it go this time, but if there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll beat you again. What a joke."


    He turned around and saw Jii and his brothers still shouting: "Dogs fighting each other!" He cursed: "You little brats, if there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll beat the crap out of you! Pah!"


    After delivering his threats, he pushed through the crowd and headed home.


    Everyone quickly made way, not daring to touch him.


    Who knew if they¡¯d get stained?


    Bai Fendou, seeing that Da Qiang had left, also threw out a threat: "Da Qiang, don¡¯t think you¡¯re so tough. I¡¯m just tired from not sleepingst night. Just wait, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson next time."


    With everyone gone, there was no response.


    Aunt Su, still crying, went to help Bai Fendou up: "How could he be so cruel? Look at your injuries¡­"


    Jii: "Grandma, why are you helping him?"


    What an ungrateful brat. He didn¡¯t care that Bai Fendou had gotten hurt because of him.


    "Don¡¯t say that. Come and help. Your Uncle Bai did this for you."


    "I won¡¯t."


    The three brats didn¡¯t care. Aunt Su cried: "Can someone please help me?"


    Da Qiang had been sttered with filth by the brats and had just fought with Bai Fendou. Who knew if he¡¯d gotten any of it on Bai Fendou? No one stepped forward. Absolutely no one. Zhuang Zhixi decisively said: "Wife, let me take you home."


    Jiang Lu quickly squeezed Wang Zhaodi¡¯s hand, and Wang Zhaodi said: "Sister Jiang Lu, I¡¯ll take you back too."


    "Oh, it¡¯s about time for the family toe home. I should hurry back to make dinner¡­"


    The crowd, which had been packed tight, suddenly dispersed, everyone finding an excuse to leave. Who wanted to help now? Zhuang Zhixi sighed as he got home: "Whenever Bai Fendou is around, the courtyard is always lively."


    "Wait until Aunt Zhoues back. If she finds out Bai Fendou ruined her son, what do you think she¡¯ll do?" Zhao Guihua casually remarked.


    Liang Meifen: "Oh my, just thinking about it is scary."


    She felt like something big was about to happen.


    Definitely, chaos was brewing.


    Well, maybe that¡¯s not the right word.


    But it was urate.


    Since no one helped, Aunt Su took a while to get Bai Fendou back. Coincidentally, they ran into Wang Xiangxiu, who wasing back from work. She helped them into the courtyard. Jii shouted spitefully: "Mom, why are you helping this loser? Why!"


    Wang Xiangxiu was exhausted: "What are you talking about? Your Uncle Bai is a good man. Don¡¯t say that."


    Her life was already hard enough, and her son was making it worse.


    "How are your injuries?"


    "It¡¯s nothing. Just a fight. It¡¯s no big deal."


    Wang Xiangxiu sighed: "The kids don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m sorry you had to go through this."


    Bai Fendou immediately responded, "It¡¯s nothing to feel wronged about. What¡¯s the big deal? A real man shouldn¡¯t care about such things. They¡¯ll understand eventually."


    Wang Xiangxiu chuckled softly and said, "I know."


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu helped Bai Fendou, and many onlookers exchanged meaningful nces. It was after work, and everyone was hurrying home in the heavy rain. Most people had left early.


    Zhou Qun watched their retreating figures and sneered, "He¡¯s just picking up my leftovers."


    Though Zhou Qun was known for his yfulness and charm, when he first pursued Wang Xiangxiu, it wasn¡¯t because he was particrly fond of her. Well, he was, but over time, the novelty wore off. The reason he kept the rtionship going was the psychological satisfaction of feeling superior.


    The men in the factory admired Wang Xiangxiu, and Bai Fendou had been infatuated with her for years, but none of them had won her over. Only he, Zhou Qun, had seeded. That sense of being better than others was what thrilled him the most.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t what he used to be, that feeling of superiority still lingered.


    However, as he stared at Bai Fendou, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that Bai Fendou was ungrateful. It was an honor for him to even be noticed by Zhou Qun, yet Bai Fendou had acted out, depriving him of his simplest pleasures. Zhou Qun¡¯s gaze toward Bai Fendou grew increasingly dark.


    One day, he¡¯d make Bai Fendou pay!


    But then he thought again¡ªBai Fendou¡¯s beloved woman had already shared countless nights with him. Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t help but feel smug. No matter how impressive Bai Fendou thought he was, he was still just picking up scraps. And he hadn¡¯t even managed to do that yet.


    He let out a cacklingugh. Soon, another thought crossed his mind: since he had been with Wang Xiangxiu, and if Wang Xiangxiu ended up with Bai Fendou, didn¡¯t that mean, in a roundabout way, he had also "had" Bai Fendou?


    Despite his deep resentment toward Bai Fendou, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a twisted sense of interest as he stared at him.


    For now, he couldn¡¯t act recklessly for the sake of his reputation, but in the future, he¡¯d find an opportunity. He might be down, but Bai Fendou wouldn¡¯t escape unscathed.


    If Bai Fendou had wronged him, he¡¯d better be prepared for the consequences.


    Zhou Qun kept staring at Bai Fendou, and Bai Fendou eventually felt the gaze. He turned around, ready to explode, but when he saw it was Zhou Qun, his expression changed instantly. "What the hell are you looking at?!"


    With that, he hurried inside, not daring to linger.


    He could definitely take Zhou Qun in a fight, but the thought of being coveted by another man made him instinctively want to flee.


    This little episode didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and it left many feeling uneasy.


    Bai Fendou might be foolish, but Zhou Qun, could you not act like this?


    You¡¯re making us worry about our own husbands.


    Liang Meifen said, "Thank goodness my Zhiyuan is often on business trips. Otherwise, I¡¯d have to keep an eye on him all the time."


    After all, who knew when Zhou Qun might shift his affections to someone else? What if he set his sights on their husbands?


    The worry was real.


    Ming Mei chimed in seriously, "Brother Zhixi, from now on, stay away from Zhou Qun when you see him. Oh, and stay away from Bai Fendou too. That guy¡¯s not exactly normal either."


    "Right, Ming Mei¡¯s absolutely right," Liang Meifen agreed, standing firmly on the same side as Ming Mei.


    "Hey, look at this. It¡¯s like a chain of love. Jiang Lu loves Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun loves Bai Fendou, Bai Fendou loves Wang Xiangxiu¡­"


    The love and hate between the four of them were allid bare.


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and said, "I don¡¯t think Jiang Lu loves Zhou Qun anymore."


    Liang Meifen pondered and replied, "True, she only cares about her child now. But then again, Zhou Qun broke her heart. How could he do something like that? If he had even a shred of decency, Jiang Lu wouldn¡¯t have been so humiliated."


    Zhao Guihua interjected, "Actually, it¡¯s for the best. At least it made herpletely let go."


    In their previous lives, there had been whispers about Zhou Qun and other women, but nothing was ever confirmed, so Jiang Lu had remained loyal. This time, though, Zhou Qun¡¯s misdeeds had been exposed early on, but he still managed to fool Jiang Lu.


    If Bai Fendou hadn¡¯t been a man, Jiang Lu might not have fully woken up to the truth.


    The fact that Bai Fendou was a man was likely what finally made Jiang Lu see things clearly.


    When you think about it, though the situation was disgusting, it was ultimately good for Jiang Lu. She was finally free.


    "If I were Jiang Lu, I¡¯d be grateful to Bai Fendou. Whether he meant well or not, whether it was intentional or not, I¡¯d truly thank him for helping me see someone for who they really are. I¡¯d no longer be stuck in that muddy pit."


    Ming Mei blinked and said, "I think that¡¯s exactly how Jiang Lu feels. It¡¯s just a shame she didn¡¯t divorce him."


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "If I were Jiang Lu, I wouldn¡¯t divorce him either. Zhou Qun earns over ny yuan a month¡ªthat¡¯s a solid high ie. Plus, he¡¯s got his weaknesses¡ªhis reputation is ruined, and he¡¯s no longer capable of anything. He¡¯ll never find another wife. With his ws in Jiang Lu¡¯s hands, he and his mother wouldn¡¯t dare cross her. They¡¯d be afraid she¡¯d file for divorce. Jiang Lu wouldn¡¯t even have to do the housework. He¡¯d bring in the money, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to mess around. Even if he wanted to, he couldn¡¯t actually do anything. And because of his weaknesses, Zhou Qun and his mother wouldn¡¯t dare bring up divorce. Jiang Lu could live however she wanted in that household. She wouldn¡¯t even have to take care of them. That¡¯s a pretty good life."


    "That¡¯s true," someone agreed.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled. "Exactly."


    As they discussed Jiang Lu¡¯s situation, Zhou Qun was currently massaging Jiang Lu¡¯s legs, acting like a devoted eunuch serving the Empress Dowager Cixi.


    "How¡¯s the pressure?" he asked.


    Jiang Lu replied, "It¡¯s good. I¡¯m older than most first-time mothers, so it¡¯s a bit more tiring¡­"


    Zhou Qun said, "You should rest whenever you need to. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard."


    Though Zhou Qun was effeminate and had his own ulterior motives, his attitude toward Jiang Lu had genuinely changed. As Zhuang Zhixi had pointed out, he was truly afraid of divorce. His reputation couldn¡¯t take any more hits.


    Plus, Jiang Lu was finally pregnant.


    This was something he¡¯d been hoping for for over a decade. If Jiang Lu lost this child, he¡¯d be left raising someone else¡¯s child. After all, he was no longer capable of fathering one. Now that heaven had blessed them with a child, he didn¡¯t dare make any mistakes.


    Everything else would have to wait until Jiang Lu safely gave birth.


    If Jiang Lu hadn¡¯t been pregnant, from a darker perspective, Zhou Qun might have even been willing to let her have a child with someone else, as long as she had one. His family couldn¡¯t be left without an heir, at least not on the surface.


    Now, by some twist of fate, Jiang Lu was actually pregnant, sparing him the humiliation of raising another man¡¯s child.


    He truly felt lucky.


    He continued massaging Jiang Lu¡¯s legs and asked, "Anything happen in the courtyard today?"


    Jiang Lu replied, "The lightning strike case was resolved¡­"


    The couple chatted idly, but suddenly, a scream echoed from outside.


    "What the hell? What¡¯s going on?"


    "Go check it out?"


    "That sounds like Jii¡­"


    Yes, it was him, it was definitely him.


    Not the little Nezha, but little Jii.


    Jii was wailing outside again, and Bai Fendou rushed out like a gust of wind, followed closely by Wang Xiangxiu.


    This scene left everyone in the neighborhood speechless.


    "What¡¯s wrong with Jii this time?"


    "Who knows?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I¡¯ll go take a look."


    Ming Mei added, "I¡¯ll go too."


    Zhao Guihua stopped her. "You stay here. The steamed egg I made for you is ready. Eat it while it¡¯s hot."


    Ming Mei smiled. "Alright~"


    Though she loved a good bit of gossip, she figured this was just the second act of the earlier drama. Maybe Jii had thrown another rock and caused trouble again? Watching the same spectacle twice wasn¡¯t as entertaining as enjoying a bowl of steamed egg custard.


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled. "Alright, I¡¯ll go check it out. I¡¯ll fill you inter."


    He put on his raincoat and stepped outside, where he saw a middle-aged woman arguing with Bai Fendou.


    A crowd had gathered once again.


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered, "This rain is relentless. What¡¯s going on now?"


    He nudged the person next to him and saw it was Da Qiang.


    Da Qiang sneered. "That guy¡¯s pulling the same old tricks, and he¡¯s met someone who won¡¯t let him get away with it."


    He thought Bai Fendou deserved whatever wasing to him.


    As everyone chattered, Zhuang Zhixi pieced together what had happened.


    It is said that Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su helped Bai Fendou get home, which made Jii extremely furious. He felt that Bai Fendou was trying to steal his mother, so he harbored a deep hatred for Bai Fendou. However, deep down, he also knew that his mother was doing it for the sake of the family.


    Because of this, although he was seething with anger, he didn¡¯t follow them home. Instead, he took his two younger brothers out to y again.


    The reason why these brats are called brats is that they are incredibly mischievous.


    Even though they had been beaten for their earlier antics, they still dared to cause trouble again!


    The three little rascals squatted by the wall near a puddle, and as soon as someone passed by, they would throw stones into it¡ªjust like before. Since everyone in the alley knew them, although they were annoyed, they let it slide.


    Da Qiang, however, was particrly angry because of the sewage water. If it had just been an ordinary puddle, he wouldn¡¯t have reacted so strongly. Jii and his brothers were also a bit cunning¡ªthey repeated their trick, thinking that since they were already beaten ck and blue, no one would dare to hit them again.


    So, they acted out again, causing more trouble.


    But as luck would have it, after a few stones and some curses, they encountered a middle-aged woman.


    They didn¡¯t recognize her¡ªshe didn¡¯t seem to be from their alley¡ªand the kids became even more mischievous, throwing stones at her. The woman immediately lost her temper, stopped her bicycle, grabbed Jii, and started hitting him.


    Jii hadn¡¯t expected this and burst into tears.


    Then, Bai Fendou, the self-proimed hero, appeared out of nowhere. He couldn¡¯t stand to see the child of his goddess being beaten, so he confronted the woman: ¡°How can you be so heartless? They¡¯re just kids! Do you not have children of your own? How cruel!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any brats like these who deserve a beating!¡±


    Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t really nning to hit her; he just wanted to teach her a lesson. But he didn¡¯t expect her to be so aggressive. She scratched his face, and Bai Fendou instantly lost his temper.


    If he couldn¡¯t beat Da Qiang, could he really not handle a woman?


    The two of them got into a scuffle, throwing punches and scratching at each other. If Bai Fendou had been in top form, the woman might have been at a disadvantage. But since he had just been defeated in a previous fight and was still injured, this time the fight was more evenly matched.


    Jii shouted, ¡°Fight! Fight! Fight!¡±


    The middle-aged woman, furious, swung her arm and sent Jii flying into the ditch.


    ¡°How dare you hit him!¡± Bai Fendou became even more aggressive.


    Jii also charged out, yelling, ¡°Beat this nasty woman!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, ¡°Well, they really can¡¯t stop causing trouble, can they?¡±


    ¡°When ites to mischief, there¡¯s no end to it.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°Is that woman not from around here?¡±


    ¡°No matter where she¡¯s from, she shouldn¡¯t be hitting people like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°We should probably stop them before things get worse.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    Aunt Wang sighed, ¡°Why is it always me who gets hurt?¡±


    As the manager of thepound, she had a tough job. If everyone were like Bai Fendou, she¡¯d be in real trouble.


    ¡°Alright, alright, stop fighting.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s all this about?¡±


    Suddenly, thunder rumbled.


    Everyone quieted down a bit and quickly said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°Why is it thundering again?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry home.¡±


    Everyone was now wary of thunder. Rain was one thing, but thunder was another matter entirely. Zhuang Zhixi, seeing that Bai Fendou and the woman were still going at it, reminded Aunt Wang, ¡°We can¡¯t stop them. You¡¯d better go to the neighborhoodmittee or call the police.¡±


    Aunt Wang nodded, ¡°Right, right.¡±


    She was really having a hard time.


    But she didn¡¯t waste any time and hurried off.


    Meanwhile, the fight was still raging, but Zhuang Zhixi decided not to watch. Having witnessed a lightning strike before, he didn¡¯t want to stay outside during a thunderstorm. Who knew who might get struck next?


    Most people seemed to share his thoughts. After what had happened the previous night, everyone was a bit scared. However, the two fighters weren¡¯t afraid¡ªafter all, they hadn¡¯t seen it happen themselves.


    Seeing something, even if it wasn¡¯t clear, was different from just hearing about it.


    Everyone quickly dispersed. When Zhuang Zhixi got home, he saw that his older brother and father had already returned. Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, ¡°Did you watch themotion?¡±


    Old Man Zhuang replied, ¡°I saw a bit, but I came back. Who dares to stay outside during a thunderstorm?¡±


    The others nodded in agreement.


    There was no denying thatst night¡¯s events had been terrifying.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°It was Jii causing trouble again. Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su really don¡¯t seem to care about disciplining that kid.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not exactly role models themselves. How could they raise a good child?¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    The family quickly gathered for dinner. Ming Mei, chewing on a pig¡¯s trotter, said, ¡°This is delicious.¡±


    The peanuts in the pig¡¯s trotter soup had be soft and were especially tasty. The peanuts were already fragrant, and now they had absorbed the meaty vor. The whole family enjoyed the meal. Despite the rain, they kept their doors and windows open¡ªit was too hot to close them in the summer.


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be back yet.¡±


    Zhao Guihua said matter-of-factly, ¡°If he had fought with someone from our alley, it might have ended with some shouting and scolding. But you said that woman was a stranger, right? She¡¯s not going to let it go. It wasn¡¯t her fault to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Bai Fendou is something else. A grown man, and he¡¯s really acting like a hero.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s trying to make up for losing to Da Qiang earlier?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just ridiculous?¡±


    As they ate and chatted, Aunt Wang hurried back. Zhao Guihua called out, ¡°Aunt Wang!¡±


    Aunt Wang responded, ¡°What?¡±


    Zhao Guihua asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t theye back? It¡¯s just you.¡±


    Aunt Wang exined, ¡°They¡¯ve been taken to the police station¡ªBai Fendou, that woman, and Jii.¡±


    She approached and said, ¡°Wow, your dinner looks good.¡±


    Zhao Guihua offered, ¡°Have some soup. It¡¯s pig¡¯s trotter and peanuts from my inws.¡±


    Aunt Wang declined, ¡°No, I can¡¯t eat. Bai Fendou just can¡¯t stay out of trouble, can he? I don¡¯t know how this is going to end.¡±


    She shook her head helplessly and added, ¡°He¡¯s really stepped in it this time. That woman has some connections.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What do you mean? Is she not from around here?¡±


    ¡°No, I heard she was here looking for someone. She hadn¡¯t even found the person yet when she got caught up in this mess. Bai Fendou really isn¡¯t much of a man¡ªhe didn¡¯t hold back against a woman.¡±


    The Zhuang family nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I think Bai Fendou has really bitten off more than he can chew this time. The police station recognized that woman. They said her husband is the second-inmand of a certainmittee. Do you think she¡¯s going to let this slide?¡±


    Ming Mei choked on her food. Zhuang Zhixi quickly patted her back and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Ming Mei asked urgently, ¡°What did that woman look like?¡±


    Aunt Wang described her, ¡°She¡¯s in her forties, shorter than me, about Aunt Su¡¯s height. Average-looking, a bit stern. She has short hair,bed back, and was wearing a hairband, though Bai Fendou pulled it off¡­ She was dressed well, in a blue work uniform. She looked like a cadre, not an ordinary person.¡±


    Ming Mei¡¯s mouth twitched as she asked, ¡°Was she riding a Forever bicycle?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, ¡°I saw it. The bike was on the ground, and it was a Forever.¡±


    Ming Mei pressed further, ¡°And¡­ on her raincoat, around the chest area, was there a blue badge?¡±


    Aunt Wang replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t notice¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded.


    Ming Mei took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Was her raincoat like mine?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! I saw it but didn¡¯t make the connection at the time. It¡¯s exactly like yours.¡±


    Ming Mei: "Of course it''s the same. These are the protective gear our unit handed out. I think I know who you''re talking about. The person you mentioned is probably a small leader who was transferred to our unit half a month ago."


    Aunt Wang: "Huh?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Her?"


    Everyone was surprised. Aunt Wang: "So, so, so, she came looking for you?"


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "Probably not. She hasn¡¯t been here long, and we haven¡¯t interacted much or talked at all. Although we¡¯re both at the bus station, there are over a hundred people there. She¡¯s not in my department, nor is she my supervisor. We don¡¯t have any connection. She was probably looking for someone else, and it¡¯s just a coincidence."


    Aunt Wang: "Is she easy to talk to?"


    Ming Mei thought again and said, "Do you want the truth?"


    Aunt Wang nodded.


    Ming Mei: "Not easy to talk to."


    Aunt Wang: "Then Bai Fendou is doomed."


    Ming Mei: "That¡¯s hard to say. I don¡¯t know her well, but from what I¡¯ve heard, she¡¯s quite difficult to deal with."


    Aunt Wang: "Really¡­"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Regardless of whether she¡¯s easy to talk to or what kind of person she is, the issue today is that she¡¯s clearly not at fault. The problem lies with Jii and Bai Fendou."


    Aunt Wang thought about it and realized that was indeed the case. She had been thinking of Bai Fendou and the others as part of their courtyard, but even so, it¡¯s important to see who¡¯s in the wrong.


    "Don¡¯t get involved. You won¡¯t gain anything from meddling, and people will just think you¡¯re nosy," Zhao Guihua advised Aunt Wang.


    Aunt Wang sighed and said, "By the end of this year, I¡¯m definitely resigning. Whoever wants to manage this courtyard can take over. I can¡¯t do it anymore."


    In other courtyards, people fight for the position, but in their courtyard¡­ it¡¯s likely that everyone will avoid it.


    It¡¯s just so frustrating.


    She hoped someone would take over.


    Zhao Guihua sympathized: "Good luck with that."


    Aunt Wang: "¡­I¡¯m going home to eat."


    She didn¡¯t dare say she could get rid of this burden.


    Wuwuwu.


    It¡¯s tough.


    Aunt Wang left, and Zhuang Zhixi leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow but saying nothing. However, when the couple returned to their room, Zhuang Zhixi said, "That woman was definitely here for you."


    Ming Mei: "Why would shee looking for me?"


    Zhuang Zhixi sneered, "Maybe she didn¡¯t believe you were really having pregnancyplications and wanted to check for herself; or maybe she wanted to persuade you to transfer to her department. Both are possible. That woman is no good. She¡¯s new here and definitely wants to make a quick impression. Someone like you, who¡¯s won several awards, would naturally be on her radar."


    Zhuang Zhixi saw it clearly and felt increasingly disgusted by this woman.


    A selfish, immoral wretch.


    He said, "But this time, we should actually thank Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou is someone worth befriending. Look, if you had to deal with that woman, you might have gotten upset. Now that Bai Fendou beat her up, I feel quite satisfied."


    Ming Mei couldn¡¯t help butugh, "You just said she wasn¡¯t at fault in this situation."


    Zhuang Zhixi said matter-of-factly, "Of course, I¡¯d say that to outsiders, but deep down, I¡¯m thrilled that woman got beaten up."


    He said, "I never thought the day woulde when Bai Fendou¡¯s impulsiveness would make me feel so good. Hahaha."


    Ming Mei: "Your expression andughter don¡¯t make you seem like a good person."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "That woman, ha, she¡¯s never lived in our neighborhood. If she had, she¡¯d know how tough it can be. Let¡¯s see if she dares to act so arrogantly in the future. How dare she scheme to boost her performance? She¡¯s dreaming."


    Ming Mei giggled.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If you didn¡¯t grow up around here, most people wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it."


    Ming Meiughed even more, sighing, "I used to really dislike her, but when I think about it, she¡¯s so unlucky, haha~"


    Most people wouldn¡¯t dare to casually wander into their alley!

 Chapter 112

    Ming Mei guessed that the middle-aged womaning her way was Jiang Baohong.


    And guess what? She was absolutely right. The reason Jiang Baohong came to see Ming Mei was because of an ident that had urred on a bus route Ming Mei used to work on. The conductor not only sprained her foot but also injured her arm, which naturally required rest. As the direct supervisor, Jiang Baohong was the first to know about the incident. After leaving the hospital, she headed straight to Ming Mei¡¯s house.


    Normally, when someone gets injured, they would handle it internally by rearranging shifts. But Jiang Baohong wasn¡¯t exactly considerate. She nned to coax Ming Mei into helping out at their workce. The reason she had her eyes on Ming Mei was because Ming Mei had a track record of catching thieves three times¡ªtwice on the bus and once outside, for which she had even receivedmendations. Jiang Baohong noticed this and hoped Ming Mei could help her make a strong start, adding some shine to her own credentials.


    In reality, even if Ming Mei did catch a thief, Jiang Baohong wouldn¡¯t give her much credit. She¡¯d take the honor for herself to make her resume look better, proving herpetence and making it easier for her to get promoted. That¡¯s how she had always operated.


    Stepping on others to climb up? That¡¯s her way of showing ¡°respect.¡±


    As for whether Ming Mei, a pregnant woman, might face retaliation or an ident, Jiang Baohong couldn¡¯t care less. All she wanted was to boost her own career.


    Her n seemed perfect, but she didn¡¯t expect to run into trouble before even finding Ming Mei. She encountered a mischievous child and, of course, the child¡¯s equally troublesome parent. Jiang Baohong¡¯s husband was a leader, and she always looked down on people, treating them with disdain.


    Most of the people she interacted with were sycophants.


    But she never imagined she¡¯d meet someone who wouldn¡¯t give her face. The two of them ended up fighting, and the matter was taken to the police station.


    The police station¡­ the police station was truly exhausted.


    Him again!


    Why is it always him!


    Bai Fendou¡¯s name was at the top of their ¡°Most Notorious¡± list, and that¡¯s no exaggeration.


    It¡¯s not like he¡¯s done anything majorly criminal, but he¡¯s been involved in countless petty, ridiculous incidents. While many of these cases were eventually dropped without involving the police, as a ¡°celebrity¡± in the neighborhood, everyone knew about him.


    Everyone knew theirpound had a pair of ¡°legendary¡± troublemakers¡ªZhou Qun and Bai Fendou.


    No need to exin, it was clear Bai Fendou had caused trouble again.


    And guess what?


    Although the woman didn¡¯t live in the area, she was still recognized.


    In this city, it¡¯s not too big, not too small¡ªjust the right size for coincidences.


    At the police station, the two didn¡¯t calm down. They kept arguing, neither backing down.


    By then, Aunt Wang had returned, bringing along a few people from thepound. They weren¡¯t there to watch the drama; they were there as witnesses.


    Truth be told, they didn¡¯t want toe. After all, Bai Fendou was their neighbor. When the police arrived earlier, they had scattered. But this matter couldn¡¯t just be left as a case of ¡°he said, she said.¡± So, as thepound manager, Aunt Wang was tasked with finding people to testify.


    However, Aunt Wang first chatted for a while before actually gathering people. Even though Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t well-liked, and Jii was a brat everyone wanted to p, they were still neighbors. Testifying against them would mean making enemies.


    In a society built on rtionships, no one was eager to do that.


    Aunt Wang went around in circles, finally managing to bring a few people over.


    Among them was Zhuang Zhixi.


    Of course, he came voluntarily. He wanted to see what this new leader, who was always trying to scheme against Ming Mei, was like. Although she hadn¡¯t directly approached Ming Mei, her intentions were as clear as day.


    Zhuang Zhixi was sharp¡ªwhether by nature or nurture, it¡¯s hard to say. But with aplished older siblings like Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixin, who had both graduated from high school in the 1940s, it¡¯s clear they were quick-witted from a young age.


    As the youngest, Zhuang Zhixi had to keep up with his siblings¡¯ cunning. By the age of three or four, he already knew how to y mind games.


    Unfortunately, his older brother and sister grew up to be upstanding citizens, losing their childhood cleverness.


    Only he remained true to his crafty nature.


    So, even though he hadn¡¯t heard a single word from Jiang Baohong, Zhuang Zhixi could smell her intentions from a mile away. He wasn¡¯t stupid.


    The machinery factory was a massive workce, and while the lower-level employees weren¡¯t involved in the higher-ups¡¯ schemes, they had seen enough to understand how things worked.


    Zhuang Zhixi could tell Jiang Baohong was up to no good, so he was more than happy toe and watch her get humiliated. Even if she was in the right, Zhuang Zhixi trusted thebative skills of Aunt Su and her daughter-inw, as well as Bai Fendou¡¯s knack for causing chaos.


    This was entertainment he couldn¡¯t miss. If it weren¡¯t for his wife not being able to show up, he would¡¯ve brought the whole family. After all, neither side was particrly virtuous, and watching the drama unfold was a way to spice up life.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As long as it didn¡¯t involve his family, Zhuang Zhixi was all for it.


    He and a few others followed Aunt Wang to the police station.


    Jiang Baohong wasn¡¯t pleased. ¡°Why did it take so long to find witnesses? If you keep dragging your feet, it¡¯ll be morning soon. Your grassroots work is really subpar.¡±


    Just listen to her¡ªshe had a knack for offending people with her words.


    Aunt Wang¡¯s face immediately darkened, but the police officer understood why. It was because no one wanted toe. Who would want to get involved in such a thankless task? Seeing herin, several people were ready to turn around and leave.


    ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t know how it started. We just saw them fighting. We don¡¯t know the specifics, so we can¡¯t really testify.¡±


    ¡°Same here. By the time I got there, they were already fighting. I don¡¯t know what happened or why. To testify, we¡¯d need to have seen the whole thing. Otherwise, it might not be urate.¡±


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t see the whole thing, we don¡¯t have the right to speak.¡±


    Well, everyone was backing out.


    Truth be told, everyone knew it was Jii¡¯s fault. Some had even witnessed it, but with Jiang Baohong¡¯s attitude, they didn¡¯t want to testify. Besides, they weren¡¯t lying¡ªthey hadn¡¯t seen the whole incident. By the time they arrived, the fight was already underway.


    The police officer understood the situation. These people were only here because they had to be, and with Jiang Baohong¡¯s tone, who would want to help? Bai Fendou and Jii might be troublemakers, but they were still neighbors. Jiang Baohong was a stranger, and her attitude didn¡¯t help.


    The officer turned to Zhuang Zhixi, who hadn¡¯t spoken yet. ¡°What about you? When did you arrive?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied seriously, ¡°I¡¯m worse than them. I only showed up towards the end of the fight, took a look, and went home. I have no idea what happened.¡±


    The officer: ¡°¡­Then why are you here?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°Aunt Wang is my aunt. It¡¯ste, and I don¡¯t know how long this will take. My mom asked me toe and help, to make sure Aunt Wang gets home safely. It¡¯s not safe for her to walk alone at night.¡±


    The officer: ¡°¡­¡±


    Doesn¡¯t she have her own kids? Why would she need you? And there are so many witnesses here¡ªcan¡¯t they walk together? You¡¯re just here to watch the drama!


    The officer rolled his eyes at Zhuang Zhixi and ignored him, turning to the others. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you didn¡¯t see the whole thing. Just say what you did see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s allowed?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ okay then.¡±


    Everyone was eager to leave.


    Seeing their reluctance, Jiang Baohong snapped, ¡°Are you blind? Didn¡¯t you see that little brat sshing water all over me? That little punk needs to be taught a lesson! What, are you trying to protect him?¡±


    "Thisdy, what are you saying? We¡¯re only speaking about what we saw. If we didn¡¯t see it, how could we dare to make things up? If we were to lie, wouldn¡¯t the police hold us ountable?"


    "Exactly! Whether there was someone there earlier, shouldn¡¯t you know yourself? Shouldn¡¯t you know if we¡¯re telling the truth?"


    "We came here with good intentions. What¡¯s going on? Why are you ming us? I¡¯m done with this, I¡¯m going back."


    "I¡¯m leaving too!"


    Everyone was quite upset. One of the sly old-timers, clearly trying to curry favor, mmed the table and said, "What are you all doing? Do you think this is a marketce? Be serious! Didn¡¯t you see anything? If you didn¡¯t see anything, why are you here? Besides, could this woman have just started hitting someone for no reason? There must be a reason. Share your thoughts. I heard that several of you have seen this guy throwing stones into puddles after work. Shouldn¡¯t that be mentioned? What, are you trying to cover for them? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll charge you with false testimony?"


    "Hey, why are you ming us now?"


    "Aunt Wang, I told you I didn¡¯t want toe, but you insisted. Now look, we¡¯re being used. This is too much."


    "Exactly! How can this happen? We¡¯re here to do a good deed, and now we¡¯re being treated like criminals?"


    "Oh, stop talking. Someone¡¯s trying to suck up. Be careful or you¡¯ll really get arrested."


    "Is there now anymore?"


    The crowd was indeed worked up.


    If it were someone else, they might have been scared by such a shout, but these people were seasoned veterans. They¡¯d dealt with the police, factory security, and neighborhoodmittees so often that they weren¡¯t easily intimidated.


    Did they think mming the table would scare them?


    What were they thinking?


    They¡¯d seen it all, even lightning striking people. This was child¡¯s y to them.


    Moreover, they could tell from Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou¡¯s situations that as long as things weren¡¯t set in stone, even if a leader didn¡¯t like you, they wouldn¡¯t fire you. That¡¯s just how things were now.


    So there was no need to be overly submissive. They were the proud working ss, after all.


    "Look at this, someone¡¯s trying to tter their way up, treating us like fools."


    Another officer, seeing things were getting out of hand, quickly stepped in to mediate: "Everyone, please sit down. I understand you¡¯re all in a hurry, being here sote. Just say what you saw. After all, you¡¯re here to do a good deed, right?"


    He shot a re at the sly old-timer who had spoken earlier and said, "Just stick to what you saw and heard."


    "Hey, don¡¯t y favorites. I can see this woman has connections. You better be fair and just." Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t a fool. Despite his earlier bravado, he was actually quite nervous.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t a naive young man fresh out of society. He knew howplicated things could get.


    If someone had connections, that was enough to cause him trouble. He had been a bit anxious, but suddenly he wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. He was a bit clever, because he realized that no one had actually seen what happened at the very beginning.


    And it was clear that no one wanted to testify.


    Bai Fendou must have had good connections.


    Just look at this!


    Suddenly, he was emboldened.


    Since Jii had a history, everyone assumed he was up to his old tricks again.


    And others had been treated the same way, but in reality, no one had actually seen Jii throwing stones at this woman and sshing her with water. It wasn¡¯t that the alley was empty; it was after work, so there were people around. But no one was paying attention to others. No one had actually seen it happen.


    As for him, he had only seen the woman hitting Jii, which led to the conflict.


    Thinking this, Bai Fendou felt secure and raised his voice: "Don¡¯t think that just because you know each other, you can fool everyone into saying they didn¡¯t see anything to back this woman up. Think carefully. Who knows if what she¡¯s saying is true? Look at her behavior. Does she look honest? Look at her face¡ªfull of meanness and cruelty. She¡¯s definitely no good. They say the face reflects the heart, and this woman¡¯s face shows she¡¯s no good."


    Jiang Baohong was already in a bad mood, and hearing this made her even angrier. She rushed forward and hit him, saying, "I¡¯ll teach you to talk, you scoundrel!"


    She pped Bai Fendou across the face. Bai Fendou shouted, "Officers, you saw that, right? This shrew is no good. She hits people at the drop of a hat. How can you believe she¡¯s innocent?"


    "I¡¯ll kill you!" Jiang Baohong, even angrier, tried to p him again, but this time Bai Fendou caught her wrist. Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t some refined gentleman; he was quite rough and immediately pped her back.


    "Don¡¯t push your luck, woman. Who do you think you¡¯re dealing with? Are you done yet? Officers, you saw that, right? She hit me!"


    "But you can¡¯t hit a woman."


    "She can hit me, but I can¡¯t hit her? What are you saying, old man? Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed¡ªyou¡¯ve been taking her side from the start. What, trying to curry favor? Trying to be biased? Is this what the police force hase to? You¡¯re a disgrace."


    "You¡ªyou¡¯re insulting me."


    "Can¡¯t handle the truth?"


    "You scoundrel, I won¡¯t let you off!" Jiang Baohong, after being hit, finally reacted and lunged at him, scratching his face. Bai Fendou, like a woman, grabbed her hair. Though it was short, he managed to pull it.


    He punched her twice in the face.


    "You think I¡¯m easy to bully? Just because you¡¯re a woman doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let you off. I stand by my principles. You deserve to be hit, you wicked thing."


    "Hit her! Hit her! Beat this nasty woman!" Jii shouted from the side, "Go, Uncle Fendou, beat her!" Jii was egging him on.


    Bai Fendou had lost his goodwill toward Jii and his brothers after the earlier incident, but hearing the boy call him "Uncle Fendou" again made him feel like they were back on good terms. He was excited and felt he couldn¡¯t lose face in front of the child.


    He pinned Jiang Baohong down and punched her twice more.


    When a man and a woman fight, it¡¯s usually the woman who suffers. Although the onlookers didn¡¯t like Jiang Baohong¡¯s arrogance, they also didn¡¯t approve of Bai Fendou hitting a woman. What kind of man does that? He¡¯s really no good.


    It was a real dog-eat-dog situation.


    The officers quickly stepped in to pull them apart: "Bai Fendou, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you ignoring us now? This is the police station. Are you trying to cause trouble here? Are you rebelling?"


    Bai Fendou: "When this woman hit me, you didn¡¯t say anything. Should I just take it? Look at my face. I¡¯m not even married yet."


    He was quite the fighter, able to take on both Jiang Baohong and the officers. He wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone, no matter the consequences. He was just reckless.


    "But you can¡¯t hit someone like that, right in front of us. What are you trying to do?"


    The officers were furious. This was supposed to be a simple dispute that could be resolved with mediation. Normally, both sides would shake hands and make up. It wasn¡¯t a big deal. After all, there were plenty of mischievous kids and quarreling adults, but it rarely escted.


    Because it really wasn¡¯t necessary.


    However, it was hard to believe that Bai Fendou actually dared to hit someone here. As for Jiang Baohong... although she was the victim, she carried herself in a domineering and bullying manner, which only made the situation worse.


    "Everyone, sit down. This is not the time for nonsense... Oh my, what are you doing!"


    The police officer was just about to mediate when he saw Jiang Baohong suddenly grab Jii and start pping his face repeatedly.


    Jiang Baohong couldn¡¯t win against Bai Fendou. For so many years, when had she ever suffered such a loss? Now that she had been dealt such a blow, she waspletely beside herself. Seeing that little brat looking at her smugly, full of provocation, she couldn¡¯t hold back andshed out.


    Wang Xiangxiu was sitting on a chair holding her child, with her mother-inw, Aunt Su, sitting beside her. Aunt Su was holding Yii and Toni.


    Jiang Baohong moved quickly, venting her anger on the little brat. Wang Xiangxiu, as the mother, couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. She let out a cry and rushed forward, knocking Jiang Baohong down. She straddled her and started pping her fiercely: "You dare hit my son? I¡¯ll make you pay, you wretch! You bully us, a widow and her child!"


    "Holy crap."


    "Stop it right now! What are you doing? Are you out of your minds?"


    The group was pulled apart again, but Jiang Baohong¡¯s face was already swollen like a pig¡¯s head, with scratches all over her neck and her clothes disheveled.


    "Do you not know where you are? Are you treating us like we¡¯re invisible? All of you, go stand in the corner!"


    "Why should we?"


    Several voices rang out at the same time.


    The police officer was so angry he was trembling. They had seen troublemakers before, but most of them at least had some respect for authority. But these people clearly didn¡¯t care, treating the ce like a battleground.


    This is... utterly outrageous.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched as two rounds of fighting left Jiang Baohong looking like a swollen pig. He couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    Although Bai Fendou and the Su family women were usually annoying, there was a saying that came to mind... well, he couldn¡¯t remember it exactly, but seeing them take on someone he disliked was truly satisfying.


    At that moment, he was d Bai Fendou was the way he was.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to witness such a spectacle, right?


    Hitting a woman¡ªBai Fendou was truly one of a kind.


    He tugged at Aunt Wang, and both of them took a few steps back. Zhuang Zhixi could tell that the initial reason for the fight was long forgotten. Now, it was purely about the hatred between the two sides.


    If that was the case, there was no guarantee they wouldn¡¯t start fighting again. So, as bystanders, they needed to keep their distance to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s experience with watching drama was indeed rich, and his guess wasn¡¯t wrong. While the police officer was trying to mediate, Jiang Baohongshed out at the child again. She simply couldn¡¯t swallow her pride.


    This time, she targeted Yii, who was closer to her. She remembered this little brat had also thrown stones. She reached out and grabbed him, but Aunt Su was knocked to the ground in the process. She let out a cry and started convulsing, shouting, "Murder! They¡¯re kidnapping the child!"


    Bai Fendou had been keeping an eye on this woman. Seeing her attack again, he kicked her hard. The force of a man¡¯s strength sent Jiang Baohong crashing into a table and falling to the ground. "I won¡¯t let your family off the hook!"


    Well, she had no idea that Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s family weren¡¯t actually rted.


    In her mind, only a father would defend a child like that. As for Jii calling him "Uncle Fendou," she hadn¡¯t paid any attention to it, assuming from the start that they were a family.


    "It hurts! My leg hurts so much. I think it¡¯s broken. Help me..." Seeing the woman start to threaten them, Aunt Su cried out even louder. After shouting, she began to moan, her face pale and trembling as if she was in a bad way...


    Elderly people¡¯s health is always unpredictable, and Aunt Su looked like she was on the verge of copse, immediately drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Auntie, are you okay?"


    "Take her to the hospital, quick!"


    "Don¡¯t dy. Take all of them to the hospital."


    Everyone was bruised and battered.


    Jiang Baohong was in a terrible state, and although Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu had won the fight, they weren¡¯t unscathed. Jii and Yii were also injured... With such arge group, they were now heading to the hospital. The officer in charge of the station felt his head buzzing.


    Who could have imagined that this whole mess started with a stone thrown into a ditch?


    But that was exactly what had happened.


    The police officer said helplessly, "Thank you all foring to help, but the situation is quite chaotic now. It¡¯s best if you all go home. We¡¯re sorry for the trouble."


    "It¡¯s no problem. It¡¯s what we should do."


    "So, this has nothing to do with us now, right?"


    "It never did."


    "It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go."


    The group left the police station together. Outside, the heavy rain hadn¡¯t stopped. Someone looked up at the sky and said, "Why is this rain not letting up?"


    "Exactly."


    "Let¡¯s hurry back. Who knows if there¡¯ll be thunderter."


    "Agreed."


    Although the trip had been chaotic and no one was quite sure what they had aplished, no oneined! Yes, no one!


    After all, if they hadn¡¯te, they wouldn¡¯t have witnessed such a spectacle. It was because they came that they got to see such drama.


    The fight was intense, but the audience was equally enthusiastic.


    "Bai Fendou is really something, huh? Knowing she has connections, he still dared to hit her. That¡¯s bold."


    "He¡¯s going to pay for this, isn¡¯t he?"


    "Wang Xiangxiu isn¡¯t bad either. She usually seems so gentle, but look at her in a fight¡ªshe doesn¡¯t hold back at all. That middle-aged woman was no match for her. But if she really has someone backing her, they¡¯re in trouble."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and said, "Not necessarily."


    "What do you mean?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged. "Just a guess."


    Aunt Wang felt that Zhuang Zhixi wasn¡¯t just guessing, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why they¡¯d be fine.


    "Oh, by the way, Aunt Wang, Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s cousin, Hu Huihui, why didn¡¯t shee?"


    "Yeah, doesn¡¯t she live nearby?"


    Aunt Wang: "Hu Huihui came backte. By the time she returned, everyone had already been taken away. I asked her if she wanted toe along, but she said it was better to have someone stay and watch the house."


    "That makes sense. It¡¯s safer to have someone stay behind. She wouldn¡¯t have been able to do much anyway."


    "Exactly."


    "Aunt Wang, you¡¯re quite the matchmaker. You should introduce us to someone..."


    "Come on, just say you¡¯re interested in Hu Huihui."


    "You should talk to Aunt Su about that! She has rtives to introduce. Why should I get involved, right?"


    "That¡¯s not how it works. The Su family takes gifts but doesn¡¯t deliver."


    Aunt Wang: "I can¡¯t do anything about that."


    The group chatted all the way back to the alley. It waste at night, and the atmosphere was quite eerie.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll use the restroom before heading home. I won¡¯te out again tonight."


    "Me too."


    "Yeah, I need to go as well."


    Everyone now had a fear of going out to the restroom at night. Although most households had chamber pots, major business couldn¡¯t be taken care of at home, so nighttime trips to the restroom were still necessary. However, the restroom in their area had been quite strangetely, so everyone thought it was best to avoid it at night.


    With so many people around, it was a good time to go together.


    After watching the drama at the police station, they returned to the courtyard around eleven o¡¯clock. A few people from other courtyards were there, and about three or four from their own courtyard entered together. They noticed that the lights in the Su household were off. Hu Huihui must have already gone to sleep.


    Aunt Wang: "That girl is quite carefree. Such a big thing happened, and she¡¯s acting like nothing¡¯s wrong."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled but didn¡¯t respond. Everyone went their separate ways home.


    When Zhuang Zhixi returned, Ming Mei was already asleep. He knocked gently on the door, and Ming Mei woke up groggily, slipping on her slippers to open the door. She mumbled, "What time is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "It''s eleven."


    He closed the door behind him, quickly washed up, and got back into bed. Ming Mei immediately snuggled up to him, wrapping herself around him like an octopus. Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly and patted her back, saying, "Sorry for waking you up."


    Ming Mei pinched his waist, and Zhuang Zhixi yelped, "Ouch!"


    Still half-asleep, Ming Mei cooed softly, "Why are you apologizing? Are you silly?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed quietly, "I just thought it¡¯d be polite to apologize sincerely."


    Ming Mei, her eyes still closed, mumbled, "How are things at the police station?"


    Zhuang Zhixi answered, "They¡¯ve all been sent to the hospital. Those people are really reckless,pletely disregarding the police and even starting a fight right in the station."


    Ming Mei, who had been half-asleep, suddenly opened her eyes at the mention of a fight, her expression lighting up with curiosity. Zhuang Zhixi paused, amused.


    Ming Mei urged, "What happened? Tell me."


    She was no longer sleepy, her excitement making her resemble a curious hedgehog scurrying through a melon patch.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help butugh, "Weren¡¯t you sleeping?"


    Ming Mei replied, "I can sleepter. Come on, tell me, I want to know."


    Zhuang Zhixi began, "That Jiang Baohong, she had a valid case, but shepletely messed it up. Though Bai Fendou is shameless too. Listen, my dear~"


    Ming Mei giggled, "Pfft."


    Her husband¡¯s dramatic storytelling amused her greatly.


    "Go on, go on!"


    "We hurried to the police station, and as soon as we walked in..."


    He went on and on, even though he was just a bystander in the story, he managed to insert himself into the narrative, adding plenty of his own thoughts and making the tale vivid and engaging.


    Ming Mei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, "Wow, I can¡¯t believe Jiang Baohong got beaten up."


    But she quickly asked, "Why do you think Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu will be fine?"


    "Because of Aunt Su," Zhuang Zhixi exined, feeling that everyone was too naive. "Aunt Su is very cunning. I think she faked her copse. Given her age, if she insists she¡¯s in pain here and there, Jiang Baohong will be held responsible. Older people always have some health issues, and Aunt Su is trying to pin it on Jiang Baohong. After all, Jiang Baohong pulled Yii and pushed Aunt Su after everyone had stopped. If Aunt Su decides to make a fuss, Jiang Baohong will have to forgive Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu to avoid trouble. It¡¯s a clever trade, don¡¯t you think?"


    "Aunt Su is really good at scheming," Ming Mei remarked.


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "I¡¯ve always said she¡¯s not simple. Look at Aunt Zhou, she¡¯s always making a fuss, but she never gets as much benefit as Aunt Su. You can tell just by looking at their houses."


    Ming Mei sighed, "Oh, speaking of Aunt Zhou, I kind of miss her. Without her around, only Bai Fendou is causing a stir, and it¡¯s gotten a bit boring. I kind of miss Aunt Zhou¡¯s sharp, mean antics."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at her, "You just like the drama."


    Ming Mei pouted, "That¡¯s not true, you¡¯re using me."


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "I¡¯ve already seen through you."


    Ming Mei giggled for a while, then said, "Jiang Baohong deserves to learn how harsh the world can be. Always trying to scheme against others, serves her right!"


    Zhuang Zhixi ruffled Ming Mei¡¯s hair and smiled, "Today was definitely a lesson for her."


    Ming Mei grinned, feeling quite pleased. The happiest thing in the world is seeing someone you dislike suffer.


    Hehe!


    Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei didn¡¯t chat for long, as it waste and they were both tired.


    "Alright, let¡¯s sleep. We have work tomorrow."


    Ming Mei smiled, "I took the day off tomorrow¡­"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "But your husband still has to work."


    He hugged Ming Mei and sighed, "Why does time fly so fast when we¡¯re resting?"


    "Who knows?"


    The two murmured softly and soon fell asleep.


    Early the next morning, the couple woke up to the sound of heavy rain. Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his eyes, unable to believe it, "It¡¯s still raining?"


    He got up and opened the window to see the downpour outside. It had been raining heavily since the night beforest, and Zhuang Zhixi frowned, "This isn¡¯t good."


    Ming Mei, not in a hurry to go to work, stayed in bed, snuggling deeper under the covers.


    Zhuang Zhixi got dressed and went out to the porch to wash up. Across the way, Hu Huihui came out and greeted him with a smile, "Good morning, Brother Zhuang."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Morning."


    After all, there¡¯s no reason to be rude to someone who¡¯s being friendly.


    But seeing how cheerful Hu Huihui was, it was hard to tell that her cousin was in trouble.


    Curious, Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Your cousin hasn¡¯t returned yet, has she?"


    Hu Huihui replied, "Not yet. I¡¯m nning to go check on them today."


    She put on a pitiful expression, "Brother Zhuang, could I borrow your bicycle?"


    Zhuang Zhixi declined, "No, I need it for work."


    Hu Huihui pressed, "But your family has two bikes, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "My brother also needs his for work."


    Why should he lend it to her? They weren¡¯t that close.


    Besides, bikes were valuable, and with the Su family, you had to stay on guard. If you let your guard down even a little, they¡¯dtch onto you.


    Zhuang Zhixi firmly rejected Hu Huihui twice and then went back inside to eat breakfast.


    Hu Huihui watched his retreating figure and bit her lip. But then she thought, it was probably because people didn¡¯t want to get involved with her cousin¡¯s family. Hu Huihui had been living in the courtyard for a while now and had some understanding of the dynamics.


    The Zhuang family didn¡¯t seem to like her cousin¡¯s family, and that was clear to her.


    She thought to herself that her cousin was her cousin, and she was herself.


    But obviously, others didn¡¯t see it that way.


    Hu Huihui was a bit upset, but she could understand. After all, most people disliked her cousin, and she didn¡¯t like her either. Since she was living with her cousin, others naturally associated her with her cousin¡¯s behavior.


    Thinking this, Hu Huihui couldn¡¯t help but me Wang Xiangxiu. She really wasn¡¯t likable.


    When she went to make breakfast, she found that all the food was locked in the cupboard, with nothing left out. Hu Huihui wanted to eat a cornbread bun but couldn¡¯t find one. She muttered under her breath, "Stingy."


    She paid eight yuan a month for rent.


    To put it in perspective, renting a room outside would only cost two or three yuan, and a small single room could be rented for as little as one and a half yuan.


    As for food, a bowl of meat noodles outside would cost two and a half mao, plus food stamps.


    But ever since she moved in, she had only been eating cornmeal, with no meat in sight. When she thought about it, paying eight yuan felt like a total rip-off. Hu Huihui grumbled as she left the house, though she put on a gentle face once outside.


    "Good morning, Wang Zhaodi."


    She happened to run into Wang Zhaodi, who was emptying the chamber pot.


    Wang Zhaodi was hardworking and diligent in the Zhou household, and Hu Huihui had a decent impression of her.


    She even had a good impression of Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun, despite her cousin constantly badmouthing them, saying they were heartless and would only have daughters. But Hu Huihui had eyes of her own. She paid eight yuan a month but couldn¡¯t eat well or even get full.


    Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu, on the other hand, made sure Wang Zhaodi had enough to eat.


    Moreover, when they had fine grains, they didn¡¯t make Wang Zhaodi eat cornmeal separately. They all ate the same food, sharing whatever was avable. Hu Huihui had secretly observed that although Wang Zhaodi was hardworking and efficient, she wasn¡¯t very mindful during meals and ate a lot.


    Even so, Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun neverined. Hu Huihui felt that this couple wasn¡¯t as bad as her cousin made them out to be.


    Her cousin was just jealous.


    Jealous of Jiang Lu¡¯s good life.


    To be honest, it was actually a misunderstanding on Hu Huihui''s part. In the past, the Zhou family did indeed have a hierarchy. The good stuff was only bought in small quantities and reserved for Zhou Qun. Jiang Lu and Aunt Zhou had to make do with cornbread. Aunt Zhou was like that¡ªshe was harsh on her daughter-inw and equally harsh on herself.


    In her heart, she held a deep-seated preference for sons over daughters, believing that women didn¡¯t deserve to eat well.


    But now, Aunt Zhou was no longer in the picture, and Zhou Qun had a major weakness in Jiang Lu¡¯s hands. Although this weakness was known to everyone, Jiang Lu held the threat of "divorce" over him, which kept him in check.


    Not to mention, Jiang Lu was pregnant, so she was now the one in charge.


    Jiang Lu had been mistreated for many years and had endured a lot, but now she hadpletely let go of those burdens. She hade to realize that even the Zhuang family, who were worse off than them, still tried to eat well. Why should she deprive herself? If she ruined her health, who would benefit in the end?


    The scoundrel husband or the wicked mother-inw?


    So she decided to eat and drink as she pleased. As for Wang Zhaodi, who ate a lot andcked tact at the dinner table, Jiang Lu didn¡¯t say much. As long as Wang Zhaodi did her work well, that was enough. Wang Zhaodi¡¯s behavior was understandable. She came from a family of nine daughters, and life was extremely tough. Meals were a matter of survival, and you had to fight for your share.


    Everyone was used to eating quickly as soon as they sat down at the table.


    Jiang Lu understood this and didn¡¯t make a fuss.


    After all, she wasn¡¯t nning to spend her life with Wang Zhaodi.


    However, because of all this, Hu Huihui had misunderstood. She didn¡¯t know what things were like when Aunt Zhou was around, so she thought her cousin was simply jealous and that¡¯s why she kept badmouthing Jiang Lu. She greeted Wang Zhaodi: "You¡¯re not working today, are you? Why the rush? Is there a line at the bathroom?"


    Wang Zhaodi replied, "Sister Jiang Lu is pregnant and can¡¯t stand the smell. I¡¯m going to empty it early and open the windows to air out the house so it doesn¡¯t stink."


    Hu Huihui said, "You¡¯re really hardworking."


    She would never do such a task herself, not even if her life depended on it.


    "This rain just won¡¯t stop. I feel like I¡¯m going to grow mold."


    Wang Zhaodi, however, said, "Once the rain stops, we can go mushroom picking."


    As a country girl, she knew all about these things. She said, "I¡¯ve already made ns with Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao to go up the mountain in the outskirts once the rain stops. There are always plenty of mushrooms after the rain, and they taste great no matter how you cook them. If we have too many, we can dry them and save them for winter. It¡¯s a good way to have an extra dish."


    Hu Huihui gave her a subtle look. "You¡¯re really diligent."


    Wang Zhaodi smiled sheepishly and said, "I¡¯m not smart, and I didn¡¯t get much education. I don¡¯t have any impressive skills, so all I have left is diligence."


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    She said, "Diligence is a good quality. Many mothers-inw like that."


    Wang Zhaodi scratched her head and said, "I¡¯m not in a hurry to get married."


    Though she might seem simple-minded, she had her own thoughts. Her parents would never marry her off to a good family. They¡¯d just marry her to whoever offered the most money. But with her background, why would anyone pay a lot to marry her? It would have to be someone with issues.


    Then she¡¯d end up serving an entire family, just like her mother, who kept having children until she finally had a son.


    In the past, she thought this was normal, but now she wasn¡¯t so sure.


    She thought it would be better not to marry at all.


    She¡¯d rather stay at Sister Jiang Lu¡¯s house as a nanny, where she had food and shelter, and Sister Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t harsh toward her.


    Even when Sister Jiang Lu didn¡¯t like her at first, she never mistreated her. Now that Sister Jiang Lu was pregnant, she was even more easygoing. There was plenty to eat and drink, and there was always something interesting happening. She didn¡¯t want to leave!


    Wang Zhaodi took a deep breath and said, "I need to hurry. I still have to make breakfast. Sister Jiang Lu hasn¡¯t had much of an appetitetely, so I¡¯m going to borrow a fishing rod and check the moatter."


    Hu Huihui was stunned. "What? You¡¯re going fishing in this heavy rain?"


    Wang Zhaodi replied matter-of-factly, "Yes. On clear days, people go fishing themselves and won¡¯t lend me their rods. I have to wait until they¡¯re not using them to borrow one."


    She added earnestly, "I need to make a good impression!"


    Suddenly, Wang Zhaodi seemed to be filled with energy. "I¡¯m off to work!"


    She was as quick as the wind.


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    Are all country girls this hardworking?


    She looked at Wang Zhaodi with a subtle expression.


    "Hu Huihui!"


    Hu Huihui turned around at the sound. "Who are you...?"


    There were too many men on this street who admired her.


    "You don¡¯t remember me? I¡¯m Fourth Brother Yu, Yu Baoshan¡¯s brother."


    Hu Huihui suddenly realized. "Oh, it¡¯s you."


    Then she immediately frowned and said coldly, "What do you want? Hasn¡¯t your family done enough to hurt my cousin? Yu Baoshan did so many terrible things, and your family hasn¡¯t even apologized. It¡¯s outrageous."


    Fourth Brother Yu said, "Hey, he¡¯s him, and I¡¯m me. We¡¯re not the same. I don¡¯t like Yu Baoshan either. He¡¯s always causing trouble and hogging the big room and the job. I guess he got what wasing to him."


    The brothers didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of sadness. They all disliked Yu Baoshan.


    In a family with many brothers, resources were always scarce, and Yu Baoshan took the lion¡¯s share. Who could be happy about that?


    Their resentment had built up over time, and now that he was gone, they didn¡¯t feel any grief.


    However, he said, "Wait, your cousin wasn¡¯t really harmed, was she? I heard she got away. How is she suffering?"


    Hu Huihui became agitated. "What do you mean she wasn¡¯t harmed? That scoundrel Yu Baoshan... uh!"


    She suddenly stopped herself and said, "Uh, my cousin was scared, okay? Doesn¡¯t that deserve an apology?"


    Fourth Brother Yu looked at her suspiciously, pondering what she hadn¡¯t said. He pressed, "What happened to your cousin? What did Yu Baoshan do to her? Tell me."


    Hu Huihui¡¯s eyes darted around. "Nothing, you heard wrong."


    Fourth Brother Yu became more intrigued. "No, there¡¯s definitely something. Tell me. I won¡¯t tell anyone."


    Hu Huihui waved her hands vigorously. "No, no. Nothing happened. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, okay? Don¡¯t overthink it."


    Then, as if she had let something slip and was feeling guilty, she repeatedly emphasized, "My cousin is pure and innocent."


    Fourth Brother Yu finally understood. He grinned slyly and said, "So, your cousin... did Yu Baoshan do *that* to her...?"


    "No, don¡¯t talk nonsense."


    Hu Huihui pushed Fourth Brother Yu aside and quickly ran off, as if a wolf were chasing a rabbit.


    Hu Huihui ran fast, and when she reached a secluded corner, a triumphant smile spread across her face.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been so harsh to her. Now she would make sure Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s reputation was ruined.


    After all, she hadn¡¯t lied.


    Some things might fool outsiders, but it was hard to hide from someone who lived in the same house. Especially since Yu Baoshan had been so rough, and Wang Xiangxiu had been too shocked to cover her tracks. Hu Huihui knew everything clearly.


    She wouldn¡¯t say it outright¡ªthat would be too crude.


    This level of subtlety was just right.


    She could even swear she hadn¡¯t said anything, yet others would understand immediately.


    She smiled smugly, thinking Fourth Brother Yu had appeared at just the right time. But it didn¡¯t really matter if it was him or not. If he hadn¡¯t shown up, she would have subtly leaked the information to someone else in the neighborhood.


    Now that Fourth Brother Yu was here, she¡¯d use him.


    It didn¡¯t matter who it was¡ªshe¡¯d take whoever was avable.


    Hu Huihui was pleased with herself and hummed a tune as she walked away. Let¡¯s see you feed me cornmeal! Let¡¯s see you feed me cornbread! Let¡¯s see you feed me boiled vegetables! Let¡¯s see you make me do all the housework! I¡¯ll pay you back in full!


    My eight dors aren¡¯t so easy to take!


    I¡¯ll expose your secrets!


    Hu Huihui left triumphantly, while Fourth Brother Yu mulled over her words and suddenly understood. "So, Yu Baoshan slept with Wang Xiangxiu, the widow."


    The brothers were so estranged that they always referred to each other by name.


    He narrowed his eyes. So that¡¯s what happened.


    Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t it obvious?


    They hade out of the bathroom together... Yikes!


    He gasped. They didn¡¯t even care about the location? The bathroom, of all ces?


    Were they that desperate?


    Even if she couldn¡¯t have children anymore, was it really necessary to rush into something like that?


    Although there have been some rumors about whether Wang Xiangxiu and Yu Baoshan had any involvement, these were overshadowed by the shocking incident of Yu Baoshan being struck by lightning. After all, that was a once-in-a-decade event.


    But now, with confirmation from the cousin of one of the parties involved, it¡¯s clear that the rumors are true.


    Fourth Brother Yu: ¡°Tsk tsk, who would¡¯ve thought? Yu Baoshan, that scoundrel, didn¡¯t die in vain. At least he had some fun before he went. And Wang Xiangxiu isn¡¯t bad either¡­¡±


    ¡°Fourth Brother Yu, what are you doing? Standing in the rain all by yourself, aren¡¯t you afraid of getting struck by lightning?¡±


    ¡°Shut your filthy mouth! Lightning won¡¯t strike me¡ªI¡¯m a good person. I¡¯m not like someone else. Oh, by the way, I know something¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°About Yu Baoshan.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What about him?¡±


    ¡°That night he cornered Wang Xiangxiu, he actually¡­ you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, how do you know? Is it true?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true! Who do you think I am? I¡¯m Yu Baoshan¡¯s fourth brother. I know everything. That jerk was always up to no good. Just think about Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s state that day¡ªclearly, she was¡­ heh heh heh.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what do you think Bai Fendou will do when he finds out? He¡¯s still in the police station because of Wang Xiangxiu, and now she¡¯s been with someone else¡­ Won¡¯t he go crazy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time. He¡¯ll probably still believe her.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. True, he¡¯s an idiot. If a man is like that, he might as well sell hats¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Such scious gossip spreads quickly. By mid-morning, the story was already the talk of the town.


    When someone asked Zhuang Zhixi about it, he was still confused. ¡°What? I don¡¯t know anything about this. Quick, tell me!¡±


    Sister Cui: ¡°¡­¡±


    She sighed, ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d tell me.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about her.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi had taken a day off yesterday and hadn¡¯t gone to work. This morning, he¡¯d been recounting the lightning strike incident like a stand-upedian. Just when he thought he could finally take a break at noon, there was new gossip.


    The rumor mill moves too fast.


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°When I got there, I only saw theming out of the bathroom together. I didn¡¯t see anything else. After that, I was chased with a knife¡­¡±


    Sister Cui said, ¡°Could it be¡­ could it be that he chased you because you discovered his affair with Wang Xiangxiu? Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t he chase her and instead go after you?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Honestly, with Yu Baoshan dead, it¡¯s unclear why he chased Zhuang Zhixi with a knife that day.


    Zhuang Zhixi thought that Yu Baoshan must have panicked. His test results hade out that day, and he was already emotionally unstable. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi, he probably feared he¡¯d go to the police, so chasing him with a knife wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s no point specting now. He¡¯s gone.¡±


    Curiously, he asked, ¡°But how did this rumor about Wang Xiangxiu start? I didn¡¯t hear anything about it yesterday when I was at home.¡±


    ¡°I heard it started this morning, from someone in the Yu family¡ªYu Baoshan¡¯s brother.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­¡±


    What¡¯s going on now?


    ¡°Oh, by the way, did Wang Xiangxiu go to work?¡±


    ¡°Work? No, she didn¡¯t.¡± Sister Cui, who seemed to know everything, said, ¡°I heard she¡¯s at the hospital. Her mother-inw, Aunt Su, is on herst legs.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t believe that for a second.


    What do you mean, ¡°on herst legs¡±?


    She was perfectly finest night.


    When she fell, it definitely wasn¡¯t life-threatening.


    As he suspected, they were using Aunt Su¡¯s health to pressure Jiang Baohong into dropping the matter¡­ Truly, the wicked get theireuppance from the wicked!

 Chapter 113

    The saying "Evil people will be dealt with by even worse people" couldn''t be more urate.


    Jiang Baohong was no saint, but when it came to scheming, she was no match for Aunt Su and her daughter-inw, Wang Xiangxiu. After all, their life experiences were vastly different. Talk to Aunt Su or Wang Xiangxiu about office promotions, and they wouldn¡¯t have a clue. But when it came to everyday scheming, Jiang Baohong was far from being their equal. For years, they had survived by outwitting others. How else could they live a decent life on their meager wages of just over twenty yuan?


    Scheming in the courtyard wasn¡¯t easy, as they were surrounded by long-time neighbors who could read their every move. Only the Bai father and son, who were ever so eager to please, fell for their tricks. Everyone else saw right through them.


    But now, scheming against Jiang Baohong seemed like a piece of cake.


    Aunt Su put on a frail, weak act, but Jiang Baohong wasn¡¯t buying it. Still, she was at a loss on how to deal with this seemingly ill old woman. Jiang Baohong had connections, but in the capital city, half the people you¡¯d hit with a brick would have some sort of background.


    As the saying goes, "You don¡¯t know how small your position is until youe to the capital."


    That¡¯s exactly what it meant.


    Even though Jiang Baohong had connections, it didn¡¯t mean she could act with impunity. Even in these times, that wasn¡¯t the case. Her husband was a deputy director of a certainmittee, but he wasn¡¯t the only one. There were three deputy directors in total, and the director was nearing retirement. If he stepped down, someone would have to take his ce. If Jiang Baohong made a scene or if Aunt Su kept harassing her, things would getplicated.


    Jiang Baohong could ignore Aunt Su, but the old woman had made it clear that if Jiang Baohong tried to force a resolution, she would jump off a building to seek justice. For a moment, Jiang Baohong was truly cornered by the mother-inw and daughter-inw duo.


    The fight had already be public knowledge, and her husband was furious, feeling humiliated. He demanded she resolve the matter immediately. Jiang Baohong was fuming. She wished she could arrest them all, but she knew she couldn¡¯t. She felt utterly frustrated.


    ¡°Damn it, damn it, damn it!¡± she cursed in a corner, venting her anger.


    ¡°Jiang Baohong.¡±


    She turned around in surprise. ¡°Old Cai?¡±


    Her face lit up. ¡°You came? I knew you¡¯d worry about me.¡±


    It was her husband.


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to visit, and she immediately perked up. ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯ve suffered. That family is so despicable. It¡¯s clearly their fault, but they¡¯re twisting the story and even dared toy hands on me. They have no respect for you as a leader.¡±


    Old Cai was displeased but said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you yesterday to resolve this quickly? What have you been doing? Do you think this is a good look? A leader¡¯s wife getting into a brawl with a bunch of street women, ending up at the police station¡ªare you trying to embarrass me? If Deputy Director Zheng and Deputy Director Tian find out, they¡¯ll have a field day. You¡¯re really a great help, causing trouble everywhere!¡±


    Jiang Baohong protested, ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to take the loss?¡±


    Old Cai waved her off. ¡°Take the loss for now. You can settle the scoreter. Is it really that hard? Let it go today, and deal with them when things have calmed down.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    Old Cai looked at Jiang Baohong¡¯s bruised face with disgust and turned away. ¡°Go handle it with the police now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡±


    Though she acted high and mighty at work, at home, she was just a dutiful housewife.


    As she left, Old Cai¡¯s disdain grew.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    A soft woman¡¯s voice called out. Old Cai turned to see a woman stepping out from a nearby corner. She had a voluptuous figure, with a couple of minor cuts on her face that somehow added to her delicate appearance.


    It was none other than Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been keeping an eye on Jiang Baohong, as instructed by her mother-inw. She had overheard Old Cai¡¯s threat to settle the scoreter and was terrified. She knew she was no match for them, so she had to find another way.


    As soon as Jiang Baohong left, she mustered her courage and approached.


    She pinched herself, tears welling up as she looked at the middle-aged man.


    Jiang Baohong was in her forties, but this man looked at least fifty, with a receding hairline. She bit her lip and spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m the mother of the child who had the conflict with your wife. My name is Wang Xiangxiu.¡±


    Old Cai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t expected someone to overhear his conversation with Jiang Baohong and cursed her inwardly for not checking her surroundings.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said softly, ¡°I know we were wrong, but my mother-inw is already in the hospital. I have three children at home. I beg you, please let this go.¡±


    Tears streamed down her face. ¡°If you can forgive this and promise not to retaliate, I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡±


    Old Cai was taken aback but quickly understood. He looked her up and down, his expression changing. Wang Xiangxiu wasn¡¯t unattractive; in fact, she fit the popr beauty standards of the time¡ªcurvy, with a full face, big eyes, and fair skin.


    He smiled. ¡°What can you do?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu blushed, clenching her fists. ¡°I¡­¡±


    She looked up, determined. ¡°I¡¯m a mother. As long as my children are safe and can grow up well, I¡¯ll do anything. Whatever you want, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Old Cai¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Shall we find a ce to discuss this further?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded. ¡°I know a spot¡­¡±


    She led the way. Her family had been to the hospital so often that she knew the ce inside out. She remembered a storage area in the back courtyard where discarded items were kept. It was usually deserted.


    Coincidentally, it was the same spot where Jiang Lu had once seduced Xiao Xu.


    It seemed the hospital was full of secrets.


    Wang Xiangxiu walked ahead, with Old Cai following close behind. Technically, this matter should have been handled at the police station, but it wasn¡¯t serious enough to warrant that. Everyone involved had injuries, and Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu both imed to be unwell. Jiang Baohong, who had taken the brunt of the beating, was also hospitalized. Even Bai Fendou insisted on staying in the hospital.


    They¡¯d rather y the sick card than be locked up.


    For serious offenders, this wouldn¡¯t fly, but for their petty squabble, it wasn¡¯t worth the trouble.


    So, the authorities turned a blind eye, letting them stay in the hospital to sort things out. Otherwise, they¡¯d just keep causing a scene.


    Wang Xiangxiu wasn¡¯t actually hospitalized, and neither was Bai Fendou. He couldn¡¯t sit still and kept pacing the ward, driving everyone else crazy. Coincidentally, they were all ced in the same room.


    Aunt Su sighed. ¡°Bai Fendou, stop pacing.¡±


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go check on my dad upstairs.¡±


    His father, who had been hit with a brick, was on the second floor, while they were on the third.


    Aunt Su sighed again. ¡°Go on. I was supposed to take care of him, but now I¡¯ve ended up in the hospital too.¡±


    Her voice was filled with mncholy.


    Bai Fendou immediately said, "Auntie, please don¡¯t say such things. This was an unexpected situation, and I can understand it. My father can too."


    "You tell your father to take good care of himself. I¡¯ll visit him as soon as I¡¯m better."


    He replied, "Alright, I¡¯ll head over right now and pass on your message."


    He cheerfully walked out the door and headed downstairs. From a distance, he spotted Wang Xiangxiu. He knew she had been keeping an eye on Jiang Baohong. Seeing her heading downstairs, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit uneasy.


    Jiang Baohong was acting all high and mighty, and Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t confident that Wang Xiangxiu could handle her alone. With that thought, he quickly followed her.


    But then, why did it seem like that short, balding man up ahead was also following Wang Xiangxiu?


    A sense of suspicion crept into his mind, but he continued to follow quietly without drawing attention to himself¡­


    At the same time, Zhao Guihua, along with Ming Mei, Jiang Lu, and Wang Zhaodi, entered the hospital gates. Wang Zhaodi had nned to go fishing for Jiang Lu early in the morning, but the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping, so Jiang Lu stopped her.


    It was too dangerous to go to the riverside in such a downpour, and she didn¡¯t think it was a good idea.


    Since the rain hadn¡¯t let up, Jiang Lu took another day off. She had already taken so many sick leaves that this one would count as personal leave, which meant a deduction from her sry. But Jiang Lu didn¡¯t seem to mind. Meanwhile, Ming Mei suddenly felt a stomach ache around noon.


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t dare dy and immediately took Ming Mei to the hospital. Whenever Ming Mei showed the slightest difort, Zhao Guihua, as her mother-inw, couldn¡¯t help but worry. After all, she had suffered a lot during her own pregnancy in her past life. So, the moment she noticed Ming Mei wasn¡¯t feeling well, she didn¡¯t hesitate to take her out.


    In such situations, it was better to trust doctors than rely on personal experience.


    Zhao Guihua took Ming Mei to the hospital, and Jiang Lu decided to tag along.


    It wasn¡¯t just for the sake ofpany. Jiang Lu also wanted to get herself checked, and since Ming Mei was going, it made sense to go together. It wasn¡¯t that Jiang Lu had suddenly warmed up to the Zhuang family; their rtionship had improved gradually. Being pregnant, they naturally hadmon topics to discuss. Now that Jiang Lu was entirely focused on her child, she found it easy to get along with them.


    She brought along herpanion, Wang Zhaodi, and the four of them headed to the hospital together.


    As soon as they entered the hospital gates, they saw Wang Xiangxiu walking out and turning toward the back. Not far behind her was an unfamiliar man, also turning in the same direction. Then came Bai Fendou. The three of them looked like a skewer of candied haws, one after the other.


    "What¡¯s going on here?" Ming Mei¡¯s stomach ache suddenly vanished, and she perked up with curiosity.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Don¡¯t worry about them. Let¡¯s go upstairs to see the doctor."


    Ming Mei replied, "I-I¡¯m fine now."


    She craned her neck to get a better look, clearly wanting to see what was happening. It was obvious she wanted to join themotion, but Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t let her. Ming Mei was already four months pregnant, and her belly was getting heavy. It wasn¡¯t worth the risk of someone bumping into her or pushing her in the chaos.


    After all, who knew what kind of nonsense those people were up to?


    Yes, it was hard to say.


    Zhao Guihua said firmly, "Put that thought of watching themotion out of your mind."


    Ming Mei¡¯s head drooped for a moment, but then she looked up and said, "Then can we find a spot to watch from a distance? My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. We can check things out before seeing the doctor, okay?"


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s stern expression didn¡¯t waver in the slightest.


    Jiang Lu chimed in, "I know a ce where we can see the backyard."


    She smiled and said, "There¡¯s a hot water room on the second floor. The window there overlooks the backyard."


    She had discovered this while secretly meeting Xiao Xu in the backyard shed. It had startled her at the time, but since it waste at night, there was no one around, and she felt safe. If it had been during the day, someone would have surely seen her.


    She didn¡¯t know where Wang Xiangxiu was headed, but the hot water room offered a view of the entire backyard, which was good enough.


    "Shall we go?"


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Jiang Lu said, "Then let¡¯s move."


    Zhao Guihua asked worriedly, "Are you really sure you¡¯re not in pain anymore?"


    Ming Mei nodded obediently and said, "Really, I¡¯m fine."


    In truth, the pain hadn¡¯t been severe to begin with. It was just a slight, nagging difort, like the feeling of needing to use the restroom, but it had subsided. She knew her own body best, and since she wasn¡¯t feeling unwell anymore, her curiosity took over.


    The four of them headed upstairs together. By this time, Wang Xiangxiu had already reached her destination. She looked around, and Bai Fendou, unsure of his own motives, ducked out of sight. Wang Xiangxiu, satisfied that everything was clear, nodded at the balding man, Old Cai, and then entered the small storage room.


    The storage room even had a resting area¡ªsmall, but it had a bed.


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled softly as Old Cai quickly followed her into the room¡­


    Bai Fendou hid around the corner, calming himself for a moment. When he peeked out and saw no one around, he immediately headed for the storage room. He walked up to the door, still puzzled, when he suddenly heard faint moansing from inside.


    Along with the moans were other sounds that made his face flush with embarrassment. Bai Fendou stared at the door in disbelief, momentarily frozen, unable to muster the courage to push it open. He stood there, listening to the noises inside.


    The sounds grew louder, and just as he was debating whether to enter, they abruptly stopped.


    "Ah¡­"


    Old Cai, satisfied, pinched Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s cheek and said, "You¡¯re not bad."


    Wang Xiangxiu giggled softly, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind and cooing, "Between me and your wife, who¡¯s better?"


    "Of course, it¡¯s you. She¡¯s nothing."


    Old Cai didn¡¯t im to like Wang Xiangxiu. Their rtionship was purely transactional, so there was no need to talk about feelings. She was good, but even so, Old Cai wouldn¡¯t continue seeing her. He was at a critical point in his career, aiming for a promotion to department head, and he couldn¡¯t afford to leave any evidence for his rivals to use against him.


    He stood up and pulled up his pants, asking, "So, between me and your man, who¡¯s better?"


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "My man¡¯s been dead for a long time." If he were still alive, she wouldn¡¯t have to endure all this.


    Old Cai was taken aback. "Wait, isn¡¯t there someone who fought for your kids? Isn¡¯t that their father?"


    Hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu was displeased. She might engage in affairs out of necessity, but deep down, she was a virtuous woman. The only man she truly loved was herte husband.


    She didn¡¯t like hearing people associate her with Bai Fendou. She looked down on him.


    She sneered, "He¡¯s nothing."


    Well, both of them had used the same phrase.


    Wang Xiangxiu mocked, "With that pig brain of his, he thinks he can be my son¡¯s father? He¡¯s delusional. I¡¯ve never had any respect for him. Sure, he¡¯s deeply infatuated with me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have to ept him."


    Old Cai teased, "Oh, so a widow like you looks down on him?"


    "Even as a widow, I¡¯m better than him. I never liked him back when he was in the security department, let alone now that he¡¯s cleaning toilets and hauling manure. He¡¯s nothingpared to myte husband. We just live in the same courtyard, so I can¡¯t outright reject him. But in truth, I have no respect for such a brainless man. Who in their right mind would marry their daughter to someone like him? Isn¡¯t that embarrassing? If he hadn¡¯t impulsively started that fight, things wouldn¡¯t have gotten so out of hand. What a disgraceful idiot."


    Wang Xiangxiuughed softly, saying, "A real man should be like you."


    Though Old Cai was short, fat, and balding, with an unattractive appearance, his attire spoke of his status. And from what she had overheard, if she couldtch onto this man, her future would be secure.


    She clung to Old Cai, unwilling to let go, and said, "Will you stille looking for me in the future? I know I¡¯m a widow, and I don¡¯t have much charm, but you¡¯re really something special..."


    Old Cai felt a surge of pride. Men always enjoy being praised in this way.


    He patted Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s face and said, "This is just an exchange between us. There won¡¯t be a next time. What? Are you already attached to me?"


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "I¡¯ve never met a man as strong as you. I can¡¯t bear to leave you."


    "Who are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you afraid your loyal dog will hear? He even got into a fight for your son and ended up in the police station, yet you don¡¯t seem to care at all. How heartless can you be?"


    Wang Xiangxiu defended herself confidently, "He chose to fight on his own. Did I ask him to? Isn¡¯t it ridiculous? I¡¯ve never even been interested in him. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that we live in the same courtyard and I didn¡¯t want to cause a scene, I would¡¯ve told him to get lost long ago. Besides, you¡¯ve heard about it, right? I have a mother-inw and three children to take care of. As a woman, what else can I do? I have to keep him around for the money. But I swear, we¡¯ve never crossed any boundaries."


    Logically, Wang Xiangxiu shouldn¡¯t have said all this, but she wanted to secure Old Cai¡¯s favor. A little self-pity and proving her innocence were essential.


    "Life has been really tough for me. Just look at this hospital stay¡ªI don¡¯t even know where the money wille from."


    She bit her lip, looking at him with pitiful eyes. Old Cai, of course, understood her implication. Neither of them was naive. He reached into his pocket and pulled out twenty yuan along with a few coupons.


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s eyes lit up, and her hand immediately reached for them.


    She cooed, "I¡¯ll take these," in a flirtatious tone. A flicker of dissatisfaction crossed Old Cai¡¯s face, but Wang Xiangxiu quickly added, "You cane find me anytime..."


    Seeing Old Cai¡¯s expression darken, she assured him, "I promise, there¡¯s nothing going on with anyone else... You¡¯re truly impressive..."


    Old Cai¡¯s mood shifted again, and he didn¡¯t take the money and coupons back from Wang Xiangxiu. He simply said, "Alright, let¡¯s go."


    Wang Xiangxiu pleaded, "I don¡¯t want to leave you..."


    Old Cai chuckled, "Do you always manipte your loyal dog like this to get what you want?"


    Wang Xiangxiu protested, "Of course not! Don¡¯t you believe me? I¡¯ve already said there¡¯s nothing between us. I haven¡¯t even let him kiss me. That man is a fool, brainless. A few sweet words and he¡¯s head over heels for me..."


    She thought to herself, men love hearing others being put down while they¡¯re praised. Didn¡¯t you see how Old Cai puffed up with pride when she spoke ill of Bai Fendou?


    "Aside from my husband, you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve been with," she whispered softly. "Women are like this. Even though we¡¯ve only just met, in my heart, you¡¯re already my man."


    Old Cai said, "Alright, hurry up and go back."


    Though he enjoyed being praised by a woman, his status was already high, and he¡¯d heard plenty of ttery before. It didn¡¯t move him deeply.


    He liked hearing it, but it didn¡¯t touch his heart.


    Wang Xiangxiu, seeing that her efforts hadn¡¯t yielded much, bit her lip in frustration. "Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"


    Old Cai replied, "This was just an exchange. Did you actually take it seriously?"


    Though he enjoyed thepliments, he wasn¡¯t swayed in the slightest.


    "You¡¯ve already taken the money, so stop acting like we¡¯re deeply in love. I know you like me, but I don¡¯t have any further interest in you."


    "You!" Wang Xiangxiu hadn¡¯t expected him to be so cold. After all her efforts, it had amounted to nothing.


    "What? Are you going to turn on me?"


    "How could I dare? You¡¯re making it sound like I¡¯m the one at fault," Wang Xiangxiu quickly adjusted her demeanor, putting on a pitiful expression. But in her heart, she cursed this old fox for being shameless. How could he just walk away after taking advantage of her? A woman like her, one in a million¡ªhow could he just treat her as a fleeting fling?


    He had no taste. She might be in her thirties, but she was far better than those twenty-something girls. A woman should have her own charm.


    "Aren¡¯t you leaving? Do you want to get caught?"


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "I¡¯ll go, but... but..." She pinched herself, tears welling up in her eyes. "You¡¯lle find me again, won¡¯t you?"


    Old Caiughed heartily and said, "We¡¯ll see."


    He didn¡¯t give her a direct answer.


    What he wanted was a fleeting affair, not to be tied down by this widow.


    He¡¯d had some initial interest, but this was a crucial year for his career advancement. He couldn¡¯t afford to make a big mistake. Moreover, as Wang Xiangxiu kept badmouthing her loyal dog, Old Cai began to see her as untrustworthy.


    He wasn¡¯t some naive young man. He¡¯d seen it all and wouldn¡¯t be fooled by a woman like her.


    Sleeping with her was enjoyable, but the idea of maintaining a long-term rtionship was out of the question.


    A woman like her was like a leech, and he had no intention of being her permanent host.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    "Wait a moment, let me adjust my new clothes."


    Wang Xiangxiu straightened herself and said, "Let¡¯s go."


    This time, she hadn¡¯t fully seeded, but she hadn¡¯t lost out either. After all, she¡¯d resolved the immediate issue, avoided future troubles, and even walked away with at least twenty yuan. It was a pretty lucrative deal.


    If only all the men she encountered were this generous.


    Unfortunately, when she "borrowed" money at the factory, she rarely got more than five yuan. She could¡¯ve lowered her price, but her mother-inw firmly opposed it. Lowering the price might seem like a way to earn more, but it would make her seem cheap. Some of the better-off men might stoping to her. Plus, if word got out, it could ruin her reputation. For now, there were some rumors, but nothing concrete.


    Most people only heard whispers, and since she sometimes firmly rejected inappropriate advances, many still believed in her innocence. If she took on too many men, it would inevitably backfire.


    She could handle herself, but she couldn¡¯t let her son have a mother with a bad reputation.


    So, while Wang Xiangxiu made money, she didn¡¯t unt it or get caught.


    Overall, while she didn¡¯t fully achieve her goal this time, it wasn¡¯t aplete failure. After all, she¡¯d gained quite a bit.


    "I¡¯ll miss you," Wang Xiangxiu said softly.


    Old Cai smirked and said, "We¡¯ll see. Maybe I¡¯lle find you."


    He didn¡¯tmit, and finally, they opened the door¡ª"What the hell!"


    As the door opened, they saw a man standing outside, drenched from the rain without a raincoat. His eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the pair in front of him, unable to believe what he¡¯d just overheard.


    In his heart, Wang Xiangxiu was like a celestial goddess, pure and untouchable.


    Though she lived a hard life, she was strong and capable, never yielding to fate. She worked tirelessly every day but never fawned over anyone. She was a strong woman who deserved sympathy.


    But now, what had he just witnessed?


    His mind was in chaos, unable to process the despair he felt standing outside that door.


    He¡¯d listened to the sounds inside, wanting to burst in and kill the man who dared to take advantage of his beloved Xiangxiu. But a sliver of rationality held him back. There were no sounds of resistance, onlypliance.


    Bai Fendou was utterly devastated, even more so when it ended so quickly.


    He hadn¡¯t even entered the room before it was over.


    And then, the words he heard sent him straight to hell. He never could¡¯ve imagined that Xiangxiu saw him this way. He thought she was perfect, but she saw him as a fool, a wallet.


    Bai Fendou listened to their flirtatious banter, the way they mocked him, and stood at the door like a statue, unmoving.


    His heart was shattered.


    "Who are you? Move aside!" Old Cai frowned slightly.


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s face instantly paled, as if she might faint at any moment. She immediately cried out, "Fendou, let me exin!"


    Bai Fendou let out a bitterugh. "Exin? Let you deceive me again?"


    Suddenly, he erupted in anger, "You bitch!"


    Bai Fendou was a man who was always quick to resort to violence. Without hesitation, he threw a punch at Wang Xiangxiu, sending her to the ground. She looked up at him in disbelief, "You dare hit me?"


    This was the second time. The second time Bai Fendou had struck her.


    The first time was because of Jii, and he had retaliated then too. She hadn¡¯t expected him to do it again.


    Wang Xiangxiu shouted, "You¡¯re a jerk. Aplete jerk! I¡¯ll never forgive you!"


    She screamed at the top of her lungs, "What does it matter to you what I do? Who are you to me? And who am I to you? I can do whatever I want! What right do you have to hit me? What right!"


    Her hysterical screams filled the air. Old Cai, who was nearby, sensed trouble and tried to slip away. But Bai Fendou, now seeing red, grabbed him and started pping him repeatedly. "You think you can sleep with her? You think you can mess around like this? You think you¡¯re so great, huh? You think you¡¯re so impressive?"


    Wang Xiangxiu cried out, "What are you doing? Let him go!"


    She had just managed to calm things down, and now this man was about to ruin everything.


    "Get away from him!" Wang Xiangxiu pounded on Bai Fendou, "Let go of my man!"


    Her words only fueled Bai Fendou¡¯s rage, and he hit Old Cai even harder. Old Cai howled, "Let me go! You¡¯d better let me go, or you¡¯ll regret it! Do you know who I am? Do you know what kind of mistake you¡¯re making? I¡¯ll make sure you end up behind bars! You¡¯ll never see the light of day again!"


    Bai Fendou sneered, "Behind bars? You¡¯ll be the one behind bars first! You two are carrying on an illicit affair, and I¡¯m the one upholding justice. I¡¯ll report you, and you¡¯ll both be paraded through the streets. You¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you! Go ahead, bring it on! I won¡¯t even blink!"


    By this point, Bai Fendou was beyond reason, dragging Old Cai around like a dead dog.


    Old Cai pleaded, "Brother, let me go. I¡¯ll do whatever you want, just tell me!"


    "Do whatever I want? You two deserve nothing but punishment!"


    Wang Xiangxiu was terrified now, shouting, "Bai Fendou, you¡¯re not my man! What right do you have to interfere?"


    Bai Fendou retorted, "You¡¯re carrying on an illicit affair!"


    By now, a crowd had gathered, drawn by themotion.


    Old Cai offered, "I¡¯ll give you money!"


    "Pah! I don¡¯t want your dirty money!"


    Bai Fendou was furious. Looking at this balding man, thinking about how Wang Xiangxiu had whispered sweet nothings to him, allowed him to do whatever he wanted, Bai Fendou¡¯s anger boiled over. He suddenly let go of Old Cai, who fell to the ground with a ssh.


    Ssh, another ssh¡­


    It all started with that. Old Cai groaned, "Ouch!"


    He looked up to see Bai Fendou¡¯s menacing face and knew he was in trouble. Before he could dodge, Bai Fendou kicked him, aiming for a particr spot. Again and again, the kicksnded.


    "I¡¯ll teach you to use your power to force women! I¡¯ll teach you to mess around! I¡¯ll teach you to sleep with Wang Xiangxiu!"


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    "Ah! What are you doing!"


    Wang Xiangxiu copsed into the water, feeling like everything was over.


    It was over. Truly over.


    Old Cai would never let them off the hook now.


    Wang Xiangxiu sat in the rain, while Old Cai writhed on the ground, clutching himself, unable to speak.


    "What are you doing? What did you do to my man?" Jiang Baohong suddenly appeared. She had just finished handling some business and was about to return to the ward to tidy up before heading home. Seeing themotion, she decided to intervene, as a minor leader, she felt it was her duty to handle the situation. After all, she had some authority.


    But as she approached, she saw her husband being kicked repeatedly, gasping for breath, rolling in the rain.


    "It¡¯s you again, you scoundrel! How dare you bully my man!"


    Bai Fendou roared, "Get out of here!"


    Jiang Baohong shot back, "You dare yell at me?"


    She lunged at him, "You¡¯re both dead! You¡¯ve bullied my man, and we won¡¯t let you off!"


    Bai Fendou shouted, "I bullied your man? I¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Wang Xiangxiu suddenly spoke up, tears streaming down her face, "He bullied me! He forced me to sleep with him, said he wouldn¡¯t let me go if I didn¡¯t¡­ I had no choice, so I went with him to the storage room¡­"


    She had suddenly turned on Old Cai.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been defending him earlier, but seeing Bai Fendou kick him repeatedly, she knew he was likely as good as ruined, just like Zhou Qun. If he was truly ruined, he¡¯d have no use for her anymore.


    She had been trying to curry favor with him, but Bai Fendou had gone too far. Old Cai would surely seek revengeter. Rather than suffer then, it was better to take him down now. If he was stripped of his position, he¡¯d have no power to retaliate.


    Besides, with the crowd growing, if she didn¡¯t clear her name, she¡¯d be humiliated. She didn¡¯t want that.


    Though it was a quick decision, it was the right one in the heat of the moment.


    Wang Xiangxiu immediately shifted the me onto Old Cai, crying, "I¡¯m just a woman, an ordinary woman. What could I do? We¡¯re justmon folk, and we¡¯ve offended him. He threatened to retaliate, and I was forced to go with him¡­ Thank goodness for Bai Fendou, thank goodness he was here¡­"


    Her sudden change left Bai Fendou speechless.


    If he hadn¡¯t heard her earlier words, he might have believed her. But while Bai Fendou didn¡¯t buy it, the crowd did, murmuring among themselves.


    "My goodness."


    "This guy is shameless."


    "That poor woman, no wonder her man is so angry."


    "Just because he has power, he thinks he can bully women."


    The crowd buzzed with indignation, while Jiang Baohong screamed, "You¡¯re lying! You¡¯re a vixen! You seduced my man, and now you¡¯re ndering him! I¡¯ll kill you!"


    She lunged at Wang Xiangxiu, who cried pitifully, dodging while still managing to fight back¡­


    The scene descended into chaos again. Ming Mei and a few others watched from a second-floor window, having seen everything from the beginning¡ªWang Xiangxiu entering the room, Bai Fendou hesitating at the door, and now the brawl.


    Ming Mei watched for a long moment before saying, "The heat¡¯s making people irritable."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "¡­That¡¯s quite the observation."


    After watching all that, that¡¯s what you conclude?


    Ming Mei continued, "It¡¯s true! In winter and spring, there aren¡¯t as many fights. Buttely, with the heat, people are quick to throw punches. It¡¯s because everyone¡¯s so worked up in this weather."


    Zhao Guihua countered, "But our courtyard had been quiet for a while. I remember you saying that the heat made people toozy to argue."


    Ming Mei paused.


    Oh, right.


    Those two points did seem contradictory.


    But she quickly added, "Both are true! Earlier, the heat made people toozy to fight¡ªwho wants to break a sweat over an argument? But now it¡¯s been raining. It¡¯s still hot, but not unbearable. People aren¡¯t drenched in sweat just from moving around. Summer¡¯s always full of pent-up energy, and the rain¡¯s cooled things down just enough to let it out in a fight."


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "You¡¯re just making excuses now."


    Jiang Lu chimed in, "Forget about the weather. Look at them fighting! Are they going to kill someone?"


    Ming Mei shrugged, "They won¡¯t, right? This is a hospital¡ªthey can get treated immediately."


    As she spoke, the hospital¡¯s security team came running.


    Ming Mei said, "See? The security¡¯s here. It¡¯ll be fine."


    Suddenly, Jiang Lu eximed, "Oh my god!"


    "What? What¡¯s wrong?"


    Ming Mei quickly moved closer, feeling she couldn¡¯t miss such an event. Jiang Lu said, "That baldy is definitely done for. Bai Fendou kicked him, and he passed out. Look at the ground, there¡¯s already blood¡­"


    Sizz!


    So ruthless!


    Bai Fendou truly is a man¡¯s nightmare!


    He¡¯s relentless in taking men down!


    Though they were on the second floor, they had a clear view of the scene below. It was obvious that Jiang Baohong was losing it. She suddenly lunged forward and threw herself over the baldy. She hadn¡¯t expected things to escte like this.


    Seeing her man suffer such a blow, she was ovee with rage. Without warning, she charged at Bai Fendou, who was already exhausted from the fight. Caught off guard, he stumbled and fell. Jiang Baohong immediately grabbed a rock and aimed it at Bai Fendou¡¯s vulnerable spot. "I¡¯ll finish you!"


    "Ah!!!"


    The scene froze for a moment. Those who had been watching themotion instinctively took a few steps back. Jiang Baohong turned her attention to Wang Xiangxiu, grabbing her hair and dragging her forward, mming her head against the wall.


    "What are you doing? Ahhh!"


    With both men down and Jiang Baohong in a frenzy, no one knew what to do. However, Wang Xiangxiu quickly fought back. Working in the factory, she was stronger than Jiang Baohong. She grabbed Jiang Baohong¡¯s hair in return, and the two of them stumbled around, each trying to m the other into the wall.


    "Damn it, someone pull these two crazy women apart!"


    "Hurry, hurry! Get these two men to emergency care!"


    Finally, someone snapped into action.


    The onlookers were too afraid to intervene, but the hospital security team quickly stepped in. The two men were covered in blood, and the two women were equally battered.


    "Quick, quick, save them first!"


    Being a doctor is never easy.


    In such a chaotic situation, no one dared to step forward, but the medical staff had to act fast.


    Jiang Baohong had never been humiliated like this before. She had always been praised and admired in her youth, but now she had suffered a crushing defeat. She red at Wang Xiangxiu with dark eyes. Wang Xiangxiu covered her face and cried, "You and your husband are bullies! You¡¯re so cruel¡­"


    She was still putting on an act.


    "My dear Xiuxiu, my dear Xiuxiu¡­"


    Aunt Su, seeing that the fight was over and the security team had things under control, finally rushed out. She stumbled over to Wang Xiangxiu, hugging her and wailing, "How could you be so heartless? My dear Xiuxiu!"


    Jiang Baohong looked at this old woman, the same one who had earlier imed to be on the verge of death but now seemed full of energy as she screamed. Her anger only grew. Spotting the nearby restroom, she clenched her teeth and, while no one was paying attention, suddenly lunged at the old woman, grabbing her and dragging her away.


    "Ah?"


    "Oh my god!"


    Even the security team was caught off guard by Jiang Baohong¡¯s sudden burst of strength. They reacted quickly, but they couldn¡¯t stop her. In a few steps, she had dragged Aunt Su to the restroom. As people closed in, she mmed Aunt Su¡¯s head against the wall a few times before shoving her into the restroom.


    Ssh!!!


    This restroom wasn¡¯t like the ones in the alleyways, which had been reinforced with thick stone bs. Here, they still used the old, thin wooden nks, which were easier for the waste collectors to move.


    Jiang Baohong didn¡¯t know about the incidents in their neighborhood, but that didn¡¯t stop her from acting. Her main goal was to teach this old woman a lesson. mming her head against the wall would have been quickly stopped by security, but pushing her into the restroom would at least make her suffer a bit. Wang Xiangxiu had thought of how to shift me in a crisis, and Jiang Baohong had thought of how to make someone miserable.


    Aunt Su, after being mmed against the wall, was already seeing stars. Now, she was shoved into the cesspool.


    "Ugh!"


    "Oh my god!"


    "Goodness, this is¡­"


    "Stop talking and save her!"


    Ming Mei and the others watched from the window, shaken by what they had just witnessed. This time, Jiang Baohong was truly restrained and couldn¡¯t move.


    Wang Xiangxiu screamed hysterically, "Mom! Mom, are you okay? Mom, you can¡¯t die¡­"


    Downstairs, chaos erupted once again.


    Fortunately, they were far enough away, or the aftermath would have been unbearable. The heavy rain made things worse, and Aunt Su, dazed and weak, couldn¡¯t hold onto the rope. It took a long time to pull her out¡­


    Jiang Lu: "Ugh~"


    She had a strong reaction. "I can¡¯t take this. I¡¯m already prone to nausea."


    Now, she could somewhat understand how others felt when Zhou Qun fell into the restroom that one time.


    Wang Zhaodi murmured, "The city is too scary¡­ too scary."


    "Ugh~" Jiang Lu gagged again, and Wang Zhaodi immediately asked, "Sister Jiang Lu, are you okay? Let¡¯s go get checked out."


    Jiang Lu: "Alright."


    Zhao Guihua: "How are you feeling?"


    Ming Mei blinked. "My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt at all. I feel fine."


    Zhao Guihua: "¡­"


    She said quietly, "The little one in your belly sure loves watching the drama."


    Ming Meiughed. "Just like me and the baby¡¯s dad."


    Zhao Guihua: "Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s get you checked at the OB-GYN."


    "Okay."


    Though the two pregnant women were eager to continue watching themotion, the downstairs scene had ended. The injured had been taken in for treatment, and the next round¡­ they didn¡¯t dare get involved. Pregnant women couldn¡¯t afford to be caught up in such chaos.


    Given how wild things had gotten, they didn¡¯t dare go near.


    Zhao Guihua took charge and led them to the OB-GYN for a check-up. Fortunately, both were fine.


    The elderly doctor at the OB-GYN looked at Ming Mei and smiled. "I think your baby is fine. You probably just ate something that didn¡¯t agree with you and needed to use the restroom."


    She put it bluntly.


    Ming Mei¡¯s stomachache was from overeating and needing to use the restroom, not because of any issue with the baby.


    Ming Mei: "¡­"


    She blushed.


    But the doctor added, "However, your reaction was correct. It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. If you feel unwell,ing to the hospital is always the right choice. It¡¯s better to be thorough and avoid misjudging the situation."


    Ming Mei nodded quickly. "I understand."


    The doctor: "Alright, both of you are pregnant. Don¡¯t stay at the hospital watching the drama. You don¡¯t want to get identally hurt. Especially you, since this is your first pregnancy at your age. You need to be extra careful."


    Jiang Lu nodded quickly. "I know."


    Zhao Guihua: "Let¡¯s go, then."


    They had spent most of the afternoon watching the spectacle. They had left at noon, and now it was almost time to clock out. The battle had been intense.


    The four of them walked out together. Zhao Guihua nced back at the hospital and said, "What were they all thinking, causing such a scene? It¡¯s not over yet."


    While others might have just seen it as entertainment, Zhao Guihua reflected, "This is why, if you have children, you must raise them well. When they¡¯re young, they don¡¯t understand right from wrong. They¡¯re like nk tes. Parents y the most important role at this stage. If you don¡¯t teach them properly, someone else will have to do itter. Look, if Jii and his brothers hadn¡¯t been so mischievous, none of this would have happened."


    The two pregnant women nodded silently.


    On the way back, everyone was quiet. Though they were eager to gossip, the situation was just tooplicated to even know where to start.


    Jiang Lu suddenly said, "Wang Xiangxiu has been like this for years. This isn¡¯t the first time¡­"


    Though they couldn¡¯t hear much from the second floor, they could see enough. A man and a woman had gone into a dark room, and Bai Fendou¡¯s state spoke volumes.


    Ming Mei voiced it outright.


    Jiang Lu scratched her head and said, "That''s not what I meant to say." After a pause, she continued, "What I wanted to ask is, why hasn¡¯t Wang Xiangxiu gotten pregnant?"


    She was puzzled: "She¡¯s very fertile. She had a son in the first year of her marriage, and then kept having children every two years. She¡¯s quite capable of bearing children. Since this isn¡¯t her first time, why hasn¡¯t she gotten pregnant again?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at Jiang Lu and asked, "What do you think the reason is?"


    Jiang Lu: "???"


    As they were about to enter the courtyard, Jiang Lu suddenly pped her forehead and eximed, "She, she, she¡ªyou mean she¡¯s had an IUD inserted?"


    Zhao Guihua said meaningfully, "I didn¡¯t say that. You¡¯re the one who said it. I was just specting."


    "Uh¡­"


    Jiang Lu was utterly shocked, and so was Ming Mei, who sighed in admiration, "She¡¯s a tough one."


    "Who¡¯s tough? Is Ming Mei okay? Why are you guys back sote?"


    Auntie Wang came out to use the restroom and happened to run into them.


    Ming Mei immediately said, "Auntie Wang, we¡¯ve got big news!"


    Auntie Wang: "???"


    She immediately perked up: "What happened?"


    Ming Mei: "There was a huge fight¡ªBai Fendou and his gang got into another brawl at the hospital¡­"


    Wang Zhaodi added, "Aunt Su was pushed into a manure pit."


    Jiang Lu: "Bai Fendou might be done for."


    "Oh my god," Auntie Wang said, holding her forehead.


    She waspletely exasperated. These people really knew how to stir up trouble.


    She had thought that with Aunt Zhou gone, their courtyard would finally have some peace. But no¡ªless than two months after things had quieted down, the drama was back in full swing. And on a stormy night like this, they weren¡¯t even afraid of getting struck by lightning.


    Though she was utterly baffled and couldn¡¯t understand these people, it didn¡¯t stop her from wanting to hear the gossip.


    Well, no¡ªas the courtyard manager, it was her duty to stay informed.


    She had to know what was going on.


    Auntie Wang decisively said, "You guys go home first. I¡¯ll go to the restroom and thene find you!"


    "Alright."


    Auntie Wang: "They really are¡­"


    She shook her head like a rattle drum.


    ¡­


    People hurried home after work. On a rainy day, no one lingered, but the workers from the machinery factory walked in a daze. Something big had happened¡ªsomething huge.


    Enormous.


    It wasn¡¯t Zhao Guihua and the others who spread the news, but the hospital had informed the machinery factory.


    Both Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu worked at the factory, and with such a major incident, the organization had to be notified.


    Of course, there were no secrets in the factory, and the news spread like wildfire.


    Everyone was left in a daze.


    The updates wereing in too fast. If you blinked, you¡¯d miss thetest development.


    Just this morning, the hot topic was the lightning strike incident from the night beforest. By mid-morning, the gossip had shifted to Wang Xiangxiu and Yu Baoshan¡¯s scandal. And before anyone could even make sense of that, a new incident had already urred.


    Keeping up with the gossip in their factory was exhausting¡ªyou couldn¡¯t even take a nap.


    The news was outdated in a sh.


    You could say it moved at lightning speed!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But everyone was still in a state of shock.


    How could Wang Xiangxiu, the young widow, and Bai Fendou, the old bachelor, have so much drama between them?


    They didn¡¯t yet know the full details, but it was safe to assume that Bai Fendou was once again involved because of the widow.


    Though the specifics were unclear, they knew one thing: Bai Fendou had incapacitated another man¡ªyes, yet another man¡­


    And then, Bai Fendou himself had been incapacitated.


    This was just¡­


    "From now on, we really shouldn¡¯t mess with Bai Fendou."


    "Absolutely. I¡¯ve never seen such a ruthless person."


    "Did you hear? The guy he took down was the deputy director of the neighborhoodmittee¡­"


    "Holy crap, what a hero!"


    "Uh¡­does this count as eliminating a public menace?" someone muttered softly, and suddenly, everything went quiet except for the sound of the rain. No one spoke, and soon, a few coughs broke the silence¡­


    "Let¡¯s all just go home!"

 Chapter 114

    The rain poured down relentlessly.


    Three consecutive days of heavy rain had brought many inconveniences to daily life.


    By evening, the sky was already dim and overcast, with no sign of clearing up. Zhuang Zhixi was in the courtyard fetching water, as the tap water at home had run out. As he worked, he heard the chattering of children and turned to see Hu Huihui.


    Although the mother-inw and daughter-inw of the Su family were in the hospital, the three children couldn¡¯t just be left unattended. After running around all night, they were handed over to Hu Huihui that morning. Truth be told, Hu Huihui wasn¡¯t fond of these children at all.


    None of them were well-behaved, but she didn¡¯t refuse to take them. She brought them to a friend¡¯s ce and asked them to look after the kids. It was the only option since it was summer break, and they couldn¡¯t be sent to school.


    Now, in the evening, she had finally brought the three troublemakers back. The children were grumbling: ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re so irresponsible! You didn¡¯t take care of us all day. When Mom gets back, I¡¯m definitely telling her!¡±


    ¡°I want meat!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, if you give us meat, we won¡¯t tattle.¡±


    Hu Huihui replied coldly, ¡°Go ahead and tattle then. There¡¯s no food tonight. You¡¯ll just have to starve.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Her voice was t and emotionless: ¡°Your grandma and mom locked all the cabs. What am I supposed to cook for you? Figure it out yourselves.¡±


    Jii stomped his foot in frustration: ¡°You have a sry! Buy us something!¡±


    Hu Huihui sneered, utterly unimpressed. Were these even children? They were more like little brats.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shameless. Your mom and grandma aren¡¯t home, so no one¡¯s going to spoil you. If you want to eat, figure it out yourselves. If you can¡¯t, then starve. I already fed you lunch. Don¡¯t push your luck.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, lunch was just cornbread. How can you even call that food?¡±


    Hu Huihui shot back, ¡°Then don¡¯t eat it.¡±


    She was being blunt when she suddenly looked up and saw Zhuang Zhixi watching her. She felt a pang of embarrassment¡ªafter all, in the neighborhood, she was known as the delicate yet resilient young woman who had fled an arranged marriage. Despite her difort, she managed to smile shyly.


    ¡°Brother Zhuang, fetching water thiste?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He looked at her thoughtfully and asked, ¡°Did you go to the hospital today?¡±


    Hu Huihui was puzzled. ¡°I went this morning to pick up the kids.¡± She paused, sensing that Zhuang Zhixi wouldn¡¯t bring this up without a reason. She tentatively asked, ¡°Did¡­ something happen? Did the resultse back about my cousin¡¯s situation?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. ¡°Not that.¡±


    He said sympathetically, ¡°Your cousin got into another fight at the hospital!¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Hu Huihui was shocked. How could they keep causing trouble?


    Zhuang Zhixi added, even more sympathetically, ¡°I heard Aunt Su was pushed into a manure pit¡­¡±


    Hu Huihui gasped, ¡°What?!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, ¡°It was a group fight. Two men were¡­ well, let¡¯s just say they won¡¯t be having children anymore. One of them was some deputy director.¡±


    Hu Huihui¡¯s eyes widened like saucers. ¡°A deputy director? What deputy director? Exin clearly! What happened? Why did they fight? Are they still alive?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi gave her a pitying smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. You¡¯ll have to go to the hospital and ask.¡±


    Hu Huihui immediately turned and ran, with Jii, Yii, and Toni quickly following behind.


    Zhuang Zhixi finished fetching the water and was about to head home when he saw his mother, Zhao Guihua, standing under the eaves, watching him. He was startled. ¡°Oh, Mom! When did youe out? You didn¡¯t make a sound¡ªscared me!¡±


    Zhao Guihua remarked, ¡°You¡¯re just stirring the pot.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi feigned innocence. ¡°Mom, how can you say that? Shouldn¡¯t Hu Huihui know about this? We¡¯re neighbors¡ªI was just being kind. She¡¯d find out eventually. Better sooner thanter.¡±


    Zhao Guihua scoffed.


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this too much. Not very kind of you.¡±


    He added, ¡°If Hu Huihui goes, she might be able to give her dear cousin some advice. After all, a woman going through so much¡ªhow could she handle it alone?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi carried the water home, poured it into the water vat, and then went back to work.


    He muttered, ¡°Look at me, working so hard, and you¡¯re still nagging me. Can¡¯t even do a good deed without being criticized. It¡¯s so unfair.¡±


    Zhao Guihua shot back, ¡°Cut the act. You just love watching the drama.¡±


    She said, ¡°Who knows how this will turn out?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°We¡¯ll see if Wang Xiangxiu is ruthless enough.¡±


    Zhao Guihua pulled out a small stool and sat under the eaves, chatting with her son.


    Zhuang Zhixi spected, ¡°If Wang Xiangxiu is ruthless, she¡¯ll insist that the man who slept with her did it by force. That would definitelynd him in prison. I don¡¯t know much about thew, but I¡¯d guess he¡¯d get at least eight to ten years. Then Wang Xiangxiu would be free of him.¡±


    Zhao Guihua was startled by the suggestion.


    She thought about it and realized it wasn¡¯t impossible. Wang Xiangxiu had already used that balding man of forcing himself on her. If she stuck to her story, it might just work. As for whether it was true¡­ Zhao Guihua knew it wasn¡¯t.


    They hadn¡¯t heard what was said in the room, but they had seen the two enter willingly, one after the other. And from the arguments afterward, it was clear they weren¡¯t blind or deaf.


    Zhao Guihua pondered this and understood the implications.


    ¡°That would make it a blood feud.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°It¡¯s already a blood feud. Bai Fendou, that big guy,pletely ruined him. No man could tolerate that. If it¡¯s already a feud and retaliation is inevitable, I think Wang Xiangxiu would do anything to protect herself. If she¡¯s seen as the victim, then Bai Fendou¡¯s actions would be justified. Neither of them would be punished. Otherwise, they¡¯d not only be fired but might also face criminal charges. But that¡¯s just my guess. Maybe Wang Xiangxiu doesn¡¯t have it in her to be that ruthless.¡±


    Zhao Guihua gave him a sidelong nce. ¡°You really don¡¯t understand women.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi was confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zhao Guihua stood up, carrying her stool inside. Zhuang Zhixi called after her, ¡°Wait, Mom, what are you saying?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°If Wang Xiangxiu can¡¯t get out of this, who¡¯s going to take care of Jii and the other two? Those kids are her life. She¡¯d never let them be motherless orphans. So, she¡¯ll definitely stick to her story.¡±


    She went inside, and Zhuang Zhixi called after her, ¡°Hey, hey, let¡¯s chat a bit more!¡±


    Zhao Guihua retorted, ¡°Do I look like I have nothing better to do? Just here to chat with you?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, ¡°You¡¯re something else¡­¡±


    After finishing his chores, Zhuang Zhixi went inside and saw his wife, Ming Mei, counting money. He chuckled, ¡°Well, well, look at you, sneaking around counting money.¡±


    Ming Mei quickly gestured for him to close the door. She grinned and said, ¡°We¡¯ve got over a thousand saved up now.¡±


    She smiled contentedly. Having savings really put her mind at ease.


    ¡°How much over a thousand?¡±


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°Eleven hundred, not quite twelve.¡±


    She pulled out five ten-yuan bills and handed them to him. ¡°Here¡¯s fifty yuan.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you trying to buy out my entire year¡¯s allowance? This isn¡¯t enough!¡±


    Ming Mei rolled her eyes. ¡°Just shut up.¡±


    She said, ¡°Once the rain stops, buy some peanuts or something. Spend all fifty on it.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised. He changed into a blue-and-white tank top and lounged on the bed like a shrimp, leaning against the headboard. ¡°Why buy so much at once? It¡¯s not easy to get that much.¡±


    Ming Mei insisted, ¡°Buy it slowly, but buy it.¡±


    She said, "Today I heard from Mom that with all this continuous rain, the autumn harvest is definitely going to be poor, so we should stock up on some grain at home. Since we always eat at home, we don¡¯t need to worry about that. When the timees, we¡¯ll just work hard. But I was thinking of buying some peanuts or something for snacks. They¡¯re great¡ªyou can roast them, eat them raw, make them into candy, or even stew them with pig¡¯s feet. They¡¯re really versatile."


    Peanuts are an oil crop, and the quota isn¡¯t high. They¡¯re not easy to buy on the ck market either, and they¡¯re not cheap. But peanuts are a good thing. They¡¯re nutritious and delicious, and Ming Mei still felt that their household should buy some.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Alright, I¡¯ll take care of it."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly and said, "Take some time to visit my parents¡¯ house. My dad has connections and can get some."


    Zhuang Zhixi gave a thumbs-up. "That¡¯s why we rely on your dad."


    Ming Mei replied, "Of course."


    These days, what¡¯s the saying?


    Turn the steering wheel, and you¡¯re set.


    In short, being a driver has its perks.


    Not just drivers, but even train attendants have simr advantages. Zhuang Zhiyuan¡¯s family didn¡¯t feel the loss of one ie too much, partly because he often traveled out of town. Helping people carry things, exchange goods, and moving around¡ªthere were always opportunities for extra ie.


    Ming Mei¡¯s older brother, Ming Cheng, was also a train attendant, just like Zhuang Zhiyuan. Being able to travel frequently had its conveniences.


    As for Ming Mei¡¯s father, Ming Xiangdong, it went without saying.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll go after work tomorrow," he said, rolling up the money and stuffing it into his pocket. Ming Mei didn¡¯t agree, though. "Not tomorrow. Check the weather first. Go when the weather¡¯s good. If it¡¯s still raining tomorrow, don¡¯t go."


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Will it still rain? It¡¯s already been three days."


    Ming Mei replied, "Who knows? The sky hasn¡¯t cleared up yet."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "True."


    He sighed, "This heavy rain is really scary. So much has happened since it started the night beforest."


    The rain had started the evening beforest. That very night, they encountered the crazed Yu Baoshan, and two consecutive bolts of lightning ended him.


    Yesterday, because of three mischievous kids, there were two fights, and an overtime match at the police station.


    Today, well, the fighting didn¡¯t let up¡ªit only got bigger and better.


    These past three days have been anything but peaceful. He was even starting to worry¡ªif it kept raining tomorrow, what else would happen?


    Oh dear, better not think about it.


    "Why are you shaking your head?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I¡¯m justmenting the chaos of rainy days. They say the darkest nights are for murder, but I think rainy days are just as bad."


    Ming Mei burst outughing. "Stop talking nonsense."


    She crawled over to Zhuang Zhixi and leaned against his chest. The two of themy there cuddled together when a noise came from outside. Ming Mei turned over and opened the window to look. She saw Zhou Qun fetching water, humming a tune as he worked, seemingly in high spirits.


    Ming Mei closed the window and returned to her previous position. "It¡¯s Zhou Qun. He actually didn¡¯t make Wang Zhaodi do the work."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "He¡¯s probably happy. Zhou Qun should be happy. From now on, he won¡¯t be the only one in our courtyard who¡¯s ¡®ipetent.¡¯ Now there¡¯s Bai Fendou too. They¡¯re like two peas in a pod."


    Ming Mei replied, "...That doesn¡¯t sound like apliment."


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "People sometimes wish for others to be worse off than themselves. Look, both Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou have lost the joy of being men. But Zhou Qun has a child, while Bai Fendou ispletely without heirs. And Zhou Qun lost his because Bai Fendou kicked him. Don¡¯t you think Zhou Qun is happy? It¡¯s like he¡¯s finally gotten his revenge."


    Ming Mei pursed her lips. "What revenge? If he hadn¡¯t harassed Bai Fendou, Bai Fendou wouldn¡¯t have kicked him in the first ce. By the way, I wonder if Bai Fendou can be ¡®repaired¡¯ again. Didn¡¯t he get fixedst time?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. "Last time it was just a kick. This time, it was a rock. It¡¯s not the same. But..."


    He stroked his chin and said, "Does Bai Fendou have some kind of bad luck with people surnamed Jiang?"


    Ming Mei was puzzled. "What do you mean?"


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Last time, Jiang Lu shattered him. This time, Jiang Baohong finished him off."


    Ming Mei was speechless.


    She said, "Let¡¯s not bring that up. In Bai Fendou¡¯s current state, who knows if he¡¯ll go after Jiang Lu for revenge? Even though it¡¯s in the past, you never know if he¡¯ll go crazy. Jiang Lu is pregnant¡ªwe can¡¯t afford any trouble."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "I know. I won¡¯t say anything..."


    While the young couple discussed this, others were doing the same. Almost every household was awake, talking about this and that. The happiest was undoubtedly Zhou Qun. When he heard that Bai Fendou was done for, heughed heartily, celebrating with three loud "ha ha ha¡¯s."


    From now on, he wouldn¡¯t be the only one who was ¡°ipetent.¡± Bai Fendou, the one who caused his misery, would now share the same fate and bear the same judgmental looks. Just thinking about it made him ecstatic. Wasn¡¯t this the greatest joy in life?


    He paced back and forth excitedly.


    Jiang Lu, seeing him so worked up, said, "Why don¡¯t you go fill the water tank at home?"


    Zhou Qun happily obliged. "Sure."


    As he stood in the courtyard fetching water, he couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud whenever he thought of Bai Fendou¡¯s misfortune.


    He truly believed he was heaven¡¯s favorite child. Sure, there had been a minor hup when he was wronged by a viin, but heaven had quickly made it up to him by dealing with his enemy.


    Though his own loss was painful, he still had a son.


    But Bai Fendou? He had nothing.


    Zhou Qun¡¯sughter grew even more joyful as he fetched water, practically dancing as he worked.


    Lan Sihai and his wife stood at their door, watching him with confusion. "Has he gone mad with joy?"


    Lan Sihai replied, "Probably. What else could it be?"


    He really didn¡¯t look like a normal person.


    Luo Xiaohe sighed, "Things just keep getting more and more lively."


    She never imagined things could turn out this way. In just a few months, she¡¯d witnessed more drama than in decades of her life. Still, she added, "I wonder if Wang Xiangxiu and the others will evere back."


    Lan Sihai said, "Who knows? But that young woman has an old fox backing her. I doubt anything will happen to her."


    Luo Xiaohe eximed, "Oh my!"


    If they managed to get off scot-free, she¡¯d definitely keep her distance from Aunt Su. That olddy¡¯s cunning was beyondpare.


    She was truly... shocking, to say the least.


    While the courtyard buzzed with activity, they were merely spectators, not key yers. But at the hospital, it was a different story. Everyone there was a key figure¡ªthe main characters.


    Hu Huihui rushed to the hospital, only to find that the security guards hadn¡¯t even gone off duty. Without sparing a moment of sympathy for them, she hurried upstairs. The third-floor corridor was packed with police officers. As soon as Hu Huihui reached the floor, she was stopped.


    "Sorry, no one is allowed to visit the patients in this room right now."


    Hu Huihui was frantic. "My cousin is in there. Why can¡¯t I see her? I was here just yesterday morning. Officer, please let me see her. I heard something happened to her¡ªI need to know how she is!"


    "I want my mom! Let me see my mom!"


    The three mischievous kids arrived, and the corridor immediately erupted into chaos. Several patients peeked out of their rooms to see what was going on. The police officer rubbed his forehead. If everyone acted like this, they were in for a rough time.


    What kind of people were these?


    "Shut up!" Before the officer could speak, Hu Huihui turned around and scolded them. "Do you even want to see your grandma and mom? This isn¡¯t the ce to cause trouble. If you hadn¡¯t been so reckless, things wouldn¡¯t havee to this!"


    Hu Huihui¡¯s words earned nods of agreement from the officers who knew the situation. They fully supported her.


    However, Jii was not the least bit afraid and shouted, "What does it have to do with me? We''re just kids. My grandma said it''s normal for kids to be mischievous. The naughtier the boy, the smarter he is, and he¡¯ll grow up to achieve great things. They¡¯re all adults, yet they¡¯re still picking on us kids. They really don¡¯t know how to care for children at all."


    "Exactly, exactly," Yii and Toni chimed in.


    "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Hu Huihui once again felt that these children had truly been led astray. She didn¡¯t consider herself a particrly good person, but looking at these three kids, she deeply felt that she was, in fact, a person of high moral character.


    "I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t care! I want to see my mom!"


    The three children flopped onto the ground and began rolling around.


    Hu Huihui sighed, "I¡¯m sorry for this. These kids... sigh."


    "We understand it¡¯s not your fault," someone said.


    Hu Huihui continued, "Officers, my cousin asked me to take care of the kids temporarily, but she didn¡¯t give me any details, nor did she give me a single penny. Even the food and supplies at home are locked up. I work as a temporaryborer, earning ten yuan a month. I have to pay eight yuan to my cousin for rent and food, leaving me with only two yuan. How am I supposed to take care of her three kids with just two yuan? She only told me to look after them, but I need to rify these things. Also, I need to know what she¡¯s done, when she¡¯ll be out, or even... if she¡¯ll be able to get out at all. There¡¯s so much gossip outside. If I don¡¯t talk to her, what else can I do?"


    After Hu Huihui said this, the officers exchanged nces and hesitated for a moment before saying, "We can arrange for you to see her."


    At the same time, they sighed, feeling that Wang Xiangxiu was truly inhumane, treating her cousin so harshly and still making demands of her.


    "But we¡¯ll need to be present during the meeting."


    They were also afraid of furtherplications. Previously, they had been too careless, which allowed these people to take advantage and create even bigger problems. This time, they couldn¡¯t let that happen again. Fortunately, Hu Huihui didn¡¯t object and quickly agreed, "Fine."


    Finally, she got the chance to enter the room. As soon as the door opened, the three children rushed in, squeezing into the room ahead of everyone else. "Mom! Grandma!"


    Hearing her sons¡¯ voices, Wang Xiangxiu immediately burst into tears. "You¡¯re here, you¡¯re here!"


    "Mom, why are you hurt again? Who did this to you? I¡¯ll avenge you," Jii said fiercely, his eyes filled with malice as he red at the others in the room. His gazended on Jiang Baohong, and he spat, "Was it you, you wretched woman?"


    Jiang Baohong trembled with anger, "I¡¯ll kill you, you little brat!"


    Jii retorted, "Go ahead, try it!"


    "Enough! You¡¯re here to talk, not to fight. Keep it down," an officer warned.


    This was a six-bed ward at the end of the corridor. Originally, there were other patients in the room, but they had all been moved out. Now, only a few remained: the silent and burly Bai Fendou; the despairing Deputy Director Old Cai, who was convinced he had fallen victim to a honey trap; the tearful and weak Aunt Su, who had suffered a concussion after being pushed into a cesspit; and the pitiful young widow Wang Xiangxiu, who insisted she had been assaulted.


    The remaining two beds were upied by four officers who were keeping an eye on them, while outside the room, there were at least ten more officers.


    Just look at this lineup.


    As soon as she entered, Hu Huihui caught a faint whiff of a foul odor. She sniffed the air and realized the smell wasing from Aunt Su. Although Aunt Su had only been pushed into the cesspit twice, she was, after all, elderly and had been diagnosed with a concussion.


    Well, during the day, she had been faking it, but now she was genuinely unwell.


    Not only had she been diagnosed with a concussion, but because she had been pushed into the toilet, she also reeked of a strong, pungent odor. Every time she opened her mouth, it was like an old stinkbug speaking.


    Now, Aunt Su leaned against the wall, her eyes closed, resting.


    Hu Huihui nced at Old Cai and Jiang Baohong but quickly averted her gaze.


    To be honest, Hu Huihui recognized Old Cai, but Old Cai didn¡¯t recognize her. Hu Huihui had previously worked as a temporaryborer at the cultural center, where she had met Deputy Director Zheng of themittee. Even in her teens, Hu Huihui had known how to use her looks to get food and money.


    However, she wasn¡¯t as foolish as Wang Xiangxiu, who slept with men for a pittance.


    Hu Huihui¡¯s approach was somewhat simr to Tao Yuye from the mechanical factory¡¯s medical office. She had rtionships with men but never got too close to any one of them. She was skilled at pitting her suitors against each other to achieve her goals.


    As for anything deeper, she had no intention of giving that away.


    She wanted to use her looks to marry into a good family.


    She had no influential rtives, and while she wasn¡¯t exceptionally beautiful, she was pleasant-looking enough. So, she had learned to dress well, skillfully hiding her ws and entuating her strengths.


    Thanks to her careful grooming, many people now called her "beautiful."


    However, she also knew that beauty alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to make Deputy Director Zheng marry her. Initially, he had only wanted to have some fun, which was why she had stayed close to him. Although she was only helping out, she worked hard at it.


    It could be said that Deputy Director Zheng¡¯s faction still recognized her.


    Deputy Director Zheng¡¯s cousin even treated her like a sister. When she argued with Deputy Director Zheng, the cousin would take her side.


    This showed just how much effort Hu Huihui had put in.


    Her original job certainly didn¡¯t pay just ten yuan. Because she spent so much time around Deputy Director Zheng, she rarely went to work. She was always hanging around them. That¡¯s why she immediately recognized Old Cai.


    But Old Cai didn¡¯t recognize Hu Huihui.


    This wasn¡¯t surprising. Old Cai didn¡¯t recognize Hu Huihui not because he was old and couldn¡¯t see well, but because Hu Huihui had always avoided him. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if she could have predicted today¡¯s events¡ªthat would have been pure fantasy.


    The reason she avoided Old Cai was that Deputy Director Zheng had warned her that Old Cai wasn¡¯t very strict when it came to rtionships with women. If he saw Hu Huihui and developed any ideas about her, it wouldn¡¯t be good.


    In truth, Hu Huihui also knew that it wasn¡¯t just because of that. There might have been a small reason, but it was minor. She felt that Deputy Director Zheng had told her to avoid Old Cai and a few other minor leaders because she wasn¡¯t presentable.


    Men cared about their reputations. Their positions weren¡¯t low, and in this ce, the benefits they could secretly reap were probably countless. Without connections or skills, it was impossible to be a leader.


    So, what did Hu Huihui have?


    Nothing but her beauty.


    And even that beauty was carefully crafted.


    Deep down, Deputy Director Zheng looked down on Hu Huihui. If she wanted to marry into a wealthy family, she would have to work hard for it.


    Well, enough of that digression. Back to the matter at hand, Hu Huihui didn¡¯t recognize Jiang Baohong, but she immediately recognized Old Cai. Her heart raced. She had a keen sense that this might be an opportunity.


    She quickly stepped forward, sat on the hospital bed, and took Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s hand. "Cousin, how are you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu snapped, "Why didn¡¯t you make them something to eat beforeing here?"


    While Hu Huihui had been distracted, Jii had already finished tattling.


    Wang Xiangxiu continued, "The kids have been beaten and wronged. They need to be nourished. Make them a big bowl of meat noodles with a poached egg."


    Jii looked at Hu Huihui smugly, "Did you hear that, you freeloader!"


    Hu Huihui sighed, "Cousin, don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am? Where would I get the money?"


    She looked at Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s bandaged forehead and asked, "What happened to you? What¡¯s going on?"


    Wang Xiangxiu nced in the direction of Old Cai and Jiang Baohong. Jiang Baohong couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and cursed, "You vixen, what are you looking at? You seduced my husband and framed him. Just wait, once we¡¯re out of here, I¡¯ll make you pay, you bitch."


    "Enough!" Old Cai, though he had lost his dignity as a man, was still experienced and knew better. He was furious with his wife, who was nothing but a liability.


    The more she threatened Wang Xiangxiu, the more Wang Xiangxiu would bite back to protect herself.


    But because the police officers were present, he couldn¡¯t yet negotiate with Wang Xiangxiu. Over there, there were at least two, and usually four people staying in the ward, keeping a close eye on them. This made Old Cai extremely furious, thinking that once he got out of this mess, he would definitely teach these clueless fools a lesson.


    However, for now, he was putting on a good act.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, no one will think you¡¯re mute.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath and said firmly, ¡°Your husband assaulted me. I¡¯m not some seductress!¡±


    It was precisely because they were in the hospital that some evidence had already been collected.


    Wang Xiangxiu thought of her mother-inw¡¯s words and clenched her teeth even more firmly.


    Normally, these people wouldn¡¯t be allowed to be alone together to collude. But Aunt Su had been pushed into the cesspit, and aside from Wang Xiangxiu, no one else would be willing to help her. Who would want to deal with that? They certainly couldn¡¯t ask the nurses to help either.


    It was just too degrading.


    So it had to be Wang Xiangxiu, as the daughter-inw, who took care of it.


    Wang Xiangxiu truly didn¡¯t mind, helping the olddy wash up thoroughly. It was fortunate that their hospital had toilets on every floor, so there weren¡¯t many people going outside to use them, otherwise it would have been even worse. However, because of the rain, a lot of water had seeped in, otherwise Aunt Su would have been fine just standing up straight.


    But the problem was, it had rained, and the pit had overflowed.


    As Wang Xiangxiu rinsed Aunt Su, she quickly exined the situation at the time, cursing Bai Fendou for being more of a hindrance than a help. The matter had already been settled, and if Bai Fendou hadn¡¯t interfered, it would have been over by now.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But now, the situation had taken a turn for the worse, and a deep enmity had formed.


    Although it wasn¡¯t her doing, in Old Cai¡¯s eyes, they were inextricably linked.


    Wang Xiangxiu had casually blurted out something to defend herself earlier, but she hadn¡¯t really intended to pin everything on Old Cai. In that moment, she was only thinking about what was most advantageous, and she hadn¡¯t considered much else. It was rare to have such an opportunity to secretlymunicate with Aunt Su.


    Although Aunt Su¡¯s head was still ringing from hitting the wall, she remained resolute, uttering just three words: ¡°Pin it on him.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was a bit uneasy.


    Aunt Su: ¡°If you don¡¯t take him down, he¡¯ll definitely take you down. For the sake of the family, for the children, pin it on him.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded: ¡°But, but Bai Fendou¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou was also in the know.


    In the past, she thought she could handle Bai Fendou, but now he seemed utterly despondent. Moreover, he had been injured and would never experience the simplest joys of being a man again. She was worried that Bai Fendou might not listen to her.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who directly caused the harm. Do you think he¡¯lle out of this unscathed? If he doesn¡¯t help us, he¡¯s finished too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but Bai Fendou is stubborn.¡±


    Aunt Su hesitated for a moment, then pursed her lips: ¡°Promise to marry him.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was shocked: ¡°What?¡±


    Aunt Su nced around, making sure no one was nearby or paying attention, and quickly said, ¡°Find an opportunity to tell Bai Fendou that you¡¯ll marry him in exchange for his testimony.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was about to say something, but Aunt Su continued, ¡°Your reputation is definitely ruined this time, and you¡¯ll have trouble in the future. People won¡¯t see you as a decent woman anymore. No matter what, you can¡¯t openly engage in shady business. You can do it secretly, but on the surface, you must appear respectable. Otherwise, how will Jii and the other two children ever hold their heads up? We¡¯re doing this for the children, Xiu¡¯er.¡±


    Aunt Su: ¡°I know you¡¯ve had a hard life, and it pains me, but I have no choice. We have to think about the children. And honestly, having someone to support you would be good. Marrying Bai Fendou will help cover up this bad reputation. If Bai Fendou¡¯s actions are seen as heroic rather than malicious, his job won¡¯t be affected. He has a job and two rooms, and that house will eventually belong to our three children. Think about it, how good would that life be? Bai Fendou¡¯s been injured and can¡¯t have children anymore, so he¡¯ll dote on our three kids. They¡¯ll be his stepchildren. If he wants them to take care of him in his old age, he¡¯ll have to treat them well. We¡¯ll have an extra pair of hands to help. It¡¯s not as good as before, but given the circumstances, we have to find the best way to survive.¡±


    After quicklyying out her n, Aunt Su felt nauseous and vomited. She was already suffering from a concussion, and having swallowed a mouthful of filth, it was no wonder she felt sick. She was barely holding on as she gave her advice.


    ¡°But, but Bai Fendou saw me with another man. What if he¡¯s too stubborn¡­¡±


    ¡°Child, he can¡¯t have children anymore. Having three sons to take care of him in his old age is a temptation¡­ Use that to your advantage.¡± She retched twice again, and seeing the police officers approaching, she hurriedly added, ¡°y the victim! y the victim with Bai Fendou.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was flustered: ¡°Mom, I¡­¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    Seeing that she was almost done cleaning, the officer said, ¡°Help her back to the ward.¡±


    Recently, because of the rain, there had been many idents, and the hospital was quite busy. The wards were also tight, and it was impossible to give each person their own room. So they simply put everyone together, figuring that with more people watching, they wouldn¡¯t be able to collude.


    But they didn¡¯t expect that in the short time it took to wash off the filth, the mother-inw and daughter-inw had alreadymunicated.


    They were incredibly resourceful, not wasting a single moment.


    So even though Aunt Su was now at her limit, feeling terrible and speaking little, Wang Xiangxiu was in better spirits. After all, having heard her mother-inw¡¯s words, she felt more secure. She came back to her senses and looked at Hu Huihui, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve had bad luck, running into a scoundrel.¡±


    She continued, ¡°But I¡¯m the victim. I think I¡¯ll be able to leave in a few days. For now, please take care of the three children. Make sure they eat well, and if you don¡¯t have money, go borrow some.¡±


    Hu Huihui: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was truly shameless.


    Was your face made of the Great Wall¡¯s bricks?


    She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Cousin, I haven¡¯t been living here for long. Who would I borrow money from? And even if I did, how would I pay it back? You know my situation. Cousin, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m heartless, but you really need to consider my circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Marry me, and I¡¯ll give you money.¡± After being hit with a brick, Bai Fendou had remained silent until now, when he suddenly spoke up. Hu Huihui turned to him in disbelief, stammering, ¡°W-what did you say?¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°I have two rooms. I¡¯ll give you a hundred yuan as a betrothal gift.¡±


    He said earnestly, ¡°I can¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!!!¡±


    Hu Huihui couldn¡¯t help but scream. Even before he was injured, she hadn¡¯t been interested in him, let alone now that he was useless. Was she crazy to consider someone like him? She said firmly, ¡°Bai Fendou, stop talking nonsense.¡±


    She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Cousin, I don¡¯t think I can take care of your children anymore. I¡¯m leaving your house too. I¡¯m going now.¡±


    She really couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    Her cousin was trying to cling to her, making her take care of the children and provide for them.


    Providing for them was one thing, but they had to eat well.


    And now Bai Fendou was delusional enough to think he could have her,pletely oblivious to what he was like.


    Even if she didn¡¯t find someone else, she would never choose Bai Fendou.


    Hu Huihui ran out, and Wang Xiangxiu, momentarily stunned, quickly called out, ¡°Go find your aunt!¡±


    At this point, she realized that since she was stuck here, Hu Huihui was the only one who could help. If Hu Huihui didn¡¯t take care of the children, what would happen to her three kids? Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s call fell on deaf ears as Jii and the others didn¡¯t move.


    Jii: ¡°She doesn¡¯t have any money. We¡¯d just be eating cornbread with her.¡±


    Yii: ¡°I want to eat noodles with meat.¡±


    Toni: ¡°I want eggs.¡±


    Not only was Hu Huihui at her wit¡¯s end, but even the police officers in the room were slowly filled with disdain and disgust as they looked at this family¡¯s children. It was often said that children didn¡¯t know any better, but they had never seen such shameless ones. It was truly unbearable.


    They even had a premonition that as these kids grew up, they would have plenty of dealings with them in the future¡­


    Wang Xiangxiu was frantic: ¡°If you don¡¯t go find your aunt, who¡¯s going to take care of you?¡±


    Jiang Baohong sneered, "Still taking care of them? Such unruly children, it¡¯d be better if they were all dead."


    "Shut your mouth!" Wang Xiangxiu snapped, "Shut up, or I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart, you wretch!"


    "You¡¯re the wretch, your whole family is..."


    The two of themunched into another round of insults, and the hospital room was once again filled with chaos.


    Hu Huihui was stunned by the shamelessness of these people. She thought she was already quite calcting, but how could there be people even more scheming than her? Just based on her cousin¡¯s behavior, it was like a sewage truck passing by¡ªshe¡¯d have to taste the filth.


    Ridiculous!


    Unbelievable!


    Shameless!


    She spat several times, quickly piecing together the situation from the earlier conversation, and then hurried off to find Deputy Director Zheng...


    *******


    "What did you say!" Deputy Director Zheng mmed his cup on the table, ignoring that it shattered, and eximed in shock, "Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?"


    Hu Huihui shook her head, "I¡¯m certain."


    Her eyes flickered as she added, "They¡¯re still at a standoff, at the hospital." She paused, then suddenly said, "Old Zheng, we¡¯ve been together for so long. You know I¡¯ve always wanted to marry you."


    Deputy Director Zheng waved his hand irritably, "I¡¯ve told you, we¡¯ll talk about it after we find those gold and silver treasures."


    Hu Huihui replied, "But maybe those things weren¡¯t taken by anyone near Xinghua Alley. It could¡¯ve been someone else. We have no leads at all. Instead of chasing after something so vague, why don¡¯t we focus on something more practical?"


    She whispered, "Like the director¡¯s position."


    Deputy Director Zheng was taken aback.


    Hu Huihui continued, "I¡¯ll convince my cousin to stick to her story and pin it on Old Cai. That¡¯ll eliminate one of yourpetitors. What do you think?"


    Deputy Director Zheng said meaningfully, "Whatever he did to your cousin, he¡¯ll get his punishment anyway, right?"


    Hu Huihui chuckled softly, "Really? Outsiders might not know her, but I do. Do you think she¡¯s some kind of saint? Forced? Do you think I believe that? I¡¯m telling you, Old Cai was definitely set up. If you don¡¯t believe me, investigate my cousin thoroughly."


    She added in a soft voice, "My cousin¡ªif Old Cai offers her enough benefits, she might change her story. But with me pushing her, we can make sure it sticks."


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "Even if Old Cai is out of the picture, there are still otherspeting for the position."


    Hu Huihui replied, "One less is still one less. You can¡¯t expect me to take care of both for you. You¡¯ll have to put in some effort too. Besides, you¡¯re not being sincere with me. I¡¯m here, genuinely thinking about you, and you¡¯re still talking like this."


    She sat down, pretending to be hurt, and said, "What¡¯s wrong with us getting married? I could even help take care of your children."


    Yes, Deputy Director Zheng wasn¡¯t unmarried¡ªhe was a widower in his forties with two children from his previous marriage.


    Even though he was older and a widower, for Hu Huihui, he was still the best option. She wanted a good life, to be the wife of a leader, so she had to cling to him.


    "Think about it. We¡¯ve been together for two years. When have I ever lied to you? When have I not thought about you? You can¡¯t stay single forever. What¡¯s wrong with me?" Hu Huihui began to wipe away tears.


    Deputy Director Zheng looked at her, thought for a moment, and then nodded, "I¡¯ll agree to it."


    Hu Huihui looked up in surprise and threw herself into his arms, "I knew you still loved me!"


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "Make sure you handle this properly."


    Hu Huihui replied, "I understand."


    She added, "I¡¯ll definitely convince my cousin. I have a n..."


    Deputy Director Zheng patted her head and said, "I still think the gold and silver treasures are somewhere in that area. It¡¯s unlikely that an outsider took them. As for our marriage..."


    Hu Huihui looked up, "I have a n."


    Deputy Director Zheng asked, "Oh?"


    Hu Huihui exined, "My cousin is no good. I¡¯ve been staying at her ce, and it¡¯s been a disadvantage for me. Once we¡¯ve nailed Old Cai, I¡¯ll move out."


    Deputy Director Zheng frowned.


    Hu Huihui giggled coquettishly, "If you marry me, you¡¯ll have to give me a dowry, right? I¡¯ve thought about it¡ªI¡¯ll use the dowry to buy a house in that courtyard. I¡¯ll pretend to have a fight with you and stay there from time to time. My cousin¡¯s courtyard is the most eventful in the area, and the gossip there is always flowing. That way, I can keep an eye on the other courtyards and gather information from the chatter of the women there."


    Deputy Director Zheng looked at her in surprise and said, "You¡¯re really clever."


    Hu Huihui smiled smugly, "I¡¯m willing to do it for you. And I already have someone in mind to buy the house from."


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "Housing sales aren¡¯t allowed right now."


    Hu Huihui replied, "We can do it privately. It¡¯s not that hard, and you¡¯re a leader¡ªwho would dare investigate us?"


    Deputy Director Zheng nodded, "That¡¯s true."


    Once they had settled the matter, Hu Huihui said, "I¡¯ll head back now."


    Deputy Director Zheng said happily, "I¡¯ll leave it to you to take care of things."


    Hu Huihui replied, "Alright."


    She quickly left.


    Deputy Director Zheng frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased with Hu Huihui¡¯s pressure.


    "Cousin? What¡¯s wrong? What are you thinking about?" A man peeked in¡ªit was Deputy Director Zheng¡¯s cousin, who worked under him and was his trusted confidant. Thest time Hu Huihui secretly met with Deputy Director Zheng, it was this man who had opened the door for her.


    "That woman actually threatened me," Deputy Director Zheng admitted. He hadn¡¯t nned to marry Hu Huihui.


    But his cousin said, "I think marrying Huihui would be a good idea. Don¡¯t re at me¡ªI¡¯m your cousin, so of course I¡¯m on your side. I¡¯m not speaking up for her. I¡¯m just thinking about you. Sure, you could remarry someone better, but someone young and well-off might not be willing. Someone older and well-off might not be as good as Hu Huihui. Besides, someone with too good of a background might be too strong-willed and difficult to handle. They might not treat your kids well. Once they have their own children, they¡¯ll definitely favor them. But Hu Huihui has no real background¡ªshe¡¯ll rely on you and listen to you. She won¡¯t dare cause trouble. Even if you say you don¡¯t want children, she probably wouldn¡¯t object. Plus, she¡¯s smart and could be a great help to you. Some people might have better family backgrounds, but they might not be willing to put in as much effort for you."


    After finishing his earnest speech, the cousin added, "Think about it¡ªisn¡¯t that the case? Someone with too good of a background might be hard to control."


    Deputy Director Zheng thought about it and realized his cousin had a point.


    "You¡¯re right," he said.


    "So, marrying her isn¡¯t a bad idea. Before, you just said you loved her, and even if she found the gold and silver treasures, she might still betray you. But if you marry her, she¡¯ll be moremitted. She¡¯ll focus on your family and put in more effort."


    "True. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so insightful," Deputy Director Zheng said.


    "Hehe," the cousin chuckled. Hu Huihui had actually said all this¡ªhe was just repeating it. But it made sense!


    That night, everyone had their own ns.


    Each person had their own little schemes. Hu Huihui returned after being gone for several hours, and the ce was still lively. The police were trying to figure out what to do with the three troublemakers¡ªthere was nowhere to put them¡ªwhen Hu Huihui showed up.


    "You..."


    Hu Huihui sighed and said, "Leave the children to me. If I don¡¯t take care of them, no one will."


    Everyone marveled at how, despite Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s ws, her cousin was truly a good person.


    Hu Huihui added, "I¡¯d also like to see my cousin. I¡¯ll take care of the children, but I really don¡¯t have any money or food. If she keeps causing trouble, I¡¯ll have to let them go..."


    "Come on, I¡¯ll take you in," someone said.


    Hu Huihui nodded.


    When Hu Huihui returned, Wang Xiangxiu was overjoyed. This time, she didn¡¯t dare argue with Hu Huihui and said, "I¡¯ll give you twenty yuan and some food tickets. Buy them food, but keep track of everything. There¡¯s also grain in the cupboard at home¡ªhere¡¯s the key. Make sure to record how much you use. Don¡¯t let anything go missing."


    Hu Huihui felt exhausted, but thinking of her goal, she nodded.


    Bai Fendou stared at Hu Huihui, who was utterly disgusted. She said, "I already have someone. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d marry you. I know you were just desperate earlier, but don¡¯t bring it up again."


    "Then could you pass on a message for me?"


    Hu Huihui replied, "Go ahead."


    Bai Fendou said, "Tell Jiang Lu to introduce someone to me. She promised to find me a partner."


    Hu Huihui nodded, "Alright."


    Bai Fendou hesitated for a moment, then added, "As long as it¡¯s a woman."


    Hu Huihui: "..."


    The others: "..."


    Who on earth would be crazy enough to marry him? It¡¯s not even about whether the conditions are good or not¡ªit¡¯s just that he¡¯s not in any position to be picky anymore. Bai Fendou had always been full of himself, but now he finally realized that he couldn¡¯t afford to be choosy.


    Wang Xiangxiu, worried that Hu Huihui might actually go to Jiang Lu and disrupt her ns, quickly interjected, "Who could Jiang Lu possibly introduce to you? At best, it¡¯d be Wang Zhaodi. But would you even dare to take her? You¡¯re not in any condition to ensure she wouldn¡¯t cheat on you. She¡¯d just be after your house and your sry, using you to be a city dweller. And once she¡¯s done, she¡¯d kick you to the curb. Do you really think a childless woman would genuinely want to be with you?"


    Bai Fendou¡¯s eyes turned red with rage. He suddenly lunged at Wang Xiangxiu and started pping her repeatedly.


    "What the hell!"


    Several people rushed forward to pull him away, hitting him a few times to subdue him. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you hitting people again?"


    He was then tied to the hospital bed.


    Wang Xiangxiu, clutching her bruised face, sobbed.


    Jiang Baohong, however, seemed somewhat pleased, looking at Wang Xiangxiu with a smug expression. "It¡¯d be better if he killed her," she said sarcastically.


    Just when everyone thought Wang Xiangxiu had been stunned into silence, she suddenly knelt down with a thud beside Bai Fendou¡¯s hospital bed. "Fendou, Sister Xiangxiu is sorry. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. I¡¯m truly sorry. You can hit me, I don¡¯t mind, but I didn¡¯t say those things to provoke you. I was just looking out for you."


    Seeing that Bai Fendou remained unmoved, she continued, "Let¡¯s get married. You can¡¯t have children anymore, but I have three sons! They¡¯ll be your sons, and they¡¯ll take care of you in your old age."


    "What the hell!"


    Everyone was stunned once again. It seemed like every time they turned their backs, someone was stirring up trouble.


    Wang Xiangxiu pressed on, "From now on, they¡¯ll be your sons! You¡¯ll not only have sons, but three of them! No one canpare!"


    Finally, Bai Fendou turned to look at Wang Xiangxiu, and a glimmer of hope began to shine in his eyes...


    ******


    Hu Huihui took the three mischievous kids home, and the little rascals finally settled down.


    The next day, however, Hu Huihui didn¡¯t go to work. It was raining, raining, and still raining¡ªutterly dreary.


    Early in the morning, she sat at her doorstep, drenched and forlorn.


    Zhao Guihua, who had gotten up early to empty the chamber pot, was startled to see her. "What on earth are you doing sitting here? It¡¯s so early!"


    Hu Huihui looked up with a bitter smile. "I didn¡¯t sleep all night."


    Zhao Guihua asked, "Were you visiting your cousin..."


    Hu Huihui nodded. "My cousin knelt down and proposed to Bai Fendou."


    "What?!"


    "Oh my God!"


    "What? What did you just say?"


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s reaction was strong, but Zhou Qun¡¯s was even more intense. He had been excited and restless sincest night and hadn¡¯t slept much either. Hearing this, he rushed out of the house. "You¡¯re not lying, are you?"


    Hu Huihui wiped her face. "I was so shocked I couldn¡¯t sleep all night."


    "Well, I..."


    Zhou Qun suddenly screamed, "Everyone, wake up! Come quick! Wang Xiangxiu knelt down and proposed to Bai Fendou! They¡¯re getting married! Everyone,e out!"


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s mouth twitched. "..."


    This Zhou Qun, he really acted like a nosy, gossipy middle-aged woman.


    Hu Huihui was also stunned by Zhou Qun¡¯s outburst.


    She stared at him, wiping her face again, feeling like this courtyard was full of strange characters and utter chaos.

 Chapter 115

    The new day began with the gossip of Wang Xiangxiu kneeling down to propose marriage.


    Zhou Qun was like a groundhog in a melon field, hopping around energetically, more lively than anyone else.


    He chattered away with Aunt Wang, then cooed with Auntie Sui, and even came over to Zhao Guihua to prattle on, leaving the aunties quite speechless. If he were a woman, chatting with us would be fine, but he''s a grown man.


    Today wasn¡¯t Sunday, and most of the working folks in the courtyard had already left for work, but Zhou Qun wasn¡¯t in a hurry, still buzzing around like a bee.


    His wife, Jiang Lu, had already left for work, and here he was, still fooling around.


    Zhao Guihua held back for a while but finally couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°Zhou Qun, if you don¡¯t leave now, you¡¯ll bete.¡±


    Zhou Qun replied, ¡°No rush, I ride fast. Jiang Lu left the bike for me.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s gettingte.¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s still early, I¡­ Oh crap! I gotta go!¡±


    Just a moment ago, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry, but now, looking at the time, he panicked.


    He quickly pushed his bike out the door, tripping over the threshold on his way. Zhao Guihua called out, ¡°Oh my, be careful!¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°I¡¯m fine! See youter! Keep me updated if there¡¯s any news!¡±


    He hopped on his bike and sped off.


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, feeling a bit of a toothache: ¡°...¡±


    Never in her wildest dreams did she think she¡¯d one day be sitting around gossiping with Zhou Qun.


    Not just Zhao Guihua, Aunt Wang also felt a simr difort.


    She said, ¡°He didn¡¯t used to be like this!¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°He used to be a man, is he still one now?¡±


    Fortunately, because of the rain, everyone had gone back inside, leaving just the two of them, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing.


    Aunt Wang chuckled and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Zhao Guihua, however, thought it was a good thing. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Zhou Qun seems more human now than before?¡±


    In the past, Zhou Qun was all about appearances, putting on airs, but behind the scenes, he was a mess, sleeping with women to climb the ranks, not to mention all the scheming. But now, even though he¡¯s a bit effeminate, he¡¯s taking care of his pregnant wife and even gossiping with the neighbors¡­ well,municating.


    All in all, it¡¯s a step in the right direction.


    After Zhao Guihua¡¯s analysis, Aunt Wang thought about it and nodded, ¡°That makes sense. I just wonder what it¡¯ll be like when Aunt Zhoues back next month.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Being in jail isn¡¯t like strolling in the park, there¡¯s bound to be some change, right?¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s hard to say. I just hope she doesn¡¯t lead Zhou Qun astray again. I¡¯ve had enough of managing this courtyard.¡±


    In their neighborhood, every courtyard has someone in charge. In other courtyards, people are practically fighting over the position. But in their courtyard, as soon as the topic of selecting a manageres up, everyone takes a step back, looking like they¡¯ve been through a nightmare.


    Even the troublemakers don¡¯t want to be the manager. Aside from the title and being a bit closer to the neighborhoodmittee, what¡¯s the point?


    You have to deal with everything.


    And their courtyard has no shortage of issues.


    It¡¯s a thankless job.


    While others are eager for the position, everyone in their courtyard avoids it like the gue.


    Aunt Wang is fed up, but there¡¯s no one to take over. She envies the enthusiasm in other courtyards.


    Aunt Wang: ¡°Old Zhao, you¡¯re more capable than me. Haven¡¯t you thought about stepping up? I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. I¡¯m definitely not doing it. Don¡¯t try to push me into this mess.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? That¡¯s so cold-hearted. How is it a mess?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Hmph.¡±


    She said, ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me.¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°People are so smart these days, it¡¯s hard to trick anyone.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Exactly. You know who I am. Want toe over for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The two olddies went to the Zhuang Family. Zhao Guihua nced at the Su Family, where the three mischievous kids were at home. They were on summer break and couldn¡¯t be sent to school, but today Hu Huihui had gone out without them.


    ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going on with Wang Xiangxiu. If something happens, those three kids will have nowhere to go. We can¡¯t just dump them on Hu Huihui,¡± Aunt Wang said. ¡°The Su Family hasn¡¯t been particrly kind to Hu Huihui, so she probably wouldn¡¯t want to take care of them.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Exactly.¡±


    The rain kept pouring down, though it had lightened up a bit today. Still, it was quite annoying. She said, ¡°Look at the house, everything¡¯s damp.¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°This rain¡­ your daughter-inw just woke up.¡±


    Ming Mei came over, rubbing her eyes, and greeted them. Zhao Guihua said, ¡°I left a boiled egg for you in the pot, go get it.¡±


    Ming Mei had been resting these past few days and felt really good.


    They usually have to get up early for work, and while they¡¯re full of energy, it¡¯s clearly not asfortable as now. If only money would fall from the sky without having to work. Ming Mei didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and sat down to eat breakfast.


    She asked, ¡°What was all the noise about this morning?¡±


    She had heard themotion but had stubbornly stayed in bed.


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Hu Huihui said Wang Xiangxiu proposed to Bai Fendou.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ming Mei¡¯s eyes widened like headlights, round and shocked. She stammered, ¡°P-p-proposed? Is she c-c-crazy?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°She¡¯s not crazy, that¡¯s why she did it.¡±


    She had a bit of an idea about what Wang Xiangxiu was thinking.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been scheming all this time, but she hadn¡¯t nned for life. Now, marrying Bai Fendou might actually be a good thing.


    Ming Mei sighed, ¡°I really want to go to the hospital to see the drama.¡±


    ¡°You better stay put.¡±


    Ming Mei: ¡°...¡±


    She said, ¡°I¡¯ve been staying put.¡±


    After a pause, she said, ¡°Huh? The three kids are leaving.¡±


    Zhao Guihua looked over and saw the three kids, who had just woken up, each holding a steamed bun and wearing raincoats as they headed out.


    Aunt Wang frowned, ¡°What are they up to now?¡±


    As the manager, she couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Aunt Wang got up and followed them, asking, ¡°Jii, where are you going?¡±


    Jii: ¡°Out to y.¡±


    You could see how carefree these kids were. Their mother¡¯s situation was still unclear, and yet this kid could just go out and y without a care in the world. He¡¯s already ten years old, not some clueless little kid.


    Aunt Wang: ¡°The weather¡¯s been badtely, don¡¯t go out wandering around. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble for your family. Just look at all the trouble you¡¯ve already caused.¡±


    Jii pouted in defiance, ¡°It¡¯s just you adults making a big deal out of nothing.¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°...???¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones picking on kids, that¡¯s just low.¡±


    Aunt Wang: ¡°...¡±


    Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and said, ¡°Aunt Wang,e back.¡±


    Aunt Wang was shaking with anger, ¡°What kind of brats are these?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Just let them be.¡±


    They weren¡¯t responsible for looking after the Su Family¡¯s kids.


    Aunt Wang watched as the three kids sauntered out and said, ¡°These kids are hopeless.¡±


    Honestly, with these three kids around, the other children in the neighborhood get into less trouble. Every familypares their kids to these troublemakers and thinks their own kids are angels.


    Even if they make a small mistake, it¡¯s just a matter of a little scolding.


    Wang Zhaodi also shook her head silently as she watched the three kids leave. At their age, her sisters could already help out at home a lot, but these three brothers were still out causing trouble every day. She shook her head in disapproval.


    She came over to Zhao Guihua and said, ¡°Aunt Zhao, Aunt Wang.¡±


    She stood at the door, noting in, ¡°Aunt Zhao, are you using your fishing rod? If not, could I borrow it for the day?¡±


    Zhao Guihua was surprised, ¡°You¡¯re going fishing by the river in this rain? It¡¯s not safe.¡±


    Aunt Wang nodded and said, "Yes, you¡¯re not in a rush for just a day or two. Wait until the weather clears."


    Wang Zhaodi hesitated, asking, "Won¡¯t you need it when the weather clears?"


    Zhao Guihua replied, "We can¡¯t go every day. You can borrow it when we¡¯re not using it, just don¡¯t damage it."


    Hearing this, Wang Zhaodi¡¯s expression softened, and she said, "Thank you, Aunt Zhao."


    "Come in and sit down."


    "Alright."


    Ming Mei, who had just finished breakfast, joined the group.


    Aunt Wang asked, "Ming Mei, how many days of leave did you take?"


    Ming Mei replied, "A week."


    She leanedzily on the chair, as if boneless, and said, "The doctor told me to rest more."


    If possible, she wished she could rest until the baby was born.


    Zhao Guihua understood her meaning and chuckled.


    These days, most people were quite driven, willing to burn themselves out for work. Someone like Ming Mei was a rare exception. Although she was a bit of a cker, she was still very diligent when it came to work.


    She preferred to rest, but when she was on the job, she didn¡¯t ck off and worked earnestly.


    "You all¡­"


    "Grandma!" Just as they were chatting, Hutou led his sister over and asked, "Can we go y with Li Junjun and Li Weiwei?"


    Aunt Wang said, "Go ahead, they¡¯re at home."


    It was summer vacation, and the kids were all at home. With the rain these past few days, they were all restless and itching to go out.


    She said, "Go on."


    Hutou looked at Zhao Guihua, who also said, "Go ahead."


    "Alright~"


    The children quickly ran off.


    "You see, kids are all different. Hu Huihui leaves them at home, but she seems to trust them."


    "What else can she do? She has to work."


    "That¡¯s true. With rtives like that, Hu Huihui has it tough."


    The conversation shifted to Hu Huihui. Aunt Wang said, "That girl really shouldn¡¯t stay with the Su Family for so long. Over time, she might pick up bad habits. That family¡­ tsk tsk."


    Zhao Guihua said, "It¡¯s not that bad. She¡¯s not a three-year-old child; she won¡¯t be influenced so easily. I wonder¡­ how the Su Family is doing."


    "Who knows?"


    Indeed, they didn¡¯t know. Even if they were curious, they wouldn¡¯t brave the rain to go to the hospital for some gossip.


    But was there no drama just because they didn¡¯t go to the hospital?


    There was still some.


    Wang Xiangxiu knelt down and begged Bai Fendou to marry her, which was quite the spectacle. But what was truly unexpected was that Bai Fendou didn¡¯t agree. He remained silent andy back down on the hospital bed, lifeless as a corpse.


    Wang Xiangxiu had thought that Bai Fendou would be overjoyed that she was willing to marry him.


    After all, he had been chasing after her for so many years.


    He had even proposed to her before, and she had turned him down. Now that she was the one bringing it up, he should have been ecstatic. Given his condition, she was still willing to be with him¡ªhe should have been thanking his ancestors for their good fortune.


    She never expected things to turn out so differently.


    Bai Fendou waspletely indifferent.


    This infuriated Wang Xiangxiu. How dare a man like him, who couldn¡¯t even have children, reject her? He was really pushing his luck. Wang Xiangxiu didn¡¯t get what she wanted, and her expression immediately darkened. She wasn¡¯t a particrly cunning person; her emotions were always written on her face.


    Aunt Su quickly coughed at the sight of this.


    Wang Xiangxiu snapped back to reality and put on a pitiful expression again.


    She wasn¡¯t very capable, but fortunately, she had her mother-inw backing her up.


    "Wang Xiangxiu,e out for a moment."


    Since the key individuals involved were all seriously injured, the police didn¡¯t force them to leave the hospital for questioning at the station. Instead, they used an empty office in the hospital for the interrogation, which was a more humane decision.


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s injuries were mainly from her altercation with Jiang Baohou. The most severe was when she had been dragged by the hair and mmed into a wall, leaving her head heavily bandaged. Wang Xiangxiu heard her name being called and silently stood up. This wasn¡¯t the first time.


    She knew what they were going to ask, but no matter how many times they asked, she firmly maintained that she had been assaulted.


    If she didn¡¯t, her reputation would be ruined.


    "Wang Xiangxiu, please take a seat."


    Wang Xiangxiu tugged at her clothes and sat down. The officer in charge nced at her and said, "We need to verify some details with you again¡­"


    In truth, the officers all believed that Wang Xiangxiu was lying to some extent.


    But it was also possible that Vice Director Cai had used the situation and her child to coerce Wang Xiangxiu intopliance.


    This incident had caused quite a stir, and everyone was paying attention, so they had to be extremely careful. Not a single mistake could be made. Currently, both sides were sticking to their stories. Vice Director Cai admitted to having rtions with Wang Xiangxiu¡ªthere was no way to deny that.


    Since the incident happened in the hospital, they had conducted an immediate examination.


    The evidence was undeniable.


    So he admitted it, but he insisted that he had fallen victim to a honey trap set by Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu.


    However, Wang Xiangxiu herself denied this, and Bai Fendou¡­ aside from talking about his wife, remained silent the entire time. No matter what they asked, he was like a corpse. But it was clear to everyone that Vice Director Cai was in trouble.


    The evidence was heavily stacked against him.


    First, Wang Xiangxiu had indeed been assaulted. Second, Bai Fendou had been extremely violent during the fight. If it had been a honey trap, they would have demanded money, but Bai Fendou had clearly been out of control.


    Honestly, judging from Bai Fendou¡¯s reaction,


    He and Wang Xiangxiu weren¡¯t in on it together.


    As for who got injured, who ended up in the toilet, and who got a concussion, that was all part of the subsequent chaos.


    Vice Director Cai might not have assaulted her, but in this situation, he couldn¡¯t exin himself clearly. After all, he couldn¡¯t keep his pants on! And Wang Xiangxiu held her ground firmly. No matter how many times they questioned her, she remained steadfast and unwavering.


    Even if Vice Director Cai felt wronged, he had to take the loss.


    The main reason was that the incident had caused too much of a stir and had too much impact. Otherwise, given Vice Director Cai¡¯s status and position, he could have smoothed things over. But because it had blown up so publicly, and both parties had been severely injured, it became a hot topic that spread quickly.


    This meant that no one dared to get involved in this mess.


    But given Vice Director Cai¡¯s position, he knew a lot, and many people still wanted to protect him. Even Deputy Director Zheng approached Hu Huihui again. Hu Huihui was incredulous: "Haven¡¯t you always wanted to take him down?"


    Deputy Director Zheng looked slightly ufortable but said, "That¡¯s true, but he knows too much. If he really ends up in jail, he¡¯s sure to go down fighting. No one can afford that kind of fallout."


    Their own hands weren¡¯t exactly clean.


    Hu Huihui said, "If he gets out, he¡¯ll definitely seek revenge."


    Although she didn¡¯t like Wang Xiangxiu, she didn¡¯t want to see such an oue either.


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "Our director has promised that as long as he doesn¡¯t go to jail, he can be transferred to the northwest. And I¡¯ll take his position when he retires. This way, I¡¯ll take out two birds with one stone."


    In truth, he also wanted to see Vice Director Cai fall. But they were all in the same boat, and they were afraid he¡¯d drag everyone down with him.


    Hu Huihui said, "If my cousin changes her story, it¡¯ll be considered false usation. She¡¯s not stupid."


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "Even if your cousin takes down Vice Director Cai, his wife won¡¯t let it go. It¡¯s better to find a way to resolve this amicably. Your cousin just needs to say that Vice Director Cai was drunk and made inappropriate advances. It doesn¡¯t have to go as far as actual assault. We¡¯ll protect him this way. As for Bai Fendou, he can still be seen as a hero, and your cousin remains the victim, but Vice Director Cai¡¯s situation won¡¯t be as severe. We¡¯ll arrange for him to be transferred out of the capital. That way, he won¡¯t have the chance to seek revenge against your cousin. Your cousin¡¯s reputation will remain intact, and it won¡¯t affect her job."


    He paused and added, "We¡¯ll have Vice Director Caipensate your cousin with a hundred yuan."


    Hu Huihui: "¡­"


    Deputy Director Zheng: "Vice Director Cai has been in this position for so many years. He really can¡¯t go to jail."


    Hu Huihui hesitated for a long time and finally said, "I¡¯ll try to talk to my cousin."


    She looked up and asked, "Can you really make all this happen?"


    Deputy Director Zheng chuckled and sighed, "With so many people watching, what do you think? Besides, it¡¯s not just me who wants Vice Director Cai gone¡ªit¡¯s everyone."


    He could be demoted and transferred, but he couldn¡¯t end up in jail.


    As for revenge, that was out of the question.


    With so many eyes on this matter, Vice Director Cai knew better than to cause trouble for himself. And, to put it bluntly, even if he wanted revenge, he wouldn¡¯t do it within the next year or so. It would draw too much attention.


    Deputy Director Zheng didn¡¯t say this out loud, but Hu Huihui seemed to understand.


    "I¡¯ll find a chance to quietly talk to my cousin, and you should help too."


    "Sure."


    These underhanded matters were quickly settled.


    At this time, many things were a mess. As for Vice Director Cai, while he wasn¡¯t entirely innocent, it would be a grave injustice for him to be sentenced to ten or eight years for this charge.


    He really hadn¡¯t forced Wang Xiangxiu¡ªshe had been willing.


    So, almost everyone hoped the matter would be resolved quickly and properly.


    With Deputy Director Zheng¡¯s help, Hu Huihui managed to find an opportunity tomunicate with Wang Xiangxiu. She didn¡¯t reveal her rtionship with Deputy Director Zheng but instead imed that someone who knew about their situation hade to mediate.


    After some back-and-forth, they settled on two hundred yuan.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Of course, none of this concerned the people in thepound.


    The machinery factory had its security department involved. If it had been a young, idealistic neer, they might have been more zealous. But since the factory had assigned experienced hands, they knew Wang Xiangxiu wasn¡¯t as innocent as she imed.


    Vice Director Cai wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, and many wanted to protect him.


    The matter was resolved quickly¡ªeven before the rainy season ended, the oue was announced.


    The security department informed the propaganda department, saying, "Draft a notice, and have the broadcast room announce it as well."


    After the security team left, Zhuang Zhixi and the others in the propaganda department exchanged puzzled looks.


    Sister Cui sighed, "This is really¡­"


    That day, as the workers at the Qianjin Machinery Factory were diligently working, they heard the broadcast: "An urgent announcement, an urgent announcement. Our factory employee Wang Xiangxiu was hospitalized due to a fight involving her child. During the negotiation process, there was some physical contact, which led to another employee, Bai Fendou, mistakenly believing that a case of forced assault on a woman had urred. He then acted heroically to help the woman. The matter has now been rified. The other party was under the influence of alcohol and unclear-headed, leading to the misunderstanding. While Bai Fendou¡¯s actions do not constitute heroism, his intentions were good and his couragemendable. The factorymends him. The matter has been resolved, and we ask everyone not to spread rumors. The announcement will now be repeated¡­"


    The workers paused their tasks, looking at each other in confusion.


    "What did the broadcast just say?"


    "What does ¡®physical contact¡¯ mean?"


    "Bai Fendou helped a woman?"


    "Well, isn¡¯t that what he¡¯s supposed to do? Wang Xiangxiu even knelt down to propose to him. Isn¡¯t it natural for him to help his own wife?"


    "Wait, what? I thought Bai Fendou was the one chasing Wang Xiangxiu. How did she end up proposing to him?"


    "It¡¯s true. I heard it from Zhou Qun in the electrical team."


    "¡­Zhou Qun¡­"


    The atmosphere turned awkward.


    "Zhou Qun was gossiping with the older women for a long time."


    "¡­"


    This really left everyone at a loss.


    "Let me tell you, I have a rtive who works at the hospital. I heard Bai Fendou kicked that man so hard he¡¯s ruined. But that man¡¯s wife also kicked Bai Fendou, and now he¡¯s¡­ well, he¡¯s lost his ability to have children."


    "I heard about that too."


    "Wow, you¡¯re really well-informed."


    "I overheard Zhou Qun talking about it in the restroom¡­"


    Zhou Qun again¡­


    "Did you know this whole thing started because Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s child was being naughty?"


    "I heard about it."


    "Really? Is that true?"


    "Of course it¡¯s true. Zhou Qun said so¡­"


    Everyone was buzzing with gossip. After all, there wasn¡¯t much entertainment around, so this kind of news could keep them talking for at least half a month¡ªmaybe even longer.


    "Do you think Wang Xiangxiu really¡­?"


    They all exchanged knowing smiles.


    The matter began abruptly and ended just as abruptly.


    But upon closer thought, this ending wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. No one wanted a vice director of a certainmittee to go on a rampage and start pointing fingers. However, he had suffered a great loss this time. He never expected that a simple incident involving his wife being hit by a child¡¯s stone would escte to this level.


    In the end, aside from Vice Director Cai being unlucky enough to be transferred elsewhere, no one else was significantly affected.


    The oue sparked heated discussions in the factory and caused a small stir in thepound. No one had expected it to end this way. Zhuang Zhixi openly teased his mother, saying, "You said Wang Xiangxiu would definitely stick to her guns for her child¡¯s sake, but she didn¡¯t."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I¡¯m just an olddy, and I only went to literacy sses. Did you expect me to predict everything?"


    She had thought Wang Xiangxiu would bite down hard to eliminate future trouble, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to let it go.


    She really couldn¡¯t understand this woman.


    But Vice Director Cai hadn¡¯t actually forced her, so it wouldn¡¯t be right for him to go to jail over this.


    While themittee members weren¡¯t exactly good people, this was a separate matter.


    After several days of heavy rain, the weather finally cleared. The matter was settled, and the skies were bright again. After a week of rain, everything in the houses felt damp. With the sun out, everyone rushed to air out their bedding.


    The front courtyard was rtively lucky because the Su Family and the Bai Family hadn¡¯t returned from the hospital yet, so the other families had more space.


    The sun after the rain was scorching, even hotter than before.


    Ming Mei had taken a week off, sleeping in until mid-morning and living a leisurely,zy life. In just a week, her face had filled out a bit, herplexion had improved, and her skin had a healthy glow. When she finally returned to work, the middle-aged women in the office remarked, "You¡¯ve really rested well."


    Ming Mei replied straightforwardly, "Well, if you¡¯re resting, you should rest well. If you end up worse after resting, what¡¯s the point?"


    "That¡¯s true. By the way, a lot happened at the bus station while you were away."


    Ming Mei asked, "What happened?"


    She already knew, but she blinked her innocent eyes, pretending to be clueless.


    "The bus route you used to run had an ident, but it wasn¡¯t serious."


    "Oh, that¡¯s minor. The big news is Section Chief Jiang. She got into a fight and ended up in the hospital. I heard she kicked a man so hard he¡¯s lost his ability to have children."


    "No, no. Her husband was fooling around with another woman, and that woman¡¯s husband kicked him so hard he¡¯s ruined. So Section Chief Jiang retaliated by kicking that woman¡¯s husband and ruining him too¡­"


    "I heard that woman was a widow."


    What a mess!


    It was hard for anyone to make sense of it all.


    Ming Mei thought the gossip at the bus station was clearly less urate than the rumors in theirpound. The stories were a jumble of truth and fiction. But she didn¡¯t correct anyone, finding it all quite entertaining.


    Ming Mei interjected, "So, is she back at work?"


    "Back at work? She didn¡¯t even take leave. I heard she¡¯s still in the hospital."


    "No, I heard she¡¯s already been discharged. Her husband was transferred to the northwest. Wouldn¡¯t she need to go home and take care of things?"


    "Really? Is that true?"


    "That¡¯s what I heard, but who knows for sure."


    "Do you think we should visit her in the hospital?"


    "Why should we? We¡¯re not close. She¡¯s only been here for a few days. The unit leaders haven¡¯t even gone to visit her on behalf of thepany. Why should we stick our necks out? Do we have too much money?"


    "That¡¯s true."


    Ming Mei propped her chin on her hand, listening with great interest.


    She suddenly asked, "If her husband was transferred, why didn¡¯t she go with him? Being separated by such a long distance isn¡¯t good, is it?"


    "Oh, right. I haven¡¯t heard anything about that."


    "True, let¡¯s ask around."


    Everyone was chattering away, and Ming Mei felt that no matter where people were from, they all had a heart that loved to watch a spectacle.


    To talk about this matter, it wasn¡¯t just the parties involved, like the machinery factory, the bus station, or the Revolutionary Committee. Even other unrted units were buzzing with excitement.


    After all, such an event only happens once in many years.


    They had truly never seen anything like this before.


    Especially the hospital, which was the first scene of the incident. They were right at the forefront of the gossip and the first to spread the news.


    But were they surprised?


    No, they weren¡¯t!


    They weren¡¯t inexperienced. They were all too familiar with Bai Fendou.


    This guy had set countless records at their hospital.


    Every time he was admitted, there was never a moment of peace. And who knows if it was because of some bad luck in his life, but the number of times he had been hospitalized was just too many. Oh, and it wasn¡¯t just him. There was also his father, who treated the hospital like his own backyard.


    And let¡¯s not forget his neighbor, Aunt Su, and her daughter-inw, who treated the hospital like a rest stop.


    In any case, these people were all regrs at their hospital.


    Of course, they didn¡¯t really want to see them either.


    While watching the drama was interesting, they still had to deal with the aftermath.


    Poor medical workers.


    And now, there was another wailing sounding from the ward.


    The doctor on duty immediately shouted, ¡°Quick, notify the security department!¡±


    Without hesitation, they called the security department first¡ªthat was always the right move.


    In the ward, Old Man Bai was crying his heart out. He was in pain, he was suffering. He never imagined that the Bai family line would end with his son.


    It wasn¡¯t that the family line ended with him, but his son was now unable to carry on the family name.


    He felt deeply ashamed before the ancestors of the Bai family.


    Yes, Old Man Bai had only just learned about the incident today. It wasn¡¯t that anyone had intentionally kept it from him; it was just that no one had told him. He only knew that there had been a fight and someone got hurt, but he didn¡¯t know it involved his beloved Aunt Su, nor did he know that his son was part of it.


    As for Bai Fendou not showing up for the past week, he just thought the kid was cking off again.


    He knew what kind of person his son was. He thought Bai Fendou was just beingzy again, and he had been cursing this unfilial son all week. It was only today that he identally overheard a nurse talking about the unfortunate guy upstairs¡ªit turned out to be his own son, Bai Fendou.


    And then, realizing that his son could no longer have children, Old Man Baipletely broke down.


    He wailed, snot and tears streaming down his face, ¡°Ancestors, I¡¯ve failed you! How could I have raised such a useless thing? Our Bai family line is cut off now! Wuwu~ I don¡¯t dare face you even in death.¡±


    The other patients in the ward looked at him with pity.


    They had thought he was just an unfilial son, but now¡­ well, this was worse than being unfilial.


    Honestly, in this situation, they didn¡¯t even know how tofort him.


    A few nurses tried to console him, saying, ¡°He may not be able to have children, but this is a new society. We don¡¯t focus so much on carrying on the family name anymore. Even if he can¡¯t have kids, you can still adopt. As long as you raise the child well, they¡¯ll be just as close to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same if it¡¯s not our own bloodline. Why should we raise someone else¡¯s child? Wuwu,¡± Old Man Bai cried in agony. ¡°I can¡¯t go on, I can¡¯t live like this¡­¡±


    He struggled to get up, trying to jump out of the window, but the security team, who had been prepared for this, quickly restrained him!


    They knew it, they knew this family had a tradition of trying to jump out of windows!


    Old Man Bai yelled, ¡°Let me go, let me go¡­ I want to die¡­¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t have kids, but you still can! Why are you trying to kill yourself?¡± the doctor shouted, stunning everyone in the room. The patients all stared at the doctor in shock: ¡°He¡¯s in his fifties, he can still have kids?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Although he¡¯s had some injuries, it doesn¡¯t affect his ability to have children. At his age, the chances aren¡¯t high, but it¡¯s not impossible.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words were fair and honest.


    Old Man Bai was stunned.


    After a long while, he finally reacted and asked, ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re not lying to me?¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m certain. You can, but it¡¯s not a guarantee. It depends on many factors¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand, I understand.¡±


    Old Man Bai lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought¡­


    The Bai family line absolutely could not end. His son was a lost cause, but he could still do something about it. If he had another child, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible. Even if he was old and something happened to him, his son could still take care of the child, right?


    After all, his eldest son didn¡¯t have any children, so it would be fitting for him to raise his younger brother as his own.


    Old Man Bai thought more and more about it and felt it made perfect sense. He immediately thought of Aunt Su.


    But in that instant, he shook his head. Aunt Su wouldn¡¯t work. At his age, he could still have children, but Aunt Su, at her age, couldn¡¯t. If he really wanted a child, she wasn¡¯t the right choice.


    He needed someone who was fertile¡­


    Suddenly, Old Man Bai thought of someone¡ªWang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu was very fertile. She had been married for six years and had three children, one every two years. If the Su family¡¯s son hadn¡¯t died, she might have kept having more. And, importantly, she had sons.


    That was crucial.


    He wanted to have a child, but it had to be a son. A daughter wouldn¡¯t do.


    That would be the same as having no heir.


    If he found another woman, there was no guarantee she¡¯d have a son, but if he went with Wang Xiangxiu, he could be sure. She¡¯d already had three sons. It was a safe bet. But Wang Xiangxiu wouldn¡¯t agree.


    And his son, Bai Fendou, definitely wouldn¡¯t agree.


    Plus, Wang Xiangxiu was a widow. How could she have a child¡­


    Old Man Bai quieted down. Everyone watched as his expression shifted unpredictably, exchanging looks, unsure what the old man was plotting. But one thing was clear¡ªit didn¡¯t look like he was up to anything good.


    His expression was just too¡­ sleazy.


    Yes, sleazy.


    But after some thought, Old Man Bai came up with a brilliant n: have Bai Fendou marry Wang Xiangxiu. That way, as the father, it would be natural for him to ¡°help out.¡± And when Wang Xiangxiu got pregnant, the child would still be a Bai. The child would truly carry the Bai family name.


    Of course¡­ there might be some rumors.


    After all, his son couldn¡¯t perform, right?


    But as long as they stuck to their story, what could anyone else do?


    Plus, he could still live with Aunt Su, even if they didn¡¯t get married¡­


    The two families could merge into one, with the mother-inw and daughter-inw¡­ hehehe.


    The old man¡¯s thoughts were filled with delight, feeling like there couldn¡¯t be a better n.


    The doctor on duty couldn¡¯t help but ask cautiously, ¡°Uncle, are you okay?¡±


    Old Man Bai replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    In an instant, his demeanor changed. Just moments ago, he was ready to die, but now he was smiling.


    The doctor on duty: ¡°¡­¡±


    This guy was definitely up to no good!


    Old Man Bai asked, ¡°Is my son still downstairs?¡±


    The doctor nodded, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s there.¡±


    At this point, Vice Director Cai and his wife were no longer in the same ward as Bai Fendou. They had been moved earlier for convenience in monitoring. Now that their issues had been resolved, Vice Director Cai had been transferred to another hospital.


    This was to avoid any further conflicts.


    In this whole incident, Vice Director Cai was the most unfortunate and the most unlucky, but he had no choice but to endure it. After all, he didn¡¯t want to go down in mes. Even though being transferred to the northwest was harsh, he would still be a small leader there, which was better than being locked up here.


    With the charges against him, he wouldn¡¯t get out for at least eight to ten years.


    And he wasn¡¯t a young man anymore. By the time he got out, he¡¯d be half in the grave.


    So he listened to the advice and decided to leave.


    As for the rest¡­ well, he wouldn¡¯t let it go!!!


    Whether Vice Director Cai would seek revenge in the future was anyone¡¯s guess, but everyone knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to cause trouble for the next couple of years. For now, he was calmly transferring to another hospital, preparing for his next move.


    Old Man Bai and his wife were transferred to another hospital, and the police officers left, leaving only Bai Fendou and the Su Family mother-inw and daughter-inw in the ward. The three of them shared the room.


    Old Man Bai pleaded with the doctor to be transferred to the same ward, and the doctor, being kind-hearted, agreed. Mainly, they didn¡¯t want to deal with the old man either. This family had a knack for dramatic performances, especially when it came to threatening to jump off buildings.


    When Old Man Bai entered the ward, his first nce fell on Wang Xiangxiu. He used to look down on her, but now he couldn¡¯t help but notice her charm. In terms of looks and figure, even Aunt Su in her younger days couldn¡¯tpare.


    Wang Xiangxiu greeted him, ¡°Uncle Bai, you¡¯ve been transferred here too?¡±


    Old Man Bai smiled, ¡°Indeed.¡±


    He then turned to his son, scolding, ¡°You little brat, do you realize you¡¯ve cut off the Bai family line? How could I have raised such a useless son? If you had even a shred ofpetence, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way. How will you face our ancestors when you die?¡±


    Bai Fendouy in bed, silent.


    Aunt Su spoke softly, ¡°Old Bai, ming the child won¡¯t help. It¡¯s our family¡¯s fault for dragging you into this. It¡¯s our mistake¡­¡±


    Her tears nearly broke Old Man Bai¡¯s heart. He quicklyforted her, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯re victims too.¡±


    His gaze lingered on Wang Xiangxiu again. Aunt Su noticed, furrowed her brows slightly, and then lowered her head, continuing her fake sobs.


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s nothing, Sister Su. Our families are close. We won¡¯t hold it against you,¡± he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just that my Fendou has had bad luck.¡±


    Bai Fendou let out a bitterugh.


    Old Man Bai snapped, ¡°How dare youugh!¡±


    Bai Fendou ignored his father and got up to use the restroom. Old Man Bai said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    He wanted to discuss something with his son beforehand. He was confident Bai Fendou would agree. After all, since Bai Fendou couldn¡¯t have children anymore, he was willing to help him have one. Who wouldn¡¯t agree to that? A blood-rted younger brother was better than an outsider.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together,¡± he said.


    Bai Fendou paid no attention and walked ahead. Old Man Bai hurried to catch up.


    Aunt Su watched their retreating figures, deep in thought. Soon, she sneered and spat, ¡°Old lecher, still eyeing the young grass.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu asked, ¡°Mom?¡±


    Aunt Su replied, ¡°Disgusting.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was confused, ¡°???¡±


    Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu, holding back her anger, and said, ¡°You¡­ never mind, forget I said anything.¡±


    If it were up to her, they should have taken Vice Director Cai down. But Wang Xiangxiu had been blinded by money. Now they were left with such a formidable enemy. It was also because they had been too closely watched, and she hadn¡¯t been able to speak privately with Wang Xiangxiu.


    Hu Huihui was such a meddlesome little wretch, probably benefiting from all this.


    She wanted to scold Wang Xiangxiu but couldn¡¯t afford to offend her directly. No matter how much she despised her daughter-inw, she still needed her to make money.


    The more money Wang Xiangxiu made, the better life her three grandsons would have.


    Aunt Su was shrewd. Although Old Man Bai had just arrived and hadn¡¯t said much, she immediately guessed his motive. He must want Wang Xiangxiu to have a child. After knowing him for decades, how could she not see through him?


    Indeed, men were unreliable. The only thing you could truly rely on was money.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wang Xiangxiu asked, puzzled.


    Aunt Su replied, ¡°Nothing. You just focus on recovering. You¡¯re more injured than I am. It¡¯s my fault for not being able to earn more. If I had any capability, you wouldn¡¯t have suffered so much. Thinking about what you¡¯ve been through, I feel so sorry for you, and for my son.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not suffering. I¡¯m willing to do it. My biggest wish is to keep this family together.¡±


    Aunt Su¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, ¡°I know, I know you¡¯re a good person¡­¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu whispered, ¡°We¡¯re one family, united. Once I get Bai Fendou to support us, he¡¯ll be our helper.¡±


    Aunt Su nodded, ¡°Mm.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t in a hurry to bring up Old Man Bai¡¯s intentions. It wasn¡¯t the right time yet.


    He wanted a child?


    Well, he could forget about it.


    But she did have her eye on the Bai family¡¯s two houses.


    No one everined about having too much property.


    She began to ponder how to maximize the benefits.


    Letting Wang Xiangxiu be with Old Man Bai wasn¡¯t entirely out of the question, but it depended on what he could offer.


    As for a child? Ha!


    Aunt Su¡¯s mind was racing.


    Meanwhile, Bai Fendou stared at his father in disbelief, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    He practically hissed the words through clenched teeth.


    Old Man Bai exined, ¡°You can¡¯t have children anymore, so I, as your father, will help you. I think Wang Xiangxiu is a good match. Once we have a child, we¡¯ll be one family. I promise I won¡¯t¡­ Although it might sound bad, at least our family line won¡¯t be cut off. Right?¡±


    Bai Fendou asked, ¡°Is¡­ that what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    Bai Fendou felt like he was going insane. He couldn¡¯t believe what his father was saying. He was already under immense stress and hadn¡¯t recovered yet. Now, he was hit with an even deeper shock.


    He could remain indifferent to other things, but not this.


    This wasn¡¯t about whether he wanted to marry Wang Xiangxiu. It was about his father¡¯s outrageous idea. He had never heard of anything so shameless, from the south to the north. Was this still a modern society? He stared at his father, realizing he wasn¡¯t joking.


    He was dead serious.


    ¡°You want to have a child with Wang Xiangxiu and pass it off as mine?¡± he asked bitterly.


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Old Man Bai smiled, ¡°You see, it¡¯s the only way. If we don¡¯t have a child, you¡¯ll be left without an heir. Our Bai family may not be wealthy, but we can¡¯t let the family line end with us. If that happens, how can we¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou suddenly grabbed his father by the neck and shoved him toward the window. Old Man Bai gasped, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He looked at his father, feeling utterly disgusted. With a forceful push, he shouted, ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you ungrateful brat! Who do you think I¡¯m doing this for? I have a son, but you don¡¯t. If we don¡¯t find a solution, who will take care of you when you¡¯re old? Who will honor you after you¡¯re gone?¡± Old Man Bai ranted, ¡°You¡¯re ming me now? You¡¯re not willing? You¡¯re so ungrateful! Do you believe I¡¯ll jump? Do you? You¡¯ve cut off the Bai family line. You¡¯re unfilial!¡±


    Just then, someone else entered the restroom and saw the father and son in this state. They asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Old Man Bai shouted, ¡°My son has no heir, and I¡¯m trying to help him, but he¡¯s ming me. I can¡¯t go on. I can¡¯t live like this!¡±


    He climbed onto the windowsill.


    ¡°Hey, be careful!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, get down!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too old for this, stop it!¡±


    ¡°Young man, talk your father down¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou coldly said, ¡°If you want to die, don¡¯t scare others.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re unfilial! You¡¯ve cut off the family line¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you old fool! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to. Get down now, stop making a scene. This is only the second floor¡­ no, the third. You won¡¯t die if you jump. Stop pretending! Get down!¡±


    ¡°Uncle,e down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t risk it¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t yell, don¡¯t provoke him.¡±


    Security rushed over, exasperated. Why was it always them? Couldn¡¯t this family bother another hospital?


    It was getting too much to handle.


    Soon, a crowd gathered, all trying to persuade Old Man Bai. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t reveal the real reason, only shouting that Bai Fendou was unfilial and had no heir.


    Bai Fendou took a deep breath and said, ¡°Do as you please.¡±


    He turned away, ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. I¡¯m already without an heir. What¡¯s the point of worrying about anything else?¡±


    He was about to leave directly.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, hurry up!¡±


    ¡°Be careful¡­¡±


    Old Man Bai waved his arms, cursing, ¡°You little brat, all these years I¡­ ah!¡±


    He moved too vigorously, lost his grip, and tumbled backward¡­


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    ¡°Holy crap!¡±


    ¡°Quick, someone help!¡±


    Bai Fendou instantly turned around, reaching out to grab Old Man Bai, but it was toote. Old Man Bai fell straight out of the third-floor bathroom window¡­ ¡°Ah!!!¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°Father!!!¡±


    Without a second thought, he dashed downstairs, while others rushed to the window, peering down. There was a pool of blood on the ground, and the man was motionless. Everyone turned pale with fear¡­ A living person had just fallen like that?


    This was too terrifying.


    ¡°Doctor, doctor¡­ quick, save him!¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Is anyone in the courtyard?¡± A panting voice called out.


    Zhao Guihua and a few other women were busy washing clothes by the water tank and quickly responded, ¡°Yes,e in!¡±


    It had been raining for a week, and everyone had umted a lot ofundry. Besides airing out quilts, many were washing clothes. Everyone was bustling about. After the rainy days, the bright sun felt so good.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, from thepound at the end of the alley.¡±


    ¡°Old Liu, right? We know you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,e in! What brings you to ourpound?¡±


    Old Liu: ¡°Oh my, you haven¡¯t heard yet? Old Man Bai from yourpound jumped from the hospital building.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap!¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Is he crazy? Why? Is he okay?¡±


    Zhao Guihua and the others rushed out, unable to believe such a thing could happen. She had always thought that jumping from a building was just a scare tactic. If someone really wanted to die, they wouldn¡¯t do it like this. But she never expected Old Man Bai to be so ruthless.


    He actually jumped?


    ¡°How is he?¡±


    Old Liu: ¡°He passed out immediately and was rushed into surgery.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    Old Liu gestured anxiously, ¡°I was on my way to get medicine and happened to see it. I watched him just fall from the building. My god, it was terrifying. They say his son is childless, and he¡¯s been in despair, attempting suicide twice before. This time, he just jumped. I saw Bai Fendou; he was standing there in a daze, like a fool.¡±


    ¡°This is really¡­¡±


    For a moment, no one knew what to say. Although they didn¡¯t care much for the Bai father and son, hearing about this still left them with a bitter taste in their mouths. After all, they had been neighbors for decades and were old acquaintances.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital and see.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s go to the hospital and see. Old Man Bai, why would he be so desperate?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯d say it¡¯s his own fault. Back in the day, when people tried to set Bai Fendou up with someone, he, as the father, meddled. If Bai Fendou had married early and hadn¡¯t gotten involved with Wang Xiangxiu, he wouldn¡¯t be childless now. Even if he did get involved, if he had married early, the family would have had descendants by now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying all this? We can¡¯t turn back time.¡±


    ¡°What will happen to the old man in hister years?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he still have his son?¡±


    ¡°But Bai Fendou has been so traumatized; who knows what state he¡¯s in now.¡±


    Zhao Guihua wiped her hands: ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let¡¯s go to the hospital and see what¡¯s going on. At the very least, we can offer somefort. With all these things happening one after another, Bai Fendou must be overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°Old Zhao is right.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Arge group of them headed straight to the hospital¡­

 Chapter 116

    Rtionships between people can be soplicated.


    Even though the neighbors might have their disagreements, when they heard that Old Man Bai had jumped off a building, they all rushed to the hospital. This wasn¡¯t just to gawk¡ªit was different from the usual rubbernecking. Everyone was genuinely concerned.


    After all, jumping off a building is no small matter. When the group arrived at the hospital, they didn¡¯t even need to ask for directions; they just followed the crowd.


    Though they hade as soon as they heard the news, they were stillter than the police officers, who had been keeping an eye on Bai Fendou. The officers confronted him directly: ¡°Your father has strangtion marks on his neck. What¡¯s going on? The hospital has already reported this.¡±


    The hospital was truly fed up with this family.


    They had been in and out of the hospital so many times, and every visit was a drama. It wasn¡¯t just anyone who could handle them¡ªthankfully, the staff had seen their fair share of situations. But no matter how experienced they were, when something suspicious happened, they had to speak up.


    Otherwise, the family might turn around and me them.


    You¡¯d think people like that didn¡¯t exist anymore, but they do.


    So the hospital didn¡¯t hesitate. When the doctor saw the marks on the old man¡¯s neck, they immediately notified the nurses to call the police. Before the old man even left the operating room, the police were already there.


    The officers stopped Bai Fendou. Of course, it was him again¡ªwho else would it be?


    ¡°Your father hasn¡¯te out yet, so we¡¯re giving you a chance to exin here. If you can¡¯t exin clearly, we¡¯ll have to take you in.¡±


    Bai Fendou stared at the officers in shock. ¡°What? You think I killed my own father? Am I crazy? He¡¯s my dad! Even if he¡¯s not the best person, he¡¯s still my father! How could you think I¡¯d do that on purpose?¡±


    He yelled in frustration, ¡°When he was about to jump, so many people were watching. Everyone saw he lost his grip and fell. I was already at the door. How could I have pushed him? Am I some kind of god who can make people fall with a breath?¡±


    ¡°Stop shouting. Just tell us what happened,¡± the officer said calmly. ¡°Now, exin the marks on his neck.¡±


    Bai Fendou admitted, ¡°Yeah, I did that. I just wanted him to shut up, so I grabbed him and let go right after. Is that not allowed?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your father. How could youy hands on him?¡±


    The officer frowned and scolded him, while the onlookers also started pointing fingers. ¡°What kind of son does that to his own father? Even if you didn¡¯t want him to talk, you didn¡¯t have to choke him.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! What kind of world is this where a father can¡¯t even scold his son?¡±


    ¡°So unfilial.¡±


    ¡°What a curse to have a son like this.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    Bai Fendou was bombarded with usations, and he finally broke down. He turned around and shouted, ¡°What do you know? What do any of you know? You¡¯re all just judging me without knowing anything! You¡­ sob¡­ You don¡¯t know what my father said to me! You don¡¯t know¡­ sob¡­¡±


    He started crying uncontrobly, curling up into a ball as he crouched on the ground, clutching his head. ¡°He knows I can¡¯t have kids with a woman, and he told me to get married so he could take my wife into the bedroom and have a son for me! Sob¡­ How could I listen to that? I¡¯m Bai Fendou! Why do I have to deal with this? He went too far! I just wanted him to shut up! He only jumped to scare me because I wouldn¡¯t listen. Sob¡­ I¡¯m so wronged!¡±


    Bai Fendou was a straight shooter, a man who didn¡¯t hold back.


    Most people would never say something like this out loud¡ªit¡¯s embarrassing for the family. But Bai Fendou? When pushed, he¡¯d say anything, no matter how shameful.


    He crouched in the corner, wailing.


    The room fell silent.


    The people who had been using him moments ago were now stunned, their mouths hanging open.


    Even Zhao Guihua and the others, who hade to see if they could help, were at a loss for words.


    This was¡­ quite the bombshell.


    Old Man Bai was truly something else. How could he even think of that?


    And Bai Fendou? He was even more ruthless, directly exposing his father like that.


    The officers were speechless.


    This¡­ this was¡­


    They didn¡¯t even know how to handle this situation.


    Looking at the crying man on the floor, the officer couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He bent down and helped Bai Fendou up, saying, ¡°Come on, sit on the chair. You¡¯re injured; don¡¯t sit on the ground.¡±


    Bai Fendou, rarely shown such kindness, clung to the officer and cried even harder. ¡°My father¡¯s a monster! I¡¯ve never even been married, and he¡¯s already trying to steal my wife! He wants to have his cake and eat it too. Sob¡­ He likes Aunt Su and wants Wang Xiangxiu to have another son for him. He said we couldbine our families, and he¡¯d sleep with both the old widow and the young widow. I¡¯m just a cuckold! He doesn¡¯t even treat me like a human!¡±


    The officer knew who Wang Xiangxiu was¡ªhow could he not?


    They¡¯d been called to this neighborhood plenty of times recently.


    He nced over at Wang Xiangxiu and her mother-inw, who were standing on the sidelines, lookingpletely bewildered.


    How did they get dragged into this?


    Not just him, but all the officers turned to look at the two women, and soon everyone else followed their gaze.


    ¡°Why are they looking at them?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The old widow and the young widow¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, the young one¡¯s pretty. No wonder the old man¡¯s got his eyes on her¡­¡±


    ¡°What a mess.¡±


    ¡°This guy¡¯s really unlucky.¡±


    ¡°Look at him¡ªhe¡¯s got that green aura around him.¡±


    ¡°The old widow¡¯s not much to look at. How can shepete with the young one?¡±


    The murmurs started up again.


    Amid the gossip, Bai Fendou felt even more wronged and started crying loudly once more.


    Life had really dealt him a bad hand.


    Zhao Guihua and her group hade to see if they could help, but instead, they ended up hearing all this. Zhao Guihua felt so awkward she wanted to dig a hole and disappear.


    If it were young people involved, she might have thought it was just typical drama.


    But for a man in his fifties to have such ideas¡­ was he even physically capable?


    Honestly, hearing this was even more disgusting than that time she saw Zhou Qun harassing Bai Fendou.


    The man was old, but his thoughts were anything but.


    Zhao Guihua silently nced at Aunt Su and her daughter-inw. Everyone else was doing the same, their eyes filled with meaning. It had to be said, these two women had already been somewhat notorious in the neighborhood.


    Now, they were infamous.


    Aunt Su hadn¡¯t expected Bai Fendou to spill everything like this. She took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Bai Fendou, stop talking nonsense! Whatever your father thinks has nothing to do with us. We have no connection to him!¡±


    Bai Fendou red at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been with my father for years, and now that our family¡¯s in trouble, you say there¡¯s no connection? You¡¯re heartless!¡±


    Aunt Su stammered, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re young. You don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Bai Fendou shot back, ¡°My father told me long ago that if it weren¡¯t for you prioritizing your family and your three kids, you two would¡¯ve gotten married when you were young.¡±


    Aunt Su, fuming, leaned on Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s shoulder, her eyes filled with rage, as if she could devour someone. She dug her nails into her palm, trying to calm herself and put on a pitiful demeanor. "Does your father always get the final say? He¡¯s a widower, and I¡¯m a widow. If we truly had feelings for each other, we could have been together long ago. Why would I still be like this now? Besides, if there had been something between us when we were younger, wouldn¡¯t it have been better to get married? I could have had someone to help support the family. There¡¯s really nothing between us. I¡¯ve always seen him as an older brother."


    Bai Fendou retorted, "He¡¯s surnamed Bai, and you¡¯re surnamed Su. You¡¯re not even from the same family. What older brother? If there¡¯s nothing between you, why have you been spending his money?"


    He stood firm, "For the past two or three decades, you¡¯ve been spending his money. Every month, at least half of it goes to you. My dad even said, ¡®It¡¯s worth it to spend it on my partner!¡¯"


    The onlookers chimed in, "Oh ho!"


    "Goodness, decades of this!"


    Aunt Wang tugged at Zhao Guihua¡¯s arm, shaking it vigorously.


    This was truly the first time anyone had seen Bai Fendou so fired up!


    She, she, she¡ªwas stunned!


    Zhao Guihua was equally shocked, "Oh my goodness!"


    She sighed, truly, no one could have predicted that Bai Fendou¡¯s bluntness would leave even Aunt Su at a loss.


    Bai Fendou continued muttering, "Back when you were spending his money, you were all sweet and affectionate. Now that he¡¯s fallen and hurt himself, you im he¡¯s just a brother. Fine, if he¡¯s still your brother, why don¡¯t you buy him some nutritional supplements? No matter how my dad treated me, he was always sincere with you, wasn¡¯t he?"


    Aunt Su sighed sorrowfully, "Fendou, you know what my family¡¯s situation is like. Even if I wanted to help, I¡¯m powerless. There are five mouths to feed in my household, and life is hard. Only your sister Xiangxiu is working, and her sry is barely over twenty-five yuan. It¡¯s not an easy life¡­"


    She pinched Wang Xiangxiu, who immediately spoke up, "Yes, Fendou, you¡¯ve always known our situation. No matter how Uncle Bai is, we truly want to help, but we need to have the means to do so."


    Bai Fendou let out a coldugh, "You¡¯re still trying to act innocent? Didn¡¯t you just receive two hundred yuan inpensation? Did you spend it all already? Besides, you¡¯ve been borrowing money from me every month. Your mother-inw borrowed from my dad, and you borrowed from me. You¡¯ve never paid it back. Your sry might be low, but if you count the money you borrow every month, even a fifth-grade worker doesn¡¯t earn as much as you."


    "You, you, you¡¯re lying!"


    "I¡¯m not lying! How did you get the money? Dare to take it but not admit it? You were all teary-eyed when you borrowed, but now you¡¯re acting all innocent!"


    "Fendou, how can you talk to Xiangxiu like that, you¡­"


    "Shut up! I used to think you were the kindest, most caring person. I always saw you as a mother figure. But you? You treated me like a fool, pretending to have a concussion when things went wrong. Ugh! Disgusting! Hypocritical!"


    "You, you, you¡­"


    Bai Fendou went on a tirade, "What ¡®you¡¯? Am I wrong? You¡¯re no good!"


    He didn¡¯t hold back, "I was blind before!"


    To be honest, even though Bai Fendou was ranting like crazy, no one thought he was wrong. Everyone looked at him with sympathy, whether they knew him or not. Hearing his words, they all felt that this man had suffered quite a bit.


    His father was no good, flirting with an old widow while eyeing a young one. What was even more nauseating was that when his son got married, he stepped in as the groom and entered the bridal chamber.


    And the old widow and the young widow teamed up to swindle money from the father and son, each taking half¡­


    Yikes!


    Do the math, do it again!


    Even a fifth-grade worker wouldn¡¯t make as much as the thirty yuan they were squeezing out of the two men every month.


    This was just too tragic. One person couldn¡¯t earn that much even with a full-time job.


    Aunt Wang counted on her fingers, "Almost, almost there."


    Aunt Sui chimed in, "Wait, isn¡¯t Bai Fendou and his father a dung collector earning twenty-five yuan a month? Half of that is twelve and a half yuan, so together, that¡¯s twenty-five. Plus his own sry of twenty-six or twenty-seven yuan, that¡¯s just over fifty. It¡¯s not as much as a fifth-grade worker."


    Zhao Guihua shot her a look, "Are you stupid? Bai Fendou¡¯s only been a dung collector for two months. Before that, he was in the security department, earning over thirty yuan."


    "He used to earn thirty-four yuan, so half of that is seventeen. Old Man Bai worked in the boiler room, earning twenty-eight yuan, so half of that is fourteen. Add his own¡­ Oh my, that¡¯s fifty-six or fifty-seven yuan. Whether it¡¯s Aunt Su or Wang Xiangxiu, they wouldn¡¯t borrow exactly half. Sometimes it¡¯s more, so if you calcte it, they¡¯re getting at least sixty yuan a month."


    Aunt Wang was shocked by her own calctions.


    Zhao Guihua thought this estimate wasn¡¯t entirely urate because Wang Xiangxiu also swindled money from other sources. When you added it all up, their monthly ie was quite substantial. In fact, they were one of the wealthiest families in thepound.


    Even without other sources of ie, sixty yuan was a lot. Even if the kids ate like horses, sixty yuan was enough to support five or six people. Toni was still young, and Yii had just started first grade.


    No matter how much they ate, it couldn¡¯t be that much.


    Once you did the math, it was clear that the Su family wasn¡¯t as poor as they imed.


    "Tsk!"


    Everyone looked at the Su family¡¯s mother-inw and daughter-inw, thinking their greed was truly shameless.


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu didn¡¯t understand how the conversation had turned to them. What did this have to do with them? Aunt Su didn¡¯t want to get entangled further. Winning wouldn¡¯t bring them money, and losing would only bring shame.


    She let out a soft groan, rubbing her temples, "My head¡­ my head is hurting again."


    Wang Xiangxiu, in perfect sync with her mother-inw, immediately said, "Mom, are you okay? You must be upset. Let me take you to the ward. Let¡¯s go!"


    Bai Fendou shouted, "Don¡¯t you dare leave!"


    Wang Xiangxiu stomped her foot in anger, turning back to say, "Bai Fendou, you¡¯re a jerk!"


    Bai Fendou shot back, "You¡¯re the jerk! Your whole family is full of jerks! I used to think you were a good woman, but now, even if I¡¯m not good enough, I wouldn¡¯t marry you. Pah! Go sleep with whoever you want. I¡¯m not marrying you."


    Wang Xiangxiu burst into tears, cursing, "You shameless man! Fine, fine! Stay single for the rest of your life!"


    Bai Fendou retorted, "I¡¯m fine with that! I¡¯d rather be single than have a head full of green hats!"


    Wang Xiangxiu cried, "You¡¯re ndering me! You¡­"


    Aunt Su grabbed Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s hand, saying, "Xiangxiu, help me back to the ward. You know what they say¡ªyour innocence can¡¯t be tarnished by others. Oh, that¡¯s right. ¡®The pure remain pure.¡¯ We don¡¯t need Bai Fendou to prove our innocence. Let¡¯s go! Stay away from such a petty man!"


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "Mm."


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw quickly left.


    Bai Fendou shouted after them, "Who are you calling petty? Stop right there! You¡¯re the petty ones, your whole family is petty! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know¡ªyou¡¯re saying I can¡¯t have kids and trying to trick me into being your errand boy. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m a fool! Even if I am, even fools have dignity! I heard you whispering in the bathroom! Two big rats!"


    "Alright, alright, calm down."


    The police officer looked at the green-faced man in front of him, feeling that he was truly a pitiful fellow.


    He said, "Sit down for a bit. This is a hospital. Don¡¯t shout and disturb others¡¯ rest. Take a moment to calm down."


    Bai Fendou covered his face and started sobbing again.


    At that moment, the light in the operating room went out, and the patient was finally wheeled out.


    The police officer quickly stepped forward, asking, "How is he?"


    The doctor replied seriously, "We¡¯ve managed to save him, but he¡¯s not out of danger yet. The next few days are critical. As his family, it¡¯s best if you stay by his side. He¡¯s had bad luck¡ªhe was already injured in the head, and this fall worsened the injury. Additionally, he fell from a height, suffering several fractures, including damage to his spine. Even if he wakes up and survives, he¡¯ll likely be bedridden and unable to work."


    "What?"


    Bai Fendou was stunned.


    The onlookers felt even more sympathy for Bai Fendou. This was a heavy burden to bear.


    Aunt Wang stepped forward and tried to console Bai Fendou: "You can''t copse now. If you do, what will happen to your dad..."


    Bai Fendou suddenly looked up and said, "Is this karma?"


    He rubbed his eyes and continued, "Our family is really being punished. I shouldn¡¯t have trusted those two women."


    Aunt Wang sighed and patted Bai Fendou¡¯s shoulder. "Right now, you need to think about the medical expenses and how to get by in the future..."


    Her words were brutally honest.


    The medical bills were indeed a pressing concern. As a formal employee at the factory, Old Man Bai could get some of the expenses reimbursed. But even with half covered, the other half would still fall on them. They hadn¡¯t even paid back the money they borrowed from the factory for the previous hospital stay.


    Now, with Old Man Bai in this condition, he definitely couldn¡¯t return to work.


    Bai Fendou¡¯s mind was spinning.


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "Let¡¯s get Old Man Bai back to his room first. We can worry about the restter."


    Soon, Old Man Bai was taken back to his room. Since there was no doubt about his jumping off the building, the police didn¡¯t linger.


    It was actually fortunate for Bai Fendou that many people had witnessed the incident and could confirm he hadn¡¯t pushed his father. If it had just been the two of them, it would have been hard to exin, especially with the strangtion marks on his neck. But with so many witnesses and the context of the marks, the situation was clear. The police officers looked at Bai Fendou, the poor guy, shook their heads, and left.


    After sending his father back to the room, the doctor reminded Bai Fendou, "You¡¯ll need to pay the hospital fees in the next couple of days."


    Bai Fendou nodded, "I¡¯ll figure something out."


    The doctor wasn¡¯t too worried about someone like Bai Fendou. As a local with a formal job, he wasn¡¯t likely to abandon his father and leave.


    Bai Fendou sat on a bench, burying his face in his hands.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing his distress, knew he had no savings. He couldn¡¯t even cover his own hospital fees, let alone the massive expenses for Old Man Bai. Though Bai Fendou had always been unreliable and done many inexplicable things, Zhao Guihua had watched him grow up.


    She sighed and asked, "Bai Fendou, do you have any money?"


    Bai Fendou looked up, "I¡¯ve got seventy yuan left from my savings and the money Jiang Lupensated me."


    Despite his earlier bravado, he was now at a loss, speaking honestly.


    "That¡¯s nowhere near enough. Don¡¯t me me for being blunt, but you need to figure something out quickly," Zhao Guihua said. "Did you settle your dad¡¯s previous hospital bills?"


    After all, Old Man Bai had been hit with a brick earlier.


    "Not yet."


    "Could the Yu familypensate for what Yu Baoshan did?"


    Bai Fendou shook his head, "Yu Baoshan is dead, and his family won¡¯t take responsibility..."


    Even Yu Baoshan¡¯s body hadn¡¯t been imed.


    That¡¯s just how that family was.


    Zhao Guihua sighed again. Even if Yu Baoshan had left something, they probably wouldn¡¯t get it. Now that he was gone, so were the debts.


    She thought for a moment and said, "Let me give you some advice."


    "Please," Bai Fendou replied.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Given your dad¡¯s condition, he¡¯s a formal employee at the factory but can¡¯t work anymore. You should sell his job. A formal position like that could fetch at least two to three hundred yuan."


    At the time, a formal job was worth as much as a house.


    She continued, "After this incident and everything you¡¯ve said, your dad¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t great. Go to the factory leaders, exin the situation honestly, and they might turn a blind eye to you selling the job. With the money from that and your savings, see if it¡¯s enough for the medical bills. If it is, great. If not, borrow from the factory and have it deducted from your sry monthly. You can¡¯t owe the hospital."


    "Zhao Guihua¡¯s right. Get through this immediate crisis first. Once your dad¡¯s condition stabilizes, he can recover at home, which will cost less," Aunt Wang added.


    Bai Fendou said, "Thank you all."


    Zhao Guihua waved it off, "We¡¯re just offering some advice. We haven¡¯t really helped."


    Bai Fendou covered his face and cried.


    The women exchanged nces, and Aunt Wang said, "You¡¯ve got to pull yourself together. If you fall apart, things will only get worse. Even though your dad¡¯s in bad shape now, as long as he¡¯s not in mortal danger, he¡¯ll recover. As long as he¡¯s alive, things will slowly get better."


    Bai Fendou mumbled an acknowledgment.


    "Let us know if you want something to eat tonight. We can bring you some food," one of the women offered.


    "Yeah, we can take turns bringing you meals. It won¡¯t be anything fancy, but at least you won¡¯t go hungry," another added.


    Bai Fendou looked at them in surprise, his eyes welling up with tears again. He had always thought the people in the neighborhood were no good, that only the Su family was decent. But now, in this crisis, he realized that wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    "Thank you," he said.


    "No need for that. We¡¯re neighbors," they replied.


    Bai Fendou wiped his tears, "No, no, you don¡¯t need to bring me food. I can¡¯t eat anything right now. It would just go to waste."


    He couldn¡¯t stop crying, wiping his face repeatedly. "Please, go home. I need to be alone and think about what to do."


    "Alright," they said.


    After a few moreforting words, they left together.


    "They had such good conditions. How did things end up like this?" one of them wondered.


    "Widows bring trouble," another muttered.


    Everyone fell silent. In truth, Bai Fendou¡¯s current situation wasrgely the result of the actions of the two women from the Su family.


    Were they breaking thew?


    Not exactly. But what they did was worse than petty theft or even robbery. While others might harm someone temporarily, they ruined lives.


    There was something unspoken, something too cruel to say out loud.


    But in reality, everyone thought it: If Old Man Bai had died, Bai Fendou¡¯s life might have been easier. With Old Man Bai alive, he was a burden.


    But then again, it¡¯s hard to say.


    Bai Fendou was already known throughout the city as someone who couldn¡¯t perform, so his chances of marrying were slim. With his father alive, at least he had someone to talk to. If his father died, he¡¯d bepletely alone.


    So, it was hard to say what would truly be better for Bai Fendou.


    Everyone left.


    Zhao Guihua went home and talked about what had happened. For a while, everyone was silent. Though they usually enjoyed gossip, this was different. This wasn¡¯t just a simple fight.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "I¡¯m off tomorrow. I¡¯ll go see him."


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "I¡¯ll go with you, brother."


    Ming Mei said, "I used to find him annoying, especially when he schemed against Zhixi. But seeing him so miserable now, I don¡¯t know what to say. Life is so unpredictable."


    "You¡¯re still young. Don¡¯t get involved in these neighborhood dramas. Bai Fendou¡¯s been bottling up his anger toward the Su family. Who knows when it¡¯ll explode? You¡¯re pregnant. If someone pushes or bumps into you, it¡¯ll be a disaster," Zhao Guihua warned.


    Ming Mei nodded, "I understand."


    Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin and said, "I wonder what Wang Xiangxiu said to him in the storage room that made him so determined to expose her now."


    "Maybe it wasn¡¯t what she said. Just seeing her with someone else could¡¯ve been enough to break him," Zhuang Zhiyuan spected.


    "Ahem!" Zhao Guihua cut them off, "Enough of that. The kids are here."


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at their father and uncle with wide, curious eyes.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Go y."


    Hutou replied, "It¡¯s almost dark. We¡¯re not going out."


    Hutou blinked his big eyes and asked, "Grandma, did Old Man Bai jump off a building?"


    This wasn¡¯t because their family didn¡¯t shield the children from such matters, but rather because the children already knew. Raising children nowadays wasn¡¯t like it would be decadester, where they¡¯d be treated as precious treasures. Back then, families with only one child were rare. Having two, three, or even four children waspletely normal.


    Take Wang Zhaodi, for example, whose family had nine daughters and still kept trying for more. Cases like that weren¡¯t umon.


    With so many children, raising them was more casual.


    And kids were mostly left to their own devices, running around outside. It was summer vacation, so all the children were ying in the streets, and naturally, they heard things. Adults talking, and the little ones overhearing snippets here and there.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Old Man Bai didn¡¯t mean to jump. He was trying to scare people by pretending to jump, but he identally fell. So, when you kids are ying outside, you have to be careful. And never, ever use threats of life and death to scare people. If something really happens, it¡¯s over.¡±


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded vigorously.


    Hutou said, ¡°I¡¯ll never do something like that.¡±


    Xiao Yanzi quickly added, ¡°I won¡¯t go to high ces.¡±


    Zhao Guihua smiled and ruffled their heads. ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t go to high ces, but you have to avoid dangerous spots. Like Old Man Bai¡ªhe was sitting on the third-floor windowsill, waving his arms without holding onto the window frame. Of course, that¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    She knew the kids would hear about it anyway, so she might as well exin it directly and use it as a lesson.


    ¡°Is anyone home?¡±


    Ming Mei was the first to turn around, smiling. ¡°Grandpa.¡±


    Lan Sihai walked in with his hands behind his back. Zhao Guihua stood up. ¡°Uncle Lan, please have a seat.¡±


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Hutou and Xiao Yanzi.¡±


    Hutou scratched his head in confusion but still asked, ¡°Grandpa Lan, what do you need us for?¡±


    Lan Sihai nced at him. ¡°Kid, your memory is too good. At such a young age, if you¡¯re already this sharp, how are you going to handle studyingter?¡±


    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡±


    This kind of conversation was way over the kids¡¯ heads.


    Xiao Yanzi patted her brother and said, ¡°It¡¯s the sheep knuckles, right? Grandpa Lan, it¡¯s the sheep knuckles, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    The way their family addressed each other was a mess!


    Ming Mei¡¯s grandfather, Lan Sihai, should technically be called ¡°Great-Grandpa¡± by Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. But the two kids often forgot and ended up calling him ¡°Grandpa Lan,¡± just like some others in the courtyard. Lan Sihai never corrected them. To him, it was just a title, and he didn¡¯t mind. Even if they called him ¡°Old Lan,¡± it wouldn¡¯t bother him.


    Lan Sihai nodded. ¡°Xiao Yanzi has a good memory. Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Wow! This is great!¡±


    ¡°So cool!¡±


    Back then, kids didn¡¯t have many toys. If a father could carve a small wooden pistol for his child, or if a mother could sew a beanbag, those were considered top-notch treasures. They were the kind of things that would make other kids envious.


    Sheep knuckles were the same. Putting together a full set wasn¡¯t easy.


    Times were tough for every household. Even for worker families like theirs, which were rtively better off, getting hold of sheep knuckles was no simple task.


    Lan Sihai ced a set of sheep knuckles on the table. ¡°I promised these to you. Here, take them and y.¡±


    The two kids exchanged nces and jumped up and down. ¡°Awesome, awesome!¡±


    Ming Meiughed, pretending to pout. ¡°Grandpa, when did you make this deal with Hutou and Xiao Yanzi? I didn¡¯t get anything. Boo hoo, I¡¯m so sad.¡±


    Lan Sihai¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Cut it out. Your acting is terrible.¡±


    Ming Mei: ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Hutou chattered away, ¡°Auntie Ming, that kid Da Fei on the next street has a set, and he¡¯s always showing off. He wouldn¡¯t let us y with them and kept teasing us for not having any. Grandpa Lan saw that and said he¡¯d get us a set. Hehe.¡±


    Xiao Yanzi added, ¡°Grandpa Lan is the best.¡±


    Lan Sihai¡¯s lips curled up, clearly pleased.


    Ming Mei teased, ¡°Oh, look at you.¡±


    Zhao Guihua also smiled. ¡°Take them back to your room and y.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Though it was just a small side room, the siblings had their own space. They held hands and ran back to their room.


    ¡°We have sheep knuckles now!¡±


    ¡°So cool!¡±


    The two kids were over the moon. ¡°Let¡¯s y together.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Once the kids were back in their room, Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Uncle Lan, thank you.¡±


    Lan Sihai waved it off. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I just happened to find them. I know where to look for these kinds of things.¡±


    Ming Mei chimed in, ¡°Grandpa, if I want to y with somethingter, I¡¯lle to you.¡±


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°Sure. When ites to food, drink, and fun, if I¡¯m second, no one dares to im first.¡±


    He didn¡¯t see anything wrong with that. After all, some people were hardworking, and others, like him, were moreid-back.


    Oh, right¡­


    He asked, ¡°I heard something happened to Old Man Bai. What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Zhao Guihua exined, ¡°We were just talking about it. It¡¯s¡­¡±


    She recounted the day¡¯s events. Lan Sihai shook his head slightly. ¡°What a mess.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s still in critical condition?¡±


    ¡°Yes. When we left, he hadn¡¯t stabilized yet. The doctor said the next few days are crucial.¡±


    Lan Sihai didn¡¯t have much of a rtionship with Bai Fendou and his father. For Zhao Guihua and the others, even though there had been plenty of friction over the years, they had still watched Bai Fendou grow up. They¡¯d been neighbors for thirty or forty years.


    They¡¯d even seen Bai Fendou being born.


    In situations like this, even if their rtionship wasn¡¯t great, they still wanted to lend a hand. It was a natural human response. But Lan Sihai was different. He¡¯d only moved in six months ago, less than half a year.


    He¡¯d arrived just as Bai Fendou was at his worst, frantically trying to find a wife.


    Bai Fendou had always been a bit reckless, but it hadn¡¯t been too bad before. Over the past six months, though, he¡¯d really gone off the rails. Everyone around him was getting married, even Zhuang Zhixi, who was ten years younger than him, was already married with kids. Bai Fendou had truly lost his mind.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He¡¯d been actingpletely irresponsibly.


    Because of this, Lan Sihai didn¡¯t think much of him. They hadn¡¯t known each other long, and Bai Fendou¡¯s behavior was just too much. So, Lan Sihai¡¯s concern was superficial at best.


    But after hearing Zhao Guihua¡¯s story, he suddenly asked, ¡°He¡¯s selling his job?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°That¡¯s what I suggested. It¡¯s up to him to decide. Uncle Lan, you¡¯re not thinking of buying it, are you?¡±


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°Why would I? I already have a job, and so does my wife.¡±


    Luo Xiaohe wasn¡¯t a permanent employee, but she¡¯d been a temporary worker for many years. At her age, even if she wanted to buy a permanent position, the factory wouldn¡¯t allow it. Session was usually for younger people, not olddies.


    He added, ¡°No one in my family needs it. I was just curious and asked.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t just asking out of curiosity, but there was no need to exin further. He stood up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back now.¡±


    Ming Mei said, ¡°Grandpa, let me walk you out.¡±


    Lan Sihai waved her off. ¡°It¡¯s just a few steps within the courtyard. No need to walk me out. You¡¯re just trying to be sweet.¡±


    Ming Mei giggled.


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°Go on, get out of here.¡±


    Lan Sihai didn¡¯t need an escort. Once he left, Ming Mei turned to Zhuang Zhixi. ¡°Zhixi, should we go rest?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The family soon went their separate ways. Old Man Zhuang asked, puzzled, ¡°Wife, what did Uncle Lan mean earlier? Was he deliberately bringing up the job thing?¡±


    He¡¯d caught on but didn¡¯t fully understand.


    Zhao Guihua exined, ¡°He was saying it for the sake of your eldest daughter-inw.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Old Man Zhuang was shocked. ¡°Why would he say it for her? It¡¯s not like their family particrly likes her, right? After all, before the third son got married, the eldest daughter-inw caused quite a stir.¡±


    Zhao Guihua thought her husband really wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed.


    She said, ¡°You only see the surface, not the deeperyers. That¡¯s why they live so well. They see things in a way you can¡¯t, with your narrow perspective.¡±


    Old Man Zhuang: ¡°¡­¡±


    Why the personal attack?


    Zhao Guihua spoke meaningfully: "The third son and his wife are both working, while the eldest son and his wife only have one ie, and they also have two children. When you think about it, isn¡¯t the gap in their daily lives quiterge? As parents, even if we try to treat everyone equally, we inevitably end up favoring the one who¡¯s struggling more. And that¡¯s just how it is now. Although the eldest son¡¯s wife can help out with work at home, they have two more children to care for. In reality, they¡¯re paying the same living expenses as the third son¡¯s family. So, naturally, the eldest son¡¯s family is getting the better deal."


    "And then?"


    "Moreover, we¡¯re getting older. When ites to taking care of us in our old age, if the eldest son¡¯s family is in a worse position, they¡¯ll likely rely more on the third son¡¯s family. Won¡¯t that put a heavier burden on the third son¡¯s family? Of course, I don¡¯t think that way, but others will naturally draw conclusions based on the actual situation. Don¡¯t you agree? After all, outsiders don¡¯t know what we¡¯re thinking; they only see what¡¯s most likely to happen. The reality is that there¡¯s a gap between the eldest and third son¡¯s families."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded: "True."


    But what does this have to do with work?


    He still didn¡¯t quite get it.


    "By bringing this up, he¡¯s suggesting that the eldest son¡¯s wife should buy this job. Once they both have jobs, their family situation will be simr to the third son¡¯s family, and we can treat them equally. Besides, if the eldest son¡¯s family also has two ies, their financial situation will improve significantly. Then, would we still need to secretly subsidize Hutou and Xiao Yanzi?"


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    He pondered for a while and said, "Is that really what Old Man Lan meant? He always seems so carefree. I doubt he¡¯s even thought that far ahead."


    Zhao Guihua: "You¡¯re really underestimating the Lan family."


    She said earnestly, "Old Man Lan hasn¡¯t even started yet. If he really wanted to, he could draw a circle, and you¡¯d be running around it for half a year."


    Old Man Zhuang: "...Isn¡¯t that insulting?"


    Wuwu, was he really that bad?


    Zhao Guihua understood his expression and said, "You¡¯re not that bad, but Old Man Lan is truly a formidable person."


    What¡¯s most impressive is that he excels at whatever he does.


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    He coughed and said, "So, what do you think? The eldest son and his wife don¡¯t have enough money to buy a job, do they?"


    Zhao Guihua gave him a sidelong nce and said, "Do you really think he was only speaking to the eldest son¡¯s wife? He was reminding her, but he was also speaking to us. If the eldest son¡¯s wife wants to buy the job, she¡¯ll definitelye to us for money."


    Old Man Zhuang muttered softly, "But if we give her the money, won¡¯t that be unfair to the third son¡¯s family?"


    Zhao Guihua rubbed her temples, feeling that her husband was truly naive.


    She said, "How could I not make her pay it back? She¡¯ll have to return every penny. Old Man Lan knows I¡¯m not the type to endlessly subsidize my children. That¡¯s why he dared to bring it up."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded in understanding.


    Zhao Guihua: "I¡¯ll think about this matter. I wonder how much Bai Fendou will ask for."


    Old Man Zhuang said, "I wonder if the eldest son¡¯s wife could handle cleaning toilets."


    Zhao Guihua scoffed, "Believe me, if she hears about this job, she¡¯ll run faster than a rabbit. When ites to work, the eldest son¡¯s wife doesn¡¯t ck off."


    Old Man Zhuang thought about it and nodded, "That¡¯s true."


    Zhao Guihua: "She¡¯s just confused when ites to her family matters, but it¡¯s fine. If she dares to mess up again this time, I¡¯ll teach her a lesson!"


    She wasn¡¯t the same Zhao Guihua from before. The old Zhao Guihua cared about saving face, but now?


    Hah!


    To hell with that!


    If the eldest son¡¯s wife acts foolishly, she¡¯ll deal with her directly.


    Some people are just unclear in their thinking because they¡¯ve been spoiled.


    Meanwhile, Liang Meifen was pacing around the room like a donkey on a millstone, going in circles several times. Zhuang Zhiyuan finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, "What¡¯s wrong with you? Are we going to sleep or not?"


    Liang Meifen excitedly grabbed Zhuang Zhiyuan and said, "Bai Fendou is selling his job."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yeah, and it was Mom¡¯s idea. So what?"


    Liang Meifen: "I-I-I... What do you think of me?"


    She was so excited she stuttered.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Not much. Can you handle shoveling and carrying manure?"


    Liang Meifen: "Why not? Are you looking down onborers? What¡¯s there that I can¡¯t do? It¡¯s a monthly sry of twenty-five yuan."


    Finding a temporary job was incredibly difficult, and this one was a permanent position.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, though feeling a bit awkward and embarrassed, said, "This job won¡¯te cheap. It¡¯ll probably cost two or three hundred yuan. We don¡¯t have enough savings."


    "Your parents have it!" Liang Meifen eximed excitedly.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan¡¯s smile gradually faded. He looked at Liang Meifen and said, "Just because my parents have it, does that mean they should give it to me? If they give it to me, will you still be subsidizing your family and your brother? Don¡¯t you know how happy I¡¯ve been these past few months, seeing how your brother stopped bothering you after you lost your job? I¡¯d rather you earn less than see your family of leeches."


    Liang Meifen was indignant, "How can you say that? They¡¯re my parents and brother."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said lightly, "Then go ask your parents and brother for the money."


    He pulled up the nket and went straight to sleep.


    Liang Meifen began to sob.


    Why did her husband hate her family so much?


    It was like choosing between the palm and the back of her hand. She felt so torn.


    "Husband, think about it. If I had a job, wouldn¡¯t it help ease the burden on our family? The children are growing up..."


    "Your job would ease the burden on your family, not mine. Wasn¡¯t that how it was before?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, recalling the past troubles, suddenly lost the desire to fight for his wife. He said, "Let¡¯s sleep. I¡¯d rather be poor than see you ving away for others."


    Liang Meifen: "How can you say that..."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sneered, "If you get a job, your parents and that damned brother of yours wille knocking again. Only someone as brainless as you would think they¡¯re good people. If they were really decent, they wouldn¡¯t have turned cold after you lost your job."


    Some things are only clear whenpared. As a son-inw, the third son¡¯s situation with his inws waspletely different from his own. He didn¡¯t even want to talk about it.


    If he had thought it was tolerable before, it was because they had been somewhat ingratiating themselves with his family, making him feel he could endure it. But after Liang Meifen gave up her job, everything changed. Their attitude waspletely different.


    The stark contrast before and after made Zhuang Zhiyuan furious.


    Liang Meifen felt miserable. She bit her lip, feeling utterly ufortable.


    "They have their difficulties..."


    "If you say that, I¡¯ll never let Mom and Dad give you money to buy a job. And if you keep involving yourself with your family, you can get out."


    "You! How can you be so heartless?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said woodenly, "Because I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m tired of you always thinking about your brainless family."


    He turned over and went to sleep, ignoring Liang Meifen¡¯s continued sobbing.


    Liang Meifen wanted to defend her family, but thinking about all they had done, she couldn¡¯t find anything good to say. She felt even more miserable. She buried her head in the nket and cried... wuwuwu.


    After who knows how long, Zhuang Zhiyuan finally sat up and said, "What I said earlier was out of anger. Let¡¯s talk properly."


    Liang Meifen nodded nervously.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Have you thought about it? We still have two children..."


    Liang Meifen: "Huh?"


    Her eyes were still teary.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "They might have to go to the countryside. Would you let them suffer like that?"


    At this, Liang Meifen became agitated, "No, they can¡¯t go to the countryside and suffer."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "So, listen to me..."


    Regarding the job, Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t bring it up proactively. Even if they were to lend money, she wouldn¡¯t push it.


    But she didn¡¯t expect that Liang Meifen, though her eyes were swollen like light bulbs as if she¡¯d cried all night, also didn¡¯t bring it up. It seemed like she and Zhuang Zhiyuan hade to an understanding.


    Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhiyuan went about his day as if nothing had happened, eating and drinking as usual.


    Zhao Guihua knew that in their previous life, they hadn¡¯t divided the family, and the eldest son¡¯s family had taken advantage of the third son¡¯s family. There had been some tension between them. Now that things were clearer, the rtionship was less strained. Sometimes, she thought, when parents try to smooth things over, it only makes the rtionship between their children worse.


    When parents are clear-headed, everything bes much simpler.


    It¡¯s interesting how siblings can sometimes get along better than expected.


    After finishing breakfast, Zhuang Zhiyuan said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the hospital today to visit Bai Fendou and ask how much his job is being sold for.¡±


    Everyone paused their meal and turned their attention to Zhuang Zhiyuan.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan continued, ¡°If I decide to buy this job for my wife, can I borrow money from you all?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied bluntly, ¡°We can lend you the money, but how will you pay it back? If your wife gets the job and starts sending money back to her family again, it¡¯ll just be frustrating.¡±


    Liang Meifen looked up at the sky with a pitiful expression and whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t do that anymore.¡±


    Zhuang Zhiyuan exined, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through. If we can¡¯t buy the job, then we¡¯ll let it go. But if we can, I¡¯ll collect her sry every month. No matter how much she earns, I¡¯ll give her four yuan for food. Four yuan should be enough for steamed buns and vegetables every day, though she won¡¯t be able to afford meat. I¡¯ll save the rest and repay you as soon as possible.¡±


    The room fell silent.


    Liang Meifen didn¡¯t react¡ªshe had already heard this n the night before, and they had agreed on it. Though she was often indecisive, she felt her husband¡¯s reasoning made sense.


    Ming Mei, sitting nearby, twitched her lips but said nothing.


    Zhuang Zhixi stood up quietly and said, ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to work.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to get involved in his brother¡¯s affairs.


    The couple quickly left the house, and Ming Mei whispered, ¡°Your brother is really¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi, steady on his bicycle, replied, ¡°He¡¯s doing this for the good of his family. If he takes over his wife¡¯s sry, it won¡¯t look good, but he¡¯s willing to bear the criticism to keep their household together. Otherwise, with my sister-inw¡¯s tendency to send money to her family at the slightest opportunity, they¡¯d never save anything. They have two children to think about¡ªwhat will happen if they don¡¯t save?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi understood his brother¡¯s reasoning.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was a proud man, and for someone like him to make such a decision, it wasn¡¯t for his own sake but for the sake of his children. Divorce was extremely rare in those days. Arranged marriages, even tumultuous ones, often endured.


    This was especially true for Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had married for love.


    He had feelings for Liang Meifen, and as long as she didn¡¯t have money in her hands, she was a reasonable person.


    So Zhuang Zhiyuan was willing to tarnish his own reputation a bit to make this work. He genuinely wanted his wife to have a job¡ªafter all, two ies were better than one. And with two children to raise, he couldn¡¯t afford to be biased.


    This wasn¡¯t just about whether they could build a family or not.


    It was about the future. If both parents had jobs, they could give their children more options when it came to the mandatory youth relocation to rural areas. He had seen how harsh life was for the young people sent to the countryside¡ªhis workce had families whose children had gone through it.


    They lived in Beijing, the capital city. Life here was vastly different from the hardships of ruralbor, and their children had never worked in the fields. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of sending them away, but if both he and his wife were employed, things would be different.


    They could arrange for their children to take over their jobs. Although the policy required at least one child from each family to go to the countryside, rules were rules, but people could find ways around them. If Hutou, the older child, could take over a job first, they could save money and use connections to ensure Xiao Yanzi could do the same when it was her turn.


    With both parents employed, they could secure jobs for both children.


    And saving money was also crucial for their own retirement. After all, if they handed over their jobs to their children, they couldn¡¯t be left without financial security.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan had thought this through carefully. He hadn¡¯t discussed it with Zhuang Zhixi, but as brothers, Zhuang Zhixi understood the moment his brother brought it up.


    It was all for the children.


    That¡¯s what parents do.


    Zhuang Zhixi chatted with Ming Mei all the way, and she finally understood. However, she hesitated and said, ¡°Maybe in the future, they won¡¯t need to go to the countryside.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°Who knows? Should we just hope for a policy change without preparing for the worst?¡±


    Ming Mei nodded.


    As she climbed the stairs to her workce, her small bag slung over her shoulder, she vaguely remembered something her mother-inw had mentioned¡ªthat by thete 1970s, people started returning to the cities. Oh, wait, that wasn¡¯t something she had been told directly; it was from a dream. Based on Hutou and Xiao Yanzi¡¯s ages, they might not have to face relocation.


    But she couldn¡¯t say that out loud¡ªhow could she exin that she knew such things?


    Besides, saving money wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    She hurried up the stairs, hoping they could sessfully buy that job.

 Chapter 117

    Early in the morning, the cicadas were chirping incessantly.


    Zhuang Zhixi had just dropped off his wife and then gone to his workce to ask for leave. He hurried back to the courtyard house, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. As he entered the courtyard, he called out, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two brothers had agreed to go to the hospital together. Zhuang Zhiyuan had the day off, so he didn¡¯t need to ask for leave.


    Liang Meifen, her eyes swollen like walnuts, followed them to the door, looking at them with hope.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said firmly, ¡°You don¡¯t need toe.¡±


    Liang Meifen¡¯s expression darkened. Zhao Guihua, who was outside pouring water, chimed in, ¡°With your mind, you¡¯d only be in the way.¡±


    Liang Meifen silently went back to her chores, feeling bitter. Ever since the kids were on summer break, the workload seemed to have doubled. Since she couldn¡¯t go with them, she quietly started washing clothes. The two brothers left together, and just as Zhao Guihua was about to go back inside, she noticed someone watching her. It was Jii, peeking sneakily toward her house.


    Being watched by a little thief wasn¡¯t a good sign. She red fiercely at the mischievous child.


    Jii pouted defiantly. His aunt had already gone to work, and the three of them had eaten cornbread again for breakfast. Ever since his mom and grandma were hospitalized, they¡¯d been eating cornbread every single day.


    At first, the kids had cried about it, but if they cried, they wouldn¡¯t even get the cornbread. Over the past few days, they¡¯d toughened up, but they were still craving something better. Before, they¡¯d had at least one meal of white steamed buns a day, and they¡¯d asionally eaten meat.


    But now, it had been over a week, and they¡¯d had nothing but cornbread and boiled cabbage. Not even a single green vegetable. Their mouths felt as nd as could be. Jii nced toward the Zhuang family¡¯s house and spat, ¡°They¡¯re so selfish, always eating alone and never helping us out. How can people be so stingy?¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Yii said, ¡°I want to eat meat.¡±


    Jii wanted meat too, but Hu Huihui wasn¡¯t buying any. He said, ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait until Momes back.¡±


    Toni whispered, ¡°Hutou and the others can catch sparrows.¡±


    Sparrow meat was still meat. Roasted, it was delicious.


    Did Jii not know that? Of course he did, but they couldn¡¯t catch any. He said irritably, ¡°They can catch them because they have grass seeds to attract the sparrows. We don¡¯t have any, so we can¡¯t catch them.¡±


    How easy was it to catch something flying in the sky?


    Yii said, ¡°We could ask Hutou for some.¡±


    Jii sneered, ¡°His family even eats fish. Do you think they¡¯d give us any?¡±


    Because of the continuous rain over the past few days, most people hadn¡¯t gone out to buy groceries, so Zhao Guihua had steamed some salted fish a few times. The sharp-nosed little glutton had caught a whiff of it. Jii cursed, ¡°Those selfish dogs, eating alone. They¡¯ll get theireuppance sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, definitely.¡±


    ¡°For sure.¡±


    The three kids were united in their resentment.


    Hutou and the others had grass seeds, as did Li Junjun, Li Weiwei, and Sui Hong from the Sui family. Sui Hong, who was fourteen and lived in the back courtyard, was part of Hutou¡¯s group. They always worked together to catch sparrows, but they never included Jii and his brothers.


    Jii had seen them divide the catch several times. What made him angriest was that even Xiao Yanzi, a girl, got a share. Why didn¡¯t they give any to the boys?


    Girls were just a waste of resources. Eating cornbread was already too good for her, and she wanted meat? Those idiots, not giving any to the boys but sharing with a girl. They were such fools.


    Yii was even more indignant. ¡°Worthless, cheap girl,¡± he muttered.


    Jii said, ¡°I hope they choke on it.¡±


    After venting their anger, they felt a bit better.


    Jii said, ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯m going to steal all their good stuff.¡±


    He was still young and afraid of getting beaten up, but when he grew up, he¡¯d make them pay.


    Yii said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, brother.¡±


    Toni blinked and said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re in this together. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll figure something out. We¡¯ll get something good to eat.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going to get it?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that they doubted their brother, but the whole courtyard was on guard against them. It wasn¡¯t easy for them to get anything.


    Jii said, ¡°We¡¯ll go outside. There¡¯s more than just our courtyard in this alley. We¡¯ll go to another courtyard and steal there.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The three kids quickly ran off, not even bothering to close the door behind them.


    Zhao Guihua watched them run out and wondered, ¡°What are they up to now?¡±


    Liang Meifen said sympathetically, ¡°Who knows whose house is going to suffer this time? I thought I heard them talking about stealing something¡­¡±


    ¡°Stealing what?¡±


    Aunt Wang came to the front yard and joined the conversation.


    Liang Meifen said, ¡°We were talking about Jii and his brothers. I thought I heard them saying they were going to steal something.¡±


    Aunt Wang rubbed her temples.


    Zhao Guihuaughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re really worried about this, huh?¡±


    Aunt Wang said, ¡°Of course I¡¯m worried. What kind of kids are they? They¡¯ll grow up to be street punks.¡±


    ¡°Street punks would be the least of it. They might end up in jail eating free meals. But it¡¯s not our business. Their family doesn¡¯t care, so why should we?¡±


    She asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Aunt Wang said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the neighborhoodmittee to get some materials for making paper boxes. It¡¯s been raining for the past few days, and I didn¡¯t want to risk ruining the materials, so I didn¡¯t go. Now that it¡¯s sunny, it¡¯s a good time to work and earn some money.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be great.¡±


    Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua walked to the neighborhoodmittee together, chatting along the way. Zhao Guihua lowered her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of buying some grain to store at home.¡±


    Aunt Wang was surprised and quickly asked, ¡°Why? Is something going on?¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°It¡¯s been raining heavily for a week. My eldest read in the newspaper that it¡¯s raining all over the country. Beijing isn¡¯t even the worst. The worst-hit areas have had heavy rain for seven or eight days straight. So I¡¯m thinking, I¡¯m not sure how this will affect the grain supply. It¡¯s better to stock up now. You know how it is, my family is big¡ªkids and a pregnant woman. I¡¯m really worried about going hungry.¡±


    They¡¯d lived through the three years of famine, so they knew what it was like to go hungry. That¡¯s why they were especially concerned about food.


    Aunt Wang pped her forehead. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re absolutely right.¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Exactly. You know Beijing doesn¡¯t produce much grain. Most of it is shipped in from other ces. If those ces have even heavier rain and the harvest is reduced¡­ Pfft, listen to me, I¡¯m such a pessimist. But I just can¡¯t help worrying. I¡¯ve been through hunger, so I can¡¯t help but overthink.¡±


    Aunt Wang said, ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I think you¡¯re making sense. I¡¯ll think about buying some too. Like you said, adults can tough it out, but kids and pregnant women can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only told you about this. Don¡¯t spread it around. I don¡¯t want to get in trouble for spreading rumors.¡±


    Aunt Wangughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know better than to get you in trouble.¡±


    They were old friends.


    ¡°Are you nning to go to the ck market?¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, but I don¡¯t know what the prices are like there. Honestly, I¡¯m a bit nervous about going.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    For working-ss families like theirs, sometimes they had money but couldn¡¯t get what they needed, so they¡¯d trade with others. But ever since the pigeon market became the ck market, fewer people went. It just felt different.


    Some families preferred to trade with rtives in the countryside rather than go to the ck market, especially since they were workers.


    The poorer families weren¡¯t as afraid of these things, but those with stable jobs were more cautious. They didn¡¯t want to risk their livelihoods. Zhao Guihua said, ¡°I¡¯m not nning to buy much, just enough to have on hand in case of emergencies.¡±


    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll talk to my husband about it when I get home. Maybe he and my son-inw can go.¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded and didn¡¯t say more. They arrived at the neighborhoodmittee.


    As they walked in, they saw a skinny young man, looking disheveled and gaunt, standing there being scolded by a middle-aged woman in her forties. She had a stern, almost harsh expression on her face.


    She looked at him with frustration and said, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your excuse this time?¡±


    The man mumbled, speaking softly, "She''s a bit too strong. I don¡¯t think I can handle her."


    The middle-aged woman red at him, "Can¡¯t handle her? You¡¯re a man! Where¡¯s your backbone? Besides, being strong isn¡¯t a bad thing. A strong woman can give birth more easily. And if she¡¯s this strong, it¡¯s probably because her family¡¯s well-off. You¡¯re just too clueless to see it."


    "I don¡¯t want her anyway."


    "Are you trying to make me angry? Her family¡¯s so well-off, and you¡¯reining about her being strong? Look at yourself! You¡¯ve gotten so thin these past few months, you look like you¡¯re on the verge of copsing. She hasn¡¯t evenined about you being as skinny as a chicken. How dare you say she¡¯s too strong? Fine, this one¡¯s too strong for you. What about thest one? If you don¡¯t give me a good reason, I¡¯m disowning you as my nephew!"


    "Thest one¡­ she was too pretty," the young man said, lowering his eyes. "She was so beautiful, I was afraid I couldn¡¯t handle her."


    The middle-aged woman was almost speechless. "Good, good, good. Again with the ¡®can¡¯t handle her.¡¯ Everyone else wants a pretty wife, but not you. Are you an idiot? What about the one before that?"


    The young man hesitated, "She kept staring at me¡­ I was afraid I couldn¡¯t handle her¡­"


    "I swear, are you aplete moron? How did I end up with a nephew like you? You seem smart, but when ites to women, you¡¯re utterly clueless. This one¡¯s too much, that one¡¯s too much¡ªwhat kind of woman do you even want? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re looking for someone from the countryside, thinking you¡¯ll be able to handle her?"


    "Someone from the countryside¡­ no, they work hard and have good stamina. I couldn¡¯t handle that either," the young man muttered, rubbing his hands nervously.


    The middle-aged woman exploded into a string of curses.


    She fully demonstrated the verbal prowess of a middle-aged woman, berating the young man until he was thoroughly humiliated. If it weren¡¯t for the fear of making a scene, she might have even resorted to physical violence. She was so furious that she didn¡¯t care who was around or what they might hear.


    Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang watched from a distance, quietly stepping back. Aunt Wang whispered to Sister Chen, the neighborhood staff member, "Sister Chen, what¡¯s going on here?"


    Sister Chen replied, "It¡¯s Sister Xu¡¯s family matter. Her nephew, a perfectly good young man, refuses to settle down. She¡¯s introduced him to several women, but he always finds an excuse. This time, it¡¯s because he ¡®can¡¯t handle her.¡¯ Look how angry she is. And his reasons are just ridiculous."


    Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang nodded, silently standing by as they observed the drama.


    The young man, thoroughly scolded, finally stumbled away.


    Once outside, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, still shaken, but quickly got on his bicycle and rode off. This young man was none other than Little Xu, Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s "good" colleague and the movie projectionist.


    The middle-aged woman from the neighborhood was Little Xu¡¯s aunt.


    As Little Xu rode back, he felt a bit of relief.


    When it came to marriage¡­ honestly, he was terrified. It wasn¡¯t that he had someone else in mind, but¡­ he was genuinely scared.


    He used to think that women were soft, sweet, and that getting married would be a wonderful thing. But after his recent experiences, he wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.


    Sure, having a wife meant someone to take care of the housework and manage the household, but he was worried.


    There were plenty of benefits, but the downsides were even greater.


    Women¡­ they could easily drain a man dry.


    Just the thought of it made him shudder.


    He wasn¡¯t exaggerating.


    As he locked his bicycle and headed into the office building, he ran into Jiang Lu, who was on her way to the restroom. The two of them came face to face, and Little Xu¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Without hesitation, he turned around and hurried in the opposite direction.


    Jiang Lu: "¡­"


    Seriously?


    Am I a tiger or something?


    Little Xu quickly ducked around a corner, panting as he waited for Jiang Lu to leave. Only then did he sneak into the office, looking as guilty as a thief.


    "What¡¯s wrong with you?" Sister Cui asked curiously.


    Little Xu slumped onto his desk, "I¡¯m not feeling well."


    He really wasn¡¯t feeling well. Just the sight of Jiang Lu made him ufortable. The truth was, his current state was entirely because of Jiang Lu.


    Two months ago, his father had broken his leg, and Little Xu had been spending nights at the hospital to keep himpany. He didn¡¯t have to do much¡ªjust help his father to the bathroom when needed. It was there that he ran into Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu had grabbed him and pulled him into the restroom. He¡­ didn¡¯t resist.


    Well, he didn¡¯t really want to resist.


    He was thrilled.


    It was like a gift from the heavens. As a man, he wasn¡¯t losing anything, and he was eager to experience what it was like to be with a woman.


    He was quite happy about it, so when Jiang Lu came looking for him the next day, they found another ce to¡­ enjoy themselves, going at it like there was no tomorrow.


    The third day, the fourth day, the fifth day¡­


    Even a plow ox couldn¡¯t keep up with that kind of pace.


    Every night, he was called out, and every day, he was left exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and weak legs.


    His grandmother even joked that if it weren¡¯t for the new society where criminals had been driven out, she would have thought he was addicted to opium. He had lost weight so quickly and had no energy left.


    Little Xu knew why. Every night, he was kept busy for three or four hours.


    He¡­ he couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    But Jiang Lu kepting for him. What had started as a stroke of luck now felt like a story straight out of a ghost tale.


    In those tales, the fox spirits, the female ghosts¡ªthey all preyed on men.


    Little Xu felt like one of those schrs who were drained dry by supernatural beings. After more than ten days, he couldn¡¯t escape Jiang Lu¡¯s clutches. At first, he thought he was getting the better end of the deal, but now he felt like he was the one being taken advantage of.


    He wanted to refuse, but every time he tried to say something, Jiang Lu would kiss him¡­


    He was in a tough spot, feeling both wronged and unhappy.


    Sure, he had enjoyed himself and felt like he was getting something out of it, but¡­ only he knew the toll it was taking on him.


    He had tried eating all sorts of tonicsmb testicles, ox penis¡ªbut nothing worked. He was truly being drained. After less than twenty days, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore and finally confronted Jiang Lu, telling her he wanted to end their rtionship. Jiang Lu had stared at him so intensely that he was terrified.


    He didn¡¯t even give her a chance to respond. Even though he was disheveled, he stumbled away as fast as he could.


    From then on, he avoided Jiang Lu like the gue.


    A woman in her thirties was too much for a young man in his twenties to handle.


    She could drain him dry in no time.


    Some men might enjoy that kind of thing, wishing it could happen every night¡­ but after nearly twenty days, Little Xu waspletely worn out. On this matter, he was as calm as a monk ready to renounce the world.


    Now, when it came to finding a partner, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to. He did, but he wanted someone who was nothing like Jiang Lu.


    Not even a little bit simr¡ªnot even the same hairstyle.


    The moment he saw any resemnce, he would think of Jiang Lu¡¯s¡­ enthusiasm, and it would make him shudder.


    His excuse of "can¡¯t handle her" was just that¡ªan excuse. The real reason was that the woman reminded him of Jiang Lu in some way.


    Like the most recent one, who came from a good family¡ªjust like Jiang Lu.


    And the one before that, who had eyes like Jiang Lu. And the one before that, who was as tall as Jiang Lu¡­


    And the one before that¡­ she even wore the same kind of shoes as Jiang Lu.


    No way!!!


    Little Xu now had a full-blown Jiang Luplex. Only a man who had been drained dry could understand!


    He took a deep breath, only to realize that Zhuang Zhixi wasn¡¯t there. He quickly asked, "Where¡¯s Zhuang Zhixi? Did he skip work?"


    Sister Cui replied, "He took the morning off to visit someone in the hospital."


    She added meaningfully, "His neighbor¡­"


    Little Xu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Jiang Lu was Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s neighbor, and she was supposedly on good terms with Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s wife. He was instantly terrified, "N-n-neighbor?"


    "Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou¡¯s father fell from a building."


    "Damn!" Little Xu patted his chest in relief. As long as it wasn¡¯t Jiang Lu.


    "What happened?"


    Sister Cui, known as the factory''s number one gossip, was quite well-informed. She said, "What else could it be? I heard it''s because of Wang Xiangxiu. That old man Bai, he may be old, but his thoughts are quite wild. He¡¯s got his eye on the pot while still eating from the bowl. You wouldn¡¯t believe it, he¡­"


    The news from the hospital yesterday couldn¡¯t be kept under wraps. There were too many onlookers at the scene. It wasn¡¯t just Sister Cui who heard about it; many people in the machinery factory had caught wind of it. By mid-morning, the rumor was already buzzing.


    To understand why the clinic in their massive machinery factory, which employs tens of thousands, is so poorly equipped, it¡¯s because they¡¯re located too close to a hospital. And not just any hospital¡ªit¡¯s one of the more renowned hospitals in the city, staffed by some of the best doctors.


    Because of this, everyone has gotten used to going to the hospital for treatment. For minor issues like a cold, fever, or a small cut, they might visit the factory clinic for convenience. But for anything more serious, they head straight to the hospital. After all, it¡¯s more reassuring.


    This is also why many people in the factory are somewhat familiar with the hospital, and news spreads quickly.


    By mid-morning, the gossip had already fermented.


    Almost everyone was discussing the topic. To be honest, people used to look down on Bai Fendou. With his decent conditions, how could he mess things up so badly? He was doing fine in the security department, but now he¡¯s been demoted to cleaning toilets.


    But now, when people think of him, they can¡¯t help but feel a bit sorry for him.


    Who did he get into a fight for? For Wang Xiangxiu.


    Who did he lose his manhood for? Again, for Wang Xiangxiu.


    It was already tough enough for him to get involved with a widow, but who could have guessed that his father would turn out to be so unreliable?


    Old man Bai had always been quiet and low-key, not someone who stood out. But it turns out that even the quiet ones can have their share of devious thoughts. Who could have imagined he¡¯de up with such a disgusting idea? How could anyone understand this? It¡¯s shocking.


    Given Bai Fendou¡¯s current situation, if old man Bai wanted to have another child, no one would have objected if he had found someone else to marry. Everyone would have understood. After all, continuing the family line is a big deal.


    But the idea of having his son marry a woman so that he could be the groom instead? That¡¯s just¡­


    Utterly immoral.


    By mid-morning, everyone was working with extra vigor.


    Work paired with gossip¡ªnow that¡¯s a powerfulbination.


    "Remember back in early spring? There were rumors that Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s mother-inw was pregnant, supposedly by Bai Fendou¡¯s father. Who knows if it was true or not, but if it was, then¡­ If they had decided to keep the child, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened."


    "I think it was just a rumor."


    "Not necessarily. It could have been true. Back then, Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s mother-inw was hospitalized. Wang Xiangxiu was so busy, having to take care of her kids at home while also looking after her mother-inw at the hospital. How do you know she wasn¡¯t there to get an abortion?"


    "Ah, if that¡¯s the case, then old man Bai really missed out. If he didn¡¯t want the child back then, now he¡¯s out of luck."


    "That old pervert deserves it."


    "Hey, why do you think he¡¯s got so many devious ideas? Now when I look at Bai Fendou, I think he¡¯s just a big fool. Even his own father is scheming against him."


    Some people, who could somewhat understand old man Bai¡¯s desire to continue the family line, said, "He probably just didn¡¯t want the Bai family to die out, so he lost his head."


    "He¡¯s an old bachelor, but it¡¯s not like he couldn¡¯t get married. Why would he scheme to take his son¡¯s wife? I heard Bai Fendou was crying so hard at the hospital yesterday."


    "What¡¯s worse is that the old man is going to drag his son down. His illness is going to cost a fortune. Sure, the factory will cover most of it, but he¡¯ll still have to pay some. And besides¡­ the whole thing is just so disgraceful."


    "Bai Fendou is really pitiful."


    "Pitiful indeed!"


    The factory was abuzz with discussions, and naturally, the Women¡¯s Federation also heard about it. They heard about Wang Xiangxiu kneeling to propose to Bai Fendou.


    Yes, Zhou Qun told them.


    They also heard that old man Bai wanted to have his cake and eat it too, nning to make his son a cuckold.


    Again, Zhou Qun told them.


    They heard that old man Bai tried to scare his son into agreeing by pretending to jump off a building but identally slipped and fell.


    You guessed it¡ªZhou Qun.


    And then there was the rumor that the two women in the Su family, mother-inw and daughter-inw, had abined monthly ie of about sixty yuan, but they had spent a lot of the Bai family¡¯s money.


    Well, no need to say who spread that one.


    Zhou Qun.


    It¡¯s always him.


    Jiang Lu isn¡¯t even as good at spreading gossip as her husband, Zhou Qun.


    Isn¡¯t that something?


    But these things might as well be known. Since they are, and since Wang Xiangxiu is part of the Women¡¯s Federation, the Federation felt it was necessary to check in on her and get a better understanding of the situation. The director of the Women¡¯s Federation said, "Jiang Lu, why don¡¯t you take Fang with you? Try to give Wang Xiangxiu some advice. She¡¯s been really out of lely."


    It seems like she¡¯s been involved in every scandal.


    Jiang Lu replied, "I can go, but¡­"


    She was being honest: "Wang Xiangxiu probably doesn¡¯t need our intervention. I¡¯ve been her neighbor for over ten years, so I know her pretty well."


    "She¡¯s been involved in so many romantic entanglementstely. Whatever the case, she needs to calm down. She¡¯s really embarrassing the women here."


    Jiang Lu said, "Alright."


    "But when you go, don¡¯t get too close. You¡¯re pregnant now, so you need to be careful. Who knows if they might go crazy and hurt you."


    The women in the Women¡¯s Federation weren¡¯t particrly close to Jiang Lu, but everyone knew that she had been married for over ten years and had finally gotten pregnant. Her husband was now incapacitated. If she lost this baby, it would be hard to say if she¡¯d ever have another chance.


    So they were especially protective of her.


    The reason they sent her to the hospital this time was also because of this.


    "After you talk to Wang Xiangxiu at the hospital, you can just go home."


    This was a gesture of consideration.


    When ites to pregnancy, don¡¯t expect men to understand much.


    But women understand the hardships of pregnancy better than anyone.


    Jiang Lu quickly packed her things and left with Fang.


    After she left, one of the older sisters sighed, "You know, Jiang Lu¡¯s luck is really something. It¡¯s both good and bad."


    "I think it¡¯s because Zhou Qun has done too many bad things, which is why they couldn¡¯t have children for so long. Now that Zhou Qun is incapacitated, Jiang Lu immediately got pregnant. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s fate¡­ ahem¡­"


    Some things, like superstitions, shouldn¡¯t be said out loud.


    But even though she stopped herself, everyone understood.


    "Maybe heaven saw that Jiang Lu was innocent, so it punished Zhou Qun but also gave them a glimmer of hope."


    "Exactly, exactly."


    "Jiang Lu has changed so much since she got pregnant."


    "Zhou Qun too. He used to be so pretentious. Now he¡¯s much more easygoing. He¡¯s quick to help out with tasks and can even chat with people¡­"


    Ahem.


    At this point, everyone exchanged nces and said in unison, "He¡¯s just a bit too motherly."


    "Well, at least it¡¯s better than before."


    "It¡¯s all thanks to Jiang Lu¡¯s patience. He¡¯s not even a real man anymore¡­"


    "Ahem."


    Everyone started whispering among themselves¡­


    Jiang Lu didn¡¯t know what others were saying about her. She went out with Fang, and as they were going downstairs, they coincidentally ran into Little Xu, who had juste out of the bathroom. When he saw them, he turned right back in. Jiang Lu pretended not to notice.


    Actually, she probably knew why Little Xu acted that way.


    It was like a schr encountering a female ghost.


    But she didn¡¯t care what he thought. She just wanted a child. She had chosen the younger Little Xu to increase her chances. And now, it seemed like it had worked out well.


    As for the pregnancy, since she had already told him she was pregnant, Little Xu never suspected that she had deliberately sought him out to conceive a child. All he could think was, "This woman is already pregnant, and she¡¯s still so wild. What was she like before?"


    Because Jiang Lu had demanded so much, Little Xu developed a fear of her.


    He never even questioned her motives.


    Jiang Lu had been involved with him for a while, and when she saw that Little Xu was finally about to crack and run away, she didn¡¯t push him.


    What are men, anyway? All she wanted was a child.


    For some families, having many children is no big deal. But for Jiang Lu, it was an obsession! From the time she got married until now, over ten years, she had suffered so much for the sake of having a child¡ªdrinking ck dog¡¯s blood, even¡­ She was determined to have a child.


    Now that she finally had one, she felt at peace.


    She nced toward the restroom and said with a smile, "Let''s go."


    "Alright."


    Jiang Lu headed toward the hospital, while Little Xu let out a heavy sigh. He wanted to transfer to another job, but it was difficult to do so now, especially since he was in a technical role. Not every unit needed someone like him.


    But if he didn¡¯t transfer, seeing Jiang Lu made him anxious.


    Sigh!


    Jiang Lu, of course, had no idea about Little Xu¡¯s distress. In fact, she was more than happy that he was avoiding her.


    She had originally been thinking about how to end things with him, but she never expected that he would be the one to initiate the breakup. Well, that wasn¡¯t so bad. Since getting pregnant, Jiang Lu had stopped riding her bike. The hospital was close by, so they walked there together.


    When Jiang Lu arrived at the hospital, she happened to see Zhuang Zhixiing out of another ward. She raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "I came to check on Bai Fendou."


    He added, "We¡¯re neighbors after all. When something big happens in their family, it¡¯s only right toe and see how they¡¯re doing."


    Jiang Lu chuckled, "You¡¯re quite thoughtful. So, what are you up to?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I¡¯m going upstairs to ask the doctor about Uncle Bai¡¯s condition. I used to work in the clinic, so I¡¯m somewhat familiar with the staff here."


    Jiang Lu nodded and said, "Alright, go ahead. I¡¯m here on behalf of the Women¡¯s Federation to check on Wang Xiangxiu."


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "You¡¯d better hurry. If you¡¯re toote, they might already be discharged. I heard they¡¯re processing the discharge today."


    "What?"


    Jiang Lu was shocked, "Wasn¡¯t she hit on the head? How can she be discharged so soon?"


    "It¡¯s been a week. She¡¯s probably mostly recovered by now?" Zhuang Zhixi said casually, not borating further. He gestured, "I¡¯ll head upstairs."


    Jiang Lu replied, "Oh, alright."


    Truth be told, it wasn¡¯t that the Su family mother-inw and daughter-inw werepletely fine.


    To be honest, Aunt Su was pretty much okay. Despite being knocked into a concussion and falling into a manure pit earlier, after a week of rest, she had mostly recovered.


    As for Wang Xiangxiu, Jiang Baohong had really done a number on her. Although Wang Xiangxiu was physically stronger than Jiang Baohong and had fought back, Jiang Baohong had gone berserk, and Wang Xiangxiu had still taken a beating.


    She had been scratched and had her head mmed against the wall multiple times.


    Her wounds hadn¡¯t fully healed yet.


    But Wang Xiangxiu was eager to be discharged. If she didn¡¯t leave soon, she felt she would lose all dignity. Her reputation was already in tatters due to the scandal involving men, and now this incident with Uncle Bai had only made things worse.


    She could understand Uncle Bai¡¯s infatuation with her¡ªshe was confident in that regard.


    But what she couldn¡¯t understand was why Bai Fendou, that idiot, had to b about everything, making her lose face.


    Wang Xiangxiu was furious. She just wanted to be discharged immediately andy low for a while.


    Besides, she felt she was doing well enough, so why waste money staying in the hospital?


    She could just recover at home. When Jiang Lu entered the room, she saw them packing up. Wang Xiangxiu asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Jiang Lu replied, "I¡¯m here on behalf of the factory¡¯s Women¡¯s Federation¡­"


    Jiang Lu¡¯s visit to Wang Xiangxiu was purely a formality, but when the Zhuang brothers came to see Bai Fendou, it was anything but. They had quickly reached an agreement. Although it was Zhao Guihua who had brought up the idea, she hadn¡¯t intended for her family to buy or do anything. It was just a spur-of-the-moment suggestion, and she had Bai Fendou¡¯s best interests at heart.


    Bai Fendou, though not the sharpest tool in the shed, understood that this was the right thing to do.


    His father¡¯s condition meant he could no longer work. Bai Fendou needed to go to the factory while his father was still in the hospital, y the sympathy card, and transfer the job under the guise of medical treatment. That was the smart move.


    If he waited too long,plications could arise.


    If something changed and the factory started questioning his father¡¯s character, the job could be in jeopardy. There had been precedents for this. Bai Fendou had seen the Yu family earlier that morning.


    The Yu family had been fighting tooth and nail over the job left by Yu Baoshan.


    They had caused quite a scene, but the factory had refused to let any of the Yu family members take over. While factories couldn¡¯t easily fire employees, Yu Baoshan hadmitted a serious offense. The factory had previously been afraid to cross him, as he was a troublemaker.


    But now they didn¡¯t care and had fired him outright.


    What were they going to do? Bring him back from the dead?


    The Yu family, refusing to ept this, had gone to the factory to cause trouble and ended up shing with the factory¡¯s security team. Some of them had even been injured and ended up in the hospital.


    Because of this, Bai Fendou was willing to negotiate with the Zhuang brothers. He wanted to resolve things quickly and avoid the factory following the textile factory¡¯s example. If they decided to withhold the job and treat it as a dismissal, he would be in big trouble.


    After some back-and-forth, they settled on 350 yuan.


    This wasn¡¯t a small amount, but it was within the expected range.


    After all, it was a formal job.


    Zhuang Zhixi came back downstairs and returned to the ward. Bai Fendou asked, "How is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "The doctor said your father isn¡¯t out of danger yet. If he recovers, the best-case scenario is that he¡¯ll be able to move his upper body but not his lower body. If luck isn¡¯t on his side¡­" He might not make it through the next few days.


    That went without saying.


    Bai Fendou sighed, wiped his face, and said slowly, "If luck isn¡¯t on his side, he might not survive the next few days?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. The doctor had already exined this to Bai Fendou, but Bai Fendou felt they had offended the hospital and feared they were exaggerating. Since Zhuang Zhixi was familiar with the hospital, he had asked for confirmation.


    Seeing that the conversation was winding down, Bai Fendou suddenly pped the table and said, "I¡¯ll go to the factory this afternoon. If everything goes smoothly, I can handle the transfer procedures tomorrow!"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Luckily, this ward only had one upied bed.


    Mainly¡­ the hospital didn¡¯t dare assign anyone else to the room, leaving him alone to avoid further incidents.


    The hot topic of idents.


    "So soon?" Zhuang Zhiyuan was surprised.


    Bai Fendou replied, "If I don¡¯t hurry, what if my father really passes away? I won¡¯t even be able to pay the medical bills."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "¡­That¡¯s true."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at his brother, and their eyes met. They exchanged a look, and Zhuang Zhixi spoke up, "Brother, why don¡¯t you go downstairs and buy some lunch? I¡¯ll have a chat with Fendou."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan agreed, "Alright."


    As Zhuang Zhiyuan left the room, Bai Fendou asked, "What do you want to say?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Fendou, actually, my brother is willing to offer an extra 30 yuan."


    Bai Fendou¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Zhuang Zhixi continued earnestly, "We¡¯ve been neighbors for so many years. You know what my sister-inw is like."


    Bai Fendou didn¡¯t quite understand.


    Zhuang Zhixi calmly exined, "My sister-inw is the type who¡¯s willing to do any kind of work. If there¡¯s something to be done at home, she¡¯ll jump right in. Whether it¡¯s cleaning the factory¡¯s toilets or every toilet in the city, as long as she¡¯s paid, she¡¯ll do it. Labor is honorable, no matter what the job is. But my brother doesn¡¯t want her cleaning toilets."


    Bai Fendou nodded in understanding, "Your brother¡¯s worried about losing face?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head with a smile, "Not at all. My brother doesn¡¯t want her cleaning toilets because the job is too flexible. The work schedule is self-managed, and my brother doesn¡¯t like that. You know what her family is like. They¡¯re good for nothing, always eating but never contributing. They¡¯re capable of everything except doing the right thing. And my sister-inw? She¡¯s a ssic ¡®brother supporter.¡¯ You know what that means, right?"


    Bai Fendou thought for a moment and said, "Who came up with that term? It¡¯s spot on."


    "My mom."


    Zhuang Zhixi said bluntly, "Who else could it be but her?"


    Bai Fendou replied, "¡­That does sound like something Aunt Zhao would say. But what does this have to do with the job?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We all think her family wouldn¡¯t daree to thepound to take advantage of my sister-inw. But they could go to the factory. My brother wants my sister-inw to work in the workshop so that even if her family goes to the factory to look for her, she wouldn¡¯t have much time to deal with them. The workshop supervisor wouldn¡¯t easily let people chat at the gate either. But if my sister-inw is assigned to clean the toilets, she¡¯d have more flexible time, and over time, she might get tangled up with her family again. Also, this time when my sister-inw returns to work, my brother will collect her sry on her behalf. Honestly, my brother is afraid that if she¡¯s swayed, she might take the sry and give it to her family. But if she¡¯s in the workshop, her time is restricted, and she wouldn¡¯t have the freedom to do that."


    Bai Fendou suddenly understood why Zhuang Zhiyuan had avoided this conversation.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, being such a prideful person, would probably be mortified to bring this up himself.


    However, Bai Fendou added, "Having the husband collect the wife¡¯s sry is a bit embarrassing."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There¡¯s no other way. What else can we do? Our family has already lost one formal job; we can¡¯t afford to lose another. If we don¡¯t guard against it strictly, Liang Meifen¡¯s family will take advantage of us again."


    Bai Fendou sympathized, "Your family really has it tough, dealing with someone so foolish."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There¡¯s nothing we can do. If it were someone else, we wouldn¡¯t be saying this. But since we¡¯ve known each other for so long, and you¡¯re aware of our situation, I¡¯m being honest with you."


    Bai Fendou felt a bit pleased. He used to envy the Zhuang family because both men in the household had wives.


    But now, seeing this, he realized that having a wife wasn¡¯t all that great.


    She¡¯s disloyal.


    "I¡¯m willing to help, but this matter¡ªthe factory won¡¯t listen to me, will they?"


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled softly and said, "It depends on how you frame it. This time, although you were the one who hit someone, you were also an innocent victim. If it weren¡¯t for Wang Xiangxiu, none of this would have happened. Why should she get the money and walk away unscathed while you bear such severe consequences? If you hadn¡¯t fought for her, would Jiang Baohong have hit you there, leaving you unable to have children? If that hadn¡¯t happened, would your father havee up with such a ridiculous idea? It¡¯s wrong, but think about it¡ªwithout the cause, would there be such an oue? Even if your father is unreliable, he wouldn¡¯t have suggested something so outrageous, right?"


    Bai Fendou gritted his teeth and nodded.


    "Besides, the factory knows that while this wasn¡¯t exactly an act of heroism, it was still a good deed. Since you did a good deed and are in urgent need of medical expenses, the factory should understand if your father switches jobs so you can sell your position to pay for the medical bills. You and your father faced such a huge crisis without asking the factory for help, and instead, you¡¯re trying to solve it yourselves. The factory should appreciate that. You¡¯ve seen people kneeling at the factory gate, causing a scene to beg for help, haven¡¯t you? What you¡¯re doing is actually trying not to burden the factory. And think about it¡ªthis is also good for the factory. Cleaning the toilets pays 25 yuan a month, while a workshop apprentice earns only a little over ten yuan. This would actually reduce the factory¡¯s expenses. As for the shortage of toilet cleaners, some people with poor character and low skills in the workshop should be reassigned to clean the toilets. If they¡¯ve been in the workshop for years without advancing and their character is questionable, they¡¯re better off cleaning toilets. My sister-inw, after all, is a high school graduate."


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t mention Wang Xiangxiu directly, but his words were clearly aimed at her.


    Bai Fendou: "Right! Exactly! Why should I suffer so much while Wang Xiangxiu gets all the benefits? She should be the one cleaning the toilets!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Although these incidents¡­ let¡¯s not talk about the incidents. Just focus on the fact that she¡¯s taken so much time off and her skills are poor, right?"


    Regarding the rumors of her promiscuity, everyone was convinced Wang Xiangxiu was guilty.


    First, there was the Yu Baoshan toilet incident.


    Then there was the Vice Director Cai storage room incident.


    Although these seemed to have died down¡ªsome due tock of evidence, others suppressed¡ªit seemed like nothing could be done about Wang Xiangxiu. It was a moral issue. In these times, such matters were taken seriously, but evidence was needed.


    Rumors weren¡¯t enough.


    But they could avoid mentioning that and just focus on Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s poor work performance, right?


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Fendou, what do you think about this¡­"


    Bai Fendou: "I¡¯ll make a scene!"


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled. Sometimes, chaos could defeat even the most experienced opponent.


    If it were someone else, Zhuang Zhixi wouldn¡¯t have suggested this, but Bai Fendou was the right person.


    In their factory, Bai Fendou was known for his recklessness. He was the type of guy who¡¯d even air his father¡¯s dirtyundry. People like him were thest ones others wanted to get involved with.


    As long as he didn¡¯t go too far, Zhuang Zhixi believed they could achieve the desired oue.


    Sure enough, Bai Fendou agreed: "Don¡¯t worry about this. But if I seed, I want 400 yuan!"


    He added urgently, "I know 400 is a lot, but jobs are hard toe by¡ªit¡¯s one position per person. And in the workshop, if you pass the skill tests, your sry increases. Unlike cleaning toilets, where you¡¯re stuck at 25 yuan for ten or twenty years. The pay never goes up."


    Zhuang Zhixi hesitated and said, "Let me discuss this with my brother first?"


    Bai Fendou: "You¡¯d better hurry."


    "Hurry with what?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Brother, 400 yuan."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. That was a lot of money.


    If Liang Meifen went back to work, it would take her two years to earn that much. The first year would be as an apprentice with a low sry. But in the long run¡­ He clenched his fists and said, "Okay, I agree."


    It took all his strength to say it.


    Bai Fendou: "Then wait for my news, brothers. I¡¯ll do my best. If it doesn¡¯t work out, it¡¯s just my bad luck¡ªno fortune for me."


    "Thank you."


    Bai Fendou waved his hand: "No problem. You guys go back. I¡¯ll eat quickly and head to the factory this afternoon."


    He was eager to get the money as soon as possible.


    "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t disturb Bai Fendou any longer and left the hospital together.


    These matters had been discussed and agreed upon by both sides. Zhuang Zhiyuan felt a bit embarrassed and said, "I didn¡¯t expect you to be the one to bring this up."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "We¡¯re brothers, after all."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I really didn¡¯t think he¡¯d actually agree."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Because he can make more money, and also because he gets to see you embarrassed."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "???"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Think about it¡ªgoing to the factory to collect your wife¡¯s sry will definitely get people talking. He¡¯ll enjoy seeing you humiliated. Bai Fendou has always been jealous of the guys in thepound around his age, and you¡¯re at the top of that list. It used to be Zhou Qun, but Zhou Qun¡¯s reputation is ruined now, so it¡¯s just you left. You have a troublesome wife, and now you have to go to the factory every month to collect her sry. Just thinking about it is embarrassing. He¡¯ll love it."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Why is he jealous of me? What about you, Yang Lixin, and the Sui family¡­"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Yang Lixin is a live-in son-inw; his children take his wife¡¯s surname. Bai Fendou is a Beijing man; he looks down on that kind of thing. He wouldn¡¯t be jealous of Yang Lixin. As for me¡­ I¡¯m much younger than you guys. You¡¯re only three years younger than him, so you¡¯re roughly the same age."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "If he¡¯s jealous of me, why would he help? He wouldn¡¯t even sell the job to me."


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at him: "Bai Fendou is in a hurry to sell his job. How many people do you think cane up with three or four hundred at any time? Besides, he¡¯s just jealous, notpletely rotten. He doesck boundaries, but you¡¯re often away on business, so you¡¯ve had the least conflict with him and haven¡¯t provoked him. His jealousy won¡¯t be directed at you. Let¡¯s just say he¡¯s jealous, wants to see you in a bit of a mess, but he¡¯s not out to harm you. That¡¯s the state he¡¯s in. If your sister-inw goes to clean the toilets, she¡¯ll have more flexible hours since she just needs to get the job done, whether it¡¯s in the morning or evening. With more free time, she¡¯ll likely get involved with her family again and end up supporting them. Then you won¡¯t be able to collect her sry from the factory. How¡¯s he going to enjoy your mess then? He¡¯s not malicious, but he does want to see some drama."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­"


    He sighed: "You¡¯ve got a good grasp of the situation."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I understand Bai Fendou better than I understand you."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­"


    He was speechless: "Are you even my brother anymore?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "If I weren¡¯t your brother, would I be saying all this to Bai Fendou? Do I have nothing better to do?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Big brother thanks you."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "You should thank me. Who knows, it might even get around that I¡¯ve been badmouthing your wife."


    Zhuang Zhiyuanughed: "Isn¡¯t this what we agreed on? A tactical move to appear weak? I¡¯ll exin it all to your sister-inw when I get back. She¡¯ll know it was all part of our n."


    "You¡¯d better tell her. I¡¯ve turned into a gossipy man for the sake of your marriage. Bai Fendou seems fine now, but once he gets his life back on track, he¡¯s definitely going to tell others that I¡¯ve been badmouthing your wife behind her back."


    Buting from his mouth, it had a better effect on Bai Fendou than if his brother had said it.


    So he had no choice but to do it this way.


    "You really owe me big time."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled: "I¡¯ll treat you to a bath tomorrow."


    "Ha, as if I can¡¯t afford it myself."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "I¡¯ll scrub your back, how about that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I¡¯ll go with Dad. He¡¯s always eager to scrub my back too."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­Then I¡¯ll buy an old hen. It¡¯ll be good for your wife since she¡¯s pregnant."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "That¡¯s more like it."


    He sighed: "I¡¯ve sacrificed my reputation for you."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Alright, alright."


    He chuckled: "You¡¯re quick-witted. If you hadn¡¯t brought it up, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of adjusting the job situation. If this works out, I¡¯ll really owe you one."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It wouldn¡¯t work for just anyone, but with Bai Fendou in this state, the factory won¡¯t give him a hard time. If they push him too far and he snaps, who knows what he¡¯ll do? Bai Fendou¡¯s in a pretty miserable state right now. If he loses it and decides to take someone down with him, there could be chaos in the factory. Besides, Wang Xiangxiu has done too much, and it¡¯s getting out of hand. A lot of people in the factory aren¡¯t happy with her. If they adjust her job, she¡¯s the easiest target. Even if Bai Fendou doesn¡¯t make a fuss, I think the factory will find a way to move her out of the workshop eventually. There are too many male workers there, and the factory¡¯s probably worried about something happening. Given her behavior¡­"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sighed: "Who would¡¯ve thought the only victims in all this would be Bai Fendou¡¯s family, while the Su family mother-inw and daughter-inw came out ahead. It¡¯s good they got a bit of a lesson."


    Zhuang Zhixi said thoughtfully: "Their family¡­ it¡¯s hard to say what¡¯ll happen in the future. I don¡¯t believe Vice Director Cai will just let it go."


    Wang Xiangxiu had tried to scheme but ended up losing more than she gained.


    While it seemed like she got some money, Zhuang Zhixi believed Vice Director Cai would definitely seek revenge.


    Neither Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s family nor Bai Fendou would be able to escape it.


    Right now, nothing¡¯s happening because everyone¡¯s watching, but revenge is a dish best served cold.


    Zhuang Zhixi was sure Vice Director Cai would make a move.


    After all, he¡¯s not exactly a decent person.


    If he were a good man, he might let it slide, but since he¡¯s not and he¡¯s suffered a big loss in this, he definitely won¡¯t let it go. But there¡¯s no need to say all that now.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s go."


    "Alright!"


    Although they¡¯ve only taken the first step and don¡¯t know what Bai Fendou will do next, the brothers still felt they¡¯d gained something. Both were in good spirits as they hurried home for lunch.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I¡¯ll head to work this afternoon and keep an eye on things."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "You¡­ I¡¯d have to buy three old hens to match your efforts."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Three? That¡¯s not enough."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "¡­"

 Chapter 118

    Sometimes, being a troublemaker has its perks.


    Take Bai Fendou, for example. His reputation is far from ster. Besides chasing widows, his most infamous im to fame is being a "man-killer," having already incapacitated three men.


    But as the saying goes, "the wicked are tormented by the wicked." He too ended up being incapacitated.


    Now, his father has gotten into trouble, and it feels like the family is cursed with bad luck.


    Despite his bad reputation, he¡¯s had such a streak of misfortune that when he went to the factory to make a scene, they actually resolved his issue. Why? Because if a decent person had made the sameints, it might not have worked. But with a troublemaker like Bai Fendou, the effect is quite different. The factory leaders didn¡¯t want to cross him, given how reckless he is¡ªwho knows what he might do? Moreover, although there are rumors about Old Man Bai, without concrete evidence, they couldn¡¯t just fire him.


    With no one to take over his position, they had to figure something out.


    In theory, jobs aren¡¯t supposed to be bought or sold¡ªthey¡¯re supposed to be passed down. But in reality, some people do sell their jobs. It¡¯s not something openly discussed, but it happens. Who¡¯s going to stop it? If you crack down on one, do you crack down on all? It¡¯s a widespread practice, and no one wants to make enemies over it.


    The factory was actually happy to let Bai Fendou sell his job privately so someone else could take over. Otherwise, without money for medical expenses, he¡¯d just cause more trouble at the factory. It¡¯s not just about the money¡ªit¡¯s about saving face.


    A family with two workers in a factory of ten thousand employees, with no financial burdens, shouldn¡¯t need to borrow money to live. If word got out, other factories wouldugh at them.


    Bai Fendou has already brought enough notoriety to their factory. The less trouble, the better.


    So when he came to make his demands this time, the factory leaders considered it and agreed. As for his request to switch jobs, they hesitated for a moment. But Bai Fendou didn¡¯t hold back: ¡°I want my cousin-inw to take over. She¡¯s a high school graduate and used to work in a textile factory. She¡¯s got a good head on her shoulders and would pick up the work faster than most. Let¡¯s be honest, some people have been working here for seven or eight years and still haven¡¯t improved. They¡¯re just dead weight in the workshop, like parasites.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Take Wang Xiangxiu, for example. She¡¯s been here for years without a promotion, and she¡¯s always causing trouble outside of work. She shouldn¡¯t even be in the workshop¡ªshe¡¯s a bad influence on others! She¡¯s no better than me, and I¡¯m stuck cleaning toilets. Why does she get to stay in the workshop?¡±


    The factory leaders exchanged nces, wondering if this was a case of love turning to hate.


    If Bai Fendou had brought up someone else, they might have hesitated. But when it came to Wang Xiangxiu, they weren¡¯t keen on keeping her in the workshop either. Her questionable behavior had caused friction among the workers, leading to family disputes and affecting team cohesion.


    Of course, if Wang Xiangxiu had been a skilled worker, the factory might not have considered moving her. But she¡¯s only a Level 1 worker, and even that was a stretch. It was only because of her family¡¯s financial struggles that they had shown her any leniency.


    The workshop supervisor hadined about her multiple times. In a team of hard workers, someone who drags the team down isn¡¯t exactly popr.


    Her poor performance meant others had to pick up the ck, which had led to growing dissatisfaction. So when Bai Fendou brought this up, the leaders didn¡¯t give him a hard time.


    After a brief discussion, they nodded and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll consider it. You can go now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, no! Don¡¯t just consider it¡ªyou have to agree! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m not leaving!¡±


    Bai Fendou was relentless: ¡°You can¡¯t protect Wang Xiangxiu. Did she sleep with you or something?¡±


    Thatment hit hard.


    ¡°Bai Fendou, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? How did she get promoted to Level 1 with such poor skills? Did you make some under-the-table deal?¡±


    At this point, Bai Fendou thought about the 20 yuan Vice Director Cai had given Wang Xiangxiu after sleeping with her. Not a small sum.


    He pressed on: ¡°Did you¡­ did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Bai Fendou, we¡¯re not like that. You¡¯re insulting our integrity. We would never do such a thing. As for the job transfer, we¡¯re inclined to agree. But we¡¯ll need to discuss it with the workshop supervisor first.¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°The supervisor will agree. Wang Xiangxiu always told me how much he disliked her, how he bullied her just because she wasn¡¯t as skilled. She even asked me to stand up for her.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª! I mean¡­ that¡¯s quite the usation. Tell us more about this ¡®standing up for her¡¯ business.¡±


    The factory leaders suspected that Bai Fendou¡¯s feelings for Wang Xiangxiu had turned to hate, and they weren¡¯t wrong. But it wasn¡¯t just that. After years of obsession, he¡¯d realized she was nothing like the woman he¡¯d imagined. Instead, she was the type who used men for money.


    His image of her hadpletely shattered.


    This time, it was different from the incident where Jii had beaten him up.


    Back then, he could chalk it up to a mother protecting her child. But this time, he¡¯d seen with his own eyes what Wang Xiangxiu was like behind closed doors, and the things she¡¯d said felt like a p in the face.


    He¡¯d ruined his life for her, only to realize that in her eyes, he was just a loser. He hated himself, but he hated her even more.


    People tend to me others for their own mistakes rather than their own foolishness.


    During his hospital stay, he¡¯d overheard a conversation between Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu, and from that moment on, he¡¯d harbored nothing but hatred for the pair. So when it came to exposing Wang Xiangxiu, he didn¡¯t hold back.


    ¡°Every quarter during the skillspetition, their supervisor would give Wang Xiangxiu a hard time, never treating her fairly. She cried to me about it so many times. Aunt Su, Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s mother-inw, even told me that Wang Xiangxiu often cried herself to sleep because of the supervisor¡¯s bullying. She said he was taking advantage of them being a widow and an orphan. She even wished he¡¯d get sick or injured so he¡¯d have to take time off, giving Wang Xiangxiu a break.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t Wang Xiangxiu saying that, was it? It was her mother-inw, right?¡±


    Bai Fendou nodded: ¡°It was her mother-inw, but they¡¯re family. Wang Xiangxiu and her mother-inw are as close as mother and daughter. They¡¯re always on the same page. Andter, Wang Xiangxiu herselfined about how the supervisor never seemed to have any bad luck. I knew they wanted me to teach him a lesson, but I pretended not to understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the righteous man.¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°Not really. I just knew I couldn¡¯t beat him.¡±


    The factory leaders: ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±


    An awkward silence followed.


    He really was a fool.


    But then again, their workshop supervisor was tall, strong, and had the grip of a vice from his years as a fitter. Even the security team didn¡¯t dare mess with him.


    ¡°At least you¡¯re honest.¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    The factory leaders: ¡°¡­¡±


    His words didn¡¯t exactly inspire confidence.


    Not stupid? Really?


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve got it. You can go now.¡±


    Bai Fendou was stubborn: ¡°What about the job transfer?¡±


    The deputy factory manager had never dealt with someone like him before but finally waved him off: ¡°Go.¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°Wait, you need to give me a definite answer. Otherwise, I can¡¯t arrange the job transfer. So, is it a yes or no?¡±


    The deputy factory manager: ¡°Yes. Now go.¡±


    This kind of situation is usually something people tacitly understand without saying it out loud, but this guy just had to go and spell it out. However, no one really wanted to argue with him anymore, so they just agreed and sent him on his way.


    Their factory had far more important matters to deal with; who had time to bother with such trivial issues?


    But when Bai Fendou got the news, he was thrilled. Instead of heading back to thepound, he went straight to the propaganda department. "Zhuang Zhixi, Little Zhuang!"


    Zhuang Zhixi came out. "Brother Fendou?"


    Bai Fendou said, "It''s done."


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately replied, "Then tomorrow morning, my older brother and sister-inw wille with you to handle the paperwork and hand over the money. Does that work for you?"


    Bai Fendou nodded. "That works."


    The two didn¡¯t say much more, and Bai Fendou quickly left. Sister Cui, who loved to meddle in others'' affairs, asked, "Little Zhuang, what did Bai Fendou want with you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "He asked me to pass on a message."


    Since nothing was confirmed yet, he wasn¡¯t going to spread it around.


    He sat back down and started organizing the documents. The workload in the propaganda department wasn¡¯t heavy, but there were still a lot of little tasks to take care of.


    "Hey."


    Sister Cui shifted her position and moved closer to Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi looked at her, puzzled.


    Sister Cui lowered her voice and said, "The announcer from the broadcasting room, Little Lin, has found a way to transfer to the cultural troupe. His position will be vacant soon. If you¡¯re interested, you should ask the leaders about it."


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised. "Really?"


    Sister Cui gave him a meaningful look. "I found out early. Just keep it in mind."


    Zhuang Zhixi thanked her. "Thank you."


    Sister Cui waved it off. "No need to thank me. They won¡¯t bring someone in from outside; it¡¯ll be an internalpetition. You young people are stronger than us older folks. If you¡¯re interested, you should prepare early."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "Got it."


    He quickly considered whether the transfer would be a good move or not. After a brief moment of thought, he decided it would be beneficial. Although there wouldn¡¯t be much difference in sry, being a broadcaster was more likely to get him noticed than being an office clerk.


    His eyes flickered, and he went back to writing.


    "It¡¯s over. It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over." Little Tang came in, lookingpletely dejected.


    In the propaganda department, there were only two single guys: Little Xu, the projectionist, and Little Tang, the clerk. Little Xu was like a ghost, still not fully recovered, looking thin and weak. Little Tang, on the other hand, was usually full of energy, but now he was on the verge of tears. "Wah, the flower of the clinic is going on a blind date!"


    "Flower of the clinic? Who¡¯s that?"


    Little Tang widened his eyes. "There¡¯s only one person in the clinic who can be called the flower of the clinic. Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s Tao Yuyue, of course. I heard she¡¯s going on a blind date this weekend. Wah~ How could she go on a blind date?"


    "Isn¡¯t that normal? Tao Yuyue has been looking for someone for a while now. If you¡¯re interested, why don¡¯t you confess your feelings?" someone teased.


    Little Tang replied, "You think I haven¡¯t? She told me we¡¯re justrades. Wah~"


    He slumped over the desk, looking even more lifeless than Little Xu.


    It had to be said, the two unmarried young men in the propaganda department were not in great shape.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help butugh. He remembered that Bai Fendou had once been interested in Tao Yuyue too. But when he thought about it, even though it wasn¡¯t that long ago, it felt like a lifetime had passed. So much had happened recently.


    But thankfully, it had nothing to do with him. Zhuang Zhixi never dyed when it was time to leave work. He had to pick up his wife every day, so when it was almost time, he started packing up. Everyone was used to it.


    "Little Zhuang, when¡¯s your wife¡¯s due date?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "January."


    He added, "If the little ones are in a hurry, they might be born as little dogs; if they¡¯re not in a hurry, they¡¯ll be little pigs."


    "Wow, what timing. Right around the New Year, when things are already so busy."


    "Exactly."


    He didn¡¯t dy and quickly headed downstairs. As he was riding his bike out the gate, he ran into Tao Yuyue. She smiled at him and said, "Brother Zhuang, are you heading east? Can you give me a ride?"


    Although the two weren¡¯t very close¡ªZhuang Zhixi had transferred out before she joined¡ªthey were acquainted because Zhuang Zhixi was on good terms with Tao Yuyue¡¯s aunt, Doctor Wang. They would greet each other when they met.


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. "I can¡¯t. If someone sees me giving you a ride, they¡¯ll talk. I don¡¯t mind the gossip, but my wife wouldn¡¯t be happy if she heard about it. I¡¯ve got to go pick someone up."


    He quickly rode off, not giving Tao Yuyue a chance to say more. She pursed her lips in annoyance. "I just wanted a quick ride. I asked you because you¡¯re married! If I asked a single guy, people would misunderstand. Who would misunderstand a married man? Really!"


    She didn¡¯t want to damage her reputation, so she quickly added, "I¡¯m just in a hurry."


    Today, the gatekeeper was still the gossip-loving Zhang San. He smiled and said, "Nurse Tao, why don¡¯t you wait for me? Where are you going? I¡¯ll take you. Little Zhuang wouldn¡¯t dare give you a ride. His wife is fierce. He¡¯s scared of her."


    Tao Yuyue frowned. "That¡¯s nonsense. I¡¯ve met Brother Zhuang¡¯s wife. She¡¯s gentle and delicate. How can you say such things? That¡¯s really too much."


    Zhang San was baffled. "Gentle? Delicate? Are you serious?"


    He scratched his ear and looked at Tao Yuyue, realizing she wasn¡¯t joking. She waspletely serious.


    He grimaced. "His wife can take on several men at once, and she does it easily. She once caught a thief on the bus and kicked a burly guy so hard he broke a bone. Gentle? Delicate?"


    This wasn¡¯t exactlymon knowledge in the factory, but the security department knew all about it. Most of the security staff were veterans, and many of them had connections to the police force. Their work ovepped, so they interacted frequently.


    Everyone in the security department knew about Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s wife. The reason it wasn¡¯t widely spread was that no one wanted to stir up trouble. If the tigress¡ªcough, I mean, if his wife came looking for them, they¡¯d get beaten up for nothing.


    And if they got beaten by a woman, it would be humiliating.


    To avoid all that, they kept it to themselves and only talked about it among themselves.


    Zhang San was interested in Tao Yuyue, which was why he was willing to share this with her.


    He said, "Let me tell you, appearances can be deceiving. How did youe to the conclusion that she¡¯s gentle?"


    Tao Yuyue replied, "I¡¯ve seen her."


    She had once seen Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s wife when she went to theirpound to give Bai Fendou an IV. She remembered her as delicate and lovely. Even as a woman, she had to admit that Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s wife was beautiful.


    She said, "You¡¯re not just jealous, are you?"


    Zhang San shook his head. "Not at all."


    Tao Yuyue said, "I don¡¯t believe it. Anyway, I¡¯m in a hurry. I¡¯ve got to go."


    She hurried off, and Zhang San watched her figure, muttering, "Nurse Tao is not only beautiful, she¡¯s also so innocent. Where else could you find such a good woman?"


    He gazed at her dreamily, then sighed sadly. "Why doesn¡¯t Nurse Tao like me? I¡¯m a good young man too."


    He was truly feeling mncholy.


    Zhuang Zhixi had no idea about all these little dramas, and even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t care. Theirpound was full of gossip, and these little rumors were nothingpared to that. Tao Yuyue was just a regr girl who wanted to marry well. That wasn¡¯t strange at all.


    Who wouldn¡¯t want to marry well? Who would purposely choose a hard life?


    No one.


    Compared to the people in theirpound, this was nothing.


    Zhuang Zhixi and his wife headed home after work and saw that Aunt Su and her daughter-inw had already been discharged from the hospital. They didn¡¯t want to stay any longer, not just to save money but also because staying in the hospital was a bit embarrassing.


    As soon as Aunt Su returned, shey down on the kang and didn¡¯t move.


    Wang Xiangxiu was also suffering from a headache, having been dragged by her hair and mmed against the wall multiple times. Even after a week of rest, she hadn¡¯t fully recovered. Both she and her mother-inw were lying down, and as evening approached, the children were nowhere to be seen.


    Who knows where they¡¯ve run off to.


    As evening fell, households began preparing dinner, with smoke rising from chimneys and the aroma of food wafting through the air. Wang Xiangxiu struggled to sit up and muttered in frustration, ¡°That brat Hu Huihui still isn¡¯t back.¡±


    She nced out the window and added, ¡°If she doesn¡¯te back, who¡¯s going to cook?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu had no intention of getting up to cook. As a patient, she naturally wanted to rest more.


    But by this time, Hu Huihui still hadn¡¯t returned. Neither had the three Jii brothers.


    Wang Xiangxiu wondered, ¡°Could Hu Huihui have taken them out to eat? Why haven¡¯t theye back yet?¡±


    Aunt Su scoffed and said, ¡°They don¡¯t have much money on them. How could they afford to eat out? Besides, Hu Huihui wouldn¡¯t be so generous. She¡¯s just an ordinary person.¡±


    She thought Wang Xiangxiu was being delusional, dreaming up scenarios that were far from reality.


    However, she spoke softly to Wang Xiangxiu, ¡°I think the kids are just ying outside. Hu Huihui probably hasn¡¯t gotten off work yet.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiuined, ¡°That girl is really something. She eats our food, drinks our water, and lives under our roof, yet she doesn¡¯t help out more. Look at the state of this house. I¡¯m really at my wit¡¯s end. Why did we have to end up with such poor rtives?¡±


    She conveniently forgot that Hu Huihui had been contributing money.


    She wished they had rtives like Uncle Lan, who was wealthy. She sniffed the air and noticed the smell of meating from Uncle Lan¡¯s direction.


    They were cooking meat again.


    Life at Uncle Lan¡¯s house was really good. Wang Xiangxiu couldn¡¯t help but think that Luo Xiaohe had hit the jackpot.


    A woman who had been promiscuous before marriage and couldn¡¯t bear children was now living a life where meat was served regrly. What right did she have? Besides, they were both old now. What good was eating meat? It would be better if they gave it to her family, so her sons could get some proper nutrition.


    Wang Xiangxiu drooled over the stir-fried meat they were cooking, and she also coveted Uncle Lan¡¯s wealth. She wondered how much money the old man had.


    She said, ¡°Mom, if only you had ended up with Uncle Lan back then. Now Luo Xiaohe is the one benefiting. What does she have that you don¡¯t? She¡¯s so ordinary, not even half as good as you. It¡¯s such a pity. If you had made a move back then, Lan Sihai would have been yours for sure. You¡¯re so much better than Luo Xiaohe. Our family shouldn¡¯t have chosen Old Man Bai. We thought he had been helping us all these years, so we couldn¡¯t just abandon him. But now it seems like he deserves to be a widower for the rest of his life. He¡¯s useless and full of tricks. It¡¯s such a waste of your sincerity. It¡¯s a shame you gave up Uncle Lan for him.¡±


    She spoke as if it were the truth, not realizing that Lan Sihai had never been interested in Aunt Su in the first ce.


    But Wang Xiangxiu had great confidence in her mother-inw and herself.


    Wang Xiangxiu was well aware of her charm and the ¡°poprity¡± she had among men.


    However, believing in her charm was one thing.


    Thinking about it carefully, this whole situation was infuriating. Old Man Bai had somehow managed to take advantage of her, which was really annoying.


    Now, with Bai Fendou having a falling out and Old Man Bai in this state, there was no hope of relying on them in the future.


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. ¡°This is so frustrating. Why is everything going wrong?¡±


    Aunt Su said, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡±


    She gently took Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Xiangxiu, the more chaotic things are, the more you need to stay calm. If you panic, you¡¯ll lose control. You¡¯re the pir of this family. Without you, the three kids and I would be out begging. You¡¯re our support. If you lose yourposure, it¡¯ll be a disaster.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m just upset. Even though we¡¯ve gotten some money, we can¡¯t rely on Old Man Bai anymore, and Bai Fendou is now on bad terms with us. With two sources of ie gone, how can I not be worried?¡±


    ¡°I believe in you. You¡¯re the most capable person I know. You¡¯ve held this family together for so many years. I have faith in you, and you should have faith in yourself too. I know you¡¯ve hit a rough patch, but I know you¡¯ll seed. Look at Bai Fendou¡ªwhat does he have? Nothing. He¡¯ll definitely need someone to take care of him in his old age, and we have three kids. He¡¯s perfect for that. He¡¯s probably just angry right now. Don¡¯t provoke him. In a few days, you can win him back. I believe in your ability. Besides him, there are others. Uncle Lan is in a good position. What does Luo Xiaohe have? Can she reallypete with us? Oh, and there¡¯s Zhuang Zhixi¡­ No, he¡¯s no good. His sry goes to his wife. He has no money.¡±


    Although Zhuang Zhixi was handsome and young, it wasn¡¯t worth it if he had no money.


    ¡°Yang Lixin¡­ Yang Lixin¡¯s wife controls the finances, so he¡¯s no good either. Zhuang Zhiyuan is a possibility, but he¡¯s always away on business trips¡­ Zhou Qun is useless¡­ The men in our courtyard are all low-quality.¡±


    The two women began scheming.


    Meanwhile, they were unaware that Hu Huihui had already appeared in the hospital room. She sat on a stool, looking at Bai Fendou, and said, ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal for you to sell your ancestral property, but think about it¡ªyou¡¯re short on money¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not short on money anymore,¡± Bai Fendou said firmly. ¡°I absolutely will not sell the house, and private sales of houses aren¡¯t allowed anyway.¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°You could transfer it to me as a gift.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll still pay you. And think about it¡ªwith your father in this state, you can¡¯t live separately. You¡¯ll have to live together and take care of him. Selling me one room would be a good solution, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Although she smiled, she was also wondering why Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t short on money anymore.


    Theoretically, he should be in need of money.


    Bai Fendou said seriously, ¡°I really can¡¯t sell the house. You should ask someone else. I need to keep both rooms in case I get married in the future. Having two rooms would increase my chances of finding a wife.¡±


    He added, ¡°I know you¡¯re not happy about this, but I still want to find a wife.¡±


    Hu Huihui was speechless.


    Everyone in the city knew Bai Fendou was no longer capable. Was he serious about finding a wife?


    Was that even possible?


    Hu Huihui hesitated and said, ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    Bai Fendou said, ¡°I want to try.¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°Alright, think it over. If you decide to sell one room, let me know.¡±


    Bai Fendou looked up at Hu Huihui and said, ¡°You¡¯re different from how you were in the courtyard.¡±


    He was impulsive and often acted without thinking, but he wasn¡¯tpletely stupid. Hu Huihui¡¯s demeanor felt very different.


    He said, ¡°Have you always looked down on us?¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Actually, I have a boyfriend. But he looks down on my background and doesn¡¯t want to marry me. He¡¯s been stringing me along. My family is pressuring me, so I had to move out.¡±


    She mixed truth with lies, lowering her eyes as she quickly thought things over. ¡°I had no choice. I needed a ce to stay, but my cousin insisted I go on blind dates, or else they wouldn¡¯t take me in. You know how hard it is to find a ce to live these days. I had no other option¡­ But I didn¡¯t lie to anyone. Whenever someone asked, I told them I wasn¡¯t interested in dating because of this.¡±


    Bai Fendou said, ¡°I knew it! They just wanted to take advantage of us!¡±


    He thought about how Wang Xiangxiu had tried to set him up with Hu Huihui and felt that the woman was cunning from head to toe.


    He said firmly, ¡°I really won¡¯t sell the house. You can leave now.¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°Alright, think it over.¡±


    She stood up. This matter wasn¡¯t urgent; she could take her time.


    But she also wondered where Bai Fendou had gotten the money. Could it be rted to the items Yu Baoshan had mentioned? If Bai Fendou had taken them, had he secretly sold them? They needed to hurry to the ck market and see if anyone had been selling gold and silver jewelry recently.


    Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhiyuan counted his savings. Over the years, he had managed to save up 190 yuan.


    Liang Meifen sat beside him and said, "We''re still short by half."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded. In the earlier years, their sries were handed over to the family, and he could only save a little from side jobs. It was only this year, after they separated from the main household, that he managed to save some money. He stood up and said, "I¡¯ll go borrow some from my parents."


    Liang Meifen nodded in agreement.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan found a piece of paper and began writing carefully.


    Liang Meifen peeked over and saw it was an IOU. She pursed her lips but ultimately said nothing, only letting out a soft sigh.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan took the IOU to the main house. Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t mince words; since her son wanted to write an IOU, she didn¡¯t refuse it. She simply took the IOU and said, "Alright, here you go."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan borrowed 220 yuan.


    In addition to the 400 yuan needed to buy a job the next day, he borrowed a little extra, leaving ten yuan as a backup for the family.


    With the money in hand, he returned to his room and looked at his wife¡¯s expectant face. He said, "If your parents or your brother hear the news ande looking for you, just tell them the truth. You don¡¯t handle the money or manage the sry in this household."


    Liang Meifen replied, "I know."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan continued, "Also, I can be honest with you. My parents have had enough of your parents. If they show up, my mom won¡¯t hold back. If they don¡¯t want to be confronted, they¡¯d better stay quiet."


    Liang Meifen shrank her shoulders at this.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan added, "You know how strong-willed my mom is. She wouldn¡¯t lose even in a fight with a shrew like Aunt Zhou."


    Liang Meifen firmly said, "I understand!"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "If we have jobs, our child might not have to go to the countryside in the future."


    At this, Liang Meifen agreed wholeheartedly, "That¡¯s true. Going to the countryside is really tough. You know that young boy from our alley? He even had connections and went to a rtively better ce, but when he came back to visit recently, he looked at least ten years older. He¡¯s the same age as Zhuang Zhixi, but he looks older than you now."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "Working in the countryside is hardbor."


    Liang Meifen replied, "I didn¡¯t think about it before, but I won¡¯t make that mistake again. We both need to have jobs so we can provide for our child."


    Thinking back, if she hadn¡¯t given her previous job to her brother, she wouldn¡¯t have had to spend 400 yuan to buy a new one.


    Four hundred yuan!


    Just thinking about it made her heart feel numb.


    It was too much.


    When she first heard about it, it didn¡¯t seem so bad, but seeing the stack of money on the table, she felt regret for the first time.


    If she hadn¡¯t given her textile factory job to her brother, could she have saved those 400 yuan?


    Even if she didn¡¯t eat or drink, it would take her two years to earn that much.


    Liang Meifen sighed, "Ah."


    Zhuang Zhiyuanforted her, "Don¡¯t sigh. We¡¯re a couple, and we should support each other. You¡¯ve done a great job taking care of the household and keeping everything in order. You focus on that. But managing the money should be my responsibility. You¡¯re too soft-hearted to handle money. Look, I¡¯ve managed to save quite a bit recently. I don¡¯t spend recklessly, and I¡¯ll keep saving."


    Liang Meifen nodded, "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan suddenly asked, "By the way, is your brother married yet?"


    Liang Meifen¡¯s expression turned awkward, and her lips twitched as she said, "Yes, he is."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was surprised, "Why didn¡¯t I hear about you going?"


    Liang Meifen fell silent for a long time before saying, "They didn¡¯t invite me."


    She had been very firm when discussing the betrothal gifts for her brother¡¯s marriage, which hadpletely offended her sister-inw. Her parents didn¡¯t see her actions as being for the family¡¯s benefit but instead scolded her for meddling.


    Either provide the "three rounds and one sound" (traditional wedding gifts) or keep quiet.


    Her brother had pointed at her and called her a troublemaker.


    Her parents told her not toe back unless necessary.


    At the time, Liang Meifen had been deeply hurt, but what hurt even more was that her brother hadn¡¯t even told her about his wedding. Because she had offended her sister-inw, she wasn¡¯t invited. Of course, if she had money, she might still have been invited despite the offense, but she didn¡¯t have any.


    Her parents had noticed this and simply didn¡¯t invite her.


    If they had invited her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to give a proper gift¡ªmaybe just a dime or two¡ªand that would have made the new bride unhappy. So, they didn¡¯t even bother to tell her about the wedding.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan perked up at this, "They didn¡¯t tell you?"


    He stirred the pot, "That¡¯s really ungrateful of them. After all you¡¯ve done for them over the years, they¡¯re really kicking thedder away. Your brother¡¯s job was yours! That¡¯s worth 400 yuan!"


    A job was worth 400 yuan.


    Liang Meifen felt even more heartache. She clutched her chest and leaned on the table, saying, "My sister-inw is no good."


    "I think your brother is the worst. Your sister-inw might not know how much you¡¯ve done for the family or that your brother took your job, but your parents know, and your brother knows. And yet, he still mes you? He¡¯s not even human!"


    He cursed, "He¡¯s worse than an animal."


    He had only meant to stir things up, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He said, "No, I have to tell Mom about this. They didn¡¯t even invite you, their own sister, to the wedding. They clearly don¡¯t see you as family. I¡¯ll have Mom go and give them a piece of her mind."


    Liang Meifen¡¯s face turned pale, and she quickly said, "Let it go¡­ they¡¯re still my parents, and they did put me through school."


    "You¡¯ve already repaid them. How much have you given them over the years? Besides, your parents are one thing, but your brother? He¡¯s nothing!"


    He dered, "I¡¯ll get my younger brother toe with me. He¡¯s on good terms with Zhang San from the mechanical factory¡¯s security team. We¡¯ll go together and settle this."


    Liang Meifen was terrified and pleaded, "No, let it go."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan insisted, "How can we let it go? They¡¯ve gone too far."


    Liang Meifen said, "I¡¯ll ignore them from now on, really. If theye looking for trouble, I won¡¯t indulge them, but let¡¯s not¡­ make a scene."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "They¡¯re not afraid of making a scene, so why should we be?"


    "Please, no¡­"


    Their whispers weren¡¯t exactly quiet. Ming Mei, lying in bed reading a book, looked up and said, "What are your brother and sister-inw talking about? It sounds like they¡¯re bickering."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s fine."


    He added, "My brother knows what he¡¯s doing."


    He then asked, "Did the kids bother you today?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No, they were quite well-behaved."


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned down to listen to the baby¡¯s movements, and Ming Mei put her book down. She said, "Hey, you know Jiang Baohong from my workce, right?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "How could I not know her?"


    Ming Mei said, "She filed for divorce."


    Zhuang Zhixi looked up in surprise, "What? She didn¡¯t go to the northwest with her husband?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "No, she filed for divorce and came to the factory to get a reference letter. I really didn¡¯t expect that."


    "Married couples are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly their separate ways," Zhuang Zhixi remarked.


    Ming Mei pursed her lips, "It¡¯s not fair to say that. Her husband was fooling around with other women. Why should she stick with him through thick and thin? If he were a good man, then flying separately in times of trouble would be cruel. But in this case, her husband was no good."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "For other families, that might be true, but don¡¯t forget, I specifically looked into this woman. She got where she is entirely because of her husband¡¯s influence. She only has an elementary school education, no real skills or abilities. She climbed thedder using her husband¡¯s connections and stepping on others¡¯ achievements. So, it¡¯s not fair to act like she¡¯spletely innocent now."


    He had immediately gone to his mother-inw¡¯s house to ask about it when he heard the news. His mother-inw knew a lot.


    He had originally been thinking about how to avoid this woman, but the situation had taken an unexpected turn.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let¡¯s not worry about her. But I think even if she gets a divorce, she won¡¯t have an easy time in the future."


    Ming Mei agreed, "That¡¯s true."


    Although this person had not been at their workce for long, she had already caused quite a stir in other units due to her high-profile and arrogant demeanor, which likely earned her many enemies. Previously, her husband had been a vice director, so no one dared to cross her. After all, in that position, it was all too easy to make life difficult for others.


    But now things were different. Her husband had been transferred to another city, effectively sidelined. She was also in the process of getting a divorce, seemingly trying to distance herself from the mess. However, in the eyes of many, she not onlycked character but was also seen as kicking someone when they were down.


    Most men tend to side with their own kind, and when it came to Jiang Baohong, they certainly didn¡¯t have a favorable opinion of her. Zhuang Zhixi deduced that Jiang Baohong¡¯s days wouldn¡¯t be easy, but he felt no sympathy for her. Zhuang Zhixi wasn¡¯t a particrly sentimental person. He would sooner sympathize with Bai Fendou than with Jiang Baohong.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    At least Bai Fendou had grown up with him. Whether their rtionship was good or bad, they had known each other for over twenty years, since they were kids in split pants. Jiang Baohong? She was nothing to him.


    What¡¯s more, she had tried to climb up by stepping on his wife, Ming Mei, and Zhuang Zhixi truly despised her for that.


    As the couple chatted, the neighborhood buzzed with activity. Zhuang Zhixi was about to say something when a loud wail interrupted him.


    ¡°Grandma! Waaah¡­¡±


    The sound of a child¡¯s crying erupted, and Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei rushed to the window to see what was going on. Outside, they saw the three Su children, bruised and battered once again.


    It had only been a week since theyst got beaten up, and their injuries had just healed. How had they managed to get into trouble again so soon?


    Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu rushed out, hugging the children and crying, ¡°What happened? Who hit you? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Jii sobbed, ¡°We haven¡¯t had meat in so long¡­ waaah¡­¡±


    Toni, the younger one, chimed in, ¡°Big brother took us to steal meat from the front street, but we got caught and beaten up¡­¡±


    He rubbed his eyes, ¡°Luckily we ran fast, or they would¡¯ve dragged us to our parents¡­¡±


    Aunt Su cried as she held the children, ¡°Those heartless people! How can they be so selfish? What¡¯s wrong with the kids taking a little something?¡±


    The neighbors who hade out to see themotion exchanged nces, clearly displeased.


    ¡°Aunt Su, whether your kids are stealing or just taking things, it¡¯s none of our business. But if they dare toe into our homes and steal, I won¡¯t hesitate to break their legs.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s livingfortably here. Why should we give anything to your family?¡±


    People used to think Aunt Su was a decent person, buttely, her true colors were showing, and it wasn¡¯t a good look.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong, really¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough with the excuses. We won¡¯t tolerate thieves in our homes!¡±


    ¡°Neither will we.¡±


    Aunt Su wept bitterly, but the neighbors had seen enough. Everyone knew about her family¡¯s antics. After issuing their warnings, they all turned and went back inside.


    Wang Xiangxiu muttered curses under her breath, ¡°These heartless, ungrateful people.¡±


    She then added, ¡°That Hu Huihui still hasn¡¯te back.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Unable to wait for Hu Huihui to return and help, Wang Xiangxiu said, ¡°I¡¯ll steam some buns for you.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    ¡°Buns! Buns! Those cornbread buns are so bad.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they are.¡±


    ¡­


    Zhuang Zhixi pulled his head back from the window and said, ¡°See? There¡¯s no way those kids are being raised right.¡±


    Ming Mei, patting her belly, replied, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure our child isn¡¯t raised like that.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Ironically, the Su family¡¯s neglectful parenting style ended up benefiting the other families in the neighborhood. Because they didn¡¯t discipline their children, the Su kids had be the neighborhood troublemakers, like rats, cockroaches, and bedbugs.


    Whenever their names came up, people would shake their heads and sigh, saying those kids were destined for a life behind bars.


    It was truly pitiful.


    But because of the Su kids¡¯ bad behavior, the other children in the neighborhood were getting into less trouble. Parents, seeing the Su family¡¯s chaos, were more motivated to teach their own kids properly, fearing they might end up like the Su brothers. They knew that if they didn¡¯t discipline their children early, it would be tooteter on.


    This was absolutely uneptable.


    As a result, yearster, when people looked back, they realized that the children from their courtyard, the street, and even the surrounding areas had a remarkably high sess rate. The closer the kids lived to the Su brothers, the more sessful they tended to be.


    Would you believe it?


    In their entire alley, there were over twenty children. Aside from those who joined the military, every single one of them got into a proper school, with the least sessful attending a technical college. At that time, graduating from such schools guaranteed a job, which was essentially a lifelong career.


    When you thought about it, it was quite astonishing.


    Except for the Su family. Except for the Su family.


    All the other kids turned out to be somewhat sessful.


    Many yearster, when people reflected on it, they felt that it wasrgely because the Su children were so unruly that it scared the neighbors into being more diligent in raising their own kids. They had seen firsthand what happened when children weren¡¯t properly disciplined, and it motivated them to put in the effort.


    Compared to theissez-faire parenting stylemon at the time, they were much more attentive.


    Most childrenck self-discipline, but when parents put in the effort, the results can be quite remarkable.


    Of course, all of this was in the future.


    For now, the parents in the neighborhood were all busy lecturing their children.


    Even Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife stopped discussing family matters and went to their children¡¯s room to deliver a heartfelt pep talk.


    Little Hutou and Xiao Yanzi exchanged confused looks, not quite understanding what was going on.


    The same scene yed out in other households.


    Parents also made a point of warning their kids to stay away from Jii and his brothers and never bring them home. Those three troublemakers were known to steal, and the other children took the warning to heart.


    Truthfully, the other kids didn¡¯t y much with the Su brothers anyway. The three boys, being older and stronger, often ganged up to bully others. No one liked that kind of behavior, so they avoided them.


    The children¡¯s antics were just a small subplot. Everyone was already numb to the Su kids¡¯ stealing¡ªit wasn¡¯t the first time, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be thest.


    What mattered now was the real business at hand.


    Early the next morning, Bai Fendou took Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife to the workce. Zhuang Zhiyuan was mainly there for support, while Liang Meifen went with Bai Fendou to the personnel department toplete the necessary paperwork. Once the formalities were done, Zhuang Zhiyuan handed over the hefty sum of four hundred yuan to Bai Fendou.


    Bai Fendou breathed a sigh of relief.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan also felt a weight lift off his shoulders.


    His wife had been assigned to the third workshop as an apprentice fitter. In her first year, she would earn fifteen yuan and fifty cents. After a year, she would be promoted to a full-time position with a sry of twenty yuan and fifty cents. Once she became a full-time worker, she could apply for skill level exams, which were held every two years. If she passed the first level, her sry would increase to twenty-five yuan and fifty cents.


    Wang Xiangxiu, for example, was at the first level. Over the years, her sry increases had only been due to seniority, as she hadn¡¯t advanced in skill level.


    If she reached the second level, her sry would jump to thirty yuan and fifty cents.


    So, the only way to significantly increase one¡¯s sry was through skill level exams, where technical expertise was the key. Otherwise, relying solely on seniority would only result in a meager raise of fifty cents every two years.


    At the moment, Liang Meifen¡¯s sry was fifteen yuan and fifty cents. While this was nearly ten yuan less than the twenty-five yuan she could have earned as a cleaner, both Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen felt that the lower pay was worth it.


    Cleaning toilets had no future, but as a fitter, if she worked hard and honed her skills, her sry could steadily increase over time.


    Take Old Man Zhuang, for example. As a sixth-level riveter, he earned over sixty yuan, nearly seventy.


    Clearly, the higher the skill level, the more substantial the sry increase.


    Liang Meifen had confidence in herself. When it came to hard work, she wasn¡¯t one to back down.


    When Liang Meifen joined the factory, it caused quite a stir. It wasn¡¯t that she was particrly important, but everyone was surprised that Bai Fendou had so quickly ¡°given up¡± his father¡¯s job.


    Some families who were in need of work were kicking themselves, wishing they had seized the opportunity sooner.


    After all, no one expected that taking over Old Man Bai''s position would mean working in the factory workshop. Of course, even if it were in the restroom, many people would still want it. The workshop is even better¡ªit¡¯s a ce with potential.


    In short, everyone regretted not thinking of this sooner, as they were too busy watching themotion.


    However, despite everyone¡¯s frustration, if they were really asked to pay four hundred yuan, most of them probably wouldn¡¯t have been able toe up with the money. Ming Mei said that her family¡¯s ie could cover at least 95% of the poption, and she wasn¡¯t exaggerating.


    Nowadays, many families rely on a single worker to support the entire household. Families like Ming Mei¡¯s, with high wages and multiple workers, are truly rare.


    Saving money isn¡¯t easy.


    Bai Fendou, with the money in hand, pondered the next steps. He had already thought about it¡ªif his father¡¯s condition didn¡¯t improve, he would have to discharge him from the hospital to save some money. Just as he reached the door, he was grabbed by Li Si from the security department. Li Si said, ¡°Bai Fendou, why didn¡¯t you tell me you were selling your job? My family could have bought it. We used to be in the same department¡ªdo you think I would have shortchanged you?¡±


    He had a rtive who was also looking for a formal job to avoid being sent to the countryside.


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°I gave it to my cousin¡¯s wife.¡±


    What cousin¡¯s wife? Everyone knew it was Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s sister-inw from the propaganda department.


    No one had heard of any family ties between Zhuang Zhixi and Bai Fendou¡ªthey were just from the samepound.


    Li Si continued, ¡°Look at you, how much did they give you? Do you know your job could have sold for at least two hundred?¡±


    Bai Fendou scratched his ear, ¡°How much?¡±


    Li Si said, ¡°Two hundred!¡±


    He gritted his teeth and added, ¡°Two hundred and fifty would work too. Considering our good rtionship, I could have given you two hundred and fifty.¡±


    Bai Fendou: ¡°...¡±


    He felt like he was being treated like a fool.


    Two hundred or two hundred and fifty¡ªthat was the price from two years ago. Now, with so many people desperate to avoid being sent to the countryside, a formal job wasn¡¯t worth that little. Bai Fendou touched the four hundred yuan in his pocket, thinking that at least Zhuang Zhixi and his brother were honest.


    They didn¡¯t take him for a fool!


    What he hated most now was being treated like a fool.


    He gave Li Si a cold re and said, ¡°Do you believe I could kick you to death?¡±


    Li Si¡¯s face turned pale, and he quickly covered a certain area, stepping back a few paces.


    Bai Fendou spat, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    Then he walked away, leaving Li Si behind.


    These people were really too much¡ªwho did they think they could easily trick?


    Li Si watched Bai Fendou¡¯s retreating figure and scoffed, ¡°The swan you can¡¯t have is just a shoe I¡¯ve already worn!¡±


    But considering Bai Fendou¡¯s reputation as a ¡°man-killer,¡± he didn¡¯t dare chase after him.


    In truth, the Zhuang family had given Bai Fendou three hundred and fifty yuan, which was slightly higher than the usual price but not by much. However, including the fifty yuan they discussed for transferring the job, the total of four hundred yuan wasn¡¯t low for a job.


    Most people couldn¡¯t afford to pay that much.


    But Zhuang Zhixi had analyzed it for the family¡ªthis amount was the most appropriate. They couldn¡¯t have moved Liang Meifen from cleaning restrooms to the workshop for just fifty yuan on their own. But given Bai Fendou¡¯s current situation, the factory didn¡¯t want him causing trouble, so it was possible.


    Therefore, the fifty yuan given to Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t a loss.


    Adding it up to four hundred yuan, most people couldn¡¯t offer that much, so Bai Fendou wouldn¡¯t feel cheated or regret itter. Living in the samepound, it would be troublesome if Bai Fendou regretted the deal and caused problems.


    This amount was just right to solve the problem.


    As Zhuang Zhixi had predicted, Li Si also wanted the job, but his offer of two hundred, or at most two hundred and fifty, immediately angered Bai Fendou. He felt disrespected.


    After Bai Fendou sold his job, several coworkers visited him in the hospital.


    Of course, since the job was already sold, they couldn¡¯t take it.


    They came to inquire about the price, to use it as a reference for themselves.


    If they ever had to give up their jobs, they¡¯d know how much to ask for.


    But Bai Fendou was shrewd this time and didn¡¯t reveal the actual amount. Why should he tell the truth? These people hadn¡¯t been particrly kind to him. He counted the four hundred yuan and smiled smugly¡ªeven after paying the medical bills, he¡¯d still have a good amount left.


    Hehe.


    *******


    At the Su household.


    Aunt Su and her daughter-inw, Wang Xiangxiu, were among the first to hear that Bai Fendou had sold his job to Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife. Shocked but delighted, Aunt Su excitedly grabbed Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Xiangxiu, you can¡¯t afford to be prideful now. Bai Fendou likes you so much! Give him a chance.¡±


    She added, ¡°He¡¯s a bachelor¡ªdoes he even know how to spend money? Let¡¯s help him.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded eagerly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Biting her lip, she said excitedly, ¡°I wonder how much he sold it for.¡±


    Aunt Su replied, ¡°No matter the amount, it¡¯s definitely more than thepensation they gave you. After all, it¡¯s a formal job.¡±


    Her eyes sparkled with joy, ¡°We¡¯ll have money to spend too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw had grand ns, but they forgot one thing¡ªtoday¡¯s Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t the same as yesterday¡¯s Bai Fendou.


    Would they get their wish?


    Hmph!

 Chapter 119

    "What?!!!"


    Wang Xiangxiu never expected that she would be transferred to the sanitation department to clean toilets!


    She stared in disbelief at the personnel officer who came to inform her,pletely stunned. "Why are you transferring me to sanitation? I¡¯ve been doing well in the workshop. This is just bullying! You¡¯re taking advantage of me because I¡¯m a widow with a child."


    "That¡¯s not fair for you to say. If you put it that way, it¡¯spletely unreasonable. You¡¯ve been absent for ten consecutive days without even asking for leave. The factory has already been very lenient with you. Go out and ask around¡ªwould any other workce tolerate an employee being absent for ten days without notice? Transferring you to sanitation is already a consideration for your situation. Now you¡¯re trying to turn the tables. There¡¯s no logic in that. I¡¯m a woman too, and I¡¯m not trying to make things difficult for you. But our work is about serving the people, and no matter the position, we can all contribute and shine."


    Wang Xiangxiu was taken aback, suddenly realizing that she indeed hadn¡¯t asked for leave.


    That day, she had gone straight from the police station to the hospital. The next day, she got caught up in the fight between Bai Fendou and Vice Director Cai, and afterward, she had been hospitalized,pletely forgetting about requesting leave. As for after being discharged, she hadn¡¯t rushed back to work either.


    In her mind, she was the "victim," so what was wrong with taking a few extra days off? The factory should have granted her sick leave.


    "But... but... this isn¡¯t my fault! And the factory sent someone to the hospital to check on me, didn¡¯t they?" Wang Xiangxiu felt deeply wronged and tried to defend herself.


    The personnel officer replied, "Yes, someone from the factory did go to the hospital to investigate because it involved multiple parties. But that doesn¡¯t mean you can just skip asking for leave. Besides, we know you¡¯ve been home for two days since being discharged. You could have easilye in to submit a leave request. Wang Xiangxiu, this is a factory, not a ce where you can do as you please."


    The officer grew impatient and said, "Go report to the sanitation department now. If you make a fuss or refuse to go, you can go home, and it¡¯ll count as another day of absence. If you¡¯re still unhappy, go talk to the higher-ups. But don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you¡ªthe leadership has already reviewed your work records in the workshop, and that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been transferred. They don¡¯t want you holding back the other workers. Over the years, your performance evaluations have been mediocre at best."


    In this era, most people worked diligently, so someone like Wang Xiangxiu, who cked off, stood out like a sore thumb. The workshop supervisor had long wanted to get rid of her but hadn¡¯t found the right opportunity. Now that the leadership had taken the initiative, the supervisor had quickly filled in the gaps.


    Every year during the internal evaluations, Wang Xiangxiu had barely scraped by.


    Looking at the personnel officer¡¯s expression, Wang Xiangxiu felt a pang of sadness but still said, "I¡¯ll go ask around. This isn¡¯t right!"


    Deep down, she knew her chances of sess were slim.


    After all, the supervisor had always disliked her for herck of effort. She had even considered trying to seduce him, but he was a stern and upright man. If she spoke softly, he would scold her.


    He also never allowed himself to be alone with her, always keeping his guard up.


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, knowing it was unlikely, but she still clung to a sliver of hope as she headed to the workshop.


    As soon as she arrived, she spotted Liang Meifen working alongside Sister Zhu in the workshop. It seemed Sister Zhu was responsible for training Liang Meifen. When Wang Xiangxiu first started, she had also been under Sister Zhu¡¯s guidance, but because she often shirked her duties and relied on male coworkers to do her work, Sister Zhu had eventually given up on her.


    Later, she had been assigned to several other trainers, but none of them stuck with her either.


    Still, she had a decent rapport with the male coworkers in the workshop.


    After all, in a machinery factory like this, female workers were rare, and attractive ones even more so.


    She red at Liang Meifen with envy. This wretched woman had already lost one job, yet she managed to get a second one. Why was she so fortunate? Why did Zhuang Zhiyuan let her off so easily?


    Even Zhao Guihua, who was usually so harsh, hadn¡¯t scolded or beaten her!


    The more Wang Xiangxiu thought about it, the more her jealousy burned.


    She believed she was far more attractive than Liang Meifen. In her opinion, even Ming Mei only had youth on her side. If Ming Mei were her age, she might not have the same charm. As for Liang Meifen, she was just an average-looking woman.


    She stared venomously at Liang Meifen, unable to understand how someone so disloyal could keep improving her life. The Zhuang family had even been willing to spend money on her. Meanwhile, a woman as good as herself had nothing.


    Life was always so unfair.


    "Wang Xiangxiu, what are you doing here? Weren¡¯t you transferred out?"


    The workshop supervisor came out to inspect the work and saw Wang Xiangxiu standing to the side, ring resentfully at the workers. He immediately grew wary, worried she might be there to cause trouble. He said sternly, "You¡¯re no longer a worker in this workshop. Leave now, or I¡¯ll have to suspect you¡¯re here with malicious intentions."


    Hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. "Supervisor, can I be transferred back? Everything was fine¡ªwhy was I transferred? I¡¯ve always done well in the workshop. Please, let mee back. I¡¯m a widow with a child, and life is hard for us..."


    The supervisor replied bluntly, "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. Cleaning toilets pays about the same as working in the workshop. After all, you haven¡¯t made any progress in the workshop over the years, so your rank hasn¡¯t increased, and your sry hasn¡¯t gone up either. Cleaning toilets pays 25 yuan, while in the workshop, you only made 26.5 yuan. Your rank hasn¡¯t changed, so your sry won¡¯t increase. The only difference is the 0.5 yuan raise every two years for seniority. The factory leadership has considered your family situation and decided not to change your sry. Even though you¡¯re cleaning toilets now, your pay will remain the same. It¡¯s just a different job. Frankly, your performance as a mechanic has been subpar. You wouldn¡¯t have advanced in the workshop anyway, so it¡¯s better not to hold back the others. Maybe sanitation is more suitable for you. Oh, and the leadership also said your seniority will continue to rue. In two years, you¡¯ll still get the seniority raise, just like in the workshop. This is a special consideration for your family¡¯s circumstances. Even Bai Fendou, who also cleans toilets, doesn¡¯t get this treatment. You should be grateful to the factory and the leadership. There¡¯s no hierarchy in work. Now go report for duty."


    He spoke quickly and decisively, then waved her off. "If you don¡¯t report today, it¡¯ll count as another day of absence. This is a factory, not your backyard. You can¡¯t just do as you please."


    Wang Xiangxiu stammered, "But..."


    Her words were cut off.


    She had wanted to use her family¡¯s poverty as an excuse, but even that had been taken into ount.


    For a moment, she was at a loss for words.


    "Go on, this isn¡¯t the ce for you. If anything happens here, I¡¯ll have to suspect you¡¯re trying to disrupt unity," the stern-faced supervisor said, clearly fed up with herck of ambition.


    Wang Xiangxiu grabbed his arm. "Supervisor, let¡¯s go to your office. I need to talk to you..."


    "Enough, Wang Xiangxiu! Don¡¯t try your tricks on me. Get out!!!" The moment he saw her batting her eyshes, he knew what she was up to. Over the years, she had tried to seduce him too many times.


    He was a good man who never fell for it.


    Although his wife wasn¡¯t as young or attractive as Wang Xiangxiu, she had far better character. He red at her in disgust. "Out!"


    "Supervisor..."


    "This workshop isn¡¯t where you belong. Out!"


    Seeing no hope of persuasion, Wang Xiangxiu left in tears. She took a deep breath and headed to the leadership office. She refused to believe that none of them would be tempted by her beauty.


    If even one was, she could get what she wanted.


    And indeed, there were some who were tempted. No matter the era, there were always those who had such inclinations. But even so, none of them gave in to Wang Xiangxiu.


    Vice Director Cai was a man with a clear reputation, and no one dared to mess with a poisonous widow like Wang Xiangxiu. What if she turned around and bit them? Wang Xiangxiu might have thought she had the upper hand, that she had fooled everyone, but in reality, she hadn¡¯t fooled anyone. Anyone who gave it a moment¡¯s thought could see there was something off about her.


    Vice Director Cai, no matter how desperate he was, still had his status and position. He wouldn¡¯t stoop to forcing himself on Wang Xiangxiu.


    Although the storyter changed, Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s aggressive demeanor made it clear to everyone that they should avoid any deeper interactions with her. Besides, wasn¡¯t she somewhat of a jinx when it came to men?


    Her own husband was gone; Yu Baoshan, who was rumored to have slept with her, had died; Vice Director Cai, who had dealings with her, had been sent to the northwest; and Bai Fendou¡­ well, that goes without saying. Everyone had seen how much money he had spent on her, only to end up childless.


    There was definitely something unsettling about her, and people couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit afraid.


    After failing to find sess elsewhere, Wang Xiangxiu had no choice but to head to the logistics department. She couldn¡¯t afford to miss another day of work. If she were marked as absent again, what would she do?


    The logistics department was well aware of her situation and didn¡¯t treat her with much kindness. The section chief immediately said, ¡°Go get to work. Bai Fendou is back on duty today.¡±


    Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t fully recovered, but he couldn¡¯t afford to stay home. He had just sold his job position and paid a fee of 130 yuan. Fortunately, the factory covered most of the expenses, or the cost would have been even higher. After all, his father had been hospitalized after being hit with a brick, and the bill was still unpaid. Bai Fendou himself had also been hit and rendered infertile, and his father¡¯s emergency treatment was still outstanding. With so many unpaid bills, 130 yuan was already a bargain.


    He originally had 70 yuan saved up, including some private savings and 100 yuan from Jiang Lu aspensation. After spending some on recing a window, he had 70 yuan left. Now, after selling his job position for 400 yuan, he had 340 yuan in hand. But he didn¡¯t dare spend a single cent. He had to start nning for his old age.


    Since he was destined to have no children, he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless anymore.


    When Bai Fendou and Wang Xiangxiu ran into each other in the restroom, Bai Fendou felt like enemies meeting face-to-face, his eyes zing with anger. Wang Xiangxiu, however, immediately cooed, ¡°Fendou, what are you doing here? Do you know how much I¡¯ve missed you?¡±


    She spoke softly, ¡°You¡¯re back at work already? Why didn¡¯t you take a few more days off?¡±


    Now that Bai Fendou had money, Wang Xiangxiu was more than willing to cozy up to him.


    But Bai Fendou was cold. ¡°Get the hell away from me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu pouted, ¡°Why are you talking to me like that? If you keep this up, I won¡¯t pay attention to you anymore.¡±


    Bai Fendou retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t need your attention.¡±


    The section chief nced between the two of them and said, ¡°Alright, get to work. Just so you know, cleaning the restrooms isn¡¯t divided by gender. Wang Xiangxiu, you¡¯re responsible for the east side, and Bai Fendou, you¡¯re on the west side.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s face changed. ¡°Not divided by gender?¡±


    The section chief replied, ¡°Of course not! Women make up less than one-tenth of the workforce here, and there aren¡¯t many restrooms. Dividing them by gender would be unfair. Don¡¯t even think about it. Now, get to work. The restrooms have been a messtely.¡±


    The regr restroom cleaners hadn¡¯t beening in, so the logistics department had to send others to help out every three days. It wasn¡¯t as clean as when they were cleaned daily. The restrooms were in a terrible state.


    ¡°Get to work!¡±


    The section chief reminded them once more before leaving.


    Bai Fendou sneered, picked up his broom, and walked away.


    Wang Xiangxiu called out, ¡°Fendou?¡±


    Bai Fendou snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare call me!¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu hadn¡¯t expected such a harsh reception on her first day back. But she couldn¡¯t afford to quit. She swallowed her disgust, tears silently streaming down her face. How had Wang Xiangxiu fallen so low?


    She was furious but powerless. This was her reality now, and there was no way to change it. She had no choice but to endure. Cleaning the restrooms left her reeking of filth. How could she ever¡­


    She was so worried, all she could do was hope for the day to end quickly. She needed her mother-inw to give her some advice.


    At this moment, she deeply resented Liang Meifen. If Liang Meifen hadn¡¯t moved to the workshop, would Wang Xiangxiu have ended up cleaning restrooms? She had taken over the job of cleaning restrooms, so why had Liang Meifen gone to the workshop? Wang Xiangxiu was furious.


    She also hated Bai Fendou. That fool didn¡¯t know who to side with. He had money but didn¡¯t hand it over to her to manage, and he had even helped Liang Meifen.


    Damn him!


    She worked with venom in her heart, her eyes dark and brooding.


    Cleaning the restrooms felt like an eternity to Wang Xiangxiu. When she was in the workshop, she could easily ck off and get male coworkers to help her. But this job offered no such help. She was exhausted, panting heavily.


    That day, male workers deliberately came to her side of the restroom, pointing andughing at her.


    Theirughter was lewd.


    There were plenty ofments, both good and bad.


    Of course, some went to Bai Fendou¡¯s side too. After all, Bai Fendou was a well-known figure in the factory. Among men, the banter was more direct. Even though Bai Fendou was no longer a man, several brave souls couldn¡¯t resist teasing him that morning.


    Several fights broke out as a result.


    This was only because Bai Fendou had a reputation as a man-killer. Without that reputation, things would have been even more chaotic. Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help but lean out the window to watch themotion several times. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that his sister-inw was the one who had bought Old Bai¡¯s job, Zhuang Zhixi would have gone down to join the spectacle.


    Old Huang watched Zhuang Zhixi pacing back and forth and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°There¡¯s a fight downstairs.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°There are really some brave souls out there, daring to mess with Bai Fendou.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they dare? Bai Fendou can¡¯t just go around neutering everyone, can he?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned on the windowsill and mused, ¡°I thought he¡¯d take a few more days off. I didn¡¯t expect him to be back at work so soon.¡±


    ¡°When there¡¯s illness in the family, you have to earn more. What else can you do?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true. Illness is the worst.¡±


    As they spoke, Sister Cui came over and watched for a while before turning around. ¡°Hey, Little Xu, what¡¯s going on with youtely? You look worse than Bai Fendou, and he¡¯s injured.¡±


    Little Xu, aside from going to the countryside to show movies, seemed to be on the verge of copse. He spent all day slumped over his desk, as if he could never get enough sleep.


    He was practically a sleep god.


    Little Xu had changed quite a bit recently. In the past, he was always trying to climb thedder, constantly scheming and ttering the bosses with gusto.


    But in thest two months, he seemed like apletely different person.


    He was like a schr drained of his vitality by a seductive fox spirit, exuding an air of weakness. Despite sleeping so much, his energy levels were far worse than Bai Fendou¡¯s.


    Bai Fendou, who wasn¡¯t even a man anymore, could still swing a broom around with vigor, looking like he could take on the world. But Little Xu? He looked pitiful just sitting there.


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep going like this. You should go to the clinic.¡±


    Little Xu shook his head, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine.¡±


    Little Xu insisted, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Old Huang chimed in, ¡°I think you should settle down. A man needs a wife to take care of him. That would make a big difference.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t particrly close to Little Xu, but given Little Xu¡¯s recent decline, everyone in the department feltpelled to offer some advice.


    ¡°Yeah, having a wife would help.¡±


    At this, Little Xu¡¯s eyes widened. He stood up abruptly and dered, ¡°I¡¯m dedicating my life to my career! Marriage is just a stumbling block on the path to sess. I don¡¯t need it for now!¡±


    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked, ¡°But you¡¯re sleeping all day. How¡¯s that going to help your career?¡±


    It¡¯d be faster to seed in his dreams.


    Little Xu shot Zhuang Zhixi a re, ¡°What you see as me sleeping is actually me meditating. I¡¯m thinking about how to improve my movie projection skills.¡±


    Everyone: ¡°¡­¡±


    Yeah, right.


    Little Xu: "Zhuang Zhixi, you''re still young and don''t understand how family responsibilities can sap a person''s fighting spirit. I''m determined to dedicate my life to my career."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "...Oh."


    If it weren''t for the fact that so many men had been acting strangelytely, making it theoretically unlikely, he would have thought Little Xu might have gone off the rails too. Otherwise, how could he say something so bizarre? The words themselves were normal, buting from Little Xu¡ªa guy who sleeps on the job and takes things from the vigers when sent to the countryside¡ªit wasughable to hear him talk about lofty ideals.


    Still, it was clear that Little Xu seemed genuinely afraid of marriage.


    "Hey, are you okay? Have you gone off the deep end too? Why are you so scared of getting married?"


    It wasn¡¯t just Zhuang Zhixi who thought this; others did too.


    Little Xu immediately raised his voice: "What nonsense! I''m a real man. If you don¡¯t believe me, check in the bathroom. I can still¡ª"


    He abruptly stopped himself, cutting off what he was about to say.


    He wasn¡¯t weak, after all. He could go four or five times in one night,sting three or four hours.


    Otherwise, how could Jiang Lu have taken an interest in him?


    But at the thought of Jiang Lu, he deted. He quickly said, "Stop talking nonsense. I''m going to take a nap."


    Everyone exchanged nces: "..."


    Those who liked to stir up trouble wondered if he was possessed.


    Little Xu: I¡¯m not possessed. I¡¯m just drained.


    Little Xu: Back to sleep.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He really envied Little Xu¡¯s ability to fall asleep the moment hey down.


    "Xiao Zhuang,e downstairs with me to update the bulletin board. With all the recent rain, there have been some idents. We need to remind everyone how to handle rainy days."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure."


    Their propaganda department handled these small, mundane tasks.


    Zhuang Zhixi followed Old Huang downstairs and quickly got to work. Though their department didn¡¯t seem particrly busy, they were efficient at getting things done. Over the past few months, Zhuang Zhixi had been working closely with Old Huang, and no matter what they did, the results had improved dramatically.


    As he helped Old Huang with the bulletin board, he caught a glimpse of Yang Lixin leaving the factory.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow.


    It wasn¡¯t even time to clock out yet.


    Yang Lixin didn¡¯t know Zhuang Zhixi had seen him. After leaving the factory, he didn¡¯t head back to thepound. Instead, he wandered around the streets for a while, then turned into a small alley. Up ahead was the ck market.


    The reason he¡¯d left work early today was because he had an important mission.


    His mother-inw had tasked him with buying some grain. Yang Lixin thought it waspletely unnecessary and overly cautious, but in his household, he didn¡¯t have the final say. So, he had no choice but to follow orders.


    However, going to the ck market was risky, and he was extremely careful, afraid of getting caught. If he were caught, it could ruin his career.


    He grumbled inwardly about his mother-inw stirring up trouble for no reason, but as a live-in son-inw, he didn¡¯t even receive his own sry. So, Yang Lixin had no choice but to obey. He slipped into the ck market. If you were carrying a basket or bundles of goods to sell, you had to pay an entrance fee.


    There were lookouts at the alley entrance, and they didn¡¯t work for free.


    But if you were a buyer, no one charged you.


    This was mainly due to the difference in roles.


    Yang Lixin was extremely cautious, but that wasn¡¯t unusual. Anyone who wasn¡¯t careful in the ck market would be suspicious. Just as Yang Lixin entered, Zhao Guihua was leaving with her purchases. She spotted Yang Lixin but didn¡¯t call out to him. Instead, she ducked into a corner, waited for him to pass, and then carried her sack of flour out.


    She had bought a full sack of white flour¡ªtwenty pounds.


    The ck market didn¡¯t require ration tickets, but the prices were much higher than at the grain store. Even so, Zhao Guihua bought it. Others might just buy a little as a backup, but Zhao Guihua knew that this year, there would definitely be a grain shortage.


    This was only the first day. She nned to buy more tomorrow.


    After all, people still needed to eat.


    Zhao Guihua carried the sack of flour, ncing around as she left the ck market. She quickly made her way home and stored the flour in her bedroom, covering it with something. This amount wasn¡¯t nearly enough, but she wasn¡¯t just going to buy white flour. She¡¯d also get some mixed grain and cornmeal. Though cornmeal wasn¡¯t very tasty, it could serve as an emergency ration. It was cheap, after all.


    Zhao Guihua did some calctions and felt that the money she had on hand would suffice.


    She didn¡¯t say much to her children about it.


    Normally, rationed white flour cost 0.18 yuan per catty. Today, she bought it for 0.21 yuan at the ck market. But when grain became scarce, the price wouldn¡¯t stay this low. Even though it seemed like she was spending more now, it wasn¡¯t a loss.


    "Aunt Zhao, are you back?" Wang Zhaodi called from the doorway.


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, what is it?"


    Wang Zhaodi: "I made you a pair of shoes. Try them on and see if they fit."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, you shouldn¡¯t have."


    She came out and saw Wang Zhaodi holding a pair of cloth shoes. "They look nice, but you really didn¡¯t have to make these for me."


    Wang Zhaodi smiled shyly. "It¡¯s the least I could do. I¡¯ve borrowed your fishing rod several times, and you never asked for anything in return. Making you a pair of shoes is the right thing to do. I just provided thebor; Jiang Lu paid for the materials."


    Zhao Guihua protested politely but quickly tried on the shoes. "These are really good. You¡¯re quite skilled."


    Wang Zhaodi beamed. "I¡¯m d you like them."


    Zhao Guihua examined the shoes closely. "Your stitching is excellent. Alright, I¡¯ll take them. Feel free to borrow the fishing rod anytime. Don¡¯t be shy."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded vigorously.


    Even before she gave Aunt Zhao the shoes, Aunt Zhao had never hesitated to lend her the fishing rod. Wang Zhaodi knew how rare such kindness was. In her vige, no one would lend out something as valuable as a fishing rod or, no matter what you offered in return. They were too afraid it would get damaged with too much use.


    Her uncle had a fishing rod, and even her father couldn¡¯t borrow it.


    So, Wang Zhaodi was deeply grateful that Aunt Zhao treated her like family. Zhao Guihua: "Come sit."


    Wang Zhaodi: "I¡¯ll grab my sewing basket. I¡¯m still working on clothes for the baby."


    Zhao Guihua: "Oh, you¡¯re starting so early?"


    Wang Zhaodi nodded. "I¡¯m afraid... well, I¡¯d better prepare for Jiang Lu early."


    She pursed her lips. "If I go back home, it won¡¯t be a problem."


    Zhao Guihua understood. Wang Zhaodi hade to help Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu with their child, but now that Zhou Qun was incapacitated, there was no need for a child. She hadn¡¯t left yet because Jiang Lu still needed her, but if Aunt Zhou returned, Jiang Lu might not need her anymore.


    Wang Zhaodi didn¡¯t ask for much money, but she ate a lot.


    This skinny little girl ate more than a grown man.


    It was likely that Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun together couldn¡¯t match Wang Zhaodi¡¯s appetite. With grain being so precious, it was understandable if they didn¡¯t want to keep supporting her.


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t want to interfere too much in other people¡¯s affairs, but she said, "Don¡¯t overthink it. Just stay here for now. When Aunt Zhoues back, they¡¯ll discuss it."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded. "I know."


    She was already mentally prepared.


    Her own parents hadined about how much she ate, so of course others would too.


    She was used to it, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling attached to the people in thispound. She took a deep breath. "If I leave, I¡¯ll miss you a lot."


    Zhao Guihua smiled. "Don¡¯t worry too much, little one. Where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for a suitable young man in the city. If you can marry into the city, that would be ideal."


    Originally, Bai Fendou from theirpound would have been a good match.


    Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªBai Fendou had his ws, but in the countryside, especially in Wang Zhaodi¡¯s remote mountain vige, life was tough. Families wererge, and poverty was rampant. If Wang Zhaodi married Bai Fendou, it would be a step up.


    A man with a city home and a stable job was considered top-tier.


    Jiang Lu¡¯s earlier idea wasn¡¯t meant to harm Wang Zhaodi but to genuinely consider her future.


    However, things are different now, so in reality, Wang Zhaodi still isn''t a good match for Bai Fendou. But no one could introduce Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou either, as he¡¯s no longer capable, and there¡¯s no chance of him having a child in the future.


    If a woman were to marry him, it would truly be a life of misery. Wouldn¡¯t that just be a living widowhood?


    In this era, people ce an incredibly high value on continuing the family line. Not having children is a huge deal. Take Li the Cook and his wife, for example. Their family conditions aren¡¯t bad, but because they don¡¯t have a son, they¡¯ve been looked down upon for years.


    This is something people decadester can¡¯t even imagine, but that¡¯s just how it is now.


    If it weren¡¯t for the early decision that Li Fang would find a man to marry into their family, Li the Cook probably wouldn¡¯t even have any spirit left in him.


    This is also why Jiang Lu was bullied so much by the Zhou family without fighting back¡ªit was because she didn¡¯t have children. It seems like this issue is the biggest deal of all. Wang Zhaodi, after all, is still a young girl. If she were to marry Bai Fendou, her life might be better than in the countryside, but the pressure would undoubtedly be immense.


    A man who can¡¯t perform and no children¡ªhow would people outside view her? What would they specte about her? You don¡¯t even need to think about it.


    She¡¯s still young and might not be able to withstand such gossip.


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s mind raced with thoughts, but she still said, ¡°I¡¯ll look into it for you, but you know, anyone who¡¯s looking for a girl from the countryside probably doesn¡¯t have great conditions... Even then, it¡¯s not guaranteed, but we¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi was stunned for a moment, then her eyes turned red. She whispered, ¡°Thank you. I know you¡¯re doing this for my sake.¡±


    Zhao Guihua waved it off. ¡°No need to thank me. We don¡¯t even know if there¡¯s a suitable match yet. Let me talk to Jiang Lu and see what she thinks. We¡¯ll rally themunity to help.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi knew that even with this, the chances were slim. Such good fortune was rare.


    But she was still deeply moved, feeling warmth in her heart.


    She said, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re so good to me. You treat me even better than my own mother.¡±


    After a pause, she added, ¡°Sister Jiang Lu is also very kind to me, and so is Aunt Zhou¡­¡±


    Even though everyone says Aunt Zhou isn¡¯t a good person, being harsh and cruel, Wang Zhaodi had only interacted with her for a little over a day. In that short time, Aunt Zhou had treated her well.


    She didn¡¯t care what others said; she only cared about how she was treated.


    Back at home, because she ate a lot, her mother once said she regretted not drowning her at birth! The rtionship between her and her sisters wasn¡¯t great either, as everyone fought over every bite of food.


    Because she ate so much, she did the most work every day, but still, no one liked her.


    But here, she felt that this ce was good.


    Aunt Zhao was kind, Aunt Wang was kind, and Sister Jiang Lu was even kinder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just work hard!¡± she encouraged herself. ¡°Work harder! Even if I have to go back, I¡¯ll make sure to finish all the little tasks Sister Jiang Lu asked me to do.¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    Curious, she asked, ¡°Zhaodi, what¡¯s your hometown like?¡±


    Wang Zhaodi replied, ¡°My home is in a mountain valley.¡±


    At that moment, Aunt Wang and a few other women from the backyard came over, joining them with their needlework and adding to the conversation.


    Wang Zhaodi continued, ¡°To get here from my home, you have to transfer buses several times.¡±


    Even though they¡¯re both rural areas, the viges around the capital are much wealthier than others. Wang Zhaodi¡¯s hometown, on the other hand, is quite poor. Geographically, it¡¯s not even within the capital¡¯s boundaries anymore; it¡¯s part of Hebei Province.


    She exined, ¡°It takes three hours just to walk to themune from our vige. We only have one ox cart in the vige, and it¡¯s used for plowing the fields. If we want to go to themune, we have to leave early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Your life must be quite tough,¡± someone remarked.


    Wang Zhaodi nodded. ¡°Yes, it is. Even the wealthiest families in our vige don¡¯t eat as well as many families here. My family is even worse off. We have a lot of children, my father needs supplements, and my mother needs medicine, so life is even harder for us.¡±


    Zhao Guihua sighed, ¡°Even though your vige isn¡¯t too far from the capital, it¡¯s not exactly remote. Howe it¡¯s so poor?¡±


    Wang Zhaodi hesitated for a moment, then said softly, ¡°Actually, our vige wasn¡¯t the poorest in the area before, but something happened, and things got worse. People from outside stoppeding to our vige.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips, hesitant, but eventually spoke up. ¡°A long time ago, our vige used to sell eggs. Back then, it wasn¡¯t as strict as it is now. People didn¡¯t strictly raise just two chickens; they secretly raised five or six more. The eggs could be exchanged for goods or used to supplement nutrition. They were like a form of currency. But we rarely took them to themune¡¯s distribution center to sell. It¡¯s a three-hour walk from our vige, and the road is rough. Sometimes the eggs would break, which was a big loss. Plus, people werezy and didn¡¯t want to waste hours walking to the city, so they preferred to trade among themselves. Later, a peddler came to our vige to buy eggs for three cents each. The vigers all saved up their eggs to sell to him. Everyone was happy to earn a little extra money.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that spection and profiteering?¡± someone interjected.


    Aunt Wang pinched the woman who spoke, and she quickly rified, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi exined, ¡°That was a few years ago. It wasn¡¯t as strict as it is now. It wasn¡¯t allowed, but it wasn¡¯t heavily enforced either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably like the pigeon market, where people sell small amounts of their home produce. It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± Zhao Guihua chimed in, and Aunt Wang nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s probably the case.¡±


    It¡¯s only in recent years that such activities have been strictly prohibited. In the past, selling a few eggs from home-raised chickens at the pigeon market wasn¡¯t considered spection and profiteering, as long as it wasn¡¯t inrge quantities.


    Selling eggs wasn¡¯t a big deal, but the person buying them definitely was engaging in spection.


    ¡°Everything was going fine for almost a year, but then Uncle Qini, the vige head¡¯s son, said we were being cheated. He worked as a temporaryborer at themune and came back after hearing about it. He said we were being shortchanged. It turned out he happened to know the peddler who came to our vige to buy eggs. The peddler divided the eggs into three grades: four cents, four and a half cents, and five cents. But he only paid three cents when buying them. When the vigers found out, they were furious. They felt that raising chickens and collecting eggs was hard work, while the peddler made a tidy profit just by reselling them. They demanded not only to raise the price but also to bepensated for the difference from the past year.¡±


    ¡°How much did you want to raise the price?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°They said the peddler should only make a fraction of a cent per egg. They wanted to divide the eggs into three grades again: four-cent eggs would be sold for three and nine-tenths cents, four-and-a-half-cent eggs would be¡­ They argued that the peddler was just a middleman and didn¡¯t deserve to make so much. A fraction of a cent per egg was already plenty. On top of that, they demandedpensation of at least a hundred yuan for the past year¡¯s sales.¡±


    Zhao Guihua listened, feeling a mix of emotions. She thought the vigers were¡­ well, not the sharpest tools in the shed.


    ¡°Later, when the vendor came back to collect eggs, the vigers blocked him, insisting that he had to buy them at their price. Otherwise, they would report him for spection. The man was cornered and agreed, but he said he didn¡¯t bring enough money and needed to go back to fetch more, promising to return the next day. The vigers were thrilled with their victory. However, Uncle Qini remarked that the man looked shifty and might bring reinforcements the next day, possibly reneging on the deal. He suggested calling the spection office to arrest them, teaching them a lesson so they¡¯d behave in the future. Everyone thought it was a good idea, but the next day, no one showed up. The vige was scolded, and Uncle Qini led a group to themune to demand an exnation. Instead, they returned with broken legs. It turned out the vige¡¯s informants had been tailed, and the vendors knew about the spection office. They refused to deal with the vige, calling them greedy. From then on, no vendors came to the vige. Later, when poultry farming was strictly controlled, anyone caught raising an extra chicken was reported. Vigers trying to sell anything at the collection station were constantly harassed. The vendors despised the vige and continued to cause trouble¡­ so the vige grew poorer and poorer.¡±


    Everyone listening to Wang Zhaodi¡¯s story about why her vige was so poor didn¡¯t know what to say.


    How could they even respond?


    It was essentially a self-inflicted disaster.


    Aunt Wang: ¡°If they¡¯re arguing over a fraction of a cent per egg, they¡¯re probably losing money. They havebor costs, and as you said, the journey takes over three hours on rough roads. There¡¯s bound to be breakage and losses, which they have to ount for¡­ Not that I¡¯m defending the vendors. They¡¯re no saints for targeting your vige, but the whole mess started because of your own actions.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi nodded: ¡°I know. Some in the vige are aware too, but everyone just wanted to make more money, thinking only of their own gain and expecting others to help for free. That¡¯s how it ended up. Uncle Qini, the one I mentioned, still walks with a limp. The vige is now divided into two factions. One side follows the vige head, and the other mes Uncle Qini for causing trouble. That¡¯s why our vige is so poor. Nearby viges don¡¯t want to marry their daughters or sons to anyone from our vige. They say we¡¯re foolish, vicious, and brainless. They think girls shouldn¡¯t marry into suffering here, and boys shouldn¡¯t bring our vige girls home to cause trouble.¡±


    In the past, Wang Zhaodi wouldn¡¯t have shared this, but since Zhao Guihua offered to help her find a match, she decided to be upfront. Their vige had a bad reputation. No one from nearby viges wanted to marry into their vige, let alone someone from the city.


    Although she wanted to marry into the city, she didn¡¯t want to deceive anyone.


    ¡°My younger sister is already engaged, waiting to marry in a couple of years, but I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Why? If your sister is engaged, why aren¡¯t you, as the older sister?¡±


    Everyone was curious.


    Wang Zhaodi was a bit embarrassed but exined: ¡°Because I eat a lot. My appetite is huge, enough for several people, but I can¡¯t work as hard as several people. So no one wants to marry me.¡±


    That¡¯s why she was sent out.


    Still, Wang Zhaodi added: ¡°Even though I eat a lot, my family¡¯s food is divided equally. I don¡¯t get more than anyone else. I find my own food outside, like picking fruit or catching fish, but because I sneak food, my parents don¡¯t like me much. I¡¯m not very favored at home.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°That¡¯s not fair. I¡¯ve experienced hunger myself. If your appetite is naturally big and your family¡¯s rations are limited, what else can you do? You can¡¯t just starve.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just how you¡¯re born. What can you do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Besides, I think you¡¯re quite capable.¡±


    Everyone was hardworking, but no one was as diligent as Wang Zhaodi. The Zhou family¡¯s home was now well-organized thanks to her. She even caught fish to improve their meals, which was no small feat.


    Everyone thought Wang Zhaodi was quite impressive, but when it came to considering her as a match for themselves or their rtives, they hesitated. After all, rural households didn¡¯t have grain quotas, and her appetite was too much for most families to handle.


    While they couldn¡¯t consider her for their own families, they were willing to help her find someone else.


    The conversation continued, and the atmosphere grew lively.


    Aunt Su was resting at home. She had initially thought about joining the gathering, but after spending so much time lying in the hospital, she¡¯d grown used to napping at this hour and decided to stay in. When she woke up, she heard the chatter outside.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Peeking out the window, she saw everyone talking to Wang Zhaodi and sneered.


    A country girl, mingling with everyone like she belonged. How dare she?


    Aunt Su had thought that since she was the one who introduced Wang Zhaodi, the girl should be grateful and treat her like royalty, taking on all the household chores. But instead, Wang Zhaodi had immediately sided with the Zhou family,pletely ignoring Aunt Su¡¯s household.


    This ingrate.


    A thankless wretch.


    Her family seemed cursed. Wang Zhaodi was an ingrate, and Hu Huihui was no better. After handing over her earnings, she barely showed her face except to sleep. If asked to do anything, she¡¯d just ignore it.


    Aunt Su: ¡°These girls are all worthless. In the old days, they¡¯d have been sent to the brothels.¡±


    She spat a few times, growing more displeased.


    Zhao Guihua noticed a gaze and turned to see Aunt Su¡¯s venomous look before she could hide it.


    Yikes!


    That was terrifying.


    She rolled her eyes and called out loudly: ¡°Aunt Su, if you want to listen,e out and join us. What are you doing, sneaking around like that?¡±


    Aunt Su: ¡°Who are you calling sneaky? How dare you speak to me like that!¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Who else? That look of yours just scared me.¡±


    She didn¡¯t hold back, saying what needed to be said.


    Aunt Su¡¯s eyes darted around. ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m the gentlest person. You¡¯re just¡­ Ahhh!¡±


    She suddenly screamed as if she¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°What the heck? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why are you yelling like that? You¡¯re scaring everyone.¡±


    Aunt Su pointed at the gate, stammering: ¡°Y-you¡­ how are you back?¡±


    Everyone turned to see a gray-haired, weathered old woman stepping into the courtyard. It was none other than the first person from their neighborhood to be jailed¡ªAunt Zhou.


    Aunt Zhou had lost a lot of weight. She was already a thin woman, but now she looked like a gust of wind could knock her over. Though it hadn¡¯t been long, she seemed to have aged several years.


    ¡°Good heavens, Aunt Zhou, you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Wait, weren¡¯t you sentenced to four months? Shouldn¡¯t you be back at the end of next month?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, did you escape?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Even if she wanted to, she wouldn¡¯t have the guts or the means.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    Aunt Zhou¡¯s face was ashen. Wang Zhaodi quickly put down what she was holding and went to support her. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re back. Come sit down. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu are still at work and haven¡¯t returned yet. Should I go call them¡­¡±


    Aunt Zhou suddenly burst into loud sobs, wailing: ¡°Oh heavens, I¡¯m finally home! It¡¯s been so hard! Oh, heavens, it¡¯s been so hard¡­¡±


    She cried uncontrobly.


    Everyone exchanged awkward nces.


    Zhao Guihua, ever the practical one, said: ¡°If you¡¯re going to cry, at least sit down first.¡±


    Aunt Zhou: ¡°It¡¯s been so hard! After I was taken in, I suffered so much! My son and daughter-inw didn¡¯t even visit me! My life is so bitter¡­¡±


    Aunt Zhou waspletely devastated. She had just returned home, but neither her son nor her daughter-inw had shown up to see her, not even once. Although she hadn¡¯t been gone for too long, it wasn¡¯t as if they couldn¡¯t have visited her! How unfilial of them!


    She cried and wailed as she vented her frustration.


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, ¡°You¡¯ve cried enough. It¡¯s partly your own fault for stirring up trouble. Now that you¡¯re back, go take a bath and have a good meal. Tonight, when they get off work, the family can reunite.¡± She paused, then looked Aunt Zhou up and down and asked, ¡°Did you get out early?¡±


    Aunt Zhou nodded through her tears, ¡°Yes, I was released over a month early. I was supposed to serve four months, but I reported someone¡¯s crimes and was credited for it, so they let me out early¡­ sob sob.¡±


    ¡°Reported someone¡¯s crimes? What did you do?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    Aunt Zhou sobbed as she exined, ¡°There was a woman in my cell who was in for theft. She seemed very meek, always crying and saying she had no choice because life was hard. Everyone sympathized with her and took care of her. But who am I? I¡¯m no ordinary person. I thought there was something off about her. Everyone in there is serving time, so why was she acting like some pitiful saint? Besides, her act wasn¡¯t even as convincing as Aunt Su¡¯s.¡±


    Aunt Su¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Why are you dragging me into this? I¡¯m not acting!¡±


    Ignoring Aunt Su¡¯s displeased re, Aunt Zhou continued, ¡°So I kept an eye on her, and sure enough, I found something suspicious. I discovered that her two deceased daughters were actually killed by her. She favored boys over girls and didn¡¯t want to raise daughters, so she deliberately caused their deaths. After testing her a few times, I felt something was wrong and reported her. Turns out, I was right! It really was her doing! Because of my tip, I was released early.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve got some skills!¡±


    ¡°I never would¡¯ve guessed you had such sharp eyes.¡±


    Honestly, everyone was quite shocked. Who would¡¯ve thought Aunt Zhou had such a knack for spotting deception?


    Aunt Zhou basked in the praise, feeling a bit smug, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Did you think I¡¯d let her fool me? Her act wasn¡¯t even as genuine as Aunt Su¡¯s.¡±


    Aunt Su retorted, ¡°Stop bringing me up. I¡¯m not like that.¡±


    She would never do something as criminal as murder or arson.


    She knew what kind of actions couldnd her in jail.


    She wouldn¡¯t ruin her life like that.


    Besides, favoring boys over girls didn¡¯t mean you had to kill your daughters. If you raised them right, they could support the family for life.


    Aunt Zhou insisted, ¡°Anyway, I saw through her act.¡±


    It just goes to show how much experience they¡¯ve gained in their neighborhood.


    If it weren¡¯t for Aunt Su and her daughter-inw constantly putting on a show, Aunt Zhou wouldn¡¯t have developed such sharp instincts.


    Wiping her tears, Aunt Zhoumented, ¡°I¡¯m back, I¡¯m finally back. But my son and daughter-inw are so unfilial. They didn¡¯t evene to see me, sob sob¡­¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for a while, but a lot has happened in our neighborhood. They probably didn¡¯t visit you because they were too busy. Oh, and congrattions, by the way.¡±


    Aunt Zhou replied, ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to treat you to a meal just because you congratted me. I got out on my own merits.¡±


    Zhao Guihua rified, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I wasn¡¯t talking about that.¡±


    Aunt Zhou asked, ¡°Then what?¡±


    Although Aunt Zhou had returned, she was much calmer than before. After all, that ce had a way of humbling people. Even someone as fierce as Aunt Zhou had been reduced to nothing there. She had suffered quite a bit, and now that she was back in familiar territory, she didn¡¯t dare act as domineering as she used to.


    Now, she could even hold a normal conversation.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Jiang Lu is pregnant.¡±


    ¡°What!!!¡±


    Aunt Zhou stared at Zhao Guihua in disbelief, grabbing her arm tightly, ¡°What did you say? She¡¯s pregnant? Really? How far along is she? This is amazing, sob sob¡­¡±


    She was so excited that her face turned red.


    She had been waiting for this for years.


    Aunt Zhou began dancing around, her entire being radiating joy.


    At that moment, Aunt Su walked over. She couldn¡¯t stand seeing others doing better than her family, so she blurted out, ¡°You should be happy. Your son is useless now, he¡¯s not a man anymore. It¡¯s a good thing Jiang Lu is pregnant, or else your family line would¡¯ve ended.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Aunt Zhou let out another wail.


    Her emotions swung from extreme joy to extreme sorrow.


    She grabbed Aunt Su and shook her violently, ¡°What are you saying? Is it true? Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhou, let go! Aunt Su just got out of the hospital¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let go¡­¡±


    With everyone¡¯s help, Aunt Zhou finally released Aunt Su, who was gasping for air and her face flushed. Aunt Su scolded, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    Aunt Zhou demanded, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s wrong with my son?¡±


    Everyone fell silent, and Aunt Zhou suddenly turned to Wang Zhaodi, ¡°You tell me.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi said nervously, ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s go inside, and I¡¯ll exin everything that¡¯s happened recently.¡±


    It would be too embarrassing to discuss this in public.


    Aunt Zhou snapped, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    She stormed off toward her house, with Wang Zhaodi hurrying after her.


    Aunt Su grumbled angrily, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault her son¡¯s useless. Why did she grab me?¡±


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this. It¡¯s not our ce toment.¡±


    Thinking about it, Aunt Zhou had only been gone for about three months, but so much had already happened in their neighborhood.


    Just as they were reflecting on this, they heard Aunt Zhou let out another scream, ¡°Where¡¯s my secret stash of money? Ahhh!¡±

 Chapter 120

    Aunt Zhou could eat coarse cornbread, endure hardbor, and live a tough life, but she could never live without her secret stash of money. That was her lifeline! In her entire life, aside from her son, the most important thing to her was money.


    She grabbed Wang Zhaodi and scolded, "Was it you, you little wench, who took my money? Speak up! You''re the only outsider in this house!"


    Wang Zhaodi turned pale with fear and hurriedly shook her head, saying, "I didn¡¯t, I really didn¡¯t! I don¡¯t even know where you keep your money. I know nothing about it. Auntie, why don¡¯t we call Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu back? They¡¯ll definitely know what¡¯s going on!"


    She desperately defended herself while thinking they needed to bring them back. She had no idea about anything, but Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu surely would.


    Aunt Zhou was in a daze, muttering, "Yes, yes, that¡¯s right..."


    Zhao Guihua said, "Wang Zhaodi, go to the factory and find them. Hurry!"


    Wang Zhaodi replied, "Okay, okay."


    She dashed off toward the machinery factory. Aunt Zhou tried to grab her, saying, "What if she¡¯s the one who stole the money and runs away?"


    Zhao Guihua retorted, "Stop talking nonsense. Where could she run to? Calm down first..."


    "I-I-I can¡¯t calm down! I¡¯m the wealthiest in thispound! I have a thousand yuan in my secret stash..."


    Aunt Su, her long-time rival, watched Aunt Zhou with envy, her eyes flickering with a mix of jealousy and helplessness. If only the money belonged to Bai Fendou or Old Man Bai, things would be different.


    Aunt Zhou continued wailing, as if this was the greatest pain she had ever endured.


    "Which devil took it? It¡¯s either her or Jiang Lu... What a disgrace to our family! My money, my hard-earned money, saved bit by bit, never spent on myself..."


    "That money is my life savings, my burial fund..."


    "It¡¯s the symbol of my status as the wealthiest in thispound..."


    Aunt Zhou kept repeating the same phrases, wailing for nearly an hour until her voice turned hoarse. As time passed and no one returned, she cried out again, "Wang Zhaodi must have run off with the money..."


    Her cries were so intense she nearly fainted.


    "This house can¡¯t have outsiders! My money, my money..."


    Just as Aunt Zhou was still shouting, a calm female voice cut through the noise: "The money is with me."


    Jiang Lu walked in from outside, exuding the demeanor of a queen, with Zhou Qun and Wang Zhaodi standing on either side like her attendants. Herposed tone instantly silenced Aunt Zhou, who looked like a rooster with its neck wrung, pointing at Jiang Lu and stammering, "Y-you... you ungrateful wench, you took my money..."


    Jiang Lu said, "Everyone, step aside."


    She entered the room and dered, "Let¡¯s talk."


    Her calmness left Aunt Zhoupletely flustered. In the Zhou family, Jiang Lu had always been treated like a servant, living a life worse than Wang Zhaodi¡¯s current situation.


    Aunt Zhou lunged at her, screaming, "You little bitch..."


    It was Jiang Lu¡¯s own father who had sent Aunt Zhou to prison, insisting on strict punishment without any mercy. The more Aunt Zhou thought about it, the angrier she became, ready to attack. The onlookers immediately shouted, "She¡¯s pregnant!"


    "Jiang Lu, be careful!"


    Jiang Lu didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, she stepped forward and said, "Go ahead. Hit my belly! If you darey a finger on me, I¡¯ll abort the child and divorce your son!"


    Aunt Zhou¡¯s hand froze mid-air, as if she had been struck by a martial arts move. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. Jiang Lu¡¯s expression was ice-cold, filled with disdain.


    Aunt Zhou nearly choked on her anger and turned to Zhou Qun, shouting, "Zhou Qun, how can you let your wife treat me like this?"


    Zhou Qun replied, "Mom, stop making a scene. Jiang Lu is pregnant."


    Aunt Zhou took a deep breath and said, "Right, right, she¡¯s pregnant. The Zhou family will have an heir. For the sake of the child, I¡¯ll let this go..."


    Before she could finish, Jiang Lu sneered, "Go ahead, make a scene."


    Aunt Zhou stammered, "What?"


    She stared at Jiang Lu, feeling as if she were looking at apletely different person. This Jiang Lu bore no resemnce to the one she knew. If it weren¡¯t for her time in prison teaching her not to believe in superstitions, she¡¯d have thought Jiang Lu was possessed by a fox spirit.


    Otherwise, how could someone change so drastically?


    Jiang Lu ordered, "Wang Zhaodi, close the door."


    The crowd at the door was peeking in, eager to witness the drama. Jiang Lu didn¡¯t want to be the center of gossip, so Wang Zhaodi quickly shut the door, apologizing, "Stop looking, stop looking."


    "Wang Zhaodi, take care of Jiang Lu. She¡¯s pregnant. Don¡¯t let anything happen to her," someone reminded her.


    Despite the door being closed, the crowd lingered outside.


    Wang Zhaodi stood behind Jiang Lu, like a loyal servant.


    Aunt Zhou¡¯s anger red. Did Wang Zhaodi even know who was in charge of this household? It seemed that in just a short time, the power dynamics had shifted entirely, and she was no longer the one in control.


    No matter how much Aunt Zhou red, Wang Zhaodi remained unmoved. Jiang Lu was pregnant, and she had to take care of her.


    Jiang Lu said, "Mother-inw, I know you¡¯re not happy, but there are some things I need to make clear. From now on, whether it¡¯s Zhou Qun or you, everyone in this house needs to behave. There¡¯s only one person in charge here, and that¡¯s me, Jiang Lu."


    "On what grounds?" Aunt Zhou demanded.


    Jiang Lu replied, "On the grounds that your son got involved with a man and got himself castrated. Is that reason enough?"


    "What?!" Aunt Zhou couldn¡¯t believe her ears, but then she remembered Aunt Su¡¯s earlier words and realized they might not be lies. She slumped into a chair, muttering, "You¡¯re lying, you must be lying..."


    Jiang Lu sneered, "Zhou Qun is right here. You can ask him if I¡¯m lying."


    Aunt Zhou turned to Zhou Qun, pleading, "Zhou Qun, tell me, tell me they¡¯re lying..."


    Zhou Qun awkwardly smiled, unable to speak.


    Jiang Lu added, "If you don¡¯t want to ask Zhou Qun, you can go outside and ask. The wholepound came out to watch the drama. Even a three-year-old at the alley entrance knows what happened."


    Aunt Zhou copsed onto the bed, her face pale. Jiang Lu continued without hesitation, "The only reason I¡¯m staying in the Zhou family is because of my feelings for Zhou Qun and the child we¡¯re expecting. If it weren¡¯t for that, given Zhou Qun¡¯s attempt to assault a male colleague and his... current condition, I would¡¯ve filed for divorce."


    Aunt Zhou looked up sharply at Zhou Qun and cried, "Zhou Qun, how could you be so foolish? You... you..." She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. How could her son be so indiscriminate?


    She stared at Zhou Qun, who hung his head in shame. As a mother, she knew Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t lying. After all, Jiang Lu loved Zhou Qun so much¡ªwhy would she fabricate such a story?


    Biting her lip until it bled, Aunt Zhou asked, "How did ite to this? Tell me, who was the male vixen?"


    Zhou Qun remained silent, but Jiang Lu spoke bluntly, "Your son is quite the character. You don¡¯t even know what he did. He invited Bai Fendou to stay at our ce, tricked me into sleeping in another room, and then tried to take advantage of Bai Fendou in the middle of the night. The wholepound found out. Bai Fendou was so distraught he kicked your son and... well, you know the rest."


    "What?! Who?!" Aunt Zhou thought she misheard, but Jiang Lu¡¯s expression confirmed it. She was in shock¡ªhow could her son¡¯s taste be so... questionable?


    She red at her son, her anger boiling over. "I¡¯ll go find Bai Fendou and make him pay..."


    "Sit down!" Jiang Lu barked.


    Aunt Zhou plopped back into her seat, defeated.


    Jiang Lu: "You went to find Bai Fendou? Bai Fendou is the victim here. He was going to report it to the police, but I gave him 100 yuan to settle the matter. I also promised to introduce him to a potential partner. Otherwise, do you think this would have ended so quickly? Zhou Qun would have been lucky to escape with just a p on the wrist. He almost ended up in jail alongside you."


    Aunt Zhou: "What!"


    She shouted again, but after a moment of thought, she began to cry silently.


    Thew shows no mercy!


    She had learned that much during her time inside.


    Jiang Lu: "I didn¡¯t have any money on hand, so I had to use your private savings. But since we¡¯re the ones taking care of you in your old age, you don¡¯t need to keep any secret funds. Zhou Qun and I have already discussed it. From now on, I¡¯ll be managing the household finances. I¡¯ll be collecting Zhou Qun¡¯s sry, and I¡¯ll give him five yuan a month for lunch. I know you¡¯re not happy about this, but Mom, I don¡¯t want to say too much. You need to face reality. It¡¯s no longer about what you or Zhou Qun decide. It¡¯s about what I decide. Besides the child I¡¯m carrying, if you want another child in this family, you¡¯ll have to adopt one. Are you okay with that?"


    Aunt Zhou and Zhou Qun both shook their heads immediately.


    Jiang Lu nodded: "That¡¯s settled then. I still have feelings for Zhou Qun, and I don¡¯t want our child to have a stepfather. So let¡¯s all live together peacefully. Both of you need to behave and follow my lead. In this household, I¡¯m the one in charge."


    Aunt Zhou pursed her lips, wanting to argue, but after ncing at her son, her daughter-inw, and Jiang Lu¡¯s belly, she silently looked up at the ceiling, tears streaming down her face. After a long pause, she nodded.


    Jiang Lu: "Whether I give birth to a son or a daughter, this will be our only child. Regardless of gender, we must treat them well."


    "We¡¯ll definitely have a son."


    Jiang Lu: "It doesn¡¯t matter."


    Aunt Zhou nodded again and said, "Chef Li and Aunt Wang managed to find a son-inw to marry into their family. If we have a daughter, we can do the same."


    She had always favored sons over daughters, but given the current situation, she knew her son was no longer reliable. Whether it was a grandson or a granddaughter, it didn¡¯t matter. They could figure out the restter. Even finding a son-inw to marry into the family wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    Jiang Lu also nodded and said, "Alright, then. From now on, I¡¯m the head of this household."


    Aunt Zhou had a hundred grievances in her heart, but she didn¡¯t dare voice them. She never imagined that in the less than three months she was away, her son could have caused such a mess.


    How could a mother possibly turn things around when they¡¯ve gotten this bad?


    Aunt Zhou cautiously nced at Jiang Lu, fearing she might bring up divorce.


    Despite being an uneducated old woman, she understood that if Jiang Lu divorced Zhou Qun now, not only would they struggle to find someone with a job, but even finding a rural girl like Wang Zhaodi, who knew the family well, would be impossible. No one would want to live as a widow.


    As for someone with Jiang Lu¡¯s qualifications? Forget about it.


    In the past, she and her son had understood this and had worked together to belittle and control Jiang Lu. But now¡­ she didn¡¯t dare.


    After all, Jiang Lu was pregnant, which meant she was capable of bearing children.


    If she were truly unhappy, she could just terminate the pregnancy and divorce Zhou Qun. She could always remarry and have another child.


    But this child was their family¡¯s only hope.


    Aunt Zhou didn¡¯t doubt for a second that the child wasn¡¯t Zhou Qun¡¯s. In fact, it was because Jiang Lu had been so devoted to Zhou Qun in the past that neither Aunt Zhou nor Zhou Qun had ever questioned it. Besides, Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu worked in the same unit, and he had never seen Jiang Lu get too close to anyone else, so he waspletely at ease on that front.


    Aunt Zhou felt the same way. She knew how much Jiang Lu cared for Zhou Qun and didn¡¯t suspect anything.


    She muttered softly, "Aunt Lian does have some skills. She said you two could have children, it was just a matter of time¡­ I thought she was just trying to trick me back then, but it turns out she was right."


    Jiang Lu¡¯s eyes flickered as she said, "She¡¯s a decent person. Look at the hens we got from her¡ªtheyy eggs quite well." Unlike most chatans who would say anything to swindle people, Aunt Lian had been considerate.


    Aunt Zhou finally smiled: "That¡¯s good. Now we¡¯ll have eggs to eat at home. It¡¯s perfect for you to get some extra nutrition during your pregnancy."


    Jiang Lu: "I have one egg every day. Oh, right, Mother-inw, I¡¯ve been thinking. Even though you¡¯re back now, you¡¯re not as young as you used to be. It¡¯s too much for you to handle all the household chores alone. Once I¡¯m further along in my pregnancy, and especially after I give birth and during my confinement, it¡¯ll be even harder. So I¡¯d like Wang Zhaodi to stay a bit longer and help out around the house."


    Wang Zhaodi had been staying with them for about three months now, and her character was quite clear.


    Aunt Zhou: "Huh?"


    She wasn¡¯t too pleased with the idea. Wang Zhaodi hade here to have a child, but since that wasn¡¯t happening anymore, keeping her around would just mean an extra mouth to feed.


    Jiang Lu: "Do you want to do all the housework yourself? I¡¯ve gotten used to living in a clean house. I can¡¯t stand even a speck of dirt anywhere."


    In the past, their home had always been a bit messy, mainly because Aunt Zhou waszy.


    Aunt Zhou looked around. The bedding was neatly arranged, the windows were spotless, the floor was swept clean and even sprinkled with water. Even the kitchen was tidy, with all the pots and pans neatly organized and clean.


    "At your age, even if you can manage the chores, can your body handle it? You¡¯ve been away for so long. Don¡¯t you want to rest and recover aftering back?"


    Aunt Zhou nced at Wang Zhaodi, who was looking at her nervously.


    After some thought, Aunt Zhou nodded: "Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you." She really didn¡¯t want to do the housework.


    Jiang Lu: "Good. Later, buy some candy and give it to the neighbors. Let them know you¡¯ve officially taken Wang Zhaodi in as your goddaughter."


    "Huh?"


    "Huh?"


    Both Aunt Zhou and Wang Zhaodi were shocked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Jiang Lu: "This way, there¡¯s a proper reason for Wang Zhaodi to stay with us. It¡¯s fine for now, but as time goes on, people might start gossiping. It¡¯s better to handle things properly."


    Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t like the average housewife. She had a job and had seen more of the world.


    Now that the rose-tinted sses of love were off, her shrewdness had returned.


    "From now on, I¡¯ll give you 20 yuan a month for household expenses. You¡¯ll need to keep track of the ounts. If you can¡¯t remember,e up with your own symbols, but I¡¯ll need to see the ount book every month and hear your report. If I notice any decline in our quality of life, I¡¯ll have Wang Zhaodi take over the finances next month. Don¡¯t think you can manipte Wang Zhaodi either. If you try anything sneaky, we¡¯ll send you back to the countryside to retire. Don¡¯t look at Zhou Qun¡ªthis is my decision. If Zhou Qun sides with you, I¡¯ll divorce him."


    Aunt Zhou choked, feeling an overwhelming sense of bitterness.


    Jiang Lu: "You¡¯re my mother-inw, Zhou Qun¡¯s mother. As long as you behave, we¡¯ll take care of you in your old age. But if you cause trouble, I won¡¯t be so polite. Mom, things are different now than they used to be!"


    In the "negotiation" between Jiang Lu and Aunt Zhou, Jiang Lu held all the cards.


    Aunt Zhou was unhappy, but she didn¡¯t dare argue, not even a little. She knew that their family had changed.


    Though she was domineering and harsh, she also understood that Jiang Lu was right. Zhou Qun was useless now. What else could she hope for? Aunt Zhou began to cry again and said, "I understand. But¡­ I need to have a word with Bai Fendou. How could he just take 100 yuan from us like that? Men harassing men¡­ that¡¯s not right. There¡¯s no such rule."


    Jiang Lu said quietly, "If you go to him and get beaten to death, Zhou Qun and I won¡¯t be able to help you."


    Aunt Zhou: "Uh¡­"


    Jiang Lu: "Bai Fendou even beat up Wang Xiangxiu recently¡­"


    Aunt Zhou: "What!"


    She shouted in disbelief.


    She, she, she¡­ she had only been gone for less than three months. How could so much have happened?


    The world was changing too fast!


    She was struggling to keep up and quickly asked, "Why?!"


    Jiang Lu, exhausted from the earlier negotiation, said, "Wang Zhaodi, exin it to your godmother."


    Wang Zhaodi, still overjoyed at the prospect of staying longer, was caught off guard by the question and asked, "Where should I start?"


    There were just too many things happening in their courtyard, far too many.


    Jiang Lu turned her head to look at Zhou Qun with a half-smile and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start from the day it rained heavily, the incident when the Bai family¡¯s house got flooded¡­¡±


    Wang Zhaodi replied, ¡°Ah, alright!¡±


    This was going to be a long, long story.


    She began, ¡°That night¡­¡±


    After Jiang Lu had dealt with her mother-inw and stepped outside, everyone was still gathered at the door, though they couldn¡¯t hear clearly. Jiang Lu smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine now. My mother-inw just got back and didn¡¯t understand the situation. Once she knew what happened, everything was okay. Oh, by the way, she¡¯s nning to adopt Wang Zhaodi as her goddaughter, so we¡¯ll be handing out candies to everyer.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Okay, okay.¡±


    ¡°This is quite unexpected. Aunt Zhou didn¡¯t even make a fuss.¡±


    ¡°How could she dare to make a fuss? Have you seen what Zhou Qun¡¯s like now?¡±


    ¡°They only have one child left, so they can¡¯t afford to offend Jiang Lu¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Before Jiang Lu even left, people started gossiping. Jiang Lu thought to herself, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you at least gossip behind my back?¡±


    She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Zhou Qun, since we¡¯ve already taken time off and came back early, let¡¯s go buy some groceries. We can prepare a nice dinner to wee Mom back.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The couple left, but the Zhou household was filled with exmations:


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    ¡°What the heck!¡±


    ¡°Oh heavens!¡±


    ¡°Holy crap!¡±


    ¡°What on earth¡­¡±


    All kinds of astonished voices echoed through the house. Aunt Zhou had been away for a while, and a lot had happened. She had a lot of catching up to do, and it was going to take her quite some time. Indeed, it did. Aunt Zhou didn¡¯t emerge from her room until evening, looking utterly dazed.


    She had absorbed too much information all at once.


    Who could have imagined so much had happened in such a short time?


    When she finally stepped out, she nced at the Su family with aplicated expression. She had never liked the Su family¡¯s three kids. Though her son was good, he wasn¡¯t part of their family, so Aunt Zhou didn¡¯t care much for them. Now, hearing how troublesome those kids had been, she was even more shocked.


    Then there was the Bai family¡­ well, two bachelors, one paralyzed and the other injured.


    The injured one hadn¡¯t even gotten married yet.


    Compared to that, her family¡¯s issues didn¡¯t seem so bad.


    Sometimes, people like topare because it makes their own problems seem trivial. She sat on a small stool by the door, feeling a mix of emotions. At that moment, she regretted her past actions. Why had she caused such a scene and ended up in trouble?


    If she hadn¡¯t gotten into trouble, maybe she wouldn¡¯t have missed out on all this drama.


    How much had she missed?


    It was truly frustrating.


    She sat by the door as people gradually dispersed, going about their own business.


    However, Aunt Su came out twice and looked at Aunt Zhou, saying, ¡°Oh, Aunt Zhou, I heard your savings were taken by your daughter-inw? You really have a good daughter-inw, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t resist mocking Aunt Zhou.


    Because of the money issue, Aunt Zhou had mocked her countless times before. She used to brag about how her daughter-inw¡¯s money was hers, but now what was there to brag about? All those years of saving, and it was gone.


    Thinking about this, Aunt Su felt particrly pleased.


    ¡°What are you going to do now? Will you have to live under your daughter-inw¡¯s thumb? Not all daughters-inw are like my Xiu¡¯er, you know¡­¡±


    She gloated shamelessly. Aunt Zhou couldn¡¯t stand her smug face.


    With a roar, Aunt Zhou lunged forward.


    She couldn¡¯t scratch her pregnant daughter-inw, but she sure could scratch her loudmouthed rival.


    Aunt Zhou pped Aunt Su twice in quick session.


    Aunt Su screamed, ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±


    She dodged frantically, but Aunt Zhou wasn¡¯t backing down. She grabbed Aunt Su and started hitting her, ¡°You gossipy troublemaker! Stirring up trouble, huh? Disgusting me, huh? What right do you have to talk about me? Everyone knows what your daughter-inw does outside! How dare you brag! Take this!¡±


    ¡°Ah! You shrew!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no saint either.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are they fighting again?¡±


    Zhao Guihua came out of her house and saw the two women going at it. She said, ¡°They just got back and they¡¯re already fighting? Can¡¯t they evenst a night?¡±


    She didn¡¯t step in to break it up, though. She was a frail olddy, and if she got identally hit, whose fault would that be? She just stood by and shouted, ¡°Stop fighting! What if someone gets killed?¡±


    ¡°Zhao Guihua,e over here and pull this old hag away!¡± Aunt Su yelled.


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Aunt Zhou continued pping Aunt Su, channeling all her frustration with her daughter-inw into her blows. ¡°If you keep trying to drive a wedge between me and my daughter-inw, I won¡¯t let you off easy!¡±


    From the tone, it sounded like she might stop, but the fierce ps suggested otherwise.


    Aunt Wang intervened, ¡°Enough! You two need to stop. You just got back and you¡¯re already at it again.¡±


    No wonder Aunt Wang was the neighborhood manager. She was strong and burly. She stepped in, grabbed both women, and pulled them apart, scolding them, ¡°You¡¯re both old enough to know better. Stop this nonsense.¡±


    At that moment, Jiang Lu and Zhou Qun returned from grocery shopping. Jiang Lu had even bought some meat. Seeing her mother-inw and Aunt Su, she didn¡¯t need to guess who had started the trouble.


    It wasn¡¯t that she particrly liked her mother-inw¡ªshe found the old woman¡¯s sharp tongue unbearable¡ªbut she knew that Aunt Zhou had just returned and was still processing all the gossip. She wouldn¡¯t have had time to start anything. So, it had to be Aunt Su who provoked her.


    Jiang Lu said, ¡°Mom, you just got back and don¡¯t know everything yet. Wang Xiangxiu has been transferred to cleaning toilets. Aunt Su is upset about it, so just let her be for now, okay?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Both old women shouted in unison.


    Aunt Su didn¡¯t know about this, and Aunt Zhou was equally surprised.


    Then, Aunt Zhou burst outughing, ¡°This is hrious! Wang Xiangxiu is cleaning toilets now? Hahaha!¡±


    Aunt Su retorted, ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±


    She red at Jiang Lu, who calmly said, ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Well, you¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    Jiang Lu then instructed, ¡°Zhaodi, you handle the cooking.¡±


    She added, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant and can¡¯t afford to go hungry.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi quickly agreed, ¡°Alright.¡±


    She was full of energy. Jiang Lu and Wang Zhaodi went inside, and Jiang Lu whispered, ¡°If you help me out here, I¡¯ll provide food and lodging, and I¡¯ll give you an extra three yuan a month. It¡¯s not much, but you can save it. No matter what, it¡¯s good to have some money set aside.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi was about to refuse when Jiang Lu gave her a meaningful look and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Zhou Qun or my mother-inw. They¡¯re not the brightest. Don¡¯t turn it down. You¡¯re a grown woman now; you should have some money of your own. Keep it hidden and don¡¯t spend it unless you have to.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi looked at Jiang Lu, her eyes gradually filling with tears. She rubbed her eyes and nodded firmly, saying, ¡°Thank you, Sister Jiang Lu.¡±


    Jiang Lu replied awkwardly, ¡°No need to thank me.¡±


    Their little exchange went unnoticed by others. Meanwhile, Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su were still going at it in the courtyard.


    It was also around the time people were getting off work, so many stopped to watch the spectacle. Aunt Zhou was quite the character, immediately going into a rage after returning. However, her anger wasn¡¯t directed at her daughter-inw but at Aunt Su.


    Ming Mei returned home just in time to see this. She looked at Aunt Zhou in surprise and asked, ¡°How did she get back early?¡±


    Someone nearby overheard her and chimed in, ¡°She earned some credit while she was away¡­ h h¡­¡±


    Ming Mei¡¯s eyes widened, and she eximed, ¡°Wow, she¡¯s something else!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi, who had returned with Ming Mei, remarked, ¡°Aunt Zhou is an indispensable figure in this neighborhood. She really makes her presence known as soon as she¡¯s back.¡±


    Ming Mei asked eagerly, ¡°So, why are they fighting? Tsk tsk, Aunt Su¡¯s face is all swollen.¡±


    There were even scratches and blood.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aunt Su¡¯s fault. She couldn¡¯t keep her mouth shut and tried to stir up trouble between Aunt Zhou and Jiang Lu. When they first got back, Aunt Zhou¡¯s savings¡­¡±


    And so, the gossip continued.


    Ming Mei nodded, ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhou doesn¡¯t even care anymore, so why is Aunt Su meddling?¡±


    "That''s right," Ming Mei chimed in eagerly, "They¡¯re meddling too much. They can¡¯t even manage their own family, yet they¡¯re trying to interfere with others."


    "Exactly, look at their three kids... tsk tsk."


    In these times, who doesn¡¯t despise petty thieves?


    Ming Mei nodded vigorously, fully agreeing with their words.


    Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his wife enjoying the drama without a care for danger, parked his bicycle under the eaves and pulled Ming Mei further away. "If you¡¯re going to watch themotion, at least find a safe spot. You never know when they might suddenly act."


    Ming Mei: "...You¡¯re right."


    Zhao Guihua was also standing nearby, thoroughly enjoying the scene. She said, "You¡¯ve already gone to pick up your wife ande back, but your dad and sister-inw still aren¡¯t home yet?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "They have to tidy up their tools after work. I finished organizing everything five minutes early and was ready to bolt out the door as soon as the bell rang."


    Zhao Guihua: "..."


    As if on cue, they arrived just as she finished speaking. They ended up walking back together.


    Liang Meifen had just started her first day at work. She used to work in a textile factory, which waspletely different from her current job as a fitter. Being a fitter required more physical strength, and after being at home for over half a year, she found herself a bit out of shape and tired from the sudden workload.


    "How was your first day? Did you adjust well?" Zhao Guihua asked.


    Liang Meifen quickly nodded, "I¡¯m adjusting fine."


    She added, "On my first day, I was assigned to work with Sister Zhu from the workshop. She¡¯s a fifth-level fitter and really skilled."


    Zhao Guihua: "That¡¯s good to hear."


    Liang Meifen said with envy, "She earns over fifty yuan a month, and with the summer heat allowance, it¡¯s almost sixty. I¡¯ll have to learn from her and earn more too."


    The thought of this filled her with hope.


    In her previous life, if Old Man Bai hadn¡¯t gotten into trouble, Liang Meifen wouldn¡¯t have had to find a new job, so Zhao Guihua had no idea if she had any talent for this kind of work. But regardless of talent, even being a first-level worker would be a big help to the family.


    Liang Meifen was also happy herself. She said, "The machinery factory is truly a massive enterprise with over ten thousand employees. It¡¯spletely different from my old factory. The atmosphere here feels so much more vibrant."


    How to put it?


    Even though there were still many "activities" going on these days, they weren¡¯t as intense as they used to be. There were still some minor conflicts here and there, but the machinery factory rarely got involved in such things.


    Nowadays, it¡¯s almost unheard of. It¡¯s said that even during the most chaotic times, the machinery factory managed to keep production going.


    This was mainly because they were a crucial part of heavy industry, and production couldn¡¯t be dyed. They had to meet output quotas, so work couldn¡¯t stop. When people were too exhausted from work, they didn¡¯t have the energy to stir up trouble. As a result, the factory¡¯s overall atmosphere was much better than that of the textile factory.


    Liang Meifen was delighted and couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how different arge state-owned enterprise felt.


    She cheerfully said, "Mom, I¡¯ll cook dinner."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "I¡¯ve already made it. We¡¯ll eat as soon as your husband gets home."


    Liang Meifen: "Alright."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan¡¯s workce was different from theirs and a bit farther away, but he didn¡¯te home toote either. Liang Meifen immediately called the children in for dinner. The two kids washed their hands and came home, just as other families were also returning for their meals.


    Aunt Zhou: "Hmph. I won¡¯t stoop to your level, pah!"


    Her quarrel wasing to an end.


    Total victory!


    In the past, whenever Aunt Zhou got into an argument, there would always be someone meddling and buzzing around. But now, Bai Fendou just nced over after work and went straight home. This made Aunt Zhou even happier.


    Hehe, no backup for you now, huh?


    Aunt Zhou strutted home triumphantly, while Aunt Su frowned as she stared at the door. Why wasn¡¯t Wang Xiangxiu back yet? That little vixen must have run off with some man again. What a shameless woman.


    Who knows how many men she¡¯s been with behind her son¡¯s back.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she needed her to support the family and take care of her in old age, she would¡¯ve kicked that woman out long ago.


    Fortunately, this woman still had some value left. She was going to squeeze everyst bit of usefulness out of her, leaving nothing behind.


    Just as she was pondering this, Bai Fendou came out. She quickly approached him, "Fendou, are you heading out again?"


    She asked gently, "Are you going to see your dad? How is he doing?"


    Bai Fendou: "Get lost!"


    He snapped and walked away without another word.


    In the past, he had been kind to her out of love for her daughter. But now that he no longer cared for the daughter, he had no reason to be polite to Aunt Su. Bai Fendou rode off on his bike. He hadn¡¯t been to the hospital all day, but there was nothing he could do about it.


    He couldn¡¯t just skip work, could he?


    If he didn¡¯t earn money, how would he pay for his father¡¯s treatment?


    When he arrived at the hospital, the people around the other beds gave him disdainful looks, but he didn¡¯t feel the least bit ashamed.


    Every family has its own struggles.


    Others might pity Old Man Bai, but none of them were going to take him in and care for him. That responsibility still fell on his son.


    He sighed and headed to the doctor¡¯s office. If possible, he wanted to discharge his father and have him recover at home. It would be better than staying in the hospital.


    As soon as Bai Fendou left, someone spat, "His father hasn¡¯t even left the critical stage, and this guy didn¡¯t show up for a whole day."


    "He went to work."


    "How could he not wait a few more days until his father was out of danger?"


    "Maybe he¡¯s out of money? That¡¯s why he¡¯s rushing to work?"


    "Well, who told him to spend all his money on that widow? Everyone knows about that!"


    Bai Fendou¡¯s self-exposure had spread throughout the hospital.


    People pitied him but also looked down on him.


    In these times, even if you had decent conditions, if you behaved like this, people would still scorn you.


    Bai Fendou had no idea people were talking about him. He was careless by nature. Although the hospital had said it would take several days for his father to be out of danger, after seeing him stable for two or three days, he stopped worrying.


    Now, even though his father was still on an IV drip, he decided it was time to discharge him.


    The doctor looked at Bai Fendou in disbelief, "Your father hasn¡¯t left the critical stage. If you take him out now, what if something happens?"


    Bai Fendou: "He looks fine to me."


    The doctor: "..."


    Where exactly do you see that your father is fine?


    "He¡¯s not out of danger yet. If you insist on taking him away, he could die. If you do that, we can¡¯t stop you, but you¡¯ll have to sign a waiver."


    Bai Fendou hesitated. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to treat his father.


    But seeing his father lying there, unconscious and unresponsive, he thought, what difference did it make whether he was lying in the hospital or at home? Wasn¡¯t it just a waste of money? The daily expenses weren¡¯t cheap.


    He wavered.


    The doctor had seen plenty of cases where people couldn¡¯t afford to treat serious injuries or illnesses. Life was hard, and sometimes there was no other choice.


    So the doctor didn¡¯t force Bai Fendou to keep his father in the hospital, but he did exin the situation clearly. After thinking it over, Bai Fendou sighed and said, "Fine, he¡¯ll stay in the hospital."


    He couldn¡¯t just abandon his fatherpletely.


    He left the doctor¡¯s office with a heavy heart and returned to the ward, muttering under his breath, "Old man, you¡¯re lucky to have a son like me. If it were someone less filial, they wouldn¡¯t even bother taking care of you. Do you know how much money you¡¯re costing me every day? You¡¯re lying here, unconscious, and still draining my wallet. What a burden..."


    The people around the other beds sneered, their disdain for him growing even stronger.


    Unaware of their judgment, Bai Fendou found an empty bed andy down. At least it was summer, so he didn¡¯t need a nket.


    Bai Fendou had gone to the hospital, leaving no one at home. Aunt Su stood at the door, still waiting, but there was no sign of Wang Xiangxiu. The surroundings were empty, and her face was as dark as ink. That little vixen.


    So where had Wang Xiangxiu gone today?


    Aunt Su would never have guessed. Instead of rushing home after work, Wang Xiangxiu had taken a strange, winding route to Liang Meifen¡¯s parents¡¯ house.


    Yes, you read that right¡ªshe went to Liang Meifen¡¯s parents¡¯ house.


    Wang Xiangxiu had worked all day, surrounded by foul smells, feeling like she was about to vomit. Not only that, but she was also being gawked at like a circus animal. She felt utterly miserable. And the person responsible for her current predicament was none other than Liang Meifen.


    If it weren''t for Liang Meifening to work at the factory, how could they have assigned her to clean the toilets?


    The person who was supposed to take over the job of cleaning the toilets didn¡¯t do it, and instead, they transferred her, a first-ss fitter from the workshop, to do it. Is there any logic in that?


    At this moment, Wang Xiangxiu conveniently forgot that her status as a first-ss fitter was only granted due to her long years of service and the factory¡¯s consideration of her family¡¯s financial difficulties. In reality, she didn¡¯t actually meet the qualifications.


    Fortunately, the work of a first-ss fitter was rtively simple, so she managed without much trouble.


    But as for being promoted to a second-ss fitter? She might as well stop dreaming about that.


    Yet, she firmly believed that she was already a first-ss worker and would soon be promoted to second-ss. Being treated so unfairly was simply uneptable!


    However, when Wang Xiangxiu went toin to the management, no one paid her any attention. They either avoided her or bluntly told her they didn¡¯t want to see her. This left her feeling deeply frustrated. She had always been well-liked and got along easily with men.


    The fact that even the management didn¡¯t value her made her feel particrly miserable. Why was this happening?


    The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. But she also knew there was nothing she could do to change the management¡¯s decisions. Because of this, she decided to teach Liang Meifen a lesson. After all, how did Liang Meifen manage to give up her formal job and still get a new one?


    Did she even deserve it?


    There was no way to reverse Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s assignment to clean the toilets, but she was determined to cause some trouble for Liang Meifen.


    Both Wang Xiangxiu and Liang Meifen had been married into the samepound for many years, so they knew each other well. Wang Xiangxiu was aware that Liang Meifen¡¯s family was greedy and never satisfied. Over the years, they had frequently visited Liang Meifen, and although it sometimes seemed like they didn¡¯t take much, everyone knew that Liang Meifen¡¯s sry was mostly used to support her parents and younger brother.


    So this time, Wang Xiangxiu decided to exploit this situation. She didn¡¯t know Liang Meifen¡¯s family personally, but she had a rough idea of where they lived. After asking around for a long time, as night fell, she finally found thepound.


    ¡°Is the Liang family home?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu stood at the entrance and called out.


    ¡°Is there a family surnamed Liang here? The young man isn¡¯t very tall, quite stocky, with single eyelids,¡± she added. ¡°Oh yes, he works at the textile factory and took over the job at the end ofst year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you mean the Liang family! They live over there. Mrs. Liang, there¡¯s a woman outside looking for your son¡­¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly corrected, ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not looking for their son. I¡¯m looking for the elderly couple¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Old Lady Hu,e out for a moment.¡±


    It was dinner time, and Old Lady Hu, holding a steamed bun, came out and asked, ¡°Who are you¡­?¡±


    She found the woman in front of her somewhat familiar but couldn¡¯t ce her. ¡°Are you looking for our family?¡±


    The woman did look familiar, but she didn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Before Wang Xiangxiu could answer, Liang Meifen¡¯s younger brother, Liang Jiabao, appeared. Liang Jiabao was the only son in the Liang family and had been pampered since childhood. While everyone else was thin from hardship, he was rather stocky.


    Wang Xiangxiu recognized him immediately.


    After all, this young man had previously visited theirpound to ask Liang Meifen for money.


    She immediately put on a sweet smile and said, ¡°Little brother, do you remember Sister Xiu?¡±


    Liang Jiabao replied, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re Widow Wang.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°¡­¡±


    She hated hearing those two words. Even though she was indeed a widow, she despised being reminded of it. It wasn¡¯t that she had loved her husband deeply, but his death had forced her to shoulder the burden of supporting the Su family. She didn¡¯t like being reminded of that.


    She cooed, ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t call me Widow Wang. Just call me Sister Xiu.¡±


    Liang Jiabao: ¡°Sister Xiu, you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, a cold, sharp voice interrupted, ¡°What Sister Xiu!¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice was icy, and she stepped out of the house. She was decent-looking but had narrow, upturned eyes that made her seem difficult to deal with. She red at Liang Jiabao and said, ¡°Liang Jiabao, you better exin yourself. Who is this ¡®Sister Xiu¡¯? What are you doing outside? A widowes knocking at your door, and you¡¯re calling her ¡®Sister Xiu¡¯? Disgusting!¡±


    A nosy neighbor chimed in, ¡°She said she was looking for your parents-inw too.¡±


    This made Liang Jiabao¡¯s wife even angrier. ¡°So, you¡¯re not just fooling around outside, but you¡¯re bringing this woman into our home? Is that it?¡±


    She became furious. ¡°Liang Jiabao, are you out of your mind? You have a young wife like me, and you¡¯re still chasing after this kind of woman? Is she younger or prettier than me? Is the grass always greener on the other side?¡±


    She was a fiery woman and grabbed Liang Jiabao by the cor. ¡°You better exin yourself clearly, or this isn¡¯t over.¡±


    The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.


    Wang Xiangxiu protested, ¡°No, no¡­ How can you use me like this?¡±


    ¡°Stop with your whiny voice. I¡¯m a woman too, and I¡¯m not falling for your tricks!¡± She tightened her grip on Liang Jiabao. ¡°Exin yourself! Who is this woman?¡±


    Liang Jiabao was equally confused. He had no idea why he was being used of this. He had always been faithful to his wife.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t even know why she¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know why she came looking for you? Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know! Sister Xiu, say something! Exin! We have no rtionship whatsoever. Wait, why did youe looking for me¡­?¡±


    This only made Liang Jiabao¡¯s wife more suspicious.


    ¡°Oh, so she can¡¯te looking for you? Are you afraid your affair will be exposed? You heartless man!¡±


    *p!*


    She struck him across the face.


    Liang Jiabao, cowering, said, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The elderly couple rushed forward. ¡°Daughter-inw, what are you doing? How can you hit him? If there¡¯s any me, it¡¯s that woman¡¯s fault¡­ You can¡¯t hit him!¡±


    ¡°Look at the kind of woman he¡¯s bringing home! Shameless!¡±


    Although Old Lady Hu was harsh on her daughter, she was much weaker when it came to her daughter-inw. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu, she felt the woman was nothing but trouble and lunged at her. ¡°You daree here and ruin my son¡¯s family? I¡¯ll beat you to death, you vixen!¡±


    ¡°Old man, p her! Hit her!¡± Old Man Liang wasn¡¯t exactly a kind old man either.


    Wang Xiangxiu shouted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your family? What are you doing? Don¡¯t me me if I fight back¡­¡±


    A chaotic brawl broke out!


    Liang Jiabao¡¯s wife was seething with anger. When they were introduced, she was told how wonderful the Liang family was, but after marrying into it, she realized it wasn¡¯t all that great. They had promised her ¡°three rounds and one sound¡± (a traditional dowry), but they couldn¡¯t deliver on any of it.


    If it weren¡¯t for Liang Jiabao¡¯s stable job and the fact that she could have some control after marrying in, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to the marriage.


    Even before the wedding, she had shed with her sister-inw.


    She couldn¡¯t find a better family, but she still felt the Liangs weren¡¯t good enough for her. After marrying in, she became even more dissatisfied with their actual situation. But since she was already married and couldn¡¯t divorce and remarry, she had to make do.


    However, she soon found new reasons to be unhappy. Liang Jiabao worked at a textile factory with many female workers.


    Sometimes he woulde home and talk about his coworkers, who were all women, which made her even angrier. She had been bottling up her feelings, and today, seeing a womane to their home, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She shouted, ¡°Have you no shame? Liang Jiabao, what did you promise me when we got married? And now you¡¯re bringing this kind of woman home?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She thought this family was insane. She had never had any rtionship with Liang Jiabao; she had onlye to warn them about Liang Meifen!


    How could they jump to such conclusions?


    They were delusional.


    As she dodged their attacks, she fought back.


    She raised her voice a little and said, "What nonsense are you talking about! There''s nothing going on between me and Liang Jiabao. I''m Liang Meifen''s neighbor, and I came here today because of Liang Meifen''s matters..."


    Bringing up Liang Meifen only made Liang Jiabao''s wife even angrier. That sister-inw of hers was so stingy. She couldn''t even spare a bicycle, even though her husband was the only male heir in the Liang family. She should have been willing to empty the family coffers to support him.


    But no, she refused to help.


    She was truly no good.


    Not only did she refuse to help, but she also said that Liang Meifen was just an ordinary girl, nothing special, and didn''t deserve so much. This led to a heated argument, and they parted on bad terms. She drew a clear line: it was either her or Liang Meifen. If they wanted to get married, Liang Meifen absolutely could not be invited. How dare a sister-inw try to meddle in the dowry matters?


    Shameless!


    And she won. The Liang family actually went along with her and didn''t invite Liang Meifen.


    This was her proudest moment.


    The family''s conditions weren''t as good as she had imagined, but she had them firmly under her control.


    However, whenever Liang Meifen was mentioned, she became extremely displeased.


    She said, "Ugh! Stop talking about Liang Meifen. Liang Meifen is nothing. What kind of sister behaves like that? Her brother is getting married, and she won''t even contribute the ''three rounds and one sound''? She''s trash. What now? Did she send you here to seduce my husband and make me look bad? Let me tell you, it won''t work! My Jiabao only has eyes for me! Liang Meifen can dream on if she thinks she can ruin my marriage!"


    The neighbors who overheard this shook their heads. Liang Meifen had given so much to the Liang family, and it was all for nothing. This family was truly ungrateful.


    Wang Xiangxiu retorted, "...Are you out of your mind? Who wants to ruin your marriage? Can''t you see that your short, ugly husband is someone I wouldn''t even look at? You''re so full of yourself. With your nasty attitude, you''re only fit for a man who relies on his sister to get a job..."


    "What? How dare you insult my son!" Old Lady Hu was even more furious now, and she lunged at Wang Xiangxiu with her "Nine Yin White Bone w" technique.


    "You people are really insane. When did I ever show interest in your son? I came here out of goodwill to tell you that Liang Meifen has found a new job."


    Liang Jiabao didn''t believe it at all and shouted, "You''re my third sister''s neighbor. Logically, you should be on good terms with her. Why would youe all the way here to tell us this? Are you plotting something with her to trick us? Are you trying to scam me out of my job?"


    "That''s right, that must be it."


    "Exactly! Jobs aren''t that easy toe by. She just gave her job to me, and now she has another one? Do you think we''re stupid?"


    "Ah, they must be up to no good. She probably regrets giving up her job and is now scheming with her neighbor. How despicable! What a wicked woman!"


    "No doubt about it, that''s exactly what''s happening."


    The Liang family members, one after another, firmly believed that Wang Xiangxiu hade with malicious intentions.


    Wang Xiangxiu was so angry she almost fainted. She had met stupid people before, but never such stupid and self-righteous idiots. She tried to calm herself and said, "Liang Meifen has started working at the machinery factory..."


    "Liar! That''s definitely a lie! The machinery factory is a state-owned enterprise. She''s been married for so many years and never got in. How could she get a job there now, when positions are so scarce? You''re a big liar!"


    "Exactly! Couldn''t youe up with a better excuse?"


    "Why are you saying this? What are you trying to achieve with this lie?"


    "Ah, I get it now." Liang Jiabao pped his head and eximed excitedly, "I see through it now! My third sister must have gotten a temporary job at the machinery factory. She wants to use this as a better opportunity to swap jobs with me. The machinery factory is better than the textile factory. She¡¯ll trick me into thinking it¡¯s a permanent position, and once we swap, I¡¯ll end up with a temporary job at the machinery factory, while she¡¯ll take my permanent job at the textile factory. Oh, how devious! That¡¯s definitely their n."


    He thought he had uncovered the truth.


    He was so clever, he saw right through it.


    The Liang family members all nodded in agreement.


    "Jiabao, you''re so smart. That must be it, absolutely."


    "I knew it! Why else would shee here with good intentions? It''s all a scheme. How despicable!"


    "What a disgrace to the family. Such a daughter is truly no good..."


    Wang Xiangxiu was on the verge of passing out. Was this family out of their minds?


    What kind of nonsense were they thinking?


    She cursed, "Go to hell, you bunch of idiots!"


    "How dare you curse at us? I''ll beat you up, you wicked woman!"


    "Count me in!"


    Wang Xiangxiu spat, "Ugh! Just die already, you trash!"


    Outnumbered, she didn''t stick around. She cursed as she ran away.


    Damn it, no wonder Liang Meifen was so stupid. It ran in the family!


    Ahhh, so infuriating!

 Chapter 121

    Wang Xiangxiu cursed under her breath as she walked back home, the echoes of Liang Jiabao''s foolish taunts still ringing in her ears: "I''m the smartest one here, don''t even try to fool me!"


    Thinking about that idiot''s behavior, Wang Xiangxiu spat and muttered, "I don''t know how a family of donkeys like them managed to raise a daughter who graduated from high school. If my family had been better off, I could have gone to university too."


    She firmly believed she was far superior to Liang Meifen.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was just that her family had been too poor, so she had only managed to attend school up to the elementary level, and even that she hadn''tpleted.


    Wang Xiangxiu snorted heavily, pursed her lips, and hissed in pain. Her face had taken quite a beating, and it hurt terribly.


    That bastard had really gone too far!


    Even though Wang Xiangxiu had been the one to provoke the situation this time, she was still furious about being beaten up for no reason. Her luck had been terribletely, always running into such idiots, turning perfectly good situations intoplete messes.


    She thought of Bai Fendou again, feeling even more dissatisfied. If only he had lent her his bicycle, she wouldn''t have had to walk so far.


    Wang Xiangxiu trudged all the way home, and by the time she reached her doorstep, it was already pitch dark. Summer days were long, and it must have been around nine o''clock. Even the people who usually sat outside chatting had gone home. It was clearlyte.


    She walked in with a dejected expression, only to find Aunt Su looking displeased. "Where have you been, Xiangxiu? Why are you back sote?"


    Then, noticing the bruises on Wang Xiangxiu''s face, she quickly asked, "Oh my, what happened? Who hit you? Did you run into some troublemaker? Let me see if it''s serious. Oh dear, look at you, my poor Xiangxiu."


    Wang Xiangxiu felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Mom, I''m fine."


    She whispered, "I just had some bad luck and ran into an idiot."


    Gurgle, gurgle.


    Before she could exin further, her stomach growled loudly.


    Aunt Su quickly said, "I''ll get you a cornbread bun. Let''s eat together."


    She exined, "There wasn''t much food tonight. The kids ate most of it, and I waited for you, so I haven''t eaten either."


    Aunt Su had always known how to manipte Wang Xiangxiu, and Wang Xiangxiu was immediately moved. "Mom, you really shouldn''t have waited for me. You should eat early, especially since your health isn''t great. Oh, by the way, where''s my cousin, Hu Huihui?"


    Hu Huihui had beening homete recently, but now she wasn''t even back yet?


    Aunt Su pursed her lips and said, "She''s not back yet."


    She added, "That cousin of yours isn''t exactly a decent person. When she first arrived, she could at least pretend, but now she doesn''t even bother. You, on the other hand, have always seen right through her."


    Wang Xiangxiu smirked proudly. "Of course, after all, she''s my cousin. Our families aren''t that far apart. Hu Huihui, well, she''s just average."


    Their mothers were sisters, but their rtionship was only so-so, filled with constantpetition. This rivalry had trickled down to their generation as well. They weren''t particrly close, just barely considered rtives.


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "But it''s good she''s noting back. It saves us some food."


    Hu Huihui insisted on giving her eight yuan a month for room and board, which included breakfast and dinner. Now that she wasn''ting back for meals, it was a real bargain. Wang Xiangxiu mused, "If only we had more rtives like that."


    Aunt Su chuckled. "Where would we find such good fortune?"


    After a pause, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, I heard you were transferred to cleaning the toilets. Is that true?"


    Deep down, she knew it was true¡ªJiang Lu wouldn''t lie about something so serious¡ªbut she still hoped it wasn''t.


    Wang Xiangxiu replied awkwardly, "It''s true."


    Sheined, "It''s all because of that bitch Liang Meifen. Out of nowhere, she got a job at the factory and started working in the workshop. Meanwhile, they transferred me out. I don''t know what the leaders were thinking. It''s so shameless."


    "Well, you should talk to the leaders about this. How can they treat you like this?"


    Wang Xiangxiu pursed her lips. "I tried, but no one listened to me."


    She sighed.


    Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu with disdain. A pretty young woman like her shouldn''t have trouble handling such matters. Back in her day, this wouldn''t have been an issue at all. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu fail to resolve it left Aunt Su feeling helpless.


    She thought Wang Xiangxiu was utterly useless.


    She asked, "So after work, did you go to see the leaders?"


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, "No, how could I? They''re all avoiding me now, afraid I''ll tarnish their reputations. I doubt it would do any good even if I tried. I think even if they wanted to help, they wouldn''t dare. Everyone''s keeping an eye on metely. That jinx is still spreading rumors that I slept with Yu Baoshan. Even if someone wanted to help me transfer, they''d be worried about ruining their own reputation."


    "But isn''t that just bullying women? Cleaning toilets isn''t a job for women. You should go to the Women''s Federation. Isn''t that what they''re there for¡ªto fight for women''s rights?" Aunt Su suggested.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s eyes lit up. "You''re right. I''ll go to the Women''s Federation tomorrow."


    Jiang Lu was part of the Women''s Federation, but Wang Xiangxiu didn''t even mention her. In her eyes, Jiang Lu was useless. Besides, she didn''t want to lose face in front of her neighbors. Even though she was now cleaning toilets, she was still one of the upper-ss residents in their courtyard.


    Wang Xiangxiu gnawed on a cornbread bun, feeling it stick in her throat. She took a sip of water.


    Aunt Su said, "I''m done eating too."


    She added, "At my age, my appetite isn''t what it used to be. I waited for you, but by the time I ate, I wasn''t hungry anymore."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "Mom, next time don''t wait for me. But didn''t we just get two hundred yuan inpensation? Plus, I managed to get some ration tickets. Why don''t you buy some wheat flour and make steamed buns?"


    Aunt Su quickly waved her hand. "No, no, at my age, I don''t deserve to eat wheat buns. Save those for the kids."


    Wang Xiangxiu insisted, "Mom, don''t say that. Your appetite isn''t great either. You should eat some fine grains."


    Aunt Su continued to refuse, adamant. "Absolutely not. Save it for the kids, or you eat it. I don''t do much work around the house, so I shouldn''t eat the good stuff. Listen to me, and don''t argue anymore. By the way, Xiangxiu, if you didn''t go see the leaders after work, what did you do?"


    Wang Xiangxiu felt a wave of frustration as she recalled the events. She spat and said, "It was all because of Liang Meifen. I wanted to teach her a lesson, so I went to her family''s ce. But the Liang family is a bunch of idiots. You wouldn''t believe it, they made me so angry. Look at what they did to me..."


    She rambled on, and Aunt Su could only sigh, thinking that it was no wonder Liang Meifen seemed so dim-witted. Her family was just as clueless.


    Stupid and yet so full of themselves, thinking they were clever.


    Aunt Su said, "You worked all day, you must be tired. You should havee home earlier. If there''s something like this, you should tell me, and I''ll handle it. Instead, you went all the way there for nothing. Now that you''ve made such a mess of things, even if I go talk to them, they won''t listen. You''re too impulsive, child."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "I didn''t expect them to be so stupid. Bai Fendou wouldn''t lend me his bicycle, so it took longer than I thought."


    Mentioning Bai Fendou, Aunt Su also grew displeased. "What kind of person is he? He won''t even lend you a bicycle? Even if you''re not lovers anymore, aren''t you still neighbors? He''s so cold-hearted. I think he was only nice to you before because he wanted something from you. That man has no good intentions. Now that he can''t perform as a man anymore, he''s turned cold. He deserves to be childless. A man like him, already without heirs, should be grateful to have a beauty like you as his wife. How dare he refuse you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Ever since that day... he''s ignored me. He must have seen me with Deputy Director Cai."


    Aunt Su said, "So what? Love is about forgiveness. You only made a small mistake, and besides, you''re not even married yet. You did what you had to do for the sake of your family, your children, and your livelihood. What''s wrong with that? If he were a real man, he should be magnanimous and not hold it against you. Being so petty, he''s not a real man. Oh, wait, he''s not a man at all."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded in agreement.


    Aunt Su continued, "Besides, even if he wants to cut ties with our family, he can¡¯t just refuse to lend us the bicycle. These are twopletely different matters. And the few hundred bucks he got from selling his job¡ªwhat does a single man need to spend money on? There¡¯s no ce for him to spend it. It would be much better if he gave it to us, people who actually need it. Isn¡¯t it good to help those in need? He doesn¡¯t even have a child. Who knows, he might need our Jii¡¯s help in the future."


    Wang Xiangxiu felt that her mother-inw made a lot of sense and agreed, "You¡¯re right. He shouldn¡¯t be so petty. A few hundred bucks could¡¯ve solved a lot of problems for our family before¡­"


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw began to fantasize about how they could get their hands on that money.


    What they didn¡¯t notice was the person standing at the door, hesitating for a long time before deciding not to enter. Hu Huihui had been standing there, listening for a while, and eventually turned around and left. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to step over that threshold, mainly because she had never seen such shameless people before.


    If she stayed here any longer, she might start believing she was some kind of saint.


    Hu Huihui shook her head vigorously and quietly walked away.


    After Hu Huihui left, Aunt Zhou, like a gecko, pressed herself against the door and peered outside, whispering, "That girl left. Who is she?"


    Even though she had just returned, she had quickly immersed herself in thetest gossip, unable to break free. She was so obsessed that she barely slept at night, eager to catch up on all the gossip she had missed.


    "That¡¯s Hu Huihui, the one I told you about. She ran away from home to escape an arranged marriage. She¡¯s Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s cousin and lives here, paying eight bucks a month."


    Wang Zhaodi couldn¡¯t help but click her tongue at the thought of such an amount. Even Aunt Zhou was shocked. She clicked her tongue too and sighed, "That woman is really something. She¡¯s charging so much! Hu Huihui is too easy to take advantage of."


    Wang Zhaodi nodded and said, "Yeah, Hu Huihui spends money every month, but she hardly everes back to eat. We¡¯ve all noticed."


    Aunt Zhou sighed deeply, feeling that she had been outdone. She thought she was already quite harsh, but she had never treated Wang Zhaodi like this. Looking at the Su family, they could be so cruel even to their rtives. They were truly despicable.


    Suddenly, Aunt Zhou thought of something and quickly called out, "Jiang Lu, Jiang Lu,e here."


    Jiang Lu had already gone to bed. As a pregnant woman, she was prone to drowsiness. Hearing themotion, she frowned, rubbing her temples, clearly annoyed. Zhou Qun, who was lying beside her, was also woken up and said, "Mom, what are you doing? Can¡¯t this wait until tomorrow?"


    Aunt Zhou was displeased, thinking to herself that her son always took his wife¡¯s side.


    But she quickly put on her robe and came over, saying, "I need to tell you this now, or I won¡¯t be able to sleep."


    "What is it?"


    Zhou Qun turned on the light, and Jiang Lu shielded her eyes with her hand.


    If their house weren¡¯t so small, she wouldn¡¯t be sharing a room with Zhou Qun. She would¡¯ve insisted on sleeping separately. It was so annoying.


    She asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    Aunt Zhou spoke seriously, "If I don¡¯t say this now, I won¡¯t be able to sleep. I¡¯m afraid I might forget itter, so I need to tell you in advance. Move over."


    She pushed her son aside and sat on the edge of the bed, facing Jiang Lu. "The weather¡¯s nice now, and it¡¯s summer, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about. But when it gets cold and the ground freezes, you need to be extra careful, even in our courtyard. You have to watch out for the Su family."


    Jiang Lu, who had been half-asleep, immediately asked, "Why?"


    Aunt Zhou sneered, "Why else? They¡¯re sneaky. Let me tell you, don¡¯t be fooled by how kind Aunt Su looks. She¡¯s actually a terrible person. She¡¯s really good at doing bad things while pretending to be innocent. You young people might think she¡¯s a good mother-inw, but I know better. She¡¯s no good. Back when Liang Meifen was pregnant with Little Swallow, Aunt Su¡¯s son had already passed away. Do you know how evil she is? She couldn¡¯t stand seeing other families happy. In the middle of winter, she deliberately poured water outside. You know how cold it gets here in Beijing in winter, right? It doesn¡¯t take long for a thinyer of ice to form. She did this every day, and Liang Meifen slipped on the ice and almost miscarried. Luckily, she was fine in the end, but Little Swallow was born a month premature."


    "Oh my God," Jiang Lu was wide awake now. "She¡¯s that bad?"


    "Of course! She even knelt down and imed it wasn¡¯t on purpose, saying she was still grieving her son¡¯s death and wasn¡¯t thinking straight. But that was a load of nonsense. Her son had been dead for over half a year by then. Who would believe her? Besides, when she went to the factory to y the victim and cause a scene, she didn¡¯t seem out of it at all. But suddenly, she was ¡®distracted¡¯ when it came to this? I saw her several times, watching the Zhuang family before she poured the water. I called her out back then. But she¡¯s such a good actress. She knelt there, crying and pping herself, making it look so real. Everyone in the courtyard believed her, even Zhao Guihua. Can you believe how stupid they were? Only I, her old rival, saw through her act. I knew she wasn¡¯t doing it unconsciously. She has three grandsons, right? She¡¯s terrified of anyone else doing better than her family. She¡¯s jealous of the Zhuang family¡¯s sess, and she¡¯s jealous of ours too. So, Jiang Lu, you need to be careful. Stay away from their family. I¡¯ll keep an eye on things at home, but when you¡¯re at work, you need to watch out for Wang Xiangxiu."


    Jiang Lu¡¯s face turned pale.


    "But what does she gain from hurting others?" Wang Zhaodi, who had been following Aunt Zhou, whispered.


    Aunt Zhou turned around and sneered, "She doesn¡¯t gain anything, but she¡¯s happy as long as we¡¯re miserable. When someone is that evil, you can¡¯t expect them to do anything good."


    Wang Zhaodi didn¡¯t dare say anything more, but in her heart, she elevated Aunt Su from a two-faced old woman to a downright malicious one.


    Jiang Lu, however, immediately believed Aunt Zhou. She said, "I understand. Thank you, Mother-inw."


    Aunt Zhou waved her hand, "No need to thank me! You¡¯re carrying the only hope for our Zhou family. If something happens to you, our family line will be cut off. That Aunt Su might very well do something. She¡¯s so good at pretending, she wouldn¡¯t do anything directly, but she might pull the same trick again."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be careful."


    At this point, Jiang Lu wasn¡¯t annoyed at being woken up anymore. She was fully alert.


    Actually, she had heard about Liang Meifen¡¯s fall before. She had already married into the family by then, but she didn¡¯t pay much attention to such things. Back then, she didn¡¯t have a child, and the pressure on women who couldn¡¯t conceive was immense. She put a lot of pressure on herself and avoided pregnant women and anything rted to pregnancy. So, while she had some impression of the incident, it wasn¡¯t very clear.


    Jiang Lu said, "Mom, thank you. I¡¯ll definitely keep an eye on her from now on."


    Aunt Zhou nodded, "I know. Alright, you two can go back to sleep now."


    Jiang Luy down, but she couldn¡¯t fall asleep right away. She said, "Zhou Qun."


    Zhou Qun replied, "Hmm?"


    Jiang Lu asked, "Don¡¯t you think your mom has changed a bit?"


    Zhou Qun was silent for a while before finally saying, "Yeah."


    Aunt Zhou used to be mean, domineering, and sharp-tongued. Everyone wanted to p her.


    But since she came back, she was still domineering and had a sharp tongue, but she could actually reason with people now.


    It was strange.


    But then again, it wasn¡¯t that strange. She had spent nearly three months in jail, and it seemed like she had learned something.


    Jiang Lu said, "If everyone who went to jail could reform like this, it would be great."


    Zhou Qun replied, "Not necessarily. My mom is just inherently good."


    Jiang Lu made a gagging sound, turned over, and didn¡¯t say another word.


    She nned to talk to Ming Mei and Li Fang about this matter the next day. She didn¡¯t think Ming Mei and Li Fang knew about it but chose not to tell her. Although they hadn¡¯t known each other for long, she could tell that Ming Mei grew up in a well-off family, was a cheerful and warm-hearted person, and had a strong sense of justice.


    As for Li Fang, she didn¡¯t talk much, but she was straightforward and didn¡¯t y mind games.


    What happened a few years ago, Ming Mei might not know, and Li Fang probably didn¡¯t think much of it anymore. Still, she wanted to bring it up.


    Sometimes, in a bigmunity like theirs, it¡¯s good to have someone like her mother-inw, who isn¡¯t afraid to think the worst of people. It helps avoid a lot of trouble. For example, Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua believed that Aunt Su didn¡¯t mean any harm, which might have emboldened her.


    Many people are like that.


    They might start with small misdeeds, and when they get away with it, no one holds them ountable. Over time, they be bolder and more reckless. She let out a snort, turned over, andy t on her back, gently stroking her belly.


    This child was something she had longed for, and no one would be allowed to harm him.


    Jiang Lu tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. The next morning, she got up early and went straight to the Zhuang family. Ming Mei was preparing milk powder, something she had been drinking every morningtely. Her mother had managed to get it for her through some connections¡ªsomething not easily avable to most people.


    Hearing the knock on the door, Ming Mei put away the milk powder and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Ming Mei said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    She didn¡¯t hide the milk powder from Jiang Lu since Jiang Lu¡¯s family was well-off and wouldn¡¯t care about such things.


    Ming Mei asked, ¡°Why are you here so early?¡±


    Jiang Lu replied, ¡°I need to talk to you about something¡­¡±


    She quickly exined everything and added, ¡°Ask your mother-inw and sister-inw about it.¡±


    Then she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to Li Fang¡¯s ce.¡±


    Now, the three pregnant women in the courtyard had formed a sort of alliance.


    Seeing Jiang Lu in such a hurry, Ming Mei looked down at her cup of milk, drank it all in one go, wiped her mouth, and went to the main room. Zhao Guihua was cooking porridge and asked, ¡°Why did Jiang Lu rush over to your ce?¡±


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°She reminded me to be careful of Aunt Su. She said the weather is fine now, but in a few months when it gets icy, and we¡¯re all further along in our pregnancies, it¡¯ll be dangerous if we slip and fall.¡±


    She nced at Liang Meifen and said, ¡°Aunt Zhou mentioned that when Sister-inw Liang Meifen slipped back then, it might have been Aunt Su¡¯s doing.¡±


    Liang Meifen, who was steaming mixed-grain buns, was startled. She pped her forehead and said, ¡°Right, right, right! When I was pregnant with Little Swallow, I slipped, and she was born prematurely. But at the time, I didn¡¯t think it was intentional¡­¡±


    She paused and looked at her mother-inw.


    In a hushed voice, she asked, ¡°Mom, do you think she really didn¡¯t mean it?¡±


    Zhao Guihua was silent for a long time before finally saying seriously, ¡°Back then, I believed she didn¡¯t mean it, but now, looking at her actions, I¡¯m not so sure¡­¡±


    When Su¡¯s son passed away, Wang Xiangxiu hadn¡¯t even finished her postpartum confinement, and Aunt Su had to manage the entire household. As soon as Wang Xiangxiu finished her confinement, she took over the household duties, while Aunt Su took care of the children, the youngest of whom was still a baby.


    After a few months, she was exhausted.


    If she had been mentally drained, disheveled, and careless, everyone would have believed it.


    Zhao Guihua had believed it, and even Liang Meifen, the victim, had believed it. After all, Aunt Su had always been seen as a good person, so no one thought she could be malicious. Since Liang Meifen and Little Swallow were both fine, the Zhuang family had let it go.


    Because no one had suspected it was intentional at the time, they hadn¡¯t given it much thought.


    But now that Jiang Lu had brought it up, it was hard not to feel uneasy.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Aunt Su is a crafty one. Who knows¡­¡±


    Liang Meifen mmed the bun she was holding onto the table and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to confront her!¡±


    Zhao Guihua quickly stopped her, saying, ¡°What¡¯s the point? It¡¯s been so many years. If you go and use her now, do you think she¡¯ll admit to it?¡±


    She added, ¡°If you bring up old grievances without any evidence, she¡¯ll just say you¡¯re being unreasonable and bullying a widow and her children. Is it worth it?¡±


    Liang Meifen said, ¡°I can¡¯t swallow this.¡±


    She red in the direction of the Su household. Back then, she had thought Aunt Su was the best mother-inw, someone to envy. But now, she wished she could kick that evil old woman to death.


    Even though there was no concrete evidence, Aunt Su¡¯s recent behavior had shattered her image. Even if she hadn¡¯t done anything tantly wrong, the Su family¡¯s troubles had piled up, and no one was fooled anymore.


    Now, if Aunt Su tried to y the innocent victim, people would think twice.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°There¡¯s no point in digging up the past, but from now on, we¡¯ll be more careful. If she dares to do anything, I¡¯ll p her. Don¡¯t worry, if she tries anything in front of me, I¡¯ll teach her a lesson.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join in too!¡±


    Liang Meifen said eagerly.


    Ming Mei chimed in, ¡°Me too¡­ uh, after I have the baby, I¡¯ll join in.¡±


    Everyoneughed.


    The women were all fired up, while the men didn¡¯t dare to interrupt. But as the mood lightened, everyone rxed a bit.


    They had gotten up early that day because Zhao Guihua had called them over. She had something to discuss with her two sons. After finishing the previous conversation, she moved on to the main topic: ¡°You all know that this summer has been unusually rainy, and we¡¯ve had seven straight days of heavy rain recently.¡±


    Everyone nodded.


    Zhao Guihua continued, ¡°All this rain has affected the crops. I think grain prices are going to rise, or it¡¯ll be hard to buy. So I want to stock up on some grain now. Even though it¡¯s not as good as the fresh grain harvested in the fall, it¡¯s better to have some stored in case there¡¯s a shortage. That way, we won¡¯t go hungry.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Zhao Guihua added, ¡°You¡¯re all part of this family, so you can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. I charge each household only ten yuan a month for living expenses, and you know how much we spend on food. With six adults and two children, plus your dad and me contributing another ten yuan, thirty yuan isn¡¯t enough to cover everything. Not to mention all the other expenses I take care of, like the clothes for Little Swallow and Tiger Head, and the nkets for the baby on the way.¡±


    Little Swallow and Tiger Head had gotten new clothes and backpacks this summer, all prepared by Zhao Guihua without asking for money.


    Simrly, Zhao Guihua had also prepared soft little jackets and nkets for Ming Mei¡¯s unborn child.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi nodded silently.


    They knew that theirfortable lives werergely due to their parents¡¯ support. Their father, a sixth-grade riveter, earned over sixty yuan a month, and their mother managed the household meticulously. Many of the luxuries they enjoyed came without extra cost.


    Such a life was rare these days.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan, as the eldest son, spoke up, ¡°Mom, just tell us what you need. We¡¯ll listen.¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to contribute to buying the grain, but starting next month, each household will pay fifteen yuan instead of ten for living expenses.¡±


    She added, ¡°Zhuang Zhiyuan and your wife, you should start preparing things for the baby. Don¡¯t always rely on us old folks. As for Zhuang Zhixi and your wife¡­ you two don¡¯t take advantage, but don¡¯t be toozy either. Your sister-inw used to help with the housework, but now it¡¯s just me since I¡¯m not working. There¡¯s a lot to do, so you need to pitch in more.¡±


    Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife nodded sheepishly.


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, grinned and said, ¡°Laziness is human nature, haha.¡±


    Zhao Guihua scolded, ¡°Get out of here with that nonsense.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be so harsh. How about we chip in for the grain storage?¡±


    Zhao Guihua gave him a look and said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. This is just me nning ahead. I¡¯ve got it figured out.¡±


    Although it might seem like she''s at a disadvantage now, with the elderly couple subsidizing their son by buying grain, in reality, the money isn''t just gone. The grain is still there. The monthly living expenses for both households still need to be paid.


    When grain bes scarce, the leftover living expenses will gradually bnce out the earlier grain purchases.


    This is simr to how young people decadester would use credit cards.


    They aren''t paying upfront now, but it''s like they''re making monthly "repayments" on time.


    The logic is simple, so Zhao Guihua didn''t demand money from her son right away. However, she did propose an increase in the living expenses, which she had carefully considered. Five yuan is the minimum standard for living expenses, but their household''s lifestyle isn''t at the minimum.


    It''s actually quite high.


    Moreover, they can''t treat the children as if they don''t matter.


    Tiger Head and Little Swallow, the two little ones, eat just as much as anyone else.


    Zhao Guihua: "Eldest son, don''t think that I''m favoring your younger siblings by giving them eggs and other good food. Your sister-inw is pregnant and needs the extra nutrition. Even if she weren''t, it''s only fair that their household eats a bit better. Your family already has the advantage since both households contribute the same amount, but you have two extra mouths to feed."


    Zhao Guihua has learned from her past life''s mistakes. Back then, she never exined her actions, believing she was fair, but everyone else thought she was unfair. It was onlyter that she realized she might have been wrong about many things.


    So in this life, she makes sure to exin everything openly. By doing so, everyone now thinks she''s straightforward and fair, and they trust herpletely. It''s quite ironic.


    Even Liang Meifen, who used to mutterints all the time in her past life, now nods in agreement.


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, let''s eat."


    "Sure!"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, are you going to the ck market to buy grain? Do you want me toe with you?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Yes, you and your brother should both go after work today. Go separately, so no one notices. Each of you buy a bag of flour. If possible, try to get some rice too, but never mind, I''ll handle the rice. I also want to buy some mixed flour."


    "Buy that much?" Zhuang Zhiyuan eximed in surprise.


    Zhao Guihua red: "Then don''t eat. You have no idea what it''s like to manage a household. Do you think we''re the only ones buying grain?"


    Zhuang Zhixi suddenly realized: "So that''s why Yang Lixin sneaked out¡ªhe was buying grain." He recalled what he had seen earlier.


    Zhao Guihua: "Are you working or spying? How do you know everything?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Hehe."


    Zhao Guihua warned: "Eldest son, you''re not as quick-witted as your brother. When you go to the ck market, be careful not to get cheated. Be extra cautious. If you run into the Red Armbands, it''s better to lose some money than get caught. Understand?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "...Why do I seem so slow-witted?"


    Zhao Guihua nced at him: "I gave birth to you, don''t I know? You''re stubborn as a mule."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi burst outughing.


    Old Man Zhuang also smiled and said: "Both of you have jobs, so be careful. Wife, what about me..."


    Zhao Guihua shot him a look: "Don''t get involved. You''re not cut out for it. There''s a reason for your nickname¡ªOld Man Zhuang. If you go to the ck market, you''ll just dawdle and get caught."


    Old Man Zhuang: "..."


    Now even Zhuang Zhiyuanughed.


    At least he wasn''t the one being scolded.


    Early in the morning, the Zhuang household was already lively. Aunt Su came out to fetch water and tiptoed to peek at the Zhuang family, muttering: "What''s all thismotion so early in the morning?"


    In this courtyard, the Zhuang family was the one they envied the most. Although they weren''t the wealthiest in thepound, didn''t have the most sons, and weren''t even thepound managers, Aunt Su still envied them the most.


    The Zhuang family was thriving, and that was something to envy.


    Everyone in the Zhuang family was healthy, and that was something to envy.


    Out of the six adults in the Zhuang family, five had jobs, which was even more enviable.


    Only Zhao Guihua and the two children didn''t work, but with so many breadwinners in the family, it was truly something that drove others mad with jealousy.


    Everyone lived in the samepound, so why was it only the Zhuang family doing so well?


    Aunt Su red at them with resentment but quickly looked away. She carried her basin of water back home.


    When she entered, she saw Wang Xiangxiu preparing breakfast and felt a sh of displeasure. It was taking too long. However, she still said gently: "Let me do that. You need to get to work."


    Wang Xiangxiu smiled: "Mom, it''s no trouble."


    Aunt Su: "Ah, I''m so lucky to have a daughter-inw like you. If there''s a next life, we must be mother and daughter. No, we already are¡ªnot by blood, but closer than blood."


    Wang Xiangxiuughed and nodded emphatically.


    Aunt Su: "Oh, right. Since you''re working in the sanitation department now, cleaning toilets and such, make sure to wash up and tidy yourself beforeing home after work. I''m not saying this because I look down on you. No matter what, you''re the best in my eyes. But it''s summer, and I don''t want youing home smelling bad. The neighbors might gossip or look down on you. No matter what job you do, it''s honorable, but there are always petty people who talk behind your back. So let''s always stay clean and presentable."


    "Alright," Wang Xiangxiu agreed, feeling that her mother-inw truly cared for her.


    In this entirepound, no other mother-inw was as considerate as hers. She smiled and said: "Mom, don''t worry. But if I do this, I might get home a bitter than usual."


    Aunt Su''s eyes flickered: "That''s fine. It''s no big deal."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Alright then. Oh, I''m runningte. I''ll grab a steamed bun and eat it on the way."


    Aunt Su: "Go ahead."


    Wang Xiangxiu hurried out and ran into many people from thepound heading to the factory, including Liang Meifen, who was walking with Jiang Lu. Jiang Lu had a bicycle, but since she got pregnant, she stopped riding it and now walked every day.


    Zhou Qun also didn''t ride his bike and walked with them.


    It was clear that the Zhou family was being extremely cautious with this pregnancy. Even Ming Mei from the Zhuang family was being careful, with someone apanying her to and from work. But at least she still rode a bicycle, whereas Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu didn''t even ride theirs, fearing even the slightest bump.


    Wang Xiangxiu smirked, thinking they were overreacting. When she was pregnant, she was still doing heavy housework and washing clothes for the whole family right up until she gave birth, and she still had a healthy baby boy. They were just being overly cautious.


    How ridiculous.


    Wang Xiangxiu thought of her three sons and couldn''t help but smile.


    She quickened her pace to catch up and overheard Liang Meifen saying: "Master Zhu is amazing. I think she''s even better than many men. My father-inw said I was lucky to be assigned to her. She''s very thorough in teaching, and as long as I study hard, I can take the level exam right after my probation period ends next year. My husband even got me a notebook to jot down everything I learn. The more I study, the more I''ll improve."


    Liang Meifen was in high spirits that morning.


    How could she not be?


    She was now a worker.


    Before, when she wasn''t working, she didn''t feel it as much, but after staying home for half a year, she realized how ufortable it was. Although she could sometimes take naps at home, there were always endless chores that didn''t feel like they amounted to much. Plus, she felt like she couldn''t hold her head high, and money was always tight.


    Now, things were better. Even though her husband brought home the sry, she had five yuan of her own every month. Their family ate well, and she could save a bit by eating steamed buns for lunch. Liang Meifen felt that life was getting better and better.


    She continued: "There''s a young guy in our workshop who started a month before me. He''s probably not even twenty and took over his father''s job. I can''t let myself be worse than a young kid like that! I have to study hard and at least pass the level exam before him. I want to be the first to advance."


    Jiang Lu, who used to look down on Liang Meifen, now felt that there was a reason Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen had fallen in love freely.


    Liang Meifen might not be the most clear-headed when it came to her family matters, but she was diligent and eager to learn. No wonder she managed to graduate from high school. She hadn¡¯t seen many interns at the factory taking notes like she did.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing really well. If you keep this up for two more years, you¡¯ll get promoted and your sry will increase. Life will be even better then.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    Zhou Qun chimed in with some gossip: ¡°But promotions aren¡¯t that easy, are they? Women aren¡¯t as strong as men. Just look at Wang Xiangxiu¡ªshe¡¯s been stuck at the same level for years.¡±


    Liang Meifen retorted, ¡°She¡¯s her, and I¡¯m me. You can¡¯t underestimate women. Sure, this job requires some strength, but it¡¯s more about finesse. It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m used to hard work.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu had initially nned to walk with them, but after a few steps, she overheard their conversation. Zhou Qun, that scoundrel, was using her as a negative example, which made her feel annoyed. Besides, she was tired of talking about the work in the workshop. Naturally, she slowed her pace.


    ¡°Sister-inw!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi rode past on his bike, waving his hand. Liang Meifen remarked, ¡°You¡¯re pretty quick.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°Can¡¯t bete for work, after all.¡±


    Everyone was rushing to work on time. Zhuang Zhixi hurried upstairs, and as soon as he entered, Sister Cui said, ¡°The director¡¯s looking for you. Go see him.¡± She winked at him.


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow and quickly headed to the office. Not long after, he returned, beaming with joy.


    Sister Cui smiled and asked, ¡°Good news, right?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°The director asked me to temporarily take over the announcer¡¯s duties for a while.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great news!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    This kind of task wasn¡¯t usually taken on by older employees. It was mostly the younger onespeting for it. Little Xu was pretending to be dead at his desk,pletely uninterested. Another young colleague, Little Tang, had a noticeable ent, so Zhuang Zhixi was the most suitable choice.


    Old Huang gave Zhuang Zhixi some advice: ¡°You¡¯re in charge of this now, so be careful when reading the scripts.¡±


    Although their factory wasn¡¯t involved in anything controversial, it was still important to be cautious.


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°There are two of us taking shifts. I¡¯m not the main announcer¡ªmy primary job is still here. I¡¯ll just handle announcements or any other urgent matters thate up in the factory.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t the main yer. After all, he wasn¡¯t a professional. The broadcasting station had a dedicated announcer, and he was just a backup. Some colleagues were directly assigned to the propaganda department, and he was the most suitable person to deliver notifications. This wasn¡¯t exactly a step up, but it was a chance to gain experience and make himself more visible in the factory. Zhuang Zhixi thought it was a decent opportunity.


    He said, ¡°I should buy some meat to celebrate tonight.¡±


    ¡°You definitely should.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Zhuang Zhixi, isn¡¯t your wife working at the bus station?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    Sister Cui smiled meaningfully and said, ¡°There are probably a lot of young women there, right? Do you think you could arrange a matchmaking event between the bus station and our factory? Our factory has a lot of young men, and their station has a lot of young women. It¡¯s a perfect match.¡±


    Don¡¯t think Sister Cui was meddling¡ªthis was just part of the propaganda department¡¯s responsibilities.


    Sister Cui added, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that many bus conductors are young women.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi thought for a moment and said, ¡°I could ask my wife, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Sister Cui asked.


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°Their station doesn¡¯t have that many people. Our factory is huge¡ªthere are way more people here. How many people are at the bus station? Including leaders, drivers, and support staff, I doubt they even have two or three hundred people. I haven¡¯t asked, but I¡¯m guessing they don¡¯t. Subtract the male employees and those who are already married. How many unmarried young women could there be? Probably not even a few dozen. But in our factory, the number of young, unmarried men is ten, twenty, or even thirty times that. The numbers arepletely unbnced. How would you even arrange something like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I hadn¡¯t thought of that.¡±


    Sister Cui realized it wouldn¡¯t work. The numbers were just too mismatched.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t organized a big matchmaking event this year because we can¡¯t find enough suitable people. This is really hard to pull off.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Sister Cui was bored¡ªthis was an annual task.


    Zhuang Zhixi asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this something thebor union should handle? Why is it falling on the propaganda department?¡±


    Sister Cui replied, ¡°Every year, the factory office takes the lead, involving thebor union, the propaganda department, and the women¡¯s federation. The union could do it on their own, but there are always someplications. They don¡¯t want to shoulder all the responsibility, so for the past few years, they¡¯ve been dragging us into it. You¡¯re good-looking and have no trouble finding a partner, so you don¡¯t know how hard it is for some of these guys. They get really worked up over these opportunities.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi joked, ¡°I guess I should thank my parents for giving me good looks.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Take Bai Fendou from your neighborhood, for example. He¡¯s always had a hard time finding a partner. Every time there¡¯s an event like this, he¡¯s the first to sign up, but the women aren¡¯t interested. It¡¯s an old story.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°He probably won¡¯t participate this year, right?¡±


    After all, he was infamous throughout the city for his¡­ shorings. He couldn¡¯t possibly show up.


    Sister Cui gave Zhuang Zhixi a strange look and said, ¡°I ran into him in the restroom this morning, and he asked me if we¡¯re doing it this year. He said if we are, he absolutely can¡¯t be left out.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Zhuang Zhixi nearly choked.


    He was at a loss for words. Staring at Sister Cui in disbelief, he said, ¡°He still wants to participate? He¡¯s got some nerve.¡±


    Sister Cui sighed, ¡°Tell me about it. If someone who didn¡¯t know about his¡­ situation ended up with him, they¡¯d me us for setting them up. That¡¯s why thebor union insists on involving everyone in this task. Every year, there¡¯s someone who exaggerates or lies, and it causes problems. There are even people who fake their age. It¡¯s embarrassing and unworthy of a worker¡¯s dignity. Oh, and one year, there was a guy who made a fake sofa. He used some boards and balloons to pretend he had a sofa at home¡ªa big-ticket item. He even borrowed a sofa cover to make it look real. It was just for show, but the girl he was matched with actually sat on it. The balloons popped, the frame copsed, and she fell. She med the factory for it. We¡¯re only responsible for introductions¡ªshouldn¡¯t they do their own research? Ugh, these kinds of things happen all the time. We¡¯re stuck cleaning up their messes.¡±


    They were clearly suffering.


    Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help butugh at Sister Cui¡¯s pained expression.


    Sister Cui red at him, ¡°You¡¯reughing at me now?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly said, ¡°No, no.¡±


    He thought for a moment and came up with an idea. ¡°Sister Cui, why don¡¯t you create a simple profile for everyone?¡±


    Sister Cui asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°You know how people always exaggerate or hide things during these matchmaking events? You could create a basic profile for each participant. For example, give everyone a small badge with their number and name. Then, post a list¡ªone side for men, one side for women. People can look up the basic information based on the number and name. It doesn¡¯t have to beplicated. For example, for Little Xu, you could write: Number 1, Xu Jianye, 23 years old, projectionist in the propaganda department. Parents and one sister. Father is a worker, mother is a homemaker. Sister is married. Just a simple introduction like that. It¡¯s not too much work, but it would prevent people from taking advantage of the situation.¡±


    Sister Cui thought about it and nodded, ¡°You know, that¡¯s not a bad idea.¡±


    They were participating in arge group blind date event. In the past, they would organize a big matchmaking gathering, and then individuals would take it from there, getting to know each other further. Logically speaking, some people getting scammed really couldn''t be med on the factory. This wasn¡¯t like hiring a matchmaker to arrange a blind date; it was more of a preliminary introduction as part of their work.


    With so many people involved, it was like setting up a stage for everyone to get to know each other better.


    However, many still ended up being tricked, and afterward, they would cause a fuss.


    They were also quite troubled by this.


    "Little Zhuang, I think what you suggested is quite good. Although it increases the workload a bit, at least it eliminates the issues of people lying about their age or job position. Temporary workers can''t pretend to be permanent staff, and a thirty-year-old can''t pass themselves off as twenty. It also ensures that details like whether someone has been divorced or widowed are clearly stated. This way, people can avoid such situations from the get-go."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Exactly. Although the initial workload is heavier than before, think about it¡ªthis information can be reused. Most people aren¡¯t likely to find someone within the same year anyway. Next year, we won¡¯t need to ask all these detailed questions again; just a simple update will suffice. And honestly, doing a thorough job upfront is much better than dealing with disputester on."


    "Right, right, right."


    Sister Cui: "Little Zhuang, could you write up a draft of what you just said? Actually, noe with me to see the leader¡­"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh my, why am I getting dragged into this now¡­"


    Everyoneughed good-naturedly.


    Zhuang Zhixi was pulled away, and Little Xu rolled over, turning his head to the other side, continuing to nap. He muttered, "What¡¯s the point of finding a partner? Women are tigers; they¡¯ll drain you dry in no time."


    The group fell silent.


    Your words are quite¡­ intriguing.


    "Little Xu¡­"


    Little Xu: "Don¡¯t count me in. I¡¯m not participating."


    "Uh¡­"


    Alright, as long as you¡¯re happy.


    Little Xu: "Finding a partner is the most pointless thing."


    Isn¡¯t it just about sleeping together? And sleeping together just means getting drained dry.


    He wasn¡¯t having it.


    Seeing Little Xu¡¯s attitude, everyone around him felt deeply concerned for his parents, Old Xu and his wife. Would they ever get to hold a grandchild? Even Little Xu¡¯s rival, the newly promoted projectionist in their department, looked at him with rare sympathy, thinking: Did this guy encounter a female ghost while working in the countryside?


    This really doesn¡¯t look good!


    While the working folks were busy, those not working were also upied. Zhao Guihua had gone out early in the morning to the ck market and came back with two bags of mixed flour. She had originally wanted to buy some cornmeal¡ªit was really cheap¡ªbut after thinking it over, she decided against it.


    Her family wasn¡¯t so poor that they couldn¡¯t afford better. Why force themselves to live frugally?


    Her husband hadn¡¯t lived a good life in his previous years and had passed away. She didn¡¯t want this life to be the same. Besides, eating better and getting proper nutrition would help keep them healthier. Maybe this time around, her husband would stay well. With that in mind, Zhao Guihua decided not to buy the cornmeal.


    The family had manualborers who needed good food, a pregnant woman who needed proper nutrition, and children who were growing. Why make things harder for themselves? The mixed flour was her finalpromise.


    During her recent trips to the ck market, Zhao Guihua had noticed that things weren¡¯t as calm as they seemed.


    No matter the time, you should never assume people are fools. When she bought grain, someone immediately asked why she was buying so much. Zhao Guihua had only bought twenty pounds, but even that was enough to raise eyebrows and prompt questions.


    Zhao Guihua paid no attention and simply walked away.


    But she could tell that more people were buying grain.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t just because of her¡ªwho was she, after all? Sure, some might have followed her lead after seeing her buy in bulk, but she suspected others were like her, worried about the heavy rains during the summer and stocking up just in case.


    The more she thought about it, the more she felt she should buy a bit more.


    In a few days, she wouldn¡¯te to the ck market anymore.


    Once everyone started sneaking in to buy, it really wouldn¡¯t be a good idea toe.


    Zhao Guihua returned home, stored the grain safely, and let out a sigh of relief.


    People of their generation just loved hoarding grain.


    Looking at the grain, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

 Chapter 122

    If we¡¯re talking about it, these little days just fly by.


    In the blink of an eye, it¡¯s already the end of August.


    And right on cue, the annual disaster blockbuster has arrived¡ªback to school!


    The streets and alleys are filled with kids, big and small, running around like little ck coal balls, oblivious to the heat. All of them are being tossed into school by their parents. Not a single child in this neighborhood is skipping school.


    After all, most of the families living around here are workers from the machinery factory. Even if times are tough, they¡¯re still better off than those in the countryside. If a child doesn¡¯t go to school, it¡¯s something to beughed at. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl. Besides, this is Beijing, after all. People here have a bit more sense and know that education is the key to a better future.


    A high school diploma will always make it easier to find a job than just finishing elementary school.


    So, as soon as school starts, all the little rascals are thrown into the ssrooms. Even though the kids are usually left to roam free, they can still be a handful when they¡¯re running wild around the neighborhood. Even rtively well-behaved kids like Hutou and Xiao Yanzi have their mischievous moments, not to mention the troublemakers who are always up to no good.


    Their own families might not mind, but the neighbors certainly do.


    Honestly, most of the time, people don¡¯t even dare to leave their homes unattended.


    Especially the families living in the front courtyard¡ªthey¡¯re all on edge, afraid of being targeted by the little troublemakers.


    Zhao Guihua has stored some grain at home, so she¡¯s even more cautious about leaving the house. While it¡¯s unlikely that the kids would steal an entire bag of flour, thest thing she needs is for word to get out and cause trouble.


    Thankfully, now that the kids are back in school, the chaos has subsided a bit. The troublemakers¡¯ grandmother is still around, but Aunt Su, despite her somewhat shaky reputation, still maintains a certain image. She¡¯s not exactly a saint, but she¡¯s not the type to steal either.


    That¡¯s a bit of a relief.


    Lately, Zhao Guihua has been sneaking off to the ck market almost every day. No wonder those time-traveling heroines in novels love the ck market¡ªit¡¯s truly a treasure trove.


    With the kids back in school, Zhao Guihua can finally leave the house without worrying too much. She doesn¡¯t have to ask Wang Zhaodi to keep an eye on her ce anymore. By the end of August, all the kids had registered for school, and on September 1st, sses officially began.


    One by one, they strapped on their little backpacks and hurried off to school.


    Zhao Guihua also wasted no time heading out. She was joined by her old friend Aunt Wang, her newpanion Wang Zhaodi, and Aunt Sui from the back courtyard. Four women¡ªwell, three women and a young girl¡ªhopped onto two bicycles and set off together.


    They might not be fond of Aunt Zhou, but they have no issues with Wang Zhaodi. She¡¯s always hanging out with them, and everyone¡¯s gotten used to it.


    This time, they were heading to the outskirts of town.


    Yes, that same barren hill where Zhao Guihua had struck gold before.


    Earlier in the year, she had sold a lot of fish and used the money to buy a bicycle, with some left over. Since then, she¡¯s made several more trips, and now there¡¯s even a string of salted fish hanging at home. It¡¯s a real treat.


    Even though the fish pond had dried up after the neighborhood kids bbed about it, it¡¯s been about three months now, and Zhao Guihua wanted to check it out again.


    Of course, they weren¡¯t making the trip for no reason.


    It had rained the day before yesterday and yesterday, so they could also gather some mushrooms.


    The four of them arrived at the outskirts. Compared to the crowds from before, there were only a handful of people around now. Ever since the pond stopped yielding fish, most people had stoppeding. The ones who still showed up were mostly locals looking to pick mushrooms. After locking up their bikes, they got to work.


    ¡°Zhao Guihua, look at all these mushrooms!¡± Aunt Wang eximed, delighted.


    And why wouldn¡¯t she be?


    With supplies being tight these days, anything you can get your hands on is valuable.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Let¡¯s get to work!¡±


    She added, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting toe here for a while, but I was too afraid to leave the house. I was worried someone would break in. Sometimes, even when I went out for a short walk in the morning, I¡¯d have to ask Wang Zhaodi to keep an eye on the ce. It¡¯s been a real pain.¡±


    The others could rte.


    Wang Zhaodi, being the neer, hadn¡¯t experienced it firsthand, but she¡¯d heard about the exploits of the three troublemakers.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it for yourself. While we were out catching thieves, Jii took the opportunity to break into our house. He even fell into the toilet while running away¡­¡±


    Aunt Wang chimed in, ¡°Aunt Zhou got caught by the security guards for trying to take over Uncle Lan¡¯s house, and Jii snuck into her ce in the middle of the night¡­¡±


    Aunt Sui wasn¡¯t about to be left out. ¡°The Bai family¡¯s doors and windows were smashed, and they crawled through the hole to break in¡­¡±


    There were plenty of other examples like these.


    Wang Zhaodi hadn¡¯t witnessed any of it because she arrived toote. But after getting beaten up a few times, she at least learned not to mess with her neighbors.


    Wang Zhaodi was stunned.


    She said, ¡°If they keep stealing like this, they¡¯re bound to get caught someday, right?¡±


    Zhao Guihua shot her a look. ¡°Take out the ¡®right.¡¯ They *will* get caught. But what does that have to do with us? Their family actually brags about their kids¡¯ antics. Anyway, it¡¯s great toe up here after the rain. These mushrooms are a real find.¡±


    Aunt Wang agreed. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    She had also gathered quite a bit. ¡°If this hill were closer to our ce, I¡¯de up here every day. It¡¯s really something.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Wang, the other day I saw Yang Lixin carrying a big bag of cornmeal home. You bought a lot, didn¡¯t you?¡± Aunt Sui asked. She lived in the back courtyard, just like Aunt Wang.


    Aunt Wang nced at Zhao Guihua before replying, ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a rainy summer. I¡¯m worried the harvest might not be good. If that happens, it¡¯s not just about prices going up¡ªit¡¯ll be hard to buy anything at all. So, I thought I¡¯d stock up a bit. Whether it¡¯s useful or not, it¡¯s peace of mind. Besides, cornmeal doesn¡¯t go bad. We¡¯ll just eat it if we have to. That bag might look big, but with so many men in the family, you know how much they can eat. It¡¯ll go fast.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Of course it does.¡±


    Zhao Guihua added, ¡°I bought some too.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, ¡°I did too.¡±


    Aunt Sui chuckled. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t fall behind.¡±


    When ites to hoarding food, they don¡¯t need much convincing. At the slightest hint of trouble, whether it¡¯s justified or not, they¡¯re quick to act. It¡¯s the kind of determination thates from having experienced real hunger.


    And as it happens, all of them have been through it.


    These days, it¡¯s rare to find someone who hasn¡¯t.


    Very rare.


    Wang Zhaodi had noticed Zhao Guihua going out to buy food, so she quietly mentioned it to Jiang Lu. Without hesitation, Jiang Lu allocated some money, and the task of going to the ck market fell to Aunt Zhou. Someone like Wang Zhaodi had no business going to the ck market.


    Aunt Zhou, on the other hand, moved with the stealth of a shadow, never missing a beat.


    It¡¯s no wonder that, even though the neighborhood has settled down recently, there haven¡¯t been any major incidents.


    This is why.


    Aunt Zhou spends her days figuring out how to buy food without being noticed. The thing is, it¡¯s not that she can¡¯t be seen buying food¡ªit¡¯s that she can¡¯t let anyone know *how much* she¡¯s buying.


    If people knew how much she had, they mighte asking for loans.


    So, Aunt Zhou is very good at keeping things under wraps. It¡¯s understandable¡ªa widow raising her only son has to be cautious. Wang Zhaodi helps out, running errands and navigating the ck market.


    Zhao Guihuaughed. ¡°We¡¯re just specting here. Don¡¯t go spreading this around. If someone catches wind of it, they might use us of causing unrest.¡±


    ¡°Right, right. We won¡¯t say a word.¡±


    ¡°After all, we¡¯re not farmers. We don¡¯t really know how this works. We¡¯re just guessing.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi said, ¡°I think the spection makes sense. I¡¯ve worked in the fields before. When there¡¯s this much rain in the summer, especially heavy rain, it¡¯s bad for the crops. Based on past years, this kind of weather definitely leads to a smaller harvest. The question is just how much smaller.¡±


    She paused, scratching her head. ¡°But other ces might not have had as much rain.¡±


    On this point, Zhao Guihua had some insight. ¡°It¡¯s been raining elsewhere too. My eldest saw it in the newspaper at work.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then we should definitely stock up.¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded in agreement.


    Zhao Guihua wasn¡¯t the type of person who, after achieving a good life for herself, wished misfortune upon others. Those who took pleasure in others'' misfortunes were people like Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou. She wasn¡¯t like that. The reason she didn¡¯t spread the word widely was to avoid causing trouble for herself.


    Gossiping among a few elderly women and then buying some grain wasn¡¯t a big deal. But if she were to make a big fuss and tell everyone, it could escte into something serious, even beingbeled as undermining social stability and unity. Zhao Guihua had no intention of stirring up such trouble.


    However, she had informed a few close acquaintances whom she knew wouldn¡¯t cause trouble. She had already mentioned it to Uncle Lan from the same courtyard and reminded her daughter-inw¡¯s mother. That was enough.


    As for Liang Meifen¡¯s family, it had nothing to do with her. Whether they lived or died, she couldn¡¯t care less!


    Liang Meifen herself seemed unaware of this. It made sense since, after getting married, daughters rarely returned to their parents'' home. Liang Meifen hadn¡¯t visited much before either, as her younger brother usually came to ask for favors.


    Now that her brother had taken her job, he naturally stoppeding.


    Themunication between them had dwindled.


    Zhao Guihua had no interest in reminding this family. Yes, that was just how she was.


    ¡°Hey, Guihua, why didn¡¯t you pick these mushrooms? They¡¯re delicious.¡±


    Zhao Guihua nced back and said, ¡°I was afraid they might be poisonous.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ve picked these before.¡±


    Zhao Guihua showed her: ¡°Look, I only pick the ones I¡¯m familiar with. If they look even slightly unfamiliar, I leave them alone.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really cautious, huh? Well, more for me then!¡±


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, ¡°As long as they¡¯re tasty.¡±


    Although she had been reborn and quickly adapted to the rhythm of life in the 1970s, some things were still a bit unclear after such a long time. For example, she might have recognized these mushrooms in her previous life, but after fifty years, her memory had faded. Their lives had improved so much that they hadn¡¯t picked mushrooms in ages. So, for anything that looked even slightly unfamiliar, Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t take any chances.


    Eating the wrong thing couldnd you in a coffin, so she yed it safe, aiming for stability over quantity.


    ¡°Guihua, did you get your hen from Aunt Lian nearby?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Yes, Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang from our courtyard also got theirs from her.¡±


    Aunt Sui: ¡°Then show me the way sometime. I¡¯ll go get a couple too.¡±


    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you already have two?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they¡¯re notying eggs well. I see your henying eggs every day, but mine onlyy every few days. It¡¯s so frustrating. I want to ughter them and get new ones.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bold of you.¡±


    ¡°I have a rtive who¡¯s just given birth and wants some hen soup to recover. This works out perfectly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Hey, look over there. Is that an apple tree?¡±


    ¡°Holy cow! It really is. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Wow, this is amazing!¡±


    Wild apples, though small, were still apples. And finding them this early in the season was a real treat. The group was overjoyed. This trip was definitely worth it.


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°I wish I coulde here every day.¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Everyone was in high spirits. Zhao Guihua urged, ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Right, right!¡±


    They all got to work. Wang Zhaodi was the star of the group, not holding back at all. Aunt Sui remarked, ¡°You¡¯re really good at this.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi smiled shyly, ¡°I used to do a lot of work at home.¡±


    She added, ¡°And the mountains near our ce don¡¯t have such good stuff.¡±


    In her hometown, whether it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter, anything remotely useful on the mountains would be picked clean. It wasn¡¯t like here, where you could still find good things. City folks really had it good.


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t exin that this mountain¡¯s location made it unappealing to most people¡ªtoo much effort for too little gain. Only retired folks like them, who had the time and transportation, could make it worthwhile.


    She didn¡¯t mention this, figuring Wang Zhaodi might not understand anyway. Instead, she said, ¡°We¡¯ve had a good harvest today. Tomorrow should be good too.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Everyone nodded in unison.


    With two bicycles and four people, taking turns riding wasn¡¯t too tiring.


    They worked diligently, picking the apples and then heading up the mountain. It wasn¡¯t that they were foolish enough to carry heavy apples uphill. Divided among the four of them, the load was manageable, and they handled it with ease.


    When they reached the pond, they found it mostly deserted.


    They sat by the pond to rest and observe. After a while, they didn¡¯t spot a single fish. Zhao Guihua had a hunch this would happen, as it had been the same in her past life. Still, she held onto a sliver of hope.


    Sure enough, nothing had changed.


    It wasn¡¯t that they hadpletely wiped out the fish poption. There were always a few that escaped, but they were so few and far between that catching them was nearly impossible. The pond needed time to recover, and who knew how long that would take.


    As they rested, Zhao Guihua¡¯s eyes sharpened, and she suddenly asked, ¡°Do you all eat snake?¡±


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Zhao Guihua smiled, ¡°There¡¯s a small grass snake over there. If anyone wants it, go ahead. I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mind it herself, but Ming Mei, who was pregnant, found the smell nauseating. To avoid making her ufortable, Zhao Guihua decided to skip it. She prided herself on being a considerate mother-inw.


    ¡°A grass snake? Where?¡±


    Zhao Guihua pointed, ¡°Over there.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    Everyone rushed over, but Zhao Guihua stayed put. She had already said she didn¡¯t want it, so she didn¡¯t bother joining them.


    ¡°Guihua, Guihua,e here! Does this look like a rabbit hole? The snake¡¯s gone, but this seems like a rabbit hole.¡±


    At Aunt Wang¡¯s call, Zhao Guihua sprang up, ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Here, here! Look.¡±


    None of them had much experience, but Zhao Guihua was practically a rabbit-catching expert. From spring until now, she had caught at least eight rabbits. When it came to rabbits, she was the go-to person.


    ¡°How do we catch it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re so fast.¡±


    Zhao Guihua reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Listen to me. With so many of us, we can use fire. That¡¯s the most effective method.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have matches.¡±


    ¡°I brought some.¡± Zhao Guihua always carried small tools like this. Opportunities favored the prepared.


    She grinned, ¡°Let¡¯s keep looking¡­¡±


    They quickly got to work¡­


    ******


    At the bus station.


    Ming Mei tidied up the registration forms and got up to pour herself some water.


    Her current job was much easier than her previous one, making it ideal for her pregnancy. As she stepped out, she saw Jiang Baohong. Recently divorced, Jiang Baohong had be even more gloomy and stricter with her subordinates.


    So strict that she bordered on being harsh.


    In the past, people had tolerated her out of respect, but now everyone knew the truth about her husband.


    Some things you think are secret, but in reality, everyone knows.


    Now, when she made unreasonable demands, no oneplied. After all, no one wanted to do extra work for no reward, just to boost their boss¡¯s reputation. Dream on!


    Jiang Baohong, oblivious to the change, tried to assert her authority as before. But someone reported her to higher-ups for ¡°oppressing¡± workers, and she was promptly demoted.


    While some things were harsh, that was just how it was. If Vice Director Cai were still in power, her actions might have been brushed off with a simple ¡°let it go.¡± But that wasn¡¯t the case anymore.


    Moreover, Jiang Baohong¡¯s divorce had given off the impression of abandoning ship in troubled times.


    How to put it?


    Many men had their own ws, but even so, they didn¡¯t want their wives to act like Jiang Baohong. Simrly, if faced with a crisis, they might make the same choice as her. But since it hadn¡¯t happened to them, they couldfortably condemn her from a moral high ground.


    Men, after all, wanted wives who could share both joy and hardship.


    So Jiang Baohong¡¯s divorce rubbed many the wrong way¡ªboth men and women.


    For this reason, she is no longer the person in charge of the train crew but has been demoted to a train attendant.


    However, if you think Jiang Baohong is pitiable, she really isn''t. In fact, she brought it upon herself. Although others did target her, she also caused her own downfall. After her divorce, she was desperate to prove herself, but instead of working hard and excelling at her job, she resorted to her old ways of stepping on others to climb up. Who would tolerate that?


    She had previously relied on the influence of Vice Director Cai, but now that she''s been stripped of that power, it''s no surprise she''s been reduced to this.


    When she first returned to work¡ªbefore beingpletely demoted¡ªshe eagerly approached Ming Mei, trying to persuade her to join the train crew. She even tried to pressure her with moral arguments, but given that Ming Mei was pregnant, her reasoning fell t.


    Ming Mei wasn''t having any of it. She immediately reported Jiang Baohong to their supervisor. Ming Mei had no patience for such selfish people and wanted nothing to do with her.


    Because of Ming Mei''sint, Jiang Baohong was reprimanded.


    This incident made everyone realize that they didn¡¯t have to put up with Jiang Baohong¡¯s antics. So, when she tried to stir up trouble again, the entire team banded together to shut her down.


    Having lived a life offort for years, Jiang Baohong struggled as a ticket seller. She made numerous mistakes, and every time she returned to reconcile the ounts, she was scolded. After just four or five days, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and went toin to the supervisor.


    She thought that since she had once been a leader, she should at least be given some respect.


    But she had no idea how much everyone disliked her. She waspletely delusional about her own importance.


    Jiang Baohong was full of confidence as she went upstairs, only to run into Ming Mei. She sneered, "Oh, what are you doing here? cking off during work hours? I guess being pregnant really gives you a free pass, huh?"


    She resented Ming Mei for refusing to join the train crew. If Ming Mei had just cooperated, Jiang Baohong could have solidified her position.


    But Ming Mei wasn¡¯t some helpless pushover. She smiled and retorted, "If fetching a ss of water counts as cking off, then you must be harsher than a feudalndlord. Is Zhou Bapi your rtive? He had his rooster crow in the middle of the night, and now you¡¯re banning water breaks during work hours. Thank goodness I don¡¯t work under you. Otherwise, as a pregnant woman, I¡¯d be scolded for drinking water and used of abusing my ''free pass.'' Oh wait, I forgot¡ªyou¡¯re not a leader anymore. And I¡¯ve never worked under you. So, I guess I¡¯m just lucky to avoid strange people like you."


    Throwing shade? Ming Mei could do that too.


    Ming Mei continued cheerfully, "I should thank my baby. If it weren¡¯t for this little one, I might have had to deal with some truly ridiculous people at work."


    After saying this, she ignored Jiang Baohong, who was trembling with anger, and headed to the water room. When she returned, Jiang Baohong was gone. Back in the office, several of her colleagues gave her thumbs up, saying, "You¡¯ve got quite the sharp tongue, girl."


    Ming Mei chuckled softly. "That¡¯s just how I am. If people don¡¯t provoke me, we can get along just fine. But if they mess with me, I won¡¯t back down. This is a new era¡ªwe¡¯re not living in the old society anymore. Who do they think they can boss around? I was raised under the red g, and I¡¯m not afraid of petty people."


    "Oh, by the way, Ming Mei, were you born after liberation?" one colleague asked.


    Ming Mei nodded. "Yes, right on the cusp of it."


    "You got married pretty early then."


    Ming Mei had married as soon as she reached the legal age, which was considered early for someone from an ordinary working-ss family.


    Ming Mei replied, "We hit it off during our blind date. Everyone thought since we were both aiming for marriage, why not just go for it?"


    "That¡¯s because you¡¯re both good-looking andpatible. Not everyone¡¯s like that. Oh, did you hear? Our station is organizing a matchmaking event."


    Ming Mei nodded. "Yes, I¡¯m the one who connected the machinery factory with our union."


    Ming Mei puffed up with pride, feeling like she had done another good deed.


    She said, "My husband works in the propaganda department at the machinery factory. They have a lot of single men, and we have a lot of single women here. It¡¯s a perfect match. But they have more people, so I heard they¡¯re also inviting female teachers from schools. It¡¯s going to be a big event."


    "Oh, that¡¯s great! Do you know if family members are allowed to attend?"


    Ming Mei shrugged. "I¡¯m not sure. If you¡¯re curious, you should ask the union. I just helped make the initial connection. They¡¯re handling the rest."


    "Then I¡¯ll definitely ask."


    As the colleague hurried out, Ming Mei shook her head with a smile.


    She checked the time¡ªit was almost time to clock out.


    She started wrapping up her work, wondering what to have for dinner.


    Dinner¡­


    Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua and the others were happily heading home. It seemed like fate was on their side¡ªthey had gone out together and managed to catch four rabbits, one for each of them.


    Compared to thest time Zhao Guihua had gone alone and struggled, this time, with four people, they had no trouble at all.


    There¡¯s strength in numbers.


    In those days, meat was a rare luxury, so who wouldn¡¯t be thrilled with free rabbits?


    The group returned in high spirits, immediately catching the attention of everyone in the courtyard.


    "Wow, you¡¯ve been out all day. Did you go up the mountain?"


    "Look at those rabbits¡ªthey¡¯re so plump!"


    "Where did you catch them? Out in the countryside? And you¡¯ve got apples too? That¡¯s amazing!"


    Everyone gathered around, their eyes filled with envy. Aunt Su was among them, as was Aunt Zhou. Aunt Zhou was thrilled to see Wang Zhaodi holding a rabbit and eximed, "Oh my, my dear goddaughter, you¡¯re so capable!"


    Aunt Zhou had recently taken Wang Zhaodi as her goddaughter and had even handed out candies to the neighbors to celebrate.


    The reason Aunt Zhou had taken Wang Zhaodi as her goddaughter instead of Jiang Lu taking her as a younger sister was obvious¡ªliving with a godmother sounded much better than living with a brother-inw.


    Aunt Zhou inspected Wang Zhaodi¡¯s haul and was delighted to see that she had gathered just as many mushrooms as the others. "You¡¯re such a hard worker," she praised.


    Wang Zhaodi smiled shyly, her lips curling upward.


    Aunt Zhou dered, "Tonight, we¡¯re having rabbit for dinner!"


    She had no intention of saving the rabbit. Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang felt the same way. Why?


    Because they already had two chickens at home, and keeping a rabbit on top of that would be too much. Even if they didn¡¯t eat it, the rabbit had to go.


    Aunt Wang said, "I¡¯m not going to eat mine. I¡¯ll ughter it and dry it for the winter. It¡¯ll make a good addition to our meals then."


    "Yes, that¡¯s a good idea."


    "Ugh, why didn¡¯t I go up the mountain with you today? I missed out!"


    "Same here!"


    The neighbors were filled with envy. Aunt Su, in particr, couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the rabbits. If only she could get one for her family¡ªshe could make a pot of rabbit stew for her three sons. And if she could get all four rabbits, they¡¯d have enough for several meals!


    Aunt Su¡¯s mind raced as she tried to think of a way to get her hands on those rabbits.


    She nced around. The others weren¡¯t easy to deal with, but even the most soft-hearted among them wouldn¡¯t give away a rabbit out of pity. Her eyes darted back and forth.


    "Grandma, I want to eat rabbit meat! I want some!" Toni started crying.


    The kids had just gotten home from school and were about to go y when they saw the rabbits.


    "Me too! Grandma!" Yii joined in.


    Aunt Su immediately put on a pitiful expression. "What are you kids saying? These aren¡¯t ours. We can¡¯t eat them."


    "No, no! I want it! I want it!"


    The children started throwing tantrums, rolling on the ground.


    Aunt Su nced at the others, who seemed unmoved. She quickly hugged Toni and started crying herself. "Our family is so poor. We don¡¯t even have mushrooms, let alone rabbits. Don¡¯t cry, my dear. Grandma wants to give you the best, but we¡¯re just too poor. At the end of the month, when your mom gets paid, we¡¯ll buy some meat for you."


    Zhao Guihua sneered and said, "Aunt Su, I¡¯m not trying to criticize you, but your family really doesn¡¯t know how to manage your finances, do you? It¡¯s only the beginning of the month, and it¡¯s been just a few days since payday¡ªthree or four days at most. You¡¯ve already used up all your meat ration coupons? You¡¯re really squandering things, aren¡¯t you?"


    Aunt Su was stunned for a moment before realizing they had just received their wages not long ago.


    But she didn¡¯t hesitate to reply, "We spent a lot of moneyst month because of a hospital stay. Life has been tight, and even though we just got paid, it¡¯s already gone to cover debts. It¡¯s tough."


    Zhao Guihua shrugged, carrying the rabbit back to her house to ughter it.


    The others who had rabbits certainly weren¡¯t going to give theirs to her.


    Aunt Zhou, who also had a rabbit, was naturally unapologetic: "Oh,e on, Aunt Su, how can you be in debt? Isn¡¯t the money you borrowed supposed to be free?"


    "Don¡¯t listen to nonsense from others. We didn¡¯t borrow money from anyone. Our family gets by because my daughter, Xiuer, works hard. Otherwise, how could we survive like this?"


    "I want meat! I want meat! I want rabbit meat!"


    Toni continued to roll on the ground, throwing a tantrum.


    Aunt Su hugged the child and cried, saying, "It¡¯s my fault as a grandmother for not being capable."


    She gritted her teeth, seemingly making a tough decision, and looked up, saying, "Aunt Wang, could you spare some of your rabbit for me? I¡¯ll pay for it. I can¡¯t bear to see the child suffer like this. He¡¯s so deprived!"


    Aunt Wang didn¡¯t believe she would actually pay, and besides, meat was hard toe by. She had two grandsons of her own to feed.


    She said, "That¡¯s not possible. I have children to feed too. No, no."


    Aunt Su pleaded, "Please, help me out. I¡¯m begging you¡­"


    Aunt Zhou chimed in sarcastically, "You just said you had no money, and now you want to buy a rabbit? Who knows what¡¯s true and what¡¯s not, huh?"


    Aunt Su exined, "I do want to buy it, but¡­ but I don¡¯t have the money right now. I¡¯ll pay you back at the end of the month when I get my wages."


    Oh!


    Now everyone could see what she was trying to do¡ªshe was trying to get something for nothing.


    If she kept insisting she had no money, who could force her to pay?


    The way people looked at Aunt Su changed.


    As the saying goes, people used to believe her because she hadn¡¯t crossed their interests. Her family and Bai Fendou¡¯s family were like two sides of the same coin¡ªone willing to take advantage, the other willing to be taken advantage of. But now, Bai Fendou¡¯s elderly parents were bedridden, and the younger generation had cut ties with them.


    The Su family¡¯s "cash cow" was no longer reliable.


    They had no choice but to look elsewhere.


    Taking advantage of the neighbors too often, even if it was just for a green onion or a garlic bulb, quickly made people resentful. After all, no one was livingfortably these days.


    Toni was still rolling on the ground, crying, but the others immediately changed their expressions and scattered.


    Let him cry¡ªhe wasn¡¯t their child, after all.


    Zhao Guihua was the first to leave, already starting to skin the rabbit.


    She wasn¡¯t going to save it; they¡¯d eat it tonight.


    It had been a while since they¡¯d had rabbit, so it would be a nice change.


    "Granny Zhao, give me some rabbit meat to eat!"


    Toni cried pitifully, calling out to Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua looked at him disdainfully and said, "We don¡¯t even have enough for ourselves. If you want meat, tell your grandmother to go buy some."


    "Waaah¡­"


    Toni continued to wail.


    Aunt Su said, "Alright, stop crying."


    She also started to cry and said, "Go out and y. I¡¯ll go find your motherter and see if I can borrow some money to buy meat. We¡¯ll have meat tonight."


    She was truly at her wit¡¯s end.


    These people were so cold-hearted.


    "Okay."


    Toni immediately got up.


    Jii said, "Grandma, I¡¯ll go find Mom."


    "Fine, all three of you go."


    Aunt Su gave her instructions and then noticed that the Zhou family had also started ughtering their rabbit. She red at Wang Zhaodi, her eyes filled with resentment. That little wretch didn¡¯t even remember who had brought her to the city in the first ce, and now she didn¡¯t care about their family at all.


    That damned girl.


    She had even thought about stirring up trouble to send Wang Zhaodi back to her vige, just to see who would do the Zhou family¡¯s work then. But she quickly dismissed the idea¡ªnot because she was kind-hearted.


    She knew that Wang Zhaodi¡¯s family was so poor that even if she went back and worked, her family wouldn¡¯t appreciate it because she ate too much.


    After all, they had plenty of daughters who could work.


    So Wang Zhaodi¡¯s family would never agree to let her return. Besides, Wang Zhaodi had gained a little weight sinceing to the city and didn¡¯t look as malnourished as before. If she stayed in the city and got healthier, she could fetch a better bride price when she went back to the vige.


    A skinny, malnourished girl wouldn¡¯tmand much of a dowry, but a plump, healthy one would.


    That was exactly what Wang Zhaodi¡¯s parents were counting on.


    Aunt Su wasn¡¯t just specting¡ªthis was what Wang Zhaodi¡¯s parents had said when her eldest daughter, Su Zhaodi, had brought Wang Zhaodi to the city. They didn¡¯t know if their daughter could bear sons, but even if she couldn¡¯t, life in the city was better. If she was well-fed and healthy, she¡¯d be more marriageable when she returned.


    So Aunt Su knew that trying to stir up trouble with Wang Zhaodi¡¯s family would be pointless.


    If it weren¡¯t for that, she would have already found a way to get rid of her.


    If Wang Zhaodi wasn¡¯t going to help their family, she certainly shouldn¡¯t be helping the Zhou family.


    Those shameless Zhous¡ªwhy should they get all the benefits?


    She red resentfully at the Zhou family and then at the Zhuang family, muttering, "I hope you all choke on that rabbit meat. I hope your pregnant woman eats it and gives birth to a child with a cleft lip. Heh heh heh."


    Sheughed darkly, but it wasn¡¯t a happyugh.


    Life had been hard for her familytely, and she couldn¡¯t find much joy in anything. The Bai family was no longer reliable. For the past few months, they¡¯d been getting eight yuan a month from Hu Huihui, but this month, Hu Huihui had suddenly left without a word.


    That made things even harder for them.


    Before, they could skim off Hu Huihui, but now there was no one to take advantage of.


    That Hu Huihui¡ªshe left without a second thought, showing no gratitude. What an ingrate.


    Aunt Su muttered to herself, feeling deeply unhappy. Everything in their livestely had been going wrong.


    It was all so frustrating.


    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to cook and justy down, knowing that Wang Xiangxiu would take care of it when she got back.


    Why should she do the work?


    No way.


    Aunt Suy at home, cursing her neighbors for not letting her take advantage of them. Meanwhile, Jii and his two brothers had already left the house. Yii asked, "Big brother, aren¡¯t we going to the factory to find Mom?"


    Jii shook his head and said, "Mom doesn¡¯t have any money. What¡¯s the point of finding her? Borrowing money isn¡¯t easy."


    He was a bit older than his brothers and understood things better.


    He said, "Don¡¯t worry, I have another n."


    "Another n?"


    Jii grinned confidently and said, "We¡¯ll catch a stray dog and have dog meat tonight."


    Yii hesitated, "Is that a good idea?"


    Toni shook his head firmly and said, "No! Stray dogs eat poop. If we eat stray dogs, doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯re eating poop? Big brother, I don¡¯t want to eat poop¡­"


    Jii facepalmed and said, "You idiot."


    Toni cried, "I don¡¯t want to eat poop!"


    If Toni hadn¡¯t said anything, the idea might have seemed fine, but now that he¡¯d brought it up, it was impossible to ignore how gross it sounded.


    Yii said, "Big brother, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea either."


    Jii shrugged, "Then what do you suggest? You know how hard it is to steal things. And even if we manage to get into someone¡¯s house, like yesterday, their ce was so empty it wasn¡¯t even worth the effort."


    They didn¡¯t know which households in the neighborhood had money and which didn¡¯t. Even if they managed to sneak in, they might not find anything to eat.


    Plus, these days, everyone in the neighborhood was on guard. As soon as they got close, people became suspicious. It just wasn¡¯t working out.


    Jii said, "Actually, our own courtyard would be the easiest to steal from. We know exactly what everyone has. But unfortunately, they¡¯re all on guard against us."


    "Exactly, they¡¯re so selfish."


    "Yeah, so selfish."


    The three of them were feeling frustrated, but suddenly, Jii¡¯s eyes lit up, and he said, "I¡¯ve got a great idea."


    "What is it?"


    Yii and Toni immediately looked at him.


    Jii grinned and said, "We¡¯ll go to the ughterhouse and steal some meat."


    "Wow!"


    "Think about it, they''re public property. Grandma said, what belongs to the public isn''t personal. Only a fool would work hard for it. When we go steal, it''s not like it''s their own stuff. Maybe they won''t chase us because we''re just kids."


    "Right, right! Grandma also said adults are lenient with kids. Even if we get caught, we can just cry and act pitiful." Despite being the youngest, Toni had more tricks up his sleeve than his two older brothers.


    No wonder Jii and Yii always ended up in trouble, while he managed to livefortably thanks to a wealthy aunt.


    "Little brother is right."


    "The ughterhouse isn''t far from here. If we go now, it''s perfect timing."


    "Right, right!"


    The three kids hurried toward the ughterhouse, but when they got there, they were a bit confused. After all, ughterhouses usually kill pigs early in the morning before dawn. Who ughters pigs at closing time?


    The kids had no idea. They climbed onto the wall to peek inside, but there was nothing to see.


    Well, not exactly nothing.


    There were a few live pigs.


    These were scheduled to be ughtered the next day. Since it was inconvenient to transport them early in the morning, they were brought in a day in advance.


    The kids knew nothing about this, but that didn''t stop them from staring excitedly at the fat pigs.


    "Brother, look! Look!"


    "What do you think we should do?"


    "Brother, I want meat! Pork tastes better than rabbit." Toni couldn''t stop thinking about it.


    Jii: "But it doesn''t look like they''re ughtering any pigs..."


    "There''s no one in the yard. If only these pigs were ours."


    "There''s no one in the yard, but we can''t ughter pigs either." Jii admitted honestly. Even though he liked acting tough in front of his brothers, this was beyond him.


    Yii and Toni exchanged nces. After a long pause, Jii came up with an idea: "What if we cut off the pigs'' tails?"


    "Ah!" The two younger brothers'' eyes lit up as they looked at their older brother.


    The more Jii thought about it, the better the idea seemed. He quickly exined, "Think about it. We definitely can''t ughter the pigs, and we''re just kids¡ªwe can''t carry them away! But we can cut off their tails and take those."


    He gazed at the pigs inside the ughterhouse, daydreaming: "We can cut off all the pigs'' tails. Then we''ll have plenty of meat."


    "Brother, you''re amazing!"


    Jii was pleased. "You two keep watch here. I''ll go home and get a kitchen knife."


    "Okay!"


    Jii dered confidently, "Tonight, we''re having braised pig tails with noodles."


    "Awesome!"


    The three kids got to work. Meanwhile, Wang Xiangxiu was showering at her workce. The faucet at her factory was more convenient than the one in the courtyard¡ªit was indoors, essentially a small washroom.


    She unbuttoned her shirt, let her hair down, and wore only a small undershirt as she began wiping herself with a towel.


    She had been working here for a while now. Since none of the leaders were particrly helpful, she had to stick with it. Although her work was mediocre, she managed to get by. After all, she could always find someone to lend a hand.


    Bai Fendou definitely wouldn''t help, but Wang Xiangxiu had used her charm to get others in the logistics department to help her with the dirty work. However, cleaning the toilets was something she had to do herself. Admittedly, the smell was quite strong, and even she found it unpleasant. So, every day before leaving work, she woulde here to clean up and go home fresh.


    She didn''t want to go around smelling bad. If she did, she wouldn''t be able to "earn" any money in the future.


    When she was out and about, she absolutely couldn''t be dirty or smelly.


    Wang Xiangxiu moved gracefully, putting on a bit of a show. Of course, if this were her own home, she would have just wiped herself down quickly. The reason she acted this way was because the windows of the washroom were visible from the office building across the way, especially from the higher floors.


    The washroom windows were high, so people outside couldn''t see in. But from the right angle on the upper floors, the view was crystal clear.


    Wang Xiangxiu hadn''t known this at first. She just noticed that some people looked at her strangely, with unspoken thoughts in their eyes. After observing for a while, she discovered this "secret." But even though she knew, she had no intention of stopping.


    After all, being looked at didn''t cost her anything. As long as she pretended not to know, there was no problem.


    This was also a good opportunity to win over a few generous spenders.


    Even if more people found out or if this matter came to light, she could always im she had no idea. Over the years, Wang Xiangxiu had learned that as long as no one caught her in the act, there wouldn''t be any major issues.


    This was why Wang Xiangxiu had never been exposed.


    She had never been caught in the act. The only close call was with Vice Director Cai, but since there were no other witnesses and she had evidence of her previous encounter with Yu Baoshan, she could pin the me on Vice Director Cai, iming she was a victim of coercion. Vice Director Cai would have no choice but to take the fall.


    The only witness, Bai Fendou, wouldn''t testify against her¡ªafter all, he had injured Vice Director Cai.


    So Wang Xiangxiu felt invincible.


    In this era, such matters were taken very seriously. But Wang Xiangxiu was careful, and since she hadn''t been caught, she remained "innocent."


    As she wiped herself, Wang Xiangxiu deliberately lifted her leg, putting on a show.


    Meanwhile, in the office building, a few men with ulterior motives stood by the window, murmuring appreciatively.


    "Wang Xiangxiu is so fair-skinned."


    "Old Chen, who used to clean the toilets, always stank. Bai Fendou did too. But look at Wang Xiangxiu now¡ªshe smells so good."


    "Right, right! I ran into her the other day after work. She smelled amazing¡ªshe must use scented soap."


    "Move over, let me see too..."


    "Let''s not talk about this in front of the female colleagues. If Wang Xiangxiu finds out, she might stop washing up here."


    "Got it, got it..."


    The men watched eagerly, though most of them were all talk and no action. However, a man named Old Hei had a different idea. He quietly slipped downstairs...


    The bell signaling the end of the workday rang. Wang Xiangxiu tied up her hair and walked out briskly, feeling refreshed. Before she reached the gate, she saw a dark-skinned man approaching. "Sister Xiu, I heard you have three boys at home. I happened to get a pound of meat coupons. Why don''t I give them to you?"


    Wang Xiangxiu understood immediately but still said, "A pound? My kids have big appetites. That might not be enough. Do you have more? If you do, I''ll go with you to get them."


    "Yes, I have more. Let''s go..."


    The two of them walked out one after the other.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Why did he always run into things like this? He really wanted to gouge his eyes out.


    He got on his bike and rode off in a hurry.


    If he saw any more, he wouldn''t be able to eat dinner tonight.


    This kind of business had even reached the workce.


    He quickly rode to pick up Ming Mei. As he turned a corner, he saw the two of them heading into a small alley... Seriously, couldn''t they at least find a small hotel?


    He didn''t want to see any more. He had to get out of there fast!


    Zhuang Zhixi sped away, afraid that another nce would blind him.


    But he didn''t know that Wang Xiangxiu, clutching a pound of meat coupons and five yuan, was smiling triumphantly.


    It had to be said, Old Hei was much more useful than Zhou Qun.


    After finishing up, she hurried home, thinking about buying a pound of meat tomorrow to make dumplings. It had been a long time since her family had eaten them...


    Meanwhile, the three brothers, also thinking about pork, finally found a dog hole by the wall. Jii said proudly, "I remembered there was a dog hole here. I was right!"


    He instructed, "Toni, you keep watch outside. Yii,e with me."


    Yii: "Got it. I''ll follow your lead, big brother."


    Although they hadn''t started yet, the three of them were already flushed with excitement. Jii went in first, carrying the kitchen knife, and headed toward the pigpen. Yii followed closely behind. The pigs in the ughterhouse were indeed fat.


    Jii looked around and decided to start with the one that seemed the most docile.


    He took a step, then another, gritting his teeth: "I, I, I..."


    Yii: "Big brother, are you scared?"


    Jii: "Who says I''m scared?"


    He raised the knife with all his might and brought it down!


    "Oink, oink, oink..."


    The pig, struck by the knife, let out a loud squeal and started running around.


    Jii was quite lucky and didn¡¯t get hit.


    Yii: ¡°Big bro, hurry, keep going!¡±


    Jii: ¡°Oh, oh, okay!¡±


    He quickly tried to chase after it, but the pigs were already in chaos. Without thinking too much, he swung his knife at the nearest one. It must be said that a well-fed kid has some serious strength. His family always ate well, and this kid actually managed to cut off half of the pig¡¯s tail with one swing. Following his instincts, he quickly added two more shes.


    The pig¡¯s tail fell to the ground with a thud, and the pig let out a blood-curdling scream.


    Jii hadn¡¯t expected to seed, but this victory gave him hope. He knew he was capable. He picked up the pig tail and tossed it outward, saying, ¡°Here!¡±


    Yii quickly stuffed it into the bag they had brought from home.


    Having tasted sess once, Jii grew bolder and chased after the second pig with even more determination.


    The big fat pig wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with, though. With a powerful shove, Jii was sent sprawling to the ground, and the kitchen knife flew out of his hand. ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but cry out, not caring if anyone heard him.


    The fat pig stomped on Jii¡¯s stomach, and he screamed, ¡°Ahhh! Help!¡±


    Yii: ¡°Big bro, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ll save you!¡±


    He quickly picked up the kitchen knife and, seeing the pig about to attack his brother again, swung the knife at the pig¡¯s tail with a few loud thwacks.


    It has to be said, their family really stayed true to their roots. Even in this situation, they were still fixated on pig tails.


    Yii didn¡¯t even bother with his brother anymore and charged straight at another pig. Despite being just a kid, he was surprisingly ferocious. In just a few strikes, he managed to chop off another pig¡¯s tail. Jii stumbled and crawled away, clutching the pig tails, and all three tails were now secured.


    Yii: ¡°Watch the skills of Axe King Yii!¡±


    He thought to himself that he was better than his brother. After all, his brother had only managed to get one tail, while he had taken down two. That clearly meant he was the stronger one.


    Yii arrogantly chased after another pig¡­


    Thankfully, these were just domestic pigs raised for meat, so they weren¡¯t very aggressive. If they had been even slightly more spirited, the brothers would have been done for.


    However, at that moment, the big fat pig kicked out with its hoof, sending Yii crashing to the ground. In an instant, he was trampled several times.


    Jii: ¡°I¡¯ll save you¡­ ah!¡±


    He, too, was knocked down by the big fat pig.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Themotion they were making wasn¡¯t small, and it was impossible to hide.


    Over in the office, a few men had been ying cards. They usually didn¡¯t have much to do in the afternoon and were in the middle of a game when they suddenly heard the pigs squealing from the backyard. Since this was a ughterhouse, it wasn¡¯t unusual for the pigs to make some noise. But this time, the screams were particrly horrifying.


    And it seemed like there were human voices mixed in.


    The men exchanged nces and immediately knew something was wrong. Grabbing their iron rods, they rushed outside¡­


    From north to south, no one had ever dared to steal pigs from a ughterhouse, so they hadn¡¯t thought of that possibility at first. But as the noise grew louder, it became clear that something was up.


    The burly men sprinted out of the building and headed straight for the backyard.


    When they arrived, well¡­


    It was just two little thieves.


    The two kids were now surrounded by several pigs, each one about to trample them to death. The scene was absolutely terrifying. And then they noticed a cloth bag nearby, with pig tails sticking out¡­


    ¡°Damn it, these little brats came here to cut off pig tails¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget that for now, save them first!¡±


    ¡°Ugh. If the pigs don¡¯t kill them, I might just beat them to death myself.¡±


    ¡°Enough talk, let¡¯s pull them out.¡±


    The men used their iron rods to whack the pigs a few times, and the herd quickly scattered. The two kids, now barely breathing, were dragged out.


    The leader said, ¡°Call the police. These little punks dared to steal from us¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, call the cops.¡±


    After a pause, he added, ¡°And check if there¡¯s anyone outside keeping watch.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Toni, who had been pressed against the wall, heard this and immediately bolted. Forget his brothers¡ªhis own life was more important.


    Wuwuwuwu!

 Chapter 123

    The weather was nice today, sunny and pleasant.


    As the evening sun set, the old and young men in the courtyard gathered together to chat about daily life. The men discussed national affairs and global events, while the women talked about which mother-inw mistreated her daughter-inw or which young wife was selfish and harsh toward her mother-inw. The children, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care about any of that and were running wild inside and outside the courtyard.


    Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, Li Junjun, and Li Weiwei were a group of kids who often yed together.


    In the past, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were inseparable, but the boys didn¡¯t like ying with them because Hutou always dragged Xiao Yanzi along. However, over the past few months, the kids had started hanging out together.


    They caught sparrows together. Zhao Guihua, who wasn¡¯t one to keep secrets, had once gone up the mountain with Aunt Wang and taught her which seeds attracted sparrows. They had gathered quite a lot, so the kids could now catch sparrows themselves.


    The four children roasted and ate the sparrows, forming a deep friendship.


    These days, it seems only food can bring people together sincerely.


    In any case, the kids were having a great time together.


    They had eaten much more meat this year than in previous years.


    Sparrows were delicious.


    Li Weiwei asked, ¡°Did your family eat rabbit meat tonight?¡±


    Hutou nodded, swallowing his saliva. ¡°Yeah, I ate a lot.¡±


    ¡°My family ate some too. I had a piece. We made potato stew with rabbit meat.¡±


    ¡°Same here, but I had several pieces, hehe.¡±


    Li Weiwei looked at Hutou with envy. Hutou¡¯s family had eaten an entire rabbit, while his family had only eaten half. His grandmother had said they would save the other half forter, to satisfy their cravings.


    ¡°If only we could eat rabbit every day¡­¡±


    This was all the kids talked about.


    While the men, women, old, and young were chatting among themselves, Aunt Su rushed out anxiously, saying, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they back yet?¡±


    Zhao Guihua asked, ¡°Aunt Su, haven¡¯t your family members returned?¡±


    Aunt Su nodded. Wang Xiangxiu had already finished cooking dinner, but the children still hadn¡¯te back. Her children often yed outside, but they usually came home when they were hungry. They should have been back by now, but today Wang Xiangxiu had returnedter than usual.


    The younger kids hadn¡¯t gone to look for her either. Aunt Su wondered where they had wandered off to this time. Still, she wasn¡¯t too worried. After all, they were just kids. What could happen? It wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d be sent to the police station.


    They were just children.


    With this mindset, Aunt Su wasn¡¯t overly concerned, but the long dy was starting to make her anxious.


    She went to the gate. Many children were running around outside, but her three grandchildren were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Could they have gone up the mountain again?¡±


    She remembered how, once, they had gone up the mountain to catch fish. Seeing them eat rabbit today, she wondered if they had gone to catch rabbits. The thought made her panic, and she hurried out.


    ¡°Please help me find my children. I beg you all. I¡­ sob¡­¡± She burst into tears.


    The neighbors exchanged nces but quickly stood up. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandma¡­ Grandma!¡±


    Toni¡¯s desperate cry came through. Aunt Su rushed out and asked, ¡°Toni, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Seeing the child return alone, she knew something must have happened to the older ones.


    Toni said, ¡°My brothers got caught.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Everyone turned to look at Aunt Su.


    Aunt Su asked, ¡°What happened? Where are your brothers? Xiangxiu, Xiangxiu,e out. We need to go quickly.¡±


    Although they had been caught, she wasn¡¯t too worried. They could always y the victim card and say, ¡°They¡¯re just kids.¡± If that didn¡¯t work, Wang Xiangxiu could use her charm. She said, ¡°Xiangxiu.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu hurried out. ¡°Alright, Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Aunt Su sobbed, ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without you.¡±


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw were about to leave when several officers from the local police station arrived. Two officers came to verify the situation. As officers from the local station, they were all too familiar with Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s family and had a strange respect for this courtyard.


    Really, the word ¡°respect¡± wasn¡¯t misced.


    How could the families in this courtyard cause so much trouble? The fact that everyone else could endure it was truly admirable.


    They had been here so many times, it was endless.


    It was truly impressive.


    The old and young were always stirring up trouble.


    Now it was even worse. Such young children dared to steal public property. This was different from stealing a bun from a neighbor. Cutting off a pig¡¯s tail from a state-owned ughterhouse was a much more serious offense.


    ¡°Are you the family members of Su Jii and Su Yii?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re my grandsons.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my sons.¡±


    ¡°Alright,e with us. Su Jii and Su Yii went to the ughterhouse to cut off pig tails and were severely injured by the pigs. They¡¯ve been taken to the hospital.¡± The officers were clearly displeased with the two women.


    The way these children were raised was partly their fault.


    As far as they knew, this wasn¡¯t the first or second time these kids had caused trouble. The parents had done nothing to stop it.


    ¡°Oh no! My poor Jii and Yii! If anything happens to my grandsons, I¡¯ll make them pay with their lives!¡± Aunt Su wailed.


    The officer said sternly, ¡°Pay with their lives? If you break thew, you¡¯ll end up in jail too. As parents, you¡¯ve failed to educate your children properly. They steal and you¡¯re proud of it? Let me tell you, this is serious. Your children have repeatedly cut off pig tails, which is a severe act of undermining public resources. Once they recover, they¡¯ll be sent to juvenile detention.¡±


    ¡°What! How can that be? If that happens, how will they ever face society?¡± Wang Xiangxiu screamed hysterically.


    The officer retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about their reputation, why didn¡¯t you discipline them when they started stealing? Now that they¡¯ve caused a major problem, you¡¯re worried about their reputation? Do they even have one left? Enough, I don¡¯t want to argue with you. The children are in the hospital. Take some money and go see them. What were they thinking, messing with pigs like that?¡±


    Thankfully, the pigs had been castrated at a young age, so their aggression was reduced. Otherwise, those two brats could have been trampled to death.


    ¡°What? We have to pay?¡±


    The officer looked at them incredulously. ¡°You¡¯re not paying? Who else will? Do you expect the ughterhouse to pay? Let me tell you, the ughterhouse is going to sue you for damages.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go on! I really can¡¯t! How can they treat us like this? We¡¯re just a widow and her children. How can they do this to us? My life is over¡­¡±


    Aunt Su cried uncontrobly. Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and said, ¡°You should go to the hospital first. No matter what, you need to see your children.¡±


    These two women had no sense of priority and no idea what they were doing.


    ¡°Yes, yes, to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any money. Can you¡­¡± Aunt Su looked around, her eyesnding on Zhao Guihua. Her family had many workers and earned more. She sobbed, ¡°Guihua, you know our situation. We just came back from the hospital, and now the children are back in the hospital. Life is so hard. Your family has many workers and earns more. Can you lend us some money?¡±


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s expression hardened. This old fox couldn¡¯t be given an inch, or she¡¯d take a mile.


    Zhao Guihua replied immediately, ¡°My family has many workers, but we also have many mouths to feed¡ªpregnant women, children. We don¡¯t have much savings. Besides, everyone knows our family is practically divided internally. I don¡¯t have any money to lend you.¡±


    Although Zhao Guihua didn''t know that Director Cai hadpensated two hundred yuan, she could guess as much, otherwise the matter wouldn''t have been resolved so quickly. She bluntly said, "Didn''t youpensate the person you had a conflict with before? You can''t be like this! Your family has money, so why are you still borrowing from others? Are you treating people like fools? I think you''re the one who spoiled the child. You''re not a good person either."


    At this mention, the police officers nced at Aunt Su. They knew thatpensation had indeed been made.


    And it wasn''t a small amount either.


    Yet, at such a critical moment, this person''s first thought wasn''t about the child but about borrowing money?


    Thinking this, the police officer''s tone turned harsh, "At a time like this, what''s more important¡ªpeople or money? Didn''t you receivepensation? Surely two hundred yuan hasn''t been spent in less than a month, has it?"


    The neighbors, fearing they might be asked for money, chimed in:


    "My goodness, two hundred yuan is a lot!"


    "Exactly, if your family has money, why are you borrowing from others? That''s not how things should be done."


    "You should go check on Jii. You keep talking about your grandson, but at this critical moment, you''re only concerned about money. Don''t you realize that being trampled by a pig is no small matter?"


    "That''s right, prioritizing money over life."


    "I think the child has been spoiled by you, which is why all these things have happened. The child is still young and doesn''t understand anything."


    "Absolutely."


    "Let''s all go and see."


    "I think that''s a good idea."


    Everyone had a curious heart, and of course, they also wanted to see what had happened to Jii. Ming Mei was about to follow the crowd when Zhuang Zhixi quickly grabbed her, saying, "My dear, you''re pregnant. Don''t join them in their nosiness."


    Ming Mei smiled innocently, "Can''t I just take a look?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "No, let''s stay back. We don''t want to get involved if they start causing trouble."


    Ming Mei sighed as she watched everyone leave, "I''m missing out."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom and sister-inw have gone. Let''s wait for them toe back and tell us what happened."


    Ming Mei: "Alright then."


    The men were also curious and eager to know what was going on, but they felt it was inappropriate to join in, as it might seem too gossipy for men. However, there was an exception¡ªZhou Qun followed along, calling out, "Wang Zhaodi, take care of Jiang Lu. I''ll go with my mom to see the... situation."


    He had almost said "spectacle" but caught himself.


    Zhou Qun and Aunt Zhou quickly followed, making him the only man in the group.


    Bai Fendou sneered, "How effeminate."


    His father had already been discharged from the hospital. After being out of danger a few days ago, he was brought home to recover. Old Man Bai had woken up but was now paralyzed. Having suffered such a huge blow, he no longer went out.


    Well, he couldn''t even if he wanted to.


    But Old Man Bai truly had no desire to go out. Even when Bai Fendou returned in the evening, he wouldn''t respond.


    When he first woke up, Old Man Bai cursed Bai Fendou, firmly believing that if it weren''t for him, he wouldn''t have fallen from the building. He held a grudge against Bai Fendou and deliberately made things difficult for him, such as knocking over the food Bai Fendou prepared.


    This was his way of provoking him.


    However... Bai Fendou responded by simply not cooking anymore. He would leave a single steamed bun; if Old Man Bai was hungry, he could eat it, and if not, he could throw it away. Bai Fendou didn''t prepare anything extra. As for Old Man Bai''s attempts to provoke him by soiling himself, Bai Fendou just let him be.


    He didn''t care.


    If Old Man Bai wanted to make a mess, he could live in it. If he thought he could torment his son for his own amusement, he was mistaken.


    Sometimes, people like Old Man Bai need someone like Bai Fendou to deal with them. After a few days of trying to torment Bai Fendou, Old Man Bai realized that he was only hurting himself. Bai Fendou didn''t give him the chance and refused to indulge him.


    It didn''t take long for Old Man Bai to calm down.


    At first, he was furious, believing that his current state and suffering were all because of Bai Fendou. If Bai Fendou had just listened to him, he wouldn''t have fallen. As for the matter of having children, wasn''t it all for Bai Fendou''s sake?


    He wanted to ensure that Bai Fendou would have someone to rely on in old age and to carry on the Bai family line.


    But who would have thought that Bai Fendou would refuse?


    He hated this son who had caused his injury, but after a few days, he quickly realized that in his current state, he could only rely on Bai Fendou. There was no one else he could count on. If he continued to torment Bai Fendou, he would only receive the same treatment in return.


    And so, he became obedient.


    Of course, he had once thought of marrying Aunt Su and having her take care of him. But from the time of his injury until now, Aunt Su hadn''t visited him once. Sometimes, when he heard her voice and called out to her, she would ignore himpletely.


    This was deeply hurtful.


    Although it had only been a short time, Old Man Bai quickly learned that if he couldn''t earn money, he was worthless.


    So now, the Bai household was unusually quiet. Old Man Bai stayed silent, and Bai Fendou, aside from working, spent his time thinking about how to find a wife.


    He approached Jiang Lu and said, "Jiang Lu, you promised to help me find a match."


    Jiang Lu: "I did promise you, but there really hasn''t been anyone suitable before. Now, it''s even harder..."


    Bai Fendou grew anxious, "How can there be no one? My conditions are decent."


    Jiang Lu: "I know."


    She didn''t argue but said, "But don''t take this the wrong way. I know your conditions are decent, but you can''t have children. I can''t just introduce anyone to you. That limits the options even more. Besides, I have to consider the woman''s situation too, to make sure she doesn''t take advantage of you. Don''t you agree?"


    Bai Fendou sighed, "Why is it so hard for me to find a wife?"


    His gaze fell on Wang Zhaodi, who immediately stumbled and fell to the ground, waving her hands frantically, "No, no, not me. Don''t look at me..."


    Bai Fendou frowned, "What are you thinking? I wouldn''t even consider a little girl like you."


    Wang Zhaodi didn''t feel offended and nodded vigorously, "I know, I know."


    Bai Fendou: "You''re from the countryside and don''t have a grain quota. If I were to support three people on my sry alone, the burden would be too heavy. I''m not nning to marry someone from the countryside."


    Ming Mei couldn''t hold back and burst outughing. She looked at Bai Fendou,pletely baffled by how someone like him could exist. With his conditions, he wanted to marry someone from the city? Even rural girls wouldn''t be interested in him.


    Bai Fendou: "What are you surprised about? Isn''t what I''m saying true? I''ve thought about it. I want to marry someone from the city, preferably a widow with a young son¡ªaround one or two years old, so he won''t remember his biological father. The widow should also have a job."


    Ming Mei''s eyes widened as she exchanged a look with Jiang Lu.


    Zhuang Zhixi, who was standing nearby, understood immediately. Men always seem to understand each other''s thoughts easily.


    He said, "You don''t want to increase your burden by having another mouth to feed, but at the same time, you want a son who''s young enough to see you as his real father and take care of you in your old age."


    Bai Fendou: "Exactly. Preferably, the child could take my surname."


    Jiang Lu opened her mouth several times but couldn''t find the words. She wanted to say, "Who do you think you are?"


    But she held back. She was pregnant and didn''t want to provoke someone like Bai Fendou. Jiang Lu had been keeping a low profiletely, not wanting to offend anyone. She knew she couldn''t afford to. Besides, she had noticed that as long as she acted meekly, Bai Fendou wouldn''t give her a hard time.


    She sighed and said, "It''s hard to find someone like that. I''ll keep an eye out for you, but don''t rely solely on me. You know how difficult it is to find such a situation. You should also keep looking yourself."


    Bai Fendou: "But you said you''d help me find someone..."


    Jiang Lu: "If I wanted to deceive you, I could easily introduce someone to you. But I genuinely don''t want to set you up for failure. You need to be realistic."


    Bai Fendou: "That''s true."


    He felt that Jiang Lu had a point. If she wanted to brush him off, she could have easily introduced someone to him.


    Now, she was sincerely trying to help him find a match.


    He said, "Alright, I owe you one."


    Jiang Lu: "It''s nothing. I''m just doing what I should."


    She was indeed keeping an eye out for such people, but where could she find one? With those conditions, it was unlikely anyone would choose Bai Fendou.


    Ming Mei thought that Jiang Lu had really taken on a big task.


    She coughed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "I wonder how Jii and the others are doing."


    "It''s hard to say. Getting trampled by pigs can be a big or small matter."


    "What were they thinking, going to the ughterhouse to cut off pig tails? How could theye up with such an idea?"


    "It''s just how they were raised."


    Even though the topic had shifted, Bai Fendou wasn''t willing to let it go and forcefully steered it back, saying, "Hey, Xiao Zhuang, how do you think I¡¯ve treated you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Not particrly well. Our rtionship is just average."


    Bai Fendou choked for a moment but quickly responded, "Actually, it¡¯s not bad, right? We grew up together in this courtyard. That counts for something, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "Not really. You¡¯ve schemed against me plenty of times. Just say what you want directly." Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s tone was as cold as a winter breeze.


    Bai Fendou: "...What kind of person are you? You¡¯re not friendly at all."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So, what¡¯s the matter?"


    Bai Fendou quickly said, "I heard your department is organizing a matchmaking event."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "It¡¯s not just our department. It¡¯s a joint effort by thebor union, the factory office, our publicity department, and the women¡¯s federation. You know Jiang Lu, right?"


    Jiang Lu nodded, "I know."


    "It¡¯s a coboration between four departments."


    Bai Fendou: "But all the single men in the factory have heard about it. They say this year¡¯s event is your idea."


    He added, "Can you give me some inside information?"


    This wasn¡¯t a secret anymore, as the details were about to be announced anyway.


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, "Our machinery factory, along with the bus station and eight elementary schools in the city, is organizing arge-scale joint matchmaking event. Both men and women can sign up. We¡¯ve secured the city cultural center as the venue. Participants need to submit their personal information, and they can¡¯t falsify it. If the information doesn¡¯t match reality, it¡¯s considered a breach of integrity, and we¡¯ll report it to their workshop for criticism."


    Bai Fendou eximed, "Ah, what kind of information do we need to provide?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Basic details. For example, for you, it would include your job as a toilet cleaner at the machinery factory and the fact that your father is bedridden. That needs to be noted."


    Bai Fendou was shocked, "Do we really need to be that detailed? If I write all that, who would even consider me?"


    It seemed he was finally aware that his conditions weren¡¯t as great as he made them out to be.


    "If you write it, the women will write theirs too. It¡¯s mutual."


    Zhuang Zhixi added, "This is to prevent people from lying or fabricating their family situations."


    "You guys really know how toplicate things. Isn¡¯t it just about meeting someone, hitting it off, and getting married? Why all this extra stuff?"


    "That¡¯s not the way to look at it. If people aren¡¯t upfront, what if someone gets scammed into a marriage? Then the factory would have to deal with the fallout. It¡¯s better to address potential issues upfront rather than deal with themter."


    "I think you¡¯re right," Jiang Lu, representing the women¡¯s federation, chimed in. She knew that every year during the matchmaking events, there wereints.


    Zhuang Zhixi continued, "You see, you should think of it this way. Don¡¯t try to trick someone into liking you. Instead, find someone who knows your situation and still wants to be with you. That way, you save yourself time. Otherwise, you might hit it off, spend money on meals and gifts, only to have it fall apart when they find out the truth. Isn¡¯t that a waste of money?"


    The way you talk to someone depends on the person, and this approach clearly worked. Bai Fendou nodded in agreement, "That makes sense."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "So, this is the right way to do it."


    Seeing that it was gettingte, he said, "Let¡¯s head home."


    "Alright, I should get some sleep too."


    "I wonder how things are at the hospital."


    They chatted idly as they walked.


    As for the hospital...


    At the hospital, after extensive treatment, the two children were finally being wheeled to their ward. Normally, patients would need to pay upfront, but the hospital had gone ahead with the emergency treatment for Su Jii and Su Yii.


    This was mainly because Wang Xiangxiu had a job, so there was no worry about her defaulting on the medical fees.


    It¡¯s no wonder everyone wanted to be a worker back then¡ªworkers held the highest social status, and their word carried weight. The hospital was very familiar with Wang Xiangxiu and her family.


    In fact, the two ces that knew their neighborhood best were the local police station and this hospital, which was the closest to their courtyard.


    At these two ces, they were practically celebrities.


    The hospital recognized them and dared to provide treatment. For worker families like theirs, even if they couldn¡¯t pay upfront, the hospital could contact their factory to deduct the fees from their wages. So, the hospital quickly moved them to a ward.


    "Both patients suffered injuries from being trampled by pigs. They have varying degrees of fractures. Su Jii has multiple broken bones, including a fractured leg. He needs to rest properly, or he could end up with a limp. As for Su Yii, his condition is more severe. He¡¯s younger, so his body couldn¡¯t handle the trauma as well. Not only does he have fractures, but his lungs are also injured. He¡¯s not out of danger yet, and a family member needs to stay with him 24/7. Even if he recovers, he might have long-term health issues. His lungs are weak, and he¡¯ll need to avoid strenuous work and rest a lot."


    "What?!"


    Both women from the Su family were in disbelief. They never imagined things could turn out this badly. Their children had gotten into plenty of trouble before, but it had never been this serious.


    "He¡¯s... not out of danger?"


    "No."


    "Oh my god!" Wang Xiangxiu broke down in tears, "Doctor, please save them. They¡¯re good kids. They don¡¯t deserve this. How could this happen... They were fine this morning. Jii, Yii..."


    "Comrade, this is a hospital. You can¡¯t make too much noise. You¡¯ll disturb the other patients. Your children are still very weak. Focus on taking care of them instead of worrying about other things."


    "Jii, Yii..."


    Wang Xiangxiu cried, while Aunt Su silently wept beside her, looking like she might faint at any moment.


    Although the doctor didn¡¯t have a high opinion of the family, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for them. They always managed to end up in the hospital. But who could they me? Their kids were just too mischievous. If only they had been properly disciplined, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    "Spend more time with your children."


    Even though the family was like a curse, the doctor still added, with great seriousness, "This time, while you¡¯re here, don¡¯t cause any more trouble. If you do, we really won¡¯t wee you back."


    Every time they came to the hospital, they never left peacefully.


    Their antics had made the hospital infamous.


    It was embarrassing.


    Wang Xiangxiu tearfully looked at her son, unable to take her eyes off him, and nodded, "I understand."


    Her response was perfunctory, and it was clear she wasn¡¯t really paying attention. But given the state of her child, the doctor didn¡¯t press further. As he left the ward, he saw a crowd outside¡ªpolice officers, ughterhouse staff, and onlookers.


    "Doctor, how are they...?"


    The doctor adjusted his sses and said, "As you heard, they¡¯re in bad shape. They can¡¯t be moved now, and I estimate... it¡¯ll take at least six months for them to recover." He lowered his voice, "The younger one might not make it."


    "What?!" Everyone stared at the doctor in shock.


    Even though they disliked the Su family¡¯s troublemaking kids, no one wanted to see a child lose their life.


    After all, no one was heartless.


    "What a tragedy."


    "Such a young child suffering so much..."


    "This is all Aunt Su¡¯s fault. Wang Xiangxiu is busy with work, so Aunt Su should¡¯ve been looking after the kids. Instead, she let them run wild. Now this has happened, and all she can do is cry."


    "Alright, let¡¯s not make too much noise in the hospital."


    Zhao Guihua stopped everyone, saying, "Let¡¯s head back for now."


    They had originally gone out to see what themotion was about, but they hadn¡¯t expected the injuries to be so severe. The spectacle was too much to bear.


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t know what to say, but she still managed to utter, ¡°I hope the children will be alright.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    One by one, everyone started heading back. Zhao Guihua suddenly spoke up, ¡°From now on, every household should keep a closer eye on their children. If we don¡¯t, they¡¯ll be more and more unruly, and if something happens outside, no one will tolerate it. Besides, even if people tolerate it, animals won¡¯t. Look at this¡ªwho could have imagined they¡¯d get trampled so badly by a pig?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Zhao is absolutely correct.¡±


    Even Aunt Zhou, who usually loved to argue, didn¡¯t contradict her this time. She sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± before trailing off.


    When ites to life-and-death matters, people tend to show morepassion than usual.


    Although they had left and didn¡¯t stay behind, the police officers stillmunicated in detail with both parties involved. The ughterhouse was a state-owned enterprise. Even though the injuries were severe, it didn¡¯t change the fact that they had been caught cutting off pig tails.


    Pig tails weren¡¯t particrly valuable, but the incident was significant.


    It was clear that once Su Jii and Su Yii were discharged from the hospital, they would definitely be sent to a juvenile detention center.


    This was the difference between stealing from private individuals and stealing from the state.


    If it were a private household, they might have just gotten a beating and that would have been the end of it. In those days, people weren¡¯t too harsh on children.


    But when it came to the state, there had to be consequences.


    It wasn¡¯t that the ughterhouse was deliberately causing trouble, but the incident had already blown up. The ughterhouse couldn¡¯t afford not to pursue the matter, or someone might use them of negligence.


    Many things in life are beyond our control.


    It¡¯s not as simple as feeling sorry for someone and letting it slide.


    Although the children were indeed pitiful, the police still exined the situation to the mother and daughter-inw. While they were still receiving treatment, they wouldn¡¯t be sent to the juvenile detention center. But once their treatment was over, they would have to go.


    Aunt Su cried even more bitterly, while Wang Xiangxiu clutched her son¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    She murmured to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way. I¡¯ll definitely find a way.¡±


    Aunt Su grabbed her daughter-inw¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, really, I¡¯m counting on you. I¡¯m just an old woman, I don¡¯t know what to do. Our children are still so young. They can¡¯t go to detention.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, ¡°I know, I know.¡±


    She truly had no other options. What did she have? Nothing but herself. She racked her brains, wondering what she could do, how she could scheme to keep her son out of trouble.


    Although she sounded determined, deep down, she was filled with panic.


    This matter was just too difficult to handle.


    ¡°And then there¡¯s the medical expenses¡­¡±


    Earlier, when Wang Xiangxiu was hospitalized, the factory had covered most of the costs. Although they still had to pay some, it was mainly Aunt Su who footed the bill. But now, it was the two children who were injured, and they weren¡¯t workers.


    So, they would have to pay a significant amount for medical expenses.


    Although their family had some savings, it clearly wasn¡¯t enough.


    They knew how much Old Man Bai from Bai Fendou¡¯s family had spent. Back then, Old Man Bai hadn¡¯t arranged for anyone to take over his position, so the factory had covered some of the costs. Even so, they still ended up spending two hundred yuan.


    Actually, they were mistaken because that amount included previous expenses as well.


    But that wasn¡¯t the main point. The important thing was that they were really short on money now.


    Wang Xiangxiu muttered, ¡°What should we do? What should we do?¡±


    Aunt Su looked at her daughter-inw with a pained expression and said, ¡°We have no other options. I¡¯m just an old woman, I can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m just a burden to you. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    Aunt Su nodded, ¡°I believe in you.¡±


    The news of Su Jii and Su Yii¡¯s mishap spread quickly. No matter who heard about it, they couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    To be honest, even though this hadn¡¯t happened to their own family, almost every household took a moment to reflect and sternly warned their own children not to end up like the Su family. Even the usually harsh Aunt Zhou mentioned over breakfast to Jiang Lu, ¡°From now on, we can¡¯t spoil our children too much.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When she was younger, she had also been guilty of spoiling her child, which was why Zhou Qun had turned out the way he did.


    But this incident had truly shaken her.


    Zhou Qun also nodded and said, ¡°We need to educate them properly. If a child ends up in juvenile detention, their future is ruined. Those two from the Su family won¡¯t be able to take over their parents¡¯ jobs either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. If they have a criminal record from juvenile detention, they won¡¯t be able to take over their parents¡¯ positions. The machinery factory conducts background checks. Anyone with a criminal record can¡¯t be hired, not even for job session.¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­ Then their family is really finished.¡±


    Meanwhile, Aunt Wang was also warning her own children, Li Junjun and Li Weiwei, ¡°You two need to focus on your studies. You can y around the neighborhood after school, but you must never cause trouble. There are some things we just can¡¯t do¡­¡±


    Simrly, Zhao Guihua was also at home educating her two grandchildren, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi.


    Both Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded.


    Xiao Yanzi asked curiously, ¡°Grandma, will Jii and Yii have to go to jail?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s juvenile detention, which is a bit different. So, I don¡¯t scold you when you¡¯re mischievous, but you must never cause serious trouble. There are some things you just can¡¯t do¡­¡±


    The ripple effect of this news was enormous. Every household in the area was busy educating their children.


    No wonder this neighborhoodter had such a high sess rate.


    With such a stark example, the elders were all worried that their own children might go astray. With proper education, the children naturally grew up to be sessful.


    Zhuang Zhixi was taking Ming Mei to work as usual and asked, ¡°Did your parents buy any grain?¡±


    Ming Mei nodded, ¡°They did.¡±


    Recently, grain prices had started to rise, especially in the ck market, where the increase was quite noticeable.


    Zhuang Zhixi had gone to buy peanuts but couldn¡¯t purchase arge amount all at once, so he had to make multiple trips. This made the price fluctuations in the ck market even more apparent to him. He sighed, ¡°No matter the era, there are always those who are shrewd and n ahead.¡±


    If Zhao Guihua bought some grain, or if a few households in theirpound did, it wouldn¡¯t have much of an impact. No one would believe it if you told them.


    The main issue was that others had the same idea, and more and more people were buying grain. With the arrival of autumn, it became somewhat clear how the harvest would turn out this year. News of a poor harvest had started to spread.


    Anyone with a bit of money who believed the rumors would stock up on some grain.


    As a result, grain prices in the ck market had risen.


    ¡°Mom is really smart. None of us thought of it, only she did.¡±


    Even her own son had to admit that his mother was a capable woman.


    Ming Mei chuckled softly and said, ¡°Yes, with her around, our lives are so much easier.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Mom said we¡¯re all going up the mountain tomorrow.¡±


    Ming Mei asked, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi rified, ¡°Not you. You¡¯ll stay home and help look after Hutou and Xiao Yanzi.¡±


    Ming Mei: ¡°¡­¡±


    She pinched Zhuang Zhixi hard and said, ¡°Why not me?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°My dear wife, you¡¯re pregnant. You need to face the fact that you¡¯re carrying a child.¡±


    Ming Mei sighed wistfully, ¡°Once I¡¯ve given birth to these two little ones, I¡¯m going to go out and have some fun. Right now, because of them, I can¡¯t do this, I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    Ah, the sacrifices of motherhood.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Just hang in there a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ming Mei leaned against Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s back and said, ¡°After this, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll want a second child for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Then we won¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Ming Mei smiled brightly.


    She had always been lively and energetic, and she loved a good bit of gossip. But ever since she got pregnant, she felt like she had been tied down. She really felt like she had lost her spark. She just hoped to give birth soon.


    ¡°Luckily, I¡¯m having twins this time, so I won¡¯t need to have another child right away.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ming Mei asked, ¡°What are you all going up the mountain for tomorrow? I thought there weren¡¯t any fish left in the pond?¡±


    What a shame¡ªsuch a good fish pond had beenpletely emptied.


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°There¡¯s a chestnut tree up there. Tomorrow¡¯s Sunday, so we¡¯re all going to pick chestnuts.¡±


    Ming Mei said, ¡°But won¡¯t other people see it too? There have been so many people going up the mountaintely.¡±


    This thing isn¡¯t something only his family can see; it¡¯s something everyone can see. It¡¯s not necessarily reserved for them, right?


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, chuckled and said, "The chestnuts weren¡¯t ripe a while ago. Mom and the others went up the mountain recently and took a peek¡ªthey¡¯re still there. If we go now, no matter what, we can just collect them. Even if they¡¯re a bit unripe, it¡¯s fine. We can let them ripen at home. But if we wait any longer, they might not be ours anymore. Although not everyone might recognize them or notice them, there are definitely others who¡¯ve seen them. Everyone¡¯s waiting for them to ripen. If we act first, it¡¯s better than ending up with nothingter."


    "You¡¯re right," Ming Mei agreed after some thought. "Even if they¡¯ve been picked, it¡¯s not a big deal. There¡¯s plenty of stuff in the mountains in autumn. We might find something else."


    "Everyone knows there¡¯s a lot up in the mountains, so there¡¯ll definitely be a lot of people going up."


    "Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do about that. At least it¡¯s still early."


    That¡¯s true. It¡¯s only early September. Although autumn has officially started, the weather is still quite hot, and it¡¯s not quite the peak harvest season yet. Late September is usually the best time. But they don¡¯t dare wait that long. By then, there might be nothing left.


    The two of them chatted all the way. Zhuang Zhixi had just dropped Ming Mei off and was almostte getting back to work, barely making it on time.


    Zhang San remarked, "If you¡¯d been a few minutester, I would¡¯ve closed the gate."


    He knew that Zhuang Zhixi had to drop his wife off in the mornings and couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, "You¡¯re married, and so are others, but is your wife really that precious? You¡¯re dropping her off every day. I¡¯ve seen women at the factory working even when they¡¯re heavily pregnant."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "My wife is also working while pregnant. What¡¯s the difference?"


    He patted Zhang San on the shoulder and said, "You single folks wouldn¡¯t understand."


    Zhang San: "..."


    How wouldn¡¯t I understand? Oh, right!


    He then asked gossipily, "I heard Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s son got into trouble while cutting a pig¡¯s tail?"


    Zhuang Zhixi, who already knew the details, nodded. "Yeah."


    Zhang San sighed, "That¡¯s dangerous stuff."


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Absolutely. He¡¯s in serious condition. We don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be discharged. Last night, everyone went to the hospital, and they haven¡¯te back yet. We don¡¯t even know if he¡¯ll make it through the critical period. Even if he does, the medical bills are going to be hefty..."


    Zhang San asked, "Does his familyck money?"


    Zhuang Zhixiughed. "Who doesn¡¯tck money? Only one person in their family is working."


    Zhang San chuckled and leaned in to whisper something to Zhuang Zhixi, who raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Five bucks? Really?"


    "Of course, it¡¯s true. Li Si even... hehe."


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. "That¡¯s really something..."


    Zhang San said, "I¡¯d like to spend that five bucks too. It¡¯s not a small amount, but it¡¯s manageable once in a while."


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Cut it out. Don¡¯t think about that nonsense."


    Heughed and added, "I need to head upstairs now, or I¡¯ll get scolded."


    "Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry."


    Zhuang Zhixi went upstairs and entered the office. As soon as he walked in, Old Huang teased him, "You got stopped and questioned on your way here, didn¡¯t you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Of course."


    Sister Cui chimed in, "I just went to deliver some materials to the Women¡¯s Federation. Jiang Lu couldn¡¯t even move¡ªshe was surrounded by women asking questions."


    As people from the samepound, they had ess to firsthand information. They were practically the center of attention.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Every time something happens in ourpound, I can¡¯t even take a step without being stopped."


    "It¡¯s because you¡¯re close with the security department."


    "Come on, tell us what¡¯s going on."


    "I heard Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s second son might not make it?"


    "Why did they even think of cutting a pig¡¯s tail?"


    Everyone bombarded him with questions. Some of the men, who usually seemed so serious, were just as gossipy as anyone else.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Folks, I don¡¯t know much. I wasn¡¯t there yesterday. I was with my wife."


    Little Xu chimed in, "Why are you asking him? You should go ask Zhou Qun."


    Zhou Qun hade to the factory early that morning, bouncing around like a monkey. The reason the news spread so quickly wasrgely due to his "efforts."


    "That¡¯s true. Zhou Qun was at the hospital yesterday," Zhuang Zhixi said, not wanting to discuss it further. While he usually enjoyed a bit of gossip, thinking about someone still in critical condition made him feel it wasn¡¯t appropriate to say much.


    "Right, go ask Zhou Qun."


    "He¡¯s really... even more well-informed than the factory gossips."


    "He even waves his hand like this."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    The news caused a stir for the entire day. After all, for most people, the Su family was just a group of strangers, so it was more about the spectacle. Wang Xiangxiu didn¡¯te to work that day, and the police station even came to ask for leave on her behalf.


    You could say they were really good people.


    But in the end, the Su family¡¯s affairs had nothing to do with them. Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s mind was still on the uing trip to the mountains.


    Since they were nning to go up the mountain, Zhao Guihua prepared several baskets. Everyone except Ming Mei was going, and they even borrowed Uncle Lan¡¯s bicycle. The whole family set out at the crack of dawn.


    Ming Mei, Hutou, and Xiao Yanzi were left behind, staring at each other.


    None of them could go.


    Hutouforted Ming Mei, "Auntie, even though you can¡¯t go this time, you¡¯ll be able to next time."


    Ming Mei sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "It¡¯s going to be a long time."


    "It¡¯ll take a long time for us to grow up too. When I¡¯m a bit older, I can go as well."


    "Me too."


    Ming Mei said, "Alright, they¡¯ve all left. Should we go back to sleep or go out and y?"


    Hutou replied, "Let¡¯s lie down for a bit. Xiao Yanzi and I can y with the sheep knuckles."


    Ming Mei nodded. "Alright, let¡¯s go back inside."


    "Okay."


    Since she couldn¡¯t go out, Ming Mei decided to catch up on some sleep.


    She slept soundly, and since she¡¯d avoided getting hurt on the bus, her condition was much better than in her dreams. She looked quite healthy, and after closing the door, she rolled back into bed.


    Hmph, if they weren¡¯t taking her, she¡¯d just sleep in.


    Ming Mei had been quite sleepy since bing pregnant. As she slept soundly, Zhao Guihua and the others quickly rode their bikes to the outskirts. It was Sunday, and since it was still early, the streets weren¡¯t crowded. They rode to the foot of the mountain, and Zhao Guihua¡¯s face lit up with a smile. "I told you it¡¯d still be here."


    The chestnut tree hadn¡¯t been picked yet. Zhao Guihua waved her hand and said, "Quick, let¡¯s get to work."


    Usually, if people wanted to go up the mountain, they¡¯d choose Sunday. It wasn¡¯t that the day was particrly special, but for working people, Sunday was the only day they had free. Zhao Guihua had prepared thick gloves for everyone.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, you¡¯ve really thought of everything."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, you¡¯ve really thought of everything."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "These things are prickly. Did you think I was as careless as you?"


    They didn¡¯t n to peel the chestnuts on the mountain and bring them home clean. That would be impossible¡ªif anyone saw them, they¡¯d definitely join in. Their n was to collect the chestnuts with their spiky shells intact and deal with them at home.


    The shells could even be used as kindling, so it was a win-win.


    The five of them worked quickly.


    With many hands, the work went fast. In just over an hour, the chestnut tree waspletely bare.


    They¡¯d gathered sixrge baskets of chestnuts. Of course, once shelled, the amount would shrink by at least a third, but that didn¡¯t dampen their enthusiasm. After all, chestnuts, like sweet potatoes, could be used as a staple food.


    That was a big deal.


    Vegetables were tasty, but they didn¡¯t fill you up.


    "Let¡¯s keep looking," Zhao Guihua said.


    Zhuang Zhixi suggested, "How about this? Let¡¯s head down the mountain a bit, find a spot to gather all our stuff, and leave two people to watch over it. The rest of us can spread out and search. We shouldn¡¯t all stay in one ce. If someone else has their eye on this tree and sees we¡¯ve taken all the chestnuts, they might cause trouble. These things don¡¯t belong to anyone, so there¡¯s no reason to argue, but you never know with some people. It¡¯s too hot to get into a fight. Let¡¯s not ruin our mood, what do you think?"


    "That makes sense," everyone agreed.


    Old Man Zhuang was the type who preferred to avoid trouble whenever possible. He said, "Why don''t we head back now? We¡¯ve already got some things to take home."


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, disagreed. "Come on, we¡¯re already here."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan shared the same sentiment. He added, "We should make the most of these trips now. Once winteres and it gets cold, there won¡¯t be any reason toe up here."


    The fish pond was empty, and the mountains were bare. There was no need toe during the winter. But autumn was the perfect season for heading up the mountains.


    Old Man Zhuang relented. "Alright, I¡¯ll leave it up to you all."


    Liang Meifen suddenly eximed, "Oh, look over there! There¡¯s some dried wood ear mushrooms!"


    "Wow, you¡¯re right! Quick, let¡¯s get them!"


    "You see? The mountains are full of good stuff this time of year. Since we¡¯re already here, we might as well gather as much as we can. That way, we can stay cozy at home during the winter. Oh, look, there¡¯s more wood ear over there! Let¡¯s go pick them."


    It was no wonder autumn was called the season of harvest. Good things were everywhere. The group quickly got to work.


    After collecting all the wood ear mushrooms, they pushed their cart and started heading back down.


    They found a secluded spot to rest for a while. Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen stayed behind while the men went off to explore. Zhao Guihua reminded them, "Whether you find anything or not, make sure you¡¯re back by noon."


    "Got it."


    Of course, Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen weren¡¯t idle either. The area was cool and shaded, and there were plenty of wild vegetables to pick. The two of them got to work without hesitation. Liang Meifen said, "Mom, the ground here is really damp, and there are earthworms. Be careful not to step in the mud."


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s eyes lit up. "Earthworms? That¡¯s great!"


    Liang Meifen was puzzled. "Huh?"


    Zhao Guihua exined, "We can catch them to feed the chickens at home."


    Liang Meifen smacked her forehead. "Oh, right! How could I forget that?"


    As they worked, Liang Meifen brought up another topic. "Mom, we¡¯ve got so much stuff this year. Do you think we can buy less cabbage and save some money?"


    Zhao Guihua scolded her lightly. "Don¡¯t talk nonsense. If we buy less, we won¡¯t have enough to eat. Are you going to tie your mouth shut? We can¡¯t skimp on food. If we run out, it¡¯ll be hard to buy moreter."


    Liang Meifen didn¡¯t dare argue further.


    Zhao Guihua continued, "We still need to buy plenty of cabbage, and we can¡¯t forget the turnips either¡­ Oh, it feels like September has barely started, and we¡¯re already so busy."


    "Tell me about it."


    These two months were indeed the busiest time of the year. They had to stock up on cabbage and turnips, pickle vegetables, make dried pickles, and not forget to buy coal briquettes. If everyone in the family was working, it was even more chaotic.


    Zhao Guihua said, "When we get back, I¡¯m going to talk to Aunt Wang about dividing up the cer."


    Liang Meifen was surprised. "Really?"


    Zhao Guihua exined, "With Uncle Lan¡¯s family moving into the front courtyard this year, we¡¯ll need to reallocate the cer space anyway. It¡¯s better to divide it into separate sections, each with its own lock. That way, everyone can keep their things safe. Relying on everyone¡¯s honesty isn¡¯t enough."


    "Do you think the others will agree?"


    Zhao Guihua replied confidently, "The majority will agree. Even if someone doesn¡¯t, it¡¯ll probably just be Aunt Su¡¯s family. Everyone else will be on board. In the past, the Bai family let them take things freely, but not anymore. Su Jii and his family have a reputation for stealing, so everyone¡¯s on guard now."


    "That¡¯s true."


    "Though with the new division, each family¡¯s space will be smaller."


    After all, there was one more family to amodate.


    Zhao Guihua sighed. "There¡¯s no helping it."


    Still, the idea of having separate, locked sections was reassuring. At least they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about their things going missing.


    "I¡¯ll bring it up as soon as we get back!"

 Chapter 124

    If we¡¯re to talk about it, the Zhuang family sure worked fast. They started heading back before noon. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to pick more, but they simply couldn¡¯t carry any more. Ah, the bountiful harvest season. All three carts were packed to the brim, mostly with chestnuts, but there were other things too. The men who had been scouting around the area had also managed to gather some things. Zhuang Zhixi was even lucky enough to catch a wild pheasant.


    On this point, Zhuang Zhiyuan had to admit he was impressed by his younger brother and his wife. It seemed like every time they went up the mountain, they managed to catch some wild game¡ªpheasants, rabbits, you name it. Even his mother often had simr luck. As for him? Not so much.


    But he wasn¡¯tpletely empty-handed. He had found a shady spot with a good number ofrge mushrooms. Not bad at all. With all the rain this year, the mushrooms had grown well. The whole family came down the mountain loaded with their harvest, drawing envious nces from others.


    As time passed, more and more people had gathered on the mountain. Not wanting to linger, they quickly made their way back. The journey from the outskirts wasn¡¯t short, and by the time they got home, it was already past noon. Most families had already finished their meals. Seeing everyone return, Ming Mei quickly reheated the lunch she had prepared. Zhuang Zhixi and the others carried their haul into the house, sweating profusely as they stood in the yard, rinsing themselves off.


    Ming Mei went back inside to fetch some towels and stood at the door. Zhuang Zhixi turned around and smiled, ¡°You¡¯re the best, wife.¡±


    Ming Mei chuckled and scolded him lightly, ¡°Hurry up and dry yourself off, thene eat.¡±


    She handed out the towels to everyone and then went back inside to check on the pot, which hadn¡¯t yete to a boil.


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were busy inspecting the baskets, scratching their heads in confusion. ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s this?¡± they asked.


    They didn¡¯t recognize the chestnuts and had no idea what their family had gone out early in the morning to gather. They didn¡¯t look like something edible. The two children were thoroughly puzzled. Ming Mei didn¡¯t recognize them either. Even in the 1970s, Ming Mei had grown up in the city and wasn¡¯t familiar with chestnuts in their natural state.


    If you peeled off the spiky outer shell, she might have recognized them. But in their raw, unprocessed form, Ming Mei had never seen them before.


    Still, even though she didn¡¯t recognize them, Ming Mei knew they had to be chestnuts. After all, the main purpose of their trip that day had been to gather chestnuts.


    ¡°These are chestnuts,¡± Ming Mei exined. ¡°They¡¯re really delicious. Have you ever had chestnut stewed with chicken?¡±


    The two children shook their heads.


    Ming Mei thought for a moment, trying to suppress her own drooling. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely delicious. The chestnuts soak up the vor of the chicken broth, and when you take a bite¡­¡±


    Xiao Yanzi¡¯s mouth started watering¡­


    Just then, Zhao Guihua walked in. ¡°¡­¡±


    She sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone drool just from talking about food.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Xiao Yanzi wiped her mouth, embarrassed but still smiling.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°I¡¯ll cook it for you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ming Mei and the two children immediately turned their bright eyes toward Zhao Guihua.


    Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow. ¡°What? Don¡¯t want it?¡±


    ¡°We do!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    They all shouted in unison.


    Ming Mei patted her belly, thinking it must be the baby inside her that was craving the food. Otherwise, she, Ming Mei, would never be so easily tempted. She was a woman of the world, after all.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Hurry up and eat. We¡¯ve got work to do this afternoon.¡±


    Ming Mei was puzzled. ¡°What else is there to do?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°We¡¯ve got to shell these chestnuts, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Then she thought of something else. ¡°Oh, and I need to move that big bag of rice and flour from my room to yours. With all the peopleing and going in my ce, it¡¯s not good for them to see so much stuff lying around. But you two are both working, so you don¡¯t get many visitors. It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Ming Mei nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zhao Guihua suddenly pped her forehead. ¡°Oh, right. Don¡¯t move anything this afternoon. Eldest and third son, you two go check every room for any rat holes. If you find any, put down some poison and then seal them up with cement. Also, check the window frames and door gaps. Fix anything that needs fixing.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    They did this kind of check once or twice every year.


    With so many rats around, you had to be careful. If you didn¡¯t take precautions, your home would be overrun.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat first, then get to work.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, having eaten their fill, had also each managed to snag a bowl of malted milk from their aunt. The two of them ran off to the yard to find their friends. While the adults were busy, the kids couldn¡¯t help much, so they went to call for Li Junjun and Li Weiwei. Soon, a group of children ran off together.


    Bai Fendou watched as Zhuang Zhixi went around opening doors and windows, and called out, ¡°Hey, Zhuang, what are you up to?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°Looking for rat holes. If we don¡¯t deal with those nasty things, they¡¯ll ruin our food. Plus, it¡¯s a good time to check the house for any repairs. You can¡¯t exactly do this kind of work in the winter, can you?¡±


    ¡°True enough.¡±


    Hearing this, Bai Fendou immediately got to work as well.


    His family¡¯s situation was even worse than the Zhuangs¡¯.


    While the Zhuang family was bustling with activity, the same was true for other households.


    Most men worked during the week, so any heavy chores had to be saved for the weekends. Sometimes, weekends were even more exhausting than workdays.


    Life back then was much harder and busierpared to decadester. But people still had a lot of energy and drive. After all, the concept of ¡°cking off¡± didn¡¯t exist back then.


    The Zhuang family was busy at work.


    When they heard that Zhao Guihua was sealing up rat holes, the neighbors all agreed it was a good idea and went back to their own homes to do the same.


    Compared to the lively atmosphere at the Zhuangs¡¯, the Su family¡¯s house was quiet and empty. Toni had gone to the hospital with his mother and grandmother. The front door was locked. After finishing their work, Zhao Guihua and the others sat by the door, shelling chestnuts.


    Zhao Guihua warned the family, ¡°Be careful, everyone. Do it like this, so you don¡¯t prick your fingers.¡±


    ¡°We know.¡±


    ¡°Take your time. It¡¯s better to go slow than to get hurt.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi teased, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re such a nag.¡±


    Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. ¡°You little brat, are you trying to pick a fight with me?¡±


    Her son immediately raised the white g. He knew better than to provoke his mother.


    Zhao Guihua smirked in satisfaction. ¡°You, after all¡­ huh?¡±


    She paused as she saw a thin woman hurrying into the yard. It was none other than Su Pandi, the second daughter of the Su family.


    Su Pandi was carrying a small bundle. Seeing the lock on the door, she froze for a moment, then quickly turned to Zhao Guihua, who was in the yard. ¡°Aunt Zhao, did my mom and the others go to the hospital?¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve been at the hospital since the night beforest. I haven¡¯t seen them since. Did you hear the news?¡±


    Su Pandi nodded. ¡°My mom sent me a message.¡±


    She hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Can you take me to the hospital?¡±


    Zhao Guihua was taken aback. ¡°???¡±


    The nerve of her, speaking so casually.


    ¡°It¡¯s the one closest to us. You can go by yourself. They¡¯re on the second floor.¡±


    Su Pandi frowned slightly. Zhao Guihua added, ¡°You¡¯ve lived here for twenty years. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know where it is?¡±


    At this, Su Pandi pursed her lips and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Without another word, she turned and left.


    She came and went in a hurry. Ming Mei, curious, asked, ¡°Was that the Su family¡¯s second daughter?¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded.


    Ming Mei said, ¡°She looks a lot like her sister.¡±


    Actually, Su Zhaodi and Su Pandi had returned more than once, but they always came and went so quickly that Ming Mei hadn¡¯t had much chance to see them. She had only seen Su Zhaodi once, when she brought Wang Zhaodi to their door. As for Su Pandi, this was the first time.


    Su Pandi looked quite simr to Su Zhaodi, both resembling their mother, Aunt Su. Neither had particrly striking looks¡ªthey were rather in.


    Truly in.


    Just ordinary women, with average features, thin builds, and dry, yellowish hair. She had themon bob haircut of the time and wore clothes with noticeable patches.


    It was clear that life hadn¡¯t been kind to her.


    You could tell a lot about a person¡¯s life from their energy and the way they dressed.


    Liang Meifen said, ¡°Mom, I think the Su family¡¯s second daughter is around thirty-four or thirty-five, right?¡±


    Zhao Guihua thought for a moment. ¡°Thirty-five.¡±


    Liang Meifen remarked, ¡°She looks much older. I¡¯d say she looks like she¡¯s in her forties.¡±


    That was being generous. Some might even say she looked forty-five.


    Zhao Guihua sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what a life of hardship does to you.¡±


    She smiled and said, "You should all be thanking me. If it weren''t for me, your lives wouldn''t be thisfortable. Your father''s sry supports the family, and I help take care of the kids. Otherwise, with work, childcare, and housework, you might end up looking older than Su Pandi."


    Ming Mei immediately leaned against Zhao Guihua''s arm, cooing, "Mom, I know you''re the best to us. Having a mother-inw like you is a blessing I must have earned over eight lifetimes. How am I so lucky? My mom dotes on me, and my mother-inw treats me just like my mom. I¡¯m so happy."


    Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t help but shiver at her overly sweet tone.


    She shook her arm, giving Ming Mei a look of mixed emotions, and said, "If you''re going to tter me, at least don¡¯t use that voice. Look, the hairs on my arm are standing up."


    Ming Mei giggled, "But I¡¯m telling the truth. Even if it sounds like ttery, it¡¯s sincere."


    She added, "Really, it is."


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "You..."


    Ming Mei pouted, "Don¡¯t you believe me?"


    She yfully nuzzled Zhao Guihua¡¯s arm with her head.


    Zhao Guihua groaned, "Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, act normal."


    As a native of Beijing and a typical northerner, she couldn¡¯t handle such sugary behavior.


    Not just Zhao Guihua, even Liang Meifen, who was standing nearby, rubbed her arms ufortably. This level of ttery was something she could never master. If she tried, she¡¯d probably lose her appetite from the sheer cringe.


    ttery was important, but so was eating.


    Zhuang Zhixi, however, chuckled and said, "My wife is the cutest."


    He wrapped his arm around Ming Mei and said, "Sweetheart, take a break. This work is tough on your hands. Let me handle more of it. I¡¯m a man; I can manage."


    Ming Mei smiled, "Okay~"


    Liang Meifen sighed, ncing at her own husband, who clearlycked her brother-inw¡¯s charm.


    Zhao Guihua looked at them all and thought to herself that while their family had its minor conflicts, they were nothingpared to the chaos in other households. They were doing just fine.


    She reminded herself to be content.


    Their family was much better off than the others who were constantly embroiled in drama.


    Her gaze drifted to the Su family¡¯s locked door, wondering if Toni had pulled through.


    Jii and Yii¡¯s hospitalization had cost a fortune, but there was no other choice¡ªit was a matter of life and death. The two hundred they had recently scammed was gone in an instant, and it still wasn¡¯t enough.


    Wang Xiangxiu had to chip in another sixty.


    Over the years, she had managed to save up a little over five hundred yuan, nearly six hundred. After giving away sixty, she was left with exactly five hundred.


    This money hade from Bai Fendou¡¯s asional contributions and some side hustles. Her mother-inw, a kind and simple woman, never interfered with her finances or took control of the household money, so it all stayed in Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s hands.


    Her mother-inw, who had swindled some money from Old Bai, would asionally buy meat to supplement the family meals.


    Wang Xiangxiu was deeply grateful for having such a good mother-inw.


    She believed that many women suffered due to strained rtionships with their inws, but she had no such worries. However, her children¡¯s misfortune weighed heavily on her.


    Yes, misfortune.


    Wang Xiangxiu didn¡¯t think her children had done anything wrong. She just believed they were unlucky to have been trampled by the pig. If they hadn¡¯t been, they might have evene home with some pig tails. Bringing things home was a sign of cleverness, after all.


    But now, it was all over.


    Although she still had five hundred yuan, she was deeply worried. The children¡¯s treatment was only just beginning, especially for Yii, who was still in critical condition. The medical expenses would be substantial.


    She sighed, "Mom, what should we do?"


    Aunt Su looked at Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s troubled face and thought to herself how useless she was. Instead of scrambling to borrow money, she was just sitting there.


    Aunt Su immediately put on a pitiful expression and said, "Xiangxiu, what can an old woman like me do? At my age, even if I wanted to find a man to exchange for some money, no one would want me."


    She nced at Wang Xiangxiu and continued, "If Old Bai were still around, I¡¯d have willingly married that shameless old man for the money. But now, with him in that state, I¡¯d be lucky not to lose money. It¡¯s just not possible. Why is life so unfair? The bad people live so well, while good people like us suffer. It¡¯s truly the wicked who prosper, and the good who weep."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "Yes, look at our neighbors. They¡¯re all so stingy and heartless, yet they livefortably. Meanwhile, our family struggles to make ends meet."


    Although she still had five hundred yuan, she was reluctant to dip into her savings.


    After all, without Bai Fendou¡¯s support, life would be even harder.


    She hesitated, "Bai Fendou probably has a few hundred yuan. I¡¯m not sure exactly how much, but selling his job would bring in a decent sum. I just don¡¯t know how to get that money now. He¡¯s lost his manhood, so even if I tried to seduce him, it wouldn¡¯t work. He has no need for that anymore."


    She pursed her lips, "Even if I set him up for harassment, it probably wouldn¡¯t work either."


    In the past, she had thought Bai Fendou was easy to manipte, but now, without his infatuation, he waspletely unyielding. She couldn¡¯t control him anymore.


    She was truly at a loss.


    Aunt Su thought for a moment and said, "Let¡¯s take this step by step."


    Wang Xiangxiu looked at her expectantly. Aunt Su continued, "First, you need to go to the factory tomorrow. This is a must. Find the factory director and make a scene. Cry and make a fuss about how pitiful our family is. The factory has to help us. Demand that they organize a donation drive. If the leaders refuse, kneel in the factory courtyard and kowtow. It might be humiliating, but if it works, the payoff will be huge. The factory has thousands of workers. Even if everyone donated just a penny, it would add up to at least a hundred yuan. And the leaders would surely donate more, as would the kind-hearted. We might even get a thousand yuan. That would cover the children¡¯s treatment and leave some for our daily expenses. The kids need proper nourishment after such injuries."


    Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s eyes lit up, "That¡¯s a great idea! Yes, we¡¯re in such a difficult situation; they should organize a donation for us. The factory once raised over a thousand yuan for an elderly, childless veteran. We can definitely do the same."


    She was thrilled. This n would not only solve their financial troubles but also bring in extra money.


    "Mom, what¡¯s the second step?"


    Aunt Su smiled faintly, "Second, go find the men who used to have a good rtionship with you. Men have a natural tendency to pity the weak. If you appear desperate enough, they¡¯ll help. Even if they can¡¯t give much, they¡¯ll give something. And once we get the money, we won¡¯t pay it back."


    Aunt Su didn¡¯t spell it out, but her meaning was clear. Wang Xiangxiu could approach the men she had been involved with before. Even if each only gave five or ten yuan, it would add up. After all, sleeping with them had cost that much before. Now, asking for help, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to give a little.


    As for repaying the money?


    Forget about it.


    If necessary, she could always sleep with them again.


    Aunt Su knew Wang Xiangxiu would understand without her having to exin further.


    There were at least a dozen men Wang Xiangxiu had been involved with. Even if each gave just four or eight yuan, it would still be a significant amount.


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded vigorously, "Yes, that¡¯s a good n."


    She thought her mother-inw¡¯s idea was brilliant.


    Aunt Su: "Although this is the second point, you need to do it first. Otherwise, once the whole factory starts donating, they won''t give you extra money. You won''t have a reason to ask for it either. Go now and ask them for some money first. Then go to the factory tomorrow. If someone dares to question you, you can pretend that all the money went to medical expenses and it still wasn''t enough. This way, you can also maintain your image in everyone''s eyes."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded vigorously, feeling that her mother-inw was truly a capable woman. She hadn''t thought of this herself.


    She eagerly asked, "Mom, what''s the third method?"


    Aunt Su: "The third method is to find Bai Fendou. Don''t be fooled by his tough exterior; it''s just that you haven''t given him enough. Just stand in front of him stark naked. I''ll teach you, there are some things..."


    She leaned close to Wang Xiangxiu''s ear and whispered a few words.


    Wang Xiangxiu''s face turned red, and she asked, "Will this really work?"


    Aunt Su: "Whether it works or not, you have to try. Otherwise, this person willpletely slip out of our control. Besides, it''s not like you''re losing anything in this situation."


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip and said, "Alright."


    She took a deep breath and asked, "Will this really work?"


    Aunt Su: "No matter what, it''s a hope. As long as there''s hope, our lives will be better."


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded, agreeing with this statement. They were currently in desperate need of money. Although their family had some savings, they couldn''t touch their own money. This was a rare opportunity; not only would they not have to spend their own money, but they could also make some.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "The money issue is settled, but what about the ughterhouse..."


    The ughterhouse would also demand answers. If the child recovered, he would have to go to juvenile detention, which was uneptable to them.


    Aunt Su: "I''ll handle this. I''ve been thinking about it for the past couple of days, and I finally came up with a solution."


    "What is it?"


    Aunt Su: "The second-inmand at the ughterhouse had a thing for our Pandi back in the day. I stopped it at the time, but now, we can have Pandi go and ask him for help."


    "Wow, he''s that powerful? Why didn''t you agree back then?" Wang Xiangxiu was shocked.


    After all, Su Pandi''s current husband was a timid and unremarkable man with very average circumstances.


    Aunt Su: "What ability does he have? Just like Yang Lixin, he rose to power by bing a live-in son-inw. Otherwise, he''d just be a poor country boy. Back then, Pandi was a temporary worker at the match factory, and he wasn''t even a temporary worker¡ªhe was a substitute. A rtive of his got injured, so he was called in to substitute, earning only three yuan a month. Even then, he thought he was getting a good deal. What kind of future could someone like that have? His family couldn''t even afford a proper bride price. He actually thought he could marry someone with just five yuan. Shameless! Do you know how much our Pandi''s bride price was? Fifty yuan!"


    It''s worth noting that, at the time, fifty yuan was an exceptionally high bride price.


    The standard price was around twenty yuan, with some variation depending on the family''s financial situation.


    But Su Pandi had received fifty yuan over a decade ago. That was truly a lot.


    Aunt Su smiled smugly and said, "My daughter was raised well."


    Although she had been stingy with her daughters when they were young, always saving the best for her son, she had always spoken sweetly to them and secretly given her son extra treats. As a result, both daughters firmly believed that their mother treated them equally and was the best.


    When they were older and nearing the age of marriage, Aunt Su made sure to give them extra care, teaching them how to dress up. Despite their average looks, their fair skin and a bit of grooming made them stand outpared to most girls who didn''t know how to dress up.


    It could be said that back then, their family had many suitors for their daughters. Thanks to their marriages, the family had profited quite a bit.


    She pursed her lips and said, "After Pandi got married, that guy started working hard too. I don''t know which ancestor''s grave was blessed, but he managed to marry a city girl. Although she was nearly two hundred pounds and looked like an old sow, her family was well-off. They were from the ughterhouse, and that''s how he climbed up the ranks."


    She didn''t regret breaking up her daughter''s rtionship because if Pandi had married him, she would have just lived a rural life. The guy''s current sess was all thanks to his father-inw.


    She said, "If Pandi goes to him for help, I think it could work."


    Wang Xiangxiu: "But... she''s not the same as she was ten years ago. Will it really work?"


    Aunt Su: "Pandi may not be as fresh as she used to be, but men always desire what they can''t have. At worst, she can sleep with him and fulfill his wish. With some grooming, it should be fine. If all else fails, you can help out too. Two people are always better than one."


    Wang Xiangxiu blushed again.


    Aunt Su sighed and said, "Xiangxiu, I''m doing all this for our family, for the child. Do you want our child to end up in juvenile detention?"


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head decisively.


    Aunt Su: "That''s right. We''re all doing this for the family. I''ll talk to Pandi. I think Zhaodi and Pandi should be arriving soon. I wonder how much money they''ll bring."


    She was nning to squeeze money out of them and get their help as well.


    The mother-inw and daughter-inw duo had their ns all figured out.


    Wang Xiangxiu: "Then I''ll go find those men now..."


    "Go ahead."


    After a pause, Aunt Su added, "Go home and change into something white. Wear that white dress you bought a few years ago. Also, redo your hair, letting a few strands fall by your cheeks. Go home and put on some face cream."


    "Alright."


    Wang Xiangxiu understood her mother-inw''s intentions.


    She agreed and was about to leave when Aunt Su softly said, "To look charming, wear mourning white."


    "Mm, I understand."


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly left and ran into Su Pandi, who had just arrived downstairs. Su Pandi stopped her and asked, "Where are you going?"


    Wang Xiangxiu: "I''m going to borrow money."


    Su Pandi nodded: "Go ahead." As the elder sister-inw, she still looked down on Wang Xiangxiu. "Borrow as much as you can. Honestly, I don''t know how you take care of your child. If anything happens to my nephew, I won''t let you off as his elder aunt."


    Wang Xiangxiu dug her nails into her palm but replied, "I understand, Second Sister."


    She hurried away, ncing at Su Pandi''s back and spitting, "Trash. You''re just a workhorse for our family. In your mother''s eyes, I''m the real daughter¡ªthe wife of her son and the mother of three grandsons. You''re nothing. Just a worthless girl."


    She walked away smugly and quickly went home.


    The Zhuang family was sitting at the door shelling chestnuts when they saw Wang Xiangxiu rush in like a gust of wind. When she came out again, she was dressed in white.


    The Zhuang family was stunned.


    Wang Xiangxiu didn''t have time for small talk. Since they couldn''t lend her money, they were nothing to her. She couldn''t be bothered with them. After all, when the factory-wide donation happened, no one would escape. Wang Xiangxiu quickly left.


    Jiang Lu happened to be going out and saw her. She asked in surprise, "Who was that?"


    All she saw was a sh of white. If it had been at night, it would have been terrifying.


    Ming Mei: "That was Wang Xiangxiu."


    Jiang Lu: "Wang Xiangxiu? Did her son pass away?"


    Ming Mei: "...No, if he had, she would have said so directly. Besides, she wouldn''t be this calm."


    "Then why did shee back specifically to change into white?"


    Liang Meifen: "Who knows? When she ran out earlier, I caught a whiff of perfume. What''s she doing dressing up while her son is still in the hospital? She must have nothing better to do."


    Hmm...


    Thisment made everyone present think of something.


    Maybe they didn''t realize it at first, but after a moment of reflection, they started to connect the dots.


    With a little thought, they could guess what was going on.


    Zhao Guihua: "This is disgusting."


    Having someone like this in the courtyard was ruining everyone''s reputation.


    She red at the three men in her family and said, "If any of you dares to say even one word to her, I''ll kill you."


    Old Man Zhuang nodded quickly. Being older, he couldn''t stand such behavior.


    The two Zhuang brothers also nodded in agreement.


    It must be said, at this moment, Ming Mei and Liang Meifen had formed an alliance. With just a nce, theymunicated their intentions. They would keep an eye on each other, ensuring no funny business happened outside.


    As for Jiang Lu, she didn¡¯t have to worry about such things. After all, Zhou Qun wasn¡¯t exactly¡­ capable.


    Well, if one wasn¡¯t too keen on matters of romance, finding someone like Zhou Qun could be quite convenient. At least there wouldn¡¯t be any wild thoughts wandering outside. Although he was bing more effeminate and chatty these days, what did it matter?


    She could just consider him another sister.


    Jiang Lu sighed, ¡°I guess I¡¯m quite lucky.¡±


    Others around her: ¡°???¡±


    They were puzzled.


    Jiang Lu didn¡¯t exin further, just smiled.


    Zhao Guihua stood up and said, ¡°I need to go talk to Aunt Wang.¡±


    If there really was someone in the courtyard engaging in shady activities, it would tarnish the reputation of the entirepound, affecting both men and women. Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t want to see that happen.


    In her past life, the Su family had managed to keep things under wraps because they were good at hiding their actions, and Aunt Zhou was adept at deflecting attention. Plus, with the financial support from the Bai father and son, their lives weren¡¯t too bad, so they didn¡¯t need to be too obvious.


    But now, with Bai Fendou no longer reliable, the Su family¡¯s behavior had be quite tant.


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t want their neighborhood to gain such a reputation, so she hurried off to discuss the matter with Aunt Wang. If Wang Xiangxiu became any more obvious, they would have to report it to the local authorities and the factory management.


    What a mess.


    Meanwhile, Aunt Su, unaware that the neighbors had already caught wind of her family¡¯s behavior, was at the hospital brainwashing her two daughters.


    Not only had Su Pandi arrived, but Su Zhaodi was there too.


    Su Zhaodi, her face bruised and swollen, said, ¡°Mom, my husband wouldn¡¯t let me take the money. He took it all back and hit me. But I managed to hide a little. Here, take it.¡±


    Aunt Su looked at the ten yuan and was far from satisfied.


    What could that amount even do?


    Su Pandi, on the other hand, was mocking. ¡°Big sister, you¡¯re so useless. Bringing such a small amount is like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water. Our little brother is gone, and Jii, Yii, and Toni are the roots of our Su family. No matter what, we have to raise them well. Ten yuan? Hah.¡±


    She pulled out a wad of cash, a mix of bills and coins, and said, ¡°Mom, here¡¯s 125 yuan. This is all our family¡¯s savings. I¡¯ve brought it all.¡±


    As she spoke, she set down her bundle. ¡°I¡¯ve also brought the rice and flour from home. The kids need to eat well.¡±


    Aunt Su nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, yes, this is good.¡±


    Su Zhaodi hung her head in shame. She wasn¡¯t as capable as her sister. Seeing what Su Pandi had brought, she felt resentment toward her husband. Why couldn¡¯t he understand her? This was her family, her support! Why couldn¡¯t he give her some face?


    Su Pandi continued to berate her sister. ¡°Big sister, you¡¯re just not capable. How can you let your husband walk all over you like that?¡±


    ¡°He hits me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still your fault. You don¡¯t know how to control your man.¡± Su Pandi scolded her sister a few more times.


    Aunt Su quickly intervened, ying the peacemaker. ¡°Your sister has it hard. Don¡¯t be so harsh on her. She¡¯s not as strong as you. Besides, her family¡¯s situation isn¡¯t as good as yours. Your husband is capable. Pandi, I¡¯m counting on you the most. You¡¯re the most promising in our family. Your sister is weak, and your sister-inw is an outsider. Who else can I rely on? I just hope that your brother¡¯s three sons grow up well and achieve something. When they¡¯re grown, tall and strong, they¡¯ll stand up for their aunts. The Su family will always be your support.¡±


    Both Su Zhaodi and Su Pandi nodded vigorously, fully agreeing with their mother¡¯s words.


    Aunt Su said, ¡°Zhaodi, you stay here and take care of the kids. Pandi and I will go home to cook some porridge and steam some buns.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°When this IV is done, call the nurse to change it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    At that moment, the children were all asleep. Jii and Yii, in pain, had dozed off, while Toniy on an empty bed, sleeping soundly. But once everyone had left, Toni opened his eyes. He blinked, deep in thought¡­


    He had learned something.


    Aunt Su led her second daughter home, working on her mindset along the way. Su Pandi was willing to do anything for her family withoutint. Although betraying her husband made her feel guilty, she believed it was worth it to help her mother and her brother¡¯s children.


    Without her, those kids would have ended up in juvenile detention.


    As their aunt, she couldn¡¯t be so heartless.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, in a residential building in the northern part of the city, a middle-aged man returned home from work to find the ce in disarray. His two children sat on the floor, tear-stained faces looking up at him. He immediately asked, ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s your mom? Why is the house like this?¡±


    The older child, already somewhat numb, said, ¡°Mom went to Grandma¡¯s again. She took all the money and even took all the fine grains from the house.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The man looked around and saw it was true. Not only had she taken the fine grains, but she had even taken thest bit of cooking oil.


    His eyes turned red with anger. This wasn¡¯t the first time. It happened every so often, over and over again.


    He asked, ¡°Then why is the house such a mess?¡±


    The older girl finally broke down crying. ¡°I tried to stop her, but she hit me and smashed things. She said I was being unreasonable and threatened to sell me to get money for my cousin¡¯s treatment. Please don¡¯t sell me, don¡¯t sell me¡­¡±


    The younger boy also cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t sell my sister!¡±


    The man shouted, ¡°No one¡¯s selling anyone! This is a new society. Who dares to sell people? No one¡¯s selling my precious daughter. My daughter is the most sensible. I could never part with her.¡±


    He hugged his children,forting them softly, then said, ¡°Be good. Daddy will make you something to eat. After we eat, I¡¯ll go to your grandma¡¯s ce and see what¡¯s going on.¡±


    A look of disgust and anger shed in his eyes. He hadn¡¯t been to his inws¡¯ ce in years, not since his brother-inw had died. But he had had enough. Su Pandi was acting like a madwoman.


    Their own family could barely afford to eat coarse cornbread, yet she kept giving money to her family.


    If her family was truly destitute, helping out would be understandable. But Jii, Yii, and Toni were eating fine flour buns every day, while his own children were stuck with cornbread. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    This family had gone too far.


    ¡°You two go stay at Grandma¡¯s for the day. I¡¯m going to your grandma¡¯s ce.¡±


    No matter what, he was going to settle this once and for all. He had had enough.


    People shouldn¡¯t live like this.


    The middle-aged man hurried out the door, heading straight for the Su family¡¯s ce¡­


    The Su family wasn¡¯t having dinner in the courtyard. Aunt Su had dressed up her daughter, sighing inwardly. Her daughter wasn¡¯t as pretty as she had been before marriage. Back then, she had been a flower, but now¡­ well, men would still remember her, right?


    At the very least, she could fulfill a wish.


    If all else failed, they could push Wang Xiangxiu forward. With two women, surely they could secure the safety of their grandsons.


    She said, ¡°Go. If it doesn¡¯t work out, bring up your sister-inw.¡±


    Su Pandi nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    She felt a bit shy and nervous, having changed into one of Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s red dresses. She looked much better than she had in the afternoon. The two of them left, one heading to the hospital, the other to the ughterhouse.


    Ming Mei craned her neck to watch them go. ¡°What are they up to? Why is she all dressed up now?¡±


    As for Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s actions, there were some guesses, but what about Su Pandi?


    Was she going to do the same thing?


    Was their family really that shameless?


    Were they forming a team for this kind of work?


    Ming Mei pursed her lips, looking around anxiously. Not just her, even Bai Fendou was leaning against the window to peek outside. Over at the Zhou household, Wang Zhaodi appeared to be cooking, but her eyes kept darting furtively toward the outside. Aunt Zhou was pressed against the window, her lips ttened as she muttered, "Something¡¯s going to happen in their house, it¡¯s bound to. They¡¯re all dressed up so fancy, it¡¯s not right, absolutely not right."


    Aunt Zhou suddenly jumped off the bed, slipped on her shoes, and rushed into the yard, asking, "Where¡¯s Zhao Guihua?"


    Ming Mei replied, "Mother-inw went to the backyard."


    Aunt Zhou hurried off to the backyard as well.


    Ming Mei wondered aloud, "What¡¯s going on with everyone?"


    By then, they had finally finished shelling the chestnuts. They packed them up and stored them in the house. The prickly husks were swept under the window, and someone said, "We¡¯ll use these for kindlingter."


    After everything was done, Zhuang Zhixi took his wife to wash their hands. He whispered, "They¡¯re all worried that Aunt Su might go off the rails and do something improper outside, which could tarnish the reputation of everyone in thepound."


    Ming Mei nodded but added, "But would they really dare? It¡¯s such a serious matter, and the authorities are so strict. Would they risk it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Without catching them in the act, it¡¯s hard to say. The more serious the matter, the more cautious people are. You can¡¯t just rely on rumors without proof."


    Ming Mei frowned, "It¡¯s disgusting."


    She understood. If someone with a bad reputation lived in thepound, it wouldn¡¯t just affect the atmosphere within, but the gossip outside would also spread to others. For men, people would specte if they¡¯d ever visited such a person. For women, they¡¯d be judged as being of the same kind.


    In short, it was a terrible situation.


    "Let¡¯s go home," Zhuang Zhixi said.


    "Dinner tonight is chestnut stewed chicken," he added.


    Ming Mei gave a soft "Mm" and said, "I¡¯ll go check if the pot¡¯s boiling."


    The stew was already simmering, and it looked like it would be ready soon.


    "Xiao Zhuang," someone called out.


    Zhuang Zhixi turned around, hesitated for a moment, and said, "You¡¯re Old Yuan, right?"


    It had been many years since he¡¯dst seen this man, so recognizing him was no small feat.


    Old Yuan had also called out tentatively, unsure if he could recognize Zhuang Zhixi. Thest time they¡¯d met, Zhuang Zhixi was just a teenager, and that was six or seven years ago. Now, he was a grown man. Old Yuan noticed Zhuang Zhixi holding onto a woman and asked, "You¡¯re married?"


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Yes, I got married at the end ofst year."


    He added, "Old Yuan, the Su family isn¡¯t home. They¡¯ve all gone out."


    At that moment, Bai Fendou hurried out and said, "Old Yuan, it¡¯s me, Bai Fendou. Remember me?"


    Old Yuan nodded. Of course, he remembered. Even though he hadn¡¯t been around much in recent years, he¡¯d heard from his wife about Bai Fendou¡ªhow he was like a loyal dog to the Su family, always giving but never receiving anything in return. People looked down on him.


    He¡¯d even heard that Bai Fendou had suffered a terrible injury for the Su family.


    What a tragic figure.


    Old Yuan said, "Bai Fendou, I remember you." A well-known figure in the capital.


    Bai Fendou chattered on, "You should hurry to the hospital. I have a bad feeling about this. That old woman Su is up to no good. You don¡¯t know, but your wife came back all dressed up, wearing a red dress. Who knows where she¡¯s going? And the perfume she was wearing¡ªsurely it¡¯s not just to take care of some kids, right? You don¡¯t need to dress up for that."


    He added, "You¡¯d better go check, or you might end up wearing a green hat."


    Old Yuan¡¯s face darkened. He red at Bai Fendou and asked coldly, "Which hospital are they at?"


    Bai Fendou quickly gave him directions.


    Old Yuan nodded, forcing a smile that was more unsettling than reassuring. He said, "I¡¯ll go take a look," and quickly left.


    Bai Fendou called after him, "You¡¯d better hurry, or you won¡¯t catch up. They left a while ago."


    As Old Yuan disappeared, Bai Fendou sighed, "I guess I did a good deed."


    Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "I don¡¯t know if you did a good deed, but you¡¯re definitely stirring up trouble. If the Su family finds out what you said, they mighte after you."


    Bai Fendou puffed out his chest, "What do I have to fear? Am I scared of those scoundrels? If onees, I¡¯ll handle one; if twoe, I¡¯ll handle two! I¡¯m not afraid! Did I say anything wrong? If they can do it, why can¡¯t I talk about it? I used to be foolish, believing in them, but not anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi stayed silent.


    Bai Fendou continued, "Hey, maybe I should go take a look too. I don¡¯t have anything else to do anyway."


    Zhuang Zhixi still didn¡¯t respond.


    Bai Fendou said, "I¡¯ll go check. If something really happens, I can help Old Yuan out, so he doesn¡¯t get screwed over. He¡¯s a decent guy."


    With that, he dashed off after Old Yuan.


    Zhou Qun saw this and quickly ran out, saying, "Wait for me, I¡¯ming too."


    Bai Fendou was annoyed. He disliked Zhou Qun the most. After all, Zhou Qun had once shown interest in him, and that was something Bai Fendou couldn¡¯t handle. He waved his hand irritably, "Get away from me. I don¡¯t want to see you."


    Zhou Qun retorted, "What are you thinking? I just want to see what¡¯s going on. Whether you go or not, I¡¯m going. We might as well go together. If something happens, we can handle it as a team."


    He added, "We¡¯re just going to watch the show. Don¡¯t overthink it."


    Bai Fendou spat, "Pah."


    Zhou Qun urged, "Stop wasting time. Let¡¯s go, or we¡¯ll miss it."


    "You swear you¡¯re not interested in me!" Bai Fendou was still on guard.


    Zhou Qun sighed, "Come on, have some self-respect. Why would I go after you? Even if I did, I¡¯d have to be capable. Well¡­ not that I¡¯m not capable, but why am I even talking about this? Are youing or not? We¡¯ll miss them if we don¡¯t hurry."


    "Fine," Bai Fendou relented.


    The two of them left together, in a hurry.


    Zhuang Zhixi turned to Jiang Lu and asked, "Are you okay with this?"


    Those two had a history.


    Jiang Lu, however, remained calm. "They¡¯re both harmless now. Why should I worry? Neither of them is capable anymore. Besides, Zhou Qun really just wants to see the show."


    Well¡­ that was true.


    Back when Zhou Qun was still functional, his gaze would wander among men. Now, he spent his time gossiping with the women. So, Jiang Lu really had nothing to worry about.


    Jiang Lu smiled, "Sometimes, men don¡¯t need to be hung on the wall to behave. Being rendered useless works just as well."


    Zhuang Zhixi was speechless.


    He nudged his wife¡¯s shoulder and said, "Let¡¯s go home for dinner."


    He couldn¡¯t let his wife spend too much time with Jiang Lu. This woman had gone from one extreme to another.


    Truly, women were not to be trifled with.


    Ming Mei understood what Zhuang Zhixi meant and giggled.


    Old Man Zhuang called for Zhao Guihua, and the family gathered for dinner. Zhao Guihua said, "Aunt Wang will talk to Aunt Su tomorrow. If she doesn¡¯t rein herself in, we¡¯ll have to report her to the neighborhoodmittee."


    In these times, reputation was everything.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to be dragged down.


    Everyone nodded in agreement, seeing nothing wrong with the n.


    "This is delicious," Hutou said, holding his bowl. "Chestnuts are really good."


    They¡¯d had rabbit meat just two days ago, and today¡¯s stew only used half a chicken but plenty of chestnuts. The chestnuts had be soft and tender in the chicken broth, with a rich, nutty vorplemented by the savory broth.


    It was absolutely fantastic.


    Zhao Guihua said, "We still have half a chicken left for the day after tomorrow."


    "Great!"


    "Our family eats so well."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "You all benefit from your father. I¡¯m thinking of him, working so hard every day. He deserves to eat well and stay healthy. Otherwise, with just you all, our meals would be the same as before."


    Old Man Zhuang¡¯s chest swelled with pride at these words.


    He smiled warmly, feeling content as he looked at his family.


    His sons and daughters-inw also smiled. Zhuang Zhixi, ever the sweet talker, said, "Here, Dad, have some chicken. We¡¯re all grateful for you. Thank you, Dad."


    "You little tterer."


    "It¡¯s not ttery. I¡¯m just telling the truth."


    The whole family burst intoughter.


    Chestnuts were filling, so they hadn¡¯t prepared much rice, but everyone still cleaned their tes.


    Ming Mei patted her stomach and said, "That was so satisfying."


    ¡°Picking these chestnuts was really worth it.¡±


    ¡°Of course it was.¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°The weather is gradually getting colder. We¡¯ll be able to store more things soon, so we should start stocking up. If we save up some good stuff, we¡¯ll have something to eat during the winter. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to enjoy little luxuries like we do now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Zhao Guihua continued, ¡°Luckily, we¡¯ve saved quite a bit of salted fish. I spent a lot on salt, but it was worth it.¡±


    Having salted fish in the winter was already a pretty good dish.


    After all, they didn¡¯t have much to work with when the weather turned cold.


    It couldn¡¯tpare toter times.


    Old Man Zhuang said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go fishing. I¡¯ve already made ns with Chef Li to go to the backke this weekend. There¡¯s usually a lot of people there.¡±


    ¡°Look at you, showing off.¡± Zhao Guihua was still a bit resentful that she couldn¡¯t fish.


    Old Man Zhuang chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re already so capable. You can¡¯t be perfect at everything. Let me have my moment too.¡±


    Zhao Guihua teased, ¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡±


    Zhuang Zhiyuan said sincerely, ¡°So that¡¯s where Zhuang Zhixi gets his smooth talk from¡ªit¡¯s inherited from you.¡±


    Old Man Zhuang: ¡°...¡±


    How was that smooth talk?


    He said, ¡°You¡¯re all talking nonsense. You don¡¯t understand my sincerity at all.¡±


    Everyone smirked, even Hutou made a funny face, and the whole family burst intoughter.


    Zhao Guihua then asked, ¡°Daughter-inw, are you settling in well at work?¡±


    Liang Meifen nodded, ¡°Yes, very well. Working is really great.¡±


    Being a worker was so different from being a housewife.


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Study hard and aim for a promotion. Don¡¯t follow Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s example, always looking for shortcuts.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    She whispered mischievously, ¡°Many of the older sisters in our workshop don¡¯t like her. They look down on her because she always gets the men to help her with her work.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t surprising.


    If she really put her heart into her work, it wouldn¡¯t be like this.


    ¡°Guihua, are you done eating? Come out and chat!¡± Aunt Wang called out.


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°Coming!¡±


    Although there wasn¡¯t much entertainment at night¡ªnot everyone even had a radio¡ªsitting together after dinner to gossip about this and that was still quite enjoyable.


    Zhao Guihua carried a stool outside and said, ¡°It really feels like autumn now. The evenings are much cooler than before.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡±


    ¡°The breeze is so refreshing. By the way, Guihua, did you go chestnut picking today?¡±


    Zhao Guihua answered, ¡°Yes, at the mountain outside the city. There were quite a few people there today. Now that it¡¯s autumn, there¡¯s a lot of ripe produce.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ll have to go tomorrow too.¡±


    ¡°Guihua, are you going tomorrow?¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°I can¡¯t. I need to rest tomorrow. I¡¯m a bit worn out from today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. It¡¯s not good to go two days in a row. The journey is a bit far, and we¡¯re not young anymore. We can¡¯t handle it like we used to.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, but it¡¯s still good to have some harvest. It saves us from having to buy things.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gathered a lot of mushrooms this year, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve been out quite a few times.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s right. But you¡¯re no different, are you?¡±


    Everyone chattered away, all preparing for the winter in their own ways.


    As they talked, time flew by, and the sky began to darken. The evening tea party wasing to an end. Just then, Aunt Zhou stood at the door, looking out anxiously, and said, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Zhou Qune back yet? Could something have happened?¡±


    ¡°Probably not. Didn¡¯t he leave with Bai Fendou?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, that¡¯s even more worrying.¡± Someone immediately nudged the speaker.


    Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou had a bit of a history, so it wasn¡¯t wise to bring it up in front of Jiang Lu.


    Jiang Lu remained calm, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Aunt Zhou cautiously nced at Jiang Lu. The calmer Jiang Lu seemed, the more others feared she might explode.


    After all, they had all seen Jiang Lu lose her temper before. It was quite something.


    Aunt Zhou said, ¡°Jiang Lu, don¡¯t worry. Although Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou left together, they¡¯re definitely not the kind of people you¡¯re thinking of. You should trust their character. They... Oh, oh, they¡¯re back!¡±


    She eximed, finally relieved.


    However, the one leading the group was actually Su Pandi¡¯s husband.


    He was dragging his wife, Su Pandi, tightly by the arm, pulling her along.


    The others¡ªZhou Qun, Bai Fendou, and Aunt Su¡ªwere chasing after them.


    Aunt Zhou immediately knew something was wrong.


    She quickly called out, ¡°Everyone,e quick! Something¡¯s happened!¡±


    Everyone stood up in unison and rushed to the door. As soon as they reached the entrance, they were met with the furious gaze of Su Pandi¡¯s husband. They all took a step back in unison...


    Old Yuan roared, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    His shout made everyone step aside even more quickly.


    He dragged his wife into the courtyard and flung her forward with force...


    It was... terrifying!

 Chapter 125

    To put it bluntly, their courtyard had seen its fair share of battles.


    After all, there were plenty of capable people around, and they had witnessed more than the average person. But the moment they saw this man¡¯s terrifying appearance, they didn¡¯t dare to get too close.


    His face was dark with rage, so much so that you could practically see the red of his fury. His eyes seemed to be zing with fire. They had always heard that people¡¯s eyes could burn with anger when they were pushed to the limit, but it was just something they¡¯d heard¡ªuntil now, when they saw it with their own eyes.


    Yuan Jun grabbed Su Pandi by the cor, choking her so hard that her eyes rolled back. She struggled fiercely, cursing, ¡°Yuan Jun, you bastard! Let me go! How dare you¡ª¡±


    At this moment, she was still berating her husband. In her eyes, he had always been weak and submissive, always listening to her. How could he dare to act like this now?


    Even if¡ªeven if she had made a mistake, wasn¡¯t it for the sake of saving someone?


    Why couldn¡¯t he forgive her?


    If he were a real man, he should be magnanimous!


    Su Pandi: ¡°You think you¡¯re something, huh? Let me go! You¡¯re choking me, you bastard¡­ Ah!¡±


    Yuan Jun pped Su Pandi across the face so hard that one of her teeth flew out.


    ¡°Ah! My tooth!¡±


    Su Pandi¡¯s face swelled up instantly.


    At this moment, Aunt Su, Su Zhaodi, and Wang Xiangxiu returned. Wang Xiangxiu looked even more disheveled than Aunt Su, limping as she walked.


    Behind them were Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun, trailing along to watch the spectacle. The two of them were holding hands, looking utterly shocked, as if they had just witnessed something earth-shattering. Jiang Lu¡¯s gaze fell on their intertwined hands, and she frowned slightly.


    Zhou Qun didn¡¯t even notice Jiang Lu¡¯s look, clinging tightly to Bai Fendou. Aunt Zhou caught a glimpse of this and nearly fainted from shock.


    She nced cautiously at Jiang Lu, forcing a ttering smile, and quickly yanked Zhou Qun over, saying, ¡°Come here, you!¡±


    She red at Bai Fendou, thinking to herself that she couldn¡¯t let these two stand together anymore¡ªit was too dangerous.


    If these two really got involved, and Jiang Lu took the child and left, it would be the end of the Zhou family.


    Aunt Zhou was old-fashioned, and her greatest fear was that the Zhou family line would end with her son.


    Her son was already useless, and now the family¡¯s hopes rested entirely on Jiang Lu. She absolutely couldn¡¯t afford to upset Jiang Lu. Besides, even if Jiang Lu didn¡¯t care, she, as a mother, couldn¡¯t stand the thought of her son being tangled up with another man.


    Was this any way to honor their ancestors?


    She held onto Zhou Qun tightly, not letting him get near Bai Fendou.


    Zhou Qun didn¡¯t notice his mother¡¯s subtle actions. As Aunt Zhou pulled him over, he instinctively supported her, trembling as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve really seen it all now, I¡¯ve really seen it all¡­¡±


    Aunt Zhou: ¡°???¡±


    Without Zhou Qun to lean on, Bai Fendou steadied himself against the wall.


    Honestly, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t stand each other, but at this moment, they were leaning on each other purely because they were so shocked. They had never seen anything like this before. Even with all their worldly experience, they were as stunned as if they¡¯d seen a ghost.


    They were so shaken that they could barely stand, relying on each other for support.


    Of course, no one cared about Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou right now.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was fixed on Yuan Jun, whose hair was standing on end like an explosion.


    Su Pandi had always been the dominant one in their marriage, so she still refused to back down: ¡°You hit me? How dare you hit me¡­ Ah!¡±


    The moment she spoke, Yuan Jun lunged at her like a madman, grabbing her hair and pping her repeatedly. The women in the crowd silently stepped back. It was wrong to hit one¡¯s wife, but none of them dared to intervene.


    The man before them looked like he was capable of murder.


    Just as Zhao Guihua was about to signal her son to go fetch the police, Aunt Su suddenly knelt down. She cried, ¡°Yuan Jun, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s the Su family¡¯s fault. But please, forgive Pandi. We had no choice. If there had been any other way, we wouldn¡¯t have done this. We did it for the sake of the children. Please, stop hitting her. If you keep going, you¡¯ll kill her. Do you want your child to grow up without a mother? We were wrong, but please, for the sake of all the years you¡¯ve been married, forgive Pandi.¡±


    She sobbed, ¡°me me. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ll take the me for this mistake, but you can¡¯t keep hitting her like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Su Pandi, her face bruised and swollen, no longer dared to provoke Yuan Jun. She crawled toward her mother, crying. In her moment of desperation, only her mother could be relied on.


    Yuan Jun turned to the disgusting old woman and kicked her, followed by several hard ps. He hit Aunt Su even harder than he had hit Su Pandi, his eyes burning with hatred as if he were looking at the murderer of his father.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to kill someone.¡±


    Though they said this, no one dared to step in. They all stood frozen in ce.


    Everyone was terrified. Yuan Jun was truly out of control, showing no mercy in his attacks. Aunt Su was bleeding, and even her teeth had been knocked out.


    ¡°Stop hitting my mom!¡±


    ¡°Stop hitting my mother-inw¡­¡±


    Su Zhaodi and Wang Xiangxiu rushed forward. Wang Xiangxiu, already limping, stumbled and fell as she lunged.


    Yuan Jun didn¡¯t care. He kicked her a few more times.


    ¡°Stop! Wang Xiangxiu is already injured.¡±


    Someone shouted this, and upon hearing it, Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou exchanged awkward nces. Yuan Jun, however, burst intoughter, a harsh, bitter sound. ¡°Injured? Bullshit! She¡¯s just weak from selling herself too much!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The crowd was stunned.


    ¡°You¡ªyou¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°Lying? Am I lying? Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun, you saw it, didn¡¯t you? You saw what they did, right? Tell me, am I lying?¡±


    Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou shook their heads quickly, muttering, ¡°No¡­¡±


    They didn¡¯t dare say more.


    ¡°Huh???¡± Everyone was baffled.


    But Yuan Jun wasn¡¯t targeting Wang Xiangxiu. He pointed at Aunt Su and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a filthy old pimp! Anyone who gets involved with you is cursed for eight lifetimes. Look at what you¡¯ve done to your daughter-inw. Look at what you¡¯ve done to your daughter. You¡¯re a disgrace to humanity! You deserve to die! If there¡¯s any justice in this world, you should have been struck down long ago. You¡¯re nothing but a gue on this earth!¡±


    Unable to contain his rage, he kicked her several more times.


    ¡°Stop, please stop¡­¡±


    Su Pandi cried hysterically, ¡°If you want to hit someone, hit me! Don¡¯t hit my mom!¡±


    ¡°Your mom? Is she even your mom? She¡¯s a demon! She¡¯s ruined so many lives, yet she¡¯s still alive. This old hag deserves to die a thousand deaths. Do you know how your brother died? She killed him! She¡¯s the one who killed him!¡± Yuan Jun roared.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu was stunned, and everyone else stared at Yuan Jun in disbelief. Wasn¡¯t the Su family¡¯s son supposed to have died in a workce ident? How could this be tied to Aunt Su?


    Aunt Su: ¡°You¡¯re lying! What are you talking about? That was my own son. I¡¯d die before I¡¯d harm him. Don¡¯t you dare¡­¡±


    Yuan Jun¡¯s voice grew even louder: ¡°Lying? You didn¡¯t kill him directly, but if you hadn¡¯t pressured your son into convincing his wife to sell herself because you said the family couldn¡¯t survive on one ie, would he have been so distraught that he lost focus and had that ident at work? Did you think no one knew? Well, I know. I know everything. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t set foot in your house since my brother-inw died. I couldn¡¯t stand to look at your fake, kind face. I couldn¡¯t bear to think about the filth hidden behind your caring smile.¡±


    The scene fell intoplete silence.


    The people who had just been breathing heavily from the fight and feeling terrified now felt as if the cold wind carried shards of ice. Though it was only early autumn, the perfect time for short sleeves, everyone felt as though they were in an ice cer, as if it were the depths of winter. No one dared to touch their arms, feeling as if the hairs on their arms were standing on end.


    At this moment, Aunt Su¡¯s face had turned deathly pale.


    Yuan Jun was still roaring, ¡°You didn¡¯t expect this, did you? Your brother-inw didn¡¯t want this. He was so upset that he came to me for a meal. At first, he didn¡¯t say anything, but after getting drunk, he finally told me everything. He didn¡¯t want this. He¡¯d rather work hard than let his wife do that kind of work. But you raised him since he was a child. You loved him the most, treated him the best. He didn¡¯t dare to defy you. Do you know how much he suffered? Do you know he died the day after he told me all this?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop lying! You picked Wang Xiangxiu, who had no good prospects, because she was pretty and easy to manipte. You didn¡¯t start this earlier because you were afraid the children wouldn¡¯t be your family¡¯s. After she gave birth to three sons, you thought it was time to start your n! Right after she had her third child, you tricked her into getting an IUD, saying you couldn¡¯t afford more children. But that wasn¡¯t the reason. You were already nning to make Wang Xiangxiu earn money through that line of work! You killed your son. You¡¯re the one who killed him. But killing your son wasn¡¯t enough. You pretended to be weak to deceive your daughter-inw, to deceive your daughter. You deceived them one after another. You¡¯re evil, you old hag. I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡±


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Spotting the wooden stick by the window, he grabbed it and was about to charge at Aunt Su.


    At this moment, Zhao Guihua was the bravest, shouting, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t hit her. If you kill someone, you¡¯ll end up in jail. What will happen to your children? Is it worth it for someone like her?¡±


    Seeing Yuan Jun hesitate, she quickly added, ¡°You can¡¯t ruin yourself and your children for someone like this!¡±


    Being old friends who had worked together for years, Aunt Wang chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s not worth it, really not worth it.¡±


    The two exchanged a nce, and Zhao Guihua continued to persuade him, ¡°People like her, once their true colors are revealed, will get what they deserve. You don¡¯t need to throw your life away for her. If something happens to you, your children will end up in Su Pandi¡¯s hands. Think about what that would mean. Do you think she¡¯d treat them well?¡±


    Aunt Wang added, ¡°She definitely wouldn¡¯t. She learned from Aunt Su. She wouldn¡¯t truly care for her own children. She might even treat her nephews better than her own kids.¡±


    Yuan Jun¡¯s face twisted in unbearable anger. Suddenly, he let out a long, anguished cry, ¡°Ah¡­!!!¡±


    Then, he swung the wooden stick, smashing the windows of the Su family¡¯s house, one after another, without hesitation.


    The sound of ss shattering echoed with his roar, leaving everyone terrified. Yet, they could somewhat understand his rage. No one wanted to imagine themselves in such a situation¡ªit was too horrifying to even think about.


    Everyone looked at Yuan Jun with sympathy, or perhaps more sympathy for thete Su family¡¯s son.


    After smashing all the windows, Yuan Jun seemed to finally calm down. He looked at Su Pandi, who was bruised and battered, and said coldly, ¡°We¡¯ll get a divorce tomorrow. You¡¯ll leave with nothing.¡±


    Su Pandi stammered, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t agree to the divorce, I¡¯ll make you a widow!¡± He grinned menacingly at her, suddenly moving closer. Su Pandi screamed, ¡°Ah!¡±


    Yuan Jun grabbed her, pulling her close and whispering in her ear, ¡°Murder is illegal. I won¡¯t kill you in public, but idents happen, don¡¯t they? Your nephew might have an ident. Your mother might have an ident. You might have an ident. I¡¯ll make sure your whole family dies!¡±


    Su Pandi stared at her husband in terror. She had always thought he was a gentle, honest man.


    Suddenly, she realized that even honest men could be terrifying. She trembled, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll agree¡­¡±


    Yuan Jun didn¡¯t care anymore. He simply sat down at the entrance of the Su family¡¯s house and said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait until dawn!¡±


    Su Pandi stammered, ¡°You¡­¡±


    She had never seen him like this before and was trembling with fear.


    Aunt Su didn¡¯t dare to speak either. She covered her face, sobbing, ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ I really didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Whether she did or didn¡¯t, only she knew for sure. As for the others, they had their own judgments.


    Yuan Jun¡¯s furious state certainly didn¡¯t seem like a lie.


    Everyone watched quietly.


    At this moment, Wang Xiangxiu suddenly spoke, her voice faint and ghostly, ¡°Mom¡­ is what he said true?¡±


    Aunt Su¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she cried even louder, looking up and using, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me either? How could you not believe me? Others might not know me, but we¡¯ve lived together for so long. How could you doubt me because of some outsider¡¯s angry words¡­¡±


    ¡°Answer me!¡± Wang Xiangxiu suddenly exploded, shouting, ¡°Answer me! Is what he said true?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ How could I? He misunderstood. He really misunderstood. Think about it, ever since you married my son, we¡¯ve been like mother and daughter. How could I ever scheme against you like that?¡±


    Aunt Su put on a heartbroken expression, saying, ¡°Others might not understand me, but you should¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you at all!¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Wang Xiangxiu burst into tears, staring at Aunt Su, ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. I really don¡¯t!¡±


    Though she was a simple woman, she wasn¡¯tpletely foolish. She recalled the days before her husband¡¯s death. He had been troubled, sighing all the time, and seemed to have something he wanted to say but couldn¡¯t.


    She had pressed him to tell her what was wrong, but at the time, he had only said, ¡°I won¡¯t let you do that kind of work.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t understood what he meant at all.


    She had just given birth and thought he was worried about the added burden of another son.


    But now¡­


    What if it wasn¡¯t that?


    Now, she realized she believed Yuan Jun.


    Even after all these years of relying on Aunt Su, she believed Yuan Jun at this moment.


    She clearly understood that Yuan Jun had no reason to lie about this.


    And the circumstances at the time¡­ everything pointed to Yuan Jun telling the truth. Her husband had been distressed and unwilling.


    Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. It had been so many years, and she could barely remember her husband¡¯s face. But when they got married, he had treated her so well. That was why she had stayed in the Su family, why she had raised their children.


    She kept crying, saying coldly, ¡°So his hesitation back then was because of you. It was all because of you!¡±


    Suddenly, sheshed out, pping Aunt Su across the face.


    The Su sisters shouted, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu screamed, ¡°What am I doing? I¡¯m going to kill her. I¡¯m going to kill this old woman!¡±


    She grabbed Aunt Su by the neck, crying, ¡°Give me back my husband. Give him back to me¡­ Sob, sob¡­ Why did you do this? Why?¡±


    ¡°Let go! Let go!¡±


    Aunt Su¡¯s eyes rolled back as she was choked. The Su sisters immediately rushed to pull Wang Xiangxiu away.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    The two of them tried to drag Wang Xiangxiu away, but she refused to let go, ¡°Give him back to me¡­ Sob, sob¡­¡±


    No one in her life had ever treated her as well as he had.


    But he had been killed, all because he wanted to protect her.


    Wang Xiangxiu was overwhelmed with grief, and her grip tightened.


    Zhao Guihua shouted, ¡°Quick, help!¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    The olddies in the yard, who hadn¡¯t dared to confront Yuan Jun with his wooden stick, weren¡¯t afraid to deal with the Su sisters. They pulled the two women away from Wang Xiangxiu. Zhao Guihua also pulled Wang Xiangxiu back, saying, ¡°Your son is still in the hospital. You can¡¯t go to jail.¡±


    Children were always a parent¡¯s weak spot¡ªYuan Jun¡¯s, and Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s too.


    Wang Xiangxiu finally let go, breaking down into loud sobs.


    Whether Yuan Jun¡¯s words were true or not, others might only specte, but Wang Xiangxiu knew the truth better than anyone.


    She cried hysterically, on the verge of fainting, screaming, ¡°Get out! Get out! I never want to see you again in my life! You¡¯re a monster!¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? How can you kick my mom out¡­¡±


    "Get out, all of you, get out!" Wang Xiangxiu hadpletely lost her mind. She screamed, "All of you, get out! Get out!!!"


    "This house belongs to my mother. If anyone should leave, it''s you!" Su Pandi, who was slightly morebative than her sister Su Zhaodi, still had the strength to stand up for her mother, even after being beaten to a pulp.


    Wang Xiangxiu retorted, "Your mother? This is my husband''s house! She killed my husband. What right does she have to live here? What face does she have to show us?"


    Aunt Su spoke softly but with a chilling tone, "Do you want me to expose your secrets?"


    Though she appeared frail, her eyes locked onto Wang Xiangxiu, and she sneered inwardly. Did she really think she couldn''t find Wang Xiangxiu''s weak spot?


    However, she underestimated Wang Xiangxiu''s state of madness. Wang Xiangxiu spat, "Go ahead! Say it! Say whatever you want! Even if I die, I won''t let you stay here! If ites to it, we¡¯ll all perish together!"


    The Su family was truly fortunate.


    First, the son-inw went mad, and now the daughter-inw was losing her mind.


    Wang Xiangxiu muttered venomously, "Let¡¯s all die together, then!"


    Aunt Su hadn¡¯t expected her to react like this and was momentarily flustered. Just as she was about to try to cate Wang Xiangxiu with sweet words, Aunt Wang spoke up. "We¡¯ve all seen what happened today. I¡¯ll report this to the neighborhoodmittee. Our courtyard won¡¯t tolerate someone like you."


    "Get out!"


    "Leave!"


    "You evil old hag, get out!"


    "You¡¯re rotten to the core!"


    The crowd erupted in anger, their voices rising in unison.


    Though Wang Xiangxiu wasn¡¯t well-liked either, at this moment, everyone found the hypocritical old woman even more intolerable. She had been putting on an act for years, pretending to be a decent person, but look how vile her heart was!


    Su Pandi shouted, "You slut, you should be arrested for your promiscuity!"


    Wang Xiangxiu coldly stared at Su Pandi and demanded, "Do you have proof? Do you have any evidence that I¡¯ve been promiscuous? Widows are always the target of gossip. I could say you¡¯re ndering me. Do you have proof? Did you catch me doing anything? Ask around¡ªdo people admit to having affairs with me? Unlike you, who was just caught in bed with someone!"


    Oh!


    The crowd gasped, but thinking back to Yuan Jun¡¯s earlier outburst, it wasn¡¯t surprising. If there hadn¡¯t been something going on, why would he have gone so mad?


    Wang Xiangxiu continued, "Dare you deny it? You¡¯re no saint either. Don¡¯t talk to me. Get out!"


    Su Pandi stammered, "You¡ª!"


    Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath, pushed aside those who had been trying to hold her back, and went back into the house. In the silence, she packed her things and came out again, announcing, "I¡¯m going to the hospital."


    She paused, pointing at Aunt Su, "Don¡¯t follow me!"


    Bruised and battered, she stumbled out of the house.


    Aunt Wang said, "Yang Lixin, you and Bai Fendou follow her. It¡¯ste, and it¡¯s dark outside. Make sure nothing happens to her. Take her to the hospital and thene back."


    Even Bai Fendou didn¡¯t utter a word this time. He silently followed Wang Xiangxiu out the door.


    Yang Lixin also set aside his petty grievances with Bai Fendou.


    The two men quietly trailed behind Wang Xiangxiu.


    Seeing them leave, Aunt Su¡¯s eyes flickered, and she moaned, "Oh, oh, I¡¯m not feeling well..."


    Su Pandi said, "I¡¯ll help you inside."


    Yuan Jun barked, "Everyone stays outside! No one moves!"


    His voice was icy and menacing. "You think you can go inside and rest? Not a chance! Everyone stays right here. I don¡¯t care about your family¡¯s dirty little secrets, but whatever¡¯s going on, we¡¯ll settle it after the divorce!"


    "You..." Su Pandi, still shaken from the earlier beating, didn¡¯t dare raise her voice but red at Yuan Jun with hatred.


    Aunt Su whimpered, "At my age, spending the whole night outside will ruin my health. How can you treat an elderly person like this?"


    "Elderly people are still people, not animals."


    The standoff continued. Truthfully, the Su family¡ªmother and daughters¡ªdidn¡¯t dare force their way inside. They remembered how Yuan Jun had gone berserk earlier, beating both Su Pandi and Aunt Su without mercy.


    Su Zhaodi whispered, "Mom, it¡¯s gettingte. I need to go home."


    She fiddled with the hem of her clothes and said softly, "If I don¡¯t go back soon, my husband will get angry."


    Her husband was the head of the household.


    He had a hot temper and strongly disapproved of her helping her family. Whenever he found out, she would get a beating. Spending the night away from home was out of the question.


    She stammered, "I¡¯lle back tomorrow."


    Su Pandi fumed, "You¡¯re so useless. Can¡¯t even control your own husband."


    Tonight, it seemed everyone was shouting as if volume alone could justify their arguments.


    Su Zhaodi, however, didn¡¯t dare raise her voice. She was timid by nature and muttered, "You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t control yours, and now you¡¯re getting divorced."


    She hunched her shoulders and said firmly, "I won¡¯t get divorced!"


    Her life might be hard, but she was determined not to divorce.


    If she did...


    She bit her lip, not daring to think about whether her mother would force her into prostitution.


    The cold wind seemed to clear some of Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s rage, and Su Zhaodi¡¯s mind also felt a bit clearer. She wanted to protect her mother, but deep down, she knew her mother couldn¡¯t be relied on. Just one night had shown her that. She was closest to her younger brother.


    She bit her lip and said, "I have to go home."


    As long as her family wasn¡¯t involved, her husband wouldn¡¯t hit her.


    Life was tough and poor, but it was still a life. She didn¡¯t want her family to fall apart.


    She didn¡¯t dare look at her mother or sister but still said, "I have to go. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll get beaten when I get home."


    "You... you... fine, you¡¯re so great, you have a home. Just wait and see. When you get beaten, no one will care!" Su Pandi hadn¡¯t expected her sister to undermine her. She nced at Yuan Jun, who was ring at her with hatred.


    She shrank back, genuinely afraid.


    For all her bluster, she was just putting on a brave face.


    Deep down, she was starting to feel uneasy.


    Su Zhaodi whispered, "I¡¯m leaving now."


    She hesitated, wanting to say more, but finally just said, "I¡¯lle back tomorrow."


    Then she hurried out the door.


    Aunt Wang called after her, "Su Zhaodi."


    Su Zhaodi turned, "Huh?"


    Aunt Wang said, "Old man, you take Zhou Qun and Zhuang Zhiyuan to escort her. It¡¯s a long way. You can keep each otherpany on the way back."


    Li the Cook nodded, "Alright."


    It was no wonder being the courtyard manager was so difficult. There was always something happening.


    Fortunately, the courtyard residents followed orders. Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhou Qun silently followed Li the Cook as they escorted Su Zhaodi.


    Su Zhaodi was taken aback but then softly said, "Thank you."


    Unlike her sister Su Pandi, who was loud and aggressive, Su Zhaodi was meek and timid.


    But having someone apany her at night made her feel much safer. She walked ahead quietly, with the men following behind.


    With several people gone, the remaining crowd wasn¡¯t in a hurry to sleep. They stood in the courtyard, silently observing, as if waiting for some impending showdown. The atmosphere was eerily calm, like the quiet before a storm. On one side stood Yuan Jun, holding a wooden stick and ring furiously at Aunt Su and Su Pandi.


    On the other side were the pitiful mother and daughter.


    Neither side moved. Yuan Jun wasn¡¯t defending Wang Xiangxiu¡ªhe didn¡¯t like her either. He simply didn¡¯t want to freeze outside while the two women got to rest indoors. That wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    Usually, the courtyard had its lively figures, like Zhao Guihua, Aunt Wang, and Aunt Zhou.


    But even Zhao Guihua, who had been reborn, didn¡¯t dare get involved in such a major incident.


    This hadn¡¯t happened in her previous life!


    She didn¡¯t have the privilege of witnessing such a scene.


    Aunt Wang, as the courtyard manager, tried to maintain order but didn¡¯t dare move either. After all, Yuan Jun was holding a wooden stick, and who knew if he¡¯d start swinging it again? The shattered ss in the Su household was proof enough.


    Better not provoke him.


    Aunt Zhou was quite timid, despite her previous boldness. After being "re-educated," she had be much more subdued. After all, she couldn''t afford to go through that again. The experience had left its mark. While it might not have worked on some people, it had definitely had an effect on someone like Aunt Zhou, who wasn''t particrly educated.


    Moreover, since her return, she had started to notice something strange about her son, Zhou Qun¡ªhe didn''t seem very manly. This realization had dampened her spirits considerably. Though she still asionally acted out, she no longer dared to make a scene.


    Didn''t you notice?


    Now, she didn''t even dare to provoke Jiang Lu.


    Many people had expected Aunt Zhou to engage in a fierce battle of wills with Jiang Lu, but given Zhou Qun''s effeminate nature, Aunt Zhou had no chance of winning. At this point, she was as docile as a kitten, not daring to raise her voice or re at anyone.


    Even the three capable elderly women in the neighborhood didn''t dare to act impulsively, and neither did anyone else. Everyone was quiet, some simply waiting to see if anything new would happen, others reflecting on the brief but intense confrontation that had just taken ce, and still others pondering the bombshell that Yuan Jun had dropped.


    Indeed, insiders know insiders best.


    If Yuan Jun hadn''t spoken up, they would never have known how capable Aunt Su was.


    Yes, her son''s death wasn''t directly her fault, but Yuan Jun''s im that she was involved wasn''t entirely baseless.


    Without her sinister schemes, her son might not have died.


    It was chilling how someone could know the truth yet act as if nothing had happened.


    A gentle breeze swept through the scene. The key yers remained still, and the onlookers didn''t dare to move either.


    "Ah-choo!" A clear sneeze broke the silence. Ming Mei rubbed her nose and said, "Zhixi, I''m sleepy. Let''s go home."


    Zhuang Louloo immediately supported his wife, saying, "Let''s go. Be careful."


    Ming Mei chuckled, "We''re just in our own courtyard. What do I need to be careful about?"


    Who would dare toy a hand on her?


    Even if someone did, even as a pregnant woman, she could easily take them down.


    At this point, the onlookers remembered that Ming Mei wasn''t one to be trifled with. She had once kicked a door off its hinges. Just because she was pregnant didn''t mean that record no longer existed. She still had her strength.


    Seeing how calm Ming Mei was, everyone quickly took the opportunity to leave, saying, "It''s gettingte. We have work tomorrow."


    "Exactly, we can''t bete. We''ll get docked pay." No matter what, they couldn''t afford to lose wages. Even if they had to crawl, they''d make it to work.


    "It''s getting a bit chilly. The wind''s picking up."


    "Where''s the wind? Oh, you mean the weather. I thought you meant... never mind."


    "Let''s hurry home and get some sleep."


    "Right, let''s go home and sleep."


    As they exchanged these meaningless pleasantries, everyone hurried home.


    But deep down, they all knew there was no way they could sleep.


    The drama of the day had been too much.


    Who knew what ripple effects it would have?


    As firsthand witnesses, none of them could im to fully understand or grasp the situation.


    Everyone felt the same way, including the Zhuang family. They weren''t any wiser than the others in this matter. They were all just spectators, too afraid to speak up.


    Ming Mei calmly headed home, prompting everyone else to disperse. However, many of them, though they had gone home, were still peeking out their windows. Old Man Lan, who had arrivedter, was no exception. He was just as eager to catch thetest gossip.


    As soon as he got home, he pressed his ear to the door, with his wife beside him.


    For elderly couples like them, who hade togetherter in life, there was often a sense of distance or hidden agendas. But the two of them were different. They had gotten along harmoniously from the very beginning.


    The real credit for this went to the lively atmosphere of their courtyard. There was always something new happening, so much so that the old couple didn''t even need a radio. They were constantly busy watching the drama unfold and then discussing it afterward. Such closepanionship in old age was rare.


    "What do you think will happen? Will Wang Xiangxiu get in trouble for her affairs?" Such behavior was frowned upon these days. If she got caught, it would be a big deal.


    Lan Sihai: "I don''t think Wang Xiangxiu will face any consequences."


    He continued, "In cases like this, you need concrete evidence. Without catching her in the act, it''s hard to make a case. It could easily lead to usations of nder. So, people are cautious. Even though Wang Xiangxiu has a reputation, no one has caught her red-handed. If you ask any man involved, they''d deny it. Who would admit to something like that? They''d be risking their own freedom. Unless Wang Xiangxiu gets caught in the future, Aunt Su can''t do much to her."


    Without solid proof, nothing could be done.


    To convict someone, you needed to catch them in the act.


    Luo Xiaohe: "I wonder what will happen to her. If she''s smart, she''ll know Aunt Su will be watching her closely."


    Lan Sihai: "She may not be the brightest, but she''s not aplete fool. She loves her children too much. I think she''ll tread carefully. If she gets in trouble, her children will suffer even more. She understands that."


    Luo Xiaohe: "What about Aunt Su?"


    Lan Sihai: "She won''t face any consequences either. As I said, the things she''s used of may sound bad, but she didn''t directly cause her son''s death. As for her daughter, Su Pandi, who knows what''s going on with her?"


    Luo Xiaohe: "I used to resent my mother for ying favorites. Even at my age, I still feel a bit bitter about it. Butpared to Aunt Su, I realize my mother was at least normal. What kind of person could do something like this? I''ve never seen anything like it."


    Lan Sihai: "You''re in your fifties and haven''t seen it. I''m in my seventies, and I haven''t either."


    The two of them clicked their tongues and continued to observe.


    While the old couple discussed the situation, so did everyone else in the neighborhood. Those in the back courtyard didn''t have the convenience of looking out their windows, but they were just as busy talking at home. No one could sleep. The whole courtyard was in shock.


    They had never seen anything like this before.


    Though their courtyard was always full of drama, this was on a whole new level.


    Not only was the drama escting, but it was also getting more intense!


    Everyone was stunned. As soon as Zhuang Zhixi entered the house, heforted Ming Mei, saying, "Honey, today''s events were intense, but don''t let it affect you too much. Don''t get too worked up and harm your health."


    This wasn''t just Zhuang Zhixi being overly concerned about the baby. During their hospital visits, the doctor had mentioned that carrying twins was more taxing than a single pregnancy. So, he wasn''t just worried about the baby; he was also concerned about Ming Mei''s well-being.


    Too much excitement wasn''t good for her.


    Staying emotionally stable was better for her health.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Honey, I..."


    Ming Mei looked at him curiously, "Why would I be worked up? The Su family has nothing to do with me. I don''t know the person who passed away, nor do I know the one involved in today''s scandal. I''m just an outsider, here for the show."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    He was at a loss for words.


    Ming Mei rested her chin on her hand, "You''re shocked because you know everyone here. I don''t."


    That was true. Everyone in the courtyard was shocked because they knew the Su family''s son and felt his death was a tragedy. They also sympathized with Wang Xiangxiu''s plight.


    During the day, people had been gossiping about her, looking down on her actions.


    But everyone has a sense ofpassion. Seeing her lose her husband and then being manipted so cruelly, they couldn''t help but feel sorry for her.


    If it weren''t for someone like Aunt Su, her life might have turned out very differently.


    At that moment, Ming Mei also felt a pang of sympathy for Wang Xiangxiu''s misfortune, but her emotions weren''t as deeply stirred.


    Because the Wang Xiangxiu she knew had always been like this¡ªmediocre in character, always stirring up trouble. She had never seen the Wang Xiangxiu from before her husband''s death. So, while she felt some sympathy, she wasn''t as deeply moved as others.


    Others, precisely because they had seen the contrast, understood even more how despicable Aunt Su was.


    Of course, everyone agreed on one thing: Aunt Su was a ruthless old hag who wouldn''t hesitate to devour someone without leaving a trace.


    Zhuang Zhixi fetched water for Ming Mei to wash her feet, saying, "Wife,e on, let''s soak your feet and rx a bit."


    Ming Mei smiled sweetly, "Zhixi, you''re so good to me."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Who else would I be good to if not you?"


    He continued, "We should strive to be even better in the future. It''s actually quite rare for people to live together happily."


    Ming Mei teased, "Oh, you''re getting philosophical now."


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Yes, when you think about it, Brother Su and Wang Xiangxiu used to have a good rtionship. But now... times have changed, and so have people."


    Ming Mei yfully pinched Zhuang Zhixi''s face and said, "Now that everything hase to light, maybe it''s a good thing for Wang Xiangxiu. At least she won''t be living in a daze anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi''s face was squished by her hands, but he still managed to smile and say, "Back then, I was probably too young to understand rtionships. I just remember their marriage seemed fine. But Wang Xiangxiu isn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. She''s easily influenced by whoever she''s around. Back when her husband was alive, their rtionship was good, but after he passed, she became more and more unreliable. Her mind seems to wander all the time, and she''s oddly self-absorbed. But maybe this incident will serve as a wake-up call for her. Sometimes, even if things weren''t that great in the past, and even if you''ve forgotten over the years, when someone dredges up old memories, all you can recall are the good times. People tend to romanticize their memories. What might have been just okay back then bes perfect in hindsight."


    Ming Mei looked at Zhuang Zhixi, puzzled, "What are you rambling about?"


    She frowned, "I don''t quite get it."


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "What I mean is, even if she didn''t love Brother Su that much back then, after this incident, she might look back and remember only the good and the love. Maybe it''ll change her."


    Ming Mei shrugged, "Who knows?"


    She nudged Zhuang Zhixi''s shoulder and said, "Could you massage my calves for me? I''ve been standing too long today, and they''re sore."


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Sure."


    He couldn''t help but think, pregnancy is really tough.


    He noticed that Ming Mei''s calves were slightly swollen, and it was only a few months in. It just showed how much she was going through.


    He said, "From now on, no matter what you''re doing, if you''ve been standing for too long, find a ce to sit down. Don''t just stand there."


    Ming Mei mumbled softly, "I know, I just forgot today."


    Zhuang Zhixi helped his wife with her nightly routine, and once they were both tucked into bed, Ming Mei let out a soft sigh. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Ming Mei draped her arm over him and said, "I''m tired."


    Zhuang Zhixi gently smoothed her hair and said, "Then let''s get some sleep."


    He softly patted Ming Mei. As the youngest in his family, Zhuang Zhixi was used to being taken care of, so he wasn''t naturally skilled at caring for others. But when it came to Ming Mei, he was meticulous. He used to think that childbirth was just a normal part of life, but ever since Ming Mei got pregnant, he realized it wasn''t that simple. Although Ming Mei rarelyined¡ªshe was an optimistic and cheerful person¡ªZhuang Zhixi, as her husband, knew just how hard it was for her.


    Even now, just a few months in, her legs and feet were already swelling from standing too long.


    And yet, his mother and sister-inw still said Ming Mei was one of the luckier pregnant women, with minimal symptoms. Compared to Jiang Lu, who was constantly vomiting, Zhuang Zhixi truly understood how difficult pregnancy could be.


    He never paid much attention to other pregnant women before, so he never gave it much thought. But now, he was constantly on edge, worrying about every little thing.


    Ming Mei, however, was oblivious to her husband''s concerns. She was genuinely exhausted. While others in the neighborhood might be lying awake, Ming Mei had no trouble falling asleep. She was so tired that she couldn''t stay awake any longer.


    She found afortable position in Zhuang Zhixi''s arms and, within moments, her soft breathing indicated she was fast asleep. Zhuang Zhixi looked down at her and chuckled. In the entirepound, apart from the children, his wife was probably the only one who could sleep so soundly.


    Ming Mei slept deeply, worn out from the day. Zhuang Zhixi gently patted her back and listened carefully to the sounds outside. Soon, he heard Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin returning.


    A littleter, Li the Cook, his older brother, and Zhou Qun also came back.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan entered his room and was surprised to find Liang Meifen still awake. He asked, "You''re not asleep?"


    Liang Meifen replied, "How could I sleep? Who could sleep at a time like this?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan was taken aback, "Then why didn''t you turn on the light?"


    Liang Meifen had a perfectly good exnation, "I''m the only one at home, and there''s nothing to do. Why waste electricity by turning on the light? Do you think anyone in thispound is asleep? Everyone''s lying in the dark."


    After all, electricity wasn''t free. Each household paid for their own usage, so no one wanted to waste it.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "Why did you all disperse?"


    "We didn''t know what else to do. What''s happening outside?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan exined, "When I came back, the two Su women were sitting under the eaves, and Yuan Jun was keeping an eye on them. They wanted to leave, but Yuan Jun wouldn''t let them."


    Liang Meifen clicked her tongue in disbelief.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan seized the opportunity to say, "Look at Su Pandi. She ruined her marriage for the sake of a family that didn''t truly care about her. Was it worth it? I''m not saying you should cut ties with your family, but you need to think carefully about what''s right and what''s wrong. If you go down a path of no return, it''s all over. I think Yuan Jun is definitely going to divorce her."


    This time, Liang Meifen didn''t argue. She was genuinely shaken.


    She had always thought Aunt Su was a wonderful mother-inw. After all, in her experience¡ªwhether in the textile factory, the machinery factory, or among the neighbors¡ªshe had never met a more kind-hearted mother-inw than Aunt Su.


    The way she treated Wang Xiangxiu seemed utterly selfless.


    It was something everyone envied. Who wouldn''t envy such a rtionship?


    Wang Xiangxiu ran the household, and her mother-inw took care of the children and was always considerate. It seemed like a dream.


    But who could have imagined that the reality was so different?


    The thought sent chills down Liang Meifen''s spine.


    This woman had been scheming against her daughter-inw even before her son had died. She had even nned to send her daughter-inw down a dangerous path. In this new society, getting caught would mean serious jail time.


    Yet, Aunt Su saw nothing wrong with it.


    She didn''t even spare her own daughter. Su Pandi had been caught in bed with another man by Yuan Jun, and everyone had heard about it.


    There was no doubt that this was Aunt Su''s idea. Su Pandi would never havee up with such a n on her own.


    This realization truly frightened Liang Meifen.


    Whether from Wang Xiangxiu''s perspective or Su Pandi''s, Liang Meifen was thoroughly shaken.


    She wasn''t the most decisive person to begin with, and now, after Zhuang Zhiyuan''s words, she waspletely subdued, like a sickly chicken.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan noticed that she seemed to be taking his words to heart and said, "People should have the courage to say no to things that are wrong, even if it''s their own parents. You need to be able to make your own judgments."


    Liang Meifen nodded, "I understand."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nced at her, "Don''t just say you understand and then do nothing about it."


    Liang Meifen protested, "I''m not like that."


    She took a deep breath and changed the subject, "How did it go with Su Zhaodi?"


    Thinking about it still gave her chills, so she decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "It went smoothly. We ran into the neighborhood patrol, and they stopped us to ask a few questions. But when they found out we were just concerned neighbors escorting her, they even praised us."


    Liang Meifen quickly asked, "Is there a reward?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan sighed, "What are you dreaming about? It''s just verbal praise."


    He continued, "We took Su Zhaodi home. It was my first time going there. Her family seems even poorer than the Su family. I really don''t know how she manages to support her parents so much. Her husband, kids, inws, brother-inw, and sister-inw all live together in one big household. It doesn¡¯t seem like an easy environment, but it¡¯s probably not as bad as it looks. Even though Su Zhaodi came backte, her mother-inw and husbandined, but they still saved her some food."


    Liang Meifen replied, "That¡¯s good enough. I¡¯vee to realize that sometimes being a little harsh isn¡¯t necessarily bad. It¡¯s not about what people say, but what they actually do. Some people talk nicely but do terrible things."


    On the other hand, some people might sound harsh, like her mother-inw, who seems like a strict and mean old woman.


    But in reality, she treats everyone equally and doesn¡¯t mistreat anyone.


    You don¡¯t even need to ask around to know this. Ten yuan a month? Oh, by the end of the month, it¡¯s fifteen for the next month.


    But even with fifteen yuan, you really can¡¯t eat this well.


    Her inws must be contributing to the living expenses too.


    So, it reallyes down to what people do, not what they say.


    Most families don¡¯t eat as well as theirs.


    Liang Meifen said, "Your mom is a good person."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan gave her a strange look, then smiled with relief. "Of course, she is. If my mom weren¡¯t good, you¡¯d see what it¡¯s like with other mothers-inw. Whether it¡¯s Aunt Zhou, Aunt Su, or even Aunt Wang, none of them would make life easy for you."


    Liang Meifen nodded, "I know."


    She leaned against the window, looking outside. The two sides had stopped talking and were now sitting quietly in their respective corners.


    Curious, she asked, "Why is Yuan Jun blocking the door?"


    "Probably to make sure Aunt Su and the others don¡¯t get toofortable," Zhuang Zhiyuan replied.


    He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I just came back with Zhou Qun, and I heard that Su Pandi was caught sleeping with the deputy head of the ughterhouse. Yuan Jun caught them red-handed. It was two women against one man¡ªSu Pandi and Wang Xiangxiu with that guy."


    Liang Meifen eximed, "What?!!"


    She was shocked!


    Zhuang Zhiyuan pursed his lips and said, "They were in a small room at the ughterhouse. Yuan Jun beat that guy up so badly he was unrecognizable."


    Liang Meifen stammered, "Th-that¡¯s... isn¡¯t that... indecent? Didn¡¯t he report it to the police?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan shook his head, "Who would report it? They¡¯d be too ashamed. Someone at the ughterhouse heard themotion and knew what had happened. They called the boss, who happens to be the father-inw of the guy Su Pandi was messing around with."


    Liang Meifen gasped, "Oh my God."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan continued, "Apparently, the boss didn¡¯t want the scandal to get out either. He¡¯s a leader, so he cares about his reputation. He convinced Yuan Jun not to involve the police. But you can bet that guy won¡¯t get off easy. Zhou Qun didn¡¯t go into details, but he and Bai Fendou were following Yuan Jun and probably saw everything. He was shaking when he talked about it, so there must be more to the story."


    Liang Meifen¡¯s mouth twitched, unsure of what to say. After a long pause, she finally muttered, "They¡¯re really something."


    But she also added, "Wang Xiangxiu is lucky too. It¡¯s not the first time she¡¯s been caught, but she always manages to smooth things over."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan nodded, "That¡¯s because the people she¡¯s involved with aren¡¯t ordinary. Anyone with a bit of status wants to keep things quiet."


    "That¡¯s true," Liang Meifen agreed.


    The couple continued talking, and Zhuang Zhiyuan noticed his wife¡¯s eyes were wide like lightbulbs. He said, "Aren¡¯t you going to sleep? You have work tomorrow."


    But how could she sleep after all this?


    Almost no one in the neighborhood could sleep. It was nearly dawn before some people managed to doze off, but only for a short while before they had to get up and prepare for work. No matter how entertaining the drama was, work couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    After all, how else would they earn money?


    As the sky began to lighten and everyone was still half-asleep, a piercing scream suddenly echoed through the courtyard: "...Ah!!!"


    Almost everyone rushed out of their homes: "What happened now?"

 Chapter 126

    "Ah!"


    A deafening scream rang out again, and everyone immediately knew it was Su Pandi''s voice.


    The residents of thepound quickly threw on their coats and came out, only to see Yuan Jun grabbing Su Pandi and saying, "Come with me, let''s get a divorce."


    Su Pandi screamed even louder, shouting, "I won''t divorce you, I won''t divorce you... I was wrong, I really won''t divorce you..."


    Despite her bluster, the cold wind had chilled her to the bone all night, and she knew deep down that if she really got divorced, she would never find another man like him. They had been married for years, and though he was a bit timid and never took the lead, he always listened to her. She managed the household, made all the decisions, big and small.


    If she divorced him, she would never find such a man again. Besides, as a divorcee, she wouldn''t be able to find anyone better. She wasn''t as young and fresh as she was during her first marriage. She thought back to her secret meeting with her old me yesterday, where he had bluntly told her she had aged and lost the youthful beauty she once had.


    She couldn''t get divorced¡ªabsolutely not.


    "I was wrong, I only made a tiny mistake, just a tiny one. Can''t you forgive me, Yuan Jun? Please, for the sake of the children, forgive me. Please, don''t let them grow up without a mother. People willugh at them, call them motherless bastards, bully them, hit them... Ah!"


    Yuan Jun couldn''t take it anymore and pped Su Pandi across the face.


    He could tolerate her saying anything else, but she shouldn''t have brought the children into this.


    What she said was no different from a curse.


    For so many years, Yuan Jun had always doted on his wife. He was a simple, honest man who believed that once you got married, you should live a good life together. He never thought about anything else. But clearly, Su Pandi didn''t feel the same way. Over the years, she had constantly been sending money and resources to her family.


    Yuan Jun had put up with it. Although he despised his mother-inw, he thought about how her family was full of elderly and young dependents, relying solely on one woman''s ie. Though he was unhappy, he never outright stopped Su Pandi from helping her family.


    But there had to be limits.


    You couldn''t drain your own household to the point of neglecting your own children just to help others.


    Now, he saw through this womanpletely. In fifteen years of marriage, he had neverid a finger on her, but now he wished he could beat her to death. Looking at Su Pandi''s face, he felt nothing but disgust.


    He punched her again, shouting, "I''ll make you talk! I''ll make you use the children as an excuse! Having a mother like you is what will make them aughingstock. I''ll kill you, I swear I''ll kill you!"


    When the neighbors came out, they saw the fight escting.


    Aunt Su didn''t dare to intervene; she had already been beaten badlyst night.


    Yuan Jun continued to hit her while yelling, "If it weren''t for the fact that I don''t want the children to have a mother in jail, and I don''t want this to affect their future lives, jobs, or political backgrounds, I would''ve sent you to the police stationst night! And now you dare to bring them into this? It''s because of a mother like you that their childhood is miserable. You shouldn''t have gotten married at all. You should''ve stayed at your parents'' house, ving away for your vicious mother, and never married anyone. Getting married was just you ruining someone else''s life!"


    "How can you say that..." Su Pandi burst into tears.


    But as her husband, Yuan Jun remained unmoved. He dragged her and said, "Come with me now, let''s get the divorce papers. Whether you agree to it or not, if you don''t divorce me, I''ll make sure you''re a widow!"


    "You... you... you don''t care about the children..."


    "If the children have a mother like you, that''s when I truly don''t care about them. If my children suffer, I''ll make sure your whole family suffers. I''ll make sure the Su family line ends with you!"


    This was no longer the warning fromst night. Back then, he had whispered it in her ear, but now he was shouting it openly.


    He hated Su Pandi to the core.


    "You won''t get away with this, don''t even think about it."


    Su Pandi cried, "You''re threatening me, you''re threatening me... Did you all hear that? He''s threatening me, he..."


    She shouted a few times, but no one backed her up. Instead, everyone looked at her with contempt. She stared at them in disbelief and said, "Why aren''t any of you saying anything? Why are you siding with him? I''m your old neighbor!"


    Zhou Qun was the first to step forward and say, "Stop yelling. I saw everything clearly yesterday. Everything you''re going through now, you deserve it!"


    "Shut up! What does this have to do with you? I know you slept with Wang Xiangxiu!"


    Su Pandi knew this because her mother had told her.


    Zhou Qun''s face turned red, but he shouted even louder, "Stop ndering me! Everyone here knows I can''t perform!"


    Uh...


    Everyone looked at Zhou Qun with mixed feelings, thinking, if you can''t perform, why are you shouting so loudly? Is this something to be proud of?


    Zhou Qun continued loudly, "Even if I could perform, I''d rather be with a man than with Wang Xiangxiu!"


    Everyone: "..."


    Uh, this was even more awkward.


    Everyone silently turned their gaze to Bai Fendou, who immediately red up and shouted, "Why are you all looking at me? What does this have to do with me? Whoever Zhou Qun likes has nothing to do with me! Damn it, if you keep looking, I''ll gouge your eyes out!"


    The crowd responded with nk faces: "...Oh."


    Aunt Zhou looked at her son with a pained expression and tugged at him, "Please, stop talking."


    It was over, truly over. Of all people, her son had to take a liking to Bai Fendou.


    She cautiously nced at Jiang Lu, who remained expressionless. Aunt Zhou quickly said, "Su Pandi, you little wretch, don''t you dare nder my son. My son''s reputation is not something you can tarnish!"


    Zhou Qun alsoposed himself. Although he had indeed had an affair with Wang Xiangxiu in the past, they had broken it off long ago. Besides, he had no interest in her now. As long as there was no evidence, it was all just baseless usations.


    Moreover, the fact that this woman had dragged him and Wang Xiangxiu into this made him even angrier and more ruthless.


    "Bai Fendou and I arepletely innocent. We both saw what you did yesterday!" he shouted. "Comrades, neighbors, yesterday when Brother Yuan Jun came looking for his wife, we noticed something was off and followed him, fearing something might happen. Bai Fendou and I followed him together. We saw Brother Yuan Jun go to the hospital, and Aunt Su still refused to admit what Su Pandi had been up to. It was me! It was me, the goodrade, who bravely stepped forward and bribed Toni with fifty cents. Toni then told us everything his grandmother had said!"


    Everyone: "...???"


    Toni?


    What a fine grandson he was.


    Fifty cents was all it took to buy him off.


    "So, Aunt Su had sent Su Pandi to offer herself to her old me to plead for leniency."


    "Shut up, you sissy, you freak! Stop talking nonsense. This has nothing to do with you. Who asked you to bber on?" Su Pandi was furious, and so was Aunt Su.


    She had always been so adept at handling these situations.


    But now, her secrets were being exposed. She had spent allst night thinking about how to salvage her reputation and get out of this mess. But it was too cold, and she was in too much pain, leaving her mind in chaos.


    And now, Zhou Qun was here, bbering nonstop.


    She pretended to cough weakly and said, "Zhou Qun, are you trying to kill me? I know my rtionship with your mother isn''t good, but you can''t just nder me like this. Are you trying to drive me to my grave?"


    Aunt Zhou wasn''t having any of it and screamed, "Stop with your nonsense! Don''t you dare try to pin this on my son. I won''t let you, you old hag! The filthy things you''ve done, why can''t they be exposed? My son found out and exposed you for the sake of justice. Are you saying my son is lying? Bai Fendou, tell them, did Zhou Qun lie?"


    Bai Fendou: "No."


    Aunt Zhou immediately perked up, feeling even more confident, and said, "Old Su''s son-inw, tell me, did my son Zhou Qun lie?"


    Yuan Jun: "No."


    Aunt Zhou: "Did you all hear that? Everyone, did you hear that? Our Zhou Qun didn¡¯t lie at all. You think you can silence him by smearing his reputation? Let me tell you, no way! Absolutely no way! We¡¯re telling the truth, and we have every right to speak! We have every right to expose your true colors!"


    Everyone fell silent at this moment, not doubting Zhou Qun¡¯s words in the slightest.


    Of course not. After what happenedst night, it was clear to everyone that Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t possibly be lying now.


    As for Aunt Su, she was still trying to y the victim.


    Everyone looked at Aunt Su with disdain.


    Zhou Qun: "We were on our way to the ughterhouse when Aunt Su suddenly caught up with us..."


    "Enough! This is our family''s business. What does it have to do with you? How dare you spout nonsense here? What does any of this have to do with you?" Aunt Su, seeing that her daughter was no help and with no one else to back her up, could only snarl in response.


    She shouted, "This has nothing to do with you. If you keep running your mouth, be careful of the hell where tongues are ripped out!"


    "Stop spreading your superstitious nonsense. What hell where tongues are ripped out?"


    "Exactly!"


    "If you dare to do it, why are you afraid of people talking? Yuan Jun hasn¡¯t even said anything yet. Why are you jumping in? What¡¯s it got to do with you?"


    "Zhou Qun, tell us, what did you see?"


    Everyone looked at Zhou Qun curiously, eager to know the details of what had happened.


    Zhou Qun nced at Yuan Jun and didn¡¯t dare to say more.


    Though he was a gossipy busybody, he didn¡¯t dare to talk about someone else¡¯s wife in front of her husband, especially since they weren¡¯t even divorced yet. Besides, Yuan Jun looked downright terrifying. He nced at Yuan Jun, who remained expressionless, and felt slightly reassured, but he didn¡¯t dare say anything more.


    He shut his mouth and stayed quiet.


    Yuan Jun then looked around at everyone. Without saying a word, he grabbed Su Pandi and started dragging her outside. Su Pandi cried out, "Ah, what are you doing?"


    Yuan Jun: "Divorce!"


    "No, no, I don¡¯t want to..."


    Yuan Jun sneered, "If you don¡¯t want a divorce, fine. Let¡¯s go home."


    His sudden change in demeanor sent a chill down Su Pandi¡¯s spine. She remembered how he had threatened to kill her more than once, and fear immediately gripped her. She trembled, "No, I don¡¯t want to go home..."


    Yuan Jun ignored her protests and continued dragging her away.


    Aunt Su, who had clearly seen her daughter being dragged off, remained silent. In fact, she even let out a small sigh of relief.


    The crowd: "???"


    Aunt Wang didn¡¯t hold back: "Aren¡¯t you going to do anything?"


    Aunt Su replied softly, "They¡¯re a young couple. They¡¯ll fight and make up. There¡¯s no need for me to interfere. I¡¯m just a mother, and I can¡¯t control everything. I¡¯m tired and need to go home to rest."


    She hadn¡¯t rested at allst night, and now that the trouble had finally left, she headed straight home.


    Her behavior left everyone speechless. They had never seen anything like it.


    Aunt Su entered her house, closed the door behind her, and stumbled to the kang (a heated bed). Shey down, cursing bitterly, "You heartless people."


    The neighbors exchanged nces, unsure of what to do. Someone finally spoke up, "Should we follow them or not?"


    "Follow what? We have work to do."


    "Oh, right."


    It was Monday, after all. They couldn¡¯t just skip work to watch the drama unfold.


    Aunt Wang: "I¡¯ll go to the neighborhoodmittee. This matter needs to be reported."


    Zhao Guihua: "You all go to work. I¡¯ll follow Yuan Jun and Su Pandi to see what happens. We can¡¯t let this escte into something serious."


    Wang Zhaodi: "Aunt Zhao, I¡¯ll go with you. We can keep each otherpany and watch out for each other."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright."


    Aunt Zhou opened her mouth to say something but ultimately stayed quiet.


    The crowd quickly dispersed. Zhao Guihua and Wang Zhaodi followed Yuan Jun and Su Pandi at a distance. Su Pandi was crying uncontrobly, "I don¡¯t want a divorce..."


    Yuan Jun, however, was beyond caring about appearances.


    He said bluntly, "You should¡¯ve thought about this the day you slept with someone else. I¡¯m not staying married to you."


    "I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong..."


    "You¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s wrong. For over a decade, I¡¯ve been too lenient with you."


    Yuan Jun sneered, "If you don¡¯t want a divorce, fine. I¡¯ll just beat you three times a day. Hah."


    He dragged her along without a care, saying, "You owe me, and you owe our children. I¡¯ll make you pay for everything!"


    Su Pandi: "Please, don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m scared..."


    "Scared now? Toote. Hahaha." He continued dragging her, and passersby stared at them. It was morning rush hour, and someone who couldn¡¯t stand it stepped forward and said, "Comrade, you can¡¯t treat a woman like this. If you don¡¯t stop, we¡¯ll call the police."


    Yuan Jun: "My wife cheated on me. Can¡¯t I deal with her?"


    "Uh..."


    Yuan Jun: "My wife stole all the money from our home. Can¡¯t I drag her to get a divorce?"


    "Uh..."


    Yuan Jun¡¯s retorts silenced the onlookers, and he continued dragging Su Pandi away.


    This was not something ordinary people could interfere with.


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, "Is this really okay? I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before."


    Zhao Guihua: "Neither have I."


    They followed the couple all the way to the lumber factory. Zhao Guihua vaguely remembered that Yuan Jun worked there. If he wanted a divorce, he would need to get a reference letter from the factory.


    The two women didn¡¯t enter the factory but stood at the gate.


    The gatekeeper, seeing them tailing Yuan Jun and Su Pandi, approached them warily.


    Zhao Guihua exined straightforwardly, "That woman¡¯s family lives in ourpound. They¡¯ve had some trouble, so we¡¯re following them to make sure nothing bad happens."


    Gatekeeper: "What kind of trouble?"


    Zhao Guihua: "It¡¯splicated. You¡¯d better ask Yuan Jun directly."


    She added, "Once we¡¯re sure he¡¯s not going to do anything rash, we¡¯ll leave."


    Just then, Yuan Jun dragged Su Pandi out of the factory, followed by several workers. Without hesitation, Yuan Jun headed straight for the neighborhoodmittee. Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment and said, "Let¡¯s follow them a bit longer."


    They weren¡¯t sure if following would help, but at the very least, they could try to calm Yuan Jun down if he lost control. If Yuan Jun ended upmitting murder, his children would be the ones to truly suffer.


    The gatekeeper, seeing themotion, asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    "Yuan Jun wants a divorce."


    "What?"


    Zhao Guihua and Wang Zhaodi continued trailing them as they went to the neighborhoodmittee and then to the marriage registration office.


    Divorces were handled there.


    Su Pandi, who didn¡¯t have a job, had to get her proof from the neighborhoodmittee. By this point, they were followed by several people from themittee. Everyone¡¯s expressions were a mix of shock and difort. Such arge group arriving at the marriage registration office was quite a sight.


    "Ah, what happened to this woman? Why is she so beaten up? It¡¯s the modern era. Men and women are equal. How can you still hit a woman?"


    Yuan Jun: "We¡¯re here to get a divorce."


    "Wait,rade..."


    Before the clerk could finish, someone from the neighborhoodmittee pulled them aside and whispered a few words.


    "Oh, I see..."


    "Just process it for them."


    "Alright, but even so, you can¡¯t hit people like this. What if you seriously injure her?" After a few more words, they quickly started the paperwork. Su Pandi was in a daze. How had ite to this?


    Just yesterday, everything had been fine. Her husband had gone to work as usual, and there had been no signs of trouble.


    In just one day, everything had turned upside down. She hadn¡¯t even had time to process what had happened. She stammered, "No, I don¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t want a divorce..."


    Everyone looked at her. Yuan Jun let out a coldugh and said ominously, "If you don¡¯t want a divorce, then..."


    "No, I want a divorce!"


    Su Pandi was like a chameleon. One moment she was adamant about not divorcing, and the next she was insisting on it.


    Her mood swings were baffling.


    And she herself was just as conflicted.


    She didn¡¯t want to get a divorce, but she was also afraid that Yuan Jun might really harm her. In the past, she had been confident about him, believing she could control him. But now, he seemed like a madman,pletely unpredictable.


    His erratic behavior terrified Su Pandi.


    She didn¡¯t want to lose her life.


    Amid this back-and-forth struggle, the divorce was finalized.


    Only then did Yuan Jun let go of Su Pandi. She copsed to the ground, weak and defeated. Yuan Jun spoke coldly, ¡°Everything in this house has nothing to do with you now. Don¡¯t evere back.¡±


    ¡°But my clothes¡­¡±


    Yuan Jun sneered, ¡°Your clothes? You took all the savings from the house yesterday. You took all the fine grains, and even thest bit of oil. What else do you want to take? Su Pandi, what you¡¯ve already taken is enough to buy yourself clothes! Don¡¯t evere back. This is my first andst warning. I don¡¯t want to see you again, and I don¡¯t want the children to see you either. From now on, we¡¯ll act like you don¡¯t exist. Whatever dirty, rotten things you do, we don¡¯t want to know. Get out!¡±


    Yuan Jun didn¡¯t bother to hide what Su Pandi had done. He knew it was impossible to keep it a secret anyway. Not only had several people at the ughterhouse seen it, but many at her parents¡¯ home had also witnessed it.


    Given that, he saw no point in hiding anything.


    In truth, Yuan Jun was filled with hatred. Last night, he had even considered calling the police, but her family had stopped him. Although her family held a high position at the ughterhouse, they weren¡¯t foolish or biased.


    They were equally furious.


    But at the critical moment, they stopped Yuan Jun because, no matter how despicable the two were, they couldn¡¯t go to jail.


    If they did, it would affect their children¡¯s future political background checks. Both families had children, and they were all thinking about their kids.


    Su Pandi remained slumped on the ground, unmoving. Yuan Jun had already walked out the door. He saw Zhao Guihua and Wang Zhaodi standing nearby and, after a moment of thought, approached Zhao Guihua and bowed to her.


    He looked up and said, ¡°Auntie, thank you for staying with me. I know you were worried I might do something I¡¯d regret.¡± He understood that she had no personal ties to him and had acted out of kindness.


    Zhao Guihua quickly waved her hand, saying, ¡°You haven¡¯t been home all night. Go back and check on the kids. Some things need to be exined to them properly. Life must go on.¡±


    Yuan Jun replied, ¡°I know.¡±


    Though he had been terrifyingly violent when he hit her, now he looked utterly deste, his figure lonely and bleak. In the end, he was just another victim. If he hadn¡¯t been pushed to the brink, he would never have done such a thing.


    Zhao Guihua watched his retreating figure and sighed.


    She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. We¡¯ll see what happens next.¡±


    This incident wasn¡¯t going to be easily brushed aside. What would happen next was anyone¡¯s guess. Zhao Guihua led Wang Zhaodi away. Su Pandi called out, ¡°Auntie Zhao, wait for me. Help me up.¡±


    She had been dragged around and had no strength left. Zhao Guihua nced back at her, seeing her disheveled state.


    The once well-put-together woman now had a bruised face, her red dress in tatters, looking like a ghost. In her hand, she clutched the divorce certificate.


    Zhao Guihua took a deep breath and said, ¡°What were you thinking?¡±


    She didn¡¯t go to help her, just shook her head and walked away with Wang Zhaodi.


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to help her?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight. Nothing will happen to her. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Truth be told, it was only someone like Zhao Guihua, a kind-hearted older woman, who would bother with such matters. Even after being reborn, she still had the same caring personality. A younger person wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved. It was thankless work.


    Getting involved wouldn¡¯t gain her anything, and she might even end up in trouble.


    Only women of her age tended to have such a warm heart.


    But Zhao Guihua felt at ease now that she had seen Yuan Jun hadn¡¯t done anything irreversible.


    She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ve been walking for a while. Let¡¯s take the bus back.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any money.¡±


    Zhao Guihua smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll cover it.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi bit her lip, feeling a bit embarrassed. Zhao Guihua said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two of them left Su Pandi behind and boarded the bus. It was mid-morning, and there were still empty seats. Wang Zhaodi rested her chin on her hand and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Wang Zhaodi said softly, ¡°Life was already so good. Why wasn¡¯t it enough? Life in the city is so much better than what we have in the countryside.¡±


    Zhao Guihua knew how hard life was for farmers at this time. This wasn¡¯t like decadester when some rural areas were wealthier than cities. Right now, rural life was tough, far lessfortable than city living. Especially for someone like Wang Zhaodi, who came from a poor family with many children.


    Looking at Wang Zhaodi¡¯s confused eyes, she said, ¡°They¡¯re never satisfied. They¡¯re never content.¡±


    Zhao Guihua spoke earnestly, ¡°Everyone wants a good life. I do, you do, we all do. But as people, we must have our limits. It¡¯s fine to strive for a better life, but we can¡¯t cross the line. We must have our own principles and not blindly believe everything others say. You need to learn to discern what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong. Some wrong ideas aren¡¯t even worth listening to.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi nodded solemnly.


    Zhao Guihua smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Wang Zhaodi eximed, ¡°Oh!¡±


    The two of them walked home together. As they neared their destination, they unexpectedly ran into Hu Huihui. Zhao Guihua was surprised, ¡°Why are you back?¡±


    Hu Huihui had moved out after staying for a month in August. Her sudden return was unexpected.


    Hu Huihui wasn¡¯t alone. She was apanied by several others, all wearing red armbands, including herself.


    Hearing Zhao Guihua¡¯s voice, she turned and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Auntie Zhao. I¡¯ve changed jobs. I¡¯m here on official business.¡±


    She tilted her arm slightly to show her armband, observing Zhao Guihua¡¯s reaction.


    Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯ve got some skills.¡±


    Hu Huihui chuckled softly. She had initially thought she could quickly uncover the whereabouts of some jewelry, which was why she had kept her identity hidden. But since it wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved quickly, and everyone would find out eventually, she decided to reveal her identity early to gauge people¡¯s reactions.


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t unusual.


    Zhao Guihua¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on her identity.


    She asked, ¡°Are you¡­ Are you heading to our courtyard?¡±


    Hearing this, Hu Huihui gave a bitter smile, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to your courtyard. We¡¯ve received reports of inappropriate rtionships and improper conduct there.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take much to guess this was about the Su family.


    Zhao Guihua knew these things couldn¡¯t be hidden. She didn¡¯t know what to say, only adding, ¡°You can go ahead, but our courtyard has probably already informed the neighborhoodmittee.¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    As they walked, she asked Zhao Guihua, ¡°Auntie Zhao, you¡¯ve lived in the courtyard for a long time, right?¡±


    Zhao Guihua nodded, ¡°A very long time. My three children were all born in this courtyard.¡±


    Hu Huihui said, ¡°That¡¯s quite a while.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯ve lived here since before liberation. Back then, my husband worked at the machinery factory, and they provided housing. We paid rent monthly. After liberation, the factory was nationalized, and this area was allocated to the workers. We stayed put, and the house was assigned to us. We didn¡¯t have to pay rent anymore.¡±


    ¡°What about Auntie Su? Did she move here around the same time?¡±


    Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°She¡¯s been here longer than me. She¡¯s older and married earlier. Her eldest daughter, Su Zhaodi, is already 38. My eldest son, Zhiyuan, is only 28. Her youngest son is several years older than my eldest. When I married into this courtyard, she was already a wife here.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where she¡¯s from? Is she a local of the capital?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: "Actually, no. I heard she came here as a refugee and then married Old Su."


    "Refugee?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded: "That''s what they say, but we don''t know where she came from. She never mentioned it herself."


    Zhao Guihua wondered why Hu Huihui suddenly brought this up, but then it hit her¡ªwas Hu Huihui questioning Aunt Su''s background? The thought made her nce at Hu Huihui again, thinking to herself, this girl really has something going on.


    No one had ever thought about it before, but now that Hu Huihui mentioned it, even Zhao Guihua couldn''t help but wonder¡ªwhat exactly is Aunt Su''s story? How could she stoop so low? It''s been so many years since liberation.


    Under normal circumstances, no one would resort to such things just because life got a little tough.


    There''s definitely something off about her.


    Thinking this, Zhao Guihua couldn''t quite figure her out.


    Zhao Guihua slowed her pace, and Hu Huihui, noticing her deep in thought, didn''t wait for her. She walked ahead into the courtyard, where, coincidentally, Director Wang and Director Zhang from the neighborhoodmittee were already there, looking utterly distressed.


    "How could something like this happen?"


    "Hello, I''m here from themittee to investigate the recentint."


    Aunt Wang: "..."


    She stared at Hu Huihui in shock, unable to believe that Hu Huihui, who had only left a few days ago, had already climbed so high in the ranks. She must be doing well if she''s leading the investigation now. But... the trouble this time involved her cousin''s family.


    Aunt Wang pursed her lips: "This family..."


    She pointed, and Hu Huihui said, "I know, it''s my cousin''s family. But even though they''re my rtives, I treat everyone equally. We handle things impartially. You all, go and bring them out."


    Aunt Wang: "Only Aunt Su is home. When themittee came to investigate, she refused to open the door."


    She exined: "Wang Xiangxiu is at the hospital taking care of the kids. Su Jii and Su Yii are still in the hospital. Su Toni wasn''t hurt, but he''s staying there too."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Hu Huihui: "Spoiling her, just kick the door open!"


    Several men stepped forward and, after a few heavy kicks, the door creaked open.


    "Take her away for questioning!"


    The neighborhoodmittee members breathed a sigh of relief. They were more than happy to have someone else take over.


    Otherwise, this would have been a mess to deal with.


    It wasn''t that they wanted to shirk responsibility.


    It''s just that this situation was tooplicated.


    And no matter how you looked at it, without concrete evidence, they really didn''t want to get involved. Dealing with the adults was one thing, but what about the kids? Where could they send them? Normally, they could be sent to an orphanage, but Su Jii was seriously injured, and Su Yii was still in critical condition.


    They couldn''t just abandon them, could they?


    So, no matter how you looked at it, they were in a tough spot.


    Whether it was the police or themittee handling theint, they had more authority to deal with this than the neighborhoodmittee.


    That''s why themittee members felt relieved.


    Aunt Su was quickly dragged out. She was shocked to see Hu Huihui leading the charge and cried out, "Hu Huihui, let me go! We''re family! How can you treat me like this?"


    Hu Huihui: "Don''t try to y the family card."


    She said, "Work is work, personal is personal. We''re distant rtives at best¡ªyou''re just my cousin''s mother-inw. Don''t act like we''re close. Even if we were, I''d still handle this impartially. I''m not the type to show favoritism."


    "How can you talk like that? Have you forgotten how our family took you in, fed you, and gave you a ce to stay? You can''t just turn your back on us like this!"


    Thatment only made Hu Huihui sneer: "I paid for it."


    Unlike others who might have shouted and screamed during an argument, she calmly instructed her team: "Take her away first. And send a few people to find Wang Xiangxiu and the others."


    Normally, they wouldn''t get involved in such matters.


    There was no profit in it, and it was really the police''s job.


    But someone had filed aint, and now they were stuck dealing with it.


    The higher-ups saw an opportunity¡ªapparently, the second-inmand at the ughterhouse was involved? Perfect, they couldn''t pass up a chance like this. So, they got involved. As a rtive of the Su family, Hu Huihui was assigned to the case by her fianc¨¦.


    Deputy Director Zheng, who was about to be Director Zheng, was quite impressed with Hu Huihui''s cousin''s family. They had a knack for causing trouble¡ªfirst taking down Vice Director Cai, and now the second-inmand at the ughterhouse.


    They were like a curse for men in power.


    A few more incidents like this, and the small-time leaders in the city would think twice before stepping out of line.


    People might not admit it out loud, but deep down, they couldn''t help but wonder if there was some truth to the superstition.


    Maybe Wang Xiangxiu really did have a knack for bringing bad luck to her husbands.


    That''s why Deputy Director Zheng kept his distance, afraid of being tainted by her misfortune. He left the whole matter to his fianc¨¦e. Hu Huihui was capable, and more importantly, she was someone he could trust.


    Hu Huihui showed no mercy to Aunt Su. Hearing the old woman wailing, she ordered, "Gag her. Her crying is unbearable."


    "She''s the only one here. Her daughter and daughter-inw aren''t around."


    "Where''s her daughter?"


    "Probably went back to her own ce? We''ll send someone to look for her..."


    Zhao Guihua hesitated, then said, "She''ll probably be back soon. She''s divorced."


    "What!"


    Everyone was shocked. No one expected Su Pandi to actually get a divorce. Though yesterday''s situation had made it seem inevitable, divorces were rare in those days. You hardly ever heard of one happening.


    So, no one really believed it would happen.


    But who would have thought it would happen so quickly?


    "Take Aunt Su away first. I''ll stay with a couple of people to wait for her daughter."


    Even though Aunt Su had been taken away, Hu Huihui stayed behind. She chatted casually with Aunt Wang, saying, "Aunt Wang, even though I''ve changed jobs now, you can still treat me the same as before. No need to be too formal."


    Aunt Wang forced a smile.


    Was it really the same?


    She said, "Let''s talk about Aunt Su. You need to tell me what exactly happened here."


    She spoke softly, with a smile: "If you don''t tell me, someone else will. It''s not like everyone will stay silent, right?"


    Aunt Wang: "It''s not that we don''t want to tell you, it''s just that we don''t really understand it ourselves. Yesterday was just chaos."


    Hu Huihui raised an eyebrow: "Then tell me what you do know?"


    She already had some idea but pressed on: "I heard Aunt Su came here as a refugee. Where did shee from?"


    Hu Huihui kept asking because she wasn''t like the ordinary folks in the neighborhood. Having spent time around higher-ups, she had a sharper intuition. She felt that Aunt Su''s ability toe up with such shady money-making schemes suggested she wasn''t from a respectable background.


    If her cousin''s family and the ughterhouse coulde to an understanding, this matter might be dropped. Normally, they weren''t the type to stir up trouble without reason.


    They had better things to do, like going after capitalists, where there was real profit to be made.


    They wouldn''t get involved in something like this without a good reason. If they were really targeting Wang Xiangxiu, it wouldn''t be for no reason. They''d have to consider the practicalities¡ªlike the fact that her children were still in the hospital.


    They had to think about the real-world consequences.


    That much was true.


    But Hu Huihui still wanted to dig deeper into Aunt Su''s background. If she could uncover something, it would be a feather in her cap.


    She felt there was something off about her cousin''s mother-inw. She didn''t seem like a decent person. But since she''d been living here for decades, digging up her past wouldn''t be easy. She turned to Aunt Wang and also called over Aunt Zhou and some of the older women.


    She asked, "When you married into this neighborhood, was she already here?"


    "We all came a few years after her."


    Hu Huihui was surprised: "So she''s quite old, then."


    "She is."


    Aunt Zhou, a straightforward woman, chattered away, "If anyone in our courtyard knows her best, it''s Old Man Bai. He''s been pursuing Aunt Su for years, so he''s particrly clear about her affairs."


    Hu Huihui replied, "Really? Then I must have a chat with him. Thank you, Auntie."


    Aunt Zhou beamed with pride, "Of course, I''m a goodrade. Over the years, I''ve worked alongside Aunt Wang on so many tasks in the courtyard. I..."


    Aunt Wang quickly interjected, "I''ll rmend you for the courtyard management position at the end of the year."


    Aunt Zhou''s expression stiffened, and she decisively said, "I think my moral character still needs some improvement. I''m not suitable for such a position, really, I''m not. Besides, my daughter-inw is pregnant with her first child, and I can''t afford to be careless. Such an important position should be left to someone more capable."


    Her gaze shifted to Zhao Guihua, and she immediately added, "Zhao Guihua is suitable. Although she''s sharp-tongued and a bit harsh, she''s responsible andmands respect in our courtyard. She can handle things well."


    Zhao Guihua sneered, "Oh, so I''m sharp-tongued and harsh, huh? How dare you say that about me? Compared to you, I''m the most warm-hearted and kind olddy around. I''m upright, kind, and always eager to help."


    "How can you say that..."


    "How can you say that..."


    Seeing that the two olddies were about to start bickering, Aunt Wang quickly intervened, "Enough, enough! We have guests here. Hu Huihui,e, I''ll take you to Old Man Bai''s ce. Both of them are too selfless and always want to leave the best for each other."


    Hu Huihui thought to herself, "Do you think I haven''t lived in this courtyard before? Don''t I know that none of them want to be in charge of the courtyard? What are they acting for? Do they think I don''t understand?"


    She smiled and said, "Let''s get back to the main topic."


    She followed Aunt Wang into the Bai household. Bai Fendou had already gone to work, and Old Man Bai was left alone, uncared for. The room smelled strange and pungent, so strong that it made one stagger upon entering. It was summer, and the windows were open. If it were winter with the windows shut, who knows what it would be like.


    The room might be uninhabitable.


    Hu Huihui had originally nned to buy a room in their house to settle down, but now she hesitated.


    Nevertheless, she forced herself to enter.


    Aunt Wang decisively said, "Old Bai, do you recognize her? Little Hu has a new job now and is here to investigate yesterday''s incident. You saw it too, didn''t you, when you climbed up to the window?"


    How could he not have seen such a spectacle? His window faced the courtyard, and he had propped himself up to watch the entire scene unfold. His heart turned cold as he watched. Of course, he had already felt a chill when Aunt Su ignored him after he became paralyzed.


    This time, his heart turned cold again.


    Ice-cold!


    He said, "Of course, I saw it. It was truly shocking. I had no idea she was that kind of person. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. All these years, she''s been deceiving me."


    The more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he had been taken advantage of.


    Decades of being taken advantage of! It was enough to make him hate her to the core.


    He continued, "How could she be so cunning? All these years, I loved her deeply, and she seemed to care for me too. But who would have thought it was all fake? As soon as something happened to me, her true nature was revealed."


    Old Man Bai was in agony. He said, "When she walked past the window, I called out to her, but she didn''t even respond. How could she be so heartless? Ever since Old Su passed away, and my wife died two years ago, I suggested we live together. She agreed. She said she had fallen in love with me at first sight back then, but fate had intervened. She had already agreed to marry into the Su family, and she couldn''t be ungrateful. Old Su had helped her, and she couldn''t forget his kindness. Such a good woman, where else could you find one like her? In fact, I had fallen for her at first sight too. We had agreed to live together, but she said that since Aunt Zhou, also a widow, hadn''t remarried, if she did, people would use her of being unfaithful. They might even specte that we had been involved before. She couldn''t do that. She even swore at the factory that she would live and die as a member of the Su family. So, we could only see each other in secret and not live together openly until her children were grown and married. I agreed. When her eldest daughter got married, I gave 20 yuan as a dowry. When her second daughter married, I gave another 20..."


    "You''re lying!"


    At that moment, Su Pandi returned, panting heavily. She had overheard Old Man Bai ndering her mother and immediately retorted, "Don''t you dare lie! My sister and I never received 20 yuan as a dowry. When we got married, we had no dowry at all, just a few pieces of clothing."


    Old Man Bai shouted, "Who says so? I gave it! I did give it! Go ask your mother. Ask her if I gave it or not. I didn''t want to give the money at first, but your mother said that even though we hadn''t officially be a couple, emotionally, we were already like husband and wife. So, it was only right to contribute something for my stepdaughters'' weddings. Otherwise, you''d have a hard time settling into your new homes. I secretly gave 20 yuan, hiding it even from Bai Fendou."


    "You''re lying, lying!"


    Hu Huihui thought to herself, "It''s clear that he did give the money, but Aunt Su didn''t pass it on to her daughters."


    She looked at Su Pandi and said, "Someone has reported you. You''ll need toe with uster."


    Su Pandi eximed, "What?"


    Her face instantly turned pale.


    "They... they said they wouldn''t pursue it anymore," she whispered.


    Hu Huihui replied, "It was someone from the ughterhouse who reported you."


    This matter wasn''t stirred up by someone from their courtyard. Ordinary folks usually avoid getting involved with such units. Despite their imposing presence, their reputation isn''t great. People fear them, but they also genuinely dislike them.


    Usually, in such cases, people mightin to the neighborhoodmittee, but they wouldn''t go as far as involving the police station.


    This was the norm for most people.


    However, the ughterhouse operated differently.


    This, of course, was rted to some power shifts.


    Hu Huihui understood this well. Having worked alongside Old Zheng for two years, she had seen plenty of such situations.


    She said, "You''ll need toe with uster to rify things. For now, let''s get back to Aunt Su."


    She really didn''t want to hear any more about this elderly love story. Old Man Bai, despite his age, was still so dramatic. She steered the conversation back, asking, "You were already living here when she married into the courtyard, right? So, you must know where she came from?"


    Old Man Bai replied, "I''ve been working at the machinery factory since I was a teenager, renting a ce here. I''m an old resident. When she married into the courtyard, I was still single. Of course, I knew her. She was a refugee from another province, iming that her family had all perished, and she was the only one left. She encountered some bad people who tried to sell her into a terrible situation, but she was alert and escaped through a window before they could capture her. Several people chased her. During her escape, she ran into Old Su, who hid her under a coal cart and saved her. Then she married him out of gratitude. Didn''t I mention earlier that Old Su had done her a favor? That''s what it was. After being rescued, she barely left the house for a year or two, hardly evening out to chat in the courtyard. She said she was traumatized by what had happened. Only after a long time did she gradually starting out again."


    "Where did she flee from? Could you tell by her ent?"


    Old Man Bai said, "She didn''t have much of an ent. It was simr to ours, the local dialect."


    "No ent at all?"


    "It''s been too long, and I can''t say for sure. But now that I think about it, she might not have been entirely truthful." Old Man Bai''s love had turned to bitterness. He said, "When she married into the courtyard, she imed to be a refugee, but her clothes were clean and made of good fabric. She even had jewelry. Who would believe that a refugee could have so much?"


    "Did she ever exin that?"


    Old Man Bai: "She did mention it. She said her family wasn¡¯t poor, and her father was a schr. But since she was a girl, she didn¡¯t get much education, though she came from a schrly family. Unfortunately, the family fell into decline, her parents passed away, and her brother and sister-inw couldn¡¯t tolerate her. So, she had no choice but to pack up her belongings ande to the capital to seek refuge with rtives. But after arriving, she couldn¡¯t find her rtives and instead ran into some bad people."


    "So, you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t actually know where she¡¯s from? She never mentioned it?"


    "She never did."


    Old Man Bai cursed: "Look at her behavior. She¡¯s no good person. I think she¡¯s probably some shady character from who knows where, now pretending to be decent..."


    "Ugh, Old Man Bai, you shameless old fool! You¡¯re just bitter because you couldn¡¯t have my mother, so now you¡¯re ndering her. She¡¯s a good person, and you¡¯re spouting nonsense! Everyone knows you¡¯ve been following her around like a dog, but she never liked you. You¡¯ve been trying to win her over, and now that she¡¯s not with you, you¡¯re throwing mud at her. You¡¯re the worst kind of man¡ªif you can¡¯t have something, you want to destroy it! No wonder you¡¯re in this state, you old scoundrel! Do you know why your family line is dying out? Because you¡¯re such a jerk! Do you know why your son is useless? Because you¡¯re such a jerk! Do you know why your family keeps getting worse off? It¡¯s all because you¡¯re such a jerk! This is karma, big karma!"


    "Pfft!" Old Man Bai spat out a mouthful of blood.


    He was so hot-tempered that he actually coughed up blood from sheer anger.


    "Oh my God!"


    "Holy crap, he¡¯s spitting blood!"


    "Su Pandi, are you cursing him or destroying his soul?"


    "What do we do now?"


    No sooner had they spoken than Old Man Bai fainted.


    "Oh no, oh no!"


    "Quick, take him to the hospital!"


    "Go call Bai Fendou!"


    Hu Huihui was also panicking. What a mess this was! She said, "Aunt Zhao, please go and call Bai Fendou. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take him to the hospital. You all take Su Pandi back. Su Pandi, Su Pandi, have you lost your mind? The old man¡¯s health was already bad. Why did you provoke him? Look, he¡¯s spitting blood now!"


    Su Pandi was also scared. Her mother was frail, her older sister was hopeless, and she had always been the strong one in the family, the tough and fiery one who had to hold things together.


    But in all her years of being tough, this was the first time she had seen someone spit blood and faint just from being scolded by her.


    How could Su Pandi not be terrified?


    She stared nkly at the scene before her.


    "What are you staring at? Take her away!"


    Hu Huihui: "Everyone, lend a hand. Help me carry him out and borrow a tricycle to take him to the hospital."


    "Alright!"


    Everyone hurried about. Just then, a big, burly man who had been following Hu Huihui came running over and shouted, "Sister Hui, something¡¯s happened!"


    He rushed in and was stunned: "Ah, you¡¯ve got this too..."


    Hu Huihui: "Su Pandi made this man spit blood. Hurry up and help."


    "Oh, okay."


    Being a strong man, he easily carried Old Man Bai out and ced him on the borrowed cart. Then he remembered: "Oh no, Sister Hui, something¡¯s happened. Aunt Su fainted halfway. What do we do now?"


    Hu Huihui nearly lost her breath. Another one fainted? She said, "Take her to the hospital too."


    They couldn¡¯t just drag the unconscious people back. If something happened to them, they¡¯d face some public criticism, especially since the matter hadn¡¯t even been investigated yet. So Hu Huihui decisively said, "Take them to the hospital."


    Wake them up first, then take them back.


    "Got it."


    "This works out perfectly."


    Hu Huihui: "Let¡¯s go."


    The neighbors didn¡¯t know how things had escted like this. They exchanged nces, quickly scurried home to lock their doors, and then just as quickly ran out to follow. They had never seen such a bigmotion before.


    Fainted, everyone¡¯s fainted!


    Follow them!

 Chapter 127

    Aunt Su fainted.


    The spot where she copsed wasn¡¯t too far from their courtyard.


    It wasn¡¯t that they had been walking slowly, but rather, as soon as they reached this point, Aunt Su had passed out. They were no strangers to such situations, so they immediately tried to revive her by pressing her philtrum. However, no matter how long they tried, she wouldn¡¯t wake up.


    So, they quickly sent someone to fetch Hu Huihui.


    But what they didn¡¯t expect was that no matter what they did¡ªwhether it was pressing her philtrum or even kicking her a few times¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t wake up. After all, you can¡¯t wake someone who¡¯s pretending to be asleep. And Aunt Su was doing just that. She was deliberately feigning unconsciousness.


    She had no desire to go to a ce like themittee.


    Moreover, she had no idea how they might target her there, which made her extremely anxious. She had thought this matter was over, just like every other time before. Sure, things had gotten heated, but in the end, they always settled down peacefully.


    She knew how to manipte people¡¯s hearts, understanding that some valued their reputation and status so much that they¡¯d rather swallow their losses than risk tarnishing their image. That¡¯s why she preferred having Wang Xiangxiu find a well-off man.


    A man with nothing to lose was more likely to go all out and act recklessly.


    But a man with some status or better conditions? He¡¯d be more inclined to protect his reputation.


    She was absolutely certain about this.


    However, she hadn¡¯t expected this situation to escte so much. Shouldn¡¯t it have been resolved by now? Back then, even someone of Vice Director Cai¡¯s stature had been involved in a huge scandal that spread like wildfire, yet they had managed to walk away unscathed. Why couldn¡¯t the same happen now? But the more she panicked, the harder it was for her toe up with a good n.


    Aunt Su knew she needed time to scheme, which was why she had dramatically copsed to the ground, ¡°fainting¡± on the spot.


    If she was unconscious, they¡¯d have to send her to the hospital, right? That would buy her plenty of time to figure things out. Aunt Su tightly shut her eyes, pretending to bepletely out of it. At her age, it wasn¡¯t unusual for an elderly woman to have health issues¡ªnothing too serious, but enough to justify a hospital stay. She was determined to im she was unwell and needed to be admitted. The hospital surely wouldn¡¯t turn her away. Shey there, eyes closed, feigningplete unawareness.


    These young men were useless. They were all grown men, yet they let a young girl like Hu Huihui lead them. What a disgrace to manhood.


    And that wretched Hu Huihui! She had turned on her own family, forgetting who had helped her in her toughest times. She had no sense of gratitude, that ungrateful wretch. Now that she had climbed the socialdder, she was stepping on them to rise even higher.


    That damn little brat.


    Aunt Su cursed internally, seething with anger, but on the surface, she maintained her act of being unconscious.


    Hu Huihui directed the group to bring over a small cart and ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s lift her onto it.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Despite having been entangled with each other since their youth, now in their old age, they had neverin side by side like this. Perhaps sensing something, Old Man Bai slowly regained consciousness.


    Old Man Bai groggily woke up. He felt something hard beneath him and, as he opened his eyes and shifted slightly, he bumped into someone. ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    Feeling the contact, he turned his head and saw Aunt Su¡¯s face, seemingly unconscious.


    Old Man Bai was startled, realizing he wasn¡¯t at home. He quickly asked, ¡°What¡­ what happened to me?¡±


    Aunt Wang, who was walking beside the cart, replied, ¡°Old Man Bai, you vomited blood and then passed out. We¡¯re taking you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°And this¡­¡±


    He looked at Aunt Su¡¯s face, so close to his, and suddenly felt his breathing quicken. How many years had it been? Ever since his wife passed away, he had longed for this woman. Back then, she was still married, but he couldn¡¯t help stealing nces at her.


    He had often thought, why should such a wonderful woman live such a hard life? He wished he could take her husband¡¯s ce.


    Perhaps the heavens had heard his wish, because Old Su had gotten into trouble. While he felt sorry for his old friend, he couldn¡¯t deny a hint of secret joy. From then on, the two of them had been entangled, their lives intertwined for decades.


    He had never been this close to her before.


    Sure, he had asionally managed to hold her hand or pat her backside.


    But lying side by side like this? That was new. Old Man Bai stared at Aunt Su,pletely mesmerized.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Aunt Wang coughed, trying to snap Old Man Bai out of it. The way he was leering, with that sleazy look in his eyes, was utterly disgusting. At his age, behaving like this? Was that really appropriate?


    But Aunt Wang¡¯s coughing didn¡¯t bring Old Man Bai back to his senses. Instead, he reached out and grabbed Aunt Su¡¯s hand, sping it tightly in his own.


    Aunt Su hadn¡¯t expected this old fool to dare grab her hand. She knew she had been lifted onto the cart and that Old Man Bai, also unconscious, was lying beside her.


    But she hadn¡¯t anticipated that he would be so bold as to reach out and take her hand.


    That old pervert!


    Aunt Su was utterly repulsed, but as someone pretending to be unconscious, she couldn¡¯t just wake up and pull her hand away.


    She fumed inwardly, thinking this old man was truly despicable. Now his true colors were showing.


    Old Man Bai thought he had stealthily taken Aunt Su¡¯s hand, but he failed to realize they were on a cart in broad daylight. No matter how discreet he tried to be, everyone could see what he was doing.


    He was deluding himself.


    Or maybe he just didn¡¯t care. After all, he was already a cripple. What could they do to him? They¡¯d still have to carry him in and out. He felt invincible, untouchable.


    Old Man Bai held Aunt Su¡¯s hand, a smug smile spreading across his face. Not only did the neighbors find it revolting, but even themittee members started feeling nauseated.


    If this were a young couple, it might have been somewhat endearing. But these two? The thought of them being intimate was enough to make anyone¡¯s stomach churn.


    Really, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.


    Any sympathy they might have had for Old Man Bai vanished in an instant.


    What kind of person was he?


    While others looked on in disgust, Su Pandi couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She was supposed to be taken away, but upon hearing that her mother had fainted, she couldn¡¯t bear to leave and insisted on apanying her.


    Hu Huihui didn¡¯t refuse this time. She was worried Aunt Su might have a serious condition, and it was better to have a family member take care of her rather than relying on others.


    Su Pandi followed along, but as a daughter, she couldn¡¯t stand seeing Old Man Bai so brazenly holding her mother¡¯s hand. She couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and shouted, ¡°Old Bai, take your filthy hands off her! Who do you think you are, daring toy a finger on my mother? Look at yourself¡ªyou¡¯re disgusting! Taking advantage of her like this! You deserve to be locked up and shot!¡±


    Old Man Bai, having nothing left to lose, fired back, ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I want! It¡¯s none of your business, you ungrateful brat! Do you have any idea how much money I¡¯ve spent on you all over the years? Do you think your mother could have raised you all by herself? When your father was still alive, I was the one supporting your family. My own son went without, and I still helped you. And now you¡¯re talking to me like this? I even gave you twenty yuan for your wedding! This is how you repay me? You¡¯re truly a heartless wretch!¡±


    Neither of them was backing down, and neither cared about saving face.


    Keep in mind, this was happening in the middle of the street. Although it was morning and many people were at work, there were still plenty of passersby. Therge group had already attracted a crowd, and now this heated exchange? It was juicy gossip!


    Just these few sentences revealed theplexity of the situation.


    At that moment, Zhao Guihua returned with Bai Fendou in tow. She had run to the factory to fetch him, and trailing behind them were Zhuang Zhixi and Zhou Qun.


    Zhuang Zhixi saw his mother and thought she was looking for him, but it turned out she was looking for Bai Fendou.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Qun, noticing Zhao Guihua¡¯s hurried demeanor, assumed something big must be happening and quickly followed her.


    Upon hearing that Old Man Bai was in trouble, as ¡°good neighbors¡± who ¡°help each other out,¡± they naturally felt obliged to check on him. After all, if they could help, they should! So, a few of them took leave and followed Zhao Guihua, intending to go straight to the hospital. However, they unexpectedly ran into him at the street corner.


    And as soon as they did, they stumbled upon quite the drama!


    Bai Fendou immediately stopped in his tracks.


    While everyone said his family was well-off with two working adults, in reality, when he was still young, there was only one breadwinner¡ªOld Man Bai. Bai Fendou¡¯s mother had passed away when he was very young, leaving Old Man Bai to raise him alone.


    Life back then was far from easy. Eating cornbread for every meal was considered lucky, and even that wasn¡¯t always guaranteed. Sure, times were tough for everyone, but with one worker in the family, they should have been able to at least eat their fill. Yet, Bai Fendou¡¯s childhood was marked by hardship.


    As he grew older, he rarely thought about those difficult days, assuming that¡¯s just how life was back then.


    But suddenly, what did he just hear?


    He looked at Old Man Bai and asked, ¡°Dad, what twenty yuan are you talking about?¡±


    That was twenty yuan from fifteen years ago¡ªa significant amount back then.


    Old Man Bai hadn¡¯t expected Bai Fendou to show up and panicked. After all, he now relied entirely on his son for support and couldn¡¯t afford to upset him.


    He immediately pretended to feel unwell, coughing exaggeratedly. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡±


    But his fake coughing was obvious to everyone, and they looked at him with disdain. What a piece of work.


    Bai Fendou pressed, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, what twenty yuan?¡±


    Aunt Zhou ¡°whispered¡± to Bai Fendou, ¡°He gave twenty yuan as a dowry when Su Zhaodi and Su Pandi got married.¡±


    Bai Fendou raised his voice, ¡°Back then, our family didn¡¯t even have money! Why would you give them twenty yuan as a dowry? They¡¯re not even your daughters! Why did you give them money? You could barely spare me a cent, but you just handed it over to them? Look at how they treat you¡ªdo they even care about you? And you¡¯re still nice to them? Dad, answer me!¡±


    Bai Fendou was shaking with anger. When Su Zhaodi got married, he wasn¡¯t even working yet. By the time Su Pandi got married, he had just started a part-time job, earning barely enough to feed himself.


    Thinking about it now, he was furious. He grabbed the cart and said, ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere until you exin this! Dad, you¡¯re really something. You don¡¯t care about your own son but help those ungrateful people instead?¡±


    Su Pandi couldn¡¯t take it anymore and shouted, ¡°Who the hell are you calling ungrateful? Our family¡¯s innocent in this! Your dad had ulterior motives¡ªhe was after my mom¡¯s looks. Otherwise, why would he do this? Don¡¯t think we¡¯re fools. Your dad had his eyes on my mom, and you¡¯ve got your eyes on my sister-inw. Neither of you has good intentions. You¡¯re both scum. We took your money because you deserved it¡ªwhat, were we supposed to let you ogle us for free? You got what wasing to you¡­ Ah!¡±


    Bai Fendou pped her across the face. ¡°Shut your mouth! You have no right to speak here! My dad was right¡ªyou¡¯re a heartless ingrate. A real ingrate. Your family took my dad¡¯s money and still talk trash? No wonder your husband left you. No one would want someone as disgusting and cruel as you. Just like your mom!¡±


    ¡°You dare hit me! How dare you hit me!¡±


    Su Pandi was in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re not even a real man! Oh, wait, you¡¯re not a man at all¡ªthat¡¯s why you hit women. You deserve to die alone, you worthless piece of trash!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you wretched woman!¡±


    The two of them started brawling, and Zhao Guihua eximed, ¡°Oh my goodness!¡±


    She quickly stepped back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.


    Zhao Guihua was utterly exasperated by these people. They were always stirring up trouble.


    She wasn¡¯t about to step in and y the hero, and neither was anyone else. Everyone quietly backed away, trying to distance themselves from the ¡°battlefield.¡±


    The small area was soon surrounded byyers of onlookers.


    While fights like this weremon in theirpound, they were quite the spectacle for outsiders.


    Most people were hardworking and decent, so when these two started hurling insults and then throwing punches, it was truly astonishing. Even the neighborhoodmittee, used to all sorts of drama, was stunned. They were genuinely dumbfounded.


    How did things escte so quickly?


    Usually, fights involved at least a few rounds of shouting beforeing to blows.


    What on earth was going on?


    Old Man Bai hadn¡¯t expected things to get this far. He struggled to shout, ¡°Stop fighting! Stop!¡±


    But then he thought better of it. Su Pandi was a heartless ingrate. He had helped her family so much, and she didn¡¯t even show an ounce of gratitude. She had driven him to the brink, and still, she remained ungrateful.


    With that in mind, he yelled, ¡°Hit her! Hit her in the stomach¡­ Grab her hair, p her! Yes, like that! Pin her down and punch her!¡±


    Old Man Bai was practically coaching from the sidelines, shouting instructions.


    Hu Huihui couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Shut up! How disgraceful¡ªa man hitting a woman. Stop this madness!¡±


    Old Man Bai barked, ¡°Beat her! Beat her up!¡±


    He kept waving his hands and identally pressed down on Aunt Su, who had been pretending to be unconscious. She had been holding her breath, afraid of giving herself away. Finally, when everyone¡¯s attention shifted away from her, she rxed a little. But then, with a sudden forceful press, she cried out.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± she screamed.


    Bai Fendou and Su Pandi stopped fighting and turned to look.


    Aunt Su¡¯s scream startled Old Man Bai, but he quicklyughed. ¡°You sly old woman! You were faking it, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Aunt Su was furious but took deep breaths, pretending to be frail. ¡°Old Bai, how could you use me like that? I just¡­ I just¡­¡±


    She was shameless and a good actress. Though she hated Old Man Bai for ruining her act, she still yed the victim, swaying slightly before suddenly copsing and closing her eyes again.


    Su Pandi cried, ¡°Mom¡¯s unconscious again¡­¡±


    To be fair, her acting was convincing.


    It might fool outsiders, but the people in thepound had seen it all before.


    They weren¡¯t buying it.


    Everyone stood still, silent, until Su Pandi suddenly pointed at Old Man Bai. ¡°It¡¯s you! You made my mom faint again! It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    But Old Man Bai wasn¡¯t one to back down. He sneered, ¡°You know better than anyone whether your mom¡¯s really unconscious or not. Stop ying the victim. You think everyone¡¯s as dumb as you? Watch¡ªI¡¯ll wake her up right now.¡±


    He struggled to sit up on the cart, grabbed Aunt Su, and pped her hard across the face.


    ¡°Holy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s really gone too far. This is pure hatred born from love.¡±


    ¡°Men are all the same¡ªwhen they care for you, they¡¯re all sweet, but once they turn on you, it¡¯s brutal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Mom,e over here.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi had a habit of staying on the sidelines duringmotions to avoid getting caught up in the mess. He felt the situation was too chaotic and thought it best to be cautious.


    Zhao Guihua nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    She took a few steps back, and Zhou Qun immediately squeezed forward, moving closer to his mother.


    Although Zhou Qun wasn¡¯t a good person, he had always pretended to be a gentleman in the past, and he never hit women. The only exception was that one time when Jin Lai went to their house to steal, and he got into a fight with Wang Xiangxiu. But that was only because they were drunk and scared out of their wits, not in their right minds.


    If they had been sober, he would have kept up his act.


    Besides, he believed that hitting people didn¡¯t solve anything. Only reckless men resorted to violence, and he wasn¡¯t one of them.


    Zhou Qun muttered, ¡°What good does hitting someone do?¡±


    Old Man Bai quickly turned around and scolded, ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re just a nagging woman!¡±


    Zhou Qun retorted, ¡°How can you talk like that? You have no manners.¡±


    Old Man Bai spat, ¡°Pah!¡±


    He grabbed Aunt Su and pped her again. ¡°You¡¯re still pretending? I know exactly what you¡¯re like!¡±


    Aunt Su was taken aback. Even the neighborhoodmittee hadn¡¯t dared to act so recklessly, yet Old Man Bai had pped her several times, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. The thought of this disgusting old man made her finally snap. She pushed him hard and struck back, shouting, ¡°Old Bai, enough! Who do you think you are? How dare you hit me? What kind of person are you? Everyone knows you¡¯re no good! You¡¯re so disgusting! You even tried to hold my hand earlier¡ªit made me want to vomit! Even if I were to remarry, I¡¯d never choose a filthy, stinking mess like you. You¡¯re disgusting, and I¡¯d never look twice at you! Go to hell!¡±


    With a forceful shove, Old Man Bai stumbled backward.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Old Man Bai fell backward, tumbling off the cart and hitting the ground with a loud thud.


    The cart overturned from the force of the push, and Aunt Su and the cartnded on top of Old Man Bai. A loud crack was heard¡ªit was the sound of a bone breaking.


    Old Man Bai groaned, ¡°Ugh!¡±


    He spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately passed out.


    Within moments, everyone saw blood pooling beneath his head¡­


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°He was pushed onto the curb.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s so much blood¡­¡±


    ¡°What do we do? Is he dead?¡±


    The scene descended into chaos again as people backed away in fear, too scared to get closer.


    It wasn¡¯t that they were afraid of being med¡ªafter all, everyone had seen Aunt Su push him. They were just too horrified to approach.


    Even Hu Huihui was stunned.


    It was Zhuang Zhixi who finally took charge, saying, ¡°Quick, take him to the hospital¡­ Bai Fendou, hurry up! This is your father!¡±


    Bai Fendou snapped out of his daze and let out a cry, ¡°Dad!¡±


    He rushed over, hoisted his father onto his back, and ran toward the hospital, ignoring the overturned cart. ¡°Dad, hang in there! We¡¯re almost there. Once we get to the hospital, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He stumbled as he ran, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly stepped in to help support him as they rushed to the hospital.


    Zhao Guihua suggested, ¡°Call the police.¡±


    This situation had already escted.


    Hu Huihui pursed her lips and said, ¡°Xiao Hei, go get the police. Exin what happened.¡±


    At that moment, Hu Huihui was grateful that they hadn¡¯tid a finger on anyone. Otherwise, they might have been med. Their reputation was already bad enough. Fortunately, there were many witnesses who had seen everything unfold.


    They wouldn¡¯t have to take the fall for this.


    But Hu Huihui also thought about what her husband, Deputy Director Zheng, had said. Maybe he was right. The women of the Su family were cursed. Her cousin, Su Pandi, and now Aunt Su¡ªthey had caused trouble for one man after another.


    She said, ¡°Keep an eye on the Su mother and daughter. I¡¯ll go to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Aunt Su had fallen off the cart but was unharmed¡ªshe hadnded on Old Man Bai.


    Now, her heart was racing. Among the onlookers, aside from Bai Fendou, she was the most worried about Old Man Bai¡¯s condition. If something happened to him, she, as the instigator, would undoubtedly be held responsible.


    She felt incredibly unlucky. Why had she pushed him?


    But she med the others even more. Old Man Bai had hit her, and none of them had stepped in to stop him. If they had, she wouldn¡¯t have had to defend herself. It was their fault¡ªall these bystanders. They were the ones who had ruined everything.


    They probably wanted to see her get beaten up. How cruel they were, these damned people!


    Aunt Su hung her head but red at the ground, convinced that everyone else had caused her misfortune.


    How hard would it have been for them to stop a paralyzed old man like Old Man Bai?


    But they had let things spiral out of control. It was all their fault.


    In truth, Aunt Su was being unfair. It wasn¡¯t that people had deliberately stood by¡ªit was just that everything had happened so suddenly. Who could have expected a paralyzed old man tosh out like that? Everyone had been too stunned to react.


    In that split second, the situation had escted beyond control.


    Many things that seem to take a long time actually happen in an instant.


    Like now, with Old Man Bai already carried away, the others remained rooted to the spot, too shocked to even speak. Looking back, the path Bai Fendou had taken to the hospital was marked by a trail of blood.


    Bai Fendou carried his father to the hospital, shouting as he ran, ¡°Make way! Please, make way! Save my dad!¡±


    Despite their frequent disagreements, the two had relied on each other for many years. Bai Fendou was crying uncontrobly, pleading, ¡°Save him¡­¡±


    Someone immediately came forward to help. In such emergencies, there was no time to waste.


    Well, they recognized Bai Fendou¡¯s face¡ªhe was a familiar face here. And the old man? That was Bai Fendou¡¯s father, also a familiar figure.


    ¡°Quick, to the operating room!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi, much calmer than Bai Fendou, followed closely and quickly exined the situation. ¡°He fell off a cart and hit his head. The cart overturned andnded on him, and someone else fell on top of him. We also heard a cracking sound, so there might be a broken bone. He¡¯s a paralyzed elderly man.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    The operating room lights came on.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched as Bai Fendou wept bitterly. He helped Bai Fendou sit down on a bench in the hallway and said, ¡°He¡¯s in the hospital now. There¡¯s nothing more we can do. We just have to wait for the doctors¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou wiped his tears and said, ¡°Do you think this is retribution? Is our family being punished?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. That¡¯s just superstitious nonsense. Life has its ups and downs. Maybe after this, things will turn around for you.¡±


    ¡°Will my dad be okay? Will he recover? Zhuang Zhixi, tell me, will he recover?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Bai Fendou¡¯s hopeful face and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not a doctor. But we have to trust the doctors.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. We have to trust the doctors.¡±


    The two sat in the hallway, Bai Fendou covered in blood. Passersby nced at them curiously, but the doctors and nurses recognized Bai Fendou¡ªand Zhuang Zhixi, too, though for different reasons.


    Bai Fendou was a regr here, with plenty of stories that were still circting.


    As for Zhuang Zhixi, he had worked at the mechanical factory¡¯s clinic and had coborated with the hospital, so he was well-known here as well.


    ¡°Zhuang Zhixi, what happened here? Should we call the police?¡±


    In such cases, hospitals often notified the police to avoidplications.


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°No need. Someone¡¯s already informed them. This is my neighbor¡ªthere was an ident.¡±


    The doctor nodded, already aware. After all, Bai Fendou was something of a celebrity at the hospital.


    At this moment, Hu Huihui also came over and asked, "How is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Still don''t know. He''s in the operating room."


    In truth, he felt it wasn¡¯t looking good. Although he wasn¡¯t a medical professional, he had worked as a cashier in the clinic for two or three years and had picked up a thing or two. The amount of blood loss was just too much...


    Hu Huihui said, "I hope he¡¯s alright."


    "Yeah," Zhuang Zhixi agreed.


    As the two were talking, the light in the operating room went out.


    Bai Fendou sprang up in a sh and rushed to the door, shouting, "Dad, how¡¯s my dad?..."


    The door to the operating room opened, and the doctor stepped out first, shaking his head. "I¡¯m sorry, we did everything we could..."


    "Ahhh!!" Bai Fendou let out a heart-wrenching scream. "You¡¯re lying! You¡¯re lying! My dad¡¯s fine! He was fine this morning! He was even hitting people this morning! He was perfectly fine..."


    "The patient hit his head and lost too much blood. He also had fractures and other injuries, but those weren¡¯t the fatal factors. The fatal injury was therge gash on his head, which caused excessive blood loss."


    "His head... his head had arge gash... Aunt Su, Aunt Su! It¡¯s all her fault! That evil woman!" Suddenly, Bai Fendou¡¯s face twisted with rage, and without another word, he turned and ran. "I¡¯ll kill her! I¡¯ll kill her to avenge my dad!"


    Bai Fendou dashed off, and Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t stop him.


    Zhuang Zhixi cursed under his breath, "Damn it!"


    He said, "I¡¯ll go after him!"


    The doctor, fearing something terrible might happen, nodded. "Go!"


    They all knew each other, so there was no worry about Bai Fendou disappearing.


    Hu Huihui also didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately gave chase.


    Zhuang Zhixi chased after Bai Fendou and happened to see Zhou Qun approaching. Bai Fendou grabbed Zhou Qun and demanded, "Where¡¯s Aunt Su??"


    Zhou Qun hade to check on the situation. Hearing the question, he replied, "She¡¯s been taken to the police station."


    Bai Fendou shoved Zhou Qun aside and took off running again. Zhou Qun, annoyed, shouted, "Why are you so rough? What¡¯s going on? Hey, wait! Where are you running off to? You..."


    Zhuang Zhixi caught up and exined, "Old Man Bai didn¡¯t make it. He passed away."


    Zhou Qun eximed, "Damn it!"


    He was at a loss for words.


    "Let¡¯s follow Bai Fendou. He¡¯s gone mad. He¡¯s going to kill Aunt Su."


    "Damn it, damn it!" Zhou Qun didn¡¯t have time to process the shock and immediately followed Zhuang Zhixi. Together with Hu Huihui, the three of them trailed behind Bai Fendou like three tails.


    "Murder is a crime!"


    "He¡¯s lost his mind!"


    "We can¡¯t let him make a huge mistake." At this point, Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t care about their petty grievances anymore. This was a matter of life and death.


    Zhou Qun urged, "Hurry up!"


    He felt the same way. He couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Bai Fendoumit murder. Killing someone would ruin his life too.


    The three of them chased Bai Fendou all the way to the police station. A crowd had already gathered outside. In those days, as soon as something happened, people would swarm to the scene.


    To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi was running pretty fast, but he still couldn¡¯t catch up to Bai Fendou.


    It just goes to show how much a person can push their limits when they¡¯re driven by madness.


    Bai Fendou rushed into the police station. The onlookers, unsure of what was happening, silently made way. Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Officers, stop him! He¡¯s looking for Aunt Su... Hurry! Old Man Bai didn¡¯t make it!"


    With that, everyone understood.


    Chaos erupted on the scene.


    The ordinary folks couldn¡¯t handle the situation, but thankfully, the police officers were up to the task. Several of them managed to restrain Bai Fendou, who was screaming, "Let me go! Let me go! I need to find that evil old hag! She ruined my dad¡¯s life, and now she¡¯s killed him! I¡¯ll kill her! I won¡¯t let her get away with this..."


    Bai Fendou was subdued, but he was hysterical.


    The neighbors from theirpound were all stunned, their eyes wide with shock. For a moment, no one knew what to say tofort him.


    Who could have imagined that Old Man Bai would die like this?


    After all, the man had survived falling from a building and bing paralyzed.


    He didn¡¯t die from falling off a building, but he died from falling off a cart?


    "I¡¯ll kill her to avenge my dad! I¡¯ll get revenge!"


    Aunt Su herself hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out this way. She was also frightened and, in a reflexive attempt to calm him down, said, "Your dad¡¯s gone, but you can think of me as your mother. I¡¯ll treat you well, make you feel loved. Don¡¯t act rashly. Please, don¡¯t act rashly..."


    Everyone stared at her in disbelief, unable to believe she could say something so shameless.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It took a truly thick skin to utter such words.


    After a brief moment of stunned silence, Bai Fendou exploded, "I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you, you disgusting old woman!"


    He struggled violently, but several people held him down, trying to reason with him. "Don¡¯t..."


    "I won¡¯t let her get away with this! I¡¯ll get revenge..."


    "What revenge? If you kill someone, you¡¯ll be executed too! Do you think that¡¯s what your dad would want to see?" Aunt Zhou scolded.


    No one expected Aunt Zhou, of all people, to say something like that. Everyone was stunned.


    Aunt Zhou continued, "Your dad¡¯s gone. He¡¯d want you to be okay. If you¡¯re okay, he can rest in peace! Don¡¯t you understand that? As for the person who hurt your dad, justice will be served. These officers are here, and they¡¯ll make sure of it!"


    She had been through the system before, had been "educated," so she knew how things worked.


    Zhao Guihua looked at Aunt Zhou in surprise, then chimed in, "Aunt Zhou is right. If you ruin your life over this, your dad wouldn¡¯t be happy, even if he¡¯s watching from the afterlife. And think about it¡ªif something happens to you, who¡¯s going to handle your dad¡¯s funeral? Others can help, but no one can rece you, his own son."


    Bai Fendou covered his face and copsed to the ground, sobbing, "My dad¡¯s gone... How could he just leave like this... Why didn¡¯t I stop it earlier? If I had stopped it, he wouldn¡¯t have been pushed down. He wouldn¡¯t have... Why? Why..."


    Bai Fendou wailed uncontrobly, and the crowd couldn¡¯t bear to watch. They averted their eyes, letting him cry it out.


    The police officers quickly gestured to a couple of their colleagues, who immediately took Aunt Su and Su Pandi away and locked them up. There was no way they could let them stay and provoke Bai Fendou further. What kind of nonsense was she spouting?


    Bai Fendou cried for what felt like an eternity before an officer tried to console him, "We¡¯ll investigate this thoroughly and handle it fairly. Staying here won¡¯t help. Your dad¡¯s still at the hospital..."


    Zhao Guihua quickly added, "Zhuang Zhixi, Zhou Qun, help him up."


    Of the familiar faces present, these two men were the only ones who could be relied on.


    The two silently stepped forward. Bai Fendou was still crying, "I always said he was no good, but now that he¡¯s gone, what am I supposed to do..."


    "Ah!"


    "This is just terrible. Aunt Su really brought this on herself."


    "Who could¡¯ve guessed? Who would¡¯ve thought falling off a cart could be so serious..."


    "He hit the curb..."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let¡¯s take you back to the hospital. No matter what, your dad¡¯s situation is more important. I think you understand that."


    Bai Fendou covered his face and cried, while Zhou Qun sighed and tried tofort him, "Come on, let¡¯s see what we can do to help."


    The crowd couldn¡¯t stay there forever. Soon, under everyone¡¯s persuasion, they dispersed. Zhao Guihua and the others didn¡¯t go home but instead headed to the hospital. With Bai Fendou in such a state, they were worried he might lose control again. It was only right to lend a hand and see if they could help.


    After all, they were neighbors.


    Sometimes, it really is fate.


    Whether a person was good or bad in life, once they¡¯re gone, people tend to forget the bad and focus on the good. Everyone was filled with emotions. Aunt Wang, as the head of the neighborhoodmittee, said, "Given Old Man Bai¡¯s situation and Bai Fendou¡¯s current state, we neighbors should do what we can to help. We can¡¯t hold a big funeral, but let¡¯s at least make sure he leaves with dignity."


    "Agreed."


    At this point, no one could think of anything else. They could only do their best to help. The group arrived at the hospital to find Bai Fendou kneeling in front of the morgue, wailing once more. In moments like this, no one could bring themselves to stop him.


    The person working in the morgue at their hospital was an acquaintance of Zhuang Zhixi¡ªhis high school teacher, Teacher Xiang, who was also the brother-inw of Lan Sihai''s new wife.


    Yes, the one who faked a divorce.


    Teacher Xiang was used to such situations. When he saw Zhuang Zhixi, they exchanged a nce but didn¡¯t say anything, acting as if they didn¡¯t know each other. Each went about their own business. Bai Fendou whispered to Zhou Qun, ¡°You stay here and keep an eye on things. I¡¯ll go handle the paperwork, like getting the death certificate.¡±


    Zhou Qun was a bit uneasy, but seeing others from theirpound also present, he nodded and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi quickly left and went upstairs to help with the formalities. Someone from the hospital asked curiously, ¡°Did he fall off a cart?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s really¡­¡±


    Everyone thought it was quite astonishing. After all, the man had survived falling from a building, only to die from falling off a cart.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Bai Fendou doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good state either. I¡¯ll help him with the paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Alright,e with me. You¡¯re really being a good neighbor.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°I¡¯ll help where I can. He¡¯s not in a good ce right now¡­ sigh.¡±


    ¡°True, something this big would shake anyone.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi and the others busied themselves, and by the time people from thepound got off work and started returning home, the mourning hall had already been set up.


    Zhuang Zhixi seized the opportunity to pick up Ming Mei from the bus station, arriving muchter than usual. Ming Mei didn¡¯tin but asked curiously, ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    She thoughtfully took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s face, saying, ¡°Look at you, all sweaty. You must have rushed here. You didn¡¯t need to hurry; I wouldn¡¯t have med you.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi took the lead and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t let you wait too long. Something happened in ourpound, so I got dyed. Old Man Bai passed away.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Ming Mei was utterly shocked. Her eyes widened as she eximed, ¡°How could that be? He was fine this morning! I even saw him sitting by the window watching themotion!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi also sighed, ¡°Aunt Su pushed him onto the curb. The edge was made of stone, and he hit his head hard, losing too much blood. They couldn¡¯t save him.¡±


    Ming Mei gasped, ¡°Aunt Su? That¡¯s just¡­¡±


    She bit her lip, unsure of what to say.


    Zhuang Zhixi suggested, ¡°For the next few days, why don¡¯t you stay at your mother¡¯s ce?¡±


    Ming Mei nodded, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°There¡¯s an old saying that pregnant women shouldn¡¯t attend funerals. Since we all live in the samepound, it¡¯s hard to avoid, so I thought it¡¯d be better if you stayed at your mother¡¯s for a few days. Let me know if you need anything, and I¡¯ll pack it up and bring it over. It¡¯ll just be for three days. I¡¯lle pick you up then.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad about leaving. Sister Jiang Lu also went back to her parents¡¯ ce, and Li Fang is staying at a small inn. Everyone¡¯s keeping their distance.¡±


    Ming Mei wasn¡¯t very familiar with these customs, but hearing this, she agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    If everyone else was doing it, it was probably for the best.


    She added, somewhat surprised, ¡°How did things turn out like this?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°Who can say? It¡¯s just one thing after another, a series of unfortunate events. Actually, Old Man Bai hit Aunt Su first. I don¡¯t think even Aunt Su expected that a fall could kill someone. Sometimes it¡¯s just fate¡ªyou can¡¯t help but believe it.¡±


    Ming Mei whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t say that when you go back. Superstitious talk like that should stay between us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know how to be careful. Hu Huihui was there today, so I¡¯ll keep my guard up.¡± Zhuang Zhixi rode his bike toward his mother-inw¡¯s house, saying, ¡°I might not be able to pick you up or drop you off these next few days¡­¡±


    Ming Mei reassured him, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my mom. She¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble your mother.¡±


    Ming Mei yfully hit his back, saying, ¡°What kind of silly talk is that? My mom loves me; it¡¯s not a trouble for her.¡±


    She added, ¡°With Old Man Bai gone so suddenly, Bai Fendou must be devastated. Even though he and his dad were always bickering, they were still father and son. Who knows how he¡¯ll react? If he starts causing trouble, you better stay away. I know you care about being a good neighbor, but if he acts out, don¡¯t get involved. I don¡¯t care about others; I only care about my own husband. Stay out of harm¡¯s way.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and held her hand, saying, ¡°I know. I always knew my wife cares for me the most.¡±


    Ming Mei cooed, ¡°Of course I care for you. Who else would I care for? We¡¯re husband and wife.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi grinned, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    He took Ming Mei back to her mother¡¯s ce. As soon as they arrived downstairs, Lan Ling spotted them from the window and called out, ¡°Why are you two back? Come on up!¡±


    Since Ming Mei got pregnant, she hadn¡¯t visited much.


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m just bringing Ming Mei to stay for a few days.¡±


    Lan Ling asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Something happened?¡±


    She quickly helped her daughter sit on the sofa. Ming Mei pouted, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m only four or five months along¡ªnot even five months yet. You don¡¯t need to be so nervous. Everyone¡¯s overreacting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop it. When else should I be nervous if not now? Carrying and giving birth to a child is no easy task for a woman. So, why are you back now?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi exined, ¡°There¡¯s a funeral in ourpound, and I didn¡¯t want Ming Mei to be exposed to it, so I brought her here for a few days.¡±


    Lan Ling nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±


    She was puzzled, ¡°I hadn¡¯t heard anyone in yourpound was seriously ill?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, ¡°It was an ident. Honestly, I don¡¯t even know where to start¡­¡±


    He briefly recounted the events fromst night to today, saying, ¡°There¡¯s probably more to it that we don¡¯t know, but this has blown up. I think it¡¯s going to be a mess for a while.¡±


    Lan Ling was stunned.


    Their neighborhood was a bus station staffpound, and they weren¡¯t used to such dramatic events.


    She sighed, ¡°What a mess. Don¡¯t worry about Ming Mei; she can stay here. Just take care of yourself over there.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled, ¡°I will.¡±


    He didn¡¯t stay long at his mother-inw¡¯s ce and soon headed back.


    By then, most people had returned from work, and with some of the older men around, there wasn¡¯t much left for them to do. Still, Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t want to dy. Everyone was worried Bai Fendou might lose control again. With more men around, they could at least hold him back.


    So Zhuang Zhixi hurried back.


    When he returned to their alley, he saw a crowd gathered, watching themotion.


    Qiang Dadan pulled Zhuang Zhixi aside and asked, ¡°What happened? How did someone die? Did Aunt Su kill someone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, tell us. I heard it happened on the street, with blood spraying everywhere!¡±


    ¡°Wait, no, that¡¯s not right. I heard Aunt Su smashed a cart on Old Man Bai, and he just copsed, bleeding everywhere, and then he died.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t you with Bai Fendou when it happened? You know, right?¡±


    Everyone bombarded him with questions, not giving him a chance to speak.


    ¡°I heard the Su family got caught in some scandal and were all arrested, is that true¡­?¡±


    ¡°I heard Aunt Su harmed her own son, is that true¡­?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s head was spinning from all the chatter. He said, ¡°Stop, stop. Give me a break.¡±


    He added, ¡°My head¡¯s about to explode.¡±


    ¡°Then tell us what happened.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t mentionst night¡¯s events, only today¡¯s: ¡°Aunt Su pushed Old Man Bai off the cart, and he hit his head. That¡¯s how he died.¡±


    ¡°Damn, falling off a cart can kill you?¡±


    ¡°Is that for real?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go ask around. I need to get back now, make way, everyone.¡±


    When he returned to thepound, everyone was gathered in the courtyard.


    Zhao Guihua asked quietly, ¡°Did you take your wife back to her mother¡¯s ce?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, ¡°I told her to stay there for a few days.¡±


    He looked around and asked, ¡°Where are our kids, Little Tiger and Little Swallow?¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, "I didn''t let theme out for such a funeral matter. They went back home. Li Junjun and Li Weiwei are also at our ce."


    Zhuang Zhixi turned around and saw several small heads peeking through the window.


    Pairs of big eyes were filled with curiosity.


    Bai Fendou knelt in front of the mourning hall, still wailing loudly.


    He had been crying since the incident happened and still hadn''t stopped. He had fainted twice in between.


    The sound of his wailing had weakened considerably, his voice already hoarse, but he continued to cry.


    Liang Meifen came back from work and was hit with this bombshell. She was still in shock,pletely stunned. Watching her mother-inw and brother-inw talking, she quickly approached and asked in a hushed tone, "With such a big incident, not a single person from the Su family came?"


    Zhao Guihua looked at her daughter-inw as if she were a fool, somewhat speechless.


    She lowered her voice and said, "How could they be here? After the big scene yesterday and the reports, they were all taken away because of what happened. Aunt Su, Su Pandi, and Wang Xiangxiu¡ªnone of them were spared."


    "Ah, what about their children..."


    Zhao Guihua whispered, "I heard Su Zhaodi is helping to look after them at the hospital."


    "Oh my, if they don''te back, won''t those kids be left with no one to take care of them?"


    Although she knew Su Zhaodi supported her family, she didn''t believe she could keep looking after her three nephews indefinitely. Even if she was willing, her husband surely wouldn''t be.


    "They''ll probably take the circumstances into consideration."


    ...


    While they were already making funeral arrangements, over at the other end, Hu Huihui had returned to her workce.


    She had exined the entire situation in detail to Deputy Director Zheng. Deputy Director Zheng remained silent for a long time before lighting a cigarette. His hands trembled slightly as he took a deep drag and said, "Is there something wrong with that family? It seems like anyone who gets involved with them ends up unlucky. How many has it been now?"


    Hu Huihui didn''t respond.


    What could she say?


    Deny it?


    If not, then how did Vice Director Cai fall from grace? How did the second-inmand at the ughterhouse meet his end? How did Old Man Bai and Bai Fendou end up like this?


    She didn''t even dare to say that this family wasn''t cursed.


    Rubbing her temples, she sat down and said, "I didn''t expect things to turn out like this."


    After a pause, she added, "But before Old Man Bai passed, he told me that when Aunt Su married into the Su family in theirpound, she brought gold and silver jewelry with her."


    Deputy Director Zheng''s eyes lit up for a moment, but he quickly clenched his teeth and said, "That fortune¡ªI¡¯m not touching it! I¡¯d rather not take advantage of it than have anything to do with that family. Don¡¯t you think they¡¯re just too unlucky?"


    Hu Huihui replied, "Huh?"


    Deputy Director Zheng continued, "This family¡ªwhoever gets involved with them ends up cursed! I¡¯ve made up my mind! I¡¯m not stepping into that mess!"


    Hu Huihui remained silent for a while before nodding slowly. "I think you¡¯re right..."


    Deputy Director Zheng said, "You were thinking of buying a house to observe that area, right? Don¡¯t do it. At the very least, don¡¯t buy one in your cousin¡¯spound. Thatpound¡ªI think the feng shui is really bad. Stay far away from it. Don¡¯t drag down our luck. We¡¯re on a roll right now, so let¡¯s not get involved with them. That woman and her family are just too toxic."


    Hu Huihui replied, "Oh? Okay."


    She wasn¡¯t highly educated and actually believed in such things. She felt that Deputy Director Zheng was right¡ªthis family really did seem to bring bad luck to others.


    She asked, "What about the police station over there..."


    "We¡¯ll hand the matter over to them and stay out of it."


    Hu Huihui said, "Alright."


    Better not provoke them!

 Chapter 128

    Nowadays, whether it''s a joyous asion or a funeral, everything is kept simple. Old Man Bai''s funeral was no exception. However, due to the bizarre circumstances of his death and the countless times Bai Fendou had fainted from crying, their situation attracted quite a bit of attention. People from near and far came to offer incense and pay their respects.


    Wang Xiangxiu returned on the morning of the third day, just before the burial, bringing Toni with her. The two of them kowtowed to Old Man Bai.


    Bai Fendou, his eyes bloodshot, roared, "Get out! Get out of here! How dare you show your faces here? Haven''t you done enough harm to our family? If it weren''t for knowing your family, if it weren''t for getting involved with you, how could our family have ended up like this? How could we havee to such a tragic end? Now that my father is lying here, you still won''t let him rest in peace? Why are you here? Get out!"


    Bai Fendou had been kneeling and crying for three days straight,pletely drained of energy. If he had even a shred of strength left, Wang Xiangxiu would have surely been beaten.


    Wang Xiangxiu looked utterly haggard. Holding her child''s hand, her eyes swollen like walnuts, she seemed on the verge of copse. Wiping her tears, she said, "I''m sorry, I''m truly sorry... I know I''ve wronged you all these years... But many things, I was deceived too... I''m sorry..."


    "No matter how many times you say sorry, my father won''te back... He''s gone..." Bai Fendou sobbed, copsing to the ground.


    Aunt Wang tried to console him, "Fendou, let''s focus on what''s important now."


    Bai Fendou took a deep breath and said, "Alright."


    Indeed,ying his father to rest was more important than anything else. Bai Fendou staggered to his feet, supported by a few young men from the courtyard. The people in the yard quickly followed as they headed out. Without hesitation, Wang Xiangxiu also followed...


    As for Zhao Guihua and a few other women, they didn''t join the procession up the mountain. Typically, aside from immediate family members, women didn''t apany the men to the burial site.


    A group of middle-aged and elderly women sat in the courtyard, chatting idly. Everything had happened so suddenly, and now Old Man Bai was gone. Reflecting on it, it seemed as though fate had yed its hand.


    Outsiders didn''t know the full story, but those who had been present at the time recalled that it was Old Man Bai who had started the trouble. He had grabbed Aunt Su''s hand and pped her, which led to him being pushed off the cartter.


    But who could have imagined that such a small incident could lead to such a tragic oue?


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "From now on, no matter how much we argue, we should never resort to physical violence. People are so fragile. A single misstep, and a life can be lost."


    Her words rang true, and the women nodded in agreement, visibly shaken.


    Aunt Zhou whispered, "Why do you think Wang Xiangxiu came back?"


    "She must have been released. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be here. But Aunt Su hasn''t returned. It seems she won''t being back."


    "That''s likely the case."


    Zhao Guihua suddenly noticed someone approaching. "Oh? Director Wang? You''re here?"


    It was Director Wang from the neighborhoodmittee. She hurried over, seeing everyone gathered. "Have they already gone up the mountain? I rushed over to check on the situation, but I guess I''m toote."


    "Yes, they''ve already left."


    Director Wang asked, "What about Wang Xiangxiu?"


    "She went with them."


    While it was unusual for women to apany the procession, Wang Xiangxiu''s situation was somewhat special. It wasn''t entirely wrong for her to follow. Aunt Wang made room for Director Wang, who sat down and said, "I hope nothing happens..."


    She hadn''te because Old Man Bai was particrly important, but rather out of concern that Wang Xiangxiu''s return might cause trouble.


    She had hoped to be there to prevent any incidents, but she had arrived toote.


    Zhao Guihua reassured her, "Don''t worry. The men from the courtyard are all there. Nothing will happen. Besides, Bai Fendou hasn''t rested for three days. He''s fainted from crying so many times. He doesn''t have the strength to cause any trouble."


    Director Wang sighed softly, "I hope so."


    Zhao Guihua took the opportunity to ask, "So, Wang Xiangxiu is in the clear now?"


    Nowadays, improper conduct was a serious issue. If Wang Xiangxiu had been released, it likely meant she had held her ground and didn''t confess to anything. Otherwise, given the nature of the usations, she wouldn''t have been let go.


    Director Wang said, "Since you''re all here, I''ll exin Wang Xiangxiu''s situation. When your husbands return, please pass this information along." She pulled out a piece of paper and read, "Following reports from the public, Wang Xiangxiu and Su Pandi were used of having an inappropriate rtionship with Tian Jianye, the deputy director of the ughterhouse. After an investigation by the police station, it was found that the situation wasn''t entirely as reported. On the evening of September 4th, Su Pandi met with Tian Jianye under the pretext of discussing business, during which they engaged in an inappropriate rtionship. However, Tian Jianye wanted more, so Su Pandi called her sister-inw, Wang Xiangxiu, to the scene. Upon arriving, Wang Xiangxiu did not engage in any inappropriate behavior with Tian Jianye. Before anything could happen, Su Pandi''s ex-husband, Yuan Jun, burst in with a group of people and beat Tian Jianye. The incident caused a scene at the ughterhouse, but no one reported it to the police at the time. The next day, after receiving a tip, we detained all parties involved. The neighborhoodmittee, in cooperation with the police station, conducted an investigation. During this time, Gou Lanxiang, also known as ''Aunt Su,'' used Wang Xiangxiu of having affairs with multiple men and imed she had no knowledge of the Tian Jianye incident. However, Wang Xiangxiu insisted that Gou Lanxiang was framing her, as Gou Lanxiang had previously had a heated argument with her daughter-inw, Wang Xiangxiu, over Gou Lanxiang''s attempts to profit from her and the subsequent ident that left her son in a daze. We interviewed relevant parties, and their testimonies supported Wang Xiangxiu''s ims. Additionally, we investigated the men Gou Lanxiang used, and they all denied any involvement with Wang Xiangxiu. No evidence of any inappropriate rtionships was found. Wang Xiangxiu also firmly denied any involvement with these men. As for her presence at the ughterhouse incident, it was not for any improper reasons but to plead for the ughterhouse to spare her son. Since there was no evidence of any inappropriate behavior between Wang Xiangxiu and Tian Jianye, we could not confirm any rtionship between them. Considering that Wang Xiangxiu has three children to care for and there is no evidence of her engaging in inappropriate rtionships, she was released. We urge everyone not to spread rumors. As neighbors, you should also monitor Wang Xiangxiu''s behavior to help maintain the moral standards of ourmunity."


    When this investigation result was announced, everyone looked at each other in surprise.


    After a long pause, Aunt Wang asked, "What about Aunt Su?"


    Director Wang replied, "Gou Lanxiang is not only involved in instructing Su Pandi to engage in inappropriate rtionships but is also implicated in the idental death of Old Man Bai. She will remain in custody for further investigation. Tian Jianye and Su Pandi will also be held ountable."


    "Oh!"


    The group fell silent again. At this point, even Zhao Guihua had to marvel at Wang Xiangxiu''s luck. Despite such a major scandal, even Aunt Su had been caught, yet Wang Xiangxiu had managed to be released. What else could it be but sheer luck?


    However, Zhao Guihua also knew that the police station and the neighborhoodmittee were aware that Wang Xiangxiu was likely not entirely innocent. But even so, they hadn''t pursued her relentlessly to ensure her downfall.


    The consideration, of course, wasn''t for Wang Xiangxiu herself. As an adult, herck of judgment and indecisiveness didn''t warrant sympathy. What they were considering were her three children. Though her children weren''t exactly model citizens, one was seriously injured, another was critically ill, and the youngest was just a toddler.


    They had to take into ount the reality of the children''s situation.


    To put it bluntly, if Wang Xiangxiu had been imprisoned, Su Jii aside, Su Yii would likely not have survived. That''s why, even though they knew Wang Xiangxiu was being stubborn and there was no direct evidence against her, she was still released.


    As for Aunt Su and the others, they weren''t so fortunate.


    But Director Wang''s subtle reminder about "monitoring" was clear enough. What exactly they were supposed to monitor went without saying.


    Director Wang sighed and said, "Su Pandi has been done in by her mother this time. Even now, she insists that it was her own idea to go find Tian Jianye, that it was her own decision, and that her mother had nothing to do with it. Little does she know, her mother has already shifted all the me onto her and Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu has managed to extricate herself, leaving Su Pandi to bear the full responsibility. Really, how could ite to this..."


    "That girl has always been the one to stand up for her family. She''s the toughest one in the household, but s..."


    Zhao Guihua chimed in, "It''s all because Aunt Su never treated her children like human beings. From the time they were young, she brainwashed them. Su Zhaodi was weak and useless, so she manipted Su Pandi instead. That child grew up thinking she was the savior of the family, always willing to sacrifice herself. All these years, Aunt Su has been such a good actress. Even those of us with experience and knowledge have been fooled by her, let alone a young girl like Su Pandi. She''s been manipted since childhood, and now, even though she''s older, those ingrained beliefs are deeply rooted. She''spletely under her mother''s control."


    Everyone nodded in agreement with Zhao Guihua''s words.


    Director Wang added, "So, while it''s important to be filial to one''s parents, one must also have a strong sense of self and the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise, one''s whole life is ruined."


    "Absolutely," someone agreed.


    After a few more casual remarks, Liang Meifen, who had been listening quietly, seemed lost in thought.


    In truth, she was much like Su Pandi¡ªsomeone who would sacrifice endlessly for her own family. And it wasn''t just them; many young women of that era were the same. They worked tirelessly for their families when they were young, and even after marriage, they continued to help their birth families, all for the sake of a little affection.


    But in reality, what they often ended up with was nothing but endless scheming.


    In the end, they gained nothing.


    Liang Meifen scratched her head, and Zhao Guihua nced over at her, asking, "Why are you still here?"


    Liang Meifen replied, "Where else would I be?"


    The question caught her off guard.


    Zhao Guihua''s mouth twitched, thinking to herself that her daughter-inw really wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed. She said slowly, "Shouldn''t you be at work?"


    Liang Meifen froze for a moment, then eximed, "Oh! You''re right! I need to go to work!"


    She sprang up and dashed off.


    Simrly, two other young women who also needed to go to work suddenly remembered and hurriedly got up. They had been so engrossed in the gossip that they almost forgot about their jobs.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "Isn''t this just frustrating?"


    Aunt Zhou didn''t mince words, "Zhao Guihua, if you ask me, your daughter-inw isn''t much smarter either. She''s also one of those who blindly supports her birth family. You''d better keep a close eye on her, or else you might end up crying like Su Pandi''s family."


    At this, Aunt Zhou felt quite pleased with herself. Even though her own son wasn''t much to boast about, her daughter-inw was at least family-oriented. Heh.


    Thinking about it, Aunt Zhou felt a bit more cheerful. Her family''s ability to pick a good daughter-inw was clearly superior to others.


    Zhao Guihua, seeing Aunt Zhou''s smug expression, snorted.


    She said, "I know what I''m doing. Liang Meifen may be a bit slow, but she wouldn''t go that far."


    It was true that Liang Meifen was devoted to her birth family, but she wasn''t particrly bold. And recently, perhaps because her younger brother got married without even inviting her, she had been feeling a bit hurt. It had to be said, the Liang family was a bunch of oddballs. It was rare to see such tant ingratitude.


    Director Wang said, "Alright, since I''ve delivered the necessary notices, I''ll head back to the office. Aunt Wang, please take care of things in the courtyard."


    Aunt Wang grimaced but nodded, "Fine."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    What else could she do? As the courtyard manager, she couldn''t just ignore her responsibilities.


    But her heart was truly heavy.


    Director Wang, fearing that Aunt Wang might say she didn''t want to continue in her role, quickly made her exit.


    Aunt Wang muttered, "When it''s time for re-election at the end of the year, I really don''t want to do this anymore."


    "Don''t say that!"


    "Exactly, you''re doing such a great job. If you quit, no one else has the same authority as you."


    "That''s right, I think you''re the most suitable person for this."


    Aunt Wang rolled her eyes. She wasn''t about to believe their nonsense. These people were clearly afraid of being elected themselves and were just trying to butter her up. Their hearts were truly wicked.


    She said, "You all are just being mean."


    She continued, "Look at me, look at all these white hairs sprouting out. It''s all from the stress of managing this courtyard."


    Everyone chuckled and said, "Nonsense, you still look so young."


    "Exactly, and look at your strong build. You''re perfect for this job. Ordinary people wouldn''t be able to handle it."


    "That''s right, no doubt about it."


    "Our courtyard manager needs both authority and strength. You can''t do without either."


    Aunt Wang replied dryly, "Heh."


    Zhao Guihua then brought up another matter, "Speaking of managing the courtyard, I have something to discuss with you. You know how we all share the cer, with each family having their own section. But now that Uncle Lan''s family has moved in, we need to make some space for them. I was thinking, since we have to reallocate the space anyway, why notpletely divide it up? We could build walls and install doors for each family, with locks. That way, it would be safer. No one coulde in and steal things, and there wouldn''t be any mix-ups between families."


    Everyone understood what she was getting at.


    Aunt Zhou immediately agreed, "I support that. Every year, my cabbages get stolen..."


    Aunt Wang said, "That sounds good. Let''s have a courtyard meeting this evening to discuss a few recent matters."


    Compared to other courtyards that held frequent meetings, theirs didn''t have them often. Everyone was too busy trying to make ends meet. Their courtyard already had enough problems without meetings; if they started holding them, it might just create more issues.


    So, they generally avoided formal gatherings.


    But when there were important matters to discuss, they had to call one.


    "Alright, it''s about time we had one."


    "Oh, by the way..." one of the women said, looking around furtively, "Have you heard? The price of grain on the ck market has gone up. White flour has almost tripled in price."


    "What? That much?"


    "Didn''t it just double before?"


    "That''s old news. It''s gone up even more now."


    These housewives, who were in charge of their families'' kitchens, were particrly sensitive to such matters. They exchanged worried nces. While not everyone bought grain from the ck market¡ªafter all, each family had their rations¡ªthey all kept an eye on the ck market prices. After all, the price of grain there was a kind of barometer for the times.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Well, my family always buys our entire monthly ration at the beginning of the month. We don''t buy again until the next month."


    This wasn''t about whether they had enough grain or not; it was just how Zhao Guihua''s family lived. Even without the whole reincarnation thing, this was how they operated. They didn''t split their purchases into three parts like some families did, buying at the beginning, middle, and end of the month.


    Her family always went at the start of the month with their ration book and bought the entire month''s supply in one go. They nned their meals ordingly.


    Aunt Wang asked, "I still have some left fromst month, but I think I''ll go ahead and buy this month''s ration. I''ll go this afternoon. Anyone else want toe?"


    Aunt Zhou said, "I''ll go."


    "Me too."


    It seemed no one was in a hurry to buy grain.


    But that wasn''t entirely true. It was like budgeting money. If you received three thousand yuan at the beginning of the month and had to make itst the whole month, it was easier to divide it into three parts¡ªa thousand every ten days¡ªto n and manage.


    Especially with something like grain, if you miscalcted, you could end up hungry by the end of the month.


    But if they were running low, everyone wanted to secure their supplies as soon as possible.


    Zhao Guihua said, "I''m nning to go up the mountain tomorrow. If you don''t go in the fall, when will you go?"


    "I''lle too."


    "Count me in."


    "Do you have a bicycle? It''s not convenient without one."


    If they had to spend money on bus fare, it might not be worth it, especially if they weren''t sure how much they''d gather.


    Zhao Guihua was truly grateful she had bought a bicycle. In times like these, it really came in handy. Over the past six months, this bicycle had been a lifesaver for her family.


    Zhao Guihua said, "Wang Zhaodi,e with me tomorrow."


    Wang Zhaodi replied cheerfully, "Alright!"


    Aunt Zhou, feeling jealous, pursed her lips. This Zhao Guihua was really something. She knew full well that Wang Zhaodi was her goddaughter, yet she kept trying to win her over. How despicable! Aunt Zhou asked, "I want to go too. Who else is riding a bike?"


    She nced at Aunt Wang. "Old Wang, what about you?"


    Aunt Wang cut her off decisively. "I¡¯m taking Aunt Sui."


    Almost every time they went up the mountain, the four of them went together, forming a little group.


    Even though Wang Zhaodi was just a young girl, she had managed to be part of the aunties'' inner circle.


    Aunt Zhou: "..."


    She turned her gaze to Zhao Guihua and said, "Let Wang Zhaodi stay home. I¡¯ll go with you instead. What¡¯s the point of a young girl tagging along? I¡¯m much more fun. We can chat and catch up."


    Zhao Guihua chuckled, "Haha, I¡¯m not really in the mood to chat with you."


    She added, "Give it a rest. You¡¯d just slow us down."


    "Hey, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?"


    Zhao Guihua shrugged. "Just stating the obvious."


    The olddies bickered back and forth, but they kept it lighthearted. After all, there had been too much going ontely, and everyone was being cautious.


    Zhao Guihua suddenly said, "My daughter-inw is finallying home today..."


    "Same here," someone else chimed in.


    As they exchanged small talk, the funeral procession returning from the mountain arrived. Zhuang Zhixi had been busy for several days and felt grimy all over. He nudged his father and older brother, saying, "How about the three of us go for a bath?"


    Old Man Zhuang frowned. "Why waste money? Just rinse off at home tonight."


    Zhuang Zhixi insisted, "It¡¯s not the same! I¡¯m treating you. Are you in or not? This is a one-time offer."


    Old Man Zhuang immediately agreed. "I¡¯m in."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan added, "Count me in too."


    When Zhou Qun heard they were going for a bath, he quickly spoke up. "I¡¯ll join you. Any other guys want toe? I feel sticky all over after these past few days."


    Li the Cook waved his hand. "No, no, that¡¯s a waste of money."


    He was very frugal and would never spend money so carelessly. Even though his family had two workers, and he could asionally bring home leftovers from the canteen or earn extra by catering, he still managed to save 20 to 30 yuan every month. But Li the Cook was careful with his spending. He had ns¡ªafter all, he had two grandsons, and his daughter Li Fang was pregnant again. With three children, there would be plenty of expenses in the future.


    He said, "You all go ahead. We¡¯ll take Bai Fendou home."


    Yang Lixin nodded. "Sure."


    He felt a little envious but quickly dismissed the thought. His father-inw would never agree to such an expense anyway. That was the downside of being a live-in son-inw¡ªyou had to defer to the patriarch in everything. Truth be told, unless it was nearing the New Year, most people wouldn¡¯t spend money on something like this.


    The othersughed and declined, so the three Zhuang men and Zhou Qun set off together.


    Zhuang Zhixi half-joked, "Brother Zhou, I know I¡¯m handsome, and my brother isn¡¯t bad either, but don¡¯t get any ideas about us, okay? I might have to throw hands if you do."


    He couldn¡¯t help but be cautious. After all, Zhou Qun had a history.


    Although he seemed more normaltely, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    Zhou Qun was indignant. "Hey, Little Zhuang, what¡¯s that supposed to mean? How could you say something like that? That¡¯s not fair!"


    Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes. "Drop the ''little'' and I might believe you a bit. A grown man shouldn¡¯t talk like that."


    Zhou Qun: "What kind of person are you? You think I¡¯d be interested in you?"


    Zhuang Zhixi shot back, "You were even into Bai Fendou at one point. Can you me me for being cautious?"


    Zhou Qun was furious. "You¡¯re really something. They say you shouldn¡¯t bring up the past, but you keep dredging up old stories. Besides, that was all a misunderstanding. Really, just a misunderstanding."


    Zhuang Zhixi smirked. "Oh~"


    Zhou Qun red at him and huffed. "You¡¯re really insufferable."


    He strode ahead, not wanting to deal with Zhuang Zhixi anymore. What a waste of a good face¡ªhe was so petty and narrow-minded. Zhou Qun couldn¡¯t understand how his wife could have fallen for him. She must have only cared about his looks.


    Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "Why do you provoke him?"


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. "I¡¯m doing it for you. Aren¡¯t you grateful? What if he sets his sights on you?"


    Zhuang Zhiyuan grimaced. "Don¡¯t even joke about that. It¡¯s disgusting."


    He gave Zhuang Zhixi a look and said, "Stop talking nonsense. If you keep it up, I won¡¯t feel like going for a bath anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi retorted, "Ungrateful, aren¡¯t you? Fine, don¡¯te. I¡¯ll save some money."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan quickly said, "No, I¡¯m still going."


    Who says men don¡¯t gossip? They¡¯re just the same. By the time they reached the bathhouse, the conversation had shifted. The bathhouse was quite convenient these days. After paying the fee and handing over a bath ticket, they received a token and a towel.


    The towel wasn¡¯t disposable¡ªthey had to return it after their bath.


    Once inside, they entered the changing room, where the tokens corresponded to lockers. One token, one locker. At this time of day, there weren¡¯t many people bathing. But during the pre-New Year rush, when all the lockers were taken, people had to put their clothes in baskets and hang them up.


    If even the baskets were full, neers couldn¡¯t get in.


    But on a day like today, when it wasn¡¯t too cold to bathe at home, the bathhouse was rtively empty. After all, it wasn¡¯t exactly cheap.


    Most workces issued bath tickets every month, but since the actual cost of bathing wasn¡¯t low, the tickets weren¡¯t in high demand, and few people came. Zhuang Zhixi stripped off his clothes, draped the towel over his shoulder, and headed into the bath area.


    The bathhouse had tworge pools and several showerheads. Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s routine was to rinse off first, then soak in the pool. A few years ago, there had been professional scrubbers in the bathhouse¡ªgetting a scrub and a back rub was a great way to rx. Though it wasn¡¯t cheap, many people enjoyed it.


    The scrubbers might not have had the most respectable job, but they made good money.


    But in recent years, that service had disappeared. Everyone knew why.


    It wasn¡¯t allowed anymore.


    So, that little pleasure was gone, but people still enjoyed soaking in the pools. Some brought their own teapots and a bit of cheap tea leaves, paying two cents for hot water from the bathhouse.


    They¡¯d set up their tea things by the pool, soak in the water, sip tea, and chat for hours. It was a favorite pastime for the men of Beijing. If they brought a couple of sesame cakes along, they wouldn¡¯t even feel hungry.


    When Zhuang Zhixi and the others entered, they saw two men sitting by the pool, towels around their waists, sipping tea and chatting.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t join them, opting to soak on his own. Zhou Qun, however, quickly joined the conversation.


    The hot topic, of course, was Bai Fendou and the Su family. Gossip with a hint of scandal was always the most entertaining, especially when it involved people from the neighborhood.


    Even if you weren¡¯t from the area, you¡¯d still know about it. Everyone in Beijing had heard of Bai Fendou.


    Especially since it involved a young widow¡ªWang Xiangxiu. Such topics always carried a certain allure.


    But people back then were simpler. When they heard that Wang Xiangxiu had been released, they started specting.


    "That young widow, she¡¯s actually quite decent. I¡¯ve heard some rumors about her before, but it seems they were all baseless."


    Zhou Qun: "Uh..."


    Someone else chimed in, "Are you sure? Then why was there so much gossip about her?"


    "It¡¯s just that widows attract trouble, you know? If she really had improper rtionships, she wouldn¡¯t have been released. She must be innocent."


    "That makes sense. Her mother-inw and sister-inw are still in custody. She must be clean."


    Zhou Qun: "Uh..."


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t say that she wasn¡¯t innocent¡ªthey had slept together, after all.


    But just like everyone who had ever slept with Wang Xiangxiu, none of them could admit it.


    If they admitted it, wouldn¡¯t they be arrested?


    So as long as they weren¡¯t caught in the act, everyone would stubbornly im their innocence.


    Even Zhou Qun was no exception.


    So Zhou Qun didn¡¯t dare to bring up this topic, afraid that someone might notice something. However, at this moment, he felt that his current state of being "useless" wasn¡¯t entirely without its benefits. You see, now no one would suspect him of the things he had done in the past.


    His reputation had actually improved quite a bit.


    After all, even if he had the desire, he no longer had the ability.


    So Zhou Qun¡¯s reputation had indeed gotten better. Of course, another reason his reputation had improved was that he had be quite the chatterbox. Even the olddies couldn¡¯t match his gossipy nature, and in a short time, he had be the factory¡¯s most notorious loudmouth.


    This reputation wasn¡¯t exactly ttering, but in the eyes of many, it still carried some influence.


    Plus, since he really couldn¡¯t do much else, he ended up mingling with the middle-aged and elderly women, and over time, he managed to earn some goodwill.


    Men, after all, tend to think highly of their own experiences and look down on someone like Zhou Qun. But since he posed no "threat," they could still get along with him.


    "Hey, Zhou Qun, didn¡¯t you used to have some rumors with Wang Xiangxiu too?" someone suddenly asked.


    Zhou Qun: "That¡¯s just nonsense. Everyone knows the truth."


    The crowd: "...That¡¯s true."


    Even though the equipment was still there, everyone knew Zhou Qun wasn¡¯t a real man anymore.


    This was a medical diagnosis, and people tended to believe it.


    "So, those rumors about Wang Xiangxiu might not be true after all."


    "She¡¯s had it rough. Her mother-inw is just too cruel. I¡¯ve never seen anyone like her."


    "Who could argue with that?"


    "I¡¯ve seen Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s husband, Xiao Su. He was a decent young man. It¡¯s such a shame he passed away unexpectedly. Who would¡¯ve thought it woulde to this because of his mother..."


    "Well, you can¡¯t put all the me on her. Didn¡¯t he have a mind of his own? If he just blindly followed his mother, what was his brain for? Decoration?"


    "That¡¯s a fair point, but after all, she¡¯s his mother. Filial piety is important..."


    "I don¡¯t agree. Filial piety is one thing, but not to the point of blind obedience. Some old folks just don¡¯t know any better, and it¡¯s up to us, the younger generation, to guide them. Not to blindly follow. To arrange for his wife to do that kind of work? What kind of person thinks like that? If he didn¡¯t agree, he should¡¯ve stood up to her. But look what happened when he didn¡¯t..."


    "You¡¯ve got a point there."


    The group of men continued to discuss the family affairs of others, each with their own opinions.


    The three Zhuang men listened intently, nodding in agreement. Zhuang Zhixi felt that what was being said made sense. Aunt Su was indeed a terrible person, but why didn¡¯t her son stand up to her?


    In the end, he didn¡¯t have the courage to resist.


    Old Man Zhuang knew everything. They were at the forefront of it all, but he still enjoyed listening to the gossip. Unlike Zhou Qun, who was always so lively, Old Man Zhuang was more reserved. He didn¡¯t join in, but he stayed close enough to hear everything.


    Zhuang Zhixi and Zhuang Zhiyuan were scrubbing each other¡¯s backs.


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned against the edge of the pool while his older brother scrubbed his back. Zhuang Zhixi chattered away, "Hey, are you hungry? I wonder what we¡¯re having for lunch."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan paused, his hands applying a bit more pressure, scrubbing vigorously.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Ouch, ouch! I wasn¡¯t saying you¡¯re weak because you haven¡¯t eaten. Take it easy, will you? I¡¯m a person, not a washboard."


    His older brother always overthought things.


    He hadn¡¯t meant anything by it, but his brother immediately assumed he was mocking his strength. Men, honestly...


    While the two brothers were busy scrubbing, the others were more rxed. One bald guy said, "Hey, you two, go scrub over there. Don¡¯t let the dirt fall into my tea."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Sure thing."


    He didn¡¯t mind and moved aside. They were really there to bathe, but many people would spend the whole day soaking in the pool, not so much for the bathing but for the pleasure of chatting while sipping tea.


    Some people woulde in the morning and only leave in the evening.


    In the past, there used to be professional scrubbers who offered more borate services, but that kind of thing wasn¡¯t allowed anymore.


    Zhuang Zhixi finished washing and soaped himself up. The soap was provided by the bathhouse, so they didn¡¯t need to bring their own. Taking it home was out of the question, but using it there was perfectly fine. Zhuang Zhixi quickly washed his hair and body, shook his head, and felt like the most handsome guy in the bathhouse.


    Hmm, smelling fresh.


    His wife would definitely like it.


    After finishing his bath, Zhuang Zhixi saw that his father had already gotten himself some tea. He said, "Big brother, you can scrub Dad¡¯s backter. I¡¯m heading home first. I¡¯m getting hungry. It¡¯s already past noon."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "All you ever think about is food."


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn¡¯t happy about that. "Look at you. Didn¡¯t I just treat you to a bath? You¡¯re so ungrateful."


    Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."


    Back when they were kids, wasn¡¯t it always him who took this little brat to the baths? And the kid was never calm, always running around like a wild dog. It was always him taking care of everything, always him!


    Now, this kid just treats him to a bath, and he¡¯s got so much to say about it.


    He snorted heavily and said, "You¡¯ve forgotten how it used to be..."


    Just as he was about tounch into a long story, Zhuang Zhixi stood up and dashed off.


    "That guy, honestly!"


    Zhuang Zhixi changed into fresh clothes and felt refreshed. Their factory had really done them a favor. A few of the men had helped Bai Fendou with the funeral arrangements, and they hadn¡¯t been penalized for it. Although it was still counted as leave, they hadn¡¯t had their wages deducted.


    On his third day of paid leave, Zhuang Zhixi feltpletely rxed.


    However, he understood the factory¡¯s reasoning. By having them help out in the courtyard, they could at least manage the funeral and keep an eye on Bai Fendou. Otherwise, if Bai Fendou went off the rails and did something crazy, it would be the factory¡¯s responsibility to clean up the mess.


    It was just the way things were.


    Zhuang Zhixi was the first to head back. He knew his father would stay until at least the afternoon. Otherwise, he¡¯d feel like he hadn¡¯t gotten his money¡¯s worth from the bathhouse ticket. Zhuang Zhixi walked back feeling fresh, but as he approached the entrance, he saw several police officers standing at the gate. Zhuang Zhixi was startled and hurried over to ask, "What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on?"


    Could something have happened again?


    The troublemakers in their courtyard had been lying lowtely!


    He went up to ask, and Zhao Guihua and the others were all in the courtyard. She waved him over, and Zhuang Zhixi squeezed through the gate to see the police digging up the cement floor under the Su family¡¯s window. He asked in confusion, "What are they looking for?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Gold."


    Her tone was a mix of disbelief and exasperation. Who would¡¯ve thought she wasn¡¯t the only one in the courtyard who had hidden something valuable?


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s eyes widened. "Gold? They had gold? And they still pushed their daughter-inw into that line of work?"


    Zhao Guihua nodded, her expression even more incredulous. "Exactly."


    They really hadn¡¯t expected that Aunt Su had been hiding such a secret. If she hadn¡¯t been caught and dealt with by the iron fist of justice, this might never havee to light.


    The story began after lunch. The three men of the household hadn¡¯t returned, so Zhao Guihua had eaten early. After lunch, she thought she¡¯d take a nap, as she¡¯d been feeling a bit tired from helping with the funeral arrangements. Just as she was dozing off, she heard amotion outside. When she went out to see what was happening, she found that the police had arrived.


    Zhao Guihua had rushed out, and so had the other men and women in the courtyard. Everyone was curious.


    When they asked, they found out it was a big deal.


    The police hade with a mission. Gou Lanxiang had confessed after being held for three days. She had finally admitted at noon that day that she had buried fourrge gold bars under her window. She had been afraid that if her own misdeeds were discovered and her home searched, she wouldn¡¯t dare to hide the gold inside. Instead, she had buried it outside the window, where it was within her sight but not inside the house. Even if her home were searched and turned upside down, no one would find it.


    Who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯d hidden it outside?


    Outside the window was a cement floor, and it was beneath this that he had dug a hole to bury something,ter smoothing it over with cement. His method was meticulous, and it had remained undetected all these years, hidden securely.


    This time, the police officers hade specifically to retrieve it.


    Zhuang Zhixi was dumbfounded. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t seen the world before, but this family was truly something else when it came to hiding things. Moreover, how could Aunt Su possibly have something like gold bars? Those were hard currency, especially in the old society, and ordinary people couldn¡¯t get their hands on them.


    And when Aunt Su had moved in, it was still the old society.


    ¡°What kind of family was she from? How did she have this?¡±


    They were poor peasants, and even now, they had never seen what a gold bar looked like.


    What was that? That was gold!


    Zhao Guihua exined, ¡°These were her belongings before she married into this courtyard. Rumor has it there were more, but she spent most of them in her younger days. These few gold bars were her retirement fund, which she kept hidden and refused to touch.¡±


    Unlike decadester, when police investigations were kept strictly confidential, things weren¡¯t so discreet back then. It wasn¡¯t something that needed to be hidden, so when the police came to dig up the gold bars, everyone in the courtyard knew about it.


    ¡°Aunt Su is quite something, isn¡¯t she? Would you believe it? She grew up in the Eight Great Hutongs.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± Zhuang Zhixi eximed in shock, though upon reflection, it made sense. Given her actions, no decent woman would have behaved like that. He said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s not that surprising¡­¡±


    Zhao Guihua added, ¡°She wasn¡¯t one of *those* women. Even if some prostitutes were forced into it, unwilling and oppressed, she wasn¡¯t one of them. She was the daughter of a brothel madam.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap!¡± Zhuang Zhixi was truly taken aback.


    Given Aunt Su¡¯s background, everyone could guess what kind of person she was. Her actions had never been particrly respectable.


    But no one could have imagined she was even more despicable. She was the one controlling those women.


    Zhuang Zhixi muttered, ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    Even though he was usually quick with words, Zhuang Zhixi found himself at a loss. The whole thing sounded outrageous, yet somehow not surprising at all.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve dug it up. It¡¯s really here.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there really are gold bars.¡±


    ¡°My God, I¡¯ve never seen one before. What do they look like?¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ Who would have thought there¡¯d be something like this in our courtyard¡­¡±


    ¡°This olddy is something else, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s been hiding this right under our noses for decades. She¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Goodness, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been living in a courtyard with buried gold.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. I¡¯ve sat right by her window, right above where the gold was buried, chatting with her. Who would¡¯ve thought there was gold right beneath me? She¡¯s so sneaky.¡±


    ¡°What do they look like? I¡¯ve never seen one. I need to take a look so I can brag about having seen a gold bar¡­¡±


    Although Aunt Su had never actually harmed anyone in the courtyard over the years, the neighbors couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill down their spines when they thought about her background and how she had deceived them for decades.


    The loudest cries came from Wang Xiangxiu. She had never imagined that this old woman had been hiding four gold bars. If she had just taken out one to improve their lives, her husband might not have died, and she might not have had to do the things she did. At this thought, she copsed to the ground, crying hysterically.


    If only¡­ if only she had taken it out earlier, she could have lived a clean and honest life.


    Wang Xiangxiu had sacrificed so much for her family over the years, and now, this old woman had hoarded her treasures for her own retirement, refusing to use them. And now, they were all confiscated.


    Her son was still in the hospital, his fate uncertain.


    ¡°That heartless old hag! How could she do this? How could she! My son Yii is fighting for his life, and we don¡¯t even have enough money to save him. Yet she was hiding gold bars all along. What kind of grandmother is she? How can such people exist in this world?¡± Wang Xiangxiu wailed uncontrobly, while Toni stood beside her, unsure of what to do.


    Though still a child, he was old enough to understand. He knew his grandmother had hidden so much wealth but refused to save his brother. Despite being the first to run when trouble arose, he now clenched his fists, tears streaming down his face as he wiped them away.


    ¡°Please, I beg you, leave me just a little,¡± Wang Xiangxiu suddenly pleaded, clutching the leg of the lead police officer. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for much, just enough to save my son¡¯s life. That¡¯s all I need.¡±


    She cried bitterly, ¡°My sons Jii and Yii are still in the hospital. We don¡¯t know how much more it will cost¡­¡±


    ¡°Comrade Wang Xiangxiu, this is not something we can decide. What we¡¯ve recovered is considered stolen property. Given Gou Lanxiang¡¯s identity, all her possessions will be confiscated. These are ill-gotten gains from exploiting women.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but my son¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about that. However, considering your son¡¯s severe injuries and his young age, we¡¯ve decided not to pursue the matter of them cutting pig tails. Focus on his recovery. That said, your mother-inw¡¯s background will affect your family¡¯s status. Your household¡­¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu looked up, confused.


    The lead officer sighed silently, thinking that Wang Xiangxiu really wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed. But then again, if she were smarter, she wouldn¡¯t have been manipted by her mother-inw to this extent. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°You¡¯re her direct rtive.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu still didn¡¯t understand.


    But everyone else did. Zhao Guihua quickly exined, ¡°Your family¡¯s status will be affected by your mother-inw¡¯s background. There will likely be other consequences too.¡±


    At this, Wang Xiangxiu was stunned. She finally realized the gravity of the situation and stammered, ¡°What¡­ what should I do?¡±


    She was at aplete loss.


    Zhao Guihua sighed softly, while Aunt Wang, always quick to speak, said, ¡°Your mother-inw was always going to ruin you. She¡¯s a bad element. You should cut ties with her.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu finally caught on and nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, yes, I need to cut ties with her. I said yesterday that I wanted to sever rtions with her.¡±


    Zhao Guihua added, ¡°I can confirm that. She did say she wanted to cut ties with Aunt Su yesterday.¡±


    Aunt Wang chimed in, ¡°I heard it too.¡±


    The other neighbors also vouched for her.


    The officer said, ¡°Then you should publish a statement in the newspaper as soon as possible.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu replied, ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll do it right away!¡±


    She stammered, ¡°What¡­ what else do I need to do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it for now. Just focus on getting through this immediate crisis.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded tearfully.


    The officer shook his head slightly at her helpless state. Sometimes, when dealing with people like her, they felt both pity and frustration. But whenever possible, they were willing to help them turn over a new leaf.


    In Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s case, they had already given her a break.


    They could only hope she would truly understand this.


    The officer said earnestly, ¡°Wang Xiangxiu, you need to live a better life from now on. Don¡¯t follow in your mother-inw¡¯s footsteps. She will face severe punishment.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu asked cautiously, ¡°Will she¡­ will she evere back?¡±


    No one could say for sure, but it was unlikely.


    ¡°Given her background as a brothel madam from the old society, and her role in causing someone¡¯s death, it¡¯s a miracle she¡¯s not facing execution.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°That serious!¡±


    The neighbors were shocked. They hadn¡¯t expected that someone they saw every day could end up like this. But at the same time, it didn¡¯t seem entirely unexpected for someone like her.


    ¡°You need to live a better life too,¡± the officer reminded Wang Xiangxiu again, hoping she understood that she wouldn¡¯t always be so lucky. This time, they had gone easy on her because of her children¡¯s dire situation.


    Otherwise, with her history of inappropriate rtionships, it wouldn¡¯t have been hard to make a case against her.


    After being reminded twice, Wang Xiangxiu finally seemed to catch on to the implications in the words. Thinking of what had happened to Aunt Su, she shuddered and then said with seriousness and determination, "I understand."


    The police officer nodded and quickly led his team away.


    Once the officials had left, everyone began chattering and gossiping. Some, like Zhuang Zhixi, had returned a bitter and asked curiously, "What''s going on? Wasn''t Aunt Su only sixteen or seventeen when she married into the family? How could someone so young be involved in such things?"


    Aunt Zhou immediately jumped into the conversation, finally having a topic she could sink her teeth into.


    She said, "The police officer just mentioned that Aunt Su, originally named Gou Lanxiang, grew up in the Eight Great Alleys. Her mother was a well-known madam there, managing many young women. She was involved in forcing innocent girls into prostitution. Gou Lanxiang learned all those despicable tricks from her mother. Later, her mother got into a feud over business and was attacked. Her mother was nearly killed, and Gou Lanxiang stole her mother''s savings and fled. When she met Old Man Su, she imed to be a refugee who had encountered bad people. But that wasn''t true¡ªshe was actually hiding from her mother''s henchmen and rivals. She wasn''t from out of town at all; she was local. I always wondered how a refugee could have such fair skin. Refugees are usually skinny and pitiful-looking, but she wasn''t. Didn''t you hear that she didn''t leave the house for a year or two after she married? That''s because she was afraid of being recognized. After a year or two, she found out that her mother had died and her enemies had been dealt with, so she finally dared to go out. After liberation, she somehow managed to get ssified as a poor peasant and started living a normal life."


    "Holy cow! You really can''t judge a book by its cover."


    "Exactly! If it weren''t for the incident with Old Man Bai, she would never have been exposed."


    "No wonder she wanted her daughter-inw to earn money that way. Turns out it''s a family business..."


    "She''s worse than those women who were forced into it by circumstances. Her family specialized in this kind of evil. It''s downright inhumane."


    Wang Xiangxiu held Toni in her arms, silently shedding tears. Her hatred for Aunt Su burned fiercely. If Aunt Su were standing in front of her now, she would have wanted to kill her on the spot.


    The trust she once had in her mother-inw had turned into pure hatred.


    Biting her lip, she said, "She deserves to be executed."


    Her voice suddenly rose as she shouted, "Someone like her deserves to be shot! She doesn''t deserve to live, she doesn''t!"


    She wiped away her tears and said, "Come on, let''s go to the hospital to see your brother."


    Finally, she stood up with Toni in her arms. Toni whispered, "Mom, I can walk by myself."


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head. "No, I''ll carry you. I don''t feel at ease."


    She only had one son left in good health, and she couldn''t afford to be careless.


    Wang Xiangxiu said firmly, "Your brother will get better. Both your brothers will get better."


    Toni softly murmured in agreement.


    The two of them stumbled away, and the people around them sighed. "Wang Xiangxiu has really been done wrong."


    "I used to envy Wang Xiangxiu for having a mother-inw like Aunt Su. She let her take charge of the household at such a young age, and she was always so gentle, eloquent, and considerate. Now, thinking about it makes my hair stand on end. She was a wolf in sheep''s clothing¡ªterrifying."


    "Absolutely."


    "Wang Xiangxiu has suffered enough. It''s time for her to live a good life. If she keeps following Aunt Su''s ways, it''ll only lead to ruin."


    "Look at what she''s done to the kids."


    "Her kids are really not doing well."


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "No matter what, we have to raise our children right."


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Their own children needed to be properly raised.


    In different corners of the courtyard, the little rascals all shivered simultaneously...

 Chapter 129

    The true face of Aunt Su left a group of people utterly stunned.


    Not just those in Xinghuali Lane, nor even the machine factory, but the entire city knew about her. After all, it had been over twenty years since liberation, and to see a pre-liberation madam still active was truly shocking.


    The police officers didn¡¯t hide the matter. For one, there was nothing worth concealing, and secondly, spreading the news might encourage others toe forward with more information. Because of this, the story spread like wildfire.


    Ming Mei, returning home after three days, found herself struggling to keep up with the gossip. The first thing she did upon arriving was to join the group of elderly women chattering away, darting around like a curious groundhog in a melon patch. She was utterly dumbfounded by Aunt Su¡¯s background.


    Truly, appearances can be deceiving.


    Who would have guessed that her delicate exterior hid such a scandalous past?


    Not just Ming Mei, but even her grandfather, Uncle Lan, came out slurping noodles, not wanting to miss a single detail. Uncle Lan felt that his life was a constant challenge to his understanding of the world, always something new to shock him.


    In the gossip circle, the most regretful was Zhou Qun, who cursed himself for not being home at the time, instead spending too long at the bathhouse. He missed the moment when the gold bars were unearthed. But that didn¡¯t stop him from boasting. Standing in the center of the courtyard, he pontificated like a true armchair critic.


    ¡°I always thought Aunt Su was shady, always acting suspicious. I knew there was something off about her. Turns out I was right¡ªshe¡¯s no ordinary person.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just bragging now. If you really knew, why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡± Yang Lixin called him out.


    Zhou Qun retorted confidently, ¡°I did notice something was off, but I didn¡¯t realize how serious it was. If I¡¯d known she was like this, I would¡¯ve reported her. People like her are a cancer among the masses. We can¡¯t have that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I also thought she was always a bit too frivolous in her actions. Who would¡¯ve guessed?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s loaded, you know. Yet she always acted like she was struggling. What kind of person does that?¡±


    ¡°Whether she¡¯s rich or poor, it¡¯s none of our business. The one who¡¯s really bitter is Wang Xiangxiu. She got nothing¡ªit all went to the state¡­¡±


    ¡°How is it none of our business? It¡¯s very much my business. She borrowed cornmeal from me. I wonder if Wang Xiangxiu will pay it back¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, she borrowed cornmeal from you? She borrowed oil, salt, and vinegar from me countless times¡­¡±


    The chatter grew louder, and it seemed almost every household had lent her something. Zhao Guihua chimed in, ¡°I didn¡¯t lend her anything this year, butst year I lent her cornmeal twice, and she never paid me back. I thought she was struggling, so I didn¡¯t press her. If I¡¯d known she was like this, I wouldn¡¯t have lent her a thing. At least I didn¡¯t lend her anything this year, so I didn¡¯t lose more. But I¡¯m still out from before!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Do you think if we report this, we might get our stuff back?¡±


    Zhao Guihua shrugged, ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s not much, and it¡¯s not worth much money. Besides, she¡¯s in jail now. Wang Xiangxiu hates her and won¡¯t take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°But she did eat it.¡±


    Zhao Guihuaughed, ¡°She did eat it, but we can¡¯t push her too hard. Look at her family¡¯s situation. Even the police aren¡¯t pressing her too much.¡±


    ¡°What a mess. How did things turn out like this? I feel worst for Su Pandi. She¡¯s been holding up the family since she was a kid, the real backbone of the household. She was more capable than her brother. But look at her now¡ªher life¡¯s ruined, separated from her husband and child. Is that the right term? She¡¯s got nothing left, and now she¡¯s got a criminal record. Who knows how many years she¡¯ll get? She¡¯s really been wronged.¡±


    ¡°Su Pandi¡¯s fate is unclear, but Aunt Su definitely won¡¯t be getting out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call her Aunt Su anymore. Her real name is Gou Lanxiang. I bet she always called herself Aunt Su to hide her real name. She made a big show of being loyal to the Su family, asking for housing and jobs from the factory leaders, but it was probably just to keep her real name hidden. Think about it¡ªher surname is so unusual. If someone recognized her, she¡¯d be in trouble. Back then, she was working at the factory.¡± Zhao Guihua¡¯s analysis was spot on.


    Aunt Wang nodded, ¡°Right. When Old Su died, and the kids were young, they had to take over his job at the factory. If she used her real name, someone might¡¯ve recognized her. But by calling herself Aunt Su, fewer people would make the connection. That¡¯s why she stayed under the radar for decades.¡±


    ¡°She really killed two birds with one stone.¡±


    Aunt Zhou cursed, ¡°Damn it, I even tried to emte her. Turns out I was fooled.¡±


    Madam Zhou Li, who should¡¯ve been called Aunt Li, had been influenced by Aunt Su¡¯s antics. Both were widows, and Madam Zhou Li had tried to prove herself just like Aunt Su. Now she realized she¡¯d been duped.


    Madam Zhou Li sighed, ¡°I really¡­¡±


    Aunt Wang said, ¡°Don¡¯t change how we address you. We¡¯ve called you Aunt Zhou for years. It¡¯d be too weird to change now.¡±


    Aunt Zhou muttered, ¡°What a mess. That old woman is truly despicable.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯te to a good end.¡±


    As the group continued their heated discussion, Bai Fendou stumbled out weakly. Since his father¡¯s sudden death, he hadn¡¯t slept for three days. He¡¯d cried himself unconscious multiple times, barely holding on. After the funeral, he copsed.


    Fortunately, it was just exhaustion, not illness. Bai Fendou slept deeply,pletely unaware of themotion caused by the police. Only now did he hear about Aunt Su.


    He was utterly shocked, ¡°She was in that line of work?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, she was the boss.¡±


    Bai Fendou growled, ¡°That damn woman deserves to be executed. She owes my father that much.¡±


    The group fell silent. Aunt Wang tried tofort him, ¡°I know this might be hard to hear, but Fendou, your father¡¯s gone, and you¡¯re not young anymore. I¡¯m sure your parents, in the afterlife, just want you to live well. Thew will punish the bad people. You need to focus on living a good life, so they don¡¯t worry about you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Bai Fendou was silent for a long time before nodding slowly.


    Then, out of nowhere, he turned to Zhuang Zhixi and asked, ¡°When¡¯s the factory¡¯s matchmaking event?¡±


    The sudden change of topic nearly gave everyone whish.


    Zhuang Zhixi replied smoothly, ¡°At the end of the month, before National Day.¡±


    Bai Fendou nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll sign up. My father always wanted me to settle down. I won¡¯t let him down.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°The factory will probably open registration soon. I¡¯ll let you know when it does.¡±


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°Alright.¡±


    The others exchanged uneasy nces. In their eyes, Bai Fendou¡¯s situation wasplicated. Whether he married a young woman or a widow, it would essentially doom her to a life of loneliness. His condition made things difficult.


    After all, in those days, carrying on the family line was everything.


    Without children, you¡¯d bebeled as ¡°childless¡± and scorned.


    And Bai Fendou¡¯s condition meant any wife would be left in a terrible position.


    But no one said anything harsh to him. He wasn¡¯t in a state to handle criticism. On the bright side, aside from his condition, Bai Fendou had other decent qualities. Though it was a harsh truth, his father¡¯s passing had lifted a burden from him.


    But no one would say that aloud. No one wishes for a loved one¡¯s death, and Bai Fendou was no exception.


    "Bai Fendou, actually, everyone in the capital knows about your situation. It¡¯s not easy for you to find a way out here. Why don¡¯t you apply for the support program? Our factory has a one-to-one assistance partnership with the machinery factory in Lizhou. They¡¯re expanding production and need skilled workers to go there for support. Although you¡¯re not from the workshop, given your current situation, if you talk to the leaders, I think they¡¯ll arrange something for you," said the man from the Sui family.


    He continued, "Little Zhang, didn¡¯t you sign up for the support program?"


    Little Zhang was a resident of the backyard, living in the first house you¡¯d see upon entering, right next to Uncle Lan¡¯s ce. His family, like Bai Fendou¡¯s, had two rooms. There were six people in total: his parents, his wife, and two children.


    This time, he had signed up to go to Lizhou.


    When called out, Little Zhang replied, "Yes, I¡¯ve already signed up, and the procedures are almost done. My whole family is going."


    "Ah, so you¡¯re leaving soon? Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier?"


    "Right, is Lizhou really a good ce? After all, the capital is still the capital. Lizhou¡­ I¡¯ve never even heard of it. Are you sure it¡¯s going to work out there?"


    Little Zhang exined, "Why wouldn¡¯t it? I¡¯m currently a fourth-grade worker, and after the transfer, I¡¯ll be promoted to fifth-grade. Plus, the support program will provide a spot for one of my children to avoid being sent to the countryside. My eldest daughter is about to reach the age where she¡¯d have to go in a couple of years. If we all move to Lizhou, she won¡¯t have to."


    "That¡¯s a good deal."


    Though everyone talked about responding to the call and supporting rural areas, no one truly believed in it anymore. No one wanted to send their children to the countryside, especially not their daughters. Girls raised in the city, even if not spoiled, had no experience with farm work. And sending a young girl alone to the countryside? No father would feel at ease. There were good people, of course, but bad ones too. Every group had its share of troublemakers. If there was a chance to avoid it, why wouldn¡¯t you take it?


    "The factory will also arrange a job for one of my children. My daughter is still a bit young to work directly in the factory, but with this opportunity, my wife can take the job, and in three years, my daughter can take over. Lizhou might notpare to the capital, but it¡¯s still a small city, not the countryside. Plus, with arger family, we¡¯ll get more living space than we have now. So, all things considered, it¡¯s a good deal."


    Everyone had their own calctions, and Little Zhang was no exception.


    He added, "My family isn¡¯t originally from the capital anyway. My parents came here fleeing famine. Leaving now isn¡¯t a big deal."


    "You know, Little Zhang makes a good point. There are actually quite a few benefits to this support program."


    "So, are you going?"


    "Not me. There are benefits, sure, but my roots are here. I can¡¯t just uproot myself and leave. Besides, my kids are still young, so I don¡¯t need to worry about this yet. But in a few years, when they¡¯re older and might face being sent to the countryside, I¡¯ll probably have to consider it. I have a son, but I don¡¯t want him to go either. What could he possibly do there? He¡¯d just be a burden to the farmers."


    "Exactly."


    No one wanted to send their children to the countryside, but they had no choice. They had to seize every opportunity to avoid it.


    Little Zhang said, "It really depends on your family¡¯s situation. You¡¯ve seen mine¡ªtwo rooms for six people. It¡¯s impossible to live like this. After we move, we¡¯ve been promised at least three rooms. That way, my daughter and son won¡¯t have to share a room with us anymore. Even with a curtain, it¡¯s not ideal. With an extra room, my wife and I can have one, my parents can have another, and the third can be split for the kids. It might be small, but at least they¡¯ll each have their own space."


    "You¡¯re really thinking about your kids."


    "Of course."


    Parents in those days were like candles, willing to burn themselves out for their children. While there were some who were selfish and only cared about themselves, especially when it came to daughters, most were devoted to their sons. It was frustrating, but that was the way society was.


    As they discussed this, Aunt Zhou suddenly spoke up, "What will happen to your house here once you move?"


    Everyone remembered that Aunt Zhou had once tried to take over Uncle Lan¡¯s house and ended up in the security office. Clearly, she was very concerned about housing.


    Little Zhang replied, "This house isn¡¯t mine. It was allocated by the factory, and since I¡¯m being transferred, it¡¯ll be returned to the factory. They¡¯ll assign it to someone else."


    Aunt Zhou had been hoping to im it, but that was out of the question.


    She muttered, "When I have kids, I¡¯ll need more space too."


    In their courtyard, the Su family had the most spacious house, and now that Aunt Su was gone, it was even more so. Aunt Zhou¡¯s family had enough space for now, but she was already thinking ahead¡ªwhen she had children, they¡¯d need their own rooms, and when they got married and had kids, one room wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    This woman was nning far into the future.


    Little Zhang said, "I don¡¯t know about that, but there are plenty of people waiting for housing in the factory. I¡¯m sure someone will move in soon."


    Aunt Zhou sighed but didn¡¯t dare say more.


    She had learned her lesson after facing the consequences of her actions. Plus, with recent events in the courtyard¡ªsome people being arrested, others passing away¡ªshe had been somewhat shaken. Aunt Zhou said, "We¡¯ll manage for now, but when we have kids, we¡¯ll have to figure something out."


    "Aunt Zhou, aren¡¯t you worried about having a daughter? If Jiang Lu has a daughter, you won¡¯t have to worry."


    Aunt Zhou retorted, "If it¡¯s a daughter, we¡¯ll find her a husband to move in with us!"


    The conversation had veered off track, but someone brought it back: "Bai Fendou, honestly, if you go to Lizhou, it might be better. At least no one there would know about¡­"


    Unlike here, where if you shouted "Bai Fendou" at the entrance of the alley, three hundred out of a hundred people would recognize the name. People would evene over just hearing it.


    But Bai Fendou shook his head and said, "I¡¯m not going. My family has been in the capital for generations. I grew up here, and I¡¯d never get used to living elsewhere. Besides, even if I go, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going alone. People will still talk about my situation. It¡¯s not like no one would know."


    He was firm. "I¡¯m not leaving. I have two rooms here, and there¡¯s no one else in my family. If I go, I might not even get more space. I¡¯m staying. Besides, I believe there are still people who don¡¯t care about that kind of thing."


    He was thick-skinned and didn¡¯t care anymore, speaking bluntly.


    The others were at a loss for words.


    "What about Wang Xiangxiu¡­"


    Bai Fendou reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "What about Wang Xiangxiu? She has nothing to do with me. If I see her, not pping her across the face is the most mercy I can show. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was also tricked, I wouldn¡¯t let her family off so easily."


    Bai Fendou was furious.


    "I have no connection with her. I¡¯ve neverid a finger on her before, and there won¡¯t be anything between us in the future."


    It wasn¡¯t entirely because he saw Wang Xiangxiu as a victim of Aunt Su. Part of it was that he had seen enough of the police recently and was a bit afraid of them. So, he decided to let it go and not hold a grudge against Wang Xiangxiu.


    After all, she had also been deceived.


    He said, "Don¡¯t associate me with her. She doesn¡¯t care about her reputation, but I do. Besides, Jii and the others are Aunt Su¡¯s grandchildren. Because of that, I can¡¯t stand them."


    If he were to get together with Wang Xiangxiu, he¡¯d have to help raise her children. While he was open to marrying a widow with kids, he absolutely refused to raise the children of someone he considered an enemy.


    He was serious. "If anyone brings this up again, don¡¯t me me for breaking windows."


    "Look at you, we were just making conversation."


    "Exactly."


    As they spoke, they turned and saw Wang Xiangxiu returning.


    She stood at the door with her son, unsure how long she had been listening. However, no one spoke to her. Wang Xiangxiu walked in with a stiff expression, only to find the cement ground outside their window dug up. Their ss had also been smashed by Yuan Jun.


    To say the least, their home was inplete disarray. Wang Xiangxiu sighed deeply. Without saying a word to anyone, she went straight home and started cleaning meticulously. Seeing that it was gettingte and the sky had turnedpletely dark, everyone else gradually went home too.


    Ming Mei hadn¡¯t been home for several days. As soon as she entered the room, she flopped onto the bed and said, "No matter how grand other ces are, there¡¯s nothing like your own humble home."


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned in with a smile and said, "Isn¡¯t our home the best?"


    Ming Mei replied, "My parents¡¯ home is nice too, but no matter how nice it is, I still prefer the freedom of my own ce."


    Her mother was stricter with her than her mother-inw, which only proved how much of a "real mother" she was.


    Ming Mei muttered this and then sat up, asking, "So, what¡¯s been happeningtely? Tell me more."


    Seeing her bright eyes filled with curiosity, Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help butugh. He leaned closer and joked, "Our courtyard is the most harmonious ce. What could possibly happen here? Nothing, of course."


    Ming Mei burst intoughter and said, "Who would believe that?"


    Zhuang Zhixi pretended to be serious, "Why don¡¯t you trust me?"


    Ming Mei pouted yfully, "I don¡¯t, I just don¡¯t!"


    After a bit of yful banter, she said, "Oh, right, you need to go to my parents¡¯ ce tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Huh?"


    He looked at his wife with confusion, waiting for her to continue.


    Ming Mei: "My dad came back from a business trip out of town and brought us a box of apples. You need to go and get them tomorrow."


    Zhuang Zhixi was surprised and then chuckled, "Your dad really is something, isn¡¯t he?"


    Ming Mei replied calmly, "Of course, he¡¯s my dad. He¡¯s amazing and loves me dearly."


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That¡¯s because Ming Mei is wonderful."


    Ming Mei countered, "It¡¯s not because I¡¯m so great. Even if I weren¡¯t, my dad would still love me. He¡¯s my real father, just like Little Zhang¡¯s brother. He moved to apletely unfamiliar city for his daughter¡¯s sake."


    Though it¡¯s unclear whether it was the right decision, it was undoubtedly the best choice for their family after careful consideration.


    Ming Mei sprawled out on the bed and said, "I wonder who will move in after they leave. I hope they¡¯re easy to get along with. If they¡¯re not..."


    Zhuang Zhixi interrupted, "Once someone moves into our courtyard, there¡¯s no such thing as easy or hard to get along with. With the people and the atmosphere here, do I even need to say more? The least easy to get along with are the people in our courtyard. Who are we to judge outsiders?"


    Ming Mei burst outughing, "You¡¯re right. Most people really wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt to this ce."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed too.


    "It¡¯s always others who have to adapt to the courtyard, not the courtyard adapting to one person."


    Ming Mei shrugged.


    There¡¯s no denying that one major event can significantly affect the atmosphere of the courtyard.


    Recently, with so many things happening, everyone had be much more subdued.


    In the following days, nothing particrly noteworthy happened in their courtyard, but that didn¡¯t stop the gossip. Even at the factory, people were buzzing with rumors.


    Although Old Man Bai had passed away, the focus of the discussions wasn¡¯t on him. Instead, the main topic of conversation was Aunt Su, Gou Lanxiang. As time went by, more and more rumors spread.


    Some of these rumors were about Aunt Su¡¯s past. Though everyone knew her real name wasn¡¯t Gou Lanxiang, they had grown ustomed to calling her that.


    It¡¯s unclear how urate these rumors were, but they certainly provided plenty of material for gossip.


    For example, some said that Aunt Su had been mentioned back in the early days after liberation. At that time, the government was encouraging women in the red-light district to reform and start a new life. It was said that some of these women had been sold into that line of work.


    The daughter of the brothel owner was called "Ah Xiang."


    Despite her young age, she was known to be extremely cruel. One day she would whip someone, and the next she would sweet-talk them to calm them down. She was a cunning and calcting girl. Later, it was said that she also took clients, but unlike the others who were forced into it, she had a choice.


    When their "madam" got into trouble, Ah Xiang fled with the money.


    As for whether her mother was alive or dead, she didn¡¯t care.


    Some also mentioned the infamous "Madam Gou" from back then. Though she had died long before liberation, she had a notorious reputation. She was known for forcing innocent girls into prostitution. Many girls fell into her hands and suffered terribly. Even her own daughter, who wasn¡¯t very old at the time, was said to be cunning and cruel, skilled at "training" others. That daughter was none other than Aunt Su, Gou Lanxiang.


    These rumors spread like wildfire, but there was no way to verify them. After all, it had been a long time since those events. Still, that didn¡¯t stop people from gossiping about them.


    Many people even went to ask Wang Xiangxiu about it, but they were all scolded away.


    Wang Xiangxiu had been living a three-point life recently: going to work at the factory, visiting the hospital to care for her child, and then returning home. However, there was some good news in her family¡ªher second son, Toni, was out of danger.


    This was probably one of the few positive developments in her life recently.


    Wang Xiangxiu was always in a hurry these days, too busy to even go to the water room to bathe or flirt with anyone. She had lost a noticeable amount of weight, and those who didn¡¯t work at the machinery factory rarely saw her.


    She left early and returnedte every day.


    As for Toni, who used to run around with his brothers, now that kindergarten was over, he woulde home alone and sit on a small stool by the door.


    As for the rest of the people in the courtyard, life went on as usual. Recently, no one had been causing any trouble, and everyone was living quietly. The only one still somewhat active was Zhou Qun, who loved to gossip everywhere.


    Because of this, Aunt Wang had a special talk with Zhou Qun. Of course, it wasn¡¯t to stop him from gossiping¡ªthat was beyond her control¡ªbut to discuss having him take over as the courtyard¡¯s manager during the year-end elections. After all, he loved going from house to house, so wouldn¡¯t that be perfect?


    Zhou Qun agreed to consider it.


    Aunt Wang was overjoyed.


    Zhou Qun was considering it, but his main focus was still on the factory.


    Recently, the factory had organized a matchmaking event, and Zhou Qun had plenty to say about it. The main topic of discussion was their old acquaintance, Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou had actually signed up for the event. At first nce, Bai Fendou¡¯s conditions seemed quite good.


    If you didn¡¯t know his background, you might easily be fooled.


    But thanks to the abundance of gossip, everyone in the city knew about Bai Fendou. His name was practically a household one, and while this wasn¡¯t good for Bai Fendou, it did eliminate the possibility of him "tricking" someone into marriage.


    Everyone knew his real situation, so there was no chance of him deceiving a wife.


    Even without the rumors, Bai Fendou insisted that he would never deceive anyone. He was a man of integrity, and tricking a woman was beneath him. To prepare for the matchmaking event, Bai Fendou even borrowed a shirt from Old Man Zhuang.


    Yes, you read that right¡ªOld Man Zhuang.


    That¡¯s because Old Man Zhuang had made a short-sleeved polyester shirt this summer, something even Zhuang Zhiyuan and Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t have. Bai Fendou had reserved it early, nning to borrow it.


    This wasn¡¯t an unusual situation. In fact, several people had asked to borrow Old Man Zhuang¡¯s shirt, but Bai Fendou had been the quickest.


    Borrowing nice clothes for a matchmaking event was pretty standard, especially in rural areas where resources were scarce and everyone was poor.


    The matchmaking event was held at the cultural center.


    Zhuang Zhixi, as part of the propaganda department, had gone early to help with the preparations. Others from the union, factory office, and women¡¯s federation were also there. Besides these official departments, there were also volunteers helping out.


    For example¡ªZhou Qun.


    Zhou Qun had volunteered toe and help out, and of course, he had his reasons. His exnation was that his wife was a pregnant woman, an older one at that, and it was her first pregnancy, so they were being extra cautious. With so many people around, there was a risk of her getting bumped or hurt, which wouldn¡¯t be good.


    So, he preferred that his wife stay back at the factory, and he woulde here to help in her ce. He had even made arrangements with his colleagues and handed out cigarettes to smooth things over.


    As for this whole situation, it left people a bit speechless.


    Even if Zhou Qun hadn¡¯t said anything, the Women¡¯s Federation wouldn¡¯t have let Jiang Lue anyway. There was still a sense of humanity in that.


    But Zhou Qun had rushed over quickly, and people suspected that his concern for Jiang Lu was just an excuse. What he really wanted was to see the spectacle.


    As the saying goes, it¡¯s a good thing this guy is useless now.


    So, there really wasn¡¯t much to worry about.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t hold back and started giving Zhou Qun tasks. If he volunteered to help, why not put him to work?


    He called out, ¡°Brother Qun,e over and help put up these lists. They have everyone¡¯s personal information.¡±


    Zhou Qun replied, ¡°Coming,ing!¡±


    He hurried over to help. The work here was quite meticulous.


    He helped put up severalrge red posters with lists on them. Upon closer inspection, there were three profiles for male candidates and three for female candidates.


    The male candidates were mainly from the machinery factory, while the female candidates were mostly elementary school teachers and bus station staff, with ticket sellers being the majority.


    Of course, that¡¯s not to say there were no women at the machinery factory. There were some, like the top female candidate, Tao Yuyue, who worked as a temporary staff member in the factory¡¯s medical office. Zhou Qun read aloud, ¡°Number one, Tao Yuyue, temporary worker at the machinery factory¡¯s medical office, 20 years old, graduated from a medical school. She has an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother. Both her brother and sister are married, and her younger brother has been sent to the countryside. Both parents are alive; her father works at a food factory, and her mother is a temporary worker there.¡±


    Zhou Qun stroked his chin and said, ¡°Tao Yuyue seems quite aloof, but her background isn¡¯t particrly outstanding.¡±


    Actually, her situation wasn¡¯t bad, but Zhou Qun could afford to say that. After all, Jiang Lu¡¯s circumstances were beyond what most people couldpare to. It wasn¡¯t surprising that he thought others¡¯ situations were ordinary. But upon further reflection, Zhou Qun had a point.


    Without considering her personality, Tao Yuyue¡¯s background wasn¡¯t particrly impressive.


    After all, she was just a temporary worker.


    In those days, there was a world of difference between being a permanent employee and a temporary one.


    Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t join Zhou Qun in hismentary. He had a good rtionship with Doctor Wang from the medical office. Tao Yuyue was Doctor Wang¡¯s niece, so Zhuang Zhixi didn¡¯t feel the need to gossip. He turned around and went to arrange some snacks. In the center of the table, he ced a few pieces of fruit.


    But don¡¯t think these were for everyone to eat. With so many people around, such a small amount of food clearly wasn¡¯t meant to be eaten. It was just for show. If anyone dared to take any, they¡¯d beughed at.


    This wasn¡¯t the ce to be greedy.


    ¡°What time does this start?¡±


    ¡°In an hour.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯d better hurry up.¡±


    Apart from that, they had also prepared balloons, flowers, and some ribbons. Zhuang Zhixi and the other men were the main workforce, taking charge of setting up the venue. After all, there would be reportersing to take photos.


    If the venue wasn¡¯t decorated nicely, it wouldn¡¯t look good in the newspapers.


    With many hands making light work, the venue was quickly transformed into a warm and weing space.


    Zhuang Zhixi sighed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of decorating like this when I got married?¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, could you have gotten all this stuff?¡± Sister Cui teased.


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, ¡°No way.¡±


    Thinking about it, he didn¡¯t have any regrets. They simply couldn¡¯t have done it.


    Many of these things required official applications from proper organizations. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t get their hands on them.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Little Xu? He¡¯s disappeared.¡±


    Sister Cui said, ¡°He vanished as soon as he got here. Probably went off to sleep somewhere and avoid work. This guy used to be sopetitive, but now he looks so worn out. It¡¯s like he¡¯s never had enough sleep. I don¡¯t know how a young guy like him ended up looking so drained. He¡¯s single, but he looks more like a married man than you do.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, ¡°What are you talking about? How do I not look like a married man? I¡¯m always talking about my wife.¡±


    Sister Cui rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Alright, we know you two are lovey-dovey. No need to show off.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, ¡°How is telling the truth showing off?¡±


    Old Huang chimed in, ¡°Little Xu started sweating as soon as he entered the venue, like he¡¯d seen a ghost. He looked a bit pale, so I told him to step outside and take a breather.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi looked around and said, ¡°This ce seems fine. What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Sister Cui spected, ¡°Is he trying to avoid work?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Probably not, right?¡±


    As they were discussing this, Little Xu was sitting outside by the wall of the cultural center, leaning against it and staring up at the sky in despair. He didn¡¯t want to see Zhou Qun! Every time he saw Zhou Qun, he thought of Jiang Lu, and thinking of Jiang Lu made his legs go weak.


    That woman was like a wolf or a tiger.


    She had left a psychological scar on him.


    Wuwu, he didn¡¯t want to see Zhou Qun.


    Besides that, seeing Zhou Qun was a bit awkward for him. After all, he had slept with the man¡¯s wife. There was a mix of guilt, awkwardness, and confusion. But he could understand why Zhou Qun had turned his attention to men, even trying to make moves on Bai Fendou. He probably couldn¡¯t handle Jiang Lu¡¯s insatiable demands.


    He was tired of women.


    Wuwuwu.


    It was just a miserable situation.


    He didn¡¯t want to see Zhou Qun, and he didn¡¯t want to see Jiang Lu.


    As he wallowed in self-pity, he noticed arge group of people approaching. He checked the time and realized it was almost time.


    He quickly got up and hurried inside, saying, ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    Luckily, they had arrived early, and the venue was already set up.


    Among those who hade early to help, some were single and participating in the matchmaking event. However, the single ones were easily identifiable by the badges they wore. At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi, as a married man, quickly found a corner to stand in. This wasn¡¯t the time for him to steal the spotlight.


    All the staff stood on either side of the venue as the leaders entered first. Zhuang Zhixi felt a bit of difort in his stomach and quietly slipped out. The weather had been fluctuating a lottely, with big temperature differences between morning and evening. Leaving the window open for too long at night had upset his stomach.


    He headed to the restroom and, upon entering, saw Bai Fendou there, nervously inhaling and exhaling, loudly encouraging himself, ¡°Bai Fendou, you can find a wife!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi stumbled in surprise and said, ¡°Hey, Bai Fendou, what are you doing causing a scene in the restroom? Hurry up, it¡¯s already started.¡±


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°I know, I can do this! I¡¯m capable!¡±


    He pumped himself up again and strode out confidently.


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was just ridiculous.


    Bai Fendou was even wearing his father¡¯s jacket, though it was unclear whose pants he had borrowed. As Zhuang Zhixi left the restroom and headed back to the venue, he noticed a group of sneaky teenagers carrying baskets, hiding and darting around.


    Well, there¡¯s always someone trying to make a quick buck, no matter the situation.


    This matchmaking event was quiterge, and many people knew about it. With so many young men and women gathered together, there were bound to be some who hit it off. If they decided to go out to watch a movie or something, they¡¯d inevitably run into these basket-carrying kids.


    When you¡¯re dating, you¡¯ve got to buy some snacks, right?


    The idea was well thought out and logical. They could definitely make some money. But it was also a bit risky. These kids were bold and fearless when it came to making money. Perhaps because Zhuang Zhixi had been staring at them for a while, one of the kids quickly approached him and said, ¡°Big bro, want some roasted peanuts? They¡¯re super fragrant.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi peeked into the basket and saw that the peanuts looked perfectly roasted.


    He said, ¡°¡­Sure, give me some.¡±


    He bought a pound, wrapped them in paper, and stuffed them into his bag.


    ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t get caught,¡± Zhuang Zhixi warned.


    The kid, thrilled with his first sale, said, ¡°Big bro, I can run fast. Besides, who¡¯d be so inconsiderate as to cause trouble here today? The anti-spection office wouldn¡¯t daree and ruin the mood. Hehe.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi gave him a thumbs-up.


    Despite being older than others, he wasn''t as adept at handling situations as they were.


    Zhuang Zhixi carried his bag back. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t bring a bag to work, but today, since he needed to set up the venue, having a bag was convenient. And as it turned out, it came in handy. Zhuang Zhixi peeled a roasted peanut and ate it, nodding in approval: "Tasty."


    The vendor, delighted, boasted, "Our craftsmanship is one of a kind. You can enjoy it without worry."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and returned to the venue. To his surprise, the leader was still giving a speech. Zhuang Zhixi thought to himself, "..."


    Leaders really do love to talk, don¡¯t they?


    He checked the time. The speech had been going on for half an hour already. Didn¡¯t they realize the main event today was a matchmaking session? Fortunately, it was finallying to an end. As the leader finished, thunderous apuse broke out.


    One couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the apuse was more about celebrating the end of the speech than anything else.


    Zhuang Zhixi leaned against the wall, observing the crowd of men and women in the venue. There were easily two to three hundred people, maybe even more. Cheerful music yed in the background. Some of the more outgoing young men and women started dancing in the middle of the room, while the shyer ones stood in the corners.


    The liveliest spots were around the more attractive girls, who naturally drew more attention.


    At the center of the venue was Tao Yuyue.


    During the registration, Tao Yuyue had already figured out that the bulletin board would provide detailed introductions of everyone¡¯s backgrounds. As a temporary worker, this was her biggest disadvantage. Other than that, her conditions were fairly average.


    But this one major drawback was enough to make people overlook her. Knowing this, Tao Yuyue had nned her strategy early on. Men are often swayed by looks, especially those with good conditions. Sometimes, they might not fixate too much on a woman¡¯s background.


    She had been through many matchmaking sessions before. She noticed that men who were average in terms of conditions and overly calcting tended to demand more from the women they pursued. On the other hand, those with better conditions were less stringent. So, she didn¡¯t even bother with those who looked down on her background.


    Her goal was to shine during this matchmaking event.


    She had prepared for a long time, practicing at home. As the music started, she took the initiative to step forward first, smiling as she said, "With such wonderful music and such a beautiful day, it¡¯s rare for us to gather like this. Why don¡¯t I perform a dance for everyone?"


    She had learned a Xinjiang dance, which was perfect for the asion.


    "Bravo!"


    "Beautiful!"


    Thanks to Tao Yuyue¡¯s lead, the atmosphere quickly warmed up. Many bold young men and women joined in. Of course, while some admired Tao Yuyue, others didn¡¯t care for her.


    Especially among the women, it was almost instinctive to recognize that she wasn¡¯t their kind of person.


    Men might not understand, but women could sense it immediately. They didn¡¯t like her much.


    The venue was bustling with activity, but Bai Fendou was the loneliest one there. He had approached several people, only to be swiftly brushed off. This left him feeling disheartened. What he didn¡¯t know was that before he even entered, a group of people had already gathered around the bulletin board, asking, "Which number is Bai Fendou? Bai Fendou from the machinery factory? Number twenty-five? Who¡¯s number twenty-five¡­"


    So, when Bai Fendou appeared, the number "25" on his badge immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    So, this was Bai Fendou.


    This was the infamous Bai Fendou, the man who was no longer a man, the subject of countless rumors.


    At first nce, he was indeed unattractive.


    Both ugly and foolish!


    To be honest, most people didn¡¯t have a good impression of Bai Fendou. Aside from the rumors about him, there was also the fact that his father had passed away less than a month ago, and the mourning period wasn¡¯t even over. Yet here he was, already out looking for a partner.


    This gave off a strong impression of being unfilial.


    If he couldn¡¯t even respect his own father, how could anyone expect him to respect his inws? It was impossible. So, the women didn¡¯t think much of him. Yet, Bai Fendou remained oblivious. He kept approaching the more attractive women.


    This only made people look down on him even more. He clearlycked self-awareness.


    What kind of conditions did he have to be chasing after pretty girls? Wasn¡¯t he just setting them up for a life of loneliness?


    The men at the event looked at Bai Fendou with disdain, while the women avoided him like the gue, not even willing to exchange a word with him.


    Bai Fendou¡¯s surroundings were practically a vacuum.


    He didn¡¯t notice, but Zhuang Zhixi, squatting nearby and munching on peanuts, saw it all clearly.


    "Where¡¯d you get those peanuts? Give me some."


    Zhou Qun squatted down beside Zhuang Zhixi, who replied without hesitation, "If you want some, go buy your own. There¡¯s a vendor at the entrance."


    Zhou Qun: "Cheapskate."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I don¡¯t care."


    Zhou Qun watched as Zhuang Zhixi kept eating. After a moment of hesitation, he quickly went outside, jogged to the vendor, and returned with his own bag of peanuts. He squatted down and started peeling them. Watching Bai Fendou get rejected yet again, he couldn¡¯t help butment, "Why is he so clueless? He should be talking to the women with worse conditions. He doesn¡¯t even realize his own situation, yet he¡¯s chasing after the good ones. No wonder they¡¯re giving him the cold shoulder."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Maybe he¡¯s just blinded by beauty?"


    Back in the courtyard, Bai Fendou had mentioned wanting to find a widow with children, but now that he was here, he seemed to have changed his mind. He was clearly captivated by the attractive women. But he didn¡¯t stop to think: why would someone with good conditions choose him?


    "Tsk, tsk. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to find anyone this time either."


    "I think so too."


    The two of them squatted in the corner, eating peanuts and gossiping, which caught Sister Cui¡¯s attention. She came over and squatted down, saying, "Give me some."


    Zhuang Zhixi shared some peanuts with her, while Zhou Qun snorted in annoyance.


    Damn, this guy was ying favorites.


    Sister Cui looked at the crowd of men and women and said, "I wonder how many couples will hit it off today."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "There¡¯ll definitely be some. Even in previous events that weren¡¯t as well-organized as this one, quite a few couples got together. This time, things are even clearer and more straightforward."


    "That¡¯s true."


    While they were busy watching the drama, Bai Fendou had made his rounds twice without anyone paying him any attention. He sighed in frustration. He was a decent young man, so why was finding a partner so difficult? Sighing, he turned and saw Tao Yuyue¡¯s smiling face. He immediately approached her: "Nurse Tao, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Your dance was wonderful."


    Tao Yuyue replied gracefully, "Thank you."


    She added, "Mr. Bai, how about you? Have you found anyone you like? Tell me, I won¡¯t tell anyone else."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    She yfully winked, causing the men around her to gasp. They found her utterly charming.


    One of the men, who clearly looked down on Bai Fendou, said, "Nurse Tao, you¡¯re just too kind-hearted. You¡¯re willing to be friends with anyone. But some people, you really should keep your distance from. Be careful, or you might get taken advantage of. Some people look human, but they don¡¯t act like it."


    "That¡¯s right."


    "Why are you even talking to Bai Fendou? He¡¯s not even a real man."


    Bai Fendou¡¯s face instantly darkened. "What the hell did you just say?"


    He grabbed the man by the cor and snapped, "Who asked for your opinion? I don¡¯t need you to meddle. You think you¡¯re a real man? You¡¯re still here looking for a partner just like me! Nurse Tao wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day either!"


    "Whether she likes me or not, at least I¡¯m a real man," the man retorted stubbornly.


    "I¡¯ll beat the crap out of you!"


    "Go ahead, try it. What are you even capable of?"


    The two of them started arguing, drawing the attention of everyone around them.


    Some were curious, some were amused, and others frowned in disapproval.


    From a distance, Zhuang Zhixi and the others watched in shock. "Damn, what¡¯s Bai Fendou doing now?"


    They were really fed up with Bai Fendou¡¯s antics. How could he cause trouble in any situation? Zhuang Zhixi quickly got up to intervene, saying, "Let go, both of you! You¡¯re here to find partners, not to fight. This is embarrassing. Look, the women are watching. We¡¯re men of the capital; we need to save face."


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s words worked, and the two men separated.


    He breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Look, we¡¯re all from the same factory. There¡¯s no need for this, really."


    He straightened Bai Fendou''s clothes, which belonged to his father, making sure not to damage them.


    Just as he finished, he suddenly felt that this wasn¡¯t appropriate, as it might lead to gossip. After all, Bai Fendou had too many rumors swirling around him. He then naturally turned to tidy up the other guy who was ready to fight and said, "You all need to look presentable, neat and tidy. That¡¯s what makes a good impression. Do you know why I¡¯m married and you¡¯re still single? It¡¯s because I¡¯m clean, organized, and have a good personality. You all should learn a thing or two."


    Bai Fendou and the other guy who was about to fight: "..."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Be polite and kind to others, that¡¯s how we represent the spirit of our machinery factory,rades."


    Bai Fendou twitched his lips, thinking to himself: *You make it sound so convincing, but it¡¯s really just because you¡¯re good-looking.*


    "Do your best and try to get married soon," Zhuang Zhixi added.


    Bai Fendou retorted, "Just get out of here already. You¡¯ve got a wife and now you¡¯re showing off in front of me."


    The other guy chimed in, "Exactly."


    Zhuang Zhixi shrugged innocently and said, "Have you ever thought that what you consider showing off is just me stating the in truth?"


    "Uh..."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed, "Alright, break it up. What¡¯s the point of fighting? Hurry up and see if there are any suitable girls around. Start making your moves! Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know how to find a partner!"


    The people around themughed along. Although he said it in a teasing manner, his words weren¡¯t aggressive at all. The tense atmosphere from earlier instantly lightened, and everyone startedughing.


    A few femalerades whispered among themselves, "Why isn¡¯t he wearing a name tag? What¡¯s his number?"


    "Didn¡¯t you hear what he just said? He¡¯s married."


    "Was he joking?"


    "Of course not. Look, he¡¯s not wearing a name tag. He¡¯s probably just a staff member, maybe from the machinery factory¡¯s union or the publicity department."


    "Still, we should ask around..."


    Their hushed chatter was overheard by Zhou Qun, who said loudly, "Ladies, don¡¯t get your hopes up about the guys without name tags. They¡¯re all married. Even if you like them, it¡¯s no use."


    The femalerades, who had been whispering, rolled their eyes at his booming voice.


    But now their attention was no longer on Zhuang Zhixi. Since it had been made clear, he must indeed be married. What a shame¡ªa good-looking, funny, and respectable guy like him, already taken.


    The scene returned to its lively atmosphere.


    Having sessfully mediated the situation, Zhuang Zhixi quietly retreated to a corner, unnoticed.


    However, he didn¡¯t notice that a few people were watching him. Some leaders from the unit who hade to observe the situation nodded and smiled, murmuring, "That young man handles things well. He¡¯s got a good approach."


    In such situations, it¡¯s easy to stop a fight, but to keep the atmosphere lively and ensure no one feels offended is quite difficult.


    "I know him," said the leader from the bus station with a smile. "Hees to our unit every day to pick up his wife. His wife, Ming Mei, is quite something. She¡¯s caught thieves several times. The police station has tried to recruit her multiple times, but I¡¯ve refused to let her go."


    "Wow, impressive!"


    "Absolutely."


    After chatting about Zhuang Zhixi and his wife, the leaders turned their attention back to the event. "Hey, wasn¡¯t that your nephew arguing with Bai Fendou earlier?"


    "Yes, that disgrace to the family."


    "Gentlemen pursue fairdies. He must have been fighting over a girl."


    "That girl is quite graceful. She dances Xinjiang folk dances very well."


    "Indeed."


    Don¡¯t think that men don¡¯t gossip, or that leaders don¡¯t gossip. They were all thoroughly enjoying the drama.


    Zhuang Zhixi, still crouched in the corner, continued shelling peanuts when he noticed a woman walking up to Bai Fendou with a smile. She said, "Hello, Comrade Bai Fendou."


    Zhuang Zhixi stopped eating peanuts and stared in surprise.


    *Bai Fendou¡­ getting attention from a woman?*

 Chapter 130

    "Bai Fendou, hello."


    Bai Fendou was feeling downcast, thinking that people really had no taste, when someone suddenly greeted him.


    He turned around in surprise and instantly felt his heart bloom. The woman in front of him was exactly his type. He wasn¡¯t into the youthful, girlish look; instead, he preferred someone a bit more morous and curvaceous.


    Like Wang Xiangxiu.


    And the woman before him was just that type.


    "What? Don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m your elementary school ssmate, Guan Guiling. What, now that you¡¯re doing well, you¡¯re ignoring old friends?"


    Bai Fendou: "Guan Guiling?"


    He didn¡¯t remember her, but that didn¡¯t stop him from nodding. "Oh, it¡¯s you."


    After all, what man would admit he didn¡¯t recognize a pretty woman?


    He nced down at her name tag, only to find it nk. Surprised, he looked at Guan Guiling and asked, "You¡¯re not here for the matchmaking event?"


    Guan Guiling¡¯s tone carried a hint of mncholy. "I¡¯m not qualified to be here for matchmaking. Look at all the fresh-faced young girls here. Someone like me would just be a background character. I work at the bus station¡¯s union and came here to help out."


    Bai Fendou: "What do you mean, background character? I think many here can¡¯t hold a candle to you."


    As soon as he said this, he was met with a flurry of angry res. ttering a woman was one thing, but why insult everyone else? And why say it so loudly, as if he wanted everyone to hear?


    What kind of person was this?


    So rude.


    The women nearby rolled their eyes, while the men seemed pleased. With someone like Bai Fendou around, they looked much better byparison. The more unpopr he was, the better their chances.


    Hmph.


    Everyone had their own thoughts, but Guan Guiling smiled and said, "Thank you for standing up for me. Old ssmates are the best."


    Bai Fendou blushed at her words. Guan Guiling asked, "So, have you found anyone you like? The girls at the bus station are quite something, you know."


    Of course, Bai Fendou knew they were. Whether it was the bus station, the elementary school teachers, or the girls at the machinery factory, there were plenty of attractive women. But none of them were interested in him. Whenever he tried to strike up a conversation, they ignored him, acting so aloof.


    Still, he had his pride. "I haven¡¯t found anyone suitable yet. I¡¯m quite picky."


    Guan Guiling raised an eyebrow and said softly, "You¡¯ve always been like that, even as a kid. High standards."


    Bai Fendouughed, feeling that this old ssmate was really nice, much better than those young girls who didn¡¯t appreciate him. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Are you single or married? Someone as wonderful as you must have married early, right?"


    Guan Guiling nodded. "I was married."


    She paused, then added, "But I¡¯m divorced now."


    Bai Fendou sighed softly. Guan Guiling¡¯s eyes flickered as she said, "I¡¯ve had a hard life. My ex-husband, well..."


    She paused again, seeing that she had piqued Bai Fendou¡¯s interest, then added, "Never mind, why am I talking about this? I don¡¯t want to ruin your matchmaking mood."


    Bai Fendou grew anxious. "No, no, go on. Why stop now? This matchmaking thing isn¡¯t really working out for me anyway. Why don¡¯t we go out and sit somewhere? It¡¯s too crowded here to talk properly." He thought for a moment and said, "Let me treat you to a meal. We¡¯ll go to the state-run restaurant and have some meat buns."


    Guan Guiling hesitated. "Is that appropriate? Everyone here is matchmaking, and I¡¯m sure there are plenty of young girls interested in talking to you. If I take you away, they¡¯ll hate me for ruining your chances."


    "Nonsense. Just because someone¡¯s interested in me doesn¡¯t mean I have to be interested in them. I¡¯m not that easy, you know. I have standards when ites to finding a partner. Come on, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s not every day we old ssmates run into each other. Let¡¯s have a meal together."


    Guan Guiling smiled. "Alright then."


    The two of them walked out together, leaving Zhuang Zhixi dumbfounded. From his corner, he couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but it was clear they were getting along well. He stared at their retreating figures in shock when he heard an incredulous voice: "Bai Fendou actually left with a woman? How is that possible?"


    Zhuang Zhixi turned his head and saw Zhou Qun, who had apparently been watching for some time. Zhou Qun looked utterly stunned, his expression slightly dazed. "I never thought he¡¯d actually leave with someone! Wait, who is that woman? What unit does she work for? She must be blind. Or maybe she¡¯s up to something?"


    Zhou Qun¡¯s questions came from the depths of his soul.


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at his disheveled appearance and said, "Maybe Bai Fendou¡¯s luck is finally turning. Can¡¯t you wish your buddy some happiness?"


    Zhou Qun¡¯s face remained one of shock. "This isn¡¯t about wishing him well or not. What if Bai Fendou¡¯s being scammed?"


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows? I noticed that woman wasn¡¯t wearing a name tag, but people without tags aren¡¯t supposed to be allowed in."


    Truth be told, Zhuang Zhixi also felt something was off. After all, what normal woman would go for someone like Bai Fendou?


    "We¡¯ll ask him about it when we get back to the courtyard."


    As neighbors in the samepound, they were genuinely concerned that Bai Fendou might be getting duped. Not that they were nosy or anything¡ªabsolutely not.


    If they hadn¡¯t been on duty, Zhuang Zhixi would have followed to see what Bai Fendou was up to.


    Zhuang Zhixi felt that today¡¯s matchmaking event, while lively, was ultimately rather dull. Hundreds of young men and women, yet it wasn¡¯t as interesting as the gatherings in their courtyard with just a dozen families.


    Young people these days were too reserved.


    After watching for a while, he sighed, thinking that things had been more entertaining when Bai Fendou was around. But now the man had left¡ªwhat a pity.


    He wondered where Bai Fendou had taken that woman.


    Zhuang Zhixi wasn¡¯t stupid. Even though he couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, he could tell at a nce that the woman wasn¡¯t unmarried. Her age gave her away. Besides, no unmarried woman would approach Bai Fendou willingly.


    Even Wang Zhaodi, a poor country girl, wouldn¡¯t do it.


    Actually, Zhuang Zhixi was mistaken about Wang Zhaodi. It wasn¡¯t that she wouldn¡¯t do it. If it were a normal matchmaking situation, even knowing Bai Fendou¡¯s shorings, Wang Zhaodi¡¯s family would likely have agreed. Wang Zhaodi, being a naive girl, wouldn¡¯t have known any better and would have followed her family¡¯s wishes to marry him.


    But this wasn¡¯t a normal situation. Wang Zhaodi had ended up living in their courtyard due to unusual circumstances and hade into contact with many people, which had changed her perspective. She now knew exactly what kind of person Bai Fendou was and understood that marrying him would be a disaster for any unmarried girl.


    So Wang Zhaodi wanted no part of it.


    She was hardworking and self-reliant, able to make a living with her own hands. She didn¡¯t want to settle for a miserable life.


    See, even Wang Zhaodi, a country girl, wasn¡¯t interested. So how could a working woman from the city possibly be interested in Bai Fendou?


    Yes, there was a noticeable difference between those who had jobs and those who didn¡¯t, both in demeanor and appearance. Housewives tended to be a bit more unkempt, while working women were usually more put-together.


    Of course, this wasn¡¯t a hard-and-fast rule, but it was generally true.


    So Zhuang Zhixi couldn¡¯t help but think that Bai Fendou might be walking into another trap.


    "Hey, do you know that woman?" Zhou Qun asked, interrupting Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s thoughts.


    Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. "No, I don¡¯t."


    Zhou Qun: "You don¡¯t know her, and she¡¯s not wearing a name tag. I¡¯ll go ask around. We can¡¯t have some shady woman sneaking in here."


    He darted off, and Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin, deep in thought.


    When he looked up again, he saw Zhou Qun darting around, talking to one person after another, busier than ever.


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..."


    Who could have imagined that at the beginning of the year, this person was still putting on a facade of seriousness, spouting moral lessons left and right? The change came so fast it was almost jarring! But honestly, Zhou Qun being like this isn¡¯t so bad. At least he seems more human now.


    Not long after, Zhou Qun returned and sidled up to Zhuang Zhixi, whispering as if they were sharing a secret: ¡°I¡¯ve got the scoop.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°Oh?¡±


    He was curious too and quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the deal? What does that woman do? How did she get in touch with Bai Fendou?¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°I asked around at the entrance. She¡¯s from the union at the bus station, here to help out.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, ¡°Help out? This event is mainly organized by our factory. Most of the people setting up the venue are from our machinery nt. You¡¯ve been here all morning, haven¡¯t you noticed? It¡¯s mostly our people. The school didn¡¯t want to make a big deal, so they didn¡¯t send anyone. As for the bus station, only a few union members are here. We¡¯ve already seen them this morning. She wasn¡¯t among them.¡±


    The school was keeping a low profile, not daring to draw attention, being extremely cautious and quiet.


    As for the bus station, they don¡¯t have weekends off. They operate on a rotating schedule since the buses run every day. So, many people from the bus station signed up for the matchmaking event, and someone had to cover their shifts. In recent years, there¡¯s been a wave of new hires at the bus station, with fewer single people in the administrative offices and more single ticket sellers.


    So, with so many people attending the matchmaking event, a lot of shifts needed to be covered.


    That¡¯s why only five people from the bus station came to help. Zhuang Zhixi knew this well.


    After all, his wife works at the bus station.


    It was because of this connection that the two sides got in touch and organized this matchmaking event. Everyone at the bus station had seen Zhuang Zhixi picking up his wife, so even if they didn¡¯t know him personally, they recognized his face. That¡¯s why they all greeted him when they arrived.


    So, Zhuang Zhixi was familiar with everyone from the bus station, but he hadn¡¯t seen that woman earlier.


    Hearing this, Zhou Qun pped his forehead, ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯ve been here all morning and didn¡¯t see her either. But she wouldn¡¯t lie about this, would she? It¡¯d be too easy to expose. Anyway, I asked a few female colleagues who were standing near Bai Fendou earlier. They said the woman is Bai Fendou¡¯s elementary school ssmate, Guan Guiling. The two old ssmates ran into each other and went out together, saying they were going to eat meat buns. Tsk, look at Bai Fendou, always so sneaky. But they also said the woman is divorced. Geez, it feels like she¡¯s fishing. My heart¡¯s itching with curiosity.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi looked at Zhou Qun in surprise, ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Bai Fendou ssmates too?¡±


    He asked, ¡°If Bai Fendou knows her, howe you don¡¯t?¡±


    Zhou Qun was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°You¡¯re right, Bai Fendou and I are ssmates.¡±


    Zhou Qun, Bai Fendou, and that kid from the Su family were all elementary school ssmates. Although they weren¡¯t the same age, they were born within a year of each other. The Su kid was a year older, but only by about ten months.


    However, none of them studied much, and they all dropped out after elementary school.


    Zhou Qun: ¡°We were in the same ss. Howe I don¡¯t remember having a female ssmate like her?¡±


    ¡°Probably because she¡¯s changed a lot since then. You wouldn¡¯t recognize her.¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°Ugh, my memory is terrible. How could I forget a woman?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°¡­¡±


    Why are you insulting yourself?


    Zhou Qun: ¡°No, I need to go ask around some more.¡±


    He was about to leave when he suddenly stopped and said, ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t need to go out and ask. I can just ask your wife when we get home. She works at the bus station, so she must know, right?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°My wife hasn¡¯t been working there long. She might not know. You should go out and ask. Get the details, and we¡¯ll share what we find out.¡±


    The subtext was clear: Come on, let¡¯s gossip together.


    We¡¯re both gossipy men.


    Zhou Qun: ¡°Just wait and see. I¡¯m off!¡±


    Zhou Qun dove back into the gossip pool.


    It wasn¡¯t just the two of them being nosy. After Bai Fendou left, more than half the people at the event were talking about him. After all, a legendary figure like him was always worth discussing. Especially since this legendary figure, despite being, well, let¡¯s just say ¡°incapacitated,¡± was still looking for a wife.


    Not just any wife, but a pretty one at that.


    Tsk!


    It¡¯s ridiculous!


    Do pretty, well-off girls owe you something?


    It¡¯s natural for gentlemen to admire beautifuldies, but you have to be realistic. Otherwise, it¡¯s just delusional.


    Everyone was baffled as to why someone would leave with Bai Fendou. But then again, the rumors about him being a bit out of touch were spot on. The man was truly something else.


    There¡¯s no denying that Bai Fendou added a lot of spice to the matchmaking event.


    Originally, the young men and women were quite reserved. Even though it was a big event, people back then were generally more introverted, so they were naturally a bit nervous. Those with social confidence were few and far between.


    Someone like Tao Yuye, who dared to dance at the start, was already considered exceptionally bold.


    Most people were rtively reserved, but then Bai Fendou showed up.


    Bai Fendou brought his drama with him.


    Thanks to Bai Fendou, many of the more introverted young men and women found a topic to break the ice and started chatting.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched in amazement. It was truly a case of sacrificing Bai Fendou for the happiness of countless single men and women.


    Take Zhang San, for example.


    Zhang San¡ªin this era, if a brick fell from the sky and hit ten people, five of them would be named Zhang San¡ªworked in the security department at the machinery nt and was Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s gossip buddy. Despite his job, his family situation wasn¡¯t great.


    This time, he didn¡¯t meet anyone suitable at the matchmaking event. Even though he was a full-time employee, his parents were unemployed, he only had one room to his name, and he had a bunch of siblings and inws living together. The burden was heavy.


    So, Zhang San had made a few attempts to approach potential matches, but it hadn¡¯t gone well. Still, he remained optimistic, unlike Bai Fendou.


    When Bai Fendou failed at matchmaking, he med others for not recognizing his worth, thinking they were blind to his ¡°golden¡± qualities. He believed he was a catch, a fine young man with great prospects.


    But Zhang San had self-awareness. He knew his family situation was a burden, and he wasn¡¯t exactly handsome, with his sharp features. It was natural for others to not be interested. So, he took it in stride. When Bai Fendou stirred up the crowd again, Zhang San, as a security staff member, knew all about Bai Fendou¡¯s antics and started sharing stories.


    This ended up enlightening those who weren¡¯t familiar with Bai Fendou¡¯s exploits. While the machinery nt folks were used to it, people from other units hadn¡¯t heard these tales before. The atmosphere became lively, and by the time Zhang San finished talking, a slightly plump girl was still chatting with him.


    The two of them were hitting it off.


    They exchanged knowing looks¡ªboth were gossip enthusiasts.


    And who knows? Maybe there was a spark of something more.


    Zhuang Zhixi watched the lively scene and thought their factory should give Bai Fendou amendation. Truly, society is better with you in it. While Zhuang Zhixi was busy watching the spectacle, Bai Fendou had already left with his old ssmate.


    As they stepped outside, a young boy approached and whispered, ¡°Want to buy some roasted peanuts?¡±


    Guan Guiling: ¡°No, thanks. They¡¯re too expensive. Who would spend money on that?¡±


    Bai Fendou immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a pound.¡±


    Guan Guiling quickly stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t! They¡¯re too pricey. Why waste money? It¡¯s not good for you to spend on me just because we ran into each other.¡±


    Her reluctance to let him spend money made Bai Fendou think of Wang Xiangxiu. What a contrast! Wang Xiangxiu always wanted him to spend more, while his old ssmate seemed genuinely concerned for him.


    He waved it off, ¡°It¡¯s fine. A man from the capital can afford a pound of peanuts.¡±


    The boy quickly handed over the peanuts and took the money, then slipped away. Bai Fendou handed the peanuts to Guan Guiling.


    Guan Guiling held the bag, her expression softening. ¡°Bai Fendou, thank you. You¡¯re such a good person.¡±


    She smiled faintly, "I remember you were different from others back in elementary school, more manly than most. That''s why I had such a deep impression of you. So when I saw you this time, I recognized you immediately. It''s just that you didn''t recognize me, but that''s understandable. I''m just an ordinary woman, not someone worth remembering."


    "Don''t say that, you''re great," he replied.


    They weren¡¯t in a hurry to eat. Instead, they walked to a small park. The reason the matchmaking event was held at the cultural center was because of this nearby park. If two people hit it off, it was convenient for them to take a stroll together.


    Some parks in the city charge an entrance fee, but this one didn¡¯t, so there were still some children ying around.


    The two found a step to sit on.


    Guan Guiling said, "Out of all our ssmates, you left the deepest impression on me. I won¡¯t hide it from you¡ªmy biggest wish as a child was to marry you. Thinking back now, it¡¯s funny how naive I was, but it¡¯s really nice to meet you again."


    Bai Fendou¡¯s face turned slightly red.


    This was the first time someone had ever said something like this to him, and it made him feel incredibly warm.


    "You¡¯re great too," he said. "What about your ex-husband? What did he do?"


    Such a good woman, why did she get married so early?


    Fortunately, she was divorced now, so he felt it was okay to ask.


    Guan Guiling sighed, "My ex-husband¡­ he didn¡¯t do much. He used to be a driver at the bus station, but then he got sick and couldn¡¯t work anymore, so I took over his job. But I don¡¯t know how to drive, and since my husband was sick and needed care, they didn¡¯t assign me as a ticket seller. The leaders were kind and, after some consideration, assigned me to the union. The work isn¡¯t too heavy, and I can still take care of my family. Actually, I wanted to be a ticket seller¡ªit pays three yuan more a month, and there¡¯s extra allowance for being on the bus. But the shifts are irregr, so I had no choice but to give it up. I have five children at home, and the oldest is only ten."


    Bai Fendou eximed, "Wow, that¡¯s a heavy burden."


    Guan Guiling nodded, "You¡¯re right. But what can I do? I guess I¡¯m just unlucky."


    "What illness does your ex-husband have?"


    "Lung disease. He coughs all day and has no strength. He can¡¯t do any work."


    "Lung disease?"


    She quickly exined, "Not tuberculosis! It¡¯s not contagious. He injured his lungs a long time ago and never fully recovered. It kept getting worse over time. The doctors say he can only rest and that it can¡¯t be cured. He¡¯s so thin now, with no strength at all. He can¡¯t do anything."


    She forced a bitter smile, "Even carrying a bucket of water makes him feel like he¡¯s about to faint. My family urged me to divorce him, saying why should I drag this on? Raising children is one thing, but raising a man too? What¡¯s the point? There¡¯s no love between us. We¡¯re more like siblings living under the same roof. My ex-husband even said he hoped I¡¯d divorce him and find someone else. He didn¡¯t want to burden me. We didn¡¯t marry out of love in the first ce. I didn¡¯t want to divorce him¡ªI took over his job, so how could I divorce him and still call myself a decent person? My family wanted me to divorce so I could remarry and get another dowry. I didn¡¯t want to, but they kept pressuring me, and my ex-husband did too. In the end, I couldn¡¯t hold out and divorced him. My family isn¡¯t good to me, so I can¡¯t go back¡ªI¡¯d just be exploited. Even though we¡¯re divorced, I still live with my ex-husband. We¡¯re divorced, but we still share the same home. Otherwise, I¡¯d have nowhere to go. I¡¯ve thought about it¡ªeven if we¡¯re not husband and wife anymore, I¡¯ll treat him like a brother. He¡¯s been good to me. Even though there¡¯s no love between us, if I left him at a time like this, what kind of person would I be?"


    Bai Fendou listened silently.


    Guan Guiling continued, "I¡¯ve been feeling so stifledtely, with no one to talk to. When I saw you, I felt like I could trust you and just wanted to share. Are you tired of listening?"


    Bai Fendou quickly replied, "Not at all."


    He said, "You¡¯re a good woman."


    Guan Guiling smiled, "I knew you were a good person. You¡¯re just as I remembered from when I liked you as a child."


    Bai Fendou¡¯s face turned red.


    Guan Guiling quickly added, "Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I don¡¯t mean anything by it. I just liked you back then, but we were just kids. We didn¡¯t understand much. Now, with how things are, I¡¯m not fit for anyone. Besides, there¡¯s still a man at home, so¡­"


    "Don¡¯t say that. Let¡¯s go eat some buns," Bai Fendou said, thinking how misfortune always seemed to target those already suffering. A good woman like Guan Guiling really had a tough life.


    Guan Guiling said, "Don¡¯t eat buns. They¡¯re too expensive."


    "What¡¯s the big deal? I¡¯m single¡ªI eat when I¡¯m hungry, and that¡¯s it. Let¡¯s go."


    Guan Guiling hesitated, "Well¡­ okay, but don¡¯t buy too many. Just one is enough."


    "Don¡¯t talk like that."


    ¡­


    Though they had just met, they were as familiar as if they had known each other for decades.


    Little did Bai Fendou know, their interaction had sparked countless conversations among the onlookers. Zhuang Zhixi saw it all clearly. As soon as the matchmaking event ended, he rushed home on his bike. It was the weekend, and his wife, Ming Mei, was at home.


    Although there were many substitute ticket sellers on the buses that day, Ming Mei wasn¡¯t one of them.


    Who would dare let a woman five months pregnant sell tickets on a bus? What if something happened?


    Well, Jiang Baohong would.


    But Jiang Baohong had been demoted to a ticket seller after causing trouble, so she couldn¡¯t manage anyone else. She was lucky to manage herself. Her terrible attitude had already gotten her beaten by passengers several times.


    To be fair, most service workers at the time didn¡¯t have the best attitudes, and ordinary people usually didn¡¯t dare provoke them. But Jiang Baohong had pushed people to their limits. Only when pushed too far would someone actually hit her.


    After being beaten a few times, she finally learned to behave. If she didn¡¯t, she might not survive.


    Ming Mei couldn¡¯t care less about Jiang Baohong. Since the woman was no longer in a leadership position, she couldn¡¯t bother Ming Mei anyway.


    Today was Sunday, and Ming Mei was resting as usual, while Zhuang Zhixi was "working overtime."


    Ming Mei was helping the aunts and sisters in the neighborhood with making paper boxes.


    This was a side job Aunt Wang had recently secured for them. Everyone was working enthusiastically because this opportunity wouldn¡¯t be avable next year. Such jobs were usually reserved for impoverished families. They got the chance because of their collective effort in catching thieves earlier in the year.


    Originally, they were supposed to be awarded the title of "Model Courtyard," but now¡­ that was out of the question.


    Their recent antics had disqualified them, but catching thieves was still a real achievement. So Aunt Wang had been pushing the neighborhoodmittee for work opportunities. Themittee understood that while their courtyard had some issues, they couldn¡¯t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch.


    Since they couldn¡¯t get the "Model Courtyard" title, they at least deserved some work opportunities.


    Aunt Wang and Zhao Guihua, along with the other women, were satisfied with this arrangement. If they got nothing, they¡¯d still have to endure their situation. This was already a good oue. By doing these small tasks, they could earn a little extra money to help with household expenses.


    Ming Mei was helping her mother-inw, Zhao Guihua, with the work. She didn¡¯t do much, just a little here and there, and handed it over to her mother-inw. Liang Meifen, on the other hand, was quick and efficient, doing the most work among them.


    Ming Mei took her time, not rushing.


    "Is your husband still working today?" Aunt Sui asked.


    Ming Mei nodded, "Today¡¯s the matchmaking event. He had to go early to set up the venue. I think it should be over by now."


    "Wait, isn¡¯t that the job of the union and the propaganda department? Why did I see Zhou Qun there too?"


    Jiang Lu was also there.


    She said, "The Women¡¯s Federation was involved too. My husband, Zhou Qun, wasn¡¯tfortable with me going, so he went in my ce. Honestly, I think he just wanted to go himself. They originally said I could rest since I¡¯m pregnant, but it¡¯s good he went. At least it shows I¡¯m not using my pregnancy to get special treatment. I didn¡¯t go, but my husband did, so it¡¯s the same."


    "Haha, if Zhou Qun wanted to go, let him. I even saw Bai Fendou there."


    ¡°Bai Fendou went to find a partner. I wonder if he found anyone suitable. I heard most of the applicants this time were young girls, and there were hardly any widows or such. He probably won¡¯t find a match, right?¡± someone muttered.


    ¡°Can¡¯t Bai Fendou want to find a young girl?¡±


    ¡°He might want to, but the girls might not want him. You can¡¯t just force someone, right?¡±


    Aunt Zhou chimed in, ¡°In my opinion, he¡¯s just clueless. People with poor conditions usually feel too embarrassed to attend matchmaking events. In previous years, no one cared, but this year is different. Zhuang Zhixi, that troublemaker, even posted a detailed list of everyone¡¯s family backgrounds. Those with particrly bad conditions didn¡¯t even dare to sign up¡­¡±


    Zhao Guihua snapped, ¡°Who are you calling a troublemaker?¡± She threw her slipper at Aunt Zhou, who dodged just in time.


    Aunt Zhou yelled, ¡°Why are you hitting me?¡±


    Zhao Guihua retorted, ¡°Who told you to badmouth my son? My son did this for everyone¡¯s benefit! By making everything clear, we prevent people from taking advantage. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it be a scam? If you¡¯re not honest when introducing someone, it¡¯s just cheating. We¡¯re avoiding that kind of situation. In my opinion, everyone should thank my son for his idea. At least now people know they can¡¯t just boast without substance.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Some people really don¡¯t tell the truth during matchmaking.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Aunt Zhou grumbled, ¡°I was just saying it casually. Besides, I wasn¡¯t talking about Zhuang Zhixi. I was talking about Bai Fendou. He shouldn¡¯t have gone. In our neighboring courtyard, there¡¯s Da Qiang¡­¡±


    ¡°Da Qiang?¡±


    Aunt Zhou rolled her eyes, ¡°Qiang Dandan.¡±


    ¡°Oh, him! Isn¡¯t he single too? Did he go?¡±


    Aunt Zhou replied, ¡°I ran into him this morning when I went to the restroom. He wasn¡¯t dressed up at all, so I stopped him and asked. Guess what? He didn¡¯t even sign up. He said he¡¯s a widower and aborer. With his conditions, he wouldn¡¯t find anyone suitable, so why waste time? His situation is much better than Bai Fendou¡¯s, but even he didn¡¯t bother. Bai Fendou is still pushing his luck. Isn¡¯t that just nonsense?¡±


    Zhao Guihua disagreed, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that. Whether your conditions are good or bad, if you want to find a partner, you should sign up. Not everyone judges by conditions. Besides, there are people with both good and bad conditions signing up. If we city folks say our conditions are bad, how much harder is it for those in the countryside? And finding a partner isn¡¯t just about family background.¡±


    ¡°Zhao Guihua makes a good point.¡±


    Zhao Guihua continued, ¡°So, I think if Bai Fendou wants to find a partner, going to the matchmaking event is the right thing to do.¡±


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re right.¡± Just as they were talking, Zhuang Zhixi came speeding back on his bike.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re absolutely right. After all, you never know when fate will strike. Today at the event, Bai Fendou left with a woman.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    Even Wang Xiangxiu, who was quietly earning some extra money, paused for a moment before quickly resuming her work, as if it had nothing to do with her. Everyone nced at her and then turned to Zhuang Zhixi, asking, ¡°What happened? Tell us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what happened?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. It¡¯s a matchmaking event, so if two people hit it off, they just leave together.¡±


    ¡°I know! I know!¡± Zhou Qun, who had returned shortly after Zhuang Zhixi, was excited. After all, this was big gossip.


    He said, ¡°I know! The woman who left with Bai Fendou today is Guan Guiling. She¡¯s actually an elementary school ssmate of mine and Bai Fendou¡¯s. She wasn¡¯t there specifically to find a partner. She works at the bus station¡¯s union and came to help at the event. But she was four hourste. Tsk, clearly not serious about helping. She has a husband and four kids, but her husband is seriously ill and in poor health. After she took over his job, they divorced, but they still live together. That¡¯s what I found out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it wasn¡¯t that they hit it off. I thought they had.¡±


    ¡°Well, that makes sense. Someone like Bai Fendou would be hard-pressed to find a match.¡±


    ¡°Probably just old ssmates catching up.¡±


    At this point, Lan Sihai, who had been quietly observing, chimed in with a cryptic remark, ¡°Who says having a husband means you can¡¯t seed in matchmaking?¡±


    Everyone eximed, ¡°What!¡±


    Their eyes widened in disbelief.


    For a moment, no one understood what Lan Sihai was saying.


    Lan Sihai casually added, ¡°It¡¯s still possible to bring the old husband along and marry a new one.¡±


    After saying that, he turned to his wife, ¡°Let¡¯s go out to eat?¡±


    Luo Xiaohe, still in shock, looked at Lan Sihai for a long moment before finally responding, ¡°Oh, okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The old couple lived a veryfortable life.


    Many in the courtyard envied them. After all, among the elderly, they were living the good life. Of course, there were whispers behind their backs, criticizing Lan Sihai for being too selfish and not thinking about his children. Shouldn¡¯t he save more for his kids? If he had the means to help, shouldn¡¯t he do more?


    But that was just everyone else¡¯s opinion, not Lan Sihai¡¯s. The old man lived life on his own terms. Even when his daughter¡ªMing Mei¡¯s mother¡ªcame to deliver Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, he told her not to bother with formalities and to leave him alone.


    Can you believe that?


    In short, many people thought Lan Sihai was selfish.


    But regardless, he was living his best life.


    Look at him now, heading out to eat again.


    No one knew how Luo Xiaohe got so lucky. After a lifetime of hardship, she finally found happiness in herter years.


    Fate is truly unpredictable.


    Some people exhaust all their bad luck in the first half of their lives, only to live well in the second half. The two of them walked away, and as they reached the door, Lan Sihai turned to Ming Mei and said, ¡°Xiao Ming, I¡¯ve got a pound of yarn coupons. What color do you want?¡±


    Ming Mei replied without hesitation, ¡°Red!¡±


    She didn¡¯t even ask why; she just took the offer immediately, saying, ¡°If possible, I¡¯d like red. If not, any other color is fine. Thank you, Grandpa.¡±


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°It¡¯s not free. Have your husbande over and do some work for me. These next few days, he can buy the cabbage and coal briquettes for me. Also, have him check the roof. I heard that heavy snow in the north can even bend the roof?¡±


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡±


    It was true that heavy snow sometimes caused minor issues, but bending the roof seemed like an exaggeration.


    Lan Sihai said, ¡°Just get it all done for me.¡±


    Ming Mei replied, ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head andined, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m standing right here. Why don¡¯t you just tell me directly instead of going through my wife?¡±


    Lan Sihai replied, ¡°Because I feel like it.¡±


    This old man!


    He¡¯s really something.


    Lan Sihai arrogantly left with his wife.


    Meanwhile, the younger wives and sisters-inw in the courtyard looked at Ming Mei with envy. Doing a little work and getting a pound of yarn was a lot!


    And yarn coupons weren¡¯t something just anyone could get. Usually, only mid-level or higher employees in the factory had ess to them. Whether it was Zhuang Zhixi from the propaganda department, Jiang Lu from the women¡¯s federation, or even Zhuang Laonian, a sixth-grade worker in the workshop, none of them had such perks.


    Only someone like Lan Sihai, a skilled technical expert, could get them.


    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s thick or thin yarn. If it¡¯s thin, it¡¯s enough to knit a sweater.¡± Thick yarn wouldn¡¯t be enough, but if you saved up, another pound would do the trick.


    Having well-connected rtives was such an advantage. Just doing a little work here and there, and you wouldn¡¯t leave empty-handed. Everyone in the courtyard helped the elderly with buying coal briquettes and cabbage or cleaning the roof.


    But they didn¡¯t get any yarn.


    While everyone was envious of the yarn, Zhou Qun was still stuck on Lan Sihai¡¯s earlierment. Suddenly, he spoke up, ¡°What did Uncle Lan mean by that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? He was just talking about doing some work, right?¡±


    ¡°Not this, I mean, he said marrying a new man while still being with the old one... Hiss!~¡± The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had stumbled upon something, even though he had never interacted with Guan Guiling. But he thought it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible.


    Otherwise, why would anyone be willing to get involved with Bai Fendou?


    That just didn¡¯t make sense.


    Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin, thinking that what his grandfather said actually made some sense.


    No one understood, but everyone was deeply shocked.


    Indeed, with agees experience, and a broader perspective on things. Look, ordinary people like them hadn¡¯t even considered such a possibility. But someone like Uncle Lan, who had seen much of the world, could guess such things right away.


    At that moment, an elderly woman from the backyard spoke up: ¡°Back in the day, things like this weren¡¯t umon. If the man of the house couldn¡¯t provide, and the woman couldn¡¯t support the family alone, she would find another man to help out. The husband would tacitly allow it. This was called ¡®pulling a helper.¡¯¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi: ¡°...¡±


    Ming Mei: ¡°...¡±


    Others: ¡°...¡±


    In short, it was an eye-opener.


    Everyone turned to look at Wang Xiangxiu. She had done something simr in the past, but things had spiraled out of control, and now the two families werepletely estranged. Wang Xiangxiu was quietly working and didn¡¯t offer any opinion.


    It was Aunt Zhou who couldn¡¯t hold back and asked, ¡°Wang Xiangxiu, what do you think about Bai Fendou¡¯s situation?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu replied calmly, ¡°It has nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    She looked up and said, ¡°I just want to work and earn money.¡±


    Ever since she learned the truth about her husband¡¯s death and Aunt Su¡¯s schemes, she had grown disgusted with making money through those means. She thought, even if it meant working harder, she couldn¡¯t afford to get into trouble again. If something happened to her, her three children would truly be orphans, with no one to care for them.


    She could endure anything, but her children were her life.


    Moreover, Wang Xiangxiu knew she wasn¡¯t entirely innocent and that many eyes were on her, waiting to catch her in a mistake.


    After all, her mother-inw had once been of that kind of background...


    In their current situation, she could only rely on herself.


    She looked up and said, ¡°Right now, I just want to raise my children well. I can¡¯t afford to get involved in anything else.¡±


    No one spoke at that moment.


    Wang Xiangxiu added, ¡°I wronged him in the past, but we won¡¯t have any contact in the future.¡±


    She took a deep breath and got up to go home and cook. As she turned around, she saw Toni standing at the door. She immediately went over and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go cook. I¡¯ll bring food to your brotherster.¡±


    Toni: ¡°Okay.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Toni followed Wang Xiangxiu and asked, ¡°Mom, when are theying home?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll have to ask the doctor at the hospital.¡±


    She chopped some cabbage and, after hesitating, added a thumb-sized piece of meat to the pot. Toni saw it and swallowed hard, saying, ¡°It¡¯s meat.¡±


    Their family used to eat meat fairly often, but it had been a long time since theyst had any.


    Unlike his two older brothers, who were unaware of what had happened at home, Toni had been with Wang Xiangxiu the whole time and knew everything. At six or seven years old, he was at an age where he wasn¡¯t entirely clueless but still young. However, young as he was, he could still understand what was being said.


    At the very least, Toni knew that his father¡¯s death was rted to his grandmother and that she wasn¡¯t a good person. She had hidden a lot of gold, nning to keep it for her old age, and refused to use it to treat his brothers. He knew all of this.


    He also knew that the gold had been confiscated, his grandmother and second aunt had been arrested, and their family was now very poor.


    ¡°Mom, meat is expensive.¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°I know, but you¡¯re still young and can¡¯tck nutrition. Besides, your brothers are in a bad state right now, and they need to recover...¡±


    After finishing cooking, she suddenly began to ponder.


    Her mother-inw¡¯s hidden gold bars had been discovered and confiscated. But over the years, her mother-inw must have swindled money from Old Man Bai. And surely, she must have saved some money when she was younger. So where was that money?


    She suddenly grew curious and began inspecting the room.


    Because of her mother-inw¡¯s background, their home had been thoroughly searched that day. Nothing unusual had been found, and the gold bars had been dug up outside, as Gou Lanxiang had confessed. But what about the money her mother-inw had saved over the years?


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly scooped out some food and said, ¡°You eat first. I¡¯m going to search the house.¡±


    She began carefully searching the house. Toni, holding his bowl, asked, ¡°Mom, what are you looking for?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°Your grandmother¡¯s private savings.¡±


    In fact, Aunt Su had confessed about the gold bars, so she must have also admitted to having some private savings. However, the private savings she had umted over the years were different from the gold bars she had obtained through exploitation in the old society.


    Therefore, the authorities had only confiscated the gold bars, not her private savings.


    Since this wasn¡¯t thoroughly investigated, Aunt Su hadn¡¯t mentioned it.


    Compared to the major crimes she had confessed to, this was just a trivial matter of daily life and hadn¡¯t been pursued in detail. Wang Xiangxiu had only just thought of it. After all, the gold bars had been so shocking.


    Everyone had been focused on the confiscated gold bars and had forgotten that Aunt Su also had some private savings.


    ¡°Where would your grandmother usually hide her money?¡±


    Toni shook his head. He didn¡¯t know.


    Wang Xiangxiu was also puzzled. During the search, nothing had been found, so it must have been well hidden. After all, her mother-inw had gone so far as to bury the gold bars outside. This showed that she didn¡¯t do things in a conventional way.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Wang Xiangxiu was eager to find the money. She had some savings, but in less than a month, her children¡¯s hospital bills had drained her down to just two hundred yuan. Both of her children were in critical condition, and saving their lives had cost a fortune.


    Wang Xiangxiu was desperate.


    ¡°Mom, when Grandma gave us money, she always breathed really hard.¡± Toni didn¡¯t understand much, but he still wanted to help.


    He didn¡¯t want his brothers to die because they couldn¡¯t afford treatment.


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°Breathing hard?¡±


    She suddenly thought that perhaps the money was hidden somewhere high up, which would require climbing and thus cause heavy breathing.


    With this in mind, she immediately stood up, found a stool, and climbed up to the beam. Sure enough, there was a small box there. Wang Xiangxiu was so excited she nearly fell. She quickly grabbed the box. Toni¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw they had found something.


    Wang Xiangxiu happily kissed her son on the cheek and said, ¡°My son is so good. I knew I could count on you. Go eat now.¡±


    Toni: ¡°Okay.¡±


    He sat down to eat, ncing at his mother. Wang Xiangxiu hurriedly opened the box.


    When she opened it, she bit her lip. Inside were various bills of different denominations.


    Not only that, but there was also a gold ring.


    The gold ring was smooth and well-worn, showing that Aunt Su must have secretly worn it from time to time. Seeing this made Wang Xiangxiu even more disgusted with the old hag. She had once thought her mother-inw was a good woman, but now she saw her as a wicked old crone.


    Wang Xiangxiu quickly counted the money and was shocked by the amount.


    Her mother-inw, who had no job, had over eight hundred yuan in private savings.


    To put it in perspective, a regr worker would earn that much in two or three years. Thinking about this, Wang Xiangxiu realized just how much the old woman had swindled. Who knows how many old men she had scammed.


    Wang Xiangxiu felt disgusted but also wondered why her mother-inw hadn¡¯t confessed about this private savings.


    Perhaps she thought she could still get out?


    Wang Xiangxiu hadpletely misjudged her mother-inw, but based on her past experiences with her, she could somewhat understand Aunt Su¡¯s thinking. She hadn¡¯t mentioned the savings because she wanted to keep it as a backup for her old age.


    As for why she confessed about the gold bars, it was probably because she knew that if she didn¡¯t admit to something major, the authorities wouldn¡¯t believe her. By sacrificing the big prize and keeping the smaller one, she ensured that the police believed her confession.


    This smaller amount was left untouched.


    If she had confessed about the smaller savings but not the gold bars, the investigation might have continued, and the gold bars could have been discovered. Then she would have been left with nothing. This way, at least she had something.


    She must have thought she could still get out.


    Wang Xiangxiu curled her lip in disgust.


    Her mother-inw truly had eight hundred tricks up her sleeve. But now that the money had fallen into her hands, she had no intention of giving it back. It would be perfect for treating her child''s illness. Besides, her son Yii had been badly injured this time and might need long-term care, so the money woulde in handy.


    She clenched the money tightly and said, "See, your grandma is such a good person, a truly great person. She has so much money, but she won''t spare a single cent."


    Not only did she refuse to give any, but she also forced her to go out and "borrow" money by selling herself.


    That day, she had indeed slept with several men to "borrow" money. What Yuan Jun had said to her that day was absolutely true¡ªher legs were sore because she had borrowed too much money. She pursed her lips and reminded herself once again to live uprightly from now on.


    Otherwise, her children would never be able to hold their heads high.


    She rubbed her eyes and said, "From now on, let''s live a steady life."


    Toni softly replied, "Okay."


    Wang Xiangxiu added, "Don''t learn from your grandma. If you act like her, you''ll end up in jail for the rest of your life."


    Toni nodded solemnly.


    He really didn¡¯t want to go to jail. Not at all.


    "Let''s go. After eating, we''ll take food to the hospital."


    "Okay."


    The mother and son walked out together. The paper box-making activity in the yard had just ended, and everyone was heading home for lunch. Suddenly, Toni said, "Mom, I¡¯ll help you make paper boxes this afternoon."


    Wang Xiangxiu was taken aback for a moment, thenughed and said, "Okay, you can be my assistant."


    On their way, they ran into Ming Mei, who had just returned from the restroom. Ming Mei greeted them, "Going to the hospital?"


    Wang Xiangxiu nodded and then added, "Ming Mei, my family is thinking of raising chickens. Could you ask your mother-inw where she got her hens? Would that be okay?"


    She was actually quite intimidated by Zhao Guihua.


    That olddy was really fierce.


    Ming Mei replied, "Sure."


    Then she whispered, "But it¡¯s probably not cheap."


    Wang Xiangxiu said, "If the quality is good, we¡¯ll make the money back quickly." She knew how to calcte.


    Some hens were cheaper, but they didn¡¯ty many eggs, so it took longer to recoup the investment.


    Several olddies in their courtyard raised chickens, two per household, and it was quite profitable¡ªthey almost always had eggs to collect. Previously, her child had tried to steal some, but the owners kept a close eye, so they hadn¡¯t seeded. Now, her own family could raise chickens too.


    "Thank you," Wang Xiangxiu said.


    Ming Mei replied, "No need to thank me."


    As Ming Mei walked home, she heard the hens clucking in the yard and said, "Lay lots of eggs,y lots of eggs!"


    Zhuang Zhixi stood at the door, smiling teasingly at her, and asked, "Feeling greedy?"


    Ming Mei retorted, "Not at all! It¡¯s just that Wang Xiangxiu..."


    She exined the situation and then sighed, "Actually, her family should have started raising chickens earlier. Aunt Su never bothered because she was toozy."


    After all, it required some effort.


    Zhuang Zhixi agreed, "Exactly."


    The two of them entered the house together. Zhuang Zhixi leaned closer to his wife and asked, "Do you know Guan Guiling? She works at your unit."


    He hadn¡¯t asked directly in the yard, afraid it might be awkward for her to answer.


    Ming Mei nodded, "I know her."


    After thinking for a moment, she added more precisely, "Actually, I don¡¯t really know her, but I¡¯m aware of her existence. I see her around, but we¡¯re not familiar."


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "She approached Bai Fendou..."


    Ming Mei hesitated before saying, "I think my grandfather was right, and Zhou Qun was right too. It¡¯s almost certainly what everyone is thinking. At work, I¡¯ve heard that Guan Guiling is looking for a partner, but she wants to bring her ex-husband along."


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "What the f*** (a type of nt)! Is that even something a person coulde up with?"


    Ming Mei blinked and said, "Don¡¯t swear! What if the baby picks it up?"


    She rubbed her belly and added, "We need to speak politely."


    Zhuang Zhixi replied earnestly, "Don¡¯t worry. Our babies have seen and heard it all while still in the womb. This kind of thing is nothing new to them."


    Ming Mei sighed, "I don¡¯t want to admit it, but you¡¯re probably right."


    Zhuang Zhixiughed and hugged his wife, saying, "Let¡¯s go."


    Ming Mei poked his waist and asked, "Since we know this, should we tell Bai Fendou?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "No need. A lot of people have figured it out, so someone will tell him. Besides, if Guan Guiling really ns to bring her ex-husband along, she¡¯ll have to tell Bai Fendou herself."


    He paused and added, "Also, all of this is just spection. Nothing¡¯s set in stone yet. Maybe she won¡¯t bring him, and we¡¯re wrong to assume."


    Ming Mei nodded, "You¡¯re right."


    She said softly, "But I think Bai Fendou is quite something. He always attracts such strange women."


    Zhuang Zhixi was speechless.

 Chapter 131

    When Bai Fendou returned in the afternoon, he was humming a tune, clearly in a good mood. Running into a female ssmate always brought a sense of joy, especially when she seemed gentle and affectionate, and perhaps even a little interested in him. Bai Fendou was feeling quite pleased with himself. He had bought a small bottle of liquor, tucked it into his pocket, and was humming as he swaggered into the courtyard.


    As soon as he entered, he was met with a barrage of eyes staring at him. Everyone was sitting in the courtyard, busy making paper boxes. The moment they saw Bai Fendou, they immediately asked, "Bai Fendou, how did your blind date go?"


    Bai Fendou chuckled and said, "It didn''t work out. Those young girls are only interested in guys with good conditions. They don''t recognize a gem when they see one. Actually, my conditions aren''t bad either, but I''m more of an introverted type, so they don''t see it."


    The crowd let out a long "Ohhh."


    Zhou Qun cut in, "If it didn''t work out, why are you so happy? I saw you walking off with someone. What''s the deal? Did you find a new target?"


    Bai Fendou coughed and said, "Don''t talk nonsense. There''s nothing between me and Guan Guiling. We just ran into each other as old ssmates and caught up."


    Zhou Qun said sarcastically, "Old ssmates? You only went to elementary school together. Your old ssmates are my old ssmates too. Why didn''t you call me to join?"


    Bai Fendou nced at Zhou Qun and said, "Why should I call you? Guan Guiling remembered me, but she didn''t remember you. If she doesn''t remember you, what''s there to catch up about?" It hadn''t urred to him before, but now that Zhou Qun mentioned it, he realized that both he and Zhou Qun were present, but Guan Guiling had recognized him and not Zhou Qun. This made Bai Fendou quite proud. After all, over the years, he had always been secretlyparing himself to Zhou Qun, who had been doing better in life.


    Now, he felt like he had finally outdone Zhou Qun, since Guan Guiling had remembered him so vividly.


    He smiled, his chin lifting with pride, and said, "You? You''re just not up to par."


    With that, he hummed his tune and headed home.


    Zhou Qun called after him, "Hey, where are you going? You better be careful with that Guan Guiling. Don''t let her take advantage of you!"


    Bai Fendou wasn''t upset by thisment. Instead, he took it as a sign of Zhou Qun''s jealousy.


    He thought to himself, "Haha, I never thought I''d feel Zhou Qun''s jealousy. This feels great!"


    Bai Fendou happily went home, ignoring whatever Zhou Qun was saying. Zhou Qun, on the other hand, decided to stop helping his mother with the paper boxes. Truth be told, he didn''t really enjoy doing it in the first ce. He had only been doing it to get closer to the women in the neighborhood. Sitting around chatting wasn''t very interesting, so he needed something to do.


    He got up and followed Bai Fendou, saying, "Hey, where are you going? Do you even know Guan Guiling that well? Zhuang Zhixi''s wife works at the bus station. I can help you find out more about her if you want."


    Bai Fendou didn''t like this suggestion and said, "Why wouldn''t I know her? And what do I have that anyone would want to take advantage of? Stop causing trouble and go away."


    Zhou Qun said, "You... Hey, Zhuang Zhixi, where are you going?"


    He was standing by Bai Fendou''s window when he saw Zhuang Zhixi leaving with a bag. He quickly stopped him, wanting to ask a few questions.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "I''m going to buy some vegetables."


    Zhou Qun said, "Buying vegetables at this time? The afternoon vegetables aren''t fresh."


    He nced at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Your family isn''t short on money, right? A pound of vegetables isn''t even a penny cheaper. Why would you buy the less fresh ones?"


    Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I''m buying green beans. It doesn''t matter if they''re fresh or not. I''m going to nch them and dry them for winter."


    In the north, during winter, there really aren''t many fresh vegetables avable. It''s mostly cabbage and radishes, and maybe some dried vegetables from the summer. Green beans, for example, are nched and dried, and they taste quite good in winter.


    There are also dried mushrooms and wood ear fungus, but beyond that, there isn''t much else. They''ve heard about greenhouse vegetables, but those are rarely seen in the ck market and are prohibitively expensive. Even if their family is rtively well-off, they can''t afford to eat those regrly.


    Besides, if they had that kind of money, wouldn''t it be better to buy meat?


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at Zhou Qun and said, "Isn''t your family drying vegetables this year?"


    At this, Zhou Qun couldn''t help but feel a little proud. "We''ve already dried some," he said with a smirk.


    With Wang Zhaodi around, his family was doing much better than in previous years.


    Sure, their expenses had gone up because Wang Zhaodi ate a lot, but it was worth it!


    Recently, Zhou Qun''s sry only left him with five yuan for food, and the rest had to be handed over to Jiang Lu. Since the money didn''t pass through his hands, he didn''t feel the pinch too much. But the benefits were clear. Before Wang Zhaodi came, his mother was quitezy, and Jiang Lu had to work, so all the household chores had to be done after work. It was a daily struggle to keep up.


    But now, with Wang Zhaodi around, everything was prepared and tidied up early. He had to admit, he was starting to see the benefits of having a maid, just like in the old days.


    He smiled with a hint of pride and said, "You still have to go buy vegetables? I don''t have to do any of that work at home."


    He then gave Zhuang Zhixi a sympathetic look and said, "A grown man going to buy vegetables? You''re really something."


    Zhuang Zhixi, unfazed, smiled and said, "That''s because I''m a good man. A good man always thinks about his family. Should I let my parents do all the work? That wouldn''t be filial. Should I let my wife do it? She''s pregnant, and I can''t bear to make her work. As a man, I have to take responsibility. I''m happy to do this work."


    The women making paper boxes all made "tsk tsk" sounds. Buying vegetables was hardly a big deal, but Zhuang Zhixi made it sound like he was doing something extraordinary. Was it really that big of a deal?


    Ming Mei, however, smiled sweetly and said softly, "My Zhixi is the best. He''s responsible, capable, and funny. No one canpare to him."


    The others rolled their eyes. How shameless of them to brag like that!


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Of course, if I weren''t good, I wouldn''t be worthy of you. My wife is beautiful, capable, generous, and even earns more than I do. I have to do my best so that we can be a perfect match."


    Zhao Guihua continued making paper boxes, her expression nk. She had seen this kind of behavior from them in her past life.


    She was used to it, so it didn''t surprise her.


    The others, however, felt like their lunch hadn''t settled well. Their stomachs were churning from all the sharine talk.


    Zhou Qun''s face scrunched up in disgust, and he said, "Just go already."


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "You''re the one who stopped me. You''re the one wasting my time."


    Just as he was about to leave, Zhou Qun spoke again.


    "Hey, why aren''t you riding your bike?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Are you going to let me leave or not?"


    He then said directly, "If you have something to ask, can''t you ask someone else? Why are you always bothering me? If you have nothing to do, go y with Bai Fendou. You two get along well. You''re just wasting my time."


    Zhou Qun frowned as if he had a toothache and said, "The way you say it..."


    Before he could say more, Zhuang Zhixi finally left.


    Zhou Qun called out, "Hey~"


    "Stop calling. The bike was taken by the old man and the eldest son."


    Zhao Guihua, watching Zhou Qun''s antics, said, "They went fishing."


    Zhou Qun said, "Old Zhuang has been fishing a lottely."


    Zhao Guihua said, "If they catch something, it''s a good meal, isn''t it?"


    Everyone nodded in agreement. A pound of meat cost 85 cents, and while fish wasn''t as good as meat, it was still better than vegetables. Speaking of buying vegetables, Aunt Wang said, "I''m going to buy cabbage tomorrow morning. Are any of youing?"


    "Yes!"


    "How much are you buying this year?"


    Aunt Wang said, "I''m thinking of buying 200 pounds, and some radishes too."


    "You''re buying less than us. We''re nning to buy more this year, and fewer radishes. My family doesn''t like radishes much; they say it gives them heartburn. Zhao Guihua, what about you?"


    Zhao Guihua said, "I need to buy more. I want to buy 400 pounds. My family is big, and there are more adults. If I don''t buy enough, what will we eat? I''ll buy 400 pounds of cabbage and some radishes too. I''ll pickle some cabbage and make some radish pickles. I might even make some kimchi. I''ll see how it goes; if it''s not enough, I might buy more."


    "We''re pickling cabbage this year too. Aunt Wang,e over and give me some tips."


    "Sure."


    "This year, each family''s storage space has been separated, and I feel like my area has gotten a bit bigger."


    The front yard had been reallocated, with the basement divided into small storage units, and the backyard followed suit. Previously, everyone had their own sections, but with shared storage, there were alwaysints about someone swapping good cabbages for inferior ones. Now, each family had their own space, and things were much better.


    "Are you buying first-grade or second-grade cabbage?"


    Even cabbages were categorized by quality.


    "I want to buy the better ones. There¡¯s less waste, and they¡¯re more tender."


    "My family is getting second-grade. It¡¯s the most cost-effective."


    As everyone discussed buying vegetables, Ming Mei sat for a while but felt ufortable staying seated for too long, so she got up to take a walk.


    Her gaze inadvertently fell on Bai Fendou''s room, where she saw him admiring himself in the mirror, turning left and right as if appreciating his own face. Ming Mei shuddered and quickly looked away, muttering, "That¡¯s hard to watch." She strolled back to her room and looked at her slightly swollen calves, sighing, "Being pregnant is really tough."


    She rarelyined in front of others, but she deeply felt the strain.


    Just as she finished speaking, her mother-inw, Zhao Guihua, came over and asked, "Are you feeling alright?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Ming Mei shook her head gently and said, "I¡¯m fine, just a bit tired."


    Zhao Guihua replied, "Then don¡¯t bother with the paper boxes. Lie down for a while. If you feel too cooped up in the room, bring the rocking chair outside."


    Ming Mei agreed, "Sure."


    She enjoyed being around everyone, so when Zhao Guihua saw her moving the rocking chair, she quickly intervened, "Oh, let me do that. You shouldn¡¯t be lifting things in your condition¡­"


    Ming Mei returned without doing any work, sitting on the rocking chair and joining the gossip.


    Jiang Lu noticed and nudged Zhou Qun, as their family also had a rocking chair.


    Zhou¡¯s mother nced over, pursed her lips in dissatisfaction but didn¡¯t dare say anything.


    Among the pregnant women in the courtyard, Ming Mei and Jiang Lu were treated with extra care, while Li Fang, who had already given birth twice, remained calm and experienced fewer diforts.


    "How are the preparations for the babying along¡­?"


    Even though the due dates were months away, the topic of preparation came up again¡­


    Although city folks didn¡¯t work in the fields, autumn was still a busy season, especially in the north, where heavy snowfall in winter required extensive preparation. This summer had seen a lot of rain, and many families had gone to the mountains to gather mushrooms, which had added variety to their meals. But there was still much to be done.


    After the matchmaking event, National Day arrived, bringing a few days of holiday.


    But the holiday wasn¡¯t rxing¡ªeveryone was busy.


    Early in the morning, they had to get up to buy cabbages. If you wanted the best ones, you had to go early.


    Once the cabbages were brought home, they had to be pickled or turned into kimchi.


    Radishes were also bought, nched, and cut into strips to dry.


    Beans couldn¡¯t be forgotten either¡­


    And, of course, the winter essentials like coal briquettes.


    Every household was bustling with activity. Zhao Guihua¡¯s family had many members, so while there were more hands to help, the amount of work was also greater. But no oneined. After all, having more people meant prosperity.


    In the countryside, having many siblings was seen as a sign of strongbor force, which was considered a great advantage.


    Though everyone loved to gossip, when it came to matters of survival, the atmosphere changedpletely. Recently, no one had time for drama¡ªthey were all busy storing vegetables. Even Bai Fendou, who usually had his father to help, was now doing everything alone, which left him feeling a bit lonely.


    Perhaps because of this, he didn¡¯t seem as cheerful as before.


    The storage cer was allocated by family size, so Zhao Guihua¡¯s family of eight and Bai Fendou¡¯s household of one got the same amount of space. As a result, Zhao Guihua¡¯s cer was packed full, while Bai Fendou¡¯s was only half-filled.


    When Liang Meifen suggested borrowing some space from Bai Fendou, at least for a pickling jar, Zhao Guihua firmly refused. She knew Bai Fendou wasn¡¯t malicious, but his poor judgment often led to trouble, so she preferred not to get involved with him in any material matters.


    People¡¯s liveliness often depends on having some leisure time, but autumn was a critical period for storing food, and no one cked off. Zhao Guihua had prepared a lot this year, which gave her peace of mind.


    However, the food shortage this year was now widely known. The heavy summer rains had affected crop growth, and even in the capital, rations were limited.


    Even the factory canteen had restrictions¡ªwhite steamed buns were limited to two per person.


    Fortunately, Zhao Guihua had prepared well in advance, so her family had plenty of food.


    The olddy had more than just her two sons¡ªshe also had a daughter, Zhuang Zhixin, living on an ind. Zhao Guihua was less worried about her. Although Zhuang Zhixin lived on a military base, their life was rtively stablepared to many cities.


    The ind had few civilians, mostly military personnel, so issues like political background checks were lessmon. Moreover, being surrounded by the sea, they nevercked fish.


    Every year, Zhuang Zhixin would send dried fish, shrimp, and seaweed.


    This year, since Zhao Guihua¡¯s family had dried their own, they didn¡¯t receive as much, but Zhao Guihua still made sure to send her daughter some supplies.


    She had sent tworge pieces of fabric, enough for Zhuang Zhixin to make a dress and two tops for her grandchildren.


    However, Zhao Guihua kept this low-key, as the fabric had been obtained through unofficial channels.


    Life on the ind was good in terms of seafood, but other supplies were scarce.


    This year, due to the widespread food shortages caused by the heavy rains, Zhao Guihua was still concerned. She prepared ten pounds of fried flour, along with dried mushrooms, fungus, and other items, and sent them to her daughter.


    These were things the indcked.


    As for salted fish, Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t bother sending any¡ªthe ind had plenty of that.


    Far away on the ind, Zhuang Zhixin was teaching at the local elementary school. She had a high school diploma, which was rare among the ind¡¯s residents and military wives.


    Most soldiers came from rural areas, and their wives often had little to no education.


    Zhuang Zhixin, havinge from the capital with a high school education, was exceptional.


    She could have taught at the middle school, but she preferred working with younger children and was now the vice principal of the elementary school. However, even as a vice principal, she still had to teach.


    After ss, Zhuang Zhixin returned to her office with her lesson ns when the gatekeeper came to inform her, "Vice Principal Zhuang, the postman is here with a package for you."


    Zhuang Zhixin smiled, "That must be from my mom."


    Her inws, on the other hand, were as good as dead to her¡ªthey never sent anything. Her husband¡¯s mother had passed away, and his father had remarried and had three more children. Her husband, the eldest son, had been sent off to the military as soon as he came of age.


    The rtionship between them was icy¡ªliterally.


    The attitude of the stepmother was straightforward: if you''re not biologically rted, there''s no need to pretend to have deep feelings. Avoid seeing each other as much as possible. She didn''t expect to gain any advantages from Zhuang Zhixin, but neither did she cause any trouble for her.


    This was the stepmother''s stance.


    With a stepmotheres a stepfather.


    The two families were distant. When they returned to the capital to visit rtives, they weren''t even invited to stay for lunch, let alone spend the night. Of course, there was a silver lining: neither side took advantage of the other. It was as if they had mutually agreed to act as if the other didn''t exist.


    This might sound harsh, but it was essentially how things were handled.


    So, when Zhuang Zhixin decided to marry this man, her parents were firmly against it. After the marriage, her husband''s side offered no support whatsoever. Nowadays, people prefer to marry into families that are well-rounded, where the elderly can help manage the household.


    But Zhuang Zhixin was determined. She married him despite her parents'' objections, which infuriated them. When sheter quit her job to follow him to his military post, they scolded her mercilessly. Zhao Guihua always felt that her daughter had lost her mind.


    Zhuang Zhixin could have married someone better, but she was young and steadfast in her love.


    Now, eight years into her marriage, her life was decent.


    Her judgment hadn''t been wrong. Her husband was a good man, treating her well and upright in character. However, she had to admit that her mother was right. While her life was manageable, it was also incredibly tough. As a northerner living on a southern ind, the first couple of years were filled with inconveniences and adjustments. To make matters worse, she was pregnant and gave birth during that time, while her husband was away on missions. She had no one to help her, and it was truly agonizing.


    Eventually, she had no choice but to ask her mother toe and help during her postpartum period. At that time, her eldest nephew was just over a year old, and her sister-inw was extremely displeased with her.


    With no one to rely on, her husband often away on missions, and having to juggle taking care of the household, her job, and her child, life was exhausting. Sometimes she wondered if things would have been different if she had listened to her mother and stayed in the capital or married someone else.


    But she quickly reaffirmed her decision.


    Though that alternative might have been good, she still had deep feelings for her husband.


    Especially over the years, hearing stories from other military wives about their difficult lives and the mistreatment from their mothers-inw, she felt that her situation¡ªwhere both sides kept their distance¡ªwasn''t so bad after all.


    Not having a mother-inw wasn''t a bad thing.


    Zhuang Zhixin went to pick up a package after work.


    This year, the ind was also facing food shortages, and they had tightened their belts considerably. Zhuang Zhixin carried the package home on her bicycle.


    She had bought this bicycle as soon as she arrived on the ind, and it had served her well ever since.


    Though her parents were furious about her marriage and decision to follow her husband to the military post, they still cared for her deeply. The bicycle was part of her dowry. Her parents had pulled some strings to get a nationwide bicycle ticket and even gave her 180 yuan to buy it.


    This wasn''t publicized in the neighborhood; her parents had given it to her secretly.


    In the past, she always felt that her parents favored her brothers. If the family cooked a chicken, the two drumsticks would always go to her older and younger brothers, leaving her with none.


    But even so, her parents were still exceptionally good parents. They had supported her education through high school and, despite their objections to her marriage, saved up to give her a bicycle as part of her dowry.


    Outsiders didn''t know, but those close to her did.


    Her sister-inw had been extremely jealous at the time.


    Her mother was a bit biased, but not overly so. She had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, and she cared deeply for all her children.


    Thinking of this, Zhuang Zhixin smiled. She pushed the package back to the residentialpound. Several women who weren''t working sat downstairs, enjoying the cool breeze and doing small chores. When they saw her package, they eximed enviously, "Your family sent you something again!"


    Zhuang Zhixin was well-liked in thepound, especially since she was a teacher, and everyone had children who needed schooling.


    Having lived there for so many years, everyone knew each other''s circumstances. Zhuang Zhixin''s family situation was no secret. The story of her parents giving her a bicycle as part of her dowry was still widely talked about.


    Such generosity was rare, even in the city.


    If Zhuang Zhixin had married someone in the capital, her parents, Zhuang Laonian and Zhao Guihua, wouldn''t have given her such a gift. But because she had married far away, to a family that seemed unreliable, and moved to a distant ind, her parents couldn''t help but want to provide more support to make her life easier.


    They also wanted to show her husband that, despite their grievances about her moving far away, they would still stand by their daughter. After all, they were willing to give her a bicycle.


    Though she had been headstrong, Zhuang Zhixin understood her parents'' intentions.


    Fortunately, her husband was truly a good man.


    One of the women looked at Zhuang Zhixin''srge package and sighed, "You city folks live well. Whether it''s my inws or my own family, we''re the ones who have to support them."


    Zhuang Zhixin smiled and said, "My parents dote on me."


    "That''s good. You''re lucky."


    "Families like yours are rare."


    Zhuang Zhixin smiled again.


    "Mom, Mom, what did you bring back?"


    Zhuang Zhixin had twin boys. She had been injured during childbirth, and the doctor said it would be difficult for her to conceive again, so she only had these two children. The seven-year-old twins, Dabao and Erbao, were full of energy.


    "Your grandma sent it."


    Though they rarely visited their grandparents, the children loved their grandma because she often sent them gifts.


    The world of children is simple.


    "Let''s go home."


    "Okay!"


    "Let''s see what Grandma sent."


    The three of them went upstairs to their second-floor apartment in the building. As they left, the women downstairs began to chat.


    "I always say, life in the city is better. When will my family ever send me anything?"


    "Don''t you think Zhuang Zhixin''s family has been sending more stuff this year?"


    "Now that you mention it, yes."


    "Not long ago, she made a red dress from fabric her mom sent. That bright red was so eye-catching."


    "At my hometown''s supply and marketing cooperative, you''d need connections to get something like that."


    "This just goes to show how important the woman''s family is when choosing a spouse. Look at Zhuang Zhixin¡ªher whole family are workers. They can support their daughter. If her brothers didn''t have jobs, would they still be able to do that?"


    "Exactly."


    Zhuang Zhixin didn''t hear what they were saying. She was at home, opening the package.


    When she unwrapped it, her eyes widened in surprise.


    "Wow!"


    There was a lot inside.


    She opened a cloth bag that emitted a faint fragrance and gasped. Inside was fried flour. To make this, you needed to crush peanuts, add a bit of sesame, mix it with wheat flour, and stir-fry it with sugar before packing it. It could be eaten dry or mixed with water.


    She weighed the bag in her hands. As someone who managed a household, she could tell it was about 12 to 13 pounds. She estimated her mother had used about 10 pounds of wheat flour, plus the weight of the peanuts and sesame.


    "Wow, Mom, this is wheat flour!"


    "It smells so good."


    "Mom, I''ve never had this before."


    Even city folks wouldn''t spend money so freely. Zhuang Zhixin had eaten this as a child, but only asionally as a treat. But this much... her mother must have gone all out to send her so much.


    Looking at her two boys, who were practically drooling, she said, "I''ll make a bowl for each of youter. First, try a bit of it dry."


    The kids each took a bite, their eyes lighting up. They jumped around excitedly, saying, "It''s so good, Mom! So delicious! Nothing tastes better than this!"


    Their family was actually quite well-off. Her husband earned 50 yuan a month in the military, and she earned 30. This was a high ie anywhere, but the problem was that money didn''t always guarantee ess to goods, especially on the ind.


    Even in the port city nearby, shopping wasn''t much easier.


    It''s like fried noodles¡ªsure, you can make them, but peanuts and sesame seeds are hard toe by. The same goes for malted milk powder; it''s not something you can get every time. But if you''re back home, you can definitely find them at the department store. That''s the difference. After all, it''s the capital!


    Zhuang Zhixin pulled out two more bottles of malted milk powder, and the two boys pped and jumped around in excitement.


    Zhuang Zhixin took a deep breath and said, "How much stuff did Grandma send?"


    But she quickly realized that her mother must have sent so much because of this year''s food shortage. These items probably wouldn''t make much of a difference, but at least they could provide some nutrition and keep them from falling too ill.


    She also found two packs of brown sugar, dried mushrooms, dried wood ear mushrooms, and even a smoked rabbit.


    These were all things that were hard toe by on the ind. And to her surprise, there was even a jar of "Great Friendship" snowke cream. She chuckled and said, "Since when did Mom care about this kind of thing?"


    As she looked at all these goodies, her eyes turned slightly red.


    The two boys, Dabao and Erbao, were happily jumping around when they suddenly noticed their mother was about to cry. They exchanged a nce and quickly chimed in unison, "Mom, don''t cry."


    "Yeah, Mom, don''t cry. When Dad gets time off, we''ll go visit Grandpa and Grandma."


    "Mom~"


    Zhuang Zhixin, her eyes red, said, "Your dad won''t get any leave this year."


    The distance between their two ces wasn''t short¡ªit would take several days just to travel. Unless it was a long holiday, they couldn''t make the trip. And with the food shortage this year, even if there was a holiday, she couldn''t just leave. Going back would mean consuming more food.


    She sighed and sat down in her chair, unmoving.


    When her husband, Wang Haomin, came home and saw all the items on the table, he was startled and said, "Where did you go to rob all this?"


    Zhuang Zhixin shot him a re.


    Dabao and Erbao immediately exined, "Grandma sent these. Mom is missing her mom."


    Wang Haomin, seeing his wife''s eyes as red as a rabbit''s, said, "How about I take some leave this year, and we go back?"


    Zhuang Zhixin shook her head. "Not this year. There''s a food shortage."


    This was true, and he also felt it wasn''t the right time.


    Wang Haominforted his wife, saying, "Alright, don''t cry. We won''t go this year. When things are better next year, we''ll go. Your mom sent so much stuff. How are we supposed to return the favor?"


    "She''s my mom. We don''t need to return anything." Despite saying this, Zhuang Zhixin immediately got up to rummage through their belongings and send some dried seafood back to her family.


    "There''s a letter here. Have you read it?"


    Zhuang Zhixin: "Oh, no, I haven''t."


    She had been too caught up thinking about her parents to notice.


    She quickly opened the letter and read it carefully.


    "How''s everything at home?"


    Zhuang Zhixin: "There''s a food shortage in the capital this year too. The price of rice and flour on the ck market has gone up five times. The grain stations are limiting purchases. But my mom is quite sharp. When there was heavy rain all summer, she sensed something was off and stockpiled some food. We have enough to eat."


    This put her mind at ease.


    "My sister-inw is back at work. A neighbor had an ident, and she bought his job. Now she''s working in the mechanical factory''s workshop. My sister-inw is pregnant, and it''s twins."


    "That''s a lot of good news."


    Seeing that everything at home was fine, Zhuang Zhixin felt much more at ease. She said, "Alright,e on, I''ll make you some fried noodle soup. When I was a kid, getting a sip of fried noodle soup was a treat reserved for New Year''s morning."


    Wang Haominughed. "Your family could afford it. Mine couldn''t."


    "Well, I''ll make you a bowl too so you can try it."


    "Why should Ipete with the kids? I..."


    "Everyone gets a bowl. We''ll all try it. Before I got married, my mom was very frugal, counting every penny. Now that my younger brother is married too, my parents must feel like a weight has been lifted."


    Wang Haomin nodded in agreement.


    In previous years, her mother had also sent things, but never as much as this year. It seemed that with all the children now settled, the old couple could finally rx.


    What they couldn''t possibly guess was that Zhao Guihua''s newfound generosity was because she had been reborn.


    In her past life, she had also sent things to her daughter, but never this much.


    Back then, she had truly been frugal. But now, having been given a second chance, she realized that you couldn''t skimp on food and drink. Depriving yourself of nutrition only led to suffering. This wasn''t like the dieting of decadester, where people cut back to lose weight. This was a realck of nutrients.


    So, she couldn''t afford to be stingy.


    After sending the items to her daughter, Zhao Guihua also prepared for the winter. The weather was gradually getting colder, and by early November, there were already patches of ice on the ground. Ming Mei was further along in her pregnancy, and Zhuang Zhixi was being extra cautious.


    The matchmaking event before National Day had gone very well, and more couples had gotten together this year than in previous years. Even Tao Yuyue, the "flower" of the mechanical factory, had gotten married. After her wedding, she became a full-time employee.


    Her husband was the son of the factory''s logistics director.


    There were actually others who pursued her with better conditions, like the nephew of the factory director or others. But Tao Yuyue was shrewd. She knew that no matter how high-ranking an official was, a nephew was still just a nephew¡ªnot the same as a son.


    So, she chose the logistics director''s son, and he helped her secure a permanent position.


    The couple was also assigned a house right after their wedding, in the same courtyard as Zhao Guihua. The Zhang family in the backyard had been transferred to another city, leaving two rooms vacant. The couple managed to secure one of them.


    However, even though they had connections, they couldn''t take both rooms. Housing in the city was tight. After all, even Lan Sihai, who had been brought in as a "talented individual," had only been allocated one room.


    A newlywed couple wanting two rooms? Impossible.


    Getting one room was already quite an achievement.


    The couple got one room, while the other was assigned to Zhuang Zhixi''s old acquaintance¡ªZhang San from the security department.


    Zhang San had also found sess at the matchmaking event. He had matched with a slightly plump young woman named Pan Pan, who was a primary school teacher. Her family was well-off, and coincidentally, she had an uncle who was a workshop director at the mechanical factory.


    It was said that Pan Pan was the only girl in a family full of men, so she was doted on. Her uncle had gone to the factory and managed to secure a room for Zhang San.


    Otherwise, Zhang San might not have gotten a room so quickly.


    Both couples moved in on the same Sunday, as they were all working and had to coordinate their schedules. Zhang San and his wife arrived early in the morning, and he was in high spirits, pping Zhuang Zhixi on the shoulder. "Buddy, I never thought I''d end up living in this courtyard. Heh."


    He then introduced his wife to everyone. "This is Zhang San from the security department. I''m sure you all know me. This is my wife, Pan Pan."


    "Of course, we know. Pan Pan, the niece of Director Pan."


    "That''s right."


    No one had expected Pan Pan, with her good family background, to marry Zhang San. But as Zhao Guihua had said, not everyone prioritizes material conditions. Some people value character, and Pan Pan was one of them.


    Zhang San''s family wasn''t well-off, and he wasn''t particrly handsome, but Pan Pan saw something in him.


    Pan Pan greeted everyone warmly. "Hi, everyone. If there''s anything good or bad about living together, just let me know. I''m easy to get along with."


    "Sure, you look like a lucky girl."


    "Exactly, everyone in this courtyard gets along well. Don''t worry."


    Pan Pan smiled. "Great."


    Zhang San introduced everyone, and Pan Pan''s eyes sparkled. This was the famous courtyard she had heard so much about! She even recognized Ming Mei. "Hello, heroine!"


    Ming Mei burst outughing. "Where did you hear that? Heroine?"


    Pan Pan: "Zhang San told me. He said you''ve caught thieves several times."


    Zhang San, the spreader of gossip.


    He was clearly on the same wavelength as Zhou Qun, both being frontline figures in the world of rumors.


    Ming Mei: "It''s nothing special. That was before. I wouldn''t dare now."


    Pan Pan looked at Ming Mei''srge belly and nodded, saying, "You''re almost due, right?"


    Ming Mei shook her head, "Not untilte January. It''s twins, so my belly looks bigger."


    "Ah, two babies," Pan Pan eximed, "That''s amazing."


    Ming Mei proudly lifted her chin and said, "Of course, it''s been quite a struggle carrying them."


    While twins might seem like a blessing, being pregnant with two was undoubtedly more exhausting. Ming Mei felt utterly worn out. As they were chatting, Tao Yuyue and her husband, Chen Yuan, happened to arrive.


    Chen Yuan had also been one of the men surrounding Tao Yuyue on their blind date day.


    The couple had just moved in, and Chen Yuan''s expression was full of disdain. After all, his family used to live in an apartment building, and now they were moving to a ce like this¡ªhow could he feelfortable? But his father had insisted that they seize the opportunity to secure the house first, as waiting for a better option might take too long. They could always adjustter if a better apartment became avable.


    Because of this, they quickly moved in.


    However, Chen Yuan''s contemptuous gaze didn''t go unnoticed by everyone.


    Tao Yuyue smiled and said, "We¡¯ll be neighbors from now on. Please take care of us."


    She spotted Wang Zhaodi and asked with a smile, "Zhaodi, haven¡¯t you gone back to the countryside yet?"


    Wang Zhaodi shook her head, "I¡¯m staying with my godmother for a while, helping take care of Sister Jiang Lu."


    Tao Yuyue raised an eyebrow and smiled, "That¡¯s nice. Come visit us sometime."


    She nced at Wang Zhaodi, who was carefully supporting Jiang Lu, and thought to herself that when she got pregnant, she could also ask Wang Zhaodi for help. After all, Wang Zhaodi was staying with the Zhou family, so she could easily lend a hand. Would she dare refuse?


    Neighbors wouldn¡¯t charge for help, right?


    Wang Zhaodi probably didn¡¯t even know how to ask for payment. A country girl¡ªwhat did she know?


    Tao Yuyue didn¡¯t think much of Wang Zhaodi. She had only befriended her before because Wang Zhaodi made her look better byparison. Now that she didn¡¯t need that, she could still use Wang Zhaodi for chores.


    Her eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "It¡¯s been so long since west met. Come over to my ce sometime."


    If she came, wouldn¡¯t she naturally help with cleaning and chores?


    Tao Yuyue¡¯s mother-inw had conveniently avoided the moving day, leaving all the work to her. Tao Yuyue was furious but kept a smile on her face. She assumed Wang Zhaodi wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    After all, who in this courtyard would respect a country girl like her?


    Wang Zhaodi shook her head, "I can¡¯t. I still have to do theundry, buy coal briquettes, and clean the windows before it freezes." Wang Zhaodi felt she was quite busy.


    Living with her godmother¡¯s family was a thousand times morefortable than her own home, and Sister Jiang Lu even gave her three yuan. She was more than willing to take on extra chores.


    Lately, besides making paper boxes and matchboxes, she had earned over twenty yuan from Sister Jiang Lu¡ªmore money than her mother had ever held. Wang Zhaodi was motivated and hoped to stay longer.


    Tao Yuyue was taken aback by Wang Zhaodi¡¯s refusal. Her smile stiffened, but she quickly recovered, saying, "You¡¯re so diligent. But why rush through all the work? Take your time. It¡¯s been so long since west talked. It¡¯d be nice to catch up."


    Wang Zhaodi replied, "There¡¯s still work to do tomorrow."


    She nned to go up the mountain with Auntie Zhao and the others tomorrow. Heh.


    Tao Yuyue: "..."


    Wang Zhaodi was straightforward and didn¡¯t understand Tao Yuyue¡¯s intentions, but the experienced women in the courtyard saw right through her. Who invites someone over on moving day without having cleaned up first?


    It was obvious she wanted Wang Zhaodi to help with chores but didn¡¯t want to say it outright.


    Auntie Zhou sneered, "People these days are so sneaky. If you want help, just say it. Don¡¯t beat around the bush. Tsk tsk, how shameless."


    Tao Yuyue had once given Bai Fendou an injection, so she knew what kind of people lived in this courtyard. Initially, she had felt uneasy about moving here. She thought the neighborhood was bad and the people hard to get along with.


    But the courtyard itself was well-built and newer than many surrounding areas, so she couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity.


    Another reason was that if Wang Xiangxiu could boss Bai Fendou around, why couldn¡¯t she? She was far better than Wang Xiangxiu, who even spent Bai Fendou¡¯s money. At least she wasn¡¯t a gold digger.


    She just needed someone to do the chores.


    After all, her husband, Chen Yuan, was spoiled and clearly not the type to do manualbor.


    Now, it seemed the neighbors were as annoying as she had feared.


    She pursed her lips and smiled, not responding further.


    Chen Yuan: "Yuyue, stop chatting and start cleaning. Look at all this dust."


    He frowned, "The walls are yellowed from smoke. How can anyone live here? And where¡¯s the stove?"


    Tao Yuyue: "We¡¯ll have to build one ourselves."


    This was their own problem.


    The Zhang family had previously lived together, so they only had one stove. But when the house was divided, they chose the cleaner,rger room, forgetting it didn¡¯t have a stove.


    The other room had a stove but was in worse condition overall.


    The contrast was stark, and now Tao Yuyue regretted her choice.


    "Look at this peeling wallpaper. How can we live like this?" Chen Yuan continued toin, "The windows are old too. Look at this chipped paint."


    He was thoroughly dissatisfied.


    Especially since Lan Sihai¡¯s house, located between the front and back courtyards, had been recently renovated and looked brand new. Inparison, the neighboring houses, including theirs, looked shabby.


    The contrast was ring.


    "I can¡¯t live here. What kind of ce is this? How did you even choose this house? Everything¡¯s wrong. Can¡¯t you do anything right?" Chen Yuan ranted nonstop.


    Tao Yuyue held her temper and tried to soothe him, "It¡¯s not that bad. We can fix it up."


    "How? Are you going to do it? Are you telling me what to do?"


    Chen Yuan keptining, "Look, they even took the bed and wardrobe. How stingy. And there¡¯s no bathroom? We have to go outside? In winter? I told you this kind of courtyard is no good. You insisted. Is this what you wanted? I can¡¯t stand this."


    Tao Yuyue: "I¡¯ll clean it up, okay?"


    Chen Yuan continued to stand at the door, grumbling about everything. The others exchanged nces.


    Zhang San: "Come on, wife, let¡¯s clean up our ce too."


    Their house was in worse shape than the neighbors¡¯, but it wasn¡¯t beyond repair.


    He chuckled, "You didn¡¯t expect this, did you? I brought a bucket of paint and some old newspapers. I¡¯ll re-paper the ceiling."


    Although they had just moved in, they weren¡¯t nning to settle in immediately. After all, the house needed some work. Unlike older couples who might let it slide, as newlyweds, they couldn¡¯t just leave it as it was.


    Zhang San: "Go chat with the neighbors. The aunties here are well-informed. You can also visit Sister Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s wife. Oh wait, they got married earlier, so she might be younger than you."


    Pan Pan shook her head, "No, let''s clean up together. Two people can work faster, and we''ll have plenty of time to chatter."


    "Alright then, let''s do it together."


    Couples are different. While things seemed worse on this side, the young couple had already started working together. On the other side, it was a different story. As soon as Chen Yuan saw them repainting the wall, he immediately questioned Tao Yuyue, "Why didn''t you think of this? Look, others cane up with ideas, but you can''t. How can you be so useless?"


    Tao Yuyue couldn''t take it anymore and retorted, "It was the man who thought of it over there. How would I, as a woman, know so much?"


    Chen Yuan snapped, "How can you not know? My family arranged a proper job for you, and now you think you''re above me, huh? How dare you talk back to me!"


    Tao Yuyue noticed everyone in the courtyard eavesdropping on their argument, and she felt utterly humiliated, as if she had be the center of gossip.


    At that moment, she thought of Bai Fendou.


    At that moment, she also thought of Zhou Qun.


    And at that moment, she even thought of the Su family''s mother-inw and daughter-inw, who were often the topic of discussion.


    She felt like the world was spinning, and she didn''t want to be humiliated like this.


    Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and said, "Don''t be angry. I''ll go buy the supplies now. We''ll clean up quickly. Why don''t you go home first? I''ll handle it here. When I''m done, you''lle back and see everything looking brand new."


    Chen Yuan red at her and said, "If I''m not here to supervise, can you even do it right? If I don''t like what you''ve done, won''t we have to redo it?"


    The onlookers were stunned.


    This man was really something¡ªmaking his wife do all the work and still wanting to supervise her?


    Bai Fendou couldn''t stand it anymore and stepped forward, shouting, "What do you think you''re doing? Are you even a man? Don''t you know how to cherish your wife? Look at other families¡ªthe men are the ones doing the work. Even Zhuang Zhixi, who''s known for beingzy, does theundry now that his wife is pregnant. And here you are, a grown man, bullying a woman? Let me tell you, just because your dad''s the head of logistics doesn''t mean you can oppress women and throw your weight around here! Others might be afraid to offend you, but I, Bai Fendou, am not! If you keep bullying Nurse Tao, I''ll take you down!"


    Chen Yuan widened his eyes, "What are you talking about? Hey, what does this have to do with you? How I live with my wife is none of your business! You, a eunuch, meddling in other people''s affairs? What, you want to take over? Pfft! Take a look in the mirror and see what kind of trash you are..."


    "You jerk! Who are you calling a eunuch? I''ll beat you to death!!!"


    True to his reputation as a reckless man, Bai Fendou, despite having suffered countless losses and even after his father''s death, remained unchanged. He lunged forward without hesitation and punched Chen Yuan square in the face.


    Chen Yuan let out a shrill scream, "How dare you hit me! I''ll fight you!!!"


    The two instantly tumbled into a brawl, with Bai Fendou clearly dominating.


    He grabbed Chen Yuan and wouldn''t let go, while Chen Yuan kept shouting, "You eunuch! You damn eunuch!"


    Though he couldn''t win the fight, he sure knew how to throw insults!


    Zhuang Zhixi eximed, "What the hell! How did this even turn into a fight...?"


    Their courtyard had been rtively peacefultely, but with the arrival of new neighbors, chaos had erupted once again.


    Zhuang Zhixi immediately pulled his wife aside and said, "Stay back."


    Ming Mei stood at a safe distance, clicking her tongue in amazement.


    Here we go again!


    Several men rushed in to break up the fight. One advantage of having a security officer in the courtyard was that Zhang San was strong and quickly managed to pull the two apart. Tao Yuyue looked over and saw her husband''s face had taken two punches¡ªhis eye was ckened, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth.


    Heartbroken, she turned to Bai Fendou and yelled, "You jerk!"

 Chapter 132

    Tao Yuyue hadn''t expected that Bai Fendou would get involved in this mess. Although he was standing up for her, she was still quite upset. She had just gotten married, and now her husband had been beaten up. What kind of situation was this? Chen Yuan was even more displeased. He had been pampered since childhood and couldn''t handle this kind of humiliation.


    He couldn''t beat Bai Fendou, but he iled his arms and shouted loudly, "Bai Fendou, you useless eunuch, you bastard! You think you can bully me? I swear I''ll make you shovel manure for the rest of your life!"


    Bai Fendou wasn''t about to back down either. "Oh, look at you, acting all tough! Come on then! What can you even do? You''re nothing without your dad. Without him, you''re worthless, you hear me? Worthless!"


    "You!"


    Bai Fendou was a skilled debater and raised his voice even higher. "Who do you think you are? Everyone in ourpound got their jobs through real skills. Only you, only someone like you, got in through connections. Pfft! You think you''re worthy of talking to me? You''re not!"


    "Say that again, you useless piece of trash! No wonder no one wants you. Look at yourself! You think you''re so great, huh? You''re the kind of guy who deserves to be single forever. Even if you do get married, your wife will cheat on you. No one will take care of you when you''re old!" Chen Yuan was equally vicious with his insults.


    Bai Fendou''s eyes zed with anger. "You bastard! I''ll beat you to a pulp!"


    Zhang San quickly stepped in to intervene. "Enough, enough! If you two really start fighting, I''ll have to call security. What are you doing? This was supposed to be a happy housewarming. It''s so unlucky to have this kind of drama. Both of you, take a step back and save face, alright?"


    Chen Yuan sneered. "What kind of face does he have to save with me?"


    Bai Fendou shot back, "And what kind of face do you have with me? A man who can''t even support his family, and you call yourself a man?"


    "Oh, so you''re the manly one? Go ask around in the city, everyone knows Bai Fendou isn''t a real man. Stop pretending to be something you''re not!"


    "You!"


    "You!"


    The two of them red at each other, their tempers ring.


    The onlookers shook their heads, baffled at how these two could suddenly get into such a heated argument. As for Tao Yuyue, they thought, "Beauty brings trouble."


    Tao Yuyue was also unhappy, but she remembered that this was her first day moving in. Bai Fendou might be a meddler, but the others were long-time neighbors, and she was the neer. She had to be careful not to alienate them.


    She took a deep breath and said, "Alright, that''s enough. Look at what you''re doing! Bai Fendou, I know you mean well, but please don''t interfere in my family matters. Chen Yuan, stop hurling insults. If Dad hears about this, he''ll scold you. You shouldn''t say such things."


    Chen Yuan retorted, "You''re just a woman. What right do you have to tell me what to do?"


    Tao Yuyue took another deep breath and said, "I''m not trying to control you. I just don''t want you to embarrass yourself."


    "You... woman!"


    Tao Yuyue grabbed Chen Yuan and pushed him toward the door. "Go take a walk in Beihai Park or somewhere else. When youe back, I''ll have everything cleaned up, and you''ll feel much better."


    Chen Yuan red at her, but Tao Yuyue leaned in and whispered in his ear, "If you keep this up, I''ll tell Dad."


    "You tattletale! Are you a child? All you know how to do is tattle. Pfft!" Chen Yuan cursed a bit more but ultimately relented, fearing Tao Yuyue''s threat. He turned to Bai Fendou and said, "I''m only backing off because of my wife. You''re still a piece of trash."


    He spat on the ground and stormed off.


    Bai Fendou was about to chase after him, but Tao Yuyue quickly grabbed his arm. "Bai Fendou, I apologize for what just happened. I shouldn''t have said those things, but please don''t interfere in our marital issues. It''s not appropriate."


    Bai Fendou was so angry he could barely breathe. He couldn''t understand why good men like him were single and lonely, while scoundrels like Chen Yuan could marry such loyal wives. These women must be blind!


    Life was so unfair!


    Bai Fendou snorted heavily and said, "I don''t care about you personally. I just can''t stand seeing men bully women. If it were someone else, I''d do the same. Don''t tter yourself!"


    With that, he turned and stomped away.


    Tao Yuyue''s expression darkened at Bai Fendou''s words, but she still breathed a sigh of relief. She didn''t pay any more attention to her husband or Bai Fendou and quietly went inside to start cleaning. The others exchanged nces, sensing the tension. This was the first time they''d seen something like this.


    Although the men in thepound typically didn''t do housework, leaving chores likeundry and cooking to the women, moving and cleaning were big tasks that shouldn''t fall entirely on the women. It made the men seem uncivilized.


    Zhang San peeked inside and clicked his tongue, amused by the drama. Thispound was always lively, and he was excited to see what would happen next.


    Pan Pan felt the same way. On their first day moving in, they''d already witnessed a fight!


    They''d seen it!


    The legendary Bai Fendou lived up to his reputation.


    The couple was so excited, they looked like they''d never seen anything like this before. Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"


    "No need, we can handle it. You go ahead with your own work," Tao Yuyue replied.


    Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "Alright, let me know if you need anything."


    "Sure."


    Zhang San usually got his gossip from Zhuang Zhixi, his go-to source for juicy stories. He chuckled and went back to his own work.


    Zhuang Zhixi nced at Tao Yuyue, who was silently cleaning with a cold expression, and then at Zhang San and Pan Pan, who were happily working together. The contrast was striking.


    With the new neighbors, thepound was buzzing with activity.


    Aunt Wang, a tough northeastern woman, couldn''t stand men like Chen Yuan. "Tao Yuyue is in for a rough time," she muttered.


    They didn''t bother discussing Bai Fendou''s fight. Bai Fendou fighting was nothing new; it was practically routine. He was known for being reckless.


    What they were curious about was the new neighbor.


    Aunt Sui said, "Tao Yuyue isn''t losing out. She used to be a temporary worker but got promoted to a permanent position. Besides, without her father-inw being the logistics director, how else could they have gotten a house so quickly?"


    Factory housing allocations weremon, but not everyone got one right away. There simply weren''t enough houses to go around. Their factory had a dormitory for single workers, but the rooms were barely big enough for a bed, let alone a couple. The walls were thin, and privacy was nonexistent. New workers without housing could apply for a dormitory, and the factory would usually arrange something quickly.


    But that was different from being assigned a proper house.


    To get a welfare house, you had to be married and wait in line for one to be avable. However, since their factory wasn''t in the suburbs, there wasn''t muchnd avable for building new housing. If they built too far away, it would be inconvenient for workers tomute. So, houses were allocated based on proximity, but there were always more people than houses.


    Usually, someone had to give up their house before a new one could be assigned.


    And this "giving up" had its own rules. Once a welfare house was assigned, it was essentially the upant''s property. They could even sell it privately if they wanted. Only if someone qualified for a second allocation would they have to give up their current house.


    For example, the Zhang family had to give up their house because they were being relocated and would receive arger one. If they had simply moved out without being reassigned, they could have kept or sold the house.


    Since they were being transferred to another unit and receiving a new house, they had to give up their old one.


    Of course, policies vary from one workce to another, and the nature of housing allocations differs as well. It all depends on the housing distribution policies and nature of each factory, but their unit¡¯s situation is generally like this. It¡¯s still rtively clear.


    Situations like the Zhang family¡¯s do exist, and they gave up their housing.


    At this point, those who didn¡¯t get allocated housing had to rely on their own resourcefulness.


    So, if Tao Yuyue hadn¡¯t married Chen Yuan, and if Chen Yuan didn¡¯t have a father who was the head of logistics, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have been allocated this apartment. After all, logistics also oversees these matters, and while there are higher-ups, they still have some influence.


    No matter the era, there are always those who benefit from connections, and his family is like that.


    Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve been registered for half a year, and I still haven¡¯t been allocated anything. Tough luck.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, I think you¡¯ll have to wait a long time. You¡¯re a single-ie worker at the factory, and you already have housing. It¡¯s tough!¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi never benefited from the factory¡¯s welfare housing allocation. His family¡¯s current situation is entirely thanks to his father. Their three-and-a-half rooms have been rented since before liberation. Because they paid rent consistently before liberation and had many children, after liberation, when the machinery factory was nationalized, their family still got allocated three-and-a-half rooms.


    But in reality, three-and-a-half rooms are quite a lot. Because of this, Zhuang Zhixi wanted to apply again. Although he qualified, it¡¯s hard to say when it would actually happen, unless the factory builds a new residentialpound, which might offer some hope.


    Zhuang Zhixi said, ¡°Well, it seems I¡¯ll just have to wait for my wife.¡±


    Ming Mei raised her hand and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve also applied, but it¡¯s hard to say when I¡¯ll get allocated. Our unit¡¯s situation is simr to the machinery factory¡¯s.¡±


    Both spouses applied at their respective workces, but for families where both work in different units, if one gets allocated housing, the other¡¯s application is usually canceled. After all, one family can¡¯t take all the benefits.


    Zhao Guihua suddenly spoke up, ¡°Generally, if you already have housing, it¡¯s quite difficult to get allocated more.¡±


    She nced at her son and daughter-inw, pondering the housing allocation issue. If you think about it, their family hasn¡¯t had much luck in this regard. Her eldest son did get allocated a 50-square-meter apartment in a tube-shaped building three yearster, which wasn¡¯t bad in size, but it was an old building from the 1940s.


    By the time they were allocated the apartment, it had already been 35 or 36 years since it was built. If you say it¡¯s good, it sounds decent, but who could have guessed? Over 50 yearster, just before Zhao Guihua¡¯s rebirth, the apartment was still standing.


    The ce was in such disrepair, it was unbearable to look at.


    Although it had the prestige of being within the Second Ring Road, and it sounded impressive, the building was so old that it exuded a sense of decay. Since the early 1990s, there had been talk of demolishing and redeveloping it, but by 2022, nothing had happened.


    At first, it was because of some stubborn holdouts.


    Later, it became about preserving some old architecture.


    Later, while scrolling through short videos, Zhao Guihua even came across the dpidated building where her eldest son lived. If you say it¡¯s valuable, it is, given its location within the Second Ring Road. But if you¡¯re talking about living there, it¡¯s practically uninhabitable. Only some young people looking for cheap rent would dare to live there.


    The kitchen and bathroom were outside, and you couldn¡¯t make any small indoor modifications. Who knows if it would damage the structure? What if it copsed?


    If you talk about relocating, no one¡¯s moving; if you talk about living there, it¡¯s unlivable.


    It seems like a Second Ring Road property, an old building, but for the actual owners, it¡¯s quite a dilemma. After all, for old Beijingers like them, there are plenty of better options. Plus, the ownership and usage rights are separated¡ªownership belongs to the railway, while usage rights belong to the individual employee.


    The eldest son¡¯s family was really burdened by this apartment, and because of it, they couldn¡¯t be allocated any other housing. In the end, they had to buy their own ce.


    The third son¡¯s family didn¡¯t fare much better in terms of housing allocation. They did get allocated an apartment, thanks to Ming Mei. It was also a tube-shaped building, an old one, but it was better than the eldest son¡¯s. Though old, it was only four or five years old, making it rtively new.


    But who could have guessed that right after Ming Mei got her allocation, the machinery factory announced they were building a new residentialplex? Zhuang Zhixi lost his eligibility for housing allocation at the machinery factory. The two allocations couldn¡¯tpare in terms of location or size.


    This left the couple fuming.


    Thinking about all this, Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t help but shake her head slightly. Their luck with housing allocation was truly mediocre.


    ¡°Guihua, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? What¡¯s with the head-shaking?¡± Aunt Wang, seeing her old friend Zhao Guihua staying silent, looked at her curiously and asked. Zhao Guihua replied, ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, housing allocation is such a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is.¡±


    At this point, everyone thought of Aunt Su. Though Aunt Su wasn¡¯t much of a person, her mind worked quickly. By leveraging the deaths of her husband and son, she managed to secure four main rooms for the Su family.


    Even with three sons getting married, there was enough space.


    You have to admit, that¡¯s quite shrewd. Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to figure that out.


    Zhao Guihua couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Wang Xiangxiu, what¡¯s the situation with your mother-inw? Has she been sentenced yet?¡±


    Wang Xiangxiu shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t been there.¡±


    Actually, the police had contacted her two or three times, saying Aunt Su wanted to see her, but Wang Xiangxiu refused each time. She didn¡¯t want to see her mother-inw at all. She hadn¡¯t had much education and wasn¡¯t particrly sharp.


    She didn¡¯t want to see Aunt Su again, fearing she might be deceived once more.


    She didn¡¯t want to go, partly because she truly hated Aunt Su, and partly because she was afraid of falling for her sweet talk again. After all, she wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed. What if she got tricked again?


    And precisely because she wasn¡¯t clever, she didn¡¯t me herself. Instead, she felt that all her years of decline and misery were because of Aunt Su, so she harbored deep resentment toward her. See her? Absolutely not.


    She¡¯d rather raise her children alone, even if it meant a harder life, as long as she could live honestly.


    Someone like that shouldn¡¯t be allowed to influence her anymore.


    She said, ¡°She did try to contact me, but I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±


    She nced toward the house and added, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for her. I have a family to support.¡±


    Jii and Yii had already been discharged from the hospital, but neither child was attending school. Both were at home recovering. Jii was actually better, but because his leg had been broken, they didn¡¯t dare let him engage in strenuous activities. He needed to rest at home for three to five months to ensure he didn¡¯t end up with a limp.


    As for Yii¡­ Yii had internal injuries. It wasn¡¯t just three to five months; it might take three to five years to recover fully. She had already withdrawn Yii from school, as his physical condition made it impossible for him to attend sses in the short term.


    Jii, on the other hand, would return to school once he recovered.


    Aunt Wang, seeing that Wang Xiangxiu really didn¡¯t know much, said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard a little about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Everyone turned to look at her. Aunt Wang said, ¡°I heard from someone in the neighborhood that Aunt Su reported a few people who had been involved in gambling, swindling, and renting out properties before liberation.¡±


    Gambling, prostitution, and drugs often go hand in hand, with some connections between them. If Aunt Su knew something, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising.


    But it¡¯s been so many years. Aunt Su left the Eight Great Alleys almost 40 years ago. How could she still remember those people and even know so many details? You can tell just how cunning she is.


    Aunt Wang added, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard this, but apparently, she recognized some people while shopping about ten years ago. She had gone from a young girl of 14 or 15 to an old woman, so no one recognized her, but she recognized them. She even followed them for a while to figure out what they were up to. Apparently, these people were still up to no good, but she didn¡¯t say anything at the time. Now that she¡¯s been caught, she¡¯s spilled a lot to gain merit. You have to admit, this woman is something else. She¡¯s been hiding a lot of secrets.¡±


    ¡°Good heavens.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Su, who would¡¯ve thought?¡±


    She truly demonstrated the saying, ¡°You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡±


    ¡°Who knows when she¡¯ll be sentenced.¡±


    ¡°It might take a while. She was supposed to be sentenced already, but she¡¯s revealed so much more, so they¡¯re still investigating.¡±


    Aunt Wang, as the neighborhood manager, indeed knew a lot.


    As soon as she spoke, everyone gasped in surprise.


    Even Wang Xiangxiu was no exception. She now felt a deep sense of regret, wondering how she could have lived with such a person for over a decade. She had been swindled, and it was a stroke of luck that she hadn¡¯t beenpletely ruined. She had initially felt a bit resentful, but now she just felt a chill running down her spine.


    Relief, when she thought about it, was indeed a relief.


    Perhaps because Aunt Su was mentioned, Bai Fendou also appeared. He stood to the side and listened for a while before saying, ¡°Good people don¡¯t live long, but troublemakersst a thousand years.¡±


    This statement was quite urate.


    At this moment, Aunt Zhou, with her sharp eyes, noticed that Bai Fendou was carrying a bucket and seemed ready to head out. She asked curiously, ¡°Bai Fendou, what are you¡­?¡±


    Bai Fendou replied, ¡°A friend of mine has a leaky roof. I¡¯m going to help her fix it. Otherwise, with the cold weather and winter rains, it¡¯ll be miserable. She has five children. If the house is drafty and leaky, those kids will suffer.¡±


    Everyone silently turned their gaze toward Wang Xiangxiu, who quietly lowered her head and continued pasting paper boxes as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Bai Fendou said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off.¡±


    Zhou Qun immediately spoke up, ¡°You must be going to Guan Guiling¡¯s ce, right? Wait¡­ no, she has four children! Do you have another widow you¡¯re helping out?¡±


    This guy is really something, isn¡¯t he?


    Bai Fendou raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I¡¯m going to Guan Guiling¡¯s ce. We¡¯re old ssmates and friends. Isn¡¯t it right to help her out? She¡¯s having a hard time, and I don¡¯t mind lending a hand. At least she knows how to be grateful. When I help her, she acknowledges it, unlike some people who take my help and then stab me in the back.¡±


    He nced at Wang Xiangxiu.


    Wang Xiangxiu: ¡°¡­¡±


    He added, ¡°And it¡¯s not like some people who, even when I help them, still curse me out. Hmph.¡±


    This time, he looked in the direction of Tao Yuyue¡¯s house. Tao Yuyue was just about to go out to buy some paint.


    Tao Yuyue: ¡°¡­¡±


    Bai Fendou sneered, ¡°At least she knows how to be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I heard Guan Guiling has four kids,¡± Zhou Qun scratched his head.


    Bai Fendou said, ¡°What four? She told me herself she has five kids, the oldest being ten. Where did you get your information? You must be mistaken.¡±


    Zhou Qun: ¡°I¡­¡±


    His eyes fell on Ming Mei, and he quickly asked, ¡°Ming Mei, you two work in the same unit, right? Tell me, how many kids does Guan Guiling have?¡±


    Ming Mei pursed her lips and said, ¡°I heard it¡¯s four. Bai Fendou, you must be mistaken. As for their ages, I don¡¯t know, but her kids seem to be quite young.¡±


    Zhou Qun, having Ming Mei¡¯s support, immediately perked up and said, ¡°See? Ming Mei works with her, and she says it¡¯s four. So, she must have four kids, not five.¡±


    Bai Fendou frowned, annoyed, and said, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re mistaken, or maybe she misspoke. Isn¡¯t that normal? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?¡±


    He waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    With that, Bai Fendou walked away.


    After he left, the group fell into a brief silence.


    After a while, Aunt Zhou said, ¡°A mother wouldn¡¯t mistake how many children she has, right? What kind of mother would do that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe Bai Fendou remembered wrong?¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡±


    Zhou Qun said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Bai Fendou would remember wrong. He¡¯s Guan Guiling¡¯spdog, hanging on her every word. How could he get it wrong? I think there¡¯s something fishy going on here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s fishy?¡±


    Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, ¡°Either Guan Guiling is counting her ex-husband as one of the kids and tricking Bai Fendou into supporting him, or she¡¯s pregnant with another one.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    For a moment, no one knew what to say.


    Even Tao Yuyue, who was passing by, stopped in her tracks, momentarily at a loss for words.


    Zhang San and his wife also popped up to listen to the gossip, both of them clicking their tongues in amazement.


    Zhuang Zhixi¡¯s words shocked everyone, but Zhou Qun pped his hands in agreement, ¡°Zhuang Zhixi is right. It¡¯s probably one of those two scenarios, nothing else.¡±


    He added, ¡°I think Bai Fendou is about to be fooled again.¡±


    Aunt Wang sighed, ¡°Even if you warn him, he won¡¯t listen.¡±


    Zhao Guihua said, ¡°True, he won¡¯t be tripped up by the same woman twice, but he¡¯ll be tripped up by two different women twice.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    That seemed to make a lot of sense.


    Everyone shook their heads in unison, tutting.


    Although Tao Yuyue wanted to stay and listen a bit longer, she knew she couldn¡¯t. She still had to tidy up the house and hurriedly left. Zhao Guihua watched her retreating figure and sighed, thinking that marrying into a wealthy family wasn¡¯t all it was cracked up to be.


    In her past life, Tao Yuyue had married Chen Yuan.


    This Chen Yuan had some connections. His father was the logistics director at the machinery factory¡ªnot an extremely high position, but one with real authority. His mother was the deputy director of the Third Pastry Factory, also a decent workce. Both parents were capable people. Chen Yuan also had an older sister who was already married and worked as an ountant at a food factory.


    Chen Yuan was the youngest son.


    In her past life, Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue hadn¡¯t moved into their courtyard, so they didn¡¯t know much about the family. However, Tao Yuyue had carried herself with the air of someone who had ¡°married into wealth,¡± always well-dressed and well-fed. Many young women at the factory looked up to her as a role model.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t want a better life?


    Everyone does.


    But based on today¡¯s little incident, even though she had ¡°married into a cadre family,¡± it didn¡¯t necessarily mean everything was smooth sailing.


    At the very least, Chen Yuan didn¡¯t seem like the most reliable person.


    ¡°Why is Chen Yuan living in our courtyard instead of staying in his apartment?¡± Aunt Sui muttered. ¡°Isn¡¯t he an only child?¡±


    Zhou Qun said, ¡°Who knows? But I think it might be because his family¡¯s ce is too crowded. I heard that Chen Yuan¡¯s grandparents live with them, so the house must be packed. Plus, why not take advantage of the benefits? And I imagine a newlywed bride wouldn¡¯t want to live with her inws and grandparents. Having so many elders around must be exhausting. So, they probably applied for housing benefits and moved into our courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Zhao Guihua didn¡¯t think so, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    As everyone discussed the newlywed couple, Zhang San and Pan Pan didn¡¯t stay either. They went back home to continue painting. There was still a lot to do around the house, but they could finish it in a day.


    Pan Pan nudged Zhang San and whispered, ¡°That rather plump woman is Wang Xiangxiu, right?¡±


    She had heard all about Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s gossip from Zhang San.


    Zhang San nodded, ¡°That¡¯s her. She¡¯s quite the character.¡±


    Although many people outside believed in Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s innocence, Zhang San, as someone in the know, didn¡¯t buy it. He knew that several men, including Li Si from the security department and Wang Ei, had been her ¡°guests.¡±


    He even knew the prices.


    However, he didn¡¯t borate further, not wanting his wife to think he was being inappropriate.


    Heaven knows, although he liked to gossip, he had never been involved with her.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t met her mother-inw. She¡¯s even more of a character. But she¡¯s been arrested now. This courtyard is full of drama. That Aunt Zhou¡­¡±


    The young couple chatted in low voices as they worked, feeling that tidying up the house wasn¡¯t tiring at all. While they worked at home, the others in the courtyard were still pasting paper boxes. They did this whenever they had free time.


    However, this work was running out. Once they handed in this batch, there wouldn¡¯t be any more for the year. What a pity.


    But at least they had earned some money.


    ¡°Aunt Wang, will we have such good opportunities next year?¡±


    Aunt Wang replied, ¡°Next year, you¡¯ll have to catch another thief.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good things don¡¯te around often, do they?¡±


    Everyoneughed and said, ¡°Of course not. You can¡¯t have a feast every day.¡±


    ¡°This is thest batch. We¡¯ll hand it in tomorrow or the day after.¡±


    ¡°After that, shall we go up the mountain?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    For the past few months, they had been going up the mountain together, and their harvest had been quite good. While they hadn¡¯t found any particrly valuable items, they had gathered plenty of mountain produce. Just take Zhao Guihua¡¯s family cer, for example¡ªit waspletely full. Even though there was a food shortage outside, Zhao Guihua¡¯s family was far fromcking.


    ¡°Zhao Guihua,e collect your package slip. There¡¯s a package for you.¡±


    Hearing this, Zhao Guihua immediately stood up: ¡°Coming!¡±


    She signed for the package slip and was overjoyed.


    Aunt Wang immediately guessed: ¡°It¡¯s from your second child, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°Of course! It¡¯s probably salted fish.¡±


    Zhuang Zhixin lived by the sea, so she had no shortage of such things. Every autumn, she would send a lot of salted fish to her family.


    Don¡¯t underestimate salted fish¡ªit¡¯s a delicacy these days, a proper meat dish. When steamed with pickled mustard greens, the vor is simply divine!


    ¡°Your daughter is so filial.¡±


    ¡°Well, your Li Fang is wonderful too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Li Fang wasn¡¯t here chatting with the others. Instead, she had gathered two pregnant women, Ming Mei and Jiang Lu, to give them some advice. Both were expecting their first child and couldn¡¯tpare to Li Fang¡¯s experience.


    They were sitting on the porch of the Zhuang family¡¯s house.


    Li Fang noticed both women had long hair and said, ¡°Before giving birth, you should both cut your hair short. Otherwise, you¡¯ll definitely regret itter.¡±


    Jiang Lu: ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    It seemed like everyone did this, but they had both grown up with long hair and were used to it. They were reluctant to cut it short.


    Ming Mei nodded in agreement.


    Li Fang: ¡°After giving birth, you¡¯ll have to stay in confinement for a month¡ªno going out, no washing your hair, no bathing. If you don¡¯t cut your hair short, it¡¯ll get so greasy you¡¯ll want to vomit.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right! That¡¯s true.¡± Ming Mei thought of her sister-inw, who had gone through the same thing during her confinement. She made up her mind: ¡°Then I¡¯ll definitely cut it short.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want her hair to get so oily it could fry food. The thought of not being able to clean herself for a whole month made her groan: ¡°I¡¯d feel so dirty!¡±


    Li Fangughed and said, ¡°We¡¯re lucky to be having our confinement in winter. Just imagine how much worse it would be in the summer.¡±


    Hearing this, everyone felt a bit better. It¡¯s true¡ªpeople always feel better when theypare their situation to something worse.


    Thinking about the misery of summer confinement, winter confinement, though cold, was much more bearable since you didn¡¯t have to go outside.


    In summer, you¡¯d practically start to rot.


    ¡°We should also stock up on brown sugar and eggs in advance.¡±


    The two women nodded again in agreement.


    Although the food shortage this year was quite noticeable, it wasn¡¯t as severe as the three-year famine. Things were tough, but it wasn¡¯t life-threatening. Eggs and such could still be bought in limited quantities.


    Jiang Lu whispered: ¡°I¡¯m nning to buy some from the ck market.¡±


    At times like these, the ck market was the go-to option.


    If they tried to buy normally, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get much due to the limits.


    After all, in some mountain viges, eggs could even be used as currency to trade for other goods¡ªthat¡¯s how valuable they were.


    ¡°You¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Zhou Qun go.¡±


    Li Fang rubbed her temples and said, ¡°Yang Lixin wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Yang Lixin wasn¡¯t very brave. If he were, he wouldn¡¯t have been tricked by Bai Fendou before.


    Of course, his family had tried to take advantage of others too, but Bai Fendou had really taken them for a ride. Even without saying it outright, it was clear from the situation.


    She sighed and said, ¡°Our family will just have to make do. We won¡¯t go to the ck market. I¡¯ll see if Yang Lixin can go to the countryside instead. Maybe someone in his vige will be willing to trade.¡±


    Yang Lixin was a live-in son-inw, and his home vige was close to the city.


    Of course, if he were from a remote mountain vige like Wang Zhaodi¡¯s, no one would have rmended him toe to the city as an apprentice. If he hadn¡¯t apprenticed under Li the Cook, he wouldn¡¯t have be a live-in son-inw either.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It was only natural for him to go back to his vige and ask around.


    Ming Mei: ¡°I¡¯ll ask Zhuang Zhixi. He¡¯ll probably have a way.¡±


    Even though their families had started raising chickens, it still wasn¡¯t enough. Even with their work unit¡¯s rations, it wouldn¡¯t suffice for the confinement period. After all, eggs were the most important source of nutrition during that time.


    ¡°We really made a good decision buying those hens.¡±


    The hens they bought wereying eggs quite well.


    The Zhuang family and Li Fang¡¯s family had children who dug up worms for the chickens, while Jiang Lu¡¯s family had Wang Zhaodi. The hens were well-fed andid eggs frequently. It was truly a great investment. Even Wang Xiangxiu had started raising chickens.


    However, her family¡¯s chickens weren¡¯t doing as well. After all, feeding them worms made a big difference.


    But Wang Xiangxiu¡¯s family was also very busy. Jii and Yii were bedridden, and Toni was too young. He had to go to school during the day, and after school, he couldn¡¯t go far by himself to dig for worms or earthworms.


    He used to go with his two older brothers, so he didn¡¯t have many friends.


    If he went too far alone, even Wang Xiangxiu wouldn¡¯t feel at ease. After all, he was her only healthy child now.


    So her hens weren¡¯t doing as well, but even so, two hens couldy at least one egg a day, which was still worth it.


    ¡°Our courtyard might be noisy, but at least everyone¡¯s sharp. Look how quickly everyone started raising chickens once they realized the benefits. There¡¯s a three-section courtyard on the back street. They wanted to raise chickens, but the whole courtyard had to hold a meeting about it. In the end, they rejected the idea, saying it would ruin the courtyard¡¯s environment. Isn¡¯t that ridiculous? The policy allows each household to raise two chickens, but their courtyard forbids it. They¡¯re really making a big deal out of nothing, acting all high and mighty. And the people in their courtyard actually listened to them. I don¡¯t know if their brains have been eaten by dogs.¡±


    ¡°The courtyard manager doesn¡¯t have that much authority.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! And what¡¯s with holding a meeting about it?¡±


    Ming Mei thought for a moment and smiled: ¡°If someone in our courtyard dared to say no to raising chickens, do you think they¡¯d get beaten up?¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    The people in their courtyard might cause trouble, but they weren¡¯t pushovers!


    Everyone was quite fierce. Aside from the few families that stirred up the most trouble, the others weren¡¯t exactly meek either. Take the Zhuang family, for example. They didn¡¯t get involved in too much, but if anyone dared to provoke them, Zhao Guihua would storm over and give them a piece of her mind.


    She wasn¡¯t afraid of a fight.


    ¡°Exactly! And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s dirty either. Chicken manure is actually really useful.¡±


    This was also true. It was Zhao Guihua¡¯s idea. She had Old Man Zhuang build her a wooden box¡ªnot a traditional one, but more like a storage bin, about a meter long, half a meter wide, and half a meter tall, with no lid.


    Zhao Guihua dug up some ck soil from the mountain and nted chili peppers in it. The chicken manure came in handy, and even then, it wasn¡¯t enough.


    Seeing this, the other families who raised chickens quickly followed suit, cing simr bins under their windows to grow vegetables. They didn¡¯t take up space in the courtyard or dig up thend¡ªthey just used the area under their own windows. If they wanted, they could even bring the bins inside.


    Zhao Guihua preferred spicy food, so she chose to grow chili peppers. Others who didn¡¯t like spicy food nted scallions or other herbs, which was also great. So don¡¯t talk about ruining the courtyard¡¯s environment¡ªtheir courtyard was actually quite nice.


    Chicken manure wasn¡¯t a bad thing at all.


    It even saved them money on buying chili peppers.


    Although it seemed like they hadn¡¯t aplished much in the past year since Zhao Guihua¡¯s rebirth, she had subtly influenced the courtyard. At the very least,pared to their previous lives, things were much easier now.


    This time around, every household had some reserves.


    Because Zhao Guihua and the others frequently went to the mountains, the others had also be more active.


    As Ming Mei and the others chatted about this and that, Zhao Guihua and the rest were discussing their next trip to the mountains. Zhang San, who hade out to throw away the trash, overheard and quickly said, ¡°Aunt Zhao, can wee with you?¡±


    Zhao Guihua: ¡°The mountain isn¡¯t mine. Sure,e along. Do you have a bicycle?¡±


    If not, they¡¯d have to take the bus, which would increase the cost.


    Zhang San chuckled: ¡°My wife has one.¡±


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright, seven tomorrow morning¡ªoh wait, aren¡¯t you working tomorrow?"


    Tomorrow was Monday, and usually, only housewives like them had so much free time.


    Besides, their house had just been painted today, so they definitely couldn¡¯t move back in tonight.


    Zhang San: "I¡¯m off tomorrow. Our security department has night shifts, so our days off are different from others."


    Zhao Guihua: "Alright,e over tomorrow then."


    Zhang San chuckled and said, "Sure."


    He sighed, "It¡¯s great to finally move in. I¡¯ve always dreamed of living in the same courtyard with all the aunties."


    Zhou Qun: "Heh."


    Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know¡ªyou¡¯re just as nosy.


    Aunt Zhou also felt a bit awkward. After all, she had suffered in the security department before. Though it wasn¡¯t Zhang San who had deliberately pinned her against the water pipe back then. This guy mostly just ran around watching the drama. So, while it was embarrassing, she couldn¡¯t exactly hold it against him.


    "Is your wife working?"


    "Yeah, she¡¯s working. I¡¯ll go alone."


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "I really didn¡¯t expect the Zhang family to move away."


    This hadn¡¯t happened in her past life. Back then, the Zhang family hadn¡¯t gone to assist with construction in another province, so they hadn¡¯t moved. She wondered if it was some ripple effect of her rebirth that had caused them to leave this time.


    "Exactly, I didn¡¯t expect it either."


    "Right?"


    Zhou Qun: "Ah, you guys didn¡¯t know?"


    "Know what? Do you know why they moved?" Zhao Guihua asked.


    Zhou Qun immediately puffed up with pride¡ªno piece of gossip could escape him.


    He said, "The Zhang family decided to move because they didn¡¯t want their daughter to be sent to the countryside. That¡¯s why they made this decision. You know, Old Yu¡¯s daughter from Workshop Five had something terrible happen when she was sent to the countryside. It was really tragic. It scared a lot of people. The Zhang family loves their daughter, so they made a tough decision to find her a way out. Plus, going to assist with construction isn¡¯t a bad deal. There are benefits too. So they decided to leave."


    "How do you know all this?"


    Zhou Qun: "I asked Old Zhang..."


    Everyone: "..."


    You¡¯re such a busybody.


    Zhao Guihua suddenly understood. Though she hadn¡¯t heard about Old Yu¡¯s daughter in her past life, it wasn¡¯t surprising since she was just a housewife. But it was interesting how the Zhang family had made different choices in two lifetimes.


    She raised an eyebrow and said, "Alright, I¡¯m not going to chat with you anymore. I need to go to the post office to pick something up."


    "Go ahead."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "I¡¯ll go with you."


    Zhao Guihua: "Sure."


    Having someone to help carry things was always good.


    Zhao Guihua and her son headed out, not just for the package but also for the letter from her daughter.


    Even though she knew her daughter was doing fine on the ind, a mother¡¯s heart could never fully stop worrying about her child. As she pushed her bicycle toward the post office, before they even got there, she spotted Tao Yuyue carrying arge bag across the street.


    Zhao Guihua sighed, "It¡¯s not easy marrying into a cadre¡¯s family, is it?"


    Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, can you believe it? At the matchmaking event, Chen Yuan was just one of Tao Yuyue¡¯s admirers, practically fawning over her. But now that they¡¯re married, it¡¯s apletely different story. He¡¯s really showing his true colors."


    Zhao Guihua counted the days, "It hasn¡¯t been that long, has it?"


    The matchmaking event was at the end of September, and now it was November. How was that long?


    "Exactly. At the matchmaking event, several men were vying for Tao Yuyue¡¯s attention, including the factory director¡¯s nephew. Chen Yuan was there too, acting all sweet and attentive. But now... just look at his attitude today. It¡¯s like night and day. But I guess things are different now. Back then, he was just one of her many suitors, trying to win her over. Now that she¡¯s his wife, she¡¯s not as precious anymore."


    Zhuang Zhixi knew some people were like that, but seeing it firsthand was still shocking.


    It was really something to see someone act like that.


    Zhao Guihua looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "He¡¯s not a decent person, but we can¡¯t be like that. I don¡¯t expect you to be a saint¡ªpeople without some wits might get taken advantage of. But when ites to your own family, especially your wife, don¡¯t be like that. What kind of person acts like that? Stay away from people like him, and don¡¯t learn from them. Trash like that won¡¯t have a good ending."


    Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Mom, I know. Besides, he¡¯s a cadre¡¯s son. Why would he hang out with me? Not that I¡¯d want to hang out with guys like that anyway. My wife is soft and sweet¡ªwhat more could I want?"


    Zhao Guihua: "Be serious."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, alright."


    As mother and son walked back with the package, Zhuang Zhixi pushed the bicycle and said, "What did my sister send? This is pretty heavy."


    Zhao Guihua teased, "You don¡¯tin when you¡¯re eating it."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "By the way, why did my older brother go on another trip? Otherwise, he could¡¯ve helped. I¡¯ve been really tiredtely."


    Zhao Guihua: "You¡¯re just looking for an excuse to ck off."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "..." He felt wronged.


    His eyes caught something, and he said, "Hey, isn¡¯t that Chen Yuan?"


    Speak of the devil¡ªthey had just been talking about him, and there he was. He was with a group of men, all riding bicycles,ughing loudly as they turned into the park.


    They were all showing off, ringing their bells loudly.


    Zhao Guihua, despite being reborn, was still old-fashioned. She shook her head, clicking her tongue, "They don¡¯t look like the type to settle down."


    Zhuang Zhixi: "Who cares about them?"


    "Exactly."


    The mother and son didn¡¯t think much of Chen Yuan, and of course, Chen Yuan didn¡¯t think much of them either.


    Chen Yuan came from a wealthy family, with well-off parents who doted on him as their only son. He considered himself above the rest, especially those from the courtyard whocked education. He had his own circle of friends, all from well-to-do families.


    A few of the less well-off ones were just hisckeys.


    As they rode their bikes to the park, one of them, a pockmarked guy, asked curiously, "Brother Chen, how¡¯s it feel? You beat out so many rivals to marry the factory beauty. What¡¯s it like?"


    Chen Yuan chuckled, feeling proud. He had indeed defeated manypetitors to win her.


    But then he raised an eyebrow and said, "After sleeping with her, it¡¯s just whatever. Women are only exciting when they¡¯re new. Honestly, I kind of regret it now."


    "Why?"


    Everyone crowded around, eager to hear more.


    Some of them smirked, thinking he was just showing off.


    Chen Yuan: "I used to pursue her because she was good-looking and had a lot of admirers. But she rejected me several times. I couldn¡¯t just let that slide, could I? I have my pride. Back then, I was all about saving face. But dating and marriage arepletely different. Now I understand why my parents weren¡¯t too keen on us being together. After getting married, I realize it¡¯s not that great. Her family¡¯s background is pretty average, and she¡¯s not very worldly. If it weren¡¯t for my family, she wouldn¡¯t even have a proper job. It¡¯sughable¡ªshe can¡¯t even give a proper injection. If it weren¡¯t for her aunt and uncle, she wouldn¡¯t even qualify to be a temp at the factory."


    "Wow, Brother Chen, you¡¯re ruthless. The factory beauty everyone admires is nothing in your eyes now."


    Chen Yuan waved his hand dismissively, "I¡¯m telling you, people from average families are just not impressive. Theyck sophistication. She didn¡¯t even know how to use a flush toilet. Can you believe it? Oh, and you should¡¯ve seen it¡ªwe made a dish with century eggs, and she had never even tried it before. How embarrassing. I don¡¯t even dare take her out anymore. It¡¯s just humiliating."


    "Brother Chen, look how heartless you are. Peopleugh at her for never having eaten a ''money egg.'' So what if her conditions are a bitcking? You can teach her slowly. As long as she¡¯s pretty, that¡¯s all that matters. You¡¯ve beaten so many people to win her. You don¡¯t even know¡ªif you go to the factory now and say anything bad about Tao Yuyue, so many people would hate you to death. Just thinking about it gets me excited. You¡¯ve married the factory belle! The factory belle!"


    Chen Yuan: "That¡¯s true. What I don¡¯t care for, others would kill to have. Take Bai Fendou, the guy who cleans the toilets. Oh man, when he sees my wife, he acts like a dog. If I scold her, he¡¯s practically ready to hit me. The hatred in his eyes! As if I¡¯ve stolen his beloved girl. Little does he know, his beloved girl is nothing to me."


    As he spoke, Chen Yuan grew even more smug.


    Tao Yuyue wasn¡¯t anything special, but she sure satisfied his vanity.


    A girl whom others worshipped like a goddess was nothing in front of him. That feeling was deeply satisfying.


    Heughed and said, "Do you believe me? Even if I dumped Tao Yuyue, there¡¯d be a line of guys waiting to take her. That¡¯s just how high my standards are."


    "Brother Chen, you¡¯re the man!"


    "Chen Yuan, be a decent person. Tao Yuyue is actually quite nice."


    Chen Yuan sneered arrogantly, "Look at you, already defending her. Oh, by the way, guess what Tao Yuyue¡¯s doing right now? She¡¯s at home doing chores for me. She told me to go out and have fun. Hah!"


    The others looked at Chen Yuan with envy. Although Tao Yuyue¡¯s family wasn¡¯t particrly well-off, it wasn¡¯t bad either. Plus, she was beautiful and capable. Chen Yuan really hit the jackpot! Though it was clear he didn¡¯t appreciate his good fortune.


    But that wasn¡¯t their concern.


    They were just hanging out together, not real friends.


    "Hey, Brother Chen, why did you move to that alley? It¡¯s so inconvenient. You even have to go out to thene to use the bathroom."


    "Tell me about it. I can¡¯t stand it either."


    "I wouldn¡¯t want to live in a dump like that."


    Chen Yuan wasn¡¯t happy about it either. Who would want to live in a bad ce? His family had a 100-square-meter apartment.


    But he didn¡¯t tell the truth. Instead, he said, "It¡¯s my parents¡¯ idea. They said I¡¯ve been too spoiled at home, never lifting a finger. They wanted me to toughen up a bit. I thought it made sense, so I agreed. But the moment I saw the ce, I regretted it."


    Everyone burst intoughter.


    Chen Yuanughed too, but there was a calcting glint in his eyes.


    This whole "moving out after marriage to toughen up" thing was a lie.


    In reality, it was his mother¡¯s idea. She had secretly discussed it with him. Their n was to secure the house first. Though it was just one room, it would do. The goal wasn¡¯t for Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue to live there, but for his grandparents.


    One room was just enough for the elderly couple.


    That was their n, but since his grandparents weren¡¯t factory employees, they weren¡¯t eligible for housing.


    So they had to take a roundabout approach. Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue would apply for the house, live there for a year or two, or even less¡ªjust until Tao Yuyue got pregnant. Then they could move back home, iming the house was too small for the growing family, and let his grandparents move into thepound.


    Once they moved in, they¡¯d never leave.


    Chen Yuan and his parents had no intention of living with the elderly.


    This way, they could maintain the appearance of filial piety while getting the nosy, meddlesome old folks out of their hair. His father wouldn¡¯t be upset either. And once the grandparents passed away, they could rent out or even sell the house.


    It was a win-win situation.


    But of course, Chen Yuan couldn¡¯t tell anyone this.


    Though Chen Yuan wasn¡¯t a good person, he had grown up in a family that valued such calctions. As for the people in thepound, they were beneath his notice. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with them.


    He couldn¡¯t care less.


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