Chapter 36

Li Chunqin, who was helping Ye Jiang send the child home, couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

This old lady Xiao is really disgusting.

She said, "Old lady, there is no such thing as forced buying or selling in this world. Besides, this is a child. You can't take him away by force just because you are her grandmother."

By this time, Old Mrs. Xiao had woken up from her sleepiness and was full of energy. She didn't think she had done anything wrong. If there was any fault, it was the fault of her son-in-law and his new wife.

"I am the child's biological grandmother. My daughter's child, why can't I take it away? How can you, a black-hearted stepmother, be good to my grandson? Are you afraid that you won't be able to have children in the future, so you want to keep the child first?"

Ye Jiang looked at the ceiling above his head speechlessly. There were so many mentally retarded people this year.

She said, "Please save some energy for tomorrow's jam. I'm going to sleep now. Sister Li, you should also go home and sleep early."

"Okay, lock the door."

Li Chunqin was too lazy to persuade this person who didn't understand what others were saying. She thought Ye Jiang was very far-sighted and knew that Old Lady Xiao would stay at her door tonight.

Fortunately, Ye Jiang didn't let Mu Liancheng come back.

After all, this old lady Xiao is Mu Liancheng's ex-mother-in-law and the biological grandmother of his three children. Now that Mu Liancheng has been caught by her, the old lady is crying and making a fuss, and it's really difficult to deal with.

Li Chunqin went downstairs quickly and went home to sleep.

Here, Ye Jiang fetched water and washed himself. Seeing that the old lady was still unwilling to give up, he ignored her, closed the door, and went back to his room to sleep.

Old Mrs. Xiao sat alone outside the door until dawn. As expected, Mu Liancheng did not come home. She stood up angrily, kicked over the small stool, went to the sink to wash her face, and planned to go back to the guesthouse to catch up on some sleep.

When passing by a photo studio, she saw a young woman cleaning the window glass. Mrs. Xiao was attracted by a photo in the window.

The most eye-catching one is the family portrait in the middle, which is enlarged to seven inches in size.

The man above was handsome, and the woman was incredibly young and beautiful. Each of them was holding a porcelain doll about four or five years old in their arms. A half-grown boy stood behind them. The family laughed so hard that it hurt old lady Xiao's eyes.

this?

Isn't this her son-in-law's family?

Her son-in-law is young and promising, her children are smart and cute, and they have a house and money outside the city. His own daughter did not get to enjoy all these, but another woman took them all.

Although her daughter was determined to divorce her and abandoned her child, she felt jealous when she saw another woman piece together this broken life into a perfect family portrait.

Old Mrs. Xiao was very angry when she saw this. She thought about how she had sat at the door of her son-in-law's house all night, her back and waist ached, and she hadn't even had breakfast. So she was hurt by this photo early in the morning.

No, the two children insisted on taking them away. She was their biological grandmother and had more right to take care of the children than their stepmother.

Jin Wei had been working as an apprentice in the photo studio for a few days. She did not happen to see Ye Jiang's family taking a family photo on the day she arrived, but she saw it when the photos were developed.

But Master Tian said that the family portrait was well taken, and after asking Ye Jiang and she agreed, he enlarged it and hung it in the window as a living sign.

This made Jin Wei sulky every day.

Old Mrs. Xiao had been blocking the door of Ye Jiang's house for several days, so of course she knew about this gossip.

After cleaning the glass, Master Tian had not arrived yet, so Jin Wei went up to Old Madam Xiao and said, "You are Mrs. Xiao, the mother-in-law of Captain Mu, right?

I noticed you were staring at this photo for quite a while."

Old Mrs. Xiao had been away from the city for several days, and this was the first time someone took the initiative to talk to her.

"Yes, I came to look for my son-in-law, but this black-hearted woman wouldn't let me see him."

Old Madam Xiao pointed at Ye Jiang in the family portrait and said, "This woman is so scheming. My son-in-law was fooled by her and refused to come home to see me. Now I can't even see my two grandchildren."

"If you can't see him at home, you can go to school to see him."

"The school won't let me in."

Old Madam Xiao said angrily, "Especially that teacher Lu from the preschool class. She guards against me like a thief and won't let me see my dear grandson. I'll call and ask my in-laws to find someone to fire that teacher Lu! Let's see how she can still show off."

Jin Wei asked curiously, "Are your relatives so powerful?

Can you still manage it even beyond the city?"

Mrs. Xiao was full of pride. "Of course. My in-laws are very powerful. They were transferred to City C to be a big leader not long ago."

Oh, so that's it. This old lady Xiao also hates Ye Jiang. Jin Wei thought, those who hate Ye Jiang are all her friends.

She heard Mrs. Xiao growling with hunger and said with a smile, "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you?

I will accompany you to the state-owned restaurant for breakfast. I know Ye Jiang, and I will tell you whatever you want to know."

After having a sumptuous breakfast without spending a penny and getting to know Ye Jiang's background in detail, Mrs. Xiao was extremely satisfied.

"Xiao Jin, there aren't many women as virtuous and generous as you. Don't worry, I'll ask my in-laws to find a way to arrange a job for you."

Jin Wei thanked her profusely. Teacher Lu from the preschool was going home to get married, and Old Mrs. Xiao said that she could find a way to get her to be a teacher in the preschool.

As long as she becomes a teacher, she will have the opportunity to become an elementary school teacher, and then be transferred to the junior high school or even high school department, and her salary will increase step by step.

She was very happy. Being an apprentice in a photo studio only earned more than 20 yuan a month, while the teachers in the preschool class earned more than 40 yuan. Moreover, the school had classrooms and dormitories, so she didn't have to rent a dilapidated house and could save a lot of rent.

After Jin Wei returned to the photo studio, she immediately quit her job and waited intently for the job that Mrs. Xiao had promised to arrange for her.

Mrs. Xiao said that when she becomes a preschool teacher, she will let her go to school to look after the children.

What's so difficult about that? She is the child's grandmother and it is natural for her to look after the child.

...

After eating and drinking, Mrs. Xiao went to the supply and marketing cooperative to call her daughter-in-law.

Zou Yan spent the Mid-Autumn Festival at her parents' home. She was waiting for news from her mother-in-law when she received a call.

"Mom, has Mu Liancheng agreed to let our family adopt the twins?"

The son-in-law did not say he agreed in person, so Mrs. Xiao made all her assumptions. She felt that the son-in-law had no reason to object, and if he did not object, that meant he agreed.

Old Mrs. Xiao hesitated and said, "I agree...but the child's stepmother disagrees. She keeps a close eye on the child and has also informed the school teacher. I can't even get into the school. I can't take two children away by myself."

Zou Yan thought that Mrs. Xiao had already agreed with Mu Liancheng, but the woman named Ye Jiang refused. After all, why would she, a stepmother, refuse?

Zou Yan said: "The child's father agrees, what right does she have as a stepmother to disagree? Besides, with the conditions of our family, it is a blessing for the two children."

"That's right, we are the child's biological grandmother and aunt, so how can we treat the child badly?

I don't know what that woman is thinking."

"Who cares what she thinks? I'll buy a ticket now and go over there with you to bring the child back. My mother told me that if I can't successfully adopt the child within half a month, my family will be in great trouble!"

Old Mrs. Xiao believed the nonsense of these charlatans the most. When she heard that the Zou family was going to suffer a great disaster, her son would not be able to escape, so she became anxious.

In any case, take the child away first. Then her son-in-law, who has been avoiding her, will definitely come to find her.

"Zou Yan, ask your dad if he knows anyone in Licheng. The teacher of the twins' preschool is going back to her hometown to get married, and the school is short of a teacher. Ask your dad to use his connections to arrange a woman named Jin Wei to be a teacher in the preschool."

"Why do we need to arrange for her? It's too troublesome."

Zou Yan didn't want to trouble her father for such a small matter. If she assigned a job to an irrelevant person, her father would still owe her a favor.

Why not just take the child away?

"You don't know, we don't have a chance to get in touch with the child now. That woman is very careful. If you want to take the child away, you can only let Jin Wei be a teacher in the preschool. She promises to let us go to school."

"While Ye Jiang is in class and my son-in-law is not at home, let's take the child away. Adoption will be much easier."

"Then... I'll ask my dad to see if it's okay."

After hanging up the phone, Zou Yan asked her mother, "Mom, you heard everything on the phone just now, do you think my mother-in-law's idea is reliable?

If we bring the child back without telling him, will Mu Liancheng sue our family?"

"How does he sue?

We can just say that the child's grandmother missed her child and took him home to stay for a few days. Doesn't the child's grandmother have the right to take her grandson home to stay for a few days?"

Zou Yan's mother said, "Your mother-in-law's idea is good. I tell you, we must hurry up with the adoption. What the master chef said is particularly effective. He said that the two children will bring prosperity to our family. If we adopt them, your father's career will be smooth sailing. You can have two children in three years."

"Is it really that effective?"

Zou Yan was so excited.

"It really works."

Zou Yan's mother said, "Think about it. When the two children were in their hometown, Wu Zhilan was so prosperous as Mu Liancheng's stepmother. She had a smooth life for several years because of the two children. As soon as Mu Liancheng took the children away, Wu Zhilan broke up with her biological son, and she herself became seriously ill."

"That's because Wang's baby was taken away."

Zou Yan had wanted to have her own child for many years, so of course she believed what her mother said. It was just a job in a preschool, and her father could arrange it for her with just a phone call.

...

There was a short-term mission in City C, so Mu Liancheng took the initiative to apply to go to City C and visited several comrades along the way. In just one day, he had thoroughly investigated Zou Shihong's background.

Qin Wei had been unable to find any clues for several months, but Mu Liancheng certainly had a way to pry it open, quickly and effectively. The report materials were now in Mu Liancheng's hands.

Including how Zou Shihong forged data, coerced and bribed Qin Li's apprentice to make him give false testimony to expose his master.

Mu Liancheng sorted out all the information and said to Ye Jiang on the phone: "Who are you going to ask to submit these reports?

Do you want me to arrange someone?"

"No, please have someone send the materials back first. I want to take a look at them first."

Ye Jiang wanted to compare these accusatory materials with the fragmentary memories of his previous life to make sure there were no mistakes.

Her husband was quite efficient. He went to City C on Saturday and thoroughly investigated Zou Shihong's illegal history on Sunday.

Ye Jiang kept it to herself. With this information, Zou Yan's family was too busy to take care of themselves and had no energy to come to Licheng to make trouble and snatch her child.

As for who will submit these reporting materials?

She already had an idea in her mind, anyway, it couldn't be her man who went.

"How long will you stay in City C?"

Ye Jiang asked while holding the phone.

The man on the other end of the phone said, "I came here early to finish the things I asked you to do over the weekend, and then I will report to the company here. It will take one and a half months at the fastest, and two months at the slowest."

Two months?

Can this still be called a short-term task?

Ye Jiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "You said a short-term mission, I thought you would be able to go home in two or three days."

Two or three days?

How could there be such a short mission? Mu Liancheng was startled. Ye Jiang was young, and if he encountered a long mission, he might not be able to wait for him.

Mu Liancheng sighed on the phone: "Now you know it's not easy to marry here, sometimes we leave for half a year or a year."

Just like Xia Xiaoling's husband next door, he would be away on a mission for several months, and it would be good enough if he could come back before his wife gave birth.

He didn't go home for one year's annual leave because he was on a mission and was away for two years.

If he encountered another mission lasting several years, he was really afraid that Ye Jiang would not be able to endure it.

Ye Jiang quickly covered the man's mouth, not giving him the chance to say anything discouraging.

"I understand, and I don't regret it. Just go back to the team with peace of mind. I'm at home with you."

...

Mu Liancheng asked someone to investigate Zou Shihong's past, and Zou Shihong heard about it.

After returning home in the evening, Zou Shihong said to his wife worriedly: "It's strange. The Qin family has collapsed. Who is helping him investigate me?"

"Investigating you, what can you investigate?

You reported Qin Li according to the procedures and regulations, which was a great achievement. You deserve the position of Section Chief of the Petrochemical Bureau now."

Zou Yan's mother thought that the master chef was right. If she didn't adopt the twins, her Zou family would be in great trouble and the family would be broken up.

Now the master's words have come true.

Her man is diligent and honest, but now he is being investigated by a villain. If her man can report his boss Qin Li, then others can also fabricate evidence to report her man.

This won't do. We have to hurry and adopt the twins.

Zou Yan's mother asked anxiously, "The principal of Licheng Primary School is your childhood friend, right?

You should call him right away and ask him to arrange for Jin Wei to be a teacher in the preschool class."

Zou Shihong was reluctant to tell his wife the ins and outs of this matter, as the materials he used to report Qin Li would not stand up to investigation.

There was also Qin Li's apprentice who gave false testimony. He cried every day and said he regretted it and wanted to turn himself in to the Discipline Inspection Commission.

Zou Shihong is already making arrangements so that Qin Li cannot be allowed to come out.

"That Jin Wei is Qin Li's daughter-in-law. Is it necessary to arrange a job for her?"

"It's the former daughter-in-law."

Zou Yan's mother said, "You listened to me, it's right. The child's grandmother has lived in the city for several days. She can't see the child's father, nor can she touch the child. She and Jin Wei have already discussed it. We will help Jin Wei arrange a job, and Jin Wei will let the child's grandmother go to the school to see the child."

Zou Yan's mother emphasized, "Really, that master's prediction is very accurate. Our Xiao Yan must adopt those two children, otherwise you will be in big trouble."

Although Zou Shihong didn't believe in these things, it was not difficult to arrange a job for him. In addition, his daughter had never given birth, so adopting a child from his aunt's family was the most appropriate thing to do.

"Okay then, I'll arrange it."

Zou Shihong called his childhood friend, who agreed immediately.

Originally, Xiao Lu, the teacher of the preschool class, was going to resign and go back to her hometown to get married. However, since she hasn't found a suitable teacher to replace her, Xiao Lu has been delaying for several days.

The principal interviewed Jin Wei. Although he didn't like her character, he had to do her a favor since her childhood friend called him personally.

In addition, preschool is just a transitional class and cannot teach children much knowledge. Most of the time, children are just played.

The principal thought nothing would go wrong, so he agreed and asked Jin Wei to go to work on Monday.

Jin Wei was so happy. She didn't expect that she could become a teacher. Jin Wei smiled and said, "Principal Hao, can you think I can move to the teacher's dormitory of the school?"

Want to move to the dormitory before the probation period is over?

Principal Hao was a little displeased, "Let's talk about it after you've completed the probation period."

"My abilities don't need to be tested."

Jin Wei felt that his ability was being questioned, and tried his best to express, "I used to teach in a junior high school."

"I know everything about your past. You made such a big fuss in Licheng, who wouldn't know about it?"

Principal Hao said calmly: "This one-month trial is to test your character, not your ability. What kind of ability does a substitute teacher in a preschool class need?"

Jin Wei's face turned red. She wasn't going to teach only the preschool class forever. The preschool teacher was just a stepping stone and she would eventually have to teach senior grades.

Don't argue with him now, wait until her aunt comes at the end of the year.

Thinking that she would not have to pay for rent and could live in the school dormitory in a month, Jin Wei immediately called and told her aunt Jin Xiufeng the good news.

After arranging Jin Wei's work, Zou Yan, at her mother's urging, bought a ticket to leave the city to visit her mother-in-law.

After meeting, the two discussed in the guesthouse and decided to go to school to take care of the children tomorrow. They could not delay for a day. If they delayed any further, something big would happen to the Zou family.

Old Mrs. Xiao said, "Did someone really go to check on your father?

Nothing's going to happen, right?"

Her son's job was arranged by Zou Yan's father. If something happened to Zou Yan's father, her son's job would be ruined and he would have to go home to farm. Old Mrs. Xiao was worried to death.

"So, let's take the child away quickly and bring him back to bring prosperity to our family. Then my father will be fine."

...

On Monday morning, Ye Jiang dressed the twins in beautiful clothes of the same style and color, and the more she looked at them, the more she liked them.

Xiao Guan from the guard company came over early in the morning and saw the beautiful twins from Captain Mu's family eating breakfast quietly at the dining table.

Xiaoguan handed the file bag in his hand to Ye Jiang.

"Sister-in-law, this is what Captain Mu asked me to bring to you."

Xiaoguan took the night train back to Licheng. Their captain Mu instructed him to deliver the things to the family quarters after getting off the train and hand them over to Ye Jiang personally before returning to the team.

"Thank you, Xiaoguan, have you had breakfast?

Have breakfast at home and then return to the team."

Ye Jiang said this and went to get the bowl and chopsticks.

Xiao Guan hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. I will report back to the army first and eat after I get back to the team."

The young man turned around and ran downstairs. He thought to himself that Captain Mu was so lucky. His new sister-in-law was beautiful and kind to the children. The snacks for breakfast were even more exquisite than those in state-owned restaurants. He hoped that he could marry a wife like her in the future.

Ye Jiang opened the file bag and took a quick look. Inside was the materials on Zou Shihong's illegal and disorderly conduct compiled by Mu Liancheng.

After breakfast, she put the report materials into her bag and sent her two children to school.

"Xiaobei and Xiaoxi, Teacher Xiaolu is going home to get married and will no longer be able to teach you. There will be a new teacher coming to school today. You are not allowed to act naughty and get along well with the new teacher, okay?"

"not good."

Xiao Bei sniffed and said sadly, "I like Teacher Xiao Lu and don't want a new teacher."

Xiaoxi also nodded, indicating that she agreed with her brother and that she didn't want a new teacher either.

Ye Jiang smiled and said, "You all don't want a new teacher, so the new teacher will be very sad. Why don't you just try to get along with each other, okay?"

Xiaobei hesitated, "Mom, if we really don't like the new teacher, can we not go to school?"

"Can't."

Ye Jiang said seriously: "If this teacher did something bad, the school would change your teacher, but she didn't do anything bad and you still bullied the new teacher, then you are wrong."

"Okay, I understand mom."

Mu Xiangbei said: "If the new teacher does something bad, Mom will find a way to drive her away."

Ye Jiang smiled and knocked on his little head, "You only listen to half of what I say. There are not so many bad people in Licheng. It just so happens that they all happened to our family."

"But don't worry, Xiaobei, mom is very powerful and specializes in beating up bad guys."

Ye Jiang sent her child to the school gate. She did not enter the classroom and did not realize that the new teacher in the preschool class was the damn Jin Wei.

As soon as Xiaobei entered the classroom, he saw their new teacher. Oh my God, the new teacher was really a nasty woman.

This woman also wants to steal his father.

He doesn't want this new teacher. He wants to tell his mother that the new teacher is a bad woman and ask his mother to drive this bad woman away.

Xiaobei held his sister's hand and walked out angrily. He wanted to go to the principal's office and ask the principal to call his mother and ask her to pick him and his sister up and take them home.

Jin Wei slammed the classroom door shut and said sternly, "Xiaobei, you didn't even say hello to the teacher when you saw him. That's very rude. I'll punish you by making you stand against the wall at the back."

Jin Wei had never taught a class for younger children. She used the discipline of the junior high school to discipline the children in the preschool class. One morning, most of the children in the class were scolded. They all disliked the new teacher, Teacher Jin.

He is so strict and his words are not gentle at all. Teacher Lu is still the best.

"I didn't do anything wrong, why should I stand in the corner? You're a bad teacher, I don't want you!"

Xiaobei is the leader of the class. His words easily lead others to follow his lead. Besides, the other children were scolded by the new teacher in the morning, so they will follow Mu Xiangbei to make trouble.

"Bad teacher, we don't want you to teach us."

Jin Wei was shaking with anger. What kind of people are these? They are not obedient at all, especially Mu Xiangbei, who seriously disrupted classroom discipline.

If she lets the children continue to make trouble, the principal will probably come over to check it out. He might even think that she is not fit to be a teacher and fire her before the probation period is over.

Jin Wei patiently said in a friendly manner: "Okay, the teacher was wrong and shouldn't have made you stand in the corner. The teacher apologizes to you. Xiaobei, start the class quietly. Otherwise, you're not a good boy and your mother will be angry too."

When he thought about what his mother had indeed said, that he should be quiet and listen to the teacher in class, Mu Xiangbei sat down at his desk depressedly, stopped talking and ignored the new teacher.

Jin Wei breathed a sigh of relief. It was so difficult to take care of children in the preschool class, so he quickly passed the probation period and found a way to return to the junior high school.

It was finally noon and she was about to go to the cafeteria to eat when Old Mrs. Xiao came to find her.

Behind old lady Xiao was a middle-aged woman who was dressed quite fashionably. She must be her daughter-in-law.

"Xiao Jin, are you used to the class today?"

Old Mrs. Xiao told the school security guard that she was looking for the new teacher, Teacher Jin. Jin Wei came out to meet them, and Old Mrs. Xiao and her daughter-in-law were brought into the school by Jin Wei.

"I used to teach middle school students, and it was hard for me to adapt to the preschool class all of a sudden."

Jin Wei smiled and said, "You must be missing your grandson. Take advantage of your lunch break to spend some time with him."

Her job was arranged by Mrs. Xiao's in-laws after a phone call. If she wants to be transferred to the junior high school department in the future, she will probably have to trouble them again. Jin Wei is quite enthusiastic about Mrs. Xiao.

She had no idea that this old lady Xiao was also a shrewd person. She was arranged to work for her own convenience so that she could easily take the two children away from Jin Wei.

"Oh, how can my grandson eat these meals?"

Old Mrs. Xiao saw the lunch that the children had just lined up to get, one was a watery braised eggplant, and the other was winter melon and dried shrimp.

She lost her appetite just by looking at the food, but the children in her class were eating happily.

"Xiaobei, look, your grandma is here to see you."

Jin Wei knocked on Mu Xiangbei's desk, "Stop eating, I told you your grandma is here."

Mu Xiangbei looked up and saw why his wolf grandmother came to the classroom.

"She's not my grandmother. You let bad people into the school. I'm going to tell the principal, Grandpa."

Mu Xiangbei ran a few steps outside, but then felt that it was not appropriate to leave his sister alone in the classroom, so he turned around and stood in front of Mu Xiaoxi to protect her.

When his mother came to pick him up from school, he would tell her that the new teacher was a bad teacher, so bad that he let Grandma Wolf into the school.

When Zou Yan saw the two incredibly beautiful twins with her own eyes, she liked them a little more. Twins are not very common.

Especially since she is so beautiful, if she is brought home, those women who laughed at her for being unable to have children will surely be envious to death.

Zou Yan took out a few White Rabbit candies from her bag and said, "Xiao Bei, I'm your aunt, come and have some candy."

"No, your sugar is poisonous."

Mu Xiangbei's favorite food is White Rabbit, but this woman came here with Grandma Wolf, so she must be a bad woman.

He won't eat candy from bad women.

He was so anxious. It was only noon and it would take a long time for his mother to come and pick him and his sister up. He must not leave the school or let the bad guys kidnap them.

Zou Yan frowned slightly and said to her mother-in-law, "This child has a stubborn temper. It will be difficult to take care of him when he returns home."

Old Madam Xiao said, "What's there to be afraid of if you're a little stubborn? Just go hungry for a few meals and then get beaten a few times and it will be fine."

Anyway, he was not her own child, so she did not feel too sorry to beat him. Seeing that the child was smart and on guard against her, Old Lady Xiao guessed that he would cry if she wanted to take him away from the classroom, so it would be better to take him outside the school.

She smiled and said to Jin Wei: "Thank you, Xiao Jin. I've seen that the food in your school is too bad. After school, I'll take my grandson to the state-owned restaurant for dinner, and then I'll send him home. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

Jin Wei agreed immediately, "You are the child's grandmother, you love the child, unlike Ye Jiang, who only cares about her own happiness."

After leaving the school, Zou Yan asked in confusion: "Mom, why didn't you take the child away just now?"

"There are many people and teachers in the school. You have seen that my little grandson has been taught by Ye Jiang to hate me as his grandmother. He will definitely not want to go with us. Let's take him away after school. You should go to the station and buy a ticket."

Zou Yan agreed and ran to the train station to buy four tickets. She felt very happy when she thought that she would have two lovely children.

Both her mother-in-law and her mother said that these two children would bring good luck to her and her family.

Half an hour before school was over in the afternoon, Jin Wei said to Mu Xiangbei, "Xiaobei, your mother is here to pick you and your sister up from school. Go out with the teacher."

His mother teaches at school. She picks him and his sister up at a fixed time every day. How could she come so early today?

"You're lying, why would my mom come so early?

She hasn't gotten off work yet."

Jin Wei rolled his eyes in anger. Is this kid really only five years old?

So clever.

But Old Mrs. Xiao was still waiting at the school gate. She had come from far away just to see her grandson and take him out for a good meal.

It's such a simple wish, but I have to do it secretly.

Jin Wei thought that they were all poor people forced into this state by Ye Jiang, so she had to help Old Madam Xiao no matter what.

"It really is your mother. She got off work early today. If you don't believe me, go out and take a look. Don't make your mother wait anxiously."

"Well... okay then."

Mu Xiangbei held Mu Xiaoxi's hand and followed Jin Wei to the school gate.

...

Ye Jiang was looking through the accusatory materials that Mu Liancheng asked Xiao Guan to bring to her.

Ye Jiang planned to hand over this report to Qin Wei. Originally, Mu Liancheng could have handed the report directly to Qin Wei in City C.

However, Mu Liancheng has a special identity, and Ye Jiang doesn't want others to know that her man was involved in this matter. Even the reporting materials were investigated by Mu Liancheng through his friends.

Forget it, she should go there herself.

The reason why Ye Jiang didn't tell Mu Liancheng was that she was afraid that he would be distracted and affect his work.

Anyway, she would only stay in City C for one night and would not cause any trouble for the man.

Luo Yuanfeng had just finished class and saw that this young colleague was thinking about something again. He walked over and said with a smile: "Teacher Xiaoye, are you worried about your family again?"

Ye Jiang calmly put the report back into his bag.

"I have something to do in City C, so I want to ask for two days off from school."

"Since you have something to do, then you can ask for leave from school. Teacher Chen and I will help you with your classes."

Luo Yuanfeng is always gentle and kind, and is very nice to every teacher in the school.

He asked with concern: "I heard that Captain Mu's mother-in-law came to Licheng and stayed at your house for several days. Can you handle it?"

"It's my ex-mother-in-law."

Ye Jiang smiled and said, "Then I will ask for leave. I will trouble Teacher Luo and Teacher Chen to take care of my classes tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, no problem."

Luo Yuanfeng nodded in agreement.

Ye Jiang went to the principal's office to ask for leave. When Teacher Chen heard that she was going to City C, she hurriedly asked, "It's okay to ask for leave, but what about your two children?

Who will take it?

"Sister Mu Liancheng said she could come over and help me look after the child for two days."

Mu Lianhua heard that Old Mrs. Xiao had lived in Licheng for several days. She was worried and insisted on coming to visit her. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, she bought a ticket the next day and calculated that she would arrive in Licheng tonight.

Chen Hua asked again: "Xiao Ye, has Mrs. Xiao not blocked your door these two days?"

Chen Hua didn't see Old Lady Xiao when he was making dinner these two days, so he asked her out of curiosity.

Fortunately, she asked an extra question and reminded Ye Jiang.

"Yeah, she didn't come over for two days over the weekend, and I had a rare quiet weekend."

Wait...why didn't Old Mrs. Xiao come to block her door? Old Mrs. Xiao didn't know that Mu Liancheng went to City C.

With her persistent personality, it is impossible for her not to come for two days in a row.

That's unless she has thought of some good idea and is confident that she can snatch her child away.

Teacher Xiao Lu from the preschool class went home to get married, and today a new teacher came to Xiaobei's class.

What if the new teacher is not smart enough and is fooled by Old Lady Xiao and takes the two children away from her?

Her child Xiaobei is very smart, and Xiaoxi is a clever and ruthless little guy. The children will not go with their wolf grandmother. They are afraid that old lady Xiao will snatch them away by force.

Ye Jiang jumped up, grabbed her bag and ran, "Teacher Chen, please approve my leave application. I have to pick up my child."

Fortunately, she bought a bicycle last weekend. If she had run there, it would have taken another 20 minutes, which would have really driven her crazy.

Ye Jiang raised her wrist to look at the watch. There was still half an hour before the preschool class was over.

As soon as she rode to the school gate, she saw Old Lady Xiao pulling Mu Xiangbei.

"Why are you so disobedient, grandma is going to take you to eat something delicious."

Mu Xiangbei kicked and shoved, holding his sister tightly and refusing to let go.

"I'm not going. I have to wait for my mom. You bad guy still want to kidnap a child. I'm going to the principal's office to find the principal and call the police to arrest you!"

Zou Yan covered his hand with bloody teeth marks and angrily cursed: "Mom, that little girl bit me. I don't want that little girl anymore. Such a wild thing is hard to tame. Let's just take the boy away."

Besides, the little girl still can't speak, maybe she is mute. A mute little girl who bites people would be a burden to bring back home, so she doesn't want her.

Mu Xiaoxi licked her lips. Every time she bit a bad guy, her mother would appear to protect her.

She smiled sweetly at Ye Jiang and opened her mouth to shout, "Mom...Mom."

Ye Jiang was stunned for a moment as if struck by lightning, and then she was overjoyed. Her Xiaoxi started talking.

Ye Jiang parked her bicycle, held the two children in her hands, and became more determined to go to City C.

When her Zou family is unable to take care of themselves, let's see if they are still in the mood to come to Licheng to snatch the child.

"Mrs. Xiao, my child doesn't need a bite of your food."

Ye Jiang had already seen Jin Wei standing at the school gate. It turned out that the new teacher of the preschool class was Jin Wei.

She walked up to Jin Wei and said calmly, "Jin Wei, if I don't drive you out of Licheng, I won't be called Ye Jiang."

Chapter 37

"Big sister, if you're not busy at home, can you stay a few more days to help me look after Xiaobei and Xiaoxi? The kids can't go to preschool these two days. I have to go to City C to look for Liancheng."

"I'm ready to stay for half a month this time. Just go and do your work. I'll take care of the child."

Mu Lianhua came here after arranging everything at home. She felt sorry for her brother's wife, who had never had a peaceful day after marrying her eldest brother. This time, she was determined to help her settle the family before leaving.

With Sister Mu helping her take care of the child, Ye Jiang left with peace of mind, "Sister, thank you for your hard work."

Jin Wei is teaching preschool at school, and Ye Jiang can't let her child go to school. She is worried about Jin Wei, and she is afraid that Mrs. Xiao will take the child away from Jin Wei again.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly today, otherwise the two children might have been forcibly taken to the station by Grandma Xiao.

At that time, she went to the principal to report the situation. Jin Wei insisted that it was just the grandmother who wanted to see her grandson, and the principal could not dismiss Jin Wei just because relatives came to see the child.

Xiao Bei hadn't recovered from the shock yet, he asked in a low voice: "Mom, that woman is a bad teacher, right?

When will you chase her away? I want Teacher Xiao Lu."

Ye Jiang hugged her son and felt very distressed. Fortunately, Xiaobei was smart and had a strong sense of vigilance, so he was not taken away by the wolf.

"Don't worry, Teacher Jin won't stay in school for too long. You and your sister can go back to school after she leaves."

"Well," Mu Xiangbei nodded, "Will my aunt wait at our house until my mother comes home?"

"Of course, Auntie will stay here until your mother comes home."

Mu Lianhua was so happy when she saw that the two twins had grown fatter and their little faces were white and clean.

Everything about her eldest brother's place is good, except that the house is a little small, and the couple still sleep in separate rooms.

Mu Lianhua looked at the 1.2-meter-long bed in the small room, then at the single bed and the bunk bed for the child in the large room, and then at Ye Jiang's flat belly, and she felt worried.

When will I be able to conceive a child?

Well, this time I must wait until his elder brother comes back and have a good talk with him.

How could Ye Jiang be so wronged? Which new daughter-in-law could bear to sleep in a separate room from her husband? Her eldest brother is also a blockhead.

Sister Mu held Xiaoxi in her arms and coaxed her once again, "Xiaoxi, come here, call me auntie."

Xiaoxi munched on the corn cob in silence.

After calling Ye Jiang "Mom" at the school gate, Mu Xiaoxi stopped talking again.

Ye Jiang picked the vegetables and went to the big kitchen to cook dinner. Sister Mu followed to the kitchen to help. "It's really hard for you. You have been in Licheng for less than a month, and you have encountered so many things. That old lady Xiao has not come to visit for several years, but this time she has the nerve to come to ask for a child. I will scold her tomorrow."

"Don't get angry. She won't last for more than a few days."

Ye Jiang steamed a red snapper, stir-fried some squid shreds, and made a seafood pot, an eggplant with minced meat, and grilled eel.

Mu Lianhua watched Ye Jiang steam enough rice for five or six people and asked, "Why are you cooking so many dishes in the evening?"

"Xiao Nan said she wanted to bring her classmates home for dinner."

Ye Jiang hesitated whether to tell Sister Mu about Xiao Nan's affairs. After struggling for a long time, she decided to tell it.

Xiao Nan looks so much like the twins. Mu Xiangnan brought Xiao Nan home for dinner today, fearing that elder sister Mu would become suspicious after hearing Xiao Nan's name and looking at the child's appearance.

It's better to say it in advance, so that Sister Mu won't say anything that will hurt the child at the dinner table.

Ye Jiang pulled Sister Mu into the house and told her everything about Xiao Nan.

"Big sister, before Liancheng's ex-wife married here, she gave birth to a child. What a coincidence that the child is sitting at the same table with Xiaonan. When the two children come home for dinner later, you must pretend that you don't know. Don't let the children see that you are in a bad mood. Teenagers are very sensitive."

Mu Lianhua was furious after hearing this. No wonder that woman had been so lukewarm towards her elder brother and refused to join the army. It turned out that she had someone in her heart. Why did she agree to the marriage proposal in the first place? She ended up hurting several people.

"Mu Liancheng actually dared to hide it from me. Wait until he comes back and see how I deal with him."

"Sister, Xiao Nan's child is great. You must not show your displeasure to him when the child comes."

Ye Jiang said: "After all, the child did nothing wrong, and he is also a pitiful child."

"I know. I will never embarrass a child."

Mu Lianhua's four half-brothers all have the same father as her, but they still get along like real siblings. Even though Wu Zhilan acted that way, her three brothers still respect them as the eldest sister.

So in Mu Lianhua's heart, she also hopes that Xiao Nan can get along well with these three children.

Ye Jiang heard Xiaonan's voice downstairs and knew that the child had returned home. She whispered, "Okay, big sister, I won't say anything more. Let's go out for dinner."

Mu Xiangnan called out as he entered the room, "Aunt, when did you come?"

Mu Lianhua saw that Xiaonan seemed like a different person in such a short period of time. He was full of energy and felt happy, and she threw away her previous annoyance.

"Just arrived a while ago."

Mu Xiangnan saw the table full of sumptuous meals, all of which were his and his younger brothers and sisters' favorite dishes, and hurriedly pulled Xiao Nan, who was standing at the door, in.

"Come in, my dad is not at home today. You are familiar with everyone except my aunt."

It's his father. Xiao Nan has met him before. There was a flood in the school that night, and Xiao Nan stayed at his house. They are familiar with each other, so why is he still so restrained?

Especially his traitorous little sister, when she saw Xiao Nan coming, she slipped down from the chair, ran to the door, took his hand and pulled him into the house.

Seeing Xiao Nan was quite reserved and hesitant at the door, Ye Jiang said kindly, "Xiao Nan, come in. This is Xiao Nan's aunt."

Xiao Nan was stunned, not knowing what to call her for a moment. Mu Xiangnan said, "Don't be shy, just call me aunt."

"Aunt."

Xiao Nan lowered his head and shouted.

"Hey, come in and sit down."

Mu Lianhua was secretly shocked. The twins looked at least 70% similar to Xiao Nan. Among the three children, only Mu Xiangnan and Mu Liancheng looked like they were cast from the same mold.

When the twins grow up, they will look more like Xiao Nan.

The family sat down to eat, and Xiaoxi took the initiative to sit next to Xiao Nan. She really liked this brother who looked as handsome as her.

Mu Xiaoxi picked up a piece of her favorite eel and put it into Xiao Nan's bowl.

"Mu Xiaoxi, you are so biased. You have never picked up any food for me."

Mu Xiangnan felt jealous again, as if this little sister was deliberately trying to piss him off.

"I won't serve you food either."

Mu Xiangnan said angrily. He scooped a spoonful of the soup from the seafood pot and poured it on Xiao Nan's rice. "This soup is especially delicious when soaked in rice."

Xiao Nan didn't say anything either, just ate his meal in silence. He took a bite of the eel meat and ate a mouthful of rice soaked in seafood sauce. The delicious taste warmed his hungry stomach.

Everything in this family is so beautiful, except that he is superfluous.

If Mu Xiangnan knew that they were born from the same mother, would he hate him?

Xiao Nan is getting more and more scared now. He knows it clearly, but he doesn't have the courage to confess.

Mu Lianhua picked up the bowl to feed Xiaoxi, but the child refused to let her be fed and ate very quickly.

After dinner, Mu Xiangnan and Xiao Nan were about to return to school.

When Xiao Nan was leaving, he said, "Teacher Ye, Aunt..., let's go back to school."

Ye Jiang looked at the time. It was almost seven o'clock, and they had to attend evening self-study at 7:30.

"Go back quickly."

Xiaoxi ran to the door and pulled Xiaonan's sleeve. Xiaonan squatted down and asked, "What's the matter?"

Mu Xiaoxi took out an orange candy from her pocket and fed it to Xiao Nan.

The orange candy is sweet, just like last time.

Today's dinner was the happiest one Xiao Nan had ever had, and his sister even gave him candy.

Mu Xiangnan, who was standing by, was filled with sourness, "Mu Xiaoxi, oh Mu Xiaoxi, I love you in vain."

Xiaoxi thought about it and decided, forget it, this brother is so stingy, just give him a candy.

Mu Xiangnan then became happy and ruffled his sister's hair. "I'll come back to play with you on the weekend."

When Mu Xiaoxi saw that the beautiful braids her mother had tied for her were messed up by her stupid brother, she turned around and ran back to the house in anger. If she had known, she would not have given him the candy.

"Xiaoxi doesn't seem to like people rubbing her hair."

Xiao Nan said: "You should tell her you're sorry, you didn't mean it."

"Yeah?

How do you know it?"

Xiao Nan suspected that Mu Xiangnan was mentally retarded: "Xiao Xi's expression of disdain is so obvious, can't you see it?"

Mu Xiangnan: "..."

I didn't notice it at all. Didn't his little sister have the same expression from beginning to end?

How does Xiao Nan distinguish them?

The two half-grown children were arguing loudly, and Ye Jiang and Mu Lianhua couldn't help but smile at each other.

Mu Lianhua asked: "When are you going to tell the children?"

"I have discussed this with Mu Liancheng, and we plan to wait until the kids graduate from high school."

The two of them cleaned up the table, Mu Lianhua took the dirty dishes to the sink to wash, and Ye Jiang gave the children a bath.

Before going to bed, Ye Jiang said, "Sister, during the few days I'm away, you can take the child to the family compound. Old Mrs. Xiao is not brave enough to come to the family compound to snatch the child."

"I know. After you finish your business in C City, will you come back with Liancheng?"

"That's not certain. I can't tell the time there. Maybe I'll come back first."

Old Mrs. Xiao had something to hide. After being caught by Ye Jiang at the school gate, she never went to her son-in-law's house again at night.

Zou Yan was anxious and angry in the guesthouse, "Mom, I asked around and found out that Mu Liancheng is on a mission and is really not leaving the city. Now I can't take the child away. What should I do?"

The master said that if she couldn't get the child back, her family would be in big trouble.

Old Mrs. Xiao said, "Don't worry, the child has to go to school. I have already agreed with Jin Wei that I will only bring my grandson out this time, and not my granddaughter. With two adults like us, can't we take a child with us?"

...

The train was at 5:30 in the morning, so Ye Jiang got up at 4:00 to wash and dress. Sister Mu slept in her older brother's single bed last night, and she felt that she couldn't stretch her arms and legs. She didn't know how Mu Liancheng, who was so big, could get by on such a small bed.

She checked Ye Jiang's money and certificates again to prove that she could not stay in the guesthouse without them.

Ye Jiang said she would not live in the guesthouse, she would move back to her old house.

The two children were still sleeping. Ye Jiang quietly took the report materials from the drawer and put them into the military green messenger bag.

"Sister, I'm leaving now. Please take care of the child for me. The money and notes I need in the next few days are all in the drawer."

"Do not worry."

Mu Lianhua also whispered: "It would be best if I could come back with Liancheng. I have something to tell him."

It takes more than ten hours to get to City C by train. When Ye Jiang arrived at the train station in City C, he had the illusion that he was in another world.

In her previous life, she lived here for many years, and nothing had changed, still looking the same as she remembered.

City C later became one of the country's leading cities with a large population, and the train station was bustling at night.

After Ye Jiang got off the bus, he naturally knew which bus to take back to the old house.

Last time, Shen Yuezhen wrote to her and told her about the divorce between Jin Wei and Qin Wei. This time, Ye Jiang talked to Shen Yuezhen on the phone and asked Shen Yuezhen to take her to Qin Wei's house.

Otherwise, if she rashly went to find Qin Wei, he might be wary of her.

"Ye Jiang, here."

A familiar voice was calling her from a distance.

Ye Jiang looked back and saw that it was Mu Liancheng. He asked in surprise, "How did you know I was coming?"

He even waited at the station to pick her up.

"Our political commissar called me and told me this. Why didn't you tell me before you came?"

The man had a sullen look on his face, and he felt more and more redundant.

Coming to City C was such a big event, but Ye Jiang didn't tell him in advance. What he came to deal with were the annoying things in his family.

In Ye Jiang's heart, is he just a man who can't handle anything?

If the political commissar had not gone home and heard from his wife, Director Li, that Ye Jiang was coming to City C, and had not called him at Director Li's request, he would not have known that his wife was coming.

When he received the call, he called the service agency to find her elder sister and found out Ye Jiang's train schedule.

His elder sister Mu Lianhua was impatient and scolded him on the phone, saying that he was not a man and that he always asked Ye Jiang to take care of everything while she hid back and enjoyed herself.

Sister Mu said to her brother, "You let your current wife take care of your previous wife's mother's affairs. Are you missing a bone in your brain?

Ye Jiang is still patient enough to live with you. I feel like you saved her in her previous life, and Ye Jiang is here to repay your family in this life. Otherwise, I really can't explain it. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to live a day."

Mu Liancheng explained that Ye Jiang didn't let him take care of it and told him not to show up, but Sister Mu reprimanded him even more harshly.

"When did you become so obedient? I saw you were quite opinionated since you were young, but you lose your mind when it comes to women. Don't you feel sorry for your own wife?"

The more Sister Mu thought about it, the angrier she became, and she scolded Mu Liancheng on the phone for half an hour.

Li Chunqin was amazed when she heard this. Xiao Mu's elder sister was really an amazing person.

Mu Liancheng was scolded by his sister for being autistic. He deeply reflected on his own behavior. He suddenly thought that since Ye Jiang never asked him to take care of anything, maybe she didn't treat him as her husband.

He felt as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

There was a jeep parked in the big square. Ye Jiang followed Mu Liancheng into the car. Ye Jiang was very happy that the man came to pick her up and told him his address.

"Turn left at the intersection ahead, drive along Chaoyang Avenue, and stop at the intersection of Qianjin Lane. Cars can't enter that lane, so I can just walk through it."

"Is the old house of my parents in Qianjin Lane?"

Mu Liancheng deliberately put emphasis on the words 'parents'.

"Yes, do you still remember Shen Yuezhen?"

Shen Yuezhen?

Why did he mention Shen Yuezhen for no reason? Mu Liancheng was depressed.

"Why mention her?"

Ye Jiang could sense something was wrong. The man seemed to be struggling with himself since he got on the bus. She turned to look at the man and asked, "Is your mission not going well?"

"It went very smoothly."

Mu Liancheng drove the jeep onto Chaoyang Avenue and said, "I have booked a room at the guesthouse. What time can you finish?

I'll pick you up in advance."

"Just do your thing."

Ye Jiang said: "Yuezhen is going to take me to Qin Wei's house, so it might be late. Yuezhen and I have agreed that I will sleep with her in the old house at night."

"Um."

After a long while, the man finally responded, "Then I'll go to the guesthouse and sleep by myself."

"Stop at this intersection."

Ye Jiang didn't have time to think about it. Through the car window, she saw Shen Yuezhen already waiting for her at the intersection.

Shen Yuezhen met Ye Jiang and saw that it was Mu Liancheng who brought her here, so she greeted him with a smile.

Mu Liancheng rolled down the window and said to Ye Jiang, "Then I'm leaving?"

Ye Jiangdu walked to the entrance of the alley, turned around and saw that the man had not left yet. She thought that the man was worried about her, "You go back, Yuezhen is with me, nothing will happen."

Mu Liancheng was about to say something but stopped himself. He had wanted to pick up Ye Jiang to stay at a guesthouse in the evening, but it was obvious that his wife had no such intention. He sighed and drove away.

"You haven't eaten yet?

I'll make you a bowl of noodles."

Shen Yuezhen unlocked the door to the yard and said, "Take a look. Do you still remember what this house looks like?"

Ye Jiang and his parents haven't lived here for more than ten years. The small courtyard, which they thought was shabby, was kept clean and tidy by Shen Yuezhen.

There are a few clusters of roses planted in the corner of the wall, and the faint fragrance of flowers floats in the air.

Shen Yuezhen went downstairs to the kitchen. Ye Jiang said anxiously, "Why don't we go to Qin Wei's house first, do some work, and then come back to eat."

Shen Yuezhen had already lit the fire and was boiling water. "Don't worry. People can't escape at this late hour. I have already informed Qin Wei and his stepmother. They will be waiting for you tonight."

When Qin Wei heard Shen Yuezhen say that Ye Jiang had materials that could prove Qin Li's innocence, he didn't go to do odd jobs today, but waited at home.

Duan Rong was so anxious that he couldn't sit still. He ran to the street and asked Shen Yuezhen several times when Ye Jiang would arrive.

Shen Yuezhen asked Duan Rong to go home and wait, as Ye Jiang would not arrive until the evening. When Ye Jiang arrived, he was also anxious. What kind of accusatory material could make these two families, who had never met each other, so anxious?

The noodles were cooked quickly, and in another pot, shredded pickled mustard greens and pork were stir-fried. After the noodles were cooked, the shredded pork was stuffed into the noodles. Shen Yuezhen and Ye Jiang each had a bowl of shredded pork noodles to fill their stomachs.

Shen Yuezhen didn't even wash the dishes. She put down her bowl and chopsticks and said, "Come on, I'll take you to Qin Wei's house."

The house that Duan Rong's parents gave them to live in was a dormitory of the tobacco factory, a very old tube-shaped building, and Qin Wei's family lived on the fourth floor.

In the evening, a neighbor saw two young women coming to see Qin Wei and gossiping for a while.

"It's strange that a woman would come to see Qin Wei at this time."

The neighbors all knew about Qin Wei and his wife's divorce. Someone recognized Shen Yuezhen and said to the people next to him, "The one with short hair is Xiao Shen from the street. The other young and pretty one looks unfamiliar. Could she be the one Xiao Shen introduced to Qin Wei?"

"I can't?

How could such a beautiful girl fall in love with Qin Wei, a divorced and unemployed man?"

Shen Yuezhen heard it, and she didn't want to spread any rumors that would be bad for Ye Jiang.

This is Ye Jiang's hometown. Maybe one day Ye Jiang will come back.

Shen Yuezhen walked over and introduced herself openly, "This is my sister who came to see me. I happened to have something to do with Aunt Duan tonight, so my sister came with me. Please don't say anything, my sister is already married."

It turned out that he was already married, so there was no gossip to be found and the neighbors dispersed.

Ye Jiang smiled and said, "Last time my eldest nephew came to visit me in Licheng, people also said that he was a wild man. Fortunately, you came with me today, otherwise I can't explain it clearly."

"Oh, it's not easy to be a woman."

Shen Yuezhen sighed and climbed the stairs with Ye Jiang.

I knocked on Duan Rong's door and a woman in her late 50s opened the door. She was Duan Rong, who had been waiting anxiously at home for a whole day.

Duan Rong looked at the girl behind Shen Yuezhen. She was young and beautiful. Could she help the Qin family?

Duan Rong let them into the house, peeked out to see that there were no neighbors watching, then he went in and closed the door.

A young, thin man stood up from the sofa. Shen Yuezhen introduced him, "This is Qin Wei."

She then said to Qin Wei, "Qin Wei, this is Ye Jiang. The house I live in is the old house of Ye Jiang's family. You guys chat, I'll go downstairs and come back up."

Shen Yuezhen thought that they would be talking about some important things later, and it would not be convenient for her as an outsider to eavesdrop in the room, so she decided to go downstairs and wait for Ye Jiang to finish talking before going home together.

Qin Wei stepped forward to pull Shen Yuezhen back and said, "There is nothing in our family that you don't know. You don't have to go out."

Shen Yuezhen didn't expect Qin Wei to be so bold as to pull her in front of others. She said with a stern face, "Let go quickly."

Qin Wei loosened his hand, walked a few steps to the door, and bolted it, meaning that he would not let Shen Yuezhen out.

Shen Yuezhen blushed.

Ye Jiang thought that there was something going on between these two people. He would go back tonight and interrogate Yue Zhen carefully to find out when she started developing a relationship with Qin Wei. Qin Wei had been divorced for not long.

Duan Rong made two cups of tea and brought them to Ye Jiang and Shen Yuezhen, "You sit down and talk."

Ye Jiang did not beat around the bush and took out the report from his bag. "Qin Wei, this contains the evidence that Zou Shihong forged materials to report your father, as well as some of his own illegal and disorderly conduct. Tomorrow you go find your master's apprentice and show him this report. He will know that his perjury will be exposed and will definitely surrender with you. With his confession and this material, your father will be released soon."

Qin Wei took the dozen pages of materials that could prove his father's innocence with trembling hands. He had asked so many people but couldn't find any information. How did this girl get these materials?

"Why are you helping me?"

Qin Wei asked while choking up. From the time his father got into trouble until now, the pressure and the ridicule from others had almost broken his spine.

"I didn't come here to help you."

Ye Jiang said, "The relationship here is quite complicated. My husband's ex-wife's brother married Zou Shihong's daughter. Zou Yan has been unable to give birth for several years. Her mother-in-law, Mrs. Xiao, my husband's ex-mother-in-law, actually ran to Licheng and shamelessly tried to snatch my children. I am impatient with them."

"Later, I asked someone to check and found out that Zou Shihong had committed so many illegal and disorderly acts, so I handed over all the materials."

Ye Jiang said bluntly: "If you report Zou Shihong, Zou Yan and Old Lady Xiao won't have time to snatch my child, and your father can clear his name and go home earlier, but you can't say that I gave you this information."

"I know."

Qin Wei assured: "Comrade Ye, no matter what your purpose is, you have helped my family a lot. I will definitely remember this favor. Whenever you ask me to pay it back, I will definitely not say a word."

Qin Wei knew that this was great fortune for his Qin family. If it weren't for Old Lady Xiao going to leave the city and making Comrade Ye very annoyed, no one would have gone to the trouble of looking for evidence of Zou Shihong's illegal activities.

No matter what the reasons are, the Qin family is grateful.

Duan Rong wiped her tears and read the report again and again. She was actually illiterate, but she felt that those dozen pieces of paper were the hope for her husband to return home.

"That's great, Comrade Ye. We don't know how to thank you."

"No need to thank me, but I do have something I would like to ask Aunt Duan for help."

"You said, as long as I can help, I will definitely help."

Duan Rong agreed immediately. She was a woman who only knew how to stay around the stove, and she didn't know how she could help Comrade Ye's family.

As long as she can help, she will do it no matter how difficult it is.

"It's your former daughter-in-law Jin Wei."

"What happened to Jin Wei?"

Duan Rong asked hurriedly. When Jin Wei got divorced, she said she wanted to go back to Licheng to ask her uncle for help. Duan Rong still remembered it.

She was just wondering whether these accusatory materials were prepared by Jin Wei's uncle. Could it be that Jin Wei divorced and went back, and really kept his promise and helped the Qin family a lot?

So when Qin Wei's father comes back, will Jin Wei come back and remarry Qin Wei?

Duan Rong felt a little troubled. Qin Wei seemed to have some interest in Xiao Shen from the street these days. But if Jin Wei came back to remarry, the Qin family would have received favors from the Jin family, and it would be unreasonable for Qin Wei not to remarry her.

But given Qin Wei's personality, he will definitely not turn back. What if something goes wrong?

"Comrade Ye, let me ask you a question. Was this report given to you by Uncle Jin Wei?"

When Qin Wei was asked this question, he became nervous. If the materials were prepared by his uncle Jin Wei, he would not want them.

He didn't want to accept any favors from Jin Wei, but now there was such a good opportunity to save his father, should he give up?

Qin Wei looked up at Shen Yuezhen, her face full of pain.

Shen Yuezhen turned her face away and did not give Qin Wei any response.

Ye Jiang was surprised and said, "Auntie Duan, why do you think so? This material has nothing to do with Jin Wei and Captain Qi. You must not go out and say anything nonsense."

"Okay, okay, as long as she didn't help, I won't go out and tell anyone."

Duan Rong nodded repeatedly, as long as it had nothing to do with Jin Wei, Qin Wei would not have to be in a dilemma.

Qin Wei also breathed a sigh of relief. He asked, "Comrade Ye, what did you just ask Aunt Duan to help you with?

You continue. "

"Jin Wei is in Licheng, and he got involved with Old Lady Xiao. Zou Yan's father arranged for her to go to preschool, so our two children can't go to school. We are afraid that Jin Wei will give the child to Old Lady Xiao."

Ye Jiang said, "I don't know what that woman is thinking. Anyway, I can't let Jin Wei stay in Licheng any longer. I need Aunt Duan to go over there and tear her thick skin apart."

She told him everything about what Jin Wei did in Licheng, how her aunt was taken back to her hometown by her mother-in-law, and how her uncle-in-law gave up the house and returned to live in the army.

"Do you know?

Jin Wei told her aunt and uncle that Qin Wei had abused her and she had never thought about helping Qin Wei rescue his father.

"She farted. When did my Qin Wei take action?"

Duan Rong has completely given up. That's good. Jin Wei has done such a ruthless thing. When the Qin family gets better, she won't have the face to come back.

"Comrade Xiaoye, rest assured. I will go to Licheng after Qin Wei hands over the materials.

It's not just for Ye Jiang, Duan Rong thought, she wanted to tear Jin Wei apart so that he couldn't stay in Licheng anymore and wouldn't have the face to go back to C City.

...

Ye Jiang's old house is a two-story small courtyard. Shen Yuezhen lives in the bedroom on the second floor. After Ye Jiang finished washing up, it was almost ten o'clock.

She smiled and asked, "Comrade Xiao Shen, what's going on between you and Qin Wei?

Tell me the truth, how far have you two progressed?"

Shen Yuezhen blushed, feeling embarrassed by Ye Jiang's teasing, "It doesn't matter. On the day he divorced Jin Wei, Jin Wei splashed hot tea on his face, and I just wrung a cold towel for him."

"Is that all?

I saw Qin Wei holding your hand today. Aunt Duan doesn't think it's strange at all. There must be something else going on, right?"

Shen Yuezhen sighed and said, "My mother came a few days ago and told me to go home and get married. She said there was a man in the city whose wife had died and wanted to marry a wife. He was willing to give a dowry of 800 yuan. I said that the man was already over 50 years old and could be my father. I refused, and my mother started to argue, saying that I was abused by the man and it was good enough to be able to get a dowry of 800 yuan. I was so angry that I wanted to kill myself at that time."

Ye Jiang hurriedly advised: "It's not your fault, you must not do anything stupid."

"We had a quarrel that day and I survived it back home. There's no reason for me to die now."

"My mother was cursing the whole time, and Qin Wei happened to pass by. I don't know what made him mad, but he rushed in and told my mother that he had fallen in love with me and would not let me go home to get married. My mother asked him how much he could give as a dowry, and Qin Wei slammed the few dimes he earned from carrying bags on the table, saying that this was all he had now, and it was up to me to take it or not. My mother was so angry that she was stunned."

Shen Yuezhen wanted to laugh when she thought of her greedy mother who suffered a setback at the hands of Qin Wei.

"Of course I had to cooperate. I told her that Qin Wei and I were living together, that I would live with him even if we had to eat coarse food, that I would never go home to marry, and that I had no money to give back to the family. She thought I was dead, and my mother went home in anger."

"I originally thought that the matter was over, but Qin Wei took it seriously and came to me, saying that he was also a divorced man, had nothing and was just a hard worker, so he had no right to care about my past and asked me to be more open-minded.

I told him several times not to come, but he wouldn't listen."

Shen Yuezhen still couldn't get over it, so Ye Jiang advised her, "Don't dwell on the past. I think Qin Wei is a good person. Think about it carefully."

Shen Yuezhen kept her eyes open for a long time without saying anything. It's not that she hadn't considered it, but she didn't want to spend the rest of her life making do. If she found someone with a bad temper again, she would rather live alone for the rest of her life.

Lets see.

"Your elder sister is in Licheng taking care of your children. Just wait until your husband finishes his work and then go back together."

Shen Yuezhen turned off the lights and said while lying on the bed.

"It will take him a month or two to come back this time. I have to leave tomorrow."

Speaking of her man, Ye Jiang's mind was empty, and she suddenly remembered that Mu Liancheng seemed to have said that a guesthouse had been opened, and that if Ye Jiang didn't go to live there, he would just go and live there himself.

The men stationed here have dormitories to live in, right?

Why did he open a guesthouse? And he even asked her to go there...

In the dark night, Ye Jiang laughed under the quilt, and Shen Yuezhen tickled her armpits, "What funny thing did you think of?

Speak out and let us hear it."

"I won't be staying here tonight."

Ye Jiang got up, pulled the light cord, and quickly put on his clothes and shoes.

Shen Yuezhen leaned on the pillow, tilted her head and asked, "Where are you going so late at night? Do you want me to accompany you?"

She was still worried about going out in the dark in the middle of the night.

"No, go to sleep. My man is in the guesthouse. I'll go find him."

She was also confused. She was thinking about something at the time and did not notice the disappointment in the man's tone. He was thirty years old, but still so honest that it made people feel distressed.

If I go to him now, he will be scared, right?

Shen Yuezhen put on her coat and said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I saw that Captain Mu was unhappy when I left. If I had known that you would go directly to the guesthouse after leaving Qin Wei's house."

"Okay, don't see me off. I know where the guesthouse is."

I caught the last bus. There were not many passengers on the bus. The conductor asked, "Which stop do you want to get off at?"

"Sipailou Station."

"five cents."

Ye Jiang gave him a dime, and the ticket seller gave him five cents in change and tore a ticket for her.

Seeing that she is a young girl carrying a luggage bag and getting off at Sipailou Station, she must be going to stay in a guesthouse.

"Visiting relatives or friends?

The guesthouse at Sipailou is probably full. You might as well take a few more stops and stay at the guesthouse at Chentang Station. There are fewer people there and it's usually not full, so it's safer."

Ye Jiang smiled and thanked him, "My husband has booked a room at the guesthouse in Sipailou."

That means they are here to visit relatives. The ticket seller didn't say anything else and walked back to collect the ticket money from the next passenger who got on the bus.

There were only dim street lights outside the car window. I met Mu Liancheng in City C that year on a snowy night, also at the entrance of the Sipailou Guesthouse.

When the two passed by each other, Mu Liancheng turned around and called out, "Teacher Ye..."

Later, she became the class teacher of Xiaoxi and Xiaobei, and the man came often. Later, her uncle introduced her to a guy, and she found out that the other person was Mu Liancheng during the blind date.

After six stops, when we arrived at Sipailou Station, the conductor shouted, "Little girl in front, we have reached Sipailou Station, get off quickly."

Ye Jiang came to her senses and realized that she had almost missed her stop. She thanked the bus repeatedly, got off the bus and went into the guesthouse.

Ye Jiang took out the letter of introduction and certificate from her bag and handed them to the waiter behind the counter, "Comrade, I'm staying at the hotel."

"We're full here."

The girl behind the counter with pigtails and a few freckles on her face said apologetically, "There may be rooms available in the Chentang guesthouse. How about I ask the master from our boiler room to go with you?"

Most people these days were still kind and honest. They were afraid that it would be unsafe for a girl like her to walk at night, so they offered to find someone to take her there.

"Thank you, comrade. My husband has booked a room here. Room 516 is called Mu Liancheng. Please check it out for me."

"Okay, wait a moment."

The girl was quite enthusiastic. She opened the registration book, checked it and said, "So that handsome officer is your husband. I saw him going downstairs to get some water at night. I'll take you upstairs."

"No, I'll go up by myself."

Ye Jiang didn't let the little girl lead him and went up to the fifth floor by himself.

Ye Jiang found room 516 along the corridor and knocked on the door.

"who?"

There was the sound of someone getting out of bed and walking around, and the man seemed confused as to who was knocking on his door so late.

Ye Jiang suppressed his laughter and said in a deliberately hoarse voice, "Room inspector, open the door quickly!"

Chapter 38

Mu Liancheng thought, why check the room so late at night? He is a gay man staying alone in the guesthouse, what is there to check?

From the sound of the other person's voice, it seems to be a lesbian. What time is it now? Don't lesbians take a break?

I wanted to not open the door, but I felt it was not good, after all, I still had to cooperate with other people's work.

"Hold on."

Mu Liancheng was dressed neatly, buttoning his military uniform meticulously, and then he opened the door.

There was a bright and charming face outside the door, smiling with a proud look on her face. It was his young wife.

Didn't you say it couldn't come?

When she really came, he didn't know what to do with her.

Mu Liancheng was surprised for a second before he smiled and said, "Didn't you say you couldn't come?"

"I'm here to check on you."

Ye Jiang entered the room and closed the door. This was a standard room with two 1.5-meter beds. She smiled and asked, "How are you going to sleep at night?"

The man was stunned for a moment. How could he sleep?

It was impossible for him to do anything to her outside. Thinking of that night when the two of them squeezed into a small bed, his blood started to boil again.

My sanity has already collapsed.

"Do you have your marriage certificate with you?"

The man asked.

"What?"

Mu Liancheng gently touched Ye Jiang's little hand, which was a little cold.

The late autumn night was already very cold, so he poured a cup of hot water for Ye Jiang to warm his hands.

"A couple living in a guesthouse need to register for a marriage certificate. Didn't the girl downstairs ask you for it?"

"No ah."

Ye Jiang was also secretly annoyed. Before coming, she didn't know that Mu Liancheng would come to pick her up and open a guesthouse. If she had known earlier, she would have brought her marriage certificate.

"What should I do then?

It's not such a coincidence that the ward rounds are tonight. Besides, we are a couple, so what are we afraid of? I'm sleepy and I want to sleep."

Ye Jiang took off her coat and got into bed. She blinked and asked with a smile, "Are you coming?"

The hot blood rushed to the top of the man's head. He was so hot that he said sullenly, "You go to sleep first. I'll go take a shower."

A basin of cold water poured from head to toe finally sobered him up a little. When he came out, Ye Jiang had already fallen asleep with his eyes closed.

Mu Liancheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, turned off the lights, quietly lifted the quilt, and lay down next to his wife.

Ye Jiang just dozed off for a while but didn't really fall asleep. The two of them lay side by side. The soundproofing in the guesthouse was not good. There was also a young couple living in the next room. The bed frame creaked and shook for a long time, and there was a faint sound of a woman's breathing.

Ye Jiang blushed and turned over, burying her face in the man's arms.

She did have some small plans in mind, intending to break through the man's mental defenses here, but the environment here was too bad.

Any noise can be heard by people upstairs, downstairs, left and right next to you, and you have to be very nervous about the ward inspection.

Ye Jiang curled up like a shrimp and said sullenly in Mu Liancheng's arms: "The soundproofing here is not good..."

Mu Liancheng seemed to be more embarrassed than her. He pulled Ye Jiang's scratching hand into his arms and said, "Why are you moving around? Be quiet."

Mu Liancheng got up before dawn. Ye Jiang leaned against the bed and turned on the light. She opened her sleepy eyes and asked, "Why don't you turn on the light?"

"You should sleep a little longer."

The man put on his clothes. He moved very quietly, but still woke Ye Jiang up.

When Ye Jiang was at home, he had to get up early every day to take care of the children. He never had a day off, so he wanted to let his wife sleep in.

Mu Liancheng sat on the bed and rubbed Ye Jiang's hair, "I can't go out tonight, how many days do you plan to stay here?

I'll pay for your room when I leave."

Ye Jiang bit the man's finger and said with all her strength, "Why should I stay here if you don't come? I'll go back in the afternoon."

Mu Liancheng felt pain in his fingers, and the tingling sensation went straight to his heart. He did not hide, "Okay, then you can check out of the room later."

The man emphasized, "Be sure to tell me when you leave, and I'll see you off. Don't sneak away on your own."

As he said this, he used the paper and pen on the bedside table to write a phone number for Ye Jiang.

"Mu Liancheng, I find you're a little clingy now."

Ye Jiang smiled, took the note with the phone number written on it, and memorized it after just one look.

Mu Liancheng felt a little bitter after hearing what his wife said. How long ago did he say in all seriousness that he would let Ye Jiang go as long as she could stay for three years so that he and the children could live a more stable life?

He really wanted to go back to that time and slap himself in the face for talking so rudely. What would he do if Ye Jiang used these words to shut him up in the future?

"I have to go."

Mu Liancheng concealed his embarrassment, turned off the light and said, "Cover yourself with the quilt, don't be greedy for the cool."

After Mu Liancheng left, Ye Jiang took another nap and woke up at around ten o'clock.

She checked out of the room and went to Chaoyang Street to find Shen Yuezhen.

...

Shen Yuezhen stayed at home for a long time and brought Qin Wei, who had just returned from submitting the accusation materials to the Discipline Inspection Commission, to the old house.

"Ye Jiang, I'm going to make lunch. If you have anything to say, go inside and talk to Qin Wei."

Qin Wei was running with sweat all over his head, but there was a look of joy on his face, which meant that things must have gone smoothly.

"Comrade Ye, I met my father. The Discipline Inspection Commission has retrieved the materials that accused my father and said they will send an investigation team to conduct a new investigation. Thank you so much."

Qin Wei's face was full of excitement. He had known for a long time that his father was framed, but he didn't expect that person to be Zou Shihong. Now the organization was going to re-investigate the case, and his father would be able to return home soon. The Qin family would no longer be scolded and criticized, and he could live his life with his head held high.

"That's good," Ye Jiang said with a smile, "I've said it before, I also have selfish motives, so let Aunt Duan go back to Licheng with me this afternoon?"

Qin Wei had no objection. Ye Jiang had helped his family so much. Qin Wei said to his stepmother, "Aunt Duan, what do you think?"

"Of course I'm going."

Duan Rong was happy and grateful at this time, as there was finally hope for her man to come out.

She knew her former daughter-in-law, Jin Wei, a two-faced woman. If the Qin family turned things around, that woman would definitely cry and shout to come back and remarry.

Remarry?

Duan Rong looked at Shen Yuezhen who was cooking in the kitchen. Little Shen was so nice. His stepson had also said privately that he wanted to live with Little Shen.

At that time, the Qin family was so poor that they could not even get enough food, and they were afraid that the girl they married would suffer if she married into the family. But it is different now.

Old Qin is coming back, and Qin Wei can resume work. Duan Rong certainly prefers Shen Yuezhen, who is hardworking and cheerful, to be her daughter-in-law.

Shen Yuezhen is much easier to get along with than Jin Wei.

She didn't want Jin Wei to go back to the Qin family.

"Xiao Ye, then shall we leave after lunch?"

Duan Rong wished she could go over and give Jin Wei, who had deceived her, a good scolding so that she would be too ashamed to ever come to the Qin family's house again.

"Well, my husband has gone to the station to buy tickets. Aunt Duan, you can go home after dinner and pack some clothes and then we'll leave."

Mu Liancheng sent his wife to the train station and handed her the ticket he had bought. "I will go back as soon as possible. I will also keep an eye on the situation at Qin Wei's house. Don't worry, Zou Shihong's family will definitely not have the extra energy to think about taking advantage of the child."

"Okay, go back now."

With her man secretly taking care of them, Qin Wei's family's affairs are basically settled. With Qin Wei's family settled, her children can also be safe and secure from the harassment of the wolf grandmother.

The train from City C to Licheng takes more than ten hours. When you arrive at Licheng, it is already past four in the morning, and you can't even stay in a guesthouse at this time.

After getting off the train, Ye Jiang said, "Aunt Duan, please stay at my house for one night."

Duan Rong had already gotten to know Ye Jiang well during the trip, so he didn't bother to be polite with her. "If you don't mind me being too much trouble, I'll go to your house and chat for a night."

Ye Jiang originally thought she was going to walk home, but when she got out of the train station leaving the city, Xiao Guan was already waiting outside.

The young man saw Ye Jiang, took the luggage from her, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, our group leader asked me to pick you up."

Ye Jiang felt sweet in her heart. Her man was so thoughtful, but she also felt a little guilty.

"Your leader is the same. Why are we bothering you so late at night? I can just walk back."

"That won't work."

Xiao Guan said nonchalantly: "That's nothing. We often get up at night for urgent training."

Xiao Guan drove the jeep and sent her and Duan Rong to the gate of the family compound. He said, "Sister-in-law, I'll go back first."

"Thank you, Xiaoguan. Come to my house for dinner when you are off."

Ye Jiang smiled and thanked him.

"When our leader comes back, he will definitely come and talk to my sister-in-law. Leader Mu always praises my sister-in-law's cooking in front of us, but we just haven't had the nerve to come."

The young man scratched his head embarrassedly, stepped on the accelerator and drove away in the jeep.

Ye Jiang looked at the smoke coming out of the car and smiled. She didn't expect that Mu Liancheng was a man who loved to show off his wife.

"Aunt Duan, my house is small, so I have to ask you to squeeze in with the children."

After entering the house, Mu Lianhua also woke up. Ye Jiang introduced Aunt Duan. Sister Mu Liancheng thanked her repeatedly: "Aunt Duan, you came at the right time. You don't know that Principal Hao came to visit us today and asked us if we had any opinions about the school and why we didn't let the two children go to school."

Ye Jiang boiled some hot water and took a new towel from the house to wipe Aunt Duan's face.

"Sister, what did you say?"

"I said that my family has no problem with the school, but we have problems with the new teacher Jin. She is so irresponsible. How could she just hand the child over to someone with bad intentions? Fortunately, the child's mother encountered it. If she didn't, would the school be responsible for the child being taken away?"

Ye Jiang didn't let the child go to school, and guessed that Principal Hao would come to their house. After all, Mu Liancheng was the deputy head of the group, not an ordinary person. Before leaving, she reminded Mu Lianhua that Principal Hao might come.

"Sister, you are right. Principal Hao and I are from the same education system. I can't confront him directly. After what you said today, I guess Principal Hao will ask Jin Wei to come to our house to apologize."

Jin Wei was recommended by Principal Hao's childhood friend. Principal Hao had not heard about Zou Shihong's problems yet, so it was naturally not easy for him to dismiss Jin Wei directly and offend his childhood friend.

"You guessed it right."

Mu Lianhua would not accept Principal Hao's apology. Since Jin Wei was in school, she could no longer send her child to school.

"With Aunt Duan here, I wonder how Jin Wei will try to gain sympathy by acting pitiful tomorrow morning."

What Principal Hao said today really pissed her off. Principal Hao said that Teacher Jin had a hard life too. She suffered domestic violence and was beaten by her ex-husband, forcing her to divorce. If she couldn't stay in a school out of the city, she would have nowhere else to go.

Principal Hao, who originally had some dissatisfaction with Jin Wei, actually felt some sympathy after listening to her tearful cry and suggested that Jin Wei go to the student's parents to apologize.

For the sake of his job, Jin Wei had no choice but to agree.

Duan Rong was filled with righteous indignation. "I didn't know that my ex-daughter-in-law was so good at pretending. Qin Wei saw through it and made it clear when we divorced. It's a pity that I actually regarded her as a lifeline at that time. I was so stupid."

Duan Rong really wanted to slap herself twice. If she hadn't come to Licheng this time and seen Jin Wei's true nature with her own eyes, when the Qin family got better and Jin Wei came back crying, she and Old Qin would definitely be deceived by this woman again like Principal Hao.

...

"Ye Jiang, I really didn't mean to take Xiaobei and Xiaoxi out of school that day. I thought it was okay for grandma to want to see the children, so I took them out. I came here today to apologize to you."

Jin Wei deliberately chose an early morning, when the sun had just begun to turn pale, to knock on Ye Jiang's door.

If she came too early and there were too many people around, she would suffer even more. It would be better for her to come early and apologize so that she could have an explanation to Principal Hao.

At this time, the neighbors had not yet gotten up, and Jin Wei was standing at the door of Ye Jiang's house, apologizing pitifully.

Principal Hao was moved by what she said yesterday and accompanied her this morning. She tried her best to make herself look pitiful, not trying to ask for Ye Jiang's forgiveness.

She didn't care if Ye Jiangyuan didn't forgive her. What she cared about was Principal Hao's attitude.

Unexpectedly, her crying yesterday had such a good effect. Principal Hao actually promised that as long as she came to apologize sincerely, and if the student's parents still cared and refused to forgive her, he would let her teach first grade in elementary school.

I guess Ye Jiang will be so angry that he will die by then.

Hahaha, Jin Wei was so happy, she didn't expect that she was so lucky. Her wish came true in just a few days and she went directly to the elementary school department.

Ye Jiang was woken up early in the morning. She half leaned against the door frame and said coldly:

"Old Madam Xiao came to Licheng and blocked my house for several days. Everyone in the neighborhood knows about this. When Teacher Lu handed over the shift to you, he also told you not to let that old woman get close to my child. But you sent my child to the old woman twice in one day. Do you dare to say that you didn't do it on purpose?"

"I admit it was my fault."

Jin Wei looked extremely heartbroken as if he had done something wrong. "Because it was Old Madam Xiao who introduced me to this job, I was thinking of repaying Old Madam Xiao. I thought it was not easy for the old lady, and I just wanted to see my grandson. I didn't know that Old Madam Xiao was using me to take the child away."

Jin Wei was in tears. If someone didn't know her, they would have thought that this poor teacher was being deliberately bullied by an unreasonable parent.

At least that's what Principal Hao thinks.

He had begun to sympathize with Jin Wei and helped Jin Wei persuade Ye Jiang.

"Comrade Xiao Ye, you are also a teacher. You know that our work is not easy. We work diligently and are afraid of making mistakes. Teacher Xiao Jin did make a mistake in this matter, but I think we should give her a chance to make amends."

"Rehabilitation?"

Ye Jiang found it funny. "Principal Hao, your sympathy is really overflowing. It's not your child who almost lost his feelings. Why don't you sympathize with me?"

"I'm a stepmother. If anything happens to the child, do you think my husband will blame me?

If I lose my child, will I be able to sleep well for the rest of my life?

So my family is broken up and I have to live a restless life blaming my husband and myself, and I have to forgive the person who almost lost my child?"

After Ye Jiang finished speaking, he turned around and looked at Aunt Duan who was standing in the living room and listening with an excited look on her face, signaling her not to be anxious and not to come out and embarrass herself now, but to listen to what else Jin Wei had to say.

Mu Lianhua had already seen Ye Jiang's abilities. She signaled Aunt Duan with her eyes to calm down. Her sister-in-law was such a straightforward person. Was she trying to gain sympathy by acting pitiful?

Humph! That doesn't work with Ye Jiang.

Principal Hao's face turned red after hearing what Ye Jiang said. He thought it was no wonder that Teacher Jin insisted that he accompany her, and said that Ye Jiang would definitely not accept her apology.

"Comrade Xiaoye, the child is fine now, let's make a big deal out of a small matter. We can't force a poor woman into a desperate situation just because of something that hasn't happened yet. You are a woman too, so just be flexible and accept her apology."

Jin Wei cried bitterly, but she was thinking proudly in her heart that Ye Jiang must not sympathize with her, and it would be better not to forgive her, so that Principal Hao would arrange for her to be a formal teacher in the school, and she could teach the first grade, teach the class until the fifth grade, and then teach the first grade of junior high school...

Hahaha, her good days are coming.

She had seen through Ye Jiang and found out that she was a woman who would never give in even if she was right. Sure enough, Ye Jiang said something as sarcastic as she had expected, which made Principal Hao feel even more sympathetic towards Jin Wei.

"I'm not accommodating."

Ye Jiang said: "What's so pitiful about this woman?

Is there anything about you that deserves others' sympathy?

If she doesn't leave the preschool, my child won't go to class. This is my bottom line and I will never give in."

Jin Wei thought, that was great, everything was just as she expected.

The purpose of her coming today has been achieved. Doesn't Ye Jiang think that she is extremely smart? She has become a stepping stone for Jin Wei.

"Principal Hao, you see, Teacher Xiao Ye misunderstood me first. She misunderstood that I had a private affair with Captain Mu, so she has been targeting me. I will not be forgiven by her. I can only teach the first grade as you said."

Ye Jiang was speechless. Could Jin Wei get Principal Hao to transfer her to teach first grade just by pretending to be pitiful and good at deceiving people?

Are honest people so easily deceived?

Fortunately, Aunt Duan arrived in time, otherwise Principal Hao would have been deceived by Jin Wei today.

Ye Jiang said seriously, "Principal Hao, you are not really going to transfer Jin Wei to the first grade as a teacher, are you?"

Principal Hao was also in a difficult situation. He didn't expect Ye Jiang to be so stubborn and refuse to compromise. He did tell Jin Wei that if Ye Jiang refused to forgive, she would be transferred to the primary school department.

"Comrade Xiao Ye, what can I do? You refuse to forgive Teacher Jin. I can't let your child stop going to school, nor can I let poor Teacher Jin go to a dead end. I can only transfer Teacher Jin from the preschool class."

Ye Jiang looked at Jin Wei's secretly proud eyes and said, "Well, Principal Hao, please tell me how miserable Jin Wei is. Just like you said, I am also a woman. If she is really miserable, I will not embarrass her."

"Teacher Ye, are you serious?"

"I always keep my word."

"Teacher Xiao Jin told me..."

"Principal Hao!"

Jin Wei interrupted Principal Hao. She didn't want Ye Jiang to know the lies she had made up in front of Principal Hao. Ye Jiang was not so easy to fool.

"What's wrong, Mr. Jin?"

Principal Hao was a little displeased by Jin Wei's loud interruption. "I am doing this for your sake. Although your experience is pitiful and miserable, I have to tell you in order to convince Teacher Ye. If Teacher Ye still insists on you leaving the preschool class after hearing about your miserable experience, then I will immediately transfer you to the elementary school department and give you a set of teacher dormitory."

Principal Hao's promise made Jin Wei look happy. She nodded and said, "Ah, family disgrace should not be made public, but I can't live anymore and I can't help my ex-husband's family cover it up. You tell me."

Haha... Ye Jiang sneered. In order to achieve his goal, Jin Wei really dared to say anything.

Then let her do it.

"Principal Hao, please tell me. I also want to know how miserable Jin Wei's life must have been to make you sympathize with him."

Principal Hao spoke with great sincerity and recounted in detail the mental journey that led to his change of opinion of Jin Wei.

"In fact, I was prejudiced against Teacher Xiao Jin at the beginning, but when Teacher Xiao Jin said that she and Captain Mu were almost in a relationship two years ago, but in the end her father disagreed and forced her to go home and marry someone randomly, which led to her hastily formed an unhappy marriage."

Principal Hao was afraid of upsetting Ye Jiang, so he left some words unsaid. At that time, Jin Wei was crying like a tearful person in his office.

She said that she was the one who originally wanted to form a family with Captain Mu. When she came back this time and saw that Captain Mu had married someone new, she got so upset that she argued with Ye Jiang several times. Now she has realized her mistake.

"Captain Mu is such a good person. Teacher Xiao Ye certainly can't experience the violence of being beaten by a drunk man. Teacher Xiao Jin was also beaten by her man and couldn't stand it. She finally got divorced. She doesn't dare to go back to City C, fearing that her ex-husband will cause trouble for her. If she can't stay in the city anymore, what should she do as a divorced woman?"

Ye Jiang finally understood. Jin Wei's way of playing the victim was to drag others into it and describe everyone around her as bad people, making herself look like a poor little thing.

Ye Jiang looked at Jin Wei who showed no remorse and asked coldly, "Jin Wei, are you sure that the reason you divorced your ex-husband was because Qin Wei beat you?"

"How could that be false?"

Jin Wei was very confident. No one would go to City C to verify the facts anyway. As long as she insisted that her ex-husband beat people, everyone would agree with her.

"Ye Jiang, you found a good man like Captain Mu. You don't know my hardship. Why don't you think about me when you are blessed? Do you know that when my ex-husband gets drunk and starts to beat people, he will beat them to death..."

Duan Rong couldn't stand it anymore in the living room. She couldn't control her shaking. How could this woman talk nonsense outside!

She ignored Mu Lianhua's obstruction, rushed out and slapped Jin Wei in the face.

"Jin Wei, do you still have a conscience?

Did my Qin Wei ever touch you?

Such an honest and simple man, who hands over his salary every month, doesn't drink or gamble, what did you say when you lied to us about the divorce? I want to confront you today!"

"mom?

How did you come?"

Jin Wei covered her face and looked at Duan Rong in disbelief. How could she, the stepmother-in-law, appear in Ye Jiang's house?

Jin Wei felt cold all over. She couldn't confront Duan Rong and had to get rid of him immediately, otherwise her life in Licheng would be over.

"Mom, go home first, I'll tell you slowly later."

Jin Wei walked up to Duan Rong and took him away, "How dare you come to Licheng to slap me in the face? Do you still want my uncle to help save Qin Wei's father?

Buy your ticket and go back quickly. I will find a way to explain to my uncle why you slapped me today."

"I bother!"

Duan Rong spat heavily on Jin Wei's face, "You shameless slut, you still want to deceive an old woman like me, I won't be fooled by you, even though Licheng is far from my home, I can't let you ruin Qin Wei's reputation."

By this time it was already bright outside and many neighbors had already gotten out of bed. Duan Rong dragged Jin Wei downstairs without saying a word and dragged him into the yard.

Principal Hao was completely confused. Ye Jiang said calmly, "Principal Hao, the lady just now was Jin Wei's ex-mother-in-law. You can't just listen to Jin Wei's one-sided words. Let's go down and listen to what Aunt Duan has to say."

"My dear neighbors, I know everyone is busy, so I beg you to stop and listen to me, or I will be suffocated to death."

"what's up?

Why is there a commotion again so early in the morning?"

"Oh, isn't that Jin Wei?

Every time there's a big commotion, it's related to her. What evil has she done?"

"I don't know, let's go check it out."

The originally quiet courtyard was soon surrounded by relatives and friends. Chen Hua and Li Chunqin both squeezed next to Ye Jiang.

"What's going on, Xiaoye?"

Li Chunqin asked.

"Don't worry, Director Li. You will understand after listening for a while."

Chen Hua looked at Principal Hao next to him and said, "Principal Hao, you don't live here, do you?

Are you here to gossip too?"

Principal Hao couldn't even raise his head, feeling that he was going to lose face this time, "I was just passing by, just passing by..."

Duan Rong ignored Jin Wei's crying and begging her to stop making trouble. This woman had ruined Qin Wei's reputation by making up stories. This time, she was determined to clear her Qin Wei's name.

Duan Rong shook off Jin Wei's hand and said loudly:

"Neighbors, Jin Wei is my ex-daughter-in-law, why did she become my ex-daughter-in-law?

I guess everyone knows the reason Jin Wei gave for the divorce. My old Qin family is in bad luck, down and out, and Qin Wei drowns his sorrows in alcohol and beats his wife, so Jin Wei couldn't bear it and divorced. That's what she told everyone, right?"

"Yes, Jin Wei's aunt told everyone that her niece was pitiful and had to divorce because she was beaten by a man. We all know that."

The neighbors wondered if there was some hidden story behind this.

Duan Rong felt as if her heart was stabbed by ten thousand steel needles. She cried so loudly and took several gasps before she could speak again.

"The truth is not like that at all. My Qin Wei is an honest man who would never resort to violence. Jin Wei lied to us and said that her uncle could help rescue Qin Wei's father, but she had to ask Qin Wei to divorce her. She also kept saying that she didn't want to divorce and would go home and remarry Qin Wei after Qin Wei's father was rescued."

"My Qin Wei is a very strong person. She said at the time that she would never remarry even if we divorced. The Qin family didn't want her help either. She held Qin Wei's salary for two years. When she left, this woman didn't pay a dime."

"Forget about the money. We'll give it to my wife and she won't ask for it again. But now that we're divorced, she can't be so cruel and slander our Qin Wei out there."

"Do honest people deserve to be bullied?

I am a useless old woman. I have been deceived by this woman for so long."

The more Duan Rong spoke, the angrier and sadder he became, and he couldn't help but burst into tears.

The Qin family was bullied too badly.

The neighbors thought that Jin Wei had been acting up recently, and that her aunt had been sent home, and her uncle-in-law Qi Dahai would rather return the house and return to the army, and that it must be related to Jin Wei.

Everyone felt sympathy for Aunt Duan who was crying so hard that she was about to die.

Tears welled up in Li Chunqin's eyes. She helped Duan Rong up and said, "Auntie Duan, please stop crying. It's good that it's been clarified. We all believe you."

Jin Wei's face was ashen, but she still wanted to argue, "You slandered me, how much money did Ye Jiang give you?

Mom, I am your daughter-in-law, do you really want to force me to death?"

"I slandered you?"

Duan Rong was already incoherent, so she simply took out Qin Wei's divorce certificate and the divorce certificate issued by the street office, and showed them to the onlookers one by one.

"Everyone, please take a look at the date on this divorce certificate, and the divorce certificate issued by the street. It clearly states that it was Jin Wei who took the initiative to file for divorce because she despised the Qin family's poverty. In order to get the divorce certificate, Jin Wei poured a cup of scalding hot tea on Qin Wei's face, almost blinding my Qin Wei's eyes. There are witnesses to this!"

Li Chunqin looked at the date on the divorce certificate and was furious. "Jin Wei, so you were still not divorced when you were pestering Xiao Mu. You are really shameless."

Li Chunqin was afraid that Jin Wei would go out and ruin Mu Liancheng's reputation again, so she didn't care.

"Now that we've come to this point today, I must clarify something to Xiao Mu. Xiao Mu didn't take the initiative to go on a blind date with Jin Wei. It was Jin Xiufeng who played the role of tricking Xiao Mu into going to the service center to meet Jin Wei."

"In fact, Jin Wei had already made an engagement with Qin Wei and was preparing to get married at that time, but she still had the nerve to deceive Xiao Mu. Everyone knows Xiao Mu's character, and she kept silent about it out of consideration for her reputation as a female comrade. Now, please don't gossip about her behind her back!"

The crowd looked at Jin Wei with eyes full of disgust.

Jin Wei's mind was in a mess. She rushed to Principal Hao and cried, "Principal Hao, please don't believe them. I was wronged. If I can't go to teach in elementary school, I will die."

"Comrade Xiao Jin, I can't help you either."

Principal Hao turned around and left. "I am now officially informing you that you have been expelled. Do not try to come to the school to find me. I will not let the guards let you in."

Li Chunqin persuaded the crowd of onlookers to disperse. Jin Wei stood there in a daze for a while. Everything was over. How could she end up like this?

She vented all her resentment on Duan Rong with a vicious tone.

"What are you so proud of, old woman? I have saved more than a thousand dollars. I can find someone to marry if I move to another place. And you have been a widow for decades. You finally marry an old man, but you are going to be a widow again!"

Li Chunqin shook her head secretly. This woman was so vicious. Any man who married her would be unlucky.

Duan Rong sneered, and now she felt relaxed all over after letting out her anger.

"Jin Wei, you have ruined all your good fortunes, don't you know that?

My old man will soon be cleared of his wrongdoing and go home. The organization is already investigating Zou Shihong's slanderous report against my old man, and Qin Wei will be able to resume work soon."

"But what happens to the Qin family in the future has nothing to do with you. You know Qin Wei's character. He will never let you enter the Qin family again."

Jin Wei was completely stunned. Could Qin Wei ever have a chance to turn things around?

Can Qin Li clear his name and get his original job back?

My God, Qin Wei's father had just been promoted to the position of deputy secretary of the State Administration of Chemical Industry before he was reported. If she had stayed in her original unit, she would have become a deputy section chief in a few years.

Jin Wei felt dizzy.

She was unable to stand steadily and was knocked down by a person who was running anxiously, falling heavily to the ground.

Old Mrs. Xiao had just been watching the fun in the crowd, and when she heard the last sentence, she felt like she was struck by lightning.

If Qin Wei's father was wrongly accused and is fine, then Zou's relative who secretly reported him is in trouble, and it's a big trouble.

If her in-laws are unlucky, her son will be unlucky too. She hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Are you lying? My in-law Zou is so powerful, it's impossible for anything to happen to him?"

Duan Rong thought that this mean old lady must be Old Lady Xiao who came to snatch Xiao Ye's child.

Why should someone else's precious child be given to her? She is so shameless.

"If you want to know whether I'm lying or not, just go back to City C and take a look.

I never thought that I was reported by Zou Shihong. It's really tit for tat. According to the miserable situation of the Qin family, your in-laws will also suffer the same fate."

"He's going to be dismissed from his post. Oh, and he will also be dismissed from his post for illegally arranging a job for his son-in-law. You should go back and ask your good son if he was involved in the illegal activities his father-in-law did."

"If he is found, he will be sentenced. If you turn yourself in, you can get a lighter sentence. You should go back quickly. Maybe you can meet him before he is arrested."

"I don't believe you're lying."

At this time, Mrs. Xiao had no time to care about whether she had a child or not. Her son was her life.

She ran to the supply and marketing cooperative and called her son's unit, but the person on the other end said that her son had just been taken away by the investigation team for questioning.

Zou Yan also called her parents' home. Her mother anxiously asked her why she had not brought the children home yet. Her father had been taken away for investigation, and she was asked to bring the twins back immediately to help her father.

Old Mrs. Xiao pushed her crying daughter-in-law away.

"It's all because of you, this unlucky star. If you hadn't been unable to give birth to a child, why would I have come to Licheng? If I hadn't come to Licheng, Ye Jiang wouldn't have gone to C City to find Duan Rong. It must have been Ye Jiang who gave the Qin family the idea to report your father, otherwise Duan Rong would have come with her to Licheng to help her drive away Jin Wei?"

Zou Yan was stunned. When had she ever been treated like this before?

"You were the one who said that the child was your grandson and that you had to come and snatch him away. Now you blame me?

If it wasn't for your bad idea, would anything have happened to my dad?

I will go home and divorce your son right now!"

"Divorce if you want. My Xiao family doesn't care about you. My son will be fine if he draws a clear line with your family. Then he can marry a woman who can give birth to a child. My family doesn't care about you. I have tolerated you for several years because your father can help my son find a job."

"You vicious old woman, you will definitely get your retribution. Your daughter was cursed to death because of your daily scolding and nightly scolding. I will cut off my relationship with you now, so as not to be cursed to death by you!"

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cursed at each other all the way and bought the earliest ticket back to City C.

Duan Rong felt really relieved today. She found out today that Jin Wei was lying to everyone. She couldn't feel the slightest sympathy for her former daughter-in-law who was pale and trembling.

Ye Jiang helped her family a lot, so she also wanted to help Ye Jiang and drive Jin Wei out of the city.

"Jin Wei, you still have the nerve to stand here?

Before you are drowned in spit, pack your things, buy a ticket and leave as far away as possible. There is no place for you outside the city."

Chapter 39

"Sister, you're not staying here for a few more days?"

"I can't stay here anymore. I heard that Mrs. Xiao's son reported his father-in-law, and the daughter-in-law's mother brought people to the house and beat up the son-in-law. Mrs. Xiao asked her son to divorce her. She is determined to find a good woman for her son to give birth to a grandson. She won't come to snatch the child again, so I feel relieved."

Mu Lianhua felt refreshed. Old Lady Xiao would never come back. Jin Wei, who was used to making trouble, could no longer stay in the city after being torn apart by Aunt Duan, so he left that day.

Now that everything about leaving the city has been settled, her elder brother and Ye Jiang can live a peaceful life.

Ye Jiang bought some dry goods and specialties at the non-staple food store of the supply and marketing cooperative to take back to Mu Liancheng's eldest sister.

I bought a big bag of abalone, shredded squid, sea cucumber, dried shrimp and conch.

In the previous life, after the Zou family was investigated, Mrs. Xiao's son immediately reported his father-in-law in order to gain merit and have his sentence reduced.

Old Mrs. Xiao was also determined to let her son divorce immediately and sever ties with the Zou family, and the subsequent developments were the same as now.

It's just that this time, Old Lady Xiao chose to come to Licheng to snatch the child, but was beaten back severely by Ye Jiang, which brought all this forward.

Sister Mu looked at Ye Jiang buying a lot of seafood and said quickly, "Don't waste your money. I don't know how to make these pickled seafood. You can keep them for your family."

"We can eat fresh food here."

Ye Jiang smiled and said, "I'll teach you how to make it later. I'm sure the kids will love it."

The only regret that Sister Mu had when she came to Licheng this time was that she didn't wait for her eldest brother to come home. She still had a lot of things to say to that stubborn brother in person, what a pity.

The two large army green bags were filled to the brim with all kinds of dried goods and seafood.

Ye Jiang wrote down on paper the methods of soaking each type of dried seafood, and also wrote down two or three cooking methods for each type of seafood, clearly stating them.

Sister Mu has learned how to cook seafood several times from Ye Jiang in the past few days. With the detailed recipes written by Ye Jiang, she has no worries about how to cook these seafood.

Thinking that the kids and husband at home had never eaten it, I happily prepared to go back and show off my cooking skills so that the children could have a taste.

Sister Mu couldn't hold back the words she was originally going to say to Mu Liancheng, so she told Ye Jiang in a different way.

"When are you two going to have a baby?"

Ye Jiang pursed her lips and smiled. How can you give birth to a child if you haven't even had enough sleep?

Sister Mu probably felt that their relationship would be more solid if they had a child together.

Ye Jiang didn't want to make Mu Lianhua worry, so she said vaguely, "Let nature take its course when it comes to having a baby. It will happen naturally when it's time."

After seeing Mu Lianhua off, Ye Jiang went to the service center to find Li Chunqin.

Li Chunqin has been feeling particularly comfortable these days. Jin Xiufeng has returned to her hometown, and without Jin Wei causing trouble here, the family compound has become much more harmonious.

Li Chunqin had just put down the phone when she saw Ye Jiang coming over.

She pulled Ye Jiang aside and talked about what Duan Rong had told her on the phone.

"Auntie Duan called you and I told her that you went to the station to see your elder sister off. She called her back and she told me the same thing and asked me to tell you."

Perhaps things on Qin Wei's side were going smoothly, otherwise Mrs. Xiao's son would not have reported his father-in-law so quickly.

But Ye Jiang didn't expect that what Aunt Duan wanted to talk about was Jin Wei's gossip.

"What did Aunt Duan say?"

Ye Jiang asked.

"It's because Jin Wei went back and made trouble."

Li Chunqin's face was full of contempt for Jin Wei.

"That Jin Wei is really shameless. After hearing that Qin Wei's family was fine and Qin Wei's father could be reinstated, he actually went back to remarry Qin Wei."

"Remarry?

How is that possible? "

Ye Jiang thought that Jin Wei could do this, but Qin Wei would probably not remarry him.

"The Qin family won't agree, so why would she go back and make herself uncomfortable?"

"Isn't it? Who knows what she is thinking?"

Li Chunqin said: "Jin Wei has been making a fuss for several days, and no one in the Qin family has paid any attention to her. I heard from Aunt Duan that Jin Wei made a harsh remark, bought a ticket and ran to H City, which is more than a thousand kilometers away. I'm afraid she won't come back."

It's better if he doesn't come back, so everyone can have less worries.

Neither Li Chunqin nor Ye Jiang wanted to mention Jin Wei again.

Li Chunqin asked, "By the way, Xiaoye, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Ye Jiang explained the purpose of his visit. "Director Li, I want to find an aunt to pick up my child and make dinner for me. She must live far away from the city and be kind. Do you have a suitable candidate?"

Old Mrs. Xiao came and made a fuss, and also reminded Ye Jiang that she should find an aunt to help, so as to avoid being late to pick up the child due to fear of something happening after class.

Li Chunqin had long felt that Ye Jiang should find an aunt to help. Mu Liancheng couldn't go home every day, and Ye Jiang had no elders to help her, so how could she handle everything by herself?

"Mrs. Tu from the family compound is a good fit. Her daughter, Tu Hongyu, has just started to be a teacher in a preschool. She can't stay idle at home. Last time, she told me that she wanted to find something to do."

Yesterday Xiaobei said that he liked the new teacher Hongyu very much, and that she spoke as gently as the previous teacher Xiaolu. Aunt Tu was recommended by Director Li, and she is teacher Hongyu's mother, so Ye Jiang can rest assured.

Li Chunqin took Ye Jiang to Aunt Tu's house, and Aunt Tu was very happy to hear that.

There is not much work for Ye Jiang's family. She only needs to pick up the children and cook dinner for her from Monday to Friday. Sometimes Ye Jiang comes home early and cooks dinner for herself. Xiao Ye is also generous and gives her 15 yuan a month.

Aunt Tu agreed immediately.

Ye Jiang immediately said, "Then let's start from today. Aunt Tu, come with me to pick up the child and get familiar with him first."

Aunt Tu and she both live in the family compound, which is much more convenient than finding someone outside, and Ye Jiang is very satisfied.

When she arrived at the preschool, Tu Hongyu saw her biological mother there too, and she joked with her, "Mom, I've been at work for several days, and you're still worried. Principal Hao said that I'm doing a good job with the children, and I'll definitely be able to become a full-time employee in a month."

Aunt Tu was very happy to see her little daughter being recognized for her work.

"No, I found a job for myself. I help Teacher Ye pick up the kids from Monday to Friday. I'm not here to see you."

Ye Jiang brought the two children to Aunt Tu and discussed things with them with a smile.

"Xiaobei and Xiaoxi, from now on, mommy will take you to school every morning, and let Grandma Tu pick you up after school in the evening, okay?"

When Xiaobei heard that Grandma Tu was Teacher Hongyu's mother and lived in the same compound as their family, he nodded and said, "Okay, Mom, with Grandma Tu coming to pick me up, I don't have to worry so much every night."

"Your child is really sensible."

Aunt Tu was so touched by these two cute little kids. She had helped many families take care of children before, but none of these young children were as considerate and caring towards their mother as Xiaobei.

Xiaobei held Grandma Tu's hand obediently. From now on, this grandma would pick him and his sister up from school, so his mother wouldn't have to be so tired.

"My children are all very sensible."

Maybe because they had suffered too much in Shanshui Village before, the three children are particularly sensible, and the two younger ones are particularly easy to take care of.

She held Xiaoxi's hand and chatted and laughed with Aunt Tu all the way back to the family compound.

...

"Teacher Ye, when will my dad come back?"

"Your dad said he'd be home today."

"My dad lied to me, saying he would be back in two months at most, and now it's been more than three months. Does he still want this family?

There is no sign of the pen that was promised to me."

Mu Xiangnan missed his father a little. He hadn't seen him for several months and couldn't help but complain a few words.

Mu Xiangbei pouted and looked equally unhappy. He missed his father and was angry with him for not coming back to be with him and his mother for such a long time.

Xiao Bei followed his brother's words and said, "Dad is a liar."

Today is the winter solstice, and Ye Jiang is making dumplings. Mu Xiangnan said he likes pork and cabbage dumplings, while Xiaobei said he likes leeks and eggs, so she mixed two kinds of fillings.

"Oh, Xiaobei, Daddy will be sad if you say that. Daddy misses you too."

Mu Liancheng should have come back more than a month ago, but he was sent on a mission somewhere else. He said on the phone that he would be home today, but it's already past dinner time and I don't know if the man can make it back in time.

"Okay, you three stop blaming Dad. Go wash your hands and get ready for the dumplings."

The bamboo basket lined with gauze was filled with wrapped dumplings. Ye Jiang saw that it was getting late and couldn't let the children wait with empty stomachs, so he got up and went to the big kitchen to boil water to cook the dumplings.

"Xiao Nan, take Xiao Xi to the sink to wash her hands. This little rascal only listens to you now."

Today is the weekend and also the winter solstice, when there is a custom of eating dumplings. All the students in the school have gone home for the holidays, and Xiao Nan is the only one left in the dormitory.

Mu Xiangnan didn't want Xiao Nan to eat cold steamed buns alone in the dormitory, so he invited him to go home and eat dumplings.

Xiao Nan refused to go, so Mu Xiangnan dragged him home.

"Xiaoxi, go wash your hands with your brother."

Xiao Nan held Mu Xiaoxi's hand, and Xiaoxi nodded and followed him.

Ye Jiang put the dumplings with pork and cabbage filling and leek and egg filling into the pot in batches. She watched the two older ones helping the younger twins wash their hands with soap in front of the sink. They were so happy that she felt happy.

Carrying two plates of freshly cooked dumplings into the room, there were only two small ones on the small dining table. Ye Jiang asked, "Xiao Bei, where is your brother?"

Xiaobei pointed to the big room. Ye Jiang pushed open the door and saw Xiaonan and Xiaonan whispering something in the room.

"What are you two whispering about? Come out and eat dumplings."

"coming."

Mu Xiangnan took the chopsticks.

Ye Jiang said to the four children, "The ones in the round plates are pork and cabbage, and the ones in the square plates are leeks and eggs. There are a lot of dumplings, so eat as much as you can."

Mu Xiangnan asked, "Are you not waiting for my dad?"

"You guys eat first. We don't know when your dad will be back."

Ye Jiang brought the chili oil and vinegar fried with dried chili powder for the child. Mu Xiangbei held five plates and saw that Ye Jiang was about to go out again, so he asked, "Mom, aren't you coming to eat with us?

The dumplings will be eaten up soon."

Ye Jiang smiled and said, "Mom will make two more plates of fried dumplings for you."

Teacher Chen's family also ate dumplings in the evening. After she finished making the dumplings, she came to the kitchen and saw Ye Jiang heating up the oil pan to fry the dumplings. She smiled and said, "You don't mind the trouble. Frying dumplings is so troublesome."

Ye Jiang didn't mind the trouble and put a plate of fried dumplings with golden brown on both sides for Chen Hua, "Change the taste for the children. Take this plate back for Xiao Ling to try."

The fried dumplings smelled delicious. Xia Xiaoling, the greedy cat, must have been thinking about it again. Chen Hua said, "Then I won't be polite to you. Will Xiaomu come back tonight?"

"He said he would be back tonight."

Ye Jiang was not sure either. The man had been gone for more than three months and had called her two or three times during that time, telling her that she was worried sick and that she should come back and deal with him properly.

Two plates of fried dumplings were brought into the room. Mu Xiangnan took a bite of one and immediately said, "Teacher Ye, this is delicious. Please sit down and eat it. Don't wait for my dad."

Ye Jiang was thinking about Mu Liancheng in her heart. She was not very hungry, so she put down her chopsticks after eating a few pieces.

She counted the dumplings when she was making them. There were twenty-five in one plate, two plates of boiled dumplings and two plates of fried dumplings, totaling one hundred. She ate seven or eight, and Xiaobei and Xiaoxi only ate a dozen each.

Xiao Nan and Mu Xiangnan ate up all the rest.

The half-grown boys were such good eaters, Ye Jiang asked them with a smile, "Are you full?

There are a lot of dumplings. Can I make two more plates for you?"

Xiao Nan waved his hands repeatedly, "Teacher Ye, we are full."

Both the pork and cabbage and the leek and egg ones are delicious. The fried dumplings are even more fragrant. I ate too much without realizing it.

Mu Xiangnan rubbed his bloated belly and winked at Xiao Nan secretly. Xiao Nan felt like a thief and puffed his cheeks without saying a word.

Mu Xiangnan got anxious and secretly kicked him under the table, but unexpectedly kicked Mu Xiaoxi's leg.

Mu Xiaoxi is not a sister who is willing to suffer a loss. This brother is crazy and he even kicks people after eating.

The little girl had a gloomy face and said nothing. She took an orange candy, poked a few holes in it with chopsticks, soaked it in chili oil, and fed it to her brother.

Mu Xiangnan had been winking at Xiao Nan and didn't notice his sister's little actions. He thought that Mu Xiaoxi had made progress today and took the initiative to give him candy.

As soon as the orange candy entered his mouth, he jumped up because of the spiciness, "Mu Xiaoxi, you little rascal, don't you know I don't eat spicy food?"

Mu Xiaoxi pointed to the shoe print on his pants. It was the shoe print he had kicked by mistake on Mu Xiaoxi's trouser leg.

Mu Xiangnan said nothing and swallowed the orange candy dipped in chili oil in one gulp.

What should I do? I have to eat the candy dipped in chili oil given by my sister.

Ye Jiang laughed so hard that she couldn't help asking Mu Xiangnan, "What are you and Xiao Nan plotting?"

Xiao Nan blushed and said nothing. He felt that Mu Xiangnan should tell the adults about his suggestion, but Mu Xiangnan didn't let him tell Teacher Ye.

The boy was in a dilemma and simply kept silent.

Mu Xiangnan said: "Teacher Ye, Xiao Nan and I are back in the dormitory. Let's stay in the dormitory tonight."

Ye Jiang asked suspiciously, "Didn't we agree to stay at home tonight and wait for your dad to come back?"

"Who knows what time he will be back?"

Mu Xiangnan said: "I'd better go back to the dormitory and stop waiting."

"no."

Ye Jiang had a hunch that the boss was up to something and was probably trying to get Xiao Nan to join him.

"There's no one in school today. Both of you are not allowed to go back. Just sleep at home for the night."

Mu Xiangnan knew that Teacher Ye was a man of his word, so it was unlikely that he would be able to return to school and live in the dormitory tonight.

"Okay then, I'll accompany Xiao Nan back to the dormitory to get his clothes, towels and toothbrush."

Xiao Nan said hurriedly: "I'll go back to the dormitory by myself..."

Suddenly, he was hit on the leg. This time Mu Xiangnan kicked the right person. Xiao Nan pursed his lips and didn't continue.

Ye Jiang thought for a moment and said, "Okay then, you two should go quickly and come back soon."

"okay."

Mu Xiangnan grabbed Xiao Nan's arm and ran away quickly.

"I also need to go."

Mu Xiaobei was quick to hug his brother's thigh before Mu Xiangnan left, "I want to go out and play with my brother, too."

Mu Xiaobei thought his brother just wanted to go out and play for a while, and he didn't want to miss the opportunity to play with his two brothers.

Normally, his two older brothers are busy studying on weekends and don't take him out to play, but tonight he will not let his two older brothers play by themselves.

Mu Xiaoxi followed suit, hugged Xiao Nan's arm, and blinked her big watery eyes, asking her brother to hold her.

Ye Jiang said, "You two should take your brothers and sisters with you, otherwise they will be angry for a long time once you leave, especially Xiaoxi."

Mu Xiangnan twisted Xiaobei's hand, trying to get him to let go, "Brother will be back soon, you wait at home."

"I won't. I won't."

Mu Xiangbei hugged him tighter.

"Hey, you two are such trouble. Never mind. I'll just take you along."

He picked up his younger brother and motioned Xiao Nan to take Xiaoxi with him as well.

Xiao Nan had no choice. Mu Xiaoxi was almost hanging on his arms, so he had to pick up his sister.

It takes less than an hour to go from the staff quarters to the school and back. It was less than seven o'clock in the evening, so Ye Jiang didn't care. He cleared the table and took the dishes to the sink.

Chen Hua was also washing dishes. In the desolate fields and valleys in the distance, he could see tiny sparks of fire.

Today is the Winter Solstice. There is a folk custom of burning paper. After the Four Olds were destroyed, no one dared to burn paper openly. Some brave people would run to sparsely populated wastelands with paper money and secretly burn a few pieces of paper money and kowtow to their ancestors.

Chen Hua sighed. How could ordinary people abandon these old customs?

Chen Hua asked, "Today is the winter solstice. I just saw Xiaonan taking his brother and sister out. Did they go far?"

Ye Jiang let Xiao Nan stay at home because she knew that today was a special day.

"A few kids went back to the dormitory with Xiao Nan to get some clean clothes. They will be back soon."

...

"Xiao Nan, isn't it bad for us to hide this from Teacher Ye?

I think I should tell the adults."

"What can I say? If I say I'm going to burn some paper for my dead mother, Teacher Ye will be so sad. I can't tell her and can only burn it secretly."

"Brother, who are you going to burn paper money for?"

Mu Xiangbei was full of curiosity, "Why can't I tell my mother?"

"Don't ask, kid."

Mu Xiangnan warned his brother: "Don't tell mom when you get home, or I won't take you out to play next time."

"Oh, okay then."

Mu Xiangbei agreed to help his brother keep the secret.

Mu Xiangnan took out a small bamboo basket from under the bed. It was covered with a piece of plastic sheet. He lifted the sheet and said, "Look, I have prepared everything."

Xiao Nan saw a stack of straw paper and a box of matches in the small bamboo basket and asked hurriedly, "Where did you get these from?"

Now that we were destroying the four olds, these things were no longer available in the supply and marketing cooperatives. Even if they were sold secretly among the people, no one would sell them to him as he was a student.

"Teacher Luo got it for me."

Mu Xiangnan covered the plastic sheet again and said to Xiao Nan, "Hurry up and find an empty place to burn it and then go back. If you are late, Teacher Ye will be worried."

Xiao Nan hesitated for a moment, then carried Mu Xiaoxi on his back and followed Xiao Nan, "Why would Teacher Luo prepare these things for you?"

Mu Xiangnan was just a teenager, it was impossible for him to think of the custom of burning paper during the winter solstice. It was Teacher Luo who told him about it.

He said: "At noon today, I saw Mr. Luo standing alone by the backyard wall, feeling sad. I went over to ask him what was wrong. Mr. Luo said that a relative of his had passed away a few years ago, and he wanted to burn some paper for her in the evening."

"Teacher Luo also asked me if I had burned paper money to commemorate my mother after she passed away. I said that it was only when my grandmother came to make trouble that I realized my mother had died."

Xiao Nan felt very sad because his biological mother was gone.

Only now did he realize that Mu Xiangnan had this idea when chatting with Teacher Luo, and the things were also prepared by Teacher Luo.

"Then Mr. Luo prepared these paper money for you?"

Xiao Nan asked.

"Yes, Teacher Luo said that although Teacher Ye is good, we cannot forget our biological mother. How pitiful it is to have no one to pay respect to her. I am the eldest son and I should be sensible. I will go and burn the body quietly at night. This will not only be fair to my biological mother, but Teacher Ye will not be sad and say that I have no conscience."

The boy thought this was the best of both worlds.

He originally wanted to discuss it with his father, but his father had not come back yet, so he had to run away on his own.

Xiao Nan thought, Teacher Luo was wrong, he was his mother's eldest son, and the three people around him were his younger brothers and sisters, so...should he also kowtow to his biological mother?

The path became more and more desolate, and there was a grove in front. I could see many villagers hiding in the grove and burning paper.

The firelight was a little star-like, and everyone was tacitly aware of each other. Even if they met, they would pretend not to know each other, and would leave in a hurry after burning the paper money.

With Mu Xiaoxi still on his back, Xiao Nan didn't want to go any further, so he said to Mu Xiangnan, "We're already in the woods, let's just burn it here."

Mu Xiangnan put Xiaobei down, dug a small hole in the ground, put the stack of khaki straw paper in the hole, and lit it with a match.

A thick stack of yellow paper simply cannot be burned.

Mu Xiangnan was depressed, "Why is it so difficult? Xiao Nan, you try it."

He handed the matches in his hand to Xiao Nan.

"It's wrong for you to order like this."

Xiao Nan spread out the straw paper and rolled it into a small roll. "The one just now was too thick. There is no air between the straw papers. How can it burn? Try again."

Mu Xiangnan struck a match again, and this time it caught fire.

The boy's impression of his biological mother was almost blurred. He only remembered that the woman often lay in bed crying.

She wiped away her tears every night, but she didn't care about him.

Mu Xiangnan put pieces of straw paper one by one onto the burning flames in the small pit. After thinking for a while, he muttered a few words to himself.

"Mom, I may not burn paper for you anymore. Dad said I'm grown up now and I have to consider Teacher Ye's feelings. She's been very nice to me and my brothers and sisters, much better than you were to me back then."

"You didn't want me at first, and I didn't want you either. Even if you came back, I wouldn't want you. But grandma said you were dead, and I still felt very sad."

Because he still had some impression of his biological mother, no matter how much he hated her, he couldn't help but feel sad when he knew she was dead.

"Teacher Luo said that it's so pitiful for deceased relatives to have no one to burn paper money for them. So I'll burn more for you today. From now on, I will be Teacher Ye's son. Don't blame me. You were the one who didn't want me first."

Mu Xiangnan said goodbye to his deceased mother and gave some straw paper to Xiao Nan, "Didn't you say your mother died too?

You should also burn some paper for her."

"Well... okay then."

Xiao Nan followed Mu Xiangnan's example and threw pieces of straw paper into the flames one by one.

"You should dig another hole."

Mu Xiangnan said hurriedly: "If you burn into this pit, it will all be burned to my mother."

"It's too much trouble to dig another hole, so let's just burn it all together."

Xiao Nan threw the straw paper in his hand into the small pit and said embarrassedly.

Anyway, it's all burned for the same mother, but I can't tell Mu Xiangnan.

The boy didn't think much about it. He pulled his brother over and said, "Xiaobei, kowtow to your mother."

After all the paper money was burned, he kowtowed in the direction of the small earth pit and said goodbye to his mother in his heart.

"Is that the mother that grandma was talking about?"

Mu Xiangbei asked, that time when Grandma Wolf said his biological mother was dead, Mu Xiangbei also asked about his mother.

Later, his mother told him that his biological mother was the one who gave birth to him and his sister, and was also his mother. If it was difficult to distinguish them, he could call her Mother Ye from now on.

Mu Xiangbei said at that time that he only wanted Mother Ye.

Mu Xiangnan stood up, brushed off the dust on his knees, and said, "Yes, she gave birth to you, so just kowtow to her."

"Oh well."

Mu Xiangbei followed his brother's example and kowtowed towards the small earth pit.

It was Mu Xiaoxi's turn. Mu Xiangnan waved to his sister, "Come here, Xiaoxi."

He wanted Xiaoxi to kowtow as well.

Mu Xiaoxi refused to go over there. This stupid brother, mom wasn't dead yet, why was he burning paper and kowtowing? She was so angry that she wanted to go home and complain to her mom.

Mu Xiaoxi picked up a clod of earth from the ground, smashed it hard on her stupid brother's head, then turned around and ran away.

Where is she going in such darkness?

They were running in the opposite direction of home. Xiao Nan said to Mu Xiangnan anxiously, "Keep an eye on Xiaobei. I'll go after Xiaoxi."

The boy ran after his sister.

...

There are not many people in the school on weekend nights, even there are only a few teachers living on campus.

Luo Yuanfeng saw Mu Xiangnan and Xiao Nan from Class 1 returning to school with their younger siblings. After a while, the four children quietly left again carrying a small bamboo basket.

It was a rare smile on his face after a day of depression.

Luo Yuanfeng also returned to the teachers' dormitory, holding a small package wrapped in newspaper, and walked to the overgrown weeds on the back wall of the school.

Finding a vacant space sheltered from the wind, Luo Yuanfeng lit the straw paper in the newspaper.

He squatted on the ground, found a dry branch and moved the pile of straw paper, muttering to himself:

"Arou, I talked to Xiangnan at noon today. He is a good boy and he still remembers you in his heart."

"I just said a few words casually, and he went to burn paper for you that night. This is the first time that your son has offered sacrifices to you."

"I'm afraid the two little ones can't remember their biological mother, but don't be sad, because they were still breastfeeding when you left them.

But tonight I will follow my brothers and kowtow to you."

"I think our son is a good guy, more stable than Xiangnan. I don't plan to tell him that I'm his father yet. I want to save it for the most important moment. Don't blame me if I can't recognize him now."

The flames gradually went out, and Luo Yuanfeng fell silent again. After a moment, he seemed to remember something.

"Oh, by the way, Ah Rou, I changed my name after meeting a noble person. I won't mention my previous life anymore, and I won't burn paper for you anymore. This year is the last time. From now on, you will live in my memory, okay?"

Teacher Cui, who also stayed in the school, received the raw dumplings wrapped by Teacher Xiao Ye after school. In the evening, he went to the school cafeteria to borrow a stove and cooked two large plates of pork and cabbage dumplings.

He was just about to go back to the dormitory to look for Teacher Luo when he ran into him head on. He was pulled into the cafeteria and was served with cooked dumplings.

"Mr. Luo, where have you been?

I didn't find you in the dormitory just now, come over and eat dumplings with me."

Luo Yuanfeng just stood in the wind vent for a while, blowing away all the smoke and dust on his body before coming back. He said calmly:

"I went to the student dormitories to check if there were any students left in school."

Teacher Cui teaches Chinese to Class 2. He was one of the four professors who marked the papers at the beginning and is quite familiar with the school's situation.

"I guess Xiao Nan from your class is the only one in the dormitory?"

"He went to Mu Xiangnan's house. I saw no one in the dormitory. I guess he will stay at Xiangnan's house tonight."

"The relationship between those two classmates is really good. Xiao Nan is lucky. Teacher Ye treats him almost the same as Xiang Nan."

Teacher Cui sighed, "I've seen Teacher Ye always buy double the daily necessities and send them to school. If there's one for Xiangnan, there's also one for Xiaonan."

Luo Yuanfeng lowered his head and smiled, "Teacher Ye is very considerate and takes good care of children from poor families."

Several children are particularly respectful to Ye Jiang, except Xiao Nan, who now listens to whatever Teacher Ye says.

Teacher Cui handed the chopsticks to Teacher Luo, "Try these dumplings, how do they taste right out of the pot?"

Luo Yuanfeng took a bite of the hot dumplings and praised: "The filling of these dumplings is well seasoned, and tastes better than those made in state-owned restaurants. Teacher Cui, your cooking skills are good. Why didn't I see you making dumplings today?"

"How can I make such delicious dumplings?"

Teacher Cui ate several dumplings in one go before stopping and saying:

"It was sent by Teacher Xiao Ye. She was considerate of me as an old man who is old and alone. When she sent it to me, she also told me that even if I am alone on the winter solstice, I must eat a bowl of hot dumplings. Teacher Xiao Ye is really a nice person."

Luo Yuanfeng was stunned. He didn't expect that the dumplings he was eating were sent by Teacher Ye.

"Captain Mu's luck is extraordinary."

Luo Yuanfeng said softly.

"That's right. Everyone in Licheng would say the same thing. Everyone would be jealous of his good fortune."

...

Mu Liancheng returned home exhausted. He said he would come back tonight, and he must come back.

Otherwise, how disappointed the young wife would be.

"Ye Jiang, open the door."

Mu Liancheng was standing at the door with a lot of bags. He saw the lights on in the house and knew that Ye Jiang was waiting for him at home.

"I am here."

Ye Jiang was folding clothes in the room. When she heard the man's voice, her heart trembled slightly. She hadn't seen the man for more than three months. Did the man miss her?

She piled her clothes on the bed and quickly ran out to open the door.

Mu Liancheng looked a little haggard, probably because he had been traveling for several days. She wanted to scold him for coming back so late, but the words were on the tip of her tongue and she swallowed them back.

Can't bear to scold.

Ye Jiang wrung out a hot towel to wipe his face and looked at the man steadily.

Mu Liancheng felt hot in his heart when his young wife looked at him. He hadn't seen Ye Jiang and the child for three months, so how could he not miss her?

He pretended to be relaxed and smiled and said: "Is my face dirty?

Look at me like that."

He didn't even have time to wash his face after getting off the train, just to get home earlier.

Ye Jiang pushed him into the house, stuck close to him and asked, "You didn't have dinner, did you?

Will you eat me first or the dumplings first?"

eat dumplings?

Why eat dumplings? This was the only thought in his mind.

Don't worry about anything, just eat this wife who only knows how to stir up trouble.

Mu Liancheng's heart beat faster, "Let's eat dumplings first."

Ye Jiang hated him so much that she bit his lip, didn't give him a good look and ran to the kitchen to make dumplings.

Mu Liancheng touched his face. He hadn't taken a shower for several days and was very dirty. Didn't his wife dislike him?

Ye Jiang served the man a plate of dumplings stuffed with pork and cabbage, and the man sat at the table and ate quietly.

The food at home is still more delicious, and the dumplings made by my wife are also delicious.

Ye Jiang sprinkled the remaining raw dumplings with flour and put them in the cupboard.

She brought the man a bowl of dumpling soup. "By the way, Xiao Nan will stay at our house tonight. Let's make the same arrangements as last time. Let Xiao Nan sleep on your single bed, and Xiao Xi and Xiao Bei will sleep on the lower bunk. The two of us will share the small bed in the small bedroom. Do you have any objections?"

Opinion?

How could he dare to object? Looking at his wife's gnashing teeth, Mu Liancheng knew that he had come back more than a month late and his wife was angry.

It is also possible that my wife was angry because I chose the wrong answer to the multiple-choice question just now.

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Ye Jiang raised the corners of her lips and smiled, then ran over and leaned over to the man's ear and said, "You're not afraid of people checking on you at home, do you want to sleep peacefully?"

Mu Liancheng was choked by the dumpling soup. When he understood what his wife meant, his face turned red to his ears and he coughed several times before he recovered.

"With four kids at home, I really can't let go, and this door isn't very soundproof."

Ye Jiang bit him angrily and said, "Why don't you just be gentler when the time comes?"

Mu Liancheng almost lost control and wanted to carry his young wife into the house, but he held back.

"By the way, where are the kids?"

Ye Jiang looked at the clock on the wall. It was five minutes to half past eight.

She said, "Xiao Nan took his brother and sister to accompany Xiao Nan back to the dormitory to get clothes and towels. They left at seven o'clock. It's already half past eight, so they should be back, right?"

"School?"

Mu Liancheng said: "I'll go look for it."

"I will go with you."

Ye Jiang took the key and placed it under the flower bed at the door. If Xiaonan and the others missed them on the way and came back first, they could open the door themselves.

Just after leaving the family compound, they saw several trucks carrying soldiers passing by. Mu Liancheng was sharp-eyed and saw Xiaoguan and Xiaosong stopped them.

"What happened?"

Xiao Guan said anxiously, "Today is the winter solstice. Several villagers secretly burned paper in the woods to the west, and the dry grass caught fire. Our company went to put out the fire. Commander, you just came back and rest at home. The fire is not big, so we can go."

Mu Liancheng immediately stepped onto the truck and said to Ye Jiang, "Go home after you find the child. I'll go over and help put out the fire."

Ye Jiang didn't know how big the fire was. Her man always rushed to the front when something happened.

She was so worried that her eyebrows knitted together, "Be careful and don't take your life lightly. If you encounter danger, think about your wife and children at home, and don't rush forward recklessly."

"I know."

The man held her hand tightly and then released it: "It's okay. We have put out wildfires several times. When you find the child, just wait for me at home."

The troops and fellow villagers all rushed to put out the fire. Li Chunqin had just talked to her husband on the phone and saw Ye Jiang's anxious look, so she hurried over to comfort her.

"I asked my man, the fire is not big, the troops ahead have controlled the fire and it won't burn any more. They will be back soon."

Ye Jiang was relieved and ran to the school to find her children.

Chapter 40

"Xiaoxi, it's too dark in the forest, don't run."

Mu Xiaoxi is not tall, but runs very fast.

The handsome brother was wrong. It was not dark in the forest at all. There was a bunch of small flames in front of her, and there were people there. She was not afraid at all.

"Who are you? Why are you running into the woods for no reason?"

Dou Tiezhu was burning paper in the woods when he saw someone going deep into the woods. He wanted to put out the fire with his stomp, but when he turned around and saw that they were two children, he relaxed and continued burning paper.

Mu Xiaoxi stopped running and looked at Dou Tiezhu curiously. Why was this man burning such a large basket of paper? He was even more stupid than her stupid brother.

"You can't burn paper here."

Xiao Nan caught up with Xiaoxi and held his sister in his arms.

He knew this person. He was the younger brother of Dou Ronghua, a logistics chef who served meals at the canteen window. He often went to the canteen to find his sister to eat free meals.

Why didn't Dou Tiezhu choose a good spot? This place was deep in the forest. When he burned paper, he didn't dig a hole or pull out the weeds and firewood around it.

What if it catches fire? It's too dangerous.

"You should burn it in a more open place."

Xiao Nan said: "What if the forest catches fire?"

"How can there be so many what-ifs?"

Dou Tiezhu said impatiently: "You little brat, don't tell others that you have seen me when you go out, or I will beat you."

"I'll tell you if you don't change places!"

Xiao Nan once saw a forest fire that burned for several days before being put out. He was very scared.

In class, Teacher Ye said that the dry weather in autumn is very dangerous, so he did not let Xiaonan go into the woods for fear of causing a fire.

When other people burned paper, they would find an open place to burn a few pieces and then leave. But Dou Tiezhu not only ran into the woods, but also burned such a large basket. It was too dangerous.

Xiao Nan carried his sister back on his back again and said firmly, "I'll go find an adult now. If you don't leave, just wait. I've already warned you."

"How dare you! I told my sister to only give you half a spoonful of rice, to see if you're afraid of not having enough to eat."

Dou Tiezhu ignored him, thinking that the little brat was just trying to scare people, and by the time he called for help, the fire would have been burned and he would have left.

The more Xiao Nan thought about it, the angrier he got. Why was this guy like this? He didn't even listen when I kindly reminded him.

He came out from another shortcut, thinking that he should either go back and tell Teacher Ye, or ask an adult to come in and persuade him.

Mu Xiaoxi poked him on the back, and Xiao Nan turned his head and asked, "What's wrong, Xiaoxi?"

Xiaoxi pointed ahead, and Xiao Nan followed the direction of her finger and saw soldiers patrolling at night.

Xiaoguan and Xiaosong were extra careful when they were patrolling at night. Today was the winter solstice. Although there were regulations prohibiting feudal superstitions, there were still many villagers who could not change their customs and secretly burned paper.

They must be extra vigilant to avoid any accidental fire.

Xiao Guan didn't know Xiao Nan, but he knew the little girl on the boy's back. Wasn't that the daughter of their leader?

Why did you come out of the woods so late at night?

Xiao Guan shone a flashlight at the boy across from him, "Who are you? Why are you outside with someone else's child so late at night?"

Xiao Nan became nervous, "I am Teacher Ye's student, I...I will take my sister home right now."

Xiao Guan was still a little worried, so he asked Mu Xiaoxi on Xiao Nan's back, "Xiaoxi, do you know this person?"

He saw that Xiaoxi was not crying or making a fuss on the boy's back, so he must know him.

Mu Xiaoxi nodded and uttered only two words, "Brother."

Xiaoguan was relieved. Mu Xiaoxi hardly spoke, but she could mention "brother", which meant she was naturally very familiar with this young man.

"Go back quickly and don't let the adults at home worry."

"Well, let's go back now."

Xiao Nan walked a few steps and ran back. After hesitating for a while, he said, "I saw someone burning paper in the woods just now. I told him it was too dangerous and asked him to move to another place. I don't know if the person has left. Do you want to go in and take a look?"

Xiao Guan was shocked and ran deep into the woods to burn it, wanting to die.

Mu Xiaoxi thought about how the nasty uncle had threatened her handsome brother and said he would not give him enough food. It was so abominable.

"A big basket."

Mu Xiaoxi cherishes words as if they were gold.

"What?"

Xiaoguan didn't understand what Mu Xiaoxi was saying at all.

Xiao Nan felt warm at heart. The little sister was helping him vent his anger. He explained, "The man in the woods took a basket of paper and burned it."

So that's what you mean, Xiaoguan nodded.

Wait, a basket?

It would be strange if there was no fire. He said quickly, "We will go and check it out. You guys go home quickly."

Xiao Nan then turned around and carried his sister back.

...

Dou Tiezhu threw some paper money on the fire again, "Dad, you must bless me to successfully go to work at the aquatic cooperative this time. This is a place where I can eat fish every day. I don't even want to do the job my sister recommended to me."

The wind blew at night and he hadn't dug a hole, so a few pieces of burning paper money were blown away and immediately ignited the dry grass next to them.

Dou Tiezhu thought that the little brat was really a big talker, and he really was right.

He hurriedly stepped on the sparks, but there was no way he could put out so many sparks. Then he heard noisy footsteps coming towards him, and he became anxious, thinking that the damn kid would really go and call for help.

Burning paper secretly in the woods cannot be known by anyone, so Dou Tiezhu didn't care and turned around and ran away.

Fortunately, the people behind him were busy putting out the fire and had no time to chase him. He ran out of the woods in a panic and ran into Mu Xiangnan who was waiting for someone outside the woods.

Mu Xiangnan was waiting for Xiao Nan and his sister when he saw smoke coming out of the woods and someone running out in a panic.

He is the younger brother of Dou Ronghua, the canteen chef who gave him less food every day.

He immediately grabbed Dou Tiezhu's sleeve and said, "Hey, you went to the woods to burn paper, didn't you?

The forest is full of smoke, it must have been lit by you, don't leave, you have to take responsibility for putting out the fire."

Extinguishing?

What a joke! Once the thick smoke rises, it will immediately attract the officers and soldiers and residents stationed there to put out the fire. Wouldn't he just run away and wait to be caught?

"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't burn any paper."

When Dou Tiezhu saw that the other person was a child and there was ashes of burnt paper in the small pit next to him, he knew that the child had also been burning paper.

Dou Tiezhu threatened him, "I saw you burning paper. Don't tell anyone that you saw me in the grove tonight, or I'll report you for secretly going to the vacant lot in the west to burn paper. Your stepmother and your father will be criticized!"

"You...how come you are the first to complain!"

Mu Xiangnan was stunned with anger. It turned out that he had secretly run out to burn paper, and the consequences were so serious?

Why do his stepmother and his father get criticized when people find out that he burns paper?

While Mu Xiangnan was dazed, Dou Tiezhu shook off his hand and ran away quickly.

Fortunately, a team of soldiers stationed nearby rushed to control the spread of the fire, and Xiao Guan and Xiao Song hurried back to get help.

...

On the other side, Ye Jiang had just arrived at the school and met Luo Yuanfeng and Teacher Cui.

"Teacher Xiaoye, why are you still coming to school so late?"

After Teacher Cui and Luo Yuanfeng finished their dumplings, they sat in the empty cafeteria and chatted for a while, lamenting about their respective life experiences, and prepared to go back to the dormitory to rest.

Seeing Ye Jiang coming to school late at night, Teacher Cui couldn't help but ask curiously.

"I came to look for Mu Xiangnan. He and Xiao Nan took their younger brothers and sisters back to the dormitory to get their things. They haven't come home yet. I was worried and came to see him."

Luo Yuanfeng raised his hand and looked at the watch on his wrist, and said in surprise: "You haven't gone home yet?"

He saw Mu Xiangnan and the others taking their things and leaving the dormitory at 7:20. It's 8:55 now. It shouldn't take that long to burn paper money, right?

Where did the children go?

Teacher Cui said, "By the way, Teacher Luo, I heard you say before dinner, what time was it when you saw Xiaonan and the others leaving the dormitory?

Are the kids almost home?

Why don't you go back and take a look, Mr. Ye?"

Ye Jiang asked hurriedly, "I didn't leave home until 8:30. What time did Teacher Luo see the children leave the dormitory?"

"It would be twenty past seven when I saw it."

Luo Yuanfeng was also anxious. He hadn't reached home for an hour and a half. He didn't know where he had gone to waste time.

"Teacher Cui, please go back to the dormitory first. Teacher Xiao Ye and I will go look for her."

"I'll go with you to look for it."

When Teacher Cui heard that the child was missing, she became anxious and insisted on going with the group to look for him.

Luo Yuanfeng didn't want Teacher Cui to follow him, so he said, "Teacher Cui, please help me look around the school to see if there's any in the dormitory."

"That's fine."

Teacher Cui knew that she was too old to keep up with them, so she had to stay and look everywhere in the school again.

After Luo Yuanfeng and Ye Jiang walked out of the school, he confessed: "Teacher Xiao Ye, there is something I must tell you. Let's talk while we walk. Let's look for it in the woods to the west first."

Ye Jiang's eyes twitched. What was Luo Yuanfeng doing? Going to the west forest?

That was a wasteland, and no matter how naughty Mu Xiangnan was, he would never take his younger brothers and sisters to play there so late at night.

Besides, today is the winter solstice, and many fellow villagers are secretly going to the wasteland over there to burn paper, so it is even more impossible for the children to go.

"Teacher Luo, what do you want to tell me?"

"It's all my fault. Xiaonan chatted with me at noon today and mentioned that today is the winter solstice. I said that there is a custom on the winter solstice to burn paper for deceased relatives.

Then Xiaonan said that his biological mother had also died. I asked him if he wanted to burn some paper money for his biological mother. Xiaonan said he did, but he couldn't buy paper money.

Ye Jiang was anxious, thinking that Luo Yuanfeng might have something else to say, so she asked, "And then?"

Luo Yuanfeng was extremely upset and seemed even more anxious than Ye Jiang.

"It's all my fault. I bought some straw paper for Xiaonan, but he didn't tell the adults and secretly burned it at night. I think he went to the open space near the woods in the west. If we look there, we'll definitely find it."

Ye Jiang: "..."

No wonder Mu Xiangnan was worried during dinner and muttered to Xiao Nan, saying that he didn't want to go home and wanted to go back to the dormitory to get his things.

He just listened to Luo Yuanfeng and wanted to burn paper for his deceased mother, right?

What kind of trouble did Luo Yuanfeng cause? How could he allow children to burn paper during such a severe crackdown?

And provide them with raw materials?

Ye Jiang was so angry that he wanted to curse.

"Teacher Luo, since you knew Xiaonan had this idea, why didn't you try to persuade him? It's too much to buy him paper money. He is only thirteen years old and still in school. If the school finds out, he will be punished severely. Do you want to kill him?"

Luo Yuanfeng apologized repeatedly, "It's all my fault. The most important thing now is to find the child and keep it secret. Don't let anyone know that they went to burn paper. That's why I didn't ask Teacher Cui to follow."

Ye Jiang cursed Luo Yuanfeng seventeen or eighteen times in her heart.

"You don't have to tell me, of course I know."

...

"Teacher Ye, Teacher Luo."

Before Mu Xiangnan waited for Xiao Nan and his sister, he saw his stepmother and Teacher Luo coming over, and he suddenly felt panicked.

He watched the forest in front of him catch fire and then be put out, and many soldiers coming and going. Mu Xiangnan was afraid of running into his father and not knowing how to explain, so he hurried back. Before he reached the school, he met his stepmother.

Not only did he lie to his stepmother today, but now his sister and Xiao Nan still don't know what's going on.

The boy was so scared for the first time that he didn't know what to do and didn't dare to hide it.

Ye Jiang hurriedly asked: "Where are Xiao Nan and your sister?

You guys aren't together?"

Mu Xiangnan trembled and choked up as he said, "Xiaoxi ran into the woods. Xiaonan went in to look for her and asked me to take my brother to a safe place. I wanted to go and call for help, but when I ran here I saw you."

In the woods?

Ye Jiang looked over there. Although the fire was under control, the thick smoke was spread everywhere by the wind.

If you can't get out and waste time, the smoke can make people faint and even die.

Ye Jiang was so angry that he quickly ran over to find someone, "Mu Xiangnan, stand here and don't move. Keep an eye on your brother."

Fortunately, they didn't walk far before they saw Xiao Nan coming over with Mu Xiaoxi on his back.

When Xiao Nan saw Teacher Ye Jiang, he realized that he could not hide the fact that he had sneaked out to burn paper today. He felt very guilty and blamed himself for not persuading Xiao Nan.

He handed Xiaoxi to Ye Jiang and said nervously, "Teacher Ye, it's all my fault for not looking after them well."

Ye Jiang looked at Xiaoxi and felt relieved when he saw that she looked fine and had no injuries.

Mu Xiaoxi saw that her mother looked unhappy and angry, so she shook Ye Jiang's sleeve and pointed at Xiao Nan's leg.

"Mom, my brother's leg was cut by a tree stump."

Little Siken spoke?

He said eleven words at once, which was really unprecedented.

"Let me see what's wrong with your legs."

As Ye Jiang said this, he was about to lift up Xiao Nan's trouser leg to see how serious the injury on his leg was.

"No...it's okay."

Xiao Nan quickly took a few steps back and said, "It was just a scratch."

Mu Xiangnan ran over with his brother and said breathlessly, "Teacher Ye, let's go home."

Luo Yuanfeng wanted to take Xiao Nan back to the dormitory, one to check the injury on his leg, and two to ask what happened at night.

"Teacher Ye, please take the children back first. Will Xiao Nan go back to the dormitory?

Just come with me."

Xiao Nan nodded. After the night had ended like this, he felt embarrassed to go to Mu Xiangnan's house again. He followed Luo Yuanfeng silently.

Ye Jiang called Xiao Nan and said, "Xiao Nan, don't go back to the dormitory tonight. Teacher Ye has something to tell you when you get home."

"Um."

Xiao Nan realized that he had done something wrong and thought that Teacher Ye would criticize him that evening, so he stood there with his head down and said nothing more.

Take the children home, Ye Jiang sat on a chair and said to the four children in front of him who were lowering their heads waiting to be scolded.

"Tell me, whose idea was this today?"

Xiao Nan looked up and was about to speak when Mu Xiangnan said, "Teacher Ye, it was my idea. I know I was wrong."

"So you know where you went wrong?"

The boy thought for a moment, lowered his head and said, "I shouldn't have gone to burn paper for my own mother and made you angry."

Ye Jiang slammed the table in anger, "Mu Xiangnan, you don't even know where you went wrong. Think about it again, what did you do wrong?"

Mu Xiangnan thought about it carefully, isn't this the reason?

Teacher Ye married his father and worked hard to take care of him and his younger siblings, but he actually went secretly to burn paper for his biological mother, making his stepmother sad.

He couldn't think of any other reason, and Mu Xiangnan was unable to figure it out for a long time.

Ye Jiang sighed, "Xiao Nan, do you think Teacher Ye will be angry if you burn paper for your own mother?

I tell you, that's not what I'm angry about."

Mu Xiangnan looked up in confusion, "Ah?

So what are you angry about?"

"You went to burn paper in the middle of the night without telling your family. Do you know how serious this matter is? If the school finds out, you and Xiao Nan will both be punished severely."

"You brought your younger brother and sister with you. It's autumn now. It's very dangerous to play with fire in the wilderness. Have you considered the safety of your younger brother and sister? Didn't Teacher Ye teach you fire prevention knowledge in class?"

Mu Xiangnan felt extremely ashamed. It turned out that this was what made Teacher Ye angry. He was worried about the safety of him and his younger brothers and sisters.

It's all his fault. What should I do now?

The boy regretted it deeply, "Teacher Ye, I really know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again."

"Do you want to have a future?"

Ye Jiang was so angry that he had a headache. Mu Xiangbei and Mu Xiaoxi huddled in the back and dared not say a word. Ye Jiang tapped their little heads.

"Remember, you two must tell the adults at home before you do anything. Mom will approve anything that's reasonable. If you dare to make the same mistake as your brother, I'll let your dad beat you up. Remember?"

Mu Xiangbei nodded quickly, "Mom, I understand."

He would never dare to follow his brother's example and deceive his mother again.

Xiaoxi also nodded. She did not lie to her mother. Her mistake today was that she ran into the woods.

...

When Mu Liancheng returned home, he saw the four children standing in a row against the wall, and Ye Jiang sitting on a chair rubbing his temples.

Today's fire was under control before it started and was out when he went there. Thinking about whether his children had returned or not, he rushed home without staying for long.

"How did you make Teacher Ye so angry?

Where did you sneak off to at night?"

Mu Xiangnan looked up at his father and was a little hesitant to say anything.

Xiao Bei didn't have too many concerns and said boldly: "My brother went to burn paper secretly without telling mom."

Burn paper?

Who should I burn paper for?

Mu Liancheng's temple was throbbing with pain.

Ye Jiang stood up, looked at the man who had just returned and said, "I have told them everything I should say. This is your son, you can take care of it yourself."

She said to Xiao Nan, "Xiao Nan, go downstairs with Teacher Ye."

Xiao Nan turned to look at Mu Xiangnan. The boy waved at him, signaling him to leave quickly because his father would probably start beating him soon.

After Ye Jiang went downstairs, he lifted up his trouser legs and took a look. He saw several shallow cuts.

This kid didn't say anything all the way back. He's really patient.

She took Xiao Nan to the clinic to get the wound bandaged.

"Xiao Nan, do you know what you did wrong today?"

Xiao Nan thought about it and realized that he was wrong in his reflection just now.

"I shouldn't have let Xiaonan burn paper. I should have opposed it when I knew about it, and if I couldn't persuade him, I should have told the adults."

Ye Jiang looked at this boy who was only one year older than Xiaonan, and was always so cautious. He wanted to tiptoe to reach that bit of warmth from his relatives, so even though he knew that Mu Xiangnan's behavior of secretly burning paper was wrong, he still wanted to follow his brother, so he followed him.

"Xiao Nan, Teacher Ye already knows your little secret."

"Wha...what?"

Xiao Nan didn't know what to do for a moment. What did Teacher Ye know?

It can't be that thing, right?

If he knew, would Teacher Ye still be so nice to him?

impossible.

Ye Jiang said, "Teacher Ye has long known that you, Xiaonan, Xiaobei, and Xiaoxi all have the same mother. Not only do I know, but Xiaonan's father also knows. We originally wanted to wait until you graduated from high school before we told you."

"Something like this happened today, and Teacher Ye is telling you this to tell you not to give in to others just because you feel burdened, okay?

You have to do what you think is right."

Xiao Nan was stunned and didn't know what to say. It turned out that the adults knew everything. Had he been overthinking all along?

Will he be able to play with his younger brothers and sisters happily and without burden in the future?

Xiao Nan felt like crying at this moment. He thought Teacher Ye asked him to come down to scold him.

"Teacher Ye, then, can I still go home tonight?"

"Where else are you going to go back to?"

Ye Jiang patted the boy's shoulder and said, "Go home. Oh, by the way, don't tell Xiaonan for now. I will tell him after you finish high school."

Xiao Nan nodded quickly and said, "I understand, Teacher Ye."

...

Mu Liancheng asked his eldest son, "So, the three of you also went to the grove in the west to burn paper tonight?"

"Yes, I went."

Mu Xiangnan didn't dare to hide it anymore and admitted it honestly.

"Not only the three of us, but also Brother Xiao Nan went."

Mu Xiaobei confessed completely. He wanted to be a good boy, so he quickly gave away his accomplice, Brother Xiao Nan. "Brother Xiao Nan also burned paper and kowtowed."

Mu Liancheng was so angry that his stomach hurt. If Ye Jiang hadn't warned him not to hit children before leaving, he might have beaten the eldest brother severely.

How old is he?

At the age of thirteen, he imitated adults to burn paper, without considering the current environment. Who would dare to burn paper openly?

If a fire doesn't start tonight, we will have to catch a group of people with "feudal ideas" burning paper in the woods and hold a criticism meeting tomorrow.

I'm going to piss him off to death.

Mu Xiangnan was completely convinced by his stepmother's reasoning and had deeply realized his mistakes.

After confessing honestly, the boy looked at his father's increasingly gloomy face and had a bad feeling. His father did not have as much patience as Teacher Ye.

"Dad, are you going to hit me?"

The young man looked determined to give it his all, which gave Mu Liancheng a headache.

"I was going to beat you up, but your teacher Ye doesn't allow you to beat children. Do you realize your mistake now?"

"I've learned that. I won't dare to do dangerous things without telling adults, and I won't dare to do bad things with my younger brothers and sisters."

Fortunately, he reflected quickly and realized where he went wrong.

Mu Liancheng knocked on the table and said, "Write a 500-word self-criticism. You are not allowed to sleep until you finish it."

"oh."

Mu Xiangnan agreed sadly, ran to his schoolbag to get paper and pen, and came back to share them with his younger brothers and sisters.

Xiaobei blinked his pretty innocent eyes. Oh my God... he was only five years old and couldn't even recognize a few words. How could he write 500 words?

"Dad, do I have to write 500 words too?"

"You and your sister should write a fifty-word self-criticism."

Xiao Nan stood beside the table, bending over to write the 500-word self-criticism his father had asked him to do.

I looked up and saw Xiao Nan coming back with Teacher Ye, fully equipped with paper and pen, and sitting on the empty seat next to him.

"Xiao Nan, come here and write a self-review. Five hundred words."

Xiao Nan: "..."

Why? It was your dad who arranged it, not my dad.

Xiao Nan is quite afraid of Mu Liancheng.

Mu Xiangnan's father had the dignity of a soldier. After hearing what Mu Xiangnan said, he wanted to escape but didn't dare to run. He could only resign himself to his fate and ran over, picked up a pen and quickly wrote a self-criticism.

Ye Jiangke was so exhausted from all the hard work that she wanted to sleep with Mu Liancheng, but her desire to do so was dampened, so she went back to the room and lay down for a while.

After a long time, Mu Liancheng came in with four apologies in his hand. Seeing Ye Jiang lying tiredly on the quilt, he felt sorry for her for worrying about the child all night.

He sat down on the bed and said, "Are you really anxious today?

I've read the apology letters, and the kids seem pretty sincere. Do you want to stand up and take a look?"

Ye Jiang didn't even open his eyes, and said lazily: "Just look sincere, and tell the children to go to bed. I don't think they will dare to mess around in the future."

It will be quite troublesome tomorrow. If the fire incident is investigated, neither Xiao Nan nor Mu Xiangnan will be able to escape.

She sighed inwardly and decided to see what happens tomorrow.

...

After the fire was put out last night, Dou Tiezhu heard early in the morning that the higher-ups were going to severely punish the people who burned paper in the woods and caused the fire last night, and they were looking for them everywhere.

He was panicking. What if the two little devils he met last night gave him away? In serious cases, he might end up in jail.

The more he thought about it, the more scared he became. Dou Tiezhu hurried to discuss with his sister. At least his brother-in-law and the stepmother of that little brat Mu Xiangnan were colleagues, so he could go and plead for them.

"Sister, let me tell you something."

"What is it?"

Dou Ronghua was making breakfast. If there was anything she couldn't say at home, she had to pull her outside and say, "Your brother-in-law is still waiting for you to have breakfast before going to work. Tell me what you want to say."

"Did you know about the fire in the woods last night?"

"How could I not know about such a big commotion?"

Dou Ronghua thought it was a big deal and it had nothing to do with her and she didn't go to burn paper anyway.

Dou Ronghua said: "The fire started from the forest. I heard someone saw the person burning paper in the forest and is looking for him everywhere."

Dou Tiezhu didn't sleep well the whole night because he was worried about this matter.

The two children last night were probably frightened by his words. When they heard that their parents would be criticized, they haven't dared to say anything until now.

But not saying it now doesn't mean they won't say it in the future. We have to find a way to give their families a good warning.

"Sister, I actually went to burn paper last night as well."

"What?

You have lost your mind, right? I heard that the county leaders are very angry and want to deal with it seriously. All the villagers who burned paper last night must voluntarily come out and admit their mistakes and write a self-criticism. Let's see what you will do now!"

Dou Ronghua was so angry that she hit her brother hard a few times, and then asked hurriedly: "No one saw it, right?"

As long as no one sees it, it's fine.

"Mu Xiangnan from Teacher Ye's family saw it."

Dou Tiezhu didn't dare tell his sister that he was the reason for the fire, and could only say vaguely: "Fortunately, Mu Xiangnan ran over to burn paper in the middle of the night. I had already warned him that if he told others, everyone would be in trouble. I saw that he didn't say anything until morning. He must have been scared by me."

"But I'm afraid that kid won't keep his mouth shut. How about you ask my brother-in-law to go to school today and talk to Teacher Ye. As long as her family doesn't report me, I won't report her son. We can just pretend that nothing happened."

Dou Ronghua stamped her feet in anger, "Do you know that your brother-in-law is competing with Ye Jiang for the position of professional instructor? Do you think it's appropriate for you to ask Ye Jiang to beg him now?"

"Why beg?"

Dou Tiezhu said: "Her son also burned paper. If we tell everyone about it, it will bring bad luck to everyone."

"And it seems her family is more unlucky. When that kid graduates from high school, his father will definitely send him to the army, stigmatizing him with feudal superstition. Mu Xiangnan won't even be able to join the army. To be honest, their family should be more afraid."

Dou Ronghua thought so too. Her husband was competing with Ye Jiang for the selection of professional teachers. Why wouldn't she use such a good opportunity?

God is really helping her man. Dou Ronghua smiled and said, "I understand. Go back. I'll talk to your brother-in-law now."

Dou Tiezhu was still worried and repeatedly told his sister, "The conditions can be negotiated, as long as Teacher Ye's children don't go out and say anything."

"I know. I know my limits."

Dou Ronghua returned home happily. Seeing that her husband had already had breakfast, she hurried forward to ask.

"Old Yu, is your school going to select professional teachers today?

That Ye Jiang was recommended by Chen Hua again, right? "

"yes."

Yu Wanliang changed his clothes and prepared to go to school.

"Why are you asking this?

I don't have time to chat with you. I'm going to the school to build relationships with those old professors and try to win their votes."

After Yu Wanliang was removed from his position as director of studies, he finally waited for this activity to evaluate professional teachers.

Don't underestimate these professional teachers, their salaries are very different from those of ordinary teachers.

He has worked as a teacher for decades and now earns more than 70 yuan for a level 5 salary. If he is evaluated as a professional teacher, the level 5 salary will increase to more than 110 yuan.

The junior high school department recommended Yu Wanliang, and the high school department recommended the young new teacher Ye Jiang. However, there was only one vacancy for a professional teacher this time, and the candidate was selected by voting by all the teachers in the school.

How could Yu Wanliang not take it seriously?

Her wife Dou Ronghua smiled happily and said, "Oh, I know you attach great importance to the evaluation of professional teachers this time. Many teachers in your school will vote for Ye Jiang, right?"

Yu Wanliang looked at his wife as if she were a lunatic. Why was this silly woman so happy when she knew that his biggest competitor this time was Ye Jiang?

"Yes, yes, you already know all this, and you're still bringing bad luck to me."

"I have a way to make Ye Jiang voluntarily withdraw from the selection of professional teachers."

Dou Ronghua looked at her husband proudly and said, "Do you want to know?"

"What good ideas can you offer?"

Yu Wanliang's wife is just a logistics staff member who cooks in the school cafeteria. How could she possibly interfere with the school's work?

Besides, Ye Jiang is a stubborn person who refuses to be influenced by others. It is impossible for her to give up the election for the professional instructor just because of a few words from others.

Is his wife crazy?

Yu Wanliang ignored Dou Ronghua, put on his briefcase and prepared to go to school.

Dou Ronghua was anxious. She thought this method would definitely make Ye Jiang withdraw voluntarily. She just wanted to control her husband, but she didn't expect her man not to buy it.

"Old Yu, please don't leave. I really have a good idea. I will make sure Ye Jiang withdraws voluntarily, but I also have a condition."

"Still negotiating terms with me?"

Yu Wanliang was displeased, "I am your man, helping me is helping this family."

How could he not know the little thoughts of his wife? Isn't it just that she wants to control the family's financial power?

It's impossible for his wife to take care of that. Whenever this woman has some money, she will take it back to subsidize her brother's family from her natal side.

However, if his wife really has a good idea, he can also make some concessions.

"What benefit do you want?

Let me talk about it first. I won't agree to any excessive conditions."

Dou Ronghua was very proud that her man would definitely agree to her request for the teacher selection.

"Then if I can get Ye Jiang to quit voluntarily, and you are promoted to a professional instructor, you must give me the extra 40 yuan salary every month."

More than 40 yuan is equivalent to a worker's salary. She can save some of it for herself and give some of it to her parents' home. She feels so happy just thinking about it.

"for you?

So that you can give it to your brother?"

Yu Wanliang was furious. "I don't agree. It's up to you to decide. If I don't get the award, it will be a loss for our family."

Dou Ronghua compromised immediately, "How about this, I can't get nothing for my efforts, you give me the first year's salary increase, and I don't want any after that, okay?"

She didn't have any financial control over the family and could only scrape together some money for food from the living expenses Yu Wanliang gave her every month.

What could she do with that little money? She also wanted to experience what it felt like to have money in her hands.

The extra money is more than 400 yuan a year, which is a huge sum of money. She can get it by just talking to Ye Jiang and threatening her.

Moreover, if her man squeezes out Ye Jiang and becomes a professional teacher, it will be her family that will benefit in the long run.

"Well, can you give me a definite answer?"

Yu Wanliang asked: "Can you really make Ye Jiang withdraw voluntarily?

Tell me what the solution is first."

It would be the best if Ye Jiang could voluntarily withdraw, so that he wouldn't have to beg those teachers who were inclined to vote for Ye Jiang.

Dou Ronghua whispered a few words to Yu Wanliang, then said with a smile: "How about it, my method is good, you don't even need to show up."

Yu Wanliang felt that this method was feasible, and he finally felt relieved after having been worried about the teacher selection for several days.

"This is a good idea. To be safe, you go find Ye Jiang. I'll go to the school and talk to an authoritative teacher. Then I'll put pressure on Ye Jiang. If we work together, we'll have a better chance."

In this case, Yu Wanliang was the only one who could be the professional teacher, and Yu Wanliang was so happy that he smiled widely.

Taking advantage of the man's good mood, Dou Ronghua continued, "Then you have to give me the salary increase for the first year as agreed."

"Okay, as long as I can be promoted to a professional instructor, I'll give it to you."

Dou Ronghua was overjoyed, "Then I will go find Ye Jiang now. I guarantee she will beg us. You just wait for good news."