My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 213

The weather in late autumn, though called late autumn, had already entered winter according to the solar terms.

The days were changing rapidly. Yesterday had been warm, but today was cold. A single rain could drop the temperature by several degrees. As the saying goes, "One autumn rain brings one chill," and it truly felt that way.

While others could simply add a layer of clothing when it got cold, Little Cai wasn't so lucky. Trapped in the sewer, he cried out to the heavens and the earth, but no one answered. His teeth chattered from the cold, but fortunately, the rain had one small benefit: it helped him find a manhole cover through the leaking water. He finally pushed it open and escaped.

Stumbling out, he looked around, momentarily disoriented. It was the dead of night, and the streets were empty. The fine rain was mixed with tiny hailstones, or perhaps snowflakes, falling on him and making him stagger.

He had been trapped for over a day and night, truly an unlucky soul. If he hadn't gotten out soon, he might have fainted from hunger. Thankfully, the rain had helped him escape. He could barely stand, shivering as he crawled. Where was he?

Looking around, he realized he wasn't far from Xinghua Lane. Though the area was unfamiliar, he vaguely recognized the sign of the machinery factory. Struggling to his feet, he hadn't taken a step before he noticed a few shady characters attempting to climb over a wall.

Little Cai was so startled that he fell with a loud thud. The figures turned at the noise, and Little Cai immediately tried to run. But before he could, they screamed, "A ghost!!!"

Indeed, who wouldn't be terrified encountering such a scene in the middle of the night? They screamed and fled in all directions.

Little Cai reached out, "Wait..."

But no one paid him any attention. As they scattered, a few security guards from the machinery factory emerged, shouting, "You little brats, what are you up to?"

Little Cai lay on the ground, not daring to move. Fortunately, there were no lights, so he played dead. As the guards chased after the teenagers, he summoned all his remaining strength, jumped up, and bolted.

"Hey, there's another one over here!"

"Chase him, quick!"

Little Cai ran as fast as he could. Luck was on his side—the teenagers had bought him some time, and he managed to lose his pursuers. Though he ran aimlessly, he eventually found a hiding spot and avoided capture.

In those days, the factory security was almost as formidable as the police, and they didn't hesitate when it came to catching troublemakers.

Having narrowly escaped, Little Cai was completely exhausted. The cold rain pelted his face, and he felt utterly miserable.

Though he had no strength left, he knew he couldn't stay hidden. Given the weather, staying out all night would surely lead to hypothermia. Besides, he was starving, his stomach burning with hunger.

He could endure pain and cold, but hunger was another matter. He hadn't eaten in several meals. Looking up at the sky, he silently wept, "Heaven, why are you treating me this way? Why!"

He felt that this was the most painful experience a person could endure.

He tried to get up but had no strength left.

"Girls at eighteen are like flowers..."

As Little Cai struggled to rise, he heard someone singing a tune. He immediately froze, not daring to move. The person hummed and swayed as they walked by. Little Cai held his breath, terrified of being discovered. Life was truly difficult for him.

Just as he thought the heavens were mocking him again, he suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!"

Overjoyed, he cried out, "Fan Debiao!"

Fan Debiao was returning from a visit to a certain widow's house, feeling quite pleased with himself, when suddenly someone leaped out at him, screaming, "Fan Debiao!"

Fan Debiao shouted, "What the hell!"

He kicked out, and Little Cai fell to the ground with a thud.

Lying there, Little Cai cried, "Fan Debiao, it's me, Little Cai!"

Fan Debiao felt a chill run through him, thinking he'd seen a ghost. But ghosts probably weren't this weak.

He stared at the figure as Little Cai shivered and sobbed, "Why did you kick me? It's me!"

Fan Debiao quickly pulled out a flashlight and shone it on the figure. The person before him was covered in filth, as if he'd just crawled out of a mud pit. Suddenly, Fan Debiao recalled the rumors of a thief escaping into the sewers.

So it was him.

Stammering, Fan Debiao asked, "H-how did you end up here?"

Interestingly, ever since the incident where he accidentally killed Zheng Yufeng, Fan Debiao's stutter had mostly disappeared. He spoke normally most of the time, though in critical moments, it still resurfaced.

He continued, "D-did you just crawl out of the sewer?"

Little Cai nodded vigorously, "Brother, I've suffered so much!"

Fan Debiao looked at Little Cai's pitiful state and thought that even during his time in prison, he'd been more presentable than this guy.

Calming himself, Fan Debiao said, "Since you're out, you should go home. What are you doing here?"

Little Cai looked at him with pleading eyes, "Can you take me home? I don't have any strength left."

If left to his own devices, he wouldn't even be able to crawl back. Desperate, he begged, "If you help me, I'll give you a bigger cut when we split the profits later."

He wept, "I've had such a terrible time."

Fan Debiao's eyes flickered as he thought to himself: If they really worked together, he had no intention of sharing the spoils with this old fool. He always played dirty.

Anyone who tried to take a share from him was out of luck.

But for now, he needed to play nice and keep up appearances.

Hiding his disgust, Fan Debiao stepped forward, "Hey, we're like family. In fact, if I hadn't run into you today, I was planning to look for you. I've decided to team up with you. From now on, we're partners."

Hearing this, Little Cai was overjoyed, "You've decided to work with me? That's great! I knew you were a smart guy. Smart people know how to seize opportunities. We'll make a fortune together."

"Right."

Fan Debiao felt sick to his stomach but forced himself to help Little Cai up, "Brother, I'll take you home."

Little Cai was moved to tears, "Thank you. But..."

He looked at Fan Debiao hopefully, "Do you have any food on you?"

Fan Debiao's expression darkened, "It's the middle of the night. Why would I have food on me? Let's get you home quickly."

He had spent his last bit of savings earlier and hadn't eaten dinner himself.

He could go a day without food, but not a day without his vices.

If he took Little Cai home, he might at least get a meal out of it. Helping this stinking guy was worth it if he could get something in return. With that in mind, he said, "Let's hurry. The sooner we get you home, the less you'll suffer from the cold. The weather's really bad today."

"Thank you, Brother Fan."

"Hey, we're brothers. No need to be so formal."

Fan Debiao held his breath as he helped Little Cai up, but the guy didn't even try to support himself, leaning heavily on Fan Debiao. The stench was overwhelming, and Fan Debiao gagged several times. He cursed Little Cai in his heart, wondering how someone could be so shameless.

Little Cai, on the other hand, wasn't intentionally relying on Fan Debiao. He simply had no strength left. Leaning on Fan Debiao wasn't comfortable for him either.

Finally, he said, "Brother Fan, why don't you carry me on your back?"

Fan Debiao's eyes nearly popped out of his head. What the hell? Who did this guy think he was? Why should he carry him? Fan Debiao's anger flared.

This guy had no shame at all.

Suppressing his rage, Fan Debiao forced a smile, "It's not that I don't want to carry you, but I don't have much strength either."

Fan Debiao added, "Besides, it's raining. If I carry you on my back, you won't be comfortable either. I'm wearing a raincoat, so you'll definitely end up soaked."

Little Cai glanced at him and said, "It's fine, I don't mind."

Fan Debiao thought to himself, "You don't mind? Guess if I mind or not?"

He was internally disgusted but didn't say it outright. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "My legs are weak. If I carry you and fall..."

Even after he said that, Little Cai still didn't get the hint. Having grown up in good conditions, despite the hardships of the past decade, his personality hadn't changed. He couldn't read between the lines and simply said, "It's fine. If you drop me, I'll explain it to my parents. They won't give you a hard time."

Fan Debiao widened his eyes: "Damn (a type of plant), you're still thinking about giving me a hard time?"

He looked at the person in front of him, deeply doubting whether it was a good idea to associate with him. This guy had no sense of awareness or boundaries, and he didn't seem capable of handling much. This clearly wasn't going to work! Fan Debiao was fuming, but Little Cai kept babbling, "I'm getting dizzier and dizzier. I have no strength left. Please, Brother Fan, help me..."

After saying that, he looked like he was about to pass out, whether from hunger or cold.

Fan Debiao cursed inwardly, his mind filled with colorful language. But seeing Little Cai on the verge of collapse, he finally gave in and said, "Fine, I'll carry you."

He swore to himself that he would definitely take advantage of this situation later. This family wouldn't get a single benefit from him.

Grumbling, he hoisted Little Cai onto his back. Carrying him, Fan Debiao noticed the smell was even worse.

In fact, it was thanks to the rain. If it hadn't been raining, Fan Debiao wouldn't have been able to carry Little Cai for more than a few steps without passing out from the stench. Even so, Fan Debiao suffered a lot, and he wasn't lying when he said he was out of strength.

He had gone to that kind of place earlier, naturally wanting to enjoy himself to the fullest. Otherwise, why would he have spent the money? He had gone several times, and now his legs were like jelly. He cursed himself, thinking, "Why didn't I just spend an extra fifty cents to stay the night? Why did I have to save that fifty cents and walk back? If I hadn't walked back, I wouldn't have run into this mess."

He regretted saving that fifty cents a thousand times over, but he also knew he was truly broke. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out in the rain, saving that fifty cents for a night's stay.

Carrying Little Cai, Fan Debiao walked slowly, almost falling several times. By the time he reached the Cai Family's building, his legs were completely weak. He forced himself to climb the stairs and finally stopped at the Cai Family's door. By the time he knocked, he felt like he was on his last breath.

Knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock knock!

No one answered after several knocks, and Fan Debiao's anger grew.

He banged on the door furiously, shouting, "Old Cai! Mrs. Cai! Open the door! Old Cai...!!!"

His voice was so loud it woke up the neighbors upstairs and downstairs, but still, no one came to the door. Fan Debiao's anger boiled over: "Open the door! Open the damn door!"

He started pounding on the door.

"What are you doing? Can't you let people sleep?"

"Who's making such a racket in the middle of the night?"

"Damn, that stench is back. Didn't it clear up earlier this evening?"

"Stinky, stinky! Baby doesn't want stinky!"

Finally, someone came out and said, "Hey, what are you doing in the middle of the night? Can't you let people sleep?"

Fan Debiao, already fuming, snapped back, "If you can't sleep, then don't sleep. What's with all the nonsense? Did I knock on your door?"

His temper was flaring, and the neighbors who had been woken up were equally angry. A heated argument broke out, and Fan Debiao held his ground, not backing down. This wasn't like the old days when he used to stutter and lose arguments. Now, he was sharp-tongued and quick-witted.

He argued with gusto, feeling proud of his eloquence.

As the argument grew more heated and it seemed like things might turn physical, the door finally opened. Jiang Baohong, with her patchy bald head and bruised face, came out yelling, "Can't you let people rest?"

Fan Debiao was equally furious: "If there's someone at home, why didn't you open the door? Are your ears stuffed with donkey hair? Do you have any idea how much I suffered bringing him back? Do you think this was easy for me? I must have been cursed in a past life to do a good deed and end up with this mess."

Only then did everyone notice the muddy figure of Little Cai.

It was baffling. What were these two doing outside? First, Old Cai came back in a mess yesterday, and now Little Cai was in the same state today.

The neighbors didn't hold back: "Jiang Baohong, what's going on with your family? Are you trying to disgust us on purpose? First yesterday, and now today. Do you think we're pushovers? We let it slide yesterday, but now you're doing it again?"

Jiang Baohong didn't respond. Instead, she cried out, "My son! My poor son! What happened to you? Who did this to you? Was it you?"

She grabbed Fan Debiao.

Fan Debiao cursed, "Damn it, you old hag."

He finally lost his temper and slapped Jiang Baohong across the face: "I was kind enough to bring him back! Little Cai, say something! Stop pretending to be dead!"

"You hit me! I can't live like this anymore!" Jiang Baohong sat down on the ground and started wailing.

In her distress, she accidentally sat on someone's head.

Little Cai, barely conscious, murmured, "Hungry..."

Jiang Baohong jumped up, suddenly remembering that the muddy figure on the ground was her son.

"My son! My poor son! What happened to you? Everyone, move aside! Don't you have any sympathy? Help me carry him inside!"

But no one was going to help her. The neighbors, having just been in a heated argument, quickly retreated to their homes, locking their doors and opening their windows. They'd rather endure the cold than deal with the foul stench. Help her? Not a chance.

They wouldn't help even if their lives depended on it.

The saying goes that distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors, but the Cai Family was too much. They were unreasonable and caused too much trouble. If they helped and ended up being blamed, it would be unbearable. No way.

Didn't they see that even Jiang Baohong got slapped? Who knows who she offended outside to get beaten up like that. Some even thought the Cai Family must have bad luck. First, Old Cai came back injured, then Jiang Baohong, and now Little Cai. What did they do to deserve this?

Better stay away from them.

What bad luck!

No one lifted a finger to help. In the end, it was Fan Debiao who helped carry Little Cai inside. He was panting heavily and didn't care about the state of the house. He just plopped down on the couch, which didn't look clean either. Fan Debiao looked at Jiang Baohong and thought she was a sorry sight.

How did she get beaten up like that?

But then again, considering her nasty attitude, maybe she deserved it.

He sat down, and Little Cai, now delirious, kept muttering, "Hungry... hungry..."

Despite all the commotion outside, Old Cai was still lying in bed like a dead man. He had caught a cold and was running a fever, unable to get up. Despite being more severely beaten than Old Cai and Little Cai, Jiang Baohong was a tough woman and managed to hold herself together.

She struggled to get her son onto the couch and ordered Fan Debiao, "There's some mixed flour in the cabinet. Make some porridge."

Fan Debiao widened his eyes: "What?"

Jiang Baohong, trying to get Fan Debiao to help, softened her tone for once: "Look at my injuries. His father is burning up with fever. We really don't have the strength. Please, brother, help us out. When we recover, we'll definitely come to thank you properly. Please, just this once."

Fan Debiao looked at her face, which was scratched up like shredded potatoes, and her patchy bald head. She didn't seem to be lying, so he finally relented: "Fine."

He got up and went to the kitchen, noticing that there wasn’t much of the mixed flour left. He hadn’t eaten yet, so naturally, he wanted to make a thicker porridge to enjoy himself. He immediately started cooking.

Jiang Baohong was crying beside her son, “How did you end up falling into the manhole? Which deity have we offended in this family? It’s just so pitiful.”

She wept and then looked up, “Boil some water, he needs to take a bath.”

Although Little Cai was in worse shape than his father, he wasn’t as dirty since the rain had washed some of it away. Jiang Baohong didn’t hesitate to order Fan Debiao around, “Boil some more water. The kettle is over there. Oh, my son, what have you suffered? Why is our family so unlucky, facing one blow after another?”

Her wailing made Fan Debiao’s ears ring.

Jiang Baohong: “Medicine, I’ll get you some medicine.”

Fortunately, she had gone to get some medicine for Old Cai earlier and had picked up some cold medicine. She quickly rummaged through it and said, “Take some.”

There was no time to waste; her son needed to take the medicine first.

Little Cai was so feverish that he swallowed the pill as Jiang Baohong handed it to him. By then, Fan Debiao had finished cooking. He said, “It looks good, it’s ready to eat.”

The mixed flour porridge was quick to make. Jiang Baohong watched as the man brought out two bowls. She didn’t think the bowls were for her and her son. She pursed her lips and said, “Comrade.”

Fan Debiao: “What?”

Jiang Baohong: “Come here, I need to talk to you.”

Fan Debiao was puzzled but walked over to her. Jiang Baohong moved to the doorway and said, “Come closer.”

Fan Debiao grunted, unsure of what this woman wanted to say. As he approached, Jiang Baohong spoke stiffly, “It’s getting late, so I’ll see you out. We have too many sick people here, so I won’t keep you.”

With that, she opened the door and shoved Fan Debiao out before he could react.

Fan Debiao: “What the hell! You—”

This woman had truly kicked him out after using him.

But Jiang Baohong made it clear she wasn’t giving him a chance to stay. With a loud bang, she shut the door.

Fan Debiao stood dumbfounded outside, unable to believe he’d been played by an old woman. He, Fan Debiao, a man of stature, reduced to this? He gritted his teeth in anger, muttering, “Damn it, you ungrateful, despicable, shameless wretch. You old hag…”

No matter how much he cursed, it was useless. Jiang Baohong snorted and retorted, “What nonsense are you spouting? It’s the middle of the night, and you’re still here. Are you trying to take advantage of me? What’s wrong with me telling you to leave? Don’t think just because you did my son a small favor, you can strut around here. I see right through you. You’re interested in me? Save it. Don’t think you can get anything from me.”

Fan Debiao was so furious he could barely breathe. He never expected to be accused of such things. He had standards when it came to women, and someone like her was never in his consideration.

He spat out angrily, “Damn it, take a look at yourself in the mirror. You look like Pig Bajie’s aunt, ugly as sin, and yet you think you’re something special. Who’d want you? Am I blind? No one would ever want a hag like you!”

Jiang Baohong, meanwhile, brought two bowls of porridge to the table and started feeding her son. She kept talking, “Even if I’m ugly, you’re still the disgusting one lusting after me. Get lost! If you’re not leaving, you must be trying to harass me.”

Fan Debiao: “You!!!”

He was trembling with rage. The women he liked were young and beautiful, like the Fan sisters. What was this old hag thinking, acting so self-important? He was so angry. He had hoped to get a meal out of this, but instead, he ended up with nothing. He had tried to take advantage but ended up losing out.

After helping so much, he was met with such shameless accusations and kicked out.

“You vile woman, you…”

The two of them continued to exchange insults. Fan Debiao looked up and noticed many neighbors peeking through their doors, watching the scene. He felt utterly humiliated, being mistaken for having some kind of relationship with this woman. It made him sick to his stomach.

“Patience is key to great plans.”

Fan Debiao couldn’t take it anymore but took a deep breath and turned to leave.

He couldn’t stay and continue to be humiliated. The Cai Family would pay for this sooner or later.

Neither Little Cai nor his mother would get off easy.

He stomped away, seething with anger.

Jiang Baohong heard him leave and chuckled smugly, “Thinking you could eat our food? Dream on.”

She fed her son a large bowl of thick mixed flour porridge, watching him gulp it down. Tears streamed down her face as she said, “Oh, my son, you’ve suffered so much.”

After feeding her son, she turned to feed Old Cai. With two sick people in the house, she could only do her best to care for them. In truth, she was in pain all over and could barely move. After feeding both patients, she dragged herself to the kitchen and saw there was still some porridge left. She cursed, “That scoundrel, wasting our food like it’s nothing. He’s got no good intentions.”

She bent down and started eating. She hadn’t eaten all day and was in agony.

“More, more…”

Little Cai mumbled. He hadn’t eaten in so long that one bowl wasn’t enough. Seeing there was more, Jiang Baohong fed him another portion.

The three of them, all sick, were a pitiful sight. At this point, Jiang Baohong began to regret her actions.

With all three of them in such a state, maybe she should have kept Fan Debiao around. If she had, he could have helped take care of them. Or perhaps she could call her daughter-in-law back? How dare Zhang Lanhua stay at her parents’ home instead of serving her mother-in-law?

What daughter-in-law doesn’t follow her mother-in-law’s rules?

She pursed her lips, displeased, and decided to make Zhang Lanhua come back and serve them. With the family in such a state, she couldn’t shirk her duties. Besides, it was a chance for Zhang Lanhua to prove herself.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to show filial piety.

With that thought, Jiang Baohong smiled again.

However, Jiang Baohong was overthinking things. She was too injured to go out herself, and when she tried to send someone to deliver a message, no one paid her any attention. The Cai Family was so disliked that no one wanted to get involved.

Later, when she felt a bit better and went to find her daughter-in-law, Zhang Lanhua showed her no respect. Zhang Lanhua was terrified of being tied to the Cai Family. If it weren’t for the stigma of divorce, she would have left long ago.

This family was unreliable.

Zhang Lanhua refused to have anything to do with the Cai Family.

But as the saying goes, “The wicked live long.” Despite the family’s suffering, they were surprisingly resilient and managed to recover. Even so, it took Old Cai and Little Cai about a month to get better, while Jiang Baohong took nearly two months.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

They hadn’t even gone out, but their savings had taken a hit.

The family finally recovered, but the illness had dragged on for a long time, and now it was almost New Year’s Day.

After Little Cai recovered, he went to find Fan Debiao, saying all sorts of nice things to win him back. Fan Debiao, “magnanimously,” didn’t hold a grudge, but both of them were scheming. Fan Debiao planned to use the Cai Family as pawns and then double-cross them.

Little Cai, on the other hand, wanted to keep all the money for himself, with no intention of sharing it with his parents or Fan Debiao.

Even Old Cai was thinking about how to get all the money for himself. Among them, Jiang Baohong was the most naive, genuinely wanting to get money, share it, and seek revenge. But the others had different plans.

After two or three months, the group sat together again, the atmosphere awkward.

Although Fan Debiao had "magnanimously" forgiven Jiang Baohong, there was still a noticeable chill between them when they met again. However, Jiang Baohong, having been advised by Little Cai, took the initiative to extend an olive branch: "Fan Debiao, I know some of the things I did in the past upset you. Don’t hold it against me. I didn’t mean any harm."

Fan Debiao cursed her in his heart but still played the role of the good-natured man, saying, "Forget it. Since it was just a misunderstanding, I won’t hold a grudge. Let’s talk about the plan instead."

But whatever was said, it was all secondary.

The primary goal now was to make money.

And this opportunity had been meticulously planned over the past few days. Little Cai had been constantly seeking out Fan Debiao and even brought his father, Old Cai, into the discussion. The three of them had gone over the details thoroughly.

Little Cai laid out his idea: "I’ve found out that the machinery factory is organizing a large-scale New Year’s performance. Everyone in the compound will likely go to watch the show, leaving the place empty. That’s our chance."

Old Cai added, "The factory will probably set off firecrackers, which will help cover any noise we make."

Little Cai nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Even if some neighbors stay behind, they probably won’t pay much attention to what’s happening in the compound. But we should still be prepared. If anyone is still around, we’ll have to act quickly—tie them up and lock them in the cellar. Then we’ll search the compound from the outside in. We can’t miss a single house. Check every drawer, every cabinet, and even the walls. Knock on them to see if there are any hidden compartments."

He paused to take a sip of water before continuing, "Besides those places, we should also check the rafters and the kang (heated brick beds). If we find anything, it’s ours. Once we get the money, we’ll leave immediately. But that’s not the end of it. After we stash the money, we’ll move on to our second target—the Zheng Family and Hu Huihui. They’re likely wealthier than the people in the compound. Their place is in a residential building, which is riskier, so we’ll hit the courtyard houses first. They’re easier to control if something goes wrong. After that, we’ll target Hu Huihui’s family."

"Agreed," everyone said.

"During the second operation, we’ll probably attract some attention, so we’ll need to move fast. We’ll regroup at my place afterward and divide the spoils. How does that sound?"

Old Cai chimed in, "And don’t forget about settling scores."

Little Cai’s eyes flickered as he said, "After we get the money, we’ll plan our escape route. Then, the day before we leave, we’ll take care of the revenge. No need for finesse—just a quick stab and we’ll be out of the city in no time."

"Sounds good," Old Cai said, feeling more at ease.

Fan Debiao noticed Little Cai’s dismissive attitude and didn’t believe for a second that he was serious about revenge. It was clearly just a way to buy time. But Fan Debiao didn’t say anything—what did it matter to him?

Though he harbored resentment, revenge wasn’t his priority. Money was.

As long as he got money, that would be the greatest compensation. Revenge could wait. If he had to choose between the two, he’d pick money without hesitation. He hated the Zheng Family and those who had him detained, but compared to money, those grudges weren’t as important.

He said, "Let’s go over the details again."

"Agreed."

"With just the four of us, aren’t we a bit short-handed?"

Little Cai replied, "We may be few in number, but as long as we can control the situation, it’s not a problem. Fewer people mean fewer shares to divide. It’s better this way—more for each of us."

"True," everyone agreed. They all wanted a bigger cut.

"Quality over quantity," someone said.

"Exactly," the others echoed.

With the plan settled, everyone felt more at ease. "Tomorrow is New Year’s Day. Let’s get some rest tonight and be ready for action early tomorrow."

"Wait a minute!" Jiang Baohong interrupted. "Shouldn’t we discuss how to split the money?"

The others exchanged glances. None of them had actually planned to share—each was secretly hoping to keep everything for themselves. Only Jiang Baohong genuinely believed they would divide the spoils fairly.

Little Cai’s eyes flickered again as he said, "Of course, we’ll split it equally among the four of us."

After all, it was all his anyway.

Fan Debiao, who also planned to keep everything for himself, still felt uneasy hearing this. "How is that fair? Your family would get three-quarters, and I’d only get a quarter. That’s not right."

"That’s not how it works. You’re only one person, and there are three of us."

Fan Debiao argued, "But I’m putting in a lot of effort. I’m a grown man. Your parents are older, and Jiang Baohong is a woman. They won’t be much help."

"That’s not true. I think..."

The group began bickering, even though they hadn’t even started the operation yet. They were already fighting over the money they hadn’t stolen.

Fan Debiao thought to himself, *I have to pretend to argue, or they’ll suspect me. I can’t let on that I plan to double-cross them.*

Coincidentally, Little Cai and Old Cai were thinking the same thing.

Only Jiang Baohong was sincerely fighting for her share.

After a heated debate, Jiang Baohong finally secured a quarter of the spoils and smiled triumphantly. "That’s more like it."

The others remained silent.

Little Cai said, "Alright, Fan Debiao, you’ll stay at my place tonight. We’ll act together tomorrow. No one leaks a word."

"Got it," Fan Debiao replied.

The neighbors, seeing Fan Debiao back again, shook their heads. *This family is always fighting one day and making up the next. It’s hard to keep up.*

But the "Cai Family" was in good spirits. Although they had been delayed due to injuries, they felt it was fate that they had this opportunity right before New Year’s.

They were all eager to make their move the next day.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the story, Jiang Baohong’s visit to the mental hospital had caused quite a stir in the compound. Zheng Huimin and Li Junjun had gone to visit Zheng Huimin’s mother that day, only to be told that Guan Guiling couldn’t see anyone because she had had an episode.

Upon further inquiry, they learned that Jiang Baohong had triggered the episode.

But before Zheng Huimin could worry, she heard that Jiang Baohong had been beaten badly. Strangely, Jiang Baohong had left without demanding compensation, despite her injuries. Zheng Huimin couldn’t help but smirk.

What was that saying again?

*She came all this way just to deliver herself to the enemy.*

Her mother was a madwoman, and this old lady had the audacity to provoke her. She must not have known what she was getting into.

Of course, she paid the price.

Although Guan Guiling wasn’t harmed, the episode was still terrifying. Zheng Huimin reminded the staff that visitors should be carefully screened in the future.

After all, Guan Guiling’s mental illness made her extremely dangerous when she had an episode.

The hospital staff took the warning seriously and promised to be more cautious.

Mental illness comes in many forms, and Guan Guiling’s was particularly volatile, requiring extra care.

Zheng Huimin left the hospital without seeing her mother but left her belongings behind. As she walked away with Li Junjun, her brow furrowed in worry.

Li Junjun comforted her, "Don’t worry. Your mother is in a proper institution. Jiang Baohong can’t cause any trouble here. And given your mother’s condition, she won’t be taken advantage of."

He had heard about it—Jiang Baohong had been beaten up pretty badly.

He said, "Your mom may not have freedom here, but at least her life is stable. She can't hurt others, and others can't hurt her. Isn't that good?"

These days, not many people with mental illnesses are sent to psychiatric hospitals; most are kept at home. But Zheng Huimin couldn't do that. She had to work, and even if she didn't run her stall, she couldn't take care of her mother full-time.

Her mother would become violent and harm others when triggered. Such a violent mental illness couldn't just be left at home—it was too easy to cause trouble, and no amount of money would be enough to cover the damages. So, she had no choice but to send her mother away. To be honest, if Jiang Baohong hadn't come looking for trouble herself, she wouldn't have ended up in such a state.

After all, even Guan Guiling had been locked up.

Zheng Huimin pursed her lips and sighed, "I know, I know. I'm not worried about my mom—she's actually fine here. What I'm thinking about is why Jiang Baohong came looking for trouble as soon as she returned. Why did she show up in Xinghua Lane?"

She whispered, "Could it be that she couldn't find my mom and came to take revenge on me?"

Li Junjun replied, "Not necessarily. She might also be looking for Aunt Xiu and Uncle Fendou."

Zheng Huimin: "..."

As an outsider back then, she only had a vague understanding of what had happened. Naturally, she wanted to ask more questions. Li Junjun hesitated for a moment but eventually gave her a brief rundown of the events. Though it was a simplified version, it was still more than what Zheng Huimin had known.

He was young back then, so he couldn't explain it in great detail.

After hearing it, Zheng Huimin was amazed. "It's so complicated."

"Exactly," Li Junjun agreed.

As they walked back, the first thing Zheng Huimin did upon returning was share the news that Jiang Baohong had indeed come back. Everyone felt a bit uneasy, not because they were being paranoid, but because this troublemaker had shown up right after her return and started causing chaos. She was the infamous "toilet troublemaker," after all.

So, no one believed she had good intentions.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "I'll go find out more and see what's going on with them."

Zhao Guihua nodded, "Alright, leave it to you."

Zhuang Zhixi was quick to act and soon found out the details. To be honest, he was a bit stunned. This family was just so unlucky. When he went to investigate, he learned that all three members of the family were sick at home, and it sounded pretty miserable.

But, their neighbors were furious.

After all, this family had caused trouble for others too. However, this also confirmed that they were indeed the infamous "sewer troublemakers." Everyone had kept a close eye on them for a while, but gradually, they let their guard down.

It wasn't that they weren't vigilant, but the family members were mostly bedridden and rarely left the house. Over time, they naturally stopped being a focus of attention.

Though people remained somewhat wary, life went on peacefully. The family was recovering at home, so everyone gradually returned to their normal routines and stopped worrying about them.

As the end of the year approached, everyone got busier.

The machinery factory had been doing quite well these past two years. Last year, they didn't hold any events, but this year, they decided to organize one. Zhuang Zhixi, who had been temporarily transferred elsewhere, was called back to help. He was running back and forth, exhausted.

To be honest, Zhuang Zhixi loved participating in such events. After all, it was because of a similar opportunity that he had been transferred from the clinic to the publicity department.

Not that the clinic was bad—it was actually quite good—but he wasn't trained in medicine, so he wasn't much use there. Moving to the publicity department suited him better, even though promotions were hard to come by due to the hierarchy and favoritism. But the same was true in the clinic.

The publicity department was a better fit for his personality.

So, Zhuang Zhixi was grateful for that performance opportunity back then, as it had allowed him to transfer.

This time, even though he was juggling two places, he put in his best effort. Zhuang Zhixi was swamped, and so were others. Ming Mei was busy with her end-of-term exams, while Jiang Lu, who worked in the factory's women's federation, also had to pitch in for the year-end event.

It was the same for everyone with a job.

But even those without jobs were busy. With the New Year approaching, people were starting to buy new clothes for the holidays, so the stall business was booming. Although the malls had a wide variety of styles, the stalls weren't far behind.

Plus, the prices were more competitive, and the service was better, so many people still preferred shopping at the stalls.

This year, the New Year wasn't particularly early—it was in February—but no one wanted to wait until the last minute to buy clothes, fearing they'd only get the leftovers. Everyone was in a hurry. Zhao Guihua and the others had to leave early in the morning, and they were exhausted.

But despite the fatigue, they were happy—counting money until their hands cramped.

No one dislikes money, after all.

While the adults were busy, the kids were too. They had a New Year's Day performance at school, with a morning party. Most of the kids from the compound were in the same class, except for Ye Siyuan, who was a year younger and lived next door, along with his younger siblings.

But even if they weren't in the same class, each class had its own program.

The kids, however, had their own little complaints. The machinery factory was also holding an event on New Year's Day morning, and they wanted to go see the fun. The little ones were grumbling about it.

But there was nothing they could do.

Tuantuan said, "I heard the machinery factory's event is really good too."

Yuanyuan nodded but added, "But we won't have time to go after school."

Everyone agreed that was true.

Bai Qingqing chimed in, "My mom said I should go straight home after school and not go to the machinery factory. It'll be too crowded, and we might get trampled."

"Actually, my mom said the same thing," Yuanyuan sighed.

It seemed all the parents were on the same page.

But they did have a point.

Ye Siyuan, however, was feeling particularly glum. His little face was scrunched up in distress. "You guys don't have to wait for us after school tomorrow."

"Why?"

Ye Siyuan sighed, "I have a cavity, and my mom said she's taking me to get it pulled tomorrow after the school party. I have to go to the hospital."

Wang Zizhen had to run her stall every day and didn't have much free time. Since all the factories were holding events tomorrow, she couldn't work, so she decided to take her son to the hospital. Ye Siyuan, usually a little adult, was unusually melancholy. "It's New Year's Day, and I have to go to the hospital."

The other kids looked at him sympathetically.

Yuanyuan asked, "What about Sijia and Si Tian?"

The two younger kids looked at Yuanyuan with the same worried expression. Si Tian said softly, "Mom said we have to go too."

"Why?" Yuanyuan was puzzled.

Si Tian looked at her brother sadly.

Ye Siyuan explained, "Mom said we've been eating too much candy these past couple of years and not being careful. We all have cavities, and that's not good. So, while I get my tooth pulled, they have to come along too."

He paused, then added gloomily, "It's like killing the chicken to scare the monkeys."

"Pfft!"

The kids burst out laughing.

They looked at the Ye siblings and felt truly sorry for them.

Si Tian pointed at herself and said, "I'm the monkey."

Sijia added, "Me too."

The kids laughed again—two little monkeys indeed.

Xing'er also spoke up, "I won't be with you guys tomorrow either. Erlin has a check-up, so we're going to the hospital."

Erlin leaned on his sister's shoulder and said, "My sister will come with me."

He was scared.

But if his sister was there, he felt like he had backup.

Li Zhenzhen said, "Huh, so tomorrow it's just us from the compound."

"Yep," everyone agreed.

"Then let’s watch TV after school. Grandpa added an antenna to our TV, so we can get two more channels now. One of them plays cartoons at noon, and they’re really good," Yuanyuan suggested.

"Oh, that’s great!"

"Yeah, it is!"

The kids were immediately excited. Even though they were around ten years old, they were still just kids.

Their favorite thing was cartoons. TV dramas were nice too, but they couldn’t compare to cartoons. Soon, they were all chattering away about the cartoons. Tuantuan said, "After the school party tomorrow, let’s come back and watch cartoons together, and then go ice skating at Houhai in the afternoon. How about that?"

Ye Siyuan chimed in, "I’m in for ice skating. I’ll be free in the afternoon."

"Me too, me too!"

Xing'er and the others weren’t sure if they’d have time in the afternoon, but they said, "If we come back, we’ll let you know at your compound. If we don’t show up, it means we’re not back, and we won’t join you."

"Okay."

"Sure."

The kids started chattering again: "What performances does your class have?"

"We…"

Once they had everything planned out, they realized that even as elementary school students, they had quite a lot going on.

As the kids gathered and chattered, Ming Mei came home from work and couldn’t help but comment to Zhuang Zhixi, who had also just returned, "Kids are so carefree."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Aren’t you carefree too?"

Thinking about it, Ming Mei realized that she really hadn’t encountered much hardship in her life. She had always lived comfortably—before marriage and after. She had been fortunate both before and after marrying into the family.

Ming Mei said, "You know what? It’s true. I’ve always had an easy life. I’m so glad I met you and your family. Everyone says your mom is a strict mother-in-law, but I know better—she’s really kind. I’m so lucky."

She had been married for over ten years and had never had any conflicts with her mother-in-law. Unlike other families where there were often tensions between daughters-in-law and mothers-in-law, she and her mother-in-law got along perfectly. Even Liang Meifen didn’t dare cause any trouble. Life in this family was truly comfortable.

If she had married into a different family, things might not have been so easy.

After all, even if she could dream, she might not always encounter a mother-in-law like hers.

You have to understand, her mother-in-law was a *reincarnator*!

Reincarnated!

It was something unheard of and unseen, and it was pretty amazing.

"I really love this family."

Zhuang Zhixi teased, "If you keep saying that, I’ll get a big head."

He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‍snuggled up to his wife and said, "You’re so wonderful, everyone gets along with you. Our family is the lucky one to have you. How did I get so lucky to marry such a great wife? You’re beautiful, kind, and tough. I feel so secure with you."

Ming Mei playfully pushed him and laughed, "Stop talking nonsense."

Zhuang Zhixi insisted, "It’s not nonsense. My wife really is the best."

The two of them were being all lovey-dovey when Tuantuan came out to get some water. Seeing them, he turned around quietly and muttered, "Boys love girls."

Then, without batting an eye, he took the water jug back inside.

Ming Mei called after him, "Tuantuan, just drink water. Don’t put sugar in it, okay?"

Tuantuan froze, pouted, and dragged out his response, "...Okay."

Even though he was a boy, he really liked sweets.

In those days, what kid didn’t love candy?

Tuantuan went back inside and shrugged at the others. Everyone sighed—sugary water was just so much better.

Ye Siyuan tried to console himself, "It’s good not to drink sugary water. I already have cavities."

The "cavity crew" all silently covered their mouths.

At least they were still losing their baby teeth.

Ming Mei didn’t pay much attention to the kids’ little worries. She felt like these little ones needed some discipline—they were always drinking sugary water. It was true that life had gotten better in recent years, and the kids could feel it too. They were living comfortably.

Every time they got some pocket money, they’d spend it on candy. Their teeth weren’t in great shape, but thankfully, these kids were losing their baby teeth late. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster!

Ming Mei said, "It’s time to start keeping an eye on them."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed, "Your words carry weight."

Even though Ming Mei always had a smile on her face, her words were taken seriously. After all, everyone had seen her in action. In the neighborhood, whether it was adults or kids, from eighty-year-olds to eight-year-olds, no one dared to cross her. No matter how friendly she seemed, just the mention of her name was enough to keep people in line.

It couldn’t be helped—seeing was believing.

They had all witnessed it firsthand.

And because they had seen it, they didn’t dare to challenge her.

So, with just one word from Ming Mei, the kids didn’t dare to argue.

Zhuang Zhixi gave his wife a thumbs-up, and Ming Mei responded with a playful huff.

As they were talking, they heard a chorus of "Wow!"

"It’s snowing!"

"It’s snowing again!"

"We can build a snowman!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

Snow wasn’t a rare occurrence in the north, but the kids were always full of enthusiasm, getting excited over everything. A little snow had them exclaiming nonstop. Ming Mei stood at the door and looked outside, saying, "The snowflakes are pretty big."

Zhuang Zhixi added, "Who knows how long it’ll keep snowing? We’ll have to be careful on the way to work and school tomorrow so we don’t slip."

Ming Mei watched the snow falling heavily and said, "I think it might snow for a while."

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged, "Who knows?"

As it turned out, Ming Mei was right. The snow kept falling all night, and by morning, it had piled up quite a bit. When Zhuang Zhixi opened the door, he found the snow was already over an inch deep.

It was clear the snow hadn’t stopped all night.

The windows were covered in frost, and icicles hung precariously from the eaves.

Zhuang Zhixi stepped outside, blew on his hands, and put on his gloves to start shoveling snow. Other men from the neighborhood came out too, including Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun. The younger guys were out as well.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "With this much snow, a lot of people are going to have a tough time today."

******

"The Meal" Family: Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!

Somehow, they felt a curse coming their way.