Red Star Production Brigade had once again gained a new topic for post-meal gossip.
According to village rumors, the Lin family and the Wang family had fallen out!
The Lin family went to demand money from the Wang family, but the Wang family refused. They even said that whatever they had already given was theirs now, and not a single cent would be returned.
The Lin family refused to accept this and kept going to the Wang household to cause trouble, clearly determined not to stop until the money was returned.
Because of this, Wang Yinghua’s life in the Lin family had become miserable. She wanted to return to her maternal home to ask her brothers for support, but her brothers now avoided her completely, unlike when they were happily taking money from her before.
The money had been earned by her, yet in the end she pleased neither side and instead became the “wrong one.” Wang Yinghua suffered in silence.
Apart from this matter, people were also talking about what Huo Zheng had been doing outside all these years.
If he could earn twenty-five yuan a month, he must have been doing something big!
However, many jealous people insisted that he must have been involved in illegal activities, otherwise how could he possibly earn twenty-five yuan every month?
Once this rumor spread, many agreed.
After all, Huo Zheng was not exactly a “good person” in their eyes.
Someone even reported him out of jealousy. When he was at work, he was taken away by police officers under everyone’s watch.
Many people watched in schadenfreude.
But to their disappointment, Huo Zheng was released the same day—completely unharmed!
This shocked the entire brigade.
If he was released, didn’t that mean he hadn’t done anything wrong at all?
Su Qi’an had been worried all day. The moment she heard he was taken away, her heart nearly stopped several times.
Fortunately, Zhao Yingjun kept assuring her that nothing would happen. Only then did her heart settle slightly—but still remained uneasy.
It wasn’t until she saw Huo Zheng return that she finally relaxed completely.
“How is it? Are you alright?” She walked up holding the child, afraid he had been punished.
Seeing her worried expression, Huo Zheng’s eyes softened slightly. His voice also became gentler.
“I’m fine.”
Seeing this, Zhao Yingjun happily said, “Sis-in-law, I told you our Brother Zheng would be fine, right? Now you can relax!”
Then he added, “Brother Zheng, you didn’t see how worried Sis-in-law was today. She couldn’t eat or sleep at all—she was really anxious!”
Huo Zheng looked at Su Qi’an quietly after hearing this.
“Such a small matter. What was there to worry about?”
He sounded dismissive, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help lifting slightly. His mood was clearly very good, and even the little troublemaker in his arms looked more pleasing now.
The little one hadn’t seen his father all day and was now staring at him with big round eyes, reaching out for a hug.
“Ah-ba ah-ba—”
Huo Zheng flicked his tiny hand.
“Only one day and you miss your dad that much?”
Though he said that, he still took the child into his arms.
Little Huo Jibei clutched his clothes and babbled excitedly.
Only then did Su Qi’an’s heart finally settle. “I left food for you in the kitchen. Go eat first.”
“Mm,” he replied lightly.
Zhao Yingjun quickly went to the kitchen and brought the dishes out.
“Brother Zheng, eat up!”
That night before sleep, Huo Zheng told Su Qi’an that he would go with her to the Su family the next day to discuss their marriage arrangements. She agreed happily.
But before he could do anything further, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Thinking of how she had worried about him all day, Huo Zheng suppressed his thoughts and carefully held her as they slept.
Su Family Home
News that Huo Zheng had been taken away by the police had spread throughout the entire brigade, and the Su family had naturally heard everything.
They were also surprised that he had been so generous—paying twenty-five yuan a month to an outsider.
Liu Hongmei tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She kicked the man beside her.
“Do you think that little brat Su Qi’an has a problem with us? She has such a good money-making opportunity and doesn’t give it to her own family, instead letting an outsider benefit! What an ungrateful white-eyed wolf!”
The man, Su Jianguo, was woken up and replied impatiently, “With how you’ve treated her over the years, it’s normal she has complaints.”
He had no feelings toward his brother’s daughter—just a girl, after all.
Liu Hongmei was unhappy.
“What do you mean I treated her badly? Haven’t I treated her well enough? She ate and drank from our family. Last time I even went to her house to take some good things, and she wouldn’t let me. If she’s not a white-eyed wolf, what is she?”
Thinking about that incident made her even more annoyed.
Then she suddenly thought of something else.
“If Huo Zheng really did get arrested… what happens to the 280 yuan betrothal gift? We already promised Tianxiu we’d get him a wife this year.”
The man didn’t respond.
She turned over and saw him already snoring, which made her kick him again in frustration.
Meanwhile, in another room, Liang Zhaonan had the same worries.
Two hundred eighty yuan was not a small amount, not to mention the additional “change-of-address fees.” If Huo Zheng really had a problem and was arrested, all that money would be gone.
Her son was also waiting for that money to get married.
Su Jianjun, hearing her sighing, said irritably, “Stop worrying. The one who should be worried now is the eldest brother’s family.”
Their nephew was already twenty-one—if he didn’t marry soon, he’d become an old bachelor in the village.
Their own son was only eighteen; they still had time.
Liang Zhaonan sighed again. “I know, but just thinking about the money flying away makes me uncomfortable.”
What else could they do? It was all because Huo Zheng was troublesome.
Then she added, “If he really was arrested… do you think sister-in-law will make Su Qi’an remarry?”
Su Jianjun nodded. “Possible.”
After all, their eldest sister-in-law had done similar things before.
The next morning.
After breakfast, Su Qi’an and Huo Zheng prepared some things and headed to the Su family.
Along the way, people kept sneaking looks at them—more precisely, at Huo Zheng.
He disliked being stared at like an animal in a zoo and shot them a cold glance. Everyone quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened.
Su Qi’an pulled his arm and walked faster. Soon, they arrived at the Su family home.