My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 154

Strange things happen every year, but this year there are more than ever.

Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue hardly ever come back, but now that they're back, it's turned into a total mess. The two of them are screaming at each other inside the house, and everyone outside is peeking in, wondering what's going on. Tao Yuyue suddenly lets out a piercing scream: "I'm telling you, Chen Yuan, I've had enough of you!"

Chen Yuan retorts: "Well, I've had enough of you too! How dare you treat me like this? Don't forget who helped you get your job! You ungrateful wretch! You think you can bully me? I won't stand for it!"

He realizes now that all his troubles have stemmed from this.

"What did I do wrong? In a marriage, isn't it always that the wife dominates, or the husband rules? If you're treating me badly, why can't I retaliate a little? And what's the big deal about a few minor tricks? Do you really need to make such a fuss?"

"Great! So you think it's no big deal to scheme against me? You think it's okay to not care? We'll see if I don't beat you to death!"

The sounds of pots, pans, and furniture crashing fill the air.

The room is like a battlefield. The onlookers outside exchange bewildered glances, realizing that this couple is definitely not ordinary—they are truly extraordinary. They've never seen a couple fight like this before.

Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue are at it full force, and even when Zhuang Zhixi and others return, the fight still hasn't ended. Zhuang Zhixi approaches to take a look, but he doesn't step in to break it up. He's been in the situation before, but it depends on the people involved.

You can't just step in and meddle every time.

But while Zhuang Zhixi stays out of it, others try to intervene. Aunt Wang is genuinely worried they might hurt themselves and bangs on the door, saying, "What are you two doing? Don't fight anymore! Can't you talk things out peacefully?"

"What's it to you?"

"Exactly, mind your own business."

The couple doesn't appreciate her efforts.

Aunt Wang feels utterly frustrated, thinking her kindness is unrewarded. If it weren't for worrying things might get out of hand, she wouldn't be getting involved. But apparently, the young couple doesn't think the same way. Zhao Guihua pulls Aunt Wang back, saying, "Let them be if they want to fight. If they want to stop, they'll stop. What's the point of us getting involved when they're not grateful?"

Aunt Wang shakes her head in frustration: "If they weren't in the same courtyard, do you think I'd bother? Forget it, forget it. Let's go back to our own business."

Although they've heard that Tao Yuyue practices superstitious beliefs, Aunt Wang doesn't harp on it, as it's just something she mentioned and could easily deny later. They don't have any proof either, so they don't dwell on the matter.

Still, it's baffling how many people indulge in superstitious practices. It's utterly ridiculous.

Aunt Wang sighs, "What is this even coming to?"

Zhao Guihua chuckles.

These kinds of things have been happening since ancient times—nothing new. People might claim they don't believe in superstitions, but deep down, most know better. Zhao Guihua thinks that belief in such things is probably more prevalent than not.

She says, "It's getting late, and I need to go home and cook dinner. Look, everyone's coming home from work. By the way, Zhuang, how did it go at the police station?"

Zhuang Zhixi smirks, "The police station? There was a big fight going on inside."

"Oh really?"

He explains, "We arrived just in time to see the three daughters-in-law of the Yu family storming into the police station. It seems they found several more voodoo dolls at their house. That Old Lady Yu was cursing her two eldest daughters-in-law. Now all three daughters-in-law are making a huge fuss at the police station, absolutely furious with the old lady."

"Oh, come on! Aren't those her own family members? That Old Lady Yu is such a weirdo."

"Oh, sure, they're family, but that doesn't stop her from cursing them! Hating your daughters-in-law as a mother-in-law is normal. Not getting along is natural, and getting along would be unusual. But to resort to cursing just because you don't get along? That's pretty extraordinary."

"True that."

"Madam Yu is definitely out of line. She's got some nerve cursing half the folks in this alley. If she were in school, the number of people she hates would probably fill an entire class."

"That's for sure. She even hates people's chickens—imagine that!"

Zhuang Zhixi laughs as he recalls what he heard at the police station, "You know, I heard something interesting today. Seems like her neighbor's chicken lays eggs every day, and they'd always taunt Old Lady Yu about it. She got so mad she cursed the chicken."

He pauses for a moment, then continues, "Oh, and there was also the dog. Apparently, the dog once barked at her. She thinks the dog looks down on her!"

Everyone falls silent, utterly speechless.

Compared to Old Lady Yu's antics, Tao Yuyue's actions look downright normal—ridiculous, but not quite that absurd.

"How can you even describe something like that?"

It's hard to put into words.

It's just too unbelievable.

Zhao Guihua finally mutters, "Oh my."

And it's not just Zhao Guihua who's left speechless—everyone feels the same way. It's as if ridiculousness itself opened the door and just invited itself right into their lives.

The sounds of Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue's fight continue in the background, a showcase of absurdity.

It's hard to believe these are even real people sometimes.

Zhao Guihua: "I'm going home now. Food is essential for energy, and I need to eat to calm myself down."

"Go ahead, I'm heading home for dinner too."

"Let's chat some more!"

Regardless of whether others continue chatting or not, Zhao Guihua heads home, and Liang Meifen has already prepared the meal. Liang Meifen is efficient, and she has to be—watching how some of her neighbors behave, she considers her mother-in-law quite reasonable. If she ever encountered someone like Madam Yu who curses their daughter-in-law, it would be a complete disaster.

She calls out, "Time to eat!"

"Coming!"

The scent of dinner wafting from Zhao Guihua's home prompts others to head back as well. He Lan rushes home to prepare dinner. Bai Fendou holds his daughter, Xiao Qingqing, and remarks, "I think our daughter has put on some weight."

Little Qingqing smiles toothlessly at Bai Fendou.

Tao Yuyue says, "She definitely has. It's all thanks to the good care these past few months—she couldn't have gained weight otherwise."

She doesn't mention the hardships Qingqing faced at the Fan family's place, as that family isn't worth mentioning.

But despite not mentioning it, Bai Fendou does, saying, "I wonder if my last visit had any effect. I'd like to think it did, but who knows..."

Bai Fendou continues to ramble, unsure if his actions made a difference. As it turns out, they did—remarkably so.

This started with Bai Fendou pretending to be a widow, and things quickly escalated. The villagers started looking down on the Fan family, and the Fan family's new daughter-in-law, who was quite generous, heard stories about the Fan family's behavior.

As a result, they left Yang Family Village and moved to a guesthouse in the city. As for the wedding, that's definitely on hold for now.

However, it doesn't mean she's completely given up on Fan Jianguo, as they still have feelings for each other. But staying at the Fan family's home is absolutely out of the question.

Whether she ends up marrying Fan Jianguo or not depends on future circumstances. For now, the wedding is off.

This young woman may not be entirely calm, but she's been decisive—moving out immediately. Putting an end to the wedding shames the Fan family, who have been on edge in the village lately.

While they act fierce, many families aren't afraid of them. Their arrogance stems from having many sons, including one serving in the military, but everyone knows what kind of people they really are.

Now the Fan family was living a very unhappy life, although Bai Fendou didn't know much about it. However, he was the type of person who liked to think positively. When talking to He Lan about this, he sighed, "I think I'll go visit them again in a couple of days."

He Lan quickly stopped him, saying, "Don't go. What if they find out? You don't want me to worry, do you? Let's just live our lives peacefully."

Bai Fendou smiled softly upon hearing her concerned words.

He said, "Wife, how can you be so good to me?"

He Lan: "And don't you treat me even better?"

Although they didn't talk about love, they got along very harmoniously. He Lan said, "I'll warm up some wine for you later, have a cup."

"Okay."

Bai Fendou was happy and said, "I'll listen to you."

He Lan paused and said, "After dinner, go and pick some mugwort."

Bai Fendou was puzzled: "Why do we need that?"

He Lan said seriously: "Pick some mugwort, and I'll cook some water to rinse you with to get rid of bad luck. After all that curse from Old Lady Yu, we can't just do nothing."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Bai Fendou: "Then I’d better hurry. Forget waiting for after dinner, I'll go now. So many people have been cursed by Old Lady Yu, and if I go late, there might not be any mugwort left, and I’ll have to go far away to pick it."

He was an impatient man, quickly saying, "Leave the baby in the stroller, keep an eye on him, and I'll be back soon."

"Ah? Okay."

Bai Fendou quickly left the house, but he also thought of Zhuang Zhixi. After all, Zhuang Zhixi had helped him before. With such a thing happening, he couldn't not let Zhuang Zhixi know. The Zhuang family was having dinner when Zhuang Zhixi heard Bai Fendou was going to pick mugwort to dispel bad luck. He immediately joined in, saying, "Count me in."

He quickly stuffed a couple of buns into his mouth and went out with Bai Fendou. As the two were about to leave, Zhou Qun noticed them and immediately asked, "What are you two doing?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "We're going to pick some mugwort."

Zhou Qun immediately understood what was going on. He wasn't interested in this matter since he hadn't been cursed. He said, "Then go ahead."

As Zhuang Zhixi and Bai Fendou turned to leave, they saw a pale and haggard woman standing at the gate. She looked at the people in the courtyard, not paying attention to anyone else, her gaze immediately landing on Bai Fendou with a pleading tone, "Fendou."

Bai Fendou was quite surprised. He didn't expect the woman who had come was Guan Guiling.

In fact, it had only been a little over half a year since he last saw Guan Guiling. Compared to the last time he saw her, she was now extremely haggard, with a sallow complexion and sickly pallor, as if just recovering from a serious illness.

However, this did not evoke any sympathy from Bai Fendou. On the contrary, he looked at Guan Guiling with great wariness, saying, "What do you want from me?"

Guan Guiling hadn't expected her luck to be so bad. She had calculated everything perfectly, but she hadn't anticipated... really, fate was hard to predict.

She bit her lip and said, "Can you come out for a moment? Let's talk properly."

Seeing Bai Fendou's unhappy expression, she said, "I know you might have opinions about me, but please let me explain. Once you hear my explanation, you'll understand my predicament."

Bai Fendou was firm: "I don't care what your predicament is, we don't have any relationship anymore. I don't want to see you. Don't come around me so often. Those who don't know might think we have something going on. Do I still want a reputation?"

Bai Fendou's resolute attitude was something everyone hadn't expected.

Zhuang Zhixi and Zhou Qun both looked at Bai Fendou in surprise.

Bai Fendou: "Go away, stop coming to our courtyard. I have nothing to do with you. Xiao Zhuang, let's go."

He was in a hurry to leave.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."

As they were about to leave, Guan Guiling suddenly grabbed Bai Fendou's arm, pleading, "Please listen to me, alright? I beg you~"

How fragile and weak this woman was.

Bai Fendou pulled his arm back and said, "Get lost!"

The commotion of their conversation drew the attention of people in the courtyard, and even He Lan came out. She looked at Guan Guiling and then at Bai Fendou, asking, "What's going on?"

Bai Fendou: "Nothing. This woman kept grabbing me, it's annoying."

He Lan: "..."

She raised her eyebrows.

Guan Guiling: "This is... ?"

"This is my wife," Bai Fendou proudly introduced.

Guan Guiling's eyes widened in disbelief, taking a few steps back with trembling lips, "You... you're married? How could you get married? This woman must not be good, she must be deceiving you."

How could a normal woman possibly choose a man like Bai Fendou?

This woman must have ulterior motives!

"Bai Fendou, you're a simple person, but you can't be fooled by a wicked woman! There are some women out there. They are the most shameless..."

Bai Fendou wasn't extremely angry before, but now he was furious: "Get lost! You don't even know how long your face is. Get out of here. Don't think that just because you're a piece of garbage, everyone else is too. What you're saying isn't about others, it's all about yourself! Where do you get the nerve to talk about others? It's hilarious."

Bai Fendou looked at Guan Guiling with disgust, feeling that his previous judgment was really poor.

Bai Fendou's undisguised expression was watched by Guan Guiling, her heart sinking slowly. She frowned and quickly adjusted her strategy.

Guan Guiling stepped forward immediately: "Sister, hello, I am Bai Fendou's fiancée, I..."

Before she could finish, Bai Fendou interrupted her, angrily saying, "Guan Guiling, what are you talking about? Fiancée? Doesn't that sound ridiculous to you? You're sick! Do you think I don't hit women or something? Trying to sow discord in front of my wife? At first, we just talked about living together, and you refused, spreading lies about me. Don't think you can still fool me now. What, come to my wife to sow discord? I'll tell you! I'm not a pushover, and I'm not blind either. Do you think I'll listen to you? I'll tell you! No way!"

He pointed his finger at Guan Guiling and cursed, "Don't think I'll give you any face, just get lost! If I find out you come to my house again, I'll go beat up your husband. What kind of nonsense is that!"

Guan Guiling looked at Bai Fendou in disbelief. She had always felt that she had Bai Fendou under her thumb. She still remembered how, when they parted ways, Bai Fendou would come to her every day, looking miserable.

It was clear that he loved her to the point of obsession.

But now, just over half a year later, he had completely shifted his affections.

This man was just too undependable.

Guan Guiling was shocked as she looked at Bai Fendou, saying, "How can you say such things? I didn't expect... I didn't expect you to move on so quickly..."

Before Bai Fendou could say anything, Zhou Qun chimed in first, saying, "Hey, not quite, Miss, how are you talking? Go take a look in the mirror and see what you look like before you act like some delicate little flower. What do you mean Bai Fendou moved on? We all know what's up. You had bad intentions and backed out of the engagement. What, you think it's okay for you to do shoddy things, but not for others to wake up? Now you're acting like a victim. Who are you fooling? Everyone knows what kind of person you are. See that?" Zhou Qun pointed to Wang Xiangxiu, who came out to watch the excitement, saying, "Look, do you think she's pretty? She's a million times prettier than you, right? And yet, Bai Fendou could still snap out of it. Not to mention someone like you, who looks average, has a poor heart, and has quite the imagination. You and your ex-husband had such a good relationship, so why are you fishing for men now? Isn't it just for money? Hmph, I'll tell you, I, Zhou Qun, can't stand women like you! Pfft!"

Wang Xiangxiu: "..."

She had a cold face, why did you bring me into this!

But thinking about how Zhou Qun said she was a million times prettier than the present Guan Guiling, she was quite pleased. Women, after all, don't dislike being told they're beautiful.

Guan Guiling didn't expect a rogue like Zhou Qun to jump in halfway, biting her lip, swaying unsteadily: "How can you say such things about me... you're too much."

"Hey, not quite, Miss, don't come to our courtyard if you've got nothing to do. You've already shown up, so what are you pretending to be a good person for?"

Zhou Qun looked at Guan Guiling with disdain.

People are always thinking about themselves. But Guan Guiling is really pushing it too far! Bai Fendou is already married, and she still wants to cause trouble? Who is she pretending for? Isn't it just about the money? Her son couldn't get it, so she came herself.

Absolutely shameless.

Zhou Qun: “Pfft!”

After seeing so many spectacles, he knows this kind of woman isn't any good.

For once, Zhou Qun acted righteously and voluntarily spoke up for Bai Fendou. However...

Aunt Zhou's face turned black.

Her face, like the bottom of a pot, had a color that was simply unwatchable. She exuded a dark, oppressive atmosphere. Could it be anything else? She was most afraid of Zhou Qun siding with Bai Fendou. Although she hadn't seen it herself, she had heard the full story from Wang Zizhen about the rainy night incident where Zhou Qun carried a knife but no umbrella. At that time, it was quite clear that Zhou Qun had feelings for Bai Fendou. If it weren't for that incident, Zhou Qun wouldn't have become the "useless man" he is now.

Now, Zhou Qun was acting like he wanted to get close to Bai Fendou again, and Aunt Zhou's sharp instincts immediately kicked in. She glared fiercely at Zhou Qun and Bai Fendou.

However, she didn’t directly pull Zhou Qun away. That would be too obvious.

Instead, she directed her ire straight at Guan Guiling, who had just arrived, saying, “Guan Guiling, what’s going on? Do you think that just because someone is married, you can come and pick a fight? Let me tell you, bullying Bai Fendou in front of us won’t fly. Everyone knows you wanted Bai Fendou to pull your cart initially, but then you took Chen Yuan's bribe and ditched him. We’ve seen relationships end because they weren’t a good fit, but what you did—that’s not human behavior. You broke up, fine, but why did you go and slander Bai Fendou as a woman-beater? Did he ever lay a hand on you? You’re so wicked and selfish, it’s really something. Oh, and by the way, Chen Yuan's here…”

She called out, “Chen Yuan, Chen Yuan! Guan Guiling is here!”

Chen Yuan and his wife had already stopped arguing by then. Chen Yuan, with a bruised and battered face, came out, “What’s the matter?”

Guan Guiling: “Chen Yuan.”

Ugh!

Such a cringe-worthy address.

Chen Yuan glared at her. “Who are you?”

Guan Guiling stammered, “It’s me, Guan Guiling. Do you remember me?”

Guan Guiling?

Chen Yuan looked confused for a moment, but then he studied her closely. After a while, he finally recognized her: “Oh, it’s you. What happened to you? Why are you so ugly now?”

The onlookers: *snort!*

Guan Guiling: *grits teeth* Damn!

Chen Yuan looked at Guan Guiling with disgust. “What do you want from me?”

Guan Guiling bit her lip. “I… Can I borrow some money from you?”

Her first choice had actually been Bai Fendou. She had intended to woo him back. Initially, she left Bai Fendou because Chen Yuan could offer her benefits, and more importantly, Chen Yuan's father held a position as the head of logistics.

Since Bai Fendou worked in the logistics department, she thought Chen Yuan's father would likely cause trouble for Bai Fendou. If that were the case, she didn’t need to waste her time with Bai Fendou. Even if she had been with Bai Fendou, and he got messed up by the Chen family, wouldn’t her plans have been ruined?

Plus, Bai Fendou was super stingy with his money. Sure, he’d buy some groceries and necessities for her house, but he never gave her cash. This made Guan Guiling even less interested in him. Under these circumstances, leaving Bai Fendou wasn’t surprising at all.

As for spreading rumors that Bai Fendou beat her, well, it was out of desperation—all for the money.

If Bai Fendou were a real man, he shouldn’t have held it against her.

Also, she had recently heard that Bai Fendou had returned to work in the workshop, which reignited her interest in getting back with him. But to her shock, Bai Fendou had gotten married.

That was something she had never seen coming. She never expected anyone to want a man like him!

She had miscalculated.

Seeing that Bai Fendou was now very hostile towards her, and Chen Yuan was there, she quickly shifted her focus to borrowing money from Chen Yuan.

After all, Chen Yuan was so well-off. Lending her a bit of money shouldn’t be a big deal, right?

Besides, she had given up on Bai Fendou because of him.

Taking a deep breath, Guan Guiling put on her most pitiful expression. “Chen Yuan, my life is really tough right now. Can you help me? I did quite a few things for you before, so please, for old times' sake, help me out.”

Chen Yuan looked puzzled. “Why should I help you? Who do you think you are?”

Guan Guiling stared at Chen Yuan in disbelief, utterly shocked by his response.

Chen Yuan: “And what do you mean by ‘I did a lot for you’? When you did work for me, I paid you, didn’t I? So how is that now your credit? You’ve got some nerve. Let me tell you, in this world, you can’t go around acting like this.”

Since everyone in their neighborhood knew that Bai Fendou’s previous marriage fell through because of him, Chen Yuan didn’t hold back. Plus, he found Guan Guiling quite out of line, daring to act big in front of him?

He paid her, she did the work.

That’s how business works.

Now she’s trying to take credit with him?

Does she even deserve any credit?

What a joke.

He waved her off with annoyance. “Scram!”

Guan Guiling staggered back. “You… you’re heartless…”

This kind of drama might have tugged at the heartstrings of an ordinary man, but it didn’t include Chen Yuan. Chen Yuan had been pampered by his parents since he was a child, and he’s seen his fair share of sycophants and people trying to curry favor. Someone like Guan Guiling acting all high and mighty in front of him?

He wasn’t interested.

Besides, Guan Guiling wasn’t exactly a stunner.

Chen Yuan: “Pfft. Get lost! Or I’ll have my mom fire your husband from his job. Does anyone think they can just come up to me and bark? Do they think I’m that easy to bully? What a joke!”

Those words were enough to shut Guan Guiling up.

Her husband was currently hospitalized due to illness, and she didn’t know when he would recover. She was afraid that if he was gone too long, he might lose his job. So Guan Guiling quickly said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have talked nonsense.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I’m really just short on money…”

But no one felt sorry for her.

There are plenty of people worse off than her.

Wang Xiangxiu looked at Guan Guiling and saw a bit of her old self—someone who relied on a bit of beauty to swindle money everywhere. But then she thought about how Guan Guiling had it better than her; she at least had a husband, so she didn’t have to stoop to those depths.

But she… thinking about it, she just felt uninterested and turned away from the spectacle, going straight home.

Guan Guiling had hit a dead end with both Bai Fendou and Chen Yuan. She was completely bewildered. After all, there were only a few people she could borrow from, and now everyone was carefully managing their own finances. Who would lend her money?

In that moment, she didn’t know what to do.

Bai Fendou looked at Guan Guiling and snorted coldly. “Wife, go home and lock the door tight. If anyone shameless comes knocking, shout for help. It’s so annoying, I ran into such a piece of trash when I went out. It must be because Madam Yu cursed me.”

He blamed it on that.

“I better wash myself thoroughly. Come on, let’s go pick some mugwort.”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Sure.”

He followed Bai Fendou out the door. Once Bai Fendou left, Guan Guiling was even more lost, but she didn’t give up. If Chen Yuan was out of the question, she would have to stick to Bai Fendou. With Bai Fendou gone, she turned to his wife.

She didn’t believe she couldn’t break them apart with her charms!

As she approached the door, Zhao Guihua suddenly spoke up: “If you bother Bai Fendou’s wife, I’ll report you to the neighborhood committee for disrupting someone else’s family.”

The onlookers, including Zhou Qun, thought Zhao Guihua had nailed it with that line.

Indeed, Guan Guiling didn’t dare make another move.

She froze in place.

Zhou Qun chuckled and said, “I think that’s great. Hey, Guan Guiling, didn’t your son come for money earlier, saying you were in the hospital giving birth? Did you give birth to a little warrior?”

Guan Guiling’s face turned even uglier. “What are you talking about!”

“Well, why are you giving birth at this time? Or is this just your family’s scam for money?”

Zhou Qun asked sincerely.

Guan Guiling was furious. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

At this moment, Ming Mei also figured it out—no one was going to give her face, and she wouldn't get away with causing a scene here. Clenching her lips, she stomped her feet in desperation before finally leaving. As soon as she was gone, Ming Mei peeked out the window and said, "Gone for good?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "Why didn't you come out to watch?"

Ming Mei pouted, "I work in the same unit as her. I'm scared she might latch onto our family again! She's pregnant again, and if she were to fake a fall in our house or something, we'd be in big trouble. What if we get blamed for it?"

This isn't paranoia; Ming Mei knows that Guan Guiling is desperate for money and isn't particularly attached to her children. So, you never know what she might do.

Moreover, Ming Mei really doesn't look up to Guan Guiling.

If you're poor, then don't get pregnant and don't have kids. Fewer children would definitely make life a lot easier. But this woman just keeps getting pregnant, one after another, and keeps giving birth to more children.

Yet, she doesn't seem to love her children that much. All she does after having them is send them away.

Then she complains about how miserable her life is. Who's supposed to help her out of that mess?

Ming Mei firmly believes that one shouldn't live like this.

She pouted, and Zhou Qun, hearing her words, was particularly shocked. He said, "Again? She's pregnant again?"

Ming Mei nodded, "I heard she's pregnant again."

Zhou Qun: "..."

Why is it so easy for other families to have kids? His family has struggled for years to have just one child after over a decade of marriage. But look at her, popping out kids like a hen laying eggs nonstop.

However, quality matters more than quantity when it comes to children!

Zhou Qun quickly thought of this and felt that having one child was just fine for his family. His little Qijin was such a smart and well-behaved child! Even at a young age, he was already so sensible and rarely cried, making him very easy to take care of. Compared to the fussy, chubby girl from the Li cook's family who cried all night, their child was simply outstanding!

With five new kids in their courtyard, the constant crying from the Li family's fat little girl made other parents feel even prouder of their own well-behaved children. When brought up, they couldn't help but show off their pride.

Thinking this way, Zhou Qun felt a lot better.

He quickly engaged in some gossip: "Didn't she just give birth?"

Ming Mei nodded, "I heard she gave it away."

Zhou Qun: "..."

This was really...

Zhou Qun: "It's like some families can't get enough water, while others are drowning in it."

Zhao Guihua, however, frowned and said, "How can she keep getting pregnant like this? Doesn't she care about her own well-being?"

Repeating the cycle of pregnancy and childbirth like this was undoubtedly detrimental to Guan Guiling's own health.

But, this was just something they talked about at home. If they were to remind Guan Guiling, she'd probably think they were meddling in her business.

On this matter, Zhou Qun had plenty to say, "Indeed, women can't keep having children. Take my sister's mom, for example. I heard from my mom that she got old and haggard from constant childbirth, even though she was over ten years younger than my mom. And she suffered from various gynecological diseases as well."

"Sister?" Ming Mei momentarily didn't react.

Zhao Guihua explained, "That's Wang Zizhen, Aunt Zhou's adopted daughter after all, so naturally, she's Zhou Qun's adopted sister."

Ming Mei: "Oh..."

She hadn't fully processed that yet.

But life is all about different paths and fortunes. Zhou Qun's family had gotten better off recently, but things weren't always that way. Still, they've always been good to Wang Zizhen, which truly speaks to the power of human connections and fate.

Zhou Qun added, "Such things take a major toll on the body."

Leaning against the windowsill, he was like an overly chatty elder sister. But everyone was used to it. Zhou Qun's hobbies now were two: one was taking care of his child, and the other was gossiping around everywhere.

Whether in their neighborhood or at the factory, he seemed to appear everywhere.

Like this, everyone was used to his presence. These days, Zhou Qun had gotten along smoothly with the female comrades in the courtyard.

He said, "Oh, this Guan Guiling. I need to inquire a bit more about her. We must be well-informed."

Cheerfully, he added, "If she dares to show up again, I'll expose her true colors."

Zhao Guihua said, "You're quite committed to Bai Fendou, helping him out so much."

Zhou Qun replied, "What does Bai Fendou have to do with this? It's not about Bai Fendou—he's not that important. The thing is, I can't let Guan Guiling come swaggering into our courtyard, showing off. Absolutely not! I just want to strip her of her pretense, giving real women a bad name... Er, not just women, I mean, she's giving all of us women a bad name! After all, we women can hold up half the sky. She just can't measure up!"

Zhou Qun spoke with righteous indignation, "I simply can't tolerate such a situation!"

Zhao Guihua: "... "

Ming Mei: "... "

Zhou Qun: "Oh, I'll go ask Chen Yuan in the backyard about Guan Guiling. See what's going on between them!"

"Are you close with Chen Yuan?" Ming Mei asked curiously, though she thought it highly unlikely. After all, Chen Yuan always seemed quite aloof.

Zhou Qun: "Not close at all."

He casually said, "But being not close doesn't mean I can't ask some questions. We're neighbors after all. Just a friendly inquiry, nothing more."

Ming Mei: "... "

Zhao Guihua: "... "

She looked up and finally said, "Do as you please."

Zhou Qun happily went to the backyard, while Zhao Guihua shook her head vigorously. She really admired Zhou Qun, though his joy was so simple. Finding great happiness in simple things, Zhao Guihua felt that with Zhou Qun's state of mind, he could easily live to ninety-nine.

No worries, lots of joy, how could he not be happy?

Ming Mei sighed, "I think Zhou Qun reminds me of someone I knew when I was little."

Zhao Guihua: "Huh?"

Ming Mei: "There was an old granny Zhao in our family compound back then, she was such a gossip. She knew everything about everyone. I feel like Zhou Qun is her disciple in a way."

Zhao Guihua: "... "

Well, alright.

As they gossiped, He Lan cracked open the door and peeked out cautiously. Zhao Guihua waved her over, and He Lan hurried out with her child, asking, "She's gone, right?"

Zhao Guihua nodded, "Gone. Don't worry, we've got your back. She won't bully you."

He Lan nodded firmly, "I know."

She felt so lucky to have such supportive neighbors.

She said, "I'm not afraid of her. After all, I have backup."

Zhao Guihua smiled, "That's right."

Ming Mei asked curiously, "Has Bai Fendou talked to you about Guan Guiling?"

He Lan nodded, "He has. He told me about his countless failed experiences over the years."

This made He Lan sympathize with Bai Fendou.

His romantic fortune was just so bad.

She said, "I trust Bai Fendou's character. He has a very kind heart."

Ming Mei: "Oh..."

He Lan smiled and said, "Really, I honestly think he's one of the best people I've met."

She was a very content person.

Zhao Guihua said, "As long as he treats you well..."

Before she could finish, they saw Bai Fendou and Zhuang Zhixi return, each holding a bundle of mugwort. Zhuang Zhixi exclaimed, "Wow, Mom, you wouldn't believe how many people are out picking mugwort. Everyone wants to cleanse their bad luck."

Zhao Guihua said, "That Old Lady Yu sure can stir up trouble."

She, Zhao Guihua, had seen her share of strange things, like messing with birthdates, strands of hair, or blood to curse someone. But Old Lady Yu's approach was just too crude. Creating cloth dolls to curse others without even knowing the birthdates, and the names written inside with many missing strokes and typos—could such a curse even work?

She shook her head in disbelief.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, do we still have any bath tickets? I want to go to the bathhouse for a wash."

It wasn't convenient to do it at home, and in the courtyard with so many female neighbors around, it wasn't appropriate either.

Zhao Guihua said, "Yes, but will the bathhouse allow you to bring that in?"

Zhuang Zhixi grinned smugly, "They will. I just saw someone go in with it. They said the bathhouse allows it."

But sometimes, they just turn a blind eye to such things.

Many things, as long as they are not excessively publicized, won't attract unnecessary attention. However, if you put everything on the table, it definitely won't work. For example, if you ask the bathhouse management directly, they will certainly say no.

But if you just take it in quietly, no one will stop you.

Zhao Guihua: "Then go ahead."

Bai Fendou: "I'm going too."

He Lan: "You haven't eaten yet."

Bai Fendou: "I'll eat later."

He said, "Otherwise, the place will be crowded again in a while."

"Alright."

This was Zhuang Zhixi's first time going to the bathhouse with Bai Fendou. In the summer, the bathhouse wasn't crowded, with only two or three people, all of whom happened to be carrying wormwood. Everyone smiled knowingly.

This incident with wormwood had indeed brought them closer.

After all, when they saw the wormwood, they understood—oh, we’re all people hated by Old Lady Yu.

It’s really not easy. Who knows how we managed to offend this stubborn old lady.

Zhou Daniu: "You're here too. Come over here, the water temperature in the pool is just right today, really nice."

They all placed the wormwood in basins, filled them with hot water, and planned to splash the water on themselves after washing to rid themselves of bad luck.

Everyone got into the pool. Someone said, "In my hometown, we use pomelo leaf water."

"What's that?"

"It’s not available here. Whatever works, right?"

"That’s true."

Zhuang Zhixi washed his towel, placed it over his head, and submerged himself in the water, saying, "So, how did all of you offend that old woman?"

Zhou Daniu: "I don’t even know myself. I thought about it half the night last night, but I still couldn’t figure out how I offended her. But I inquired at the police station today and found out. It turns out she asked me to repair her roof, and I refused. That’s why she hates me."

Zhuang Zhixi: "That’s so unfair."

Zhou Daniu: "Who isn’t saying the same thing? She has several sons. Instead of asking them to do the work, she wanted someone else to help. It’s ridiculous. Not helping her is considered an offense."

"You’re ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????lucky. I heard that Aunt Wang and her husband in our courtyard were cursed just because they got married the same day as her eldest son."

"What kind of person is she?"

"She didn’t spare her own three daughters-in-law either. Oh, and she cursed her daughter too. She blamed her daughter for not sending money or food home after going to the countryside."

Zhuang Zhixi was stunned by this, saying, "The countryside is so tough. Isn’t it usually the family that sends things to the children in the countryside? She actually had the nerve to ask her daughter for stuff? Her daughter is working hard in the countryside, probably not even sure if she’s eating enough, and she still wants things from her? I remember her daughter was sent to the northwest."

"Who isn't saying the same thing? She just lacks conscience."

Zhuang Zhixi: "What are her sons’ reactions? Aren’t they cursed too?"

Zhuang Zhixi asked Zhou Daniu, knowing Zhou Daniu lived in the same courtyard as the Yu family and knew the most about them.

Zhou Daniu: "What reactions? They’re eating, drinking, and carrying on as usual. Her family also curses Old Lady Yu at home. Especially the eldest couple, who think Old Lady Yu is harming people. But when I left, the family was fighting at home, shouting at the top of their lungs."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Why?"

He leaned on the pool's edge, curious.

This is because it’s certain that Old Lady Yu will end up in prison, and Old Man Yu was involved too, at the very least for concealing the truth. So the authorities might pursue the matter, given how evil the circumstances are. Thus, her children have started fighting over Old Lady Yu and Old Man Yu’s room.

Zhuang Zhixi: "..."

When Yu Baoshan died, their first reaction was to fight over the house. Now that Old Lady Yu might go to prison, their first reaction is still to fight over the house. I have to say, the family tradition of this family really sets a good example.

Seeing Zhuang Zhixi's expression, Zhou Daniu chuckled, "That’s how their family is. They usually calculate and scheme against each other. Their family culture is like this—they even count every thread. If a dung cart passes by the door and they don’t take a deep breath, they feel they’ve lost out. Besides, the sons of the Yu family resent Old Lady Yu and Old Man Yu greatly. When Yu Baoshan was still alive, the old couple doted on their youngest son the most, digging into the resources of the other children to support him. Over time, who wouldn’t feel resentment?"

He lowered his voice, "And… back then, their family had four rooms, but actually, three and a half. One was a side room. The old couple had one room, Yu Baoshan had one, the eldest couple with their children and the second couple with their children shared a room, and the third couple with their children and the fourth couple shared the side room. You can imagine how crammed it was. Yet they insisted on giving Yu Baoshan his own room. There’s no such extreme favoritism. If they hadn’t lived like that, I don’t think the third and fourth daughters-in-law would have gotten together."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, saying, "So, what about Yu Baoshan’s room…"

"His room was snatched by the second daughter-in-law. Now, the eldest family has one room, the second family has one room, and the third and fourth brothers share a room. But this time, it’s hard to say. Normally, it should be the third family living in the old couple’s room."

He also sighed, "Even so, their housing is still tight. The children share rooms with their parents, which isn’t very convenient."

Adults understood this.

Everyone nodded.

Just as they were talking, Zhuang Zhixi looked up and saw that Zhou Qun and Chen Yuan had come in together.

Zhuang Zhixi raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Bai Fendou didn’t hold back, saying, "Why are you two together?"

Chen Yuan, seeing Bai Fendou, wanted to leave, but then felt that leaving now would make him look cowardly. He snorted and found a spot as far away from Bai Fendou as possible, then got into the water.

Zhou Qun, however, was chatty and approached them. "Hey, I was just going to the back courtyard to chat with Chen Yuan and ask about Guan Guiling’s situation. It just so happened that they mentioned Guan Guiling is pregnant again, and they got into a big fight because of jealousy over others having children. They even fought each other."

He said, "Tao Yuyue splashed a basin of washing water all over us. That’s why we came to take a bath."

Chen Yuan: "…You really don’t need to go into such detail."

This guy…

Zhou Qun was still happily saying, "He invited me, so it’s not my fault. Oh, the woman looks good, but her feet are dirty. It was really a basin of dirty water."

Chen Yuan couldn’t take it anymore, "Enough already, you’ve said enough, haven’t you? I’ve already invited you to take a bath!"

Thinking of Tao Yuyue, Chen Yuan felt extremely uncomfortable. He shouldn’t have chosen this woman in the first place.

Back then, he saw Tao Yuyue as gentle and cheerful, but in reality, she’s horrible. It’s too disgusting. But if he were to get a divorce, he wouldn’t do it. After all, he paid for the marriage and even arranged a job for her. If they divorced now, it would be too much of a loss for his family.

Chen Yuan definitely wouldn’t do such a losing deal.

He leaned against the pool, his expression sour.

Zhou Qun: "Chen Yuan, look at you, talking about it won’t make you lose a piece of flesh. Besides, I didn’t say anything bad, right? Oh, by the way, when did you all get here?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Not long ago."

Zhou Qun: "Next time, call me."

He thoroughly enjoyed going to the bathhouse, bringing some tea, and spending the whole day there chatting. Very delightful. He said, "Let me tell you…" Zhou Qun started chatting away.

Zhuang Zhixi: "…"

He was already quite talkative himself, but facing Zhou Qun, he had to admit defeat. This guy was well-informed about all the gossip in the surrounding areas. Zhuang Zhixi listened with interest, leisurely leaning against the side.

Everyone gathered around, making Chen Yuan feel even more dissatisfied. He felt that since he came with Zhou Qun and even paid for Zhou Qun’s ticket, Zhou Qun shouldn’t ignore him like this.

He snorted coldly, glaring at Zhou Qun, hoping he would notice his displeasure.

To be playing with someone inferior to him and not even showing any respect was unacceptable.

After all, he was the son of the Logistics Director, and Zhou Qun had no foresight at all.

Zhou Qun noticed Chen Yuan's gaze and felt a bit puzzled as he said, "Little Chen, what's up?"

This call of "Little Chen" instantly annoyed Chen Yuan. What identity did this guy have to call him "Little Chen"? Didn't he even consider his own status? It seemed like any random cat or dog thought they were something special. These people really had no sense of their place.

As this thought crossed his mind, Chen Yuan grew even more displeased. He stood up, ready to leave the pool.

Zhou Qun: "What's wrong with you?"

Chen Yuan responded with a cold smile: "Nothing."

Zhou Qun finally realized that Chen Yuan was upset. Thinking about how the guy was the son of a higher-up, Zhou Qun knew he had to butter him up—lest, with his reputation, he remain just an electrician for life, never getting promoted. After all, with each promotion came more money!

With that thought, Zhou Qun immediately put on a smiling face. He reached out and patted Chen Yuan on the butt, attempting to flatter him: "Little Chen, your butt is really white!"

A snapping sound

A crisp slap echoed through the air.

The scene quickly descended into a strange silence.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

"Cough, cough, cough!" Zhuang Zhixi suddenly erupted in a fit of coughing.

Bai Fendou instantly recalled how Zhou Qun had once tried to make some inappropriate advances on him. He almost went crazy and quickly darted to the other side of the pool, staring at Zhou Qun in terror. Oh, Mama, he had always felt there was something off about Zhou Qun! Today, Zhou Qun had even defended him. How terrifying!

He didn't want to be near Zhou Qun at all.

Bai Fendou's reaction was extremely intense, but no one else could really blame him. Zhou Daniu and the others quickly moved a safe distance away, eyeing Zhou Qun with caution.

Zhou Qun: "What are you all doing? Look at my buddy Chen, so white! And so elastic! He's really well-maintained!"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Cough, cough, cough~"

As if he were about to cough his lungs out!

At this moment, the "attacked" Chen Yuan finally came to his senses. He let out a blood-curdling scream: "Ah!!!!!!!!!!!"

He scrambled out of the pool, stumbling and falling with a loud thud as he hit the ground. Ignoring the pain, he howled and bolted toward the exit! He had suspected something was off with Zhou Qun's intentions all along!

It turned out this guy had his sights set on him!

Who could have seen this coming?!

He had only been wary of Bai Fendou, completely forgetting that Zhou Qun was far more dangerous. After all, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun had a history of mutual obsession! Chen Yuan's mind was now filled with that one phrase, "So white." He screamed in horror as he ran, terrified that if he slowed down even a bit, Zhou Qun would catch him.

He was a pure, untainted man!

He couldn't let himself get entangled with Zhou Qun!

Help! Somebody, save him!

Zhuang Zhixi, seeing this guy frolic toward the exit, shouted at the top of his lungs: "Damn! Don't run outside—that's going straight into the street!"

But Chen Yuan didn't hear a word of it. He bolted out of the bathhouse and the changing room, heading straight for the exit. He had to escape! It was just his luck that the ticket seller at the entrance had just changed shifts, and now it was a young guy. If it had been a young girl, she would have gone insane.

The young man was stunned: "Holy cow!"

This was his first day on the job, and this was the kind of situation he had to deal with?

Why was this guy so wild?

Were city folks really this bold?

Seeing Chen Yuan about to run into the street, he suddenly snapped back to reality: "Oh, damn! Don't run out!"

He darted forward, wrapping his arms around Chen Yuan from behind: "You can't go out!"

Chen Yuan struggled fiercely: "Let me go! Quickly, let me go!"

"Dear goodness, don't charge out! Mama mia~ You better go back inside~"

He tugged Chen Yuan back toward the entrance, as commotion from outside began to draw attention. Even the ticket seller felt utterly humiliated, but he was more afraid of female patrons seeing the scene. He pulled with all his might...

But as they say, the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.

Just as he managed to drag Chen Yuan back, two women walked out from the women's section.

"Ahhh! This man isn't wearing any clothes!"

"Shameless!"

Chen Yuan finally realized what was happening. He let out another yelp, covering his face and scurrying back into the bathhouse...