My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 106

Three children, Jinlai, Yinlai, and Tonglai, sat by the pond, humming little tunes and enjoying roasted fish. Life was as carefree as a breeze.

Although they didn't have any salt, it didn't stop the three kids from enjoying their meal.

The roasted fish tasted really good.

Jinlai boasted, "I told you fishing isn't hard. Adults can do it, and so can we kids."

Yinlai chimed in, "Big brother is the best. Other kids can't do it. Can Hutou do it? No way! What about Lijun and Liwei? Nope! They may act cool, but they're just little kids. We're different; we're real men, just like adults."

Tonglai, being the youngest, wasn't good at much but was already skilled at flattery. "Yes, big brother is the best."

"Brother, it's so delicious," Tonglai added.

Jinlai waved his hand confidently. "If we run out, we'll just catch more. Plenty to eat."

As night fell, Yinlai, despite his bravado, looked around nervously. "Brother, it's getting dark. Should we head back? We might miss the bus."

"You're right," Jinlai agreed, glancing around. There were still a few people nearby, likely locals from the foot of the mountain hoping for a good catch. Seeing them, Jinlai felt a bit more at ease. "What's the big deal? Look, there are still people here. Don't overthink it. If we miss the bus, we'll just follow the adults."

He felt quite clever about his plan.

Yinlai nodded, "That makes sense."

Tonglai mumbled, "If we get back late, Mom will beat us."

Nonsense! Grandma and Mom wouldn't be willing to hit us. Plus, it's not like we were just playing; we were doing important stuff. Everyone knows people come here to fish. We're fine.

"True. Other kids aren't as capable as us."

"Big brother is right."

Jinlai grinned proudly. "And even if we didn't catch any fish, we still borrowed 50 cents. We have 30 cents left. We earned it fair and square, no need to return it. We can buy candy or firecrackers. We're winning."

"Exactly!"

The three kids basked in their self-satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the main group was heading up the mountain. Leading the way was Wang Xiangxiu, with Aunt Su stumbling behind her, her face filled with sorrow. Supporting her was Old Man Bai.

Old Man Bai was heartbroken. "Sister, take it slow. Your body is so frail; you can't handle this. Let me carry you."

Aunt Su shook her head. "No, you were injured too and haven't fully recovered. I can't let you carry me and risk hurting yourself."

In truth, she was afraid Old Man Bai might drop her. He looked weak and unreliable. She glanced at the strong men around her and coughed lightly, hoping someone would offer to carry her.

She wasn't heavy, after all.

If anyone had a shred of respect for the elderly, they should step up.

She glanced around, coughing again to draw attention. But no one cared about an old lady; everyone was focused on finding the kids. With the police present, the group remained orderly, spreading out with flashlights and calling out, "Jinlai, Yinlai..."

"Jinlai..."

The collective shouting echoed loudly.

The search party was determined, their voices carrying through the mountain. Meanwhile, Jinlai and his brothers were still fishing, oblivious to the commotion. Perhaps because it was night and fewer people were around, their fishing was surprisingly successful.

During the day, Zhao Guihua and others had managed to catch four fish each with a net. But tonight, Jinlai and his brothers had each caught a fish, with another one roasting over the fire. They were quite pleased with themselves.

"Jinlai..."

Distant calls came from the foot of the mountain. The few adults still fishing at night heard them and looked around. But Jinlai and his brothers remained indifferent, either ignoring the calls or not hearing them.

One old man called out, "Kids, it's dark. Shouldn't you head down the mountain?"

Jinlai snapped back, "Mind your own business!"

The old man was taken aback. "What kind of manners are those? Are they looking for you?"

Jinlai retorted even more harshly, "Old fool, get lost!"

The old man was furious. "What's wrong with you, kid? How rude!"

Jinlai sneered. "What? You gonna hit me? If you do, you'll have to pay up!"

He was quite proud of himself. "They're here to find me!"

The old man realized the kid had heard the calls.

Fuming, the old man cursed, "What a little brat. No wonder he gets beaten. He deserves it!"

He turned and walked away, refusing to deal with the troublemaker.

Jinlai and Yinlai had been beaten by Bai Fendou the previous day and still had bruises on their faces.

The old man had felt a bit sorry for them earlier, thinking someone must be tough on these kids to make them fish at night with such injuries. Now he realized they deserved every bit of it.

He ignored them and walked off. Another fisherman nearby said, "You didn't need to bother with him. Look at his attitude; he's not a good kid."

The old man sighed. "I wonder how their family raises them."

"Forget it," the fisherman said.

Yinlai picked up a stone and threw it, missing but splashing water.

"You little brat!"

"So what!"

Yinlai, knowing his mom was coming to find them, became even more brazen. He picked up another stone and threw it, accidentally breaking a fishing rod.

It was a rare chance, but it happened.

Yinlai was surprised but quickly cheered himself on. "Yeah! I'm awesome!"

Jinlai grinned. "Second brother is the best!"

He picked up a stone and threw it, hitting the old man's foot.

The old man cursed, "Damn it!"

Both the old man and the fisherman were furious. Such brats deserved a beating.

Jinlai, Yinlai, and Tonglai laughed loudly, clapping their hands.

Yinlai suddenly shouted, "Help! Adults are bullying kids!" He taunted the two men, clearly daring them to do something.

"Damn it!"

"Little brat!"

The fisherman, unlike the old man, acted quickly. Ignoring the kid's cries, he grabbed the little troublemaker and slapped him twice.

Yinlai screamed, "Ah!"

Jinlai threw down his fishing rod and charged over. "How dare you hit my brother!"

The fisherman pushed him down and kicked him. "Little brat, you deserve it for being so mouthy and reckless. You're a troublemaker. You'll end up in jail someday!"

Jinlai and Yinlai got another beating.

The old man and the fisherman didn't care that they were kids. They weren't their own children, so why should they tolerate their bad behavior? Slaps were the answer.

Tonglai, seeing this, scrambled away, not wanting to get involved.

It's no wonder that Tonglai will one day become the groom of a cow. He knows how to charm all the aunties and sisters, making them happy. This definitely shows that he's a sensible one. So, the saying "one can tell what a child will be like by looking at them at three" does hold some truth. This little rascal in their family is exactly like that.

Don't let his usual arrogance fool you, always following his older brothers around, acting tough. The moment those two got into a fight, he quickly scurried away.

He stumbled and ran, not caring at all whether his two older brothers were getting beaten up.

He didn't run far before seeing a crowd gathering. He shouted, "Mom!"

Wang Xiangxiu, from a distance, spotted Tonglai and called out, "Tonglai!!!"

She quickly started running, and others followed suit, picking up their pace.

Tonglai cried out, "Hurry and save my brothers! Someone's beating us up!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiangxiu's eyes widened in fury. Her sons were her most cherished treasures, her precious gems. If anyone dared to lay a finger on them, she would fight to the death. She ran forward at full speed, tripped, and fell to the ground, but she quickly got up, not even caring about the pain.

Wang Xiangxiu rushed towards Tonglai, hugging her son tightly and asking, "Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Where are your brothers?"

Tonglai pointed towards the pond and said, "They're over there."

Wang Xiangxiu quickly ran over, only to find both her sons beaten up. As a mother, she was like a furious lioness protecting her cubs, lunging forward with a roar, "I'll kill you!"

She charged straight at the middle-aged man, ready to scratch him. However, the man wasn't some weakling like Bai Fendou. He slapped her away with a single blow, shouting, "I can see now, it's no wonder these little brats are like this with a parent like you. How dare you come here to pick a fight? Why don't you ask your little brats what they've done?"

"Exactly!"

"What's going on here!" At this moment, the police officers also rushed over, and the crowd grew larger.

Seeing the growing crowd, the middle-aged man felt a bit uneasy, but he still shouted loudly, "Officers, don't just accuse me of beating up kids. Ask everyone here, what did these three little brats do!"

"You can't hit children, they're just kids!"

Before the police officers could speak, Aunt Su rushed forward, cried out loudly, and then hugged Jinlai, wailing, "My Jinlai, these heartless bastards, how could they treat us like this? We're already struggling as a widow and her children, and now we encounter such bad people..."

"Old lady, stop spouting nonsense! Why don't you ask your kids what they've done! Look at my fishing rod, I didn't even bother with them, but they came to provoke me. Have you ever seen such brats? This old man kindly asked if they were calling out to him, and what did they do? They directly cursed him as an old fool. And!" The old man was so angry he couldn't help but say, "These two naughty kids threw stones at us. Ask, ask others!"

"Yes, what this gentleman said is right."

"Exactly, that stone directly hit my foot, look!"

"What kind of people are they?"

"Officers, we can testify for them. It's these two kids who are rude and mischievous, not acting like decent people..."

It seems that people nowadays are still quite simple-minded.

If this were a few decades later, everyone would probably just mind their own business. But now, seeing this situation, everyone gathered around, speaking up one after another to provide evidence.

"These two kids are real troublemakers, the youngest one didn't say much though..."

"They deserved to be beaten!"

"We've never seen such unruly children..."

"They were deliberately provoking, hearing your shouts, they thought they couldn't lose out, so they started acting up..."

"Yes, yes, those two kids deliberately threw stones at people."

The police officers were left speechless, rubbing their temples. These three kids were really... quite the troublemakers.

"Alright, stop crying. It's good that the kids were found safe."

"No, they bullied my son like this, we're going to sue them, make them go to jail, they won't get away with it!"

"On what grounds!"

"Do you have any shame!"

The crowd started bickering and attacking each other. The Su family, especially the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were heartbroken over their children, but others were equally annoyed.

"I don't care, you must compensate us, take my son to the hospital, or this matter won't be over." Wang Xiangxiu was relentless. The police officers, though feeling helpless, could understand the parents' distress seeing their children beaten up.

But feeling sorry is one thing, your kids are really troublemakers. Anyone in this situation would be furious, and a beating is the least of what they deserve.

He said, "You indeed shouldn't have laid hands on the children."

The leading police officer reprimanded the middle-aged man, then turned to Wang Xiangxiu, "But the cause of this incident was your children. It was your children who started the fight. Even if there's blame, your family holds most of it. Beating the children is wrong, but your kids also threw stones, breaking someone's fishing rod..."

The first old man who spoke said, "And they hit my foot."

The police officer said, "If both sides feel this matter can't be resolved, come with me to the police station. You want to pursue them for hitting your children, but they also want to pursue you for breaking the fishing rod and injuring someone."

"A fishing rod is nothing, my son is the important one." Wang Xiangxiu felt a bit uneasy but still yelled.

The police officer: "It's not that children's mistakes can be ignored. You should compensate each other."

The middle-aged man immediately responded, "Compensate each other then. My fishing rod is very expensive. Look, it's not a local brand, I brought it back from a business trip to Shanghai City, it's quite pricey. And look at this kid, he was already bruised and battered when he came."

He sneered, "Looking at their sneaky behavior, it's clear these kids aren't good seeds. They probably already got a beating somewhere else."

Wang Xiangxiu: "You!"

She was furious. At this moment, she truly felt heartbroken. She thought about how many of the neighbors in their courtyard had been intimate with her, some even having had physical relationships.

Although, although she was always asking for money and food, she also gave her body in return.

There's a saying, "One day as husband and wife is a hundred days of grace."

These people didn't show any grace at all. Seeing her being bullied by strangers, they refused to stand up for her. Wang Xiangxiu felt miserable. She knew, she always knew that men were unreliable. The only ones she could rely on were her sons.

She bit her lip, feeling a bit stuck.

She wanted to keep yelling, but if they had to compensate each other, the police officer would definitely be happy with that. However... she looked at her son, who didn't seem too seriously injured. If they went to the hospital, it probably wouldn't cost much. But she had no idea how much the fishing rod cost.

She bit her lip, and at this moment, Aunt Su immediately noticed Wang Xiangxiu's dilemma. She cried out, "We've been a widow and her children for so many years. I know we've been a bit neglectful with the kids, but it's not easy being a widow..."

She started by playing the victim, then continued, "Our family's situation is so bad, even eating enough is a struggle. Where would we get the money to compensate for the fishing rod? If we weren't so hungry, the three kids wouldn't have sneaked up the mountain to go fishing. It's all because their grandma and mom are useless..."

This kind of act was common in their courtyard, but less so for outsiders. Seeing her like this, the expressions of those around her softened a bit. Even the police officers felt the same. Aunt Su continued, "The kids made a mistake, we'll definitely discipline them at home and make sure they don't cause trouble again. Please, don't hold it against them... My kids made a mistake, but you adults beating children is also a bit inappropriate."

Zhao Guihua and others had come to the outskirts to look for the kids. Seeing Aunt Su's performance, they knew what she was up to.

Sure enough, Aunt Su said, "I think this incident will be a good lesson for the kids. I hope they can learn from it. As for this time, we don't plan to go to the hospital. Our family is already struggling, why go to the hospital? Just let them recover at home. Please don't take my daughter-in-law's words seriously, I won't pursue this matter."

Seeing that Aunt Su was quite reasonable, the police officer immediately said, "Since both sides made mistakes, how about we just let it go?"

Everyone has sympathy, the police officers have it, the two people from earlier have it, and the onlookers are no different. Everyone started chiming in, trying to persuade the middle-aged man. He pursed his lips and said, "Fine, let's just call it even. This whole thing, we'll just consider it bad luck for all of us."

The Su family didn't profit, but he definitely lost out.

His fishing rod!

But looking at this family of widows and orphans, he couldn't bring himself to say anything more.

Besides, he had indeed hit someone.

"Since everyone agrees to let it go, you don't hold it against me, and I won't hold it against you, then this matter is settled. Let's all apologize to each other and hurry down the mountain. It's really getting late."

If they didn't hurry home now, how would they have the energy to go to work tomorrow?

"Yes, let's go."

"Right, let's head back."

The police officer said, "Comrade Wang Xiangxiu, your children are not young anymore. The older one is already ten or so, and the younger ones are at an age where they should know better. You can't let them continue like this. You need to educate them properly when you get home. This time we found the kids, but what if next time we don't?"

He looked at the three children with a serious tone: "Kids, even if life is tough, we can't resort to mischief. Look at you, why didn't you tell your mom and grandma before running off? Do you know how worried they were?"

Jinlai felt a bit scared of the police officer, but deep down, he was also a little resentful. He lowered his head and didn't say anything, but in his heart, he was cursing, wishing this man would fall into the water. He had been beaten, and these two people didn't stand up for him, so what kind of good people were they?

Anyone who wasn't willing to help their family was trash.

"Where did you get the fishing rod and bucket?"

Jinlai: "I took them from school."

The police officer: "..."

He pursed his lips: "Did the school know?"

Jinlai shook his head.

Since the school didn't know, that means it was stolen!

The police officer looked at the child, though it was dark and the boy was looking down, making it hard to see his face. But the officer suddenly understood. It seemed likely that he would have to deal with this child more in the future. He became even more serious: "Kid, you should know that if you steal a needle as a child, you'll..."

"Police officer, stop lecturing the child. He's already in a lot of pain after being beaten like that. I know he did something wrong, but we, as parents, can forgive him. What's your problem as an outsider?"

Wang Xiangxiu spoke with a firm tone. She loved her son the most and no one could say anything bad about her child.

She felt that this police officer wasn't standing up for their family, so he wasn't a good person, and her tone reflected that.

The police officer: "..."

Aunt Su quickly interjected with a knowing look: "Xiangxiu, what are you saying! If you talk like that, I'll have to correct you. Don't you think about it? If it weren't for the police officer, could we have found our child so smoothly? I know you're happy to have found the child, but you can't get carried away. Apologize to him right now."

Under Aunt Su's prompting, Wang Xiangxiu immediately apologized, not hesitating.

The police officer: "..."

How to put it... it was completely insincere.

As police officers, they knew all too well that many children went down the wrong path because of their parents' bad examples and excessive pampering. He said, "When you get home, you really need to educate your children properly."

"We know, we know."

Aunt Su was handling it, but her expression seemed quite sincere.

The police officer felt that this mother-in-law was much better than the daughter-in-law.

...

From the moment the children were discovered missing until they were found and returned home, it was already early morning.

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were already asleep. The rest of the family hadn't returned yet, and Ming Mei didn't dare to sleep either. She was yawning non-stop as she sat with a few others in the courtyard. Everyone had gathered in the front yard, except for the three pregnant women, two very elderly grandmothers, and Lan Sihai.

As everyone grew more and more tired and sleepy, they finally heard the bustling sounds of people returning.

Sure enough, Zhao Guihua was the first to enter, followed by others who gradually came in. Zhao Guihua said, "You're still waiting? Go and rest now."

She added, "The children have been found."

Others followed in, saying, "They went to the mountain to go fishing."

Ming Mei frowned slightly and said, "They went fishing without telling anyone at home?"

"Exactly, they sneaked off. It's really..."

"Let's not talk about it, or Wang Xiangxiu will start yelling again."

"Do I fear her? It's ridiculous. We've been looking for the kids all night, and now we find out they were just being mischievous on the mountain..."

Zhao Guihua saw that the neighbors were quite unhappy and didn't continue the topic. Instead, she urged, "Ming Mei, go back to your room now."

At this moment, Zhuang Zhixi also returned. He led his wife into the house. Ming Mei had already washed up. She took off her outer clothes, put on a tank top, and jumped into bed, mumbling, "I'm so tired, but I didn't feel safe until you all came back... It seems like Jinlai and Yinlai's injuries are even worse."

"They got beaten up. They were asking for it."

Ming Mei: "Mmm..."

She really wanted to gossip, but she was too tired and couldn't keep her eyes open...

Zhuang Zhixi: "They..."

Just as he was about to continue talking, he saw that Ming Mei had already fallen asleep, almost instantly. He chuckled softly and also tiptoed to carry the basin outside. After rushing to find the kids, he was covered in sweat and decided to take a quick shower.

Many others had the same idea, and Bai Fendou and his father were already standing in the courtyard, taking a shower.

The female members had already gone inside, not to avoid them, but because the women left first, and the men came out to shower later. It was already very late, and no one was in the mood to chat. This wasn't like the Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou incident where everyone could watch the excitement.

Tonight, everyone was just too tired. There was nothing to gossip about, and all they wanted was to go home, lie down, and sleep.

Zhuang Zhixi took a quick shower and felt a prying gaze. He immediately turned his head and saw the Su family's curtain move slightly. He didn't know who was peeking from the window, but luckily, he hadn't fully undressed, or he would have been awkwardly seen. He hurried through his shower and went back inside. Bai Fendou said, "What's the rush? You're like a rabbit being chased."

He was taking his time, but Zhuang Zhixi said, "I'm too tired. I want to sleep soon."

Bai Fendou let out a sigh, saying, "And you call yourself a young man? Your stamina isn't great."

He added, "Why don't you try some supplements?"

Zhuang Zhixi smiled but didn't respond. He waved his hand and went back inside.

By now, Ming Mei was already deeply asleep. Zhuang Zhixi locked the door and went straight to bed. Instead of wasting time talking, it was better to get some sleep.

Their family was one of the first to sleep. After a quick wash-up, they immediately turned off the lights and went to bed. As for the gossip, they could talk about it tomorrow. Tonight, they were just too tired. After the Zhuang family turned off the lights, Wang Xiangxiu also pulled down the curtain.

She muttered softly, "Everyone is so heartless. My son is injured like this, and none of them come to help. Not even a bit of ointment or some money..."

Aunt Su sighed, "People are selfish. You can't count on others. They're all hoping we have a hard time so they can enjoy the excitement. These people aren't good, and you should have figured that out by now. How can you still not see their cold and indifferent nature?"

"I know, but it still hurts every time I think about it..."

She looked at Bai Fendou and his father, who were still showering, and disdainfully pursed her lips.

Then she said, "Bai Fendou too, he didn't even come over to comfort us. I was so nice to him, and he's just heartless."

Hu Huihui watched her cousin and felt that this cousin was really peculiar. What right did she have to scold everyone? And why should anyone help her? Hu Huihui had never liked this cousin, and now she liked her even less.

What a piece of work.

Wang Xiangxiu: "No, I have to find Bai Fendou tomorrow. How can he ignore our family like that?"

She turned to look at Hu Huihui and suddenly said, "Huihui, how has your cousin treated you?"

Hu Huihui: "My cousin has been very good to me, taking me in when I was in trouble."

Wang Xiangxiu nodded: "That's right. Since your cousin has been so good to you, shouldn't you help her out too?"

"Cousin, I don't have any money. You know that, right? I have to give you eight yuan every month. After giving you that, I don't have much left for myself." Hu Huihui had never been taken advantage of before, but now, in order to stay and investigate the whereabouts of that batch of gold and silver treasures, she had to play the part of a timid sparrow.

Damn it, one day she would teach Wang Xiangxiu a lesson.

She had offered five yuan, but Wang Xiangxiu flatly refused, demanding ten yuan instead, or else she would kick her out.

Hu Huihui had come up with an excuse, pretending to be troubled by her family's pressure to marry, which was why she ended up here. She knew it was a lie, but Wang Xiangxiu didn't. In Wang Xiangxiu's mind, her cousin was desperate and had no other options. And for someone who was supposedly at her wit's end, Wang Xiangxiu was being particularly ruthless. Hu Huihui wasn't planning to let this slide.

For now, she would play along, but she absolutely wouldn't let this go.

"Cousin, I don't have any money..."

Wang Xiangxiu rolled her eyes: "Of course, I know you don't have money. If you did, would you be here relying on me? Look, only I'm willing to take you in, which shows how good I am to you. So, shouldn't you help me out too? I'm not asking for much money from you, but I was thinking of introducing you to someone."

"What?"

Hu Huihui was shocked. She had no idea what her cousin was thinking.

Wang Xiangxiu sighed: "Of course, it would be best if you didn't agree..."

Hu Huihui immediately understood. She had used this kind of tactic many times herself.

However, plotting for herself and plotting for others were two very different things. She immediately became unwilling.

Wang Xiangxiu noticed her reluctance and quickly said: "You're eating and living here, so think about it. Even if you're paying eight yuan, is that enough? We're not cheating anyone, and we're not stealing their money. We're just getting them to buy some stuff. That's not a big deal, right?"

Hu Huihui remained silent.

"If you're not willing, then get out."

Hu Huihui suppressed her anger and said, "Alright, then."

"First, I'll introduce you to Bai Fendou, but don't think you can actually marry him. I won't allow that. You just need to trick him into continuing to support our family. Also, help me get closer to Zhuang Zhixi. If you can make Zhuang Zhixi spend money on us, that would be great. They're a dual-income couple, paying very little for living expenses, so they must have money. Since he's the man of the house, he's definitely in charge of the finances. If you can slowly win him over, he'll end up spending money on us, won't he? Oh, and there's also Yang Lixin from the back courtyard. He's a cook in the kitchen. If you can trick him into bringing us leftovers from the cafeteria, that would be perfect."

Wang Xiangxiu's thoughts grew more and more optimistic, and she became excited.

"I'll spread the word that I'm trying to find you a match, and good days will surely come."

Hu Huihui: "I'll do as you say."

She took the opportunity to inquire: "Cousin, who in this neighborhood has a good financial situation?"

"Who? There are plenty of well-off families. The best one should be the Zhou family. Zhou Qun earns over ninety yuan, and Jiang Lu is also in a managerial position with a long tenure, so she probably earns over forty yuan now. They only have three people in their family, but with a combined income of over one hundred and thirty yuan, they're quite well-off. It's a pity Zhou Qun isn't a real man anymore; otherwise, he would have been a good target for us."

Hu Huihui already knew about this. They had been digging through this neighborhood for days, so she had a general idea.

However, she didn't want to know about these common details. She asked: "Are there any other families with good financial situations?"

She smiled and said: "Well, the well-off families are all well-known, and there's no way you'd introduce me to them. So... are there any families that have suddenly become wealthy? Those are the ones worth targeting."

Wang Xiangxiu glanced at Hu Huihui and said: "I knew you weren't some innocent little bunny. Don't pretend to be pure and naive; I know you're not a good person."

Hu Huihui clenched her fists but remained silent.

"Sudden wealth? There aren't any in this neighborhood. Everyone here works in the factory. They're neither poor nor rich."

"What about Zhuang Zhixi you mentioned earlier..."

"His family is doing well, with dual incomes. Zhao Guihua only charges them ten yuan a month for living expenses."

Hu Huihui: "I see. But I noticed they seem to have a decent standard of living."

"Zhuang Laonian earns well. He's a fifth-grade worker, making over fifty yuan. He's about to take the exam for sixth grade. If he passes, his salary will increase again. With the two of them, they'll have more money than they can spend, and they'll definitely use it to subsidize their living expenses."

Hu Huihui nodded: "What about Uncle Blue in the courtyard?"

"You're really desperate, even targeting Old Man Lan." Wang Xiangxiu looked at Hu Huihui with disdain, thinking this cousin was utterly disgraceful.

Hu Huihui: "..." Damn it, damn it!

"That old man has money. He has two salaries: one is his retirement pension, and the other is his rehired salary." She grumbled: "We young people work so hard to support our families, and he's so old, what does he need so much money for? Disgusting."

Hu Huihui: "..."

Her cousin was truly a weirdo.

Aunt Su: "I heard that the factory rehired Lan Sihai mainly to have him train apprentices. I guess once he trains them, the factory will let him go."

Hu Huihui: "Oh."

Her eyes flickered. The families in this courtyard with better living conditions all seemed to be due to their jobs. There didn't seem to be anyone whose good life was due to other reasons. It seemed the investigation would be challenging.

But then again, if it weren't challenging, why would they need someone like her?

Such a large sum of money was worth a long-term battle.

She pursed her lips and said: "Let's go to bed early."

Wang Xiangxiu: "Since you're staying in my house, you have to listen to me."

Hu Huihui: "Okay."

Damn it.

What a disgusting person.

Compared to other families who went to bed early, their household was quite lively, chatting until the early hours of the morning.

Oh, except for one person: Jiang Lu. At dawn, seeing everyone return, Jiang Lu tidied up and went to the hospital. Everyone couldn't help but sigh, wondering how Zhou Qun had such good luck to have such a devoted wife.

Jiang Lu's dedication to Zhou Qun was truly unwavering.

Aunt Su advised: "Jiang Lu, why don't you stay home today? It's already late."

Jiang Lu shook her head: "I'll still go to the hospital. Zhou Qun is very fragile right now, and if I don't go, he might start overthinking again. I can't let him cause trouble by talking about jumping off a building. That would just add to everyone else's burden, wouldn't it?"

Aunt Su sighed: "You have it tough."

Jiang Lu: "Yes, but what can I do? He's my man. Back then, I was the one who was dead set on choosing him, so now, even if I have to grit my teeth, I have to make this work. I'm leaving now."

Aunt Su: "Be careful, it's late at night."

Jiang Lu: "I know."

She didn't linger in the courtyard and quickly walked toward the hospital. When she reached a secluded spot, she even started running. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she was out of breath. It was already late into the night, and the hospital was very quiet. Jiang Lu quietly went upstairs. She coughed softly, but there was no response.

Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she gently pushed open the door to the ward and slipped inside, tiptoeing. She lightly nudged the man who was sitting by the bed, and he was about to shout when Jiang Lu quickly covered his mouth.

He woke up, saw it was Jiang Lu, and pursed his lips.

Jiang Lu pointed to the door, and the man hesitated for a moment before following her.

The two of them went to the hospital's laundry room, where bedsheets and blankets were washed. This place was usually empty at night, and most people avoided it because it was considered unlucky. So, Jiang Lu and Little Xu often met here.

There was even a bed here.

Yes, the man Jiang Lu was meeting was Little Xu from the propaganda department of the machinery factory.

He followed Jiang Lu inside and whispered: "Jiang Lu, it's so late today, let's just skip it, okay?"

Jiang Lu started unbuttoning her shirt, saying, "Forget it? Why should we forget it? Don't you want to?"

She stepped forward, gently wrapping her arms around Little Xu's neck. Little Xu: "..."

He swallowed hard, whispering, "It's been too much lately..."

Jiang Lu laughed and leaned in closer, "How can you ever have too much of this? You're just making excuses. I can see how much you enjoy it..." She pulled him closer...

Little Xu: "Woohoo."

...

The morning sunlight streamed into the room. It was still not fully light outside, yet the two of them had already gone several rounds. Jiang Lu was getting dressed and said, "I'll find you tonight."

After a pause, she added, "Wait for me at the back gate of the factory at noon. I'll get you some bull-whip to replenish your energy."

Little Xu held onto the headboard and slowly stood up.

He walked unsteadily, leaning against the wall to reach the door, and nodded, "Okay."

Although Jiang Lu demanded a lot, they were, after all, in a "newlywed" phase, so being a bit intense was normal. Moreover, Jiang Lu was really quite generous. Just look, she was willing to spend money on a man.

This kind of thing, even with money, was hard to come by.

But Jiang Lu could get it.

He said, "I'll wait for you at noon."

Jiang Lu: "Okay."

He walked weakly toward the ward, while Jiang Lu put on her clothes and left the room.

As for how the two of them got together, it all started on the day Zhou Qun was hospitalized. That day, they happened to run into Little Xu, whose father had broken his leg and was hospitalized, and Little Xu was there to keep him company.

Although Little Xu wasn't well-liked in the factory and wasn't a great person, he was quite filial.

He came to keep his father company and just so happened to meet Jiang Lu, and they recognized each other.

Jiang Lu was at her lowest point at the time. She was utterly heartbroken and thought to herself, since Zhou Qun was like this, why should she stick to him? Maybe it was time to try a different feeling. As for Little Xu, he had no willpower. As soon as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he was easily reeled in.

Back then, she just wanted to relieve stress, to relax.

But the next morning, she immediately realized that this might be a golden opportunity. Maybe she could have a child. Little Xu was around the same age as Zhuang Zhixi, in the prime of his life, which was far better than someone like Zhou Qun.

After all, she had decided to have a child, and this was a perfect candidate.

It wasn't easy to find a suitable person, but since fate had brought them together, she naturally wouldn't let this chance slip by. Once she had a child, she could ditch Little Xu. This wasn't because she was cold-hearted.

Rather, she was well aware that a young man like Little Xu wouldn't settle down with her.

He had decent enough conditions, so he would definitely look for someone better. So, having some fun together was fine, but if she ever brought up marriage, Little Xu would probably run for the hills.

Jiang Lu composed herself and adjusted her clothes before returning to the ward.

Early in the morning, Zhou Qun saw Jiang Lu and was unusually obedient. He greeted her, "Why are you here so early?"

Normally, Jiang Lu would visit in the evening to take care of him.

This was unusual.

Jiang Lu replied, "Jinlai and his brothers went missing yesterday. Everyone searched half the night, and they weren't found until the early hours of the morning. I'm pregnant, so I didn't join the search, but since the courtyard was empty, we couldn't sleep. Those of us who couldn't join the search just sat in the courtyard waiting for news."

"Ah?" Zhou Qun was surprised, "Jinlai went missing?"

His eyes flickered with glee, "Oh, that kid is so mischievous."

He wasn't happy that the child was lost, but hearing that the child had caused trouble again made him happy. After all, he didn't have any children, so seeing other people's kids causing trouble always pleased him. Who asked you to have kids when I don't?

Of course, Jiang Lu was also pregnant.

But Zhou Qun couldn't help but harbor some doubts. Why would Jiang Lu get pregnant now, at this exact moment? And after all these years, he had always worried that maybe he was the one who was infertile.

Zhou Qun wasn't sure, which was why he had never dared to get checked.

He thought that maybe, because of his attempt to jump off a building, the hospital and Jiang Lu had lied to him to calm him down. That was what he believed, and he had never suspected Jiang Lu of cheating to have a child.

He didn't doubt Jiang Lu's fidelity, not because he trusted her so much, but because he trusted himself. He knew that Jiang Lu, despite her good family background, was a bit of a fool, utterly stupid. She was blindly devoted to him.

Didn't you see?

Even though he was clearly having affairs with other women, Jiang Lu would believe him.

Even when his mother deliberately practiced superstitious rituals to harm her father, she still believed in him.

And on the night of the incident, she stood up for him wholeheartedly. This woman was head over heels in love with him!

Her feelings for him were as clear as the sky.

He knew how deeply Jiang Lu was devoted to him and was well aware of his own charm, so he wasn't worried about this matter. Sure, Jiang Lu had talked about divorce, but he thought it was just a momentary upset.

Once she calmed down, wouldn't she still treat him well?

Look, he had only temporarily handed over his salary and savings, and it had immediately appeased Jiang Lu.

Now, Jiang Lu worked during the day and came to take care of him at night. She could have arranged for Wang Zhaodi to come, but she didn't, clearly showing that she still loved him so much, afraid that he might end up with Wang Zhaodi.

He smiled smugly, proud of his extraordinary charm.

As for the salary and savings... he would get them back eventually. Once this matter faded, he could.

He was willing to hand over his financial power to stabilize Jiang Lu.

First, to prevent her from divorcing him, and second, because... he still had some hope. Maybe Jiang Lu wasn't lying, maybe she really was pregnant? After all, they had been trying for a child for so long.

If Jiang Lu wasn't lying, based on his understanding of her, her expression didn't seem like she was lying. If she wasn't lying, then he was about to have a child.

Jinlai came to see me yesterday and asked for fifty cents.

Jiang Lu was stunned and said, "Did you give it to him? Zhou Qun, what's your relationship with Wang Xiangxiu? Why would you give money to her child?"

She was unhappy, "That family has no good people. Even if you give them money, you won't get any gratitude. We could have bought four liang of meat with that fifty cents. Why would you waste it on them? You really are... men shouldn't have money."

Zhou Qun: "Look at you, why are you being so stingy all of a sudden? You weren't like this before."

Jiang Lu: "I wasn't like this before because I didn't have a child. Now that I have my own child, I have to save money for them. From now on, don't collect your salary. I'll go collect it for you, and I'll give you one yuan to spend each month."

Zhou Qun: "What the hell."

He couldn't believe his eyes and said, "One yuan? What can I even do with that? No way, no way."

Jiang Lu: "Others manage with it, why can't you?"

“Others manage with what? I heard Zhuang Zhixi gets five yuan, and I can't be worse than him? This won't work, we...”

The two started haggling.

Zhuang Zhixi sneezed in the office. It was a bright, sunny morning. He took the initiative to clean up the office, and as he turned around, he saw Little Xu walking in, looking weak, as if he had been beaten up.

Ever since Little Xu's father was hospitalized, Little Xu had been looking like this every day, not knowing how staying up at night could be so exhausting.

It really looked like...

To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi, as a man, thought Little Xu didn't look like he was tired from staying up; it looked more like he had been drained.

But then again, Little Xu wasn't married, and his father was still in the hospital, so he wouldn't be so reckless as to indulge in other activities. Probably, Zhuang Zhixi was overthinking it.

However, it wasn't just Zhuang Zhixi who thought so. In fact, others in the office had also talked about it, speculating that Little Xu wasn't staying up to keep watch but was instead indulging in other things.

Otherwise, how could he be so weak? Just a few days, and he already had dark circles under his eyes.

Zhuang Zhixi was about to greet Little Xu when he saw him drift back to his seat like a ghost, collapsing onto the desk and falling asleep.

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

What on earth have you been up to?

Zhuang Zhixi felt that there were really not many normal people around him. Everyone was acting strangely. However, Zhuang Zhixi didn't care much. Recently, he had been thriving. He had cracked the code for reporting and had written about several outstanding workers, which had helped him solidify his position in the Publicity Department.

The opportunity came unexpectedly, but one had to seize it.

Zhuang Zhixi had managed to do just that.

He sat down to plan his next steps at work. By this time, everyone was gradually arriving at the office. Sister Cui exclaimed, "Oh my! Why is Little Xu asleep again?"

"He must be exhausted from working at the hospital," Zhuang Zhixi casually replied.

Sister Cui wasn't convinced.

She wasn't as naive as Zhuang Zhixi, a young man. She had seen a lot in her life and suspected that Little Xu might not have been up to any good. If he had been doing something positive, why would he look like this?

"Young people, be careful not to get into trouble," she warned.

Zhuang Zhixi just smiled.

"Knock knock knock."

The sound of knocking on the door drew everyone's attention. It was Tao Yuyue from the medical office. Ever since Tao Yuyue arrived, the male youth in the factory had been a bit restless. They all flocked to the medical office, making it a lively place every day.

It wasn't as quiet as when Zhuang Zhixi was around.

Tao Yuyue stood at the door and asked, "Is Zhuang Zhixi here?"

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Yes, is there something I can help you with?"

Tao Yuyue smiled brightly and said, "Doctor Wang asked me to tell you to come to the medical office at noon."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Alright, thank you."

Tao Yuyue replied, "You're welcome."

She added, "I was just going to the third floor to deliver something, so it was on my way."

Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "Still, thank you."

Tao Yuyue quickly left, and Sister Cui sighed, "Tao Yuyue is now the factory's most sought-after flower. Even Director Che wants her to be his daughter-in-law."

"Isn't Director Che's son a bit... simple-minded?"

"So what if he is? With a capable father like Director Che, even a simple-minded son can find a good wife."

Someone whispered, "Isn't Little Xu also pursuing Tao Yuyue?"

"Yes, he is. There are many people pursuing Tao Yuyue now. All the unmarried men in our factory are like bears seeing honey."

"Hahaha."

Everyone laughed.

"So, what does Tao Yuyue say? What kind of man is she looking for?"

"Who knows? She hasn't agreed to anyone yet."

"Her standards are quite high, but maybe she's just overwhelmed by the choices. If a man had Director Che's status and Zhuang Zhixi's looks, she would definitely be interested."

Zhuang Zhixi quickly waved his hands and said, "You guys can talk all you want, but don't drag me into it. I'm a clean and decent man. This has nothing to do with me. I haven't had any interactions with Tao Yuyue. If my wife finds out, I'll have to kneel on the washboard at home."

"Pfft! You're really something..."

"Don't say that, or people will think you're afraid of your wife."

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Being afraid of my wife isn't a bad thing. I love my wife, that's why I'm afraid of her. Otherwise, why would a man be afraid of his wife? It's not like I can't handle a woman. This kind of 'fear' is the same as love."

Everyone felt their teeth ache from the sweetness.

Sister Cui suddenly said, "Wait, your wife is indeed quite formidable. If you two really got into a fight, you wouldn't be able to beat her."

Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Is that the point here?"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Meanwhile, Ming Mei kept sneezing. She rubbed her nose and said, "I wonder who's talking about me."

She thought for a moment and realized it must be Zhuang Zhixi.

She smiled and said, "I wonder if that guy is busy."