My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies] Chapter 209

Late at night, the train station was chilly, and the people getting off the train all tightened their clothes, hurrying along with anxious steps.

In no ti, only a man and a woman remained on the platform. Both had streaks of gray in their hair, bearing the marks of ti. The woman supported the man and asked, "Why didn’t our son co to pick us up?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the man slapped her again, furious. "It’s all because of the ungrateful brat you raised!"

A cold wind blew, and he coughed before saying, "Let’s go ho."

This man was none other than Vice Director Cai, who had once been a prominent figure in the political arena. Back then, he had been the feared Vice Director Cai of the diterranean, but now he was just an ordinary man. He had made a mistake that many n make, and as a result, he was transferred out of the capital. At the ti, he had thought it would be temporary, that he could return once things cooled down. But after being relocated, he realized it wasn’t so simple. Getting back to the capital? That was easier said than done.

Moreover, in his new post, he wasn’t given any significant responsibilities. A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake, and everyone knew he had been sent down due to his mistakes. Naturally, no one took him seriously.

For over a decade, he had been stuck as a minor official in a small county town. To many, this might have seed like a decent position, but for Old Cai, it was a crushing blow.

If it hadn’t been for that incident, he would still be living the high life in the capital, enjoying the perks of his position. He had been a Vice Director, after all. And if things had gone differently, he might even have risen to Director.

But alas, he had fallen victim to a honey trap set by that wretched woman, forcing him to leave his ho and live in obscurity for over a decade. Now retired, he had returned under the guise of visiting family. And the woman by his side?

It was Jiang Baohong.

Jiang Baohong had initially divorced Old Cai to avoid trouble, but life in the capital hadn’t been kind to her either. She had a reputation for stealing credit and stepping on others to climb the ladder. With Old Cai no longer in power, she beca a target herself.

Later, she clashed with Guan Guiling and lost. Pressured by her son and daughter-in-law, she gave up her job to her daughter-in-law and went to find her ex-husband with a letter of introduction. But once she arrived, she regretted it. Life there was nothing compared to the capital.

Old Cai, still bitter about the past, often took his anger out on her.

Jiang Baohong wanted to leave, but she had no money. Her letters to her son went unanswered, so she endured. Years passed, and now that Old Cai had retired, they had finally returned. Her heart was filled with excitent.

Unable to contain herself, she exclaid, "Heavens, I’ve finally co back!"

A train attendant passing by, seeing the couple’s emotional state, kindly said, "Ma’am, it’s late. You should hurry ho."

But Jiang Baohong snapped back, "Mind your own business, you little brat!"

The attendant, her eyes red with anger, retorted, "How can you talk like that? I was just trying to help. You’re so an!"

Jiang Baohong put her hands on her hips. "I’ll say what I want. It’s none of your business!"

Before she could gloat further, Old Cai slapped her across the face. "Shut up! Can’t you go a day without causing trouble?"

Seeing the look on Old Cai’s face, Jiang Baohong shrank back and didn’t dare to argue anymore.

The attendant wanted to say that hitting soone was wrong, but one look at Jiang Baohong’s spiteful face made her turn and leave. The pitiful often have their own faults, she thought.

Old Cai dragged Jiang Baohong out of the station. The early morning streets were deserted, with not even a pedicab in sight. Old Cai cursed, "Why did you book such a lousy train ticket? What bad luck!"

Jiang Baohong whispered, "We were supposed to arrive four hours earlier, but the train was delayed."

"Don’t talk back!" He slapped her again. "What use are you? You’ve brought nothing but trouble. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this ss!"

If not for this woman, he might have risen higher, beco wealthy, and even rid himself of his wife.

Jiang Baohong bit her lip, picking at her fingers. "It’s not my fault. It’s that vixen’s doing…"

Old Cai raised his hand to strike her again, but Jiang Baohong dodged and pleaded, "I was wrong! Don’t hit ! When we get to our son’s place, what will he think if he sees like this?"

"You’re worried about what he’ll think? You couldn’t even handle one woman in the capital, and now you’re embarrassed? You had to slink back to after being swindled, and you’re worried about saving face?" Old Cai snarled. "You’re useless. Get out of my sight!"

He shoved Jiang Baohong aside and started walking toward their old house. Jiang Baohong quickly grabbed his arm. "Old Cai, we don’t live there anymore."

She hesitated before explaining, "Back then, when you were transferred because of your… indiscretions, the authorities took our house. I had to fight tooth and nail just to get us a smaller place…"

Old Cai stood frozen, trembling with rage. After a long mont, he spat out, "You’re so useless. I divorced you to protect our assets, and you couldn’t even do that. What good are you? And you never even told ! What else are you hiding?"

Jiang Baohong quickly said, "Nothing! I swear, there’s nothing else."

Old Cai glared at her, and Jiang Baohong shrank under his gaze. "I’m not lying. Really, there’s nothing else."

He sneered, "I hope so!"

Looking at Jiang Baohong, his anger only grew. His eyes burned with hatred. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. It’s been over a decade, but now that I’m back, I won’t let that bitch Wang Xiangxiu get away with it."

If it weren’t for that woman, he wouldn’t have fallen so low.

Jiang Baohong timidly suggested, "Let’s go ho."

For once, they didn’t argue as they walked together. Jiang Baohong trailed behind Old Cai, silently scheming. Her husband was a capable man. He had only fallen because he had been tricked by a woman. But given the chance, he could rise again. He had spent years building connections in the capital. Even though he had been gone for over a decade, so of those ties must still exist. Once they reestablished themselves, their family would prosper once more.

And those who had looked down on them? She would make sure to trample them underfoot.

As for Guan Guiling, she would never forgive her.

If there was one person Jiang Baohong hated most in the capital, it was Guan Guiling. That wretched woman had betrayed her, costing her dearly. This ti, she wouldn’t let her off easy.

Wang Xiangxiu and the others could wait. Guan Guiling was her primary target.

Jiang Baohong had been away for five or six years, and as she looked around, everything felt unfamiliar. The changes were imnse. If she felt this way after a few years, how much more so for Old Cai, who had been gone for over a decade?

Everything felt foreign.

While Jiang Baohong’s hatred was focused on Guan Guiling, Old Cai’s loathing was reserved for Wang Xiangxiu, the woman who had trapped him in a honey trap.

If it weren’t for her, he would never have left the capital. He might have been a high-ranking official by now…

The couple walked unsteadily, their hearts filled with bitterness. After more than an hour, they were exhausted. Old Cai snapped, "How much farther?"

Since his career had taken a downturn, he had beco short-tempered and prone to anger. Every ti he saw Jiang Baohong, his resentnt grew. While he hated Wang Xiangxiu, he also blad Jiang Baohong. If it hadn’t been for her fight with Wang Xiangxiu’s child, none of this would have happened.

So he vented his frustrations on her, lashing out at the slightest provocation. Over the years, Jiang Baohong’s life had been miserable.

Jiang Baohong listened to the man's harsh voice and said, "We're almost there, just ahead."

She pointed the way and said, "This way."

After walking for another hour or so, Old Cai's gaze was like a venomous snake, cold and piercing as he stared at Jiang Baohong. "This is what you call 'almost there'?"

Jiang Baohong didn't dare to speak. Finally, the two arrived at the residential building. By then, the sky was already beginning to lighten. They went upstairs together. Their ho was on the top floor, and as one might expect, the apartnt they had been assigned wasn't anything great.

Sure enough, Old Cai's face darkened again.

Early in the morning, they knocked loudly on the door.

"Who is it?"

After a long while, soone with a hint of morning grumpiness opened the door, their tone not particularly friendly.

Jiang Baohong said, "It's us."

The footsteps inside paused for a mont, and after a long hesitation, the door was opened. A woman's face appeared, her expression tinged with disdain as she looked at the people at the door. She pursed her lips and reluctantly called out, "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?"

Though Jiang Baohong was timid in front of her husband, she was anything but in front of her daughter-in-law. She pushed the young woman aside and said, "What are we doing here? Can't we co? This is your father's and my house. Of course, we can co back."

They entered directly. Jiang Baohong noticed the young woman was draped in a robe, looking quite comfortable, which only fueled her anger. Without warning, she slapped her—"Smack!"

She shouted, "You little wretch! Knowing we were coming back today, not only did you not co to pick us up, but you were also sleeping at ho. Is this how a daughter-in-law should behave? Did you think just because I left the capital, I couldn't teach you a lesson?"

The young woman was stunned by the sudden slap. She looked up at her mother-in-law in disbelief, then at her father-in-law, who was glaring at her with a dark expression, clearly approving of the action. Biting her lip, she said indignantly, "Mom, ever since you left the capital, you've turned into a shrew, hitting people for no reason. This is too much... Ah!"

Before she could finish, she was struck again.

This ti, the young woman couldn't hold back her tears. She cried out, "Little Cai, co out here! Look at your mom, hitting as soon as she gets back. Is this how a mother-in-law should act? I've been serving you and your family all this ti, and even if I haven't done much, I've still worked hard. And this is how you treat ? I can't take it anymore, I just can't!"

She wasn't the type to suffer in silence. Wailing, she called for her husband. Finally, Old Cai's son, Little Cai, shuffled out in his slippers and said, "What are you all doing? Do you want the whole neighborhood to know how ssed up our family is?"

He plopped down on the sofa and said, "Why are you back?"

There was no warmth in his tone.

Old Cai was furious. "Can't I co back? This is my ho. After all these years, is this how you greet ? Why didn't you co to pick us up?"

He berated his son, but Little Cai remained calm. "Why should I pick you up? Why did you even co back? Aren't you afraid of embarrassing yourselves? If you're not ashad, I am."

"You!" Old Cai raised his hand to strike, but Jiang Baohong quickly stopped him. "What are you doing? Why are you picking a fight with your son right after coming back? This is no way to start."

Little Cai stood up. Compared to his balding, short father, he was tall and imposing. He stepped forward aggressively. "Hit ? Go ahead, hit ! Co on, do it! You think I'm afraid of you?"

He spat out bitterly, "You're such great parents. You couldn't make it in the capital, so you ran away like rats, leaving us here to suffer the sha. And now you have the nerve to co back? Have you even seen how I'm living?"

He had once been a golden child, but now he was treated like a pariah, and the resentnt burned deep within him.

If anyone had more hatred than Old Cai and Jiang Baohong, it was him. He glared at his parents and said, "If I were you, I'd just die. What's the point of living? Wasting food? Embarrassing yourselves?"

"You—you—you!" Old Cai stamred. "How did you beco like this?"

"Why shouldn't I be like this? You ruined my good life, so this is who I am."

As their only son, Old Cai and Jiang Baohong had spoiled Little Cai rotten, but they never expected it would turn him into a selfish, petty man. Of course, as parents, they couldn't see their son as anything but perfect. In that mont, Old Cai's hatred for Wang Xiangxiu grew even stronger. "That bitch Wang Xiangxiu ruined our family's life!"

He roared in anger.

Hearing this, Little Cai's expression turned malicious. "Dad, you fell right into her trap back then."

Old Cai had no doubt about that. It was all that woman's sche.

"I know. I underestimated her."

He had thought she only wanted to save her son, but he hadn't anticipated all the complications that followed.

"No!" Little Cai said bitterly. "That's not what I ant. We were caught in a much bigger trap."

Little Cai's voice was filled with venom. "You probably don't know this, but do you know who Wang Xiangxiu really is?" Without waiting for Old Cai to respond, he continued, "Wang Xiangxiu has a cousin nad Hu Huihui, and Hu Huihui's husband is Deputy Director Zheng, the man who competed with you for the director position back then. After you were taken down, Deputy Director Zheng was promoted. Do you think that's a coincidence? I don't. It was all a setup to get you out of the way so he could take your position. Dad, you don't know this, but Deputy Director Zheng is living large now. While so many people were purged, he wasn't touched. How is that fair? His family is thriving, living comfortably, while we're left like this. Tell , why should they have all this while we suffer?"

Little Cai vented his anger. Even though the events had happened long ago, the resentnt still burned fiercely within him. He felt he should have been living a life of luxury.

Hearing this, Old Cai's face turned ashen. He clutched his chest and asked, "Is all of this true?"

"Why would I lie?" Little Cai snapped. "Of course, it's true. I only found out later. When you got into trouble, Hu Huihui was even staying at Wang Xiangxiu's place. Do you really think there's no connection between them? Afterward, they pretended not to be close, but do you think no one knew about their relationship? I have friends in the neighborhood. Once, I saw Hu Huihui with a young man, and I thought she was having an affair. But when I asked around, I found out it was her nephew, Su Jinlai. Do you rember that na? That little brat is the one who started the fight with Mom, which led to everything else."

"That little bastard!" Jiang Baohong also gritted her teeth in hatred.

"Their families might seem distant now, but they were definitely in cahoots back then. It was all a setup to bring you down, Dad!"

Old Cai's face darkened further, his heart heavy. He asked, "Do you know anything about them now?"

Little Cai said, "A little. I ran into them once and did so digging. Turns out Wang Xiangxiu is doing quite well for herself. Her three sons are all doing fine. Damn it, while we lost everything, their family is thriving. They're even running a street stall now, and it's apparently quite profitable."

ntion of money only made Little Cai angrier. He hated the thought of others having money.

If his father hadn't been brought down, their family would have been wealthy.

He said bitterly, "Their family must be doing well financially. Everyone in their neighborhood is running stalls. Dad, do you rember Bai Fendou? That bastard who ruined your happiness back then? He's from their compound too. He married a beautiful wife and is living comfortably. They're all running stalls and making good money."

People are like that. Just monts ago, they were bickering and fighting, but when it ca to a common enemy, they suddenly beca united. Little Cai gritted his teeth. "They're all doing well, probably making a fortune."

Old Cai: "Damn it, if I were still in power, I could have made more than them."

"Exactly."

This father and son, though not much to look at, certainly had grand ambitions.

"Cutting off soone's wealth is like killing their parents. They have an irreconcilable feud with ."

Jiang Baohong thought of that compound and quickly asked, "What about Ming i? There's a Ming i in that compound, right? She used to work in the sa unit as ." Jiang Baohong deeply envied Ming i. In this regard, she and Guan Guiling were in complete agreent. Even though Ming i had never done anything to them, or even interacted much with them, they still harbored intense jealousy and hatred toward her.

Because Ming i had a good life—she was the most carefree and well-off among the young wives they knew. This made people envious, wishing they could teach her a lesson. Why was it that Ming i's parents didn't favor sons over daughters? Why did she have a young, handso, and devoted husband? Why did she lack neither money nor love? And why were her in-laws not harsh toward her?

Why, just why?

Jiang Baohong asked jealously, "What about her?"

"Ming i? I don't know! Why should I care about Ming i or any other woman? It's none of my business. Why would I pay attention to soone I don't even know?" Little Cai looked at his mother, feeling she was utterly foolish. Having such a mother was truly embarrassing. If it weren't for her stupidity, getting into fights with children, none of the later events would have happened.

So, if anyone was to bla, he hated his mother the most, followed by his father.

If they ruined his good life, even his parents wouldn't be spared. He glared at his mother and said, "All you ever think about are these petty squabbles between won. You're useless."

Jiang Baohong, scolded by her son, didn't dare to respond.

Old Cai, seeing her downcast expression, thought she was both ugly and disgusting. He snorted and said, "She's always been useless. She couldn't even deal with that bitch Guan Guiling, slinking away from the capital in sha."

Jiang Baohong quickly asked, "Son, you promised to teach Guan Guiling a lesson..."

Little Cai: "On the day you left, I got so friends from the streets to beat her up, stripped her naked, and threw her out on the street. She was humiliated."

Hearing this, Jiang Baohong's eyes lit up with joy. "That's great! She deserved it for betraying and trying to swindle . Serves her right! That bitch finally got what was coming to her. Did her husband leave her?"

Little Cai: "No, he took her back and comforted her."

"What!"

Jiang Baohong couldn't believe it. How could Guan Guiling's husband still want her after all that?

Little Cai impatiently replied, "Her husband relies on her to make money, so he won't abandon her. But Guan Guiling has beco quite infamous—she's gone mad."

He hadn't gone out of his way to inquire about Guan Guiling's situation. The feud between her and his mother didn't interest him in the slightest. These petty conflicts between old won were utterly pointless. He didn't even want to hear about them.

But Guan Guiling had beco too notorious to ignore.

In these tis, it was rare for a woman to beco so well-known. Usually, it was through scandalous affairs, but Guan Guiling was different. She had gained fa by scamming n to support herself.

Not only that, but when she fell from grace, the man she had been supporting tried to abandon her, leaving her with the ss he had created, ultimately driving her insane.

"Guan Guiling's husband stole money and planned to run away with another woman and their child. But while trying to escape, he was accidentally pushed to his death. Guan Guiling witnessed the whole thing and went mad on the spot."

"What!!!"

They were completely stunned.

Jiang Baohong hadn't expected that after only a few years away from the capital, her old rival Guan Guiling had gone mad?

She suddenly burst into laughter, a wild, triumphant laugh. "Karma! It's karma! I always said her husband couldn't possibly love her deeply. This is perfect. She dared to oppose , and this is the result."

She sat down. "Tell , what exactly happened?"

Little Cai wasn't particularly interested, but the story was so bizarre that it had spread throughout the capital. After all, how could soone die from falling down such a short flight of stairs? Many believed it was divine retribution, which only fueled the rumors.

No matter the era, such sensational, almost mystical stories always captured people's attention.

The three of them chatted enthusiastically about it.

anwhile, Zhang Lanhua, Little Cai's wife, watched the family's behavior with disdain. She saw her two sons rubbing their eyes as they ca out and imdiately said, "Go back to sleep. You still have school later. Get so more rest."

She didn't want her children to have anything to do with these old fools. What a bunch of trash.

Fortunately, the family was so engrossed in their gossip that they didn't notice her. Zhang Lanhua went back to her room and closed the door. These people were nothing but trouble.

Old Cai and his family were unaware of their daughter-in-law's contempt and continued talking.

"Guan Guiling got what she deserved. This is fantastic. I can't wait to see what she looks like now." Jiang Baohong was overjoyed. This was so satisfying.

Old Cai: "You're satisfied, but what about ? Revenge is a dish best served cold. When I left the capital, I swore I'd get back everything I lost. Whether it's Wang Xiangxiu or Bai Fendou, they sched against back then, and now I won't let them off the hook."

He paused, then added, "And Deputy Director Zheng. He set up to get the director's position. Now that I'm back, I'll make sure he pays."

He said darkly, "These people must die. Only then will my hatred be satisfied."

Many might think he hadn't done too badly over the years. After all, he was still a section chief in a small town. But in his heart, it was a disgrace. A small-town section chief was nothing. He wanted imnse wealth and power. He wanted to seize the paintings, antiques, gold, and jewelry of the capitalists. That's what he desired.

He wanted to rise to great heights, to achieve high status and wealth.

Being a small-town section chief had left him bitter and resentful. No one in that small town respected him, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he beca. When he first left, he had been hopeful, believing he could return to the capital soon. But being sidelined in that small town shattered his self-esteem. They knew why he had been demoted and looked down on him, leaving him with a aningless position where he was excluded from everything.

He had also lost the pleasures of being a man, unable to find any enjoynt.

Over the past decade, though his life had been uneventful, his mind had beco twisted and dark.

"This ti, I'm back to take revenge."

Little Cai's eyes lit up. "You really an it?"

Old Cai nodded.

Little Cai thought for a mont and said, "Dad, to be honest, I can't stay in the capital anymore. Everyone knows I'm your son. They pretend to be friends, but they look down on . My life here isn't going well."

He didn't even have a proper job anymore. He used to, but he was lazy and unreliable. Back then, people tolerated him because his father was a vice director of the revolutionary committee. But after Old Cai fell from power, Little Cai's behavior got him fired.

Now he survived on odd jobs. His wife had taken over his mother's position, but they had children to raise, so she didn't give him any of her salary. He didn't even have enough money for his own entertainnt.

He said, "Why don't we get so money and go abroad? I've heard that overseas, the streets are paved with gold. There was even a woman from Wang Xiangxiu's factory who ran off during an overseas inspection. It caused quite a stir."

Old Cai: "Huh?"

Little Cai: "Let's get so money and leave. With money, we can escape anywhere. What do you think?"

Old Cai: "Go abroad?"

Little Cai enthusiastically replied, "Yes! If a woman can do it, why can't we?"

Old Cai: "But how do we get the money?"

The two of them quickly hit it off, and Little Cai was practically drooling as he said, "Wang Xiangxiu and the others in that courtyard, they all set up stalls and make a lot of money. And that Hu Huihui, she even rides around in a car now. How can we just let it go…"

"Exactly! The good life they're living now should have been ours."

"Right."

The father and son quickly reached an agreent.

Little Cai wasn't as resentful as before and said, "Dad, you should stay here for now. We'll make so proper plans during this ti."

"Of course."

Jiang Baohong chid in, "And , I'll join you too."

Little Cai nodded, "Alright. Mom, you can start by keeping an eye on them and gathering so information about these people. We'll figure out the next steps later."

"Okay."

He called out, "Wife, wife, get so things ready for my parents. They're staying here."

Zhang Lanhua ca out, frowning, "We only have two rooms. Where are they going to stay? How can we possibly fit everyone?"

Little Cai cursed at her, "You useless woman! How can we not fit them in? Can't we make do? These are my parents! Are you suggesting they sleep under a bridge? What kind of daughter-in-law are you?"

"I don't agree. Your parents can't stay here. Look at how small our place is! And look at them—dirty and slly, and not exactly good people either. I'm worried they'll be a bad influence on our son."

*Slap!*

A sharp slap landed on her face. Sotis, violence is inherited.

Little Cai glared at her, snarling, "You can stay if you want, or you can get out. Who do you think you are? You were happy to enjoy the good life with my family, but now you're badmouthing my parents? I'll beat the disrespect out of you!"

Jiang Baohong cheered, "Yes, hit her! Beat her to death!"

She was delighted, having always disliked her daughter-in-law for her lack of respect.

"This kind of woman really needs to be taught a lesson."

Encouraged by the two elders, Little Cai didn't hold back, throwing punches left and right.

"Don't hit my mom! Stop hitting her!"

"Dad, what are you doing?"

The two boys, both in their early teens, knew right from wrong. They naturally sided with their mother, who had always taken care of them, while their father was unreliable, only interested in drinking and causing trouble.

"Don't hit my mom!"

Little Cai pointed at their noses and shouted, "Get out! I'm your father, and if you have a problem with it, you can leave with your useless mother. I don't need to put up with this! Don't live in my house if you don't like it! Let's see who would take you in!"

He sneered coldly, his tone threatening.

Zhang Lanhua, bruised and battered, struggled to her feet and said, "Fine, we'll leave. Boys, pack your things. We're going to your grandma's house."

Her family wasn't wealthy, but they wouldn't stand by and watch her suffer.

"Mom~"

Zhang Lanhua said firmly, "Let's go!"

Her eyes were sharp and resolute.

"​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍Okay!"

Early in the morning, the three of them packed their belongings and left without looking back.

Zhang Lanhua quickly led her two sons out of the house. She had married young, and her eldest son was already fourteen, quite mature for his age. He said, "Mom, if we leave like this, Dad won't let us co back."

He sounded worried.

At the sa ti, he couldn't help but feel resentful toward his grandparents for stirring up trouble. He barely rembered his grandfather, who had left when he was just a toddler. As for his grandmother, his only mories of her were of her picking on his mother. Between her and his mom, he'd always choose his mother, especially since Jiang Baohong was always causing trouble.

His younger brother, only eight years old, felt the sa way. He barely rembered his grandfather and had little affection for his grandmother.

Both boys naturally followed their mother, but the older one was still concerned. "Mom, is it really okay for us to leave like this?"

Zhang Lanhua was firm, "We have to leave. If we stay, we'll just get dragged into whatever trouble your father and his parents are planning."

She hadn't heard everything clearly, but she had caught enough to know they were up to no good. "They're probably planning sothing shady. It's better to stay far away, or we'll end up suffering too. I've seen enough of your father—he's worthless, only taking his anger out on his wife and kids. He never contributes to the family, and now that his parents are back, he'll only get worse. Who knows what he'll do? We can't get caught up in it. It's better to leave now than to get stuck in their ss."

Her earlier harsh words had been a deliberate attempt to provoke a breakup, but she hadn't expected Little Cai to resort to violence. She laughed bitterly, realizing she hadn't been wrong about him—he was nothing but trash.

The mother and her two sons carried their bags as they left, running into an early-rising neighbor who was startled by Zhang Lanhua's appearance. "Goodness, what happened to you?"

Noticing the bags, the neighbor asked, "Where are you going?"

Zhang Lanhua replied, "My husband's parents ca back from out of town, and there's not enough room in the house. My husband kicked us out… Oh, no, I an, I thought it would be better to take the kids to my parents' place for a while."

The neighbor understood imdiately, "How could he do that? Even if he wanted you to go back to your parents, he shouldn't have hit you…"

Then, with a gasp, the neighbor exclaid, "Jiang Baohong is back?"

Zhang Lanhua forced a bitter smile, "Yes, both of them are back. I can't handle the three of them. It's better to just go back and avoid more beatings."

"That's outrageous! If he hits you again, you should go to the Won's Federation. This is unacceptable…"

Zhang Lanhua shook her head, "No, if I do that, he'll just hit harder next ti. Besides, if I stay, they'll accuse of being unfilial, and I'll have no way out."

She wasn't a foolish woman; she knew the importance of public opinion, and everything she said was true.

"I'm leaving," she said.

"But you're taking the kids with you…"

"My dad told us all to get out," the eldest son spoke up bluntly.

The neighbor was shocked. She had seen selfish people before, but never to this extent. Still, considering Little Cai's neglect of his family and his self-centered nature, it wasn't entirely surprising. The neighbor shook her head silently as Zhang Lanhua led her sons away.

The old woman watched them go and quickly went to tell her friends, "You won't believe this. Jiang Baohong and her husband are back, and they've already driven their daughter-in-law out of the house. They really know how to make an entrance."

With Zhang Lanhua and her sons gone, Jiang Baohong hesitated, "It's one thing to drive Zhang Lanhua out, but why kick out the grandchildren too?"

She still cared about her grandsons.

After all, they were the family's future.

Little Cai waved it off casually, "Once I have money, I can find any woman I want. As long as there are won, I can have as many children as I want."

He was completely indifferent. "That's just how I am—when I'm poor, I keep to myself, but when I'm rich, I'll have a whole harem."

Jiang Baohong laughed, "You're really living like a wealthy man."

Little Cai said, "If Dad hadn't gotten into trouble, we would have been a wealthy family."

"That's true."

The family was full of themselves.

Little Cai added, "It's better to get rid of that woman and the kids. They'll just get in the way of our plans. Even if we do make money, I don't plan on taking them with . Why waste the resources? I can always remarry. Taking care of them is a waste of food. I'll find so helpers and figure out what to do next."

"Alright, it's settled then."

The family reached an agreent, their faces filled with greed.

While they wanted revenge, the thought of making money made them even more excited.

"Are they really rich?" Jiang Baohong asked again, her lips pursed. "Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Little Cai looked at his mother with disgust, thinking how stupid she was. If it weren't for her usefulness, he wouldn't have been so polite to her. Zhang Lanhua wouldn't listen to him, but his mother would.

He impatiently said, "Of course, there's no mistake. Their street-side vending is quite famous."

He continued, "How can street vending not make money? If it didn’t, would they keep doing it? They’d have quit long ago."

"You're right," soone agreed.

Jiang Baohong rubbed her hands together eagerly.

Old Cai chuckled darkly, "Let them earn money. The more they earn, the more they’re saving for us. Whether it’s Hu Huihui, Wang Xiangxiu, or Bai Fendou, I won’t let any of them off."

"That whole area is rich. If we really want to make money, we should go for a big score," Little Cai chid in. He had long wanted to make money but couldn’t do it alone. Now that his father was back, he suddenly had two reliable helpers, and his heart was racing with excitent.

Old Cai didn’t hesitate. "If there’s money to be made, we’ll do it! Damn it, if this were a few years ago, these people would’ve been raided. They’re all walking the capitalist path. Good laboring folk wanting to be capitalists? They should be dragged out and criticized, their property confiscated!"

Jiang Baohong nodded, "Exactly. They’re all clueless. With so much money, they should help us, the ones who’ve been wronged."

The family continued to mutter venomously.

...

Early in the morning, every household was up and about, washing up. Although each ho now had its own faucet, people still preferred to use the communal sink in the courtyard—a habit ford over many years. Zhuang Zhixi got up feeling refreshed, with none of the fatigue from the previous day.

Standing at the sink brushing his teeth, he noticed Su Jinlai’s dark circles and asked, "What were you up to last night? Those dark circles are huge."

He himself had only slept three or four hours but didn’t look nearly as bad.

Since starting his job, Su Jinlai had been clocking in and out on ti every day. Though he sotis felt the itch to chase bigger money, he also didn’t want to disappoint those who believed in him.

Back and forth, he managed to stick with it.

Perhaps because he hadn’t caused any trouble, the courtyard residents had started greeting him.

Su Jinlai rubbed his face, splashing cold water on it. He wiped it off and said, "I had a nightmare."

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. "Couldn’t sleep because of it?"

Su Jinlai shuddered at the mory. "I dreamt that several venomous snakes were chasing . No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wake up. I slept so badly that I felt like I’d fallen into a pit of demons this morning."

Zhuang Zhixi joked, "You should go and pay your respects. Maybe ask Auntie Lian for advice?"

Su Jinlai pursed his lips and leaned closer to Zhuang Zhixi, whispering, "Auntie Lian’s a fraud. I once told her my luck was bad and asked her to take a look. Since I didn’t pay her, she said I was lacking in virtue and wouldn’t get better."

Zhuang Zhixi burst out laughing. "Pfft!"

Su Jinlai was indignant. "How am I lacking in virtue? I just didn’t have money at the ti. If I had any, I definitely would’ve paid. She wouldn’t even let owe her. Her reading must be wrong."

Zhuang Zhixi gave Su Jinlai a look. Though the guy was holding down a job now, there were still monts when his oddness shone through.

Still, Su Jinlai was the kind of person who was easily swayed. If you encouraged him to improve, he’d genuinely believe he was an ambitious person and would work hard. People this easy to influence were rare.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Dreams are the opposite of reality."

Su Jinlai nodded. "I think so too."

He snorted, "I’m not afraid of those things. I just find them disgusting."

A feeble attempt to save face.

"Mm, I know," Zhuang Zhixi agreed. Su Jinlai imdiately brightened up, finished washing, and trotted ho. Bai Fendou, who had watched the whole scene, finally couldn’t hold back. "That guy doesn’t seem to have much of a brain, does he?"

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t that a good thing?"

He carried his tea mug back ho.

Bai Fendou splashed water on his face as he washed up. A child ca over with a basin, calling out, "Hello, Uncle Bai!"

Bai Fendou turned around. "Erlin, why are you carrying that?"

Erlin replied cheerfully, "I’m here to deliver breakfast."

He shouted, "Grandma Zhao, Grandma Zhou, Grandma Wang, your breakfast is here!"

Zhao Guihua ca out of her house. "Oh, Erlin’s here. You’re such a capable boy."

After a year, Erlin had beco familiar with everyone on the street. He smiled and said, "Grandma Zhao, I’ve brought your breakfast."

Zhao Guihua took it. "Thank you."

Little Sister Yu and her husband ran a stall at the hospital entrance, and business was good. They didn’t open in the morning but had started a breakfast delivery service. If anyone wanted pancakes, they could order in advance, and the family would deliver in the morning.

Zhao Guihua and others sotis didn’t feel like making breakfast and would order instead. Eating soy milk and fried breadsticks every day got boring, so a change of taste was welco. Zhao Guihua had ordered a few tis. It wasn’t the traditional Beijing flavor, but the pancakes were chewy and delicious.

She was one of the first to start ordering, followed by Aunt Zhou. Now even Aunt Wang joined in. Though her household had several cooks, that didn’t an she didn’t want to try new flavors from outside.

This made Li the Cook quite anxious, feeling his position as the household chef was being challenged. But Aunt Wang didn’t care.

She was the head of the household, and now that she was earning money and controlling the family finances, she had the final say.

After all, in a marriage, the one who earns more has the louder voice at ho.

Everyone collected their breakfast. He Lan also ca out. "I ordered three pancakes too."

Bai Fendou peeked over. "Why are there five here?"

The pancakes had a crispy, golden crust, filled with bean sprouts and eggs, looking irresistibly delicious.

Erlin explained, "These are for Aunt Wang in the next courtyard."

He took the money and stuffed it into the small bag slung across his shoulder, then called out, "Thank you for your business!"

With that, he dashed off to the next courtyard.

Bai Fendou remarked, "Hey, this kid’s young, but he’s quite capable."

Zhuang Zhixi ca out to eat at his mother’s place and nodded. "Of course. The kid’s been raised well."

Though Little Sister Yu’s parents were a bit eccentric, her daughter Little Sister Yu wasn’t like them, and her grandchildren were even less so. Xing'er and Erlin were both very sensible, likely because they’d experienced hardship before. Both children were eager to help out at ho.

Erlin had undergone surgery at the end of last year and was still recovering. He hadn’t started kindergarten yet but was enthusiastic about helping out. Delivering breakfast to households in the morning was sothing he did very well.

The little boy collected the money, happily carrying the basin back ho, then filled it up again and made another round of deliveries.

It wasn’t just Zhao Guihua and the others who ordered breakfast. Many others did too. When people earned more, they were willing to spend on food and drink. In the past, they wouldn’t have dared, but poverty had held them back. Erlin made three trips early in the morning, returned the money, and not a single cent was missing.

Little Sister Yu didn’t really need her son to work, but the child was eager to contribute, so she didn’t stop him. She rembered the doctor’s advice: don’t treat him like a patient. While caution was necessary, going overboard could put pressure on the child.

Though he’d had surgery, proper recovery required a relaxed environnt.

So Little Sister Yu didn’t mind Erlin helping out.

She said, "Erlin’s so great. The money’s all correct."

Erlin bead. He climbed onto the kang and saw his sister already had her school bag on. He asked, "Mom, when can I go to school?"

Little Sister Yu replied, "Next sumr. You’ll be six then, and you can start kindergarten."

Erlin’s lips curled into a smile. "That’s great!"

Xing'er, munching on a pancake, said, "Don’t rush, little brother. Once you start school, you won’t have as many holidays."

She was now a second-grader, different from before. Her face had filled out, and she had a cute bob haircut. The small scars from her injuries last year were completely gone. She was a delightful little girl.

No one would have guessed that this cheerful child was the sa bruised and battered girl who had been begging on the streets just a year ago.

She took a few bites, then grabbed her pancake and headed out the door, calling out cheerfully, "Mom, I'm off to school!"

Little Sister Yu replied, "Go on, be careful on the way."

"Got it!"

She quickly arrived at Courtyard No. 44 and called out, "Qingqing! Tuantuan! Yuanyuan!"

Bai Qingqing poked her head out. "Coming!"

The children gradually erged, each carrying their backpacks and holding similar breakfasts. They soon gathered together, a group of about ten kids, all with their little backpacks, looking incredibly united as they headed to school.

Along the way, the children chattered excitedly. Yuanyuan chirped, "Did you guys watch TV last night? The one about Erhua?"

Qijin chid in, "Yeah, I watched it!"

Yuanyuan said proudly, "My dad is the screenwriter, you know."

She already understood what a screenwriter was—this story was written by her father.

Qijin also boasted, "I know! My grandma said so parts of the story ca from what she told Uncle Zhuang."

"I know, I know! I rember that too. They t so bad guys last year while getting supplies, and they wanted to write about it to warn others," Bai Qingqing added.

Everyone seed to know the story well. Although not every household had a TV yet, those who did often had a crowd gathered around. Even Xing'er said, "I peeked through the neighbor's window and caught a bit of it."

Qijin offered, "You can co to my house to watch today. We have a TV, and Siyuan and the others always watch at my place."

Yuanyuan quickly added, "My family’s getting a TV too! I heard my parents talking about it yesterday. They’re going to buy one today, so we won’t have to go to Grandpa’s house to watch anymore. Dad said he’s getting a big one. Hehe. You guys can co to my house too!"

"Wow, that’s aweso!"

"Of course," Yuanyuan said, puffing out her chest proudly.

Li Zhenzhen sighed, "You’re all getting TVs. My parents haven’t said anything about buying one yet."

Yuanyuan linked arms with Li Zhenzhen. "You can co to my house to watch. My parents don’t mind having kids over, and they’re not too strict."

"Your mom isn’t strict?"

Yuanyuan blinked. "Well, she can be, but not about everything. So things she doesn’t really care about."

"Right, right," the others agreed.

Tuantuan asked, "Did you guys finish watching last night? I didn’t get to see the end."

"We didn’t either. Mom said we had school today and wouldn’t let us stay up too late."

"Sa here!"

" too!"

The children grumbled, all feeling the sa frustration. Their parents were always so controlling, even though they could have finished the show.

Li Zhenzhen sighed, "My mom said if I’m not in bed by nine, she’ll spank ."

She lanted, "I’m already thirteen, practically a grown-up!"

Li Zhenzhen was a year older than the others, but it didn’t feel like much of an advantage. Her birthday was in late December, so she was only about ten days older than Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, but it still counted as a whole year.

Still, she considered herself a big sister and sighed, "I’m thirteen, and my parents are still talking about spanking ."

Yuanyuan, however, was unfazed. "My parents said even if I’m thirty, if I misbehave, they can still spank . That’s just how it is when you’re a kid."

Li Zhenzhen groaned, "I can’t wait to get married so I can spank my own kids."

The others stared at her.

"Wow, what a goal," soone muttered.

Li Zhenzhen laughed. "Just kidding!"

"Yeah, sure," they replied dryly.

As they walked, they weren’t exactly well-behaved, kicking small stones along the way.

Little Sitian said, "The show was good, but there were so many bad guys."

The conversation turned to the plot, and the children chattered on, each sharing their thoughts. "It turns out adults can run into bad guys too, so we kids have to be even more careful. If soone looks suspicious, we have to stay alert."

"Right, right."

"Boys are more likely to run into bad guys when they’re kids, but when they grow up, it’s girls who have to be careful," Tuantuan explained knowingly. "So people can’t afford a wife, so they try to kidnap one. They’re the worst."

"Our teacher talked about it too. She said never go with strangers."

"I know that too," Xing'er chid in. "Back in my hotown, there was a kidnapper who ca to the village. Luckily, the villagers were alert, and they caught her. She didn’t look like a bad person at all, but she was. So you can’t judge by appearances."

"You saw her?" soone asked.

Xing'er nodded seriously. "I saw her. She looked like a kind old lady, but you couldn’t tell she was evil. Though maybe it was because she got beaten up, but her eyes looked really an. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so we should look at people’s eyes."

"I don’t think that’s always true. Sotis eyes can be deceiving too. We just have to stay alert no matter what."

"You’re right. Staying alert is the most important thing."

"We’ll stick together. That way, we’re not afraid."

"Actually, there was a kidnapper in our neighborhood once, but we were too young to rember. The older kids in the courtyard saw it, though. A bunch of people caught the bad guy, beat him up, and handed him over to the police."

"What should we do if we ever run into a bad guy?" Bai Qingqing asked.

The topic shifted easily, as children’s conversations often do. Even though bad guys felt far away, it didn’t stop them from discussing it.

Tuantuan said, "First, find an adult. No matter what, adults are more capable than us. But if it’s urgent, we have to stick together. We’re just kids, so we can’t fight adults head-on."

Yuanyuan added, "Right, the TV show said sotis you have to pretend to go along with them, then strike when they least expect it."

Qijin declared, "If there’s a bad guy, we take him down!"

"Yeah! We’ll work together and fight back!" Ye Sijia waved her fist.

Still chattering, they arrived at school and filed through the gates...

If they ever did run into a bad guy, they’d definitely stick together and fight back!