Dinner ti is the liveliest ti at the Zhuang Family household.
The whole family gathered together, and Zhuang Zhiyuan announced with excitent at the dinner table, "It's settled on my end. I'm getting a housing allocation this ti for sure."
Feeling overjoyed, he continued, "I thought I'd have to wait a long ti, but I didn't expect it to move so quickly. Our unit colleagues speculate that it likely started internally long ago, and by the ti it reached us, the decision was already made."
Zhao Guihua smiled, "That's great news. Once you get the new place, our living space will be more spacious."
"Exactly," Zhuang Zhiyuan said with so pride. "I was really lucky this ti. You don't know, there are plenty in our unit who haven't gotten housing. There are older colleagues ahead of in the queue, and new colleagues with connections behind . I was worried I wouldn't make the cut, but luckily, my turn ca up."
Zhuang Zhixi and Ming i looked envious. "Big Brother, you're so lucky," they said.
They too longed for a housing allocation, but with their shorter work tenure, they didn't know when their turn would co.
Liang ifen, also elated since it concerned her own family, said happily, "Everyone will get their chance. Just be patient."
Zhuang Zhixi and his wife nodded.
Zhao Guihua felt a wave of emotions, realizing that no matter the era, a house always holds paramount importance.
She asked, "So, how long before you get the keys to the new place?"
Initially, she wasn't too keen on the house, but then she reminded herself not to judge with decades-old perspectives. Indeed, that house might have been a source of regret in the future, but now, it wasn't too bad. Although it was an older building, they could renovate it by the 1980s. For now, getting a house allocation was a blessing; being picky wasn't wise.
Zhuang Zhiyuan replied, "This month is almost over, so probably next month. But it won't drag beyond that. It should be quick since it's not a newly built house waiting on construction."
Zhao Guihua nodded, "Alright. What about the kids? How do you plan to arrange them?"
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi imdiately looked at their parents, unaware that the conversation involved them. Zhao Guihua, noting their confused expressions, explained, "Your parents' new place is small. If you move with them, you'll need to partition a room in the living room, which will be cramped compared to here. Alternatively, you can stay here with your grandparents and Uncle. Your parents will co back on weekends. It's up to you to decide, and I won't interfere."
The two kids beca conflicted. They wanted to live with their parents and also with their grandparents—they didn't want to be separated.
With their little mouths pouting, they looked visibly worried.
Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "So, do you want to live with your parents or your grandparents?"
Hutou replied, "Both."
He pouted and said, "I don’t want to be apart from you."
Zhuang Zhiyuan chuckled, "You're a big boy now."
"I'm not a big boy; I'm a little kid."
Zhuang Zhiyuan teased, "If you're a little kid, then what are Tuantuan and Yuanyuan?"
The two little ones were lying in their stroller, playing with their ugly, clownishly colored toy caterpillars—their absolute favorite. Zhuang Zhiyuan glanced at them, finding the caterpillars truly hideous, but the chubby babies were undeniably adorable.
He said, "Tuantuan and Yuanyuan are the little ones. You're the big kids now."
Hutou argued, "No, that’s not right. We’re little kids, and they’re tiny kids. Right, Sister?"
Xiao Yanzi nodded imdiately, "Right!"
The siblings' thoughts were clear to Zhuang Zhiyuan—they didn’t want to be separated. However, he and Liang ifen had discussed this. They agreed that Hutou and Xiao Yanzi should stay here. The new place had only one room, while living in the courtyard was far more comfortable.
They wouldn't have to squeeze together if there was still space available.
But seeing his children’s reluctance to be apart, Zhuang Zhiyuan said, "We’ll think about it so more."
"That works," Zhao Guihua agreed.
Hutou blinked innocently.
Zhuang Zhiyuan added, "We’ll decide after the house is assigned and we see its size."
"Sounds good," Zhao Guihua replied.
Curious, Zhuang Zhiyuan asked, "By the way, where were you all today? You took so long to get back?"
He was surprised to find Liang ifen taking care of the kids when he returned, though Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were easy to manage.
Zhao Guihua answered, "I went out to buy so things and ended up watching a fight. That’s why I got back late."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "That’s right."
Zhuang Zhiyuan gave them a look, suspecting they might have been up to sothing mischievous. He said, "In life, we should always strive for harmony, especially outside. Avoid getting involved in others’ affairs."
Zhao Guihua shot him a look. "What’s this? Feeling bold, are you? Now you dare to lecture ? Do you even know who you're talking to?"
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "..."
Zhao Guihua continued, "And what’s this talk of harmony? Who’s making feel uneasy, I’ll make them feel uneasy. But I was just watching soone else fight; what does harmony have to do with that? Do you think I was the one fighting? Am I that kind of person? As a son, you should wish well. I’ve always been reasonable."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "...................................."
Liang ifen: "!!!!!!!!!"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Cough, cough, cough."
Ming i, smiling, chid in, "Mom, I’m on your side."
Her flattery drew eye rolls from everyone else.
Ming i snorted, and as soon as the kids heard their mom’s voice, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan started fidgeting. They babbled and tried to reach out from their strollers. Ming i patted them gently, saying, "Be good. Mommy will play with you after dinner."
She poked their little cheeks and said, "So well-behaved."
While entertaining the kids, she suddenly thought of sothing and said, "Mom, I’m thinking of buying so cotton to make Tuantuan and Yuanyuan each a padded jacket. Do you have ti to do it?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "Yes, go ahead and prepare the materials."
"Great," Ming i said.
Each month, they contributed fifteen yuan, which covered living expenses including food, utilities, and hygiene. Anything additional, like clothing, they had to prepare themselves. Liang ifen felt fortunate that last year her kids had managed to get three sets of clothes each—it was a real blessing.
Although Tuantuan and Yuanyuan had gotten so too, being infants, they required far less fabric. Her children, being older, needed more material. Despite the striped patchwork design of the dresses, no one else seed to mind.
She felt quite pleased with herself, feeling like she had gotten a great deal.
Zhuang Zhiyuan saw his wife lost in thought, looking unusually happy. He gave her a light kick under the table and then said, "Mom, make the padded jackets for the little ones first, and then for Hutou and Xiao Yanzi too."
He instructed Liang ifen, "Check how many cotton ration tickets we have. If it's not enough, I’ll see if I can trade with soone. Hutou and Xiao Yanzi’s padded jackets from last year should be a bit too small by now."
Last year, their family had eaten well, and while the adults didn’t show much change, the kids had shot up like weeds. Their old padded jackets and pants no longer fit.
Last year, they had extended the jackets and pants by adding extra fabric, but this year, with the kids having grown even more, it was ti for a change.
He said, "Disassemble the old ones, fluff the cotton, and add so new layers."
Liang ifen agreed, "Alright."
Although the weather was still warm, this was the right ti to prepare the jackets. By the ti it got cold, they’d be ready to wear.
Zhao Guihua said, "Get the materials ready and bring them over."
"Thanks, Mom," they replied.
Ming i also leaned in: "Mom, you're really the best."
Zhao Guihua pushed her away, saying, "Who taught you this? Stop being so clingy."
But the smirk on her lips still showed that she was quite pleased with this display.
Zhao Guihua was in a good mood, smiling as she said, "You all should be thanking , the homaker. If it weren't for , could you live so comfortably? Working all day, then coming ho to take care of the kids, wash dishes, cook, do laundry, nd clothes—there's so much to do."
This was no exaggeration. Nowadays, life wasn't like it would be decades later, with household appliances becoming the norm and everything available for purchase. Back then, if it got cold, you bought a cotton-padded jacket—you wouldn't be unable to afford it, just maybe at the high or low end of the price range. Most households had to make things themselves. There were stores selling such items, but even for worker families, it wasn't sothing you could casually buy and replace. Let alone the manual labor involved in washing clothes and cooking—there were no electric rice cookers or washing machines back then.
The more Zhao Guihua thought about it, the more she felt her contributions were paramount. She said, "You two are lucky to have a mother-in-law like —it's a blessing eight lifetis in the making. Otherwise, with one of you being a fool and the other a simpleton, you'd be taken advantage of without even realizing it."
Liang ifen and Ming i both nodded, not daring to refute her.
Liang ifen truly didn't dare to contradict her mother-in-law. Whatever Zhao Guihua said, she always agreed with it. There was no arguing with this woman—when she got fierce, she really would throw a punch. Liang ifen had witnessed their family storming her own parents' house once, and just thinking about it made her shudder.
As for Ming i, she genuinely thought Zhao Guihua was a good person. She believed her to be sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. Unlike Liang ifen, who was purely afraid, Ming i had worked in a departnt with many female colleagues and knew firsthand how harsh so mother-in-laws could be towards their daughters-in-law.
Zhao Guihua, though seeming tough on the surface, was very sincere towards her own family. Outsiders might think it steep for them to pay 15 yuan a month for living expenses, considering it was just for food and drink. But Ming i knew that, in reality, her in-laws were subsidizing their expenses.
The als at their house were so good that even if they paid 20 yuan, it wouldn't be enough to cover the cost.
Moreover, Zhao Guihua took care of all the household matters, so Ming i was very grateful. She was thankful that her mother-in-law's mindset was different from that of most older won. Zhao Guihua was indeed a woman of vision.
Ming i leaned in again, cooing, "Mom, I really adore you."
Zhao Guihua: "…"
Everyone else: "…"
What kind of bootlicker is this?
Ming i: "I'm so lucky. When I tell people how great my mother-in-law is, they all think I'm exaggerating, but it's true! You're even better than I say."
Zhao Guihua smiled: "That's good to know."
She smiled, she really did smile—she clearly loved this kind of flattery.
The Zhuang family mbers exchanged helpless glances. With such a fierce deanor, a little flattery and she's all smiles—where's the dignity in that?
Zhao Guihua: "Alright, enough fussing. After dinner, go boil so water to bathe the baby—they need a bath today."
Ming i: "Sure thing."
If it were just one baby, it would be simple, but with two, it was like a battle. The two little ones didn't understand the concept of bathing—to them, it was all about "playing with water." Each bath required the efforts of several people.
At this point, Ming i was already stretching and flexing in preparation for the battle ahead.
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi: "We want to help too!"
They loved helping bathe Little Tuan and Little Yuan. The two chubby babies, still slling of milk, were just too adorable.
Zhao Guihua imdiately turned stern: "You can watch from the side, but don't get in the way."
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi pouted, but as long as they could watch the fun!
The twin's bathtub was larger than a typical one. As soon as the two toddlers saw their tub being brought out, they beca excited, waving their little hands and wiggling about. Their joy was boundless.
Ming i: "Just look at them…"
Zhuang Zhixi: "It's normal—I like going to the bathhouse for a soak too."
Ming i: "…"
She couldn't even argue with that.
As the Zhuang family boiled water for the children's bath, the chaos carried over to the neighboring Bai family, who were also bustling about, giving their child a bath. Bai Fendou had just finished bathing his daughter and was carrying the water bucket out to pour. In fact, their household chores were much more abundant than before, but Bai Fendou didn't feel burdened at all—in fact, he felt his days were now fulfilling.
Perhaps it was because life now had purpose and flavor.
After pouring the water, he returned to sweep the floor, only to see his daughter Little Qingqing crawling on the bed in her little bib. Bai Fendou said, "Watch her, don't let her fall off the bed."
He Lan: "I've got it under control."
She said, "Let her play for a bit."
She folded the freshly dried and retrieved clothing and placed it neatly in the cupboard, adding, "If Fan's family compensates us, the compensation money will technically be my funds."
She had already gotten a rough idea from Bai Fendou.
Bai Fendou: "Feeling sorry for the money?"
He Lan shook her head: "Not sorry. Though it is a pity, one has to consider the circumstances. Even if I had kept that money, it might not have been a blessing. Back then, everyone knew my family's situation—even though I was an unfavored daughter, I was still the daughter of a small capitalist family. Do you think people wouldn't sche against ? But since everyone knew that Fan's family treated poorly and took my dowry, I managed to avoid the worst of it in the early days of the turmoil."
She had seen people being paraded through the streets, and it was truly terrifying.
"How much dowry did you have back then?" Bai Fendou wasn't greedy for money; he was simply curious.
He Lan: "My father gave a dowry of two thousand yuan, along with a bicycle, a radio, a sewing machine, and a watch for both Fan Jianguo and . My family also prepared the bedding, and for clothes… well, those weren't part of the dowry, but they were high-quality items I had accumulated over the years and were taken by them."
Bai Fendou was amazed: "Wow, your dowry was substantial—even more than Jiang Baohong's. No wonder people had issues with capitalists. Even as an unfavored daughter, your family still provided so much…"
He Lan nodded quietly.
"Have you thought about getting those things back?"
He Lan looked at Bai Fendou and shook her head gently, saying, "I just want to live a good life—nothing else matters to . Fendou, do you think I'm useless?"
Bai Fendou: "Of course not."
He scratched his head, saying, "I do feel bad about that money—so much of it. You could have bought so many nice things for Little Qingqing. But considering your background… I think losing it might have been for the best."
He Lan scooped her daughter back from the edge of the bed and nodded, saying, "I thought the sa at the ti. If Fan's family hadn't taken my dowry, it might have stirred up jealousy, and I could have ended up in a worse situation. I rember a neighbor sister from before I got married—she was taken out to parade the streets, and it was really frightening. I didn't want that for myself. If I had continued to live well and had a good background as the daughter of a small capitalist, soone might have exposed or done sothing worse. So in that sense, even though they took my things, the fact that everyone in Yang Family Village knew I was cheated by them—with nothing left and living miserably—actually made safer in a way."
Bai Fendou smiled: "Don't worry, I'll be here from now on. I'll take good care of you."
He Lan: "I feel truly fortunate to have t you. You're a wonderful person, just and kind."
Bai Fendou: "Hey, I'm not as great as you say. I just can't stand to see n bullying won."
The couple didn't let the loss of that dowry dampen their spirits. Instead, they were content with their current life.
He Lan rarely gave a sly smile and said, "Actually, I'm not a fool. I realized early on that I had misjudged people and made the wrong choice, and it hurt, but I quickly pulled myself together. I told myself, even if life gets harder, I don't want to be condemned. The more miserable I appear, the less anyone will bother . So I deliberately let slip how much money the Fan family had taken from . That was all my money."
The villagers all disliked the Fan family. So had genuine grievances or simply didn't like their ways, as they weren't very principled. However, others just harbored resentnt against the wealthy. If the Fan family didn't have so many strong n in their household, so troublemakers might have already tried to fleece them.
Bai Fendou: "You're really smart."
He Lan said with a small sense of pride, "I'm not capable of much, and my personality is soft, so I can't do anything big. I can only sneakily pull off these small sches to annoy them."
Bai Fendou: "Well, this ti they're really going to lose a lot. Guan Guiling, the one who almost married , isn't soone to ss with. She once sold out for money, and now that she's got the Fan family as easy targets, you watch, she'll milk them dry."
He Lan: "The Fan family is really fierce."
Bai Fendou: "Being fierce doesn't help when you're in a tough spot."
He chuckled and said, "Once I disguise myself, I'll sneak to the hospital to watch the fun during their negotiations."
He Lan: "Be careful not to get caught."
Bai Fendou: "Of course."
After a pause, he suddenly said, "Hey, why don't you co along too? If you're worried about being recognized, disguise yourself as well. I’ll ask Zhuang Zhiyuan’s wife to take you. I trust her."
He Lan: "???"
She said, "She’s such a gentle person…" Before finishing, she stopped herself, thinking of how fiercely Ming i once kicked her way into the Liang family to cause trouble.
"Hmm, she’s indeed tough."
Bai Fendou: "Once I find out when the Fan family is going to the hospital, hehehe."
He Lan hesitated slightly. All she wanted was to live a peaceful life, but then she thought, maybe… it wouldn’t hurt to see?
An inner voice urged her, "Go and watch the fun! See how miserable this family is, see if they et their demise!"
She hesitated and said, "Can I really go?"
Bai Fendou: "Of course. I’ll ask Zhuang Zhiyuan to talk to his wife. To be honest, I’m a bit wary of Ming i. She’s a bit intimidating."
If it were Li Fang who beat people easily, Bai Fendou wouldn't be so afraid. After all, Li Fang looks strong and capable of fighting. But Ming i looks like a delicate little wife, and yet she’s known to snap and puml a few burly n as if it’s child’s play. Such a stark contrast is actually quite terrifying!
He Lan, seeing Bai Fendou’s lingering fear, confidently said, "She must have beaten you up before."
Bai Fendou denied it, "No, that’s impossible."
He Lan smiled mischievously, "Definitely!"
Bai Fendou: "..."
Why does she have to be so sharp?
He Lan laughed and said, "It must be because you were too nosy."
Bai Fendou firmly denied it, "Absolutely not. I’m not that kind of person. Besides, I’m a strong man, she couldn’t possibly beat !"
He Lan smiled subtly, but deep down… she didn’t believe a word of it.
There’s no doubt—he definitely got beaten up, which is why he has such a deep scar.
Hehe.
He Lan didn’t notice that her personality had beco much more lively…
………………
Ming i’s greatest agony every day is getting up early.
By day, she toils at work, and by night, she takes care of her children and her husband. All she wants is a good sleep-in.
However, work must go on.
Every morning is chaotic for her, rushing to arrive just on ti. Once at the office, she instantly senses the extra buzz—and she knows why. It’s definitely because of Guan Guiling.
In these tis, having a job is like having a ho. No matter the issue, it’s communicated at work. Like this ti with Guan Guiling—early in the morning, the police arrived, even before Ming i got to work.
By the ti she arrived, the police were gone and the news had spread.
Ming i parked her bike and rushed upstairs, only to find everyone in the office gathered, discussing with people from other departnts. She saw Xiao Tian from logistics. Xiao Tian’s specialty is gossip—once sothing reaches her ears, it spreads like wildfire.
She winked and smiled, asking, "What are you all talking about?"
Everyone quickly pulled Ming i in, "You’re late, so you don’t know—Guan Guiling is hospitalized. Sothing happened to her. Oh, it’s so tragic—she lost her child."
Ming i’s big eyes widened, "I know, I saw it yesterday when I left work."
"Wait, you saw it? Were you there? Do you know what happened? Why was she beaten? Did she offend soone? It shouldn’t be like that—Guan Guiling is actually a decent person."
Ming i: "It wasn’t her fault. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong ti, caught in soone else’s anger."
"What happened? Tell us!"
Ming i cleared her throat and said, "Yesterday, in front of the hotel near the front gate, two won were arguing. Apparently, one of them was… Then I saw my mother-in-law Zhao Guihua among the onlookers, so I rushed in to protect her, fearing she might get caught up in the chaos. At that ti, I was focused on my mother-in-law, so I didn’t notice Guan Guiling was also in the crowd. But she was unlucky—the man was already enraged, and when he saw her talking back, he grabbed her and kicked her, causing a lot of bleeding. It was terrifying."
After Ming i recounted yesterday’s events, everyone was speechless.
Though they had heard sothing was up, this detailed version was new to them. They exchanged bewildered glances, saying, "So he…"
Soone else chid in, "She was completely at the wrong place at the wrong ti."
Ming i: "Exactly, it wasn’t her fault at all."
Sister Wang: "In my opinion, once you’re pregnant, you really need to be careful, staying away from the chaos. That’s how accidents happen. I heard not only did she lose her child, but she’s also unable to have another. The damage is quite severe."
"Is she still in the hospital?"
"Of course, probably won’t be out for a while."
"Oh, that must cost a lot."
"What can you do? I guess they’ll make the man compensate, but who knows how much he can afford."
"If he can’t pay, then what?"
Ming i said innocently, "He’ll definitely have to pay a lot. That man is rich. You don’t know, but during the argunt yesterday, they ntioned he had deceived a rich girl before. He must have lots of money. Plus, he’s so kind of section leader—his salary must be good. While we workers make thirty or forty a month, which seems like a lot but we need to support a family, what’s that to him? He’s scamd the rich, and the rich are nothing like us ordinary folks. Who knows how much cash he holds. You didn’t see, he and his sister were dressed so well, even wearing a wristwatch."
"Ah!"
"So Guan Guiling can demand more compensation."
"Of course, she’s suffered physically and needs to recover."
"That’s true."
"Wait, are all n these days so shaless? Relying on tricking won to live well?"
"Well, so are just so shaless, what can you do?"
"Finding a partner really requires sharp eyes. Girls with good conditions need to guard against such n, and even those with ordinary conditions have to beware of nasty mothers-in-law. It’s just so hard for us won…"
"Yes, indeed."
Everyone was chattering away, and Ming i had already subtly spread the news that "Fan Jianguo" was rich and successful. Guan Guiling must have heard about it yesterday at the scene, though it's also possible she was so focused on spying on Ming i that she didn't pay attention to the chaos around her. Nevertheless, Ming i is truly a very kind person—so kind, in fact, that she decided to give Guan Guiling a gentle reminder.
Ming i really treated Guan Guiling quite well, setting her up with a pri mark to bleed dry, and she even proactively pointed out how wealthy the man was. She's truly a benevolent soul, returning kindness with more kindness.
Of course, this was also a jab at Jiang Baohong.
Jiang Baohong, since your bicycle is gone, why not make Guan Guiling compensate you?
After all, Guan Guiling has already caught herself a big fish.
Ming i returned to her seat with a smile on her face.
However, Ming i didn’t know that Jiang Baohong had no idea her bicycle was missing. She was stewing in anger over Guan Guiling’s breach of trust. They had agreed to plot against Ming i, yet how could she end up getting beaten up in the middle of the street?
Do you even know your own body, enough to casually go gawking at trouble?
Jiang Baohong’s frustration grew, and she was fiercely angry. She felt certain that Guan Guiling had no intention of plotting against Ming i and was just trying to swindle money out of her. Jiang Baohong wasn’t soone who could be taken advantage of. The very thought of it infuriated her.
Jiang Baohong’s mood was dire, but soone had the nerve to ask, “Jiang Baohong, why are you walking today? Where’s your bicycle?”
Jiang Baohong snapped, “It’s lent out.”
She regretted lending her bicycle to Guan Guiling. Not only had Guan Guiling failed to deliver on her promise, but she also hadn’t returned the bicycle promptly. It was insufferable. Jiang Baohong seethed with anger, her eyes burning with distaste for everyone around her. She declared, “I’m taking a day off.”
She was going to the hospital to confront Guan Guiling and demand answers about how she could ss up sothing so simple!
“Wait, no. You’re scheduled for Route 48 today. Asking for leave on short notice, where would we find a replacent? No way!”
Jiang Baohong’s face flushed with anger. “I want ti off, and you dare refuse ?”
She had never been subjected to such disrespect. Back when she was a minor leader, she could leave anyti she pleased. Who dared to question her leave? Now, she felt like a tiger humbled by dogs. Furious, she declared, “I’m taking leave today, whether you allow it or not. I’ve already shown you leniency by asking.”
The dispatcher on the shift was stumped. Never had he seen soone so shaless yet so brazen.
“Who do you think you are? You can skip work all you want, but don’t expect us to care!”
Others began to gather, all expressing their disapproval. As before, the consensus was clear: Who do you think you are? Previously, people had tread carefully around her because of her husband, a man from a powerful organization.
But now, with her family mired in troubles, who cared about her anymore?
“Have so self-respect. Do you think this is your personal kingdom?”
“If you’re so capable, why don’t you just quit and leave?”
“Thinks too highly of herself.”
As Jiang Baohong saw everyone ganging up on her, she felt it was all their fault, everyone envying and bullying her. She fud, “I’m not coming in today, and I don’t care what you all think. You disgusting insects, you’re all poor and worthless fools!”
With that, she stord out, head held high.
This infuriated the others as well. “Let’s go find the supervisor.”
“Yeah, let’s go. Who does this woman think she is?”
“How can there be soone so shaless…”
Jiang Baohong’s behavior was a source of imnse irritation to everyone, and even the leadership was fed up with her.
From her position as a minor leader, she’d been demoted to working in the transport team. This alone showed the consequences of her inability to get along with others and her selfish ways. But Jiang Baohong remained blissfully unaware. Confident that the unit wouldn’t dare fire her, she left without a care.
Indeed, a unit wouldn’t easily fire soone.
But Jiang Baohong’s actions earned her a major derit. Repeated derits, accumulated over ti, would eventually provide grounds for dismissal. Jiang Baohong had disrupted team operations by skipping work without notice and insulting her colleagues. The announcent of her derit was posted shortly after she left, causing quite a stir among the staff.
They were shocked—no one had seen soone so eager to shoot themselves in the foot.
Thinking back to Jiang Baohong’s antics since joining the unit, however, it wasn’t that surprising.
From the very beginning, she had been disruptive and wildly unpopular.
Now that she’d received a reprimand, the bus station staff were practically cheering.
Clearly, her reputation had hit rock bottom.
Ming i clicked her tongue in amused disbelief.
“Ming i, are you busy with work? If not, how about coming with to the hospital to visit Guan Guiling?” Sister Chen, from the office, approached Ming i with the suggestion.
As a staff mber of the passenger station, Guan Guiling's situation required a visit from the unit to extend condolences. Sister Chen was responsible for such situations. However, she didn't call her usual companions this ti—instead, she opted for Ming i.
Ming i was caught off guard. “I’m free, sure. But why ask ?”
She was puzzled.
Sister Chen replied, “I’ve heard that the family of the person who beat her up is quite vicious. Their son’s in custody, but there’s a risk they might co to the hospital to cause trouble. I thought it would be safer with you there, just in case.”
She dealt with all sorts of unit-related mishaps. Such events often involved unreasonable people who resorted to physical violence. Even a hint of danger required extra precautions.
Others joked, “You’re quite cunning.”
“Aren’t you making Ming i your bodyguard?”
Sister Chen chuckled, “Not at all. Besides, it might make for so good entertainnt.”
Ming i laughed. “True enough.”
“Besides, Ming i’s the statistician in our office. We’re all in the sa departnt. It’s not out of place to include her.”
“You do always have a ready excuse.”
Sister Chen happily declared, “Let’s go, Ming i.”
“Alright.”
As it turned out, Sister Chen’s suspicions were spot on.
Sister Chen and Ming i bought so pastries and malted milk, a total of four items, and headed to the hospital together. Before they could even enter, they spotted a familiar face. This person wasn’t just anyone—it was Jiang Baohong.
Yes, the very Jiang Baohong who had just skipped work.
Jiang Baohong had co to the hospital in hopes of confronting Guan Guiling. She wanted to demand an explanation for how their carefully laid plans had gone so horribly awry. Without that, they couldn’t ss with Ming i as planned. Guan Guiling had promised her, so she must deliver.
But when asked to make good on her promise, Guan Guiling’s face turned cold. It was then that Jiang Baohong learned the grim truth: Guan Guiling could no longer conceive.
This revelation only stoked Jiang Baohong’s anger.
Just as Sister Chen and Ming i arrived, the two won were at a tense standoff. The room wasn’t empty; several other beds were occupied, along with family mbers and visitors. Aware of the unsavory nature of their conversation, both Jiang Baohong and Guan Guiling spoke in hushed tones, fearful of being overheard.
The tension only sparked the curiosity of others in the room, who began sneaking glances at them.
Why were the two won visiting a sick colleague and yet in such a heated argunt?
An elderly woman from Bed 2, feeling concerned, spoke up kindly. “Young lady, you should speak gently with the patient. Comrade Guan has suffered greatly. Her body is already frail; if you upset her, it will only worsen her condition. A woman must rest and not be angered, especially during recovery, whether from childbirth or a miscarriage. Doing otherwise is detrintal to her health.” Having introduced themselves that morning, she was aware of Guan Guiling’s na.
Her words, however, ignited Jiang Baohong’s fury.
She turned and snapped, “You old hag, what does it have to do with you? Who needs you to play the good Samaritan here? How I speak to Guan Guiling is between the two of us. Who do you think you are? Truly insufferable.”
“You… How can you speak to like that? Aren’t you being too cruel?”
Jiang Baohong didn't mince words: "This is how I talk, what of it? Get lost, you old git." She hated people who acted like they were better just because they were older.
At this mont, Guan Guiling chid in: "Jiang Baohong, what do you an by that? The aunt was just being considerate. You don't have to be so harsh. This whole situation is your fault in the first place. Are you a mad dog, biting everyone you see? You can't act like this."
"How dare you speak to like that?"
"Why wouldn't I dare? What do you an by that?"
They started arguing, and Sister Chen and Ming i suddenly felt awkward about entering directly.
The two stood by the door, frozen in place.
However, everyone's attention was on the arguing duo, so no one noticed them.
Jiang Baohong, having been shut down by Guan Guiling, didn't hold back. She stood up, kicked the hospital bed forcefully, making a loud creak, causing Guan Guiling to wobble. She shouted, "Guan Guiling, stop acting like such a saint in front of . What are you trying to prove? Calling a dog. Are you even embarrassed to say such things? You called a dog, but I think you're a wolf, a white-eyed wolf. Don’t you forget, the entire unit is only I lent you twenty bucks. How dare you speak to like that now?"
Guan Guiling retorted, "Is it because you lent money that I have to obey you blindly, regardless of right and wrong?"
Jiang Baohong stamred, "You... you dare say that! Do you really think you're so saint? If you were such a saint, would you have plotted with to swindle Ming i's money? Now you're acting all righteous. It's hilarious! Do you believe I'll expose all your dirty secrets at the unit?"
She had so brains, but not much. Earlier, she was quiet and knew to discuss things discreetly, but now that she was angry, she didn't care about anything else. They had no idea that Ming i was standing by the door. Even Sister Chen was surprised and gave Ming i a curious glance.
Guan Guiling and Jiang Baohong were plotting to swindle Ming i?
What a horrible thing to do.
They were all from the sa unit.
Before Sister Chen could say anything comforting, Guan Guiling spoke with a hint of grievance, "What are you spouting nonsense about? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm having a tough ti after my miscarriage. You still want to bully . Jiang Baohong, you're despicable. Bullying a weak woman like , does that make you happy? Why must you be like this?"
She added with a hint of threat, "If you talk about like that, what good will it do you?"
If you're smart, you'll shut up. Black crows aren’t any better than black pigs. Let’s not criticize each other. If I expose you, you can expose too! Guan Guiling was hinting that she could use this incident to threaten Jiang Baohong.
It wasn’t worth it to destroy each other in a battle of mutual destruction.
If it were soone else, they would have understood Guan Guiling's aning, but, well, it just wasn't soone else.
Jiang Baohong... she simply didn’t get it.
After being a leader's wife for so long and being flattered all the ti, she had no social skills left. Guan Guiling was clearly hinting at her, but Jiang Baohong completely missed it, thinking Guan Guiling was just arguing with her.
She raged, "I'm bullying you? Guan Guiling, you’re laughable. Do you think I, Jiang Baohong, am soone you can push around? Let tell you, stay in line, or I’ll expose your secrets. Everyone in the unit will know you’re scheming against them. Your little trick of trying to extort soone with a good position in the unit? I bet people would love to hear about it! It's hilarious! You're covered in dung and still dare to raise your voice at ? Let tell you, your little secrets are already crystal clear to . You took fifty bucks from Chen Yuan to sar Bai Fendou’s reputation, didn’t you? You think I don’t know? I heard everything in the restroom. You were muttering to yourself and didn’t even find a private spot. I heard you loud and clear. I chose not to expose you because I’d love nothing more than for Bai Fendou to die. It’s better if you ruin his reputation. It’s even better if you tell everyone he’s a violent abuser. He’s a despicable man, but back then, didn’t he treat you well? Yet you dumped him for a job with your ex-husband. You’re the expert at burning bridges."
She sneered, "Now it’s my turn? But let tell you, I’m not soone who can be pushed around. I won’t let anyone burn their bridges behind . You’re scheming against people in the unit, do you believe I’ll spread it all over the place?"
At this point, Jiang Baohong was out of control, shouting loudly without caring about anyone’s opinion.
The other patients in the ward were stunned, not believing what they were hearing. What a scandal! Everyone was in shock. The two at the door... seed equally stunned.
Sister Chen couldn’t believe that just by representing the unit to visit a patient, she stumbled upon such a huge scandal.
Scheming... against people in the unit?
Ming i, though shocked, was calculating.
She didn’t want to make a scene. If they hadn’t been discovered, would these two keep spilling more secrets?
Hmm, interesting.
But Chen Yuan really had too much money burning a hole in his pocket. Saring Bai Fendou’s reputation for fifty bucks?
She pursed her lips, but it’s not like anyone would believe it anyway!
And Bai Fendou’s reputation was already terrible, so one more or less wouldn’t make a difference. A few more fleas don’t make a dog itch more. It was a waste of money.
Chen Yuan’s brain clearly wasn’t operating on normal logic.
What was even less normal was Jiang Baohong, who was still running her mouth off: "Guan Guiling, you’re putting on an act in the unit, pretending to be pitiful, thinking no one knows? If it weren’t for keeping an eye on you and discussing how to extort Ming i, you’d have already found soone better in the unit to trap. Now you’re acting like a saint? I think you're asking for a beating. It's the heavens punishing you for being so wicked!"
Guan Guiling was trembling with anger. How did she end up with such a blockhead? She thought Jiang Baohong was stupid and could be controlled, but this woman was beyond stupid. She completely lost her sense of place and spoke nonsense without any regard for the setting.
She raised her voice, "Stop talking nonsense! I don’t know what you’re talking about! What scheming against people in the unit, what scheming against Ming i, what scheming against Bai Fendou, I've never done any of that. You can’t just make up whatever you want. Who do you think you are? Spouting nonsense here, I had an accident yesterday, my child was fine in my belly, there’s no talk of trying to extort anything. Jiang Baohong, are you out of your mind? You can’t just fabricate things about because I don’t listen to you. I’ve never done what you said. Shut up!"
Jiang Baohong glared, "Are you still acting? You're such a rotten person, everyone knows you don’t want to have any more kids, maybe yesterday you deliberately went out to... ah!"
Guan Guiling couldn’t take it anymore and slapped Jiang Baohong, she had to stop her before she said sothing that would ruin her chances of profiting from this.
Besides, she wasn’t deliberately doing anything yesterday.
Though she did plan to extort money from Ming i, that was intentional, but the man from yesterday wasn’t.
Her eyes turned red with excitent, "You’re slandering , you’re talking nonsense slandering ! Do you know how painful it is to lose a child? Do you know I can never have a child again? You’re heartless, always thinking the worst of people, I don’t care about that. But you can’t say such things about , my child is gone! How could any woman want to be barren for the rest of her life? When you say such things, are you not ashad? I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, you horrible liar! I’ll kill you for being wicked! I’ll kill you for bullying ..."
Guan Guiling knew she had to act excited, otherwise, the accusation of being deliberate would stick, and that would be the end of her.
She had to make everyone sympathize with her.
The best way was... if Jiang Baohong hit her.
As soon as she made a move, Jiang Baohong couldn’t hold back.
Guan Guiling quickly ca up with a plan and started furiously beating Jiang Baohong, yanking her hair with all her might. "You're a woman yourself, how can you be so vicious to falsely accuse another woman? I only borrowed twenty yuan from you, and I never said I wouldn't pay it back. Are you forcing to harm others? Are you trying to slander ? I can't take it anymore, I can't take it anymore..."
Guan Guiling dragged Jiang Baohong towards the window. "You're wrongfully accusing , let's die together! Let's die together! Waaaaah, my child, mommy's coming for you. I loved you so much, I eagerly awaited your birth, and now you're gone, yet I have to bear these false accusations. I can't take it anymore, I'm bringing this wicked woman to you, I'm coming to you..."
Guan Guiling wailed hysterically, and everyone's hearts imdiately went out to her. After all, she looked truly devastated and pitiful.
As for Jiang Baohong, everyone was filled with disgust.
Jiang Baohong had lost a large chunk of her hair from Guan Guiling's relentless pulling and had also been slapped several tis. Unable to endure any further, she retaliated by hitting Guan Guiling. Since Guan Guiling had just suffered a miscarriage and was already weak, Jiang Baohong easily overpowered her, straddling her and slapping her repeatedly.
"You want to harm ? I'll beat you to death!"
"Stop hitting her!"
"What is wrong with you, how can you be so vicious?"
"What are you doing?"
The commotion grew louder, and several nurses rushed over to separate the two won. Sister Chen and Ming i, seeing the situation, instinctively moved to the left and right sides of the door, pressing themselves against the wall to avoid getting involved.
You on the left side of the door, on the right side.
It wasn't that they didn't want to intervene, but how could they? The words they had just exchanged were still fresh in their minds. Stepping in would only add to the awkwardness.
Besides, even if they couldn't be sure of the truth, they both suspected that neither of the two won had any good intentions. Sister Chen certainly didn't believe Guan Guiling's performance. After all, they had worked together for years and knew each other well.
And actions don't lie.
A while ago, Guan Guiling had indeed been constantly seeking out others, and once, after work, she had stood silently at the stairs. Anyone hurrying by could easily have bumped into her...
Sister Chen thought back to a ti when Guan Guiling had approached her alone, saying nothing of much importance, just casual topics, which made her wonder if Guan Guiling was trying to plot sothing against her. This realization sent a chill down her spine.
Using one's own child to manipulate others, just how terrifying could this woman be?
In this mont, Sister Chen's mind had already spun through countless thoughts, but she decided to stay out of it.
As for Ming i, she certainly wasn't going to get involved. She was smart enough not to care about the fate of two people trying to sche against her. She wasn't a fool.
At this point, the nurses in the ward finally managed to separate the two won. One of them ran out screaming, "Doctor! Doctor!"
Guan Guiling wasn't doing well again.
Fortunately, they had dealt with many disturbances and suicide attempts before, so their reactions were quick. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to separate them imdiately.
Indeed, experience is cumulative.
If there were to be any more incidents, they might even consider adding wire sh to the windows. They simply couldn't handle this kind of chaos anymore!
"Doctor..."
The ward quickly sprang into action.
Guan Guiling clutched her stomach, sobbing, "You're framing , fra ..."
Everyone joined in to scold Jiang Baohong, who had been pulled into a patchy baldness, saying, "You're such a vicious woman, not only framing others but also ruthlessly bullying them. Your morals are simply too low..."
"We need to call security, or maybe the police, we can't let her get away with this."
"Exactly, we can't!"
"This person is so bad."
Jiang Baohong faced everyone's accusations and shouted, "Shut up, you fools! What do you know? Mind your own business, die already!"
"How dare you curse at us!"
"You, you, you!"
"I've never seen anyone like you!"
The other patients in the ward couldn't take it anymore. The old man accompanying the elderly woman couldn't resist any longer. He stord out and slapped Jiang Baohong several tis, shouting, "Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson, like your parents should have done, you vicious shrew! How dare you insult my wife, how dare you do bad things! How dare you..."
Slap, slap, slap.
Ming i peeked inside and clicked her tongue, "Oh my, she's beaten to a pulp."
"Serves her right!"
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