My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 111

The rain poured heavily, and pedestrians hurried along the streets.

Zhuang Zhixi rode his bicycle back home, a cloth bag hanging from the handlebars, already soaked by the rain. He didn’t care much about it, pedaling so fast that he accidentally splashed through a puddle, sending water flying everywhere.

Luckily, it wasn’t rush hour, or he would’ve earned himself a scolding for splashing someone.

Zhuang Zhixi swiftly turned into the alley. The charred corpse that had been lying there that morning had already been taken away. Truth be told, Zhuang Zhixi hadn’t dared to look at it. He wasn’t a coward, but there was no need to give himself nightmares, was there?

The area, which had been crowded with onlookers earlier, was now clean, as if nothing had happened.

Zhuang Zhixi rode into the courtyard and almost collided with Jinlai and his two siblings, who were rushing out in their raincoats. Jinlai shouted, “Move out of the way, pretty boy!”

Zhuang Zhixi retorted, “You little brat! If you call me that again, I’ll smack you. Who do you think you are?”

Jinlai stuck out his tongue and dashed off, followed by his brothers, who started throwing stones into the roadside ditch.

Zhuang Zhixi rolled his eyes. He couldn’t care less about what those little rascals were up to. He hurried home, calling out before he even entered the house.

“Mom, I’m back!”

He added, “Ming Mei, your mom sent you some treats.”

Ming Mei was surprised. “Oh, you went to my mom’s place?”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. “You took a week off, and I knew the news would reach your mom soon. I didn’t want her to worry and come over in this heavy rain, so I went to reassure her. Look, she sent you a pig’s trotter and some peanuts. Let’s make a peanut stew with the trotter tonight. It’ll be delicious.”

Ming Mei’s mouth watered at the thought. “Sounds good.”

Zhao Guihua took the cloth bag from Zhuang Zhixi and found a sizable pig’s trotter inside, along with a pack of wood ear mushrooms and peanuts. She handed a handful of peanuts to Ming Mei and placed the rest on the kitchen counter.

She sighed. “Next time you visit your mother-in-law, don’t act like a bandit looting a village.”

Zhuang Zhixi protested, “Come on, Mom, I’m not like that! It’s just that my mother-in-law dotes on her daughter, that’s all.”

He felt his mother was being unfair. Besides, he had gone there for a good reason.

Speaking of which, he added with a shudder, “By the way, on my way back, I saw the bus you used to work on as a conductor got into an accident.”

Ming Mei’s hand trembled, and the peanuts she was holding fell to the floor.

“An accident? What happened? Is everyone okay?”

Zhao Guihua also looked at her son with concern. “What’s going on?”

Though both women had an idea of what might have happened, they were still anxious for details. Zhuang Zhixi quickly reassured them. “Don’t worry too much. I checked, and no one was seriously hurt. A pedestrian crossed the road without looking, and the driver had to brake and swerve to avoid them. The bus ended up hitting a shop’s wall. The driver hit his forehead, and the conductor nearly got thrown out, but she held on tight and only sprained her ankle. Most of the passengers just fell or got minor injuries. Nothing too serious.”

He paused, then added, “The front of the bus was dented, and the windshield shattered.”

“Oh no…”

Zhuang Zhixi continued, “It gave me a scare. I kept thinking how lucky you were to have transferred out of that job. If you were still the conductor, you might’ve been the one injured. With you being pregnant, it could’ve been much worse. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. Thank goodness you’re safe!”

He poured himself a glass of water and sighed. “It was really terrifying.”

Ming Mei felt a bit relieved hearing that no one was seriously hurt. She pursed her lips, thinking that if it had been her, the outcome might’ve been worse. But since it wasn’t, she didn’t dwell on it.

“Why are you spacing out?”

Ming Mei shook her head. “I’m fine.”

Zhuang Zhixi continued, “Oh, I went to your workplace to ask for your leave, and guess what? I heard about this shameless woman…” He thought the woman was out of her mind. She was new and wanted to make a name for herself, but she expected a pregnant woman to work as a conductor just so she could catch thieves and boost her own reputation.

If something happened?

Well, according to her logic, it wouldn’t matter. If something happened, it just meant the baby wasn’t meant to be.

The thought of that woman made Zhuang Zhixi feel sick.

Ming Mei’s face darkened when she heard this. “That Jiang Baohong is the worst. Who does she think she is? I’d never listen to her. It’s not like she can fire me anyway.”

Since it was a state-owned enterprise, as long as she didn’t make any major mistakes, she couldn’t be fired. Ming Mei wasn’t worried at all. She added, “She’s got her head screwed on wrong.”

Zhuang Zhixi said, “I asked your mom about her. Turns out Jiang Baohong only finished fourth grade. She got her position because of her husband, who’s a deputy director. That’s why she acts so high and mighty, but she’s really nothing special.”

Ming Mei squinted, realizing that was probably another reason he went to her mom’s place—to gather information.

But then she sighed. “Oh no.”

“What’s wrong?”

Zhuang Zhixi looked at her, puzzled. “Even if she has connections, she can’t force you to do anything. Don’t worry.”

Ming Mei shook her head. “It’s not that…”

She lowered her voice. “I’m worried… my dad will go after Jiang Baohong.”

Zhuang Zhixi was confused. “What?”

Ming Mei muttered, “My dad adores me. If he finds out she tried to mess with me, he’ll definitely do something about it. Oh no, what if he causes trouble?”

She started pacing around the room, growing more anxious. Zhuang Zhixi quickly grabbed her arm. “Don’t overthink it. Your mom’s sensible. She’ll stop your dad from doing anything rash. Really, don’t worry.”

“But…”

“No buts. Your dad’s not a child. He knows what’s appropriate. Just focus on taking care of yourself, especially with the baby on the way.”

Ming Mei scratched her head, and Zhuang Zhixi smiled. “Be good, okay?”

Ming Mei let out a soft huff. Zhuang Zhixi was about to say something else when they heard Bai Fendou’s voice outside. He wasn’t coming to their house but was calling out to Wang Xiangxiu’s place.

“Sister Xiu, are you home?”

Zhuang Zhixi had come home earlier than most since he wasn’t working that day. Wang Xiangxiu hadn’t returned yet. Aunt Su came out and asked, “Fendou, how’s your dad? I’ve been so worried. Is he okay?”

Bai Fendou replied, “Thankfully, he’s fine. That Yu Baoshan is a real piece of work. If he’s got a problem, he should come at me, not my dad.”

He was clearly furious.

Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi exchanged glances and immediately went to the window to watch.

Zhao Guihua and Liang Meifen weren’t far behind. Honestly, having a strong figure in the family wasn’t a bad thing. In the Zhuang household, Zhao Guihua kept things in order. Liang Meifen wasn’t exactly easy to deal with, but Zhao Guihua’s authority kept her in check. Over time, she had calmed down.

Of course, the rest of the courtyard residents were so eccentric that the Zhuang family seemed almost normal in comparison.

The four of them stood by the window, watching the drama unfold. Aunt Su was quite the actress—her eyes could well up with tears at a moment’s notice. She wasn’t particularly attractive, or she might’ve caught more than just Old Man Bai in her younger days.

If she had the looks of Wang Xiangxiu, she could have already opened a fish pond for the elderly by now.

Aunt Su, with reddened eyes, said, "How long will your father need to rest? If you're too busy with work, leave this matter to me. I’ll take care of your dad. Your family has helped us so much, and I’ve never been able to repay you. Don’t be polite with me now."

Aunt Su was always so shrewd. She constantly coaxed Old Man Bai into giving her money, but she never actually treated him well. It was all just sweet talk; she rarely even helped with washing clothes or cooking meals. It was essentially free labor.

But her cleverness lay in the fact that although she never lifted a finger in daily life, she would immediately step up to help during major events in the Bai family. This genuine assistance made the Bai father and son deeply grateful to her.

They never felt that Aunt Su was taking advantage of them or that her small favors were expected. Instead, they believed that Aunt Su was a true friend in times of need.

Bai Fendou was thinking exactly this way at the moment. He was instantly moved and gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Aunt Su, in our courtyard, you’re the best."

Aunt Su smiled gently, and Bai Fendou added, "I knew it. Others can’t be relied on, but you’re the most dependable."

Aunt Su replied, "What’s this talk of being dependable? Do we need to be so formal with each other?"

She continued softly, "I’m well aware of all the help you and your father have given us over the years."

Bai Fendou said, "Well, neighbors should help each other out."

He felt completely at ease, enjoying the feeling of being relied upon, as if he were a savior. He chuckled and said, "It’s all small stuff. Your family has been good to me too."

It hadn’t occurred to him before, but Aunt Su was right. If she took care of his father, he could go back to work as usual.

He asked, "Aunt Su, are you really sure you can take care of my dad?"

Aunt Su smiled, "Of course, why wouldn’t I be able to?"

She lowered her eyes and added, "But you know, it’s just my daughter, Xiu’er, who’s working to support our family of five. If I have to buy meals for Old Man Bai, I’m afraid…"

She hesitated, pinching her fingers. Bai Fendou said, "Oh, is that all? Don’t worry about it. That’s my responsibility. I can’t let you spend your money. I know your family’s situation well. How about this? I’ll give you one yuan a day to handle my dad’s three meals. Does that work?"

Aunt Su smiled, "Of course, that works."

One yuan a day for three meals was a good deal for her. If she fed Old Man Bai something nutritious, like an egg, she could still save money. But she had no intention of feeding him that well.

A meal costing ten cents was already quite decent, and she could easily save seventy cents. She smiled contentedly and said, "Shall we start tomorrow?"

Bai Fendou replied, "Yes, tomorrow."

He added, "The factory can’t do without me."

From a distance, Zhuang Zhixi’s eyes flickered, thinking, "Of course, the factory can’t do without you. The toilets are almost overflowing. If you don’t go to work, who’s going to clean them? This heavy rain has made everything so messy. If you’re not there, who’s going to take care of the toilets?"

Zhuang Zhixi muttered under his breath, and Ming Mei covered her mouth, laughing.

After finalizing the arrangement with Aunt Su, Bai Fendou said, "Oh, I almost forgot why I came here. Aunt Su, I heard something happened in our neighborhood? Did Yu Baoshan die?"

He asked excitedly.

Honestly, he had been terrified when Yu Baoshan suddenly appeared and attacked. No matter how skilled you are, you’re still afraid of a knife. He was genuinely scared that Yu Baoshan would come after him. The blow Yu Baoshan dealt to his father had been merciless.

Just thinking about it sent chills down Bai Fendou’s spine. He didn’t know when Yu Baoshan would come for revenge. So, when he heard the rumor that Yu Baoshan might have been struck by lightning, he rushed back without hesitation.

He was actually one of the last to know.

Aunt Su confirmed, "Yes, Yu Baoshan died. He was struck by lightning last night. Such a person, who committed so many evil deeds, finally got his retribution. Let me tell you, you should be very grateful to your sister Xiu’er."

Bai Fendou asked, "Why?"

Aunt Su explained, "Last night, Yu Baoshan kidnapped your sister Xiu’er and tried to force her to lure you out of the hospital so he could kill you. She refused, even when he beat her…"

"What!" Bai Fendou was shocked!

He was furious, "That bastard! How is sister Xiu’er? Is she okay…"

Bai Fendou was heartbroken. He couldn’t believe that his sister Xiu’er had gone through such an ordeal. Aunt Su, with a pained expression, said, "She’s at work now, hasn’t finished her shift yet. You know our family’s situation. We rely solely on your sister Xiu’er’s income. She can’t afford to miss work. And yet, there are people spreading rumors that something inappropriate happened between her and Yu Baoshan. It breaks my heart. These people are bullying us, a widow and her child, and they can’t stand to see us doing well. Everyone knows Yu Baoshan was already declared unfit by the hospital, otherwise he wouldn’t have come after you for revenge! But these people love to stir up trouble, always dragging things into the gutter. Xiu’er cried half the night last night. She’s not afraid of being beaten, but she can’t understand why neighbors would spread such rumors about her."

Aunt Su cleverly twisted the facts.

The doctor had said Yu Baoshan couldn’t have children, not that he was impotent. But Aunt Su immediately conflated the two issues and brought up the rumors herself. It was better for Bai Fendou to hear it from her, rather than suspecting Wang Xiangxiu after hearing it from someone else. As expected, Bai Fendou was even more furious, "Who are these bastards, Aunt Su? Tell me who’s spreading these lies about sister Xiu’er. I’ll teach them a lesson! How dare they bully a widow and her child!"

Bai Fendou was hopping mad in the courtyard.

Someone came out of their house and asked, "Oh, you’re back? Aren’t you supposed to be at the hospital taking care of your dad?"

"Bai Fendou, your enemy was struck by lightning. You must be happy, right?"

"Wang Xiangxiu almost lost her innocence because of you, you…"

"Shut up! Sister Xiu’er is a pure and good woman. Don’t spread rumors! Who do you think you are?"

"Hey, are you crazy? Why are you biting everyone’s head off? I didn’t say she wasn’t pure. Why are you barking at me?"

Bai Fendou clenched his fists, "Say it again. Say it again, and I’ll punch you!"

"All you know how to do is hit people, as if you’re so tough. You…"

"Grandma, wuwuwu…"

Just then, Tonglai came running in, "Brother got beaten up again, brother got beaten up again."

Aunt Su asked, "What happened?"

Bai Fendou said, "I’ll go take a look."

He took Tonglai’s hand and dashed out as if the boy were his own son.

Zhuang Zhixi decisively said, "I’ll go too."

Ming Mei added, "I’m coming as well."

Not just them, but others too. Jiang Lu led Wang Zhaodi out the door, clearly having been eavesdropping for a while. Well, who wouldn’t want to watch Bai Fendou’s drama?

A group of people went out and saw Da Qiang from the neighboring courtyard holding Jinlai, spanking him and scolding, "You little brat, I’ll teach you to act up, I’ll teach you to be so handsy. Do you dare to do it again?"

Yinlai sat in a puddle, crying, "Let go of my brother, let go, let go!"

Bai Fendou roared, "Da Qiang! What are you doing!"

Da Qiang was also furious, "What does it look like? Are you blind? Can’t you see I’m teaching this little brat a lesson?"

Bai Fendou let out a yell and charged forward, throwing a punch without hesitation, ready to defend his "son"—well, not his son, but Jinlai and Yinlai. However, Bai Fendou had clearly underestimated Da Qiang’s strength.

In their courtyard, everyone was rather gentle, making Bai Fendou seem like a tough guy. But the neighboring courtyard was different… Da Qiang was a loader at the factory, known for his brute strength.

Bai Fendou threw a punch, but Da Qiang countered with one of his own, sending Bai Fendou stumbling back several steps, grimacing in pain.

Da Qiang: "What's this? Is this your son? Why are you stepping in? Do you even know what they did? These little brats need to be taught a lesson, or they’ll never learn who’s boss. They’re way too spoiled."

Aunt Su sobbed: "But you can’t hit children! They’re just kids!"

"Get out of here! They’re not my kids! Why should I spoil them? Everyone, let me tell you the truth. You don’t know how wicked these kids are. When I got off work, these three brats were squatting by the wall, up to no good. As I passed by the ditch, they threw rocks into it, splashing water all over me! I told them to stop messing around, but they just ignored me."

"Yeah, that’s true. They did the same to me when I came back. They deliberately splashed water on me," someone chimed in, supporting Da Qiang’s story.

"I ran into them too…"

"These kids are really out of control. They need to be disciplined."

"Absolutely."

Da Qiang: "Listen, I wasn’t even done. I didn’t make a big deal out of it at first. Like Aunt Su said, they’re just kids. But these kids are too wicked. After I got home, I went out to use the toilet, and they threw big rocks into the pit! They were definitely retaliating because I scolded them earlier. Look at these stains on me! Tell me, was I wrong to hit them? I could’ve beaten them to death and still not felt satisfied. What kind of brats are these?"

"Ugh!"

"Gross!"

"That’s disgusting. How could they do that?"

"Exactly!"

"They deserved to be beaten!"

If it were just some mischief, that would be one thing, but who could put up with this?

No wonder Da Qiang lost his temper. Anyone would have.

Da Qiang shouted angrily: "Tell me, was I wrong to hit them? Now you’re saying they’re just kids. Why didn’t you discipline them properly? With their behavior, I’m sure they’ll end up in jail someday!"

Da Qiang had a booming voice that shook the heavens.

He kept talking nonstop, and Aunt Su couldn’t get a word in to smooth things over. Bai Fendou, however, wasn’t having it: "So what? It’s just some stains. Are you not man enough to handle it?"

He sneered: "You’re not a real man."

Da Qiang shot back: "You’re the real man? The one whose balls got crushed? The one who got treated like that by another man?"

That was a soul-crushing blow.

Bai Fendou: "Aaah!"

He was trembling with rage: "I’ll kill you!"

He lunged at Da Qiang, and the two of them started wrestling.

Ming Mei watched and shook her head, sighing: "What a pointless brawl."

Wang Zhaodi whispered: "Isn’t this… pretty intense?"

Coming from the countryside, she’d never seen anything like this. She used to think their village had its fair share of drama, but after moving to the city, she realized the city was even more chaotic.

Back in the village, men didn’t sleep with men, no one got struck by lightning, and men certainly didn’t fight like this. In the village, it was usually the women who pulled each other’s hair.

"Da Qiang, be careful! Bai Fendou is known for his ‘Dragon Claw’ move. He’s already ruined two men. Watch out!"

"Yeah, be careful!"

Compared to Bai Fendou, Da Qiang was more popular, and people were quick to warn him.

Da Qiang broke out in a cold sweat. That’s right! Bai Fendou was notorious for targeting that area, making sure his victims could never be men again.

Bai Fendou hadn’t thought of that at first, but after the reminder, he decided to go for it. He reached out for a “heart grab,” but Da Qiang was ready and caught his hand.

Seeing that Bai Fendou was serious, Da Qiang started punching him in the face and body.

"I’ll beat you to death, you bastard! I’m not even married yet, and you’re trying to ruin me? I’ll kill you!"

The scene descended into chaos. Meanwhile, the three brats, Jinlai and his brothers, stumbled to their feet and ran to Aunt Su, who was crying softly as she touched their faces.

She hated Da Qiang with a passion. How could he be so brutal? How could he hit children?

Jinlai was also furious about being beaten and shouted: "Hit him! Hit him in the face! Bai Fendou, you’re useless!" Seeing that Bai Fendou was losing, he wasn’t satisfied, but then he clapped and laughed: "Dogs fighting each other!"

This brat didn’t notice the looks of disgust everyone was giving him.

What a piece of work.

Jiang Lu, holding her belly, reminded herself that whether she had a boy or a girl, she would never raise them to be like Jinlai. She was utterly repulsed.

Wang Zhaodi also thought to herself: Her parents always wanted a boy, but if boys were this annoying, she’d rather they didn’t have one.

Everyone had their own thoughts, but they all shared the same disgust for Jinlai.

Da Qiang and Bai Fendou were locked in a fierce battle, and under Da Qiang’s relentless attacks, Bai Fendou was soon reduced to a lifeless dog. Seeing that Da Qiang had clearly won, someone finally stepped in to break up the fight. Da Qiang, giving them face, pointed at Bai Fendou and said: "I’ll let it go this time, but if there’s a next time, I’ll beat you again. What a joke."

He turned around and saw Jinlai and his brothers still shouting: "Dogs fighting each other!" He cursed: "You little brats, if there’s a next time, I’ll beat the crap out of you! Pah!"

After delivering his threats, he pushed through the crowd and headed home.

Everyone quickly made way, not daring to touch him.

Who knew if they’d get stained?

Bai Fendou, seeing that Da Qiang had left, also threw out a threat: "Da Qiang, don’t think you’re so tough. I’m just tired from not sleeping last night. Just wait, I’ll teach you a lesson next time."

With everyone gone, there was no response.

Aunt Su, still crying, went to help Bai Fendou up: "How could he be so cruel? Look at your injuries…"

Jinlai: "Grandma, why are you helping him?"

What an ungrateful brat. He didn’t care that Bai Fendou had gotten hurt because of him.

"Don’t say that. Come and help. Your Uncle Bai did this for you."

"I won’t."

The three brats didn’t care. Aunt Su cried: "Can someone please help me?"

Da Qiang had been splattered with filth by the brats and had just fought with Bai Fendou. Who knew if he’d gotten any of it on Bai Fendou? No one stepped forward. Absolutely no one. Zhuang Zhixi decisively said: "Wife, let me take you home."

Jiang Lu quickly squeezed Wang Zhaodi’s hand, and Wang Zhaodi said: "Sister Jiang Lu, I’ll take you back too."

"Oh, it’s about time for the family to come home. I should hurry back to make dinner…"

The crowd, which had been packed tight, suddenly dispersed, everyone finding an excuse to leave. Who wanted to help now? Zhuang Zhixi sighed as he got home: "Whenever Bai Fendou is around, the courtyard is always lively."

"Wait until Aunt Zhou comes back. If she finds out Bai Fendou ruined her son, what do you think she’ll do?" Zhao Guihua casually remarked.

Liang Meifen: "Oh my, just thinking about it is scary."

She felt like something big was about to happen.

Definitely, chaos was brewing.

Well, maybe that’s not the right word.

But it was accurate.

Since no one helped, Aunt Su took a while to get Bai Fendou back. Coincidentally, they ran into Wang Xiangxiu, who was coming back from work. She helped them into the courtyard. Jinlai shouted spitefully: "Mom, why are you helping this loser? Why!"

Wang Xiangxiu was exhausted: "What are you talking about? Your Uncle Bai is a good man. Don’t say that."

Her life was already hard enough, and her son was making it worse.

"How are your injuries?"

"It’s nothing. Just a fight. It’s no big deal."

Wang Xiangxiu sighed: "The kids don’t understand. I’m sorry you had to go through this."

Bai Fendou immediately responded, "It’s nothing to feel wronged about. What’s the big deal? A real man shouldn’t care about such things. They’ll understand eventually."

Wang Xiangxiu chuckled softly and said, "I know."

Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu helped Bai Fendou, and many onlookers exchanged meaningful glances. It was after work, and everyone was hurrying home in the heavy rain. Most people had left early.

Zhou Qun watched their retreating figures and sneered, "He’s just picking up my leftovers."

Though Zhou Qun was known for his playfulness and charm, when he first pursued Wang Xiangxiu, it wasn’t because he was particularly fond of her. Well, he was, but over time, the novelty wore off. The reason he kept the relationship going was the psychological satisfaction of feeling superior.

The men in the factory admired Wang Xiangxiu, and Bai Fendou had been infatuated with her for years, but none of them had won her over. Only he, Zhou Qun, had succeeded. That sense of being better than others was what thrilled him the most.

Even though he wasn’t what he used to be, that feeling of superiority still lingered.

However, as he stared at Bai Fendou, he couldn’t help but feel that Bai Fendou was ungrateful. It was an honor for him to even be noticed by Zhou Qun, yet Bai Fendou had acted out, depriving him of his simplest pleasures. Zhou Qun’s gaze toward Bai Fendou grew increasingly dark.

One day, he’d make Bai Fendou pay!

But then he thought again—Bai Fendou’s beloved woman had already shared countless nights with him. Zhou Qun couldn’t help but feel smug. No matter how impressive Bai Fendou thought he was, he was still just picking up scraps. And he hadn’t even managed to do that yet.

He let out a cackling laugh. Soon, another thought crossed his mind: since he had been with Wang Xiangxiu, and if Wang Xiangxiu ended up with Bai Fendou, didn’t that mean, in a roundabout way, he had also "had" Bai Fendou?

Despite his deep resentment toward Bai Fendou, he couldn’t help but feel a twisted sense of interest as he stared at him.

For now, he couldn’t act recklessly for the sake of his reputation, but in the future, he’d find an opportunity. He might be down, but Bai Fendou wouldn’t escape unscathed.

If Bai Fendou had wronged him, he’d better be prepared for the consequences.

Zhou Qun kept staring at Bai Fendou, and Bai Fendou eventually felt the gaze. He turned around, ready to explode, but when he saw it was Zhou Qun, his expression changed instantly. "What the hell are you looking at?!"

With that, he hurried inside, not daring to linger.

He could definitely take Zhou Qun in a fight, but the thought of being coveted by another man made him instinctively want to flee.

This little episode didn’t go unnoticed, and it left many feeling uneasy.

Bai Fendou might be foolish, but Zhou Qun, could you not act like this?

You’re making us worry about our own husbands.

Liang Meifen said, "Thank goodness my Zhiyuan is often on business trips. Otherwise, I’d have to keep an eye on him all the time."

After all, who knew when Zhou Qun might shift his affections to someone else? What if he set his sights on their husbands?

The worry was real.

Ming Mei chimed in seriously, "Brother Zhixi, from now on, stay away from Zhou Qun when you see him. Oh, and stay away from Bai Fendou too. That guy’s not exactly normal either."

"Right, Ming Mei’s absolutely right," Liang Meifen agreed, standing firmly on the same side as Ming Mei.

"Hey, look at this. It’s like a chain of love. Jiang Lu loves Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun loves Bai Fendou, Bai Fendou loves Wang Xiangxiu…"

The love and hate between the four of them were all laid bare.

Ming Mei thought for a moment and said, "I don’t think Jiang Lu loves Zhou Qun anymore."

Liang Meifen pondered and replied, "True, she only cares about her child now. But then again, Zhou Qun broke her heart. How could he do something like that? If he had even a shred of decency, Jiang Lu wouldn’t have been so humiliated."

Zhao Guihua interjected, "Actually, it’s for the best. At least it made her completely let go."

In their previous lives, there had been whispers about Zhou Qun and other women, but nothing was ever confirmed, so Jiang Lu had remained loyal. This time, though, Zhou Qun’s misdeeds had been exposed early on, but he still managed to fool Jiang Lu.

If Bai Fendou hadn’t been a man, Jiang Lu might not have fully woken up to the truth.

The fact that Bai Fendou was a man was likely what finally made Jiang Lu see things clearly.

When you think about it, though the situation was disgusting, it was ultimately good for Jiang Lu. She was finally free.

"If I were Jiang Lu, I’d be grateful to Bai Fendou. Whether he meant well or not, whether it was intentional or not, I’d truly thank him for helping me see someone for who they really are. I’d no longer be stuck in that muddy pit."

Ming Mei blinked and said, "I think that’s exactly how Jiang Lu feels. It’s just a shame she didn’t divorce him."

Zhuang Zhixi added, "If I were Jiang Lu, I wouldn’t divorce him either. Zhou Qun earns over ninety yuan a month—that’s a solid high income. Plus, he’s got his weaknesses—his reputation is ruined, and he’s no longer capable of anything. He’ll never find another wife. With his flaws in Jiang Lu’s hands, he and his mother wouldn’t dare cross her. They’d be afraid she’d file for divorce. Jiang Lu wouldn’t even have to do the housework. He’d bring in the money, and he wouldn’t be able to mess around. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t actually do anything. And because of his weaknesses, Zhou Qun and his mother wouldn’t dare bring up divorce. Jiang Lu could live however she wanted in that household. She wouldn’t even have to take care of them. That’s a pretty good life."

"That’s true," someone agreed.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled. "Exactly."

As they discussed Jiang Lu’s situation, Zhou Qun was currently massaging Jiang Lu’s legs, acting like a devoted eunuch serving the Empress Dowager Cixi.

"How’s the pressure?" he asked.

Jiang Lu replied, "It’s good. I’m older than most first-time mothers, so it’s a bit more tiring…"

Zhou Qun said, "You should rest whenever you need to. Don’t push yourself too hard."

Though Zhou Qun was effeminate and had his own ulterior motives, his attitude toward Jiang Lu had genuinely changed. As Zhuang Zhixi had pointed out, he was truly afraid of divorce. His reputation couldn’t take any more hits.

Plus, Jiang Lu was finally pregnant.

This was something he’d been hoping for for over a decade. If Jiang Lu lost this child, he’d be left raising someone else’s child. After all, he was no longer capable of fathering one. Now that heaven had blessed them with a child, he didn’t dare make any mistakes.

Everything else would have to wait until Jiang Lu safely gave birth.

If Jiang Lu hadn’t been pregnant, from a darker perspective, Zhou Qun might have even been willing to let her have a child with someone else, as long as she had one. His family couldn’t be left without an heir, at least not on the surface.

Now, by some twist of fate, Jiang Lu was actually pregnant, sparing him the humiliation of raising another man’s child.

He truly felt lucky.

He continued massaging Jiang Lu’s legs and asked, "Anything happen in the courtyard today?"

Jiang Lu replied, "The lightning strike case was resolved…"

The couple chatted idly, but suddenly, a scream echoed from outside.

"What the hell? What’s going on?"

"Go check it out?"

"That sounds like Jinlai…"

Yes, it was him, it was definitely him.

Not the little Nezha, but little Jinlai.

Jinlai was wailing outside again, and Bai Fendou rushed out like a gust of wind, followed closely by Wang Xiangxiu.

This scene left everyone in the neighborhood speechless.

"What’s wrong with Jinlai this time?"

"Who knows?"

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I’ll go take a look."

Ming Mei added, "I’ll go too."

Zhao Guihua stopped her. "You stay here. The steamed egg I made for you is ready. Eat it while it’s hot."

Ming Mei smiled. "Alright~"

Though she loved a good bit of gossip, she figured this was just the second act of the earlier drama. Maybe Jinlai had thrown another rock and caused trouble again? Watching the same spectacle twice wasn’t as entertaining as enjoying a bowl of steamed egg custard.

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled. "Alright, I’ll go check it out. I’ll fill you in later."

He put on his raincoat and stepped outside, where he saw a middle-aged woman arguing with Bai Fendou.

A crowd had gathered once again.

Zhuang Zhixi muttered, "This rain is relentless. What’s going on now?"

He nudged the person next to him and saw it was Da Qiang.

Da Qiang sneered. "That guy’s pulling the same old tricks, and he’s met someone who won’t let him get away with it."

He thought Bai Fendou deserved whatever was coming to him.

As everyone chattered, Zhuang Zhixi pieced together what had happened.

It is said that Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su helped Bai Fendou get home, which made Jinlai extremely furious. He felt that Bai Fendou was trying to steal his mother, so he harbored a deep hatred for Bai Fendou. However, deep down, he also knew that his mother was doing it for the sake of the family.

Because of this, although he was seething with anger, he didn’t follow them home. Instead, he took his two younger brothers out to play again.

The reason why these brats are called brats is that they are incredibly mischievous.

Even though they had been beaten for their earlier antics, they still dared to cause trouble again!

The three little rascals squatted by the wall near a puddle, and as soon as someone passed by, they would throw stones into it—just like before. Since everyone in the alley knew them, although they were annoyed, they let it slide.

Da Qiang, however, was particularly angry because of the sewage water. If it had just been an ordinary puddle, he wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. Jinlai and his brothers were also a bit cunning—they repeated their trick, thinking that since they were already beaten black and blue, no one would dare to hit them again.

So, they acted out again, causing more trouble.

But as luck would have it, after a few stones and some curses, they encountered a middle-aged woman.

They didn’t recognize her—she didn’t seem to be from their alley—and the kids became even more mischievous, throwing stones at her. The woman immediately lost her temper, stopped her bicycle, grabbed Jinlai, and started hitting him.

Jinlai hadn’t expected this and burst into tears.

Then, Bai Fendou, the self-proclaimed hero, appeared out of nowhere. He couldn’t stand to see the child of his goddess being beaten, so he confronted the woman: “How can you be so heartless? They’re just kids! Do you not have children of your own? How cruel!”

“I don’t have any brats like these who deserve a beating!”

Bai Fendou wasn’t really planning to hit her; he just wanted to teach her a lesson. But he didn’t expect her to be so aggressive. She scratched his face, and Bai Fendou instantly lost his temper.

If he couldn’t beat Da Qiang, could he really not handle a woman?

The two of them got into a scuffle, throwing punches and scratching at each other. If Bai Fendou had been in top form, the woman might have been at a disadvantage. But since he had just been defeated in a previous fight and was still injured, this time the fight was more evenly matched.

Jinlai shouted, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The middle-aged woman, furious, swung her arm and sent Jinlai flying into the ditch.

“How dare you hit him!” Bai Fendou became even more aggressive.

Jinlai also charged out, yelling, “Beat this nasty woman!”

Zhuang Zhixi remarked, “Well, they really can’t stop causing trouble, can they?”

“When it comes to mischief, there’s no end to it.”

“True.”

“Is that woman not from around here?”

“No matter where she’s from, she shouldn’t be hitting people like that.”

“You’re right.”

“We should probably stop them before things get worse.”

“How…”

Aunt Wang sighed, “Why is it always me who gets hurt?”

As the manager of the compound, she had a tough job. If everyone were like Bai Fendou, she’d be in real trouble.

“Alright, alright, stop fighting.”

“Yeah, what’s all this about?”

Suddenly, thunder rumbled.

Everyone quieted down a bit and quickly said, “Oh, it’s getting late. Let’s go home.”

“Why is it thundering again?”

“Let’s hurry home.”

Everyone was now wary of thunder. Rain was one thing, but thunder was another matter entirely. Zhuang Zhixi, seeing that Bai Fendou and the woman were still going at it, reminded Aunt Wang, “We can’t stop them. You’d better go to the neighborhood committee or call the police.”

Aunt Wang nodded, “Right, right.”

She was really having a hard time.

But she didn’t waste any time and hurried off.

Meanwhile, the fight was still raging, but Zhuang Zhixi decided not to watch. Having witnessed a lightning strike before, he didn’t want to stay outside during a thunderstorm. Who knew who might get struck next?

Most people seemed to share his thoughts. After what had happened the previous night, everyone was a bit scared. However, the two fighters weren’t afraid—after all, they hadn’t seen it happen themselves.

Seeing something, even if it wasn’t clear, was different from just hearing about it.

Everyone quickly dispersed. When Zhuang Zhixi got home, he saw that his older brother and father had already returned. Zhao Guihua said, “Dinner’s almost ready.”

Zhuang Zhixi asked, “Did you watch the commotion?”

Old Man Zhuang replied, “I saw a bit, but I came back. Who dares to stay outside during a thunderstorm?”

The others nodded in agreement.

There was no denying that last night’s events had been terrifying.

Zhuang Zhixi said, “It was Jinlai causing trouble again. Wang Xiangxiu and Aunt Su really don’t seem to care about disciplining that kid.”

“They’re not exactly role models themselves. How could they raise a good child?”

“True.”

The family quickly gathered for dinner. Ming Mei, chewing on a pig’s trotter, said, “This is delicious.”

The peanuts in the pig’s trotter soup had become soft and were especially tasty. The peanuts were already fragrant, and now they had absorbed the meaty flavor. The whole family enjoyed the meal. Despite the rain, they kept their doors and windows open—it was too hot to close them in the summer.

Zhuang Zhixi remarked, “They don’t seem to be back yet.”

Zhao Guihua said matter-of-factly, “If he had fought with someone from our alley, it might have ended with some shouting and scolding. But you said that woman was a stranger, right? She’s not going to let it go. It wasn’t her fault to begin with.”

“Bai Fendou is something else. A grown man, and he’s really acting like a hero.”

“Do you think he’s trying to make up for losing to Da Qiang earlier?”

“Isn’t that just ridiculous?”

As they ate and chatted, Aunt Wang hurried back. Zhao Guihua called out, “Aunt Wang!”

Aunt Wang responded, “What?”

Zhao Guihua asked, “Why didn’t they come back? It’s just you.”

Aunt Wang explained, “They’ve been taken to the police station—Bai Fendou, that woman, and Jinlai.”

She approached and said, “Wow, your dinner looks good.”

Zhao Guihua offered, “Have some soup. It’s pig’s trotter and peanuts from my in-laws.”

Aunt Wang declined, “No, I can’t eat. Bai Fendou just can’t stay out of trouble, can he? I don’t know how this is going to end.”

She shook her head helplessly and added, “He’s really stepped in it this time. That woman has some connections.”

“Oh? What do you mean? Is she not from around here?”

“No, I heard she was here looking for someone. She hadn’t even found the person yet when she got caught up in this mess. Bai Fendou really isn’t much of a man—he didn’t hold back against a woman.”

The Zhuang family nodded in agreement.

“I think Bai Fendou has really bitten off more than he can chew this time. The police station recognized that woman. They said her husband is the second-in-command of a certain committee. Do you think she’s going to let this slide?”

Ming Mei choked on her food. Zhuang Zhixi quickly patted her back and asked, “Are you okay?”

Ming Mei asked urgently, “What did that woman look like?”

Aunt Wang described her, “She’s in her forties, shorter than me, about Aunt Su’s height. Average-looking, a bit stern. She has short hair, combed back, and was wearing a hairband, though Bai Fendou pulled it off… She was dressed well, in a blue work uniform. She looked like a cadre, not an ordinary person.”

Ming Mei’s mouth twitched as she asked, “Was she riding a Forever bicycle?”

“I didn’t notice…”

Zhuang Zhixi chimed in, “I saw it. The bike was on the ground, and it was a Forever.”

Ming Mei pressed further, “And… on her raincoat, around the chest area, was there a blue badge?”

Aunt Wang replied, “I didn’t notice…”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded.

Ming Mei took a deep breath and asked, “Was her raincoat like mine?”

“Oh, yes! I saw it but didn’t make the connection at the time. It’s exactly like yours.”

Ming Mei: "Of course it's the same. These are the protective gear our unit handed out. I think I know who you're talking about. The person you mentioned is probably a small leader who was transferred to our unit half a month ago."

Aunt Wang: "Huh?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Her?"

Everyone was surprised. Aunt Wang: "So, so, so, she came looking for you?"

Ming Mei thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "Probably not. She hasn’t been here long, and we haven’t interacted much or talked at all. Although we’re both at the bus station, there are over a hundred people there. She’s not in my department, nor is she my supervisor. We don’t have any connection. She was probably looking for someone else, and it’s just a coincidence."

Aunt Wang: "Is she easy to talk to?"

Ming Mei thought again and said, "Do you want the truth?"

Aunt Wang nodded.

Ming Mei: "Not easy to talk to."

Aunt Wang: "Then Bai Fendou is doomed."

Ming Mei: "That’s hard to say. I don’t know her well, but from what I’ve heard, she’s quite difficult to deal with."

Aunt Wang: "Really…"

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Regardless of whether she’s easy to talk to or what kind of person she is, the issue today is that she’s clearly not at fault. The problem lies with Jinlai and Bai Fendou."

Aunt Wang thought about it and realized that was indeed the case. She had been thinking of Bai Fendou and the others as part of their courtyard, but even so, it’s important to see who’s in the wrong.

"Don’t get involved. You won’t gain anything from meddling, and people will just think you’re nosy," Zhao Guihua advised Aunt Wang.

Aunt Wang sighed and said, "By the end of this year, I’m definitely resigning. Whoever wants to manage this courtyard can take over. I can’t do it anymore."

In other courtyards, people fight for the position, but in their courtyard… it’s likely that everyone will avoid it.

It’s just so frustrating.

She hoped someone would take over.

Zhao Guihua sympathized: "Good luck with that."

Aunt Wang: "…I’m going home to eat."

She didn’t dare say she could get rid of this burden.

Wuwuwu.

It’s tough.

Aunt Wang left, and Zhuang Zhixi leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow but saying nothing. However, when the couple returned to their room, Zhuang Zhixi said, "That woman was definitely here for you."

Ming Mei: "Why would she come looking for me?"

Zhuang Zhixi sneered, "Maybe she didn’t believe you were really having pregnancy complications and wanted to check for herself; or maybe she wanted to persuade you to transfer to her department. Both are possible. That woman is no good. She’s new here and definitely wants to make a quick impression. Someone like you, who’s won several awards, would naturally be on her radar."

Zhuang Zhixi saw it clearly and felt increasingly disgusted by this woman.

A selfish, immoral wretch.

He said, "But this time, we should actually thank Bai Fendou. Bai Fendou is someone worth befriending. Look, if you had to deal with that woman, you might have gotten upset. Now that Bai Fendou beat her up, I feel quite satisfied."

Ming Mei couldn’t help but laugh, "You just said she wasn’t at fault in this situation."

Zhuang Zhixi said matter-of-factly, "Of course, I’d say that to outsiders, but deep down, I’m thrilled that woman got beaten up."

He said, "I never thought the day would come when Bai Fendou’s impulsiveness would make me feel so good. Hahaha."

Ming Mei: "Your expression and laughter don’t make you seem like a good person."

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow, "That woman, ha, she’s never lived in our neighborhood. If she had, she’d know how tough it can be. Let’s see if she dares to act so arrogantly in the future. How dare she scheme to boost her performance? She’s dreaming."

Ming Mei giggled.

Zhuang Zhixi: "If you didn’t grow up around here, most people wouldn’t be able to handle it."

Ming Mei laughed even more, sighing, "I used to really dislike her, but when I think about it, she’s so unlucky, haha~"

Most people wouldn’t dare to casually wander into their alley!