Zhao Guihua was living life with great vigor and energy.
This was just how life went. As a 47-year-old housewife approaching 50, one couldn't expect her to have any extraordinary abilities. For now, she just focused on getting by. Though she was bold, she knew better than to jeopardize her family members' status as factory workers.
In the early 1980s, being a factory worker was still something to be proud of.
Moreover, worker comrades were considered the most respectable members of the working class, and Zhao Guihua was well aware of this. If she got caught at the black market, it might affect their jobs, and that was something she absolutely wouldn't risk!
Though she was bold, she knew her limits.
Zhao Guihua thought that catching a couple of rabbits and fishing to improve their family's meals was the most practical thing she could do at this stage. As she rode her bicycle down the mountain, she happened upon a patch of wild strawberries. Seeing the ground strawberries had turned red, Zhao Guihua didn't hesitate - she started picking them right away!
In her previous life, their family had lived in the city and rarely ventured into the suburban mountains. To be honest, as city folks, they were actually quite afraid of going up the mountains, always imagining them to be full of wolves and tigers. Too dangerous.
But now in this second chance at life, Zhao Guihua wasn't afraid of anything.
She knew this wasn't a big mountain - it stood alone, and there weren't any large animals. If there were, word would have gotten out long ago. After picking the wild strawberries, she cycled home. By the time Zhao Guihua returned, it was late afternoon, approaching evening.
Every household had started cooking dinner, and there weren't any women chatting in the courtyard as usual. This day was different - everyone had watched quite a show last night, gotten little sleep, and didn't have much energy today.
When Zhao Guihua parked her bicycle and entered the house, she found not Zhuang Zhiyuan but Liang Meifen, who had come home in the afternoon to catch up on sleep. Her husband was at the hospital keeping watch, and Xiao Yanzi had been taken there too. Liang Meifen, who had been dozing off, heard the door open and quickly rubbed her eyes as she got up, "Mom, you're back? What did you... Holy cow!"
Liang Meifen couldn't help herself, feeling a bit embarrassed after blurting that out, but she was still shocked: "Mom, did you go to the black market...?"
Zhao Guihua replied: "Black market my foot! That's not a place you can visit regularly. I went up the mountain in the suburbs, to the same spot where we caught rabbits last time. I went to scout it out again, and look, I caught two more rabbits."
Liang Meifen's eyes lit up, and she said happily: "That's wonderful! Mom, next time take me with you, I can help you."
Zhao Guihua snorted and said: "We'll see how you behave. How's Hutou doing?"
"Nothing serious. He seems to be in good spirits. Mom, we don't really need to stay for three days, do we? That's a lot of money. I think the hospital just wants to make money. Kids bounce back so quickly, he's already jumping around!"
Zhao Guihua gave Liang Meifen a cold look and scolded: "Are you stupid? That's your son - how can you worry about money at a time like this? You don't even know what's worth spending on and what's worth saving. Let me tell you, you need to pay me back for the hospitalization fees I paid yesterday. I may provide your food and don't charge you for utilities or cleaning, but I'm not paying for your child's medical expenses!"
She knew this wasn't entirely Liang Meifen's fault - everyone thought the same way these days, believing there was no need for observation if nothing seemed wrong. But Zhao Guihua didn't see it that way. They didn't know anything about medicine, so they had to listen to the doctor. If the doctor said observation was needed, they should follow the medical advice since they knew nothing.
It was one thing to be foolish, but it was worse to be foolish and think you're clever.
She said: "Yesterday cost seven yuan, you need to pay me back."
Liang Meifen's mood instantly dropped. Her heart felt like it was being hammered and then dunked in a pool of bitter herbs. How could her mother-in-law ask her for money?
How could she demand money from her?
Liang Meifen felt bitter inside, but she still had to pay. She couldn't afford to offend her mother-in-law. Even Jiang Lu, who was bold enough to argue with Old Bai, was usually kept in check by her mother-in-law!
This was just how it was for daughters-in-law.
Just had to endure it.
Liang Meifen said: "Mom, Zhiyuan handles our money. I'll have him pay you when he gets back."
Zhao Guihua nodded and said: "Fine. Now cook the rabbit - use half of it, stew it with potatoes. Wash these strawberries and put them in a lunch box. We'll take them to the children later. There aren't many, so we won't share with others - just let Hutou and Xiao Yanzi have this treat."
When Liang Meifen heard this, she immediately perked up. It was exclusively for her children, and the third son's family wouldn't get any. She instantly became happy, her eyes crinkling with joy as she said: "Alright, will do!"
As long as she got some advantage, she was happy.
Liang Meifen started cooking efficiently. Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua took a rest - she had been busy all day and was quite tired. Sitting on a stool to rest her feet, she said: "I saw a chestnut tree today."
Liang Meifen's hand trembled as she looked excitedly at her mother-in-law.
Her mother-in-law was really something!
Zhao Guihua continued: "They're not ripe yet, and no one has touched them. Don't know if anyone else knows about them. When autumn comes, we should go there frequently. Chestnuts are delicious."
Living in the city, they had nothing except what their ration books allowed. No matter what kind of grain it was, it was limited. Though their family's ration wasn't small since they had many adults, they were all big eaters. There wasn't much left over.
So whenever there was a chance for free food like this, Liang Meifen was especially pleased. She said proudly: "That's wonderful news. I'll go with you when the time comes."
Zhao Guihua: "Alright, we'll mobilize the whole family then. We'll take as much as we can get - we can't miss out."
"Absolutely!"
Liang Meifen: "We need to keep this secret, otherwise Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou will copy us. If they see... Oh?" Liang Meifen's voice trailed off as she scratched her head and said: "Hasn't Aunt Zhou come back yet?"
Zhao Guihua started: "Not back?"
But then she thought about it and slapped her thigh, laughing: "Well, that's not bad at all."
That old witch was so mean-spirited, a few more days in detention would serve her right. Though she didn't think the detention would last very long, one more day was still one more day. She felt happy just hearing about it. Zhao Guihua: "She's getting what she deserves. See? This is karma."
Liang Meifen nodded and laughed along, even more heartily.
Aunt Zhou had the nastiest mouth of all. When Liang Meifen had given her work position to her brother, she already couldn't hold her head high at home, yet Aunt Zhou would still gossip with neighbors both openly and behind her back, calling her an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.
This had really struck a nerve with Liang Meifen. People were just like that.
If Liang Meifen hadn't been that kind of person herself, she might not have been so angry. It was precisely because she felt somewhat guilty that when Aunt Zhou said those things, she became as furious as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Now seeing Aunt Zhou in trouble, she felt like setting off firecrackers in celebration.
"I bet she won't be coming back anytime soon. Zhou Qun is still in the hospital, and Jiang Lu is taking care of her husband. Who has time to deal with a mother-in-law? Besides, Jiang Lu probably hopes her evil mother-in-law stays locked up longer to ease her own grievances."
Zhao Guihua gave Liang Meifen a meaningful look, making her heart skip a beat. She quickly said: "Mom, I'm not like her."
Zhao Guihua: "Bah, you'd better wish me well. I won't get locked up - we're not the type to steal other people's houses."
"Mom, of course you're not that kind of person. You're such a good person. Oh right, Mom, is sister-in-law not coming home for dinner tonight?"
She remembered Ming Mei was supposed to visit her parents' home tonight, as instructed by her mother-in-law.
Zhao Guihua nodded, and Liang Meifen looked down at the wild rabbit, feeling even more delighted. See, see? Even though Ming Mei was good at flattery, as the eldest daughter-in-law, she wasn't just all talk. Even with Ming Mei absent, they still got to eat well.
Her lips curved up high as she cooked with great enthusiasm.
In these times, every household's meals were plain and simple. If someone just fried an egg, the smell would attract attention, let alone stewing rabbit. Soon, people could smell it. Aunt Su's house was the closest, and she cursed quietly at home: "Those shameless people, always showing off. Eating meat now - hope they choke on it..."
She sniffed the air again - hmm, not stewed meat, chicken maybe? Something like that.
"That old hypocrite must have gone to the black market. Your family makes so much money, and you're just showing off. One child in the hospital? The whole family should be hospitalized! What a curse. Why weren't you arrested and your whole family fired from their jobs? Let your family starve!" Aunt Su muttered angrily at home, worrying about how to discuss this with her three children. If they caught the smell, Hutou would definitely demand food.
It really was causing trouble for their family.
Aunt Su felt frustrated at home. She wanted to go ask for some, but felt too embarrassed. This kind of thing was fine for a daughter-in-law to do - after all, she had no shame - but not for her. She could have done such things when she was young and struggling, but as she got older, she cared more about saving face.
While she was hesitating, she heard Aunt Wang's loud voice in the courtyard: "Zhao Guihua, you're living too well! How come you're stewing meat when it's not even a holiday?"
Though Aunt Wang was passionate about being the yard supervisor, she wasn't a calculating person and would speak her mind directly. Zhao Guihua didn't take offense - it depended on who was speaking. Some people spoke with ill intent, while others were just making casual conversation.
Zhao Guihua replied: "My Hutou is in the hospital, doesn't he need some good food to recover?"
"This doesn't quite look like regular meat."
Zhao Guihua: "It's rabbit. My eldest grandson is sick, you see? I figured the child would want something nice to eat, so I went to the outskirts. I went to where I caught rabbits last time. I wasn't sure I'd find anything, but would you believe my luck? I struck gold again!"
Aunt Wang was shocked: "You're really something!"
Zhao Guihua smiled proudly and said, "How could I not be? I have to be!"
Though Aunt Wang wasn't particularly cunning, she realized that Zhao Guihua must have found a rabbit warren. But regardless, she didn't ask further questions - who would tell others about such a lucky find?
Meat was hard to come by these days.
She gave a thumbs up, "You're amazing."
Zhao Guihua: "Of course! I might not show it usually, but when I do show off a bit, I'm quite impressive."
"Tsk!" Aunt Wang couldn't take it anymore and said, "Alright, I need to go home and cook. No point chatting away here. Oh right, do you know if Aunt Zhou is coming back today?"
Zhao Guihua replied with a half-smile: "You sure know how to ask! How would I know? I've been out in the suburbs all day! Even if I were home, I wouldn't know. You know I don't have those connections."
"That's true."
Aunt Wang hesitated before saying, "We'll see tomorrow then."
Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "I bet her son and daughter-in-law have already taken care of everything."
"That's true, otherwise they wouldn't have come home so drunk." Even Jiang Lu had been drinking. If they hadn't been drinking, the couple wouldn't have been so angry. It was mostly the alcohol talking.
She said, "Well, I should go home and make dinner."
"Listen to you - your daughter Li Fang is at home, why would you need to?"
Aunt Wang laughed, her daughter was indeed capable.
Zhao Guihua couldn't help but think of her own daughter. Her daughter was capable too, just too capable and strong-willed. She had stubbornly insisted on getting married and barely came home once in several years. Her son-in-law was a soldier on an island, and her daughter had followed him there. Even sending things to them was quite troublesome.
Zhao Guihua: "Ah, my daughter..."
Aunt Wang heard the sadness in her voice and said, "Your second child is living well, you don't need to worry. Her husband treats her well, and her in-laws aren't around. That's not bad."
Zhao Guihua: "I know that, but they're so far away. Who doesn't want their daughter nearby, where you can see them whenever you want? Never mind, there's no point talking about this. She's already married, it's not like I can bring her back."
"You really couldn't bring her back - marriage is free choice nowadays."
Zhao Guihua: "Oh, stop it, are you just trying to argue with me? Can't I just vent a little? You know what, with Aunt Zhou gone, I can't even find someone to argue with."
Aunt Wang: "...You're really something."
Well, she wouldn't mess around with her old friend anymore. Time to go home!
Zhao Guihua also turned to go home...
Who hadn't come home?
The legendary figure everyone talked about, Aunt Zhou, still hadn't returned home.
She had been brought in by the factory security department yesterday morning. Although Aunt Zhou was quite unlikeable, her character was questionable, and her actions were hard to defend, because she hadn't caused any serious consequences, it was difficult to justify any severe punishment.
After all, the incident wasn't that serious, and she was elderly.
Being "an elderly person" sometimes served as a good shield, regardless of whether that elderly person was worthy of respect or not.
Although the security department had brought her in, they understood this principle, so they had anticipated from the start that Aunt Zhou would just receive a minor punishment as a warning. When they heard that Zhou Qun's father-in-law was hosting a dinner for the factory director that evening, the security department understood everything.
That's what having connections could do.
Who knows what the factory director was thinking, but Zhou Qun's father-in-law chose to host the factory leaders at their small factory cafeteria, presumably to send a message to the security department, letting them figure out the implications. In any case, the security department knew that the next time Zhou Qun came to collect his mother, they would have to release her.
The factory director got a favor, the department chief got some cigarettes, but poor them - they got nothing except being cursed as watchdogs by an old woman. They couldn't help feeling angry. They wouldn't actually do anything to Aunt Zhou - that would give people something to talk about - but every profession had its ways, and dealing with her wasn't that difficult.
Aunt Zhou had been brought in yesterday morning and had been handcuffed to a water pipe the entire time. After more than a day and a half of standing on tiptoes, her legs felt like they were about to break, and one arm was aching terribly from being cuffed up high.
The old woman who had been cursing people arrogantly yesterday now couldn't even shout. She had yelled for most of yesterday, and now her voice was hoarse and speaking was difficult. She was suffering, miserable, and hungry - yes, the security department wouldn't waste food on her, and she hadn't eaten for over a day.
Aunt Zhou was barely hanging on, feeling like she was about to die. And her precious son still hadn't shown up. The security department hadn't originally planned to keep the old woman for so long. The factory director's assistant had come by this morning with instructions that when Zhou Qun came to collect her, they should have the old woman apologize to everyone and that would be the end of it. Zhou Qun had also promised to keep his mother in check and prevent such incidents from happening again.
Thinking about it, the matter wasn't that complicated. However, unexpectedly, Zhou Qun hadn't come to collect her, hadn't even come to work. The reason? - He was in the hospital.
This put the security department in a difficult position. The factory director had said to release her when Zhou Qun came to collect her, but Zhou Qun hadn't come. They couldn't just release her on their own - wouldn't that be disobeying leadership?
The security department was truly in a bind.
It really was quite a predicament.
Having a young woman stuck with them would be one thing, but having a howling old woman on their hands - what were they supposed to do?
Everyone was suffering. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and Aunt Zhou was miserable too. She had yelled until nightfall yesterday, but no matter how much she called out, nobody came to release her - only to curse at her. Even Zhou Qun hadn't appeared.
At first, Aunt Zhou wasn't afraid at all. Who was her son? He was a level-seven electrician at the factory, a technical expert. Such a capable person could be called a young talent without exaggeration. She thought that with her son being so impressive, even the factory director would have to grovel to him. Perhaps her son would even become the factory director someday.
However, as time passed, Aunt Zhou's confidence began to waver, and she started to feel afraid. Why hadn't anyone come? Her Zhou Qun was nowhere to be seen. She thought Zhou Qun must not know about this - if he knew, how could he not come to help her?
These heartless people really knew how to torment someone, deliberately handcuffing her to the heating pipe so she couldn't stand properly, just to make her suffer. But by this point, Aunt Zhou no longer dared to curse freely. She cried out in pain, begging for mercy, but still no one paid her any attention.
After a night, Aunt Zhou's hair was as messy as a bird's nest, her voice was too hoarse to speak loudly, and her entire body ached from the ordeal. What was even more hateful was that these people wouldn't give her a drop of water or a grain of rice - these heartless wretches.
When she gained power, when her son became the factory director, she would definitely fire all these people!
Looking at the prospect of indefinite confinement, Aunt Zhou was truly frightened now, terribly scared. She wished she could kneel down and beg heaven to make Zhou Qun come rescue her from this predicament. However, as darkness was approaching again, Zhou Qun still hadn't come. Aunt Zhou sobbed quietly, as her inflamed throat couldn't produce loud cries anymore.
"Qun, my dear Qun, please come take mother home. Please spare me, please let me go. I won't fight for the house anymore. I was wrong, isn't that enough?"
"Give me something to eat, give me some water, please have mercy..."
"I want to go home, I was wrong, I was so wrong... I'll never dare do it again..."
No matter how quietly she whimpered, no one paid any attention to her. Aunt Zhou cried, "I'm going to die, I'm surely going to die. Please let me go, I was wrong, I was wrong..."
She kept repeating herself. The security guards passing by her detention room frowned. One of them, Wang Er, couldn't take it anymore and complained back in the office: "Damn, I'm speechless. Zhou Qun is too cruel, not even caring about his own mother."
Security guard Zhang San asked: "What? You feel sorry for her?"
There were really quite a lot of people named Zhang San and Li Si these days.
Even that thief from before had the same name.
Wang Er spat: "Pah! Me, feel sorry for her? What a joke! That old hag called me a watchdog yesterday. I'd have to be pretty pathetic to feel sorry for her. I'm on duty tonight, and this troublemaker keeps whimpering like a ghost. How am I supposed to sleep?"
Zhang San: "Come on, your complaining is nothing. I was on duty last night, and this old lady went from cursing people to begging for mercy. My god, her voice was so shrill, like a cat scratching a cardboard box. It made my skin crawl. She annoyed me so much I had to patrol outside all night."
He pointed at his face: "Look at these dark circles under my eyes. I didn't sleep at all."
"You're not the only one with dark circles today. Hey, did you hear Zhou Qun and his wife got into a fight with Bai Fendou?"
The two started gossiping in low voices. Bai Fendou was one of their security guards, but he wasn't particularly close with the others in the security department. He had low emotional intelligence and often said offensive things. Plus, he spent all his attention on the widow, so others didn't respect him much.
"Oh, this news spread early this morning. Let me tell you, it's about the widow Wang Xiangxiu..."
"What? Are they both involved with her? Fighting over the widow?"
"No way, you're way off. Zhou Qun may put on airs, but I've never heard of him having any issues with women. But Bai Fendou... hehe. Listen, they say Wang Xiangxiu's son was caught red-handed stealing from Zhou Qun's house when no one was home. Then Bai Fendou came out defending the widow and straight up hit Zhou Qun."
"Damn, what kind of person is he, defending a thief? How did our security department end up with such a bad apple?"
As security guards, they really looked down on thieves and petty criminals. Now they looked down on Bai Fendou even more. "So then..."
"They say Bai Fendou knocked Zhou Qun down and fell right on top of him, damaged his kidney. Think about it - it's his kidney! His kidney! This affects Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu's happiness for the rest of their lives. Plus, Zhou Qun doesn't have any children yet. Jiang Lu got furious and smashed a brick right on Bai Fendou's head. So they all ended up in the hospital."
"Never thought Jiang Lu had it in her."
"Well, it wasn't serious before because it didn't involve kidneys, right? Listen, this is what I heard personally, others don't know this - they say Zhou Qun agreed not to pursue charges about the widow's son stealing or his own injury, and Bai Fendou won't pursue Jiang Lu for cracking his head open. Neither side will report to the factory, and they'll pay their own medical expenses."
"Damn... going all out for a widow, how disgusting!"
"Disgusting indeed!"
While they were gossiping, suddenly someone knocked on the window. Zhang San went over and was surprised to see Zhuang Zhixi, looking smart and handsome in a wool coat. Zhang San looked enviously at his clothes and opened the window, saying, "Doctor Zhuang, what brings you here?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Whatever, let them think what they want.
People seemed to never understand that he wasn't actually a doctor.
But he was used to it, really used to it. He smiled and said, "I'm heading to the hospital later and wanted to ask if Aunt Zhou needs me to pass any message to Zhou Qun."
His expression was so sincere, looking truly genuine.
Zhang San and Wang Er both remarked: "Doctor Zhuang, you're such a good person. Why bother with someone like her?"
Zhuang Zhixi lowered his eyes, speaking even more sincerely: "What she did wasn't right, but we're still neighbors in the same courtyard. I think we shouldn't let things get too tense. Otherwise, how can we face each other in the future? It's not like we can move away. We can't just glare at each other every time we meet. My elders are furious, but I think it's better to keep things peaceful. By the way, she probably doesn't know about Zhou Qun being hospitalized, right? Sigh. Zhou Qun injured his kidney - his kidney!"
Zhuang Zhixi looked very concerned.
Zhang San and Wang Er quickly asked for first-hand information: "Is it serious? Will it affect his ability to have children?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows! Even if it does, it's not like someone else can do it for him."
"That's true."
"Indeed!"
The two felt that young Doctor Zhuang was such a good person - even though he was a victim, he still took the initiative to help. Such spirit was truly admirable. Zhang San said: "Come in, Doctor Zhuang."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."
He walked in and said: "About Aunt Zhou..."
"Come, I'll take you to her. Really, never seen such a kind person like you. You know what they say about... what's that saying about doctors having something like parents' hearts?"
Zhuang Zhixi blinked: "A doctor's heart is like a parent's heart?"
"Yes, that's it! See, you really have a good heart."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled noncommittally but still said sincerely: "I'm just thinking about the harmony in our compound. Otherwise, it's awkward seeing each other all the time..."
"That's true, you are neighbors after all."
"Exactly."
When Aunt Zhou heard the sound of the door lock turning and people talking, she didn't even care that the voice sounded nothing like her son's. She quickly tried to shout: "Son, my dear Qun, your mother has suffered terribly! You've finally come!"
She suddenly found her voice again despite being hoarse earlier.
Creak, the door opened.
Dear Qun?
Not a chance!
Who was this person before her?
Aunt Zhou's already pale face turned even whiter. Damn it, the person who came wasn't her son Zhou Qun, but the completely unexpected Zhuang Zhixi. She was stunned, as if something was stuck in her throat, unable to say a word.
She stared at Zhuang Zhixi like a strangled chicken.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled gently and said: "Aunt Zhou, I've come to see you."
Madam Zhou Li: "..."
Usually, she would definitely curse at him, but after being locked up for more than a day, she was scared and had no strength or energy left. She could only stare blankly at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi smiled at Aunt Zhou, and seeing her disheveled state, his smile grew even gentler.
"Where... where is Qun?" Aunt Zhou finally squeezed out a few words from her throat.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Aunt Zhou, that's exactly why I'm here. I'm going to the hospital later, would you like me to pass any message to Zhou Qun?"
Aunt Zhou: "???"
Having suffered so much, her mind wasn't working well. It took her a while to react, then she anxiously asked: "What happened to Zhou Qun? What did you do to him?"
Zhuang Zhixi looked innocent: "Aunt Zhou, how can you say that? I didn't do anything to Brother Zhou. His kidney was injured when Bai Fendou fell on him. He's in the hospital now. I just thought I'd come ask if you wanted me to pass along any message, how could you misunderstand me like this? Have you ever seen me fight? From childhood until now, I've never been involved in any of the fights in our alley. I'm a civilized person."
Aunt Zhou thought about it and realized there was some truth to this. Although Zhuang Zhixi had been quite annoying since childhood, he wasn't the type of kid who would get physical. This remained true even as he grew up. Aunt Zhou overlooked the fact that Zhuang Zhixi had once caught a thief, but even if she had remembered, she would have thought that catching a thief didn't necessarily require physical force!
Indeed, when Zhuang Zhixi caught the thief, he didn't use his own hands.
Soon, Aunt Zhou processed what Zhuang Zhixi had said, and her face darkened: "Kidneys? What kidneys? My son... damn you, Bai Fendou! You're just a lonely bachelor who'll never have children, and now you want to harm my son..."
Aunt Zhou began wailing, and Zhuang Zhixi reminded her: "Aunt Zhou, are you sure you don't want me to pass along a message?"
If Zhao Guihua were here, she would definitely be reminded of an old comedy sketch, the one with Lao Mao and Comrade Peis, where Huang Jun says "Let me pass along a message..." - the tone was exactly the same! Just from the intonation, you could tell he wasn't up to any good.
But people these days were simple-minded and never suspected that Zhuang Zhixi had come not to help but to cause trouble, so he still maintained his reputation as a good person.
"His waist, what happened to my son's waist?"
This is why they say a parent's love knows no bounds. Even in such a miserable state, this old lady was still worried about her good-for-nothing son.
Zhuang Zhixi sighed deeply for them, saying: "Don't worry too much. When I saw him being carried onto the cart yesterday, he was still conscious."
"What?!"
Aunt Zhou wailed: "He had to be carried? My son, my eldest son! Let me go, let me go! I need to see my son, I need to see my son..."
She then turned to curse at Zhuang Zhixi: "You little brat, I watched you grow up! Hurry up and find a way to get me out of here, you disrespectful..."
Zhuang Zhixi replied: "How can you... why are you snapping at people like a mad dog! I came with good intentions, but you immediately attack me. How disappointing! Well, I'd better leave then. Seems like you don't need me to pass along any messages."
As he left, he said: "See, no good deed goes unpunished."
Zhang San said: "You shouldn't have tried to be nice. Doctor Zhuang, you don't understand - some people are just bad to the core. Just because they're old doesn't mean they deserve respect. They're just bad people who got old."
Zhuang Zhixi nodded, looking at Zhang San admiringly: "What you just said is so true. Not many people could express something so profound."
Zhang San: "Oh, come on!"
He scratched his head and said: "I've just seen a lot working in security, that's all."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, not everyone who works in security has such insights. You're just on a different intellectual level."
These words made Zhang San beam with happiness. He felt that Doctor Zhuang was truly a good person: "Come on, I'll walk you out. Don't worry about that old lady anymore. Let her suffer here tonight. I doubt her son will come to get her. Heh, unless her son comes to apologize to everyone, she won't be leaving security."
Zhuang Zhixi's eyelashes flickered slightly as he smiled and said: "You're doing this for her own good. I'm sure even if she's released, she'll thank you. Think about it - she's learned her lesson this time, so she won't do such inappropriate and illegal things again. It's like saving an old lady with backward thinking. On the contrary, if she hadn't learned her lesson and instead got away with it, she would only become more aggressive. Each time would be worse than the last, and eventually, she'd face serious consequences! So you're actually the heroes who saved her life. If she understands this, she should bring gifts to everyone in the security office. You've truly helped her. People should know how to be grateful."
"Exactly, exactly!" Zhang San slapped his thigh as he thought about it and said: "What you're saying makes perfect sense."
Wang Er nodded vigorously too. Some people in the factory always looked down on their security department behind their backs, thinking they were too controlling. But they never considered who ultimately benefits from their work!
"Doctor Zhuang, you really understand how we feel."
Zhuang Zhixi said seriously: "I'm just stating facts. Anyone with a brain should think this way."
"Right, right, right!"
Zhuang Zhixi chatted with the two security guards at the door for a while, still faintly hearing Madam Zhou Li's heart-wrenching cries. He curved his lips slightly and said: "Well, I should go now. I have other matters to attend to."
"Alright, take care, Doctor Zhuang."
After leaving the factory, Zhuang Zhixi didn't go to any hospital but went straight home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he smelled the aroma of meat. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked toward his house. He smiled as he entered: "Mom, good food again?"
Zhao Guihua: "Why didn't you just come back tomorrow morning?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Well, I was just exercising my virtuous character by checking on Aunt Zhou."
Zhao Guihua snorted: "You went to laugh at her misfortune, didn't you?"
Zhuang Zhixi put on a serious face: "Am I that kind of person?"
Zhao Guihua: "You are exactly that kind of person. I know exactly what you're up to just by looking at you. You've been full of tricks since you were little."
Zhuang Zhixi looked innocent, feeling that his mother had really misunderstood him. He was such a good young man; how could she think he would do such things? He was just being neighborly, why couldn't she understand? He said: "Mom, look at you, you're breaking my heart."
Zhao Guihua: "Hmph."
She didn't believe a single word, not even the punctuation marks.
But she still asked: "How is Aunt Zhou?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "She won't die."
"Pfft!"
Liang Meifen, his sister-in-law, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Zhuang Zhixi: "The security office didn't do anything to her, just locked her up. She's still in decent shape, probably just weak from not eating, but her spirit is fine - she can still yell quite loudly."
"When has she ever lacked spirit? Nobody would believe that," Zhao Guihua said.
Liang Meifen quickly nodded in agreement.
The three of them ate together, and Zhuang Zhixi said: "Grandfather treated me to Donglaishun for lunch today."
Zhao Guihua: "..."
She looked up at Zhuang Zhixi: "Have you no shame? Letting an elder treat you to a meal?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Mom, you really shouldn't criticize people so quickly... Actually, I wanted to treat him, but I didn't have enough meat coupons, so the old man treated me instead. We're family anyway. Oh right, Grandfather is moving tomorrow, and I'll come back to help."
Zhao Guihua: "As you should."
"Grandfather is really quite interesting. I think we get along well."
Despite having eaten meat for lunch, Zhuang Zhixi had no trouble eating heartily at dinner, taking big bites of meat. His mouth wasn't idle either, chattering away.
Zhao Guihua: "I know you get along!"
In their previous life, the old man and the young one had gotten along well, getting into plenty of "mischief" together.
She said: "Ming Mei is going back to her parents' house tonight. Go pick her up later, so she won't be unsafe in the dark." Although she knew that if any troublemakers encountered Ming Mei, it wasn't clear who would be in more danger, but Ming Mei was still a girl, and it would be better to have someone accompany her.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, I'll go over in a bit, though I expect my father-in-law will probably escort her. If he's not home, my brother-in-law will."
Zhao Guihua: "Their escorting is their business. You're her husband - how can you not take care of anything?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "What do you mean? Didn't I say I'm going? It's perfect timing to get some snacks too. My in-laws' house has lots of snacks. I'll eat some and bring some back."
Zhao Guihua stood up: "Where's my eight-meter sword?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Calm down, calm down, Mom. Look at you - how can you still be so fierce at your age!"
He felt his life was really difficult, so he quickly said: "Sister-in-law, would you mind replacing my brother at the hospital later? I can take you there, and we can check on Hutou, then I'll head straight to my in-laws' place from the hospital."
Liang Meifen stared at Zhuang Zhixi in amazement, her heart skipping a beat. After some hesitation, she said: "Okay, alright."
She wondered if her brother-in-law was setting her up for something.
It's no wonder Liang Meifen thought this way. She knew that Zhuang Zhixi had held a grudge against her because of previous incidents. Having been married into the family for several years now, even a fool like Liang Meifen understood that her brother-in-law wasn't as harmless as he appeared on the surface.
He was the type who would always go two steps further if you took one step against him.
The pitiful thing was that whether she complained to her own family or the neighbors, nobody believed her. They all said she was naturally prejudiced against her brother-in-law and was overthinking things. "Oh, Zhuang Zhixi," they'd say, "although he can be a bit loose-tongued sometimes, he's mostly pure-hearted. He's simple-minded and not a bad person at all."
Liang Meifen found it absurd - were these people blind?!
At times like these, Liang Meifen had to admit that her mother-in-law knew better. Though her mother-in-law was fierce and difficult to deal with, she was quite good at reading people.
She coughed and said, "Actually, actually Hutou is fine, you don't have to go. He'll be back the day after tomorrow."
Zhuang Zhixi replied, "How can that be? How can I, as his uncle, not visit my nephew? Besides, children get bored in the hospital. Having someone visit will cheer him up."
Liang Meifen: "Oh... oh, okay."
Since the people at the hospital hadn't eaten yet, they didn't want to delay. After finishing their meal, they got on their bicycles to head to the hospital. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Sister-in-law, you should give me a ride. If I were to give you a ride, people would gossip."
Liang Meifen: "..."
Wouldn't they gossip if I give you a ride too?
As if reading her mind, Zhuang Zhixi said, "If you give me a ride, people won't think that way. They'll just wonder, 'What's up with that young man?'"
Liang Meifen: "..."
She remained silent and quickly packed up the lunch boxes into a mesh bag before heading out. Zhuang Zhixi offered, "Let me carry that."
Sitting on the back seat, he smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, why hasn't your younger brother visited you lately?"
Liang Meifen: "..."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Didn't he used to come secretly before? He hasn't come much this year. Why is that? Is it because you're out of money?"
Liang Meifen: "..."
Liang Meifen nearly crashed into a ditch, feeling bitter inside. What the hell was he talking about?! Her brother wasn't that kind of person! But... but her brother really hadn't visited her for a long time, and not just him - her entire family barely contacted her anymore.
Liang Meifen bit her lip.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Hey, sister-in-law, even if you don't like me, you should ride properly. Why are you zigzagging? Be careful - if you make me fall, I'll have to complain to my wife."
Liang Meifen: "..." Damn it! What nonsense are you spouting! You spineless pretty boy!
Liang Meifen kept her mouth shut like a sealed gourd.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Sister-in-law, since you lost your job, you've become less talkative. People really shouldn't be without work."
Liang Meifen forced out a sentence: "Third brother, is work busy at the factory?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "That's quite an abrupt change of topic, isn't it?"
Liang Meifen took deep breaths and said, "Ha, haha!!!"
She declared to herself that Zhuang Zhixi was the most annoying person in the world.
