My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 185

After the rain, the morning air was fresh.

Early in the morning, the atmosphere in the courtyard was a bit strange.

Well, it wasn't because of ghosts—everyone knew it was someone playing pranks, so there were no real ghosts.

But...

Creak, the door opened.

Everyone turned their heads in unison, looking at the open door. Guan Hong, the one who opened it, stepped out with a bruised, swollen face, her expression so gloomy it could drip water. She went to the water trough in the courtyard to wash up and glanced up.

Those sneaking glances at her immediately shifted their gaze, pretending to chat: "Did you eat?"

"The weather is nice today."

"Did you go to the toilet this morning?"

...

Such conversations were clearly an attempt to distract themselves, and Guan Hong pursed her lips, saying nothing as she quickly washed up and left the courtyard. The crowd didn't resume their chatter after Guan Hong left; instead, they all focused on the door again.

However, much to their disappointment, they were already running late for work, and Zheng Huimin still hadn't emerged.

Zheng Huimin knew everyone was watching their laughable situation, so she was determined not to appear with Guan Hong. She stayed in her room, angrily punching her quilt and muttering curses: "Damn Guan Hong, damn ghost, damn courtyard."

After her rant, she finally got up, rummaging through the pocket of her underwear to find her savings, counting them: three yuan and fifty cents.

It wasn't nearly enough.

She had come out with practically no money.

She had no formal job, just odd jobs here and there, and what little money she earned had to be handed over to her family. She couldn't save a penny of her own. She had been frugal for years, but still couldn't save anything, and her few yuan had taken years to accumulate.

With Su Jinlai away these past few days, she had been eating only one meal a day, and her few yuan weren't enough to last. Now, she had only three yuan and fifty cents left, and had to make do with just drinking water to fill her stomach.

She frowned, thinking for a while, then packed her things and left. She decided to go home to see if she could scavenge something to eat. She didn't want to run into anyone, so she slipped out quietly and darted out of the courtyard.

She hurried toward her home, hoping no one would be there at this time.

Her father would usually be out for a walk or exercise, her mother should be at work, and her siblings—her younger sister would be out working or digging for wild vegetables if no jobs were available, while her older brother and younger brother would be out playing.

Normally, no one would be home.

The two places weren't close, but as she neared her home, she saw her mother standing in the alley, accepting something from a man. Zheng Huimin was startled and quickly hid behind a corner. Fortunately, the alley had many spots to hide.

This was already work time; why hadn't her mother left yet?

The man was... apparently Fan Debiao.

A man from their neighborhood, a friend of her father's. Every time he saw her, he would compliment her looks. But Zheng Huimin didn't like him; she always felt his gaze on her and her younger sister was… inappropriate.

She had mentioned it to her parents before, but they dismissed her concerns, saying she was overthinking.

Zheng Huimin didn't understand why Fan Debiao was giving her mother something, and she couldn't help but imagine some intimate scenarios, feeling a pang of injustice for her father.

Despite her disgust, she didn't dare to confront them.

She stood by the wall, watching as her mother and Fan Debiao walked side by side, their conversation growing louder. Fan Debiao stammered: "Big Sister, you know, you know me, we've been neighbors for years, I really, really admire Big Missy. Once we get married, I'll definitely treat her well."

Zheng Huimin, unfortunate to overhear this, turned pale instantly.

The "Big Missy" he mentioned wasn't someone else—it was her.

Zheng Huimin stood frozen, feeling icy cold.

This man was the same age as her father!

Such a man actually wants to marry me?

But thinking of his usual, bold gaze, she felt it might be true.

She trembled, not daring to move, as Fan Debiao continued: "Once we get married, we'll have a good life. I've already planned to buy a house, a proper house."

Guan Guiling, hearing this, felt her heart race with excitement. She said, "That's great. You'll have a good life together. And what about your old house...?"

Fan Debiao immediately replied: "The old house can be for your eldest to live in, as they please."

Guan Guiling smiled, saying: "My daughter is so lucky. Look at how good her fate is to meet a man like you. When it comes to men, age doesn't matter—what's important is generosity and attentiveness."

Fan Debiao nodded eagerly: "Yes, yes, that's exactly it. I… I genuinely care for Big Missy. When you all grow old, I'll take you to live in the new house. I… I share a good relationship with my brother-in-law."

Zheng Huimin pressed herself against the wall, as still as a gecko, not daring to move.

She found the whole situation absurd. The "brother-in-law" Fan Debiao mentioned was her father. This man wanted to marry her? It was ridiculous. She glared at her mother's back, wishing she could die right then and there, and wished she could hurry to her father and expose her mother's true nature.

Her father was such a good man; how could he end up with someone like her mother?

Zheng Huimin was filled with resentment.

Guan Guiling continued: "I'm not the type to sell my daughter. If my daughter can marry well and live a good life, I'll be very happy. I don't expect anything extra. I know you're a good man. But… the bride price… I must ask for a high amount. It's not about the money, but the more the bride price, the more it shows your care for her. If you don't offer anything, then once she's married, she won't be treated well. After all, a woman married without a price can be easily belittled. But don't worry, once you're married and I see she's treated well, I'll return the bride price in full."

This was a line her husband had taught her, and she thought it sounded very reasonable.

She added with a gentle voice: "Our bride price will be two thousand yuan, a tricycle, a television, and a sewing machine. A watch is also a must."

Zheng Huimin covered her mouth, unable to believe her mother was asking for such a huge sum.

As a twenty-something girl, she had heard about bride prices and dowry before. For well-off families, it would be "three turns and one sound," "thirty-six legs." For less well-off families, it would be something like "sixty-six" or "eighty-eight" for luck. The poorest families would just give a token sum of ten or eight yuan.

But asking for such a huge sum was the first she had heard of it.

Zheng Huimin, having grown up influenced by her mother, was always very willing to spend on her future husband, but that was only for the man she herself chose, not her own family. Her mother never spent a penny on her family and always went to her in-laws for money, something she herself had seen and internalized.

So, hearing her mother talk about all this, she didn't believe a word of it. Her mother wanted to sell her for money! That so-called hope for her to live well was all lies. She didn't believe it. Even if she hadn't fancied Fan Debiao, even if she were to marry her Su brother in the future, she wouldn't accept a single yuan in bride price.

These were all outdated customs; why follow them?

If they had the money, they should keep it for themselves. She wouldn't subsidize her family at all.

Zheng Huimin was furious, but she didn't dare move. She knew her mother couldn't be reasoned with, so she would talk to her father. In her family, only her father was a sensible person. She knew her mother wasn't a good person and was also extremely biased towards men, treating her poorly.

She bit her lip, watching their cheerful conversation.

Her mother's exorbitant demands didn't scare off Fan Debiao; instead, he sneered inwardly, then said: "Certainly, that's only right. I'll buy a house, and you can bring Er Missy to stay with us. I'll give my house to your eldest. My house can be left for the younger son."

After all, Er Missy would ultimately be his.

Er Missy was even prettier than Big Missy.

Guan Guiling had her own plans, and so did Fan Debiao—he was no fool, he had his own calculations, and they were even more precise.

Thinking of Big Missy's absence recently, he asked…

Fan Debiao: “Meimei Daya, you haven’t been home recently, have you?”

Guan Guiling: “She went to her relatives’ place to help with some work. She’ll be back in a few days. You can rest assured, she does have feelings for you. Besides, throughout history, which child’s marriage wasn’t arranged by their parents? You see, don’t you?”

Fan Debiao nodded: “Yes, yes.”

Guan Guiling: “As long as you can present the betrothal gifts, our Daya can marry into your family anytime…”

As the two walked farther away, their voices faded, and the rest of the conversation was no longer audible. But Zheng Huimin was already shaking with anger. Her mother’s filthy mouth had spewed such nonsense. When had she ever liked someone like Fan Debiao?

Was she blind?

At that moment, Zheng Huimin noticed that Fan Debiao had just given her mother a set of clothes. Her mother was carrying it in a bag, swinging it back and forth.

Without another word, Zheng Huimin quickly returned home. No matter what, she needed to grab some food first and then find her father. She had to expose her mother’s true nature. Returning to her own home, she found the courtyard quiet—people were either at work or out doing odd jobs, and even those who stayed home would find some tasks to do. Entering the house, she immediately heard a creaking sound. Being a young woman in her twenties, she knew exactly what that sound meant.

Zheng Huimin was momentarily stunned.

Had her brother brought a woman home?

She rolled her eyes, tiptoed to the cabinet, and began looking for something. Their house was small, with only two rooms, and as she searched, she heard the sound of their room concluding. Finding some steamed buns, she quickly stuffed them into her pocket with joy.

“Yufeng, why do you seem so listless today?” A sweet, syrupy woman’s voice came from inside.

Zheng Huimin was stunned. This time, she was completely shocked—the people inside weren’t her brother?

Soon, the voices from the room confirmed her suspicions.

Zheng Yufeng said: “It’s all that silly girl of mine. Who knows which man’s house she’s run off to, acting like she’s in love. I’m still trying to arrange a marriage for her. If she leaves and loses her chastity, Fan Debiao definitely won’t stand for it. I’m counting on her to fetch a good dowry. I hinted to Guan Guiling to force her back, but that fool didn’t understand a thing.”

Zheng Huimin: “!!!!!!!!!”

She never imagined she would hear such words.

All this time, she had trusted her father deeply, believing him to be the most reasonable person in the family.

Yet, the truth hit her like a thunderbolt.

The woman’s voice inside chuckled: “You scoundrel, I never knew you’d be like this. Why are you so eager to marry off that silly girl?”

“Without the money, how can I get by? Fan Debiao’s been making money from his stall, and someone needs to help him spend it. Besides, that silly girl of mine is just like her mother, both low-class and shameless. I’m afraid she’ll end up giving herself away to someone else. But if she’s married off to someone unworthy, she’ll naturally lean toward her family.”

Zheng Yufeng spoke of his daughter without the slightest hint of affection.

At that moment, Zheng Huimin felt as if she was losing her mind. All her life, she had thought her father was the best person in the family, never favoring boys over girls, treating everyone equally. But she never imagined he hid such a vile face behind closed doors.

This was even more shocking than her mother’s actions.

“You know, Guan Guiling has deep feelings for you, yet you still disdain her.”

Zheng Yufeng: “She should take a look in the mirror. She looks more like my mother now; how could she possibly be a match for me? You just stick with me and in a few years, I’ll make her give back her job to me. Then I’ll have a retirement pension. I’ll find a reason to divorce her and marry you…”

“You better keep your word. If you lie to me, I won’t ever forgive you. I’ve been with you for so long; I don’t want to stay unnamed and unacknowledged forever.”

Zheng Yufeng: “It’ll just be a couple of years. In these next two years, I’ll have her help me extort a bit more money. After all, she has no reputation to begin with. If she ends up losing her life because of this, even better! I’ll save the trouble of scheming for a divorce. The woman doesn’t even see how old she looks—she doesn’t know when to step aside and let someone else take her place. Clinging to me, it makes me want to vomit. For now, I’m just using her to take the lead; otherwise, I’d have dumped her long ago. Daya marrying Fan Debiao will bring in some money, and I’ll arrange another wealthy match for Erya. She’s better looking than Daya, even if she’s a bit withdrawn. Men, after all, judge by looks. That could fetch a high price. If I can’t find someone like Fan Debiao willing to pay a high price, I can always send her to work in the sex trade. Send her far away, and no one will know—just say she’s gone to work, and she’ll still earn a decent living. Once she’s earned enough, I’ll let her go and get married. By then, no one will know anything, and she can still find a nice, simple man to marry. With both these dowries in hand, I’ll just push everything onto Guan Guiling.”

The woman giggled: “Oh, you’re so clean and innocent, you’re so cunning.”

Zheng Huimin trembled as she approached the bedroom. For some reason, she felt she recognized the woman’s voice.

She almost shivered as she got closer, peeking through the door of the inner room. In an instant, she nearly fainted—yes, this was indeed someone she knew.

The woman who was having an affair with her father turned out to be her aunt’s stepdaughter.

Her mother, Guan Guiling, had an older sister who had remarried after becoming a widow young. Since she had no children, she was eventually driven out by her second husband. Because of this, her mother was deeply afraid of not having a man. She believed life without a man was unbearably hard—her older sister was a living example.

Her aunt, Guan Guifeng, had remarried a disabled man, a cripple with five children. Her aunt had diligently began raising those children. The woman currently entangled with her father was her aunt’s stepdaughter, the eldest of the five children.

Zheng Huimin felt like she was losing her mind. The scene before her was utterly revolting.

“Ugh…”

“Who’s there?” Zheng Yufeng suddenly heard a noise and quickly got up, rushing out. As soon as he opened the door, he saw his eldest daughter, Zheng Huimin.

Seeing her, he immediately put on a benevolent expression, calling: “Daya…”

He reached out to grab the girl, but Zheng Huimin suddenly jumped back with a scream, fleeing at top speed. She had to escape—there was no other thought in her mind.

If she didn’t escape, her father would undoubtedly force her into marriage.

Never had Zheng Huimin been so clear-headed. She ran as fast as she could, suddenly colliding with someone just as she reached the entrance of the courtyard.

“Sister? Why are you back?”

A girl’s voice rang out. It was Zheng Huimin’s sister, Zheng Huifang. Seeing her sister’s face, she was shocked: “Who beat you up?”

Seeing her younger sister, Zheng Huimin grabbed her and ran, the two of them dashing through several streets before finally leaning against a wall, both out of breath. Zheng Huimin angrily said: “Father was having an affair with Wang Ju at home, and both parents are unreliable. They had already schemed to sell us off for money. They wanted to marry me off to Fan Debiao. Now that I’ve run away, they might use you as a substitute. You need to figure something out for yourself. But don’t think that just because they don’t marry you off to Fan Debiao, everything will be fine. There will always be someone else, and they won’t care about your well-being or what kind of person it is, only about how much bride price they can get. If no one offers a high enough price, they might even send you far away to work as a prostitute. You’ll have to figure out how to escape on your own. Remember, don’t trust Dad—he’s not a good person either.”

Although she often bullied her younger sister at home, making her do chores, the two of them didn’t have any major conflicts. After all, their family was patriarchal, and they were treated far worse than their two brothers. Zheng Huifang had done a lot of work for her since she was small. In major matters, Zheng Huimin still had a sense of conscience. She quickly explained everything to her sister, then dug out three yuan and fifty cents from her pocket and handed it to her, saying, “This is all the money I have. Figure out a way to leave home.”

Afterward, she was about to run.

Zheng Huifang quickly grabbed her sister, saying, “What about you?”

Zheng Huimin: “I have someone to rely on—they won’t be able to force me into anything.”

Looking at the three yuan and fifty cents, she felt her heart ache, but still, she gritted her teeth and said, “I won’t starve to death. Alright, I’m leaving. We’ll never see each other again!”

With that, she ran off. Zheng Huifang called out: “Sister!!!”

Zheng Huimin waved her hand.

Zheng Huifang clutched the three yuan and fifty cents, pursed her lips, and her eyes reddened.

She fished out the four yuan she had secretly stashed in her underwear pocket. In total, she had seven yuan and fifty cents, which was a bit more than her older sister had saved. She had no doubt about her sister's words, despite their mediocre relationship. After all, when it came to important matters, her sister had never lied to her.

Because, they were on the same side.

In the past, they were always the ones who ate the least and worked the most in the family. Later, as they grew older, their treatment improved somewhat. Her older sister might have forgotten, but she hadn't. She knew what her parents wanted, but she hadn't expected them not only to want to sell her off for a good price but also to push her into making dirty money.

Her eldest sister had discovered the secret and had been beaten so badly. Her father was clearly not as kind as he seemed.

Her elder sister was right, she needed to figure out a way to run away.

Zheng Huifang clenched the seven yuan and fifty cents, rubbed her face vigorously, and pretended nothing had happened as she returned home.

Zheng Huimin walked home muttering to herself, feeling like she had lost everything today. She hadn't gotten any food and had even spent money, leaving her feeling deeply worried. She would go hungry today, oh well, at least she had grabbed a steamed bun earlier. Zheng Huimin took it out and bit into it.

She just had to tough it out for a few more days, and then when Su Jinlai returned, she would have a support.

If things got really tough these days, she could go to the Su family's house to eat, after all, she was going to be their daughter-in-law. As for Guan Hong, don’t even think about competing with her!

Su Jinlai, she was determined to marry him!

Zheng Huimin grit her teeth and returned to the courtyard.

The first thing Zheng Huimin did upon returning was to go to the Su family's house. The Su family's gate was locked, with everyone at work or school. She sat at the door and began wiping the windows of the Su family's house, unable to reach the insides, so she focused on the exteriors, working with great enthusiasm.

Aunt Zhou watched Zheng Huimin suspiciously, wondering if the girl had been possessed by a ghost after pretending to be one last night.

No one with a sound mind would do such a thing.

Wiping the glass like that wouldn't get it clean at all!

Aunt Zhou didn't dare to approach, fearing she might offend Zheng Huimin, as ghosts weren’t something to be trifled with. She quickly went to the back courtyard to find Zhao Guihua and muttered to her.

"Do you think Zheng Huimin really saw a ghost?"

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. "There's no such thing as ghosts."

Aunt Zhou was still very uneasy, saying, "But..." She hesitated, "Have you ever seen anything like this? Look at her, what's the point of just wiping the outside? Besides, why would she wipe someone else’s windows for no reason? Does she think it makes her look good?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "Maybe she's just trying to show off. Last night's stunt was also for show, wasn't it? She's truly in love with Su Jinlai."

Aunt Zhou: "..."

She really couldn't understand the girl who fell in love with Su Jinlai, feeling like the girl was missing a few screws. She shook her head in exasperation.

Aunt Zhou also shook her head, unable to comprehend it. This girl with her poor reasoning skills would be a disaster to marry.

The two of them peeked from the boundary between the front and back courtyards, expressing their deep confusion. However, Zheng Huimin didn't care about any of that, remaining very determined. She wanted to win over Su Jinlai, not just by being good to him but by also gaining the favor of his family.

Only then could she legitimately move in and have a place to eat.

As for her own family, she was determined not to go back. Today's events had thoroughly shattered her worldview.

As she wiped the windows, her mind wandered. She had always thought her father was a good man, always believed that was the case. But who would have thought her father was even more terrifying and malicious than her mother? She didn't even dare to imagine what would happen if she refused to marry Fan Debiao. Would she be sent to a place where no one knew her to become a prostitute and make money for the family?

She, she was their own daughter!

She vigorously wiped the glass, feeling that her family really wasn't worth trusting at all.

She wouldn't go back, absolutely not.

"What are you doing?"

Just as everyone was engaged in lively discussions, someone spoke up. The speaker was Yinlai, who had just returned from outside.

Yinlai looked confused at the female colleague in front of him, not understanding why. He found that the female colleagues drawn to his older brother always had strange behaviors. Thinking of how this person had even scared everyone by pretending to be a ghost last night, his face turned even darker as he asked, "What are you doing?"

Zheng Huimin was startled. "Why are you back?"

Yinlai retorted, "This is my home; why can't I be back?"

He felt this woman was indeed as others said, not quite right in the head. If she really ended up with his older brother, Yinlai didn't even want to imagine how stupid their children would be.

After all, his older brother was a bit of a character himself.

Yinlai frowned at Zheng Huimin, saying, "Did our glass offend you?"

Zheng Huimin: "..."

What an immature person, she was going to be the eldest sister-in-law.

The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother.

Although she thought that in her heart, she didn't dare to say it out loud. She could see how the Su family looked down on her and Guan Hong. Now that Su Jinlai wasn't home, she had no backing, so she could only humble herself.

She said, "I, I just wanted to do some work for the family."

Yinlai: "The family? This is our family, not yours."

Zheng Huimin mumbled, "It will be sooner or later."

Yinlai: "..."

His older brother really knew how to pick them, this one was even more ridiculous than Guan Hong. He didn't dare to imagine what his older brother's future would be like if he found someone even more absurd.

Yinlai: "Move aside, don't loiter at my family's door. We have no relationship with you."

"But, but I..."

Zheng Huimin hesitated, looking at Yinlai and hoping he would ask more, but Yinlai remained indifferent, not falling for it. What was this? His mother had been more skilled at this when they were young.

Yinlai remained completely unaffected.

At this moment, Zhao Guihua spoke up, asking, "Why are you back, Yinlai?"

Yinlai immediately changed to a smiling face, saying, "I took a half-day leave to come back and ask if someone could cover my shift for a few days. I need someone familiar with the job, so I'm planning to ask Aunt Lian."

Their courtyard had a good relationship with Aunt Lian, despite her involvement in all sorts of questionable activities, like superstitious practices and illegal trading. But these days, who cared about such things?

"I want to find someone to cover my shift for ten days, I..."

Before he could finish, Zheng Huimin quickly interjected, "Me, second brother, I can do it."

Zheng Huimin excitedly asked, "What do you think of me?"

Yinlai: "I don't think much of you. Also, who is your second brother? Speak clearly about your relationships."

He said, "I don't want any relationship with you. You and my older brother can handle your own affairs outside, don't try to involve us."

Zheng Huimin: "..."

Seeing Yinlai about to leave, she quickly said resolutely, "Since you're going to find someone anyway, it doesn't matter who you find, I can do the job too. I'm used to taking odd jobs, you, you can treat me like a stranger."

She surprisingly showed some good sense, saying, "I really can do it, and I do it well, believe me."

If she could secure this job, she could earn money for ten days, which would be enough time for Su Jinlai to return. Then she would have money to eat.

Yinlai: "..."

He inherently didn't want to have anything to do with this woman, but Zheng Huimin quickly added, "Just consider it as helping me out for the sake of your older brother."

Yinlai remained silent for a while, then looked at Zhao Guihua and Aunt Zhou, pondering for a moment, and said, "Alright then."

Zheng Huimin had thought she might need to bring up Su Jinlai to get this person to agree, but she didn't expect he seemed firm but was actually quite easy to talk to. He had agreed so quickly, which was a great relief.

She immediately became elated. "Alright, I'll definitely do a good job and not embarrass you."

Yinlai: "Let's hope so."

He added coldly, "If you cause any trouble for me at our unit or talk nonsense, I'll make sure to sow discord between you and my older brother every day."

Zheng Huimin: "..." Damn, this kid is too cruel, but luckily, she had indeed planned to work hard. After all, she couldn't starve to death. Feeling helpless, she nodded.

Yinlai promptly took Zheng Huimin to his unit. Zheng Huimin had done odd jobs before and was familiar with the work, so she quickly got started. She felt very fortunate. She had already hit a dead end, yet a way out had emerged.

She truly was favored by fate.

Zheng Huimin went to take over a shift, and Yinlai made a special point to explain to Zhao Guihua: "Aunt Zhao, I don't acknowledge her as my sister-in-law, no matter how she acts, it has nothing to do with me. I think it's better if she takes the shift, that way, she'll be at work every day and won't be stirring up trouble in the courtyard, pretending to be a ghost. With everyone gone, I'm worried she might cause trouble. Sending her to work keeps us at ease when we're out."

He had to explain clearly, especially since the day before, this female comrade had been pretending to be a ghost to scare people. If he turned around and asked her to take the shift, he was worried that everyone might be unhappy. So, it was necessary to explain clearly. He didn't want to damage the harmony among the neighbors.

Zhao Guihua: "I understand."

At her age, she could definitely see the reason why Yinlai suddenly agreed.

She said: "Don't overthink it. Everyone knows what's going on. Besides, it's your own business. You can ask whoever you want to take the shift. If we were to meddle, that would be the foolish ones."

"You mustn't say that."

Zhao Guihua smiled: "It's the truth."

She said: "We're leaving tomorrow. Have you prepared your things?"

"Almost done."

Zhao Guihua: "The most important thing is to bring money and ID. As long as you have money, even if you forget something, you can sort it out. Also, it's already April, and it's still quite warm in the south, so we don't need to bring a lot of thick clothes. Lightweight clothing is better."

"Yes, yes."

"And also..."

Compared to others, Zhao Guihua had been to Guangzhou before, of course, in her previous life. Back then, it was already very prosperous. Now it might not be as developed, but she still had more experience than others. Besides, her son Zhuang Zhixi had been there, so she had thoroughly inquired and even sketched a rough map.

How should she put it?

She believed she was well-prepared and felt quite confident.

She said: "When we're out, keep your money hidden. There are a lot of thieves and scammers on the train. You know, my eldest son works in that field, so he's seen a lot. Be very careful."

"We understand, we understand."

“My son Li Junjun also mentioned it.” Aunt Wang came out unknowingly and agreed. Her son Li Junjun had graduated from high school but hadn't gotten into university. With Zhuang Zhiyuan's introduction, he got a job at the train station; although he worked in the maintenance department, he had heard a lot about these things.

Zhao Guihua: "That's right."

This time, the train tickets were bought by Zhao Guihua. Although Zhuang Zhiyuan wasn't home, Zhao Guihua knew the ropes. As an employee's family member, they had their own policies, so they were more convenient than others.

Zhao Guihua bought all sleeper tickets, and they six of them just filled one compartment.

Zhao Guihua: "Should I distribute the tickets to you, or should I keep them all for now?"

"Keep them with you, we'll get them before boarding tomorrow." They were afraid of losing them if they had them.

Zhao Guihua nodded: "Alright, at least we're not suffering, we're in sleepers. A lot of people going to the south for goods have to endure hard seats for days, but we're not young anymore, we can't be penny-wise and pound-foolish. At least we need to lie down. Only with good rest can we do big things. Saving a little money and suffering a lot is something we can't do. We have to consider our age."

Several elderly ladies nodded, and Yinlai nodded too. His body was already weak, so he certainly didn't dare to overdo it.

Those who were going out gathered at Zhao Guihua's house, discussing these travel tips, and then went home to prepare. Although they were going out, the things they prepared weren't many.

Zheng Huimin was very proud to take the shift for Yinlai. As soon as she got off work at the machinery factory in the evening, she immediately told Guan Hong, bragging a lot.

This angered Guan Hong, her eyes were wide open, she looked like a cow. Today, she had really lost face, going to work with a bruised and swollen face, and there were many gossip rumors. By the time she got off work, the news of her pretending to be a ghost had spread throughout the factory.

It was so humiliating.

Even her aunt from the same factory didn't come to look for her. The Guan family was completely embarrassed by Guan Hong's actions, and Guan Hong even moved her luggage herself to be by Su Jinlai's side, making the Guan family even more humiliated.

Guan Hong's father had declared that he didn't recognize this daughter anymore, but Guan Hong acted as if she was unafraid of boiling water, very determined.

She felt that the whole world was trying to stop her true love.

But then again, in Qiong Yao's novels, the male and female leads always had to go through hardships to be together. If it was easy to be together, how could it show the preciousness of true love? Only by going through countless difficulties could you prove the strength of love.

So, Guan Hong went to work with a calm face all day, seeing, they all looked at her with jealousy because she had true love.

But now it made Guan Hong furious. She said: "Well, you've learned the art of going around obstacles, Zheng Huimin, don't think you're so great. I will definitely take Su Jinlai back."

Zheng Huimin sneered: "We'll see."

Two pig heads, both thinking they were the most beautiful people in the world.

"Knock, knock, knock."

There was a knock on the door, and the two of them, who were arguing, both looked towards the door: "Who is it?"

"Aunt Zhou!"

Aunt Zhou, the busybody!

Zheng Huimin: "What is it?"

Aunt Zhou poked her head out from behind, Aunt Zhou: "This girl is here to see you."

She met her at the door and brought her over.

Zheng Huimin saw that it was her little sister.

She immediately became alert, guardedly looking at Zheng Huifang, and said: "Why are you here?"

Zheng Huifang whispered: "Come out for a moment."

The two went outside together. Zheng Huimin didn't expect Zheng Huifang to find her, so she got the upper hand: "Zheng Huifang, don't think you can use knowing where I am to betray me! Oh, no, how did you know I live here?"

Zheng Huifang: "You came home last time to get the quilt, I secretly followed you."

Zheng Huifang twisted her clothes, whispering: "Don't worry, mom and dad don't know, I didn't say anything."

"Why are you here, you little brat? Let me tell you, I already gave you all the money. If you come to ask me for money or threaten me, do you believe I can find some hooligans to teach you a lesson?" Zheng Huimin and Zheng Huifang stood in the corner of the alley, not wanting to be seen.

Zheng Huifang hurriedly waved her hands: "No, I'm not here to threaten you, I'm here to say goodbye."

Zheng Huifang pursed her lips, saying: "I'm leaving."

Zheng Huimin was stunned, then she thought of how she had also told her to leave. She softened a bit, hesitating for a moment and asked: "Where are you going?"

Zheng Huifang: "I haven't decided yet, anyway, I won't stay in Beijing. I plan to climb onto a train at the station, see if I can sneak on, if not, I'll climb onto a freight train, just leave Beijing first, wherever the road takes me."

She was also looking for a way out, otherwise, her parents would arrange everything for her, and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to break free, so she could only leave.

She said: "Sister, after I leave, I don't know if we'll ever see each other again, take care."

She came here to say goodbye, which was actually risky, since she was also afraid her sister would betray her. But thinking of the past, she was still determined. Maybe, maybe they wouldn't meet again.

"I'm leaving."

Zheng Huifang stepped forward and hugged Zheng Huimin, then let go and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute."

Seeing Zheng Huifang about to leave the alley, Zheng Huimin said: "Wait for me."

She grabbed Zheng Huifang and said: "Come with me for a moment."

Zheng Huifang: "Huh?"

She was confused as Zheng Huimin pulled her back to the courtyard. It was already after work, and there wasn't much people in the courtyard, everyone was cooking, the scent of food floated from each household. Zheng Huimin dragged Zheng Huifang into the house, locked the door, and said to Guan Hong: "Lend me some money."

Zheng Huifang: "!!!"

How come there's another bruised and swollen face.

Guan Hong was stunned: "Borrow money? Don't even think about it."

Zheng Huimin: "Lend me, I'll pay you back."

Guan Hong: "I won't lend it."

She was triumphant, with a bit of pride, saying: "Oh, so you're a pauper, no wonder, no wonder you're after my Su Jinlai, it's because you think he's rich, you... oh, what are you doing, going through my pockets."

Zheng Huimin didn't care about anything else and directly grabbed Guan Hong. Guan Hong exclaimed, "I swear to your mother!"

Zheng Huimin replied, "Go ahead, I don't mind."

Guan Hong was shocked, "What the hell."

Zheng Huifang was stunned.

Zheng Huimin managed to dig out thirty-one yuan from Guan Hong's pocket, surprised, "You're quite wealthy."

Guan Hong panicked, "You're robbing me, give it back, quick!" She had just been paid a few days ago and kept the money on her.

Zheng Huimin said, "I really will return it to you, but just lend it to me for now."

She continued rummaging, "Do you have any more?"

Guan Hong, fuming, retorted, "You scoundrel, today I must teach you a lesson, Zheng Huimin!"

Guan Hong grabbed Zheng Huimin's hair and tried to slap her, and soon the two were rolling on the ground again. Zheng Huifang, having never seen such a scene, stood frozen for a while before rushing over to separate them, "Don't fight, please stop! I don't need the money, you don't have to worry about me, big sister."

Zheng Huimin spat, "Pfft, you're lying!"

She said, "How can you survive without some money on you when you're out, you'll die!"

She pulled hard on Guan Hong and finally got the upper hand, demanding, "How much more do you have? Lend me more, quick!"

"You're straight-up robbing me," Guan Hong fumed.

Zheng Huimin stammered, "You, you, you..."

Seeing Guan Hong's stubbornness, she realized that if they kept fighting, she wouldn't win. So, giving up on trying to reason, she said, "If you don't lend me money, I'll kiss you!"

She cackled coldly, "You don't want to be that gross, do you?"

Guan Hong's eyes widened as she looked at Zheng Huimin, thinking this woman must have had her brain eaten by a ghost last night.

Wait, was she possessed by a ghost?

She stared in terror at Zheng Huimin, who demanded, "Will you lend me the money, or not? If not, I'll kiss you!"

"No!" Guan Hong cried out hastily, "Don't, don't be impulsive!"

She took a deep breath, finding Zheng Huimin in front of her quite terrifying.

She asked, "Who... who do you love the most?"

To confirm if this was really a ghost speaking.

Zheng Huimin replied, "Are you insane? Of course, I love Su Jinlai the most. Guan Hong, I'm not robbing you, I'm really out of options for borrowing money; please, I beg you."

Her tone was rare humility towards Guan Hong.

Guan Hong exclaimed in shock, "!!!"

She looked at Zheng Huimin, then at the young girl with yellow hair next to her, about fifteen or sixteen years old, much prettier than Zheng Huimin.

The girl was equally stunned, her mouth agape in disbelief.

Zheng Huimin pleaded, "Lend me a bit more, I'll definitely pay you back by doing odd jobs."

Guan Hong looked at the yellow-haired girl and said, "Do you practice black magic? Are you controlling her to ask me for money? Zheng Huimin, snap out of it!"

Zheng Huimin retorted, "She's my younger sister!"

Guan Hong shrieked, "Impossible!"

She continued, "How can your younger sister be so much prettier than you! You two don't look alike at all!"

Zheng Huimin, "..."

This was incredibly infuriating—was she being deliberately annoying?

She took a deep breath, "Please, Guan Hong, I know it's wrong to do this, but she's leaving and I want her to have some money for emergencies. Please help."

Guan Hong paused, finally asking, "Where is she going? Isn't everyone at home now?"

Zheng Huifang bit her lip and said, "I'm running away."

Guan Hong's eyes widened, "Have you committed a crime?"

Zheng Huifang quickly shook her head, "No, I haven't."

Zheng Huimin explained, "My parents are ruthless; they wanted to sell us for money. If she doesn't run, what else can she do? Unlike me, she doesn't have Su Jinlai to back her up. If my parents dare to show up, I’ll get Su Jinlai to deal with them! He’s a capable man."

Guan Hong was stunned again. Looking at Zheng Huimin’s bravado and then at Zheng Huifang, she sighed, "Step aside."

Zheng Huimin silently moved away. Guan Hong opened her suitcase, unlocked it, and took out sixty-nine yuan, saying, "Adding the thirty-one earlier, that's a total of one hundred yuan. Take it and go."

But then she turned and stared intensely at Zheng Huimin, saying, "You have to return this money to me."

Zheng Huimin immediately nodded, "I will definitely repay you."

Guan Hong glanced at the two sisters again and said harshly, "I don’t need this jacket anymore; it doesn’t fit well. Throw it away when you leave."

She handed a long cotton overcoat to Zheng Huifang, her tone sharp. Yet Zheng Huimin noticed the coat with a flicker in her eyes; Guan Hong had worn it to work today. It was April and not particularly cold, but since she had been caught in the rain yesterday, Guan Hong wore something thicker today.

Zheng Huifang looked at Guan Hong in a daze, then looked at Zheng Huimin, "Sister..."

Zheng Huimin bit her lip and asked cautiously, "Do we not have to return this too?"

Guan Hong snapped even more harshly, "Such a rag, I don’t want it. And I’m not giving it to you; I’m telling your sister to throw it away."

Zheng Huifang looked at them, then deeply bowed, tears in her eyes, "Thank you, I will never forget your kindness."

Guan Hong waved her off, "Who needs you to remember? You’re just a poor girl."

Zheng Huimin said, "You should leave now. Don’t bother me; I still have to repay you."

Zheng Huifang replied, "I..."

Zheng Huimin cut her off, "Stop with the 'you' and 'me'! Be careful of people when you’re out; don’t trust anyone easily. Even those who seem kind and talkative can’t be trusted. No one is kinder-looking than our dad, but he’s still a snake who schemes against us. Even more so for strangers."

Zheng Huifang carefully took note, saying, "I understand, I will be very careful."

She didn’t know how to express her gratitude, only bowing repeatedly.

Zheng Huimin said, "Go!"

Guan Hong added, "Get going!"

Zheng Huifang bowed once more and said, "I’m leaving."

She had only come to say goodbye but never expected her sister to help her so much. As Zheng Huifang walked away, her hand wiping away tears, her steps were determined. She was leaving, refusing to be controlled.

Those young girls had no experience or knowledge of the world, otherwise, they could have sought help from the neighborhood committee or the Women’s Federation. But they didn’t know that, only wanting to rely on their own abilities to leave as soon as possible.

The evening air was cold, but Zheng Huifang felt a warmth in her heart.

Zheng Huifang had left, and Zheng Huimin and Guan Hong stood there. Suddenly, Guan Hong snapped fiercely, "Remember to pay me back!"

Zheng Huimin nodded vigorously.

Then she snorted, “I’m not the type to default on debt."

However, she held her chest and sat down, feeling her heart ache—she had never seen so much money in her life!

As soon as Zheng Huifang left, she felt regretful for helping her borrow money.

Wahhh, she must really be foolish.

She shouldn’t have helped at all.

When will she ever repay that debt?

Zheng Huimin felt utterly unlucky.

Why did she have to be nice?

Zheng Huimin was so heartbroken over the hundred yuan that she couldn’t eat and just lay down. Guan Hong, watching her pathetic state, chuckled coldly, "You must be regretting it now."

Zheng Huimin stubbornly replied, "I’m not regretting it at all."

Guan Hong sat down, unable to resist her curiosity, and asked, "What’s your family like?"

Zheng Huimin fell silent. What was her family like? They were always poor, as far as she could remember. Her father always ate well, though, because he was sickly and needed good food.

Occasionally, her father would secretly give her a little something to eat, but it was always unlucky because her mother would catch them, resulting in a scolding, or even a beating. After a while, she realized she would never get anything nice.

She had never doubted it before, but hearing her father’s cruel words today, Zheng Huimin now wondered if he was acting all along.

Knowing her mother would never let them eat anything good.

In her family, her father came first, followed by her brother, then her younger brother, and finally her and her younger sister.

Her mother was just like them, but she willingly accepted it. Zheng Huimin, however, didn’t want to.

"Hey, I’m asking you something," Guan Hong nudged Zheng Huimin, "What’s up with your family?"

Zheng Huimin rolled her eyes, "What else? Misogyny and trading daughters for money."

Guan Hong’s eyes widened, "Whoa!"

It's a good thing her parents aren't like that.

She asked, "So your sister just left like that? How old is she?"

Zheng Huimin replied, "She's sixteen."

She thought for a moment and said, "She was such a good student in elementary school, always getting double perfect scores. But before she finished elementary school, my mother said the family was poor and didn't let her continue her studies. She did all the household chores."

Guan Hong widened her eyes. Although her family wasn't just her, and her parents weren't the most affectionate, they were certainly not like Zheng Huimin's parents.

"Your parents are really inhumane!"

Zheng Huimin gritted her teeth, "They've never been good people."

Guan Hong said, "No wonder you insisted on running away."

Zheng Huimin replied, "I ran away because I love Brother Su. No one can stop my love."

Guan Hong's face darkened, "Don't you dare compete with me for men. Damn it, why did I have such a soft heart and lend her a hundred dollars?"

Zheng Huimin said, "I don't know what came over me, to actually be a good person and help her borrow a hundred."

The two looked at each other and sighed in unison.

Both felt a bit melancholic.

Guan Hong said fiercely, "Anyway, you have to pay me back."

"I know, I know."

The two fell silent again. Today, they didn't quarrel, which was unusual. Zhao Guihua, who lived next door, felt a bit out of habit. She said, "Why aren't these two arguing today? It seems yesterday's interaction made them friendlier."

Old Man Zhuang laughed, "Just mind your own business."

Zhao Guihua didn't like hearing that and said, "How is it meddling? I'm just curious."

She added sincerely, "Look, do I look like I'm interfering? But you, I need to tell you: when I'm not home, make sure you eat on time. Don't just slap something together."

Old Man Zhuang replied, "I know."

He actually wanted to go along, but Zhao Guihua refused.

Their group was already quite large, and adding another helper would just mean more trouble, especially with the travel fatigue.

The next morning, everyone took the early bus. Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei got up early to see them off. The others didn't come; it wasn't that they didn't want to, but they were told not to. Having so many people see them off would raise questions.

It was unnecessary.

Zhuang Zhixi kept reminding everyone along the way, saying, "When you're out, safety comes first. I know all you aunties are strong, but don't act carelessly. Take it easy if something happens."

Zhao Guihua replied, "Why are you talking so much nonsense?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

"Just step aside."

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

He had a good temper and just smiled, "I'm just concerned about you."

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Zhao Guihua said, "Don't worry about us. Us old ladies have eaten more salt than you've walked roads. I see things more clearly than you."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."

The couple saw off the elders at the train station. As they checked in, everyone held their tickets and boarded the train one by one. Yinlai was the last. Zhuang Zhixi patted his shoulder and said, "You're the only man in this group, so I'm counting on you."

Yinlai quickly replied, "Don't worry, Uncle Zhuang. I'll be extra careful throughout the journey."

In fact, this was his first time traveling.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Okay, hurry up and board."

Yinlai nodded seriously.

They boarded the train, one after another. Zhao Guihua led the way and quickly found their carriage. She said, "Here."

It turned out that traveling in a group of six was quite convenient. They got an entire carriage to themselves without any outsiders. Zhao Guihua had specially mentioned this when buying the tickets, and sure enough, the six of them were seated together.

This was the advantage of having connections.

Such minor issues, not involving principles, could be easily arranged.

Zhuang Zhiyuan was a train conductor, though not on this route, so they could still look out for each other.

The group entered the carriage. Zhao Guihua quickly opened the window and saw her son and daughter-in-law searching the carriages. They waved and called, "Old Third."

Zhuang Zhixi immediately came over. He stood on his tiptoes to look and nodded, saying, "You found your seats. Take a good rest."

"Okay, you can go back now."

Zhao Guihua said, "The train will leave soon. The house is in your hands."

Zhuang Zhixi smiled gently and seriously said, "Don't worry, Mom. Be careful on your trip."

Ming ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‍Mei added, "I'll take good care of the kids. Don't worry about them."

"Thank you."

Ming Mei smiled, "It's my duty."

After some chit-chat, the whistle blew, and the train started to move slowly.

Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei waved goodbye. As the train began to move, Zhao Guihua also leaned out and waved before pulling back inside.

Among them, Yinlai was the most amazed. He said, "This is my first time on a train."

He looked around curiously, noticing the bunk beds. He said, "I'll take the upper bunk."

"Okay, just divide them up however you like, or switch around. It'll take a couple of days to get there."

Trains weren't as fast then, and high-speed trains didn't exist yet.

They arranged their spots. Zhao Guihua and Aunt Wang took the lower bunks, Aunt Zhou and Wang Zizhen took the middle bunks, and He Lan and Yinlai took the upper bunks.

Zhao Guihua also said, "We're all familiar with each other. Don't be too rigid. If you don't like where you're sleeping, switch around."

"Okay."

Aunt Zhou volunteered to take the middle bunk, wanting to try the upper one. This was her first time on a sleeper train.

Except for Zhao Guihua, everyone was experiencing this for the first time.

He Lan was the same; she hadn't traveled much even when her family was well-off. Everyone was quite curious. Yinlai said, "This is what it's like to ride a train. My brother Su Jinlai went to the countryside by train."

When Su Jinlai was mentioned, everyone fell silent.

Aunt Zhou finally couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked, "Is your brother... working as a gigolo?"

Yinlai: "!!!

How did you all know?"