Cheng Anju pressed his lips tightly together, gripping the dry tobacco pipe in his hand.
On one hand, he was wary of that person’s identity. On the other, he was worried about his own safety.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Cheng Anju, waiting to see whether he would continue to insist.
Liu Yufen anxiously plopped herself onto the ground and began slapping her thighs as she wailed.
“Cheng Anju, if you dare get me or my eldest grandson hurt, I’ll die right here and now!”
Cheng Anju: …
He had only been a little slower to speak. What was with all this talk of dying?
Cheng Anju looked at Li Wanqing with a cold expression.
“Third daughter-in-law, are you sure about this? You won’t regret it?”
Li Wanqing nodded.
“I’ve thought it through. I won’t regret it!”
She only hoped that once they found out Cheng Baichuan wasn’t dead, they wouldn’t be the ones regretting their decision.
Since no one in the Cheng family had any objections anymore, Zhang Jianguo, who had been waiting impatiently, readily wrote up the severance agreement.
Three copies were made—one for Li Wanqing, one for the Cheng family, and one for the brigade headquarters.
“Captain, I’ll have to trouble you to publish this severance declaration in the newspaper as well.”
Li Wanqing added this after putting away the agreement.
Cheng Anju frowned.
“Why put it in the newspaper? It’s not exactly something to be proud of.”
Wasn’t it embarrassing enough to disgrace themselves in Renxing Brigade? Now they wanted to put it in the newspaper too!
Li Wanqing ignored him and simply looked at Zhang Jianguo.
She could handle this herself, but she needed to get to the military region as quickly as possible and probably wouldn’t have the time.
Zhang Jianguo thought about it briefly and understood what Li Wanqing was thinking.
The Cheng family must have hurt her deeply.
“All right! Leave it to me!”
Li Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief.
Cheng Baichuan wasn’t dead, so sooner or later, the Cheng family would come looking for her again.
With the severance agreement officially published in the newspaper, no matter how much trouble the Cheng family caused, it wouldn’t affect Cheng Baichuan.
Of course, if Cheng Baichuan still wanted to acknowledge the Cheng family, she wouldn’t stop him.
It would simply mean that their marriage would come to an end, and she could still raise Nuo Nuo and live a good life on her own.
“Then please save a copy of the newspaper for me.”
Zhang Jianguo agreed.
“However, it won’t be safe for you to travel alone with a child. It would be best if someone could accompany you.”
He would have liked to make the trip himself, but there was too much work at the brigade headquarters, and he couldn’t get away.
Ideally, the eldest son of the Cheng family would go with her, but after things had reached this point between them, that was obviously impossible.
Li Wanqing was actually feeling uneasy too.
Traveling at this time was nothing like the convenient transportation she had been used to in her previous life.
Renxing Brigade was in Hunan Province, while Cheng Baichuan was stationed in the Southwest Military Region. She would have to transfer at least twice.
First, she would take a long-distance bus from the county town to the provincial capital. Then she would take a green-skinned train from the provincial capital to Sichuan Province, where Cheng Baichuan was stationed.
After getting off the train, she would still have to transfer to another bus to reach the military region.
Including the travel time and transfers, the entire journey would take at least two days and one night.
……
For Li Wanqing, who considered anything more than a thirty-minute commute to be far away, this was undoubtedly a huge challenge.
She gritted her teeth.
“Captain, it’s fine. I can manage.”
Zhang Jianguo thought through everyone he could ask but couldn’t find a suitable candidate.
In the end, he could only return to the brigade headquarters first to prepare the necessary travel documents for Li Wanqing and her daughter.
Li Wanqing didn’t leave immediately.
Instead, she handed Nuo Nuo to Wang Guiying, who had been watching the commotion.
“Auntie Wang, could you watch the child for me?”
Before Wang Guiying’s mind had even caught up with what was happening, her hands had already instinctively taken the child.
……
Li Wanqing walked over to Zhao Chunhua and directly pulled Cheng Kai out.
“Li Wanqing! What are you doing?” Zhao Chunhua shouted.
She was about to rush forward to rescue her son when Li Wanqing shot her a cold look.
“Comrade Zhao, you’d better not scream. If you frighten me, I’m afraid my hand might slip and your son could get hurt.”
Zhao Chunhua: …
Liu Yufen didn’t believe her at all.
She charged forward and swung her hand at Li Wanqing.
Li Wanqing immediately shoved Cheng Kai in front of her.
Liu Yufen couldn’t stop herself in time, and her slap landed squarely on his face.
Cheng Kai’s face immediately swelled up, with a trace of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth.
It was obvious that the old woman hadn’t held back at all!
Cheng Kai let out a deafening wail, and the entire Cheng family panicked.
What if the boy had been seriously injured?
“My precious grandson! Grandma didn’t mean to hit you!”
“My son! Let Mom take a look!”
Zhao Chunhua was heartbroken, but Li Wanqing dragged Cheng Kai back a step.
“We’re not finished yet. Don’t rush!”
Zhao Chunhua’s eyes reddened with anger.
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Li Wanqing smiled.
“Don’t worry. I’m not as heartless as Auntie Liu. I’m only going to teach him what it means to show some love and respect toward younger children!”
“You!!!”
Zhao Chunhua was so furious that she couldn’t get the words out.
She turned around and pointed accusingly at Cheng Zhenxing.
“That’s your son! Aren’t you going to do something?”
Cheng Zhenxing had been worried at first too, but Li Wanqing had already said she wouldn’t hurt his son.
He couldn’t possibly get into a fight with a woman over something like this, could he?
Zhao Chunhua: …
Li Wanqing dragged the sobbing Cheng Kai over to Nuo Nuo.
“Kaikai, if you keep crying, Auntie guarantees you’ll be crying even harder in a moment.”
Her voice was unbelievably gentle, but Cheng Kai was so frightened that he immediately stopped crying.
Li Wanqing smiled in satisfaction.
“You just bullied Nuo Nuo. You should apologize to her.”
Cheng Kai was unwilling in his heart, but he also felt that he couldn’t afford to provoke his little auntie in her current state.
He could only tremblingly apologize to Nuo Nuo.
“That’s better!”
Li Wanqing released him, and Cheng Kai immediately ran away.
The Cheng family hurriedly surrounded him, fussing over him and comforting him.
Li Wanqing thanked Wang Guiying, picked up her daughter, and left.
She had no intention of helping the Cheng family raise their child.
A little scare to blow off some steam was enough.
After all, she was short on time and still had to hurry back to pack.
Traveling a long distance with a child was no easy task!
Thinking about this, Li Wanqing couldn’t help feeling a little depressed.
Other people who transmigrated or were reborn usually had either a spatial ability or a system.
She had nothing except the ability to hear her daughter’s thoughts and a pair of hands.
But with a daughter as adorable and well-behaved as Nuo Nuo, Li Wanqing thought…
What more could she ask for?
When she arrived at the Educated Youth Station, Li Wanqing didn’t see He Mei.
She didn’t even see Zhou Weifeng.
She asked around, but no one knew where they were, so Li Wanqing could only start packing first.
Of the high school study materials she had bought earlier, Li Wanqing only took one set of the *Self-Study Series for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry* with her.
She left all the rest for the educated youths at the station.
As for the remaining food, Li Wanqing made several large flatbreads and simmered the meat into a thick meat sauce.
Once she got on the train, she could make do with whatever meals she could.
Anything she couldn’t take with her was left at the Educated Youth Station, so they could keep an eye on the Cheng family’s situation for her.
She only packed a few changes of clothes.
Nuo Nuo’s milk powder absolutely had to come along, as did her ointment.
She would also stop by the health clinic later to get some basic medicines, just in case.
She had just gotten ready to leave when He Mei and Zhou Weifeng returned.
“Where did you go? I’m about to leave for Sichuan Province, so I’m leaving these things with you.”
Li Wanqing quickly rattled off everything that needed to be done.
But then she noticed that He Mei had pursed her lips and looked like she was about to cry.
“Wanqing, the captain won’t let Zhou Weifeng and me accompany you to Sichuan Province.”
Li Wanqing: …
They were educated youths. They hadn’t reached the time when they were allowed to visit their families.
How could the brigade possibly let them leave?