My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 114

The rain poured down relentlessly.

Three consecutive days of heavy rain had brought many inconveniences to daily life.

By evening, the sky was already dim and overcast, with no sign of clearing up. Zhuang Zhixi was in the courtyard fetching water, as the tap water at home had run out. As he worked, he heard the chattering of children and turned to see Hu Huihui.

Although the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Su family were in the hospital, the three children couldn’t just be left unattended. After running around all night, they were handed over to Hu Huihui that morning. Truth be told, Hu Huihui wasn’t fond of these children at all.

None of them were well-behaved, but she didn’t refuse to take them. She brought them to a friend’s place and asked them to look after the kids. It was the only option since it was summer break, and they couldn’t be sent to school.

Now, in the evening, she had finally brought the three troublemakers back. The children were grumbling: “Auntie, you’re so irresponsible! You didn’t take care of us all day. When Mom gets back, I’m definitely telling her!”

“I want meat!”

“Yeah, if you give us meat, we won’t tattle.”

Hu Huihui replied coldly, “Go ahead and tattle then. There’s no food tonight. You’ll just have to starve.”

“What!”

Her voice was flat and emotionless: “Your grandma and mom locked all the cabinets. What am I supposed to cook for you? Figure it out yourselves.”

Jinlai stomped his foot in frustration: “You have a salary! Buy us something!”

Hu Huihui sneered, utterly unimpressed. Were these even children? They were more like little brats.

“Don’t be shameless. Your mom and grandma aren’t home, so no one’s going to spoil you. If you want to eat, figure it out yourselves. If you can’t, then starve. I already fed you lunch. Don’t push your luck.”

“Ugh, lunch was just cornbread. How can you even call that food?”

Hu Huihui shot back, “Then don’t eat it.”

She was being blunt when she suddenly looked up and saw Zhuang Zhixi watching her. She felt a pang of embarrassment—after all, in the neighborhood, she was known as the delicate yet resilient young woman who had fled an arranged marriage. Despite her discomfort, she managed to smile shyly.

“Brother Zhuang, fetching water this late?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “Yeah.”

He looked at her thoughtfully and asked, “Did you go to the hospital today?”

Hu Huihui was puzzled. “I went this morning to pick up the kids.” She paused, sensing that Zhuang Zhixi wouldn’t bring this up without a reason. She tentatively asked, “Did… something happen? Did the results come back about my cousin’s situation?”

Zhuang Zhixi shook his head. “Not that.”

He said sympathetically, “Your cousin got into another fight at the hospital!”

“What!” Hu Huihui was shocked. How could they keep causing trouble?

Zhuang Zhixi added, even more sympathetically, “I heard Aunt Su was pushed into a manure pit…”

Hu Huihui gasped, “What?!”

Zhuang Zhixi continued, “It was a group fight. Two men were… well, let’s just say they won’t be having children anymore. One of them was some deputy director.”

Hu Huihui’s eyes widened like saucers. “A deputy director? What deputy director? Explain clearly! What happened? Why did they fight? Are they still alive?”

Zhuang Zhixi gave her a pitying smile. “I don’t know the details. You’ll have to go to the hospital and ask.”

Hu Huihui immediately turned and ran, with Jinlai, Yinlai, and Tonglai quickly following behind.

Zhuang Zhixi finished fetching the water and was about to head home when he saw his mother, Zhao Guihua, standing under the eaves, watching him. He was startled. “Oh, Mom! When did you come out? You didn’t make a sound—scared me!”

Zhao Guihua remarked, “You’re just stirring the pot.”

Zhuang Zhixi feigned innocence. “Mom, how can you say that? Shouldn’t Hu Huihui know about this? We’re neighbors—I was just being kind. She’d find out eventually. Better sooner than later.”

Zhao Guihua scoffed.

Zhuang Zhixi teased, “You’re enjoying this too much. Not very kind of you.”

He added, “If Hu Huihui goes, she might be able to give her dear cousin some advice. After all, a woman going through so much—how could she handle it alone?”

Zhuang Zhixi carried the water home, poured it into the water vat, and then went back to work.

He muttered, “Look at me, working so hard, and you’re still nagging me. Can’t even do a good deed without being criticized. It’s so unfair.”

Zhao Guihua shot back, “Cut the act. You just love watching the drama.”

She said, “Who knows how this will turn out?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “We’ll see if Wang Xiangxiu is ruthless enough.”

Zhao Guihua pulled out a small stool and sat under the eaves, chatting with her son.

Zhuang Zhixi speculated, “If Wang Xiangxiu is ruthless, she’ll insist that the man who slept with her did it by force. That would definitely land him in prison. I don’t know much about the law, but I’d guess he’d get at least eight to ten years. Then Wang Xiangxiu would be free of him.”

Zhao Guihua was startled by the suggestion.

She thought about it and realized it wasn’t impossible. Wang Xiangxiu had already accused that balding man of forcing himself on her. If she stuck to her story, it might just work. As for whether it was true… Zhao Guihua knew it wasn’t.

They hadn’t heard what was said in the room, but they had seen the two enter willingly, one after the other. And from the arguments afterward, it was clear they weren’t blind or deaf.

Zhao Guihua pondered this and understood the implications.

“That would make it a blood feud.”

Zhuang Zhixi said, “It’s already a blood feud. Bai Fendou, that big guy, completely ruined him. No man could tolerate that. If it’s already a feud and retaliation is inevitable, I think Wang Xiangxiu would do anything to protect herself. If she’s seen as the victim, then Bai Fendou’s actions would be justified. Neither of them would be punished. Otherwise, they’d not only be fired but might also face criminal charges. But that’s just my guess. Maybe Wang Xiangxiu doesn’t have it in her to be that ruthless.”

Zhao Guihua gave him a sidelong glance. “You really don’t understand women.”

Zhuang Zhixi was confused. “What do you mean?”

Zhao Guihua stood up, carrying her stool inside. Zhuang Zhixi called after her, “Wait, Mom, what are you saying?”

Zhao Guihua replied, “If Wang Xiangxiu can’t get out of this, who’s going to take care of Jinlai and the other two? Those kids are her life. She’d never let them become motherless orphans. So, she’ll definitely stick to her story.”

She went inside, and Zhuang Zhixi called after her, “Hey, hey, let’s chat a bit more!”

Zhao Guihua retorted, “Do I look like I have nothing better to do? Just here to chat with you?”

Zhuang Zhixi sighed, “You’re something else…”

After finishing his chores, Zhuang Zhixi went inside and saw his wife, Ming Mei, counting money. He chuckled, “Well, well, look at you, sneaking around counting money.”

Ming Mei quickly gestured for him to close the door. She grinned and said, “We’ve got over a thousand saved up now.”

She smiled contentedly. Having savings really put her mind at ease.

“How much over a thousand?”

Ming Mei replied, “Eleven hundred, not quite twelve.”

She pulled out five ten-yuan bills and handed them to him. “Here’s fifty yuan.”

Zhuang Zhixi laughed, “What’s this? Are you trying to buy out my entire year’s allowance? This isn’t enough!”

Ming Mei rolled her eyes. “Just shut up.”

She said, “Once the rain stops, buy some peanuts or something. Spend all fifty on it.”

Zhuang Zhixi was surprised. He changed into a blue-and-white tank top and lounged on the bed like a shrimp, leaning against the headboard. “Why buy so much at once? It’s not easy to get that much.”

Ming Mei insisted, “Buy it slowly, but buy it.”

She said, "Today I heard from Mom that with all this continuous rain, the autumn harvest is definitely going to be poor, so we should stock up on some grain at home. Since we always eat at home, we don’t need to worry about that. When the time comes, we’ll just work hard. But I was thinking of buying some peanuts or something for snacks. They’re great—you can roast them, eat them raw, make them into candy, or even stew them with pig’s feet. They’re really versatile."

Peanuts are an oil crop, and the quota isn’t high. They’re not easy to buy on the black market either, and they’re not cheap. But peanuts are a good thing. They’re nutritious and delicious, and Ming Mei still felt that their household should buy some.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Alright, I’ll take care of it."

Ming Mei chuckled softly and said, "Take some time to visit my parents’ house. My dad has connections and can get some."

Zhuang Zhixi gave a thumbs-up. "That’s why we rely on your dad."

Ming Mei replied, "Of course."

These days, what’s the saying?

Turn the steering wheel, and you’re set.

In short, being a driver has its perks.

Not just drivers, but even train attendants have similar advantages. Zhuang Zhiyuan’s family didn’t feel the loss of one income too much, partly because he often traveled out of town. Helping people carry things, exchange goods, and moving around—there were always opportunities for extra income.

Ming Mei’s older brother, Ming Cheng, was also a train attendant, just like Zhuang Zhiyuan. Being able to travel frequently had its conveniences.

As for Ming Mei’s father, Ming Xiangdong, it went without saying.

"Alright, I’ll go after work tomorrow," he said, rolling up the money and stuffing it into his pocket. Ming Mei didn’t agree, though. "Not tomorrow. Check the weather first. Go when the weather’s good. If it’s still raining tomorrow, don’t go."

Zhuang Zhixi asked, "Will it still rain? It’s already been three days."

Ming Mei replied, "Who knows? The sky hasn’t cleared up yet."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "True."

He sighed, "This heavy rain is really scary. So much has happened since it started the night before last."

The rain had started the evening before last. That very night, they encountered the crazed Yu Baoshan, and two consecutive bolts of lightning ended him.

Yesterday, because of three mischievous kids, there were two fights, and an overtime match at the police station.

Today, well, the fighting didn’t let up—it only got bigger and better.

These past three days have been anything but peaceful. He was even starting to worry—if it kept raining tomorrow, what else would happen?

Oh dear, better not think about it.

"Why are you shaking your head?"

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I’m just lamenting the chaos of rainy days. They say the darkest nights are for murder, but I think rainy days are just as bad."

Ming Mei burst out laughing. "Stop talking nonsense."

She crawled over to Zhuang Zhixi and leaned against his chest. The two of them lay there cuddled together when a noise came from outside. Ming Mei turned over and opened the window to look. She saw Zhou Qun fetching water, humming a tune as he worked, seemingly in high spirits.

Ming Mei closed the window and returned to her previous position. "It’s Zhou Qun. He actually didn’t make Wang Zhaodi do the work."

Zhuang Zhixi said, "He’s probably happy. Zhou Qun should be happy. From now on, he won’t be the only one in our courtyard who’s ‘incompetent.’ Now there’s Bai Fendou too. They’re like two peas in a pod."

Ming Mei replied, "...That doesn’t sound like a compliment."

Zhuang Zhixi explained, "People sometimes wish for others to be worse off than themselves. Look, both Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou have lost the joy of being men. But Zhou Qun has a child, while Bai Fendou is completely without heirs. And Zhou Qun lost his because Bai Fendou kicked him. Don’t you think Zhou Qun is happy? It’s like he’s finally gotten his revenge."

Ming Mei pursed her lips. "What revenge? If he hadn’t harassed Bai Fendou, Bai Fendou wouldn’t have kicked him in the first place. By the way, I wonder if Bai Fendou can be ‘repaired’ again. Didn’t he get fixed last time?"

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. "Last time it was just a kick. This time, it was a rock. It’s not the same. But..."

He stroked his chin and said, "Does Bai Fendou have some kind of bad luck with people surnamed Jiang?"

Ming Mei was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Zhuang Zhixi explained, "Last time, Jiang Lu shattered him. This time, Jiang Baohong finished him off."

Ming Mei was speechless.

She said, "Let’s not bring that up. In Bai Fendou’s current state, who knows if he’ll go after Jiang Lu for revenge? Even though it’s in the past, you never know if he’ll go crazy. Jiang Lu is pregnant—we can’t afford any trouble."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. "I know. I won’t say anything..."

While the young couple discussed this, others were doing the same. Almost every household was awake, talking about this and that. The happiest was undoubtedly Zhou Qun. When he heard that Bai Fendou was done for, he laughed heartily, celebrating with three loud "ha ha ha’s."

From now on, he wouldn’t be the only one who was “incompetent.” Bai Fendou, the one who caused his misery, would now share the same fate and bear the same judgmental looks. Just thinking about it made him ecstatic. Wasn’t this the greatest joy in life?

He paced back and forth excitedly.

Jiang Lu, seeing him so worked up, said, "Why don’t you go fill the water tank at home?"

Zhou Qun happily obliged. "Sure."

As he stood in the courtyard fetching water, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud whenever he thought of Bai Fendou’s misfortune.

He truly believed he was heaven’s favorite child. Sure, there had been a minor hiccup when he was wronged by a villain, but heaven had quickly made it up to him by dealing with his enemy.

Though his own loss was painful, he still had a son.

But Bai Fendou? He had nothing.

Zhou Qun’s laughter grew even more joyful as he fetched water, practically dancing as he worked.

Lan Sihai and his wife stood at their door, watching him with confusion. "Has he gone mad with joy?"

Lan Sihai replied, "Probably. What else could it be?"

He really didn’t look like a normal person.

Luo Xiaohe sighed, "Things just keep getting more and more lively."

She never imagined things could turn out this way. In just a few months, she’d witnessed more drama than in decades of her life. Still, she added, "I wonder if Wang Xiangxiu and the others will ever come back."

Lan Sihai said, "Who knows? But that young woman has an old fox backing her. I doubt anything will happen to her."

Luo Xiaohe exclaimed, "Oh my!"

If they managed to get off scot-free, she’d definitely keep her distance from Aunt Su. That old lady’s cunning was beyond compare.

She was truly... shocking, to say the least.

While the courtyard buzzed with activity, they were merely spectators, not key players. But at the hospital, it was a different story. Everyone there was a key figure—the main characters.

Hu Huihui rushed to the hospital, only to find that the security guards hadn’t even gone off duty. Without sparing a moment of sympathy for them, she hurried upstairs. The third-floor corridor was packed with police officers. As soon as Hu Huihui reached the floor, she was stopped.

"Sorry, no one is allowed to visit the patients in this room right now."

Hu Huihui was frantic. "My cousin is in there. Why can’t I see her? I was here just yesterday morning. Officer, please let me see her. I heard something happened to her—I need to know how she is!"

"I want my mom! Let me see my mom!"

The three mischievous kids arrived, and the corridor immediately erupted into chaos. Several patients peeked out of their rooms to see what was going on. The police officer rubbed his forehead. If everyone acted like this, they were in for a rough time.

What kind of people were these?

"Shut up!" Before the officer could speak, Hu Huihui turned around and scolded them. "Do you even want to see your grandma and mom? This isn’t the place to cause trouble. If you hadn’t been so reckless, things wouldn’t have come to this!"

Hu Huihui’s words earned nods of agreement from the officers who knew the situation. They fully supported her.

However, Jinlai was not the least bit afraid and shouted, "What does it have to do with me? We're just kids. My grandma said it's normal for kids to be mischievous. The naughtier the boy, the smarter he is, and he’ll grow up to achieve great things. They’re all adults, yet they’re still picking on us kids. They really don’t know how to care for children at all."

"Exactly, exactly," Yinlai and Tonglai chimed in.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Hu Huihui once again felt that these children had truly been led astray. She didn’t consider herself a particularly good person, but looking at these three kids, she deeply felt that she was, in fact, a person of high moral character.

"I don’t care, I don’t care! I want to see my mom!"

The three children flopped onto the ground and began rolling around.

Hu Huihui sighed, "I’m sorry for this. These kids... sigh."

"We understand it’s not your fault," someone said.

Hu Huihui continued, "Officers, my cousin asked me to take care of the kids temporarily, but she didn’t give me any details, nor did she give me a single penny. Even the food and supplies at home are locked up. I work as a temporary laborer, earning ten yuan a month. I have to pay eight yuan to my cousin for rent and food, leaving me with only two yuan. How am I supposed to take care of her three kids with just two yuan? She only told me to look after them, but I need to clarify these things. Also, I need to know what she’s done, when she’ll be out, or even... if she’ll be able to get out at all. There’s so much gossip outside. If I don’t talk to her, what else can I do?"

After Hu Huihui said this, the officers exchanged glances and hesitated for a moment before saying, "We can arrange for you to see her."

At the same time, they sighed, feeling that Wang Xiangxiu was truly inhumane, treating her cousin so harshly and still making demands of her.

"But we’ll need to be present during the meeting."

They were also afraid of further complications. Previously, they had been too careless, which allowed these people to take advantage and create even bigger problems. This time, they couldn’t let that happen again. Fortunately, Hu Huihui didn’t object and quickly agreed, "Fine."

Finally, she got the chance to enter the room. As soon as the door opened, the three children rushed in, squeezing into the room ahead of everyone else. "Mom! Grandma!"

Hearing her sons’ voices, Wang Xiangxiu immediately burst into tears. "You’re here, you’re here!"

"Mom, why are you hurt again? Who did this to you? I’ll avenge you," Jinlai said fiercely, his eyes filled with malice as he glared at the others in the room. His gaze landed on Jiang Baohong, and he spat, "Was it you, you wretched woman?"

Jiang Baohong trembled with anger, "I’ll kill you, you little brat!"

Jinlai retorted, "Go ahead, try it!"

"Enough! You’re here to talk, not to fight. Keep it down," an officer warned.

This was a six-bed ward at the end of the corridor. Originally, there were other patients in the room, but they had all been moved out. Now, only a few remained: the silent and burly Bai Fendou; the despairing Deputy Director Old Cai, who was convinced he had fallen victim to a honey trap; the tearful and weak Aunt Su, who had suffered a concussion after being pushed into a cesspit; and the pitiful young widow Wang Xiangxiu, who insisted she had been assaulted.

The remaining two beds were occupied by four officers who were keeping an eye on them, while outside the room, there were at least ten more officers.

Just look at this lineup.

As soon as she entered, Hu Huihui caught a faint whiff of a foul odor. She sniffed the air and realized the smell was coming from Aunt Su. Although Aunt Su had only been pushed into the cesspit twice, she was, after all, elderly and had been diagnosed with a concussion.

Well, during the day, she had been faking it, but now she was genuinely unwell.

Not only had she been diagnosed with a concussion, but because she had been pushed into the toilet, she also reeked of a strong, pungent odor. Every time she opened her mouth, it was like an old stinkbug speaking.

Now, Aunt Su leaned against the wall, her eyes closed, resting.

Hu Huihui glanced at Old Cai and Jiang Baohong but quickly averted her gaze.

To be honest, Hu Huihui recognized Old Cai, but Old Cai didn’t recognize her. Hu Huihui had previously worked as a temporary laborer at the cultural center, where she had met Deputy Director Zheng of the committee. Even in her teens, Hu Huihui had known how to use her looks to get food and money.

However, she wasn’t as foolish as Wang Xiangxiu, who slept with men for a pittance.

Hu Huihui’s approach was somewhat similar to Tao Yuye from the mechanical factory’s medical office. She had relationships with men but never got too close to any one of them. She was skilled at pitting her suitors against each other to achieve her goals.

As for anything deeper, she had no intention of giving that away.

She wanted to use her looks to marry into a good family.

She had no influential relatives, and while she wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, she was pleasant-looking enough. So, she had learned to dress well, skillfully hiding her flaws and accentuating her strengths.

Thanks to her careful grooming, many people now called her "beautiful."

However, she also knew that beauty alone wouldn’t be enough to make Deputy Director Zheng marry her. Initially, he had only wanted to have some fun, which was why she had stayed close to him. Although she was only helping out, she worked hard at it.

It could be said that Deputy Director Zheng’s faction still recognized her.

Deputy Director Zheng’s cousin even treated her like a sister. When she argued with Deputy Director Zheng, the cousin would take her side.

This showed just how much effort Hu Huihui had put in.

Her original job certainly didn’t pay just ten yuan. Because she spent so much time around Deputy Director Zheng, she rarely went to work. She was always hanging around them. That’s why she immediately recognized Old Cai.

But Old Cai didn’t recognize Hu Huihui.

This wasn’t surprising. Old Cai didn’t recognize Hu Huihui not because he was old and couldn’t see well, but because Hu Huihui had always avoided him. Of course, it wasn’t as if she could have predicted today’s events—that would have been pure fantasy.

The reason she avoided Old Cai was that Deputy Director Zheng had warned her that Old Cai wasn’t very strict when it came to relationships with women. If he saw Hu Huihui and developed any ideas about her, it wouldn’t be good.

In truth, Hu Huihui also knew that it wasn’t just because of that. There might have been a small reason, but it was minor. She felt that Deputy Director Zheng had told her to avoid Old Cai and a few other minor leaders because she wasn’t presentable.

Men cared about their reputations. Their positions weren’t low, and in this place, the benefits they could secretly reap were probably countless. Without connections or skills, it was impossible to become a leader.

So, what did Hu Huihui have?

Nothing but her beauty.

And even that beauty was carefully crafted.

Deep down, Deputy Director Zheng looked down on Hu Huihui. If she wanted to marry into a wealthy family, she would have to work hard for it.

Well, enough of that digression. Back to the matter at hand, Hu Huihui didn’t recognize Jiang Baohong, but she immediately recognized Old Cai. Her heart raced. She had a keen sense that this might be an opportunity.

She quickly stepped forward, sat on the hospital bed, and took Wang Xiangxiu’s hand. "Cousin, how are you?"

Wang Xiangxiu snapped, "Why didn’t you make them something to eat before coming here?"

While Hu Huihui had been distracted, Jinlai had already finished tattling.

Wang Xiangxiu continued, "The kids have been beaten and wronged. They need to be nourished. Make them a big bowl of meat noodles with a poached egg."

Jinlai looked at Hu Huihui smugly, "Did you hear that, you freeloader!"

Hu Huihui sighed, "Cousin, don’t you know what kind of person I am? Where would I get the money?"

She looked at Wang Xiangxiu’s bandaged forehead and asked, "What happened to you? What’s going on?"

Wang Xiangxiu glanced in the direction of Old Cai and Jiang Baohong. Jiang Baohong couldn’t hold back her anger and cursed, "You vixen, what are you looking at? You seduced my husband and framed him. Just wait, once we’re out of here, I’ll make you pay, you bitch."

"Enough!" Old Cai, though he had lost his dignity as a man, was still experienced and knew better. He was furious with his wife, who was nothing but a liability.

The more she threatened Wang Xiangxiu, the more Wang Xiangxiu would bite back to protect herself.

But because the police officers were present, he couldn’t yet negotiate with Wang Xiangxiu. Over there, there were at least two, and usually four people staying in the ward, keeping a close eye on them. This made Old Cai extremely furious, thinking that once he got out of this mess, he would definitely teach these clueless fools a lesson.

However, for now, he was putting on a good act.

“If you don’t speak, no one will think you’re mute.”

Wang Xiangxiu took a deep breath and said firmly, “Your husband assaulted me. I’m not some seductress!”

It was precisely because they were in the hospital that some evidence had already been collected.

Wang Xiangxiu thought of her mother-in-law’s words and clenched her teeth even more firmly.

Normally, these people wouldn’t be allowed to be alone together to collude. But Aunt Su had been pushed into the cesspit, and aside from Wang Xiangxiu, no one else would be willing to help her. Who would want to deal with that? They certainly couldn’t ask the nurses to help either.

It was just too degrading.

So it had to be Wang Xiangxiu, as the daughter-in-law, who took care of it.

Wang Xiangxiu truly didn’t mind, helping the old lady wash up thoroughly. It was fortunate that their hospital had toilets on every floor, so there weren’t many people going outside to use them, otherwise it would have been even worse. However, because of the rain, a lot of water had seeped in, otherwise Aunt Su would have been fine just standing up straight.

But the problem was, it had rained, and the pit had overflowed.

As Wang Xiangxiu rinsed Aunt Su, she quickly explained the situation at the time, cursing Bai Fendou for being more of a hindrance than a help. The matter had already been settled, and if Bai Fendou hadn’t interfered, it would have been over by now.

But now, the situation had taken a turn for the worse, and a deep enmity had formed.

Although it wasn’t her doing, in Old Cai’s eyes, they were inextricably linked.

Wang Xiangxiu had casually blurted out something to defend herself earlier, but she hadn’t really intended to pin everything on Old Cai. In that moment, she was only thinking about what was most advantageous, and she hadn’t considered much else. It was rare to have such an opportunity to secretly communicate with Aunt Su.

Although Aunt Su’s head was still ringing from hitting the wall, she remained resolute, uttering just three words: “Pin it on him.”

Wang Xiangxiu was a bit uneasy.

Aunt Su: “If you don’t take him down, he’ll definitely take you down. For the sake of the family, for the children, pin it on him.”

Wang Xiangxiu nodded: “But, but Bai Fendou…”

Bai Fendou was also in the know.

In the past, she thought she could handle Bai Fendou, but now he seemed utterly despondent. Moreover, he had been injured and would never experience the simplest joys of being a man again. She was worried that Bai Fendou might not listen to her.

“He’s the one who directly caused the harm. Do you think he’ll come out of this unscathed? If he doesn’t help us, he’s finished too.”

“That’s true, but Bai Fendou is stubborn.”

Aunt Su hesitated for a moment, then pursed her lips: “Promise to marry him.”

Wang Xiangxiu was shocked: “What?”

Aunt Su glanced around, making sure no one was nearby or paying attention, and quickly said, “Find an opportunity to tell Bai Fendou that you’ll marry him in exchange for his testimony.”

Wang Xiangxiu was about to say something, but Aunt Su continued, “Your reputation is definitely ruined this time, and you’ll have trouble in the future. People won’t see you as a decent woman anymore. No matter what, you can’t openly engage in shady business. You can do it secretly, but on the surface, you must appear respectable. Otherwise, how will Jinlai and the other two children ever hold their heads up? We’re doing this for the children, Xiu’er.”

Aunt Su: “I know you’ve had a hard life, and it pains me, but I have no choice. We have to think about the children. And honestly, having someone to support you would be good. Marrying Bai Fendou will help cover up this bad reputation. If Bai Fendou’s actions are seen as heroic rather than malicious, his job won’t be affected. He has a job and two rooms, and that house will eventually belong to our three children. Think about it, how good would that life be? Bai Fendou’s been injured and can’t have children anymore, so he’ll dote on our three kids. They’ll be his stepchildren. If he wants them to take care of him in his old age, he’ll have to treat them well. We’ll have an extra pair of hands to help. It’s not as good as before, but given the circumstances, we have to find the best way to survive.”

After quickly laying out her plan, Aunt Su felt nauseous and vomited. She was already suffering from a concussion, and having swallowed a mouthful of filth, it was no wonder she felt sick. She was barely holding on as she gave her advice.

“But, but Bai Fendou saw me with another man. What if he’s too stubborn…”

“Child, he can’t have children anymore. Having three sons to take care of him in his old age is a temptation… Use that to your advantage.” She retched twice again, and seeing the police officers approaching, she hurriedly added, “Play the victim! Play the victim with Bai Fendou.”

Wang Xiangxiu was flustered: “Mom, I…”

“How’s it going?”

Seeing that she was almost done cleaning, the officer said, “Help her back to the ward.”

Recently, because of the rain, there had been many accidents, and the hospital was quite busy. The wards were also tight, and it was impossible to give each person their own room. So they simply put everyone together, figuring that with more people watching, they wouldn’t be able to collude.

But they didn’t expect that in the short time it took to wash off the filth, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had already communicated.

They were incredibly resourceful, not wasting a single moment.

So even though Aunt Su was now at her limit, feeling terrible and speaking little, Wang Xiangxiu was in better spirits. After all, having heard her mother-in-law’s words, she felt more secure. She came back to her senses and looked at Hu Huihui, saying, “I’ve had bad luck, running into a scoundrel.”

She continued, “But I’m the victim. I think I’ll be able to leave in a few days. For now, please take care of the three children. Make sure they eat well, and if you don’t have money, go borrow some.”

Hu Huihui: “…”

This was truly shameless.

Was your face made of the Great Wall’s bricks?

She pursed her lips and said, “Cousin, I haven’t been living here for long. Who would I borrow money from? And even if I did, how would I pay it back? You know my situation. Cousin, it’s not that I’m heartless, but you really need to consider my circumstances.”

“Marry me, and I’ll give you money.” After being hit with a brick, Bai Fendou had remained silent until now, when he suddenly spoke up. Hu Huihui turned to him in disbelief, stammering, “W-what did you say?”

Bai Fendou: “I have two rooms. I’ll give you a hundred yuan as a betrothal gift.”

He said earnestly, “I can…”

“No, you can’t!!!”

Hu Huihui couldn’t help but scream. Even before he was injured, she hadn’t been interested in him, let alone now that he was useless. Was she crazy to consider someone like him? She said firmly, “Bai Fendou, stop talking nonsense.”

She took a deep breath and said, “Cousin, I don’t think I can take care of your children anymore. I’m leaving your house too. I’m going now.”

She really couldn’t take it anymore.

Her cousin was trying to cling to her, making her take care of the children and provide for them.

Providing for them was one thing, but they had to eat well.

And now Bai Fendou was delusional enough to think he could have her, completely oblivious to what he was like.

Even if she didn’t find someone else, she would never choose Bai Fendou.

Hu Huihui ran out, and Wang Xiangxiu, momentarily stunned, quickly called out, “Go find your aunt!”

At this point, she realized that since she was stuck here, Hu Huihui was the only one who could help. If Hu Huihui didn’t take care of the children, what would happen to her three kids? Wang Xiangxiu’s call fell on deaf ears as Jinlai and the others didn’t move.

Jinlai: “She doesn’t have any money. We’d just be eating cornbread with her.”

Yinlai: “I want to eat noodles with meat.”

Tonglai: “I want eggs.”

Not only was Hu Huihui at her wit’s end, but even the police officers in the room were slowly filled with disdain and disgust as they looked at this family’s children. It was often said that children didn’t know any better, but they had never seen such shameless ones. It was truly unbearable.

They even had a premonition that as these kids grew up, they would have plenty of dealings with them in the future…

Wang Xiangxiu was frantic: “If you don’t go find your aunt, who’s going to take care of you?”

Jiang Baohong sneered, "Still taking care of them? Such unruly children, it’d be better if they were all dead."

"Shut your mouth!" Wang Xiangxiu snapped, "Shut up, or I’ll tear your mouth apart, you wretch!"

"You’re the wretch, your whole family is..."

The two of them launched into another round of insults, and the hospital room was once again filled with chaos.

Hu Huihui was stunned by the shamelessness of these people. She thought she was already quite calculating, but how could there be people even more scheming than her? Just based on her cousin’s behavior, it was like a sewage truck passing by—she’d have to taste the filth.

Ridiculous!

Unbelievable!

Shameless!

She spat several times, quickly piecing together the situation from the earlier conversation, and then hurried off to find Deputy Director Zheng...

*******

"What did you say!" Deputy Director Zheng slammed his cup on the table, ignoring that it shattered, and exclaimed in shock, "Are you sure you’re not mistaken?"

Hu Huihui shook her head, "I’m certain."

Her eyes flickered as she added, "They’re still at a standoff, at the hospital." She paused, then suddenly said, "Old Zheng, we’ve been together for so long. You know I’ve always wanted to marry you."

Deputy Director Zheng waved his hand irritably, "I’ve told you, we’ll talk about it after we find those gold and silver treasures."

Hu Huihui replied, "But maybe those things weren’t taken by anyone near Xinghua Alley. It could’ve been someone else. We have no leads at all. Instead of chasing after something so vague, why don’t we focus on something more practical?"

She whispered, "Like the director’s position."

Deputy Director Zheng was taken aback.

Hu Huihui continued, "I’ll convince my cousin to stick to her story and pin it on Old Cai. That’ll eliminate one of your competitors. What do you think?"

Deputy Director Zheng said meaningfully, "Whatever he did to your cousin, he’ll get his punishment anyway, right?"

Hu Huihui chuckled softly, "Really? Outsiders might not know her, but I do. Do you think she’s some kind of saint? Forced? Do you think I believe that? I’m telling you, Old Cai was definitely set up. If you don’t believe me, investigate my cousin thoroughly."

She added in a soft voice, "My cousin—if Old Cai offers her enough benefits, she might change her story. But with me pushing her, we can make sure it sticks."

Deputy Director Zheng said, "Even if Old Cai is out of the picture, there are still others competing for the position."

Hu Huihui replied, "One less is still one less. You can’t expect me to take care of both for you. You’ll have to put in some effort too. Besides, you’re not being sincere with me. I’m here, genuinely thinking about you, and you’re still talking like this."

She sat down, pretending to be hurt, and said, "What’s wrong with us getting married? I could even help take care of your children."

Yes, Deputy Director Zheng wasn’t unmarried—he was a widower in his forties with two children from his previous marriage.

Even though he was older and a widower, for Hu Huihui, he was still the best option. She wanted a good life, to be the wife of a leader, so she had to cling to him.

"Think about it. We’ve been together for two years. When have I ever lied to you? When have I not thought about you? You can’t stay single forever. What’s wrong with me?" Hu Huihui began to wipe away tears.

Deputy Director Zheng looked at her, thought for a moment, and then nodded, "I’ll agree to it."

Hu Huihui looked up in surprise and threw herself into his arms, "I knew you still loved me!"

Deputy Director Zheng said, "Make sure you handle this properly."

Hu Huihui replied, "I understand."

She added, "I’ll definitely convince my cousin. I have a plan..."

Deputy Director Zheng patted her head and said, "I still think the gold and silver treasures are somewhere in that area. It’s unlikely that an outsider took them. As for our marriage..."

Hu Huihui looked up, "I have a plan."

Deputy Director Zheng asked, "Oh?"

Hu Huihui explained, "My cousin is no good. I’ve been staying at her place, and it’s been a disadvantage for me. Once we’ve nailed Old Cai, I’ll move out."

Deputy Director Zheng frowned.

Hu Huihui giggled coquettishly, "If you marry me, you’ll have to give me a dowry, right? I’ve thought about it—I’ll use the dowry to buy a house in that courtyard. I’ll pretend to have a fight with you and stay there from time to time. My cousin’s courtyard is the most eventful in the area, and the gossip there is always flowing. That way, I can keep an eye on the other courtyards and gather information from the chatter of the women there."

Deputy Director Zheng looked at her in surprise and said, "You’re really clever."

Hu Huihui smiled smugly, "I’m willing to do it for you. And I already have someone in mind to buy the house from."

Deputy Director Zheng said, "Housing sales aren’t allowed right now."

Hu Huihui replied, "We can do it privately. It’s not that hard, and you’re a leader—who would dare investigate us?"

Deputy Director Zheng nodded, "That’s true."

Once they had settled the matter, Hu Huihui said, "I’ll head back now."

Deputy Director Zheng said happily, "I’ll leave it to you to take care of things."

Hu Huihui replied, "Alright."

She quickly left.

Deputy Director Zheng frowned slightly, feeling somewhat displeased with Hu Huihui’s pressure.

"Cousin? What’s wrong? What are you thinking about?" A man peeked in—it was Deputy Director Zheng’s cousin, who worked under him and was his trusted confidant. The last time Hu Huihui secretly met with Deputy Director Zheng, it was this man who had opened the door for her.

"That woman actually threatened me," Deputy Director Zheng admitted. He hadn’t planned to marry Hu Huihui.

But his cousin said, "I think marrying Huihui would be a good idea. Don’t glare at me—I’m your cousin, so of course I’m on your side. I’m not speaking up for her. I’m just thinking about you. Sure, you could remarry someone better, but someone young and well-off might not be willing. Someone older and well-off might not be as good as Hu Huihui. Besides, someone with too good of a background might be too strong-willed and difficult to handle. They might not treat your kids well. Once they have their own children, they’ll definitely favor them. But Hu Huihui has no real background—she’ll rely on you and listen to you. She won’t dare cause trouble. Even if you say you don’t want children, she probably wouldn’t object. Plus, she’s smart and could be a great help to you. Some people might have better family backgrounds, but they might not be willing to put in as much effort for you."

After finishing his earnest speech, the cousin added, "Think about it—isn’t that the case? Someone with too good of a background might be hard to control."

Deputy Director Zheng thought about it and realized his cousin had a point.

"You’re right," he said.

"So, marrying her isn’t a bad idea. Before, you just said you loved her, and even if she found the gold and silver treasures, she might still betray you. But if you marry her, she’ll be more committed. She’ll focus on your family and put in more effort."

"True. I didn’t expect you to be so insightful," Deputy Director Zheng said.

"Hehe," the cousin chuckled. Hu Huihui had actually said all this—he was just repeating it. But it made sense!

That night, everyone had their own plans.

Each person had their own little schemes. Hu Huihui returned after being gone for several hours, and the place was still lively. The police were trying to figure out what to do with the three troublemakers—there was nowhere to put them—when Hu Huihui showed up.

"You..."

Hu Huihui sighed and said, "Leave the children to me. If I don’t take care of them, no one will."

Everyone marveled at how, despite Wang Xiangxiu’s flaws, her cousin was truly a good person.

Hu Huihui added, "I’d also like to see my cousin. I’ll take care of the children, but I really don’t have any money or food. If she keeps causing trouble, I’ll have to let them go..."

"Come on, I’ll take you in," someone said.

Hu Huihui nodded.

When Hu Huihui returned, Wang Xiangxiu was overjoyed. This time, she didn’t dare argue with Hu Huihui and said, "I’ll give you twenty yuan and some food tickets. Buy them food, but keep track of everything. There’s also grain in the cupboard at home—here’s the key. Make sure to record how much you use. Don’t let anything go missing."

Hu Huihui felt exhausted, but thinking of her goal, she nodded.

Bai Fendou stared at Hu Huihui, who was utterly disgusted. She said, "I already have someone. There’s no way I’d marry you. I know you were just desperate earlier, but don’t bring it up again."

"Then could you pass on a message for me?"

Hu Huihui replied, "Go ahead."

Bai Fendou said, "Tell Jiang Lu to introduce someone to me. She promised to find me a partner."

Hu Huihui nodded, "Alright."

Bai Fendou hesitated for a moment, then added, "As long as it’s a woman."

Hu Huihui: "..."

The others: "..."

Who on earth would be crazy enough to marry him? It’s not even about whether the conditions are good or not—it’s just that he’s not in any position to be picky anymore. Bai Fendou had always been full of himself, but now he finally realized that he couldn’t afford to be choosy.

Wang Xiangxiu, worried that Hu Huihui might actually go to Jiang Lu and disrupt her plans, quickly interjected, "Who could Jiang Lu possibly introduce to you? At best, it’d be Wang Zhaodi. But would you even dare to take her? You’re not in any condition to ensure she wouldn’t cheat on you. She’d just be after your house and your salary, using you to become a city dweller. And once she’s done, she’d kick you to the curb. Do you really think a childless woman would genuinely want to be with you?"

Bai Fendou’s eyes turned red with rage. He suddenly lunged at Wang Xiangxiu and started slapping her repeatedly.

"What the hell!"

Several people rushed forward to pull him away, hitting him a few times to subdue him. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you hitting people again?"

He was then tied to the hospital bed.

Wang Xiangxiu, clutching her bruised face, sobbed.

Jiang Baohong, however, seemed somewhat pleased, looking at Wang Xiangxiu with a smug expression. "It’d be better if he killed her," she said sarcastically.

Just when everyone thought Wang Xiangxiu had been stunned into silence, she suddenly knelt down with a thud beside Bai Fendou’s hospital bed. "Fendou, Sister Xiangxiu is sorry. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have ended up like this. I’m truly sorry. You can hit me, I don’t mind, but I didn’t say those things to provoke you. I was just looking out for you."

Seeing that Bai Fendou remained unmoved, she continued, "Let’s get married. You can’t have children anymore, but I have three sons! They’ll be your sons, and they’ll take care of you in your old age."

"What the hell!"

Everyone was stunned once again. It seemed like every time they turned their backs, someone was stirring up trouble.

Wang Xiangxiu pressed on, "From now on, they’ll be your sons! You’ll not only have sons, but three of them! No one can compare!"

Finally, Bai Fendou turned to look at Wang Xiangxiu, and a glimmer of hope began to shine in his eyes...

******

Hu Huihui took the three mischievous kids home, and the little rascals finally settled down.

The next day, however, Hu Huihui didn’t go to work. It was raining, raining, and still raining—utterly dreary.

Early in the morning, she sat at her doorstep, drenched and forlorn.

Zhao Guihua, who had gotten up early to empty the chamber pot, was startled to see her. "What on earth are you doing sitting here? It’s so early!"

Hu Huihui looked up with a bitter smile. "I didn’t sleep all night."

Zhao Guihua asked, "Were you visiting your cousin..."

Hu Huihui nodded. "My cousin knelt down and proposed to Bai Fendou."

"What?!"

"Oh my God!"

"What? What did you just say?"

Zhao Guihua’s reaction was strong, but Zhou Qun’s was even more intense. He had been excited and restless since last night and hadn’t slept much either. Hearing this, he rushed out of the house. "You’re not lying, are you?"

Hu Huihui wiped her face. "I was so shocked I couldn’t sleep all night."

"Well, I..."

Zhou Qun suddenly screamed, "Everyone, wake up! Come quick! Wang Xiangxiu knelt down and proposed to Bai Fendou! They’re getting married! Everyone, come out!"

Zhao Guihua’s mouth twitched. "..."

This Zhou Qun, he really acted like a nosy, gossipy middle-aged woman.

Hu Huihui was also stunned by Zhou Qun’s outburst.

She stared at him, wiping her face again, feeling like this courtyard was full of strange characters and utter chaos.