Everyone in the Zhao Family had clearly heard what Niannian said. They looked at Yang Liu with varying expressions, while Zhao Beichen was the first to withdraw his gaze and look at Niannian, who bore some resemblance to him.
Li Huifang stared at Yang Liu. “What does she mean by that?”
Yang Liu said: “She’s just a child talking nonsense.”
Niannian clung to Yang Liu’s neck and refused to go anywhere. She only wanted to stay with her mother, and there was no way Yang Liu could go to the Zhao Family home.
After they remained at an impasse for several minutes, Yang Liu said: “How about I take her back to stay at the guesthouse first, and we’ll talk again once the results come out?”
Zhao Dongshan said: “That works too. We have to give the child some time to adjust. Suddenly taking her into an unfamiliar environment definitely won’t work.” After saying that, he looked at Li Huifang and said: “Don’t go to the hospital for the next few days. Take some nutritional supplements to the guesthouse, then take them to the department store to buy some things. Buy the child some toys and spend some time getting familiar with her.”
Li Huifang said: “Of course I’ll arrange that. For the next few days, we’ll send meals from home for them to eat.” After saying that, she looked at Yang Liu again and said: “Shall I take you to the guesthouse?”
Yang Liu said: “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”
Li Huifang said: “What trouble? This is all what we should be doing.”
Zhao Beichen said: “Mom, the results aren’t out yet.”
Li Huifang glared at her son. “Shut up.”
Back then, Zhao Dongshan and Li Huifang had also resented Yang Liu because of what had happened. Fortunately, they had spent money to find people to suppress the matter. But now, after seeing this child, their prejudice against Yang Liu was no longer quite so deep.
What kind of place was Yang Family Village that devoured women alive? For a weak woman with no one to rely on to give birth to the child, raise her, and even bring her all the way to the Capital was already quite remarkable.
Over the next few days, Li Huifang came to the guesthouse every day after work to play with Niannian for a while before returning home. Everything Yang Liu and Niannian ate and drank was delivered from the Zhao Family by Auntie Wang. At this time, most people in Yang Family Village still could not even eat their fill, while the Zhao Family’s meals were already quite lavish.
Niannian had milk powder and malted milk three times a day, along with all kinds of stewed soups, white rice, cakes, and pastries. Yang Liu also enjoyed all the good food and drinks alongside Niannian, and the two of them were already beginning to look rosy and well nourished.
The Zhao Family had already kept an extremely low profile, but word still spread throughout the compound, and before long, the news reached the ears of the Song Family.
Song Zhenzhen had once been Zhao Beichen’s officially recognized fiancée. By the time she learned about it, several days had already passed. Song Zhenzhen and Zhao Beichen’s younger sister, Zhao Xingchen, had both been among the first group of examinees after the National College Entrance Examination was reinstated, and both had been admitted to the same university as fresh high school graduates.
University Students from the Classes of 1977 and 1978 would both graduate in 1982. It was only 1980 now, so Song Zhenzhen and Zhao Xingchen were both still attending university.
After Song Zhenzhen finished taking her mother’s phone call, she went to find Zhao Xingchen. After hearing everything, Zhao Xingchen simply could not believe it. She remained stunned for a long while before finally saying: “Impossible. I’m going home right now.”
When Zhao Xingchen returned, no one was home. They had all gone to the guesthouse.
There was no suspense whatsoever when the results came out. Zhao Yinian was indeed Zhao Beichen’s daughter.
Zhao Beichen’s position was that Niannian would be brought home. As for Yang Liu, she would agree to a divorce, and he would give her a sum of money. In fact, it was only three thousand yuan, but at the time, that truly was a large sum of money. Yang Liu agreed.
Zhao Beichen would only give her the three thousand yuan when they divorced. The problem was that getting divorced now was somewhat troublesome. Their marriage certificate had been obtained at Shanhe People’s Commune, thousands of li away, and Zhao Beichen’s military enlistment records listed him as unmarried. How were they supposed to get divorced? Even Zhao Beichen himself did not know.
Zhao Dongshan was indeed a Commander, but even as a Commander, he had never dealt with such a troublesome matter and did not know how it should be handled.
Yang Liu had known that this marriage would not be easy to dissolve. She looked at Zhao Beichen and said: “How about this? Give me one thousand yuan first. You can give me the rest when we get divorced. You can take the child home right now.”
The moment Niannian heard that, she burst into loud sobs again and clutched Yang Liu’s clothes without letting go. “Mommy, don’t throw me away…”
Yang Liu was speechless.
Li Huifang said: “Xiao Wang, how about you and Niannian both come stay at our home? Once she gets used to it, we can send her to Yuhong Preschool Class.”
Zhao Beichen’s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot as he looked at Yang Liu and mocked: “Such a young child already knows how to make things difficult for people. Her good mother must have taught her well. This was your real purpose for bringing the child to me, wasn’t it?” She had known that the child could not bear to leave her, so she could naturally and justifiably move into the Zhao Family home.
Yang Liu was speechless.
Zhao Beichen sneered: “I really underestimated you.”
Yang Liu was so furious that, in her heart, she cursed all eighteen generations of the Zhao Family’s ancestors. This was all the mess left behind by the Original Owner, yet she, a complete stranger, had to bear the consequences. Where was the justice in that?
Yang Liu looked at Li Huifang and said: “There’s no way I’m going to live at your home. If there’s really no other choice, then I’ll just raise her myself! You can give the child some living expenses every month, along with a one-time lump-sum compensation.”
Zhao Beichen snapped angrily: “Your fox tail has finally shown itself? Yang Liu, I refuse to let you have your way. We’re taking the child with us. A child of the Zhao Family hasn’t fallen so low that she needs to live on the streets.” After saying that, he directly picked Niannian up and walked away. “Be good! Daddy will take you to buy delicious food and fun toys.”
The child cried until her voice was nearly hoarse, but Zhao Beichen ignored it and simply carried her away.
Li Huifang followed them while angrily cursing and grumbling. Zhao Dongshan looked at Yang Liu and said: “Ignore that brat. I’ll have someone bring some things over for you in a little while.”
By the time Yang Liu came back to her senses, she could no longer hear the child crying. She picked up a carry bag and handed it to Zhao Dongshan. “Commander Zhao, these are Niannian’s things. Please take them back with you.”
Zhao Dongshan accepted the carry bag, nodded, and left the guesthouse.
Li Huifang caught up with her son and scolded him. “Have you lost your mind? The child is crying like this. Are you afraid the people in the compound won’t find out?”
Zhao Beichen said: “That woman has already made me lose all face. What else is there for me to care about?”
Li Huifang said: “Give me the child. If she keeps crying like this, she’ll make herself sick.”
As soon as Niannian entered Li Huifang’s arms, she stopped crying quite so loudly. Sobbing, she asked: “Where’s Mommy?”
Li Huifang did, after all, have experience raising children. She gently patted Niannian and said: “Let’s go home and play for a while first. Mommy will come later. Our home is lots of fun. Niannian has her own room and her own little bed, and there are lots of toys and delicious things to eat. Oh, right, there are also lots of pretty dresses!”
Niannian asked: “Is Mommy there?”
“…”
As soon as the Zhao Family’s car entered the compound, the older women and aunties began craning their necks to look. The car stopped in front of the Zhao Family residence, and the gazes of the older women and aunties followed it all the way to the Zhao Family’s front door.
“Quick, look! Li Huifang is holding a child.” a sharp-eyed woman said excitedly.
This completely confirmed the rumors from the past few days.
Fourth Zhao really did have a wife and child in the countryside.
As soon as Niannian entered the house, Zhao Xingchen scooped her into her arms and played with her enthusiastically, then brought out all kinds of snacks and fruit for her. Before long, the children from the Eldest Brother’s, Second Brother’s, and Third Sister’s families came home from school. All the children were extremely taken with Niannian. Once there were more children around, Niannian stopped crying and making a fuss.
Her older brothers and sisters practically wished they could give every delicious thing they had to Niannian.
Zhao Beichen could not resist making an irritating remark. “Don’t give her so much candy. Be careful she doesn’t get cavities.”
Niannian pointed at Zhao Beichen and said in a fierce little baby voice: “You’re a big bad guy! I want Mommy~”