My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 108

The city is full of schemes.

Wang Zhaodi had truly never seen such a man and woman before. She leaned closer to Zhao Guihua and whispered, "Auntie, is it really so open-minded in the city?"

The sun was high in the sky, and there wasn't even a window, yet here they were, a man and a woman, hugging each other? Wang Zhaodi felt like her hair was about to fall out. She really hadn't seen anything like this before. In their village, nothing this explosive ever happened.

Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, feeling quite at a loss for words. The reputation of city folks, all ruined by these two.

She coughed lightly and said, "Well, they... he's not married, and she's not married either. Maybe they have some thoughts about each other?"

Wang Zhaodi replied, "If they have thoughts, why not just get married? Oh, right, Jinlai and the others wouldn't be happy about it."

Zhao Guihua thought to herself: Wang Xiangxiu herself isn't happy about it either. She only wants money, not a man. Now that she's suddenly getting close to Bai Fendou, it must be because Tonglai overheard their conversation, and she's panicking.

But today's incident also reminded her: from now on, she shouldn't speak carelessly. You never know when a little kid might overhear.

"This Bai Fendou is really hopeless," Jiang Lu muttered unhappily. She had wanted to introduce Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou, admittedly with her own motives in mind. But if you set those aside, it wouldn't have been a bad thing.

Wang Zhaodi would have a hard time finding someone better than Bai Fendou, and Bai Fendou would have a hard time finding a wife. If they really got together and worked hard at life, how could it be bad? At the very least, it would be better than their lives before marriage. With both husband and wife working together, their days could only get better.

But some things just don't follow the logical path.

Jiang Lu felt like her plan had failed before it even began. She had thought things through, but life moves faster than plans. Wang Xiangxiu's reaction to this matter was beyond everyone's expectations. No one could have imagined that just hearing about Jiang Lu wanting to introduce a partner to Bai Fendou would make her act so quickly.

Bai Fendou, who had been so tough just a few days ago, now couldn't hold that toughness anymore.

Jiang Lu sighed and said, "I was originally going to introduce you to Bai Fendou."

Wang Zhaodi looked at Jiang Lu in horror, disbelief written all over her face. She knelt down abruptly, stammering, "Jiang... Jiang Lu sister... I... I will never marry, I'm willing to stay by your side, I don't want... I don't want that man."

It was too terrifying.

She... she didn't dare, she didn't want, she couldn't!

Wang Zhaodi continued, "I... I can work, I can wash clothes, I can cook, I can take care of children, I can..."

Jiang Lu quickly pulled her up and said, "What are you talking about? In this new society, why are you kneeling?"

Zhao Guihua, seeing Aunt Su coming out to see what was going on, quickly pulled Wang Zhaodi up and said, "Stop talking nonsense."

Jiang Lu's face looked a bit unnatural, but she still said, "I had good intentions. I also wanted you to stay in the city legally. But given your conditions, finding a good match is hard, but finding Bai... forget it, never mind."

She whispered softly, "I know the pain of marrying the wrong person."

Only Ming Mei, closest to her, heard this. Ming Mei looked at Jiang Lu in surprise, then smiled and said, "Wang Zhaodi, why are you so nervous? It's nothing."

Wang Zhaodi cautiously looked at Jiang Lu. At that moment, Aunt Su spoke up: "What are you all talking about?"

Jiang Lu took a deep breath and smiled, saying, "I was saying that I wanted to introduce a partner to Wang Zhaodi, but this girl is so worried about me now that I'm pregnant."

Aunt Su gave a fake smile: "You two really have a good relationship. People might even think you're sisters."

Aunt Su was implying something, and Jiang Lu knew it. This was originally Aunt Su's idea for the Zhou family, but Jiang Lu remained calm. After all, who would believe now that she brought Wang Zhaodi here to have a baby?

Since the scandal with Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou broke out, no one mentioned such topics anymore. Even if they did, no one would believe it.

Moreover, Zhou Qun... let's not talk about the past.

Men have to be careful, but women, not necessarily.

Zhou Qun's taste has always been a bit... special. But it never included normal-aged girls.

Jiang Lu wasn't intimidated at all. She smiled and said, "We do have a good relationship, like sisters. Otherwise, why would Wang Zhaodi come help me? She was about to go home, but then she saw I was pregnant, and she just couldn't bear to leave me. She insisted on staying with me for a while. She's such a hardworking girl. Look at my house, it's so clean now. I've saved so much effort. I feel a bit embarrassed; why is she so diligent?"

Wang Zhaodi blushed from the praise, softly saying, "I'm not that good."

"You are," Jiang Lu replied.

It was true that since Jiang Lu found out she was pregnant, she had changed a lot. Everyone used to think she was quite cold, not very close to people, and a bit disdainful. Plus, she was like a mad dog under Aunt Zhou's control, doing whatever she was told without any judgment. She had devoted herself to the Zhou family without complaint.

But since her pregnancy, she had become a different person, handling things much more gracefully.

Even Li Fang, who used to dislike Jiang Lu, could now talk to her. Ming Mei and the others felt the same. In comparison, Aunt Su wasn't as likable. So Ming Mei quickly said, "Aunt Su, are you looking for Wang Xiangxiu? She went to Bai Fendou's place."

She tilted her head, smiling.

Aunt Su wouldn't feel embarrassed. She said, "Oh, what would I want with her? Xiangxiu and Fendou are like brother and sister..."

Before she could finish, Ming Mei interrupted, nodding lightly, "Yes, I've never seen siblings hug like that."

Aunt Su was stunned. She turned to look at Bai Fendou's room, where he was still hugging Wang Xiangxiu. Aunt Su's face changed, showing some displeasure. She could accept Wang Xiangxiu's affairs, but seeing her do this under her nose made her feel embarrassed.

After all, that wasn't her daughter, but her daughter-in-law. Even though her son was gone, she didn't want to see such a big, colored hat right in front of her. Her face looked a bit sour. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Auntie, are you planning to merge the two families?"

Aunt Su chuckled faintly, not saying anything, and turned to go home.

At that moment, Wang Xiangxiu let go of Bai Fendou, speaking softly, "You can't give me a hard time anymore."

She spoke with a mix of complaint and affection, "Do you know how I've been living these days? How painful it's been for me? You can't hurt me anymore."

Bai Fendou scratched his head with a silly smile.

She said, "Let's live well."

Bai Fendou nodded, "Mm-hmm."

Wang Xiangxiu continued, "Although I can't promise you anything now, my heart is always with you."

Bai Fendou's smile grew wider. He said, "I didn't know before, but now I do."

Before, he only thought it was an unspoken understanding between them, and he didn't dare to admit that Wang Xiangxiu truly loved him. But now, he felt that Wang Xiangxiu really did love him.

This love was earth-shattering.

He said seriously, "I know, I know everything."

Wang Xiangxiu said with grievance, "I know I'm not good enough for you... I'll introduce you to someone."

Bai Fendou replied, "What are you talking about?"

Wang Xiangxiu said, "What do you mean, what am I talking about? Can you really stay unmarried forever? Do you think I'll believe that? I'm willing to stay with you without a name or title; otherwise, how can I live with myself? But you can't just find anyone. Wait for me to introduce you to someone, at least someone who won't resent me. What about... my cousin Hu Huihui?"

Bai Fendou's heart raced with excitement. He immediately started dreaming of enjoying the blessings of two women. Actually, he hadn't thought of this before. Although he had some feelings for Wang Xiangxiu, he didn't have the guts to act on them.

But now Wang Xiangxiu herself has said it out loud.

She's willing, so how could Bai Fendou not be excited?

He said, "Hu Huihui..."

He had long had his eye on Hu Huihui.

Just in terms of appearance, she was quite good.

However... he said, "Hu Huihui doesn't have a formal job, and her family is quite troublesome, isn't it?"

When he couldn't find a partner, he would have been willing even if she had no job or a rural household registration. But as soon as someone introduced someone to him, he immediately felt that such a person was not worthy of him. Hu Huihui was good, but her family was a drag.

When Wang Xiangxiu heard this, she thought, so you've really thought about this matter. Her displeasure grew, but this time she didn't dare to confront Bai Fendou. For the sake of money, she had to humble herself: "Her family is indeed troublesome."

Whether it was true or not, Wang Xiangxiu would say this, just to drag the matter out. She said, "But I think it's up to us to make things happen. I'll keep an eye on it and slowly work on her family. What do you think?"

"Good."

Bai Fendou was elated. A woman loved him so humbly, and he finally began to understand the joy Zhou Qun felt.

Jiang Lu loved Zhou Qun humbly, and Wang Xiangxiu loved him no less.

He smiled smugly and said, "I know you're good to me."

Wang Xiangxiu's eyes flickered and she said, "You know that's all that matters. You've been misunderstanding me. I've noticed you haven't been eating well these days, and I wanted to cook for you, but I was afraid you'd refuse. When you were injured, I was so worried and upset."

She reached out and touched Bai Fendou, saying, "You've gotten so thin."

Bai Fendou: "Wait for me, I'll go buy some meat, and you can cook me a meat dish for lunch."

Wang Xiangxiu was satisfied and said, "Okay."

She added, "Money should be spent where it counts; don't waste it. By the way, do you have money on you?"

She probed, and Bai Fendou replied, "Don't worry, I do. That jerk Zhou Qun attacked me before, and Jiang Lu compensated me with a hundred yuan."

He grinned proudly, "I've got cash, buddy."

Wang Xiangxiu was shocked, her heartbeat quickening, but she didn't dare to ask for the money immediately. She could only suppress her desire...

"Then go buy the meat, and I'll clean up your place."

"Okay!"

Bai Fendou quickly got busy. This scene left several female colleagues puzzled. They just didn't understand how Bai Fendou could so easily get entangled with Wang Xiangxiu again. He could have distanced himself from her, but instead, he jumped right back in.

Zhuang Zhixi: "He's stuck in this pit and can't get out."

As a man, he understood Bai Fendou's thoughts better than others, but with Bai Fendou's lack of cunning, he was no match for Aunt Su and her daughter-in-law. They were like venomous widows. But since Bai Fendou was willing to jump into the pit, outsiders couldn't say much.

"Jiang Lu. I'm back."

Just as everyone was watching the drama, Zhou Qun returned.

Zhou Qun: "The rocking chair is done."

He shook his hands and said, "Ah, I'm exhausted."

Ever since Jiang Lu found out she was pregnant and he handed over the financial control, he had been behaving quite well. When Jiang Lu saw the rocking chair Ming Mei had, he immediately found a carpenter to make one. Jiang Lu tried it out and was pleased: "Not bad."

Zhou Qun smiled, "Of course."

Ming Mei and her husband both rubbed their arms. If there had been any changes recently, it would be this guy.

Zhou Qun, when he first "wasn't able," it wasn't very obvious, but as time went on, it became a bit more apparent. He... was a bit too feminine.

A normal man wouldn't talk like that, with a little drawl and holding his fingers in a flamboyant manner.

Now, every male colleague at the factory avoided Zhou Qun like the plague, fearing they'd get entangled with him. After all, everyone knew he had a preference for men. This made the electricians' group feel uneasy. What's more, this guy had strange tastes.

Among so many men, some were good-looking, some were masculine and strong, but he had his eye on Bai Fendou, which was quite baffling.

So, everyone was confused about his tastes, and no one dared to get close to him.

However, female colleagues interacted with Zhou Qun more often.

After all, they didn't have to worry about anything.

Li Fang approached and said, "This one looks just like Ming Mei's."

Zhou Qun hummed and smiled, "Yes, I specially got the same person to make it."

Ming Mei also came over to take a look and said, "Yes, it's the same."

She sniffed and said, "Why is there a scent?"

She looked up and saw the smell was coming from Zhou Qun, and she was at a loss for words. Zhou Qun was calm and said, "Jiang Lu is pregnant and doesn't have much energy. She hasn't been using the snowflake cream, and I was afraid it would go to waste since it was bought with money, so I started using it. No waste, right?"

Ming Mei: "..."

You just wanted to use it; no need to make excuses.

Besides, how much did you use to make the smell so strong?

She chuckled, and Jiang Lu didn't seem surprised at all. She said, "No waste, it's good."

She didn't care what Zhou Qun did now, as long as he handed over his salary. He could use the snow flower cream or be feminine; she didn't care. Her biggest concern now was having a child. Nothing else mattered.

After all, Zhou Qun wasn't able anymore.

Men aren't honest unless they're pinned to the wall, but look at her Zhou Qun; he didn't have that problem. Even without being pinned to the wall, he could be obedient. Who told him he wasn't able?

Jiang Lu was satisfied.

As for herself, Jiang Lu didn't think she had done anything wrong. She just wanted a child; what was wrong with that? She wasn't really looking to be with another man forever. Besides, Zhou Qun wasn't a good person either, so why should she care so much?

And with a child, she would focus on raising the child well.

She had already broken off with Xiao Xu.

Thinking of Xiao Xu, Jiang Lu's eyes darkened.

But she quickly returned to normal. She had already broken off with Xiao Xu, but she thought Xiao Xu was a good person. After all, he had given her a child; how could he be bad? But when it came to men, they just couldn't be trusted. Just a little over half a month, and he was already avoiding her. Was it really necessary?

Jiang Lu and Xiao Xu had broken off not because Jiang Lu was pregnant and dumped Xiao Xu, but because Xiao Xu couldn't handle Jiang Lu anymore. When they first got together, Xiao Xu was naturally happy. As a single man, young and full of energy, such a good opportunity to be embraced was a dream come true. But Jiang Lu was too intense, demanding his attention every day, leaving him no rest. In just half a month, he had become emaciated, with dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks hollow, and his legs weak, often tripping over flat ground.

He felt completely drained.

Even so, Jiang Lu still wanted... Xiao Xu couldn't take it anymore and felt his head buzzing whenever he saw Jiang Lu. His parents had also noticed something was wrong. They didn't know who Xiao Xu was involved with, but seeing their son like this, they knew he must have been taken advantage of.

Under the persuasion of his parents and his own physical exhaustion, Xiao Xu decisively ended the relationship.

Since then, he has been in a hurry to avoid Jiang Lu, fearing she would come back to him.

Thinking of this person, Jiang Lu immediately thought of the child and put Xiao Xu out of her mind. He was just a tool for having a child; he wasn't important.

However, he was a good man.

"Hey, what are you all looking at?" Bai Fendou returned from outside, carrying a few pieces of glass.

Everyone was shocked.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Wow, you're finally willing to replace the glass?"

Bai Fendou: "What's there to be unwilling about? I'm willing, buddy. I'm not short of money. I just didn't want to replace it before because I liked the coolness, but now I think it's not just about the coolness; these holes look bad."

Wang Xiangxiu hurried out of Bai Fendou's house, saw the glass, and her face changed: "Why did you buy glass?"

Damn, why spend money on this?

Whether the glass was installed or not, who cared!

Wang Xiangxiu, who had just learned that Bai Fendou had a hundred yuan, was thinking about how to get it out. She didn't expect Bai Fendou to buy glass. She was furious and asked, "Why didn't you discuss it with me?"

This made it sound like they were a family.

Bai Fendou understood the underlying meaning of the words and smugly smiled, saying, "Look at you, always trying to control me."

Wang Xiangxiu: "..." Damn it, that's not what I meant.

Bai Fendou: "Didn't you say we should live a good life? I've thought about it, and we really can't go on like this."

Wang Xiangxiu: "!!!"

She regrets ever opening her mouth!

Bai Fendou didn't notice the situation, but everyone could see that Wang Xiangxiu's face was extremely uncomfortable. Could it be any worse? She was only in it for the money. But because of her false words, Bai Fendou actually spent money, and Wang Xiangxiu was heartbroken to the point of almost dying.

"So, where's the meat you bought?"

"I bought it, right here. Don't rush to cook, you clean up first, and I'll change the glass."

Bai Fendou immediately got busy. Everyone looked at each other, not saying a word.

Zhou Qun stared at Bai Fendou for a long time, then let out a sinister smile.

The more he had liked Bai Fendou before, the more he hated him now. Because of this bastard, Bai Fendou, he couldn't even enjoy the most basic pleasures of life. How could he forgive this person? And on top of that, their family had to pay compensation.

He hated this man to the core, wishing he would die, but he knew that now was not the time to act rashly.

Bai Fendou was childless, unlike him. Although he was no longer capable now, Jiang Lu was pregnant. The child in Jiang Lu's belly was the hope of the Zhou family, and they absolutely couldn't afford to mess around. Just as Jiang Lu had said, no matter what, they had to keep Bai Fendou in check. Otherwise, if Bai Fendou really went berserk and pushed her or caused some accident, their family would truly be left with no heir.

That was why Zhou Qun kept this in mind and didn't dare to act recklessly.

A gentleman avenges himself ten years later.

For now, let Bai Fendou gloat for a while. One day, he would definitely teach this man a good lesson.

Bai Fendou didn't know that Zhou Qun had his eyes on him. He also disliked Zhou Qun and kept his distance from him, whether at the factory or in the courtyard, never saying a word to him. Bai Fendou worked enthusiastically, vaguely feeling a gaze on him. When he looked up, he saw Zhou Qun staring at him, and his heart skipped a beat. He glared fiercely at Zhou Qun.

He was just so charming, loved by women and admired by men.

But he had absolutely no interest in men. This Zhou Qun, if it were a few decades ago, would have been called a "rabbit."

He glared at Zhou Qun again and turned back to his work.

The silent exchanges between the two were noticed by everyone, who all rolled their eyes and turned away.

Zhao Guihua: "It's almost noon, let's go home and have lunch."

Ming Mei and the others also went home for lunch at this time. Liang Meifen thought about Jiang Lu's plan from earlier and sighed, "I never expected Jiang Lu to have such an idea. I wonder how she thought of it."

Introducing Wang Zhaodi to Bai Fendou?

It just doesn't match at all...

"Bai Fendou and Wang Zhaodi won't end up together," Zhao Guihua said. "Wang Zhaodi may be poor, but she also looks down on Bai Fendou. Without knowing his background, she might think he's well-off, but with him entangled with a widow, who could possibly like him?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "That's exactly right."

He said, "I think Bai Fendou wants to have his cake and eat it too, but I wonder if he has the ability to do so."

Ming Mei whispered, "What a joke."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed.

"I think Bai Fendou can't get rid of Wang Xiangxiu. Didn't you see? Wang Xiangxiu is still at the Bai house at noon."

Everyone pursed their lips, clearly disapproving.

Ming Mei yawned. Although the drama wasn't over yet, Ming Mei was already feeling sleepy. She was a pregnant woman, and even more so with twins, so while she wanted to watch the show, she just couldn't keep her eyes open. So, she decided to rest when she needed to.

After all, there was always drama in their courtyard.

At noon, Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi finished lunch and went back to their room to rest. Zhuang Zhixi gently wrapped his arms around his wife and lay down on the bed. It was a bit hot, so Zhuang Zhixi gently waved a fan for Ming Mei. Ming Mei's legs hooked around Zhuang Zhixi, and she said, "Zhixi, you should fan yourself too. Look, you're sweating."

Zhuang Zhixi lowered his head and lightly kissed her forehead, saying, "I'm fine. You're the one who's pregnant and working hard."

When he saw others before, Zhuang Zhixi didn't pay much attention, nor did he care about how they were doing. But now that Ming Mei was pregnant, he truly felt how hard it was for a woman to be pregnant. Ming Mei had relatively few reactions, but she still wasn't very energetic, sleeping a lot, feeling tired, and sometimes getting leg cramps. Her appetite wasn't too affected, but eating poorly still made her feel nauseous. He gently waved the fan, saying, "You should sleep for a while."

Ming Mei softly said, "I can't fall asleep."

She smiled softly and said, "Zhixi, I miss you a little."

Zhuang Zhixi was surprised and looked down at her big, watery eyes, then chuckled softly. He knew what she meant. They hadn't been intimate for a long time, especially during the first few months of her pregnancy, when he didn't dare to do anything.

He stroked Ming Mei's hair, and she said, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhuang Zhixi laughed even more, whispering in her ear, "Tonight."

During the day, it definitely wouldn't do.

Ming Mei's cheeks turned slightly red, a bit shy. As a woman, talking about such things always made her a little embarrassed. Zhuang Zhixi kissed her cheek lightly and said, "Do you feel okay?"

Ming Mei let out a soft murmur, and Zhuang Zhixi kissed her cheek again lightly.

Ming Mei pouted, "You're like a woodpecker."

Zhuang Zhixi: "No matter what I am, you still like me a lot, don't you?"

Ming Mei: "You're so confident."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course, if a man isn't confident, what can he do?"

Ming Mei pouted, and Zhuang Zhixi's hands started to get a little restless. Ming Mei's eyes widened, and she said, "Zhuang Zhixi, don't get carried away. You yourself said to wait until tonight..."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed innocently, "I didn't mean that."

Ming Mei glared, "If you didn't mean it, then don't start touching me."

"I can't help it."

Ming Mei: "Oh, come on..."

She wanted to criticize him a bit, but soon felt that there wasn't much to criticize. After all, they were husband and wife. She huffed at him. Zhuang Zhixi patted his wife and said, "I won't get carried away, you sleep for a while."

Ming Mei: "With you holding me, how can I fall asleep?"

Zhuang Zhixi didn't believe this. She was like a little pig, sleeping very quickly when she clung to him.

He said, "You're just saying that. When you cling to me, you fall asleep just as fast..."

"Who's clinging to you..."

"You are..."

The newlywed couple was still very affectionate, even in the hot summer, even with a baby on the way. Although they didn't go too far, they were still very lovey-dovey... The two were playing around, not noticing that Zhao Guihua had passed by the window.

Zhao Guihua went out to use the bathroom. Since the reconstruction of their bathroom, it could be said that the bathroom was newer than most of the courtyard houses in this area. Isn't that something? The bathroom is newer than the living quarters.

Zhao Guihua went out to use the bathroom and, after coming out, heard the cicadas chirping and muttered, "Keep chirping, and I'll catch you to eat."

Come to think of it, roasted cicadas are quite tasty. If there's no meat, they don't hesitate to eat these. Kids in this area often catch cicadas for a snack.

Although there's little meat, it's still meat.

These things are easier to catch than sparrows. However, in the past two months, this area has been like a sparrow killer. Because they've been going up the mountain to look for grass seeds, they've caught quite a few sparrows.

The two kids from the Li family and their own, four kids often get together to improve their lives, and the kids have all put on some weight.

Zhao Guihua walked back and saw Madam Yu from a distance. Her eyes flickered, and she greeted Madam Yu, who responded briefly. The two didn't exchange pleasantries and went about their business. It was a hot day, and not everyone was in the mood to chat.

Zhao Guihua went home for an afternoon nap, and inevitably thought of Yu Baoshan. It seemed that since Yu Baoshan was hospitalized, he had never returned. She knew that Yu Baoshan had already been discharged from the hospital, but no one knew where he had gone.

Zhao Guihua wanted to inquire about the situation, but she also knew that she absolutely could not do so. If people found out she had taken the gold and silver jewelry, it would certainly cause a big uproar. However, she speculated that Yu Baoshan's disappearance must be related to the gold and silver jewelry he had mentioned.

There were also some rumors outside, saying that Yu Baoshan hadn't returned because he had been caught, and that he had committed robbery and murder.

However, this claim had not been verified, as the neighborhood committee had not come to notify them. Usually, if something happened in their neighborhood, the committee would inform each household one by one. This was to serve as a warning to everyone, reminding them not to do bad things.

Since the neighborhood committee hadn't come, Zhao Guihua was skeptical about the matter. Of course, while she was skeptical, she believed that Yu Baoshan could indeed have committed robbery and murder. Lying on the Kang (a traditional Chinese Kang bed), Zhao Guihua wasn't very sleepy. She was lost in thought when she suddenly heard the faint sound of a door opening outside, followed by the sound of someone tiptoeing.

Zhao Guihua was startled. Who would dare to come in and steal during broad daylight? She grabbed the broom by her bed, jumped down from the kang, and rushed out: "Who's the damn thief!"

"Ah~" The three young thieves were caught before they could even start. Jinlai was hit twice and quickly ran away. Zhao Guihua hadn't expected that these three kids would dare to sneak into the house in the middle of the day.

The courtyard had been peaceful for quite some time, but now it was disrupted by these three little rascals.

Zhao Guihua was furious and went straight outside: "Aunt Su, come out here! Do you even want any face left? Three kids sneaking in to steal during broad daylight! Do you believe I'll call the police and send them to a juvenile reformatory? We've been lenient with you because the kids are young and you're a widow, but don't push your luck!"

Although it was midday and a Sunday, everyone was at home. Soon, people started coming out, pointing and whispering.

Aunt Su came out crying, saying, "You've misunderstood my kids. They weren't..."

Zhao Guihua cut her off: "Spare me your nonsense. I didn't come to argue or debate right and wrong. I know it's useless to say more. Your family apologizes, but you never change! I'm tired of hearing your apologies and excuses. I came to tell you that if I catch them again, I won't come to talk to you. I'll beat them up first and then send them to the police station. After all, thieves deserve whatever happens to them."

With that, she didn't waste any more time and ignored Aunt Su's crying, turning around and leaving.

"Why did her kids start stealing again?"

"What do you mean 'start stealing again'? Her kids have always been thieves! It's just that they haven't been targeting our courtyard lately, so everyone forgot. But think about it, how can her kids control themselves?"

"That's true. Anyway, we should stay home more and lock the doors promptly."

"Exactly."

"I really don't know how to educate kids. I can see that Aunt Su is a nice person, but she really doesn't know how to raise kids."

"She's a widow with no education, so of course..."

Aunt Su's face turned red as people talked about her. She wanted to explain, but no one was paying attention. Everyone was tired of this kind of small matter. Although the courtyard had been quiet recently, this level of incident wasn't worth their attention.

After all, thieves are thieves.

Not surprising.

Seeing this situation, Aunt Su hesitated for a moment and decided not to say anything.

It was evening when Hu Huihui returned and comforted her a bit, asking curiously, "Jinlai, why did you want to steal from their house?"

Jinlai actually didn't like this aunt who lived with them and took advantage of them. He glared at Hu Huihui but still said, "They have good food."

Hu Huihui: "Are they well-off?"

"They weren't better off than us before, but now they are, so my brother said we should steal from them," Tonglai said.

Jinlai: "Hmph."

Hu Huihui quickly asked, "Wasn't their family like this before?"

What changed? Was it after they got the money?

She immediately thought of this possibility.

However, Aunt Su said, "Their family got better after their third son got married. It wasn't like that before."

"When was that?" Hu Huihui's heart was pounding.

Aunt Su looked at Hu Huihui curiously, not understanding why she was asking this, but she answered, "January. Their third son got married in January, and the next day they split up. To be honest, I don't think Ming Mei is a good person. She seems nice, but she's not. I think this girl has a lot of tricks and likes to stir up trouble, always wanting to show off."

Wang Xiangxiu: "I don't like her either."

As a woman, Ming Mei's easy life made her incredibly jealous.

However, when Hu Huihui heard it was in January, she visibly deflated. She didn't want it to be January. A change in January was too early; she wanted it to be after Labor Day. And splitting up the family changing things was normal.

She had thought she found a clue, but it turned out to be nothing.

Because there was no progress, Deputy Director Zheng was very unhappy and hadn't been treating her well lately. Hu Huihui sighed softly. Men, once they get what they want, don't cherish you anymore.

"Huihui, why did you suddenly ask about this?"

Aunt Su asked suspiciously, testing the waters.

Hu Huihui: "I just asked casually."

She thought for a moment and mixed truth with lies: "I heard that the toilet collapsed because of lost gold and silver jewelry, so I just thought about it."

Aunt Su laughed out loud, saying, "Even though I don't like Zhao Guihua, this probably isn't the case. Their family got better after splitting up in January. Don't look at them saying they didn't split up, just paid for meals together, but they actually split up. But I know Zhao Guihua. They don't go to the black market much, mostly just trade with neighbors. With so many workers in the family, they're afraid of affecting their jobs. Besides, the gold and silver jewelry were lost after Labor Day. You really think too much."

"Oh, I was just thinking randomly. I thought if I knew, I could get a share. Who doesn't want money? If I had money, I wouldn't have to work so hard," Hu Huihui said, planning to change her strategy due to the lack of progress. She decided to reveal a bit and see how others reacted.

Investigating on her own wasn't as effective as involving Aunt Su, who knew more about the neighbors.

Aunt Su: "You think too much. Where are there so many good things? Besides, even if we found them, we'd probably have to turn them in. Why bother with that?"

Instead of chasing after something invisible, she'd rather scheme more with Old Man Bai.

What you can actually get your hands on is the best.

Hu Huihui: "Hasn't anyone heard of anyone getting rich?"

Aunt Su looked at her more suspiciously, saying, "Getting rich? Who would talk about that?"

Wang Xiangxiu: "Exactly. Even if you're rich, you have to hide it. What if someone finds out?"

She said, "I guess we don't even know if this is true. Don't take every rumor too seriously."

She was too lazy to deal with her fanciful cousin.

"By the way, I'll officially introduce you to Bai Fendou tomorrow. You two can get to know each other."

Hu Huihui: "What!"

She widened her eyes. Although she wasn't home during the day, as soon as she returned, she heard people in the courtyard talking about her cousin and Bai Fendou hugging.

Wang Xiangxiu: "I'm not saying you have to marry him. Just act a bit interested. Let him know I'm serious about setting you two up. I can't marry him, but I need to give him some hope."

Of course, she could choose not to do this since she had already won over Bai Fendou. But she was also afraid that if Bai Fendou came to his senses, he might ignore her like before. The last time she hit Bai Fendou was a mistake, and now she needed to show him more kindness, always demonstrating her care for him.

She felt she wasn't worthy of him and was even willing to introduce her cousin to him, which was what she wanted Bai Fendou to know recently.

Bai Fendou would definitely feel sorry for her and treat her even better.

It would be best... to give her some money to improve her life.

“Act meaner, so you can highlight me,” Wang Xiangxiu instructed.

Hu Huihui: "You... you're going too far, aren't you?"

Wang Xiangxiu sneered, "So you're just eating for free at my house?"

Hu Huihui was furious and retorted, "I paid!"

Wang Xiangxiu: "Only eight yuan. What can that do?"

Hu Huihui stared in disbelief at her cousin, Wang Xiangxiu, and her greediness became even more apparent to her. She narrowed her eyes and said, "I won't do it."

She did want to get closer to Bai Fendou to uncover the secret behind his bicycle, but Wang Xiangxiu's words made her very unhappy, so she immediately opposed her. Besides, she had always been the one to be highlighted by others, never the other way around.

Wang Xiangxiu coldly said, "If you don't want to do it, then get lost. Don't think you're so great just because you paid!"

"You!" Hu Huihui was so angry that she slammed her chopsticks down and stormed out.

Aunt Su: "Look at you..."

Wang Xiangxiu: "If I don't act tough, she'll think she's untouchable. She has nowhere else to go, otherwise she wouldn't have come to my place. Don't worry, she'll be back on her own."

If she didn't assert her dominance over Hu Huihui, the girl wouldn't listen to her.

Aunt Su nodded and didn't say anything more.

Hu Huihui did return after leaving, as she had her own agenda. She sat fuming by the gate. Zhuang Zhixi came out to use the toilet and saw her sitting there like a guardian deity. He said, "Move aside."

Hu Huihui looked up and saw it was Zhuang Zhixi, her expression softened a bit.

People always have a bit more goodwill towards those who are good-looking. She said, "Zhuang Ge, what are you doing...?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Using the toilet."

He paused and added, "You can just call me by my name."

Hu Huihui glanced at him and then smiled coquettishly, "Why? Can't I call you Zhuang Ge? Hmm? Zhuang Ge. Are you afraid your wife will hear?"

Zhuang Zhixi seriously said, "We're not that close."

He had always been a bit wary of Hu Huihui, as she wasn't as harmless as she seemed.

Hu Huihui didn't expect Zhuang Zhixi to be so cold and was a bit displeased, "We're neighbors, you don't have to be so aloof."

Zhuang Zhixi looked Hu Huihui up and down and said even more seriously, "I have a wife."

He added, "If you have feelings for me, it's better not to."

Hu Huihui's eyes widened in disbelief at what Zhuang Zhixi had just said. Although she did think Zhuang Zhixi was good-looking, she hadn't considered him at all. What she wanted was a man with power and status. Zhuang Zhixi was just a small fry in her eyes. She could take advantage of him for some benefits, but marriage? Never. Besides, this guy was too full of himself.

She rolled her eyes, "You're really overthinking."

Zhuang Zhixi smiled, a bit proudly, "I know my family conditions are good, I'm good-looking, and I have a decent job. Many people like me, and you might have feelings for me too, but I'm very sincere. I only love my wife. Liking me won't do you any good."

Hu Huihui: "..."

What a moron.

She immediately stood up, rolled her eyes, and said, "Only a ghost would fall for you. You're delusional!"

With that, she turned and left.

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged, secretly laughing as he went to the toilet. Sometimes, you have to use different approaches for different people. For someone like Hu Huihui, his performance was just right. He guessed that Hu Huihui wouldn't be approaching him anytime soon.

After all, Hu Huihui had quite the high opinion of herself.

Zhuang Zhixi really didn't want to interact with Hu Huihui.

This was perfect.

As he walked to the toilet, he thought about the stove in his house.

He chuckled to himself. His mother always said he had many tricks up his sleeve, and Zhuang Zhixi didn't deny it. He thought, with so many people in his family, no one suspected anything, right? But Zhuang Zhixi did. Ever since his parents got that extra stove, he felt something was off.

Sure, having an extra stove was more convenient, but the thing was, the job was done by his dad.

Ever since he and his brother grew up, their family usually had them handle chores, but his parents didn't even mention it, just went ahead and got the stove. His dad did the work himself. At the time, Zhuang Zhixi had a small doubt, but he didn't think much of it.

However... after several incidents, it was a bit more apparent.

They say a mother knows her child best, but the reverse is also true.

Zhuang Zhixi knew his mother well, and it was precisely because he knew her that he felt something was off every time the topic came up at home. Not obvious, but noticeable.

Zhuang Zhixi suspected that the gold and silver treasures that drove Yu Baoshan crazy were taken by his mother. Although he didn't know the specifics or how it happened, Zhuang Zhixi calculated the timing and thought it was very possible.

Outsiders didn't know, but those in the family were quite clear.

He thought so, but there was no need to bring it up.

He acted as if he didn't know, and he didn't mention it to Ming Mei either. Of course, he hadn't confirmed it, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that he had it figured out in his mind. As for Hu Huihui, Zhuang Zhixi analyzed that she was after those treasures.

Because he sensed that his mother was also wary of Hu Huihui.

But given his mother's cautious nature, Hu Huihui wouldn't guess anything, let alone find anything.

After all, he was his mother's most cunning son.

Zhuang Zhixi exhaled, relieved. As he came out of the toilet, he caught a glimpse and saw a scruffy man hiding in the shadows. Zhuang Zhixi's heart skipped a beat. Although he didn't clearly see who it was, it seemed like Yu Baoshan.

He walked back nonchalantly, his mind already racing. Why was Yu Baoshan back? There had been some rumors about Yu Baoshan recently, but none of them mentioned him returning.

Did he make a mistake?

Zhuang Zhixi quickly shook his head, confident he hadn't. His eyesight was always sharp.

As Zhuang Zhixi entered the courtyard, he passed by Old Man Bai. He didn't pay much attention. Seeing the kids playing in the yard, he immediately said, "Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, stay in the yard and play, don't go outside."

"Okay~"

Zhuang Zhixi went inside and whispered, "Guess who I saw? I think I saw Yu Baoshan."

Zhao Guihua was surprised and asked, "He's back?"

"I don't know, who knows what's going on with him. But I saw him hiding and looking scruffy, like he's not in good shape. I wonder what's going on."

Zhao Guihua decisively said, "We..."

"Ah!!!"

A scream came from outside, startling both Zhao Guihua and Zhuang Zhixi. They hurried out and asked, "What happened?"

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, let's go check it out!"

"It sounds like Old Man Bai's voice."

Qiang Dandan from next door ran over and exclaimed, "You guys better go check outside! Old Man Bai went out to use the toilet, and as soon as he got to the door, Yu Baoshan jumped out and smashed him on the head with a brick!"

"What the hell!"

"What is Yu Baoshan doing!"

"Is he crazy? He comes back and starts attacking people?"

Bai Fendou also exclaimed, "What the..." and quickly ran out, as that was his father.

Qiang Dandan was still shaken and said, "Yu Baoshan came out with a brick and shouted, 'You father and son harmed me, watch how I deal with you!' Then he was about to hit a second time, but I yelled, and he ran off..."

Qiang Dandan felt that if this kept up, even he, Qiang Dandan, would become timid. These people were too chaotic.

"I told you Bai Fendou always kicking people in the groin would cause trouble. Look, it happened."

"Is Yu Baoshan... done for? Otherwise, why would he come to seek revenge?"

"Probably."

"Ah, Zhou Qun is done for, and now Yu Baoshan too... How many men is Bai Fendou going to ruin..."

"It might not be that."

"Enough talking, let's go help."

Zhuang Zhixi: "I'll go help, Mom, you stay here. We don't know what's going on yet."

Zhao Guihua: "Alright."

Zhuang Zhixi ran out and helped everyone carry Old Man Bai onto a small cart. Bai Fendou was howling in anger, cursing, "Yu Baoshan, I'll kill you!"

"You bastard, come at me if you have the guts!"

There was no response.

Yu Baoshan had fled after attacking.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Don't talk too much, let's hurry to the hospital."

"Yes, what Xiao Zhuang said is right."

Everyone chimed in, but they were genuinely helping. Aunt Wang had already stepped forward to take charge of the situation, leading a few people to push the cart to the hospital. Zhuang Zhixi, however, didn't go; he had a pregnant woman at home, so he couldn't leave.

Who knew what was going on with Yu Baoshan?

At this moment, those who hadn't gone to the hospital were all standing in the courtyard, each with lingering fear in their hearts.

"What kind of mess is this?"

"Who isn't saying the same thing?"

Zhuang Zhixi frowned: "He was specifically targeting Old Man Bai. I also went to the bathroom and saw Brother Sui from the back courtyard there. None of us got beaten up; only Old Man Bai did."

"Of course, that's obvious, isn't it? He even shouted that he was being harmed."

"I wonder what's going on here."

Everyone was speculating, none of them understanding, but Hu Huihui's eyes flickered, knowing exactly what the situation was. Yu Baoshan, having lost his gold and silver treasures, had completely broken down, revealing the truth. After this incident, he was taken back for investigation.

At that time, he was actually injured—one injury from falling in the bathroom, and another from fighting with Bai Fendou and his father, where Bai Fendou had used a "black tiger heart extraction" move on him. His wounds hadn't healed, but no one cared about that.

The investigation and interrogation dragged on, and it was discovered that he had killed to cover up the exposure of the treasures. At this point, two factions emerged: one advocated sending him to the police station since they weren't in charge of such matters; the other disagreed, as Yu Baoshan was technically their colleague, and having a case of embezzlement and murder would tarnish their unit's reputation.

In this stalemate, meetings were held repeatedly, but the matter was never resolved. Yu Baoshan was kept in custody, and no one cared about his injuries. After such a long time, a decision was finally made.

A leader took notice of Yu Baoshan's ruthlessness and wanted him to redeem himself by finding the gold and silver treasures, thus vouching for his release. After some maneuvering, Yu Baoshan was let out. As soon as he was released, he went to the hospital. Originally, Yu Baoshan's release was supposed to mark the beginning of a major operation.

He was definitely planning to take down several capitalists to prove his capability.

But who knew he would go to the hospital? Due to the delayed treatment of his wound, and the fact that it hadn't been changed or cared for, he... well, he was ruined.

Yes, ruined.

He couldn't function anymore.

In other words, he could still experience pleasure, but due to the loss of that part, he would never be able to have children. This revelation completely broke Yu Baoshan. In an instant, he became utterly consumed with hatred for the Bai father and son.

This morning he had been released, and by noon he had received the news. In the afternoon, he went straight to attack Old Man Bai.

It was likely that Old Man Bai was just the appetizer, with Bai Fendou to come...

Hu Huihui shrank her neck, feeling a bit scared.

The Bai father and son were the cause of this situation, but they, along with others, had failed to provide treatment, leading to an even more severe outcome. Could they also be targeted for revenge? After all, Yu Baoshan was known for his ruthlessness.

He had taken lives before, not for the first time.

Hu Huihui felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Huihui, are you okay? What are you afraid of? You don't even know him; he's probably just here to seek revenge on Bai Fendou."

Hu Huihui: "..."

Damn it, he he he, of course he knows me!

How could he not know me? We were colleagues.

And... Yu Baoshan was so cunning; seeing her here, he would definitely be able to guess something.

Hu Huihui: "It's over, it's over..."

"Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Everyone noticed that she seemed particularly frightened and immediately tried to comfort her: "Don't be afraid, this has nothing to do with you."

"Right, you arrived late and don't know; they have old grudges..."

Hu Huihui couldn't hold back and broke down: "Sob, we also have a grudge..."

What?!

Everyone was stunned.