My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was Jiang Baohong.

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

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

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

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

Unable to contain herself, she exclaimed, "Heavens, I’ve finally come back!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He sneered, "I hope so!"

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

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

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

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

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

As for Guan Guiling, she would never forgive her.

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

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

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

Everything felt foreign.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sure enough, Old Cai's face darkened again.

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

"Who is it?"

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

Jiang Baohong said, "It's us."

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

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

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

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

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

Before she could finish, she was struck again.

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

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

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

There was no warmth in his tone.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You—you—you!" Old Cai stammered. "How did you become like this?"

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

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

He roared in anger.

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

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

"I know. I underestimated her."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Exactly."

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

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

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

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

Why, just why?

Jiang Baohong asked jealously, "What about her?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What!"

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

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

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

But Guan Guiling had become too notorious to ignore.

In these times, it was rare for a woman to become so well-known. Usually, it was through scandalous affairs, but Guan Guiling was different. She had gained fame by scamming men to support herself.

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

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

"What!!!"

They were completely stunned.

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

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

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

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

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

The three of them chatted enthusiastically about it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Old Cai nodded.

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

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

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

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

Old Cai: "Huh?"

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

Old Cai: "Go abroad?"

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

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

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

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

"Right."

The father and son quickly reached an agreement.

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

"Of course."

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

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

"Okay."

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

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

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

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

*Slap!*

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Dad, what are you doing?"

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

"Don't hit my mom!"

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

He sneered coldly, his tone threatening.

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

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

"Mom~"

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

Her eyes were sharp and resolute.

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

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

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

He sounded worried.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm leaving," she said.

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

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

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

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

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

She still cared about her grandsons.

After all, they were the family's future.

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

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

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

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

"That's true."

The family was full of themselves.

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

"Alright, it's settled then."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You're right," someone agreed.

Jiang Baohong rubbed her hands together eagerly.

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

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

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

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

The family continued to mutter venomously.

...

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

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

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

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

Back and forth, he managed to stick with it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zhuang Zhixi burst out laughing. "Pfft!"

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

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

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

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

Su Jinlai nodded. "I think so too."

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

A feeble attempt to save face.

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

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

He carried his tea mug back home.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zhao Guihua took it. "Thank you."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With that, he dashed off to the next courtyard.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Got it!"

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

Bai Qingqing poked her head out. "Coming!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Wow, that’s awesome!"

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

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

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

"Your mom isn’t strict?"

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

"Right, right," the others agreed.

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

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

"Same here!"

"Me too!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The others stared at her.

"Wow, what a goal," someone muttered.

Li Zhenzhen laughed. "Just kidding!"

"Yeah, sure," they replied dryly.

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

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

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

"Right, right."

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

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

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

"You saw her?" someone asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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