Chapter 161
Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe were worried about returning too late today, so they had already informed Xiao Zhang early in the day to come over and watch the children for them.
When they returned, Xiao Zhang was peeling sunflower seeds for the two kids.
"Mommy!" Mingming and Yueyue both rushed into Bai Xiuxiu's arms as soon as they saw her.
Bai Xiuxiu hugged the two children and gently kissed them. "Mingming and Yueyue, you've been good."
Seeing them, Xiao Zhang was also very excited. "Brother Wang, Sister-in-law, are you alright? You're finally back. These two kids were insisting on waiting up to see you before going to bed. I had a hard time calming them down. If you hadn't returned soon, I wouldn't have known what to do. By the way, how did things go?"
Xiao Zhang helped close the door for them with concern.
Inside the house, the stove had already been lit. Wang Qinghe took the two children over and started comforting them while chatting with Xiao Zhang.
"Everything went smoothly, but only the old lady went in. The Wang family is too shrewd; it would be impossible to get the old man in there too."
Wang Qinghe didn't feel any regret about this. Wang Shoucheng still had his uses outside.
Hearing that everything went well, Xiao Zhang felt relieved. "That's great. Brother Wang, about the matter we discussed earlier?"
"It remains unchanged," Wang Qinghe said firmly.
Xiao Zhang was also pleased. Brother Wang had asked him to find out who the trafficker's supplier was, and after a few days of investigation, he discovered it was his brother's arch-nemesis.
If Brother Wang could make them behave, it would be fantastic.
This trip would be highly profitable for him.
"I'll head back now. Brother Wang, don't hesitate to give me any instructions regarding this matter." With that, Xiao Zhang started to leave.
Unexpectedly, he ran into Yu Cheng just as he opened his mouth.
"Brother Yu?" Xiao Zhang looked puzzled.
Yu Cheng smiled. "No worries, I just came by to say hello. We're leaving for the provincial city today."
"What about me?" Xiao Zhang stood awkwardly, unsure if leaving immediately would be impolite.
But staying might disrupt their conversation.
"Don't worry about me. I'll head straight to the station later," Yu Cheng said as he entered the house.
Inside, Bai Xiuxiu was resting and drinking sugar water. Wang Qinghe had brought the two children in and was preparing dinner.
When Yu Cheng entered, Wang Qinghe stopped what he was doing.
"Qinghe, Sister-in-law, I'm leaving today. Next time I come will probably be next month. As for next month..."
Yu Cheng wasn't sure how much goods they would have.
"Just come next month. Our business can only involve you and us. If a third person finds out, it ends here."
Wang Qinghe warned Yu Cheng, who seemed easily deceived.
"Don't worry, I'm not that stupid to harm myself. By the way, here's my address. If you need to contact me, just mention my name."
Yu Cheng left his address, feeling a strange sense of familiarity when looking into Wang Qinghe's eyes.
"You... never mind, I'm fine." Yu Cheng decided not to say anything more, thinking he would inquire further later.
"I'll walk you out." Wang Qinghe offered to accompany him.
"No need, just carry on with your work. Next time I come, I'll bring something nice for you." Yu Cheng was in a good mood.
After bidding farewell, he got on the borrowed bicycle.
At the station, someone was already waiting for him.
The man waiting was around the same age as Yu Cheng, wearing a coat similar to his own. Several people were there to see him off, but the man's expression was far from pleasant.
Seeing Yu Cheng, the man scrutinized him critically. "Where have you been? The train is about to leave. And you've made new friends in just a few days?
No wonder your family says you can't compare to my cousin. You're too..."
Yu Cheng chuckled. "It's nothing serious. I just met someone I clicked with. Besides, who in the compound can match him?
Too bad he's not your aunt's child."
"You brat, always finding ways to annoy me," the man grumbled.
Yu Cheng boarded the train with him, curious. "How did it go? Did you find the child your aunt wanted you to look for?"
"Don't even mention it; it's just bad luck. I've been looking, but there's no news at all. You know, in this vast sea of people, trying to find a child who was lost over twenty years ago, with hardly any clues, is nearly impossible.
It feels like I'm just spinning my wheels.
I can't find anything!
I'm also worried about how I'll explain this to my aunt when I go back."
The man complained to Yu Cheng, feeling frustrated.
"Brother Qi, you can't be blamed for this. Your aunt didn't look for the child for over twenty years, and now she suddenly wants to find them. Isn't that putting you in a difficult position?"
Yu Cheng agreed, hoping to learn more gossip from this conversation.
"Who said it wasn't? The other kids turned out to be useless, so now they remember there's another one out there. It's my aunt's misfortune.
None of those kids amounted to anything.
She's grasping at straws now. Even if she had raised them properly, they still wouldn't have turned out well. How could an outsider be any better?
For all we know, the child might already be dead."
The man surnamed Qi frowned deeply.
He was even more worried, having made several trips out recently despite having a job.
Unlike Yu Cheng, who spends his days loafing around after eating!
If he doesn't do his job properly, he won't think about the bad reputation he'll bring to his family.
"Brother Yu, do you think if we found the child, the family would treat him well?" Yu Cheng asked, concerned.
If they would, then he thought Wang Qinghe should give it a try. What if it was him?
"Maybe, but only if the child turns out to be successful. My aunt..." The man surnamed Qi shook his head.
The news of Zhao Guifen's arrest spread quickly through Xiahe Village via the early morning broadcast.
Early in the morning, Wang Qinghe had sent his wife and two children to the village committee before heading to work.
At the village committee.
When Miao Miao and Liu Xiaohui arrived, they learned about the significant event that had occurred in the village.
They were all shocked.
After recounting yesterday's events, Chen Jinhua brought up another matter: "Yesterday, Xiuxiu caught the traffickers. It turns out they were habitual offenders! A lot has been uncovered.
I'm going to the commune later to talk to Director Wang about this. This achievement must be recognized."
"Is anyone here?" Outside, Xiao Hong knocked on the Women's Federation door, her face filled with excitement.
Chen Jinhua opened the door, and Xiao Hong burst into tears, hugging her tightly.
The man beside her also had tears in his eyes.
Chen Jinhua was taken aback by the sudden crying: "Xiao Hong? Did your mother-in-law come to cause trouble again? But yesterday, Xiuxiu and I talked things out, didn't we?"
"No! She agreed. She promised to let me remarry and take my son with me. Aunt, Xiuxiu, I really don't know how to thank you."
Chapter 162
Xiao Hong cried uncontrollably. Her mother-in-law had always forbidden her from remarrying, and she had sought help from the Women's Federation countless times. The people from the Women's Federation had even visited several times.
Each visit seemed to make things worse.
All the household chores were done by her, and even her young son was made to work in the fields.
Anything that could be done, he was not allowed to miss.
The other children in the family did not have to go.
This family was determined to treat her and her child like two oxen.
They kept saying that her husband's death was her fault and that now they had to support her and her son, so they should do more work.
Every time Xiao Hong thought about it, she felt extremely wronged.
Her mother-in-law used her child to control her, and the Women's Federation was at a loss.
She even had thoughts of dying with her son and this family.
Everything changed when Aunt Jinhua brought Xiuxiu here.
"Agreed? That's great; it's a good thing! From now on, you and your son won't suffer anymore. Don't cry."
Chen Jinhua was also happy for her.
Xiao Hong's situation was not unique; similar cases existed in other villages under the commune.
If this method worked, then others facing similar situations could use it too.
"Auntie, Old Chen and I came to thank you, but I don't know if..."
Xiao Hong looked at Chen Jinhua, leaving her sentence unfinished.
She wanted to give Old Chen some eggs as a token of gratitude, but Old Chen suggested asking first.
It would be better not to do something good that turned out bad.
"This is part of our duty; there's no need to thank us," Chen Jinhua refused.
"I can't let it be. I... I feel uneasy," Xiao Hong said, her emotions still high.
Chen Jinhua thought for a moment and then had an idea: "If you really want to, write a thank-you letter.
This idea actually came from Xiuxiu. I'm going to report to the commune and explain everything that happened.
Having your letter would be helpful."
"Can you write?" Chen Jinhua was concerned.
Many people couldn't write, despite the literacy classes being offered.
"I can. I went to primary school," Xiao Hong said, finding the idea of writing a thank-you letter reasonable.
Writing a thank-you letter wouldn't require much.
Miaomiao immediately prepared paper and pen. She was a smart girl and had already figured out that Aunt Jinhua wanted to help Sister Xiuxiu.
She admired Sister Xiuxiu for volunteering to be bait to catch traffickers.
Although Sister Xiuxiu had been here for a short time, Miaomiao had also been here for a short time.
If anything good happened, she wouldn't be jealous of Sister Xiuxiu at all.
On the side, Xiaohui felt a bit uncomfortable but knew this wasn't something she could compete for.
Soon, the letter was written.
After writing the letter, Xiao Hong felt a bit embarrassed: "Is this okay? Can... Can I do anything else for you?"
Chen Jinhua took the letter: "This is enough. When you get married, be sure to tell us. We'll come celebrate with you.
By the way, where's your child?"
Xiao Hong pointed outside.
"He's in the courtyard. He's very smart, and I didn't want him to hear all this. I already feel terrible about what he's been through."
Thinking about how her son had suffered alongside her, Xiao Hong felt heartbroken.
"It's freezing outside. Take your child back quickly. Also, keep a close eye on him.
In our village..."
Chen Jinhua recounted what the Wang family had done.
Hearing this, Xiao Hong's face turned pale: "I understand. Thank you. I will watch over my son carefully."
After sending Xiao Hong away, Chen Jinhua hurried off to the meeting with the materials.
Once Chen Jinhua left, the remaining three chatted intermittently, occasionally punctuated by the laughter of the children playing.
Bai Xiuxiu organized the information from the recent problems she had helped solve in the village and the requests left by those who sought help from the Women's Federation.
They were responsible for three brigades, and there was plenty of work to be done.
"Xiuxiu, take a break. What's the point of doing this? Before things get out of hand, they're all minor issues. If it were something major, like what happened with Xiao Hong, it would have blown up already.
There's also the conflict between Old Wu's daughter-in-law and his wife, which escalated.
Other than that, I think everything else is minor."
Liu Xiaohui saw that she was constantly busy with her work and tried to persuade her a few times.
Bai Xiuxiu smiled at her. "I'll take a break after I finish this bit, Sister Hui. Don't worry about me."
"Alright then." Liu Xiaohui leaned on the table, ready to rest.
Someone rushed in from outside. "Where's the team leader?"
This scene was all too familiar, even the person who came was familiar!
"Yang Chuanwen? Why are you so anxious? The team leader went to the commune to report work, and even Aunt Jinhua went to report work.
What's going on?"
Miaomiao couldn't contain her curiosity at his urgency.
"Reporting work? This! You need to explain this situation. Can someone come with me quickly?
Aren't you part of the brigade too?"
Yang Chuanwen was extremely anxious.
"What's going on exactly?" Liu Xiaohui was wide awake now, feeling bewildered.
"It's still about Old Wang's family. Old Wang's second daughter-in-law went to the mountains with their fifth daughter-in-law.
Somehow, both ended up in the pond behind our village.
We don't know why they went there; what could be interesting about that place? They insisted on going there."
Yang Chuanwen felt frustrated just talking about it.
"Just this? Wouldn't rescuing them solve the problem?" Miaomiao was confused.
Seeing how anxious Yang Chuanwen was, Bai Xiuxiu also felt that the situation wasn't that simple.
"We thought so too, but... they went to the mountains today and invited someone else along.
It was Zhou Jiaojiao's sister-in-law from her natal home.
As soon as her sister-in-law got out of the water, she started bleeding. It turns out she didn't even know she was pregnant, and it looks like she's going to lose the baby.
Zhou Jiaojiao's sister-in-law rushed over and hit Liu Xiaoe and Zhou Jiaojiao.
She blamed them both.
When they fell into the water, Liu Xiaoe panicked and pulled Zhou Jiaojiao, and Zhou Jiaojiao pulled her sister-in-law.
All three fell in.
Can you believe it?
We've already sent Uncle Zhang over. A few passing women said it doesn't look good.
Seeing that they might start a commotion, I hurried over here.
Anyway, can two of you come with me to check it out?"
As Yang Chuanwen spoke, he realized he seemed to be constantly reporting incidents to the brigade lately.
Recently, whenever he went to the mountains, he did nothing but watch the drama unfold.
How much trouble does Old Wang's family cause? How many times has he run over there?
No way, next time he definitely won't go near the mountain; he needs to find a different spot.
Chapter 163
If this continues, he won't be able to get anything done before winter arrives. Yang Chuanwen felt distressed just thinking about it!
When Bai Xiuxiu heard about this, she was also shocked.
This?
This didn't happen in her previous life.
"Xiaohui, why don't I go with Miaomiao instead?" Bai Xiuxiu looked at Liu Xiaohui, who seemed reluctant to move, and offered.
Liu Xiaohui was the least likely to want to go out among the people in the room.
She wasn't fond of crowds and was a very quiet person.
Bai Xiuxiu's suggestion struck a chord with Liu Xiaohui, who immediately agreed: "Okay, you and Miaomiao can go.
Do what we usually do.
Since Aunt Jinhua isn't here, we can decide for ourselves.
I'll watch the two kids for you?"
At this moment, Liu Xiaohui found Bai Xiuxiu very agreeable.
Yueyue, seeing that Bai Xiuxiu was going out, immediately ran over: "Mom, I want to go with you."
Yueyue looked at Bai Xiuxiu pleadingly; being left behind these past few days had made her even more attached to her.
"Mom, I want to go too."
Mingming chimed in as well.
Bai Xiuxiu hadn't planned to leave the two children behind anyway, so she agreed when they clung to her.
"Xiaohui, then I'll go with Miaomiao first."
"Okay, go ahead." Liu Xiaohui was glad to have some peace and quiet.
After all, she wouldn't be climbing up, so doing a little less work each day and drinking hot water without going out into the cold suited her just fine.
Her in-laws would still respect her, which was great.
Bai Xiuxiu and Miaomiao followed Yang Chuanwen out.
Behind the village was a large pond that had existed for many years. No one knew what was inside.
Children were not allowed to play on the back mountain.
Adults rarely came near the pond either, as areas near water in the mountains were dangerous.
It was quite unexpected that someone had fallen into the pond.
However, they were lucky enough to have someone passing by.
Otherwise, no one would have known if they died there.
After rescuing the person, because Zhou Jiaojiao's sister-in-law was having a miscarriage, everyone decided to take her back to their house first.
Bai Xiuxiu and Miaomiao followed them to Zhou Jiaojiao's family home.
As soon as they entered the house, they heard crying and yelling inside.
"You're here to collect debts! You're going to tear this family apart. A perfectly healthy child is now gone.
Get out, get out of here!
And you, Liu Xiaoe! Pay up quickly!
Our daughter-in-law was perfectly fine until you dragged her into the water. She said it herself—you did it on purpose to harm us.
None of you from the Old Wang family are any good!"
Tian Xiaojuan was in a state of despair, yelling at Zhou Jiaojiao and Liu Xiaoe, who had come along.
She was truly unlucky. She had already sent a daughter-in-law away and spent a lot of money for her daughter, which had already upset her sons.
Now, today, she had caused her fourth daughter-in-law to miscarry.
If she didn't take a stand now, the family would fall apart.
Zhou Jiaojiao was in tears, feeling wronged. This wasn't her fault.
She had been kind enough to bring her family members along, and her mother knew that. Now that something had happened, it was Liu Xiaoe's fault, not hers.
Why should she be blamed?
The loss of her brother's child was heartbreaking for her too.
"Make way, the team is here." Yang Chuanwen shouted.
He pushed through the crowd to let Bai Xiuxiu and Miaomiao enter.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu, Zhou Jiaojiao's jealousy instantly twisted her heart: "This is our family matter. The team doesn't need to interfere.
Mind your own business."
"What do you mean by meddling? They came at just the right time. Isn't it the Women's Federation's job to handle matters like this?
You must stand up for me. It was her who made me fall into the water.
Make her pay compensation!"
Fourth Sister-in-law gritted her teeth in anger, her eyes brimming with tears.
Liu Xiaoe felt extremely wronged: "I said I didn't want to go to the mountains, but it was Old Fifth's wife who insisted on making me go.
Now look what happened..."
"Second Sister-in-law! How could you say that?" Zhou Jiaojiao hadn't expected Liu Xiaoe to try to blame her.
Miaomiao, seeing the situation, thought there wouldn't be much more dispute.
"Xiuxiu, what do you think about this?"
Bai Xiuxiu looked at Zhou Jiaojiao, who was glaring at her with hatred, and then at Liu Xiaoe.
She had an idea: "Fourth Sister-in-law, are you sure Liu Xiaoe intentionally grabbed you and caused you to fall into the water? If so, she should be arrested just like your Third Sister-in-law.
She was trying to harm someone!"
"No! Absolutely not!" Before Fourth Sister-in-law could speak, Zhou Jiaojiao denied it.
Liu Xiaoe was the most useful person in the family to her, and she couldn't let her get arrested.
Her attitude immediately changed the faces of the Zhou family members.
Zhou Jiaojiao realized this and her expression turned grim.
Bai Xiuxiu ignored her and continued asking the Zhou family: "If this was intentional, we need to report it. If it wasn't intentional and you want private compensation, you can settle it privately. Of course, if you want the village committee or the Women's Federation to intervene, we are willing to help."
Fourth Sister-in-law lay on the bed, feeling miserable.
She didn't even know when she had become pregnant, and now the child was gone.
Tian Xiaojuan wanted to settle privately, despite her daughter's lack of conscience; she was still her daughter.
If Old Wang's Second Sister-in-law got arrested, wouldn't all the work fall on Jiaojiao?
Jiaojiao had said that Liu Xiaoe listened to her.
But she couldn't say that herself.
She needed to see how her own daughter-in-law would react, as her family was more important than her daughter.
Now it depended on what Old Fourth's wife decided.
After weighing her options, Fourth Sister-in-law looked at her husband: "You decide. This is our child."
Old Fourth of the Zhou family had his thoughts: "Why don't we settle privately? The Wang family didn't do this on purpose.
We are in-laws, after all. Let's handle this behind closed doors."
Bai Xiuxiu had guessed they would choose this option. She had only mentioned it to upset Zhou Jiaojiao.
The Zhou family, after today's incident and Zhou Jiaojiao's defense of Liu Xiaoe, would treat her differently from now on.
"If you want to settle privately, do you need us to mediate?" Bai Xiuxiu asked Fourth Sister-in-law.
"No need," Fourth Sister-in-law said through her tears.
She already knew what her husband meant.
"Sister Xiuxiu, shall we leave?" Miaomiao couldn't bear to watch this anymore, her tone turning cold.
Zhou Jiaojiao tried hard to control her anger, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
Why did Bai Xiuxiu have to interfere in her family affairs?
Why did she always have to be better than her?
Bai Xiuxiu noticed the dangerous look in Zhou Jiaojiao's eyes and smiled: "Shall we go? Don't worry, we'll call the Wang family over.
After all, they should be informed, right?"
Chapter 164
Zhou Jiaojiao's face instantly turned grim. "No need. We can handle our family matters ourselves. You should mind your own business."
"How can you say it's minding your own business? Even though we've split the household, haven't you always said we're still one family?
Besides, Liu Xiaoe is Old Wang's daughter-in-law. If something happens, her husband should know, right?
This must be told. Miao Miao, let's go."
Bai Xiuxiu, feeling quite pleased seeing Zhou Jiaojiao's murderous gaze, left with Miao Miao.
As soon as Bai Xiuxiu and the others left, the others didn't spare Zhou Jiaojiao.
"Little Sister, I've given you face, and I'm willing to swallow this matter. But you need to give us an explanation."
Zhou Laosi looked at his sister, thoroughly annoyed.
Ever since they were young, she had been more favored than them, always getting the best of everything. To make her bring benefits to the family, who in the family hasn't suffered?
And yet, their parents always said she was the family's lucky star and needed to be pampered.
Now that she's married, she still wants to meddle in family affairs.
It has cost him his wife and child.
"Sis, I... I did this to help the family." Zhou Jiaojiao felt helpless.
She harbored resentment towards her family. She brought Fourth Sister-in-law for the sake of the family, but now everyone blames her for what happened?
How could anyone blame her when Fourth Sister-in-law herself didn't know she was pregnant?
"You helped us, and look what happened to my wife. If you meant to harm us, would you have killed us all?"
Zhou Laosi was speechless.
"What do you want?" Zhou Jiaojiao felt anxious.
"Five hundred yuan. Your eldest sister-in-law extorted a thousand yuan from our family before. Now we want five hundred. It's up to you.
If you don't pay, don't blame us for being heartless.
Your third sister-in-law hasn't come out yet, and your third brother is about to sever ties with the family over this.
Little Sister, I'm not making things difficult for you, but you decide what to do."
Zhou Laosi thought that if he could get the money, he could buy himself a better job in the future.
"Fifty hundred?" Zhou Jiaojiao was so angry she almost exploded.
Beside her, Liu Xiaoe remained silent. No matter the amount, this money had to come from Zhou Jiaojiao. She had promised!
On the kang, Fourth Sister-in-law felt a bit relieved upon hearing the amount.
With this money, life would be easier for her and her husband.
"What? You don't want to give it? If you don't, forget it. This matter isn't over." Old Zhou Four didn't spare Zhou Jiaojiao any sympathy.
"Third Brother... Must you force me like this? Weren't we always the closest?" Zhou Jiaojiao felt extremely wronged.
Back at home, everyone used to indulge her.
"Spare me the nonsense. Just because you're close to me, does that mean my wife doesn't count? Either give the money or let your Second Sister-in-law go in and take the hit.
Didn't you just side with your in-laws' Second Sister-in-law?
You're not even part of our Old Zhou family anymore."
Old Zhou Four didn't want to hear another word. If it weren't for the money, he would have kicked Zhou Jiaojiao out already.
"I don't have that much right now. I can't come up with five hundred yuan." Zhou Jiaojiao was at her breaking point.
"Then write an IOU. You have ways to make money now, right? Just get it together within half a year.
If you agree, we'll write the IOU privately. If you don't, let's not stay here any longer."
Old Zhou Four started rummaging for a pen.
Zhou Jiaojiao looked helplessly at her mother.
Seeing her daughter like this, Tian Xiaojuan felt heartbroken too.
But it was her son's child who was gone. Both her daughter and son were her precious children.
She had already caused enough trouble for the family because of Jiaojiao. This wasn't a matter of life and death; she couldn't keep protecting Jiaojiao.
"There's no room for negotiation. Jiaojiao, you should give the money. Mother has no choice. You can't let Fourth Sister-in-law suffer for nothing, can you?
If it weren't for your intention to help the whole family earn money, we wouldn't be able to let this go.
Your brother has already made concessions for you.
Jiaojiao, once you give the money, we'll still be a family. Don't look at me anymore."
Tian Xiaojuan shed tears in distress.
"I understand, Mother. I'll write it. Is that okay?" Zhou Jiaojiao felt utterly abandoned. Why couldn't anyone understand her?
What is she doing all this for?
Isn't it just to ensure her whole family can live a good life in the future?
Really!
Zhou Jiaojiao had just written the IOU when Old Wang's family arrived. Only Wang Shoucheng came, carrying some millet with him.
As soon as he entered the house, Wang Shoucheng spoke worriedly, "In-laws, I heard your family had an incident? Tell me, as soon as I heard the news, I rushed over.
These things are for the child to supplement their nutrition.
What happened? Fourth Sister-in-law, Old Fifth's wife, why are you two here?
Old Fifth's wife, shouldn't you be in the county right now?"
Wang Shoucheng's concern made everyone fall silent.
The Wang family wanted to extort more money, but they dared not speak up because of Zhou Jiaojiao.
After all, the old Wang family was not divided yet. If they knew Zhou Jiaojiao was planning to secretly make money with her natal family, wouldn't there be trouble?
At that moment, the Zhou family reached a consensus.
To keep this matter a secret!
Zhou Jiaojiao was extremely anxious.
She racked her brain for an excuse: "I... I left my stall and was coming back to get something. I was worried that taking the main road would make people see me entering and leaving the village too often.
So I thought of taking the small path through the mountains.
Who knew I saw Second Sister-in-law and my natal family's Fourth Sister-in-law on the back mountain.
I went over to greet them, and the path by the pond was too slippery, which led to this incident. Father-in-law, why did you come?"
Wang Shoucheng was satisfied with Zhou Jiaojiao's answer. When he heard the little girl from the Women's Federation named Miaomiao talk about this,
he guessed that it must have been Old Fifth's wife hiding something.
And look what happened!
The old Wang family would never pay any compensation; they had to keep this quiet.
Old Fifth's wife would have to find a way to repay the money herself. The old Wang family's money was off-limits to her!
He came over to help them find a good reason to cover up the incident.
Having received a satisfactory excuse, Wang Shoucheng sighed, "The back mountain is dangerous; don't go there again. Look at the trouble this caused, in-laws you... "
"This was an accident; we couldn't help it." Tian Xiaojuan felt angry seeing Wang Shoucheng.
He's nothing but a smiling tiger!
Never does anything good.
"That's good; such accidents mustn't happen again. Second Sister-in-law, Old Fifth's wife, you two should come home with me.
We still have a lot of things to take care of."
Wang Shoucheng looked at his two daughters-in-law, wondering if they had found anything valuable despite their misfortune on the mountain.
As they stepped out of the courtyard, Wang Shoucheng asked, "Second Sister-in-law, you met Old Fifth's wife in the mountains.
With Old Fifth's wife's luck, did you find anything good?"
Chapter 165
Good Stuff?
Liu Xiaoe was stunned. Yes, they hadn't even been in the mountains for long before they fell into the water. How could such an unlucky event yield nothing?
"Fourth Sister-in-law, did you see anything?" Liu Xiaoe asked Zhou Jiaojiao.
Zhou Jiaojiao cursed inwardly at the old fox and then sighed dejectedly. "There was nothing on the back mountain. I didn't expect to run into Second Sister and my Fourth Sister-in-law from my family.
Thinking it would be closer to come this way, we took that path.
We didn't find anything this time."
Wang Shoucheng found it hard to believe. How could they not find anything?
Liu Xiaoe was even less convinced. They hadn't just stumbled upon each other; they had gone together!
But Fourth Sister-in-law had previously said that if they found something good, they would share it. She needed to stand united with Fourth Sister-in-law.
Liu Xiaoe gathered her courage. "Dad, we really didn't see anything. Today, I went to the mountains with Fourth Sister-in-law from my family to dig for medicinal herbs.
We didn't even manage to dig any herbs."
Seeing their attitude, Wang Shoucheng knew further questioning would be futile and closed his mouth.
Back at the Wang household, Liu Xiaoe hurriedly followed Zhou Jiaojiao into her room.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, did we really get nothing from the mountains?" Liu Xiaoe's face was tense, her mind filled with greed.
Zhou Jiaojiao thought about the chest she saw at the bottom of the pond. It was definitely a treasure, best taken by her and her husband when no one was looking.
"Fourth Sister-in-law? Why aren't you saying anything?" Liu Xiaoe grew more anxious at her silence.
Zhou Jiaojiao frowned. "What do you mean, Second Sister? We went to the mountains together and had the same misfortune. What could I have found?
There was nothing.
If you don't believe me, go check the back mountain yourself.
I may be lucky, but I don't always find good stuff. Maybe my luck was elsewhere this time."
Zhou Jiaojiao dismissed her with a casual remark.
After all, in her dreams, this Second Sister would have a son later.
Liu Xiaoe suddenly felt elated. If Fourth Sister-in-law's child was gone, perhaps it meant she would have one.
How foolish she had been!
Maybe Jiaojiao was bringing her good luck!
She had to visit Old Zhang tomorrow.
"Do you have anything else, Second Sister? If not, I need to rest. Today scared me half to death."
Zhou Jiaojiao impatiently urged her to leave.
Liu Xiaoe still had doubts, but seeing Zhou Jiaojiao's attitude, she had no choice but to leave quickly.
Once Liu Xiaoe left, Zhou Jiaojiao hurried to find some thick clothes. When Wang Qingqi came home from work, she would ask him to retrieve the chest from the back mountain!
On one side, Zhou Jiaojiao was excited.
On the other side, Bai Xiuxiu and Miao Miao were on their way back to the brigade, feeling puzzled.
Zhou Jiaojiao had such a big incident on the back mountain, yet she came back empty-handed?
But there wasn't anywhere on the back mountain to hide good stuff.
Except for the pond...
The pond?
Bai Xiuxiu suddenly remembered. Yes, there was a pond where few people went.
"Sister Xiuxiu?" Miao Miao looked at Bai Xiuxiu, who had suddenly stopped, with confusion.
"Miao Miao, I need to go to the county for something. Can you watch the kids for a bit?"
Compared to Liu Xiaohui, she trusted Miao Miao more.
"Of course! I'll take good care of them." Miao Miao agreed happily; she liked Sister Xiuxiu's children, who were well-behaved.
Watching Miao Miao take the children into the brigade, Bai Xiuxiu hurried to the commune office.
Arriving at the commune, she got into a car and headed for the county.
By the time she reached the county, it was already over half an hour later.
Bai Xiuxiu went to the canning factory in the county.
The guard at the factory gate stopped her.
The guard looked Bai Xiuxiu over. "Comrade, who are you looking for?"
"Grandpa, I'm looking for Wang Qinghe. I'm his wife." Upon hearing her name, the guard immediately recognized her.
"Oh! So you're the Xiao Wang who came the other day? You're really good-looking. You must be his wife? Oh, how well matched you two are."
Another guard also came over out of curiosity.
"Alright, I'll go find Xiao Wang for you. Please wait a moment, comrade."
The canning factory was quite large, and Bai Xiuxiu waited for quite a while before Wang Qinghe came out.
Seeing his wife come alone, Wang Qinghe was very worried. "What's wrong, Xiuxiu?"
Bai Xiuxiu led him to a corner and told him about what had happened and her suspicions.
Looking at her husband, Bai Xiuxiu said expectantly, "Can we think of a way to check what's in the pond?"
"I'll call Xiao Zhang; he knows how to swim." Wang Qinghe never doubted his wife's words.
Even if there's nothing there, satisfying Xiuxiu's curiosity would be good enough.
"Are you off work now?" Bai Xiuxiu noticed that no one else was leaving yet.
"I've already finished my shift; we can leave directly." Wang Qinghe had agreed to switch shifts earlier.
He was scheduled for the short night shift tomorrow.
"Let's go then." Bai Xiuxiu was truly curious.
After Wang Qinghe greeted the two guards, they left together.
When they found Xiao Zhang, his face still showed signs of a fight.
"Wang Ge, Sister-in-law?" Xiao Zhang was surprised. How could Wang Ge have been with him this morning when they sent someone to the police station?
Why would anyone seek revenge on him after he had beaten up the trafficker?
"What happened to you?" Bai Xiuxiu pointed at his black eye.
Xiao Zhang felt depressed just thinking about it. He, who was just watching, got beaten up, but Wang Ge, who did the beating, was fine?
"My brother hit me. It's nothing, Sister-in-law, don't worry about me."
"Xiao Zhang, there's something..." Wang Qinghe explained the situation to Xiao Zhang.
He didn't give specifics, only saying that they had seen something in the pond, unsure if it was really valuable.
If there was anything, he would split it 70-30.
Xiao Zhang laughed upon hearing this.
"Wang Ge, you and Sister-in-law are both grown-ups. Why are you still so playful? Alright, alright, I'll go with you.
I don't have anything else to do anyway."
Xiao Zhang didn't refuse the possibility, even though it sounded amusing, and agreed.
"Go get a rope first; diving is not safe." Wang Qinghe reminded Xiao Zhang.
"Sure." Xiao Zhang went back to fetch a thick rope.
"Let's go."
Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe got on their bicycles, and Xiao Zhang also brought out his bike.
They took a route around the back mountain from the county to Xiahe Village. Although the road was rough, it was convenient and fast.
The three of them arrived in half an hour.
The pond was very deep, and the green water looked frightening.
Xiao Zhang felt uncertain as he looked at it.
Wang Qinghe tied the rope around Xiao Zhang, and Xiao Zhang prepared to dive in.
It was still before sunset, and Bai Xiuxiu helped keep watch.
Chapter 166
Wang Qinghe tied one end of the rope to an old willow tree nearby and held the middle part himself, providing a double safety measure.
"Wang Ge, I'll go down first?" Xiao Zhang looked at the green water, feeling a bit uneasy, but he was reassured by the presence of the rope.
"Okay." Wang Qinghe gripped the rope even tighter to prevent any slippage.
Bai Xiuxiu stood nearby, keeping watch to make sure no one saw them, as that would render their efforts futile.
After Xiao Zhang went down, he resurfaced less than a minute later.
He shook his head at Wang Qinghe and Bai Xiuxiu. "I didn't see anything here; I'll check over there."
The pond was not small, deep, and stagnant, making it unsafe to stay in for too long.
Wang Qinghe pulled Xiao Zhang back up and moved to another spot.
After repeating this process more than ten times, Bai Xiuxiu began to doubt whether she had guessed wrong when Xiao Zhang finally found something.
Xiao Zhang swam up, his face beaming with excitement. "Wang Ge, Sister-in-Law, there really seems to be something down there—it's a large box."
The hiding spot was quite tricky; the box was nestled among a pile of tree roots at the bottom of the pond.
If someone wasn't looking carefully, they wouldn't find it.
"I'll go down again, Wang Ge, make sure you hold the rope tight."
With that, Xiao Zhang dove back in.
Using the position he had identified earlier, Xiao Zhang quickly retrieved the object, and Wang Qinghe swiftly pulled him back up.
"Cough, cough!"
Once on shore, Xiao Zhang tossed the box aside and started coughing violently.
It was a box made of yellow pear wood, adorned with traditional longevity patterns.
Due to prolonged exposure to water, the box had somewhat deteriorated.
The lock was golden, indicating its value.
"This looks like something from a wealthy household. Wang Ge, Sister-in-Law, should we take it with us?"
Xiao Zhang was shocked; he had come here just for fun, never expecting to find anything.
He wondered where Wang Ge got the information, but decided not to ask, knowing it would be inappropriate.
"Alright, let's go back."
Wang Qinghe and Xiao Zhang tied the box to Xiao Zhang's bicycle, while Wang Qinghe carried Bai Xiuxiu on his own bike.
"You go to my place first; Xiuxiu and I will pick up the kids." Wang Qinghe said before leaving.
Xiao Zhang was stunned. "Wang Ge, aren't you worried...?"
Before he could finish, Wang Qinghe had already left with Bai Xiuxiu.
Xiao Zhang secured the box and headed to Bai Xiuxiu's house.
Meanwhile, when Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe returned to pick up the children, it was just getting dark.
Jinhua Auntie and Miao Miao were chatting in the Women's Federation office, while Liu Xiaohui had hurried home.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe arrive, Chen Jinhua was surprised. "Xiuxiu, where have you been?
When I came back, Miao Miao said you had gone out on some errand without the kids. Did something happen?"
Chen Jinhua looked at the couple with concern.
The two children ran over to Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe from Miao Miao.
Miao Miao, seeing her return, quickly said, "I've been waiting for you, Xiuxiu Jiejie. I'm heading home now."
"Thank you today, Miao Miao. I'll bring you something to eat next time!"
Bai Xiuxiu expressed her gratitude.
After Miao Miao left, Bai Xiuxiu wanted to explain to Chen Jinhua.
"Auntie, I..." Bai Xiuxiu was about to give an excuse.
But Wang Qinghe interjected: "Auntie, I asked Xiuxiu to help clean a friend's house who was moving.
I switched shifts in the afternoon, and Xiuxiu rushed back to the county to meet me.
We couldn't bring the kids along while working."
Wang Qinghe provided an explanation.
Chen Jinhua felt relieved. "That's good; nothing happened. Oh, Xiuxiu, when I went to the commune's Women's Federation today to report to Director Wang, I mentioned you.
She was very impressed with you.
And there is actually a suitable job for you. It's just..."
Chen Jinhua hesitated.
"How is it, Auntie? We can speak frankly between us." Bai Xiuxiu was also feeling uneasy, wondering if there was an issue.
"No, I reported your work to Director Wang and mentioned that you have a good education. Director Wang also felt it was a waste for you to be in the village.
However, there are no vacancies at the Women's Federation of the commune. I was about to leave.
Then Director Wang suggested a position at the street office.
It's in the county, where Director Wang's aunt is the head of the street office, overseeing their area. Recently, one of her young staff members moved to the Women's Federation.
So there's an open position now.
The area overseen by Director Wang's aunt has many issues and is quite chaotic.
She's extremely busy, so she wants to find someone suitable this time to help with the workload and reduce the burden on their street.
I mentioned that you're already living in the county, so it would be perfect if you could take the job.
Director Wang agreed to discuss it with her aunt, who will review your recent work before making a decision."
After Chen Jinhua finished speaking, she still felt uncertain.
After all, how far had they gone to ask for this favor?
Bai Xiuxiu hadn't expected such an opportunity either.
"Auntie, regardless of whether this works out, we owe you a great debt of gratitude," Wang Qinghe said gratefully.
"What are you talking about? You've helped me so much too. Without your help, my sister would still be struggling.
How could she be as comfortable as she is now?
It's getting late; you two should go home. I need to head back as well."
Chen Jinhua hurriedly packed up her things.
Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe then took the children home.
When they arrived, Xiao Zhang had been waiting for a while. He stood in the courtyard wearing only a sweater, his coat draped over the bicycle seat, covering the box.
Seeing them return, Xiao Zhang's tense mood finally eased a bit.
"Brother Wang, Sister-in-law, you're finally back. I've been waiting for a long time, feeling quite nervous!"
Xiao Zhang pushed the bicycle over, waiting for them to open the courtyard gate.
Once inside, Bai Xiuxiu first put the children in their room and brought out some snacks from her space.
Then she joined her husband and Xiao Zhang to open the box.
The golden lock on the box was also valuable, and they didn't want to damage it.
After studying it for a while, they finally managed to remove the lock.
Upon opening the box, the contents nearly blinded the three of them.
Xiao Zhang's eyes widened, and his mouth gaped wide enough to swallow an egg.
Staring at the box, he almost couldn't speak.
"This... Brother Wang, Sister-in-law, are we dreaming?"
Chapter 167
"Pinch yourself and see if it hurts." Wang Qinghe was also shocked by these things...
This square box, about half a meter long and half a meter high, was filled with gold and silver jewelry, as well as jade and gemstones.
Although he had never seen such items before, he knew they were valuable.
Xiao Zhang rubbed his eyes but still found it hard to believe, so he pinched himself hard.
It really hurt!
"Is this actually real?" Xiao Zhang couldn't take his eyes off the items.
Bai Xiuxiu was equally stunned. If these things were converted into money?
No, even without converting them into money, they were still mesmerizing.
What she was most relieved about was that the person who knew about this was Xiao Zhang, who had worked with her husband in his past life.
He had been a reliable person for half his life.
Still, they needed to be cautious.
The treasure was tempting, but after their initial excitement, the three of them calmed down.
Xiao Zhang waited for Wang Qinghe to speak.
Wang Qinghe thought for a moment: "We'll still follow our previous agreement and split it seventy-thirty. However, we don't know the exact value of these items.
If others find out about these things, it would definitely not be good.
Xiao Zhang, let's estimate the value and split it accordingly."
This was also what Xiao Zhang had in mind.
He was tempted by these items but didn't expect an exact division!
With so many items, it was already generous of Brother Wang to share any of it with him.
Without hesitation, Xiao Zhang agreed: "I'll follow your lead, Brother Wang. Let's do it this way."
In the end, one-third of the contents of the box went to Xiao Zhang.
Even after taking his share, Xiao Zhang still felt dizzy: "Brother Wang, Sister-in-law, I'll remember this favor.
Whatever you need in the future, just say the word, and I'll do it for you."
"Go do what you need to do, and stop chatting us up," Bai Xiuxiu said with a smile.
Xiao Zhang packed away his share and left quickly, eager to enjoy his newfound joy alone.
Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe re-packed the remaining items and stored them in Bai Xiuxiu's space.
"Dad, Mom, Yueyue and brother are hungry." Yueyue ran over from their room, sounding aggrieved.
"I'll make dinner. Xiuxiu, you and the kids rest for a bit." Wang Qinghe gently placed the children on the bed.
Seeing his wife happily playing with the children, he turned to start cooking.
On the other side, at the Wang household.
Zhou Jiaojiao was furious seeing Wang Qingqi lie down without saying a word upon returning.
"You just lie down as soon as you get back. Can't you do anything? Don't you ask how my day was?"
Zhou Jiaojiao's heart filled with grievance.
Since marrying Wang Qingqi, had she ever had a good life?
Everything she endured today was for their future prosperity.
How could they survive if he continued like this every day?
Wang Qingqi, exhausted from a day's work, was already in a bad mood when Zhou Jiaojiao started nagging him again.
He felt his anger rising.
He sat up abruptly: "Are you done? What else do you want me to do? Isn't everything in this house done according to your wishes?"
"Are you yelling at me?" Zhou Jiaojiao couldn't believe it.
He had promised to always treat her well.
Seeing her distressed look, Wang Qingqi calmed down.
He sighed: "I'm not, I'm just too tired. Tell me what you want to do, dear. Has anyone offended you?"
"No one has offended me, but I have something important to tell you." Zhou Jiaojiao ignored his attitude and whispered about what she saw in the pond.
Wang Qingqi was startled, then ecstatic: "Really? You really saw a chest? And there was a golden lock on it?"
"How could it be false? I'm so lucky. Falling into the water today was strange enough.
That chest must contain something valuable.
Quickly get ready; let's go retrieve it now. Leaving it in the water is risky.
Today wasn't just me who fell in; what if they saw it too?"
Zhou Jiaojiao urged her husband to set off quickly.
Wang Qingqi couldn't lie still anymore. Who could sit still after hearing there was gold in the water?
"Alright, let's go now." Wang Qingqi said, pulling his wife out the door.
Liu Xiaoe, who had just moved into a new house, was being scolded by her husband at this moment.
The incident where she caused someone to fall into the water had already reached Wang Qingfu's ears.
Wang Qingfu had been scolding her for quite some time.
Liu Xiaoe kept crying, feeling so wronged that she wanted to die.
"It wasn't my fault. Today, Old Fifth's wife insisted on going with me. If I didn't go, I would have offended her.
Besides, we were going to split the money. I thought it would bring some benefit to our family.
Now that things didn't work out, I'm getting all these complaints.
Old Fifth's wife had bad luck today too. She didn't find anything good.
I'm really cursed!"
Thinking about this, Liu Xiaoe felt regretful.
Wang Qingfu knew it was a good opportunity, but she hadn't told him, clearly intending to keep the money for herself.
What did a woman need private savings for?
Wang Qingfu said coldly, "Stop crying. At least you don't have to pay any money. If she still wants to take you along next time, you can go with her. If not, then stay home.
I won't let you starve.
Your main task is to give me a son. Those two girls make me angry."
Wang Qingfu disliked both of his daughters.
He wished they had never been born.
The parents talking, the two children huddled in the corner of the bed, silent.
When Liu Xiaoe mentioned having a son, she fell silent.
But thinking of Zhou Jiaojiao's words, she felt hopeful: "Qingfu, I think I might be pregnant. Should I go see Uncle Zhang tomorrow?"
Hearing this, Wang Qingfu's face lit up: "Really? Why wait until tomorrow? Go check now. If you are, I'll tell Dad not to let you work anymore."
With that, he took his wife out.
As soon as they stepped out, they saw what looked like Old Fifth and his wife leaving, carrying a thick bag, looking suspicious.
Wang Qingfu stopped: "Wife, do those two look like Old Fifth and his wife?"
"What do you mean 'look like'? That's them. Old Fifth's wife had a big ponytail today. How could I not recognize her?"
Liu Xiaoe was also puzzled. It was almost dinner time, why were they going out?
"Let's follow them and see. Didn't you say you didn't get anything today? I think they're hiding something."
Chapter 168
Wang Qingfu, thinking about how these two wanted to keep everything for themselves, looked at their backs with eyes full of enmity.
Liu Xiaoe had no time to care about what her husband was thinking. Hearing that it might be Zhou Jiaojiao who deceived her, she cursed in a low voice, "How could she be so heartless? Because of her, I got scolded by her family and even fell into the water."
"And she has the nerve to hide good things from us?"
"Everyone used to praise her, but now..."
Liu Xiaoe wanted to continue cursing, but then she remembered she still counted on Zhou Jiaojiao to bring her luck for having a son, so she immediately shut her mouth.
Wang Qingfu didn't like his wife's cursing, but when she stopped, he found it odd. "Why did you stop talking?"
"We're counting on her for our luck to have a son. We can't curse her," Liu Xiaoe said, still feeling uneasy.
Wang Qingfu laughed in frustration. "Whether we have a son or not depends on me. What do you need her for? Can she give birth to a son for you?"
"Oh, forget it, you wouldn't understand anyway," Liu Xiaoe said, not wanting to explain further to Wang Qingfu.
The two followed Zhou Jiaojiao and Wang Qingqi from a distance.
There wasn't much noise along the way, and they eventually arrived near the pond on the back mountain.
Liu Xiaoe became instantly agitated. "This is the place! I fell into the water right here in this pond on the back mountain."
"She really did hide something!"
"Keep your voice down; don't let them hear you," Wang Qingfu whispered, having guessed along the way that these two were up to something sneaky.
Given the location, the only possibility was the pond.
That pond was deep and filthy, and the water was freezing cold.
If he were discovered now, he would have to join Old Fifth in diving for the treasure.
It would be best to wait until they retrieved it, then appear and claim a share without getting wet.
That was the best plan.
"Qingqi, this is the place. After I fell into the water today, I saw the chest in this pond."
"Hurry and dive in. Don't worry, I've prepared dry clothes and pants for you. When you come up, you can change into them and won't suffer."
Zhou Jiaojiao looked at him tenderly, her tone gentle and considerate, leaving Wang Qingqi with no room to refuse.
Bathed in moonlight, the pond appeared dark green and frightening.
Wang Qingqi, whose head had been clouded by the lure of the golden lock, suddenly came to his senses.
In this weather?
Wouldn't he risk his life?
"Wife, if I dive in and catch a cold, how will I manage my job? The factory values me a lot lately."
"I think I'll soon be promoted to the county. How about we..."
Wang Qingqi wanted to suggest that she dive instead.
But he couldn't say that; he was a man after all.
Zhou Jiaojiao frowned, displeased with his hesitation.
In her dreams, he was always handsome, successful, wealthy, and protective of her—someone she had never seen in the village or even the entire county.
What went wrong in reality?
Tears welled up in Zhou Jiaojiao's eyes as she looked at Wang Qingqi with disappointment. "Didn't you promise to always be good to me?"
"If you won't dive, do you expect me to do it?"
"Or are you willing to call the family and let others share the money?"
"The lock is gold; imagine how valuable the contents must be?"
"Can't you dive for me just once?"
"Don't cry, I'll do it, I'll do it," Wang Qingqi said, feeling overwhelmed. Why did Zhou Jiaojiao always use this against him whenever there was trouble?
If he hadn't said those things, would she have married him?
He had only said them to comfort her, and she took them seriously!
Forget it; he didn't want to give the good things away either.
His family had already benefited a lot from him and his wife.
Wang Qingqi walked to the edge of the water and, under Zhou Jiaojiao's eager gaze, finally dove in.
Zhou Jiaojiao finally broke into a smile through her tears.
After a while, Wang Qingqi came up, looking disgruntled.
Under Zhou Jiaojiao's earnest gaze, he couldn't help but lose his temper: "There's nothing there."
"How could that be? I clearly saw it right there! Did you search in the wrong spot?"
"Anything is possible. I really didn't find anything. I did exactly as you said, under that old tree root, and there was nothing."
"Honey, could you have seen it wrong?"
Wang Qingqi started to climb out of the water; it was freezing, and he was about to cramp up.
"It's impossible! Go down and look again. How could I have seen it wrong?" Zhou Jiaojiao panicked.
Seeing her like this, Wang Qingqi had no choice but to go back into the water with a grim face.
After a while, he came up again, still empty-handed.
"Honey, pull me out quickly. I'm so cold I'm about to cramp up, and I didn't see anything."
"You must have hallucinated after falling into the water, probably because we've been too short on money lately."
Wang Qingqi started climbing out.
"It's impossible! It must be... Right, today wasn't just me who fell into the water, there was also Second Sister-in-law and my Fourth Sister-in-law from my family."
"And the people who saved us might have seen it too."
"That was a box with a lock made entirely of gold!"
Zhou Jiaojiao cried in frustration.
Wang Qingqi, unable to bear the cold any longer, hurried ashore. "I didn't see anything. Let's go home quickly."
"Dad will ask where we were if we're not home for dinner."
Wang Qingqi quickly changed his clothes.
In the background, Wang Qingfu, seeing they seemed to have found nothing, cursed his bad luck!
But he still needed to figure out what happened.
As Wang Qingqi and Zhou Jiaojiao walked back, Wang Qingfu appeared: "Old Fifth, Old Fifth's wife, what were you two doing?"
Seeing Wang Qingfu, Zhou Jiaojiao immediately asked, "Did you take it?"
"Take what? My wife and I were going to check if Xiaoe was pregnant at Old Zhang's place. When we stepped out, we saw you two sneaking away with a bag, so we followed you."
Wang Qingfu pointed to the bag behind them.
Hearing this, Zhou Jiaojiao fell silent. That's right, Second Brother and Wang Qingqi got off work together.
He wasn't wet either, so it couldn't be him.
What was going on?
"I saw Old Fifth go into the water. Did your wife lose something when she fell in today?" Wang Qingfu continued to press.
Zhou Jiaojiao, with a dark expression, hesitated before saying, "Yes, I lost something. Unfortunately, we didn't find it."
"If you didn't find it, then forget it. But Old Fifth's wife, you better have really lost something. Xiaoe already told me about you two going to the mountains."
"Today, seeing you two here, we all know what's going on."
"If it happens again, none of us will be happy."
Chapter 169
Wang Qingfu threatened the couple. Since he hadn't gained any benefits, he wanted to instill some fear in them so they wouldn't keep sending his wife on fruitless errands.
The tricks of Old Fifth's wife should not be used against them.
"Big Brother, what do you mean by that? My wife..." Wang Qingqi couldn't stand it and was about to defend his wife.
Zhou Jiaojiao stopped him and forced a smile at Wang Qingfu. "Big Brother, don't worry. When I go to the mountains with Second Sister-in-Law, we always split everything three to seven."
"I'm not the type to hog everything for myself.
Tonight, I really lost something and haven't found it yet.
If you don't believe me, you can search the water too."
Wang Qingfu knew there was nothing in the water, as he and his wife had been watching all along. After Wang Qingqi went into the water, he didn't find anything either.
That was why he warned them.
Otherwise, he would have directly demanded a share.
Thinking this, Wang Qingfu smiled, and his smile resembled Wang Shoucheng's.
"Since you've said that, Fifth Sister-in-Law, how could I not trust you? The old Wang family still relies on our two families, and our relationship mustn't be severed.
From now on, Second Sister-in-Law will follow you, and she'll do whatever you ask her to do, as long as you don't hide anything. Second Sister-in-Law and I will certainly help you.
I can see who has potential in this family.
As for Father, I can even cover for you."
Wang Qingfu's words struck a chord with Zhou Jiaojiao.
She didn't want to be drained by the entire family, but she needed allies. If Second Brother and Second Sister-in-Law helped, things would be much easier.
"Second Brother, what do you think about dividing the household?" Zhou Jiaojiao asked tentatively.
Wang Qingfu laughed and refused. "That's impossible. If we divide the household, what will happen to Father? What about the rest of the family?
We can only secretly save some money.
Dividing the household is absolutely out of the question."
Jokingly, if they divided the household, wouldn't Old Fifth and his wife just leave?
He wasn't stupid.
Zhou Jiaojiao felt disappointed, but secretly saving money was better than giving everything to the Wang family.
She still has to pay back the money she borrowed from her family.
Money is needed everywhere!
They returned to the Wang family one after another.
When they got home, Wang Shoucheng was standing at the main gate. Seeing his two sons and their wives return, his gaze seemed to pierce right through them.
"Father." Although Wang Qingfu talked tough, he was still a bit intimidated by Wang Shoucheng.
Wang Qingqi remained silent.
"Hmm, all of you go inside. The meal was prepared by the third daughter-in-law. Go in first; I have something to ask you."
Wang Shoucheng stared at the four of them, feeling that they were no longer listening to him.
Not just them, even the third and fourth sons, along with their wives, had started to ignore his authority.
The few of them entered the house nervously.
Wang Shoucheng sat at the head of the dining table. The food was ordinary—yellow cornmeal steamed buns and some stir-fried cabbage.
He also made a radish soup.
"Father, we're starving. Let's eat quickly?" Sitting at the table, Wang Qingqi felt uneasy under the old man's gaze.
He hurriedly reached for a steamed bun.
Now that Mother was gone, there was no longer a rule about distributing the food.
"Eat? I don't think you want to eat; you want to divide the household." Wang Shoucheng looked at his four sons. At the mention of dividing the household, everyone's eyes lit up.
"I'm telling you, before I say anything about dividing the household, anyone who wants to do so is dreaming!" Wang Shoucheng pointed at them, warning them sternly.
Everyone remained silent.
"Whoever dares to divide the household, I'll die! And when I die, I will write to your workplaces and the village committee.
I'll tell them that you abused me and forced me to my death. Let's see if you'll have any good days left?"
Wang Shoucheng's face was grim.
After hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.
Would they even be able to live like human beings then?
"Father, how could we dare?" Wang Qingfu was the first to speak up.
The others quickly assured him that they would not divide the household.
Wang Shoucheng was finally satisfied. "Put away your little tricks. Today's incident didn't blow up, and there was no public criticism in the village, so I'll pretend I don't know about it.
If you cause trouble, solve it yourselves.
If there's a next time, none of you will have an easy life!"
Everyone continued to nod, not daring to make any more small moves.
Zhou Jiaojiao was frightened by her father-in-law's actions. This man is truly ruthless, threatening his own son and daughter-in-law?
But she also believed that this old man could really do it!
Seeing their attitude, Wang Shoucheng's expression improved. "Don't always think I'm heartless as a father.
Who am I doing this for? I'm doing it for all of you.
When you brothers live together, life is better than living separately. What benefits do I, an old man, get from this?"
The Wang family listened silently to his lecture.
Early morning.
Wang Qinghe sent his wife and children to the brigade, where they were busy.
Seeing Bai Xiuxiu arrive, Chen Jinhua quickly pulled her aside and asked, "Xiuxiu, can you draw?"
Draw?
Bai Xiuxiu was actually quite good at drawing and embroidery.
She was a bit puzzled but noticed everyone in the Women's Federation room, even the brigade leader, was drawing something. So she nodded. "Yes, I can."
"Great! Help us draw. The brigade leader said that starting today, we're organizing villagers to go up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs.
We'll connect with the pharmacy in the county then.
However, few people in the village recognize medicinal herbs, so he's been drawing pictures of them these past few days. At his speed, it might take until next year's harvest to finish.
So he's called on the brigade members to help draw."
As Chen Jinhua spoke, she handed her the paper.
Bai Xiuxiu's eyes lit up—this was what Wang Qinghe had told her before. With everyone going to the mountains to find medicinal herbs, it would be hard for the Wang family to find any leftovers.
He had mentioned it to the brigade leader recently, and he hadn't expected such quick action!
"Xiaobai can draw? That's a huge help. Quickly, help us draw. You two have been a great help with this.
When our village exchanges medicinal herbs for money and coupons, I'll give you credit."
The brigade leader was pleasantly surprised that Bai Xiuxiu could draw.
"Thank you, Leader. Don't worry, I'm pretty fast at drawing." Bai Xiuxiu started drawing immediately.
She wasn't boasting; especially when it came to copying medicinal herbs.
Everyone in the room, whether skilled or not, was copying the drawings.
Since Bai Xiuxiu knew how, she copied them faster.
In two hours, the group produced dozens of drawings.
Including the ones the brigade leader had prepared, there were nearly 130.
"These should be enough. For digging medicinal herbs in the mountains, I plan to send more men from the village.
It's dangerous in the mountains lately. The women can help dry the herbs in the village.
I've already found out how to properly dry the herbs." The brigade leader held the papers, satisfied with his plans.
Chapter 170
"I'll go call Old Wang and organize the villagers. Let's try to get everything settled this afternoon so everyone can enter the mountains tomorrow." Captain Chen Zhuangshi put away the painting, his face beaming with joy.
Their brigade seemed to be thriving this year; everything they did was going well. At this rate, he might even have a chance at promotion!
Seeing his demeanor, Chen Jinhua felt both amused and exasperated. "Go do what you need to do. You don't need to tell us; I know you're in a hurry."
The captain rushed out, giving Chen Jinhua a quick smile without even responding to her.
Chen Jinhua shook her head, half laughing and half sighing. "Look at him? He's been busy for days, not stopping for a moment."
She continued shaking her head as she spoke.
Soon, the brigade's loudspeaker came alive.
"Attention all villagers. Recently, many of you have been going into the mountains, but there are risks involved.
Therefore, the brigade has decided to organize a joint expedition with three villages.
We've invited Uncle Zhang from the village clinic to select some easily recognizable medicinal herbs and draw them into a diagram. Each family will send one man to join the expedition.
Additionally, we need women to help process the herbs back at the brigade.
Please take care of the elderly who live alone in the village.
The money earned from the expedition will be distributed equally among everyone. Please send a representative from your household to the brigade office as soon as possible."
The announcement was broadcast twice.
News spread quickly throughout the village.
In the courtyard of the Wang family, Wang Shoucheng was discussing plans with his sons about acquiring more grain from elsewhere.
Recently, due to Zhou Jiaojiao's thriving black market business, their grain supply was running low.
So acquiring more grain was urgent.
Before they could settle on a specific price, the loudspeaker announcement interrupted them.
Wang Shoucheng immediately looked troubled.
He almost lost his balance. "Laosan, did you hear that broadcast..."
"Dad, you heard right. The village is organizing an expedition into the mountains. Who from our family should go?" Wang Laosan was the least enthusiastic about going to the mountains.
If he could stay home and share the profits, why would he go?
"Who should go?" Wang Shoucheng's face darkened. This annoying situation—did his son not realize how much trouble it would cause?
Old Fifth's wife could find good herbs because the mountain people were scattered and unorganized. Now, with the brigade organizing a large group, what would be left?
If Old Fifth's wife went again, even if she found something, it wouldn't be as much as before.
Who was causing this trouble? They were cutting off the Wang family's source of income!
Wang Shoucheng felt a deep sense of frustration.
That was all the Wang family's money!
Was the brigade doing this for the villagers' benefit? It felt like they were taking the Wang family's money and distributing it to others.
Seeing his third son eagerly volunteering, Wang Shoucheng grew even angrier. "Why go?"
"Huh? We're not going? Dad, the captain won't be pleased. If we don't participate, we might miss out on the share later."
Wang Laosi's pointed question made Wang Shoucheng fall silent.
No, not participating meant no benefits.
But participating?
After much deliberation, Wang Shoucheng pointed at Wang Laosan. "You'll handle the herb drying in the village. Call your wife to help process the herbs.
Only you and Laosi's family are free right now.
Laosi's wife hasn't fully recovered yet, so you two are perfect for the job."
Wang Laosan immediately looked miserable. "Dad, why don't you let Laosi go to the mountains? I don't mind my wife helping process the herbs, but I shouldn't go."
Just stepping out of the house, Zhao Cuihua overheard her husband's weak protest.
Fuming, she sneered. "What do you mean by not minding my help? Why should both of us go?"
Zhao Cuihua raised her voice in dissatisfaction, looking at her father-in-law Wang Shoucheng with no respect. "Dad, aren't you being too biased?
What do you mean by Laosi's wife not being fully recovered? I think my husband should go to the mountains, and Laosi's wife should process the herbs.
Her condition makes her suitable for light work.
I earn the most labor points in the family. While I can't compete with Old Fifth's wife, I should at least be the first to rest!"
"How dare you speak to your father-in-law like that, Zhao Cuihua? Laosan, can't you control your wife?
If you don't, will she end up like your eldest sister-in-law?"
Wang Shoucheng shouted at him.
Wang Laosan looked gloomy, but he didn't dare to assert himself over his wife. With Cuihua's temper, if he really tried to control her now,
she might take the child and go back to her parents' house tonight.
Seeing that he wasn't responding, Wang Shoucheng was about to explode with anger. The confidence and sense of accomplishment he had found in his sons and daughters-in-law yesterday vanished instantly.
"Fine, fine, fine. I see you two don't take me seriously. Since that's the case, get out of here right now.
This family doesn't need you two; you'll leave with nothing! Also, your eldest brother contributed a lot to this family, and you benefited from it too.
You'll have to shoulder part of those debts.
If you don't listen, get out of here!"
When dealing with the third couple, Wang Shoucheng was firm.
The second son and Old Fifth's couple preferred tangible benefits, while the third couple wanted actual profits.
As for the fourth couple, they just followed what others did.
Wang Shoucheng had long seen through his sons and daughters-in-law.
If it weren't for the eldest son's family causing trouble, the Wang family would still be under his control without any issues!
Zhao Cuihua fell silent when she heard that she and her husband would be leaving with nothing.
Although they were going to divide the family, she didn't want it to happen this way.
Thinking quickly, Zhao Cuihua calmed down: "Dad, my husband and I will never leave the family; we still need to take care of you.
I just think you can't make us do everything."
Seeing Zhao Cuihua become more compliant, Wang Shoucheng snorted, "Then let the fourth daughter-in-law go, and the third son, you go to the mountains."
Even though he had intimidated the third daughter-in-law, it was better not to involve her in this task.
"Third son, when you're in the mountains, pretend not to see any medicinal herbs. We're just there to blend in; don't take it too seriously."
Wang Shoucheng instructed his son.
Everything in the mountains belonged to their Old Wang family!
The news that the village was going into the mountains spread throughout the entire brigade by the afternoon, with each of the three brigades having its own captain.
For Xiahe Village, the captain was Chen Zhuangshi.
Chen Zhuangshi had already selected the villagers, making the decision final.
Brigade.
Bai Xiuxiu packed her things and saw that the captain had come to wait for Aunt Jinhua. Looking at the sky, Wang Qinghe should also be coming to pick her up soon.
So she packed the children's toys as well.
Soon, the sound of a bicycle could be heard outside, and Wang Qinghe entered the brigade from outside.