My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 116

Relationships between people can be so complicated.

Even though the neighbors might have their disagreements, when they heard that Old Man Bai had jumped off a building, they all rushed to the hospital. This wasn’t just to gawk—it was different from the usual rubbernecking. Everyone was genuinely concerned.

After all, jumping off a building is no small matter. When the group arrived at the hospital, they didn’t even need to ask for directions; they just followed the crowd.

Though they had come as soon as they heard the news, they were still later than the police officers, who had been keeping an eye on Bai Fendou. The officers confronted him directly: “Your father has strangulation marks on his neck. What’s going on? The hospital has already reported this.”

The hospital was truly fed up with this family.

They had been in and out of the hospital so many times, and every visit was a drama. It wasn’t just anyone who could handle them—thankfully, the staff had seen their fair share of situations. But no matter how experienced they were, when something suspicious happened, they had to speak up.

Otherwise, the family might turn around and blame them.

You’d think people like that didn’t exist anymore, but they do.

So the hospital didn’t hesitate. When the doctor saw the marks on the old man’s neck, they immediately notified the nurses to call the police. Before the old man even left the operating room, the police were already there.

The officers stopped Bai Fendou. Of course, it was him again—who else would it be?

“Your father hasn’t come out yet, so we’re giving you a chance to explain here. If you can’t explain clearly, we’ll have to take you in.”

Bai Fendou stared at the officers in shock. “What? You think I killed my own father? Am I crazy? He’s my dad! Even if he’s not the best person, he’s still my father! How could you think I’d do that on purpose?”

He yelled in frustration, “When he was about to jump, so many people were watching. Everyone saw he lost his grip and fell. I was already at the door. How could I have pushed him? Am I some kind of god who can make people fall with a breath?”

“Stop shouting. Just tell us what happened,” the officer said calmly. “Now, explain the marks on his neck.”

Bai Fendou admitted, “Yeah, I did that. I just wanted him to shut up, so I grabbed him and let go right after. Is that not allowed?”

“He’s your father. How could you lay hands on him?”

The officer frowned and scolded him, while the onlookers also started pointing fingers. “What kind of son does that to his own father? Even if you didn’t want him to talk, you didn’t have to choke him.”

“Exactly! What kind of world is this where a father can’t even scold his son?”

“So unfilial.”

“What a curse to have a son like this.”

“Absolutely!”

Bai Fendou was bombarded with accusations, and he finally broke down. He turned around and shouted, “What do you know? What do any of you know? You’re all just judging me without knowing anything! You… sob… You don’t know what my father said to me! You don’t know… sob…”

He started crying uncontrollably, curling up into a ball as he crouched on the ground, clutching his head. “He knows I can’t have kids with a woman, and he told me to get married so he could take my wife into the bedroom and have a son for me! Sob… How could I listen to that? I’m Bai Fendou! Why do I have to deal with this? He went too far! I just wanted him to shut up! He only jumped to scare me because I wouldn’t listen. Sob… I’m so wronged!”

Bai Fendou was a straight shooter, a man who didn’t hold back.

Most people would never say something like this out loud—it’s embarrassing for the family. But Bai Fendou? When pushed, he’d say anything, no matter how shameful.

He crouched in the corner, wailing.

The room fell silent.

The people who had been accusing him moments ago were now stunned, their mouths hanging open.

Even Zhao Guihua and the others, who had come to see if they could help, were at a loss for words.

This was… quite the bombshell.

Old Man Bai was truly something else. How could he even think of that?

And Bai Fendou? He was even more ruthless, directly exposing his father like that.

The officers were speechless.

This… this was…

They didn’t even know how to handle this situation.

Looking at the crying man on the floor, the officer couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He bent down and helped Bai Fendou up, saying, “Come on, sit on the chair. You’re injured; don’t sit on the ground.”

Bai Fendou, rarely shown such kindness, clung to the officer and cried even harder. “My father’s a monster! I’ve never even been married, and he’s already trying to steal my wife! He wants to have his cake and eat it too. Sob… He likes Aunt Su and wants Wang Xiangxiu to have another son for him. He said we could combine our families, and he’d sleep with both the old widow and the young widow. I’m just a cuckold! He doesn’t even treat me like a human!”

The officer knew who Wang Xiangxiu was—how could he not?

They’d been called to this neighborhood plenty of times recently.

He glanced over at Wang Xiangxiu and her mother-in-law, who were standing on the sidelines, looking completely bewildered.

How did they get dragged into this?

Not just him, but all the officers turned to look at the two women, and soon everyone else followed their gaze.

“Why are they looking at them?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The old widow and the young widow…”

“Wow, the young one’s pretty. No wonder the old man’s got his eyes on her…”

“What a mess.”

“This guy’s really unlucky.”

“Look at him—he’s got that green aura around him.”

“The old widow’s not much to look at. How can she compete with the young one?”

The murmurs started up again.

Amid the gossip, Bai Fendou felt even more wronged and started crying loudly once more.

Life had really dealt him a bad hand.

Zhao Guihua and her group had come to see if they could help, but instead, they ended up hearing all this. Zhao Guihua felt so awkward she wanted to dig a hole and disappear.

If it were young people involved, she might have thought it was just typical drama.

But for a man in his fifties to have such ideas… was he even physically capable?

Honestly, hearing this was even more disgusting than that time she saw Zhou Qun harassing Bai Fendou.

The man was old, but his thoughts were anything but.

Zhao Guihua silently glanced at Aunt Su and her daughter-in-law. Everyone else was doing the same, their eyes filled with meaning. It had to be said, these two women had already been somewhat notorious in the neighborhood.

Now, they were infamous.

Aunt Su hadn’t expected Bai Fendou to spill everything like this. She took a deep breath and shouted, “Bai Fendou, stop talking nonsense! Whatever your father thinks has nothing to do with us. We have no connection to him!”

Bai Fendou glared at her. “You’ve been with my father for years, and now that our family’s in trouble, you say there’s no connection? You’re heartless!”

Aunt Su stammered, “You… you’re young. You don’t understand.”

Bai Fendou shot back, “My father told me long ago that if it weren’t for you prioritizing your family and your three kids, you two would’ve gotten married when you were young.”

Aunt Su, fuming, leaned on Wang Xiangxiu’s shoulder, her eyes filled with rage, as if she could devour someone. She dug her nails into her palm, trying to calm herself and put on a pitiful demeanor. "Does your father always get the final say? He’s a widower, and I’m a widow. If we truly had feelings for each other, we could have been together long ago. Why would I still be like this now? Besides, if there had been something between us when we were younger, wouldn’t it have been better to get married? I could have had someone to help support the family. There’s really nothing between us. I’ve always seen him as an older brother."

Bai Fendou retorted, "He’s surnamed Bai, and you’re surnamed Su. You’re not even from the same family. What older brother? If there’s nothing between you, why have you been spending his money?"

He stood firm, "For the past two or three decades, you’ve been spending his money. Every month, at least half of it goes to you. My dad even said, ‘It’s worth it to spend it on my partner!’"

The onlookers chimed in, "Oh ho!"

"Goodness, decades of this!"

Aunt Wang tugged at Zhao Guihua’s arm, shaking it vigorously.

This was truly the first time anyone had seen Bai Fendou so fired up!

She, she, she—was stunned!

Zhao Guihua was equally shocked, "Oh my goodness!"

She sighed, truly, no one could have predicted that Bai Fendou’s bluntness would leave even Aunt Su at a loss.

Bai Fendou continued muttering, "Back when you were spending his money, you were all sweet and affectionate. Now that he’s fallen and hurt himself, you claim he’s just a brother. Fine, if he’s still your brother, why don’t you buy him some nutritional supplements? No matter how my dad treated me, he was always sincere with you, wasn’t he?"

Aunt Su sighed sorrowfully, "Fendou, you know what my family’s situation is like. Even if I wanted to help, I’m powerless. There are five mouths to feed in my household, and life is hard. Only your sister Xiangxiu is working, and her salary is barely over twenty-five yuan. It’s not an easy life…"

She pinched Wang Xiangxiu, who immediately spoke up, "Yes, Fendou, you’ve always known our situation. No matter how Uncle Bai is, we truly want to help, but we need to have the means to do so."

Bai Fendou let out a cold laugh, "You’re still trying to act innocent? Didn’t you just receive two hundred yuan in compensation? Did you spend it all already? Besides, you’ve been borrowing money from me every month. Your mother-in-law borrowed from my dad, and you borrowed from me. You’ve never paid it back. Your salary might be low, but if you count the money you borrow every month, even a fifth-grade worker doesn’t earn as much as you."

"You, you, you’re lying!"

"I’m not lying! How did you get the money? Dare to take it but not admit it? You were all teary-eyed when you borrowed, but now you’re acting all innocent!"

"Fendou, how can you talk to Xiangxiu like that, you…"

"Shut up! I used to think you were the kindest, most caring person. I always saw you as a mother figure. But you? You treated me like a fool, pretending to have a concussion when things went wrong. Ugh! Disgusting! Hypocritical!"

"You, you, you…"

Bai Fendou went on a tirade, "What ‘you’? Am I wrong? You’re no good!"

He didn’t hold back, "I was blind before!"

To be honest, even though Bai Fendou was ranting like crazy, no one thought he was wrong. Everyone looked at him with sympathy, whether they knew him or not. Hearing his words, they all felt that this man had suffered quite a bit.

His father was no good, flirting with an old widow while eyeing a young one. What was even more nauseating was that when his son got married, he stepped in as the groom and entered the bridal chamber.

And the old widow and the young widow teamed up to swindle money from the father and son, each taking half…

Yikes!

Do the math, do it again!

Even a fifth-grade worker wouldn’t make as much as the thirty yuan they were squeezing out of the two men every month.

This was just too tragic. One person couldn’t earn that much even with a full-time job.

Aunt Wang counted on her fingers, "Almost, almost there."

Aunt Sui chimed in, "Wait, isn’t Bai Fendou and his father a dung collector earning twenty-five yuan a month? Half of that is twelve and a half yuan, so together, that’s twenty-five. Plus his own salary of twenty-six or twenty-seven yuan, that’s just over fifty. It’s not as much as a fifth-grade worker."

Zhao Guihua shot her a look, "Are you stupid? Bai Fendou’s only been a dung collector for two months. Before that, he was in the security department, earning over thirty yuan."

"He used to earn thirty-four yuan, so half of that is seventeen. Old Man Bai worked in the boiler room, earning twenty-eight yuan, so half of that is fourteen. Add his own… Oh my, that’s fifty-six or fifty-seven yuan. Whether it’s Aunt Su or Wang Xiangxiu, they wouldn’t borrow exactly half. Sometimes it’s more, so if you calculate it, they’re getting at least sixty yuan a month."

Aunt Wang was shocked by her own calculations.

Zhao Guihua thought this estimate wasn’t entirely accurate because Wang Xiangxiu also swindled money from other sources. When you added it all up, their monthly income was quite substantial. In fact, they were one of the wealthiest families in the compound.

Even without other sources of income, sixty yuan was a lot. Even if the kids ate like horses, sixty yuan was enough to support five or six people. Tonglai was still young, and Yinlai had just started first grade.

No matter how much they ate, it couldn’t be that much.

Once you did the math, it was clear that the Su family wasn’t as poor as they claimed.

"Tsk!"

Everyone looked at the Su family’s mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, thinking their greed was truly shameless.

Aunt Su and Wang Xiangxiu didn’t understand how the conversation had turned to them. What did this have to do with them? Aunt Su didn’t want to get entangled further. Winning wouldn’t bring them money, and losing would only bring shame.

She let out a soft groan, rubbing her temples, "My head… my head is hurting again."

Wang Xiangxiu, in perfect sync with her mother-in-law, immediately said, "Mom, are you okay? You must be upset. Let me take you to the ward. Let’s go!"

Bai Fendou shouted, "Don’t you dare leave!"

Wang Xiangxiu stomped her foot in anger, turning back to say, "Bai Fendou, you’re a jerk!"

Bai Fendou shot back, "You’re the jerk! Your whole family is full of jerks! I used to think you were a good woman, but now, even if I’m not good enough, I wouldn’t marry you. Pah! Go sleep with whoever you want. I’m not marrying you."

Wang Xiangxiu burst into tears, cursing, "You shameless man! Fine, fine! Stay single for the rest of your life!"

Bai Fendou retorted, "I’m fine with that! I’d rather be single than have a head full of green hats!"

Wang Xiangxiu cried, "You’re slandering me! You…"

Aunt Su grabbed Wang Xiangxiu’s hand, saying, "Xiangxiu, help me back to the ward. You know what they say—your innocence can’t be tarnished by others. Oh, that’s right. ‘The pure remain pure.’ We don’t need Bai Fendou to prove our innocence. Let’s go! Stay away from such a petty man!"

Wang Xiangxiu nodded, "Mm."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quickly left.

Bai Fendou shouted after them, "Who are you calling petty? Stop right there! You’re the petty ones, your whole family is petty! Don’t think I don’t know—you’re saying I can’t have kids and trying to trick me into being your errand boy. Don’t think I’m a fool! Even if I am, even fools have dignity! I heard you whispering in the bathroom! Two big rats!"

"Alright, alright, calm down."

The police officer looked at the green-faced man in front of him, feeling that he was truly a pitiful fellow.

He said, "Sit down for a bit. This is a hospital. Don’t shout and disturb others’ rest. Take a moment to calm down."

Bai Fendou covered his face and started sobbing again.

At that moment, the light in the operating room went out, and the patient was finally wheeled out.

The police officer quickly stepped forward, asking, "How is he?"

The doctor replied seriously, "We’ve managed to save him, but he’s not out of danger yet. The next few days are critical. As his family, it’s best if you stay by his side. He’s had bad luck—he was already injured in the head, and this fall worsened the injury. Additionally, he fell from a height, suffering several fractures, including damage to his spine. Even if he wakes up and survives, he’ll likely be bedridden and unable to work."

"What?"

Bai Fendou was stunned.

The onlookers felt even more sympathy for Bai Fendou. This was a heavy burden to bear.

Aunt Wang stepped forward and tried to console Bai Fendou: "You can't collapse now. If you do, what will happen to your dad..."

Bai Fendou suddenly looked up and said, "Is this karma?"

He rubbed his eyes and continued, "Our family is really being punished. I shouldn’t have trusted those two women."

Aunt Wang sighed and patted Bai Fendou’s shoulder. "Right now, you need to think about the medical expenses and how to get by in the future..."

Her words were brutally honest.

The medical bills were indeed a pressing concern. As a formal employee at the factory, Old Man Bai could get some of the expenses reimbursed. But even with half covered, the other half would still fall on them. They hadn’t even paid back the money they borrowed from the factory for the previous hospital stay.

Now, with Old Man Bai in this condition, he definitely couldn’t return to work.

Bai Fendou’s mind was spinning.

Zhao Guihua chimed in, "Let’s get Old Man Bai back to his room first. We can worry about the rest later."

Soon, Old Man Bai was taken back to his room. Since there was no doubt about his jumping off the building, the police didn’t linger.

It was actually fortunate for Bai Fendou that many people had witnessed the incident and could confirm he hadn’t pushed his father. If it had just been the two of them, it would have been hard to explain, especially with the strangulation marks on his neck. But with so many witnesses and the context of the marks, the situation was clear. The police officers looked at Bai Fendou, the poor guy, shook their heads, and left.

After sending his father back to the room, the doctor reminded Bai Fendou, "You’ll need to pay the hospital fees in the next couple of days."

Bai Fendou nodded, "I’ll figure something out."

The doctor wasn’t too worried about someone like Bai Fendou. As a local with a formal job, he wasn’t likely to abandon his father and leave.

Bai Fendou sat on a bench, burying his face in his hands.

Zhao Guihua, seeing his distress, knew he had no savings. He couldn’t even cover his own hospital fees, let alone the massive expenses for Old Man Bai. Though Bai Fendou had always been unreliable and done many inexplicable things, Zhao Guihua had watched him grow up.

She sighed and asked, "Bai Fendou, do you have any money?"

Bai Fendou looked up, "I’ve got seventy yuan left from my savings and the money Jiang Lu compensated me."

Despite his earlier bravado, he was now at a loss, speaking honestly.

"That’s nowhere near enough. Don’t blame me for being blunt, but you need to figure something out quickly," Zhao Guihua said. "Did you settle your dad’s previous hospital bills?"

After all, Old Man Bai had been hit with a brick earlier.

"Not yet."

"Could the Yu family compensate for what Yu Baoshan did?"

Bai Fendou shook his head, "Yu Baoshan is dead, and his family won’t take responsibility..."

Even Yu Baoshan’s body hadn’t been claimed.

That’s just how that family was.

Zhao Guihua sighed again. Even if Yu Baoshan had left something, they probably wouldn’t get it. Now that he was gone, so were the debts.

She thought for a moment and said, "Let me give you some advice."

"Please," Bai Fendou replied.

Zhao Guihua said, "Given your dad’s condition, he’s a formal employee at the factory but can’t work anymore. You should sell his job. A formal position like that could fetch at least two to three hundred yuan."

At the time, a formal job was worth as much as a house.

She continued, "After this incident and everything you’ve said, your dad’s reputation isn’t great. Go to the factory leaders, explain the situation honestly, and they might turn a blind eye to you selling the job. With the money from that and your savings, see if it’s enough for the medical bills. If it is, great. If not, borrow from the factory and have it deducted from your salary monthly. You can’t owe the hospital."

"Zhao Guihua’s right. Get through this immediate crisis first. Once your dad’s condition stabilizes, he can recover at home, which will cost less," Aunt Wang added.

Bai Fendou said, "Thank you all."

Zhao Guihua waved it off, "We’re just offering some advice. We haven’t really helped."

Bai Fendou covered his face and cried.

The women exchanged glances, and Aunt Wang said, "You’ve got to pull yourself together. If you fall apart, things will only get worse. Even though your dad’s in bad shape now, as long as he’s not in mortal danger, he’ll recover. As long as he’s alive, things will slowly get better."

Bai Fendou mumbled an acknowledgment.

"Let us know if you want something to eat tonight. We can bring you some food," one of the women offered.

"Yeah, we can take turns bringing you meals. It won’t be anything fancy, but at least you won’t go hungry," another added.

Bai Fendou looked at them in surprise, his eyes welling up with tears again. He had always thought the people in the neighborhood were no good, that only the Su family was decent. But now, in this crisis, he realized that wasn’t the case at all.

"Thank you," he said.

"No need for that. We’re neighbors," they replied.

Bai Fendou wiped his tears, "No, no, you don’t need to bring me food. I can’t eat anything right now. It would just go to waste."

He couldn’t stop crying, wiping his face repeatedly. "Please, go home. I need to be alone and think about what to do."

"Alright," they said.

After a few more comforting words, they left together.

"They had such good conditions. How did things end up like this?" one of them wondered.

"Widows bring trouble," another muttered.

Everyone fell silent. In truth, Bai Fendou’s current situation was largely the result of the actions of the two women from the Su family.

Were they breaking the law?

Not exactly. But what they did was worse than petty theft or even robbery. While others might harm someone temporarily, they ruined lives.

There was something unspoken, something too cruel to say out loud.

But in reality, everyone thought it: If Old Man Bai had died, Bai Fendou’s life might have been easier. With Old Man Bai alive, he was a burden.

But then again, it’s hard to say.

Bai Fendou was already known throughout the city as someone who couldn’t perform, so his chances of marrying were slim. With his father alive, at least he had someone to talk to. If his father died, he’d be completely alone.

So, it was hard to say what would truly be better for Bai Fendou.

Everyone left.

Zhao Guihua went home and talked about what had happened. For a while, everyone was silent. Though they usually enjoyed gossip, this was different. This wasn’t just a simple fight.

Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "I’m off tomorrow. I’ll go see him."

Zhuang Zhixi added, "I’ll go with you, brother."

Ming Mei said, "I used to find him annoying, especially when he schemed against Zhixi. But seeing him so miserable now, I don’t know what to say. Life is so unpredictable."

"You’re still young. Don’t get involved in these neighborhood dramas. Bai Fendou’s been bottling up his anger toward the Su family. Who knows when it’ll explode? You’re pregnant. If someone pushes or bumps into you, it’ll be a disaster," Zhao Guihua warned.

Ming Mei nodded, "I understand."

Zhuang Zhixi stroked his chin and said, "I wonder what Wang Xiangxiu said to him in the storage room that made him so determined to expose her now."

"Maybe it wasn’t what she said. Just seeing her with someone else could’ve been enough to break him," Zhuang Zhiyuan speculated.

"Ahem!" Zhao Guihua cut them off, "Enough of that. The kids are here."

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi looked at their father and uncle with wide, curious eyes.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Go play."

Hutou replied, "It’s almost dark. We’re not going out."

Hutou blinked his big eyes and asked, "Grandma, did Old Man Bai jump off a building?"

This wasn’t because their family didn’t shield the children from such matters, but rather because the children already knew. Raising children nowadays wasn’t like it would be decades later, where they’d be treated as precious treasures. Back then, families with only one child were rare. Having two, three, or even four children was completely normal.

Take Wang Zhaodi, for example, whose family had nine daughters and still kept trying for more. Cases like that weren’t uncommon.

With so many children, raising them was more casual.

And kids were mostly left to their own devices, running around outside. It was summer vacation, so all the children were playing in the streets, and naturally, they heard things. Adults talking, and the little ones overhearing snippets here and there.

Zhao Guihua said, “Old Man Bai didn’t mean to jump. He was trying to scare people by pretending to jump, but he accidentally fell. So, when you kids are playing outside, you have to be careful. And never, ever use threats of life and death to scare people. If something really happens, it’s over.”

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi nodded vigorously.

Hutou said, “I’ll never do something like that.”

Xiao Yanzi quickly added, “I won’t go to high places.”

Zhao Guihua smiled and ruffled their heads. “It’s not that you can’t go to high places, but you have to avoid dangerous spots. Like Old Man Bai—he was sitting on the third-floor windowsill, waving his arms without holding onto the window frame. Of course, that’s very dangerous.”

She knew the kids would hear about it anyway, so she might as well explain it directly and use it as a lesson.

“Is anyone home?”

Ming Mei was the first to turn around, smiling. “Grandpa.”

Lan Sihai walked in with his hands behind his back. Zhao Guihua stood up. “Uncle Lan, please have a seat.”

Lan Sihai said, “I’m here to see Hutou and Xiao Yanzi.”

Hutou scratched his head in confusion but still asked, “Grandpa Lan, what do you need us for?”

Lan Sihai glanced at him. “Kid, your memory is too good. At such a young age, if you’re already this sharp, how are you going to handle studying later?”

Everyone: “…”

This kind of conversation was way over the kids’ heads.

Xiao Yanzi patted her brother and said, “It’s the sheep knuckles, right? Grandpa Lan, it’s the sheep knuckles, isn’t it?”

The way their family addressed each other was a mess!

Ming Mei’s grandfather, Lan Sihai, should technically be called “Great-Grandpa” by Hutou and Xiao Yanzi. But the two kids often forgot and ended up calling him “Grandpa Lan,” just like some others in the courtyard. Lan Sihai never corrected them. To him, it was just a title, and he didn’t mind. Even if they called him “Old Lan,” it wouldn’t bother him.

Lan Sihai nodded. “Xiao Yanzi has a good memory. Here you go.”

“Wow! This is great!”

“So cool!”

Back then, kids didn’t have many toys. If a father could carve a small wooden pistol for his child, or if a mother could sew a beanbag, those were considered top-notch treasures. They were the kind of things that would make other kids envious.

Sheep knuckles were the same. Putting together a full set wasn’t easy.

Times were tough for every household. Even for worker families like theirs, which were relatively better off, getting hold of sheep knuckles was no simple task.

Lan Sihai placed a set of sheep knuckles on the table. “I promised these to you. Here, take them and play.”

The two kids exchanged glances and jumped up and down. “Awesome, awesome!”

Ming Mei laughed, pretending to pout. “Grandpa, when did you make this deal with Hutou and Xiao Yanzi? I didn’t get anything. Boo hoo, I’m so sad.”

Lan Sihai’s mouth twitched. “Cut it out. Your acting is terrible.”

Ming Mei: “Hmph.”

Hutou chattered away, “Auntie Ming, that kid Da Fei on the next street has a set, and he’s always showing off. He wouldn’t let us play with them and kept teasing us for not having any. Grandpa Lan saw that and said he’d get us a set. Hehe.”

Xiao Yanzi added, “Grandpa Lan is the best.”

Lan Sihai’s lips curled up, clearly pleased.

Ming Mei teased, “Oh, look at you.”

Zhao Guihua also smiled. “Take them back to your room and play.”

“Okay.”

Though it was just a small side room, the siblings had their own space. They held hands and ran back to their room.

“We have sheep knuckles now!”

“So cool!”

The two kids were over the moon. “Let’s play together.”

“Okay.”

Once the kids were back in their room, Zhao Guihua said, “Uncle Lan, thank you.”

Lan Sihai waved it off. “Don’t mention it. I just happened to find them. I know where to look for these kinds of things.”

Ming Mei chimed in, “Grandpa, if I want to play with something later, I’ll come to you.”

Lan Sihai said, “Sure. When it comes to food, drink, and fun, if I’m second, no one dares to claim first.”

He didn’t see anything wrong with that. After all, some people were hardworking, and others, like him, were more laid-back.

Oh, right…

He asked, “I heard something happened to Old Man Bai. What’s going on?”

Zhao Guihua explained, “We were just talking about it. It’s…”

She recounted the day’s events. Lan Sihai shook his head slightly. “What a mess.”

“Tell me about it.”

“So, he’s still in critical condition?”

“Yes. When we left, he hadn’t stabilized yet. The doctor said the next few days are crucial.”

Lan Sihai didn’t have much of a relationship with Bai Fendou and his father. For Zhao Guihua and the others, even though there had been plenty of friction over the years, they had still watched Bai Fendou grow up. They’d been neighbors for thirty or forty years.

They’d even seen Bai Fendou being born.

In situations like this, even if their relationship wasn’t great, they still wanted to lend a hand. It was a natural human response. But Lan Sihai was different. He’d only moved in six months ago, less than half a year.

He’d arrived just as Bai Fendou was at his worst, frantically trying to find a wife.

Bai Fendou had always been a bit reckless, but it hadn’t been too bad before. Over the past six months, though, he’d really gone off the rails. Everyone around him was getting married, even Zhuang Zhixi, who was ten years younger than him, was already married with kids. Bai Fendou had truly lost his mind.

He’d been acting completely irresponsibly.

Because of this, Lan Sihai didn’t think much of him. They hadn’t known each other long, and Bai Fendou’s behavior was just too much. So, Lan Sihai’s concern was superficial at best.

But after hearing Zhao Guihua’s story, he suddenly asked, “He’s selling his job?”

Zhao Guihua replied, “That’s what I suggested. It’s up to him to decide. Uncle Lan, you’re not thinking of buying it, are you?”

Lan Sihai said, “Why would I? I already have a job, and so does my wife.”

Luo Xiaohe wasn’t a permanent employee, but she’d been a temporary worker for many years. At her age, even if she wanted to buy a permanent position, the factory wouldn’t allow it. Succession was usually for younger people, not old ladies.

He added, “No one in my family needs it. I was just curious and asked.”

He wasn’t just asking out of curiosity, but there was no need to explain further. He stood up. “Alright, I’ll head back now.”

Ming Mei said, “Grandpa, let me walk you out.”

Lan Sihai waved her off. “It’s just a few steps within the courtyard. No need to walk me out. You’re just trying to be sweet.”

Ming Mei giggled.

Lan Sihai said, “Go on, get out of here.”

Lan Sihai didn’t need an escort. Once he left, Ming Mei turned to Zhuang Zhixi. “Zhixi, should we go rest?”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded. “Sure.”

The family soon went their separate ways. Old Man Zhuang asked, puzzled, “Wife, what did Uncle Lan mean earlier? Was he deliberately bringing up the job thing?”

He’d caught on but didn’t fully understand.

Zhao Guihua explained, “He was saying it for the sake of your eldest daughter-in-law.”

“Huh?”

Old Man Zhuang was shocked. “Why would he say it for her? It’s not like their family particularly likes her, right? After all, before the third son got married, the eldest daughter-in-law caused quite a stir.”

Zhao Guihua thought her husband really wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

She said, “You only see the surface, not the deeper layers. That’s why they live so well. They see things in a way you can’t, with your narrow perspective.”

Old Man Zhuang: “…”

Why the personal attack?

Zhao Guihua spoke meaningfully: "The third son and his wife are both working, while the eldest son and his wife only have one income, and they also have two children. When you think about it, isn’t the gap in their daily lives quite large? As parents, even if we try to treat everyone equally, we inevitably end up favoring the one who’s struggling more. And that’s just how it is now. Although the eldest son’s wife can help out with work at home, they have two more children to care for. In reality, they’re paying the same living expenses as the third son’s family. So, naturally, the eldest son’s family is getting the better deal."

"And then?"

"Moreover, we’re getting older. When it comes to taking care of us in our old age, if the eldest son’s family is in a worse position, they’ll likely rely more on the third son’s family. Won’t that put a heavier burden on the third son’s family? Of course, I don’t think that way, but others will naturally draw conclusions based on the actual situation. Don’t you agree? After all, outsiders don’t know what we’re thinking; they only see what’s most likely to happen. The reality is that there’s a gap between the eldest and third son’s families."

Old Man Zhuang nodded: "True."

But what does this have to do with work?

He still didn’t quite get it.

"By bringing this up, he’s suggesting that the eldest son’s wife should buy this job. Once they both have jobs, their family situation will be similar to the third son’s family, and we can treat them equally. Besides, if the eldest son’s family also has two incomes, their financial situation will improve significantly. Then, would we still need to secretly subsidize Hutou and Xiao Yanzi?"

Old Man Zhuang: "..."

He pondered for a while and said, "Is that really what Old Man Lan meant? He always seems so carefree. I doubt he’s even thought that far ahead."

Zhao Guihua: "You’re really underestimating the Lan family."

She said earnestly, "Old Man Lan hasn’t even started yet. If he really wanted to, he could draw a circle, and you’d be running around it for half a year."

Old Man Zhuang: "...Isn’t that insulting?"

Wuwu, was he really that bad?

Zhao Guihua understood his expression and said, "You’re not that bad, but Old Man Lan is truly a formidable person."

What’s most impressive is that he excels at whatever he does.

Old Man Zhuang: "..."

He coughed and said, "So, what do you think? The eldest son and his wife don’t have enough money to buy a job, do they?"

Zhao Guihua gave him a sidelong glance and said, "Do you really think he was only speaking to the eldest son’s wife? He was reminding her, but he was also speaking to us. If the eldest son’s wife wants to buy the job, she’ll definitely come to us for money."

Old Man Zhuang muttered softly, "But if we give her the money, won’t that be unfair to the third son’s family?"

Zhao Guihua rubbed her temples, feeling that her husband was truly naive.

She said, "How could I not make her pay it back? She’ll have to return every penny. Old Man Lan knows I’m not the type to endlessly subsidize my children. That’s why he dared to bring it up."

Old Man Zhuang nodded in understanding.

Zhao Guihua: "I’ll think about this matter. I wonder how much Bai Fendou will ask for."

Old Man Zhuang said, "I wonder if the eldest son’s wife could handle cleaning toilets."

Zhao Guihua scoffed, "Believe me, if she hears about this job, she’ll run faster than a rabbit. When it comes to work, the eldest son’s wife doesn’t slack off."

Old Man Zhuang thought about it and nodded, "That’s true."

Zhao Guihua: "She’s just confused when it comes to her family matters, but it’s fine. If she dares to mess up again this time, I’ll teach her a lesson!"

She wasn’t the same Zhao Guihua from before. The old Zhao Guihua cared about saving face, but now?

Hah!

To hell with that!

If the eldest son’s wife acts foolishly, she’ll deal with her directly.

Some people are just unclear in their thinking because they’ve been spoiled.

Meanwhile, Liang Meifen was pacing around the room like a donkey on a millstone, going in circles several times. Zhuang Zhiyuan finally couldn’t take it anymore and said, "What’s wrong with you? Are we going to sleep or not?"

Liang Meifen excitedly grabbed Zhuang Zhiyuan and said, "Bai Fendou is selling his job."

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yeah, and it was Mom’s idea. So what?"

Liang Meifen: "I-I-I... What do you think of me?"

She was so excited she stuttered.

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Not much. Can you handle shoveling and carrying manure?"

Liang Meifen: "Why not? Are you looking down on laborers? What’s there that I can’t do? It’s a monthly salary of twenty-five yuan."

Finding a temporary job was incredibly difficult, and this one was a permanent position.

Zhuang Zhiyuan, though feeling a bit awkward and embarrassed, said, "This job won’t come cheap. It’ll probably cost two or three hundred yuan. We don’t have enough savings."

"Your parents have it!" Liang Meifen exclaimed excitedly.

Zhuang Zhiyuan’s smile gradually faded. He looked at Liang Meifen and said, "Just because my parents have it, does that mean they should give it to me? If they give it to me, will you still be subsidizing your family and your brother? Don’t you know how happy I’ve been these past few months, seeing how your brother stopped bothering you after you lost your job? I’d rather you earn less than see your family of leeches."

Liang Meifen was indignant, "How can you say that? They’re my parents and brother."

Zhuang Zhiyuan said lightly, "Then go ask your parents and brother for the money."

He pulled up the blanket and went straight to sleep.

Liang Meifen began to sob.

Why did her husband hate her family so much?

It was like choosing between the palm and the back of her hand. She felt so torn.

"Husband, think about it. If I had a job, wouldn’t it help ease the burden on our family? The children are growing up..."

"Your job would ease the burden on your family, not mine. Wasn’t that how it was before?"

Zhuang Zhiyuan, recalling the past troubles, suddenly lost the desire to fight for his wife. He said, "Let’s sleep. I’d rather be poor than see you slaving away for others."

Liang Meifen: "How can you say that..."

Zhuang Zhiyuan sneered, "If you get a job, your parents and that damned brother of yours will come knocking again. Only someone as brainless as you would think they’re good people. If they were really decent, they wouldn’t have turned cold after you lost your job."

Some things are only clear when compared. As a son-in-law, the third son’s situation with his in-laws was completely different from his own. He didn’t even want to talk about it.

If he had thought it was tolerable before, it was because they had been somewhat ingratiating themselves with his family, making him feel he could endure it. But after Liang Meifen gave up her job, everything changed. Their attitude was completely different.

The stark contrast before and after made Zhuang Zhiyuan furious.

Liang Meifen felt miserable. She bit her lip, feeling utterly uncomfortable.

"They have their difficulties..."

"If you say that, I’ll never let Mom and Dad give you money to buy a job. And if you keep involving yourself with your family, you can get out."

"You! How can you be so heartless?"

Zhuang Zhiyuan said woodenly, "Because I’m tired. I’m tired of you always thinking about your brainless family."

He turned over and went to sleep, ignoring Liang Meifen’s continued sobbing.

Liang Meifen wanted to defend her family, but thinking about all they had done, she couldn’t find anything good to say. She felt even more miserable. She buried her head in the blanket and cried... wuwuwu.

After who knows how long, Zhuang Zhiyuan finally sat up and said, "What I said earlier was out of anger. Let’s talk properly."

Liang Meifen nodded nervously.

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Have you thought about it? We still have two children..."

Liang Meifen: "Huh?"

Her eyes were still teary.

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "They might have to go to the countryside. Would you let them suffer like that?"

At this, Liang Meifen became agitated, "No, they can’t go to the countryside and suffer."

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "So, listen to me..."

Regarding the job, Zhao Guihua didn’t bring it up proactively. Even if they were to lend money, she wouldn’t push it.

But she didn’t expect that Liang Meifen, though her eyes were swollen like light bulbs as if she’d cried all night, also didn’t bring it up. It seemed like she and Zhuang Zhiyuan had come to an understanding.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhiyuan went about his day as if nothing had happened, eating and drinking as usual.

Zhao Guihua knew that in their previous life, they hadn’t divided the family, and the eldest son’s family had taken advantage of the third son’s family. There had been some tension between them. Now that things were clearer, the relationship was less strained. Sometimes, she thought, when parents try to smooth things over, it only makes the relationship between their children worse.

When parents are clear-headed, everything becomes much simpler.

It’s interesting how siblings can sometimes get along better than expected.

After finishing breakfast, Zhuang Zhiyuan said, “I’m going to the hospital today to visit Bai Fendou and ask how much his job is being sold for.”

Everyone paused their meal and turned their attention to Zhuang Zhiyuan.

Zhuang Zhiyuan continued, “If I decide to buy this job for my wife, can I borrow money from you all?”

Zhao Guihua replied bluntly, “We can lend you the money, but how will you pay it back? If your wife gets the job and starts sending money back to her family again, it’ll just be frustrating.”

Liang Meifen looked up at the sky with a pitiful expression and whispered, “I won’t do that anymore.”

Zhuang Zhiyuan explained, “I’ve thought it through. If we can’t buy the job, then we’ll let it go. But if we can, I’ll collect her salary every month. No matter how much she earns, I’ll give her four yuan for food. Four yuan should be enough for steamed buns and vegetables every day, though she won’t be able to afford meat. I’ll save the rest and repay you as soon as possible.”

The room fell silent.

Liang Meifen didn’t react—she had already heard this plan the night before, and they had agreed on it. Though she was often indecisive, she felt her husband’s reasoning made sense.

Ming Mei, sitting nearby, twitched her lips but said nothing.

Zhuang Zhixi stood up quietly and said, “Wife, let’s go. I’ll take you to work.”

He didn’t want to get involved in his brother’s affairs.

The couple quickly left the house, and Ming Mei whispered, “Your brother is really…”

Zhuang Zhixi, steady on his bicycle, replied, “He’s doing this for the good of his family. If he takes over his wife’s salary, it won’t look good, but he’s willing to bear the criticism to keep their household together. Otherwise, with my sister-in-law’s tendency to send money to her family at the slightest opportunity, they’d never save anything. They have two children to think about—what will happen if they don’t save?”

Zhuang Zhixi understood his brother’s reasoning.

Zhuang Zhiyuan was a proud man, and for someone like him to make such a decision, it wasn’t for his own sake but for the sake of his children. Divorce was extremely rare in those days. Arranged marriages, even tumultuous ones, often endured.

This was especially true for Zhuang Zhiyuan, who had married for love.

He had feelings for Liang Meifen, and as long as she didn’t have money in her hands, she was a reasonable person.

So Zhuang Zhiyuan was willing to tarnish his own reputation a bit to make this work. He genuinely wanted his wife to have a job—after all, two incomes were better than one. And with two children to raise, he couldn’t afford to be biased.

This wasn’t just about whether they could build a family or not.

It was about the future. If both parents had jobs, they could give their children more options when it came to the mandatory youth relocation to rural areas. He had seen how harsh life was for the young people sent to the countryside—his workplace had families whose children had gone through it.

They lived in Beijing, the capital city. Life here was vastly different from the hardships of rural labor, and their children had never worked in the fields. He couldn’t bear the thought of sending them away, but if both he and his wife were employed, things would be different.

They could arrange for their children to take over their jobs. Although the policy required at least one child from each family to go to the countryside, rules were rules, but people could find ways around them. If Hutou, the older child, could take over a job first, they could save money and use connections to ensure Xiao Yanzi could do the same when it was her turn.

With both parents employed, they could secure jobs for both children.

And saving money was also crucial for their own retirement. After all, if they handed over their jobs to their children, they couldn’t be left without financial security.

Zhuang Zhiyuan had thought this through carefully. He hadn’t discussed it with Zhuang Zhixi, but as brothers, Zhuang Zhixi understood the moment his brother brought it up.

It was all for the children.

That’s what parents do.

Zhuang Zhixi chatted with Ming Mei all the way, and she finally understood. However, she hesitated and said, “Maybe in the future, they won’t need to go to the countryside.”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “Who knows? Should we just hope for a policy change without preparing for the worst?”

Ming Mei nodded.

As she climbed the stairs to her workplace, her small bag slung over her shoulder, she vaguely remembered something her mother-in-law had mentioned—that by the late 1970s, people started returning to the cities. Oh, wait, that wasn’t something she had been told directly; it was from a dream. Based on Hutou and Xiao Yanzi’s ages, they might not have to face relocation.

But she couldn’t say that out loud—how could she explain that she knew such things?

Besides, saving money wasn’t a bad idea.

She hurried up the stairs, hoping they could successfully buy that job.