My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

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, according 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.

"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 slapped 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 relationship 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 splashing 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 to come 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 explained, "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 to commit 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 was completely 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 were complicated.

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 old lady.

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 a large group. Even Aunt Ning, the oldest person in the courtyard, tagged along. This was something they couldn’t afford to miss! Such a large 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 explain, “We’re going to the hospital to check on things. Zhou Qun tried to commit 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’m coming 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 to commit suicide, and we were asked to come and talk some sense into him…” Aunt Wang quickly explained. 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 exclaimed, “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 the commotion, 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 was completely unexpected that she was pregnant at this time.

Zhou Qun said, “What happened yesterday was a misunderstanding…”

As expected, he said that. Everyone exchanged glances.

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 flat, “Oh.”

“You don’t need to explain it to us.”

“Right.”

Zhou Qun said, “No, I need to explain 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 flat, “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 to come to your place to chat with Ming Mei and get some advice.”

Zhao Guihua replied, “Sure, come 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-in-law 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 up last 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, come 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 old lady 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 of lads they had encountered before?

In their previous life, it should have been them who discovered the pond and spread the word. This time, they had come close to finding it twice, and finally, on the second attempt, they succeeded. 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 soup last night? It was pretty good, right?"

"Alright, stop talking about it and get some rest."

The young man lay down, but his eyes kept wandering back to the others, saying, "You've got a lot of people coming 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 clearly lacked 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 had come to visit. He gestured subtly and whispered, "Nurse sister, what's going on?"

The nurse glanced 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 the commotion. 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 place, 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 old ladies 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 to come 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 place 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 had come home early to get the first-hand news, immediately grabbed Zhao Guihua, one on each side.

Zhuang Zhixi: "The Jinlai 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 Jinlai brothers then cursed Bai Fendou for being childless his entire life."

Ming Mei: "Wang Xiangxiu hit the kids."

Zhuang Zhixi: "The Jinlai 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 glass and fix your windows. Otherwise, with the rain coming 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 glass now."

Bai Fendou: "Buy what glass? I don't care anymore, I don't care!"

He laughed 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 Jinlai brothers appeared at some unknown time, standing in a row at the door, clapping 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 explained? 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 succeeded, 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 explain himself later, 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 Jinlai 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 salary?

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 a lack 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 Tonglai, who is only six years old. At that age, it's normal not to be fully mature. But Jinlai 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 claims 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 Jinlai 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?"

Jinlai 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."

Jinlai 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!"

Yinlai: "Exactly, he's destined to have no descendants, yet he wants to marry our mom and get three big sons for free. Dream on."

Tonglai, being younger, didn't know what to say and just echoed his brothers: "That's right, that's right."

Jinlai 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 up late last 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!"

Jinlai 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 Jinlai, and slapped him hard across the face, "Smack, smack, smack!"

The slaps were loud and clear.

He kept slapping 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 to come out.

But she never expected Bai Fendou to go crazy.

Bai Fendou kept slapping Jinlai, and the first to react was Yinlai: "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 Jinlai to the ground and kick him twice. Then he grabbed Yinlai and started slapping him across the face.

"You little brat, let me see you bite me!"

Tonglai 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. Jinlai was dazed from the beating, and Yinlai 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.

Jinlai and Yinlai were both beaten into pigheads, while Tonglai, 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 physical labor.

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 the law. Hurry up and let go!"

"Yes, Bai Fendou, you can't kill..."

Everyone was now scared, no one expected things to escalate to this point.

Bai Fendou was choking Wang Xiangxiu, glaring at her with hatred. Whether it was because he heard everyone's words or he calmed down, he finally let go, but not before slapping 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 slapped her again and pushed her hard, struggling to his feet. By now, he was covered in mud, stumbling into his house, and slammed 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, Jinlai 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 Jinlai 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 clasped 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's coming 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, Jinlai 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 plan to discuss it at home, as once word got out, things could escalate.

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 is completely 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 days later, it would be hard to explain."

Zhao Guihua glared 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 glare. 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. Demanding compensation now would be less effective than playing 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 exclaimed, "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 glare. "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 relationship, 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 but laugh, 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!"

This comment made the adults laugh...

Their family atmosphere was quite good, but the Su family's atmosphere was far from pleasant. Aunt Su glared 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 Jinlai 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 successful 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 glared 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 all come with me to apologize to the Bai family later."

Jinlai 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 uncomfortable, 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."

Jinlai 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?

Yinlai 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, Tonglai 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...