My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 104

Every family has its own plans, 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, lay 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 glass or visit the latrine.

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 to compete 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 as compensation."

Bai Fendou remained silent for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying, "My dignity, my honor—do they only amount to one hundred yuan?"

Jiang Lu replied, "Of course not, but it's something. Take it as a form of compensation. Don't feel too bad about it. You should know by now that Zhou Qun is completely 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 palace."

"That's true..." Bai Fendou was somehow convinced.

Jiang Lu added, "I promised to compensate 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 was completely 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 slapped 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-in-law isn't easy to deal with. I have no choice."

Bai Fendou exclaimed, "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—sometimes they seem easy to manipulate, but other times they can be incredibly stubborn. What you did today was completely 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 glass, 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't completely 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."

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 already completely 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-in-law, none of them have learned even half the essence."

Tonglai 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 plan and said, "You three come here."

Jinlai 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 calculating 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!"

Jinlai, 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 according to plan.

At the same time, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were singing a children's song they had learned today for Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua clapped 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 class, 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 class, 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 vacation comes, 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 felt comforted. The best part was that her two kids were liked by the old lady. 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 place..."

Zhao Guihua didn't comment. Although their family had enjoyed the place 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, "Just come back early."

Like Jinlai 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 Jinlai 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 Jinlai, the little scoundrel.

But since her daughter-in-law 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-in-law'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 old ladies 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 plans 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 as last 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 glance 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 glance.

The person heard the commotion 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've come 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 of coming 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 have come 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 glanced 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 had come. 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 years later, 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 would come over to wash up, as the water bill was calculated per person, not divided by front or back courtyards. So, people weren't too particular 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 suddenly coming 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 Fendou last night, and her cousin arrived last night."

"That's true."

"Besides, Wang Xiangxiu wouldn't introduce a partner to Bai Fendou, even if it's her own relative. 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-in-law, 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 glanced 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 flamboyant.

Ming Mei: "Oh my!"

This person was obviously flamboyant, 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 glad 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 relative of Wang Xiangxiu who had come to visit. Because they heard there was a great place for fishing in the suburbs, many people in their courtyard went out.

Watching the commotion 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 would come.

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 to come."

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 escalates 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 successful. Still, any catch would be good.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law 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 particularly 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 before last.

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 Claw" 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 still laugh it off, but the main reason Zhou Qun had bad relationships 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 speculating about things he shouldn't. Anyway, he didn't know what would happen next.

"I heard that Wang Erlaizi from the security department went to the toilet to find Bai Fendou, intending to mock him. But seeing Bai Fendou with a black face cleaning the cesspool, he didn't dare to say a word. He was afraid Bai Fendou would splash 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 his complexion is really bad?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I was going to say that. His complexion 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 to commit suicide in the hospital. It's really not easy for the hospital to deal with such people. Bai Fendou also tried to commit 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 Lu come 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, her complexion has been great."

"Isn't pregnancy usually associated with a worse complexion?"

Sister Cui shook her head, "You can't generalize. Jiang Lu's long-held wish has finally come true, so of course, her complexion 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 flames; 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 goodwill last 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 planned 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 to come 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 blame 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't come 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 manipulate 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 accept 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 calculating. 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 particularly 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 accept 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, glaring 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, according 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 relationship, 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 the community, and investigate. These older women know all the ins and outs of each household. If someone suddenly becomes 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 Jinlai might have stolen the item. After all, the family's income 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 relatives 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 black 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 Zheng laughed loudly, pinched her chin, and didn't agree or refuse.

After discussing their plan, 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 plan 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 planned 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 young lads 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!