My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 163

After the rain, many people went up the mountain to pick mushrooms, but they went to the outskirts. Even though there were many people, the area was vast, so the harvest was plentiful. The three female comrades were especially joyful. Not only that, but Ming Mei also managed to catch a wild chicken.

The mood was truly excellent.

In contrast, Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan, the two men, had a smaller harvest. The two of them fished all day and only caught three fish, though they were decent-sized. This made them reminisce about the previous year, realizing that such good fortune wouldn't repeat itself.

Regardless, any harvest was a good one.

The whole family was surprised to hear that Zhuang Zhixi had taken the kids out.

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were jumping around excitedly. Hutou said, "We had ice cream! Uncle Zhuang bought one for each of us, and it was so delicious and cold."

Xiao Yanzi added, "We had lunch outside, and I ate two meat buns!" She thought about the delicious buns and couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

Zhuang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "You kids sure took advantage of your Uncle Zhuang."

He looked at Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Next time, don't take them out and spend money like that."

Zhuang Zhixi remained calm and replied, "It's just once in a while; it's nothing. Besides, we all had a great time today, didn't we?"

"Yes!"

Ming Mei asked, "Where are our babies?"

Zhuang Zhixi answered, "They're sleeping. They must be tired."

Their twins, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, usually took afternoon naps and were very regular in their daily routines. However, today they were out and about, and the commotion outside must have kept them awake. The little ones managed to stay awake until they got home, and then they conked out like little piglets. They hadn't woken up yet.

Ming Mei said, "I'll go check on the kids."

She went to the room and saw the two children sprawled out on the Kang, sleeping soundly with beads of sweat on their foreheads. Ming Mei gently waved a fan over them. Zhuang Zhixi came in and said, "I brought you some water. You should wash up."

Ming Mei nodded and said, "Close the door."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Of course, I already did. It's all set."

Ming Mei handed the fan to Zhuang Zhixi and said, "Why did you decide to take them out today? It must have been exhausting to handle the kids alone, right?"

Zhuang Zhixi wiped his face and said, "Extremely exhausting. To be honest, if you guys hadn't come back, I'd be asleep by now. Taking care of kids is way more tiring than a whole day on the mountain."

Ming Mei chuckled softly, and Zhuang Zhixi continued, "You might not believe it, but it's true. Besides being physically tiring, your mind is constantly on high alert, especially when you're out with so many kids."

As he spoke, he watched Ming Mei take off her clothes, revealing her snow-white... He stepped forward and gently nibbled on her ear. Ming Mei pushed him away, saying, "It's too hot; stop it."

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I made an extra twenty bucks today, and our outing cost three fifty."

Ming Mei asked, "Twenty? What did you do?"

Twenty bucks was quite a lot.

Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Thanks to Chen Yuan, the big-hearted man. He let me..."

Ming Mei couldn't comprehend this and scratched her head, saying, "Is that all it took?"

"Yeah."

Ming Mei exclaimed, "This..."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed, "Isn't it unbelievable? But that's just how he is. You have to admit, he has a unique way of doing things."

Ming Mei had to admit she was impressed. Truly, some people have more money than common sense.

However, the more of such people, the better.

After Ming Mei finished her bath, she changed into fresh clothes and sat on the kang edge, drying her hair. Zhuang Zhixi stepped forward and took the towel from her, saying, "Let me help you."

Ming Mei leaned softly against Zhuang Zhixi and sighed, "This Sunday was even more exhausting than going to work."

As it turned out, everyone felt the same.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Come on, let's lie down for a bit."

Ming Mei playfully retorted, "It's neither day nor night; are you sure about this?"

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Why not? Who says you can't rest at this time?"

It was around five in the evening, and resting at this hour wasn't so bad.

Ming Mei, swayed by his logic, nodded, "Alright then."

The two lay down together, and Zhuang Zhixi casually moved their son's sprawled-out little foot aside. Their child slept soundly, so they didn't have to worry much as parents.

It turned out both of them were a bit tired, and before they knew it, they dozed off.

Meanwhile, Liang Meifen was murmuring to Zhuang Zhiyuan, "Why did Brother Zhuang take the kids out for lunch? That’s such a waste of money."

She couldn't stop fretting about it.

Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "It didn't cost you anything."

"I’m just afraid he’ll ask us to pay," Liang Meifen said, knowing their family had just cleared a loan for a job and had no savings. They should have had some left, but the last two years had been good, and Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had grown so much that they had to remake their winter jackets. Buying materials and cotton hadn't been cheap.

Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "He won't ask us for money. I know Brother Zhuang; he's not the type to be calculative over small things. I figure he took the kids out because last time Director Chen gave him ten bucks, and we had two fifty left from the hot pot. He probably didn't want to seem like he was trying to avoid spending our money but also didn't want to seem distant by just giving it back. So, he took everyone out to eat, and the leftover money went to Hutou and Xiao Yanzi's outing. Must be something like that."

If Zhuang Zhixi knew his brother had this idea, he would only say, "You're overthinking it."

But since Zhuang Zhixi didn't know, Zhuang Zhiyuan felt he was right: "That's just the kind of person Zhuang Zhixi is. He won't take advantage of you, and you can't take advantage of him."

Liang Meifen pursed her lips, "That ten bucks should have been ours..."

Zhuang Zhiyuan immediately glared at her, "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean 'should have been ours'? If it weren't for his efforts, how could we have gotten such a good deal? You're always so short-sighted. Let me tell you, you can't act like that. We may be siblings, but you haven't helped him much, so how can you demand..."

Zhuang Zhiyuan launched into a lengthy dissertation, leaving Liang Meifen's head spinning. She quickly said, "I know, I know. I know Brother Zhuang isn't wrong. I was just being petty."

"Yes, you were being petty."

Liang Meifen thought, "I really am..."

Zhuang Zhiyuan continued, "In a family, you can't always be thinking about... blah blah blah..."

By this point, Liang Meifen felt like she was about to faint. She quickly said, "It's getting late. I see Mom and Sister-in-law are exhausted. I'll go make dinner."

She'd rather cook than listen to her husband talk endlessly.

Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "Do you want me to help?"

Liang Meifen said, "No, thanks!"

Definitely not!

Liang Meifen thought her husband was great except for his love of lecturing, which she found exhausting.

However, Liang Meifen soon felt happy again because she now owned a house. Not one given to her, but truly her own. She smiled with pride, knowing her husband was the most successful in the courtyard.

After Chen Yuan moved out, Zhuang Zhixi received the keys from Director Chen the next day.

Zhuang Zhixi didn't hesitate and handed the keys to Liang Meifen directly at the workshop before work ended. Liang Meifen was even more eager and started packing that very night, ready to move. The whole courtyard came out to watch the excitement. Zhang San leaned against the door, laughing, "Well, I'm changing neighbors now."

"We should help each other out from now on," someone responded.

"Sounds good to me."

Liang Meifen thought moving was a good idea. The place hardly needed any cleaning as Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue had tidied up when they moved in, though they hadn't really lived there much. This was a great deal for Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen.

The couple moved the next day. Similarly, Hutou and Xiao Yanzi moved out of the side room and into the room next to Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei, which was Zhuang Zhiyuan's old room. Previously, the side room was too small for anything but bunk beds, so Hutou and Xiao Yanzi had slept in bunk beds.

Now, there was plenty of space in the house, so it was no longer an issue. Old Man Zhuang was skillful, and he built a partition inside the room, placing a single bed on each side. Instead of making a door for the partition, he opted for bamboo curtains, giving the children their own private spaces. This idea came from Zhao Guihua, as Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were growing up, and it was no longer convenient for a boy and a girl to share a bed. This arrangement was much better, and when they got older, they could even install a door if they wanted more privacy.

A wardrobe and a desk were placed outside the partition, shared by both children. The two kids were overjoyed, jumping and leaping with excitement. Their new room was much larger and brighter than the old one, which was a side room with less sunlight. Moving here made them realize how much better this place was. Hutou was particularly thrilled because he used to sleep on the upper bunk, but now he had his own space. He even had a small bedside cabinet where he could store his marbles, and he happily put them all inside.

Xiao Yanzi was equally delighted, storing her precious hair ornaments in her own bedside cabinet, feeling as if everything was her treasure.

With the children now living here, the old side room could be turned into a storage room, giving them more space to stockpile supplies this year, unlike last year when things were tight. They even gained an additional cellar in the backyard.

When Liang Meifen and her family moved, they inherited the cellar that came with the house, which was quite convenient. The Zhuang family's life was steadily improving, and other families were doing well too, as they all belonged to the working class.

If their lives were difficult, wouldn't that make farmers' lives even harder?

As autumn approached and the weather grew colder, everyone became busy preparing for the winter. Every year during this season, people were the most occupied. Without adequate preparations, buying vegetables in the winter would be a hassle. Every household was on the move, setting other matters aside.

Among them, He Lan was the most anxious. Before marriage, her family was well-off, and these tasks were handled by others, so she never had to worry. After marrying, her life was filled with hardships. During winter, grain and winter vegetables were allocated uniformly, and the Fan family would never let her handle these matters, fearing she might hide something. Occasionally, they might grow a little extra in their personal vegetable plot, but buying was never an option. Thus, He Lan genuinely didn't know what to do.

How could she possibly leave everything to Bai Fendou? He was already exhausted from work.

Bai Fendou: "It's fine, I'll take care of it. These are minor tasks, nothing too difficult. Besides, every household has the man handling such things."

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Lan: "But I can't burden you with everything."

After a pause, she said, "Maybe I should ask Aunt Zhao for advice."

Although Aunt Wang managed the courtyard, He Lan felt more comfortable seeking advice from Aunt Zhao, as they both lived in the front yard, making it more convenient.

Bai Fendou: "That's fine too, you decide."

He Lan found Aunt Zhao to be the most reliable. Soon, she gained a lot of insights from Aunt Zhao, who had a strong affinity for others. Despite Aunt Zhou being Wang Zizhen's godmother, Wang Zizhen had initially relied on Aunt Zhao when she first moved into the courtyard.

It felt like she could learn so much from her.

During autumn, everyone was busy, stocking up on winter vegetables, storing coal balls, pickling vegetables, making kimchi, and fermenting pickles. Preparing frenetically for winter made time fly. When the first snow fell, indicating the start of winter, each household had completed their preparations.

Looking at the jars and bottles at home, and her daughter wrapped like a little ball, He Lan felt an indescribable comfort in her life.

She pinched her daughter's cheeks and said, "Qingqing, we no longer have to live in constant fear like before."

At that time, she was most afraid that the Fan family would harm her daughter when she wasn't paying attention. This wasn't an exaggeration on He Lan's part, as she had witnessed their malicious intent. The Fan family didn't favor girls, and even her sister-in-law's daughters had difficult lives.

Especially her own daughter, whom the Fan family viewed as a hindrance to Fan Jianguo's success. They constantly felt that both He Lan and her daughter were burdens.

He Lan rarely thought about the Fan family and her time with them anymore. Initially, when she left, she harbored deep hatred, not because she still had feelings for Fan Jianguo, but because their actions had turned them into genuine enemies.

However, now that her life was stable and improving, she cared less about the Fan family.

Moreover, she knew that the Fan family's life was not going well.

This was enough for her.

Outside, it continued to snow. He Lan picked up her daughter and said, "Shall we go play with Yuanyuan and Yuantuan?"

Little Qingqing immediately waved her hands in excitement.

Although it was too cold to gather in the courtyard, people still met up, usually at Aunt Zhao's place. Chatting in the front yard was the norm, as meeting in the back yard would make it unsafe, with people entering the front yard unnoticed.

Therefore, everyone preferred the front yard, especially since Aunt Wang liked to seek advice from Aunt Zhao, making it the natural choice.

He Lan arrived with her daughter. It was winter, and with Aunt Zhao helping her prepare for the season, she felt closer to her. No one else had arrived yet when she got there. Just as it was quiet, He Lan hesitated and asked, "Aunt Zhao, what happened after the Fan family and Guan Guiling got into that quarrel? How are things now?"

Zhao Guihua was surprised: "Didn't you investigate?"

He Lan shook her head: "No, I was afraid they'd notice. I didn't even go to check."

She was really frightened.

Zhao Guihua knew the follow-up to the incident well. Initially, they hadn't paid much attention, as they were focused on Zhuang Zhiyuan getting a house and preparing for the winter. Busy times meant they didn't have the energy to follow unimportant matters.

When they weren't occupied, they'd occasionally listen to the gossip, but during busy periods, they had no time to inquire. Zhao Guihua came to know about it because her daughter, Ming Mei, worked at the same place as Guan Guiling. Ming Mei occasionally mentioned it when she came home.

Zhao Guihua: "The Fan family paid Guan Guiling three thousand yuan."

"Ah!!!" He Lan was shocked, staring incredulously at Zhao Guihua.

She had expected Guan Guiling to exploit them, but she didn't anticipate such a high amount. Even as a wealthy family's daughter, she was taken aback. When He Lan got married, her father gave her a dowry of two thousand yuan, which was less than this amount.

Three thousand yuan! This was equivalent to the ten-year income of an ordinary first-class worker.

He Lan was amazed: "She really dared to ask for so much."

Zhao Guihua: "Why not? Guan Guiling is anything but simple."

Putting it bluntly, Zhao Guihua believed that if Bai Fendou had truly ended up with Guan Guiling, he would have been completely drained, not even leaving a bone.

He Lan: "But does the Fan family have that much money?"

Zhao Guihua: "Of course, otherwise how could they settle this? They sold a watch, a bicycle, and some other items, totaling three thousand yuan, which they gave to Guan Guiling. Only then did she provide a statement saying it was an accidental fall."

He Lan: "..."

Zhao Guihua: "Actually, the three thousand yuan was only a partial payment. Guan Guiling explained that each person in the Fan family—the two elders and Fan Jianguo—was responsible for a thousand yuan. Whatever amount they paid, she would write that many statements of forgiveness. The Fan family was forced to comply, and the old lady guided the police officers to get the money at home, securing three statements of forgiveness."

He Lan quickly asked: "Why?"

Zhao Guihua: "At first, the Fan family paid 300 yuan for Guan Guiling and her husband's medical fees. Actually, Guan Guiling has a unit, and they can reimburse a lot. Her medical expenses were only a few dozen yuan, the rest were her husband's medical fees. Her husband has been in the hospital for a long time, always in arrears. This time, they paid it all. They had to pay, otherwise, Guan Guiling wouldn't even negotiate. It's said that the Fan family thought that by paying the medical fees, the matter would be settled. So they paid the money, but who knew that after paying, Guan Guiling started to talk about compensation. She demanded a thousand yuan per person. The Fan family is in turmoil, the other children in the Fan family don't agree to pay this money. But their disagreement doesn't matter, the old couple of the Fan family are caught in a bind, they don't want to end up in jail, so they have to pay. Despite their sons and daughters-in-law's resistance, they went back with the police and took the money, and only then were the three released."

He Lan, hearing this, frowned with all five senses and said, "What about Fan Lian? Fan Lian was also arrested, isn't anyone taking care of her?"

Zhao Guihua: "She was released the next day. She didn't hit the pregnant woman, nor was she involved in the fall with the two old folks like Guan Guiling. At most, she was just causing a ruckus, so she was released the next day. When she was released, her parents just happened to go in. Isn't that quite the coincidence?"

He Lan: "..."

Zhao Guihua felt that He Lan's information was really not up-to-date. She said, "Fan Jianguo is also unlucky. Although he got out, his fiancée Cheng Xiaoping didn't return to the military, and she went back and reported all his deeds. The military came over to investigate and it was confirmed. He was forced to retire from the military. The fact that they didn't add any additional punishment was already lenient. The reason the old couple of the Fan family redeemed him was that they thought he would get a decent monthly allowance from the military. They were counting on him to make money, but unexpectedly, he was discharged from the military. This struck the old couple of the Fan family hard; they shouted and screamed demanding Fan Jianguo to compensate them with a thousand yuan. The other brothers of the Fan family hate Fan Jianguo to the bone, three thousand three! Like them working in the fields, they could never earn that in a lifetime. But it was all wasted. The two old folks of the Fan family also thought so; if it weren't for Fan Jianguo causing trouble, they wouldn't have been extorted. Fan Jianguo himself was also holding a grudge; seeing the whole family treating him like an enemy, he fought back fiercely with the Fan family!"

He Lan: "Oh my goodness."

She looked at Zhao Guihua with admiration and said, "You know all these things?"

Zhao Guihua: "The Fan family's affairs were all talked about by Guan Guiling at her unit, so I know a lot."

He Lan was puzzled and said, "Isn't her matter with the Fan family settled? Why is she still so concerned about the Fan family!"

Zhao Guihua: "She needs to prove that the Fan family are not good people. If the Fan family are not good, doesn't her extortion seem more righteous? She keeps an eye on the Fan family, gossiping about their affairs to others, just to prove that she is actually an innocent good person."

He Lan said softly, "They are just dogs biting dogs."

Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "Indeed, they are not good people, just dogs biting dogs, but because they are against each other, Guan Guiling must prove that she is better. The Fan family is now finished."

He Lan curled her lips and said, "It serves them right! Retribution!"

She was about to say something else when she suddenly paused, her expression a bit strange. Zhao Guihua: "What's wrong?"

He Lan hesitated for a moment and said, "It's nothing."

After a pause, she thought of her own situation that the dealer was also aware of; though hesitant, she still said, "I just thought this news was really satisfying, but then I suddenly realized that the money the Fan family compensated to Guan Guiling is actually mine."

Zhao Guihua: "..."

He Lan whispered, "My dowry was two thousand yuan, all taken by my former mother-in-law. I also had a watch, a bicycle, and a radio. If these things were sold, it would be about three thousand."

Thinking of this, she felt she really had suffered a huge loss.

Zhao Guihua: "You silly girl, how could your dowry be taken away, you shouldn't have given it."

He Lan: "..."

She sighed sadly and said, "It wasn't that I wanted to give it, they forcibly took it. Because I refused to hand it over, I got slapped several times by the old shrew of the Fan family."

Zhao Guihua frowned: "This family is too shameless."

He Lan: "I was quite happy before, but thinking about it, the compensation is actually mine, and I'm not so happy anymore."

Zhao Guihua comforted her: "You should still be happy. You have to think about it this way, no matter what, you can't get this money back. So, wouldn't it be better for the money to go to Guan Guiling, whom you don't know, than to the family of your enemies?"

He Lan: "Then I'd rather it be with Guan Guiling."

Zhao Guihua: "That's it. You and Guan Guiling only met once, you don't even know each other, so if this money is destined to be unrecoverable, then it’s better for the Fan family to suffer. And just you wait, this is just the beginning; there will be more trouble for the Fan family. That's three thousand yuan, thirty yuan is enough to make many families fight like cats and dogs, let alone three thousand yuan. The Fan family won't get off easy. Fan Jianguo has already gone back to farming, and with the things he did spreading around, everyone avoids him like the plague. Their whole family won't have a good end. This three thousand yuan is like a bomb in their family. Don't think of this money as going to Guan Guiling, think of it as a bomb that can explode and flip the Fan family upside down at any time; isn't that more satisfying?"

He Lan thought carefully and it really was the case.

Her previously low mood immediately lifted and she said happily, "Aunt Zhao, what you said is really right."

Zhao Guihua: "Thinking this way makes you feel better, doesn't it?"

He Lan nodded.

She smiled and said, "I feel so comfortable chatting with you."

Zhao Guihua: "Then come by often."

"Okay!"

He Lan regained her spirits and sincerely remarked, "You know, do you think the two old folks of the Fan family really pushed Guan Guiling?"

Zhao Guihua: "You said they are very evil, why don't you believe they pushed her?"

He Lan: "Although they are very evil, they also have brains. Otherwise, how could they have pretended to be kind and good-natured to deceive my father for benefits before. How can I believe they would be so foolish as to push Guan Guiling downstairs in public. They aren't insane, they can be arrogant, but harming someone in public, that's a matter of life and death."

Zhao Guihua was silent for a moment and said, "This is unclear, anyway, Guan Guiling has forgiven them now."

He Lan sincerely said, "Guan Guiling is really ruthless."

If it was intentional, it's even more terrifying.

She hasn't seen such a ruthless person before.

She thought for a while and sincerely said, "Actually, I'm quite grateful to Guan Guiling."

Zhao Guihua raised her eyebrows: "Because she dealt with the Fan family?"

He Lan: "Because Guan Guiling didn't choose Bai Fendou back then. If she hadn't broken off the engagement, Bai Fendou wouldn't have met me and wouldn't have had the idea to help me. If he hadn't helped me, I might not know whether I'm alive or dead now. I was alone with a child, with a bad background, the child was premature and frail, I had no money and no place to live, I really don't know what would have happened. It was precisely because she broke off the engagement that all this happened. And it's also because I got together with Bai Fendou that he would help me take revenge, and with everyone's help, trap Fan Jianguo inside. Only then did the Fan family get their current ending. If it were just me alone, I might not even have been able to manage my own life, let alone take revenge. So everything started because Bai Fendou was single, and of course, I have to be grateful to Guan Guiling. Thinking of it this way, even if my money went through a few bends and ended up with Guan Guiling, it's actually a gain for me."

Zhao Guihua: "You are quite good at comforting yourself."

He Lan smiled: "I really think so."

She looked at her daughter, who was happily crawling on the kang, and said, "I think the life now is really good."

Zhao Guihua: "Living well is the best. The life is your own."

He Lan: "I know."

As the two were talking, they heard hurried footsteps outside. Aunt Wang hadn't even entered the room yet when she called out, "Guihua, hurry, hurry. Something good is happening."

With a flip of the curtain, she saw He Lan was also there and quickly came in, speaking mysteriously, "Someone from the next alley is selling eggs, the price is the same as the grocery store, but the size is much bigger, and you don't need coupons. You'd better hurry."

Zhao Guihua jumped up instantly upon hearing it.

Eggs were a hot commodity.

She said, "I have to hurry and buy some."

Although everyone knew this was speculation and profiteering, it had nothing to do with them as buyers; if caught, at most their goods would be confiscated. So Zhao Guihua was quick, and even He Lan was anxious.

In the winter, hens didn't lay eggs frequently, and their family was short on eggs. Even if they weren't short, whenever they encountered a chance like this, they had to buy. After this village, there would be no more eggs in this shop.

"Oh no, what about the kids..."

Aunt Wang: "Leave them to my house, Li Fang will take care of them."

"Okay."

The few of them hurriedly packed up, immediately attracting the attention of Aunt Zhou, who quickly came out with a child in her arms, asking, "What's going on? What's the matter?"

Aunt Wang whispered something in her ear, and she became anxious, saying, "We have to hurry."

Without another word, she also sent the child to Aunt Wang's house, and Li Fang was left to take care of five little ones. Li Fang looked up silently at the sky, while the children were quite happy. Although they were still too young to understand, they were used to playing together and quickly gathered to play.

Recently, the children had learned to crawl, and it was quite lively with several of them together.

Li Fang watched the children, while the others hurried out. Arriving at the next courtyard, Aunt Zhou called out, "Xiaozhen, Xiaozhen."

Her loud voice brought Wang Zizhen out. Although she was heavily pregnant, she was a country girl who had worked since childhood and moved briskly without hesitation. She came out and asked, "What's going on?"

Aunt Zhou: "Come out for a bit."

Wang Zizhen went out and quickly joined the others' pace. Aunt Zhou said, "Buying eggs."

Wang Zizhen's eyes lit up.

She quickly said, "I didn't bring money. I'll go back and get it..."

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

Zhao Guihua: "I have some here. You can borrow from me first, just pay me later. Let's go first."

Wang Zizhen: "Okay."

Although the neighbors in their courtyard were puzzled by how Wang Zizhen, who seemed like a good young wife, could get along with Aunt Zhou and Zhao Guihua from the next courtyard, who were known to be difficult, she firmly believed they were all very good people.

Look, wasn't this proof?

They quickly arrived at the next alley, where three or four people were already selecting eggs. Zhao Guihua saw that the seller was indeed bold. He had a donkey cart with seven or eight large baskets, and it seemed they were all filled with eggs.

Zhao Guihua, having been reborn, didn't feel it was too exaggerated, but others were dumbfounded. It was the first time they had seen such a grand scale, having previously only seen someone carrying a basket to sell eggs.

Zhao Guihua: "What are you standing there for? Hurry up! This is first come, first served."

"Right!"

Zhao Guihua was not polite and quickly joined in.

It was cold in winter, so the eggs wouldn't go bad. She planned to buy more. Aunt Zhou asked, "How many are you buying?"

Zhao Guihua: "Three hundred."

"Wow!"

"Oh my god, are you crazy?"

"Aren't you too exaggerated? Are you a weasel? Why do you need so many eggs?"

Zhao Guihua didn't explain, saying, "There are many people in my family; we can finish them."

With that one sentence, she quickly started selecting.

Aunt Zhou glanced at Zhao Guihua, thinking this woman was shrewd. She had always been good at managing life, so she was smart to buy in bulk, definitely seeing a profit. Thinking of this, she said, "I'll take two hundred!"

"Wow!"

Aunt Wang was stunned, thinking that Aunt Zhou must have had her brain pinched by a door. She had just called Zhao Guihua a weasel and now was buying as many? It seemed they were all talk but actually planned to buy in bulk.

She said, "What... what are you doing?"

Aunt Zhou: "Our family isn't like yours. You have a cook at home; we can only have scrambled eggs as a good dish."

"No way, I have to buy more too. If you all buy so much and I don't, I'll feel uneasy." Aunt Wang decisively spoke up.

He Lan: Shocked.

Wang Zizhen: Also shocked.

The two young wives weren't as bold as the old ladies. But just like Aunt Zhou, He Lan thought following Zhao Guihua was a sure win. She gritted her teeth and said, "Then I'll buy more too."

Wang Zizhen looked left and right, thought of her own situation, and became determined.

They made two trips back and forth, and Zhao Guihua ended up buying four hundred eggs. She quietly added another hundred. Because Zhao Guihua bought in such bulk, the middle-aged seller opened several baskets for her to select from, and the others benefited as well. In fact, they didn't know that when buying dozens of eggs, the seller allowed such selection. If others only bought ten or twenty, that wasn't the case.

He wouldn't let anyone else have such a privilege.

But they all bought in bulk, so they were able to buy and select.

Among them, apart from Zhao Guihua's large purchase, Aunt Zhou bought two hundred, Wang Zizhen also bought two hundred, He Lan bought one fifty, and Aunt Wang bought the least, just one hundred.

After they finished buying and returned home, Aunt Wang asked, "Guihua, why did you buy so many?"

Zhao Guihua: "Now that the kids are bigger, my family's Tuan and Yuan each need one egg a day. I can't be unfair, so Hutou and Xiao Yanzi share one. That's three a day and ninety a month. All the adults in my family work, especially my old man. Don't they need some supplements? Even though I've bought four hundred, it won't last three months. Since it's cold, they won't spoil. I won't lose out. Having scrambled eggs at the New Year's feast is always a delicacy. Plus, the price is the same as the grocery store, but since I bought in bulk, I could choose. Look at the size, it's obviously much bigger. Our monthly quota is so limited, we always need to buy extra. It's better to buy here than to be on edge at the black market. Don't you remember the black market clampdown near the New Year last year?"

"You're right about that."

"Indeed."

"These eggs are definitely not comparable to those at the grocery store."

"I heard my daughter-in-law say that the grocery store staff buy the good ones for themselves first, only the leftovers are sold outside."

"Ah, what can we do? They have the connections."

"That's true."

Zhao Guihua: "Also, look at how this person can sell so many eggs at once. It shows he has his own connections. Since he sold well here, he will definitely come back. There must be more chickens and perhaps large-scale poultry. By the end of the year, we might even be able to buy chickens. We'll have multiple channels for buying things."

There are always bold people around. During these years, those who made big money still relied on speculation and profiteering. However, the risks involved were also high. If the donkey cart with eggs today were caught, the seller could be jailed for three to five years.

That's why, even though Zhao Guihua had been reborn, she didn't engage in such buying and selling.

She didn't want to risk her luck. All her children were workers, and her imprisonment would greatly affect them.

"As long as someone sells things, we'll buy. Don't inquire too much about their affairs."

"You're right."

Wang Zizhen had already taken the eggs home and came back to return the money to Zhao Guihua, her eyes full of joy: "My postpartum eggs are now secured."

In fact, his family's monthly ration, along with the eggs from their own chickens, was certainly enough to eat. However, Wang Zizhen also had to prepare for her postpartum period. Although they could save a bit from their monthly ration, she wasn't willing to do so.

This wasn't because she was greedy, but because she couldn't bear to see her husband, Daqiang, suffer.

If Daqiang were an ordinary worker, Wang Zizhen wouldn't have such concerns. But the problem was, Daqiang was a loader, a job that required a lot of strength. If nutrition wasn't adequate, one would start to run down. Even though he already had the highest grain ration in Beijing, the factory also provided additional subsidies because such physically demanding work couldn't afford to be taxing on one's body. Working while neglecting one's health would result in a physical collapse within a few years.

That's why Wang Zizhen never skimped on food. Fortunately, Daqiang earned well, and Wang Zizhen herself could also provide some financial support, managing the household wisely. Thus, their life was steadily improving. The money from selling eggs was something she was willing to part with.

Aunt Zhou: "Indeed, the eggs we bought are much larger. Buying more now won't go bad by winter, so it's not a loss."

Zhao Guihua: "That's right. If we didn't buy more, would he let us choose like this? Even if we didn't choose, the size would still be larger than those at the food store. But since we can choose even bigger ones, why not? After all, it's sold by size."

"That makes sense."

Zhao Guihua bought the eggs with great satisfaction, saying, "We'll have scrambled eggs at home tonight."

"Look at you, showing off."

Zhao Guihua: "I’m just happy, what's wrong with that?"

Her mood was indeed great!

Zhao Guihua was in a great mood, and so was Ming Mei. They had received labor protection supplies today. Almost every unit distributes some labor protection items, but each unit is different. Units with better conditions often include some extra perks, considered a form of employee welfare.

Ming Mei's unit was one such place.

Ming Mei lined up to collect hers from the logistics department. As luck would have it, both the person in front of her and behind her were troublemakers. The one in front was Guan Guiling, and the one behind was Jiang Baohong. Just look, she, an innocent little bunny, was caught between two troublesome individuals.

However, at this moment, neither of them paid much attention to Ming Mei. Was she important?

Not at all.

Jiang Baohong's gaze was fixed on Guan Guiling with intense hatred. Guan Guiling sensed Jiang Baohong's glare and, considering Jiang Baohong's recent harassment, felt even more displeased. Unlike Jiang Baohong, who wore her feelings on her sleeve, Guan Guiling showed no expression.

In their unit, Jiang Baohong had once hated Ming Mei the most. She believed that if it weren't for her initial encounter with Ming Mei, none of the subsequent events would have happened. Regardless of whether Ming Mei was innocent or not, Jiang Baohong felt Ming Mei was at fault.

But now, Jiang Baohong's greatest hatred was directed at Guan Guiling, with Ming Mei taking a backseat. Ever since her divorce and her ex-husband left Beijing, her life had taken a downturn. She not only lost respect but also saw her income shrink.

Yet, she never expected that Guan Guiling would cost her a bicycle.

She was detained and, upon release, went to retrieve her bicycle, only to find no trace of it—not even a single scratch. She reported it to the police, but even after several days, there were no leads.

You see, when her ex-husband left, he took all the family's savings, leaving her with none. Although she had a job and a monthly salary, living was manageable, but saving was out of the question.

She had two children—her eldest son was already married and frequently siphoned money from her, while her younger son lived with his grandparents and also frequently came to ask for money. So, the fact that Jiang Baohong could lend twenty yuan to Guan Guiling was already a tight squeeze from her meager savings.

But to her astonishment, not only did she receive no repayment, but Guan Guiling also played her for a fool.

Her bicycle was lost because of Guan Guiling, and she even suspected that Guan Guiling had secretly sold it—but there was no evidence. Her most valuable possession, the bicycle, was gone. Jiang Baohong truly loathed Guan Guiling.

Buying another bicycle? Not only did she lack the ticket, but she also lacked the money.

Hence, she relentlessly demanded compensation from Guan Guiling. However, Guan Guiling not only refused to compensate but also denied ever borrowing the bike. Since no one had witnessed the loan, everyone believed Guan Guiling over Jiang Baohong.

Jiang Baohong's gaze was fixed on Guan Guiling with a venomous intensity. If looks could kill, Guan Guiling would have been dead a thousand times over.

Guan Guiling clearly had money but refused to compensate. The Fan family had once come to their unit to make a scene, so everyone knew that Guan Guiling had received three thousand yuan in compensation, actually three thousand three hundred. With so much money in hand, she still refused to compensate. Jiang Baohong was so furious she wanted to kill Guan Guiling.

She stared fiercely at Guan Guiling, then suddenly, with a vicious tone, she demanded, "Guan Guiling, when are you going to return my bicycle?"

The bicycle matter was a recurring topic.

At the bus station, opinions were split—some believed Guan Guiling, thinking Jiang Baohong was just causing trouble without reason, as Jiang Baohong’s reputation in their unit was already poor. Others believed Jiang Baohong, reasoning that despite her flaws, she wouldn’t unjustly target Guan Guiling, especially since they had no prior animosity. Furthermore, Guan Guiling had previously exhibited intentions to scheme against others, indicating she wasn’t exactly a saint herself.

Hearing Jiang Baohong’s voice, Guan Guiling felt even more annoyed. Still, she turned around coldly and said, "Jiang Baohong, do you ever plan to finish this? You keep insisting I took your bicycle—what evidence do you have? Without any proof, you just keep harping on it! Don’t you think you’re going too far? I know I’m not strong and easy to bully, but you can’t see that I suffered and got compensation and try to extort money from me, can you? My compensation is the result of my suffering—I was hospitalized for so long and I’m still not fully recovered, do you think I had it easy? Even this money you’re envious of? Who knows, maybe you sold the bicycle yourself and are now trying to frame me."

"You, you scoundrel! How dare you say that—it’s all your fault!"

Furious, she rushed forward and slapped Guan Guiling across the face—the sound was crisp.

Guan Guiling didn’t retaliate but collapsed to the ground...

"What the hell!"

"What are we going to do now?"

The people in the line were caught off guard. Like Ming Mei, who had wisely stepped out of the queue at the first sign of the argument and stood to the side. Indeed, this caution wasn’t unfounded. Back when Guan Guiling was hospitalized, Ming Mei and Sister Chen had gone together. At that time, it was made clear that Guan Guiling would need to rest for at least half a year. Yet, she returned to work after less than three months.

Ming Mei felt that Guan Guiling truly didn’t value her own body and was recklessly endangering herself.

It was often said that someone had money but didn’t value their life, and she hadn’t truly seen such a case until now. Guan Guiling was living proof. Soon after giving birth, she went back to work, even washing vegetables with cold water daily.

Now, even after a miscarriage and injury, the doctor had advised her to rest and recover for half a year, but she returned to work after just two and a half months, fearful of missing out on wages. Ming Mei was truly impressed.

When injured and hospitalized, the unit typically pays half the salary to care for the employee, which is quite considerate. Guan Guiling’s salary was thirty-two yuan, meaning she missed out on sixteen yuan per month by not working.

While it seemed like a lot, considering she had received significant compensation, anyone else in her position would have surely taken the opportunity to rest at home for half a year. But Guan Guiling refused and effectively only rested for two months.

In reality, it was two and a half months, and the remaining half month, she cried and pleaded until the leadership finally relented, deciding not to penalize her for missing time due to her condition.

Ming Mei also found this person quite something else.

Guan Guiling clearly didn’t value her own body, but her fragile health was common knowledge. Even so, Jiang Baohong dared to lay a hand on her, leading everyone to think she was a tough one. Ming Mei stayed far away, and seeing Jiang Baohong make a move, the others quickly scattered as well.

Everyone was afraid of being implicated by a ploy from Guan Guiling if they lingered even a moment.

Guan Guiling had really outdone herself this time, demanding an outrageous amount of money.

After getting slapped, Guan Guiling covered her face, slumping to the ground, unable to get up for a long time. Jiang Baohong was scared, but still tried to put up a tough front, yelling, "Guan Guiling, stop pretending! Everyone knows you're the best at acting. You've already extorted 3,000 yuan from that family before, what, now you want to extort from me too?" She put her hands on her hips, "I'm not the Fan family, I'm not easy to bully."

Guan Guiling's eyes turned slightly red, and she said, "Why... why are you treating me like this? You..." She looked at Jiang Baohong, as if she couldn't catch her breath, and then her eyes rolled back as she fainted.

"Wow!"

Everyone was even more bewildered now.

Someone shouted, "Jiang Baohong, quickly check if she's fainted! If she has, take her to the hospital right away, you were the one who slapped her."

"Exactly!"

"Jiang Baohong, you knew she wasn't in good health and you still hit her."

Jiang Baohong's face turned red with anger, "Guan Guiling, stop pretending! Everyone knows you're the best at acting, better than even the theatrical troupe. How can there be such a despicable woman? I was truly blind before to have thought you were an okay person. I didn't expect you to be such a cunning and treacherous person. You're shameless..."

"Stop scolding her and hurry up to take her to the hospital," said the logistics director as he came over and found that Guan Guiling was really unconscious. He quickly called for help and turned to Jiang Baohong, reprimanding, "Hurry up and follow!"

Jiang Baohong: "Huh?"

She was trembling with anger but had no choice but to follow, though tears were already welling up in her eyes. How unlucky could she be to encounter someone like Guan Guiling!

After watching the commotion, Ming Mei patted her chest and said, "Scared me to death. I was afraid of being extorted. I'm afraid of dealing with them now."

Everyone had heard about Jiang Baohong and Guan Guiling's attempt to extort Ming Mei together. Though Ming Mei herself didn't talk much about it, Sister Chen couldn't keep quiet. After all, it was clear that Jiang Baohong and Guan Guiling wanted to plot against Ming Mei. But at the beginning, Guan Guiling also wanted to extort others, so it was necessary to make everyone aware of her true nature, to avoid being duped later.

Thus, the reputation of these two individuals was well-known in the community.

People sympathetically patted her shoulders, saying, "You're also unlucky."

Ming Mei: "They really have a problem."

"Who says otherwise? I think Jiang Baohong is the one who's really sick. Does she think she's still the leader's wife? She still dares to raise her hand. Doesn't she see that Guan Guiling isn't someone you can just hit? Just you wait, this time Guan Guiling will demand a lot again."

"Jiang Baohong is asking for it herself."

When Ming Mei heard this, she nodded in agreement: "Jiang Baohong really deserves it, and she has some really strange thoughts, not like a normal person."

Even when she got into trouble before, it had nothing to do with Ming Mei, but Jiang Baohong still thought it was her fault and wanted to scheme against her, which Ming Mei absolutely detested about someone who was so confused.

Of course, Guan Guiling wasn't any better.

"While you all think Jiang Baohong isn't a good person, I find Guan Guiling terrifying. I'm afraid of her now. She faints at the slightest movement, and it seems like you have to pay up every time. I have a family to take care of, so I dare not get involved. From now on, I'll have to go around her to avoid unintentionally getting caught in her web."

"I've already started avoiding her."

"You're right, I'm also afraid of Guan Guiling. Before she had her miscarriage, she approached me. Now I'm not even sure if she was trying to scheme against me..."

"Who can say, maybe she was."

"Exactly."

Although Guan Guiling had managed to extort money from others, her reputation at the bus station was now worse than ever. No matter what she was thinking, everyone believed she was trying to extort them. After all, that's what she had done in the past.

Also, for a period of time, she had been aggressively seeking opportunities for one-on-one encounters with people who were well-off, which had made everyone cautious.

Innocent?

In this situation, no one was innocent.