The commotion she witnessed yesterday on the other side of the door—that ungrateful educated youth who abandoned his wife and child to return to the city, only to come back later to take his son away because he couldn’t have children—wasn’t his name Zhang Wenming?
Come to think of it, during the fight between that white-eyed wolf son coveting his mother’s demolition compensation and the old lady’s nephew yesterday, she heard the old lady call her nephew “Qiangzi.””
Could that nephew be Little Qiangzi?
So, that old lady is… Xiuning?
Xing Zhaozhao couldn’t help but clench her hands in excitement.
Could it really be such a coincidence? To actually run into Xiuning and Little Qiangzi?
If it were true, could she ask them about the whereabouts of her three children?
She didn’t intend to reunite with them—she just wanted to know how they were doing fifty years later.
She was already impatient, hoping that after tomorrow, she could run into Xiuning again.
Hongfei felt his mother’s grip on his hand suddenly tighten, squeezing so hard it hurt, and he frowned, calling out, “Mom?”
Xing Zhaozhao took a moment to react, then quickly snapped out of it and turned to her son. “What’s wrong?”
“What were you thinking about? You’re squeezing my hand so hard it hurts,” Hongfei said.
Only then did Xing Zhaozhao loosen her grip slightly, quickly easing up on Hongfei’s hand. “Sorry, Da Fei. I was just thinking about how to deal with Xiao Yuma if he causes trouble again. I didn’t realize I was holding so tight.”
Hongfei: “…”
When they got back, he’d have to seriously warn his younger brother not to cause any more trouble or make Mom angry—the consequences would be severe.
Xing Zhaozhao held Hongfei’s hand and continued walking up the mountain. Thinking of Hao Xiuning, she couldn’t help but frown deeply again.
If she really found that old lady tomorrow and confirmed she was indeed Xiuning, she mustn’t let her marry that white-eyed wolf again, lest she waste another lifetime for nothing.
After a fairly decent lunch at the Hao family’s, Zhang Wenming returned to the educated youth settlement.
Considering the Hao elders’ attitude toward him, he estimated that his marriage to Hao Xiuning was pretty much settled. His already good mood grew even brighter.
He hadn’t needed to go to the countryside originally.
As the youngest in his family, with both parents being permanent workers at the machinery factory earning decent wages, he had been somewhat spoiled growing up. How could he endure such hardship?
They had already discussed having him take over his mother’s position at the factory.
But because of his somewhat ambiguous relationship with Xie Tingting, the daughter of the machinery factory’s leader, he had offended someone and was directly placed on the list for rural assignment—there was no way to avoid it.
However, before coming, he had already made up his mind: he couldn’t endure hardship. It would be better to find a long-term meal ticket instead.
So, as soon as he arrived, he figured out the village’s situation. Families like the Haos—with capable parents, one brother holding a permanent job in town (even if it was at the waste recycling station), another serving in the troops and sending back a monthly allowance, and Hao Xiuning herself being good-looking, good-tempered, and capable—were perfect. As long as he could secure her, she would be an excellent meal ticket. He wouldn’t have to worry about food or drink, and he’d have someone to take care of him. Life couldn’t be more comfortable.
Of course, to secure this meal ticket, some initial effort was required. For the sake of future comfort, he could endure this small hardship.
Then, from time to time, he would write a letter of complaint to Xie Tingting. After a while, when she had arranged a job for him, he could just return to the city directly.
Zhang Wenming thought about the path he had laid out for himself, and the more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His steps unconsciously quickened.
Everything was progressing smoothly. He was truly brilliant.
“Thump”—he accidentally bumped into someone.
“Sorry,” he quickly apologized.
It was a man in his twenties with slanted eyes that looked somewhat familiar, a roguish appearance, and the look of a troublemaker.
“Watch where you’re going next time,” the man said irritably, giving him a hard shove.
Zhang Wenming staggered from the push and nearly fell.
However, he knew how to assess the situation. Realizing he was no match for the man, he decided not to make an issue of it.
Turning his head, he watched as the man knocked on the door of the Gao family next door to the Hao family and went inside. Only then did Zhang Wenming remember why those slanted eyes looked so familiar—they were identical to those of the old lady from the Gao family.
Was he a relative of theirs?
Liu Gouzi entered the Gao house and saw Gao Old Lady lying on the bed, moaning and groaning. He asked worriedly, “Auntie, what’s wrong? Are you sick? Do you want me to take you to the village clinic?”
Liu Gouzi was the youngest son of Gao Old Lady’s brother. He had been close to her since childhood and often boasted that he would stand up for his aunt when he grew up. Gao Old Lady doted on him, granting his every request whenever he came by to eat, drink, or take things. Compared to how she treated Gao Mingcheng, her affection for Liu Gouzi was far greater.
“What brings you here, Gouzi?” Gao Old Lady asked in surprise when she saw him.
Liu Gouzi rubbed his nose. “Haven’t seen you in a long time, Auntie. Just came to check on you.”
In truth, he was out of money and had come to scam some.
Gao Old Lady was deeply touched by his words. “Our Gouzi is so good to me, unlike those ungrateful wretches who only know how to bully me.”
As she spoke, her tears fell even more heavily.
Liu Gouzi grew angry at this. “Who dares to bully you, Auntie? Tell me, and I’ll teach them a lesson for you.”
“Who else? It’s that woman next door, the one surnamed Hao,” Gao Old Lady said.
“Surnamed Hao…” Liu Gouzi’s words trailed off, and he immediately deflated.
Wasn’t the woman surnamed Hao next door the daughter of the Qin butcher in town? She had several burly brothers. He couldn’t afford to mess with them.
“And Mingcheng’s wife,” Gao Old Lady added.
Liu Gouzi: “…”
This time, Liu Gouzi didn’t even speak.
Gao Mingcheng hit hard, and he really meant it when he fought.
“How did they bully you, Auntie?” Liu Gouzi asked.
Gao Old Lady immediately began to vent indignantly: “That little hussy went into the mountains and somehow found some treasure land. She actually managed to pick wild raspberries—such a rare delicacy! Instead of bringing them to honor her mother-in-law, she gave them all to the neighbors. I wasn’t happy about it and scolded her a few times, but she actually hit me with a broom! She’s utterly lawless and unafraid of being struck by lightning.”
Liu Gouzi didn’t hear the rest of what Gao Old Lady said. His mind was completely occupied with thoughts of the treasure land and the wild raspberries. “She actually managed to pick wild raspberries at this time of year?”
“Indeed.” Gao Old Lady said, “It shouldn’t just be wild raspberries. When I saw her coming, she was carrying a basket on her back – heavy and full. Who knows what she’s hiding in there? I suspect she might have dug up some treasure from that so-called treasure land, like ginseng or something.”
“Ginseng?” Liu Gouzi’s eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this.
“Gouzi…” Gao Old Lady wanted to say more to Liu Gouzi, but he was no longer listening.
“Auntie, I just remembered there’s something urgent I need to attend to. I must be going now.” Having said this, Liu Gouzi hurried away.
Gao Old Lady: “…”
He actually left just like that?
Still, her Gouzi had grown more capable – this time he didn’t even ask her for money.