Lü Guangyao had long heard that Song Mingrui’s wife was sharp-tongued and unreasonable. Having been a sent-down youth for two years, she had picked up some bad habits from rural old women. But after all, she was Song Mingrui’s wife, so he couldn’t say much.
“Hmph, you ask around? Who did you ask? If you had any sense of responsibility, you should have looked into it yourself. Lü Guangyao, Comrade Lao Lü, how can you still have the mood to drink tea? Hurry up and come with me. Mingrui’s wife is in trouble, big trouble. If I hadn’t overheard it by chance, you’d be waiting for Mingrui to come back and tear your old bones apart!”
Seeing Chen Shumin’s expression, Lü Guangyao quickly put down his teacup and looked at her nervously.
“R-really? Something happened?”
“How could it be fake? I heard that the Song Family members are sweet on the outside but bitter at heart. What they did to Mingrui’s wife and child… Tell me, is this something humans would do?”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so earlier? Let’s go, hurry up, let’s go check on them.”
Chen Shumin looked at him and calmly sat down.
“Now you’re in a hurry? What were you doing earlier? Little Wei has already sorted things out, and the family has been divided. I sneaked a look already—her face is so thin it’s sunken, and the two children are skin and bones.”
Lü Guangyao felt as if struck by lightning. When Song Mingrui left, he had patted his chest and promised. If that stubborn mule found out, he’d surely tear him apart alive.
“Shumin, do you know where Mingrui’s wife and children are now? Let’s buy some things to send over, help them recover and nourish their bodies. Tsk, why are you just sitting there?”
“Wait a few days. I heard Little Wei wants to change houses. That sister-in-law of hers is no easygoing person—giving the house to Little Wei probably has some ulterior motive. If you want to make up for your mistake, help her change to a house closer to her workplace.”
“Alright, I’ll think of a way.”
The next day, Wei Yao was discharged from the hospital. First, she went to the neighborhood office to transfer the house under her name, then went with the Song Family to the Public Security Bureau. Only after paying a fifty-yuan fine did Li Ying come out. The Song Family had already emptied their savings compensating Wei Yao, and now they were completely broke, with nothing left.
This incident frightened him badly. When he saw Wei Yao, he no longer had the domineering attitude from before.
“Mom, where are we going?”
“To the new house. Grandma Liu has already helped us pack our things and put them in the new house. From now on, the three of us will live together. Mom promises to take good care of you and your sister.”
“Mom, I don’t like Grandpa and Grandma. I won’t like them in the future either.”
“If you don’t like them, then you don’t have to. We won’t go to their house.”
Wei Yao took Song Yang and Song Hui to the new house, which was only two streets away from her workplace. She had also taken leave from work, so she could rest at home for another half month.
The new house was a small courtyard with three and a half rooms: two bedrooms, a main hall, and a makeshift shed for the kitchen. The side room had been renovated into a bathroom.
She was very satisfied with the house. Thinking about the extra two hundred yuan she paid when exchanging houses, she felt it was completely worth it.
Most importantly, the deed was registered under Wei Yao—her name alone.
The house wasn't tidied much. She was still injured, and after handling so many things in one day, she was utterly exhausted. After breastfeeding and soothing Song Hui to sleep, she asked Song Yang to watch the child while she went to the kitchen. Soon, she returned with an enamel basin full of dumplings.
"Yangyang, hurry and eat the dumplings. After dinner, let's get some sleep, okay?"
"Wow! Dumplings, Mom! Dumplings! Can I eat ten?"
Wei Yao listened to her son's words, her eyes reddening as she turned her head away. In the Song Family, dumplings were rationed—children got ten, adults got fifteen, and no more. Once, after putting the child to sleep, she overheard while going out to relieve herself that this rule only applied to her and her son. Song Liping could eat as many as she wanted, and hers were always filled with eggs and meat.
"Good boy, today you can eat as much as you want. Mom made plenty."
Song Yang's eyes widened. He picked up his chopsticks and first gave Wei Yao a dumpling. Only after seeing her eat did he start eating himself.
After the meal, mother and son each drank a bowl of dumpling broth before climbing onto the kang to sleep. Before bed, she took both children directly into her space. Since she had half a month off, it was the perfect time to shut the door and live her own life.
When Song Yang woke up, he thought he was dreaming. Blinking his eyes, he finally saw his surroundings clearly and was utterly astonished.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. This is a place an old immortal lent to Mom, so your grandparents can't find us. There's no one else here, just the three of us. You can do whatever you want here. Outside, there are rice paddies and fruit trees, and lots of delicious things. Go take a look."
Song Yang felt like he was dreaming, but this dream was too incredible—everything was here: such a beautiful big house, so much grain and fruit, and many delicious foods he had never seen before. He was endlessly curious about everything.
But with his mother and sister by his side, his fear gradually faded away.
Wei Yao wasn't worried at all. A four-year-old child, even if he said something later, others would just think he was talking in his sleep. After bathing Song Hui and changing her into a dry diaper and a soft cotton outfit, she started preparing food.
The three of them spent nearly half a month in the space, each day filled with joy. If possible, she even wanted to live here with her children forever.
Lü Guangyao and Chen Shumin came by two or three times but never saw anyone, growing increasingly anxious. Only after asking the neighbors did they learn that Wei Yao had hardly left the courtyard.
"Don't tell me something happened, especially since she's still injured!"
"No, no, that can't be. She just moved into such a big house and has two children to care for. How could she do anything rash? Don't scare yourself. Try knocking again."
"Is anyone there? Comrade Wei, are you home?"
Wei Yao had just emerged from the space and moved the two sleeping children to the prepared bed when she heard knocking outside the courtyard. Going out, she saw two complete strangers.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Oh, don'tt be afraid. You're Comrade Wei Yao, right? I'm from the Transport Team, a friend of your husband Song Mingrui. We heard you separated from your in-laws and came to check on you and the children."
"Mingrui's friends? But I've never seen you before, and he never mentioned you. The children and I are fine. Thank you, but I won't see you out."
Seeing her about to close the door, Lü Guangyao immediately extended his arm, but Chen Shumin quickly intervened to stop him.
"Comrade Wei, we really are Mingrui's friends. Look, these things are meant to help you and the child regain your strength. Please take them. We won't come in. We'll visit again when Mingrui returns. My name is Chen Shumin, and I work as a clerk at the Women's Federation. This is my husband, Lü Guangyao, the Office Director at the transportation company. If you face any difficulties before Mingrui comes back, please don't hesitate to reach out to us."
Wei Yao was still trying to refuse, but the two of them set down several bags of items, turned around, and hurried away.