My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 184

In the recent days, Xinghua Lane has been swept by a wave of fervor, with everyone bustling about making money. First, there was Zhao Guihua setting up a stall in Xidan, followed by Wang Zizhen selling popcorn outside the cinema, and then Bai Fendou, who, after work, rushes off to drive a tricycle. Yes, Bai Fendou is now a "vehicle owner"—he bought a tricycle. He works diligently every day, bustling with activity.

This atmosphere seems to have shifted dramatically. In reality, factory workers still look down on individual business owners. However, if one person does it, others might think, "Oh, how unambitious, actually setting up a stall." But when more people do it, it doesn't seem so odd. Everyone starts to feel that making money is the most important thing.

What did Aunt Zhao say again?

"Making money? No shame in that."

That's right!

Being a worker is good, but doing something else to earn extra money is also wonderful. After all, money can buy meat, and isn't meat delicious?

Very delicious.

The men in Beijing value their pride, but if it's an isolated case, it might seem out of place. However, when everyone does it, it feels normal. Didn't you see even the local scoundrel Su Jinlai become a tour guide? If even someone like him is out there making money, then what reason do others have not to strive?

It must be said that Su Jinlai has played a significant role in their neighborhood.

Because he was mischievous as a child, parents have been very strict with their children. As a result, there have never been reports of any child stealing or doing something improper. Even their educational background is commendable. The worst in their neighborhood is a middle school graduate who simply couldn't do well in studies. There are no elementary school graduates at all. While this may not seem like much, considering the majority of the young people in their neighborhood are from the 1950s and 1960s, and the worst is a middle school graduate, it reflects the consciousness of this neighborhood.

Their community committee has even been specially commended for this. It's evident that graduating from middle school nowadays is quite an accomplishment.

Su Jinlai's influence was great in his childhood, and it remains so as he grows up.

He's idle and lazy, which only makes others in the neighborhood appear more respectable. Now that even a scoundrel like him is finding a job, who else would dare not to work hard? No matter what, one cannot be worse than Su Jinlai!

That's just how it is.

Because of this, Xinghua Lane has been quite lively recently. Every day after work, people can be seen coming and going, some learning from Wang Zizhen to sell things, others going fishing, and some digging for vegetables.

Everyone is busy.

This neighborhood is bustling with activity.

Of course, if there’s one person who is not bustling, it’s Zhuang Zhixi. Lately, Zhuang Zhixi has developed a fondness for growing flowers, tending to many of them. This is a bit of a luxury, but what does it matter? He enjoys it, his mother approves, and his wife is fine with it too.

Zhao Guihua doesn’t interfere with this.

Before they knew it, Qingming Festival arrived. As the saying goes,

"Rain falls gently during the Qingming Festival."

It’s customary for it to rain during Qingming, and this year was no exception. Zhuang Zhixi had bought a lot of joss paper and incense in advance. Having made some money this year, he felt their ancestors must have blessed their family. He even bought two paper figures of a boy and a girl, along with two "small cars" for his grandparents.

It must be said that times are really changing. Now, unlike before, even "small cars" can be made out of paper.

Zhuang Zhixi was feeling quite proud this year and bought the "small cars." His grandparents could now be considered affluent in the afterlife, among the first to own cars. It’s worth noting that his family doesn’t even own a small car; they only have bicycles.

His grandparents, though, have small cars in the afterlife.

He’s truly a good grandson, even though he’s never even met them.

Not only Zhuang Zhixi, but even his older brother Zhuang Zhiyuan has never met their grandparents. Back then, it was a chaotic era, and many people passed away early. But Zhuang Zhixi feels he’s doing a good job.

Although Zhuang Zhixi’s family secretly does these things, others do the same.

Everyone says we should eliminate feudal superstitions, but in many people’s hearts, paying respects to the elderly isn’t considered a superstition. It’s a mix of truth and illusion, a form of emotional investment. Zhuang Zhixi prepared everything and set out early in the morning with the whole family.

Traditionally, some families don’t take their daughters to the cemetery, but Zhao Guihua believes everyone should go; after all, we’re all one family. Their ancestors are buried on a mountain in the outskirts of the city. As they climbed the mountain together, they encountered many people who were also sneaking around, all quietly understanding each other.

Fortunately, nowadays, no one bothers with such matters.

People went up the mountain individually, silently paying their respects. Zhuang Zhixi carried the small cars, attracting frequent glances and expressions of disbelief.

Zhao Guihua whispered, "You show-off, what’s the point of buying such a big paper car? Aren’t you afraid everyone will notice?"

Zhuang Zhixi felt wronged: "Isn’t it filial to do so?"

Zhao Guihua retorted: "Being filial is fine, but don’t go overboard. It’s not good if people recognize you."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Today’s a special day. Everyone’s doing the same; no one will make trouble. We’ll be fine."

He’s not a fool; in the past few years, people have gone to the cemetery without any issues, so he’s not worried. The morning dew on the mountain path made the journey a bit slippery. The children followed quietly, not daring to speak.

Not only the twins, but even Hutou and Xiaoyan were here for the first time.

Previously, they didn’t dare bring the children, fearing they might accidentally mention it and cause trouble.

But this time, the entire family went together, and the children were quite solemn.

"Brother Zhuang."

Zhuang Zhixi turned around to see a burly man approaching, asking, "Brother Zhuang, where did you buy these small cars?"

He gazed enviously at the small cars, feeling they were very impressive. Zhuang Zhixi glanced proudly at his mother, then whispered the location to the man, who thanked him and quickly left.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "See, things really aren’t as strict as before."

Old Man Zhuang sighed: "The times are really changing."

Everything has changed, but it’s for the better.

The whole family arrived at their ancestors’ graves, offering incense. Since Zhuang Zhiyuan hadn’t returned, Hutou bowed at the grave.

Xiaoyan also led the twins in bowing, and the children were very well-behaved, following quietly. Perhaps due to the rain, burning the joss paper and incense took longer than usual. By the time they descended the mountain and returned to the courtyard, it was already noon.

Even then, they were among the earlier ones to return. There weren’t many people in the courtyard. He Lan sat alone at her doorstep, picking leeks, her eyes red and distant. Zhao Guihua stopped, questioning, "What’s wrong? Did someone bully you?"

Hearing the voice, He Lan looked up and shook her head, saying, "No, I was just thinking about my parents when they were still alive."

She used to resent them for being biased, always considering her older brother and sister, and arranging such a disastrous marriage for her. But a few years ago, her older brother returned, revealing that their parents had passed away during the difficult years of exile.

He Lan felt even more pained, as she didn’t even know where her parents’ graves were. She could only secretly burn some joss paper at the alley entrance, seeking some psychological comfort.

"If you get a chance in the future, you can go to your parents’ graves to pay your respects."

He Lan nodded lightly, saying, "I know. I just felt a bit upset today, thinking of them like this. But I’m fine."

After a pause, she seemed to recall something, pulling Zhao Guihua aside and whispering, "The two idiots next door, I don’t know what schemes they’re plotting. Today, I saw them whispering in the courtyard, pointing at your windows and roofs. You should be careful."

"Idiots" here refer to Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin.

After all, anyone with a normal mind wouldn’t associate with these two. Their brains must have been damaged somehow—maybe squeezed by a door or exposed to some foul gas. Either way, they’re definitely not normal; they’re just idiots.

She nodded toward their direction: "They just went back inside, carrying two big bags. I wonder what they’re up to."

Zhao Guihua: "It's fine. If they want to dance their big knife in front of Lord Guan, I'll let them know why the flowers are so red."

He Lan gives her a thumbs up: "You're amazing."

Zhao Guihua: "Of course I am. Oh, by the way, we're leaving the day after tomorrow, no problem, right?"

He Lan shakes her head: "No problem!"

At this moment, Ming Mei says, "Why don't you let Bai Qingqing stay at my place too? Wang Zizhen is going with us this time, and her children, Siyuan and Sitian, will stay at my place, while Sijia will stay with Qi Jin. Let your daughter Qingqing come too, so the three girls can stay together."

Although both families have their fathers at home, the kids are more than happy to find friends to stay with. Even Da Qiang has been left behind by his three little ones.

He Lan smiles: "Alright, I'll ask Qingqing if she's willing to go."

"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Bai Qingqing scurries out of the house like a little mouse.

Yuan is jumping with joy. Zhao Guihua says, "Alright, you guys can go to Auntie Ming's after school."

"Okay!"

A clear voice rings out.

He Lan: "This child..."

"Let them play."

The kids leave hand in hand, and Ming Mei follows them. Only Zhao Guihua stays behind to talk with He Lan about the trip. They don't notice Yinlai standing behind them until suddenly, Zhao Guihua turns around: "What are you doing? Why are you walking without a sound?"

Yinlai hesitates for a moment and asks, "Grandma Zhao, are you going south?"

Zhao Guihua: "Yes, we're going to Guangzhou to buy goods and then come back to set up a stall. What about you? Do you have any ideas?"

Yinlai nods and honestly says, "Can I go with you?"

Zhao Guihua looks at Yinlai carefully and says, "I think it's better if you don't. It's not that I don't want to take you, but you have to work. This trip will take at least seven or eight days. Do you have that much leave? Besides, you'll need time to set up a stall after we return. Do you have that time?"

Yinlai knows that this trip will take a long time, but he thinks that if he asks for leave, it should be fine.

He says, "I can find someone to cover my shifts."

Zhao Guihua: "Is that possible?"

Yinlai smiles: "There are quite a few people who do that."

Generally, many people would rather have someone cover their shifts than take leave if they have something to do. Some part-timers often take on such small jobs, earning a bit here and there.

Yinlai: "As long as you're willing, I'll go with you."

"No problem with that," Zhao Guihua says with a smile. "Having a young man with us will make the family feel safer."

Yinlai scratches his head and honestly says, "But with you, I may be the weakest one."

After a pause, he looks at He Lan and evaluates that he probably can't outmatch these women.

The three aunties, of course, are tested by countless challenges. They are fierce fighters and are incredibly fit, moving fast and strong. Aunt Wang, or Wang Zizhen, is naturally strong and has a big appetite. Although she hasn't lived in their courtyard for long, she married into the neighboring compound and often comes over to chat, which Yinlai knows.

The only one who might be weaker than him is He Lan, but she is also a capable woman who handles both home and work well.

As for him, although he is a man, he was injured when he was young and is relatively weak. He gets sick easily when it's cold. He sighs and says, "When I think about it, I'm probably the least capable one here."

Zhao Guihua laughs and says, "Then you'd better perform well. If anything happens, we can still back you up."

Yinlai: "Alright."

After discussing, they confirm that they will leave the day after tomorrow, and Yinlai goes home to prepare. Business requires capital, and he needs to borrow some money. It's not that he doesn't save money, but in previous years, only his mother worked, and they were all growing boys with big appetites. His older brother caused trouble outside and had to pay compensation, so the family lived in a tight financial situation. It was only after he started working that things got better, but he hasn't worked long, and he's also subsidized the family quite a bit. So he doesn't have much savings.

But he thinks that if he doesn't work harder, their family will never have a better life. With everyone else striving, if his family stays in the same place, they'll remain the poorest. His older brother is unreliable, and as the second son, he has to work harder.

If it were up to him alone, he might not be able to do it, but if he goes with others, he thinks he can. Yinlai goes home and asks Wang Xiangxiu, "Mom, have you calculated how much money we have at home?"

Wang Xiangxiu: "We have a bit less than two hundred yuan."

That's too little.

Everyone in their family knows that this amount is too small. Wang Xiangxiu hesitates for a moment but soon becomes resolute. She stands up, takes out a small box, and says, "This is what your grandma hid back then. All these years, most of it has been spent on daily expenses, but there's still a piece of gold jewelry left. I was planning to keep it, but now I'll sell it and use it as your startup money for this trip."

Yinlai: "This..."

Tonglai: "Take it, Second Brother. It won't fetch much money anyway."

After a pause, he says, "I'll go find the eldest brother. He made a thousand yuan the first time, and this time he made five hundred. He hasn't spent much lately. I calculated that at most he's spent a hundred, so I'll borrow a thousand three hundred yuan from him. Second Brother, you take that money with you on the trip."

"Heavens."

Yinlai knows that his eldest brother works as a gigolo, but he didn't expect it to be so lucrative.

Tonglai knows too!

But soon, he says, "The eldest brother won't agree to lend us the money."

Tonglai: "No, he will. I'll take care of it."

Wang Xiangxiu doesn't feel reassured and says, "Don't go. What if those old women look at you and want you? I wouldn't feel safe."

She adds, "And besides, your eldest brother is so selfish; how could he lend us so much money?"

Tonglai: "I have a way."

Everyone looks at him. Tonglai smiles and says, "I really do have a way. He's such a simple-minded person, I can definitely persuade him. Plus, I'm not going to default on the loan."

Yinlai: "Little Brother..."

Tonglai smiles: "Second Brother, I'm counting on you to repay it later."

Yinlai nods firmly.

Wang Xiangxiu watches her two sons consulting each other and feels a rare sense of ease. Although business ventures can be risky, Wang Xiangxiu is also willing to try. She says, "I'll borrow some more money for you, and we'll aim to gather a total of two thousand yuan for you to take with you."

Yinlai: "Okay."

As they discuss, they avoid mentioning the possibility of losing money. If they lose money, it will be a big blow to them, but none of them bring it up.

A long time later, Tonglai comforts himself quietly, muttering, "As long as we have goods, even if we don't make a profit, we won't lose money."

The Guangzhou trip team has added another person. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei feel that this is a good thing. The more people there are, the safer it will be, even if they know Yinlai is weak. To outsiders, having a young man with them will be useful.

The drizzle on Qingming Festival continues until evening.

Coincidently, this weekend coincides with such a rainy day, so everyone coming back from their ancestor's graves doesn't go out. There's really no need to go out on such a rainy day with nothing to do.

If anyone's in a bad mood today, it's Zhao Guihua's neighbors, specifically the two fools, Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin.

Both Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin want to teach Zhuang family a lesson, but the rain makes them feel annoyed.

Guan Hong dislikes the Zhuang family, especially Zhao Guihua, very much. This old lady is oblivious to her arrogance. She even introduced Li Weiwei to her, which is too undermining. So she holds a grudge against Zhao Guihua.

And what gives them the audacity to look down on Su Jinlai?

She thinks that if they want to teach her a lesson, it's justified.

Zheng Huimin also wants to do that. She doesn't have much interaction with the Zhuang family, but she wants to show off. Unlike Guan Hong, who has a full-time job, she has none. She can only depend on her hard work to win Su Jinlai's heart.

Just being diligent wasn't enough. Zheng Huimin had heard that Guan Hong was also eager to do this and that, which showed she had the same idea. So Zheng Huimin knew that being diligent alone wouldn't cut it; she needed to do more. Since the Zhuang family looked down on her Su Dage, humiliating them and making him proud of her would show how considerate she was.

But she hadn't expected Guan Hong to be such a copycat.

Zheng Huimin wanted to scare them by pretending to be a ghost, and Guan Hong also wanted to do the same.

What a bitch. A big bitch.

Zheng Huimin gave Guan Hong a hostile look. She might seem gentle on the surface, but she was the daughter of Guan Guiling and had inherited her mother's ways. While she cursed in her heart, outwardly, she merely glared at Guan Hong.

"I don't know what your plans are, but I'm telling you, no matter what they are, don't interfere with mine," Zheng Huimin said to Guan Hong.

Guan Hong sneered. "Who do you think you are? Why would anyone copy you? Don't be so full of yourself. Don't flatter yourself; I wouldn't learn from you."

"Heh," Zheng Huimin replied. "Really? I think you're desperate to follow my lead. I want to scare the Zhuang family, and you want to do the same. I go out to observe their house, and you do the same. What a copycat. But let me make this clear: if you mess up my plans, I won't let it slide."

Guan Hong glared back. "The same goes for you. If you interfere with me, I won't go easy on you."

They exchanged icy gazes, sparks flying.

Night fell quickly, perhaps due to the rain, which made it darker earlier. On such rainy days, there was no reason to go out, and everyone had eaten early and gone to bed. Old Man Zhuang wondered, "Old woman, when do you think those fools next door will make their move?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "How would I know? But it'll definitely be tonight."

"How do you know?"

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. "Use your brain. When else would they come? Qingming Festival is the perfect time to play ghost."

"The Ghost Festival would be more fitting," Old Man Zhuang countered.

"Stop arguing with me," Zhao Guihua snapped.

Old Man Zhuang quickly apologized. "I was just joking. You should get some rest, old woman, don't let them scare you."

Zhao Guihua chuckled. "Scare me? Them?"

She found it hilarious. "I don't scare them, and they dare to scare me? Don't make me laugh."

She smirked. "Not only am I not scared, but I'm actually looking forward to it."

Old Man Zhuang: "???"

Zhao Guihua was eager, saying, "It's been a while since we've had some fun around here."

Old Man Zhuang: "..."

Zhao Guihua: "Let's get some sleep first."

Although they were old and still had plenty of energy, their stamina was limited. Zhao Guihua had been quite busy recently, so she was already feeling tired and quickly dozed off with her husband. Their early bedtime was typical for their age, and others in the neighborhood did the same.

On that dark, stormy night, Zheng Huimin slipped out quietly. But Guan Hong pushed her aside and squeezed in front. Both were up to no good but hadn't teamed up. Instead, they chose the same night and target, each acting on their own.

It was absurd. Only someone with water in their head would make such a decision. Yet, both thought they were making perfect sense.

"Cough, cough, cough."

As soon as they approached Zhao Guihua's window, they heard coughing from inside. The sound made Guan Hong's hand tremble, but she glanced back at Zheng Huimin, smirking smugly. She then took out a long box, opened it, and smoke billowed out. She quickly draped a white sheet over herself, bit a strip of red paper between her teeth, and let her hair loose.

Hehe, even as a ghost, she was the most stunning one.

Guan Hong smirked at Zheng Huimin, showing off.

No wonder Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin could both fall for the same man; their thought processes were quite similar. Zheng Huimin's outfit was almost identical to Guan Hong's, though she lacked the smoke effect. Guan Hong snorted.

Zheng Huimin quickly stepped forward, and both crouched by the Zhuang family's window, moaning eerily.

"Zhao Guihua... Zhao Guihua... Wake up..."

Zhao Guihua had been waiting for them. Despite being an elderly person, she slept lightly. She was already awake when the two were outside.

She pretended to wake up slowly, looking at the window. There was no moon that night, and the window showed no shadow.

Zhao Guihua mocked their poor attempt at haunting. Back in the day, her son and daughter-in-law—well, never mind, heroes don't brag about the past.

She got up, ready to give the two troublemakers a sound scolding. How dare they mess with Zhao Guihua? She wasn't a pushover. She was already prepared for them, so she got up carefully and put on her shoes.

At that moment, Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin, hearing no movement inside, called out again, "Zhao Guihua..."

Suddenly, a chilling breeze rushed at them.

Guan Hong felt something was wrong, turning around just in time to see a skull leering at her with a "hehehe." She froze, then screamed, "AH!!!"

Her piercing scream echoed. The skull figure suddenly seemed to float away, vanishing quickly.

Only then did they realize the skull had been sitting on a "small car," and its "floating" was actually driving off. The car then suddenly burst into flames, disappearing into thin air.

Such a terrifying scene was beyond anything they had ever seen.

Zheng Huimin peed her pants in fear.

Guan Hong screamed, "There's a ghost!"

Their screams were spine-chilling. Soon, every household turned on their lights. Zhou Qun, one of the closest neighbors, was the first to come out. But as soon as he appeared, he screamed, "AHHH!!!"

The sight of the ghost instantly brought back his worst memory. His most disastrous incident had been meeting a ghost in the bathroom, ruining his reputation. His scream was even louder than Guan Hong's.

"There's a ghost!!!!"

Guan Hong, seeing someone, grabbed onto Zhou Qun as a lifeline. "Save me, there's a ghost!!!"

But to Zhou Qun, she was the ghost.

Her desperate grab at him, combined with her screams, made Zhou Qun pee himself, just like Zheng Huimin.

Not that he was weak, but reality was just that scary.

As the ghost charged at him, Zhou Qun screamed, "AHHH!!!"

He grabbed the ghost, closed his eyes, and shouted, "Get away, get away!"

Slap, slap, slap!

He delivered several heavy slaps.

Despite his actions, he didn't dare open his eyes. "Leave me alone!"

Slap, slap, slap!

A few more slaps.

Guan Hong received six slaps, completely stunned. She screamed, "Why are you hitting me?! How dare you hit me? Even my parents don't hit me! You bastard!"

At that moment, she forgot about the fear of ghosts and rushed to scratch Zhou Qun. "WAAAH, this ghost is too real! It’s even scratching!"

A shrewish ghost.

Zhou Qun screamed, "Help!"

Just as it seemed the ghost would claw him, Guan Hong was suddenly grabbed by the hair. Someone yanked her back, shouting, "How dare you mess with my son!"

The person was Aunt Zhou.

No matter the situation, a mother always stands up for her child.

Aunt Zhou had been asleep in the house, dreaming of going to Guangzhou to restock and making a fortune. She imagined buying many chicken legs for her grandson when she heard her son's anguished screams. They were so horrifying that she rushed out without even putting on her jacket.

She spotted the ghost attacking her son and didn't hesitate to grab her by the hair, pulling her back. Guan Hong struggled fiercely, while Zhou Qun, seeing an opening, kicked wildly in panic. "Get away! Get away!"

Guan Hong was kicked multiple times and felt she was about to die any second.

She cried out in pain, “Stop hitting me!”

Seeing Guan Hong in such dire straits, Zheng Huimin was truly frightened and turned to run. But then Zhao Guihua suddenly opened her door, rushing out with vigor. “Everyone, don’t be afraid! This isn’t a fierce ghost! Fierce ghosts always act alone. These two working together are clearly just weak ghosts. Let’s take them on!” she shouted loudly.

At that moment, the sounds of the female “ghost” being beaten by Zhou Qun and Aunt Zhou echoed through the air, prompting everyone to rush out of their homes. Zhao Guihua grabbed Zheng Huimin and slapped her hard across the face. She wasn’t being cruel.

She hadn’t even provoked this girl, yet she dared to come scare people. If they didn’t teach her a lesson, who knew how arrogant she might become.

In this neighborhood, there was no room for such brazen behavior.

Zhao Guihua was relentless—it was just a fight, after all.

Even at the ripe age of fifty-nine, she was no less formidable than the younger generation.

She moved forward, yanking Zheng Huimin by the collar. Meanwhile, Aunt Wang and the others burst out of their homes, and Auntie Sui immediately exclaimed, “They’re fake ghosts! They’re just playing dress-up!”

With the lights turned on and flashlights shining, it became clear that these “ghosts” were nothing more than two people draped in white bedsheets. The rain soaked their hair, sticking it to their faces, leaving them looking utterly miserable.

“Who are they?”

“Definitely women. Men don’t have such long hair.”

“What kind of sickness do they have? Coming out in the middle of the night pretending to be ghosts, trying to scare us?”

“Playing ghost on Qingming Festival? Don’t they find it off-putting?”

“Maybe they’re already off-putting themselves. Who cares about anything else?”

With a loud slap, Zhao Guihua struck Zheng Huimin again, demanding, “Who are you!”

Zheng Huimin was so terrified she could hardly think straight. Although Zhao Guihua had already hit her twice, she was still frozen with fear. “T-t-t-there, there’s a gh-gh-gh-gh-ghost,” she stammered.

She trembled as she explained, “The ghost… the ghost drove away on a car, then turned into a ball of fire, and disappeared mid-air. I swear, it completely disappeared.”

Aunt Wang gave her a perplexed look. “???”

She glanced up at the sky, “It’s raining, and you’re saying it caught fire mid-air? Who would believe that? Wait, you—you’re Zheng Huimin, aren’t you?”

Zheng Huimin’s voice hadn’t changed, so everyone quickly recognized her.

“Then who’s the other one?”

“Could it be Guan Hong?”

“Didn’t they have a falling out? Why would they team up to scare people?”

“Who knows.”

Aunt Zhou quickly grabbed the person’s hair and pulled it back, revealing—sure enough—Guan Hong, who was now bruised and battered from the beating.

But Guan Hong was too shaken to even notice the pain. She immediately hugged Aunt Zhou, crying out, “There’s a ghost!”

Aunt Zhou rolled her eyes. “You’re the ghost.”

Guan Hong, tears and snot streaming down her face, wailed, “There’s another ghost! One ghost—one ghost—flew away really quickly, and it had a car! It drove away in the car, and then the car caught fire and disappeared. Waaaah!”

“What kind of nonsense is this?” someone muttered.

Bai Fendou sneered from the side, “There’s still a ghost, isn’t there? That ghost is Zheng Huimin. What’s the matter with you two? Pretending to be ghosts in the dead of night, do you think we’re idiots?”

Zhao Guihua chimed in, “Right, do you think we’re idiots? To talk about a ghost driving a car? You need to make up stories with a bit of logic. But wait, why’d you call me at my window just now?”

She seemed even more furious now, yanking Zheng Huimin and giving her another slap. “You’re looking for trouble, aren’t you? You little brat.”

Zheng Huimin cried, “I’m not lying, waaaah!”

“Then tell us, why were you playing dress-up as ghosts?” someone demanded.

Though scared, Zheng Huimin was still a bit more cunning than Guan Hong. She sobbed, “Waaaah… it wasn’t me, it wasn’t my fault. I was just following Guan Hong’s instructions… she made me come…”

Guan Hong exploded. “You’re full of it!”

She trembled with rage. “D-d-d-damn you! You were the one trying to scare them on your own! Now you’re pretending to be innocent? You said you wanted to intimidate the Zhuang family for looking down on Su Jinlai!”

Everyone let out a collective “Ohhh” and turned to stare at Zheng Huimin, now understanding their motives.

Then, they looked at the Zhuang family with pity.

What a mess.

Zhao Guihua, exasperated, yelled, “What’s wrong with you? Seriously, is Su Jinlai some prized possession that everyone has to fawn over? If anyone doesn’t like him, it’s a crime? How delusional are you? Truly shameless!”

Zheng Huimin, her voice shaky, insisted, “I didn’t, I didn’t do it… It was Guan Hong forcing me…”

“I’ll tear you a new one!” Guan Hong erupted, pushing Aunt Zhou aside and lunging straight at Zheng Huimin, grabbing her collar and slapping her savagely.

Li Weiwei, who had once been set up on a date with Guan Hong, swallowed hard and silently took a step back.

His older brother, Li Junjun, rested a hand on Li Weiwei’s shoulder, and Li Weiwei silently slipped behind him.

Thankfully, thankfully, their date hadn’t worked out.

Such minor actions went unnoticed amidst the chaos, as no one really cared about an unimportant person like Li Weiwei. All eyes were on Guan Hong, who was truly ferocious, grabbing Zheng Huimin and pummeling her mercilessly.

“I’ll teach you to lie! I’ll teach you to try and steal my man! I’ll teach you to throw blame on me in a moment like this!”

Guan Hong, a fitter by profession, was strong, but Zheng Huimin wasn’t exactly a delicate flower either. Though she appeared frail, she was far from weak, having done all the hard work at home for years.

Dazed and shaken by the beating, Zheng Huimin still managed to grab hold of Guan Hong. “Let go of me!” she shouted, anger building in her. “I see now—you’re just mad at Zhao Guihua for introducing you to Li Weiwei. You never wanted him; you were after Su Jinlai all along!”

Guan Hong snarled, “Mind your own business!”

Slap!

Slap!

Slap!

Zheng Huimin snapped, suddenly finding strength and flipping Guan Hong onto her back. Now in control, she thought of how vicious the other girl had been earlier and retaliated without hesitation. “You think you’re so great, huh? Just because you have a job? I’ll kill you! Su Jinlai is mine.”

“M-mine!” screamed Guan Hong.

“No! Mine!” yelled Zheng Huimin.

Enraged, Guan Hong found her strength and regained the upper hand, the two girls rolling around in the rain-soaked night. Draped in white sheets, they fought furiously, slapping and pulling hair, each determined to beat the other into submission.

The ferocity of the fight sent everyone stumbling back in shock. Truly, it was a case of the younger generation surpassing the old—these girls fought like seasoned warriors.

Li Weiwei took another cautious step back. Yeah, marriage wasn’t a pressing matter. There was no rush.

Meanwhile, Yinlai and Tonglai exchanged glances.

What was Su Jinlai even thinking, managing to attract such passionate devotion from two women? They turned to their mother, Wang Xiangxiu, pleading with their eyes. If their brother ended up marrying either of these two, please, just let them move out.

This was… terrifying.

Men fighting, they’d seen. Women fighting, though, was a different beast entirely.

As kids, they’d witnessed plenty, but with the neighborhood’s relative peace in recent years, they hadn’t seen much like this. Truly, it was intense.

The younger kids, like “Round” and “Full,” watched from a safe distance but still found themselves peeking through their fingers, torn between fear and curiosity.

The two women continued their brutal fight, neither gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, Guan Hong sank her teeth into Zheng Huimin’s neck.

Zheng Huimin shrieked, “Ahhh!”

Everyone watching gasped audibly, “Oh. My. God!”

At that moment, everyone instinctively turned to look at one person: Bai Fendou.

Because back in those days, when Bai Fendou and Chen Yuan got into a fight, Chen Yuan did the same thing, and then rumors spread.

The memory is still fresh, still fresh.

Indeed, history just keeps repeating itself.

Back then, there was also a stormy night when Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun fought, and the rain poured heavily. Tonight, the rain is soft and gentle!

Every story is a repeat of yesterday.

Everyone deeply reflected on this, and at this moment, Da Qiang looked at the two women fighting and then at his own wife. Although she might be strong-willed, she was also gentle, considerate, hardworking, and friendly. He felt so lucky.

Yes, Da Qiang also visited today.

In the past, someone like Da Qiang from a neighboring yard wouldn't have had the chance to come over and watch the commotion, as no one wanted outsiders meddling in their affairs. It was embarrassing. But things are different now. Ever since he married Wang Zizhen, he could always be part of the hot gossip firsthand.

Just like today, as soon as they heard the commotion next door, they immediately rushed over. While others could only watch from the outside, Bai Qingqing let them in. They got to witness the drama live.

Firsthand gossip.

Over the years, Da Qiang has seen countless scandals, all shocking and exciting.

He felt like he was just a big oaf with a weak heart. Real strength lies in the mindset.

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But... is it really okay to fight like this?

It’s not that fighting is forbidden, but how did it turn into you biting me and I biting you?

Yes, Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin had stopped slapping each other and moved on to the next stage: biting each other, rolling around like... let's just say, uncivilized.

The children had all been chased away.

Yuan Yuan: "Why can't we watch?"

The little girl protested; kids also have the right to watch the fun.

Ming Mei hesitated, then said: "This is not something kids should see. They’re being too... indecent. Kids might end up with pinkeye. Go home now."

Yuan Yuan's big round eyes looked reluctant to leave.

Ming Mei gave a stern look: "Do you guys not need to go to school tomorrow? Now be quick and go home and sleep."

The kids obediently left.

Meanwhile, Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin were already fighting like mad, both bloodied and bruised.

Aunt Wang, who was in charge of the courtyard, sighed, saying: "Alright, let's break them up now."

A few older women stepped forward to separate them, but Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin continued glaring at each other.

Aunt Wang: "What are you fighting for? Stop now; you might end up disfigured."

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

No girl would be fine with that. Both of them screamed, then ran back to their room and rushed to the mirror. Soon, another piercing scream echoed. Aunt Wang came to the door, saying earnestly: "Living together in the same home is a rare fate; don’t fight anymore. You’re both grown women, and what about your reputations? If others hear about this, how will they think of you? As for the 'ghost' incident today, well, since it’s your first time, we won’t hold it against you. But I hope you understand that although it’s not illegal anymore, what you did was still unacceptable. If it happens again, we’ll notify the neighborhood committee."

Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin's faces turned red and white as Aunt Wang spoke, though it was hard to tell with their swollen bruises.

Aunt Wang: "Sigh."

Zhao Guihua, hands on her hips, stood at the door: "If you two keep messing around, I’ll call the police myself. Don’t think you can scare me—I’m not to be messed with. I’m warning you, if there’s a next time, I’ll deal with you."

Neither Guan Hong nor Zheng Huimin dared to respond.

Although they were simple-minded, they knew that they had already angered the entire courtyard. If they didn’t keep their heads low, the others wouldn’t be so kind.

Both of them obediently nodded.

Zhao Guihua gave a light sneer, not believing they would change.

Their courtyard already had precedents—like Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou. Zhou Qun only changed after his, shall we say, private part was damaged; Bai Fendou was even worse, still foolish despite the damage, only changing after finding a wife.

She shook her head and left.

They should learn from this lesson too.

As she turned to go home, she suddenly thought of something and glanced at Zhuang Zhixi and his wife standing at the doorway in the distance. Seeing his mother looking at him, Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow playfully, smirking.

Zhao Guihua pointed at him from afar but said nothing and went back home.

Old Man Zhuang: "Those two girls are really not very bright. I mean, they were out to scare others, yet they were the ones to scream first. How stupid. They must have been scared by each other."

He had never seen such inept girls before.

Zhao Guihua: "You really think they were scared by each other? They were scared silly by our son."

Old Man Zhuang: "Huh?"

He was puzzled for a moment, then it clicked. "Ah, that makes sense."

Zhao Guihua chuckled, saying: "Our third son just didn’t bother with them. Otherwise, that rascal knows how to stir up trouble."

Old Man Zhuang: "You’re pretty proud."

"Of course, I’m proud that my son has a sharp mind. If he were too nice, I’d really be worried."

She murmured: "I wonder how he pulled it off. I bet it’s what he learned from Lan Sihai. That old man is a true character—he can do anything except study. Three religions, nine schools of thought, you name it, he knows it."

Old Man Zhuang: "Lan Sihai is quite the interesting guy. Whenever I hang out with him, it’s always fun."

Old Man Zhuang used to work tirelessly for the family, frugal and hardworking, like an old ox. Money was always for the kids and his wife, while he himself lived frugally. It took Zhao Guihua’s persistence to finally turn his attitude around a bit.

Now that he’s retired, he originally wanted to find some part-time jobs to earn extra money, but Zhao Guihua firmly opposed it. Slowly, he learned to relax and enjoy life, which he’s getting used to now. Besides fishing, he also played chess with Lan Sihai, listened to crosstalk, and did all sorts of things to broaden his horizons. He finally felt like life was different.

At his age, he still found Lan Sihai interesting, so it made sense that their son would learn a thing or two from him.

He said: "I couldn’t teach the kids much as a father, but if they pick up some interesting stuff from Lan Sihai, that’s not bad either."

Zhao Guihua: "Who says you couldn’t teach them? If you weren’t such a good man and set a good example, the kids might have turned out differently."

Old Man Zhuang was overjoyed—nobody doesn’t like hearing nice things.

He said: "Wife…"

Zhao Guihua: "It’s been a long night. Let’s get some rest. We’ll sleep in tomorrow."

"Okay, sure."

The old couple went to bed, but Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin stayed awake. Both seated, they glared at each other with murderous intent. The pain of being beaten wasn’t easy, and they were both experiencing this for the first time. They had thought they were smart enough to succeed, but instead, they messed up big time and humiliated themselves.

Both of them were bitter, staring at each other with resentment.

Despite this, neither made a move. It wasn’t because they feared the courtyard neighbors would watch more drama, but because they were both completely exhausted. The fight had taken a serious toll on them.

After a long while, Guan Hong ground her teeth: "I’m not letting this go."

"Me neither!"

Zheng Huimin sneered: "You just wait."

Guan Hong: "You’re the one who should wait, you bitch. Thinking you can snatch Su Jinlai from me? Dream on. I’ll tell you straight—we’ve already slept together. You better give up."

Zheng Huimin was startled and began to pace in anger, but she quickly calmed down. She said, "Stop pretending. Even if Su Jinlai were to look at you, what would that make you? Eventually, he and I will be together. I don't care how many women he's been with; a prodigal son who returns is worth his weight in gold."

"You're the jerk."

"No, you are!"

The two of them shouted at each other, their necks stretched out in anger, hissing with rage.

But as soon as they stretched their necks, both immediately felt a sharp pain. Guan Hong looked into the mirror and saw it was covered with red and purple marks from where Zheng Huimin had bitten her. Suddenly, she remembered something and blushed as she stared at her reflection.

Guan Hong pursed her lips and looked up at Zheng Huimin. This time, it wasn't with resentment. She gave her a long, piercing look, then snorted and got up to take off her coat and wash her face.

Seeing Guan Hong covered in bites, Zheng Huimin looked at herself in the mirror. Uh-oh, she wasn't any better off. Guan Hong's bites weren't any lighter. She looked at her own swollen face, barely recognizable, and the marks on her neck, and couldn't help but think of her mother.

Her mom had often had similar marks on her in recent years...

Their house was small, so she had overheard things and understood what was going on.

Zheng Huimin's face grew red too.

This fight between two women seemed awfully like... well, something else. What were they to do now?

Both ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‍of them felt embarrassed, silently got up to wash up, and then silently lay down to rest. They no longer glared at each other like fighting roosters.

The room was quiet as a tomb. Zheng Huimin tried to distract herself, hoping her face would heal quickly. What if Su Jinlai saw her like this and thought she was ugly? That wouldn't do.

Meanwhile, Guan Hong was also worried. How was she going to show up for work tomorrow? How could she face Su Jinlai when he returned?

She was really bothered.

Aside from that, both of them also thought about the ghost they had seen. Even though no one else believed them, they were certain they had encountered a ghost.

After a long silence, Guan Hong asked, "Zheng Huimin, are you asleep?"

Zheng Huimin replied, "What do you want?"

Guan Hong pursed her lips and said, "You... did you see a ghost earlier?"

Zheng Huimin was silent for a moment before answering, "Yes, I did."

Guan Hong said, "I saw one too. I wasn't lying. There really is a ghost."

Zheng Huimin agreed, "I saw one too. They really exist."

"Nobody believes us," Guan Hong sighed.

"Stupid people," Zheng Huimin retorted.

"Exactly," Guan Hong nodded.

For once, the two of them were on the same page. They muttered together for a while, then Zheng Huimin asked, "What should we do if there really are ghosts?"

Guan Hong didn't know. She irritably scratched her head and said, "We'll just take it one step at a time."

"That's true, I guess."

"What else can we do?"

"You're right about that."

Once again, the two fell into silence.

"I..."

"I..."

Both spoke at the same time.

"You go first."

"No, you go first."

Once more, they spoke at the same time.

Guan Hong said, "I want to go get a talisman for protection."

Zheng Huimin replied, "Let's go together."

The two of them were in a gloomy mood, but the Zhou family was filled with joy. Zhou Qun was boastful: "Look at the men in this neighborhood. Who's braver than me? I was the first to charge out. What ghosts? I don't fear those things. They're just bluffing!"

In reality, he was terrified of ghosts. After all, he had actually seen one, unlike the others.

But fake ghosts? He wasn't afraid of those at all.

He had already forgotten how scared he had been when he first rushed out. Now, all he remembered was his brave appearance. He was a ghost hunter! Strutting about, he bragged endlessly.

Jiang Lu watched him with an impassive expression, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Braggart.

She didn't want to listen.

Zhou Qun continued, "I was so brave today. The moment I heard the noise..."

And on he went.

Jiang Lu: "..."

Ugh, such a chatterbox!

The Zhuang family was also awake. Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "They dared to scare my mom, so I dared to scare them. Though they certainly aren't very tough."

Ming Mei replied, "Of course you're the bravest."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Honey, do you think they'll behave after this?"

Ming Mei: "Probably? I'm not sure, but if they don't fear ghosts, their hearts must be made of steel."

"That's true."

Ming Mei rolled into Zhuang Zhixi's arms and they hugged. Chatting about gossip, Ming Mei said, "Since my mother-in-law is going out, I plan to invest ten thousand yuan."

Their current savings were sixteen thousand.

With six thousand left, they had plenty.

Zhuang Zhixi: "You decide. I don't mind. I'm mainly focused on trading flowers. Soon I'll head to Changchun."

"Okay, you make the call."

Ming Mei was slightly curious. "You know, the price of these 'Lancaster' lilies is skyrocketing. Why doesn't anyone in Beijing seem to know?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "That's normal. If my grandfather hadn't shown me a newspaper, I wouldn't have known either. News doesn't always spread quickly or widely. Besides, people here don't grow them, so the culture is different."

Ming Mei: "I see."

Ming Mei: "I think there's money to be made here."

Zhuang Zhixi: "I agree. If I go to Changchun, I'll connect with my grandfather and your father."

Ming Mei looked up in surprise.

Zhuang Zhixi ruffled her hair and said, "Silly girl, you think my grandfather would only tell me about this? He must have told your father too. It's just that you, silly goose, wouldn't pay attention to such things."

Ming Mei: "But I think my parents are down-to-earth. They wouldn't gamble on whether something like this can make money or not."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed. "You little simpleton."

Ming Mei raised her hand, her skin crawling. "Can you please speak normally? Look, I got goosebumps."

Calling her a "little simpleton" made her hair stand on end. Could you just talk properly!