My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 105

Zhao Guihua and her group went up the mountain to catch fish. This was quite different from their usual outings, but they didn't come back empty-handed, as they did manage to catch some. They worked together and divided the catch equally among themselves, with each person getting four fish.

Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen were a family, so that made eight fish for them.

Their "team" had caught quite a few fish, as the pond was abundant with them. However, the problem was that there were too many people trying to catch fish. Everyone wanted a piece of the action, and it was no small crowd. Taking the bus to catch fish wasn't really practical either, considering the cost of the round trip.

Going up the mountain didn't guarantee a big catch.

If you only managed to catch one fish, it felt like a wasted day, and it wasn't much fun.

However, if you rode a bicycle, you avoided the cost of transportation, which made it more worthwhile. Like Zhao Guihua and her group, they felt they had made a good profit. Not only did they catch fish, but on their way down the mountain, they also came across a plum tree. The women didn't care if the plums were ripe or not; they just picked them all.

If they hadn't picked them all, they probably would have been gone by the next day.

They were lucky to have found the tree while looking for a place to relieve themselves. If it had been in a more common area, it would have already been picked clean. So, all in all, their outing had been quite fruitful. The four women rode their bikes back to the courtyard, exhausted but happy with their haul.

"Grandma, you're back!"

Hutou had come home early from school, bringing his sister with him. The two kids couldn't get into their house, so they were playing hopscotch in the courtyard. Li Junjun and a few others were playing with them, but the Su family kids hadn't returned yet.

Zhao Guihua nodded. "We're back."

Li Junjun and the others also went to Aunt Wang, their grandmother.

Zhao Guihua said, "Shall we divide up the fish and plums?"

"Yes, let's divide them up."

Compared to others, they had returned relatively early.

They divided the fish and plums right there in the courtyard.

Aunt Su hadn't gone out; she claimed to be physically weak and didn't have the tools to catch fish anyway. No one could lend her anything. So, when she saw everyone dividing the fish in the courtyard, she quickly came out, hoping to get a share. She smiled and said, "Oh, you all have done so well. These fish look great. With the rain lately, the weather has been bad. A fish soup with some ginger would be perfect for warming up."

The women all smiled and nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

Aunt Su continued, "Oh, by the way, I haven't introduced you yet. My daughter Xiangxiu's cousin, Huihui, is here. Huihui, come out and say hello to everyone. Normally, when we have guests, we should prepare something nice, but you know, it's been a while since we got paid, and we don't have much money left. It's hard to entertain guests..."

Seeing that no one was taking the initiative, she coughed and said, "Well, how about you give me two fish? Tomorrow, when my daughter Xiangxiu gets paid, she can give you the money. We're all neighbors, so I'm sure you won't mind, right?"

Since no one was volunteering, she had to take the initiative herself.

However, Zhao Guihua directly refused, saying, "We can't. My daughter-in-law Ming Mei is pregnant, and the doctor said she needs to eat more fish. We can't spare any; we don't have enough for ourselves." She wasn't going to indulge Aunt Su.

Money?

Aunt Su would cry poor for a century after borrowing something, and when it came to paying back, it would be like waiting for the end of the world.

She wasn't going to do it.

Perhaps Zhao Guihua set a good example, as Aunt Wang quickly said, "Me neither. My daughter Li Fang is also pregnant and needs to supplement her nutrition."

Liang Meifen didn't have any say in the distribution of the catch, so she immediately said, "I'll follow whatever my mother-in-law decides."

Aunt Sui from the back courtyard directly said, "My family has a lot of men, and they've been working overtime lately. They're lacking in oil and water, so we can't spare any either."

It was a joke to even consider giving away the hard-earned goods. Another reason no one wanted to share was that they thought Aunt Su wasn't pulling her weight. Even people from surrounding courtyards knew there was a pond with plenty of fish on the mountain.

Although they weren't sure of the exact location, they all headed in that direction, following the crowd. Everyone could go catch fish, so why couldn't she? She wanted to slack off while catching fish, and now that others had caught some, she wanted to share in the spoils?

Borrowing? No one believed that.

Didn't they all work hard? They were tired from the trip, and with the recent rain, the mountain path was difficult to navigate. Everyone was dirty and exhausted. There was no way they were going to let Aunt Su take advantage of them.

Who wasn't tired!

Would they let her benefit from their hard work?

Dream on!

Aunt Wang, being in charge of the courtyard, took the initiative and said, "We're going again tomorrow. If you want to join, find a companion. There are many people going to the outskirts. Besides, we also plan to pick mushrooms on the mountain tomorrow."

"With this rain, there should be plenty of mushrooms on the mountain," Zhao Guihua added happily.

Aunt Su didn't manage to get any fish and her smile faded, but she remained polite. "Oh, when are you leaving tomorrow? I'll join you."

Zhao Guihua silently smiled.

Aunt Wang said, "You should take the bus with someone else. We're riding bicycles, and with your health, you won't be able to keep up. Besides, we four fit perfectly on two bikes. If you borrow a bike and ride alone, it will be too much for you. It's quite a distance."

Aunt Sui added, "Yes, it took us over two hours to ride back in the evening. You said it took two hours, right?"

Zhao Guihua nodded. "Definitely. When we were getting ready to leave, I asked a young man what time it was. Now... from the time we started down the mountain until we got back, including picking plums, it took us over three hours. I estimate we spent at least two and a half hours."

"Yes, definitely."

Aunt Wang said, "Aunt Su, you definitely can't do it. Take the bus."

Zhao Guihua said, "It's getting late, and pregnant women get hungry easily. I need to hurry home and cook."

Liang Meifen said, "Mom, take off your clothes, and I'll wash them."

Zhao Guihua replied, "No need. We're going back up the mountain tomorrow anyway."

"That's true."

Zhao Guihua quickly went home and opened the door. Aunt Wang said, "I need to hurry home and cook too."

Aunt Sui said, "Me too."

Everyone quickly dispersed. After everyone left, Aunt Su's face darkened.

She frowned and pursed her lips in dissatisfaction as she entered. Upon seeing Hu Huihui standing in the hall, she immediately put on a concerned expression and gently said, "Huihui has made you laugh."

She sighed and said, "I originally wanted to borrow some fish to make something nice for you, but... sigh, as you can see, I have no way to do that."

She concernedly said, "How many days are you going to stay here after leaving home this time?"

She said apologetically, "It's not that Auntie doesn't let you stay; I'm actually very happy that you can come and live here. It's nice to have another person around to make things lively. But as you know, in our family, it's really just your cousin working this early in the morning, and her salary isn't very high. We really wish we could help, but we are simply unable to do so..."

As soon as Hu Huihui heard this, she knew what the old lady was thinking. She suppressed her dissatisfaction and said in a somewhat weak tone, "I know..."

She pursed her lips and said, "But, Ma'am, I really have nowhere to go. If you don't take me in, I will have to sleep on the streets."

She looked at Aunt Su with a pitiful expression and said, "Aunt, could you please let me stay for a while? I’ll go home as soon as my dad calms down. I-I-I still have a bit of pocket money, so I can pay five yuan. Can you let me stay for a month?"

Sister Su's eyes brightened, and then she continued, "I'm not after your money, nor do I want your money. This matter, let's wait until your cousin comes back to decide. All the family matters are up to her."

Sister Su must get this money. Although five yuan is little, it is better than nothing. It would be best if... she could get a bit more.

Moreover, she had another thought: there were indeed bachelors in this courtyard, and there were more than one bachelor on this street. With such a beautiful young girl living at home, she couldn’t believe that others wouldn’t be moved. As long as they were moved, that would be enough.

Since you want to find a partner, you can't avoid giving gifts, right?

She pursed her lips and chuckled softly. This Hu Huihui had come at just the right time, just when their family was in a tight spot with no one to rely on.

However, she wouldn't stoop to doing something so underhanded. This was where Wang Xiangxiu came in handy. Although she knew how stupid her daughter-in-law was, if she didn't give her a heads-up, the woman might actually drive Hu Huihui away.

She said, "I'm going out to use the latrine."

With the machinery factory about to let out, she planned to go and intercept someone. Hu Huihui offered, "Then I'll make dinner."

Aunt Su immediately responded, "No need, let your sister do it when she gets back. You're a guest, how could we let you lift a finger?"

As she walked out, she added, "I'll also check where the three kids have run off to. Those kids, after school they don't even know to come straight home..."

She muttered as she left, while Hu Huihui smirked to herself. This old hag was truly useless—a mother-in-law letting her daughter-in-law take charge? What a waste. Still, she carefully surveyed the house, wondering if there was a place to hide things.

If those gold and silver treasures were indeed taken by them, where could they be hiding them?

The surrounding area, not just this street but the ones before and after it, were all suspicious. But if there was one well-known thief in this neighborhood, it was her nephew Su Jinlai. So she couldn't help but suspect the Su family. But if the Su family really had so many valuable items hidden, wouldn't they be guarding their home like hawks? Would they really let an outsider like her wander around the house alone?

She pursed her lips, thinking this possibility was unlikely.

In truth, she had already prepared to stay here for a while. After all, she was determined to find those gold and silver treasures. She remembered what Old Zheng had said: as long as she found them, they would keep the items for themselves.

She smiled smugly.

Then they would have money.

Ideally, she would find them first. That way, she could use the items to force Old Zheng to marry her. Old Zheng always made excuses; that wouldn't do. With the valuables in her hands, she wasn't worried he wouldn't agree.

She also dreamed of becoming an official's wife.

She looked around and thought to herself that she definitely wouldn't end up like her cousin.

She sat at home, pondering these thoughts, while Aunt Su was already strolling around the alley. Seeing Wang Xiangxiu return, she quickly grabbed her and pulled her into a side alley, sharing her plan.

Wang Xiangxiu was stunned, then happily said: "You're right!"

Aunt Su said, "Spread the word that your cousin is looking for a husband. Then we won't lack people trying to curry favor with us."

Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "You're right, but letting her stay here for free..."

"She said she could give five yuan. I told her you'd decide. Since she offered five yuan, I bet she has more. Try to get as much as you can. Does she not eat dumplings or noodles? Since she's staying with us, the five yuan is for rent and food. The cost of meals is extra."

Wang Xiangxiu said, "I'll ask for ten yuan."

Aunt Su nodded, "Good. If she can't afford it, force her to find a way. She's not bad-looking and still a young lady. It shouldn't be hard for her to get money."

Wang Xiangxiu said, "I know. She's not a good person, pretending to be gentle and shy. In reality, she's dated quite a few men. At sixteen, she was already eating at other men's houses. Her reputation in my hometown is not great. Now she's pretending to be a chaste and virtuous woman, not wanting to marry. She should take a good look at herself."

Aunt Su was surprised, "This little vixen, she's good at pretending."

"Let's go home, I'll handle her."

Aunt Su smiled, "Then I'll leave it all to you. That's why our family needs you in charge. I'm too weak and useless, I can only offer advice, not take action."

Wang Xiangxiu smiled proudly, "You can count on me."

Compared to other families, she knew she was very lucky. Her mother-in-law wasn't just talk—she was genuinely good. For example, Wang Xiangxiu managed the household finances, deciding what to buy. Her mother-in-law never interfered.

Whenever there was a bit of cloth ration, her mother-in-law would never use it. She always said, "I'm an old woman at home, why would I need nice clothes? I can make do. The kids grow fast, they need new clothes often. You need to look presentable for work. I don't care about myself. If it weren't for the kids and you, I'd rather die and join my husband and son."

Wang Xiangxiu remembered these words clearly and was deeply touched.

There was no better mother-in-law in the world.

However, Wang Xiangxiu never thought that with a monthly salary of just over twenty yuan, it was impossible to make ends meet. She didn't realize that she had to find ways to make up for the shortfall. All she knew was that she was in charge of the household.

She walked back with Aunt Su, saying, "This Huihui, she had a temporary job before, I wonder if she's still working. I need to ask her. If she's not earning, I definitely can't keep her for long... It depends on how much she eats."

As the two walked back, they didn't notice Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei standing just around the corner, exchanging glances.

After they left, Ming Mei pinched Zhuang Zhixi. He sighed, "This old lady is quite cunning."

Wang Xiangxiu, after all, was just a tool in Aunt Su's hands.

Ming Mei clicked her tongue. Zhuang Zhixi pinched her cheek and said, "Enough clicking, let's go home."

Ming Mei followed Zhuang Zhixi, whispering softly, "I have a feeling the courtyard is about to get interesting again."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Hey wife, not bad, you can even use fancy words now."

Ming Mei said, "Of course."

She pouted, "Didn't you hear Wang Xiangxiu? That Hu Huihui, she's not simple. But she looks so weak and shy, so good at pretending. Isn't that going to stir up trouble?"

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "Maybe Wang Xiangxiu is just jealous and making things up about her cousin?"

He said, "Wang Xiangxiu would do that, right?"

Ming Mei nodded, "She would, but I also know that Hu Huihui isn't really that weak. I just didn't think of it this morning, but later I remembered. She seems to be part of the Red Sleeve Armband group. I've seen her before. She's quite bold, not like how she looked this morning."

Zhuang Zhixi was surprised, then narrowed his eyes slightly, "Really?"

If that was the case, then things could get interesting.

If someone's personality changed due to a major event, that would be normal. But recently, the Red Sleeve Armband group had been searching for something in this area, which made people think twice. He raised an eyebrow and said, "We should tell Mom when we get home."

Ming Mei nodded, "I know."

The couple returned home and entered the courtyard, greeted by the smell of fish. Many people had gone to the mountains today and had caught fish, so almost every household was cooking it to improve their meals.

"Mom, we're back," Zhuang Zhixi called out.

Xiao Yanzi said, "Auntie, there are plums at home, come and eat."

Ming Mei replied, "Oh, really? That's great."

She entered the house and saw Zhao Guihua cooking two fish.

Ming Mei leaned close to Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Mom, on our way back, we saw Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu whispering in the alley..."

She quickly recounted the situation. Zhao Guihua's eyelids twitched.

That Hu Huihui... Could she have come to their courtyard with a purpose?

Even if others didn't know, Zhao Guihua was crystal clear about what those people were really after. At this moment, she felt a slight tinge of regret, as she truly didn't want to get involved with them.

Although those people didn't know it was her family who did it, having a suspicious neighbor made daily life uneasy. It seemed that her actions were a bit reckless, but soon enough, Zhao Guihua shook her head, deciding that what was done was done, and there was no point in regretting it.

If those treasures had fallen into Yu Baoshan's hands, it would have been disastrous.

Others might not know what he had done, but Zhao Guihua knew it all too well. This man was ruthless, not just in his clothing business where he crushed his competitors, but also in his ventures into illegal coal mines, which had caused countless harm. Zhao Guihua felt that what she did was justified.

At the very least, without a large sum of money, his clothing business wouldn't have grown, and he wouldn't have been able to operate the illegal coal mines.

The illegal coal mines had caused so much harm, Zhao Guihua had seen it on TV. They had lured many people into working in remote, desolate mountain areas, refusing to pay them. People were trapped in those remote places, and many had died. It was truly surprising that a man from Beijing could find such a place.

Now, well...

Zhao Guihua calmed herself down and said, "I understand. You don't need to pay her any attention."

As she finished speaking, she noticed her youngest son staring at her. She glared, "What are you looking at?"

Zhuang Zhixi shook his head and chuckled, "You're so fierce, Mother."

Zhao Guihua glared at him again, and Zhuang Zhixi innocently shrugged.

Zhao Guihua: "We'll live our lives..."

Just as she was about to continue, there was a knock on the door. Ming Mei opened the door and said, "Oh? Sister Jiang Lu? Is something the matter?"

Jiang Lu smiled and said, "I heard you caught quite a bit today. I was wondering if you could trade me a couple of fish."

She directly took out some money and said, "I'm pregnant, and I've been craving some fish."

Ming Mei looked at Zhao Guihua, as her family was under her rule, and these were her mother-in-law's catches.

Zhao Guihua hesitated for a moment, and Jiang Lu quickly added, "If I were in good health, I wouldn't have come. But since I'm pregnant, I suddenly got this craving. I promise it's just this once."

Zhao Guihua: "Alright then."

Although she had refused Aunt Su earlier, Aunt Su didn't have a "pregnant" excuse, did she?

Whether it was a real or fake pregnancy, no one knew.

Jiang Lu smiled and said, "Thank you."

She called out loudly, "Wang Zhaodi."

Wang Zhaodi immediately ran out, "Sister Jiang Lu, what's up?"

Jiang Lu: "Take this home, prepare one for soup."

Wang Zhaodi widened her eyes, "Are you going to eat both?"

Jiang Lu nodded, "Yes, both."

Her voice was not low at all, "I'm pregnant and craving fish."

Well, she wanted everyone to know.

Zhao Guihua thought, if she's faking her pregnancy, how will she manage this?

It was beyond comprehension.

Even with her experience, Zhao Guihua found Jiang Lu's actions a bit puzzling.

Could it be that Jiang Lu was so upset by Zhou Qun that she thought she was pregnant when she wasn't? But looking at Jiang Lu's eyes, she didn't seem crazy. Zhao Guihua coughed, genuinely puzzled. However, Jiang Lu didn't leave. She leaned against the doorframe and started chatting with Ming Mei: "You're about two months along, right?"

Ming Mei nodded, "Yes."

She didn't know Jiang Lu was faking her pregnancy, as it was something most people wouldn't consider. Only Zhao Guihua, with her past and present experiences, could make such a comparison.

Jiang Lu looked Ming Mei up and down and said, "I see you're not having much of a reaction. I heard many pregnant women have quite a bit of discomfort."

Ming Mei: "Actually, I do have some reactions. Just after finding out, I was a bit unsettled and nauseous. That's why I changed jobs. Now, with a regular schedule and not traveling on buses, I don't have much discomfort. As for others who feel like vomiting... I don't really have that, except when I smell snake meat, which makes me feel sick. Otherwise, it's pretty okay. I guess it's more psychological."

Jiang Lu nodded thoughtfully.

Of course, she didn't just come to chat with Ming Mei about this. The truth was, she wasn't actually pregnant, and since she was faking it, she needed to act the part. Although she also wanted to communicate with Ming Mei to see if she could scheme with Zhuang Zhixi to deal with Bai Fendou, that was secondary. The most important thing now was to pretend to be pregnant.

This was the key issue.

Over the years, she hadn't paid much attention to how other pregnant women behaved. She herself had never had a child, and whenever she encountered a pregnant woman, she would avoid them, never asking anything. So now she was a bit lost. She could ask her mother, but Jiang Lu felt it wasn't appropriate.

Her mother was of that age, and probably wouldn't remember much, so it wouldn't be accurate.

That's why she decided to fake her pregnancy and mimic Ming Mei.

There was another pregnant woman in the courtyard, Li Fang, but she had been married for over ten years and had no contact with Li Fang. It would be difficult to get close to Li Fang quickly. But Ming Mei was different; she had been married for a short time, and their interactions were minimal, so any misunderstandings were minor.

If she had to choose someone to get along with better, Jiang Lu would choose Ming Mei.

"I always hear that pregnant women crave either sour or spicy food. How about you?"

Ming Mei looked a bit puzzled at Jiang Lu's question but thought since they were both pregnant, she said, "I like everything. Maybe it's because I'm in the early stages, but I don't have any particular cravings. I'm not picky, I like everything, sour or spicy."

Jiang Lu nodded thoughtfully, "That makes sense. Early on, there's not much effect."

"Exactly."

Ming Mei asked curiously, "I heard you're expecting too. How's it going?"

Jiang Lu remained calm, "Not much feeling. I used to think pregnant women change a lot, but now I don't feel much, and it's a bit unsettling. That's why I wanted to ask you."

Ming Mei felt the logic was a bit off.

But she didn't say much, instead saying, "Maybe it's because I'm happy. Before I found out I was pregnant, I didn't feel much, but once I knew, I started to worry, and even work became unfocused. But soon I calmed down, and it got better."

Jiang Lu softly said, "Oh, I see."

Zhao Guihua chimed in, "People react differently. Some have good health and don't feel much during pregnancy. Some are weaker and have more reactions. Others feel fine at first but get uncomfortable in the fourth or fifth month. These things are hard to predict."

Jiang Lu nodded, "Right, right."

Hearing this, she felt more at ease.

Seeing that the family was preparing to eat, Jiang Lu said, "I'll head back then. Let's exchange experiences another day."

Ming Mei: "Ah? Oh."

She watched Jiang Lu leave and muttered softly, "Strange."

Zhao Guihua glanced at Ming Mei, who gave her a bright smile and sat down to eat.

Liang Meifen: "Jiang Lu finally got what she wanted, she's different now."

Zhao Guihua: "Mm."

Ming Mei ate quietly, and Zhao Guihua said, "We'll go mushroom picking tomorrow. If we're late, you two can cook."

Ming Mei: "Okay."

Zhao Guihua: "Cut some mutton, stir-fry it with green onions, and make a vegetable dish."

Ming Mei: "Alright."

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi both started salivating.

Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Our meals are pretty good, yet you're still so greedy."

This made the two kids feel a bit shy. Hutou chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah, we're really greedy."

He tilted his head and asked, "Granny, are we eating so well that we're running out of money?"

Despite being a child, he understood these things. Zhao Guihua laughed and said, "If you don't eat well and grow strong, how will you make money in the future?"

Hutou scratched his head, "Oh, right."

Zhao Guihua: "Eating well keeps you strong and healthy, and you won't get sick. So, is it better to spend money on food or on medicine?"

Hutou was absolutely determined: "Eat meat."

Xiao Yanzi nodded in agreement beside him: "Eat meat, eat meat! We hate taking medicine the most!"

It was so bitter, it made them feel like vomiting.

Zhao Guihua said: "That's why, I have my own plans, you kids don't need to think so much. Just eat well and grow up obediently."

The two children nodded vigorously: "Mm-hmm."

Ming Mei also smiled cheerfully: "Mom, you're really good at educating kids. When I have my own children in the future, I'll let you teach them."

Zhao Guihua glanced at her and said: "You just want to be lazy, don't you?"

Ming Mei widened her eyes, looking very determined: "How could that be? I certainly wouldn't!"

She pouted and said coquettishly: "Mom, you misunderstand me like this, and it hurts me so much. Oh, my heart aches~"

She clutched her chest, putting on quite a show.

Zhao Guihua chuckled and pointed at her: "You, you're always causing trouble."

Ming Mei defended herself boldly: "What trouble? Besides, look, you're smiling, you're clearly happy..."

Zhao Guihua laughed and said: "You..."

Before she could finish, a sudden cry and shouting came from outside.

Ming Mei almost dropped her bowl of rice and said: "Goodness, what's going on outside?"

Zhuang Zhixi quickly got up and peeked outside, saying: "It's Aunt Su, she's wailing again, like a donkey."

He went out and saw that other neighbors had already come out, including Bai Fendou and his father, as well as Jiang Lu, all of them standing at the door with their arms crossed, curiously watching. The people from the back courtyard also gradually moved forward. However, Aunt Su and her daughter-in-law looked like they were at their wit's end.

Aunt Wang came to the front courtyard and quickly asked: "What's going on again?"

She was the most unfortunate caretaker in all of Beijing, without a doubt. Her helplessness was written all over her face. It was truly a sad situation.

Aunt Su wailed loudly, almost unable to speak. Wang Xiangxiu was on the verge of collapse, saying: "My Jinlai is missing, all three of my children are missing. They haven't come back, wuwuwu..."

The children were their lifeblood. If it were any other matter, they might still have some reason left, but when it came to their three sons, Wang Xiangxiu completely broke down. She cried out: "They haven't come back at this time, what should we do?"

Aunt Su added tearfully beside her: "Usually, after school, they sometimes play outside and only come back for dinner, so we didn't pay much attention when they didn't come back today. But as we waited and waited, it's already this late, and the usual dinner time has passed, yet the children still haven't come back. When Xiangxiu went outside to check, there were no kids around, everyone had gone home to eat. When she asked the kids from the neighboring courtyard, they said they hadn't seen Jinlai and the others come back..."

She was really panicking. Seeing her like this, Aunt Wang's heart skipped a beat and she was scared.

After all, losing children at any time was no small matter.

The neighbors also started to discuss: "Ah, the kids are missing? All three of them are missing? Could they have run into a child trafficker?"

"There aren't many child traffickers these days, are there?"

"Then where could they have gone?"

"Maybe they just got carried away playing and didn't come back?"

"Or maybe we should just go look for them?"

Losing children was no small matter. Even families who were usually indifferent to each other would actively help in such situations. Aunt Wang composed herself and said: "Everyone, let's move and help look for them together."

"Alright."

"Okay."

Zhao Guihua also actively helped organize, asking: "When did they finish school today? Has anyone seen the kids?"

She said: "Let's split up and look around. We neighbors can search the surrounding areas, and Wang Xiangxiu, you go to the school to ask around, then check with their teachers to see if they went to play at a friend's house. Or maybe they mentioned to a friend where they were going."

"Right, right, I'll go to the school right away..."

Wang Xiangxiu immediately prepared to leave. Zhao Guihua said: "Aunt Wang, since you're familiar with the neighborhood as the caretaker, mobilize the neighbors to help look around."

Aunt Wang: "Got it."

She said: "Yang Lixin, you go with Wang Xiangxiu to the school..."

Li Fang spoke up: "Mom, let my dad go instead. Young people aren't as steady as you. I don't feel safe letting my man go with Wang Xiangxiu alone, even if it's an emergency. My dad is older, it's fine."

She wasn't willing to let her man be alone with Wang Xiangxiu, even though the situation was urgent. She didn't want to risk her family. Everyone knew each other well, and she was well aware of Wang Xiangxiu's ways.

Li the Cook: "I'll go then, Wang Xiangxiu, let's go together."

Wang Xiangxiu immediately nodded, and the two hurried out. Aunt Wang also gathered everyone.

Zhao Guihua: "The pregnant women should stay home, wait for news."

She continued: "You kids come over, does anyone know where Jinlai and the others went?"

The children all shook their heads. Hutou said: "I haven't seen them since school today."

Li Junjun and Li Weiwei also nodded, agreeing with Hutou.

Li Junjun: "We've been playing hopscotch in the courtyard since we got back, and we haven't seen them."

"The three kids must be together. Jinlai is in elementary school, Tonglai is in kindergarten, so they couldn't have gotten lost separately. They must have gone out together. Let's go look for them. Hopefully, Wang Xiangxiu and the others will find something."

Everyone agreed. The children didn't need to go out, nor did the pregnant women. The rest all went out to search, regardless of whether they were on good terms or not. Such a matter was a big deal, and no one would refuse to help.

Although people in those days might fight over a stalk of scallion or a clove of garlic, they would genuinely help in such situations.

However, most people didn't believe it was a case of child trafficking. In those days, there weren't many child traffickers. Even Zhao Guihua knew this. Child trafficking became more common in the 1980s and 1990s.

But in the 1970s, life was hard, and it was difficult just to get enough to eat. There weren't many traffickers, mainly because of poverty. And with no birth control, every family had many children. Even if someone didn't have children and wanted to adopt, they didn't need to go far. Every family had poor relatives, and it was easy to find children to adopt.

Moreover, everywhere required an introduction letter, so it wasn't like you could just take a child and not be checked.

So, were there traffickers? Yes.

But they were extremely rare.

Under this understanding, everyone still leaned towards the idea that the children had run off to play on their own. After all, these three kids were always like that, extremely mischievous. Zhao Guihua and the others all went out to search.

Ming Mei, being pregnant, didn't go out. She carried a small stool and sat at the door. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi sat beside her. Hutou frowned and asked: "Auntie, is Jinlai lost?"

Ming Mei: "I don't know, everyone is out looking for them. They should be able to find them."

It was already dark, and no one knew where the kids could have gone.

Hutou propped his cheek with his hand and said: "If they can't be found, they won't have parents anymore."

Ming Mei: "Yes, that's right. So, if kids want to go somewhere, they must tell their parents. Not saying anything is not okay."

Hutou nodded quickly, and Xiao Yanzi beside him did the same.

The two children were quite afraid of getting lost.

Jiang Lu didn't go out either and came over to sit with them. Although she also wanted to go out and help, thinking of herself as a "pregnant woman," she decided not to go. She talked to Ming Mei: "These three kids are too spoiled, aren't they? Where could they have gone?"

Ming Mei didn't know either and shook her head, saying: "I don't know."

She said: "If no one saw them, it's troublesome. It's hard to find them if they're not nearby."

Jiang Lu nodded. In fact, she had always disapproved of how the Su family raised their children. If she had children, she would definitely educate them properly. Not just Jiang Lu, but others probably thought the same way. However, since Aunt Su and her daughter-in-law spoiled their kids so much, they certainly wouldn't say anything. It wasn't their business anyway.

Jiang Lu: "I hope the kids are found soon."

"That's right."

They didn't talk much more than that. Although Jinlai and his two younger brothers were often mischievous and disliked by everyone, no one wanted to see the children go missing. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Li Fang also brought a stool to the front, and a few people sat together.

At this moment, everyone was searching outside but found no trace of the children.

However, Li the Cook and Wang Xiangxiu returned, and everyone gathered at the alley entrance.

Li the Cook: "They weren't at school. I asked around, and it turns out Jinlai didn't attend class this afternoon. He said he had a stomachache at noon and took leave to run out. After leaving, he went to the kindergarten to pick up his two younger brothers, and the three of them left together."

They first went to the school and then to the kindergarten, getting a rough idea of what had happened.

"Where could they have gone?"

"My Jinlai..."

"It's already dark; what will they do? Wuuuu..."

Aunt Su cried and threw herself onto Old Man Bai, wailing, "Old Bai, my life is so hard!"

Everyone's mouth twitched. She was crying, but she still had to flirt with Old Man Bai at this moment?

Zhao Guihua: "Don't they have any close friends? Does anyone know where they were planning to go?"

Before the words were even finished, a middle-aged woman hurried over and said, "I'm Jinlai's homeroom teacher..."

"You give me back my son! You scoundrel, you damned thing! I sent my child to school for you to take care of him, and now he's gone... You despicable woman! Give me back my son!"

She lunged forward to hit the teacher, but Aunt Wang quickly stopped her, saying, "What are you doing? Are you trying to find your son or not?"

The elementary school teacher: "Su Jinlai doesn't have any particularly close friends at school, but he did tell his desk mate that he was going to do something big today. He said that many people in your courtyard were going fishing, and he wanted to go too!"

"Ah!"

"Fishing?"

"Yes, everyone said they were going to the mountain today. Maybe she heard that."

Aunt Su also swayed, saying, "Yes, yes, we talked about it last night."

In fact, she wanted to go, which was why she had inquired about the specific details. But when she heard it was in the suburbs, she gave up. It was too far, and she didn't want to suffer. She had thought about it and decided to ask someone for a fish instead. Wouldn't that be easier? If someone caught a lot, she might even ask for two. After all, her life was so difficult; it was only right for others to help her.

Who could say she lacked compassion?

That was her thinking.

So she didn't go, and Wang Xiangxiu was at work, so she certainly didn't go either. But unexpectedly, Jinlai had overheard this and remembered it. She was very upset, shouting, "How could they go to the suburbs? What if something happens?"

Aunt Su grabbed Aunt Wang, saying, "Didn't you go to the suburbs too? Did you see them?"

Aunt Wang shook her head, "No."

She asked, "Did any of you see them?"

Many people from their courtyard had gone today.

Everyone shook their heads, none of them having seen the children.

Zhao Guihua: "We left early in the morning and started heading back in the afternoon. Even the latest to return would have been back before dinner. If they left late and had to walk the whole way, they would have missed everyone. It's normal not to have met them."

"They left after lunch, so they should have arrived by the afternoon."

"But that's not necessarily true. Do they have bicycles? And do they have money for a bus? If they had to walk the whole way, even a few kids wouldn't make it by evening."

"That's true."

"Aunt Su, do the kids have money for a bus?"

Aunt Su vigorously shook her head, but then said, "Even if they don't have money, my Jinlai is very smart. Maybe he found a way to take the bus."

"It's hard to say. Since no one met them, it's unlikely they took the bus."

"What should we do?"

"My poor Jinlai, where are you? You're killing me! If you're lost, I won't live either..."

"Stop wailing and start looking along the road to the city outskirts."

Zhao Guihua: "Let's split into three groups. One group should ride bikes quickly to the mountain in the suburbs; another group should search along this road leading out of the city; and Aunt Wang, you take Aunt Su and her daughter to the police station. With the help of the police, it'll be better."

"Yes, yes."

Zhuang Zhixi: "I'll go to the bus station and ask. There's only one bus going to the suburbs. I'll ask the driver or conductor. If three kids got on the bus for the suburbs, they must have noticed."

"Isn't it almost time to get off work?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "It's fine; my wife definitely knows someone."

"Ah, right, where does Xiao Zhuang's wife work?"

Everyone is eager to help, and no one is ambiguous about it.

However, at this moment, it can be seen that the reason why the old Zhao family has been able to live well is quite clear. From Zhao Guihua to her son Zhuang Zhixi, they approach their tasks with great organization. Moreover, during critical times, they are very capable of handling matters effectively.

The Su family, apart from being noisy, can do nothing else.

Wang Dama led people to the police station, and soon there were more helpers. At this time, Zhuang Zhixi also brought back news: "I’ve found out that they indeed took a bus to the suburbs, and they got off right at the station at the foot of the mountain. There were three children, and they were also carrying a water bucket. Since there were quite a few people going to the suburbs today, the ticket collector didn’t ask them in detail why the kids were out together. However, since many people were also going to catch fish, they assumed they were with adults. Besides, they had money on them; they used gold to buy tickets…”

“Ah, this...”

“Aunt Su, didn't you say the child has no money?”

“Hurry up and look for it, don't say there's none left.”

Since the child has confirmed the drop-off point, it must be in the suburbs. Everyone hurried to the suburbs, and the police station even arranged for a bus to take us there. The reason for hoping that everyone can come is mainly because we are uncertain about the exact location. With more people, if we can't find it later, we can split into groups to search the mountains.

At a time when everyone was anxiously gathering together to help, regardless of their relationships, even Hu Huihui and Wang Zhao Di were busy looking for people, what were the three brothers Su Jinlai doing?

The three children lit a fire and sat together to grill fish.

To talk about how these three children went up the mountain, we need to start with yesterday. As everyone knows, there is a place that many people want to visit, although it's unclear if there are really as many fish there as people say.

After all, improving life in this way is something that should be firmly grasped.

This fish supplied by the food store is indeed limited in quantity. It can be found on the black market, but since everyone has a formal job, they would prefer to avoid the black market if possible. Therefore, everyone seizes this opportunity that comes for free.

However, among these people, there is also Su's mother.

Sister Su is poor, but she doesn't want to work hard.

You said that if she were to mend clothes for her grandson, she could do it.

Even having her do laundry for the kids, or making a little money by gluing matchboxes, would be fine.

However, if you want her to exert herself, she won't agree to it; this old lady is quite protective of herself. As for going to the countryside or climbing a mountain, just the thought of it sounds like suffering, and she will definitely refuse to go. Although she doesn't want to go, she has already heard about it from Jin.

As a boy, he is not afraid of distance or fatigue.

He immediately pulled over his two younger brothers, and the three little ones started mumbling together. They quickly came to an agreement. They wanted to go fishing in the countryside together. If other families could catch fish, why couldn’t theirs?

Recently, there has been a faint fishy smell in the yard that even the children can detect with their sensitive noses.

They are craving it, and with the perfect opportunity to eat and have fun, they are more than happy to indulge.

However, they also knew that the adults would definitely disagree with them going out, so in the morning, the three children still went to elementary school and kindergarten as usual. After lunch, one by one, they pretended to be sick and sneaked out.

It must be said that Jin Lai is also quite a "talent"; he is truly a very professional "technician."

Since they were going to the mountain to catch fish, they couldn't just go empty-handed, so Su Jinlai came up with a plan. The place he had his eye on was the school's kitchen; he wasn't familiar with other places, and the two places he knew best were their courtyard and the school.

The people in their courtyard often went to the mountain, so naturally, they wouldn't leave fishing nets at home.

So Jinlai set his sights on the school's kitchen. Chef Zhang from the kitchen also liked to go fishing, so Jinlai sneaked in and took the fishing rod and bucket. Poor Chef Zhang, he didn't even realize his things were gone.

Jinlai grabbed the fishing rod and bucket and quietly slipped out. After the three kids met up, they discussed their plan again. They knew that if they walked to the outskirts, it would take them all afternoon, so they decided to take a bus.

Luckily, Jinlai had been eavesdropping the previous night and "subtly" inquired about which bus to take.

But a new problem arose: they had no money.

Although kids like Tonglai didn't need to buy tickets, Jinlai would definitely be questioned, and he might even be asked to buy a half-price ticket. If they were with a parent, they might be able to pass it off, but without one, they would certainly be asked.

Jinlai thought it over and felt this wouldn't work. He considered stealing money, but that was not easy and would take time. Since Zhou Qun always doted on them, Jinlai decided to approach Zhou Qun. Even though they had stolen from Zhou Qun's house before and he had gotten angry and hit them, most of the time, Zhou Qun was quite nice to the three kids. Whatever they did, Zhou Qun would praise them, saying "You're really great!"

This made the kids deeply believe that Zhou Qun, being childless, liked them because he had no sons of his own.

Jinlai went to the hospital and finally found Zhou Qun.

When Zhou Qun heard they wanted to "borrow" money, his face darkened, and Jinlai and the others thought everything was ruined. To their surprise, Zhou Qun suddenly smiled and agreed to lend them the money.

With the five mao that Zhou Qun gave them, the three kids bought tickets and headed to the outskirts.

They didn't know that Zhou Qun was no kind-hearted person. He had a strategy with these three kids, which was called "spoiling them to death." Since he had no sons, he was happy to see other people's sons go astray.

Jinlai spent one jiao on his own ticket, while Yinlai and Tonglai, being younger, didn't need to buy tickets. This way, he even made four jiao.

Oh, if they counted the return trip, they would still have three cents left.

In short, the three brothers felt they had hit the jackpot. They took the bus to the mountain, and since there were many people on the mountain, they managed to find a pond. However, being kids, they had left late after preparing various things, and climbing the mountain was tiring. By the time they arrived, it wasn't early anymore.

As for why they didn't run into Zhao Guihua and the others, it was because Zhao Guihua and the group were already heading down the mountain while they were still climbing up.

Moreover, adults took the normal routes up and down the mountain to save time, while kids tended to get distracted and wander around, so they missed each other. When they got to the mountain, there were still quite a few people. However, being kids with limited skills, they didn't catch anything even after most people had left.

The boys became indignant, thinking that if others could catch fish, so could they.

This back-and-forth delayed them even further...

But finally, the three kids had some success. They proudly exclaimed, "Damn, those adults always think they're so great. But really, what's the big deal? Look, we can fish too!"

"Big Brother is awesome!"