Chapter 79

The rain was pouring heavily today, and the night was filled with torrential downpours, yet the room was ablaze with passion.0

Ming Mei emerged from the blankets and gently kicked Zhuang Zhixi with her foot, saying, "Get me a glass of water."0

Zhuang Zhixi didn't bother putting on any clothes; he simply lifted the blanket and got up to pour water. The room was dark, but it didn't hinder his vision. After all, he knew where everything in his own home was, even with his eyes closed.0

He handed the water to his wife and said, "Here."0

Ming Mei felt parched and wiped the sweat from her forehead before gulping down the water. Then, she lazily lay back on the bed and said, "I'm going back to my parents' place tomorrow. Will you come with me?"0

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Sure."0

If it weren't for the heavy rain today, they would have gone over this evening. Ming Mei had slaughtered a sheep herself, so she naturally wanted to bring some to her parents.0

Zhuang Zhixi climbed back into bed beside Ming Mei and said, "It's close to my workplace, so when I get off work tomorrow, I'll come back first to get the stuff, and then we'll go together. That way, you won't have to make an extra trip."0

Ming Mei smiled softly and whispered, "Okay."0

She added playfully, "It's your first day in the new department tomorrow. Will you have to work overtime?"0

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and shook his head. "Why would I need to work overtime? The publicity department isn't that busy. Unless there's a big event like this one, there's not much to do. It's just about handling some publicity. Our unit doesn't even have an arts department; otherwise, this work wouldn't fall to the publicity department."0

Ming Mei said, "Still, you should do your best. It's not easy to get transferred there."0

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I know that."0

The couple continued their late-night conversation. Zhuang Zhixi mentioned, "Mom and Brother gave me the money. It's thirty yuan in total. I put it in the drawer. You should keep it."0

Ming Mei nodded, "Okay."0

Their private savings were the most among the entire family, even more than their in-laws. Ming Mei chuckled and said, "If we could always have such good luck, that would be wonderful. But Zhixi, we're all one family. Is it really okay to take money from others like this?"0

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What's the problem? This was arranged by Mom. We just follow her instructions. We don't ask for it, but if Mom decides to give it, we take it. After all, older people have seen more of the world than we have. They see things more clearly. We just need to listen to them."0

Ming Mei agreed, "That makes sense. Listening to my mother-in-law is probably the right thing to do. After all..." She suddenly felt a wave of nausea and gagged.0

Zhuang Zhixi was startled and quickly asked, "What's wrong?"0

He immediately pulled the light cord, and the room lit up. Concerned, he asked, "Are you feeling unwell? Did you eat something wrong?"0

Ming Mei nodded and then shook her head. "Maybe I ate too much meat today. My stomach feels a bit off. And then I drank a whole glass of water, which made it feel too full. I'll be fine."0

Zhuang Zhixi examined Ming Mei carefully, seeing that her complexion was fine and she didn't seem unwell. He gently smoothed her messy hair and said, "If you feel worse tomorrow, we'll go to the hospital."0

Ming Mei nodded, "I'm fine. It's just that I rarely get to eat so well."0

Zhuang Zhixi started to say, "I thought you were..." but was interrupted by loud banging on the door outside. He frowned and said, "Who's that? Who would be banging on the door so late at night? Is someone not back yet?"0

Ming Mei looked at him, equally puzzled. "I thought everyone was here during the argument earlier."0

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I'll put on some clothes and go check."0

Ming Mei nodded. She was a bit tired today and didn't feel like moving, so she just pulled the blanket over herself like a cocoon and peeked out through the curtain. The loud banging had woken up the neighbors in the front yard, and she saw Bai Fendou, wearing only his underwear, cursing as he went to open the door.0

She said, "Zhixi, Bai Fendou is going out."0

Zhuang Zhixi commented, "He's quick."0

Meanwhile, Bai Fendou had been deep in sleep when the banging woke him up. The noise was closest to his house, so he was the first to be disturbed. He grumbled as he got up, "Who's this unlucky bastard? Do they have no morals? Do they not want anyone to sleep? Disgusting!"0

He didn't bother putting on clothes or grabbing any rain gear. He just walked along the covered walkway to the door and shouted, "Who's there? What's the matter so late at night?"0

"It's your dad!" came a deep, gruff voice.0

Bai Fendou immediately got angry and cursed, "Damn it, you little bastard! You dare to come here in the middle of the night and claim to be my dad? You woke me up and even tried to take advantage of me. I don't think you want to come in, do you? Stay out there!"0

"It's me! I really am your dad! I'm Old Man Bai!" the voice outside shouted angrily.0

Bai Fendou was stunned. He suddenly remembered that his father hadn't been home today. He panicked and quickly opened the door, saying, "Oh, no, Dad! Why are you out in this heavy rain? I didn't know you weren't home."0

His words didn't sit well with his father. Old Man Bai was furious. "I live under the same roof as you, and you don't even know if I'm home? You ungrateful son! I can't believe I raised you!"0

He felt utterly defeated. His son was already this old and still hadn't given him any grandchildren. Now he was even arguing with him.0

Bai Fendou chuckled awkwardly. "You're really angry, Dad. How could I keep an eye on you all the time? Besides... oh no! Where did you fall? You're all dirty."0

Old Man Bai waved him off. "Forget it, let's go home and talk."0

The father and son went back inside together. Zhuang Zhixi, who had been watching from the doorway, decided there was no need to put on clothes and returned to bed. He said, "It's Old Man Bai. No wonder he wasn't around during the argument with the Su family today. He wasn't home."0

Ming Mei commented, "Those two really are... I wonder if they'll ever get what they want."0

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I don't think either of them will. Why would they get married when they can spend their money without it? If they got married, they'd have to take care of each other. Right now, the Su family even washing their clothes earns them gratitude. But if they were married, that would just be expected. The Su family is too clever to miss that calculation."0

Ming Mei suddenly remembered, "Oh, we need to wash the sheets tomorrow..."0

She looked at Zhuang Zhixi with pleading eyes. He said, "I'll help you wash them."0

Ming Mei immediately smiled. That was exactly what she was waiting for.0

She cozied up to Zhuang Zhixi and said playfully, "I knew you were the best man."0

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled and asked, "How good?"0

Ming Mei teased, "Very, very good."0

She nestled into Zhuang Zhixi's arms like a little fox and kissed his chin. "So caring and kind."0

Zhuang Zhixi smiled proudly. "Of course, I have to be good to my wife."0

He turned off the light, and the room soon fell into darkness. Not long after, the bed started creaking again...0

Ming Mei murmured, "I'm tired..."0

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I'm not. I'm the one doing all the work."0

"Well, I'm tired too..."0

"Shh..."0

The room was filled with creaking and warmth.0

Outside, the storm raged on. Old Man Bai, who had returned in the midst of the storm, was a complete mess. His clothes were torn, and his pants were covered in mud, as if he had fallen into a mud pit.0

Bai Fendou exclaimed, "Oh no, Dad! What happened to you? I thought you went on a spring outing with Aunt Su and the kids. Why are you only coming back now?"0

Old Man Bai glared at him and said, "It's all for you."0

Bai Fendou was puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean, for me? What does going out with Aunt Su have to do with me? Don't try to pin this on me."0

He felt quite wronged.0

Old Man Bai: "We went out for a spring outing together, but it was a bit stuffy and hot today at noon. Aunt Su wasn't feeling well, so we decided to head back early. We got back in the mid-afternoon. As soon as we reached the entrance of the alley, we ran into Aunt Lu from the back street. You know, Aunt Lu is a well-known matchmaker, just as good as Aunt Wang, and they've been old rivals for years."0

"You're asking Aunt Lu to introduce me to someone?" Bai Fendou's face lit up with excitement.0

Old Man Bai: "Exactly! Aunt Wang wouldn't help, so we had to switch to someone else. Why hang ourselves on one tree? Aunt Wang wasn't doing a good job introducing you to anyone anyway, and after the plate-selling incident, she definitely wouldn't help you. Chef Li looks at me with disdain now, haha, people only use you when they need you. I went to Aunt Lu, and she happened to mention that she has a relative who's still single, a beautiful young lady, and she's only twenty years old. I thought, if we don't act fast, someone else might snatch her up. So, I suggested we arrange a meeting right away, but she said the girl had gone to her grandmother's place in the countryside to take care of her since the grandmother was sick. The girl's a filial one, you know. I decided to be cautious and asked where exactly she was staying, then I went to check it out secretly. After all, we can't fully trust matchmakers—they can twist the truth with their words. I wanted to see if what the matchmaker said was true and if the girl was indeed as filial as claimed. Filial piety is very important when it comes to marriage. At the very least, she should be like Wang Xiangxiu or Jiang Lu."0

Although he thought Wang Xiangxiu's behavior was questionable, he still admired her filial piety. He believed that having a filial daughter-in-law was crucial.0

Bai Fendou nodded repeatedly, "Sister Xiangxiu is indeed very good."0

Old Man Bai continued, "I went to the countryside and found the girl, but I just wanted to observe her secretly. Little did I know, the villagers thought I was some old pervert and chased me, refusing to listen to my explanation. I had to run for my life and ended up falling into a ditch. By the time I got out, I missed the last bus back to the city. Then a heavy rain started, and I had to walk back in the rain..."0

Old Man Bai felt that today was just one of those unlucky days.0

He said, "I was exhausted by the time I got back, and you, you little rascal, are shouting at me. Don't you know who I'm doing this for?"0

Bai Fendou grinned, "For me, I know you're doing this for me."0

Old Man Bai: "You know that, huh?"0

He felt like his old bones were about to fall apart. The journey seemed endless.0

He slumped into a chair: "Go and boil some hot water for me."0

Bai Fendou wasn't happy: "Why boil hot water so late at night? Just go to sleep. I'm tired too."0

Raising such a son was no different from raising a piece of useless meat.0

His father was in such a state, yet Bai Fendou was too lazy to care, just wanting to rest. However, earlier in the evening, he had been a dutiful son at the Su household, boiling water and even making chicken soup for them, doing his best to be helpful.0

Although he didn't want to move, he was still curious and asked, "How was the girl?"0

Old Man Bai, still upset that his son wouldn't boil water, simply replied, "Get lost!"0

Bai Fendou: "Look at you, such a petty old man."0

Old Man Bai ignored him and decided not to bathe. He just wanted to drink some hot water and sleep, but when he shook the thermos, it was empty. He frowned, unhappy.0

"Where's the hot water?"0n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He spoke harshly: "I boiled water this morning, how is it gone?"0

Bai Fendou: "Oh, I poured it for Xiangxiu's kid to bathe. The child got caught in the rain, and they needed hot water."0

Old Man Bai was nearly speechless.0

"You..."0

"Aunt Su also got caught in the rain, and I helped them boil water," Bai Fendou added casually. Old Man Bai immediately became anxious: "What happened to her? Why did she get caught in the rain? Did something happen?"0

Bai Fendou sat up: "It's the family across the street, they're really something, picking on women and children. Anyway, they didn't really steal anything, so why make such a big deal out of it? I'll definitely teach them a lesson."0

Speaking of this, Old Man Bai also felt frustrated.0

Although he knew it was because he was too weak to step up, he still felt the opportunity should have been his. This feeling of being robbed was incredibly frustrating. He said, "Zhuang Zhixi stepped on me to get ahead."0

Actually, when Aunt Su talked about it yesterday, he was very tempted to go and confront the Zhuang family, but his remaining sense told him it wasn't a good idea.0

He knew it wasn't wise. The Zhuang family wasn't the type to be polite.0

But that didn't mean he wasn't angry. He was furious and very resentful. How could they treat him like this? Since they stepped on him to get ahead, they should at least buy him gifts to apologize and keep sending them during festivals.0

But the Zhuang family seemed to have no such intentions, not even bothering to come and explain themselves. This made Old Man Bai very dissatisfied. People shouldn't be so thoughtless. The Zhuang family was really too unreasonable.0

He snorted coldly and said, "They should be taught a lesson, but how do you think we should do it?"0

When it came to this, the father and son were no longer sleepy.0

Bai Fendou: "If we confront them directly and start a fight, I don't think it's a good idea. Their daughter-in-law is quite good at fighting. If we go at it head-on, we might end up losing. We need to outsmart them. Dad, since Zhuang Zhixi stepped on you to get ahead, why don't we target him? What do you think?"0

He explained, "If we try to take on the entire Zhuang family at once, it's not realistic. It's better to pick one person to teach a lesson, let them know our strength, and humiliate them. What do you think?"0

"That's a good idea," Old Man Bai agreed. He also thought targeting Zhuang Zhixi would be the most satisfying. After all, Zhuang Zhixi had taken his place to play Yang Bailao in the propaganda department.0

He hated Zhuang Zhixi the most. This little brat deserved a lesson.0

Bai Fendou also thought teaching Zhuang Zhixi a lesson was the best. Somehow, he just couldn't stand how pretentious and showy Zhuang Zhixi was, just because he got married.0

He felt that if he didn't teach this guy a lesson, he wouldn't be able to get rid of the resentment in his heart.0

"What if we accuse him of harassing Wang Xiangxiu?" Old Man Bai suggested. After all, Wang Xiangxiu was a woman with a questionable reputation, and doing such things would be easy for her. If they could use this to blackmail Zhuang Zhixi, they could not only damage his reputation but also possibly extort some money from him.0

This would also help the Su family, and Aunt Su could live a bit more comfortably.0

He thought his idea was great, but Bai Fendou's face darkened immediately and said, "No way, Dad, what are you talking about? A woman's reputation is very important, you don't understand that? Sister Xiangxiu is a good woman, she can't be dragged into this. Zhou Qun has already framed Sister Xiangxiu, and some people who don't know the truth are already pointing fingers at her. If you do this too, you'll push Sister Xiangxiu into an even worse situation. Absolutely not! You shouldn't even think about it! Why don't you accuse him of harassing Aunt Su?"0

Old Man Bai wasn't happy: "Who would believe that?"0

"People believe that Zhou Qun had an affair with the old lady."0

Old Man Bai: "That's because he had a purpose! If there was no purpose, it's a different story. What's wrong with you, shouting at me? Do you still want to deal with Zhuang Zhixi or not?"0

Bai Fendou: "I want to, but I can't use Sister Xiangxiu's reputation as a price."0

He thought for a moment and said, "What about Jiang Lu? What do you think of Jiang Lu? Let's find a way to trick Zhuang Zhixi and Jiang Lu into the same room, then catch them in the act with a group of people, preferably at the factory, to humiliate them thoroughly. This way, not only will we hit the Zhuang family, but we'll also hit Zhou Qun. They've been giving me attitude and acting all high and mighty lately. This time, we'll make both families lose face together. What do you think?"0

Old Man Bai pondered for a moment, then nodded in approval, "That's a great idea. Perfect."0

The father and son chuckled smugly.0

Old Man Bai chuckled and said, "Hey, you think this might cause some big trouble? What if they come after us?"0

Bai Fendou was nonchalant and unconcerned, "What's the big deal? We're not killing or setting fires. We're just teaching people a lesson, doing good for the community. It's not a big deal. Even if they accuse us, we just deny it. If it comes to it, we can just say it was a joke. What can they do? Zhou Qun is involved with an older woman, and there are shady dealings with his exams, yet he's still fine. I don't think there's any problem."0

"You're right about that."0

"Of course."0

The father and son laughed sinisterly. Zhao Guihua had a bit of a stomachache and, wearing a raincoat, came out to use the restroom. As she approached the gate, she heard the Bai family's eerie laughter, "Heh heh heh heh." The laughter was so... it takes at least twenty years of experience as a villain to laugh like that.0

She frowned slightly, looked around, and confirmed that it was late and quiet. Unable to resist her curiosity, she quietly approached the window and heard the people inside say, "Let's act tomorrow or the day after."0

"Alright, we'll each take one. Do you know of a suitable place in the factory?"0

"The small storage room."0

"Alright, you trick one, I'll trick the other."0

"Heh heh, we'll just wait and watch the show."0

Zhao Guihua was truly surprised. Out of the blue, in the middle of the night, she had overheard something about her son. Of course, she didn't know who exactly they were talking about yet. But she thought it over and realized these two were probably plotting against someone. She just didn't know who they were targeting.0

She thought again and suspected they might be plotting against her family, especially since they had just had a conflict with Aunt Su's family today.0

And these two bachelors are the ultimate admirers of those two widows. Wouldn't they want to take revenge?0

Zhao Guihua shook her head, feeling that Bai Fendou was becoming more and more unlike himself. He used to be just a bit foolish, but now, with all the eligible young men in the courtyard getting married, jealousy had taken over. Not only was he foolish, but he was also becoming a bit wicked.0

Like the time he swindled Yang Lixin's money. Granted, Yang Lixin didn't want to take any risks and just wanted to enjoy the benefits, which wasn't entirely right. But Bai Fendou definitely swindled his money. And swindling money is wrong.0

Zhao Guihua pursed her lips. Her stomach started cramping again, so she quickly went out, the door making a faint creaking sound. The Bai father and son didn't pay much attention, as they lived in the room by the gate and were used to people coming and going at night.0

However, recently, due to the ghost rumors, fewer people were coming out at night. Everyone preferred to endure rather than go out. Zhao Guihua didn't know who it was, but Bai Fendou peeked out and didn't see anyone. He didn't think much of it.0

If only there hadn't been that door opening and closing sound.0

In their opinion, it would be better if the door was just left open like before. People coming and going would be quieter and more convenient. They didn't understand why they had to lock the door, saying it was to prevent thieves, but the thief had been caught, hadn't they? Since the thief was caught, there were no more thieves. It was just unnecessary.0

Bai Fendou: "Aunt Wang, being a woman, just can't handle things properly. No sense of order."0

Old Man Bai agreed, "Yeah, the courtyard management should be handled by a man. A woman managing the courtyard just doesn't work. Women have long hair and shortsightedness. If I were in charge, I'd do a much better job. Look at how she handles things. She can't manage many situations well. There have been so many incidents in the courtyard, and she doesn't show any consideration for widows and orphans. Women are just too jealous. I think she's jealous of Aunt Su."0

The father and son criticized Aunt Wang for a while before going back to their rooms and lying down.0

Old Man Bai: "I really suffered today..."0

Although he complained a bit, he was too tired and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Zhao Guihua went out alone to use the restroom. There was no one outside. Due to the ghost rumors, everyone tried to stay indoors, making Zhao Guihua one of the few brave ones.0

She went to the restroom and thought carefully about what the Bai father and son had said. Although she hadn't heard who they were talking about, she felt more and more that they were targeting her family. Zhao Guihua's expression darkened, and she became even more disdainful of the father and son.0

However, since she knew about this, she had to warn her family to avoid falling into a trap.0

Two, they mentioned two people. Were they targeting two of her children?0

If that was the case, Zhao Guihua would definitely grab a knife and confront them.0

But then she thought again and felt they probably weren't bold enough to go that far.0

In any case, she had to take this seriously.0

Zhao Guihua finally finished using the restroom. As she was about to leave, she heard footsteps and a man's light cough. Zhao Guihua decided to stay put. It wasn't that she wanted to hide, but with the ghost rumors being strongest about the women's restroom, she didn't want to scare anyone by suddenly coming out of the women's restroom on a rainy night. So she decided to wait until the man went into the men's restroom before leaving.0

Being civilized means not scaring others, and she was very particular about that.0

Zhao Guihua stood still, but soon felt something was off. Why? Because from where she was standing, she could see the person coming, and this person was carrying a bundle.0

Who goes to the restroom on a rainy night carrying a bundle? This was clearly suspicious. Zhao Guihua quietly moved and leaned against the wall, not daring to move.0

Even though she didn't know what this person was up to, Zhao Guihua still had her caution and vigilance. What if she just came out to use the restroom and ended up being killed by some unknown person? That would be terrible. She didn't know what this person wanted to do.0

Zhao Guihua stayed still, holding her breath.0

At this moment, she heard rustling sounds from the men's restroom next door, as if the person was climbing. Zhao Guihua still didn't move. Now wasn't the time to leave; that would just get her noticed. She wasn't that foolish.0

Zhao Guihua didn't move, listening to the sounds next door. The person seemed to have climbed onto the roof, with heavy breathing.0

Hmm, not very fit.0

After a while, thud!0

That was the sound of jumping down. The person cursed, "Damn, my foot! Shit, almost fell into the pit."0

Zhao Guihua: "..."0

You guys really... no wonder Old Bao had to put up signs at the restroom. You all really have a thing for public restrooms. I'm impressed. How does everyone manage to make the restroom their stage?0

Zhao Guihua still didn't move, even though her legs were getting numb. She wasn't the impulsive type. She watched the person's back as he limped away, probably having twisted his ankle when jumping down.0

Ah, this... the person twisted their ankle after jumping down from a height.0

That was Zhao Guihua's conclusion.0

After all, the person was fine when he first came over.0

She stood there for a while, watching the person walk away, heading towards the innermost part of the alley. She quickly left the restroom, covering herself with the rain, and hurried home. As for checking the men's restroom next door, Zhao Guihua didn't consider it. She didn't know what was going on, so she wasn't going to do anything rash.0

Moreover, who knows if anyone in their courtyard saw her leave? If something goes missing tonight, she'd be the first suspect. She didn't want any trouble. Although she was a bit curious about what someone would be hiding on a rainy night, she wasn't desperate to find out.0

Zhao Guihua quickly returned to the courtyard and closed the door before heading home.0

She hurried inside, and Old Man Zhuang turned over, asking, "Wife?"0

Zhao Guihua replied, "It's me."0

He asked, "How do you feel?"0

Zhao Guihua said, "I'm fine, just ate too much."0

She was like a wild boar that couldn't handle fine grain.0

Originally, her diet was quite light and mild, but suddenly, for three meals a day, there was meat, and both lunch and dinner were especially hearty. Her stomach couldn't take it, and she ended up with diarrhea at night. However, the others in the family who ate the same food were perfectly fine.0

Only she had stomach issues, while everyone else was fine.0

Zhao Guihua: Very annoyed.0

She muttered to herself as she lay back down on the kang (kang, a heated brick bed), saying, "Old man, are you asleep?"0

Old Man Zhuang replied, "No, what is it?"0

Zhao Guihua said, "I overheard the Bai father and son plotting something. I think they're planning to scheme against our family."0

Old Man Zhuang sat up abruptly, saying, "What? Do they have no shame? We haven't done anything to offend them."0

Zhao Guihua laughed, "We didn't offend them, but we did offend the Su family. You know them; they're not very bright."0

Old Man Zhuang frowned, saying, "They really are... Old Man Bai too. Over the years, he's just gotten worse, more and more confused."0

They had been old friends since they were sixteen or seventeen, knowing each other for decades. Now, Old Man Zhuang found it harder and harder to understand what was going on with him, as if he had some sort of problem. He wasn't sure about anything else, but his brain certainly wasn't functioning properly.0

He's really getting more and more confused as he ages.0

Zhao Guihua said, "I don't think he was ever quite right, even when he was young. But back then, during the chaotic times and poverty, it wasn't so obvious. Now that life is getting better day by day, he has more time to cause trouble."0

Old Man Zhuang sighed heavily, saying, "This is going to be tough."0

Zhao Guihua said, "Alright, just keep it in mind, and remind the others. Whether or not it's aimed at us, it's better to be more cautious."0

Old Man Zhuang agreed wholeheartedly.0

He said, "That's the way it should be."0

Zhao Guihua continued, "Oh, and... I saw someone hiding something in the men's toilet when I went to the bathroom earlier."0

Old Man Zhuang: "Huh?"0

In these times, you really see all sorts of things.0

"Can't they keep it at home? Why hide it in the toilet?"0

"Who knows."0

Old Man Zhuang echoed Zhao Guihua's thoughts: "Why do they have to be so obsessed with the toilet?"0

"Right?"0

Old Man Zhuang couldn't help but feel impressed. How was it that every night he went to the toilet, he ended up hearing some gossip? People really shouldn't be staying up so late and being so energetic. It's just not right.0

"Don't get involved in this, and don't tell the kids... Someone might get tempted to take the stuff and end up in trouble without even knowing what happened."0

"I know, I only told you about the toilet thing..."0

The two of them chatted softly, and soon their voices faded away. They weren't young anymore, and after a day of work, they were quite tired.0

As expected, the Zhuang family all woke up late the next morning.0

The noisy sounds of the morning filled the air, and Zhuang Zhixi, feeling anxious, rubbed his eyes, saying, "I can't be late today."0

Today was his first day reporting to the Publicity Department, and being late wouldn't look good.0

Zhuang Zhixi stumbled out, only to find that it was still raining outside. Compared to the torrential rain of the previous day, it had now turned into a moderate rain. However, after a night of rain, there were puddles all over the courtyard.0

A mischievous kid named Tonglai stood at the door, jumping into a puddle with a splat, then hopping out with a splash.0

He noticed Zhuang Zhixi's gaze and, with a smug look, jumped even more energetically, back and forth.0

Zhuang Zhixi watched his dirty pants and subtly twitched his mouth.0

Jump away, you little rascal!0

The usually bustling water trough area was quiet, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face at home. He peeked into the main room and saw that his parents hadn't woken up yet. Zhuang Zhixi knocked on the door, saying, "Mom."0

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍two elderly people didn't respond, so Zhuang Zhixi knocked again. This time, Zhao Guihua finally stirred, saying, "Huh..."0

She sat up and asked, "What time is it?"0

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, I'm going to work without breakfast. Tell Dad not to oversleep."0

Zhao Guihua said, "Wait a moment."0

She got up, putting on her clothes, and deeply sighed, realizing that as one gets older, it's harder to recover from fatigue.0

She opened the door and said, "Come in, it's not like it's a matter of five or ten minutes. Skipping breakfast isn't good for your stomach."0

Zhao Guihua remembered that her youngest son had always had stomach issues in the coming years, almost as if he were the male lead in a romance novel, always getting stomach aches for no reason.0

She said, "I'll hurry, you can't be late."0

Zhuang Zhixi grinned, feeling that there was no one better than his mom in the world.0

He teased, "Mom, I knew you loved me the most, oh my dear mom."0

Zhao Guihua: "..."0

She was speechless: "Why does your tone sound so... clingy? You don't sound like a decent person. Go on, now."0

She quickly rolled out the dough she had prepared the night before, saying, "It's all set from last night, just slice it and cook it. Have some noodle soup for breakfast; it'll keep you warm, and with the rain outside, it'll feel comfortable."0

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Okay."0

His smile grew even wider, saying, "Mom, I know you love me the most, hehe."0

Zhao Guihua said, "No need to flatter me. I have something to tell you: Be careful of the Bai father and son."0

Zhuang Zhixi leaned against the stove, asking lazily, "What's up?"0

Zhao Guihua said, "I overheard them last night..."0

Zhuang Zhixi sneered, saying, "What kind of idiots are they?"0

He smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mom, I definitely won't fall for their tricks. Just remind the others."0

Zhao Guihua thought about it and realized that it was true. Among their family, Zhuang Zhixi was the least likely to be deceived. Even if he didn't know anything, he wasn't the type to blindly trust others.0

He was naturally quite shrewd in this regard.0

She said, "I'll remind everyone. Just remember to be cautious."0

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Alright, I know. If they dare to scheme against me, I'll make sure they regret it."0

He wasn't someone to be trifled with. Zhuang Zhixi said meaningfully, "If someone tries to scheme against me, not returning the favor would be a shame given my height."0

Zhao Guihua: "..."0

She twitched her mouth, quite speechless. What does that have to do with anything?0

Zhuang Zhixi, on his first day at the Publicity Department, left earlier than everyone else. By the time he was ready to go, his wife, Ming Mei, was just coming over to have breakfast, her hair a mess. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Wife, I'm leaving first."0

Ming Mei nodded, "Oh."0

She was still a bit dazed, half-asleep.0

If it weren't for her stomach growling, she wouldn't have gotten up.0

What was even more frustrating was that she still had to go to work later. Ming Mei went to the main room and called out, "Mom..."0

It was worth mentioning that Ming Mei marrying into the Zhuang family was actually a bit of a step down in terms of status. She could have found a family with better conditions. However, in terms of living a more comfortable life, it might not have been the case. Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had hit it off, but after getting married, Ming Mei realized that the Zhuang family was really quite nice.0

After all, even if a daughter-in-law had a job, in most families, the mother-in-law would still be the one making breakfast.0

Even though it was a new era, the mother-in-law was still in charge. Many mother-in-laws would subtly establish rules and make life difficult for their daughters-in-law.0

Her mother-in-law never cared about these things. For instance, Ming Mei and her husband almost always had ready-made meals for breakfast and dinner. They didn't have to do much housework either. The couple mainly washed their own clothes and cleaned their own room, which was quite easy.0

Don't think this is simple. Just look at their courtyard. Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou don't have jobs, but the work in both their households is done by Wang Xiangxiu and Jiang Lu. In their unit, most of the bus ticket sellers are women, and the majority are married. No matter whether they live with their in-laws or not, they have a lot to manage. Like her, who is married but still enjoys a relatively easy life, mainly just focusing on work, is truly rare.0

Even the cleaning of pots, pans, and other household items, as well as the seasonal washing of curtains in each room, is all handled by Liang Meifen.0

So Ming Mei has a good attitude towards Liang Meifen. After all, one can't just look at what they give, but also what they receive.0

She drank a bowl of noodle soup and sighed, "It's really delicious."0

Zhao Guihua: "Of course it's delicious. I used the broth left over from last night's lamb stew."0

Ming Mei truly admired her mother-in-law's cooking skills. Whether it was her own mother or the state-run restaurants outside, none could compare to Zhao Guihua's craftsmanship. However, Ming Mei also knew that her mother-in-law's culinary prowess came from her willingness to use ingredients. Her own family was already quite generous with food, but her mother, being a product of this era, could only be relatively generous.0

But her mother-in-law was different. Even when she held back, the amount of seasoning she used was significantly more than that of ordinary households. Moreover, she was very particular about food. Every week, they could see fish and meat on the table. If it were just based on the ten yuan they contributed monthly, they would barely be able to afford coarse grains.0

Clearly, the older couple was subsidizing them. She knew this, and so did her sister-in-law, Liang Meifen. That's why Liang Meifen dared not utter a word. Everyone was well aware of the situation.0

"Mom, it's raining today. Don't go up the mountain."0

Yesterday, they had planned to go up the mountain, but rain made it unsafe.0

Zhao Guihua: "I know. We won't go today."0

She looked at the few people eating and said, "I have something to tell you..."0

Of course, it was about last night's incident.0

Everyone was gritting their teeth, although they weren't sure if it was a scheme against their family, it was likely.0

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Those scoundrels."0

He used to think Bai Fendou was decent, but now he's becoming more and more unbearable.0

Strangely enough, Old Man Zhuang also had the same view of Old Man Bai. It seems that being a bachelor and a long-time admirer who can't get what he wants makes one resentful of others' happiness.0

"Anyway, just keep it in mind. I don't think it's aimed at you. After all, you don't work in the same factory, and you don't interact much. Oh right~" Zhao Guihua recalled something and said, "Zhiyuan, aren't you competing for the position of train conductor this year?"0

Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Yes, but there are several others competing, so my chances are slim."0

Zhao Guihua: "Sometimes, you should give gifts when necessary. Don't feel embarrassed; it's just normal socializing."0

Zhuang Zhiyuan blushed slightly but nodded, "I understand."0

"Mom, I'm off to work."0

Ming Mei checked the time and realized she was running late. She quickly got up, and Old Man Zhuang did the same.0

Zhao Guihua: "Alright, we'll talk more after work. Go to work now."0

"Okay."0

Zhao Guihua instructed, "Meifen, take care of the kids these days. I'm afraid those two troublemakers might try something with the children."0

Liang Meifen widened her eyes, "They dare!"0

The Bai family was truly infuriating.0

She said, "They're so annoying."0

Zhao Guihua: "Those kinds of people can't keep their schemes hidden. It'll only be for a couple of days. If they target our family, I'll give them a good slap. If it's someone else... let them deal with it. Anyway, they're either targeting the Zhou family or us. They won't bother others."0

It's worth mentioning that Zhao Guihua's random guess hit the nail on the head.0

However, Zhao Guihua didn't know that yet. She said, "Alright, go wake the kids up. If they don't leave soon, they'll be late for school. I've boiled an egg for each of them." Kids deserve special treatment, and Zhao Guihua was quite justified in her partiality.0

After all, they're just kids.0

When they grow up, she won't have to take care of them anymore.0

Liang Meifen took the kids to school, while Zhao Guihua wasn't idle. She processed some rabbit fur. Such things were unsuitable for children. Mainly because it was white, and whether it was made into a hat or gloves for kids, they'd get dirty quickly. Washing them in the cold winter wouldn't dry easily, so Zhao Guihua didn't consider giving them to the kids. Instead, she planned to process the fur and save it up. Once she had a few more pieces, she would make a fur vest for her husband to wear in winter.0

Although her husband's salary wasn't low, he rarely used good things, always prioritizing the children. They always thought their good days were ahead. But who could have known that life is so unpredictable.0

Her husband passed away at a relatively young age.0

So, given another chance, Zhao Guihua still wanted to treat her husband better. After all, they had supported each other for most of their lives.0

As she was organizing things, she heard someone calling outside, "Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang."0

Zhao Guihua put down the rabbit fur and went out to ask, "What are you shouting for? Are you calling for a spirit?"0

Outside was Bai Fendou.0

Bai Fendou: "Where's Xiao Zhuang? My dad got caught in the rain yesterday and has a cold. He should take a look."0

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes and said, "You should go see a doctor for your brain. I've told you countless times, my son isn't a doctor. Oh, I get it. You're hoping your dad kicks the bucket soon so you can arrange a feast, right? Otherwise, why would you come to someone who isn't a doctor to treat your father? You're up to no good, Bai Fendou. That's your own father."0

"You..."0

Zhao Guihua: "What are you 'you'-ing about?"0

She looked Bai Fendou up and down and said, "I can see you're up to no good. Let me tell you, if you keep this up, I'll report you to the neighborhood committee. Who acts like you do as a son? You're not even looking for a quack doctor; you're asking someone who isn't a doctor to treat your father. You clearly have ill intentions. You want to harm your dad, don't you?"0

"You're talking nonsense. I just saw my dad has a fever, and my mind went blank. He's my own father; how could I have ill intentions? Aunt Zhao, you're really good at making things up."0

Zhao Guihua gave a cold laugh, crossed her arms, and looked Bai Fendou up and down with suspicion.0

Bai Fendou: "Alright, I won't argue with you. I'll take him to the hospital right away."0

Bai Fendou hurried back. This wasn't an act or part of their plan.0

Old Man Bai had indeed caught a cold from the rain.0

After all, he wasn't young anymore. After falling and getting soaked in the rain, he walked several hours back to the city. That kind of ordeal was more than he could handle. Don't think people of their age are used to hardship.0

They were working-class people, and while factory work was tiring, it couldn't compare to farming. They hadn't done heavy labor.0

After such a toss and turn, he couldn't take it anymore.0

Bai Fendou didn't dare to argue with Zhao Guihua and quickly turned to the Su family, calling, "Aunt Su, come out for a moment."0

Aunt Su hurried out and asked, "What's wrong?"0

Bai Fendou: "My dad's sick. I can't handle it alone. Can you help me out and take him to the hospital?"0

Aunt Su quickly said, "Why go to the hospital? We should take him to the factory's clinic. It's closer and easier to take care of. If you take him to the hospital, you'll have to go to work, and even if I can help take care of him, I'm just a woman. With the bad weather, it's inconvenient to go back and forth."0

Going to an external hospital would cost more than the factory clinic.0

She didn't want the old man to spend a lot of money. If he had that money, wouldn't it be better to save it for her? She could use it to buy meat for her grandson.0

She continued, "If we take him to the factory clinic, I can stay and help take care of him. If I go home to cook, you can come and take care of him yourself. Isn't that convenient?"0

Bai Fendou: "You're very thoughtful."0

The two quickly entered the house and soon emerged, supporting Old Man Bai, who was wearing a raincoat and had a pale face, clearly delirious from a high fever. Aunt Su held Old Man Bai's hand and said, "Old Man Bai, hang in there. Once we get the fever-reducing shot, you'll feel better. If you're uncomfortable, lean on me."0

Old Man Bai, whether genuinely unwell or not, immediately leaned on Aunt Su's shoulder.0

The three of them hurried out the door.0

Aunt Wang, hearing the commotion, came to the front yard and saw Aunt Su and Old Man Bai leaning closely together, holding hands. She grimaced and muttered, "What's going on here? They're really acting like no one else is around."0

Zhao Guihua wore a serious expression and said, "You know, you really should take this more seriously. They're just helping each other out."0

Aunt Wang couldn't help but chuckle and said, "I'll believe that when I see it."0

The two elderly women watched their retreating figures. Zhao Guihua thought to herself: It seems this isn't part of any plan; it must be an unexpected situation.0

However, I wonder what they're up to.0

But given how close they're acting, heading to the factory clinic...0

Zhao Guihua: I dare not imagine.0

By tomorrow, rumors will be flying everywhere!