"How much does a washing machine cost?" Yan Zhao asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men estimated, trying to lowball it: "It should be over a hundred yuan."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"If Little Wang wants one, let''s buy it. Use my money." The man who had just received his sry was different now; Yan Zhao made the decision.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Currently, the cheapest washing machines cost over a hundred yuan, but the more expensive ones could cost three to four hundred. Although Chen Men said they''d buy the cheapest one, when she took Little Wang to the department store, she still chose a Toshiba twin-tub washing machine for 480 yuan.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Although it was still manual, it could both wash and spin, which was much more convenient than a single-tub machine.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Washing machines were now considered affordable big-ticket items for most people, and Toshiba was a brand that even backdoor connections couldn''t get you. Chen Men paid the money, chose the model, and got a queue number. It wasn''t until the following weekend that Yan Zhao could queue up to bring it home.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Yuanyuan and Little Lang weren''t interested in the washing machine.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Moreover, it was allowance day, and Chen Men had given them their new weekly pocket money. Little Lang had taken it upon himself to let Yuanyuan manage his allowance. The two ran in and out, buying popsicles and sorghum candy, eating with great delight.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Little Wang was busy trying out the new washing machine with his father.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
They were washing the pink bedsheet that Yan Zhao had specially set asidest week.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But the current power supply was terrible. Just as Yan Zhao plugged in the washing machine, Little Wang shouted, "Dad, the TV turned off by itself!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
So Yan Zhao unplugged the TV and plugged in the washing machine. After washing for a while, Little Wang ran to the kitchen and started shouting again, "Dad, the fridge has no power!"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Alright, they unplugged both and plugged in the washing machine again. This time it started running well.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
So, Little Wang plugged the fridge and TV back in.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Soon, the whole vige was shouting, "Why is there another power outage?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Well, the entire vige''s electricity had been burned out by Men''s family.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
...<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Since Yan Zhao came home early and took over the housework, Chen Men could free up her hands to cook.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But in the blink of an eye, Teacher Huang was calling her from outside.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Today was the weekend, and also the day for tying the first-floor rebar circles at her construction site. The first-floor rebar circles were the most visible ce for quality inspection. If they weren''t tied properly and the ground cracked, there was basically no need to inspect other areas; it would already be considered a substandard project.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Teacher Huang should have been supervising the whole process today, so why did he get off work so early?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Did something happen?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Men, go and persuade your sister-inw. She says she wants to abort the baby." Teacher Huang was so anxious he was stomping his feet and almost crying.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Recently, Third Sister-inw Huang had been on bed rest to protect the pregnancy. How could she suddenly want to abort the child?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Teacher Huang, did you say something to upset her?" Chen Men asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Teacher Huang ran his hand through his graying hair, still needing to hurry back to the construction site: "Today she suddenly said she had a dream during her afternoon nap. She saw Xiaoxiang, and the child was crying, wanting toe home. She probably doesn''t want to have another Xiaoxiang, so she wants to abort."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
This was serious. Chen Men indeed needed to go and persuade Third Sister-inw Huang.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The couple was only in their forties. If they didn''t have a child, they would be lonely and miserable in their old age, even more pitiful than her in her previous life.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
However, she had only visited Third Sister-inw Huang on the day she was diagnosed with pregnancy. After that, she had been busy with the construction work and hadn''t visited her again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Of course, she couldn''t go empty-handed. After leaving home, she first went to the state-owned grain store and bought ten jin of high-quality rapeseed oil. Then she went to the vegetable market. Among the several meat stalls, she still preferred the meat from the meat processing factory. The pork was fatty and the weight was generous. She bought five jin of fatty pork belly. Seeing the eggs piled in straw nests next to it, each one round, white, andrge, she simply bought five jin of eggs as well.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Third Sister-inw Huang''s house was just opposite Chen Men''s, separated by three courtyards.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Before her rebirth, why did Chen Men like this vige?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It was because although Yanguan Vige had its share of bad people, overall, the people here were warm-hearted.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It had only been seven or eight days since Third Sister-inw Huang was diagnosed with pregnancy, but every day there would be several students'' parentsing to visit her, bringing eggs or milk powder, in an endless stream.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Even many high school students who had been taught by Teacher Huang in the past would ride their bicycles to visit their teacher''s wife.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men had just reached the door when she saw two children on bicyclesughing and chatting as they rode away.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
At this moment, Third Sister-inw Huang was crying to someone inside the house: "In my dream, I heard Xiaoxiang calling me, saying he wanted toe home. I feel like he doesn''t want this little one, so I should just abort it."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men was about to lift the curtain when she heard Yan Zhao''s voice: "Sister-inw, I think Xiaoxiang might have heard about your pregnancy in theherworld and was happy, that''s why he appeared in your dream. I solemnly promise you, I will definitely investigate the truth about Xiaoxiang''s car ident case and let the child''s soul rest in peace. I''ll investigate the truth, and you give birth to this child, how about that?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Wasn''t he just at home dealing with theundry? How did hee to visit Teacher Huang as well?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And, was he Teacher Huang''s student when he was young?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Hearing Yan Zhao mention his son''s case, Teacher Huang drew in a sharp breath.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Third Sister-inw Huang burst into tears: "Really?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men''s scalp tingled.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Teacher Huang''s son, Huang Xiaoxiang, was handsome, smart, considerate, and had an exceptionally good temper. When he was alive, he often helped Chen Men with odd jobs, like helping to empty the manure pit, cleaning up garbage, and whenever it snowed, he would sweep the roads of the entire vige.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Even for the dirtiest andziest old man in the vige, Old Man Yan, whose clothes and socks his son and daughter-inw were toozy to care for, Xiaoxiang would help wash them.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
After that child was gone, the whole vige never regained its cheerfulness. When Old Lady Yan Xishan was dying, she held her daughter-inw''s hand and instructed that if the hit-and-run driver who killed little Huang was ever caught, they must light incense to tell her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Finding the culprit wasn''t just Third Sister-inw Huang''s unresolved issue, but the entire vige''s.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Sure enough, Third Sister-inw Huang asked Yan Zhao with a trembling voice: "How can you investigate? Wasn''t it said that it was an unlicensed truck? The person has fled who knows where. How can you investigate?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"As long as I have patience, I will definitely find out," Yan Zhao said. "I was one of Teacher Huang''s first students, and I watched Xiaoxiang grow up. As long as you focus on having this baby, I promise I will investigate this matter thoroughly."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"So, should I have this child?" Third Sister-inw Huang hesitated.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"I promise you, before you give birth, I will make sure this case is solved," Yan Zhao said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"By the way, Men is really nice. She was too wronged with Xishan before. You should treat her well," Third Sister-inw Huang added.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Yan Zhao was silent for a moment before saying, "In terms of being a good person, I''m certainly better than Xishan, but I''m not good at making money."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men was suddenly shocked. This cold-faced, hard-hearted man was actually quite insecure inside.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And he was insecure about not being able to make money like Yan Xishan?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men had never expected this.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
So when facing Yan Xishan, did he feel inferior?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
In this era of intion, where nouveau riche were springing up like mushrooms after rain in the 1990s, public servants like them could never make money.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
How should shefort and guide Yan Zhao about this?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But at this moment, Sister-inw Huang actuallyughed: "Yan Zhao, you should understand, if people like you could make money, this country would be finished."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Teacher Huang also smiled bitterly: "If Men hadn''t introduced me to work at her brother''s construction site, wouldn''t I also be poor as a church mouse? But someone has to do the job of teaching, someone has to do police work. Yan Zhao, you need to think positively."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Hearing Sister-inw Huang''s words from outside, Chen Men felt as if she had been struck by a bell, or received a sudden enlightenment.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Although Sister-inw Huang might seem rough and sharp-tongued, her reasoning was not rough at all.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Yan Zhao was the captain of the investigation team in a branch of the Public Security Bureau, overseeing mines, coal, various factories, nightclubs, and all ces where nouveau riche might emerge.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Every day, he came into contact with people who had suddenly be wealthy. If he didn''t lock his drawer, there would be many people stuffing cash into it.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If he was willing to amass wealth indiscriminately, if he also went to make money...<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Wouldn''t that just prove that the country''s judicial system, from top to bottom, hadpletely copsed?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If the judicial system copsed, wouldn''t the entire country be finished?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The country''s prosperity and development came from these nouveau riche, but didn''tw and order and stabilitye from judicial personnel like Yan Zhao?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men was initially in a hurry, but upon hearing this, she felt that she didn''t need to persuade the child herself, as Third Sister-inw Huang would give birth anyway. She simply left all the items in Third Sister-inw Huang''s kitchen and returned home.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Back at home, Little Wang was helping his father wash clothes.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
His father''s pink bedsheet was specifically put in the washing machine to be spun today.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As a matter of course, seeing that the water in the washing machine had already cleared, she prepared to turn off the machine and hang the clothes. However, as soon as she twisted the knob, the washing machine stopped washing, but with a nging sound, it suddenly started to jump.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Little Wang dropped the snake-skin hose and came to shut off the machine: "You''re supposed to be the mother, and you can''t even handle this. You turned the wrong part; that''s the spin-dry barrel."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Quickly turn it off." They had just washed the clothes, and now they were about to run wild all over the yard.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Little Wang gave it a twist, and sure enough, the washing machine bounced a few times and then stopped.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Alright, I can wash and hang the clothes myself. You go make dinner. You''ve been running to the construction site a lottely, and dinner''s beente. Little Lang must be starving," Little Wang said as he scooped clothes from therge tub into the spin-dry barrel, carefully putting the lid on.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
There was a knack to putting on that stic lid of the spin-dry barrel. It had to be bnced just right for it to spin; otherwise, it wouldn''t work.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men felt that since she had done this before, she knew the principle, and guessed that Little Wang hadn''t yet mastered the trick.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Seeing the young man acting as if he knew everything better than anyone else, she wanted to wait for him to make a mistake so she could teach him.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But as soon as he turned it on, with a swoosh, the washing machine started to spin-dry.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Waste water flowed out from the water pipe towards the drain by the door. In less than four minutes, when they took the clothes out, they were already half-dry.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Big brother Wang is really capable," Yuanyuan said sincerely.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Little Wang chuckled and stuck out his tongue.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
He disliked little girls the most, but he was nice to Yuanyuan at the moment because she could sing sweet songs.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Seeing that it was about to get dark, Chen Degong was still at the construction site. Although he always cooked for himself at the site, and after being scared by his second brotherst time, this time when his elder sister-inw wanted toe along to help him cook, he didn''t even want her to.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men had bought a chicken today and nned to cook it all in one pot, then take half of it over to let Chen Degong treat the workers to a meal.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
After all, today they had to tie steel bars and pour the concrete floor all at once, which would keep them busy all night. Farm workers rarely ate meat, and giving them some meat to eat would give them the strength to work.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men was chopping the chicken in the kitchen when Little Lang came trotting in and stuffed something into her mouth: "Mama eat."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It was half a sausage, and it smelled quite good.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Little Lang, even if your brother bought it, you shouldn''t eat any more snacks. Your belly is too full; you''ll turn into a little fatty this way," Chen Men said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Little Lang stubbornly insisted: "Grandma gave it, I give it to Mama to eat."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
This child didn''t have a grandmother.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Yuanyuan, did you buy sausages for Little Lang today? You shouldn''t buy them anymore in the future, understand?" Chen Men said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Yuanyuan ran in: "No, Mama, what''s a sausage?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Half a sausage, branded "Chundu," had just be popr in this era. There were advertisements on TV, but it wasn''t sold outside yet.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The child took a deep sniff: "So this is a sausage. It smells really good."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men, holding the half sausage, thought for a moment and went next door.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Qin Yu, do you give Ningning pocket money? Has she ever bought sausages for Little Lang?" she asked first.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Qin Yu smiled: "Sausages? Aren''t these not avable in the market yet? It smells really good."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Ningning jumped up: "I know, I know! An olddy gave it to Little Lang. I wanted to eat it too, but Little Lang wouldn''t give me any."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
What would be known as "junk food" in the future was a luxury item now.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"By the way, Qin Yu, did Ningning sign up for the paint factory selection? Was she chosen in the end?" Chen Men asked again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Qin Yu sighed: "Don''t even mention it. They wanted a little boy, and a chubby one at that. They wanted the child to act as if the paint smelled good, smear it all over their body and put it in their mouth. How could that be okay? Wouldn''t that be making my daughter eat paint? I''d have to be crazy to let my daughter do that."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Returning home, Little Lang was still following Chen Men with half a sausage.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The little one wanted to save it for his mom, but he was really craving it, so he would lick it once, then offer it to Chen Men. Seeing that she wouldn''t take it, he would lick it again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men bent down and looked at Little Lang for a while, then asked the little silly: "Am I your mama?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Yes."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"What''s my name?"<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Um, Zhou Xueqin... I think," Little Lang said after thinking for a moment.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Who told you that?" Chen Men asked again.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Grandma... I think. She said not to forget mama, to love mama," Little Lang said.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men took the sausage, took a big bite, then said: "Now go home and runps in the yard. The more you run, the better."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Runps?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Don''t want to, tired." He was a littlezy bones.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men patted his bottom: "Mama will fry some sausages for you to eatter."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
The sausage already smelled good, if it was fried, wouldn''t it smell even better?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Shaking his chubby bottom, Little Lang went into the yard and really started runningps around it.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Coming out of Qin Yu''s house, Chen Men wasn''t in a hurry to go home. Although there weren''t any of these stic-wrapped little sausages sold outside, there were vendors selling garlic sausages in the market. Those needed to be pan-fried and tasted even better than these.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
After buying a string of garlic sausages, Chen Men needed to go to the First Team.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If she guessed correctly, the person who had given Little Lang the sausage earlier should be Zhou Xueqin''s mother, Wu Lianlian.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Zhou Xueqin herself had abandoned the child, either out of shame or fear that the child would cling to her, and didn''t dare to show her face.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Her mother hade to give Little Lang the sausage.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Just the other day, Chen Men had run into Zhou Xueqin trying to borrow money from Song Huaihua but getting turned down.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
A few dayster, she heard Song Huaihua say that Lu Jingyu had bought some bonds and lost quite a bit of money, and the two of them were really depressed for a while.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
So Zhou Xueqin wanted to make big money, but any business needed capital, and she was currentlycking capital because she had lost it all.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She had just been reborn and had signed up Lv Erniu, wanting her to endorse paint, but that must have fallen through too, because Lv Erniu was ugly and the paint factory didn''t want her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Originally, Chen Men thought it was just idental paint ingestion, which would have been okay, at least Erniu was older and definitely wouldn''t identally ingest paint.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But now it seemed the factory deliberately wanted to cover the child in paint from head to toe and even have the child eat paint.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And Zhou Xueqin, she knew about this.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Also, Chen Men had always been biased in her impression of Little Wang and Little Lang.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Because not only her sister-inw, but even Jinbao, Zhenzhu, and Baozhu, when mentioning Little Wang and Little Lang, would just shake their heads.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Moreover, Little Lang was too young to remember things, and although Little Wang was close to Yan Zhao, from the time they had lived together, Chen Men had also observed that he never mentioned his birth mother in front of anyone, not even Yan Zhao, and had never said a bad word about Zhou Xueqin.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
This was normal, just like Yuanyuan, even though Yan Xishan would point at her nose and scold her for being a money-losingmodity and a disgrace to him whenever he was drunk.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But Yuanyuan would never say anything bad about Yan Xishan in front of anyone.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Because children are born to their parents, and children don''t speak ill of their parents, this is human nature.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
But just because children don''t say anything, doesn''t mean their parents are truly good.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Just like Zhou Xueqin.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If Chen Men was only guessing before, she now dared to be certain that Little Lang had fallen ill because he had been made to endorse paint for the factory.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Having a child covered in paint and eating paint would make consumers feel that the factory''s paint was safe.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
In her previous life, Zhou Xueqin could say she didn''t know either, after all, in this era, people didn''t have knowledge about toxic paint, but hadn''t she been reborn now?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Couldn''t she find anywhere else to make money? Did she have to sell her son again?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
If Zhou Xueqin really still wanted to let Little Lang participate in the paint factory''s selection, then she wasn''t human, she was simply as cruel as a snake or scorpion, worse than pigs and dogs.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men didn''t mind having a private confrontation between reborn women with her.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Even if it meant ruining Zhou Xueqin''s face, she wanted to ask Zhou Xueqin why she would do such a thing.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
However, before she even entered the First Team, she ran into the vige chief Yan Yong''s wife, Liu Xiaohong. Liu Xiaohong had quite a fiery personality, and since they were sisters-inw, they naturally considered themselves family.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Men, why are you here?" Liu Xiaohong asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Before Chen Men could speak, Liu Xiaohong pursed her lips: "You probably don''t know, but Zhou Xueqin left our First Team today and went to the capital."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Zhou Xueqin had actually gone to the capital?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Was it Zhou''s Mother who took it upon herself to give Little Lang sausages to eat?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Another woman said, "I overheard the couple talking. They said they were going to resell some treasury bonds, which is extremely profitable. They also took that chubby girl with them, saying there''s a children''s singingpetition in the capital, and if she participates, she could be a little star."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Er Niu''s singing foundation was indeed impressive, and she had a particrly strongpetitive spirit. She was also good at stage performances, so it wasn''t impossible that she could be a little star if she entered thepetition.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As for Zhou Xueqin''s talk about reselling treasury bonds, it was like this: the government had recently banned the local buying and selling of treasury bonds, but they could still be traded in different regions. This gave rise to arge number of people engaged in inter-regional treasury bond trading. Some people could make tens of thousands of yuan overnight, but any money-making business carries risks. Among those people, it wasn''t justpetition; for the sake of grabbing treasury bonds, some even resorted to murder for money.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
It was a business where you could either be rich overnight or die suddenly. Zhou Xueqin could be described as both wild and spicy in this lifetime.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
However, since she hadn''tid a finger on Little Lang, Chen Men decided not to say anything.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
As Chen Men was about to leave, Liu Xiaohong added, "Oh, by the way, Zhou Xueqin came up with an advertising slogan for a sausage factory. It''s called ''The Dancing Sausage.'' They used it and gave her several boxes of sausages. Her mother is out there selling them. I bought a few. Men, do you want some? I can give you a couple."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
So, while Chen Men was thinking up advertisements for mattresses, Zhou Xueqin had done the same for a sausage factory?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And the sausages Zhou''s Mother gave to Little Lang weren''t even bought, but were freebies from the sausage factory?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She wouldn''t even give a single sausage to Little Wang, only to Little Lang, and wanted him to remember his birth mother forever?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
How could this maternal love be so cheap?<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Upon returning to the vige, she happened to run into Yan Zhaoing out of Teacher Huang''s house.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
"Where did you go?" Yan Zhao asked.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Chen Men smiled, "Nowhere special. Let''s go home, I have something to tell you."<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She hadn''t expected this man would feel inferior because of her ability to make money.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
Nor had she imagined that Zhou''s Mother could stoop so low, using a few free sausages to buy cheap maternal love.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
She needed to have a good talk with Yan Zhao about all these things.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
After all, as Third Sister-inw Huang had said, if Yan Zhao really knew how to make money and get rich, this country would be doomed.<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0
And if Little Wang and Little Lang were to be touched by Zhou''s Mother, who had already brought down a wool factory, they would probably be doomed too!<span ss="css-1gz1n0z"><span ss="bg css-i073lf"><span ss="num css-0">0