Zhao Guihua was going over the household accounts, feeling that time seemed to fly by as she got older. Just take her street vending business, for example. It felt like no time had passed since she started selling bell-bottoms, and half a year had gone by in the blink of an eye. The past six months had brought dramatic changes not only to her family but to the entire neighborhood as well.
Zhao Guihua had purchased two properties and still had nearly ninety thousand yuan left after deducting the initial capital she had used from selling her jewelry. She estimated that she had made a net profit of around eighty thousand yuan. Comparing it to decades later, ninety thousand yuan now would be equivalent to over nine million yuan—not to mention the properties she now owned.
She was truly wealthy!
However, Zhao Guihua was well aware that as an elderly woman with little education, her ability to seize opportunities would only decline with time. Even if she recognized a profitable trend, her age would make it increasingly difficult to act on it.
So, she had a simple plan: at her age, it was best to play it safe. Buying a few more properties and becoming a landlord would be a comfortable and stable way to live out her days.
Old Man Zhuang noticed his wife lost in thought and asked, “What’s on your mind?”
Zhao Guihua replied, “We now have eighty-eight thousand yuan in total.”
Old Man Zhuang gasped. He had been helping his wife with the street vending business and had seen the daily earnings, but he hadn’t realized just how profitable it was. In just a few months, they had amassed such a fortune. Street vending was truly lucrative.
He held Zhao Guihua’s hand and said, “We’re richer than landlords now.”
Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. “There are no landlords anymore.”
Old Man Zhuang murmured, “So much money…”
He was almost overwhelmed. Zhao Guihua patted his hand and said, “Let me tell you my plan. I’ve thought it through. We can’t just keep this money sitting around—it’ll lose value over time. It’s better to invest in more properties and live off the rental income. That’s more profitable than just earning interest.”
Old Man Zhuang didn’t fully understand these matters, but over the years, Zhao Guihua had always been the one making decisions for the family, and their life had only improved. He naturally had no objections. “I’ll leave it all to you,” he said.
Zhao Guihua replied, “I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m just letting you know.”
Old Man Zhuang chuckled awkwardly. “Oh.”
After a moment, he asked curiously, “How much do you think our third son has earned?”
Zhao Guihua thought for a moment. “We’ve been partners all along. Except for the second round, where he took a smaller share, we’ve split everything fifty-fifty. I’d estimate he has around sixty to seventy thousand yuan.”
Old Man Zhuang hesitated. “What about our eldest son…”
As parents, they couldn’t help but worry about all their children. Some parents unconsciously “rob the rich to help the poor,” often without even realizing it. In her previous life, Zhao Guihua had been guilty of this behavior.
Looking back, she realized that it might have been their partiality that ultimately drove a wedge between their two sons.
This time, however, as soon as Old Man Zhuang showed the slightest inclination toward favoring their eldest son, Zhao Guihua immediately stopped him. “Listen, dear,” she said firmly. “Each child has a different personality. Our eldest son isn’t suited for business, and he’s not interested in it either. Our third son, on the other hand, enjoys this kind of work. But even if he’s doing well, it’s because he’s been putting in the effort after work every day. It has nothing to do with our eldest son. As parents, we must never try to balance the wealth between our children. Doing so will only drive them away from us. Each of them has their own path to walk, and they must make their own decisions. We can offer advice, but we can’t make decisions for them. Do you understand?”
Old Man Zhuang thought about it and found her reasoning sound, though he still felt a pang of sympathy for their eldest son. “I understand what you’re saying, and I know you’re right. But isn’t it a problem if the gap between our sons becomes too wide? I’m not saying our third son should help our eldest, but maybe we could give our eldest some support?”
Zhao Guihua gave him a long, searching look. “No. If we help our eldest son, should we also help our second son? Zhi Xin is our child too. Should we only care about our sons? If we don’t help our second son, wouldn’t that still be favoritism? Think carefully. Does our eldest son not know how much we’ve earned from street vending? He knows, but has he ever asked to join us? No, he hasn’t. He’s not interested. That’s his decision. Don’t just focus on how well our third son is doing. Just because he’s doing well doesn’t mean we should help our eldest son. Where’s the logic in that? And if we do that, how will Zhi Xin and Zhi Xi feel? We don’t have just one child. We can’t risk hurting the others just to favor one. Besides, Zhiyuan hasn’t even asked for anything. If we start favoring him now, it might only make him more entitled.”
Zhao Guihua paused, thinking back to her previous life. Back then, the rift between her two sons had grown because of their parents’ poor handling of such matters. She had eventually realized this, and this time, she was determined not to repeat the same mistakes.
In her previous life, Liang Meifen had been calculating, but Zhiyuan hadn’t been like that initially. It was only after they repeatedly favored their third son’s family that things began to change. Back then, everyone had been poor, and the issues had seemed small. But over time, those small acts of favoritism had led to resentment.
Similarly, Zhiyuan had gradually changed because of the constant “favoritism,” coming to see it as his due. But this time, Zhao Guihua had avoided such behavior, and both Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen had remained respectful and well-behaved.
It just went to show how important a parent’s attitude could be.
She was firm. “I absolutely refuse to let you make any decisions that show favoritism. As long as we’re alive, everything we have is ours, and I won’t be giving too much to the children. They need to earn their own way. When we’re old and can no longer manage, if we decide to divide our assets, it will be done equally among the three families. I won’t favor any one of them. Of course, if any of them act foolishly or upset me, they won’t get a single penny!”
Although in her previous life, her two sons had grown somewhat distant and rarely interacted, they had both been filial. Still, Zhao Guihua felt it was important to make her stance clear.
Old Man Zhuang didn’t fully understand Zhao Guihua’s perspective. In his view, it was natural for parents to sacrifice for their children. But he knew his wife well. In a few years, they would be celebrating their golden wedding anniversary.
She had always been better at handling matters than he was, and her reasoning was sound. In this situation, he would naturally defer to her.
“Alright,” he said. “I’ll do as you say.”
Zhao Guihua nodded. “That’s the right attitude.”
Having reached an agreement, Zhao Guihua smiled. “It’s not that we can’t help them, but we can’t let them take it for granted. Take Hutou, for example. He’s been helping me, and I made sure he was fairly compensated.”
Old Man Zhuang nodded. “Hutou’s a good kid. Unlike Jinlai.”
Zhao Guihua scoffed. “Why do you always compare people to the worst? Most people compare themselves to those who are better off, but you always pick the worst examples. If everyone were like Jinlai, I’d break his legs.”
Old Man Zhuang fell silent.
Zhao Guihua added, “Overall, the kids in our courtyard are quite motivated.”
Old Man Zhuang muttered, “Jinlai isn’t. He’s still sleeping at home in the middle of summer.”
Zhao Guihua sighed. “Are you just trying to argue with me?”
Old Man Zhuang immediately stopped talking.
Zhao Guihua glanced in the direction of the Su family’s house and sighed deeply. Wang Xiangxiu, as a mother, had it tough. Dealing with an unreliable son like Jinlai was no easy task. She said sincerely, “Compared to others in the courtyard, our family is relatively worry-free.”
Old Man Zhuang nodded in agreement. Their children were well-behaved, unlike some other families. Not that the other children were bad, but every family had its own concerns. For example, Aunt Wang was anxious about her grandsons finding partners, but Li Junjun and Li Weiwei were both rather lackluster.
Li Weiwei used to think about finding a partner, but after experiencing the diversity of women, he became scared and decided to focus on his career for a few years first. He felt that at his age, he might not be able to handle relationships with women. As for Li Junjun, there's no need to say more.
Aunt Wang was happily making money, but Li the Cook was genuinely worried. Being of the older generation, he was very concerned about his grandson, believing that one should first settle down before pursuing a career. He thought that marrying early would motivate a man to strive harder. However, no one in the family listened to him.
Aunt Wang shared the same mindset, but she was too busy making money to bother with these matters. She had worked diligently her entire life and had never seen so much money before. Naturally, she wanted to focus on earning more.
As for Yang Lixin and Li Fang, Li Fang helped her mother with chores, while Yang Lixin was preoccupied with starting a breakfast stall. His mind was elsewhere, so despite Li the Cook's constant nagging, no one paid him any attention. He could only vent his frustrations to his old friends.
Old Man Zhuang was the first to bear the brunt of it.
In his eyes, his own children were never a source of worry. No one expected Hutou to actually get into college. Now, every time Old Man Zhuang thought about it, he couldn't help but feel proud. Hutou was his eldest grandson, and even though he had been the worst student in the family, he still managed to get into college. This gave Old Man Zhuang even more confidence in the others.
Old Man Zhuang: "By the way, where are Tuantuan and Yuanyuan? Aren't they supposed to skip the children's palace today?"
Zhao Guihua: "They went out to play. School starts the day after tomorrow, so they've been running around these past few days."
Old Man Zhuang: "Kids love to play, it's normal."
Zhao Guihua: "You're always making excuses for them."
Old Man Zhuang: "They're still young. When Hutou and the others were their age, they were always playing outside too. It's not like now, where they have to go to the children's palace."
He didn't quite understand this trend, but since the kids were willing to go and Mingmei insisted, he naturally kept his mouth shut. Old Man Zhuang's personality was such that if you pushed, he would retreat, retreat, and retreat some more. He wasn't good at arguing with people and always lost when he tried. He was a bit of a pushover, which was why he was called "Old Man Zhuang."
Zhao Guihua: "There's nothing wrong with kids learning more. Besides, they're willing to go, so stop worrying about it. Go find somewhere cool to relax."
Old Man Zhuang: "Oh."
Zhao Guihua: "By the way, Hutou is starting school soon. You should take him to buy some daily necessities. Don't let him use his own money for this."
Old Man Zhuang immediately agreed: "Sure, sure, sure."
He was more than willing to do something useful. Since retiring, he had felt a bit empty, so this was a good opportunity for him.
"Grandpa! Grandma!"
A clear, cheerful voice came from outside as two children ran in. Zhao Guihua looked at Tuantuan and Yuanyuan and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Yuanyuan chattered away: "Grandma, Erlin is going to the hospital. We want to give him a gift together, but we kids don't know how to bargain. Can you come with us?"
Zhao Guihua was momentarily surprised, then smiled warmly. "Of course, I'd be happy to. When do you want to go? What kind of gift are you thinking of getting?"
Yuanyuan looked at her brother, and Tuantuan said, "We all have different ideas. Can you help us decide?"
Zhao Guihua chuckled. "Alright, call all your little friends over."
The kids had actually been "hiding" at the door, and now they all rushed in, chattering away: "Grandma Zhao, I think we should get something practical, like clothes."
"But clothes will get too small after a while. We should get something delicious. Erlin hasn't eaten many good things," said Li Zhenzhen, who had a sweet tooth.
"But I think we should get a toy."
"Toys aren't very practical."
"But Erlin has never had a toy before. If we give him one, it would be really special."
Zhao Guihua listened to the kids' lively discussion and said, "I think a toy would be a good choice." She smiled. "Think about it, when Erlin is lonely in the hospital, he can play with the toy. Wouldn't that be nice?"
She continued earnestly, "Being in the hospital can be very lonely, especially for a child. There's no one to talk to, and it can get very lonely. Having a toy to keep him company would make things much better."
The kids nodded in agreement. "That makes sense."
"Yes, it does."
The children were quickly convinced. Yuanyuan, being an impatient little girl, said, "Let's go buy it now. Grandma, you can help us bargain."
"Alright."
Zhao Guihua: "I'll take the kids out for a bit."
"Sure."
Old Man Zhuang beamed with joy. "My kids are all good, kind-hearted children."
He watched them leave happily, while Zhao Guihua led the group of little ones outside. "Do you have money?"
"Yes."
Tuantuan opened his hand. "This is our money. It's six yuan and seventy cents."
This was the money they had earned over the summer by catching cicadas. They hadn't divided it yet. Cicadas were quite expensive, selling for one yuan per pound, but they were also very light. Even though they had caught a lot, it took a long time to gather enough to make a pound. Fortunately, cicadas were plentiful, and they could catch enough in two or three days to sell.
Originally, they had planned to split the money, but the kids decided to use it to buy a gift for their new friend. So, they decided not to divide it just yet.
Zhao Guihua looked at the money and exclaimed, "Wow, you've saved up over six yuan!"
She didn't mention the cicadas. "You kids are amazing."
The little ones immediately stood a bit taller, feeling proud. This was money they had earned through their own efforts. Each of them had contributed, even Si Tian, who had managed to catch one cicada when it had accidentally landed on her.
Zhao Guihua: "You're all so thoughtful."
She teased them, "Aren't you reluctant to spend the money?"
The kids grimaced. Tuantuan: "Actually, we really are."
The others nodded in agreement. They had plans for the money, but plans could change. Wuwuwu.
Zhao Guihua: "But you're still determined? Why not just split the money?"
Tuantuan realized: "Grandma, you know we earned this money?"
Zhao Guihua: "You've been going out early and coming back late. If I didn't know, I'd be a fool. I'm the smartest person in the neighborhood, of course I know."
The kids: "Huh?"
They were shocked. "Then... then what about the others..."
Zhao Guihua saw their expressions and laughed. "The others probably don't know."
The kids immediately relaxed.
Zhao Guihua comforted the little ones. "This is money you earned through your own hard work. No matter who knows about it, no one has the right to take it from you. You're all amazing. Many people your age aren't as capable as you. So don't feel embarrassed. This is a good thing."
The kids blushed and smiled, feeling proud.
Zhao Guihua: "As long as it doesn't interfere with your studies or put you in danger, I support whatever you do. I'm your strong backup. If anyone bullies you, I'll teach them a lesson. If I can't handle it alone, I'll call Grandma Zhou and Grandma Wang, and we'll take care of it together. We'll be unstoppable!"
The kids giggled.
Yuanyuan tattled: "Grandma, Jinlai tried to trick us out of our money."
She pouted. "He's such a bad guy."
Zhao Guihua nodded. "He's a bit of a troublemaker. I'll go talk to him and make sure he doesn't dare do it again."
The kids laughed, feeling happy.
Zhao Guihua: "He's like a paper tiger. When it comes down to it, he doesn't dare do much. But he's always causing a ruckus, which is annoying. He can't bully adults, so he picks on kids. But you don't have to be afraid of him. If he tries to bully you, just stand together, and he won't dare do anything." This guy was so weak that even a group of kids could handle him. What a pushover.
"If it's near our courtyard, it's even simpler. You just call out—call me Granny Wang or Granny Zhou, or call his mom Wang Xiangxiu—and he'll behave in an instant."
Everyone burst into giggles again.
Zhao Guihua said, "Let's go, get on the bus."
The children lined up and boarded the bus one by one. Yuanyuan asked, "Granny, where are we going? Are we going to the mall? Can we only buy something small with this money?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "No, we're going to Xidan. That's my territory. I'll take you to find something more suitable."
Even though wages aren't high these days, the prices of such things aren't cheap either. The prices at the mall are always jaw-dropping, but fortunately, there are also vendors selling toys at Xidan. And let me tell you, business is good! Whenever they see someone with a child... tsk tsk!
Zhao Guihua had witnessed several incidents of kids throwing tantrums on the spot.
Zhao Guihua led the children over, where the vendors were scattered around. As soon as they saw Zhao Guihua, they warmly greeted her. Zhao Guihua, in her element, greeted them back and led the children to a particular stall.
The children exclaimed in unison, "Wow!"
Even though they were around ten years old, they were still kids at heart, and they absolutely adored stuffed animals.
The stall was filled with plush toys and all sorts of trendy playthings that the children had never seen before.
"This is so nice!"
The vendor immediately perked up when he saw so many kids, but when his eyes landed on Zhao Guihua, he quickly calmed down and said, "Auntie Zhao, are all these kids from your family?"
Zhao Guihua replied, "Two of them are. The others are from our courtyard. They want to buy a toy as a gift, and I immediately thought of you."
The vendor smiled, "That's the right choice. The things I have here are just as good as what you'd find in the department store. Whatever they have, I have too. Take a look, the quality is guaranteed. I sourced these directly from Pengcheng. Pretty good, huh?"
The children felt like their eyes couldn't take it all in. In short, they wanted everything.
They wanted it all.
None of them could tear their eyes away. Zhao Guihua asked, "They want to buy a gift for a four-year-old boy. What do you recommend?"
The vendor said, "A boy? Then this little frog is the best seller. Look, you just wind it up here, and after twisting it..."
He placed it on the ground, and the metal frog hopped around.
The children exclaimed, "Wow!"
"This is amazing!"
"This is so fun!"
Even Si Tian started clapping, and all the children's eyes lit up.
The vendor grinned proudly. He knew no child could resist the charm of the little frog.
He said, "Look, there are also these dolls and plush toys, but none of them sell as well as this little frog. This one actually moves. Most toys aren't this impressive. Kids love this."
The children nodded in agreement. They loved it too.
Bai Qingqing glanced at the dolls but quickly looked away. They were expensive, very expensive. She couldn't look. Even if she liked them, she couldn't buy them.
Tuantuan looked at the toy gun but also quickly averted his eyes.
The children chattered away, and in the end, they all agreed that Erlin would love this gift.
"Granny, we want to buy this."
Zhao Guihua had stayed silent the whole time, letting the children make their own decision. Seeing that they had made up their minds, she asked, "How much is this?"
The vendor said, "Eight yuan!"
The children gasped, feeling like they were about to faint from the heat. How could it be so expensive?
Zhao Guihua smiled calmly and said, "Eight yuan? That's quite a bold ask. With that kind of money, you could buy a piece of clothing. I didn't take the kids anywhere else and came straight to you because I know you have a good selection and you're reliable. I just praised you for being honest, and now you're trying to inflate the price? Give me a better deal. We're all vendors here, and we know each other. Cut me some slack."
"Auntie Zhao, eight yuan wouldn't even buy a piece of clothing at your stall. Besides, I'm giving you a fair price. I'm not inflating anything. You know how much it costs to bring goods from the south. The transportation costs are high. If you're serious about buying, I'll give you a real deal—seven yuan and fifty cents."
Zhao Guihua said, "That's still not a fair price. When I sell things, I don't haggle over a few cents. Give me a better deal. We're neighbors, selling in the same place. If you charge me this much, I'll have to criticize you behind your back."
The vendor gritted his teeth and stomped his foot, saying, "Seven yuan. I can't go any lower. I'm really not making any profit here."
Zhao Guihua chuckled, "Are you really haggling over fifty cents? You're not being honest. If I were buying, I wouldn't bother haggling like this. But this time, it's the kids' own money. They've worked hard to save up and want to buy a gift for their friend. You're practically an uncle to them. How can you charge them so much? It's really disappointing."
The vendor was speechless.
He asked in surprise, "The kids saved up the money themselves?"
Qijin, who was quick to speak, said, "We earned it over the summer. We want to give it to our friend Erlin. He's going to the hospital."
The vendor was even more surprised, "You kids are really something."
As the saying goes, dragons beget dragons, and phoenixes beget phoenixes. The children of Zhao Guihua's family have been earning money since they were little. Even though Qijin was the one who answered, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were Zhao Guihua's grandchildren, so they were always together.
He sighed deeply and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Alright, since it's your own money, I'll give you a special deal—six yuan! Now you can't say I'm haggling over fifty cents. Fifty cents can buy half a pound of meat."
Zhao Guihua said, "Four yuan."
The vendor's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared at Zhao Guihua in shock, stammering, "S-s-sister, that's below my cost price!"
His cost price was three yuan. He could still make a profit, but he couldn't say that outright. Besides, he had never sold it for four yuan before. The lowest he could go was six yuan. These kinds of items didn't sell quickly, but they could maintain a stable price.
As the saying goes, when there's only one vendor in the market, they can maintain the price. Even if there were a couple more vendors, the price would only drop slightly. As long as the market wasn't flooded with them, the price wouldn't go down.
"No, no, that price is too low," he said, shaking his head like a rattle drum.
Zhao Guihua said, "Four yuan. I just got a batch of jeans. Come take a look, and if you like any, I'll give you a cost price too."
She added, "I'm testing the waters with this batch, so there aren't many. Come by my stall later."
The vendor immediately understood. He made a pained expression but finally gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, four yuan it is."
Wow!
The children had watched the entire negotiation and were completely shocked. They had never seen such intense haggling before. Li Zhenzhen rubbed her chin and said, "I feel like I've been overpaying all this time."
Could you really haggle like this?
She had been losing money all along.
Zhao Guihua patted her head and said, "It's different. If you tried to haggle at the supply and marketing cooperative, they'd kick you out."
The vendor said, "Exactly. You won't find someone as nice as me."
He picked up the little frog and placed it in a paper box. Zhao Guihua said, "Give me a new one, and let me test it first."
The vendor sighed, "Alright, alright."
He tested it, and it worked perfectly. Zhao Guihua noticed some pretty wrapping paper on the side of the box. While others might not recognize it, Zhao Guihua did. Although it wasn't commonly used in their area, it was still available. She said, "Throw in a piece of wrapping paper. The kids will need to wrap it up when they get home. That way, it'll look like a proper gift."
The vendor said, "...Auntie, I sell these for ten cents each."
Zhao Guihua replied, "You've already saved a few yuan. What's ten cents to you? Let the kids pick a nice one."
The children cautiously looked at the vendor, who, despite grimacing in pain, said, "Fine. Go ahead and pick one, but be gentle. Don't ruin it."
The children said, "Okay."
They were all a bit stunned. He was really letting them choose.
The kids quickly picked one with a cute little forest pattern and said, "This one!"
"Alright."
Zhao Guihua, as the one in charge of finances, took the initiative to hand over the money. The vendor, grinning from ear to ear, said, "Next time you buy toys, remember to come to me."
"Sure~"
The children answered in unison. This uncle was so easy to talk to, of course they would come back to him. But his prices were a bit inflated too. Everyone successfully bought their gifts and was thrilled. Zhao Guihua noticed that the children's foreheads were beaded with sweat, knowing they had been anxious. She smiled and said, "Come on, Grandma will take you to buy popsicles."
"Wow, that's awesome!"
Zhao Guihua: "When we get back, I'll show off my skills. I'm really good at wrapping gifts, and I can even make them look fancy."
"Okay."
Zhao Guihua felt proud.
She used to help her great-granddaughter, Hutou's daughter, wrap book covers. Later, when the girl entered middle and high school and exchanged gifts with friends, Zhao Guihua was the one who wrapped them. She was quite skilled. Zhao Guihua bought each child a popsicle. Even though it was almost September, the weather was still hot, and a popsicle was the perfect way to cool down.
Zhao Guihua, like a mother hen, led her little chicks home. Everyone gathered around her as she deftly started wrapping the gifts. With her skillful hands, the wrapping paper was quickly done, and the corners were neatly folded with pleats, making it look particularly elegant.
Bai Qingqing: "Grandma Zhao, can I learn how to do that?"
Zhao Guihua: "Of course."
Bai Qingqing: "It looks so pretty."
Zhao Guihua chuckled and said, "Anyone who wants to learn can."
"Grandma, you're so nice."
Zhao Guihua looked at the sweet little faces and said, "You're all good kids, so of course I'll be nice to you. If you were bad, I wouldn't be so nice."
The children laughed, each convinced they were indeed good kids.
Tuantuan: "Let's split the leftover money."
"Okay."
They quickly divided the remaining money, each holding a small amount but feeling incredibly happy.
Tuantuan: "Earning money is so hard, but spending it is so fast. It really doesn't last long."
Zhao Guihua was curious: "If you're so reluctant to spend it, why did you buy gifts?"
The children nodded in unison, unwavering in their decision.
Tuantuan thought for a moment and said, "We have to give gifts. We don't want to regret it later."
Zhao Guihua paused, then asked, "Have you... heard something?"
The children's eyes flickered, and Tuantuan was the first to speak: "Will Erlin... die?"
Zhao Guihua shook her head gently and said, "No, he won't."
The children breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao Guihua: "Who told you that?"
The children chimed in: "Lots of people said it. They said if Erlin doesn't get better this time, he might not make it. They also said his family is selling their house to pay for his treatment."
Zhao Guihua: "That's true. The adults aren't lying, but the doctors also said that as long as he has the surgery and rests well, he can recover. It's risky, but if nothing goes wrong, he'll be fine. So you don't need to worry."
The children relaxed even more. Compared to outsiders, they trusted Zhao Guihua more.
Zhao Guihua: "You're all good kids."
"Then we should give the gift to Erlin now."
Zhao Guihua: "Go ahead."
The children immediately dashed off. Zhao Guihua smiled, delighted by the children's good character. She had watched these kids grow up, whether they were her own grandchildren or the neighbors'. Seeing them so thoughtful made her happy.
Tuantuan, Yuanyuan, and the other children ran to the innermost courtyard. There weren't many young children in this yard, so they hadn't played here before. Unfamiliar with the place, they stood at the gate and called out, "Xing'er! Erlin! Erlin! Xing'er!"
Xing'er ran out and said, "You're here!"
"Come out and play!"
Xing'er: "Okay!"
She quickly brought her brother out. Erlin was also eager. Xing'er used to help with chores at home, gathering firewood, digging for vegetables, picking fruit, and taking care of her brother. She was always busy.
But since coming here, she had more free time.
Now, she only needed to look after her brother. There were no chores to do here, no firewood to gather or vegetables to dig up. Xing'er felt a bit lost but also clearly noticed the difference between city and rural life.
She felt a little empty, but fortunately, she had made many friends, which helped her feel less lonely and helpless.
She wasn't naturally fond of hard work, but the sudden change in lifestyle left her confused.
However, with friends around, she gradually found peace.
The children found a corner to squat down, and Tuantuan asked, "Erlin, are you going to the hospital soon?"
Erlin nodded: "I'm going tomorrow."
This was even earlier than when his older siblings started school. The little boy was scared, his face clouded with worry.
Xing'er, his older sister, was also anxious, remembering her cousin's harsh words. She pursed her lips, feeling both worried and upset.
Tuantuan and the other children exchanged glances and said, "You're going to the hospital, and we're starting school soon. Once school starts, we'll be busy and might not have time to visit you. So we bought you a gift to wish you a successful surgery! When you're out of the hospital, we'll play together again."
Tuantuan handed the beautifully wrapped gift box to Erlin.
Erlin: "!!!!!!!"
His eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stammered, "Th-th-th-this is for me?"
Tuantuan: "Yes, it's for you."
He added seriously, "We didn't ask our parents for the money. We earned it ourselves, and everyone contributed."
The children puffed out their chests proudly.
Tuantuan: "We all saved up to buy this for you. Take good care of it, okay?"
Erlin, his voice trembling with emotion, said, "Okay, okay, okay."
Tuantuan patted Erlin on the shoulder and said, "You're a boy, so you have to be strong. Don't cry. When you get better, we'll play together. You can jump rope with the girls or play cops and robbers with us. You can even play hopscotch."
Erlin nodded vigorously.
He held the little box, unsure what to do. It was the first time he had ever received a gift. Xing'er, standing beside him, rubbed her eyes, which were red.
Yuanyuan: "Open it! See if you like it. We'll show you how to play with it."
Erlin bit his lip, reluctant to ruin the beautiful wrapping.
Xing'er: "Let me do it. I won't ruin it."
She was very careful with her hands.
Erlin trusted his sister and handed her the gift. Xing'er carefully began to unwrap it but then shook her head. "No, no, let's take it home and let Mom and Dad open it. We can't ruin it."
"Okay."
It was so pretty.
Yuanyuan: "So, will you open it at home or play now?"
Before the children could answer, Xing'er saw her parents pushing a snack cart out. She quickly called out, "Mom, look!"
Little Sister Yu and her husband looked over, their eyes lighting up. "What's this?"
"This is a gift from Yuanyuan and the others for Erlin."
Little Sister Yu: "This is too much, we can't..."
Though she was a city girl, she had never seen anything like this and hesitated to touch it.
Yuanyuan said brightly, "Auntie, we earned the money ourselves."
Little Sister Yu: "You kids are amazing."
The children giggled.
She looked at the children, unsure what to say, but seeing their sincere eyes, she turned away, wiping her tears. "I'll help you open it."
She was even more careful, though reluctant, and slowly unwrapped the gift without damaging it. Erlin eagerly opened the box.
Inside was a small green tin frog.
Qijin: "Here, here, you wind it up, and it hops on its own."
He demonstrated, and Erlin quickly learned how it worked.
"Wow!"
"This is so cool!"
Even Little Sister Yu and her husband were seeing such a toy for the first time. They had no idea such things existed.
"This is really special."
Even adults had never seen such a scene, let alone children. The children's faces were all flushed with excitement, beaming with joy.
"Little frog, ribbit ribbit..."
Yang Shulin and Little Sister Yu watched for a while before pushing their cart away to continue their business, but their hearts burned even more passionately. Life was finally showing some promise. They needed to work even harder.
The children squatted by the corner, playing, and soon saw Su Jinlai coming out again to use the restroom.
Hmm, Jinlai Gege (Brother Jinlai) never seemed to have a job.
It was just absurd.
Erlin panicked: "Quick, quick, hide the little frog! He can't see it. Bad people might steal it."
Xing'er, standing nearby, also grew anxious.
She used to go up the mountain to dig for vegetables, and whenever she found good fruit, she had to hide it quickly under the vegetables. Otherwise, some older kids would snatch it away. Sometimes it wasn't just kids—even adults did the same. Her aunt had once taken her things, so Xing'er was naturally worried.
Tuantuan reassured them: "It's fine, don't be scared. Jinlai Gege won't steal anything."
As Su Jinlai walked past without paying attention to the kids, Tuantuan whispered, "Jinlai Gege might seem unreliable, but he's not a bad person. He's just... useless."
Su Jinlai, who was eavesdropping nearby: "..."
Hearing that didn't exactly make him happy.
He thought these little brats seemed a bit off, pretending to act normal as he walked by. Sure enough, they were talking about him behind his back.
Xing'er: "That older brother tried to scam money before."
Tuantuan confidently replied, "Yeah, he did try to scam money, but he couldn't even get money from kids. Doesn't that make him useless?"
After a pause, he added, "Besides, if he does anything bad, we can just tell his mom. That'll work."
Xing'er: "...Will telling his mom really help at his age?"
"Of course it will."
Xing'er thought for a moment and said, "I think I get it now."
Despite being children, they all acted like little adults. Su Jinlai: "..."
He, a grown man, was being laughed at by a bunch of kids. Was this even fair?
"Actually, when Jinlai Gege tries to scam money, it's just a few cents. He doesn't dare ask for more," Yuanyuan chimed in, seeming to know a lot.
"Oh?"
Yuanyuan: "It's true. Jinlai Gege is like that—cowardly but thinks he's the smartest. He's actually really dumb. But he's not a bad person. He doesn't curse or hit kids. The worst he does is trick kids into eating his family's chicken, which is just ridiculous. Last time, we even got him back."
Xing'er: "..."
Erlin: "Oh, oh."
Su Jinlai: Yuanyuan, hearing you say that doesn't make me feel any better. When you defend me, can you at least not point out my flaws?
Hiding and eavesdropping, he felt a headache coming on. These kids really didn't know how to talk.
"That older brother doesn't go to school, doesn't work, and doesn't do anything," Erlin said, already aware.
Yuanyuan: "Yeah, I think..."
She pondered for a moment and said, "I think Jinlai Gege doesn't go to school because he's bad at studying and can't pass the exams. He doesn't work because he's useless and can't find a job. As for not doing anything... maybe he's just too dumb to do anything. He probably wants to, he really wants to, but he just can't."
Hearing this, even Yuanyuan felt a bit of sympathy. "See, that's how tragic a useless man can be."
The others: "Oh, so that's how it is."
"Is that possible?"
"Maybe."
"He really is useless."
Su Jinlai: "..."
I heard that. I heard all of it.
What do you mean I can't find a job? Su Jinlai can't find a job?
Su Jinlai felt like his whole body was steaming with anger, but he didn't know how to vent it.
If you said these kids were badmouthing him, they weren't exactly. They were actually defending him, but in a way that was incredibly demeaning. How could he not feel frustrated?
Su Jinlai took a deep breath, exhaled heavily, and snorted.
He stomped off to the restroom, his mind filled with thoughts of how he couldn't find a job. How could he not find a job? How could he not do any work? Was he really that bad?
He was being looked down on by kids again.
"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Su Jinlai screamed in the restroom.
The men squatting in the stalls nearly fell in, startled. Thankfully, the restroom had been renovated, or who knows what might have happened.
"Su Jinlai, what the hell are you screaming about?"
"Damn it, you better watch out. If I fall into the toilet, I'll strangle you."
"You're such a jerk! You piece of trash."
Su Jinlai: "Ah! Ah! Ah!"
He kept screaming, and as everyone cursed at him, he rushed up to one of them. The man was terrified: "Wh-what are you doing?"
Su Jinlai said gloomily, "Can you find me a job?"
Everyone present: "..."
This guy must have been sleeping all day and lost his mind.
Su Jinlai: "I don't need much, just a hundred or so a month."
"Get the hell out of here! If I had a job that paid a hundred, I'd take it myself. Why would I give it to you? Am I crazy? No, wait, you're the crazy one. Are you out of your mind?"
Everyone quickly left the restroom. Who knew if Su Jinlai might push someone in if things got heated?
"Aren't you always lazy as hell? Why do you suddenly want a job now?"
"A hundred? People wouldn't even pay you ten bucks. You're good for nothing."
"Exactly."
Su Jinlai argued, "I'm actually really smart. Why can't I earn more? If not a hundred, then fifty or sixty would do."
Everyone looked at him like he was an idiot and finally stopped engaging with him. How could you even argue with someone like that? He wasn't normal. They all walked away. Su Jinlai: "Hey, wait, don't leave..."
"Get lost."
The children in the distance: "Jinlai Gege is being scolded again. He's always being looked down on. So pitiful."
Su Jinlai: "...Damn it, can you keep it down? Why do you always talk so loudly? I don't want to hear it."
Wuwuwu, so pitiful.
"Su Jinlai, are you crazy? Can't find a job and you're yelling at kids? What did they do to you? Are you even a man? You're nothing but trash. I look down on you!" Guan Hong, who had come back early from work, started scolding him as soon as she saw the scene.
Su Jinlai: "You, you..."
Guan Hong: "You what? Can you do anything? All you do is brag. Besides bullying kids, what else can you do? Oh right, you can steal your family's chicken. How come Yinlai and Tonglai are so hardworking, but they have a brother like you? It's such bad luck. They have to deal with so much gossip because of you. If I were you, I'd just bash my head against a wall. You're a useless piece of trash with no manliness at all."
Su Jinlai's face turned red with anger. "You shrew, how dare you curse at me? Have you forgotten how you used to admire me? Back then..."
"Spare me! Back then I was blind, thinking you were a decent person. I wanted a hero like Qiao Feng, but look at you. You're nothing. A grown man still being supported by your family. It makes me sick. If I were your mom, I'd beat you to death."
"You hag!"
"You loser!"
"You tiger woman!"
"You weakling!"
"You think you're Qiao Feng? You're more like Zi. You'll never find a Qiao Feng. Someone like Qiao Feng would never look at you. You're mean, vicious, and ugly!"
"And you? You're worse than You Tanzhi. At least he was devoted. You're nothing but a freeloader. All you do is mooch off others. Your mom's still working at her age, and you're at home sleeping. You're trash!"
"You!"
"You what!"
Two people stood in the alley, hands on their hips, shouting at each other.
The kids watching were utterly stunned.
This kind of commotion happened often, but every time it was still astonishing to witness.
"I-I-I, I'm a decent man who doesn't fight with women. I won't stoop to your level," one of them stammered.
Guan Hong sneered, "Of course you don't fight with women. When you can't win, you always hide behind female comrades. How dare you even think of fighting a woman? You're a loser! Trash! A bug!"
She was in the middle of her tirade when Zheng Huimin also got off work. They were all in a hurry to get back home so they could go out together to set up their street stall. Although some people still looked down on their street vending, they knew exactly how much money they were making.
They were all working hard.
They also understood why everyone in the area was so motivated. Those who hadn’t seen the money themselves had no idea how lucrative this business could be.
Zheng Huimin said, "Guan Hong, why are you wasting your time arguing with him? Is he even worth it?"
"You're right, he's not worth it."
The two of them quickly headed back, loaded up their goods, and came out again. Su Jinlai, still fuming, hadn't even calmed down yet.
The two of them sped off on their bikes, and Su Jinlai, watching their retreating figures, shouted, "Just you wait! I'll make money too! I won't let you look down on me!"
"Pah!" A distant sound of disdain floated back.
Su Jinlai broke down in tears, wailing, "Wuwuwu... You're all so mean! How can you female comrades be so cruel? Wuwuwu~"
He cried pitifully, completely unaware that Li Weiwei had been secretly watching the whole scene. Li Weiwei, who worked in the kitchen and got off work a bit earlier, was on his way home when he stumbled upon this spectacle. Seeing Su Jinlai crying his heart out, Li Weiwei patted his chest and sighed repeatedly, "No rush to find a partner or get married. Really, no rush. I can't handle it. I really can't handle it."
He was genuinely scared.
These female comrades were not to be trifled with.
Su Jinlai raised his head to the sky and howled, "Don't bully the young and poor!!!"
With a loud cry, he ran off toward his house.
Li Weiwei: "..."
This guy really knows how to make a scene, huh?
"Li Weiwei?"
Li Weiwei turned around and quickly greeted, "Auntie Lian, hello."
Auntie Lian smiled, her eyes crinkling, "It really is you. Perfect timing. Come on, let's go to your place. Last time I didn't find anyone suitable for you, but this time I've got a good match..."
Before she could finish, Li Weiwei started waving his hands, "No, no, I'm not in a hurry to find a partner."
"What do you mean you're not in a hurry? Weren't you the one who was desperate? Don't be shy with me, Auntie Lian knows all about you youngsters. Come on, let's go to your place."
Li Weiwei felt like crying, "I don't want to!"
He didn't want to get married!
He put on a serious face, "Auntie Lian, I've really thought about it. I'm still young, and this is the time to focus on my career. I've decided to help my dad with the street stall. I don't have time for a relationship, and I'm definitely not in a hurry to find a partner."
Auntie Lian: "..."
She looked at him suspiciously.
Li Weiwei insisted, "Really!"
Auntie Lian: "Did something happen to you?"
Li Weiwei: "No."
Auntie Lian wasn't about to let him off the hook. This was a favor Aunt Wang had asked of her, and she was determined to see it through.
Auntie Lian strode into the courtyard, and Li Weiwei followed reluctantly, whimpering.
Sure enough, Aunt Wang hadn't heard Li Weiwei's earlier protests. She glared at him and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? What street stall? Your dad has a perfectly good job, why would he need to set up a stall? And you, you're at the perfect age to find a partner. Date for about a year, then get married. It's the perfect timing. Your mom got married at your age, and look how well things turned out for her. The earlier you get married, the sooner you can settle down. Stop being so difficult!"
Li Weiwei stood firm, "No!"
Aunt Wang's face darkened, "Don't you dare upset me."
Li Weiwei immediately clung to his grandmother's leg, "Grandma, I really don't want to get married! Please, don't make me go on blind dates. I'm at an age where I just can't handle it."
"If you can't handle it now, you won't be able to handle it in a couple of years either."
"Forced matches never work out."
He just didn't understand why his grandma wasn't pressuring his older brother but kept pushing him instead.
He was miserable!
"Anyway, I won't do it."
Aunt Wang was furious, but Auntie Lian was puzzled, "Why don't you want to? The girl I'm introducing this time, although she's not from around here, is very pretty, gentle, and knows how to manage a household. She's also very filial. If you meet her, you'll see for yourself. She's really outstanding."
She added honestly, "The only downside is that she's not a local, but that can be a good thing too. Since her family isn't nearby, you won't have to deal with in-law issues. Isn't that great? Local girls are nice, but sometimes having in-laws close by can be troublesome. This girl is from Lianhua Village, and her name is Wen Lian. Just hearing her name, you can tell she's someone you'd want to cherish."
She continued, "The girl is really beautiful."
Li Weiwei remained firm, "I don't want to."
"No, whether you want to or not, you're going to meet her!"
Aunt Wang was adamant, and Li the Cook, who had just arrived, was even more resolute. He directly ordered his grandson to meet the girl. They were determined to force him into it.
Li Weiwei: "..."
Misery!
He looked at his family with a pitiful expression, feeling like they didn't care about his feelings at all. He wasn't some breeding pig that had to be paired up at a certain age to produce piglets.
He shouted, "No! I absolutely refuse! If anyone wants to meet her, they can go! I'm not doing it!"
With that, he ran off, and as soon as he dashed out the door, he saw a group of kids eavesdropping under his window.
Oh no!
They'd been caught!
The group of kids, including Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, scattered immediately, "Run!"
Li Weiwei: "..."
