My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 190

Three days passed by quickly, and Zhao Guihua soon received the goods.

Zheng Huifang had already gotten a temporary residence permit and moved into the factory's dormitory. The collective dormitory wasn't great, but it was better than what she had at home. Her spirits were high with motivation. Zhao Guihua and the others didn't stay long; they picked up the goods and prepared to leave. Zheng Huifang went to the station to see them off.

Although the clothes were lightweight and didn't take up much space, together they amounted to over thirty thousand yuan's worth of goods. It was quite a lot. Zheng Huifang helped carry everything to the car and then hurried off the train. As soon as she stepped off, the train released a steam whistle, signaling its impending departure.

She gasped for breath, waving frantically at the window.

"Safe journey."

Zhao Guihua, looking at the young girl, also offered some advice: "You too, take care in everything you do. I know you're a smart girl, but be careful, being alone."

Zheng Huifang nodded firmly: "I know."

She was deeply grateful to Aunt Zhao. If she hadn't run into Aunt Zhao, she would have encountered trouble on the train. Even if she had managed to escape the human traffickers and reach Guangzhou, honestly, she didn't dare to imagine how she would have managed on her own, likely flailing aimlessly.

It was because of Aunt Zhao and the others that she had a place to stay right away and found a job smoothly, giving her a place to settle down.

Zheng Huifang waved vigorously: "Have a smooth journey~"

As the train started moving, Zheng Huifang followed it, running a few steps, her eyes welling up with tears.

Despite her brave departure from home, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl. Seeing Aunt Zhao and the others leave, she ran faster until they were completely out of sight, then stood there, rubbing her eyes.

Zhao Guihua, no longer able to see her, said: "Zheng Huifang was crying her eyes out."

Aunt Zhou: "She really doesn't take after her mom."

Aunt Wang: "Not like her sister either."

Wang Zizhen: "I hope she stays okay."

It ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍was by leaving home that she gained a new life, and she hoped the younger sister, Zheng Huifang, would be just as lucky.

Although they had only spent a few days together, the parting left a bit of melancholy. Meanwhile, Zheng Huifang wiped away her tears and walked back, suddenly freezing in place. Hesitating for a moment, she slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a paper roll.

Bending down to look, it was money.

Zheng Huifang was taken aback. Then she recalled, when they parted earlier, Aunt Zhao had hugged her, patted her back, and said her goodbyes. Without needing to guess, she knew immediately that Aunt Zhao must have slipped the money into her pocket without her noticing. She found a secluded corner, counted the money, and to her disbelief, there were ten bills.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. After a long while, her tears flowed even more profusely, impossible to wipe away. Although her parents didn't care for her, and she had met bad people along the way, she realized again that there were also many good people.

The kind-hearted Guan Hong had lent her one hundred yuan.

The stranger Aunt Zhao had secretly slipped her one hundred yuan.

Not to mention, during these few days, the several aunts had firmly refused to let her spend any money, saving her the costs of accommodation and meals. Zheng Huifang thought of this and felt even more upset, finally crouched down, hugging her knees and sobbing.

She didn't know why she was crying, but she just felt the urge to cry.

Clutching the money, she felt a pang in her heart.

Her sobs became nearly uncontrollable. Gasping for breath, she fumbled for a handkerchief. This was a parting gift from Wang Zizhen before she left. She didn't even know when Wang Sister had bought it. Pulling it out, she intended to wipe her runny nose, only to be stunned once more.

Inside the handkerchief was twenty yuan.

Zheng Huifang knew that Wang Zizhen's family had only one breadwinner and three children, their conditions not as good as others. She had also mentioned being the one with the least capital for this trip. Yet...

She couldn't hold back her loud sobs!

Her crying drew the attention of station staff, who came over to ask: "Little girl, are you alright?"

Zheng Huifang, tears and snot streaming down her face, still shook her head and said: "I'm fine. My... my family left, and I feel so sad..."

Station staff were used to seeing tearful goodbyes and comforted her: "Don't cry. If your family sees this, they'll feel sorry too. Besides, crying hurts your body. Be strong, and that's what counts."

Zheng Huifang nodded tearfully: "I understand."

Wiping her tears, she left, taking the bus back. She must work hard, she thought, and not let down those who cared about her.

What was happening to Zheng Huifang wasn't known to those on the train, but Zhao Guihua wasn't overly worried. She had slipped some money to the girl, enough to give her a bit of confidence. For a girl, the most frightening thing is to have no money; one yuan can pose a challenge, let alone a girl.

With some money in hand, as long as Zheng Huifang manages to become a regular employee, she'll be able to live well.

Though naive, there was an air of cleverness about the girl.

It seemed that all the intelligence in the Zheng family resided in Zheng Huifang. Zhao Guihua had seen Zheng Huifang's eldest brother years ago. He had come to the compound to look for Bai Fendou. Just looking at him, you could tell he was a selfish, ungrateful wretch.

As for Zheng Huimin, she was a classic example of someone easily swayed by love.

Zhao Guihua hadn't met the youngest son, but considering how Guan Guiling doted on him, it was unlikely he'd be any good either. Reflecting on the Zheng family, she genuinely believed that Zheng Huifang was the only one among them smart and uncorrupted.

The train rumbled on. Zhao Guihua spoke up: "With this trip over, we'll have to start selling the goods when we get back. What are your thoughts?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Zhao Guihua.

Aunt Zhou: "Isn't it just a matter of setting up a stall?"

Zhao Guihua: "..."

That's truly a clueless person.

She explained: "Of course not. For example, when selling socks, you can run a promotion—buy ten, get one free. This encourages customers to buy more. Someone might initially plan to buy two, but once they hear about the deal, they might buy more."

"But there's no way someone would buy ten pairs right away."

Zhao Guihua patiently explained: "They can group together to buy them. You can let them find friends to split the purchase. Some might initially be hesitant but will buy because of the deal. After all, the items won't go bad. When they see a good deal, they'll stockpile."

"Ah, that makes sense."

Zhao Guihua continued guiding: "Helan, since you have a tricycle, you can take the less popular designs to rural areas. Older folks might not be fussy about patterns; they mainly look at the price. As a grandma myself, I know that seeing a bargain makes you want to stockpile!"

"That's right, that's right."

Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang agreed. If a granny doesn't stockpile, is she even really a granny?

Not to mention others; they themselves couldn't resist buying when they saw a good deal. Aunt Zhou's eyes sparkled as she asked: "Do you think I can sell in the countryside too?"

Zhao Guihua: "Why not? Of course you can. But He Lan has the advantage of Bai Fendou's tricycle."

Don't underestimate a tricycle; it's still a multi-wheeled vehicle.

Aunt Zhou: "Anyway, I'll sell first and see how it goes. A bicycle isn't impossible either." Even a granny isn't uninterested in making money.

"Oh, right, Aunt Zhao, how are you going to sell these T-shirts?"

Zhao Guihua: "I plan to start by selling at Xidan Market, see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, I'll try tourist spots, like the Great Wall, or areas near the station, and go from there."

"That sounds about right."

Their load wasn't small, but this showed the advantage of traveling in a group of six. The entire carriage was full of their own people, and the goods were packed together without fear of theft. No one needed to worry about the cargo when going to the toilet, because there were still others in the carriage.

Yinlai was like this—ever since he got on the train, his stomach hadn't felt right. He had already gone to the restroom twice, and now he was heading for the third time. His physical condition was indeed a bit weaker than others. As he climbed down from the upper bunk and prepared to leave, Zhao Guihua said, "If you're still feeling unwell, why not ask the train attendant for some diarrhea medicine?"

Yinlai nodded, "Sure."

After exiting the compartment and making his way to the restroom, he stretched his arms and looked around at the bustling crowd in the carriage. He was grateful that he was traveling with Aunt Zhao and the others. If he were traveling alone, the journey wouldn't have been this smooth, and whether he could even get the goods was uncertain.

Looking at the traders on the train, each one seemed capable in their own way. Everyone was carrying large bundles and packages. It was clear that someone like him, thin and frail, just wasn't cut out for this kind of work. A quick glance around revealed that many of them had a somewhat fierce demeanor.

He shook his head and turned to leave, but just as he did, he heard someone call out, "Come and play cards! Who wants to join?"

"I'll join!"

"Travelling by train is so tiring; it's nice to have a distraction."

"Count me in."

In no time, four people had gathered to play cards. Yinlai was curious and moved closer to watch the excitement. He wasn't the only one drawn to the spectacle—about a dozen others gathered around, some laughing while others stood further back, watching coolly.

The card game progressed quickly, and soon they introduced betting.

A plain-looking man among the onlookers shouted, "Can we spectators place bets too? Let me join in."

"Sure, why not? Everyone can play together!"

Before long, the gambling began in earnest, with the players caught up in the intense excitement. More people joined in, and the scene became increasingly lively. A young woman stood beside Yinlai, her hand casually resting on his shoulder. She said, "What are you waiting for? Look, they've all joined in. I think that bald guy is good at playing cards. Bet on him, and you'll definitely win."

Yinlai turned around and caught a whiff of her overpowering perfume. He quickly stepped back, remaining silent but frowning at the girl. She giggled flirtatiously and said, "Oh, so you're pretending to be a gentleman, huh?"

Yinlai quietly shifted to another spot to watch, maintaining a distance from her. Although he was a young man, he wasn’t the type to become infatuated with any girl he met. Even if it was Zheng Huifang, who was quite attractive, he didn't have any inappropriate thoughts. For him, youthful infatuation simply didn’t exist.

After all, who hadn’t seen beautiful people before?

At the very least, Aunt Ming Mei was incredibly beautiful!

His mother was also beautiful, so he was used to seeing attractive people and had built up some immunity.

He kept his distance from the young woman, and she pouted, giving him an annoyed glance. "So young but already so uptight."

She snorted and then turned to a slightly older man next to her, asking, "Big Brother, who do you think will win?"

The man's gaze roamed shamelessly over her body, and he chuckled, "I also think the bald guy has a good chance."

The woman giggled and pulled out several ten-yuan bills, slapping them onto the table. "I'm betting all my money on him."

Her endorsement seemed to work, as several other men also bet on the bald man. The game resumed quickly, and soon the results came in. The bald man emerged as the big winner, and those who had bet on him cheered triumphantly, while those who lost looked dispirited.

The victory fueled the excitement even further.

The young woman was overjoyed, pulling her companions in a lively dance. Her excitement was palpable. "We won! This is awesome!"

The male onlookers couldn't tear their eyes away from the way her movements caused certain parts of her body to sway.

"Let's play again!"

The enthusiasm continued into another round, with the woman smiling teasingly. "Who should we bet on this time?"

With the success of the previous round, even more people joined in, eager to make some easy money. The young woman's playful demeanor further stoked the atmosphere.

She exclaimed, "I knew my luck was good! Who should I bet on this time?"

An older man in a cheongsam (a traditional Chinese jacket) observed the scene and said, "This is public gambling. That's not allowed."

The young woman scoffed, "How is this public gambling? True gambling is simple and crude, just betting on big or small. We're just playing cards with a bit of added excitement. Don't you agree?"

"Exactly!"

Others chimed in, "If this were real gambling, would we be playing so small? If you don't want to join, then just move aside and stop spouting nonsense to scare people. Even if a family plays for fun during the New Year, would that count as gambling?"

"Right!"

"If you don't want to play, just move out of the way."

"Let's change the game up a bit to get more people involved."

"I think that's a great idea."

Under the influence of this heated atmosphere, more people joined in. A young man beside Yinlai said, "Why aren't you betting? It’s fun; join in!"

Seeing that the man had put his arm around his shoulder, Yinlai moved a bit away, though not as coldly as he had with the young woman. He gave a wry smile and said, "My pockets are as empty as my face."

The young man didn't believe him, his eyes darting around. "Come on, you're not being honest. Who doesn't bring money when they travel? 'Rich journey, poor home.' Surely you didn't leave everything at home, did you? If you don’t want to play, just say so. Why make up lies? How boring."

Yinlai didn't explain further. After all, these were strangers he’d just met, and there was no need to go into too much detail. It wasn’t worth it.

The bald man in the midst of the game suddenly turned and said, "If you want to play, I can lend you some money. Just leave me a note, or use something as collateral."

Yinlai immediately grew wary. He wasn't the sharpest, but during the journey, he had received a fair bit of "education." Since Zheng Huifang was traveling alone, Aunt Zhao had been worried about her getting scammed as a young woman. She had shared many cautionary tales, as had Aunt Zhou and Aunt Wang.

These older women had plenty of experience, and one of the stories Aunt Zhou had shared was about gambling schemes set up to swindle money in the old days—schemes that were still around today.

Yinlai hadn't thought much of it at first, but now, seeing the situation unfold, he became suspicious. This seemed exactly like a setup to swindle money. He frowned and said, "I’m not borrowing money, and I’m not playing this."

Realizing that this wasn’t a legitimate game, he quickly slipped out of the crowd and made his way back to his compartment.

In the distance, the young woman watched as Yinlai walked away. She pursed her lips and spat, muttering, "Coward."

She pouted and said, "A grown man who’s scared to play, honestly… No wonder he’s poor. He can’t even spot an easy opportunity to make money."

The bald man, smoking a cigarette, chimed in, "I even offered to lend him money, but he ran away like a scared rabbit. Weak."

"Exactly." The young woman leaned back in her seat, "Let's keep going. Who wants to join?!"

The atmosphere remained lively, with some eagerly jumping in, others joining after watching the winners, and some being swayed by persuasion. There were also those who, despite the young woman's bravado, chose not to participate.

Then there was Yinlai, who had distanced himself, choosing to go to another carriage and avoid the commotion altogether.

Back in the compartment, the group was discussing various sales strategies. After acquiring the goods, they needed to sell them, and figuring out how to sell them well was crucial. The discussion was lively, with He Lan jotting down notes in her notebook.

Wang Zizhen sat beside her, adding her thoughts. "Let me take a look at that when we get back."

He Lan replied, "No problem."

This was their sales "bible" (a term often used for precious texts or guides).

Their guide to success.

As Yinlai returned, Aunt Zhou said, "I thought you fell into the toilet. We almost had to get a net to fish you out."

Aunt Wang laughed and asked, "Are you feeling better? How's your stomach? Did you take any medicine?"

Yinlai quickly said, "I'm fine now, I've already recovered. It's just that I’ve been busy these past few days and I'm not used to it yet. My body had some stress reactions, but it's nothing serious. I didn't take any medicine; I won't take it unless I need to go to the bathroom."

He continued, "There's a group of people gambling in the next car over. I went to check it out for a bit."

When he said this, everyone frowned.

Zhao Guihua asked, "Gambling right in the car?"

Yinlai nodded, "Exactly. They..."

He explained the situation, saying, "I watched for a while, but then I came back quickly. They were playing pretty wildly over there. There was a female comrade constantly urging us to place bets. I don’t know if she’s just not right in the head or if she’s part of the scheme with evil intentions."

After returning, Yinlai thought about that woman again and decided she must not be good.

Since everyone was a stranger here, if you wanted to play, you should place your own bets. Always dragging others in and stirring up the crowd’s emotions, he couldn’t believe this woman was innocent. Throughout this journey, he had seen more than a few bad women.

On the way here, there was that older sister who tried to swindle Zheng Huifang. She had such a kind-hearted appearance, but it just goes to show that not looking evil doesn’t mean you aren’t.

Zhao Guihua asked, "Isn’t there a train conductor or police officer who could stop them?"

Yinlai shook his head, "I stood there for quite a while and didn’t see anyone."

Aunt Zhou exclaimed, "What kind of business is this? The train staff doesn’t even bother to stop them?"

Zhao Guihua understood, saying, "While there are many train conductors, quite a few of them are women. There are also police officers, but not many. But if they’re really running a gambling ring, they’re probably a gang. There’s safety in numbers, so the staff might not venture to intervene. These people could be dangerous, so perhaps the staff is afraid of retaliation."

"It really isn’t safe traveling!" He Lan exclaimed, curling up on her bunk. "If it were me traveling alone for supplies, I might just give up. Look at all the bad people we’ve encountered on this journey."

They’ve seen thieves…

They’ve seen human traffickers…

And now, there are people setting up gambling circles.

She gasped, deeply shocked. "It feels like all the bad people in the world have gathered on this train."

"That’s because trains are crowded, and travelers usually carry some money. That naturally attracts many bad people who target people’s wallets. Plus, trains travel long distances, crossing vast areas. Once someone does something bad on the train, they can quickly get off and leave. So…"

"Can’t they be caught?"

Zhao Guihua laughed, "Of course they can be caught, but the police can’t just drop from the sky. Besides, they need evidence. It won’t be that fast."

Until you travel, you don’t realize how many bad people are out there.

Zhao Guihua said: “I’ll go take a look."

"Ah?"

Everyone looked at Zhao Guihua in surprise. Aunt Wang quickly advised, "Since they’re a gang, there must be quite a few of them. You mustn’t act rashly. It’s good to catch bad people, but we must also save our strength."

"Yeah! Last time we caught those traffickers so easily because they had just split up, allowing us to nab them smoothly. But today’s situation is different – if they’re all together, you, an old lady, won’t be a match for them. They could even knock you flying if things get rough."

Aunt Zhou felt Zhao Guihua had become too reckless. With a gang present, how could she dare to act on her own?

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and said, "Do you think I’m stupid? Am I going to rush out there and report them for gambling? Am I crazy? You all think I’m an idiot, don’t you? I’m an intelligent old lady. I’m going to observe the situation, figure out who the accomplices are, note their characteristics, return and compile a report for the train police. That way, I can help them quickly identify the suspects. You really think I’d go straight and confront them? How stupid do you think I am?"

When she said this, everyone felt relieved.

As long as she wasn’t going to confront them face-to-face, they weren’t worried.

Aunt Wang said, "I’ll come with you."

Aunt Zhou: "Me too."

Yinlai: "I…"

"You stay here. You’re young and not steady; just stay here."

The three elderly ladies decisively left, with Zhao Guihua whispering, "Don’t be obvious and look like you’re investigating—if you blow our cover, I won’t save you."

"Hmph~ Just take care of yourself."

"I’m not bad; I’ve managed a courtyard for decades."

"That’s right."

Zhao Guihua and the others went together, and Wang Zizhen sighed: "I'm strong; I could go too. Why aren't they taking me?"

He Lan patted Wang Zizhen’s shoulder, saying, “Don’t think about it. We can’t drag them down."

Wang Zizhen: “Alas.”

After a pause, she recalled her childhood. "When I was little, there were also gambling people in our village. Back then, he gambled away his wife. Things weren’t like today – back then, women weren’t the weak ones and didn’t know how to resist. She was gambled away by her own man and just followed the creditor."

He Lan: “So gambling is something you can’t get involved in."

She looked at Yinlai: "Especially you young lads—touch these things at your own peril."

Yinlai: “I know."

He seriously said, “Although I really want to make money, I understand there are no shortcuts. You have to work hard."

He continued: "If I made more money, my mother wouldn’t have to be so tough. Tonglai wouldn’t have to be so hard either."

"You never mention your older brother though." Wang Zizhen joked, having watched these kids grow up.

Yinlai was calm: "I can’t control my older brother. He can do whatever he wants, as long as he doesn’t cause trouble."

Wang Zizhen hesitated for a moment, but couldn’t hold back: “Is your older brother…a duck?"

Yinlai’s face instantly turned red.

Aunt Zhou and Wang Zizhen must be real kin – the other day Aunt Zhou posed that soul-searching question, and now Wang Zizhen is asking the same thing. He pursed his lips, saying, “My brother…he makes money through physical labor, it’s hard work."

Wang Zizhen: "...”

So he is still a duck!

After all, Su Jinlai probably doesn’t do much else physical.

"Your brother, Su Jinlai, isn’t a common person."

Yinlai: “…”

My big brother…

The train rumbled through a tunnel, and the conversation continued. Meanwhile, Su Jinlai, the subject of their talk, stepped outside, wrapped in a padded coat, to use the restroom. He felt weak lately, even though he had been “enriching” himself, it didn’t seem to help much, still appearing lifeless.

Although young, he looked even more fragile than the older uncles in the courtyard, having a distinctly drained look.

Take Zhou Qun, for instance. Sure, he may be a bit effeminate, but he isn’t drained.

So, Zhou Qun was happy to find presence in front of Su Jinlai.

This time in the restroom, Zhou Qun laughed, "Oh, Jinlai, you’re going to the restroom yourself?"

Su Jinlai narrowed his eyes slightly, saying, "None of your business!"

He proudly lifted his chin, finding this person very distasteful. Honestly, among all the people, he disliked Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou the most. The others, like Zhuang Zixi’s brothers, came later.

Why?

Because those two had beaten him up!

Wasn’t it just petty stealing? They had such good conditions, why were they so stingy?

Su Jinlai was very vengeful, so every time he saw them, his nose wasn’t his nose, and his eyes weren’t his eyes. Of course, he didn’t like the others either, but these two were more annoying.

Su Jinlai quickly left the restroom, not wanting any more contact with Zhou Qun. Funny thing, the more you didn’t want to see someone, the more likely you were to encounter them. That’s how he found himself face-to-face with Bai Fendou again. Bai Fendou, a perfectly good worker, had no sense of propriety. He had spent all his spare time running a rickshaw.

White Struggle saw Su Jinlai and couldn't help but look down on him. Here was a strapping young man who didn't earn a living for his family and just loitered around all day. What kind of life was that?

The policies nowadays were much better than before. As long as one was hardworking, one could make money. Take him, for example. After work, he would wait for customers at the train station and get home around ten o'clock. Every day, he made around seven or eight dollars. On bad days, he'd still manage four or five.

Life was so much better like this.

Now, when White Struggle thought about himself when he was young, chasing after Wang Xiangxiu, he felt like such an idiot back then. His current life was truly fulfilling. After around ten years of marriage, the bond between him and his wife was still strong. Both of them worked hard for the family, making their lives improve steadily.

So, seeing this lazy, loafing young man really made him despise him from the bottom of his heart. A man who couldn't hold up his household, what could he even do? He was a disgrace to the men of Beijing.

White Struggle: "Pfft!"

Su Jinlai: "Hey, what gives you the right to pfft at me? You, you..."

He jumped up, ready to curse, but just as he was about to erupt, a tricycle entered the alley. The rider greeted White Struggle, confirming they were in the same line of work. The woman on the tricycle said, "Stop here."

The woman was none other than Hu Huihui.

Today, Hu Huihui was wearing a golden top and a white flared pant. Whether it was good-looking or not depended on individual perspectives, but she certainly had the guts to dress this way. Her top looked like a golden ingot, with broad shoulders that stood out. The white flared pants were also quite exaggerated.

Hu Huihui: "Wait here for me."

The tricycle rider immediately responded, "Got it!"

These generous customers were worth waiting for.

Hu Huihui looked at Su Jinlai and frowned, "What are you doing? Why does a man look like a teapot?"

Su Jinlai awkwardly replied, "Auntie, why are you here?"

He rolled his eyes, wondering if she had someone new to introduce to him. Su Jinlai felt both pain and joy. The pain was that his body couldn't handle it—how could a man sustain such a level of consumption? But there was also joy in the fact that any new client meant money. His money had been swindled away by that little punk Yinlai, and he was in dire need of cash right now.

Hu Huihui looked at Jinlai's listless appearance and said, exasperated, "I'm here to see you. Just look at you—this is no way for a young man to behave."

Su Jinlai looked at Hu Huihui, feeling wronged. Others might not know what he was going through, but his aunt surely did. Doing all this because of the fierce woman she introduced wouldn't forgive him? Thinking about how even making love ten times a day wasn't enough, he felt a wave of sorrow. His eyes reddened, and he was about to cry.

Hu Huihui: "Hey, what are you doing? A man should be strong and determined. What future do you have like this? Is your mom not home?"

Su Jinlai: "Not back yet."

Hu Huihui: "Come on, let's go to your place."

White Struggle and Zhou Qun, eavesdropping openly: "..."

If Hu Huihui weren't Wang Xiangxiu's cousin and Su Jinlai's aunt, they would suspect this woman had ulterior motives for Su Jinlai.

Su Jinlai himself immediately grabbed his clothes, saying, "What are you doing?"

Hu Huihui rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. "I'm your aunt! What do you think I could do to you? I'm worried your mom might cause trouble, that's all. Honestly, I'm doing this for your family's sake, yet in your mom's eyes, I'm the bad guy. Being a good person is tough."

She pulled Su Jinlai back, saying as they walked, "I've brought you something nice."

Su Jinlai: "What is it?"

He looked curiously, and sure enough, Hu Huihui was carrying a bag.

Hu Huihui, proud: "This is some tiger-whip wine. It's a rare thing, hard to get even for most people. I had to pull some strings to get it for you. If it weren't for you being my nephew and worrying you might not make it, I wouldn't bother. Do you know how much this wine costs? I've really invested a lot in you. Don't forget how good your aunt has been to you."

"Auntie, I know."

Su Jinlai inwardly rolled his eyes, thinking she was only doing this because she wanted him to serve older women. She was pretending to be so caring, but he didn't say anything. After all, free stuff was always good—he never thought he'd get to drink tiger stuff.

He felt he really wasn't an ordinary man.

The two walked into the yard together, and White Struggle was amazed, "He must be exhausted—even tiger stuff is needed now."

Zhou Qun: "Ha, just wait."

He added, "He's young now—in a few years, he'll understand. Fooling around too much when you're young will catch up with you later. I've got experience in this..."

Accidentally spilling the truth, Zhou Qun immediately shut his mouth.

White Struggle looked at Zhou Qun with an indescribable expression, laughing softly.

Zhou Qun: "What are you laughing at?"

White Struggle: "What, you think you can tell me what to do? I feel like laughing."

"Even if I've used it too much and it doesn't work as well, it's better than you never having used it at all."

"You..."

White Struggle instantly got angry. To be honest, he'd never had that kind of experience in his life. Cursing people without bringing up their weaknesses was common sense, but Zhou Qun was really going too far. He let out an angry roar, ready to swing his fist at Zhou Qun.

Zhou Qun, prepared, immediately dodged.

"You..."

"You mother!"

The two started arguing, but before they could get far, just as White Struggle grabbed Zhou Qun, Zhou Qun suddenly widened his eyes and started slapping White Struggle vigorously, saying, "You, you! Your ex-girlfriend is here!"

White Struggle: "What nonsense are you spouting? Trying to gross me out, huh?"

Zhou Qun: "No kidding, it's Guan Guiling."

Both turned their heads simultaneously, and sure enough, it was no lie—it really was Guan Guiling.

Guan Guiling wasn't alone; accompanying her was a middle-aged man who looked like her son but was actually her husband, Zheng Yufeng.

The two, who were about to fight, immediately released each other's hands and turned to look at Guan Guiling and her husband.

Guan Guiling had come to find her daughter. Her eldest daughter, Zheng Huimin, had run away, which had caught her off guard. After all, she had already found a suitable man for Zheng Huimin. If she couldn't bring her eldest daughter back, Fan Debiao wouldn't let this go easily.

Moreover, Fan Debiao had made unreasonable demands. Guan Guiling didn't know what to do, but she tended to lean towards meeting his demands. It would just be letting Hui Fang sleep with him—no big deal.

Despite not being able to find Zheng Huifang, Guan Guiling could find Zheng Huimin. After all, Huimin had run to Su Jinlai. With some effort, she could find her. Although it took some time and they were close to missing Fan Debiao's deadline, Guan Guiling eventually found them.

She also suspected that Zheng Huifang might be with her sister, Zheng Huimin.

Otherwise, could a sixteen-year-old girl really dare to leave Beijing and go out alone to make her way in the world? Whether she found one or two, the problem would be resolved.

Guan Guiling didn't dare bring Fan Debiao directly over. If her daughter said anything inappropriate, the marriage deal might fall through. She also feared others would see her daughter with another man.

So, without hesitation, she came with her husband secretly.

She hadn't expected that the person surnamed Su would live here in the same courtyard as White Struggle.

She was very suspicious and thought that it might be White Struggle who hired this Su fellow to seduce her daughter, in revenge for their past breakup.

Yes, very possibly.

As soon as she walked into the alley and saw White Struggle, her face instantly turned cold, and she shouted, "White Struggle!"

White Struggle turned around and cursed, "Who the hell are you!?"

He had heard from Zhou Qun that this was Guan Guiling, but at first glance, he was still surprised. You see, Guan Guiling and White Struggle were of the same age, both in their forties now. Ten years ago, they were still of the same age, and White Struggle was clearly not a good match for Guan Guiling. After all, White Struggle had an older appearance, with less hair, and naturally couldn't match up to Guan Guiling, a woman with some charm.

But now, ten years have passed. Bai Fendou is still the same as ever, although he still looks old and has thin hair, he doesn't seem as haggard as before. His type of appearance actually has some advantage when he gets older.

When he was young, in his teens, he looked like he was in his thirties or forties. In his twenties, he still looked like he was in his thirties or forties... But when he actually reached his forties, he still looked like he was in his forties. And because he hadn't aged much over the years, people actually thought he was in pretty good shape.

Bai Fendou was like this, but Guan Guiling's changes over the past decade were significant. She had transformed from a woman still retaining some charm into a sallow-faced old lady. At first glance, you might think she was the same age as some of the other older women in the courtyard.

She didn't look like she was in her early forties; she looked like she was over fifty.

"Damn, how did you get to look like this?" Bai Fendou, as always, was tactless.

Guan Guiling's face turned pale with anger. In her mind, Bai Fendou was a dog who could never get what he wanted. Now, this dog was actually disdainful of her, which was something she couldn't tolerate. Moreover, she felt that Bai Fendou was deliberately insulting her.

She was absolutely not that old. If she really was old, how could he possibly have liked her?

Guan Guiling naturally ignored the fact that it was ten years ago.

"Bai Fendou, you don't need to deliberately say such things to attract my attention. I will never love you!"

Bai Fendou: "..."

He looked at Guan Guiling with a face full of complex emotions and said to Zhou Qun next to him, "Did this woman not look in the mirror before stepping out? What nonsense is she spouting."

Zhou Qun got excited; he loved such gossip.

He quickly said, "This woman thinks you still love her."

Bai Fendou: "Am I blind?"

He twitched his mouth and said, "Guan Guiling, what are you doing at my place?"

If they hadn't brought this up, it would have been fine, but once it was mentioned, Guan Guiling exploded with rage, shouting, "Bai Fendou, you bastard! I know you've always hated me because you couldn't have me, but you also can't have that street thug Su Jinlai seduce my daughter! You're too despicable and shameless. Do you still have any self-respect?"

She was furious, yelling, "Even if you do this, I still wouldn't spare even a glance for you."

Standing beside Guan Guiling, Zheng Yufeng felt utterly embarrassed. How narcissistic is this woman to think that someone fancies her? What reason would anyone have to fancy her, because she's old, because she's in poor health, or because she's mercurial?

How shameless.

Although he deeply despised his wife, Zheng Yufeng didn't say anything. No matter what the situation was, he had long been accustomed to Guan Guiling charging in headfirst. Anyway, this foolish woman could always manage to stir up trouble and bring him some benefits.

He lowered his eyes and put on an innocent expression.

He wouldn't charge in himself, but he didn't mind getting some benefits either.

Guan Guiling's narcissistic remarks left Bai Fendou utterly speechless. He stared at her in disbelief, as if he had been bitten by a dog, and roared, "Are you sick? Who fancies you! If you're sick, go get treatment! Stop spouting nonsense here! You're ruining my reputation, I think you're a bit unhinged. Why don't you take a good look at yourself in the mirror, or don't you even have the guts to do that? You..."

Before he could finish, a small head began to appear at the corner. It was the time when kids were getting out of school, and one by one, they were peeking out from behind the walls at the entrance of the alley. They had been eavesdropping here for who knows how long.

Seeing that his daughter was among them, Bai Fendou quickly said, "Go home, all of you, don't watch the gossip here. The antics of this old hag are not something you should be watching."

The children, caught, slowly emerged, not wanting to leave – they wanted to watch the show.

Guan Guiling sneered and said, "If you dare to do it, are you afraid of others hearing?"

Bai Fendou got even angrier, shouting, "Guan Guiling, you're really unhinged. My wife is both beautiful and gentle, born into an aristocratic family, and you look at yourself, old, ugly, and mean. What face do you have to think I fancy you? Don't you even have a mirror? Don't you even have a urine? Don't you even have the guts to take a good look at yourself, you second aunt of Zhu Bajie? What kind of illness do I have to fancy you? You're completely insane. You, this man, you are Guan Guiling's husband, right? If both of you are sick, go get treatment, don't bother me here. It's like stepping in dogshit when I run into you. And talking about me asking Su Jinlai to seduce your daughter, are you insane? You're an imbecile!"

Bai Fendou was going crazy with anger.

He said, "What kind of garbage is this."

He roared, and then, like a chameleon, he spoke softly, "You all go home quickly, don't run around outside. There are all kinds of people out there, don't scare yourselves, kids."

A group of kids blinked their big eyes, and after a long time, Bai Qingqing let out an "oh" and tugged at the shoulder of Yuanyuan next to her.

Yuanyuan: "Let's go home."

The little girl's voice was soft and sweet, but her big eyes were twinkling. The few children said they were going home, but their eyes were glued to Guan Guiling. As soon as they entered the courtyard, the kids all immediately pressed their faces against the door.

Mm-hmm, still peeking.

Bai Fendou: "What a bunch of trash."

He said, "What bad luck, to run into you when I step out. You're just wasting my time making money."

Zhou Qun muttered by the side, "I’ve been saying this woman is no good, but you didn’t believe me back then. See, I was right, wasn’t I? When it comes to judging women, I’m pretty accurate. This woman just doesn’t look like a good one to me."

Bai Fendou glanced at him and said, "Although you always talk nonsense, this time you’re indeed correct."

The two of them bantered back and forth, leaving Guan Guiling furious.

Guan Guiling screamed out loud, "Who do you think you are!"

Zheng Yufeng, seeing her tangled up with these two, felt deeply ashamed. This Guan Guiling really didn’t know her place. Were they currently with time to bicker with others? They were here to look for their daughter.

What was the difference between priority and trivial matters? Absolutely not evident to her.

So foolish.

He spoke gently, saying, "Why are you squabbling with them? Aren't you here to look for our daughter?"

Guan Guiling took a deep breath and said, "Right."

She said, "I won't lower myself to their level."

Bai Fendou sneered, "Really? Do you think I’m bothering myself with you? Guan Guiling, don’t overestimate yourself too much. Who doesn’t know what you are?"

"You're a scoundrel!"

"You're a scoundrel! You're a liar!"

The two started arguing again.

Zhou Qun: Excited to watch the drama!

Zheng Yufeng: Damn, how is this fight starting again.

As the two argued, the children were peeking through the door, and Qijin asked worriedly, "Qingqing, will your dad get the worst of this?"

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Bai Qingqing firmly said, "No way! My dad's really good at arguing!"

The noise from the outside drew people out of the courtyard. Ming Mei squeezed into the children’s group and peeked out, only to see that it was Guan Guiling.

She pursed her lips with distaste, "Why is it her?"

Tuantuan quickly asked, "Mom, do you know her?"

Ming Mei nodded. "She used to work in the same unit as Mom. This auntie is not a good person, you should stay away from her. She’s very good at manufacturing accidents intentionally to extort money."

This wasn’t Ming Mei slandering others in front of the children. It was necessary to tell the kids about such things so they wouldn’t be caught off guard.

After all, Guan Guiling had no face; she could extort others regardless of whether they were children or not.

"This auntie has poor health and will deliberately pretend to be touched by you, then demand money. You are kids; you’re no match for adults, so if you encounter such people, stay far away. Losing money is a small deal, but if you get beaten up, it’s not worth it. Some bystanders, who don’t know the truth, are easily fooled and might even think it’s your fault. So, you must stay away from people like that," she said.

I know, I know, that’s "pengci" (intentional causing accidents to extort).

“Me too, I know.”

The children chimed in, and Bai Qingqing then became worried instead. She said, "What if my dad gets trapped?"

Ming Mei: "It shouldn’t happen. Look, they’re still some distance apart."

Even if Bai Fendou was impulsive, he was still an old acquaintance of Guan Guiling and knew her tricks.

The children all let out an "oh" again.

Ming Mei came out to watch the commotion, and others followed suit. Guan Hong was also among the crowd, but Zheng Huimin was nowhere to be seen.

Ming Mei looked around: "Isn't Zheng Huimin here?"

Guan Hong replied: "She's been working overtime these few days; she comes back really late."

Zheng Huimin had been filling in for Yinlai, who was a full-time employee and always involved in overtime work. That's why Zheng Huimin had been staying late at the garment factory, not getting home until around ten o'clock at night.

Ming Mei breathed a sigh of relief: "Not being here is actually a good thing."

Guan Hong nodded with a pursed mouth, although she didn't like Zheng Huimin, who was her romantic rival, she also looked down on Zheng Huimin's parents. The younger generation needed to break free from such feudal and backward households. They wanted to take their destiny into their own hands, be good children of the modern era, demand freedom, and make breakthroughs!

Guan Hong stated resolutely: "This family, none of them are good people."

It was rare that everyone agreed with Guan Hong, nodding in unison.

Everyone knew who Guan Guiling was!

There was no doubt she wasn't a good person.

Furthermore, even Hu Huihui came out to watch the commotion. As soon as Guan Hong saw Hu Huihui, she became alert: "Su Brother, who is this old woman?"

Su Jinlai: "... "

Hu Huihui: "... "

Ming Mei kindly reminded: "This is Su Jinlai's aunt."

Guan Hong: "... "

She quickly said: "Auntie, nice to meet you, I'm Su Brother's girlfriend."

Su Jinlai: "Not yet."

Guan Hong immediately looked betrayed and hurt.

Hu Huihui rubbed her temples and looked at Su Jinlai, saying: "Keep it together!"

With all that energy, he could have wasted it on young girls!

If only he could find a wealthy widow, that would be money rolling in!

She stared at Su Jinlai and said: "Stay out of trouble."

After saying that, she left the house. She really wanted to watch the commotion, but she had something to do tonight. Although Su Jinlai didn't accompany her very well last time, the TV business deal did come through for her. She had been busy with that recently.

As soon as she stepped out, a tricycle arrived. Hu Huihui got on: "Let’s go."

As for this Bai Fendou, he really wasn't a man. He could argue with a woman for twenty minutes, which was truly bizarre.

She sneered. However, she looked down on Guan Guiling even more. She had lived in the compound before, although she didn't witness Bai Fendou's interactions with Guan Guiling, she had heard some later and looked down on this woman.

The reason she despised Guan Guiling wasn’t just that she had tricked Bai Fendou.

If Bai Fendou got duped, it was his own stupidity, nothing worth talking about.

What she despised was how Guan Guiling, this fool, had harmed her own body to make her man's life better. Truly money-hungry to the point of risking her life; she had seen foolishness before but never this extreme. If she had done it for herself, Hu Huihui wouldn't have looked down on her this much.

She said coldly: "Let's go."

Guan Guiling, who was arguing fiercely with Bai Fendou, suddenly saw a woman in extravagant clothes with a contemptuous expression leaving. She immediately became annoyed and shouted: "What are you looking at! Stop right there!"

She extended her arm to block the tricycle, clearly pulling a scam.

The tricycle driver had been watching the commotion for a while and had heard of this notorious scammer, Guan Guiling of Beijing. How could he be careless? He instantly took a few steps back, managing not to let Guan Guiling touch him.

That was close; he almost got scammed.

Hu Huihui: "Good dogs don’t block the road."

Guan Guiling: "How dare you insult me! Who did you call a dog? Don’t think you’re so great just because you’re rich."

Hu Huihui’s entire demeanor exuded wealth, which stung Guan Guiling, who had always been short of money. Why did Guan Guiling hate Ming Mei so much in the past? It was because Ming Mei was in a good financial situation, and Guan Guiling envied women like that. This woman who appeared to be rich was no different.

Straightaway, she felt disdain.

Maybe she could have held it together before.

But now... although this term wasn't widely used yet, Guan Guiling was definitely going through menopause.

Her already poor health had worsened, and she was irritable and prone to mood swings.

"Get off!"

Hu Huihui looked at her wild behavior and opened her small handbag with annoyance. She took out a five-jiao note and casually threw it: "Here, take it and move aside!"

This kind of woman was only worth five jiao.

However, Guan Guiling didn’t even have a chance to see the money clearly. A gust of wind blew, and the money instantly flew away.

Guan Guiling: "Ah!"

She screamed: "My money!"

Without a word, she chased after it.

The crowd: "Holy crap!"

The wind was too fast, so no one saw how much money Hu Huihui had thrown.

Guan Guiling didn’t see it either, but she thought that given how well-dressed Hu Huihui was, she couldn’t have just thrown a small amount. It must be a large note; maybe even a ten-yuan bill. She quickly chased after the money.

Zheng Yufeng stood by without paying attention; he didn’t chase after the money but didn’t stop Guan Guiling either.

In any case, the money would stay within their family. He felt it was humiliating to pick up money, but Guan Guiling could do it.

Guan Guiling chased after the money, which surprised everyone.

Guan Guiling ran after the money, and it seemed like fate was playing a trick on her. The wind carried it into the bathroom. At this point, led by Ming Mei, everyone's hearts were in their throats. This wasn't them being paranoid!

This bathroom wasn't an ordinary one; it was a bathroom full of stories.

If this bathroom were a TV show, it would have many episodes of drama. How could they not be nervous? More than one person had fallen into this bathroom before.

Ming Mei: "She’s not going to fall in, right?"

"Ah… Holy crap!"

"Oh my gosh!"

Ming Mei quickly leaned out: "Did someone fall in? I guess I spoke too soon."

"No, it’s not a person!"

"Guan Guiling didn’t fall in."

"Oh, that’s great; thankfully, she didn’t fall in. Otherwise, I couldn’t eat."

"Who could, right? Hmm, but if no one fell in, why were you screaming?"

Ming Mei and the others were a bit far from the bathroom, so they couldn’t see as clearly as others in the compound.

The one who had shouted earlier directly said: "No one fell in, but the money did—it got blown into the sewer by the wind."

The crowd: "... Eww!"