TRANSMIGRATING TO THE 80S TO BECOME STEPMOM TO FIVE BIGWIGS

by Usui Takumii

not mine, news novel.

33. 201 to 210

Chapter 201: Scheming to Make Shao Qihai Do the Housework

Shao Qihai didn't sleep for the entire second half of the night. He had the feeling that his children had become entirely different people. He was deeply depressed after this blow.

In the future, when the children badmouthed him in front of him, he wouldn't be able to understand them! Did he have to learn a couple of foreign languages too?

On the other hand, Shao Dong and his siblings were asleep. They hadn't expected that Shao Qihai would be hurt so greatly by them. They were purely afraid that Shao Qihai would pretend to be asleep to find out about their scheme, so they'd cautiously conversed in a foreign language. Also, their mother usually encouraged them to speak more.

Just like that, this complicated and eventful day had passed.

The next day, when the boys woke up, the moment they saw Shao Qihai, they lost all interest and greeted him listlessly.

Shao Qihai, however, perked up. Here they went again. They were speaking in a foreign language once more.

"Ahem…" Shao Qihai coughed to attract their attention before saying, "Um, Little Dong, can you speak our language in front of me in the future?"

"You mean you won't let us practice speaking foreign languages? We're only doing it because Mommy encouraged us to speak more."

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Shao Xi immediately objected. "We're going to continue speaking foreign languages. Our family will speak foreign languages in the future."

Then, he turned around and started talking.

He was waiting for Shao Qihai to flare up at him. However, after Shao Qihai stiffened for a moment, he merely touched his nose and didn't get angry. Instead, he said, "Since your mother asked you to speak this language, go ahead and speak it. What she says is always right. It's my fault. It only occurred to me that I wouldn't understand it. The fact that you kids can converse in a foreign language is a wonderful thing."

As he spoke, Shao Qihai even sighed with emotion. "You kids are really amazing. You actually know how to speak foreign languages. You don't only know one language, but two. My comrades would definitely be shocked if I told them."

Shao Xi: "…"

No, something was very wrong. This shouldn't be happening. Besides, last night they had agreed that they would pretend to be ordinary children, so he shouldn't have spoken a foreign language out of spite.

Shao Xi finally understood what Shao Dong had meant when he'd sighed last night. He hurriedly said, "We don't know how to speak this language. We won't use it in the future either. Actually, we're not speaking foreign languages at all. We're just blabbering nonsense. We're only so old. How can we possibly speak foreign languages?!"

Shao Qihai: "Huh?"

Was this child being difficult again?

Shao Qihai was about to ask this when Shao Xi rushed out. Shao Dong shook his head and followed him. Xiao Wu pursed his lips tightly and followed them as well.

Little Bei had just finished dressing up and combing her hair. When she saw them, she greeted them warmly as usual.

Shao Xi immediately waved his hand. "Don't speak this language at home anymore! We can't let him know that we can speak foreign languages."

When Little Bei saw Shao Qihai follow them, she quickly shut her mouth and asked in sign language, "What's wrong?"

Shao Xi quickly explained the situation in sign language, as well as the reason for doing so.

Little Bei nodded to show that she understood.

Shao Qihai, who was watching from the sidelines, was speechless. It seemed like he was being openly kept in the dark again. He couldn't figure out what the children were saying.

However, he felt really proud. "Little Bei, Little Xi, you're amazing. You even know how to use sign language. Little Dong, do you know how to do it too? Why did you learn so much this year?"

Shao Qihai didn't know what Little Bei was gesturing about, but he knew what this was. He instantly felt even prouder.

Shao Xi: "!"

They were careless again! They had accidentally exposed their excellence once more.

Shao Xi looked at Shao Dong and tried his best to explain with his expression that he hadn't done it on purpose! He was just used to being outstanding.

He just hadn't expected their daily lives to be so showy.

After these successive slip-ups, Shao Xi listlessly went to wash his face. Shao Qihai's excited, proud face formed a sharp contrast.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Mu Jingzhe hurriedly asked.

Shao Dong shook his head. "Nothing."

Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Xi and asked, "Did Little Xi accidentally wet the bed again?"

Children, after all, inevitably wet the bed. When they were young, they were most afraid of dreaming about finding the bathroom. It was fine when they grew up, as they wouldn't visit the bathroom in their dreams, but they would when they were young.

It would be over once they found the bathroom.

When Mu Jingzhe had arrived, the children, with the exception of Shao Dong, had successively wet the bed. Xiao Wu was the youngest, so he had wet the bed the most times. Little Bei had experienced the same thing before, but not so often.

Shao Xi had experienced that before too. This was also what had always annoyed him. He was already a very, very big boy, and he was about to go to junior high. However, he would still wet his bed accidentally. This was his complete dark history.

The last time Shao Xi had peed the bed, he had been so angry that he'd cried. Later on, he had felt embarrassed for a few days. Upon seeing Shao Xi like that, Mu Jingzhe had thought that he'd peed on the bed again.

"I didn't!" Shao Xi almost dropped the basin in his hand when he heard her. "I didn't wet the bed!"

"It's good that you didn't." Mu Jingzhe quickly went over and hugged Shao Xi. "Don't be angry. It would not be a big deal even if you peed."

"But I really didn't." Shao Xi felt wronged.

When Shao Qihai saw the two of them, his gaze turned from surprise to gentleness. He looked at Shao Nan, who was beside him. "Little Nan, do you still wet your bed?"

Shao Nan was about to say that he no longer did that, but as the words were ready to come out of his mouth, they changed. "Not… often. About once a week? Xiao Wu and I only wet the bed two to three days a week combined."

Xiao Wu turned his head in confusion. He rarely peed on the bed now. He was a little anxious and he wanted to defend himself, but Shao Dong pressed down his shoulders with a muffled smile and gave him a calm look.

Indeed, Shao Nan quickly said, "It's unavoidable for children to urinate on the bed. It's just that when the bed gets wet, it's quite troublesome, especially in winter. If we don't wash it, there will always be a smell. It's troublesome, and the water is cold. Mommy doesn't want us to stink so she goes to the river to wash it every time. The river water is too cold. Every time, Mommy's hands turn red from the cold and she even gets frostbite. It hurts and itches every day."

Shao Nan sighed, his face full of heartache. "Everyone says that girls shouldn't touch things that are too cold. Mommy has really suffered too much for us. We might have to trouble you to wash this in the future."

Shao Qihai nodded vigorously. "Of course. Let me wash it."

Shao Nan felt a little better upon seeing Shao Qihai agree. He also felt regretful that winter was almost over. It was March now, and although the river water was still very cold, it was much better with the sun warming up the water in the afternoon.

What a pity.

When Mu Jingzhe returned with Shao Xi, she saw Shao Qihai looking at her with guilt and gratitude, as well as confusion.

"Come for breakfast after you're done showering. Hurry up and go to school when you're done. Don't be late." Mu Jingzhe glanced at Shao Qiyang's room. "Your uncle has already gone to work."

Shao Qiyang went out before dawn, and Mu Jingzhe didn't see him when she woke up.

Shao Qihai glanced at Shao Qiyang's room and frowned. There had been something wrong with Qiyang's condition and reaction yesterday. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He would have to talk to him later.

Breakfast was as simple and nutritious as ever. There was corn porridge and eggs. Finally, each of them ate a banana to ensure their nutrition.

Chapter 202: The Five Children's Ordinary Project

No one had a habit of having three meals a day in the village. Everyone was busy with work and didn't have the means to do so. It was even more impossible for many children to have breakfast. Every day, they would probably go to school without even washing their faces or removing their eye boogers. Only Mu Jingzhe was used to eating breakfast. Also, in order to guarantee the kids' nutrition, she put in the effort to prepare breakfast for them every day.

There were miscellaneous grains, vegetables, and fruits in it. The menu varied from day to day, but it was always delicious.

As the kids ate their breakfast, they became increasingly determined to leave with Mu Jingzhe.

Shao Qihai had not eaten breakfast since he was young. He'd only gotten used to it after leaving the village. However, since it was troublesome for him to make it himself, he no longer ate breakfast upon returning.

After eating the warm bowl of porridge, he looked at the children, who were eating happily, and sighed with emotion.

No wonder the children looked taller and sturdier. It was all because of Mu Jingzhe.

"I'm full. Let's go after eating our bananas."

Shao Nan nodded and looked at Mu Jingzhe. "Alright, Mommy, you've worked hard."

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After saying that, he looked at Mu Jingzhe's hand and sighed. "A girl's hands are tender. Mommy's hands are ruined from cooking and washing the dishes every day. We have to go to school and can't be of help. Sigh…"

Mu Jingzhe glanced at her hands in confusion. Had her hands become coarser? Didn't she take good care of them? She remembered that her hands had been rougher when she had first transmigrated. She had put in a lot of effort to take care of her hands, and the skin texture had already improved greatly.

Just as Mu Jingzhe was about to ask, Shao Qihai said, "I'll wash the dishes. Let me do it. I'll do the dishes from now on."

He couldn't let Mu Jingzhe continue to have such a hard time, nor could he let the children wash the dishes anymore.

When Mu Jingzhe saw that Shao Qihai had agreed to wash the dishes, she raised her eyebrows at Shao Nan and stopped speaking.

Shao Nan didn't look at Mu Jingzhe but he sighed again. "Mommy, you mustn't wash our blankets and clothes. You're usually very busy. Don't busy yourself with chores in the small bit of rest time you have. We'll go wash them ourselves when we get back."

"I'll wash them. Coincidentally, I'm free too. Let me wash them," Shao Qihai immediately added tactfully.

"Thank you." Shao Nan smiled at Shao Qihai.

"It's not hard. It's what I should do."

Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Nan, that little fox, and then at Shao Qihai's expression before turning around with a muffled laugh.

The children were angry, so she would let them vent their anger. Besides, they were right. Shao Qihai had to take action. As their father, this was what he ought to do.

Even if the children hadn't said anything, she would have. Now, she didn't have to.

Mu Jingzhe took the children to school. When Shao Qihai saw that it was finally quiet and only the two of them were there, he was about to speed up washing the dishes and say a few words. However, before the dishes were done, the young ladies working for Mu Jingzhe came.

As soon as they arrived, they peeped in and took a closer look at Shao Qihai. They even specifically looked at Shao Qihai's shadow to confirm that he was really human.

Shao Qihai, who had been dead for a year, had returned and become big news in Great Eastern Village. Last night, almost every household had been gossiping about him and the way Zhao Lan and Eldest Brother Shao had made a fool of themselves.

Under the gaze of these young ladies, Shao Qihai, who was carrying a basket of blankets, bedsheets, and clothes, fled after saying that he was going to wash the clothes.

The five children's clothes, along with the bedsheets and blanket, filled a large basket. Instantly, everyone had a new topic of discussion.

"Jingzhe, I didn't expect him to know how to wash clothes. He's not bad, huh. My husband has never washed clothes before. He even says that washing clothes and cooking isn't something a man should do."

Some people were curious about Mu Jingzhe's future plans. "Jingzhe, do you have any ideas?"

Everyone had seen Ji Buwang before. That Prince Charming Ji Buwang had attracted the hearts of all the women in the village, from the elderly ones to the children. They felt that it would be a waste for Mu Jingzhe not to marry Ji Buwang.

Although Shao Qihai's appearance wasn't inferior to Ji Buwang's, the two of them weren't the same type of man. In addition, Shao Qihai was from the village, and the villagers had seen him grow up. Besides, he was the father of five children. They felt that Ji Buwang was better.

They were all concerned for Mu Jingzhe.

Mu Jingzhe shook her head. "I'll wait and see."

A young lady who was quick with her words panicked when she heard that. "What's there to see? Since Shao Qihai is back, there's someone to take care of the kids now. If it were me, I'd just pack them up and marry Uncle Ji."

Because he was Tang Moling's uncle, everyone in the village called Ji Buwang 'Uncle Ji'.

Mu Jingzhe laughed. The others also criticized her. "I think you wish to get married, right?"

As they were joking around, Mu Jingzhe looked at the door and scratched her face. Ji Buwang… That's right, Ji Buwang. Should she tell him about Shao Qihai's return?

Everyone looked at Mu Jingzhe's expression and stopped joking. "Let Jingzhe consider it carefully. Now that Shao Qihai is back, Jingzhe is no longer a widow."

"That's right. We can't say those words again. If the kids hear us, they won't be happy."

At the mention of the kids, everyone finally calmed down and started working.

The aforementioned kids had already started a new day of school. Before arriving at school, they'd met villagers and classmates along the way, and all of them were concerned about them.

When they arrived at school, both their teachers and classmates looked at them with concern and complicated expressions.

While everyone felt concerned, Shao Dong and his siblings quietly began to implement the plan that they had discussed last night. The first step was pretending that they weren't paying attention in class.

Yes, they would pretend, even though they would still prick up their ears to listen to whatever the teacher said in class and wouldn't give up on learning and absorbing knowledge. After all, this was necessary. However, they would appear to be different kids on the surface. They would no longer actively answer the teacher's questions or look at the teacher, nor would they sit upright in class like they usually did.

No matter how one looked at it, they didn't look like they were listening attentively. Seeing that they weren't in a good state, the teacher called on them to answer a question. They deliberately said that they didn't know the answer.

They just wanted to act like bad students, and their teachers and classmates were all shocked.

There was a question they couldn't answer? Was the sun rising from the west now?

The teacher couldn't help but glance out of the window. After confirming that the sun was rising from the east, she asked them if they were feeling unwell or were in a bad mood.

After two periods, the teachers who taught the five children realized that something was wrong. In the end, during the inter-school exercises, even the principal came down to ask about their situation and said that he wanted to ask Mu Jingzhe about it.

The five children were speechless.

Why was it so difficult to become an ordinary child? They told their teacher not to look for Mu Jingzhe and asked them to look for Shao Qihai if there were any issues in the future.

Of course, they had to look for Shao Qihai when it came to such a troublesome matter. How could they let their mother worry?

Half a day had passed, and by the time they returned for lunch, they hadn't managed to become bad students yet. They'd only been treated with a lot of concern.

When they returned home and saw a yard of drying clothes, they knew that Shao Qihai had washed them. The five children finally cheered up a little.

During the meal, Little Bei, who usually ate in the most cultured and clean manner, looked at Shao Qihai. Her eyes darted around, and for some reason, while she drank her soup, she let out a yelp and poured the entire bowl on her clothes.

Chapter 203: Too Outstanding; Can't Be Ordinary

"Are you alright? You didn't get scalded, did you?" Mu Jingzhe was startled.

"No, the soup is cold. It's just that my clothes are dirty." Little Bei quickly shook her head. In order not to get scalded, she had specifically let the soup cool before spilling it. She always remembered Mu Jingzhe's words about not letting herself get hurt.

Mu Jingzhe took Little Bei to change her clothes. When she returned, she found that the other four kids' clothes were all dirty as well.

There was a big patch of oil on Xiao Wu's chest. Shao Dong, Shao Xi, and Shao Nan had also acquired stains on their clothes somehow, from chili to the black ash found at the bottom of pots.

The pot ash that had been burned on firewood was no joke. It was black and very troublesome to wipe off. Mu Jingzhe stared at them in shock. "What's going on?"

This would never happen normally!

"Big Brother wanted to scoop out soup for us, but things went wrong." Shao Xi looked at Shao Dong with eyes full of admiration.

Indeed, Big Brother was Big Brother. Little Bei had just thought of a solution when he'd immediately done it without anyone knowing.

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"Don't touch it anymore. What if you get scalded? You just changed into new clothes today." Mu Jingzhe's head hurt.

"I'm sorry, Mommy." Shao Dong lowered his head and apologized.

Shao Qihai quickly said, "It's all my fault. I didn't see them. They weren't hurt. It's just that their clothes are dirty. I'll go wash them."

Shao Dong gave Shao Qihai an apologetic smile.

The kids changed clothes and went to school. Shao Qihai picked up the clothes they had changed out of and prepared to wash them.

In the end, although he had said that he would go, he hadn't left. Mu Jingzhe was puzzled. "What's wrong? No washing powder?"

"No, um… do you have anything to wash?" Shao Qihai was dawdling because of this.

"No need to do mine. I can wash it myself." Mu Jingzhe refused without thinking.

Shao Qihai hesitated for a moment before saying, "Little Nan said that it's not good for girls to touch too much cold water. The river water is quite cold. Just give them to me."

It was already March, but the river was still very cold. One could imagine how cold it had been in the winter.

Mu Jingzhe laughed when she heard what Little Nan had said, but she still shook her head and refused. "There's really no need."

Since she wasn't going to continue living with him as husband and wife, she shouldn't let him wash her clothes.

Seeing that she was determined, Shao Qihai walked to the riverside in disappointment.

There were more people washing clothes in the village in the afternoon. Shao Qihai, who was sandwiched between the aunties and young ladies, instantly became the center of attention.

Although he washed his clothes with his head lowered, he still had to answer their questions and be teased by them. His face turned red, perhaps from the sun or the teasing.

He wanted to wash up and leave as soon as possible, but the black pot ash was very difficult to wash off. He could only rub it, and as he did so, the aunties pricked his heart with their words.

"Now that Jingzhe and the children know how to earn money, it's only right for Qihai to do housework and wash clothes. One can't delay earning money."

"It's just that he doesn't know how to wash well. The clothes are about to tear due to the way he is washing them."

Shao Qihai's hands froze. They were making it sound like he was a freeloader at home. He wanted to say something when he heard snickers and hushed voices in the distance.

"If he refuses to wash the clothes, Jingzhe will abandon him soon. That Uncle Ji is so good-looking and rich. If I were Jingzhe, I'd want Uncle Ji."

"Me too. Shao Qihai is not bad, but he has a mother like Zhao Lan, and his older brother and younger sister are worrisome too."

Their voices were very low, but Shao Qihai's ears were sharp, so he accidentally heard them.

Shao Qihai thought to himself that he wasn't washing the clothes in order to please Jingzhe. He was washing them because he felt that he should, because he loved his children.

The five children, who were deeply loved by Shao Qihai, had no idea that Shao Qihai was enduring humiliation for them and listening to people gossip about him while washing clothes.

They were still thinking of ways to make Shao Qihai hate them.

Since he didn't succeed in the morning, Shao Xi felt that he should go a little overboard. If it still didn't work, then he would learn to be bad. He should be a little more rebellious. With these thoughts in mind, Shao Xi came up with a plan. When it was time for class again, he deliberately lay down on his desk and slept.

He even proudly told Shao Dong that he would definitely succeed this time, as teachers hated students sleeping in class the most. They would definitely throw chalk at him, and if he still didn't wake up, the chalkboard eraser would be thrown over as well.

Then, the teacher would scold the student and call their parents. Shao Qihai would be invited over, and he would see their hopelessly mischievous behavior.

Shao Xi closed his eyes and quietly braced himself for the flying chalk.

Soon, the teacher realized that Shao Xi had fallen asleep on the desk. It was very obvious from the podium.

The class was quiet for a few seconds, but for some reason, the chalk didn't come flying at him. Instead, the teacher came down to take a look and stopped beside Shao Xi.

Shao Xi's breathing slowed. He had thought that his teacher would personally smack his head and ask him to wake up, but his teacher left again.

Not only did she leave, but she also lowered her voice. In the end, she even said, "Everyone, please write an essay for this class. I'll write the question on the blackboard. You guys focus on writing and don't speak so you don't disturb Shao Xi."

Shao Xi: "?"

What? She was afraid of waking him up? He had already gone overboard by sleeping in class. Why was the teacher afraid of waking him up?

Was the teacher crazy or stupid today? Was she still the same teacher who threw chalk at other students?

Shao Xi couldn't fathom why, and neither could the other students. Seeing their puzzled expressions, the teacher explained in a low voice.

"You all know what happened at Shao Xi's house yesterday, right? He must have suffered a huge blow and be very upset, but he should feel happy. After all, his father isn't dead and has now come back. He definitely didn't sleep last night. Let him sleep for a while."

In the end, she even lectured the two students she had thrown the chalk at previously. "Don't feel indignant. If you become as promising as Shao Xi, I'll let you sleep too."

The two students lowered their heads. They couldn't compare to him.

This class then became an essay-writing class. The teacher sat on the podium and stopped teaching.

Shao Xi lay on the desk. After this helpless sensation passed, his mood suddenly became complicated. He even felt like crying over this kindness.

In the past, because of Zhang Fei, he'd hated teachers and felt that they were all bad people. Now, he had met a very good teacher.

Shao Xi secretly glanced at the blackboard and saw the random topic 'My teacher'. He smiled and thought for a moment before leaning over the table and scribbling.

After class, Shao Xi watched as Shao Dong took his workbook with a faint smile and helped him submit his homework.

When the teacher saw that he was awake, she told him "This will all pass" before leaving.

"I told you it wouldn't work, but you refused to listen." Shao Dong shook his head.

"Then think of a good idea," Shao Xi couldn't help telling his older brother.

During the break between classes, Shao Nan, Little Bei, and even Xiao Wu came over to discuss their plan to become bad children. Shao Nan had also thought of Shao Xi's method, but he had been stopped by Shao Xi as soon as he'd suggested it.

"It's useless. Stop using that method."

With a sorrowful heart, Shao Xi looked at the sky and sighed with emotion. "Now, we can't be ordinary just because we want to. We're too outstanding. It can't be helped."

Shao Dong: "…"

Chapter 204: Ji Buwang Found Out

Shao Nan rolled his eyes. "Actually, there's no need to make it so complicated. We can just behave like our normal selves around outsiders. We just have to make him realize that we're terrible and make him think that we don't know anything and we're very expensive to raise. Let's show him that other than spending money and being troublesome, we have no merits at all."

"That's true. It's not like we want to become bad kids for real. We can't really sacrifice our excellence for him!" Shao Xi's eyes lit up. "Little Nan, you're always so wicked. But I like it."

Shao Nan grinned. "It's all for the sake of leaving with Mommy."

Shao Nan and the others all looked at Shao Dong and waited for him to decide. Shao Dong nodded. "This is a solution, but we have to think about the details. We can't just recklessly make a move." At the very least, they couldn't let Shao Qihai discover their scheme, or it would be useless.

"Let me think about ways to spend money," Shao Nan said seriously.

In the past, they used to think of ways to save money and earn money. This was the first time they had to think of ways to spend money.

"I wonder if he has money. If we ask for it but he doesn't, what if Mommy gives it to us in the end?"

"Then let's first find out if he has money or not and how much he has." Shao Dong then added calmly, "You don't have to rummage through his luggage. There's not much money in there."

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Little Bei looked up. "Brother, you've rummaged through it? When did you do that?"

"Last night, while he wasn't paying attention. We should be focusing on his bank account and other places. In addition, I didn't see anything linked to his new wife or children. Maybe what he said was true."

Shao Qihai, who had finally finished washing the clothes and returned, dried them in the sun and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was about to relax when he suddenly sneezed.

"Once means someone is missing me, and twice means someone is scolding me, right? Is someone missing me again?" Shao Qihai secretly glanced at Mu Jingzhe, but she was busy.

Shao Qihai was embarrassed. Just as he was about to say something, he sneezed again. "So someone's been scolding me… Could it be Ji Buwang?"

Ji Buwang… was indeed scolding Shao Qihai.

When Ji Buwang had learned that the kids had started school, he had wanted to take this opportunity to go to Great Eastern Village to look for Mu Jingzhe, but he had ended up meeting the distracted Shao Qiyang instead.

Although they had been quite at odds previously, upon seeing him like this, Ji Buwang immediately stopped the car. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Shao Qiyang looked at Ji Buwang and his expression became a little strange. "What? You still want to help?"

"Tell me about it." He listened to see if he should help.

Although Ji Buwang didn't say it out loud, his meaning was clear. Shao Qiyang felt increasingly more conflicted.

The person he'd always found an eyesore looked like someone who shared the same affliction as him now. He sighed. "You might as well worry about yourself instead of me."

"Me? What's wrong with me?"

"My brother isn't dead. He's back." Shao Qiyang didn't keep him in suspense.

Ji Buwang paused. "Who's back?"

"My older brother, Shao Qihai."

"Shao Qihai didn't die? He came back?" Ji Buwang repeated, finally digesting the news with difficulty. "What happened? Wasn't he supposed to be dead?"

He had just accepted the news of Shao Qihai's death not long ago. Why was Shao Qihai alive again?

It was good that he was alive, but he was Mu Jingzhe's husband. Was… Wasn't this a mess?

Ji Buwang was shaken by the news. As he looked at him, Shao Qiyang could understand. "I wasn't notified beforehand either. He just appeared in front of us all of a sudden yesterday. He's alive."

Ji Buwang and Shao Qiyang looked at each other, and neither of them said anything. However, the two men who had been competing against each other suddenly had a common language, the kind that didn't need to be spoken.

"So you're here in a daze?"

"What else does it look like?"

"I don't believe it. I have to take a look personally. One moment he's dead, and the next he's alive. Is it so easy to come back to life? Can Shao Qihai die and live as he pleases?"

Ji Buwang got into the car and was just about to leave when Shao Qiyang quickly pulled him back. "Are you really going?"

"Of course. Aren't you going back? How long are you planning to hide for?"

Shao Qiyang gritted his teeth. "I'll go back too!"

He opened the passenger door of Ji Buwang's car and got in. Ji Buwang asked, "No, are you taking my car?"

"Of course. Why would I expend so much energy to ride behind you when I can just sit in your car?"

"Alright then." Ji Buwang didn't care anymore, so he drove away. However, the car suddenly broke down when they had just reached the county city. After the engine was turned off, it couldn't be started again.

"Why did your car turn off at such a critical moment? It's not even as reliable as my bicycle."

"It's an antique. My dad gave it to me a long time ago."

Since the car couldn't be started, in the end, they had to use Shao Qiyang's incredible bicycle. Because there was only one bicycle, regardless of whether Shao Qiyang was willing or not, Ji Buwang sat on the back seat of his bicycle.

The road from the county city to town was nice, and there was a gentle breeze. Although he was anxious, it felt pretty good. Ji Buwang thought to himself, 'No wonder women like to sit on the back seats of bicycles.'

After experiencing it once, Ji Buwang felt that he could also buy a bicycle in the future to carry Mu Jingzhe.

While looking at Shao Qiyang's not too broad but tall back, Ji Buwang frowned. "Have you carried Jingzhe before?"

Had Jingzhe hugged Shao Qiyang's waist and sat on his bicycle?

Shao Qiyang replied in a muffled voice, "No."

He wanted to lie and say that he had, but upon thinking about it, he realized that he really hadn't. He had only carried the children before, and so had Mu Jingzhe.

Ji Buwang felt better, but after a few seconds, his expression changed.

Because they had entered the bumpy part of the dirt road, Ji Buwang had no choice but to grip Shao Qiyang's clothes tightly. That wasn't all. He even wrapped his arms around Shao Qiyang's waist and hugged him firmly.

Shao Qiyang almost fell into a ditch. "Let go. Why is your grip so tight?"

"I can't let go. It's too bumpy." Ji Buwang refused.

"Still, don't hold on so tightly. You're crumpling my clothes. Besides, aren't you hugging me too tightly?"

Why would two men hug each other so tightly? Wasn't that super awkward? It wasn't as if he was Jingzhe.

"I don't want to either, but this is a really bumpy road. I'll fall off." Ji Buwang expressed that he didn't want to do this either. Wasn't this just a safety consideration?

"You're not going to fall off. Little Dong and the others are much braver than you. Relax a little. My bicycle is very stable."

"Oh." Ji Buwang relaxed his grip slightly. Shao Qiyang had just let out a breath of relief when the bicycle jolted again because of a small ditch. Ji Buwang immediately hugged him tighter than before, even using both hands this time.

"That gave me such a scare. I really almost fell off."

Shao Qiyang was truly speechless. "You…"

"I didn't do it on purpose." Ji Buwang awkwardly let go of one hand. "I've never ridden a bicycle on such a road."

When Shao Qiyang thought of Ji Buwang's noble aura and then looked at the fair, tender arms hugging him, he was completely speechless.

On the other hand, Ji Buwang thought about it and suddenly said, "Why don't I sit in front of you? That way, perhaps I won't fall off?"

He had seen some men put a girl or a child in front of them and protect them with both arms. It was safer that way.

Chapter 205: Compensate A Wife? Can the Compensation Be You?

Shao Qiyang rolled his eyes. "Are you crazy? How are you going to fit in front when you're so big?"

"You won't let me hug you from behind… I really don't feel safe sitting behind you. Just let me sit in the front."

Shao Qiyang firmly refused, but he couldn't stop Ji Buwang from harping on about it. He even deliberately hugged him tightly, and in the end, he also wheedled and tickled him.

Shao Qiyang didn't know what to say. Things had already come to this, yet why was Ji Buwang still in the mood to make a fuss? However, he didn't know that Ji Buwang was actually feeling uneasy, which was why he deliberately spoke to keep himself occupied and divert his attention so that he wouldn't be so irritable.

After struggling for more than half the journey, Ji Buwang felt like his buttocks were in immense pain, as if he had undergone intense exercise.

Meanwhile, Shao Qiyang was also covered in sweat due to Ji Buwang's hug. He suspected that he would go crazy if Ji Buwang hugged him any longer. He had no choice but to give in.

Thus, in the afternoon, when Mu Jingzhe bumped into them at the village entrance, she saw Ji Buwang sitting in front and Shao Qiyang sitting in the back with his arms around Ji Buwang.

Ji Buwang's hair was still long and it was swaying in the wind. Behind him, Shao Qiyang had to avoid being swept by his hair, and his face was filled with impatience and forbearance.

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However, because he was handsome, his impatience and forbearance weren't detestable. Instead, one could see a hint of compromise and… affection.

Don't ask Mu Jingzhe how she could tell. In any case, she could. Or perhaps, it was her imagination.

It couldn't be helped. The sight of the two of them inevitably reminded Mu Jingzhe of her two male colleagues in the past.

Besides her experience with her two male colleagues, there were also movie and tv productions featuring male celebrity couples of various types. Although Mu Jingzhe had never shipped any of those couples before, she had watched quite a few of them. Everything else aside, a pair of two gorgeous men was really pleasing to the eye.

Mu Jingzhe, whose mind had been corrupted, couldn't help but look at this beautiful scene through a corrupt lens. Even the look in her eyes was different. Needless to say, they were really compatible. Very compatible. They were much more compatible than Mu Jingzhe and Ji Buwang.

Indeed, whether one was worthy or not didn't depend on gender. It was all about one's appearance. Male or female, two good-looking people looked compatible together.

Countless images flashed across Mu Jingzhe's mind, and she even added background music to it. Beautiful background music was very important. Mu Jingzhe carefully chose a song, and at that moment, Ji Buwang and Shao Qiyang walked up to her.

Ji Buwang kept feeling that Mu Jingzhe was looking at them strangely. Although he didn't know why, he kept some distance from Shao Qiyang vigilantly.

However, when he pulled away, he saw disappointment flash across Mu Jingzhe's eyes. Disappointment? What was going on? Why was she disappointed?

"What are you thinking about?" Ji Buwang asked with furrowed brows.

"I just thought that you and Shao Qiyang looked very compatible…" Mu Jingzhe, who was recalling the background music, casually answered when she heard the question.

She then shut her mouth abruptly, but it was too late. Ji Buwang had already heard her.

Previously, he had interacted with Mu Jingzhe a lot and knew that she sometimes had strange ideas. Normally, when people talked about whether two people were compatible or not, they were talking about men and women. However, Mu Jingzhe could match a man and a woman, a man and another man, and a woman with another woman. Although she had only casually said that they were pleasing to the eye and hadn't meant anything else, this had left a deep impression on Ji Buwang.

It was one thing for her to think of someone else like that, but now she was even thinking of him in that way. Furthermore, it was with Shao Qiyang.

Ji Buwang's expression darkened. When he'd heard that Shao Qihai wasn't dead, he had felt anxious to death, but she still had the time to think about all this.

"Get rid of the images and thoughts in your mind. Now."

"Oh, alright." Mu Jingzhe felt a little sheepish and finally stopped thinking of this nonsense.

Shao Qiyang hadn't heard their first words and only saw that Ji Buwang was fierce to Mu Jingzhe. He frowned. "Why are you so angry?"

With furrowed brows, he asked, "Where's my brother?"

Mu Jingzhe's eyes lit up. "He's at home. Someone went to see him."

Why would Mu Jingzhe come to the village entrance? She had fled from home because Mu Xue had gone to see Shao Qihai!

Initially, Mu Jingzhe had still been thinking of ways to set him up with Mu Xue. In the end, Mu Xue had shown up at the Shao Residence. When she'd entered, she hadn't seen Mu Jingzhe, as she only had eyes for Shao Qihai.

Mu Xue had specifically gone to see Shao Qihai. Shao Qihai had returned yesterday, but she hadn't been at home. When she'd heard about it in class, she had been stunned on the spot.

Back when Shao Qihai had suddenly died, she had hidden under the covers and cried for several nights, feeling sad for him. Now that it had turned out he hadn't died and had returned home, she had tried to hold herself back. In the end, she couldn't help but go to the Shao Residence to take a look after class.

Upon seeing Shao Qihai's familiar face, as if nothing had changed, Mu Xue let her tears fall instantly.

She had gone through a lot in the past year. She had fallen in love with Tang Moling, gotten engaged, and had her engagement annulled. There had been both glorious and humiliating moments. Compared to a year ago, she had gone through a lot.

After everything that had happened, she saw Shao Qihai again. It had been a year, yet he still hadn't changed. His determined gaze reminded her of the first time she had met Shao Qihai after he'd retired from the army.

After going around in circles, she felt the same way she'd felt the first time she had met him.

Tears rolled down Mu Xue's face. "It's so great that you're not dead. It's wonderful…"

She then pounced on Shao Qihai. Seeing that the two were about to hug each other, Mu Jingzhe was afraid that Shao Qihai wouldn't dare make a move if she was around, so she quickly slipped away.

She had to give them space to interact and create opportunities for them to spend time with each other. Only then could their relationship be reignited and her plan be implemented.

It would be even better if there was a shotgun marriage.

After going out, she'd sauntered to the village entrance and met Shao Qiyang and Ji Buwang. Mu Jingzhe's eyes lit up when she thought of Mu Xue, but when she saw Shao Qiyang, she felt a little guilty.

She had been preoccupied while trying to set up Shao Qihai and Mu Xue, so she had forgotten about Shao Qiyang. Speaking of that, she had really let him down. Previously, she had even encouraged Shao Qiyang, but in the end, Shao Qihai had returned. From the looks of it, the two first lovers' feelings for each other might be reignited. What a pity for this devoted supporting actor, though.

However, relationships couldn't be forced. It was better to deal with the pain now than let it drag on. Mu Jingzhe was afraid that Shao Qiyang would be agitated if he went in and saw them, so she quickly told him what had happened.

"Erm… Mu Xue went to see Shao Qihai. Qiyang, don't take it too hard. I was spouting nonsense previously, so don't take it to heart. If all else fails, I'll compensate you with a wife. I'll definitely find you a new one."

That's right. If all else failed, she would think of a way to compensate him with a wife. As long as she put in some effort, she would definitely be able to do it!

Mu Jingzhe made up her mind. Shao Qiyang looked at Mu Jingzhe and smiled bitterly. Why did she still think that he liked Mu Xue? However, when he heard that she would compensate him with a wife, Shao Qiyang's mind was filled with the following thought: Can the compensation be you?

He wanted to blurt this out on impulse, especially when he heard that Mu Xue and Shao Qihai had gotten together again. He felt that since his brother didn't cherish Mu Jingzhe, he would.

In the end, Ji Buwang spoke up first, not giving him a chance. "Shao Qihai and Mu Xue? Is there anything else in here that I don't know?" Hadn't Mu Xue been engaged to Tang Moling previously?

Shao Qiyang and Mu Jingzhe's expressions were a little strange when they heard his question. "Actually, the person who truly proposed marriage to Mu Xue was Shao Qiyang."

This summary was very accurate.

Chapter 206: Even If It's One Wife and Two Husbands, I Won't Give Up

Ji Buwang raised his brows. "So that really happened." The anxiousness in his body lessened again.

Shao Qiyang couldn't help but clench his fist when he heard that. How could Second Brother do this? Jingzhe was such a wonderful person, yet he didn't cherish her and had even gotten involved with Mu Xue.

Mu Jingzhe looked at Ji Buwang and asked in a low voice, "Why are you here?"

"Why do you think? How could I not come?" Ji Buwang asked in turn.

Mu Jingzhe immediately felt a little guilty. After all, Ji Buwang had confessed his feelings to her before, so it was normal for him to come upon learning that Shao Qihai had returned. But… wasn't it a tad inappropriate for him to come like this?

"Let's go home first. I've told you before that I know Shao Qihai too. He's not dead and he has returned now. I should go see him."

Shao Qiyang gritted his teeth tightly. Wasn't it a provocation for him to visit at such a time?

Before he could speak, Ji Buwang had already taken the lead and walked forward. Shao Qiyang wanted to say something but stopped himself and followed him. He didn't know that the four of them were already giving other people a show.

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In particular, Ji Buwang's arrival had made the eyes of the people of Great Eastern Village sparkle with excitement. They had thought that since Shao Qihai had returned, Ji Buwang wouldn't come anymore. They hadn't expected him to still come. Was he going to publicly compete with Shao Qihai for Jingzhe?

"That's not so good, no? After all, that's Qihai's wife, right?"

"Go and see what Shao Qihai did first. I saw Mu Xue go to the Shao Residence. She went in, and Jingzhe came out to hide from them."

Great Eastern Village was having a jolly good time gossiping about this matter. Usually, they wouldn't reveal it when they were in public, but privately, they knew everything. They only wished they could go back with Mu Jingzhe and the others to watch the show.

Mu Jingzhe returned to the Shao Residence with Ji Buwang and Shao Qiyang. She first confirmed from the entrance whether Mu Xue had left. When she stuck her head in, she saw Shao Qihai.

Shao Qihai frowned when he saw her do that. "Why didn't you come in since you got home?"

Mu Jingzhe stood up and walked in. "Where's Mu Xue? Is she gone?"

"Mm." Shao Qihai was about to say something when he saw Ji Buwang and Shao Qiyang behind Mu Jingzhe.

When he saw that Ji Buwang had actually swaggered in, Shao Qihai's pupils constricted. "Ji Buwang?"

"Shao Qihai, long time no see." Ji Buwang waved his hand with a beam.

"Long time no see." Shao Qihai gritted his teeth. Why was this person so eager to steal his woman? He was still alive, couldn't he see that? Upon seeing Ji Buwang's beaming face, Shao Qihai was furious. Why was this person so thick-skinned? Why didn't he look sheepish at all?

Unable to help himself, Shao Qihai commented sarcastically, "You came here very quickly. You sure act fast, huh."

"I can't compare to you. It's only the second day, and you're already meeting your old flame in front of Jingzhe and pouring your hearts out to each other."

Ji Buwang's shocking words came out of his mouth as he smiled. This was also the reason he didn't feel sheepish. He was open and aboveboard.

Shao Qihai's expression changed. He then glanced in the direction of the workers. "Don't talk nonsense!"

He shot Ji Buwang a warning look. "Come in so we can talk." It seemed better to speak in private lest he startled others with his shocking words again.

The group of them entered the kitchen. Shao Qihai gave Ji Buwang a deep look. "Ji Buwang, there's a limit to joking. I hope you won't spout nonsense in the future."

"I don't have any ill intentions. I think it's a good thing. I said it to bless you." Ji Buwang was very innocent. "This is just right. You and Mu Xue can pick up your relationship where you left off, and Jingzhe and I can continue to be together."

Mu Jingzhe was about to pour water for Ji Buwang and even nodded when she heard the first half of the sentence. However, when she heard the second half, her hand trembled and she almost dropped the cup.

When had they gotten together? Mu Jingzhe looked at Ji Buwang in shock and saw Ji Buwang wink at her.

"When did you two get together?"

"You two have gotten together?"

Shao Qihai and Shao Qiyang asked questions angrily in unison. Their tones were the same, and the shock and anger on their faces looked copied and pasted.

Ji Buwang looked at the two brothers with a teasing expression. Even Shao Qihai couldn't help but glance at Shao Qiyang.

Shao Qiyang couldn't care less about their gazes. His mind was filled with thoughts of when the two of them had gotten together.

Mu Jingzhe reacted, quickly looking at Ji Buwang. "Don't spout nonsense…"

Ji Buwang felt aggrieved. "You just said two days ago that you were going to be responsible for me, have you forgotten? Jingzhe, you can't be like this. You can't abandon me after toying with me."

Abandon him after toying with him? Was that how one used that phrase? Mu Jingzhe choked.

Ji Buwang didn't give Mu Jingzhe a chance to speak. He lowered his head and coughed before looking at Shao Qihai and Shao Qiyang. "This is what happened. Jingzhe said that she would be responsible for me."

Mu Jingzhe couldn't help but shove Ji Buwang. "Don't…" She had just held the wrong hand. Why did it sound so different coming from his mouth?

"Don't be afraid, Jingzhe. We have to let them know sooner or later. We might as well tell them now. I can't wait anyway."

Ji Buwang shot Mu Jingzhe a gaze, telling her to calm down, and looked at Shao Qihai. "Shao Qihai, Jingzhe and I already have a relationship. I hope you can give us your blessing.

"I don't think I've wronged you. After all, you were dead previously. Your marriage had already been abolished. I have the right to pursue her, and Jingzhe has the right to fall in love and get married.

"We didn't do anything wrong, so I hope you won't be angry. After all, I didn't destroy your marriage. I didn't become a third party either. We're open and honest."

Ji Buwang's words made Shao Qihai's mind explode. "No, based on what I've heard, the two of you aren't together…"

"Then your news source might be delayed." Ji Buwang interrupted Shao Qihai.

Shao Qihai gritted his teeth. "I can't accept it. I'm still alive, so I'm her husband. Her legitimate husband."

"No, you're not. You've already died once. Your relationship with her has been annulled."

"No, my situation is special. As long as I'm alive, our relationship is valid." Shao Qihai and Ji Buwang quarreled.

Shao Qiyang was worried that they would start a fight upon seeing them oppose each other in such a tit-for-tat manner. Unexpectedly, a second later, Ji Buwang suddenly stood up and stood behind Mu Jingzhe. He tugged at her sleeve and spoke in an aggrieved tone.

"Jingzhe, no matter what, you have to be responsible for me. I won't back down even if we are one wife and two husbands."

Mu Jingzhe: "…"

Had she transmigrated to a matriarchal world this time?

Shao Qiyang: "…"

Who was he? Where was he? What was he doing?

Shao Qihai: "…"

'Dafuq? One wife and two husbands?'

The veins on Shao Qihai's forehead popped twice as his fist cracked. "Don't talk nonsense. One wife and two husbands? What kind of joke is this?" Was he trying to anger him to death?

"Who's joking? I'm not. Anyway, I won't give up. From now on, let's just rely on our own abilities," Ji Buwang retorted.

"There's no such thing as relying on one's own ability. No matter what, I'm still the proper wife… husband. Give up." Shao Qihai had been forced to say things like 'I am the proper husband'. God knew why he had to say such things.

"Proper husband? So what? Although I appeared after you, I'm also a legitimate husband."

Chapter 207: Marriage Might Be Annulled

Shao Qiyang was dumbfounded as he watched Ji Buwang from the side. There was a hint of admiration in his eyes that even he himself didn't notice. Could that also be true?

When he heard them arguing about being her 'legitimate husband' and even saying that they would each rely on their own abilities, he really wanted to raise his hand and join in. He wouldn't even ask to be a legitimate husband. Even if he was a concubine… Bah, he wasn't a concubine or the male version of it. Anyway, he needed her to be responsible for him too.

Shao Qiyang was eager to make a move. In his mind, he instantly dug up the memory of Mu Jingzhe knocking on his door in the middle of the night. Yes, this was viable too. Besides, time-wise, it had been even earlier than Ji Buwang's appearance, so he could totally join in.

Just as Shao Qiyang was about to raise his hand, Mu Jingzhe said, "Stop fooling around."

She turned her head and glared at Ji Buwang. "You knew it wasn't—"

Ji Buwang didn't let Mu Jingzhe continue. He pulled her aside and whispered, "I know, but you don't wish to be husband and wife with him anymore, right? I can tell that you no longer want that, so give me another chance. Just let me make a fuss."

Mu Jingzhe was stunned. She had only seen Ji Buwang for a short while today and hadn't even spoken to him much. How did he know?

A hint of a smile flashed past Ji Buwang's eyes. He could tell.

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Previously, when Shao Qihai hadn't been around, Mu Jingzhe had never mentioned Shao Qihai to him. She hadn't been sad or anything like that, and she didn't seem to have any feelings for him.

Shao Qihai had returned, but Mu Jingzhe hadn't been pleasantly surprised. Instead, there was some frustration between her brows. Later on, when she'd spoken of Mu Xue, her expression had been even more off. No matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem like she had Shao Qihai in her heart.

When he looked at Shao Qihai, his face was also filled with unfamiliarity and indescribable awkwardness. Based on these observations, he'd confirmed Mu Jingzhe's state of mind, which was why he had taken advantage of that day's joke to make a fuss.

Mu Jingzhe looked at Ji Buwang's gaze and paused. Before she could finish speaking, Ji Buwang had already let go of her.

Seeing Mu Jingzhe and Ji Buwang's intimate behavior, Shao Qihai pursed his lips. He wanted to say something, but upon seeing Mu Jingzhe's attitude, he shut his mouth unwillingly.

Although what he'd said to Shao Qihai was very overboard, Ji Buwang was very sensible and didn't stay to let the villagers watch a show. When the villagers of Great Eastern Village couldn't help but come to gossip, he bade them farewell.

Because he hadn't driven in, he borrowed Mu Jingzhe's bicycle.

When Mu Jingzhe saw him out, Ji Buwang said, "Half of what I told Shao Qihai was to spite him, but my intentions are true. Jingzhe, I can't give up just because of this. You don't have to think too much about your relationship with him. If you were to just perform a check, your marriage might directly become invalid. You don't have to be restrained by this marriage.

"Whether you end up choosing me, Shao Qihai, or a stranger over the two of us is completely up to you."

"I understand. I will do that." Mu Jingzhe nodded solemnly. She couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Ji Buwang. "How did you think up that whole 'one wife and two husbands' thing?"

"It was natural. Can't help being smart."

Ji Buwang left on the bicycle. It was only when Mu Jingzhe was out of sight that his face sank. Shao Qihai's designs on Mu Jingzhe weren't simple.

However, he'd also discovered an interesting phenomenon. Before he'd left, the kids had just finished school. Ji Buwang had discovered that the five kids were treating and speaking to Shao Qihai coldly, and there was even a little hostility involved.

This was interesting. It also meant he could relax a little.

Ji Buwang knew that Mu Jingzhe had a good relationship with the five children. He was afraid that the children would help Shao Qihai and Mu Jingzhe would choose to continue to be with Shao Qihai because of the children.

However, he'd suddenly realized that Shao Qihai's five greatest helpers weren't really helping their father much. The children might not help their father. This way, he might not be at a disadvantage when it came to the children.

Ji Buwang was really sensitive and could sense everything correctly.

When the kids returned, Mu Jingzhe and the others were talking inside. The children didn't say anything and cleverly went to eavesdrop before pretending that they had just returned.

While Ji Buwang was thinking about the children, the children washed their hands and ate the fruit Mu Jingzhe had prepared for them. They also squeezed in and whispered to each other. Little Bei even talked about Ji Buwang. "Teacher Ji is really good-looking. It might not be bad to have a few more daddies."

Shao Dong looked to the side and Little Bei chuckled. "I like Teacher Ji. It'd be fine to let him be Daddy Ji. In the future, we can have more fathers. Every single one of them is different. It will be good for both Mommy and us."

Shao Dong: "…"

Shao Nan chuckled when he heard that. "Little Bei is right. Since Teacher Mu Xue came to look for him, it's not wrong for Teacher Ji to look for Mommy. Tit for tat."

Shao Qihai and Shao Qiyang were also talking in the kitchen, but the atmosphere wasn't nice.

"Why did you bring Ji Buwang here? Did you hear what he said?"

"Even if I hadn't brought him, he would have come himself. He's been here before." Shao Qiyang pursed his lips. The two brothers had never turned red while quarreling with each other in the past. Shao Qiyang had always been very obedient when it came to Shao Qihai, but this time, he couldn't help himself.

"Second Brother, if you still miss Mu Xue, then clarify things with Jingzhe as soon as possible and let her go."

At that moment, Shao Qiyang viewed Shao Qihai as someone who was occupying a mountain of gold and silver but didn't cherish it. His crime was unforgivable.

"I don't miss her. She's the one who came to take a look today." Shao Qihai was very troubled. Shao Qiyang's attitude also made him feel strange. He paused for a moment and said, "I know you're feeling that this is an injustice for your second sister-in-law. I'll explain this to her."

When Mu Jingzhe came back after sending Ji Buwang home, Shao Qihai explained in a muffled voice, "You suddenly ran out today, but I didn't hug Mu Xue. I moved aside. Don't get the wrong idea."

Upon seeing Mu Xue approach, Shao Qihai had vigilantly stepped aside. However, when he'd looked up, he had realized that Mu Jingzhe had disappeared.

Mu Jingzhe hadn't expected him to explain. She hesitated for a moment. "It's fine. You don't have to explain to me." It would have been even better if he had hugged her.

Shao Qihai had wanted to say more, but upon seeing her attitude, he gave her a deep look and left.

Mu Jingzhe was puzzled as she watched him leave. Why did he look like she had let him down?

"Ridiculous," Mu Jingzhe muttered. She turned around and saw that the young lady who was supposed to be going home from work hadn't left and was now eavesdropping. When she saw her look over, she coughed guiltily.

Mu Jingzhe crossed her arms and looked at her. The young lady felt sheepish under her stare and wanted to leave, but the gossipy soul in her made her involuntarily approach.

"Erm, Jingzhe, I can attest to what Shao Qihai said just now. He really didn't hug Mu Xue."

"Mm?"

"We all saw it." The workers hadn't been able to hide. Although they'd looked like they were focused on making the hair ornaments, they were so excited that they went to take a look while gripping the hair ornaments in their hands.

The young lady reported to Mu Jingzhe that they had been holding back for a long time. "When Mu Xue rushed over in tears, Shao Qihai seemed startled and quickly dodged. There was a puddle of water on the ground due to the clothes that had been hung out to dry, and he accidentally slipped. I think he fell on… his leg."

The young lady was embarrassed to say that Shao Qihai seemed to have fallen on his balls because he had accidentally done the splits. Then, an expression of excruciating pain had formed on his face.

It was because of this that Shao Qihai hadn't been able to chase after Mu Jingzhe in time when he'd realized she had disappeared.

Chapter 208: Jingzhe's Birthday

According to the young lady's 'live broadcast', because Shao Qihai had dodged and slipped, Mu Xue had also been stunned. Tears had still been on her face, but she had seemed extremely embarrassed.

Later on, Shao Qihai had gotten up with difficulty, and Mu Xue had left because the atmosphere had been too awkward.

Mu Jingzhe's mind was filled with question marks when she heard that. No, forget it, if she hadn't hugged him, why had he even fallen?

Shao Qihai would also like to ask what was going on! Why had he been so unlucky as to step on that pool of water? He was usually very skilled, but in front of that pool of water, he had been like an idiot staring blankly at it.

His balls… No, his legs. He had felt like his entire body was being torn apart.

Even now, he still felt some pain. He had worked so hard, but Mu Jingzhe's attitude remained the same even after he explained things to her.

Shao Qihai felt aggrieved and sorry for himself. Previously, he had been kicked by Mu Jingzhe until he had almost been crippled. This time, he was forced to doubt his life.

It was embarrassing.

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Shao Qihai went out of the door sadly. After he stood outside and calmed down for a while, Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao walked out of the imposing house beside him. "When will these days end?"

She had just finished complaining when she saw Shao Qihai there. She instantly froze, then turned around and ran back.

"Why are you so surprised? Why did you come back? I asked you to find a doctor for your husband!" Zhao Lan was dissatisfied when she saw Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao.

Eldest Sister-In-Law Shao shushed her a few times. "Mom, Second Brother Shao Qihai is standing outside."

Zhao Lan immediately shut her mouth. Eldest Brother Shao had fallen ill from fright. Although they now knew that he wasn't a ghost, perhaps he wasn't any better than a ghost. Because of his guilt, he didn't dare go out to see Shao Qihai and just lay in the room.

Zhao Lan also felt guilty, but she was used to being thick-skinned. She felt that although her words hadn't been nice, this would pass very quickly.

When she saw that Eldest Brother Shao and his wife didn't dare go out, she messed up her hair and deliberately changed into straw sandals to look for Shao Qihai.

"Qihai, why haven't you come to see me today? Are you really planning to disown me?"

Shao Qihai: "…"

Zhao Lan acted all aggrieved and even cried fake tears as she criticized Mu Jingzhe. Shao Qihai was so angry that he laughed.

"Just because I faked my death doesn't mean that I'm really dead. I know everything you people did both yesterday and previously. Don't come looking for me again."

Zhao Lan gritted her teeth. "All of you side with Mu Jingzhe. Qiyang was like that, and now you are too. You two are really brothers!"

Shao Qihai frowned, but he really ought to have a good talk with Shao Qiyang. Shao Qiyang's attitude toward him felt off. He had also heard that Shao Qiyang had quit his job at the post office.

Shao Qihai went to Shao Qiyang's room but didn't see anyone. He just took a casual look, not expecting to see a necklace.

"A necklace? Does this kid like someone? Who is he planning to give it to?"

At first, Shao Qihai smiled. However, as he smiled, he saw the pieces of paper Shao Qiyang had stored there. The pieces of paper had been casually torn from a notebook and were all the messages Mu Jingzhe had left at home.

Some had been left for Shao Qiyang and the children, while others had been left for the children alone. They just contained a few words, and they weren't anything important.

However, Shao Qiyang had kept these slips of paper.

As he read the notes, Shao Qihai thought about the gossiping villagers. Amidst sparks, he suddenly understood why Shao Qiyang was treating him that way.

He was… lusting after his sister-in-law!

No wonder he had felt that Shao Qiyang's attitude was strange back in Ocean City. So, it was because…

Shao Qihai didn't understand. Previously, Qiyang had clearly hated Jingzhe. Why would he suddenly… When Shao Qihai saw the scarf and gloves Shao Qiyang carefully kept in his room, which looked similar to the five kids', and recalled the warmth he had felt during the meal, he suddenly understood.

Mu Jingzhe had changed the entire family. This warmth not only warmed the five kids, but also Shao Qiyang.

That was why he…

As if Ji Buwang wasn't enough, his biological younger brother also…

Shao Qihai was overcome with sorrow. Now that he had returned after faking his death for more than a year, his five children only acknowledged their mother and had zero thoughts about their father. His dear brother and old rival were both waiting to abduct his wife. They also both wished that he had really died. Even his closest younger brother did.

Why was he so miserable?

Shao Qihai closed himself off. He no longer waited for Shao Qiyang and he stopped looking for the children to rebuild his relationship with them. It was by closing himself off that Shao Qihai missed out on another major event.

This made him feel confused early the next morning.

Firstly, before dawn, and the children's usual wakeup time, they all quietly got up. At the same time, Little Bei also quietly got up. Amid Shao Qihai's confusion, they actually started cooking.

"What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you." Shao Qihai wanted to help, but the five kids refused.

On the other hand, when Shao Qiyang entered, he didn't say anything and immediately began helping. He didn't take the lead. He just let the children do their work. He only helped and watched from the side.

When Mu Jingzhe woke up on time and got ready to wake the children up before preparing breakfast, she found a bowl of piping hot longevity noodles[1] topped with a sunny-side-up egg and sprinkled with spring onions waiting for her.

"Mommy, happy birthday!" The five dirty-faced children gave her their most brilliant smiles.

The face of every single one of them was either dirtied or stained with flour. Compared to normal times, they looked really dirty. However, at that moment, they were the most beautiful in Mu Jingzhe's eyes.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

"No need to thank us, Mommy. Hurry up and eat it. You have to finish it in one go. Don't break it." Previously, it was Mu Jingzhe who had reminded them of this. This time, it was their turn to remind Mu Jingzhe.

The five kids had already decided that they would make a bowl of longevity noodles for Mu Jingzhe, just like what she had made for them. For this reason, Shao Dong and Shao Xi had specifically learned how to prepare the dish.

Shao Dong had made the noodles, Shao Nan had fried the egg, Little Bei had beaten the egg, Xiao Wu had pinched some spring onions and washed them, and Shao Xi had cut the spring onions.

Since spring onions were frequently eaten, Mu Jingzhe had planted them on their vegetable farm long ago. After the flowers in the flower pot died, they would also grow spring onions in it. Every time they wanted to eat them, she would pinch some. Then, the spring onions would continue to grow out for consumption.

The five children finally prepared this bowl of longevity noodles according to what they had secretly practiced previously.

Shao Qiyang didn't interfere and only watched from the side. Of course, he had supported them while they'd secretly practiced.

This was Mu Jingzhe's first birthday celebration, yet it was already this moving. She was extremely touched, and Shao Dong and the others were also happy. When Mu Jingzhe finished eating, they ate the ordinary noodles made by Shao Qiyang.

The family was harmonious, and only Shao Qihai stuck out like a sore thumb.

He had never celebrated his birthday, nor did he know of such a concept, so he had never thought of celebrating anyone's birthday. Therefore, he was left out completely.

Previously, he had been angry at Shao Qiyang for falling for his sister-in-law. However, when he saw Shao Qiyang silently do all this, he felt ashamed. What right did he have to blame Shao Qiyang?

Shao Qiyang had also prepared noodles for Shao Qihai, but the latter couldn't taste anything. Just as he was about to wish her a happy birthday, the children suddenly stood up.

"Mommy, wait."

[1] A longevity noodle is a single noodle that fills the whole bowl, and it is better not to break it when eating it.

Chapter 209: The Best Birthday Present

The five kids ran back to their room. A few minutes later, Shao Qiyang asked Mu Jingzhe to go to the courtyard. There, they were greeted by the sight of the five little ones rushing out of their room and lining up, wearing pajamas that Shao Qihai had never seen before.

When Shao Qiyang pressed the switch of the tape recorder, the five little ones started singing and dancing. "Happy birthday, Mommy…"

The melody was joyful and simple, and the dance movements weren't complicated, but there were also changes in the formation. The five little ones jumped out, looking absolutely adorable.

Mu Jingzhe was so overwhelmed by their cuteness that she almost cried. It was her first birthday in two lifetimes, yet a big fuss was being made. It was as if she had made up for the dozens of missed birthdays in an instant.

Among the five children, the one who danced the best and most freely was undoubtedly Little Bei. She was also at the center, looking oh-so-adorable. The second best dancer was Shao Nan. He copied Little Bei strictly, and even his smile was identical to hers. As for Xiao Wu, he had short limbs and was mostly responsible for being cute.

Shao Xi and Shao Dong were the ones dancing the most earnestly. Shao Xi was fine, but his expression was forceful, or rather, it was more forceful than his body's movements.

Shao Dong was the clumsiest among them. He was usually the steadiest and felt like he could learn everything quickly. For the first time in his life, he discovered he had two shortcomings—singing and dancing.

His actions were all appropriate, but no matter how one looked at it, he looked clumsy and funny, especially since he was wearing those cartoon pajamas that made him look silly in an adorable way.

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When he finally finished dancing, Shao Dong heaved a not-so-inconspicuous sigh of relief.

After the dance, Little Bei bounced over to Mu Jingzhe. "How was that, Mommy? Did you like it? Are you surprised?"

Shao Nan was helpless. "How can you ask her that?" Although he said that, his eyes were sparkling as he looked at Mu Jingzhe, also waiting for her to praise him.

"Of course I liked it. I liked it very much. I had no idea you kids secretly prepared this."

Little Bei raised her hand. "We started practicing early. Mommy, this was my idea. I said I would dance for you. I choreographed the dance myself. I even taught my brothers. Oh, you have no idea how dumb they were, especially Big Brother."

Shao Dong: "…"

He then touched his nose. "This is my first time singing and dancing."

"No, Little Dong danced very well. He looked particularly good and adorable."

"Mommy, praise me too. I composed the song." Xiao Wu was anxious.

"Of course. Xiao Wu, you are the best."

Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Nan and Shao Xi and said, "You two must have contributed ideas too, right? Let me guess. It was Little Xi's idea to learn a few foreign languages, right? Unless I'm mistaken, six versions of 'Happy Birthday, Mommy' were used in the song, right?"

Shao Xi puffed out his chest and grunted. "Yes."

He didn't like praising himself, but he couldn't help it. He chuckled and said, "We specifically learned different versions of 'Happy Birthday, Mommy' and combined them into one song."

"How are you so creative?" Mu Jingzhe looked at Shao Nan. "Looks like the clothes were your idea. I was wondering why you suddenly asked for these pajamas."

Inspired by the parent-child outfits, Mu Jingzhe had suddenly thought of modern cartoon pajamas, in which children looked the cutest. Mu Jingzhe's heart had stirred, and she had drawn out the design. When Shao Nan had seen it, he'd said that he wanted it and asked Mu Jingzhe to make it for them.

Mu Jingzhe had made them cartoon pajamas when she was free at night. She wanted them to wear them while they were still young and looked cute.

After Mu Jingzhe handed the pajamas to them, she couldn't wait to get them to change into them. She had even prepared a camera to take photos of them wearing them, but the children had refused to wear them after receiving them, making up all sorts of excuses.

Mu Jingzhe had been very disappointed, thinking that they didn't like them. In the end, they had been waiting to wear them now.

"Did you like it, Mommy?" Shao Nan asked. Even though he asked, his tone was affirmative. Shao Nan had long known that Mu Jingzhe was defenseless against cuteness, so he was certain that she'd like it.

"I did. Of course I did."

Mu Jingzhe liked it so much that she hugged them one by one. She was so excited that she didn't see the villagers peeking around the door.

When the villagers had heard the commotion, they had come over out of curiosity. After seeing the big gift the children had prepared for Mu Jingzhe, they were touched by their cuteness. Then, they looked at their own children, and regardless of their age, they started to find them an eyesore.

That day, many children suffered misfortune and were inexplicably scolded for being heartless and unfilial. This was only the first wave, as the five little ones hadn't just prepared a dance.

After the dance, the five little ones delivered their meticulously-prepared birthday presents as though they were conjuring magic. Even though Shao Qiyang hesitated for a moment, he still handed over the necklace that he had prepared.

Initially, when he had seen Shao Qihai return, Shao Qiyang had felt that his intention toward her should have changed no matter what. However, in the end, he still reluctantly gave the necklace to her.

This was probably the last time he gave a gift with such a mentality, so he decided he might as well just give the present to her. He would consider it his last act of courage.

Shao Qiyang's gift wasn't very eye-catching among the presents the five little ones gave her. Mu Jingzhe, who didn't know that it was a necklace, only thanked them all before being urged to open and put on the presents by the children.

Shao Qihai: "…"

The children had all given her gifts, and so had Shao Qiyang. All the presents had their own merits, but he hadn't prepared anything for her.

At that moment, even Shao Qihai was ashamed of himself.

After the excitement passed and the birthday surprises were given, the children reluctantly went to change clothes. Shao Qihai ran after them in a hurry and absent-mindedly praised them for being awesome.

The birthday song had been really amazing. Other than the first sentence, which he had understood, he hadn't understood anything else. However, that didn't stop Shao Qihai from feeling proud of them. "It was amazing."

He was wondering how he was going to make up for his lack of a birthday gift, but he didn't realize that the five children had frozen for a moment.

The five of them went to school obediently. On the way, upon recalling Shao Qihai's praise, Shao Xi sighed. "We accidentally revealed our prowess again."

Shao Dong shook his head. "Just… Just be impressive for now. Let Mommy be happy on her birthday. We'll talk about the rest afterward."

"That's true."

Seeing that they had gone to school, Shao Qihai wanted to say a few words to Mu Jingzhe. However, people kept coming and going at home, and there were people around Mu Jingzhe too. There was no room for him to interrupt.

The few girls who came to work knew that today was Jingzhe's birthday, so they all brought her gifts.

One of them, who had made her shoe soles and cloth shoes, said that the soft material made them really comfortable to wear at home. Another girl gave her a scarf with Jingzhe's name embroidered on it. Another gave her boiled eggs, saying that they ate boiled eggs on their birthdays.

They weren't expensive gifts, but it was the thought that counted. Mu Jingzhe was touched.

Due to the commotion caused by the children, everyone in the village knew that Mu Jingzhe was celebrating her birthday today. Li Zhaodi had also prepared noodles and eggs. Upon hearing what everyone said, she knew that Mu Jingzhe had already eaten some. After thinking for a moment, she didn't serve them to Mu Jingzhe and instead ate the noodles in one go carefully, muttering the words 'Jingzhe will live to a ripe old age'.

Not long after she finished eating, Mu Jingzhe came over and snatched the bowl from her to wash it. She said that Li Zhaodi wasn't allowed to wash the dishes laboriously today and that she had to rest properly.

"It's your birthday today. You're not allowed to wash them either." Li Zhaodi's heart ached for Mu Jingzhe too.

In the end, Mu Teng went to wash the dishes without saying a word. "You two don't have to wash them. I'll do it

Chapter 210: Ji Buwang Is Here Too

Li Zhaodi and her husband had prepared a birthday gift for Mu Jingzhe, and even Mu Han had gotten her a gift.

As they hadn't moved elsewhere after splitting up the family assets, Old Madam Mu and the eldest branch of the Mu Family could hear the joyful laughter on Mu Jingzhe and her parents' side. Mu Xue could also hear them and felt a little dazed upon hearing the commotion.

In the past, it used to always be lively on her birthday. Early in the morning, she would get to eat noodles and eggs. Her grandmother would even prepare a gift for her and specifically kill a chicken to celebrate her birthday. She was the only blissful girl in the village who had a birthday celebration. No one cared about Mu Jingzhe's birthday.

This time, it was the other way around. Mu Jingzhe's birthday was so lively that the entire village knew about it.

Old Madam Mu grumbled, "Isn't it just a birthday? What's so great about it? It's not even a special birthday[1]…" Old Madam Mu was sulky at the mention of birthday celebrations. This year, she was supposed to have a celebration for her special birthday, but Mu Xue's marriage had failed to go through, and her eldest and third son seemed to have forgotten about it. It was useless no matter how much she hinted at it.

Mu Jingzhe pulled Mu Teng and Li Zhaodi out. When she saw Old Madam Mu's long face, she smiled even more happily.

"Let's go, Dad, Mom. You must eat well today and enjoy life."

The chickens raised at home were more or less ready to be killed. She could kill two of the chickens and get two fish. In combination with the vegetables she had bought previously, they could have a sumptuous meal.

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Mu Jingzhe had a good plan. She didn't expect to find a pile of things at the door as soon as she got home. Ji Buwang and Shao Qihai were standing at the door, confronting each other. There were also two chickens with their legs tied up by their feet.

Ji Buwang's eyes lit up when he saw Mu Jingzhe. "Jingzhe, you're finally back. I'm here, but Shao Qihai won't let me in."

"These are…" Mu Jingzhe wanted to go over, but the chickens on the ground blocked her way.

"I prepared them for you. You're the birthday girl today, so you have to eat and drink well. You're not supposed to cook, so I bought some things and came over early to prepare for your birthday party. These are the ingredients I bought.

"Because my culinary skills aren't that good, I originally wanted to bring the chefs here and have them prepare a birthday banquet for you. This way, everyone in the village can come to celebrate your birthday. However, I'm afraid of bloodshed, so I can only regretfully give up."

As he said the last sentence, Ji Buwang glanced meaningfully at the livid Shao Qihai and whispered to Mu Jingzhe, "If looks could kill, I would've been hacked into pieces."

Mu Jingzhe was very helpless. If it were anyone else, they would probably have been angry too. "Why did you think of buying so many things?"

Shao Qihai snorted upon hearing Mu Jingzhe's words. "That's right. As if we can't afford it."

"If you can afford it, you can very well buy them yourself. Where are the things you bought? If you take them out, I'll immediately take mine back," Ji Buwang immediately replied.

Shao Qihai froze. His expression was uglier than ever, and his face turned green. "You…"

Shao Qihai was furious at Ji Buwang's arrogance and the fact that he wanted a yard after taking an inch. Also, he was angry at himself for doing nothing and giving Ji Buwang such an opportunity.

If he had realized it earlier and made preparations, he could have kicked him out. Alas, he hadn't prepared and had nothing to take out.

"See, I knew this would happen. That's why I bought all these things. I just wanted Jingzhe to have a nice birthday."

If Mu Jingzhe had been willing to go out to celebrate her birthday, there would have been a bigger variety and there would have been no need to go to so much trouble. However, celebrating in the village was fine too, for it made Li Zhaodi happy as well.

Ji Buwang looked at Li Zhaodi and greeted her affectionately. "Auntie, today is your day of suffering. You should rest, eat, and drink well. You gave birth to such a good girl like Jingzhe. You did a great deed, so all the more reason to reward yourself."

Li Zhaodi could tell that Ji Buwang's words were heartfelt. These words really touched the bottom of her heart. This was the first time someone had said this to her.

"Why are you so sweet? Get in quickly. Your hands must be sore."

Li Zhaodi's heart ached as she took the things in Ji Buwang's hands and made the decision to accept them. She had to accept them, if only for what he'd said.

Mu Jingzhe didn't stop her. Ji Buwang must have bought these things earlier and rushed over early in the morning. She couldn't let him down, so she accepted the groceries quickly.

This way, both the giver and the receiver would feel good. She could just reciprocate in the future.

Sure enough, Ji Buwang beamed. Of course, it would be even better if he didn't shoot Shao Qihai a provocative look before entering the house.

Shao Qihai's face turned green and red, then green again, as what Ji Buwang had said were actually his own thoughts. However, it was Ji Buwang who had done and said those things.

He hadn't done enough. He needed to reflect.

"Mom, I'll get them." Shao Qihai reflected on himself as he took the things from Li Zhaodi's hands. Hearing the word 'Mom' made Li Zhaodi's hands tremble and also made Ji Buwang dart an unfriendly gaze in his direction.

Why would Shao Qihai address her as 'Mom' directly when he was still addressing her as 'Auntie'?

However, Shao Qihai was very calm and didn't even glance at Ji Buwang. He had changed the way he greeted Li Zhaodi when they'd gotten married. It was just that he hadn't had much of a chance to call her that afterward.

Shao Qihai pulled himself together and displayed the advantages of being the host as he attended to the guest, Ji Buwang.

"Take a seat, Buwang. Anyone who comes here is a guest. Drink some water and rest for a while. As for the rest, just let me do my job as a host." He assumed the identity of the male owner of the house.

"I know best what I bought. Shao Qihai, you should sit and rest." Ji Buwang ignored him. As soon as he finished speaking, bleats came from the door.

Ji Buwang stood up to handle it. "The goat is here."

As he spoke, he didn't forget to call out to Mu Jingzhe, "Jingzhe, come and take a look! Don't you love eating mutton? I bought a goat from one of the villagers. The goats in the village are more fragrant."

Upon hearing that, the villagers who mainly herded and sold goats were very happy. They smiled and agreed. "That's right. Our black mountain goats are the most delicious."

"Uncle, thank you. Remember to come and eat with us tonight." Ji Buwang took the goat and told Mu Jingzhe, "Tonight, those who love mutton will eat mutton, while those who don't will eat chicken and fish. I also bought fish."

Seeing that Mu Jingzhe was silent, Ji Buwang was vigilant. "You can't say that you don't eat mutton. Last time, you said that the mutton was delicious."

Mu Jingzhe had forgotten that she'd told Ji Buwang about it previously. She had probably just mentioned it casually, or he had heard her telling the children, but he had kept it in mind.

Shaking her head, she said, "I wasn't going to say that. Just kill it and let's have a good meal. You've never tried mutton before either, have you? Let's have a good meal tonight. I'll go invite the villagers who know how to prepare mutton."

It was a pity that the five kids hadn't gotten to eat some last time. This time, it would be just right.

Upon hearing this, Ji Buwang smiled. Shao Qihai, who was watching from the sidelines, gritted his teeth. When he had seen that Ji Buwang had brought so many things, he had thought that he could perhaps go and buy a sheep, but he hadn't expected Ji Buwang to be one step ahead.

Shao Qihai could only go and find some cured beef. He asked many people in the village, and in the end, he was lucky enough to find some ham, which was considered good stuff.

Shao Qihai heaved a sigh of relief and thought that there was finally something decent he could offer.